What Are the Virtues of the Night of Mid-Sha`ban?
There
have been narrations reported regarding the virtue of the night of mid-Sha`ban.
Some scholars authenticated certain narrations, while others weakened them—yet
still permitted acting upon them in matters of virtuous deeds.
Among
these narrations is a hadith reported by Imam Ahmad and At-Tabarani: “Indeed Allah, Mighty and Sublime is He, descends to the
lowest Heavens during the night of the middle of Sha'ban, to grant forgiveness
to more than the number of hairs on the sheep of (Banu) Kalb,” a tribe known for possessing a great number of
sheep. At-Tirmidhi stated that Al-Bukhari considered this narration to be weak.
Another
narration is that of `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
She said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) rose during the night to pray and prolonged his prostration so much
that she thought he had passed away. When he came up from prostration and
finished his prayer, he said: “O `A’ishah—or O Humayra’—did you think that the
Prophet (peace be upon him) had wronged you?” [Had not given your right]
She replied: “No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah. But I thought you had passed
away due to the length of your prostration.” He said: “Do you know which night
this is?” She replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “This is
the night of mid-Sha`ban. Allah, Exalted and Majestic, looks upon His servants
on the night of mid-Sha`ban, forgiving those who seek forgiveness, showing
mercy to those who seek mercy, and leaving the people of rancor as they are.”
This
narration was reported by Al-Bayhaqi through Al-`Ala’ Ibn Al-Harith from `A’ishah.
He said: This is a good Mursal narration (a hadith with a missing link
at the Companion level), meaning that Al-`Ala’ did not hear it from `A’ishah.
Ibn Majah
also narrated in his Sunan—with a weak chain of narration—from `Ali (may Allah
be pleased with him), attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him): “When the middle night of Sha`ban comes, spend the night
in prayer and fast during the day, for in it God most high comes down at sunset
to the lowest heaven and says, ‘Is there no one who asks forgiveness so that I
may forgive him ? Is there no one who asks provision so that I may provide him?
Is there no one afflicted so that I may relieve him? Is there not such and
such? Is there not such and such?’ till the dawn comes.”
Based on
these narrations and others, it may be said that the night of mid-Sha`ban has
virtue, and there is no text that negates this. Moreover, the month of Sha`ban
itself has virtue.
An-Nasa’i
narrated from Usamah Ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he
said: “O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you
fasting any month as much as Shaban.” He said: “That is a month to which people
do not pay much attention, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which
the deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be
taken up when I am fasting.”
Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) Celebrate the Night of Mid-Sha`ban?
It is
established that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) honored the month
of Sha`ban through fasting. As for night prayer, he (peace be upon him) used to
pray much during every month, and his prayer on the night of mid-Sha`ban was no
different from any other night.
This is
supported by the aforementioned narrations—despite their weakness—since they
are accepted in virtuous deeds. They include encouragement for night prayer,
and he himself (peace be upon hm) prayed as described by `A’ishah.
However,
this observance was personal, meaning it was not done in congregation. The
manner in which people celebrate it today did not exist during his time nor
during the time of the Companions; rather, it emerged during the era of the
Followers (Tabi`in).
Al-Qastallani
mentions in his book Al-Mawahib Al-Ladunniyyah that some of the
Followers from the people of Greater Syria—such as Khalid Ibn Ma`dan and
Makhul—used to exert themselves in worship on the night
of mid-Sha`ban. From them, people adopted its veneration, and it is said
that Israelite reports reached them regarding it.
When this
practice became well-known among them, people differed:
Some accepted it, while most scholars of Al-Hijaz rejected it—among them `Ata’
and Ibn Abi Mulaykah. `Abdur-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn Aslam transmitted this view
from the jurists of Madinah. This is also the view of Imam Malik and his
companions, who said: All of this is an innovation.
Al-Qastallani
then states that the scholars of Greater Syria differed regarding how to
observe the night of mid-Sha`ban in two ways:
1.
Congregational
observance in the mosque, which was practiced
by Khalid Ibn Ma`dan, Luqman Ibn `Amir, and others. They would wear their best
clothes, apply perfume and kohl, and spend the night in the mosque. Ishaq Ibn
Rahawayh agreed with them and said that congregational prayer on that night is
not an innovation, which was reported by Harb Al-Karmani.
2.
Disliking
congregational gathering in mosques for
prayer, storytelling, or supplication, while not disliking individual prayer.
This was the opinion of Al-Awza`i, the Imam and jurist of Greater Syria.
No
explicit statement from Imam Ahmad is known regarding the night of mid-Sha`ban.
Two narrations may be inferred from his views on praying during the nights of
the two Eids.
In one
narration, he did not recommend congregational prayer, as it was not
transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him) or his Companions. In another,
he recommended it due to the practice of `Abdur-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn Al-Aswad,
one of the Followers.
Likewise,
nothing is authentically established regarding the night of mid-Sha`ban from
the Prophet (peace be upon him) or his Companions. What is established is from
a group of prominent jurists among the Followers of Greater Syria. (This is a
summarized account from Al-Lata’if)
The
conclusion of Al-Qastallani’s discussion is that some scholars permitted
congregational observance while others did not. Since this is a matter of
scholarly disagreement, one may adopt either view without fanaticism or
hostility toward the other.
Whether
individually or collectively, observance consists of prayer, supplication, and
remembrance of Allah.
Some
contemporary scholars have suggested that any gathering on this night should
not be structured as a devotional celebration, but rather as a commemoration of
an Islamic historical event—namely, the change of the qiblah from Al-Masjid All-Aqsa to Makkah—without asserting
that it occurred specifically on this night, as there are differing opinions on
its timing. Commemorating historical events has its own rulings.
According
to Al-Azhar, there is no prohibition so long as the method is lawful and the
intention is sincerely for Allah.
Is There a Specific Method of Worship or a Special Prayer in
this Night?
Praying
with the intention of drawing closer to Allah is permissible, for prayer is the
best of actions. Some jurists recommend voluntary prayer between Maghrib and `Isha’,
as well as after `Isha’, including night prayer.
However,
performing voluntary prayer with the specific intention of long life or
increased provision has no acceptable evidence supporting or recommending it.
Therefore, it should be performed as unrestricted voluntary prayer.
An-Nawawi
said in Al-Majmu`: The prayer known as Salat Ar-Ragha’ib (twelve
rak`ahs between Maghrib and `Isha’ on the night of the first Friday of Rajab)
and the prayer of the night of mid-Sha`ban consisting of one hundred rak`ahs—both
are reprehensible innovations. One should not be deceived by their mention in Qut
Al-Qulub by Abu Talib Al-Makki or Ihya’ `Ulum Ad-Din by Imam Al-Ghazali,
nor by the hadiths cited therein, for all of that is false.
Some
scholars mistakenly wrote in favor of them, but they were in error. Imam Abu
Muhammad `Abdur-Rahman Ibn Isma`il Al-Maqdisi authored a valuable work refuting
them thoroughly. (Majallat Al-Azhar, vol. 2, p. 515)
Is There a Special Supplication for the Night of Mid-Sha`ban?
No
specific supplication for this night has been authentically reported from the
Prophet (peace be upon him), as the basis of celebrating the night itself is
not firmly established according to most scholars.
What has
been reported from `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is that she heard
him saying in prostration: “O Allah, I seek
protection in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek protection in
Your pleasure from Your anger, and I seek protection in You from You. I cannot
count Your praises. You are as You have praised Yourself.” Reported
by Al-Bayhaqi through Al-`Ala’, as mentioned earlier.
The
supplication most commonly asked about begins with: O Allah, ossessor of grace
who is never indebted to anyone; O Possessor of Majesty and Honor; O Possessor
of abundance and beneficence. There is no deity but You—the refuge of those who
seek refuge, the protector of those who seek protection, and the source of
security for the fearful. O Allah, if You have decreed me in the Mother of the
Book (Umm Al-Kitab) as wretched, deprived, rejected, or constrained in
provision, then erase—by Your grace—my wretchedness, my deprivation, my
rejection, and the constriction of my provision…
And it is
also stated therein: “My God, by the Supreme Manifestation on the night of the
middle of the blessed month of Sha`ban, in which every wise matter is
distinguished and determined…” This wording is an addition by Shaykh Ma’
Al-`Aynayn Ash-Shinqiti in his book Na`t Al-Bidayat.
This
supplication was not reported by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Some scholars
said it was transmitted with sound chains of narrations from two noble
Companions: `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab and `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased
with them both).
`Umar is
among the Rightly Guided Caliphs whose Sunnah we were commanded, in the Hadith,
to follow. Another Hadith explicitly instructs us to take both him and Abu Bakr
As-Siddiq as examples to be emulated. Likewise, the Companions of the Messenger
are like stars to be followed, as narrated in a Hadith that is accepted in
matters of virtuous deeds.
However,
what remains lacking is verification that this supplication was truly reported
from them and that no Companion objected to it. We also lack verification of
the report attributed to Ibn `Umar and Ibn Mas`ud: “No servant ever supplicates
with it except that Allah Expands His will for him.”
Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya.
Regardless,
any supplication—whatever its wording—must not contradict sound beliefs or
established rulings.
Two Important Theological Clarifications Regarding these
Supplications
Scholars
have spoken about two important points concerning this supplication:
The first
point relates to what is mentioned in it
regarding erasure and affirmation in the Mother of the Book,
which is the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfudh). This is the register containing the knowledge
of Allah, which does not change or alter.
They
explained that what is written in the Preserved Tablet is what Allah has Decreed
for His servants. Among it is what is conditional upon supplication or
action—this is the conditional decree—and Allah already Knows that the
person will supplicate or act. And among it is what is unconditional—the absolute
decree.
Supplication
and action benefit in the first case because the decree is contingent upon
them. As for their benefit in the second case, it is in the form of alleviation,
as is commonly said: “O Allah, I do not ask You to repel the decree, but I ask
You for gentleness within it.”
It is
also reported in a Hadith: “Supplication is
beneficial regarding things which have happened and things which have not
happened,” and the benefit is
understood in the manner described above.
Muslim
narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked: Whosoever
deeds we do today, is it because of the fact that-the pens have dried (after
recording them) and the destinies have began to operate or these have effects
in future? Thereupon he said: The pens have dried and destinies have begun to
operate. They asked: If it Is so, then what is the use of doing good
deeds? He said: Do good, for each person is facilitated for what he has
been created.
In
another narration they said: “Allah's Messenger,
should we not then depend upon our destiny and abandon our deeds? Thereupon he
said: Acts of everyone will be facilitated in that which has been created for
him so that whoever belongs to the company of the blessed will have good works
made easier for him and whoever belongs to the unfortunate ones will have evil
acts made easier for him. He then recited this verse from the Quran: {Then, who gives to
the needy and guards against evil and accepts the excellent (the truth of Islam
and the path of righteousness it prescribes), We shall make easy for him the
easy end and who is miserly and considers himself above need, We shall make easy
for him the difficult end} [Al-Layl: 5–10]”
Some
scholars, however, did not accept this interpretation of erasure and
affirmation as occurring in the Preserved Tablet. They held that such erasure
and affirmation take place in the records of the angels, not in the Knowledge
of Allah or His Preserved Tablet. This view was mentioned by Al-Alusi and Al-Fakhr
Ar-Razi in their Quranic exegesis.
The
second point concerns what is
mentioned in the supplication that the Night of the Middle of Sha`ban is
the night in which every wise matter is decreed and finalized. This is not
correct.
`Ikrimah
said: Whoever says that has gone far astray, for the explicit text of the Quran
states that this occurs in Ramadan. The blessed night in which every wise
matter is decreed is the night in which the Quran was revealed—and the Quran
was revealed on Laylat Al-Qadr, which is in the month of Ramadan.
As for
those who cite a narration attributed to the Prophet (peace be
upon him) stating: “Lifespans are
apportioned from Sha`ban to Sha`ban, to the extent that a man may marry and
have children while his name has already been recorded among the dead,” this
narration is Mursal, and such a report cannot be used to contradict
established textual evidence, as mentioned in Al-Mawahib Al-Ladunniyyah.
Some
scholars attempted reconciliation by claiming that what occurs in Sha`ban is
the transfer of what is in the Preserved Tablet to the records of the angels.
There is
no need for this interpretation, however, for the supplications authentically
transmitted in the Quran and the Sunnah are most sufficient.
You May Also Read:
- What Are the Virtues of Rajab?
- Insights about Preparing for Ramadan
- Sha'ban: The Month of Awareness
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