I said, "Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fast in any month as much as you fast in Shaban."He replied, "That is a month people neglect, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the Worlds, and I love for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting."
قلت يا رسول الله، لم أرك تصوم من شهر من الشهور ما تصوم من شعبان؟ قال: ذاك شهر يغفل الناس عنه بين رجب ورمضان. وهو شهر ترفع فيه الأعمال إلى رب العالمين، فأحب أن يرفع عملي وأنا صائم.
Imam Ahmad narrated it (21753), and from him Diya in Al-Mukhtarah (1356), from Abdul-Rahman bin Mahdi, who said, Thabit bin Qays Abu Ghusn narrated to us, Abu Saeed Maqburi narrated to me, Usama bin Zayd narrated to me, and he related it.Its chain of transmission is hasan on account of Thabit bin Qays, for there is disagreement about him, though his hadith is hasan.