Deeds are presented to Allah in Sha’ban

أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ ، قَالَ : ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الأَعْمَالُ إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ، فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ

Usamah ibn Zayd (Radi Allahu anhu) said,” Oh Messenger of Allah, I haven’t seen you fast in any other month similar to the way you fast during Sha’ban . He (SallAllahu alayhi wa salam) replied saying; People are negligent between Rajab and Ramadan. During Sha’ baan the deeds are presented to the Lord of all the worlds. Therefore I desire to be fasting when my deeds are lifted.” 

Collected by Ahmed ( 5/200) , An-Nisa’i (2357), Al-Bayhaqee in Shu’ib Al-Eman (3820) and Ibn Abee Shaybah in his Musanaf (9765). Shaykh Al-Albani (may Allah rest him in Jannah) and Muhammad Adam (may Allah preserve him) both graded this hadeeth as Hasan 

Benefits taken from :Thakiratul ‘Uqbah fee Sharhil Mujtabah. An Explanation of Sunnan An- Nisa’i written by Muhammad Adam Al-Ethopia. [Vol 21 page 266-268.] Shaykh Muhammad wrote;

(Usamah ibn Zayd ) ibn Haaratha ibn Sharaheel Al-Kalbee. He died in Madinah in 54 Hijrah. He was 75 years old at the time of his death. 

(Negligent between Rajab and Ramadan.) Means and Allah knows best- The people used to perform extra worship during those two months, and during Shaýban they were lax. 

(During Sha’ baan the deeds are lifted to the lord of all the worlds.) Good deeds should be performed during Sha’ban. One of the best deeds is fasting. 

(Therefore I desire to be fasting when my deeds are lifted.) As-Shaykh Walideen (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,” If you ask, what does this mean? It is written in Bukhari and Muslim that the deeds of the servant for the night are lifted to Allah before the day. And the deeds for the day are lifted before the night? 

I say there are two possible answers for this question: 

1. The deeds of the servant are displayed to Allah daily. The weekly deeds are presented to Allah on Mondays and Thursdays. The yearly deeds are presented to Allah in Sha’ban. Hence deeds are presented to The Most Merciful one after the other. There is wisdom behind deeds being presented to Allah in this fashion; whoever wants to ponder over this can. And if Allah wills the servant will understand why this happens; otherwise he won’t. And the wisdom will remain with Allah. Allah sees, hears and knows everything. 

2. Daily deeds are presented to The All-Knowing daily in detail and weekly deeds are 
presented in general to Allah. And Allah knows best. 

Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle
Doha, Qatar. 6/8/1429

Reposted for the season on the 29th of Rajab, 1437