Is it permissible to celebrate the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan and to distribute sweets to children to
let people know that Ramadan is approaching?
Is it permissible to celebrate the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, as it is a part of the peoples heritage in some countries? To clarify further, some groups in our country have a custom of distributing sweets to children and they told us that it is ust to e!press oy at the approach of Ramadan" Is there anything wrong with celebrating this night if the celebration is limited only to distributing sweets to children? Praise be to Allaah. It is not prescribed in Islam to celebrate the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, whether that is by spending the night in prayer, dhikr and reading Quraan, or by distributing sweets or giing food to people and so on. It is not known in the saheeh Sunnah that this night is to be singled out for acts of worship or customs. !he night of the fifteenth of Shabaan is "ust like any other night. !he scholars of the Standing #ommittee for Issuing $atwas said% It is not permissible to celebrate the occasion of &aylat al'Qadr or any other night, or to hold celebrations on other occasions such as the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, the night of the (iraa", or the Prophets birthday )(awlid* and so on, because these are innoations that hae been introduced into the religion and were not narrated from the Prophet )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* or any of his #ompanions. And he )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* said% +,hoeer does an action that is not part of this matter of ours )i.e., Islam* will hae it re"ected.- And it is not permissible to help others to hold these celebrations by giing money or gifts or distributing cups of tea, and it is not permissible to gie speeches and lectures on these occasions, because that comes under the heading of approing of them and encouraging them. .ather it is obligatory to denounce them and not to attend them. /nd 0uote. $ataawa al'&a"nah ad'1aaimah, 23245'246 Shaykh Ibn 7thaymeen )may Allah hae mercy on him* was asked% ,e hae some customs that we grew up with and that hae been passed down to us, on some occasions, such as making cakes and cookies on /id al'$itr, and preparing platters of meat and fruit on the night of the twenty' seenth of .a"ab and the fifteenth of Shabaan, and different kinds of sweets that must be prepared on the day of Ashoora. ,hat is the Islamic ruling on that8 9e replied% As for e:pressing "oy and happiness of the days of /id al'$itr and /id al'Adha, there is nothing wrong with that if it is within the limits prescribed in Islam, such as preparing food and drink and the like. It is proen that the Prophet )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* said% +!he days of at'!ashree0 are days of eating and drinking and remembering Allah, may 9e be glorified and e:alted.- !his refers to the three days following /id al'Adha, when the people offer their sacrifices and eat from the meat and en"oy the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them. Similarly, on /id al'$itr there is nothing wrong with e:pressing "oy and happiness so long as it does not oerstep the limits set by Islam. As for e:pressing "oy on the night of the twenty'seenth of .a"ab or the fifteenth of Shabaan or the day of Ashoora, this is something for which there is no basis. .ather it is forbidden and the (uslim should not attend if he is inited to such celebrations. !he Prophet )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* said% +;eware of newly inented matters, for eery newly inented matter is an innoation )bidah*, and eery innoation is a going astray.- !he night of the twenty'seenth of .a"ab is what some people claim is the night of the (iraa" during which the (essenger )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* was taken up to Allah, may 9e be glorified and e:alted. !here is no proof of this date from a historical point of iew, and eerything for which there is no proof is false, and that which is built on falsehood is also false. /en if we assume that this eent took place on that night, it is not permissible for us to introduce on that date any of the symbols of festials or acts of worship, because no such thing is proen from the Prophet )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* or from his #ompanions who were the closest of people to him and the keenest of people to adhere to his Sunnah and follow his path. So how could it be permissible for us to introduce something that did not happen at the time of the Prophet )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* or at the time of his #ompanions8 /en with regard to the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, there is no proof that the (essenger )blessings and peace of Allah be upon him* eer enerated it or spent that night in prayer. .ather some of the !aabieen spent that night in prayer and dhikr, not in eating and celebrating as if it were a festial. /nd 0uote. $ataawa Islamiyyah, <3=>? And Allah knows best.
#isconception $ %& The night of the %'th of Shabaan should be singled out for worship, prayer, etc"
#larification% @ur best e:ample and role model is the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* and he neer, eer singled out this night for worship or 0iyaam nor did his Sahaba.
Shaykh Ibn ;aaA said%B!here is no saheeh hadeeth concerning the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan. All the ahaadeeth that hae been narrated concerning that are mawdoo )fabricated* and daeef )weak*, and hae no basis. !here is nothing special about this night, and no recitation of Quraan or prayer, whether alone or in congregation, is specified for this night. ,hat some of the scholars hae said about it being special is a weak opinion. It is not permissible to single it out for any special actions. !his is the correct iew.B )$ataawa Islamiyyah, <34CC*
#isconception $ (& There are special prayers to be offered on this night"
#larification% !he truth of the matter is that there are D@ special prayers to be offered on this night specifically. And all those ahaadeeth giing you long lists of special formulas that are Bsupposed to guarantee you Allaahs forgieness and EannahB are all fabricated, false and innoations in our 1een. If there were such prayers, the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* would hae told us about them and we would hae had eidence of him and the Sahaba doing it.
#isconception $ )& *llaah descends to the first heavens on this night to forgive us"
#larification% AllaahFs descending to the first heaen does not only happen on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan. .ather it happens eery single night of the year.
!he Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* said% B/ery night when it is the last third of the night, our &ord, the Superior, the ;lessed, descends to the nearest heaen and says% Is there anyone to inoke (e that I may respond to his inocation8 Is there anyone to ask (e so that I may grant him his re0uest8 Is there anyone asking (y forgieness so that I may forgie him8. B );ukhaari*
!hus, when Abd'Allaah ibn al'(ubaarak was asked about the descent of Allaah on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, he said to the one who asked him% B@ weak oneG !he night of the fifteenth8G 9e descends eery nightGB
#isconception $ +& This is the night when our fate, lifespan, and provisions are decreed"
#larification% Some people think that the Bblessed nightB )laylatim'mubarakah* mentioned in Surah ad'1ukhaan )<<*% ?, refers to the night of C4th Shabaan, when Allah decrees our lifespan, proisions and fate. In fact, they een pray = rakahs, 2 for each of these things. 9oweer, all that is fabricated and far, far away from the Sunnah. And, in reality, the Bblessed nightB mentioned in Surah ad'1ukhaan, actually is referring to &aylatul Qadr that comes in .amadhaan. )!afseer Ibn Hathir of Surah al'Qadr*
#isconception $ '& ,ne should fast on the day of the fifteenth"
#larification% 9ere again, there is no saheeh reports that tell us that the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* or his Sahaabah eer picked this day specifically to fast. !he Sunnah of the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* was to fast most of this month and not "ust the C4th. 9oweer, if the fifteenth of Shabaan coincides with a (onday or !hursday, or with the three white days or if a person is generally fasting, without associating seeking e:tra rewards to fasting this specific day, then it is allowed. )Sheikh (uhammed Salih Al'(una""id* #isconception $ -& This is the night when the souls of departed ones return to their families"
#larification% 9ere again, some people misunderstand the ayaat in Surah al'Qadr and think that the Bsending down of the .uhB as mentioned in this Surah refers to the souls of dead people returning to see their families, een though it refers to Eibreel )!afseer Ibn Hathir*. And that is why we see women preparing the sweets, the 9alwas and other BgoodiesB for the souls of their loed ones.
Dot only is that in itself an erroneous, deiant belief and bidah, but to beliee that the souls of the dead can return back to the world and meet3see their relaties is also totally incorrect and false. !he teachings of the Quraan and the Sunnah clearly state that the souls of the dead do not return back to the world. ;esides, they dont een eat the 9alwas. It is actually you who eats itG #isconception $ .& /isiting graveyards especially this night is something good"
#larification% Although the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* encouraged isiting graes, he forbade singling out any day or night for any kinds of good deeds if it is not prescribed in the Shareeah. And he did not specifically isit the graeyard on the night of the C4th of Shabaan. !he hadeeth of Aisha that mentions that the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* isited the graeyard this night is not authentic and thus does not hae any proof for isiting graes specifically on this night of Shabaan.
#isconception $ 0& 1ven if the ahaadeeth about worship on this night are weak, one can still do it"
#larification% !he correct scholarly iew is that weak ahaadeeth should not be followed at all, een if they speak of righteous deeds or of targheeb and tarheeb )promises and warnings*. !he saheeh reports are sufficient and the (uslim has no need to follow the daeef reports.
Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir said% B!here is no difference between rulings or righteous deedsI we do not take any of them from daeef reports, rather no one has the right to use any report as eidence unless it is proen to be soundly narrated from the (essenger of Allaah )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* in a saheeh or hasan hadeeth.B
#isconception $ 2& 3ook at all those people doing it" 4ow can they all be wrong?
#larification% !he (uslim is supposed to refer to Allaah and 9is (essenger )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* Sunnah, if there is any confusion or dispute about matters and D@! what the rest of the world is doing.
B@ you who belieeG @bey Allaah and obey the (essenger and those of you who are in authority. )And* if you differ in anything amongst yourseles, refer it to Allaah and 9is (essenger, if you beliee in Allaah and in the &ast 1ay. !hat is better and more suitable for final determination Jal'Disaa <%4>K
Shaykh Ibn Eibreen said% B!hese reports )about worship and fasting an the C4th of Shabaan* became ery well known in some countries which were oerwhelmed by ignoranceI @ne should not be deceied by the large numbers of ignorant people who do these things.B
The R1*3 Sunnah regarding Shabaan&
If you truly and sincerely want to please Allaah and do deeds that will be acceptable to 9im, then follow the ./A& Sunnah of the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam*. 9ere is what is proen in the authentic sunnah%
%" 5ast most of this month as much as you can" Aaishah .A said% BI neer saw the (essenger of Allaah fasting for an entire month e:cept in .amadaan, and I neer saw him fast more than he did in Shabaan.B );ukhaari, (uslim*.
2. 9oweer, if you are weak or do not fast habitually and feel that this nafil fasting may be a hindrance to your obligatory fasting in the month of .amadhaan, then the person may stop the nafil fasting in the last few days of this month. And for that person, the Prophet )Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam* said% B,hen Shabaan is half oer, do not fast.B )saheeh by al'Albaani in Saheeh al'!irmidhi*
?. If you hae fasts left oer from last .amadhaan to make up, then hurry up and do so in this month of Shabaan before the ne:t .amadhan comes. It is not permissible to delay missed fasts until after the following .amadhaan, e:cept in cases of necessity )such as a alid e:cuse that continues between the two .amadhans*.
Aaishah .A said% BIt used to be that I had days to make up for .amadhaan and I would not be able to do so e:cept in Shabaan.B J;ukhariK 1oes Allaah )swt* come down to the first heaen @D&L on C4th of Shabaan night 8 !his is mentioned in some haadith, but there is some scholarly difference of opinion as to the soundness of those haadith.
!here is no saheeh haadith concerning the irtue of the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan.
It was narrated from Abu (oosa al'Ashari that the (essenger of Allaah )peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him* said% +Allaah looks down on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan and forgies all his creation e:cept a mushrik or one who harbours hatred against the (uslims.- Darrated by Ibn (aa"ah, C?>M.
!he +one who harbors hatred against the (uslims- means one who has enmity towards a (uslim brother.
In al'Nawaaid it says% Its isnaad is daeef, because Abd'Allaah ibn &aheeah is daeef )weak* and al',aleed ibn (uslim is mudallis.
!here is also some idtiraab )weakness* in the hadeeth, as stated by al'1aara0utni in al'Ilal, =34M, 4C. 9e said% !his hadeeth is not proen. It was narrated from (uaadh ibn Eabal, Aaishah, Abu 9urayrah, Abu !halabah al'Hhushani and others, but the isnaads are not free of some weakness, and some of them are ery weak.
Ibn .a"ab al'9anbali said% #oncerning the irtue of the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan there are numerous haadith , concerning which the scholars differed, but most of them classed them as daeef, and Ibn 9ibbaan classed some of them as saheeh. &ataaif al'(aaaAif, 2=C.
Allaahs descending to the first heaen does D@! @D&L happen on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, rather it is proen in al'Saheehayn and elsewhere that Allaah descends to the first heaen /O/.L DIP9!, in the last third of the night. !he night of the fifteenth of Shabaan is included in this general meaning.
9ence, when Abd'Allaah ibn al'(ubaarak was asked about the descent of Allaah on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan, he said to the one who asked him% +@ weak oneG !he night of the fifteenth8G 9e descends eery nightG- Darrated by Abu 7thmaan al'Saabooni in Iti0aad Ahl al'Sunnah, no. >2.
Al'A0eeli )may Allaah hae mercy on him* said% ,ith regard to Allaahs descending on the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan there are haadith which are weak, but the reports that 9e descends eery night are proen and saheeh, so the night of the fifteenth of Shabaan is included in that, inshaAllaah. Al'1uafa, ?32>. IDD@OA!I@D A&/.! ' C4th ShaFbaan C<?? 3 !hursday 4th Euly 2MC2
Specifying the day of the %'th of Sha6baan by fasting or reciting the 7ur6aan or performing naafilah prayers 7uestion&
,e see some people specifying the C4th of ShaFbaan with particular supplications and reciting the Qur.aan and performing naafilah prayers. So what is the correct position concerning this, and may Allaah reward you with good8
Response&
!hat which is correct is that fasting the C4th of ShaFbaan or specifying it with reciting )the Qur.aan* or making )particular* supplications has no basis. So the day of the C4th of ShaFbaan is like any other C4th day of other months. So from that which is known is that it has been legislated for a person to fast the C?th, C<th and C4th of eery month, howeer, ShaFbaan is characterised unlike the other months in that )e:cept for .amadhaan* the Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam* used to fast more in ShaFbaan than any other month . So he used to either fast all of ShaFbaan or "ust a little. !herefore, as long as it does not cause difficulty for a person, it is befitting to increase in fasting during ShaFbaan in adherence to the e:ample of the Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam*.
Shaykh Ibn F7thaymeen al';idFu wal'(uhdathaat wa maa laa Asla lahu ' Page =C2 $ataawa Shaykh (uhammad Ibn Saalih al'F7thaymeen ' Oolume C, Page C>M
Standing the night of the %'th of Sha6baan in prayer and fasting during it6s day 7uestion&
Is standing the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan in prayer and fasting during itFs day legislated8 Response&
Dothing firm and reliable has been established on the authority of the Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam* that he stood in prayer in the night and fasted during the day of the C4th of ShaFbaan. So the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan is like any other night, and if someone is a regular worshipper during other nights, then he may stand the night in prayer on this night without assuming anything special )because of it being the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan*. !his is because specifying a time for any act of worship re0uires a authentic proof, so if there is no authentic proof then the act is regarded as an innoation and all innoations are misguidance. &ikewsie, regarding specifically fasting during the C4th day of ShaFbaan, then no )authentic* proof has been established on the authority of the Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam* to indicate the legislation of fasting on that particular day.
As for that which is mentioned from the ahaadeeth regarding this sub"ect, then all of it is weak as the people of knowledge hae indicated. 9oweer, whoeer has the habit of fasting the C?th, C<th and C4th )of eery month*, then he can continue and fast during ShaFbaan as he fasts during the other months, without assuming anything special about the C4th of ShaFbaan. Also, the Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam* used to increase in fasting during this month )ShaFbaan*, howeer, he did not particularise the C4th day, rather proceeded as per norm.
Shaykh Ibn $owAaan al';idFu wal'(uhdathaat wa maa laa asla lahu ' Page =C< Doorun alad'1arb $ataawa Shaykh Saalih Ibn $owAaan ' Oolume C, Page 65 http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/innovations/celebrations/cel005/0001102_3.htm
8iving sada9ah specifically on the night of %'th of Sha6baan 7uestion&
,hen my father was alie, he entrusted me to gie sada0ah )charity* according to my means on the C4th of ShaFbaan eery year, and likewise I hae been doing this eer since. 9oweer, some people hae admonished me for doing so saying it is not permissible. So is giing sada0ah on the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan permissible according to the willment of my father or not8 Hindly adise us and may Allaah reward you with good.
Response&
!o specify the giing of sada0ah on the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan eery year is an innoation, and despite your father haing entrusted you with that, it is not permissible. It is befitting you gie this sada0ah without specifying the night of the C4th of ShaFbaan, rather do so eery year and in whicheer month, but without particularising any one month )on a consistent basis*. 9oweer, it is permissible to do so in the month of .amadhaan )for the eidence which indicates so*.
And with Allaah lies all success and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet )sal'Allaahu Qalayhe wa sallam* and his family and his companions. !he Permanent #ommittee for Islaamic .esearch and $ataawa al';idFu wal'(uhdathaat wa maa laa Asla lahu ' Page =CC $ataawa al'&a"nah ad'1aa.imah lil';uhooth al'FIlmiyyah wal'Iftaa. ' $atwa Do. >5=M .efrences % http%33www.islam'0a.com3en3ref3<>=56 http%33www.islam0a.info3en3ref3C4<C6? http%33www.islam'0a.com3en3ref36>M5