8/38. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 738 — Second Half of Sha'ban
What Has Been Related About It Being Disliked To Fast During The Second Half Of Sha'ban For The Sake of Ramdan
Hadith About Fasting After Half of Sha'ban
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 738
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 738
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا بَقِيَ نِصْفٌ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَلاَ تَصُومُوا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ عَلَى هَذَا اللَّفْظِ . وَمَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الرَّجُلُ مُفْطِرًا فَإِذَا بَقِيَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ شَيْءٌ أَخَذَ فِي الصَّوْمِ لِحَالِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا يُشْبِهُ قَوْلَهُمْ حَيْثُ قَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تَقَدَّمُوا شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ بِصِيَامٍ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُوَافِقَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمًا كَانَ يَصُومُهُ أَحَدُكُمْ " . وَقَدْ دَلَّ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّمَا الْكَرَاهِيَةُ عَلَى مَنْ يَتَعَمَّدُ الصِّيَامَ لِحَالِ رَمَضَانَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah Said: "When A Half Of Sha'Ban Remains Then Do Not Fast."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 738In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 57English translation : Vol. 2, Book 3, Hadith 738
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 738
This hadith about fasting after half of Sha'ban says, “When half of Sha'ban remains, then do not fast.” The Arabic notes explain how some scholars understood it: a person who was not fasting starts fasting late in Sha'ban because Ramadan is near. The same passage connects this with another meaning: do not precede Ramadan by fasting unless it matches a fast someone already used to observe. That note is part of the provided text and keeps the ruling balanced. The warning is not about every person who has a regular fast. It is about deliberately starting late Sha'ban fasting because Ramadan is close. The hadith teaches respect for the boundary before Ramadan and care not to treat Sha'ban like Ramadan itself.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith warns against starting fasts in the second half of Sha'ban in the described way.
- The text itself mentions an exception for a regular fast that already matches that time.
- The aim is to avoid treating the approach of Ramadan carelessly.
- The explanation should keep the scholarly note attached to the hadith.
