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RELIGION

Shabaan

The month of blessings and salvation

By Mufti Safwan Ahmad Qasmi

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habaan is the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

It falls between two sacred months, Rajab and Ramadaan. Allah’s Messenger (saws) used to spend most part of Shabaan in fasting. Imaam Bukhari (r) reports in his Saheeh that Aa’ishah (ra) said: “The Messenger (saws) used to fast until we thought he would never break his fast, and he would not fast until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the messenger of Allah (saws) fasting for an entire month except in Ramadaan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Shabaan.”

Ibn Rajab (r) said: “Fasting in Shabaan is better than fasting in the sacred months (i.e. DhulQadah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab), and the best of voluntary fasts are those that are (observed in the months) closest to Ramadaan, before or after. When Allah’s messenger (saws) was asked, why he fasted so abundantly

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in the month of Shabaan, he (saws) said: ‘(Shabaan) is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadaan, and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the world.

I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.” (Nasai)

Fasting in Shabaan serves as training before Ramadaan.

However, fasting the whole month of Shabaan is makrooh (disliked) and against the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (saws).

This and other ahadith of Allah’s messenger (saws) encourage performing good deeds when people are likely to become negligent of Allah’s remembrance and worship, like remembering Allah in the market place, where people get busy in their dealings, and in times

of difficulty. Allah’s messenger (saws) said: “Worship at times of tribulation (fitnah) is like Hijrah (migration) to me.” [Saheeh Muslim 2984] This is because worship at such times is more difficult than worshiping Allah when everybody is engaged in worship.

Fasting in Shabaan serves as training before Ramadaan.

However, fasting the whole month of Shabaan is makrooh (disliked) and against the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (saws). Ibn Abbas (ra) said: “The messenger of Allah (saws) did not fast any entire month apart from Ramadaan.” [Saheeh alBukharee]

Fasting on the last day of Shabaan It is also prohibited to fast at the end of Shabaan with the intention of not missing the first days of Ramadaan except for those who have the habit of fasting regularly, and the last day of

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Shabaan coincides with a day when the person habitually fasts, or those who are bound by vows or have to make up some obligatory fasts. It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukharee from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (saws) said: “Do not preempt Ramadaan by one or two days, except for those who have the habit of fasting regularly, in which case they may fast.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (1983)] Fasting at the end of Shabaan is prohibited to maintain distinction between the obligatory and voluntary fasts. It is also a precaution to prevent the people from falling into the trap of Shaytaan, who persuaded the People of the Book to add more fasts to that which Allah had made obligatory for them

15th night of Shabaan The 15th night of Shabaan is a very blessed night. According to the Hadith Sharif, the name of this mubarak night is “Nisf

Many Muslims in various countries pray on the 15th night of Shabaan, and ask for forgiveness of their sins and on the following day proceed to fast. To do this is no way against the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Shabaan” which means 15th night of Shabaan. The reason for this special night to attain its name of Laylatul Baraa’ah, meaning the Night of Salvation, Seeking freedom from 33 EASTERN CRESCENT | JUNE 2014

azaab and calamity, it is that in this night the barkaat and acceptance of repentance may be accomplished.

Laylatul Baraa’ah in Persian, as well as in Urdu, is called Shabbe Baraat.

It is the night of seeking pardon and repenting to Almighty Allah, remembering our past sins and sincerely settling the mind that one will never commit sins in the future. All the deeds that are against Shari’ah must be totally avoided so that our Du’a and Istighfaar, hopefully, will be accepted.

Many Muslims in various countries pray on the 15th night of Shabaan, and ask for forgiveness of their sins and on the following day proceed to fast. To do this is no way against the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

There are some people who are of the view that this night has no significance, and to single out this night is an innovation which is a great sin. But the great Islamic scholar of the current era Maulana Taqi Uthmani says: there are ten companions of the holy Prophet that narrate ahadith regarding the significance of this night.

Some of them are weak as per the sanad (chain), but there is a rule of Muhaddisen that the weakness of a hadith comes to an end if it is supported by other ahadith.

And here are ten companions who narrate regarding this night.

Two great followers of Ibn Taymiyah, are Hafiz Abdullah Rawpari and Thanaa’ullah Amritsari, both state that to worship on the 15th night of Shabaan is not Bid’ah and the person who does Ibada (worship) on this night will obtain reward for it. The narrations concerning this night are

According to the Hadith Sharif, the name of this mubarak night is “Nisf Shabaan” which means 15th night of Shabaan. weak but this does not matter since weak ahadith are acceptable for performing virtuous actions.

Hafidh Ibn Tayymiya writes: The reward regarding the 15th of Shabaan is an area of dispute between the scholars, as some of them say that there is no significance of this night, but Imam Ahmed recognises the reward of this night. Our other Hanbli scholars also agree with Imam Ahmed. There are ahadith on this night being significant, and some of them are from Sunnan (Tirmizy, Ibn Majah) and the other ahadith books as well.

There is a verse in Quran that states: There is one night in the year when Allah Almighty gives the knowledge to the angels, about what is going to happen in the following year, for example, who is going to die, who will be born, who will be ill and how much food people will have in the year etc. The majority of the scholars of Islam say: That night is Laila-tul-Qadar in the month of Ramadan but the other scholars like Ikramah who is student of Abdullah bin Abbas (ra) says: that night is 15th of Shabaan, but the first view is supported by Surah Al Qadr and by a verse of Surah Al Baqarah.

There are some other narrations that inform us about the excellence of the 15th night of Shabaan. Imam Ibn Majah states:

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It is narrated by Ali (ra) that the Prophet [saws] stated; “when it is the 15th night of Shabaan, do Qiyaam in the night, and fast in the morning, and ask for forgiveness.

Because on that night Allah calls: ‘Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness so that I can forgive them, who is in distress that I may relieve his distress, is there anyone who needs food that I may give it to him.’ And this continues till the morning.” [Ibn Majah chapter Salaah]

Special kind of worship Any special prayer is not reported in this night by the holy Prophet. And the special prayers attributed to this night are false and fabricated. One is free to adopt any kind of worship, recitation, salah, supplication etc.

Visiting grave The prophet (saws) is reported to have said in Sunan atTirmidhee (in the book of fasting): One night (i.e. night of midSh’abaan) I found the messenger of Allah absent from my room.

I therefore, went out to search him out and he was in Baqi raising his head towards the heaven.’ He

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The last Prophet (saws) visited the grave in this night once in his life time.

So it would not be preferable to visit the grave every year in this night. said, “O Aa’ishah were you afraid that Allah and His Messenger will wrong you?” She said, ‘I replied: I had not such a low opinion about Allah and His Messenger, but I presumed that you had gone to some of your wives for some need.”

He said “Verily, Allah descends in the night of midShabaan to the heaven of the world and then forgives people more than the number of the hair of the sheep of Banu Kalb.” A similar hadith is also found in Saheeh Muslim, but it does not mention the night of 15th Shabaan. The last Prophet (saws) visited the grave in this night once in his life time. So it would not be preferable to visit the grave every year in this night.

Fasting on the fifteenth of Shabaan Allah’s beloved Messenger (saws) said: Worship on the fifteenth night of Sha’ban and fast the following day. Because Allah Ta’ala descends to the lowest heaven from sun set till dawn, and He says: “Will anyone ask, that his request may be granted? Will anyone seeks forgiveness, that he may be forgiven?” [Ibn-e-Majah)

Unfortunate people It is reported in Bayhaqee, Ibn Hibban and Tabaranee with authentic (Sahih) chain of narrators that Allah’s Messenger (saws) said: “On the 15th night of Shabaan, Allah the Exalted looks upon His slaves (with mercy) and forgives everybody except the disbeliever and he who holds malice for anybody.”

Missed obligatory fasts If anybody has to make up any missed obligatory fasts of last Ramadaan, then he should hasten to make up them before the next Ramadaan arrives. It is not permissible to delay missed fasts

Two great followers of Ibn Taymiyah, are Hafiz Abdullah Rawpari and Thanaa’ullah Amritsari, both state that to worship on the 15th night of Shabaan is not Bid’ah and the person who does Ibada (worship) on this night will obtain reward for it. until after the following Ramadaan except in cases of necessity (such as a valid excuse that continues between the two Ramadaan). Aa’ishah (ra) says, ‘It used to be that I had days to make up for Ramadaan and I would not be able to do so except in Shabaan.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee].