Rasulullah (SAW) addressed the gathering of muslimeen on the last day of the month of Shaaban:
“O muslimeen! A great and auspicious month is approaching you. There is a night in this month in which every act (of piety) is better than the same act performed repeatedly over a thousand months. He who seeks proximity unto Allah by performing a pious deed is like one who performs an act of farizat in other months. And he who performs a farizat in this month equals one who performs seventy acts of farizat in other months.
This is the month of sabr (patience and perseverance) and the reward of sabr is jannat. This is the month of muwasaat (taking care of the needy) and the month where-in the rizq (wealth) of a mumin is multiplied.
He who serves iftaar to those fasting in this month will be forgiven all his sins, be freed from jahannam and be rewarded for fasting himself. One of those present exclaimed: All of us cannot afford to serve iftaar! Rasulullah (SAW) replied: Allah will bestow this reward even on the one who serves a sip of milk, a piece date or water as iftaar.
One who feeds those fasting in this month will be offered a sip from my hawz (Kausar); he shall never experience thirst thereafter.
The first ten days of this month are of رحمة (mercy), the second ten of مغفرة (pardon from sins) and the last ten of عتق من النار salvation from hell). Allah shall forgive the sins of the one who reduces the work load of his servant (because he is also fasting) in this month and shall protect him from jahannam.
In this month four deeds must be performed repeatedly; two of these will please Allah and the other two- you cannot do without. The first two which shall please Allah are:
* proclaiming – لا اله الا الله
* and seeking pardon from sins. – استغفر الله
The other two are:
* asking Allah for jannat – اللهم اني اسئلك الحنة
* and requesting Allah for deliverance from jahannam. – واعوذ بك من النار