Sunan an-Nasa'i 2350
سنن النسائي#2350Sahihأَخْبَرَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ كَانَ أَحَبَّ الشُّهُورِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَصُومَهُ شَعْبَانُ بَلْ كَانَ يَصِلُهُ بِرَمَضَانَ .
Aishah said:"The month which the Messenger of Allah most liked to fast was Shaban; indeed he used to join it to Ramadan
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
Abu GhuddahSahih
Al-AlbaniSahih
Zubair Ali ZaiIsnaad Sahih
In-book reference: 22:261