عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّهَا حَدَّثَتْهُ قَالَتْ، لَمْ يَكُنِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ شَهْرًا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ ’’خُذُوا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا‘‘، وَأَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِنْ قَلَّتْ وَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهَا.
Hazrat Aishahra related:
“The Prophet sa did not fast in any month more than in Sha‘ban; indeed, he would fast virtually the entire month. He used to say: ‘Practise deeds in a measure you can sustain, for Allah never wearies until you yourselves grow weary.’ The most beloved salat to the Prophetsa was that which was observed regularly, even if it was little, and whenever he performed a voluntary prayer, he would maintain it continually.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab as-sawm, Bab sawmi sha‘ban, Hadith 1970)