Why it is called Shaban?   Shaban is a name of a month (one of the lunar months), it was called with this name because the Arabs were scattering in it searching for water or scattering in wars or because it appears between Rajab and Ramadan (two lunar months).   The prophet’s fast in Shaban: whereas Shaban is considered as a preparation for Ramadan, it’s preferable for Muslim to fast some days in it.   Narrated Aisha: “Allah Apostle used to fast till one would say that: he would never stop fasting! And he would abandon fasting till one would say that: he would never fast! I never saw Allah’s Apostle fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan and didn’t see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Shaban”[Bukhari]   «كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم حتى نقول لا يفطر، ويفطر حتى نقول لا يصوم، فما رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم استكمل صيام شهر إلا رمضان، وما رأيته أكثر صياما منه في شعبان»   She also narrated “Shaban was the most beloved month to Allah’s Prophet to fast in it till the beginning of Ramadan” [Declared Authentic by Al-Albani]