15th of Sha’ban (Shab-e-Bara”t)

By the time the inaugural issue of ZamZam magazine reaches you, 15th of Sha’ban would have passed; still we decided to include this article for your benefit, instead of waiting for almost one full year so that you may be aware of the truth behind it. We want to remind you once again that there are only two sources of all Islamic knowledge – the Holy Qur-an and Sunnah (Traditions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Many of us may be shocked to find out that there is no mention at all of the term Shab-e-Bara”t anywhere neither in the Qur-an nor in any authentic Sunnah (Traditions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), although there are many Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) about the virtues of 15th of Sha’ban.

Shaykh Ibn Baz said, ”There is no Sahih Hadith concerning the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban. All the Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) that have been narrated concerning that are Mawdu’ (Fabricated) and Da’if (Weak), and have no basis. There is nothing special about this night, and no recitation of Qur-an or prayer, whether alone or in congregation, is specified for this night. What some of the scholars have said about it being special is a weak opinion. It is not permissible to single it out for any special actions. This is the correct view. And Allah is the Source of strength.” (Fatawa Islamiyyah, 4/511) (Shaykh Ibn Baz popularly known as Bin Baz, was the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia from 1993 until his death in 1999. He is considered as one of the greatest scholars of our age.)

• It is commonly believed that on the night of Shab-e-Bara”t (15th of Sha’ban), Allah (God) descends to the lowest Heaven and specially blesses His slaves in the world during this night and Forgives their sins. Also that the Blessings of Allah (God) which He will Bestow upon His slaves the next year are also determined and fixed during this blessed night of Shab-e-Bara”t.

Well, it happens every night. According to authentic Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) narrated by Bukhari in his Hadith Number 1145 and by Muslim in his Hadith Number 1261 from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه , that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?”

• A widely believed misconception is that fasting on the Shab-e-Bara”t (15th of Sha’ban) is a Sunnah (Tradition of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). This is based on a Hadith (Saying of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) compiled by Ibn Majah and reported by ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib رضي الله عنه . The Hadith (Saying of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) states that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said;

“When the 15th of Sha’ban comes, then spend this night in Qiyam (Salah) and the day in fasting. For verily, Allah descends during this night to the nearest heavens.” (Ibn Majah).

This Hadith (Saying of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is however very weak. Some scholars have classified it as Mowdu (Fabricated). One of the narrators of this Hadith (Saying of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is Abu-Jabrah, who has been accused of fabricating Ahadith. [Taqrib of Ibn Hajar Pg. 396]. Imam Bukhari and others have also proved him to be weak. [Mizanul I’tidal Vol. 5 Pg. 503]. Thus this Hadith cannot be relied upon.
Hence the fasting of this day should not be regarded to prove this fast as been Sunnah. Another interesting fact is that fasting on this day is only discussed in this weak Hadith. If it were a Sunnah (Tradition of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ), a stronger Hadith would have been available to prove it.
There is no other record of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم or his Sahabah (Companions) observing fasting on Shab-e-Bara”t (15th of Sha’ban). 

There are many Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) mentioning that the Messenger of
Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم observed Nafl (Extra Obligatory) Fasts more than he normally used to observe in any other month, but he recommended fasting in the later part of Sha’ban.

Narrated Mutarrif from 'Imran Ibn Husain: That the Prophet asked him (‘Imran) or asked a man and ‘Imran was listening, "O Abu so-and-so! Have you fasted the last days of this month?" (The narrator thought that he said, "the month of Ramadan"). The man replied, "No, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said to him, "When you finish your fasting (of Ramadan) fast two days (in Shawwal)." Through another series of narrators 'Imran said, "The Prophet said, '(Have you fasted) the last days of Sha'ban?"  Bukhari, Book 31, Hadith 204
'A'ishah, the Mother of the Believers رضى الله عنها , reported that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to observe fasts (so continuously) that we said that he would not break, and did not observe (them) till we said that he would not fast: And I did not see the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم completing the fast of a month, but that of Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting more in any other month than that of Sha'ban.  Muslim, Book 6, Hadith 2580

• Another popular tradition associated with Shab-e-Bara”t (15th of Sha’ban) is to visit graveyards during this night, by falsly associating it with the tradition of Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم .

There are authentic records that the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم used to visit graveyards during nights, but there is no specific reference of him doing so on the Shab-e-Bara”t (15th of Sha’ban).

• Another misconception is that this is the night when our fate, lifespan, and provisions are decreed. Some people think that the “blessed night” mentioned in Surah (Chapter) ad-Dukhan (Smoke) (Surah 44: 3), refers to the night of 15th of Sha’ban, when Allah decides about our lifespan, provisions and fate. In fact, they even pray 6 Rak’at, 2 for each of these things. However, all that is fabricated and far, far away from the Sunnah (Tradition of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).

And, in reality, the “blessed night” mentioned in Surah (Chapter) ad-Dukhan (Smoke), actually is referring to Laylatul Qadr that comes in Ramadan. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir of Surah al-Qadr).

• Many Muslims believe that this is the night when the souls of departed ones return to their families. It is because of the misunderstanding of the following Ayah (Verse) of Surah al-Qadr:

First, the night in reference is Laylatul Qadr which is to be found in any of the the odd nights of the last ten days (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th) of Ramadan.   ‘..descends the Ruh…’ in this Ayah (Verse) does not refer to the Ruh (Souls) of deceased people returning to see or meet their families, it refers to Jibril عليه السلام (Gabriel) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). Women generally prepare sweets, the Halwas etc. for the souls of their loved ones.
This erroneous belief is a serious Bid’ah (Innovation). Souls of the dead cannot return back to the world and meet with their relatives. The teachings of the Qur-an and the Sunnah (Tradition of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) clearly state that the souls of the dead do not return back to the world. Besides, they can’t even eat the Halwas or any other sweets.

Some of the fabricated and weak Ahadiths about Sha’ban

Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Who ever knowingly attributes a lie to me then he should make his abode in hell” (Bukhari)

The following are some of the weak and fabricated Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) about Sha’ban which are famous and are narrated frequently. Weak Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and fabricated Ahadith should not be quoted as sayings of the Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as it is equivalent to attributing a lie to him, therefore it is a major sin:

1.Oh Allah, Bless for us the month of  Rajab and Sha’ban and grant us the month of Ramadan”

2.The superiority of Sha’ban over other months is like my superiority over other prophets.

3.When the night of 15th of Sha’ban arrives, then  pray during the night and fast during the day

4.There are five nights during which no invocation (Du’a) is rejected, the first night of Rajab,the night of 15th of Sha’ban, the night of Friday, the night of ‘Id al Fitr and the night of ‘Id al Ad-ha.

5.Jibril عليه السلام (Gabriel) came to me and said – this is the night of 15th of Sha’ban and in this night the as many people are freed from hell as the amount of hair on the goats (of the tribe) of Banu Kalb.

6.O ‘Ali رضي الله عنه whoever prays a hundred Rak’at on the night of 15th Sha’ban and in that prayer he recites Surah Ikhlas a thousand time, then Allah will fulfill all his needs which he asks that night.

7.Whoever recites Surah Ikhlas one thousand times on the 15th of Sha’ban, then Allah will send hundred thousand angels to him who will give him the glad tidings (of paradise).

8.On the 15th of Sha’ban, whoever prays three hundered Rak’at prayer ( according to another tradition it is twelve Rak’at) and in every Rak’at he recites Surah Ikhlas thirty times, then his intercession for 10 people who were destined for hell will be accepted.

9. Sha’ban is my month

10.Who ever stays up for worship on the night of ‘Id and the night of 15th of Sha’ban, then his heart will not become dead (on the day) when every other heart will become dead.

11.Whoever stays up for worship on the five nights, then paradise will become a Wajib (Must) for him. The night of Tarwiah, Night of Arafah, Night of sacrifice, night of ‘Id al Fitr and the night of 15th of Sha’ban.

All of the above mentioned Ahadith (Sayings of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ) on fasting and doing worship at night on the 15th of Sha’ban are weak (Da’if) and unauthentic. We should be very clear that there isn’t a single Sahih Hadith about this day which may be used to accept and recognize these acts of worship.
Looking at the status of these Ahadith doing acts of worship during the night of 15th of Sha’ban is an extreme Bid’ah (Innovation) which has no basis whatsoever in the Qur-an or Sunnah therefore they must be avoided.

If you have missed fasts from last Ramadan, Sha’ban is the last time to make up for them, before the next Ramadan arrives. It is not allowed to delay missed fasts until after the following Ramadan.
A”ishah رضى الله عنها said: ‘It used to be that I had days to make up for Ramadan and I would not be able to do so except in Sha’ban.” (Bukhari)