The Prophet’s [sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam] initial act was to love Ramadan and make dua for its attainment.
It is in Imam Tibraani’s Aowsat and Musnad Bazaar that as soon as he would see the moon of the month of Rajab He would supplicate:
“Oh Allah make Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us and grant us Ramadan.”
The words narrated by Syeduna Anas are
“When Rajab would enter he would supplicate:
“Oh Allah make Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us and make Ramadan blessed for us.”
(Musnad Ahmad 259)
Tibraani narrates from Syeduna Anas that when the months of Rajab and Shabaan would begin he would supplicate
“Oh Allah make Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us and grant us Ramadan.”
After narrating these words Ibn Rajab writes that one learns from this that one should supplicate for blessed times to get closer to one’s Lord by undertaking more good deeds in them:
“In this hadith is evidence of the goodness of making dua to stay alive and find good times in which one can undertake good deeds. For a believer increased lifetime is a source of good and the best person is the one whose life is long and deeds good.”
Look at what our pious predecessors did after they became aware of both this practice of the Prophet [sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam] and the status of Ramadan.
Syeduna Yalaa bin Fadhl writes about Prophet’s ramadan:
“They (the companions and ta’bieen) would spend six months supplicating to attain Ramadan and spend the other six months pleading for its acceptance.”
(Lataaif ul Mu’aarif)