—one of the wisdoms behind this practice was to exercise and ready the soul for the fast of Ramadan, so that the month would not arrive while a person was still unaccustomed to fasting. Some scholars added that people tend to overlook Shaʿbān because it falls between two momentous months, Rajab and Ramadan.

In Subul al-Salām it is said: “It is possible that he fasted during Shaʿbān for all of these reasons together.”

4 – The report also indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not single out a particular time for voluntary fasting. A Muslim, therefore, should weigh the benefit in his acts of worship: he is to give priority to what is most important, then to what follows it, and to place first whatever serves the public interest, without neglecting other acts. Allocating one’s time and coordinating one’s duties are matters the noble Sharīʿah encourages.

5 – It further teaches that a Muslim ought to manage his own soul, training it in obedience to Allah until such obedience becomes familiar and easy, whereas at first it may have felt difficult and burdensome.