IDA Newsletter

Sha‘bān, the eighth Islamic month is second only to Ramadān in virtue, blessings and greatness. It is due to this virtue and greatness that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam used to emphasise its importance not only verbally but practically too.

Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā narrates, “Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam used to fast till we would say that he would never stop fasting and he would abandon fasting till we would say that he would never fast. I never saw Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadān and did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha‘bān.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, An-Nasā’ī)

Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā narrates, “Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam used to fast the (whole) month of Sha‘bān except for a few days.” (An-Nasā’ī)

Sayyidunā Usāmah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu asked, “O Rasūlullāh! I do not see you fasting in any month as much as in Sha‘bān.” He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam replied, “It is a month people are negligent of between Rajab and Ramadān. It is a month in which deeds are raised towards the Lord of the worlds. Therefore, I like my deeds to be raised whilst I am fasting.” (An-Nasā’ī)

Amongst the days and nights of Sha‘bān, the fifteenth night is noted for its great blessings and virtues. This night is known as Laylat-ul-Barā’ah (the night of emancipation), as in it a large number of servants are forgiven and emancipated from the fire of Jahannam.

Fortunate indeed are those who attain the full blessings and benefits of this night by spending it in performing good and refraining from evil. One must strive his utmost to attend to ‘ibādah (worship) in this auspicious night as this night indeed is a great favour of Allāh ta‘ālā for the believers. There are many virtues mentioned in the ahādīth in regard to this night.

1. Sayyidunā Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal radhiyallāhu ‘anhā narrates that the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “In the fifteenth night of Sha‘bān, Allāh ta‘ālā manifests and forgives all His creation except for the mushrik and the spiteful.” (At-Tabarānī)

2. Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā narrates, “The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam came to me (one night) and took off his clothes, but he had hardly sat down when he got up again, put on his clothes and left. A strong ghayrah (sense of honour and self-respect) overtook me as I thought he was going to one of his other wives. I followed him and found him in the graveyard of Baqī‘ seeking forgiveness for believing men and women and the martyrs. I said (to myself), ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you. You, (the Prophet) are in want of your Lord and I am in want of the world.’

I returned to my room (quickly) and I was breathless. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam arrived shortly and said, ‘Why are you breathless, O ‘Ā’ishah?’ I said, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you. You came to me and took off your clothes, but you had hardly sat down when you got up and put on your clothes (and left). A strong ghayrah overtook me and I thought you were going to one of your (other) wives until I saw you in (the graveyard of) Baqī‘ doing whatever you were doing.’

He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, ‘O ‘Ā’ishah! Did you fear that Allāh and his Messenger will treat you with injustice? Jibra’īl came to me and said, ‘This night is the fifteenth night of Sha‘bān. Allāh sets free from Hell during this night, souls equivalent to the hair (and wool) of the goats of Banī Kalb.’ (Banī Kalb possessed the largest number of goats in the Arabian peninsula.)

‘However, Allāh will not look (with mercy) even on this (auspicious) night towards mushriks, one who harbours ill will against his fellow beings, one who cuts himself off from his near relatives, one who dangles his clothes over his ankles, one disobedient to parents and a habitual drunkard.’”

Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhā says, “He took off his clothes, then said, ‘O ‘Ā’ishah! Will you permit me to spend this night in worship.’ I replied, ‘Certainly. May my parents be sacrificed for you.’ The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam got up and remained in sajdah (prostration) for a very long time until I thought he had passed away. I got up to inquire and placed my hand on his feet to feel that he was alive, thus I became happy. I heard him say in his prostration:

In the morning, I mentioned these words to him. He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, ‘O ‘Ā’ishah! Learn them and teach them (to others) because Jibra’īl taught me and ordered me to repeat them over and over again in sajdah.’” (Al-Bayhaqī)

Note: Shaykh Muftī Taqi Usmani hafizahullāh states, “Although the chain of narrators of some of these ahādīth suffer with some minor technical defects, yet when all these ahādīth are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as envisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected giving any special importance to this night. In fact, some of these ahādīth have been held by some scholars of hadīth as authentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by them as minor technical defects which, according to the science of hadīth, are curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the elders of the Ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of special merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers.”

The following practices are derived from the ahādīth which have been mentioned above for Sha‘bān and its virtuous 15^th night.

1. It is desirable that one fasts in the month of Sha‘bān as much as one can. Fasting on the Ayyām-ul-Bīd (i.e. 13^th, 14^th and 15^th of the Islamic month) and Mondays and Thursdays will be a means of even more reward as it is Sunnah to fast on these days. However, if fasting in Sha‘bān is going to affect the fasting of Ramadān then one should refrain from it.

Note: The fast of the 15^th of Sha‘bān can only be derived from a hadīth that has an extremely weak narrator in the chain of narration, due to which it cannot be relied upon in the matter of the injunctions of Sharī‘ah. Thus, the fast of the 15^th of Sha‘bān cannot be termed as Sunnah or Mustahab.

2. Although salāh should be performed in jamā‘ah (congregation) everyday, on this auspicious night, one must participate with deep and solemn care in the Maghrib, ‘Ishā and Fajr Salāh.

3. Spend as much time of the night as possible in worship individually. No specific du‘ā or method of worship has been prescribed. One may engage in dhikr, recitation of the Qur’ān, salāh, learning and teaching or any other form of ‘ibādah. However, one must refrain from worldly talk and wasting of time. If ‘ibādah is not possible then at least avoid all sinful and useless acts and go to bed as soon as possible.

4. In one hadīth it has been mentioned that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam visited the graveyard of Baqī‘. However, one may not establish the practice to be Sunnah as there is no mention of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam making it a general practice of this night. Hence, if one visits the graveyard once in a while it will be permissible.

One must refrain in particular from all those practices that are contrary to the Sunnah. Many of us deprive ourselves of the blessings of such auspicious moments and the Favours of Allāh ta‘ālā by following those customary acts which have no basis in the Qur’ān and Sunnah.

May Allāh ta‘ālā guide us all on the straight path and enlighten us with the blessings of this sacred month and its blessed night. Āmīn.

Guidance and advice for the Blessed Month from
Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Some people relax for a few days before Ramadān, intending to busy themselves in ‘ibādah once Ramadān begins. Sometimes this relaxed attitude leads them to sin, with a reassuring feeling that they will make tawbah in Ramadān.

Firstly, how do they know they will live to see Ramadān? Secondly, the sin committed may have a negative spiritual impact which may last for the duration of Ramadān, preventing the perpetrator from repenting and doing good deeds, even in the blessed month.

We should make a habit of talking about the virtues and blessedness of Ramadān as soon as Sha`ban dawns upon us. Those of us who know the virtues of this month should explain to others. The more people become conscious of its virtues, the more likely they are to benefit from Ramadān.

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Whenever we perceive something harmful we try to protect ourselves from it. Physical dangers are plain to see, but there are many calamities related to spiritual aspects of our lives and the Hereafter that we seldom give any attention to.

Our Most-Merciful Creator has not left us unprotected! Through His Messenger of Mercy sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, He has taught us many precious supplications by which we can seek refuge and protection with Him.

Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh has prepared a valuable compilation of these supplications from the Qur’ān and ahādīth to provide us an easy way to beseech our Rabb and secure refuge with Him. (100 pages p/b)

To obtain the above book or for details of our other publications, please email [email protected] or call 0116 262 5440.