Allah (swt), out of His infinite mercy, has created varying seasons throughout the year for people’s benefit. Similarly, Allah (swt) has also assigned different seasons for particular ibadah. These are special times designated by Allah (swt) for increased Ibadah.
Of course, a Mu’min is expected to be performing Ibadah continuously throughout his or her life, but these special opportunities exist so that every believer may get a chance to attain closeness to Allah (swt) and earn manifold rewards.
One of these blessed opportunities is the month of Shabaan. It is reported in authentic hadith that Rasulullah (saw) used to particularly increase his Ibadah in this month. It is recorded in Sahih al Bukhari :
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ ، وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ . فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِى شَعْبَانَ . – بخاري ح1833، مسلم ح1956، نسائي ح2311، ابوداؤد ح2079
Aishah radhiallahu anhaa narrates: The Blessed Prophet (saw) fasted for so long [so many days] we thought he would never break his fast. Then he would do iftar (for so many days) we thought he will never fast. I have never seen the Blessed Prophet (saw) fast for a whole month besides the month of Ramadan and keep more fasts [outside of Ramadan] than in the month of Shabaan. (Reported in Bukhari, Muslim, Nisai, Abu Dawood)
عَنْ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ. قَالَ ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الأَعْمَالُ إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِى وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ. – نسائي ح2317، مسند احمد ح20758
Usamah bin Zaid narrates that I said:
Oh Blessed Prophet (saw)! I do not see you fasting any month more than the month of Shabaan. The Blessed Prophet (saw) replied:
People are ignorant of it, being between the months of Rajab and Ramadan. All deeds are raised towards Rabb ul Alameen in that month. Thus, I wish that my deeds are raised when I am fasting. (Reported in Nisai, Musnad Ahmad)
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فِى شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِى شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً بَلْ كَانَ يَصُومُهُ كُلَّهُ. – ترمذي ح668، نسائي ح2149، ابوداؤد ح2079، مسند احمد ح23402
Aisha radhiallahu anhaa narrates that I never saw the Blessed Prophet (saw) fast in any month more than the month of Shabaan. He used to fast the whole month except for some days; in fact, he used to fast the whole month (of Shabaan). (Reported in Nisai, Abu Dawood, Musnad Ahmad)
عن أبي هريرة أن عائشة حدثتهم أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصوم شعبان كله قالت قلت يا رسول الله أحب الشهور إليك أن تصومه شعبان؟ قال إن الله يكتب على كل نفس ميتة تلك السنة فأحب أن يأتي أجلي وأنا صائم – مسند ابويعلى ص311 ج8، الترغيب والترهيب ص72 ج2 وقال:وهوغريب واسناده حسن
Abu Huraira (ra) relates that Aisha radhiallahu anhaa narrated to them the hadith that the Blessed Prophet (saw) fasted the whole month of Shabaan. She said: I asked the Blessed Prophet (saw): Oh Blessed Prophet (saw), is Shabaan your most favorite month to fast? He replied: Allah (swt) assigns the year of death for each person (in the month of Shabaan), thus, I wish my death come when I am fasting. (The chain of narration is ranked “Hasan” in al-Targheeb wal Tarheeb and is also related in Musnad Abu Yala)
The following things are very clear from the several ahaadith above:
- The month of Shabaan is a very important month and Shari’ah encourages us to perform optional Ibadah during this month
- Rasulullah (saw) used to fast most of the month of Shabaan
- In this month, all of the people’s deeds are presented to Allah (swt)
- Rasulullah (saw) disliked for the people to neglect the importance of the month of Shabaan
- In Shabaan, the list of all the people that are suppose to die in that year are handed over to the angels.
In addition to all of these virtues, there is particular emphasis for the 15th of Shabaan which is called Laylatul Bara’a. Although some people deny the importance of the 15th night of Shabaan; there are authentic ahaadith which clearly indicate its importance.
The following few hadith have been presented with scholarly critique in order to illustrate the special virtues of this night so people are not deprived of a great opportunity of Ibadah through which they can attain more nearness to Allah (swt).
Hadith 1
عن معاذ بن جبل عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال يطلع الله الى خلقه في ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر لجميع خلقه الا لمشرك أو مشاحن
It is related by Muaz bin Jabbal (ra) that the Blessed Prophet (saw) said: Allah (swt) looks over at his creation on the fifteenth night of Shabaan and forgives everyone but for two people: a polytheist and one who holds a grudge against people.
Imam Ibn Hibban has narrated this hadith in his Sahih, Imam Bayhaqi in his Shua’bal Imaan, Imam Tabarani in Al Mu’jam al Kabeer, & Abu Nu’aym in Al Hulya. Imam Haithami has also narrated this hadith in his Majmu’al Zawaid and after narrating it, he has commented that all of the people in the chain of narrators of the above hadith are trustworthy and this hadith is authentic.
This hadith is also narrated by Imam Mundhari in Al Targheeb wal Tarheeb, Imam Suyuti in Durrul Manthoor, & the late Shaykh Albani has also narrated this hadith in his Silsilah Sahiha (a book in which he has narrated only authentic hadith according to him.)
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