Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Sha'baan |
|---|
| Hania |
| 10/25/01 at 17:25:42 |
| ~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`~*-,._.,-*-,._.,-*-,._ Usamah ibn Zaid (r) inquired: "O Messenger of Allah, I never find you fasting in any month like you do during the month of Sha'baan." The Prophet (s) responded: "That is a month the people neglect. It comes between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the Worlds. I love that my deeds be raised while I am fasting." [Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, and by Ibn Khuzaimah in his Sahih] '~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`~*-,._.,-*-,._.,-*-*- |
| Re: Sha'baan |
|---|
| abc |
| 10/26/01 at 06:09:35 |
| From islamicity bulletin (http://islamicity.com/Bulletin/Bulletin101901.htm) Usamah ibn Zaid inquired: "O Messenger of Allah, I never find you fasting in any month like you do during the month of Shabaan." The Prophet responded: "That is the month the people neglect. It comes between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the Worlds. I love that my deeds be raised while I am fasting." [Nasaai, authenticated by ibn Khuzaimah. Hasan according to al-Albaani] The cycle of accumulation never ends until we part from our temporal world to the eternal Hereafter. The pervasive culture of the west has affected more than many Muslims in the disease of 'accumulation'! A mother's shopping spree stimulates national economy and a father seems to be busy in practicing the new age mantra "whoever has more toys wins". Children growing up in this environment learn from their parents and end up owning more than they would ever need! Prophetic advise does encourage accumulation, but only 'good deeds'. We seem to have forgotten this golden principle. We are intensely focused to accumulate everything except 'good deeds.' Thus, we have big and beautiful houses but not homes full of Allah's mercy and blessings. We have comfortable and luxury cars that do not take us to Masjid as often. We have excelled in our academic and professional pursuits but do not share them for the benefit of humanity. Allah asks us for a public proclamation of His Message and we are silently guarding it for ourselves. We have been largely overwhelmed by a culture that seems to have robbed us of our legacies. Imperative it is for us and our children today, to remember the Prophetic words of wisdom more often than only during ceremonial occasions. Else, we will continue to suffer with ills and ailments we will have no idea of, or worse, have the wrong idea. The month of Shabaan is yet another opportunity for us to prepare ourselves for the eternal Hereafter. Let us InshaAllah increase our prayers and fasting in this blessed month of Shabaan and to be ready for yet another blessed month of Ramadan. The intent of this writing is for us to reflect and -- to cause ourselves to remember the reality of Life Hereafter. We pray that InshaAllah, when our deeds reach Allah, the Majestic Creator of everything, He will forgive our individual shortcomings and collective failings. May His mercy shower upon us and may His protection save the innocent in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, Palestine and may we all be blessed to recognize that everything is temporal and Only One is Eternal! |
| Re: Sha'baan |
|---|
| shareefa |
| 10/31/01 at 14:48:13 |
| -Merits Of Sha'ban Sha'ban is one of the meritorious months for which we find some particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, Sall- Allahu alayhi wa sallam. It is reported in the authentic ahadith that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the month in Sha'ban. These fasts were not obligatory on him but Sha'ban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. Therefore, some preparatory measures are suggested by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Some of these are given below: 01. The blessed companion Anas, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, "Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?" He replied, "Fasts of Shaban in honor of Ramadan." 02. The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam: "Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha'ban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month." Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, replied: "That (Sha'ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting." 03. Ummul Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, says, "Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast the whole of Sha'ban. I said to him, 'Messenger of Allah, is Sha'ban your most favorite month for fasting?' He said, 'In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting." 04. In another Tradition she says, "Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Sha'ban." 05. In another report she says, "I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting in a month so profusely as he did in the month of Sha'ban. He used to fast in that month leaving only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of the month." 06. Ummul-Mu'mineen Umm Salamah, Radi-Allahu anha, says: "I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha'ban and Ramadan." These reports indicate that fasting in the month of Sha'ban, though not obligatory, is so meritorious that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did not like to miss it. But it should be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha'ban are for those persons only who are capable of keeping them without causing deficiency in the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears that after fasting in Sha'ban, he will lose strength or freshness for the fasts of Ramadan and will not be able to fast in it with freshness, he should not fast in Sha'ban, because the fasts of Ramadan, being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts of Sha'ban. That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself has forbidden the Muslims from fasting one or two days immediately before the commencement of Ramadan. The blessed Companion Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "Do not fast after the first half of the month of Sha'ban is gone." According to another report Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam has said: "Do not precede the month of Ramadan with one or two fasts." The essence of the above-quoted ahadith is that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself used to fast most of the month of Sha'ban, because he had no fear of developing weakness or weariness before the commencement of Ramadan. As for others, he ordered them not to fast after the 15th of Sha'ban for the fear that they would lose their strength and freshness before Ramadan starts, and would not be able to welcome the month of Ramadan with enthusiasm. The Night of Bara'ah Another significant feature of the month of Sha'ban is that it consists of a night which is termed in Shariah as "Laylatul-bara'ah" (The night of freedom from Fire). This is the night occurring between 14th and 15th day of Sha'ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a meritorious night in which the people of the earth are attended by special Divine mercy. Some of these traditions are quoted as follows: 01. Ummul-Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, is reported to have said, "Once Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, performed the Salah of the night (Tahajjud) and made a very long Sajdah until I feared that he had passed away. When I saw this, I rose (from my bed) and moved his thumb (to ascertain whether he is alive). The thumb moved, and I returned (to my place). Then I heard him saying in Sajdah: 'I seek refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your annoyance, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as fully as You deserve. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.' Thereafter, when he raised his head from Sajdah and finished his salah, he said to me: 'Aishah, did you think that the Prophet has betrayed you?' I said, 'No, O Prophet of Allah, but I was afraid that your soul has been taken away because your Sajdah was very long.' He asked me, 'Do you know which night is this?' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'This is the night of the half of Sha'ban. Allah Almighty looks upon His slaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice (against a Muslim) as they were before, (and does not forgive them unless they relieve themselves from malice).'" 02. In another Tradition Sayyidah' Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has reported that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said, "Allah Almighty descends (in a manner He best knows it) in the night occurring in the middle of Sha'ban and forgives a large number of people more than the number of the fibers on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb." Kalb was a big tribe the members of which had a very large number of sheep. Therefore, the last sentence of the hadith indicates the big number of the people who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty. 03. In yet another Tradition, she has reported Prophet Muhammad, Sall- Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "This is the middle Night of Sha'ban. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from Fire, more than the number of the hair growing on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb. But He does not even look at a person who associates partners with Allah, or at a person who nourishes malice in his heart (against someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties of kinship, or at a man who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a person who has a habit of drinking wine." 04. Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: "Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha'ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)". Although the chain of narrators of some of these traditions suffers with some minor technical defects, yet when all these traditions are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as envisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected to give any special importance to this night. In fact, some of these traditions have been held by some scholars of hadith as authentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by them as minor technical defects which, according to the science of hadith, are curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the elders of the ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of special merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers. What should be done in this night? In order to observe the Night of Bara'ah, one should remain awakened in this night as much as he can. If someone has better opportunities, he should spend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one cannot do so for one reason or another, he can select a considerable portion of the night, preferably of the second half of it for this purpose, and should perform the following acts of worship: (a) Salah. Salah is the most preferable act to be performed in this night. There is no particular number of Rak'at but preferably it should not be less than eight. It is also advisable that each part of the Salah like qiyam, rukoo' and sajdah should be longer than normal. The longest surahs of the Holy Qur'an one remembers by heart should be recited in the Salah of this night. If someone does not remember the long surahs, he can also recite several short surahs in one rak'ah. (b) Tilawa. The recitation of the Holy Qur'an is another form of worship, very beneficent in this night. After performing Salah, or at any other time, one should recite as much of the Holy Qur'an as he can. (c) Dhikr. One should also perform dhikr (recitation of the name of Allah) in this night. Particularly the following dhikr is very useful: One should recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, as many times as he can. The dhikr can also be recited while walking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or leisure. (d) Dua. The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this night is prayers and supplications. It is hoped that all the prayers in this night will be accepted by our Lord, insha-Allah. Prayer itself is an 'Ibadah, and Allah Almighty gives reward on each prayer along with the fulfillment of the supplicator's need. Even if the purpose prayed for is not achieved, one cannot be deprived of the reward of the prayer which is sometimes more precious than the mundane benefits one strives for. The prayers and supplications also strengthen one's relation with Allah Almighty, which is the main purpose of all kinds and forms of worship. One can pray for whatever purpose he wishes. But the best supplications are the ones made by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. These are so comprehensive and all-encompassing prayers that all the human needs, of this world and the Hereafter, are fully covered in the eloquent expressions used in them. Actually, most of the prophetic prayers are so profound that human imagination can hardly match their greatness. Several books in various languages are available which provide these prophetic prayers, and one should pray to Allah Almighty in accordance with them, whether by reciting their original Arabic text or by rendering their sense in one's own language. (e) There are some people who cannot perform any additional Salah or recitations for any reason, like illness or weakness or being engaged in some other necessary activities. Such people also should not deprive themselves completely of the blessings of this night. They should observe the following acts: (i) To perform the Salah of Maghrib, 'Isha' and Fajr with Jama'ah in the mosque, or in their homes in case of their being sick. (ii) They should keep reciting the dhikr, particularly the one mentioned in para (c) above, in whatever condition they are until they sleep. (iii) They should pray to Allah for their forgiveness and for their other objectives. One can do so even when he is in his bed. (f) The women during their periods cannot perform salah, nor can they recite the Qur'an, but they can recite any dhikr, tasbeeh, durood sharif and can pray to Allah for whatever purpose they like in whatever language they wish. They can also recite the Arabic prayers mentioned in the Qur'an or in the hadith with the intention of supplication (and not with the intention of recitation). (g) According to a hadith, which is relatively less authentic, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, went in this night to the graveyard of Baqi' where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. On this basis, some of the fuqaha hold it as mustahabb (advisable) in this night to go to the graveyard of the Muslims and recite Fatihah or any other part of the Qur'an, and pray for the dead. But this act is neither obligatory nor should it be performed as regularly as an obligatory act. What should not be done in this night 01. As mentioned earlier, the Night of Bara'ah is a night in which special blessings are directed towards the Muslims. Therefore, this night should be spent in total submission to Allah Almighty, and one should refrain from all those activities, which may displease Allah. Although it is always incumbent upon every Muslim to abstain from sins, yet this abstinence becomes all the more necessary in such nights, because committing sins in this night will amount to responding to divine blessings with disobedience and felony. Such an arrogant attitude can invite nothing but the wrath of Allah. Therefore, one should strictly abstain from all the sins, particularly from those mentioned in the Hadith No. 3 quoted earlier in this article, because these sins make one devoid of the blessings of this night. 02. In this night some people indulge in some activities which they regard as necessary for the celebration of the Night of Bara'ah, like cooking some special type of meal, or illuminating houses or mosques, or improvised structures. All such activities are not only baseless and innovated in the later days by ignorant people, but in some cases they are pure imitation of some rituals performed by non-Muslim communities. Such imitation in itself is a sin; performing it in a blessed night like the Night of Bara'ah makes it worse. Muslims should strictly abstain from all such activities. 03. Some people spend this night in holding religious meetings and delivering long speeches. Such activities are also not advisable, because these acts can easily be performed in other nights. This night requires one to devote himself for the pure acts of worship only. 04. The acts of worship like Salah, recitation of the Qur'an and dhikr should be performed in this night individually, not collectively. The Nafl Salah should not be performed in Jama'ah, nor should the Muslims arrange gatherings in the mosques in order to celebrate the night in a collective manner. On the contrary, this night is meant for worshipping Allah in solitude. It is the time to enjoy the direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and to devote one's attention to Him and Him alone. These are the precious hours of the night in which nobody should intervene between one and his Lord, and one should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed or intermitted by any one else. That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, observed the acts of worship in this night in total seclusion, not accompanied by anyone, not even by his favorite life companion Sayyidah 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, and that is why all forms of the optional worship (Nafl Ibadah), are advised by him to be done in individual, not in collective manner. Fast of the 15th Sha'ban On the day immediately following the Night of Bara'ah, i.e. the 15th of Sha'ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have recommended this fast emphatically. Although the scholars of hadith have some doubts in the authenticity of this report, yet it is mentioned earlier that the fasts of the first half of Sha'ban have special merits and Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the days in Sha'ban. Moreover, a large number of the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the 15th of Sha'ban. This constant practice indicates that they have accepted the relevant hadith as authentic. Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha'ban as an optional (nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast. Mufti M Taqi Usmani |
| Re: Sha'baan |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 11/02/01 at 00:23:39 |
| [slm] This is a very strange post! The majority of the scholars seem to agree that the 15th of Sha'baan thing is a bid'ah. However, Mufti Taqi Usmaani says the total opposite. And what's even more interesting is that he agrees the ahaadith on which this is based are not authentic. Ajeeb! [url=http://65.193.50.117/topics/middleshabaan/middle_of_shabaan.shtml]Here[/url] is an article which explains why celebrating the 15th of Sha'baan is a bid'ah. The article is compiled from the writings of Shaykh Bin Baaz (rahimahullah). Wassalamu alaikum. |
| Re: Sha'baan |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 11/07/01 at 08:29:09 |
| slm Dr. Siddiqi (former president of ISNA) even mentioned that it is biddah. Here is some extra information on it as well: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE 15TH OF SHA'BAAN: HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND IT? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It is well documented that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam would fast in the month of Sha'baan. This is recorded by al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and others. However, does the middle night (15th) of Sha'baan have any special significance? Is there anything to support the specific acts of worship performed by many Muslims on this night, such as fasting, lengthy salah etc? Such actions would require evidence from the Sharee'ah. The Messenger of Allaah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: <<Allaah the Blessed and Most High looks to His creation on the middle night of Sha'baan and forgives all of His creation except for the one who ascribes partners to Him and the one who shows enmity.>> This is an authentic (saheeh) hadeeth. It is recorded by Ibn Maajah (no.1390), Ahmad (no.6642), Ibn Hibbaan (no.1980) and others from a group of Companions. It is authenticated by al-Haythamee in az-Zawaa'id (8/65) saying: "Reported by at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer and in al-Awsat and its narrators are trustworthy" and it is further authenticated by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.1144). From this hadith and others like it we come to know of the special significance of the middle night of Sha'baan. As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Alee al-Qaaree (d.1014H) rahimahullah records some of these ahadeeth in his book Al-Asraar al-Marfoo' (pp.439-440). The hadeeth: "Whoever prays on the middle night of Sha'baan with 30 rak'ahs, reciting in each rak'ah Soorah al-Ikhlaas 30 times, he is permitted to intercede for ten of those who were destined for the Fire." The hadeeth: "Whoever recites on the middle night of Sha'baan 1000 times Soorah al-Ikhlaas... Allaah sends to him 100,000 Angels to convey the good news to him." The hadeeth: "O 'Alee! Whoever prays 100 rak'ahs on the middle night of Sha'baan reciting 100 times Soorah al-Ikhlaas..." Shaikh al-Qaaree goes on to say: "Prayers such as these were newly introduced into Islaam following the first 400 years, emerging from the region of Bayt al-Muqadis, thereafter ahadeeth were fabricated in their favour," and he further says, "There are other ahadeeth of this nature and there is nothing authentic in them whatsoever." [end of quote from Shaikh al-Qaaree]. Likewise, Ash-Shawkanee (d.1250H) lists a number of hadeeth similar to the above in which various numbers of raka'hs (along with specific soorahs) are instructed to be prayed on the middle night of Sha'baan which he concludes by saying: "All of it is futile and fabricated." (Al-Fawa'id al-Majmu' fee Ahadeeth al-Mawdu' no.147-148) And al-Ghazaalee mentions prayer on the middle night of Sha'baan in his book Ihya 'Uloom ad-Deen, saying: "The prayer of Sha'baan is observed in the night of the 15th Sha'baan with 100 rak'ahs." Commenting on this al-Haafidh al-'Iraaqee (d. approx 800H) wrote in Al-Mughnee (no.634): "A futile narration." Evidence is also sought with the following hadeeth: "If the middle night of Sha'baan comes, you should offer prayer during the night and observe fast during the day..." This hadith is recorded by Ibn Majah with his chain of transmission, and it is not authentic. Al-'Iraaqee says in Al-Mughnee (no.634): "Its chain of transmission is weak" and the same is said by al-Bowsaree in his book az-Zawaa'id. Its weakness is, in fact, very severe since its chain of transmission contains the narrator Aboo Bakr bin 'Abdullah bin Muhammad ibn Abee Sabrah. Imaam al-Bukhaaree said about him: "Rejected in hadeeth" and an-Nasaa'ee said: "He is abandoned in hadeeth" and Imaam Ahmed said: "He used to fabricate hadeeth." Therefore, Shaikh al-Albaanee indicates that this hadith is extremely weak in Mishkaat (1/no.1308). The hadeeth: "In it (i.e. the 15th of Sha'baan) a record is made of every human who will be born and of every human who will die that year, in it their actions are taken up to Heaven and in it their provision is sent down..." The narration is attributed to al-Bayhaaqee in ad-Da'waat al-Kabeer. This is one of the principle narrations used by those who believe that it is on the middle night of Sha'baan that such things are decreed. Its authenticity should certainly be looked into. Everyone who claims that it is authentic has the burden of proof to establish that every man in its chain of transmission is trustworthy and reliable and that the chain is connected without having any defects. Shaikh al-Albaanee writes in Mishkaat (1/no.1305): "I did not come across it in the book (i.e. of al-Bayhaaqee), nor have I come across its isnaad, nor anyone who has spoken about it, and in all probability it is weak." And there is another narration saying: "Indeed Allaah records in it (i.e. in Sha'baan) the persons who will die that year..." It is reported by Abu Ya'la in his Musnad (8/no.4911). Its chain of transmission contains Suwayd bin Sa'eed and Muslim bin Khalid az-Zanjee and they are both weak narrators as Ibn Hajar says in at-Taqreeb. In addition to this, the narration speaks only of Sha'baan in general and mentions nothing concerning the 15th of that month so there is no proof in this for those who seek to single out this night. There is a similar narration in an-Nasaa'ee (4/no.201). What is correct is that the night on which all of these things are decreed is Laylatul-Qadr. Allaah the Most High says: "We sent it (the Qur'aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning. Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments." [Soorah ad-Dukhaan (44):3-4] So this takes place on Laylatul-Qadr, see Soorah 97; and this is during Ramadhaan and not Sha'baan, see Soorah 2:185. Once the weakness of these narrations is clear it becomes impermissible to publicise them among the Muslims without clearly indicating their weakness. The Messenger of Allaah sallallau 'alayhi wa sallam said: <<He who narrates from me a saying which he thinks is a lie, then he is one of the liars.>> Reported by Muslim. Ibn Hibbaan rahimahullah comments in his book 'ad-Du'afaa' (1/7-8): "In this narration is a proof that if the Scholar of Hadith narrates something which is not authentic from the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam from what is attributed to him incorrectly and he knows that [it is weak] then he is like one of the liars. And the text of the narration is even stronger than that since he sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said << He who narrates from me a saying which he thinks is a lie...>> and he did not say "which he is sure is a lie," so everyone who doubts about what he narrates, whether it is authentic or not, then he falls under the address of this narration." And the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said <<It is enough falsehood for a person that he narrates everything which he hears.>> Ibn Hibbaan also said (1/9): "This narration contains a strong warning against a person narrating everything which he hears until he knows for certain that it is authentic." Imaam Muslim rahimahullah explains in the introduction to his famous book Saheeh Muslim: "The authentic narrations from reliable narrators and people of precision are so plentiful that there is no need for the narration of someone who is not reliable. I think that most of those who do what we have described with these weak ahaadeeth and unknown chains of transmission and accept them after knowing their weakness, then I think they narrate and accept them only to seek increase before the common people, so that it may be said, 'What a lot of hadeeth so and so has collected and how much he has compiled!' And one who behaves in this way with regard to knowledge and follows this course then it is more fitting that he be called ignorant than that he should be described as having knowledge." Imaam Muslim goes on to say: "And know, may Allaah - the Most High - grant you success, that what is obligatory upon everyone who is able to distinguish between authentic and weak narrations and between reliable and suspect narrators is that he should not narrate therefrom except that which is known to be authentic and have trustworthy narrators and that he should avoid thereof that which is narrated by narrators accused of lying, or wilful innovators." Nor is there any allowance in the Sharee'ah to use hadith which are weak in order to introduce acts of worship at specific times of the day, week or year, which were not practised by the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam or his companions. Yes, the Prophet would fast and pray, but did he or his companions do so on the 15th night of Sha'baan? No! There is, as has been explained, no evidence for this. And there is no justification in using hadith which are weak (some of which are outright fabrications) to encourage the Muslims to pray or fast on this night in opposition to the practice of the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Ibn Taymiyyah writes in Majmoo' al-Fataawaa (18/65-68): "...if the weak ahaadeeth about excellent actions (fadaa'il 'amaal) contain specifications and limitations, such as prayer in a particular time with a certain recitation, or with particular characteristics, then this is not permissible since declaring that particular way to be recommended requires a proof from the Sharee'ah..." And Allah knows best and He is the one who grants success. ================================ The following is also taken from Shaykh Munajjid's website (islam-qa.com) "There is no saheeh marfoo’ report that speaks of the virtue of the middle of Sha’baan that may be followed, not even in the chapters on al-Fadaa’il (chapters on virtues in books of hadeeth etc.). 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). These reports became very well known in some countries which were overwhelmed by ignorance; these reports suggest that people’s lifespans are written on that day or that it is decided on that day who is to die in the coming year. On this basis, it is not prescribed to spend this night in prayer or to fast on this day, or to single it out for certain acts of worship. One should not be deceived by the large numbers of ignorant people who do these things. And Allaah knows best." and from Shaykh Ibn Jibreen.: "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 fifteenth of Sha’baan because it happens to be one of the ayyaam al-beed, along with the fourteenth and thirteenth of the month, or because it happens to be a Monday or Thursday. If the fifteenth (of Sha’baan) coincides with a Monday or Thursday, there is nothing wrong with that (fasting on that day), so long as he is not seeking extra reward that has not been proven (in the saheeh texts). And Allaah knows best." |
| NS |
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.The rest © Jannah.Org |