Is there any significance of Shab Baraat (15th of Sha’baan)? What about the hadeeth that on the night of 15th Sha’baan, Allaah forgives his slaves?

by Asma bint Shameem

There is NOTHING SPECIAL to be done on the night of the 15th of Sha’baan.

NO special ibaadaat.

NO special prayers.

NO special dhikr.

NO fasting on the day of the 15th.

ALL the Ahaadeeth that mention any special virtue of the night or day of the 15th of Sha’baan are either graded as “Dha’eef” (weak) or Mawdoo’ (FABRICATED).

There’s NO AUTHENTIC EVIDENCE that the Prophet ﷺ singled out this night for any special prayers or ibaadaat.

And similarly, there is NO AUTHENTIC EVIDENCE that he ﷺ fasted the day specifically because it is the 15th of Sha’baan.

And neither did the Sahaabah.

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“All that is cited concerning virtues of the middle of Sha’baan are weak narrations―and cannot be used as proof.

And some of those narrations are fabricated.

Furthermore, it is not known from any of the Sahaabah that they would venerate the night of the 15th of Sha’baan or take it as a special night in which to perform righteous deeds―or that they would single the day out with fasting for the occasion.

Most of those who would venerate this night were the people of Shaam (Syria), and the taabi’oon who did that were not, of course, Sahaabah.

Also, the taabi’oon of Makkah and Madeenah would REBUKE them and forbid them saying that it is not allowed for you to venerate any occasion except with clear and authentic proofs (from the Qur’aan and Sunnah and from the actions of the Sahaabah).

Therefore, that which is correct concerning the middle of Sha’baan is that it is to be treated like any other night―do not single it out for night prayer, nor is the day singled out for fasting.

However, the one who normally prays the night-prayer each night should pray as normal, and we do not say to him that he should not pray―and the one who fasts the three days of the middle of each month should continue to do so.

Rather, what we say is do not single out the night or the day and make them of special significance.”

🍃 Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:

“From the innovations that some of the people introduced is the bid’ah of celebrating the night of the middle of Sha’baan and they single out its day for fasting.

However, there is NO EVIDENCE for them to base this action upon.

There are some weak narrations that mention its virtues but they are not to be relied upon since they cannot be ascribed to the Prophet ﷺ.

And all the narrations that mention the virtue of praying its night are fabricated (mawdū’) as numerous scholars have pointed out.

And we’ll mention some of their sayings, In Shaa’ Allaah.

We also have the narrations of some of the Salaf from the scholars of Shaam, and that which the majority of the scholars are agreed upon is that celebrating the middle of Sha’baan is a bid’ah―and all the Ahaadeeth mentioning its virtues are weak and others are fabricated.

From the scholars who pointed that out includes Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab in his book Latā’if Al-Ma’ārif and elsewhere.

The weak narrations cannot be acted upon in acts of worship unless there is a basis that is established in Ahaadeeth that are authentic.

As for celebrating the night of the middle of Sha’bān, then there is NO authentic basis for that such that we can refer any weak narration to that which is authentic.

This tremendous principle was mentioned by Shaikh Al-Islam Abul-‘Abbās Ibn Taymiyyah.

The scholars of the past have agreed unanimously (by ijmaa’) that whatever the people differ over must be referred back to the Book and Sunnah for resolution.

And whatever is found to be the judgement by these two sources or one of them, then that is the obligated legislation and Sharee’ah to be followed.

And whatever opposes that is to be cast aside.

And whatever is not proven by these two sources to be an act of worship, then it is a bid’ah (innovation) and not permissible to act upon let alone that people should call to it, endorse it or champion it!

Allah stated:

‎يا أيها الذين ءامنوا أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الأمر منكم فإن تنازعتم في شيء فردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلاً

“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you differ in any affair between yourselves, then refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” (An-Nisā: 59)

And He (the Most High) said:

‎وما اختلفتم فيه من شيء فحكمه إلى الله

“And in whatever you differ, its judgement is with Allaah.” (Ash-Shūrā:10)

And He (the Most High) stated:

‎قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم الله ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم

“Say to them (O Prophet): If you truly love Allaah, then follow me and Allah will love you and forgive your sins.”

(Aali-‘Imraan: 31).

Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab stated in his book Latā’if Al-Ma’ārif concerning this issue:

“And the night in the middle of Sha’baan, some of the taabi’oon of Shaam (Syria) used to venerate it, such as Khālid bin Ma’dān, Mak-hūl, Luqmān bin ‘Āmir and some others.

They would exert themselves in worship during this night.

And it was due to them that the people took the night to be virtuous and they venerated it.

And it was said that it was venerated due to narrations that reached them from the Jews and Christians (Isrā’īliyyah).

So most of the scholars of Makkah and Madeenah refuted them―from them was ‘Atā, Ibn Abi Mulaykah―and Abdur-Rahmān bin Zayd bin Aslam narrated this position from the scholars of Madeenah.

This was also the saying of the companions of Maalik bin Anas and others.

They would say:

“All of it is bid’ah.”

And there is no speech from Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal venerating the night of the middle of Sha’baan.”

Until Ibn Rajab stated: “Standing in night-prayer for the night in the middle of Sha’baan is not established (or proven) from the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions.”

Al-Imām Abu Bakr At-Tartushi stated in his book Al-Hawaadith wal-Bid’ah:

“Ibn Waddaah narrated from Zayd bin Aslam who said:

“Nothing has reached us from any of our shaikhs or jurists that they would view the night in the middle of Sha’baan with any attention. Nor would they pay attention to the narration of Mak-hūl, and they would not see that it had any virtue over the other nights.”

It was said to Ibn Abi Mulaykah:

“Ziyād An-Numayri said:

The reward of the night of the middle of Sha’baan is like the reward of Laylatul-Qadr.”

So Ibn Abi Mulaykah responded: “If I had heard that from him, and in my hand was a stick, I would surely beat him.” But Ziyaad was not present.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawaa Ibn Baaz 2/882).

🔺 What about the hadeeth that on the night of 15th Sha’baan, Allaah forgives his slaves?🔺

Yes there’s a hadeeth narrated by Abu Moosa radhi Allaahu anhu that says:

“Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala looks down on the night of the fifteenth of Sha‘baan and forgives all His creation except a mushrik or one who harbors hatred against the Muslims”

And yes, this hadeeth was classed as “saheeh” by Shaykh al-Albaani, not on its on merit but due to corroborating evidence.

However, the VAST MAJORITY of the scholars have argued that it’s NOT authentic.

But even if we assume that this hadeeth is authentic, that does not prove in any way, that we should do any ”special” ibaadaat this night or fast the next day.

Rather Allaah automatically forgives those who do not commit shirk and those who don’t have grudges against each other.

And that’s out of His Great Mercy.

This concept of forgiveness is similar to the one mentioned in the following hadeeth.

🍃The Prophet ﷺ said

“The gates of Paradise will be opened on Mondays and on Thursdays, and every servant [of Allaah] who associates nothing with Allaah will be forgiven, except for the man who has a grudge against his brother. [About them] it will be said: Delay these two until they are reconciled; delay these two until they are reconciled.”(Saheeh Muslim 2565)

Does that mean that we start doing specific ibaadaat every Monday and Thursday?

NO!

There’s no proof that the Prophet ﷺ did any “specific” ibaadaat every Monday and Thursday except fasting.

So just because Allaah will look at His slaves and forgive their sins does not necessarily mean that it’s a night of ibaadah.

A night can be of virtue by itself WITHOUT any special acts of ibaadah associated with it.

🍃Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“What the MAJORITY of scholars are agreed upon is that celebrating it (the night of the 15th of Sha’baan is an INNOVATION, and that the hadeeths that speak of its virtues are all da‘eef, and some of them are fabricated. Among those who pointed this out is al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab in his book Lataa’if al-Ma‘aarif.

Furthermore, it is known in the Islamic Sharee’ah that the presence of an event does not necessitate action from the worshipper unless there is a textual proof legislating that.

For example, the night of al-Israa’ and Mi’raaj with the revelation of the five daily prayers, the migration of the Prophet ﷺ to Madeenah, the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ, Revelation in the cave of Hiraa― all of these are important events, but there is no proof from the Qur’aan, Sunnah or from the Sahaabah that the Muslim should do anything special or out of the ordinary on these occasions. In fact, to do so is an innovation and misguidance.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawaa Al-Imaam Ibn Baaz 2/882).

And actually it’s a sign of the MERCY of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala that He forgives us AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT having us ASK for it.

🔺Another question to ask:

If this night being “blessed” meant extra ibaadaat, nafl, duaas, etc, wouldn’t the Prophet ﷺ know about that?!

Wouldn’t the Prophet ﷺ SHOW us with his actions and teachings that this night is blessed so we must do extra ibaadaat on this night?

Would the Prophet ﷺ do special ibaadaat this night and no body found out?!

Although the Prophet ﷺ knew very well that Allaah forgives His slaves that night, he ﷺ did NOT spend it worshiping Allaah in any ‘special’ or ‘out of the ordinary’ way.

This night was spent the SAME way he spent ALL his other nights.

No special prayers.

No extra Nawaafil.

No special duaa.

No Surahs to recite.

If ibaadah on this night was good and special, we would have had EVIDENCE of that from his practice.

But we don’t.

🔺Bottom line:

The debate about ibaadaat on the night of the 15th of Sha’baan will continue

Whoever wants to follow “people” will follow them.

But whoever wants to follow the “PROPHET” ﷺ then his example is there to follow.

There’s NO AUTHENTIC hadeeth that proved that the Prophet ﷺ himself worshipped this night with ANY special duaa, Nawaafil or other ibaadaat.

This was a NORMAL, ROUTINE night for him ﷺ.

Our job is not to “convince people”;

It’s ONLY to CONVEY the message.

May Allaah guide us all.

And Allaah knows best.