MIDDLE OF SHABAN

Our Prophet (pbuh) said, ''If the night of Nisfu Sha'ban comes, you have to spend part of it worshiping by means of reciting the Qur'an, listening to the Qur'an, sitting in the Masjid listening to preachment, praying, asking Allah to forgive you and to help you to repent, and repeat this saying, SAL-LAL-LAH-HU-AL-LAY-HE-WA-ALA-ALI-HE-SAY-YEED-DINA-MUHAMMAD (to say peace on the Prophet).

You are required, (i.e., you should) fast this day of Nisfu-Shaban because the night and the day have superiority over other nights and days. During this night of Nisfu-Shaban Allah comes close to his servants and calls, Who is in need of forgiveness, so that He may forgive him; Who  is in need of sustenance, so that He may give him sustenance; Who has disaster, so that He may help him get rid of it and so on until the dawn appears.”  (Ibn Majah)

The whole month of Shaban has superiority over many of the other months. You are required to fast several days in this month as the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to fast in Shaban more than he did in all other months except Ramadan. Everyone is required to fast in Ramadan and some other days in each month as fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory, while each obligatory worship has surrounding it some voluntary worship of the same nature. This is because when the person repeats the voluntary worship this will prepare his body and soul to do the obligatory worship easily and correctly.

Accordingly, each one of us should fast three days every month and Allah (shwta) will
double those days and the righteous work of those people ten times. Whoever will fast three days a month will get the reward of the whole month. And it is negligent for a person to fast Ramadan and remain not fasting until the next Ramadan comes, then he will feel that the fast of Ramadan is a difficulty. But if he practices fasting from time to time he will feel that it is easy.

Brothers and Sisters, intend to fast on the great day of Nisfu-Shaban because its fasting has a great reward. Try to purify your heart by means of repentance, (Tawuba) spending your money (Halal earnings) which Allah gave you in some good, sound, Islamic way ... "

                                                           COMMENTARY

In addition to the voluntary practices mentioned in the above Khutbah, some Ahadith of our Prophet (pbuh) mention these practices also: 1) Fasting on the 13, 14, and 15 of Shaban. 2) To avoid fasting on the last two days of Shaban. 3) Fasting as many days as possible in the month of Shaban.

                                                        NEW COMMENTARY

In recent years some people have challenged the practice of fasting in the middle of Shaban along with the spiritual merit of extra worship on this night, arguing the weakness of the Ahadith, specifically the Isnad (chain of narrators) renders the practices advocated invalid or without merit. And like the doctrine these arguments are based on, the presumption of error, sinfulness or deviation due to superficial and often haphazard research and information becomes apparent. It should be understood that the large body of reports on a particular religious practice indicate its being known to the Sahaba (rah) and the Tabi’een. One scholar writes, “Though the line of narrators of none of these is reliable, as judged by the criteria laid down by the scholars of the traditions (Hadith), the number of such narratives is quite large and these have been related on the authority of different Companions, and as such, some scholars like Ibn-is-Salah are disinclined to hold them as wholly unfounded.” The Meaning and Message of the Traditions, By Mohammad Manzoor Nomani, Translated from Urdu by Mohammad Asif Kidwai Vol 3, Pg.92  

Secondly, the fact is a weak or solitary report (Ahadith) does not and should not become the basis of rejecting a good practice especially when the early generations (Salaf-Saliheen) have validated such practices by their maintaining them despite the strength or weakness of the Isnad. When commenting on a weak narrative (Ahadith) on not praying two ra’ka of attiyat-ul-masjid during Juma’s khutbah, we have, “One of the principles of Hadith (usul-al-Hadith) is that any narration supported by the constant practice of the Companions and Followers will acquire enough strength to be used as evidence. This means that the message of the above Hadith, despite the criticism leveled at its chain, can be accepted.” The author goes on to mention some authenticated Ahadith that mention the same prohibition of avoiding prayer at that time. Fiqh al-Imam (Key proofs in Hanafi Fiqh) by Abdur-Rahman Ibn Yusuf, pg 168.

Laylat-al-Qadr is known to be a blessed night by the words of Allah (shwta) that was the beginning of the Holy Qu’ran’s revelation to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In Sura Dukhan Allah says,“…We sent it down during a blessed night for we ever wish to warn against evil. In that night is made distinct every affair of wisdom. By command, from our presence. For we ever send revelations.” (44:3-6) After mentioning the blessings of Laylat-al-Qadr in Ramadan regarding these ayats, referring to the ayat,“By command, from our presence” we have, “…According to some traditions (Hadith) it is known that it is the 15^th night of the month of Sha’ban, popularly known as Shab-e-Bara’t”. Tafsir-e-Usmani by Allama Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Vol 3, pg. 2144

“Ibn Arabi says: In my opinion the view of those who believe that Lalyatul Qadr comes on various nights throughout the year, is most correct because twice have I seen it Sha’ban—once on the 15^th and once on the 19;”. Virtues of Ramadhan by Shaikhul Hadith Muhammad Zakariyyah Saheb, pg. 61 Similarly, one scholar writes,“…However, the commentaries also mention that this ‘blessed night’ may be that of mid-Shaban (laylat al-baraa). This view is based on the profusion of Hadiths on the great merits of the latter”…“Concerning supererogatory worship on the night of mid-Shaban, Suyuti [the Muffassir] says, As for the night of mid-Shaban, it has great merit and it is desirable (mustahaab) to spend part of it in supererogatory worship.”  Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani Vol. 6, pg.100 

And, from Ibn Taymiyya, “…However the opinion of many of the people of learning, and that of the majority of our companions (i.e. the Hanbali school) and other than them is that it is a night of superior merit and this is what is indicated by the words of Ahmad (Ibn Hanbal), in view of the many ahadith which are transmitted concerning it, and in view of what confirms this from the words  and deeds transmitted from the early generations (al-athar-al-Salafiyya). Some of its merits have been narrated in the books of Hadith of the Musnad and Sunan types. This holds true even if other things have been forged concerning it”. Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani Vol. 6, pg.100 

“..It is fully established through a large number ahadith that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has emphasized on the merits of fasting in Sha’ban and particularly in the first half of the month. The 15^th day of Sha’ban being the last day of the first half, is included in the preferable days for fasting. Secondly, the merits of the 15^th night of Sha’ban is established by more than a dozen ahadith. It means that this night should be spent in prayers and other forms of worship.

On the other hand, all the blessed nights which the Muslims are advised to spend in worship are generally followed by fasting on the coming day like in the Lailatul-Qadr, where fasting on the following days is obligatory, or like the first night of Zulhijjah where fasting on the following day is optional, rather advisable. On this analogy too, the 15^th night of Shaban may be followed by an optional fasting on the following day…It is for these reasons that some Ulama and elders have been fasting on the 15^th of Sha’ban and have been taking it an advisable practice.” Contemporary Fatawaa by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, pgs.109,110 Note-this book goes into detail on the criticism of the Isnad of certain Ahadith among the scholars of Ahadith that are considered weak and some scholars views on adopting fasting and extra worship which was reproduced above.

 

To summarize, the acceptance or rejection of a Ahadith along with the practice that comes from it is not a simple cut and dried matter as some people would like to believe. In most cases the issues involved are essentially of a juristic nature belonging to the scholarly realm. This explains why one Mujathid would accept a particular Ahadith while another would take an established practice going back to the Prophet (pbuh) although based supposedly on a weak or deficient Ahadith as in the Maliki view of Medinan—amal as a source of law. It is points like these that reinforces the need and necessity for learning from qualified religious scholars and their students. One final note, there was said to be a reprehensible (bi’da) practice connected to Shaban, namely praying 100 rak’ka’s in the middle of Shaban; this practice is neither advocated or endorsed from the above information. See Umdat as-Salik (Reliance of the Traveler) translated by Noah Hamim Keller, pg 162