Establishing Islam on the Internet
Establishing Islam on the Internet
The month of Sha`bān (شعبان) [also shaban / sha’ban / sha’baan] is well known… but there is a confusion about the middle of the month, ie, the 15th.
Dr. Salah Sultan clarifies:
“The most frequently repeated hadith as to the specific acts of worship on the 15th of Sha`ban states that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to fast on the day and pray at night. However, according to the scholars of hadith, this hadith is very weak. It is reported in Sunan Ibn Majah, but the chain of narrators contains Abu Bakr Ibn `Abdullah Ibn Abi Seerah who was accused by Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim, of forging hadith.
Imam Al-Mundhri in Fath Al-Qadir stated the same thing, in addition to, Imam Al-Busary in Zawa’id Ibn Majah stated that the hadith is very weak.
So, there is no authentic reports that we should specify certain acts of worship on the 15th of Shaban. ”
Although Mufti Taqi Usmani has a different view:
On the day immediately following the Night of Bara’ah, i.e. the 15th of Sha`bān, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have recommended this fast emphatically. Although the scholars of hadith have some doubts in the authenticity of this report, yet it is mentioned earlier that the fasts of the first half of Sha`bān have special merits and Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the days in Sha`bān. Moreover, a large number of the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the 15th of Sha`bān. This constant practice indicates that they have accepted the relevant hadith as authentic.
Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha`bān as an optional (nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast.
And Allah Almighty knows best.
Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 6:40 pm and is filed under Sha`bān, Times. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.