Author: Abdul-Hai Lay'yan
Sha‘ban: A School of Preparation for Ramadan (part 3)
Shaʿban and Islamic Moral Education
From the perspective of Islamic moral education, the month of Shaʿban holds a foundational position in the process of preparing the human being for entry into the blessed month of Ramadan. This month is not merely a temporal interval between two devotional occasions; rather, it represents a purposeful stage in the gradual journey of self-reform, inner purification, and the re-regulation of a believer’s spiritual and social relationships.
The defining feature of Shaʿban is its focus on rectifying intention, deepening sincerity, and strengthening the heartfelt and practical bond with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Moreover, the emphasis found in religious texts on the presentation of deeds during this month further amplifies the importance of reassessing the quality of one’s acts of worship and the soundness of human relationships.
Accordingly, Shaʿbān may be regarded as the connecting link between abandoning sin in Rajab and realizing conscious servitude in Ramadan. This article seeks, through a Qurʾanic–educational approach, to explain and analyze the most significant spiritual and ethical functions of the month of Shaʿban.
Shaʿban: The Month of Connection with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
Within the framework of Islamic moral education, this month occupies a special place in deepening the faith-based connection with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). If the month of Rajab is viewed as an exercise in abandoning sin and initiating the purification of the soul, and Ramadan as the peak of sincere worship and conscious presence before Allah, then Shaʿbān represents an intermediate and essential stage in this journey. Its primary function is to strengthen the heartfelt and practical connection with the life and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
This month provides an opportunity for the believer, prior to entering the intense and majestic atmosphere of Ramadan, to re-align personal conduct and ethics with the Prophetic model (PBUH).
The Noble Qurʾan introduces the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) as an excellent role model and establishes him as the criterion for evaluating the individual and social behavior of believers, as Allah the Exalted says: لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ﴾ [1]) Translation: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.”
This verse indicates that following the Prophet (PBUH) is not limited to the performance of outward acts of worship; rather, it encompasses harmonizing one’s worldview, character, social interactions, and lifestyle with his noble conduct (PBUH).
From this perspective, the month of Shaʿban can serve as a practical arena for training in this harmonization.
The particular dedication of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to worship, fasting, and drawing closer to Allah during Shaʿbān is itself a clear testimony to the status of this month in the Prophetic practice. This dedication carries not only a devotional dimension but also an educational message for the Ummah—a message emphasizing the necessity of gradual preparation, conscious attachment to the Prophetic Sunnah (PBUH), and avoidance of seasonal or superficial acts of worship devoid of depth.
Thus, Shaʿbān is an opportunity for a person, before entering Ramadan, to reconstruct religious conduct upon the foundations of love for and adherence to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Within this framework, Shaʿbān is an appropriate time for revisiting the moral character of the Prophet (PBUH)—a character founded upon mercy, forbearance, patience, forgiveness, humility, and excellent social conduct.
Connection with the Prophet (PBUH) in this month is not realized through mere claim, but through practical self-assessment: to what extent do our behaviors within the family, society, and interactions with others reflect a Prophetic character?
Hence, questions of the following kind gain particular importance:
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How close is our kindness toward others to the character of the Prophet (PBUH)?
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When facing the mistakes of others, to what extent do patience and forgiveness—so evident in the Prophetic conduct (PBUH)—manifest in our behavior?
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And to what degree does our lifestyle mirror the practical teachings of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)?
From this viewpoint, the month of Shaʿban may be regarded as a bridge between individual self-reform and social emulation of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)—a bridge whose conscious crossing transforms Ramadan from a collection of individual acts into a profound experience of devotion grounded in love and emulation.
Thus, the deeper the heartfelt and practical connection with the Prophet (PBUH) during Shaʿban, the more enduring and impactful the spiritual fruits of Ramadan will be.
Continues…
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Reference:
[1]. Al-Aḥzāb: 21.
