SECTION ON FASTING · 12 – THE DISLIKEDNESS OF CONNECTING SHAʿBĀN TO RAMAḌĀN
2337 – ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Muḥammad said: ʿAbbād ibn Kathīr came to Medina. He turned to the assembly of ʿAlāʾ, took ʿAlāʾ by the hand and made him stand up, then said: By Allah, this ʿAlāʾ reports from his father, who reports from Abū Hurayra, that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When the middle of Shaʿbān comes, do not fast (supererogatory fasts).” ʿAlāʾ also said: Indeed, my father related this to me from Abū Hurayra, who related it from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abū Dāwūd said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī would not transmit this. I asked Aḥmad why, and he said: Because he has the narration that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) connected Shaʿbān to Ramaḍān. However, ʿAlāʾ has narrated the opposite from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). [257]