Tuesday, 2 May 2017

FASTING IN THE MONTH OF SHAABAN; MONTH BEFORE RAMADAN




FASTING IN THE MONTH OF SHAABAN; MONTH BEFORE RAMADAN

ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA


https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana

emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com

TO BE DELIVERED ON 6TH MAY 2017 CE AND 9TH SHAABAN 1438 AH

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu. Amma ba’d.

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Sal Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) is His slave and Messenger.

We present herewith different versions of scholars on whether to fast complete shaaban or part thereof

2.0 POPULAR PRAYER OF ‘’O ALLAH, BLESS US IN RAJAB AND SHA‘BAAN, AND LET US REACH RAMADAN’’


There is no saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet that speaks of the virtues of the month of Rajab.  Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: There is no saheeh hadeeth that speaks of the virtues of Rajab. The month of Rajab is no different from the month of Jumaada al-Aakhirah that comes before it, except that it is one of the sacred months only. Otherwise there is no fast that is prescribed in this month, and no prayer or ‘umrah or anything else that is prescribed. It is like all other months. End quote. Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh (174/26). 

It was narrated by ‘Abdullah, the son of Imam Ahmad, in Zawaa’id al-Musnad (2346), at-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (3939), al-Bayhaqi in ash-Shu‘ab (3534) and Abu Nu‘aym in al-Hilyah (6/269) via Zaa’idah ibn Abi ar-Ruqaad who said: Ziyaad al-Numayri told us, from Anas ibn Maalik who said: When Rajab began, the Messenger of Allah (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha‘baan, and let us reach Ramadan.” This isnaad is da‘eef. Ziyaad al-Numayri is da‘eef and was classed as such by Ibn Ma‘een. Abu Haatim said: He cannot be quoted as evidence. Ibn Hibbaan mentioned him in ad-Du‘afa’ and said: It is not permissible to quote him as evidence. Mizaan al-I‘tidaal (2/91) 

Zaa’idah ibn Abi ar-Ruqaad is more da‘eef than him. Abu Haatim said: He narrated from Ziyaad al-Numayri, from Anas, odd marfoo‘ hadeeths, which we know only from him or from Ziyaad. Al-Bukhaari said: His hadeeths are odd. an-Nasaa’i said: His hadeeths are odd. It says in al-Kuna: He is not trustworthy. Ibn Hibbaan said: He narrates odd hadeeths from well-known people and his reports cannot be quoted as evidence or written down, except for the purpose of giving an example (of a weak hadeeth). Ibn ‘Adiyy said: al-Miqdami and others narrated from him obscure hadeeths, and some of his hadeeths contain odd material. Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (3/305-306). 

The hadeeth was classed as da‘eef by an-Nawawi in al-Adhkaar (p. 189) and Ibn Rajab in Lataa’if al-Ma‘aarif (p. 121). It was also classed as da‘eef by al-Albaani in Da‘eef al-Jaami‘ (4395). Al-Haythami said: It was narrated by al-Bazzaar, and its isnaad includes Zaa’idah ibn Abi ar-Ruqaad. Al-Bukhaari said: His hadeeth is odd, and a number of scholars regarded him as ignorant. Majma‘ az-Zawaa’id (2/165) 

Moreover, the hadeeth – in addition to being da‘eef – contains nothing to indicate that this should be said on the first night of the month of Rajab; rather it is a du‘aa’ that asks for blessing during that month in general terms, which is something that is valid to do in Rajab and also before Rajab. 

With regard to the Muslim asking his Lord to let him reach Ramadan, there is nothing wrong with that. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ma‘alla ibn al-Fadl said: They used to pray to Allah for six months, may He be exalted, asking Him to cause them to reach Ramadan, and they used to call upon Him for six months asking Him to accept it from them. Yahya ibn Abi Katheer said: One of their du‘aa’s was: “O Allah, keep me safe until Ramadan, keep Ramadan safe for me, and accept it from me.”End quote from Lataa’if al-Ma‘aarif (p. 148) 

3.0 THE EXCLUSION ON FASTING IN THE SECOND HALF OF SHA’BAAN

Abu Dawood (3237), al-Tirmidhi (738) and Ibn Naajah (1651) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Sha’baan is half over, do not fast.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 590. 

This hadeeth indicates that it is not allowed to fast after halfway through Sha’baan, i.e., starting from the sixteenth day of the month. 

But there are reports that indicate that it is permissible to fast at this time. For example: 

a)      Al-Bukhaari (1914) and Muslim (1082) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not anticipate Ramadaan by fasting one or two days before it begins, but if a man habitually fasts, then let him fast.” 

b)      This indicates that fasting after halfway through Sha’baan is permissible for someone who has the habit of fasting, such as a man who regularly fasts on Mondays and Thursdays, or who fasts alternate days, and the like. 

c)      Al-Bukhaari (1970) and Muslim (1156) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast all of Sha’baan, he used to fast Sha’baan except a few days.” This version was narrated by Muslim. 

d)      Al-Nawawi said: In the words, “He used to fast all of Sha’baan, he used to fast Sha’baan except a few days” the second phrase explains the first, and indicates that the word “all” means “most of”. This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to fast after halfway through Sha’baan, but only for those who are continuing after fasting before halfway through the month. The Shaafa’is followed all of these ahaadeeth and said: It is not permissible to fast after halfway through Sha’baan except for those who have a habitual pattern of fasting, or who are continuing after fasting before halfway through the month. 

e)      According to most of the scholars, the prohibition here means that it is haraam. See al-Majmoo’, 6/399-400; Fath al-Baari, 4/129. Some, such as al-Ruyaani, suggested that the prohibition here is to be understood as meaning that it is makrooh, not haraam. 

f)       Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (p. 412): “Chapter on the prohibition on anticipating Ramadaan by fasting after halfway through Sha’baan, except for one who is continuing after fasting before halfway through the month or who has a regular pattern of fasting such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays”. 

The majority of scholars are of the view that the hadeeth which forbids fasting after halfway through Sha’baan is da’eef (weak), and based on that they said that it is not makrooh to fast after halfway through Sha’baan. 

Al-Haafiz said: The majority of scholars said that it is permissible to observe voluntary fasts after halfway through Sha’baan and they regarded the hadeeth concerning that as da’eef. Ahmad and Ibn Ma’een said that it is munkar. (From Fath al-Baari). Among those who classed it as da’eef were al-Bayhaqi and al-Tahhaawi. 

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni that Imam Ahmad said concerning this hadeeth: It is not sound. We asked ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Mahdi about it and he did not class it as saheeh, and he did not narrate it to me. He used to avoid talking about this hadeeth. Ahmad said: al-‘Ala’ is thiqah and none of his ahaadeeth are regarded as munkar apart from this one. 

The al-‘Ala’ referred to here is al-‘Ala’ ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan who narrated this hadeeth from his father from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) responded in Tahdheeb al-Sunan to those who classed this hadeeth as da’eef and said that this hadeeth is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim. Even though al-‘Ala’ is the only one who narrated this hadeeth, that is not regarded as detrimental to the hadeeth, because al-‘Ala’ is thiqah; in his Saheeh, Muslim narrated a number of ahaadeeth from him, from his father from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). Many Sunnahs are narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only through one person who is thiqah, but they have been accepted and followed by the ummah. 

Then he said: With regard to those who think that there is a contradiction between this hadeeth and the ahaadeeth which speak of fasting in Sha’baan, there is no contradiction. Those ahaadeeth speak of fasting half of it along with the previous half, and of habitual fasting during the second half of the month, whereas the hadeeth of al-‘Ala’ speaks of the prohibition on fasting deliberately only after the month is halfway over, not about fasts that a person observes regularly or that are a continuation after fasting during the first part of the month. 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the hadeeth which says that fasting after halfway through Sha’baan is not allowed. He said: This is a saheeh hadeeth as Shaykh Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani said. What is meant is that it is not allowed to start fasting after halfway through the month. But if a person fasts most or all of the month, then he is following the Sunnah. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/385). 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in his commentary on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (3/394): Even if the hadeeth is saheeh, the prohibition in it does not mean that this is haraam, rather it is simply makrooh, as some of the scholars have understood it to mean. But whoever has the habit of fasting regularly should fast, even if it is after halfway through Sha’baan. 

In conclusion: 

1)      It is not allowed to fast during the second half of Sha’baan, and that is either makrooh or haraam, except for the one who has the habit of fasting regularly or who is continuing after fasting during the first half of Sha’baan. And Allaah knows best. 

2)      The reason for this prohibition is that continually fasting may make a person too weak to fast in Ramadaan. 

3)      If it is said that if he fasts from the beginning of the month he will become even weaker, the response is that whoever fasts from the beginning of Sha’baan will have gotten used to fasting so it will be less difficult for him to fast. 

4)      Al-Qaari said: The prohibition here means that it is disliked, as a mercy to this ummah lest they become too weak to fulfil their duty of fasting during Ramadaan in an energetic fashion. But those who fast all of Sha’baan will become used to fasting so it will not be difficult for them. 

4.0 IT IS MUSTAHABB TO FAST A GREAT DEAL IN THE MONTH OF SHA’BAAN. 

It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast the whole of Sha’baan. 

Ahmad (26022), Abu Dawood (2336), al-Nasaa’i (2175) and Ibn Maajah (1648) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast two consecutive months apart from the fact that he used to join Sha’baan and Ramadaan.” 

According to a version narrated by Abu Dawood: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never used to fast any complete month in the year, apart from Sha’baan, which he used to join to Ramadaan.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2048. 

The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast the entire month of Sha’baan. 

But it was also narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days. 

Muslim (1156) narrated that Abu Salamah said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and she said: ‘He used to fast until we thought that he would always fast, then he would not fast until we thought that he would always not fast, but I never saw him fast in any month more than he fasted in Sha’baan. He used to fast all of Sha’baan, and he used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days.’”

 The scholars differed as to the way of reconciling between these hadeeths: 

a)      Some of them said that this had to do with differences of time – in some years the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted all of Sha’baan, and in other years he fasted all of that month apart from a few days. This was the view favoured by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him). See Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 15/416. 

b)      Others said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any month in full apart from Ramadaan, and they interpreted the hadeeth of Umm Salamah as meaning that he fasted all of Sha’baan apart from a few days. They said that this is possible from a linguistic point of view, that if a man fasts for most of a month it may be said that he fasted the whole month. 

c)      Al-Haafiz said: The hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah explains what was said in the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, which says that he did fast any month of the year in full apart from Sha’baan which he used to join to Ramadaan; this means that he used to fast most of it. Al-Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn al-Mubaarak said: It is possible in the language of the Arabs, if a person fasts most of a month, to say that he fasted the whole month… 

d)      Al-Teebi said: It may be interpreted as meaning that he used to fast all of Sha’baan sometimes and most of Sha’baan at other times, lest people think that it is obligatory to fast the entire month, like Ramadaan. 

e)      Then al-Haafiz said: The former is the correct view – in other words, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast all of Sha’baan. He quoted as evidence for that the report narrated by Muslim (746) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “I do not know that the Prophet of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the entire Qur’aan in one night, or spent an entire night in prayer until dawn, or fasted an entire month apart from Ramadaan.” 

f)       And he quoted the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1971) and Muslim (1157) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any month in full apart from Ramadaan.” 

g)      Al-Sindi said in his commentary on the hadeeth of Umm Salamah: “He joined Sha’baan to Ramadaan” means that he fasted them both together. The apparent meaning is that he fasted all of Sha’baan… but there are reports which indicate something different. Hence it is to be understood as meaning that he used to fast most of it, so it was as if he fasted all of it and joined it to Ramadaan. 

If it is asked, what is the reason for fasting a great deal during Sha’baan? The answer is: Al-Haafiz said: The reason in explained in the report narrated by al-Nasaa’i and Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Khuzaymah, according to which Usaamah ibn Zayd said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, I do not see you fasting in any month more than in Sha’baan.’ He said, ‘That is a month concerning which many people are heedless, between Rajab and Ramadaan. It is the month is which people’s deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds, and I would like my deeds to be taken up whilst I am fasting.’” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 2221. 

5.0 BID‘AH OF SHA‘BAAN

Some Muslims celebrate the middle of Sha‘baan, fasting on that day and spending that night in prayer (qiyaam). There is a hadeeth concerning that which is not saheeh, hence the scholars regarded celebrating this day as an innovation (bid ‘ah). Shab e Baraat is widely celebrated by many South Asian Muslims.

Muhammad ‘Abd al-Salaam al-Shuqayri said: Imam al-Fatni said in Tadhkirat al-Mawdoo‘aat: Among the innovations that have been introduced on “Laylat an-Nusf”  (mid-Sha‘baan) is al-Salaat al-Alfiyyah, which is one hundred rak‘ahs in which Soorat al-Ikhlaas is recited ten times in each rak‘ah, offered in congregation; they pay more attention to this than to Jumu‘ah and Eid prayers, although there is no report concerning it, except da‘eef (weak) and mawdoo‘ (fabricated) reports, and we should not be deceived by the fact that these reports were quoted by the authors of al-Qoot and al-Ihya’ and others, nor should we be deceived by what was mentioned in Tafseer al-Tha‘labi, that it is Laylat al-Qadr. End quote. 

Al-‘Iraaqi said: The hadeeth about the prayer on Laylat al-Nisf (mid-Sha‘baan) is false. Ibn al-Jawzi narrated it in al-Mawdoo‘aat (which is a compilation of fabricated hadeeths): 

Chapter on the hadeeth, prayer and supplication on Laylat al-Nisf:

The hadeeth, “When the night of ‘nisf Sha‘baan’ (mid-Sha‘baan) comes, spend the night in prayer and fast on that day” was narrated by Ibn Maajah from ‘Ali. Muhashiyyah said: (It was also narrated) in al-Zawaa’id. Its isnaad is da‘eef (weak) because of the weakness of Ibn Abi Basrah, of whom Ahmad and Ibn Ma‘een said: He fabricates hadeeth. End quote. 

Praying six rak‘ahs on Laylat al-Nisf with the intention of warding off calamity, having a long life and being independent of people, and reciting Ya-Seen and offering du‘aa’ in between that -- there is no doubt that this is something that has been introduced into the religion and is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The commentator on al-Ihya’ said: This prayer is well known in the books of later Sufi masters, but I have not seen any saheeh report in the Sunnah to support it and the connected du‘aa’. Rather this is the action of some shaykhs. Our companions said: It is makrooh to gather on any of the nights mentioned in the mosques or elsewhere. Al-Najm al-Ghayti said, describing spending the night of al-Nisf min Sh‘baan (mid-Sha‘baan) praying in congregation: That was denounced by most of the scholars of the Hijaz, including ‘Ata’ and Ibn Abi Mulaykah, the fuqaha’ of Madinah and the companions of Maalik. They said: All of that is an innovation (bid‘ah) and there is no report to suggest that the Prophet spent that night in praying in congregation or that his Companions did that either. Al-Nawawi said: The prayers of Rajab and Sha‘baan are two reprehensible innovations. End quote from al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada‘aat, p. 144 

Al-Fatni (may Allah have mercy on him) said, after the comments quoted above: The common folk are so infatuated with this prayer that they stored up a lot of fuel for it and many evils resulted from it, and many transgressions are committed which we do no need to describe. (It is so bad that) the close friends of Allah feared His punishment and fled into the wilderness. The first time this prayer occurred was in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) in 448 AH. Zayd ibn Aslam said: We never saw any of our shaykhs or fuqaha’ saying that Laylat al-Baraa’ah (15 Sha‘baan) had any superiority over other nights. Ibn Dihyah said: The hadeeths about the prayer on Laylat al-Baraa’ah are fabricated and one has an interruption in the isnaad. Anyone who acts upon a report which is known to be false is a servant of the Shaytaan. End quote from Tadhkirat al-Mawdoo‘aat by al-Fatni, p. 45. See: al-Mawdoo‘aat by Ibn al-Jawzi, 2/127; al-Manaar al-Muneef fil Saheeh wa’l-Da‘eef by Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 98; al-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo‘ah by al-Shawkaani, p. 51.

Some people use the word al-Sha‘baaniyyah to refer to the last days of Sha‘baan, and say, “These are the days of bidding farewell to food,” and they take advantage of these days to eat a lot before Ramadan begins. Some scholars say that this idea was originally taken from the Christians, who used to do that as their fasting period (Lent) approached. 

To sum up, there is no celebration in Sha‘baan and there is no special act of worship to be performed in the middle of it or during the last days of the month. Doing that is an innovation that has been introduced into the religion. 

And Allah knows best.

6.0 SUMMARY: VIRTUES, MYTHS & INNOVATIONS OF SHA’BAAN.

Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “When Sha’baan is halfway through, do not fast.”*.Abu Dawood (3237); Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Exceptions are:

1 One who habitually fasts e.g. Mondays & Thursdays, may do it even after halfway through Sha’baan. Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): *“Do not anticipate Ramadaan by fasting one or two days before it, except a man who fasts regularly, who should observe his usual fast.”* Bukhaari.

2 Aaishah (radiallahuaniah): Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to fast all of Shabaan & fast all of Shabaan accept a little. Bukhaari. The second phrase is an explanation of the first, pointing out that by “all” what is meant is “most”. This indicates that it is permissible to fast after halfway through Sha’baan, but only for one who joins that to what came before the halfway point.

3 One who is making up missed Ramadaan fasts? Al-Nawawi  said in al-Majmoo’ (6/399): Our companions  said: it is not correct to fast on the “day of doubt” just before Ramadaan, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point…But if a person fasts it to make up a missed day or to fulfill a vow, or as an expiation, that is acceptable, because if it is permissible to observe a voluntary fast on that day, it is more likely to be permissible to observe an obligatory fast… and if a person has to make up a day from Ramadaan, then he has to fast it, because the time left for him to make it up has become very short.

There is no saheeh marfoo’ report that speaks of the virtue of the middle of Sha’baan.Some maqtoo’ reports (reports whose isnaads do not go back further than the Taabi’een) have been narrated from some of the Taabi’een, and there are some ahaadeeth, *the best of which are mawdoo’ (fabricated) or da’eef jiddan (very weak)*.If a person wants to *pray qiyaam on this night as he does on other nights – without doing anything extra or singling this night out for anything – then that is OK. The same applies if he fasts the day of the 15th of Sha’baan because it happens to be one of the ayyaam al-beed,(13,14,15) of the month, Monday or Thursday that he usually fasts*.So long as he is not seeking extra reward that has not been proven (in the saheeh texts). *One of the popular hadiths about virtues of  Sha’baan  that is very odd & extremely weak is this: “When Rajab began, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha‘baan, and let us reach Ramadan.” See proof of its weakness in this link www.islamqa.info/202017

Some Muslims celebrate the middle of Sha‘baan, fasting on that day and spending that night in prayer (qiyaam). There is a hadeeth concerning that which is not saheeh, hence the scholars regarded celebrating this day as an innovation (bid ‘ah). They observe a salah called  al-Salaat al-Alfiyyah, which is one hundred rak‘ahs in which Soorat al-Ikhlaas is recited ten times in each rak‘ah, offered in congregation.Some pray six rak‘ahs on the so called Laylat al-Nisf  with the intention of warding off calamity, having a long life and being independent of people, and reciting Ya-Seen and offering du‘aa’ in between that -- there is no doubt that this is something that has been introduced into the religion and is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Al-Nawawi said: The prayers of Rajab & Sha‘baan are two reprehensible innovations. al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada‘aat, p. 144 

a)      Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the 15th of Sha’baan) is like any other night, and there is no sound report from the Prophet to indicate these.

b)      No one should single out a specific time for doing an act of worship unless that has been prescribed in sharee’ah because all acts of worship are tawqeefi. Tap link for proofs www.islamqa.info/en/147608.

c)      Is it true that more souls are taken during Sha’baan & that the annual decree of people’s deaths is written in Sha’ban. ? NO

d)      Is 15th of  Sha’baan the night  in which the fate of every one is decided for the next year? NO.

e)      What does the special night mentioned in surah Dukan mean? 15th of sha’baan  or Laylatul  Qadar? Tap link for proofs www.islamqa.info/154850

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