The 15th night of Sya'ban
Friday, August 15, 2008
THERE are three points to be discussed regarding the tradition of celebrating the fifteenth night of Laylatun Nisfu Sya'ban (which this year will be coincident with August 16).
The first point has to do with whether the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has a special significance; the second concentrates on whether the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated this night; the third tackles whether there are special acts to celebrate this night or special supplications to invoke Almighty Allah with.
First, there are some hadiths indicating that the fifteenth night of Sya'ban is significant. Some scholars classified some of these hadiths as authentic. On the other hand, some other scholars considered them as da'if (weak), yet they hold that these hadiths may be acted upon by him who seeks to get closer to Almighty Allah with additional acts of worship.
Of these hadiths is one that is reported by Imam Ahmad and At-Tabarani to the effect that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Almighty Allah descends to the lowest Heaven on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban and forgives such number of people that is more than the number of the hairs of the sheep of Banu Kalb (a tribe that has a great number of sheep)." But At-Tirmidhi said that Imam Al-Bukhari classified this hadith as weak. Based on these hadiths and others, it may be said that the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has a special significance. In fact, there is no religious text that stands against this, especially that the merit of the month of Sya'ban as a whole is established.
Usamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with both of them, was reported to have said that he asked the Prophet, "I have not seen you observe additional fast during any month (other than Ramadan) as you do in Sya'ban?"
He replied, "This is a month that people usually forget about between Rajab and Ramadan, and it is a month in which people's deeds are presented to Allah, so I like that my deeds are presented while I am fasting." (An-Nasa'i)
The second point to be dealt with is whether the Messenger of Allah celebrated this night. In this regard, it was established that the way he celebrated this month was by fasting during it.
Neither he nor his Companions, may Allah be pleased with all of them, would offer celebrations on this night as people do nowadays.
The celebrations seen nowadays on this night began in the era of the followers of the righteous predecessors.
According to Al-Mawahib Al-Ladduniyyah, vol. 2, by Al-Qastalani, the successors in the Levant, such as Khalid ibn Mi'dan and Makhul would observe further additional acts of worship on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban, and, hence, people followed them in assuming special significance to this night.
It was even said that those followers would follow Israelite reports concerning the merit of this night. When this was circulated in the Muslim world, controversy aroused concerning the correctness of such a deed. The majority of scholars in Mekah and Madinah then, including 'Ata', Ibn Abi Mulkyah, the followers of Malik, and others, disapproved of such a deed, considering it an innovation (bid'ah) in religion.
The third point to be discussed here has to do with whether there are special supplications to be offered on this night and whether it is lawful to observe the night vigil Prayer then with the intention of concentrating on asking Almighty Allah to prolong one's life and enrich one.
Offering optional prayer with the intention of doing so as a means of getting closer to Almighty Allah is wholeheartedly recommendable.
Furthermore, it is an act of Sunnah to offer supererogatory prayers in the time between Maghrib and 'Isya prayers and after the 'Isya Prayer.
But offering an optional Prayer so that Almighty Allah may prolong one's life and enrich one has no basis in Syari'ah. Imam An-Nawawi said in his book Al-Majmu': Ar-Ragha'ib prayer, i.e., a 12-raka'ah prayer between Maghrib and 'Isya Prayers said to be recommendable in the first Friday of Rajab, and the 100-raka'ah Prayer said to be recommendable on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban are innovations (bid'ah) in religion.
Their being mentioned in eminent books like Qut Al-Qulubby by Abu Talib Al-Makki and Ihya' 'Ulum Ad-Din by Imam Al-Ghazali should not make people believe that they are really recommendable acts of Sunnah. Besides, the hadith mentioning these Prayers is not an authentic one, and the eminent scholars who thought that these prayers are recommendable are wrong in their judgment in this respect.
Moreover, Syeikh Abu Muhammad Abdur-Rahman ibn Isma'il Al-Maqdisi wrote a great book specially to refute these two hadiths (Al-Azhar Magazine, vol. 2, p. 515).
Concerning offering special supplications on this night, there is also no authentic hadith reported in this respect.
The supplication circulated nowadays as recommendable to be offered on this night is: "O Allah, Who has favours unto His servants and no one is to have favour unto Him! O Allah, the Owner of majesty and honor. O Allah, the Owner of wealth and enrichment. There is no god but You, the Supporter of the refugees, the Helper of those who appeal for help, and Granter of security for panic-stricken. O Allah, if You had destined in the Preserved Tablet that I be unhappy, or deprived, or expelled, or poor, I beg Your Pardon, O Allah, to remove with Your grace my unhappiness or deprivation, or expulsion, or poverty."
There are some other words that have been reported to be included in this supplication.
These are, "O my Lord! By Your greatest turning towards Your servants on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban, in which every wise command is decided and made clear, grant me such-and-such ..." This addition is made by Syeikh Ma' Al-'Aynayn Ash-Shanqiti in his book Na't Al-Bidayat.
This supplication was not reported to have been said by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
I believe that there is no need for one to resort to such controversial supplications, as there are many other supplications from the Qur'an and the authentic hadiths that one may offer sincerely in one's prayers.
To summarise, it is recommended to fast during the month of Sya'ban as frequent as possible to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.
Neither the Prophet of Allah nor his Companions would offer celebrations on the fifteenth night as people do nowadays. The celebrations seen nowadays on this night began in the era of the followers of the righteous predecessors.
Offering optional prayer during night time with the intention of doing so as a means of getting closer to Almighty Allah is wholeheartedly recommendable. But offering an optional Prayer so that Almighty Allah may prolong one's life and enrich one at the specified time, i.e. the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has no basis in Syari'ah. And Allah knows best.
* Excerpted from the writer's article on the subject in question. The writer is a former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee.
Islam Online
The first point has to do with whether the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has a special significance; the second concentrates on whether the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) celebrated this night; the third tackles whether there are special acts to celebrate this night or special supplications to invoke Almighty Allah with.
First, there are some hadiths indicating that the fifteenth night of Sya'ban is significant. Some scholars classified some of these hadiths as authentic. On the other hand, some other scholars considered them as da'if (weak), yet they hold that these hadiths may be acted upon by him who seeks to get closer to Almighty Allah with additional acts of worship.
Of these hadiths is one that is reported by Imam Ahmad and At-Tabarani to the effect that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Almighty Allah descends to the lowest Heaven on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban and forgives such number of people that is more than the number of the hairs of the sheep of Banu Kalb (a tribe that has a great number of sheep)." But At-Tirmidhi said that Imam Al-Bukhari classified this hadith as weak. Based on these hadiths and others, it may be said that the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has a special significance. In fact, there is no religious text that stands against this, especially that the merit of the month of Sya'ban as a whole is established.
Usamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with both of them, was reported to have said that he asked the Prophet, "I have not seen you observe additional fast during any month (other than Ramadan) as you do in Sya'ban?"
He replied, "This is a month that people usually forget about between Rajab and Ramadan, and it is a month in which people's deeds are presented to Allah, so I like that my deeds are presented while I am fasting." (An-Nasa'i)
The second point to be dealt with is whether the Messenger of Allah celebrated this night. In this regard, it was established that the way he celebrated this month was by fasting during it.
Neither he nor his Companions, may Allah be pleased with all of them, would offer celebrations on this night as people do nowadays.
The celebrations seen nowadays on this night began in the era of the followers of the righteous predecessors.
According to Al-Mawahib Al-Ladduniyyah, vol. 2, by Al-Qastalani, the successors in the Levant, such as Khalid ibn Mi'dan and Makhul would observe further additional acts of worship on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban, and, hence, people followed them in assuming special significance to this night.
It was even said that those followers would follow Israelite reports concerning the merit of this night. When this was circulated in the Muslim world, controversy aroused concerning the correctness of such a deed. The majority of scholars in Mekah and Madinah then, including 'Ata', Ibn Abi Mulkyah, the followers of Malik, and others, disapproved of such a deed, considering it an innovation (bid'ah) in religion.
The third point to be discussed here has to do with whether there are special supplications to be offered on this night and whether it is lawful to observe the night vigil Prayer then with the intention of concentrating on asking Almighty Allah to prolong one's life and enrich one.
Offering optional prayer with the intention of doing so as a means of getting closer to Almighty Allah is wholeheartedly recommendable.
Furthermore, it is an act of Sunnah to offer supererogatory prayers in the time between Maghrib and 'Isya prayers and after the 'Isya Prayer.
But offering an optional Prayer so that Almighty Allah may prolong one's life and enrich one has no basis in Syari'ah. Imam An-Nawawi said in his book Al-Majmu': Ar-Ragha'ib prayer, i.e., a 12-raka'ah prayer between Maghrib and 'Isya Prayers said to be recommendable in the first Friday of Rajab, and the 100-raka'ah Prayer said to be recommendable on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban are innovations (bid'ah) in religion.
Their being mentioned in eminent books like Qut Al-Qulubby by Abu Talib Al-Makki and Ihya' 'Ulum Ad-Din by Imam Al-Ghazali should not make people believe that they are really recommendable acts of Sunnah. Besides, the hadith mentioning these Prayers is not an authentic one, and the eminent scholars who thought that these prayers are recommendable are wrong in their judgment in this respect.
Moreover, Syeikh Abu Muhammad Abdur-Rahman ibn Isma'il Al-Maqdisi wrote a great book specially to refute these two hadiths (Al-Azhar Magazine, vol. 2, p. 515).
Concerning offering special supplications on this night, there is also no authentic hadith reported in this respect.
The supplication circulated nowadays as recommendable to be offered on this night is: "O Allah, Who has favours unto His servants and no one is to have favour unto Him! O Allah, the Owner of majesty and honor. O Allah, the Owner of wealth and enrichment. There is no god but You, the Supporter of the refugees, the Helper of those who appeal for help, and Granter of security for panic-stricken. O Allah, if You had destined in the Preserved Tablet that I be unhappy, or deprived, or expelled, or poor, I beg Your Pardon, O Allah, to remove with Your grace my unhappiness or deprivation, or expulsion, or poverty."
There are some other words that have been reported to be included in this supplication.
These are, "O my Lord! By Your greatest turning towards Your servants on the fifteenth night of Sya'ban, in which every wise command is decided and made clear, grant me such-and-such ..." This addition is made by Syeikh Ma' Al-'Aynayn Ash-Shanqiti in his book Na't Al-Bidayat.
This supplication was not reported to have been said by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
I believe that there is no need for one to resort to such controversial supplications, as there are many other supplications from the Qur'an and the authentic hadiths that one may offer sincerely in one's prayers.
To summarise, it is recommended to fast during the month of Sya'ban as frequent as possible to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.
Neither the Prophet of Allah nor his Companions would offer celebrations on the fifteenth night as people do nowadays. The celebrations seen nowadays on this night began in the era of the followers of the righteous predecessors.
Offering optional prayer during night time with the intention of doing so as a means of getting closer to Almighty Allah is wholeheartedly recommendable. But offering an optional Prayer so that Almighty Allah may prolong one's life and enrich one at the specified time, i.e. the fifteenth night of Sya'ban has no basis in Syari'ah. And Allah knows best.
* Excerpted from the writer's article on the subject in question. The writer is a former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee.
Islam Online
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