The Month of Shaban 2026: Importance, Dos and Don’ts

Shaban is the eighth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. It comes just before the most blessed month Ramadan, marking as the preparation time for Ramadan. Shaban 2026 starts on 20 January 2026.

This month holds great significance in Islam. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ would fast more in the month of Shaban than in any other month outside Ramadan.

As Shaban approaches, it is the ideal time to prepare for the blessed month ahead. We should increase voluntary prayer and fasting, seek Allah’s forgiveness, and make sincere repentence for the past sins.

Let’s explore the virtues of Shaban and powerful tips to help you prepare for a more focused and rewarding Ramadan.

What Does Sha’ban Mean?

Sha’ban (شَعْبَان) comes from the Arabic word Sha’aba, which means ‘to appear,’ ‘emerge,’ or ‘branch out.’ Since this month falls between Rajab and Ramadan, it is believed to be named after this meaning.

There is also historical meaining behing the name. It is said that the Arabs used to Sha’aba, disperse in raids and forays during this month. This could be another reason for the name Sha’ban.

When is Shaban 2026?

Rajab 1447H is expected to start on Tuesday, January 20 2026, and end on Tuesday, 17 February 2026. However, the date may vary in different regions, as Islamic months are based on moon sightings.

Shaban Hijri Calendar 1445H to 1450H

Hijri Year	Shaban Start Date	Shaban End Date
1445H	11 February 2024	10 March 2024
1446H	31 January 2025	28 February 2025
1447H	20 January 2026	17 February 2026
1448H	9 January 2027	6 February 2027
1449H	28 December 2027	25 January 2028
1450H	17 December 2028	14 January 2029

Significance & Importance of Shaban Month

Some of the important aspects of Sha’ban are as follows:

1. Our Prophet ﷺ would fast in Sha’ban more than any other month except Ramadan

Aishah (R) said:

فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ

“I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fasting more than he did in Sha’ban.” [Sahih al Bukhari: 1969]

This practice shows how important this is for us to prepare ourselves for Ramadan from this month.

2. Deeds are raised to Allah during Sha’ban

Usama ibn Zayd (R) said, “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ , I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha’ban.’ He ﷺ  said: ‘That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadan, and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the worlds. I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.’” [Sahih al-Targhib wa’l-Tarhib, p. 425]

3. Rasulullah ﷺ  loved the month of Shaban

It is reported, “The most beloved of months for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to fast in was Sha’ban, and his fasting in Sha’ban was continuous with his fasting in Ramadan.” [Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud: 2/461]

4. Our past generations loved fasting more in Shaban

Our best generations (Salaf as-Saliheen) would believe that fasting in Sha’ban is better than fasting in other months, even the sacred ones

Ibn Rajab (RA) said: “Fasting in Sha’ban is better than fasting in the Sacred Months, and the best of voluntary fasts are those that are (observed in the months) closest to Ramadan, before or after.”

Allah forgives all the believers in general; except the polytheists and the jealous people on the 15^th night of Sha’ban (middle night of Shaban or laylatun nisf min shaban). [Silsilat ul-Ahadith-as Sahiha, Volume No. 3, Page No. 135, Hadith No. 1144]

What to Do in Shaban? List of Good Deeds

There are a lot of good deeds that one should perform in the month of Shaban. We have listed some of the good deeds you can perform in this virtuous month:

1. Keep Voluntary Fasts

Rasulullah ﷺ  used the fast most of the days of Sha’ban. Thus, the significance of fasting on Sha’ban is great. As his Ummah, we should follow his Sunnah and keep as many voluntary fasts as we can in Sha’ban as well.

Also, many people fast, specifically on the 15th of Sha’ban, thinking it is a Sunnah. But all the hadiths mentioning this act are either weak or fabricated. The sound option is to fast on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Sha’ban as part of Ayyamul Beed fastings. 

P.S. Scholars have differed in opinion as to whether one should fast in the last 15 days of Shaban month. So, it is better to fast either most of the days of the whole month or the first 15 days.

2. Recite the Quran

Ramadan is the month of revelation of the Quran. Naturally, it is the month when we recite it the most. To get the best results and the most rewards from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, we should start the habit of reciting it more, starting from Sha’ban. 

Salamah ibn Kuhayl (R) said: “It was said that Sha’ban was the month of the Quran readers.”

3. Increase Your Duas in Shaban

We should make lots of duas to Allah in Sha’ban to reach us Ramadan. Rasulullah ﷺ  used to say:

اَللّٰهُمَّ  بَارِكْ لَناَ فِيْ رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبانَ وَبَلّغْنَا رَمَضَانْ

“O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan.” [Tabarani al Awsat: 3939]. 

This Hadith is classified as weak. But there is nothing wrong with a person asking Allah to make him/her reach Ramadan.

Along with this, make sincere repentance for past sins and ask Allah for your personal needs. Increase dua for guidance, forgiveness, and strength to worship better in the coming Ramadan.

4. Perform Voluntary Prayers

Especially start the practice of praying Tahajjud and having Sehri from Sha’ban. It will help you get used to the Ramadan schedule quicker and gain you the best rewards. 

The virtues of the night of the 15th of Sha’ban (mid Shaban or laylatun nisf min Shaban) have been mentioned in a Sahih Hadith. If you want, you can perform nafl (voluntary) prayers and ask for forgiveness from Allah on this night.

But kindly do so at your home individually, as no prayer in congregation is found in the Sunnah during this night.  

5. Give Charity and Save Sadaqah Money for Ramadan

Rasulullah ﷺ was the most generous in giving Sadaqah during Ramadan. As his Ummah, we should follow his Sunnah and try to hand out Sadaqah and Zakat during Ramadan. To do it properly, we should do our Zakat calculations in Sha’ban and prepare the money to be given in Ramadan.

Besides saving money for Ramadan, you should give charity in Shaban too to make it a habit for upcoming Ramadan. You can give Sadaqah to GTAF to bring more people closer to Allah and help millions understand Islam better through Islamic apps.

Let’s watch the video to get the list of good deeds on Shaban month

Things to Avoid During the Month of Shaban

There are certain things we should avoid during Shaban. Some of these are: Committing Sins, Engaging in Bid’ah, Being lazy in preparation for Ramadan, etc.

In many parts of the world, the 15th night of Shaban i.e. Shab-e-Barat, is celebrated jubilantly. People decorate the mosques with lighting and set off fireworks that night. Women at home prepare sweets(halwa) and bread(roti) at home.

All these are done in the name of Sunnah. But in reality, these are despised Bid’ah (innovation) in Islam and have nothing to do with Sunnah. We should avoid such acts and adhere to the Prophetic Sunnah. 

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Conclusion

Sha’ban has great significance for us. We should start getting ready for Ramadan from this blessed month. As a part of the Sunnah, we should fast for as many days as we can and do more good deeds during this month.

May Allah accept our good deeds, purify our hearts, and allow us to reach Ramadan and earn its rewards.