Sha’baan and Nisfu Sha’baan
_Alhamdulillaah wasalaatu wasalaam ‘ala rasulillaah_
Sha’baan is the month in which people’s deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds. It is true that many believers are heedless of the month of sha’ban as the Prophet confirmed (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Narrated by al-Nasaa’i and Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Khuzaymah, according to which Usaamah ibn Zayd said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, I do not see you fasting in any month more than in Sha’baan.’ He said, ‘That is a month concerning which many people are heedless, between Rajab and Ramadaan. It is the month in which people’s deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds, and I would like my deeds to be taken up whilst I am fasting.’” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 2221. It is believed that many really want to worship Allaah but need to be reminded or guided, this is a reminder!
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*It is mustahabb (recommended) to fast a great deal in the month of Sha’baan*
Fasting is one of the great worships recommended in the month of Sha’baan, in fact, to fast the whole of Sha’baan is confirmed. Ahmad (26022), Abu Dawood (2336), al-Nasaa’i (2175) and Ibn Maajah (1648) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast two consecutive months apart from the fact that he used to join Sha’baan and Ramadaan.” Another narration: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never used to fast any complete month in the year, apart from Sha’baan, which he used to join to Ramadaan.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2048.
Also, not to fast all of Sha’baan is confirmed. Muslim (1156) narrated that Abu Salamah said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and she said: ‘He used to fast until we thought that he would always fast, then he would not fast until we thought that he would always not fast, but I never saw him fast in any month more than he fasted in Sha’baan. He used to fast all of Sha’baan, and he used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days.’” Narrated by Muslim (746) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “I do not know that the Prophet of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the entire Qur’aan in one night, or spent an entire night in prayer until dawn, or fasted an entire month apart from Ramadaan.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1971) and Muslim (1157) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any month in full apart from Ramadaan.” By way of reconciling between these hadeeths, Jurists said this had to do with differences of time – in some years he fasted all of Sha’baan, and in other years he fasted all of sha’baan apart from a few days. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/416. So, it is recommended to fast a great deal in the month of Sha’baan.
*Fasting in the second half of Sha’baan*
Abu Dawood (3237), al-Tirmidhi (738) and Ibn Naajah (1651) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Sha’baan is half over, do not fast.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 590 whilst some rule this to be Da’eef, Munkar, Shadh etc. But there are reports that indicate that it is permissible to fast at this time i.e. Al-Bukhaari (1914) and Muslim (1082) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not anticipate Ramadaan by fasting one or two days before it begins, but if a man habitually fasts, then let him fast.” So, with this hadith and others mentioned above, fasting after halfway through Sha’baan is permissible for someone who has a habitual pattern of fasting, such as a man who regularly fasts on Mondays and Thursdays, or who fasts alternate days, and the like. al-Majmoo’, 6/399-400; Fath al-Baari, 4/129, Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (p. 412), Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/385). Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (3/394)
*Nisfu Sha’baan (15th of Sha’baan) Special ‘Ibaadah = NO PROOF!*
In Shari’ah, there is no special act of worship to be performed in the middle of Sha‘baan or during the last days of the month. Al-‘Iraaqi said: The hadeeth about the prayer (nafila) of Laylat al-Nisf (mid-Sha‘baan) is false. Ibn al-Jawzi narrated it in al-Mawdoo‘aat (which is a compilation of fabricated hadeeths): The hadeeth, “When the night of ‘nisfu Sha’baan (mid-Sha‘baan) comes, spend the night in prayer and fast on that day” was narrated by Ibn Maajah from ‘Ali. Muhashiyyah said: (It was also narrated) in al-Zawaa’id. Its isnaad is da‘eef (weak) because of the weakness of Ibn Abi Basrah, of whom Ahmad and Ibn Ma‘een said: He fabricates hadeeth. Al-Nawawi said: The prayers of Rajab and Sha‘baan are two reprehensible innovations. End quote from al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada‘aat, p. 144.
Also, the soundness of the hadeeth of Abu Moosa is not free of critics. It states that – “Allah, may He be exalted, looks down on the night of the fifteenth of Sha‘baan and forgives all His creation except a mushrik or one who harbors hatred against the Muslims. Saheeh al-Jaami‘, hadeeth no. 1819. Ibn Maajah (1390) and Ibn Abi ‘Aasim al-Laalkaa’i. As-Silsilah as-Saheehah (3/218), Al-Tabarani: Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir 20/108-9, Sahih Ibn Hibban 7/470, Al-Bayhaqi: Shu’bal Iman 2/288, Abulhasan, Al-Qazwini: Al-Amali 4/2, Ibn ‘Asakir: Al-Tarikh 15/302 & Ibn Abi ‘Asim:Al-Sunna1/224), Lataif Al-Ma’arif 1/224, Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami: Majma’ Al-Zawaid 8/65, Shuayb Al-Arna’ut: Al-Ihsan fi Taqrib Sahih Ibn Hibban 12/481 #5665 & Nasiruddin Al-Albani: Silsilah Al-Ahadith Al-Sahihah 3/135 #1144 ). The undisputable fact is that Allaah descends to the first heaven every night and forgives His creations, He does not only descend on the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan. This is proven in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh (1145) and Muslim (1261)) and elsewhere that Allaah descends to the first heaven every night, in the last third of the night. The night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan is included in this general meaning. I’tiqaad Ahl al-Sunnah, no. 92, Al-Du’afa’, 3/29.
Concerning the virtue of the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan there are numerous ahaadeeth, concerning which the scholars differed, but most of them classed them as da’eef. Some narrations on the virtue of the night were traced to scholars of sunnah which many Scholars criticized, nevertheless, no nafila or special ibaadah narrated. Lataa’if al-Ma’aazif, 261, Ibn Taymiyya, Iqtida’ al-sirat al-mustaqim (1369/1950 ed.) p. 302.), Majmoo’ al-Fataawa ibn Taymiyah vol.23 pg.132, Suyuti, Haqiqat al-sunna wa al-bid`a aw al-amr bi al-ittiba` wa al-nahi `an al-ibtida` (1405/1985 ed.) p. 58. And there is a difference between virtue of the night and special Ibaadah for the night i.e. Yaomul Jumu’at is great but it is not permissible to single out ibaadah for the day – *No special Ibaadah*
The first time this prayer occurred was in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) in 448 AH according to some narrations. Zayd ibn Aslam said: We never saw any of our shaykhs or fuqaha’ saying that Laylat al-Baraa’ah (15 Sha‘baan) had any superiority over other nights. Ibn Dihyah said: The hadeeths about the prayer on Laylat al-Baraa’ah are fabricated and one has an interruption in the isnaad. Anyone who acts upon a report which is known to be false is a servant of the Shaytaan. Tadhkirat al-Mawdoo‘aat by al-Fatni, p. 45
Don’t be deceived by the number of people who do this, everybody is doing it does not make it right; what makes it right is sincerity and in accordance with the practice of Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wasalam.
_*QUESTION: How will it affect me if I participate in special ‘Ibaadah slated for nisfu Sha’baan?*_
*ANSWER:* Drinking water is beneficial but drinking alcohol is dangerous to health. What is prescribed in Sunnah is the water while innovation is the alcohol, Humans get satisfaction while taking both but one is dangerous. Innovation surely affects your faith but you don’t visualize it.
_*QUESTION: Will Allah punish me for worshiping Him?*_
*ANSWER:* NO! But He will punish for disobeying Him and His Prophet Solallahu ‘alaih wasalam by innovating practices whilst He asked you not to innovate any action in the religion.
However, if the day coincides with Thursday or Monday which happens to be one of your habituated Sunnah fasting days or you pray tahajjud every night, your fast or tahajjud on the 15th of sha’baan is correct without doing anything special for the day or singling it out for special ‘ibaadah.
Read more: Tadhkirat al-Mawdoo‘aat, Tafseer al-Tha‘labi, al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada‘aat, p. 144,Tadhkirat al-Mawdoo‘aat by al-Fatni, p. 45, al-Mawdoo‘aat by Ibn al-Jawzi, 2/127; al-Manaar al-Muneef fil Saheeh wa’l-Da‘eef by Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 98; al-Fawaa’
May Allaah grant us an understanding of His religion