Can I make up the few Fardh Fasts I Have Left over from Last Ramadhaan in the Last Half of Sha’baan?

by Asma bint Shameem 🌿 ANSWER🌿 It’s true that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said: “When Sha’baan is halfway through, do not fast.” (Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani) This is a GENERAL prohibition and it’s disliked to fast in the second half of Sha’baan for a person who’s not used to fasting, in case he becomes weak before Ramadhaan starts. However, there are EXCEPTIONS to this prohibition such as: - if a person is in the HABIT of fasting regularly like Mondays and Thursdays etc - if a person has to MAKE UP a missed fast In these situations it’s ALLOWED for us to fast in the second half of Sha’baan so that we can quickly make up any obligatory fasts that we may owe before the next Ramadhaan comes up. 🍃 Imaam an-Nawawi said regarding this issue: “If a person has to make up a day from Ramadhaan, then he has to fast it, (even in the last half of Sha’baan) because the time left for him to make it up has become very short.” (al-Majmoo’ (6/399) You see, the obligatory fasts are a kind of DEBT that we owe our Rabb, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. Isn’t it better to return the debt to the Lender as soon as possible? So go ahead and make up any days that you have leftover before the upcoming Ramadhaan even if you have to fast in the last two weeks of Sha’baan and CLEAR your DEBT. And Allaah knows best.