The Night of the 15th of Sha`ban

[Mujib]

The Night of the 15th of Sha`ban

[Iqra]

JazakAllah khair....

Is it on Sunday night InshaAllah?

[Mujib]

JazakAllah khair....

Is it on Sunday night InshaAllah?

The night is on Monday night, the 26th of July. The day is on Tuesday, the 27th of July.

This is according to CrescentWatch.org.

[inqilab]

There is nothing special about 15th of shaban. It is like every other day and night.

[Iqra]

The night is on Monday night, the 26th of July. The day is on Tuesday, the 27th of July.

This is according to CrescentWatch.org.

Ah okay... I checked a random place. :|

Thanks =)

[Mujib]

Ah okay... I checked a random place. :|

Thanks =)

See the answer on moon sighting in the Fiqh of Fasting thread. For starting and ending Ramadan, check with your local Hanafi scholars, or you can send a question to SunniPath.com or SeekersGuidance.org.

[Ezatullah]

there is not a single saheeh hadith about fasting on 15 of shahaban it`s a bida3a so stay away from it Insha Allah

[Mujib]

As-Salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

there is not a single saheeh hadith about fasting on 15 of shahaban

There doesn't need to be. Read the answer posted above, brother. The Shaykh notes:

It is reported from Sayyiduna `Ali (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "Let all of you spend the night of mid-Sha`ban in worship (i.e. partly) and its day in fasting. Allah descends to the nearest heaven during this night, beginning with sunset, and says: Is there no one asking forgiveness that I may forgive them? Is there no one asking sustenance that I may grant them sustenance? Is there no one under trial that I may relieve them? Is there not such-and-such, is there not such-and-such, and so forth until until dawn rises. [Narrated by Ibn Majah with a weak chain.]

There are many other narrations from the Companions and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lataif al-Ma`arif, and others.

There is general consensus that weak hadiths may be acted upon for virtuous acts, such as voluntary fasting and prayer, as long as the hadith is not excessively weak, returns to a general basis in the Shariah, and one is not convinced that the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) specifically prescribed it. (The Night of the 15th of Sha`ban)

[Palwasha]

I remembered being reminded of Shab-e-baraat.. I'm sure this is bida3..

[Saif ul Haq]

It is well documented that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam would fast in the month of Sha'baan. This is recorded by al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and others.

However, does the middle night (15th) of Sha'baan have any special significance? Is there anything to support the specific acts of worship performed by many Muslims on this night, such as fasting, lengthy salah etc? Such actions would require evidence from the Sharee'ah.

The Messenger of Allaah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Allaah the Blessed and Most High looks to His creation on the middle night of Sha'baan and forgives all of His creation except for the one who ascribes partners to Him and the one who shows enmity."

This is an authentic (saheeh) hadeeth. It is recorded by Ibn Maajah (no.1390), Ahmad (no.6642), Ibn Hibbaan (no.1980) and others from a group of Companions. It is authenticated by al-Haythamee in az-Zawaa'id (8/65) saying: "Reported by at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer and in al-Awsat and its narrators are trustworthy" and it is further authenticated by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.1144).

From this hadith and others like it we come to know of the special significance of the middle night of Sha'baan.
As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Alee al-Qaaree (d.1014H) rahimahullah records some of these ahadeeth in his book Al-Asraar al-Marfoo' (pp.439-440).

The hadeeth: "Whoever prays on the middle night of Sha'baan with 30 rak'ahs, reciting in each rak'ah Soorah al-Ikhlaas 30 times, he is permitted to intercede for ten of those who were destined for the Fire."
The hadeeth: "Whoever recites on the middle night of Sha'baan 1000 times Soorah al-Ikhlaas... Allaah sends to him 100,000 Angels to convey the good news to him."

The hadeeth: "O 'Alee! Whoever prays 100 rak'ahs on the middle night of Sha'baan reciting 100 times Soorah al-Ikhlaas..."

Shaikh al-Qaaree goes on to say: "Prayers such as these were newly introduced into Islaam following the first 400 years, emerging from the region of Bayt al-Muqadis, thereafter ahadeeth were fabricated in their favour," and he further says, "There are other ahadeeth of this nature and there is nothing authentic in them whatsoever." [end of quote from Shaikh al-Qaaree]

Likewise, Ash-Shawkanee (d.1250H) lists a number of hadeeth similar to the above in which various numbers of raka'hs (along with specific soorahs) are instructed to be prayed on the middle night of Sha'baan which he concludes by saying: "All of it is futile and fabricated." (Al-Fawa'id al-Majmu' fee Ahadeeth al-Mawdu' no.147-148)

And al-Ghazaalee mentions prayer on the middle night of Sha'baan in his book Ihya 'Uloom ad-Deen, saying: "The prayer of Sha'baan is observed in the night of the 15th Sha'baan with 100 rak'ahs."

Commenting on this al-Haafidh al-'Iraaqee (d. approx 800H) wrote in Al-Mughnee (no.634): "A futile narration."
Evidence is also sought with the following hadeeth: "If the middle night of Sha'baan comes, you should offer prayer during the night and observe fast during the day..."

This hadith is recorded by Ibn Majah with his chain of transmission, and it is not authentic. Al-'Iraaqee says in Al-Mughnee (no.634): "Its chain of transmission is weak" and the same is said by al-Bowsaree in his book az Zawaa'id. Its weakness is, in fact, very severe since its chain of transmission contains the narrator Aboo Bakr bin 'Abdullah bin Muhammad ibn Abee Sabrah. Imaam al-Bukhaaree said about him: "Rejected in hadeeth" and an-Nasaa'ee said: "He is abandoned in hadeeth" and Imaam Ahmed said: "He used to fabricate hadeeth." Therefore, Shaikh al-Albaanee indicates that this hadith is extremely weak in Mishkaat (1/no.1308).

The hadeeth: "In it (i.e. the 15th of Sha'baan) a record is made of every human who will be born and of every human who will die that year, in it their actions are taken up to Heaven and in it their provision is sent down..."

The narration is attributed to al-Bayhaaqee in ad-Da'waat al-Kabeer. This is one of the principle narrations used by those who believe that it is on the middle night of Sha'baan that such things are decreed. Its authenticity should certainly be looked into. Everyone who claims that it is authentic has the burden of proof to establish that every man in its chain of transmission is trustworthy and reliable and that the chain is connected without having any defects. Shaikh al-Albaanee writes in Mishkaat (1/no.1305): "I did not come across it in the book (i.e. of al-Bayhaaqee), nor have I come across its isnaad, nor anyone who has spoken about it, and in all probability it is
weak."

And there is another narration saying: "Indeed Allaah records in it (i.e. in Sha'baan) the persons who will die that year..."

It is reported by Abu Ya'la in his Musnad (8/no.4911). Its chain of transmission contains Suwayd bin Sa'eed and Muslim bin Khalid az-Zanjee and they are both weak narrators as Ibn Hajar says in at-Taqreeb. In addition to this, the narration speaks only of Sha'baan in general and mentions nothing concerning the 15th of that month so there is no proof in this for those who seek to single out this night. There is a similar narration in an-Nasaa'ee (4/no.201).

What is correct is that the night on which all of these things are decreed is Laylatul-Qadr. Allaah the Most High says:

"We sent it (the Qur'aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning.
Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments." [Soorah ad-Dukhaan (44):3-4]

So this takes place on Laylatul-Qadr, see Soorah 97; and this is during Ramadhaan and not Sha'baan, see Soorah 2:185.

Once the weakness of these narrations is clear it becomes impermissible to publicise them among the Muslims without clearly indicating their weakness.

The Messenger of Allaah sallallau 'alayhi wa sallam said: "He who narrates from me a saying which he thinks is a lie, then he is one of the liars." Reported by Muslim.

Ibn Hibbaan rahimahullah comments in his book 'ad-Du'afaa' (1/7-8):

"In this narration is a proof that if the Scholar of Hadith narrates something which is not authentic from the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam from what is attributed to him incorrectly and he knows that [it is weak] then he is like one of the liars. And the text of the narration is even stronger than that since he sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said "He who narrates from me a saying which he thinks is a lie..." and he did not say "which he is sure is a lie," so everyone who doubts about what he narrates, whether it is authentic or not, then he falls under the address of this narration."

And the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said "It is enough falsehood for a person that he narrates everything which he hears"

Ibn Hibbaan also said (1/9):
"This narration contains a strong warning against a person narrating everything which he hears until he knows for certain that it is authentic."

Imaam Muslim rahimahullah explains in the introduction to his famous book Saheeh Muslim:
"The authentic narrations from reliable narrators and people of precision are so plentiful that there is no need for the narration of someone who is not reliable. I think that most of those who do what we have described with these weak ahaadeeth and unknown chains of transmission and accept them after knowing their weakness, then I think they narrate and accept them only to seek increase before the common people, so that it may be said, 'What a lot of hadeeth so and so has collected and how much he has compiled!' And one who behaves in this way with regard to knowledge and follows this course then it is more fitting that he be called ignorant than that he should be described as having knowledge."

Imaam Muslim goes on to say:
"And know, may Allaah - the Most High - grant you success, that what is obligatory upon everyone who is able to distinguish between authentic and weak narrations and between reliable and suspect narrators is that he should not narrate therefrom except that which is known to be authentic and have trustworthy narrators and that he should avoid thereof that which is narrated by narrators accused of lying, or wilful innovators."

Nor is there any allowance in the Sharee'ah to use hadith which are weak in order to introduce acts of worship at specific times of the day, week or year, which were not practised by the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam or his companions. Yes, the Prophet would fast and pray, but did he or his companions do so on the 15th night of Sha'baan? No! There is, as has been explained, no evidence for this. And there is no justification in using hadith which are weak (some of which are outright fabrications) to encourage the Muslims to pray or fast on this night in opposition to the practice of the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

Ibn Taymiyyah writes in Majmoo' al-Fataawaa (18/65-68): "...if the weak ahaadeeth about excellent actions (fadaa'il 'amaal) contain specifications and limitations, such as prayer in a particular time with a certain recitation, or with particular characteristics, then this is not permissible since declaring that particular way to be recommended requires a proof from the Sharee'ah..."

And Allah knows best and He is the one who grants success.

[Mujib]

The Use of Weak Hadiths

[Saif ul Haq]

The Use of Weak Hadiths

There seems to be a misunderstanding by Sunnipath and company pertaining to the use of weak narrations.

To the early scholars, a weak narration would be any report which did not reach their standard of soundness (saheeh), even if the report was good (hasan) in our modern standards. This is obvious based upon the fact that the "hasan" grade was firstly introduced by Imaam at-Tirmidhi

"The scholars are in agreement on the legitimacy of using weak hadiths in the realm of virtuous works."

I have proven this consensus to be false as I quoted one of the pioneer collectors, Imaam Muslim, rejecting weak reports and also it's well known that his contemporary, Imaam al-Bukhaari and other masters like Daraqunti too did not find weak narrations as acceptable

Some may try to use a statement attributed to Imaam ibn Hambal, we would reply by using Imaam Ibn Muflih writes: "It is attributed to Imaam Ahmad that he would never use a weak hadith for establishing the virtues of good deeds or meritorious acts." [al-Adaab al-Sharee'ah (2/304)]

Even when we use our common reasoning, Islaam is a sound authentic way of living which has no weak points, so then why use weak reports?

[Mujib]

I have proven this consensus to be false as I quoted one of the pioneer collectors, Imaam Muslim, rejecting weak reports and also it's well known that his contemporary, Imaam al-Bukhaari and other masters like Daraqunti too did not find weak narrations as acceptable

The quote you are replying to is Imam al-Nawawi's (ra), the commentator of Sahih Muslim. And Imam Muslim's (ra) words are not in disagreement.

Even when we use our common reasoning, Islaam is a sound authentic way of living which has no weak points, so then why use weak reports?

The following thoroughly answers that question: Isn't acting on weak hadiths an innovation.

[Saif ul Haq]

The quote you are replying to is Imam al-Nawawi's (ra), the commentator of Sahih Muslim. And Imam Muslim's (ra) words are not in disagreement.

Indeed, Imaam Muslims words are from his own self and are taken precedence

The following thoroughly answers that question: Isn't acting on weak hadiths an innovation.

I have read that before and I knew Faraz personally. I don't accept this as a legitimate Islaamic view and refer to the pioneers of Hadith like Daraqtuni and Muslims to be only legal stance

As I had mentioned, "weak" meant anything that isn't sound (saheeh), and if the report is "weak" (da'if) in our modern standards, then it's not even looked at

What would have been worth mentioning are the good (hasan) reports

[Mujib]

Nisf Sha’ban (Laylat-ul-Bara’ah)

The 15th Night of Sha‘bān- compiled and translated by Sidi Amjad Tarsin (taken from Shaykh Abdulkarim Yahya’s blog)

On the relation of ‘Atā’ ibn Yasār, may Allah be well pleased with him, who said, “On the 15th night of Sha‘bān the Angel of Death, peace be upon him, copies down the names of all those who will die from that Sha‘bān to the next Sha‘bān…and there is no night after Laylat Al-Qadr better than the 15th night of Sha‘bān.”

Other hadiths also describe the 15th night as being the night in which Allah decrees everyone’s provisions, even after-worldly provisions (Paradise, Hell), therefore it is important to bring that night to life through Prayer, reading Qur’an, and repentance.

Related by Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be well pleased with him and his father, that the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said, “There are five nights on which du‘ā’ is not turned back: Friday eve, on the eve of Rajab, the 15th night of Sha‘bān, Laylat Al-Qadr, and on the eve of the two ‘Eids.”

It is also recommended to say the du‘ā’:

اللّهُمَ إنَّكَ عفوٌ كريمٌ تُحِبَّ العَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَني، اللّهُمَّ إنّي أسْألُكَ العَفْوَ والعَافية والمُعَافَاةَ الدَّائِمة في الدِّين والدُّنيا والأخِرَة

Allahumma innaka ‘Afūwun Karīmun tuḥib ul ‘afwa fa‘afu ‘annī, Allahumma innī as’aluka al-‘afū, wa al-‘āfīyah wa al-mu‘āfāt ad-da’imah fī ad-dīni wa ad-dunyā wa al-ākhirah.

O Allah, You are Pardoning and Generous and You love to pardon, so pardon me. O Allah, I ask You for pardoning, good health [in body], and to be [spiritually] health always in my religion, and in this life, and in the hereafter.

It is also highly recommended to read Surah Yā-Sīn 3 times that night, each time with a specific intention:

1. The first time with the intention of Allah increasing the length of your life in worship and good deeds.

2. The second time with the intention of Allah protecting you from tribulations.

3. Lastly, with the intention of Allah not making you reliant on other people.

Clarification: “Giving life to the night” is said to be staying up most of the night in worship, although other scholars have said just one hour. Others have said just be determined to pray ‘Ishā in congregation and Fajr in congregation and that will fulfill “giving life to the night.”

May Allah bless us all and the whole Ummah throughout this month and bless us even more in Ramaḍān.

والحمد لله رب العالمين

Please keep my family and loved ones (and me) in your blessed du’as!