Laylat al-Qadr, Night of Bara’at, or Night of Mid-Sha’ban:.
The fast of the fifteenth of Sha’ban is observed with great care, and the night is spent in worship. This night is called “Shab-e-Bara’at” or “Shab-e-Qadr.” However, in the hadiths and the statements of jurists and scholars, there is no mention of the terms Shab-e-Bara’at or Shab-e-Qadr for this night, nor is it known by these names among the Arabs to this day; these names are only used in the Indian subcontinent.
Some narrations mention this night in reference to the night of mid-Sha’ban. Moreover, Shab-e-Qadr or Shab-e-Bara’at actually refers to the Laylat al-Qadr, the night on which Allah revealed the Quran and provided a system of life and guidance towards the path of truth for this Ummah. Therefore, it must be determined which night the Quran was revealed and when it was revealed. The Quran itself clarifies this night. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 185, Allah says:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ
The blessed month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for the people, with clear proofs of guidance and the criterion between right and wrong.
In this verse, Allah has specified the month of the Quran’s revelation, which is Ramadan. Then, on which night was it revealed? This is mentioned in Surah Al-Qadr. Allah says:
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
We revealed it on the Night of Decree.
According to authentic hadiths, this Night of Decree is one of the odd nights in the last ten nights of Ramadan, specifically the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th night. The night of the Quran’s revelation is called the Blessed Night at the beginning of Surah Ad-Dukhan, as Allah says:
حم ﴿١﴾ وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ ﴿٢﴾ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ﴿٣﴾ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ
Ha Meem. By the clear Book, indeed We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. On that night is made distinct every precise matter – [Every] matter [proceeding] from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger].
This means that the major affairs that occur throughout the year are finally decided by Allah’s command on this night. It also clarifies that decisions regarding births, deaths, happiness, sorrow, sustenance, and poverty are made on this blessed night on which the Quran was revealed. This blessed night, the Night of Decree, is in Ramadan, not in Sha’ban. The word “Shab” is the Persian translation of “Laylah,” and “Qadr” is common to both languages. Therefore, Laylat al-Qadr is called Shab-e-Qadr in Persian. Allah has given this name to one of the odd nights in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Tafseer Laylatul Mubarakah :.
In the mentioned verse of Surah Dukhan, the words لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ have been interpreted by some people to mean the night of the 15th of Sha’ban. Therefore, it seems better to explain the interpretation of the mentioned verse of Surah Dukhan in some detail.
Tafseer Khazin :.
Thus, in Ma’alim al-Tanzeel, known as Tafsir Khazin, it is stated:
قال قتادة و ابن زيد هي ليلة القدر أنزل الله القرآن فى ليلة القدر
Hazrat Qatadah, may Allah have mercy on him, and Ibn Zaid, may Allah have mercy on him, said that ليلة مباركة refers to the ليلة القدر in which Allah Almighty revealed the Holy Quran.
And it is further written:
قيل هي ليلة النصف من شعبان
It has also been said that this refers to the night of mid-Sha’ban.
And here it should be remembered that according to the scholars, the statement which is more authentic is mentioned first in the form of the known, and the less reliable opinions are brought after the form of the unknown قيل. As is the case here and similarly in other places and other issues. Therefore, it becomes clear that according to Imam Khazin, may Allah have mercy on him, the interpretation of Hazrat Qatadah, may Allah have mercy on him, and Ibn Zaid, may Allah have mercy on him, is more authentic and correct. And according to them, the term ليلة مباركة here refers to the blessed night of Ramadan, i.e., Laylat al-Qadr, and not the night of mid-Sha’ban, and this second opinion is weak and rejected.
Tafsir Jami’ al-Bayan :
In Tafsir Jami’ al-Bayan, the majority of scholars’ view mentioned is that it refers to the Laylat al-Qadr of the blessed month of Ramadan. However, to mention the less preferred opinion, it is also written:
وعن بعض هي ليلة النصف من شعبان
According to some, it refers to the night of mid-Sha’ban.
Tafsir Jalalayn :
In the second concise and comprehensive Tafsir Jalalayn, referring to Tafsir al-Madarik, it is written:
هي ليلة القدر أو ليلة النصف من شعبان
It refers to the Laylat al-Qadr of the blessed month of Ramadan, or the night of mid-Sha’ban.
And further about لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ, it is written that on this blessed night, the Holy Qur’an was revealed from the seventh heaven to the heaven of the world, and then about both the nights of Sha’ban and Ramadan, it is written:
والجمهور على الأول
According to the majority of scholars, the first of these blessed nights is meant, i.e., the Laylat al-Qadr of the blessed month of Ramadan.
Tafsir Fath al-Qadeer :
The renowned hadith scholar, mujtahid, and Quranic exegete Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in his Tafsir Fath al-Qadeer:
الليلة المباركة ليلة القدر كما فى قوله تعالى : إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ولها أربعة أسماء الليلة المباركة ليلة البراءة ليلة الصك وليلة القدر
الليلة المباركة refers to ليلة القدر, as mentioned in the divine statement إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ, and it has four names: ليله مباركه, ليلة البراءة, ليلة الصك (meaning the night of decrees), and ليلة القدر.
He further writes:
Ikrimah, may Allah have mercy on him, interpreted it as the middle night of Sha’ban, but the truth is that the correct view is that of the majority, which is that it refers to Laylat al-Qadr, because here Allah Almighty has mentioned it briefly, but in Surah Al-Baqarah verse شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ, it is clarified. Similarly, in Surah Al-Qadr verse إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ, there is also clarification. After this clear explanation, there remains no reason for disagreement, nor any room for doubt or suspicion.
Tafsir Ibn Abbas:.
It is also established from the translator of the Quran, Hazrat Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that this night refers to the Ramadan night of Laylat al-Qadr.
Tafsir Kabeer:.
After mentioning that the blessed night (Laylat al-Mubarakah) refers to Laylat al-Qadr, Imam Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:
القائلون بأن المراد من الليلة المباركة المذكورة فى هذه الآية هي ليلة النصف من شعبان فما رأيت لهم دليلا يعول عليه
Those who say that the mentioned verse of Surah Dukhan refers to the night of mid-Sha’ban have no reliable evidence.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir :
Similarly, Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) also supported the view of the majority in his famous Tafsir that this night refers to the blessed night of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr.
And then he writes:
من قال إنها ليلة النصف من شعبان فقد أبعد النجعة فإن نص القرآن أنها فى رمضان
Whoever says that this night is the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban is speaking nonsense or far from the truth. Because it is established from the text of the Qur’an that this night is in Ramadan.
Ahkam al-Qur’an :
And Qazi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi, may Allah have mercy on him, states in Ahkam al-Quran:
جمهور العلماء على أنها ليلة القدر و منهم من قال إنها ليلة النصف من شعبان وهو باطل لأن الله تعالى قال فى كتابه الصادق القاطع : شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِى أُنزِلَ فِيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ فنص على أن ميقات نزوله رمضان ثم عبر عن زمانية الليل ههنا بقوله : فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ و ليس فى ليلة النصف من شعبان حديث يعول عليه لا فى فضلها ولا فى نسخ الآجال فيها فلا تلفتوا إليها
According to the majority of scholars, this refers to the Night of Qadr in Ramadan. The opinion that it is the night of the 15th of Sha’ban is false, because Allah Almighty has stated in His truthful and decisive Book, the Holy Quran: The blessed month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed. Thus, Allah has provided a clear text that the month of the Quran’s revelation is Ramadan. Then, He described the time of that night with these words, and there is no authentic and reliable hadith regarding the virtue of this blessed night or the night of the middle of Sha’ban concerning the abrogation of lifespan or destiny.
From these tafsir references, it becomes clear that the night mentioned in Surah Dukhan, verse 3, is the Night of Qadr in the blessed month of Ramadan, not the night of the 15th of Sha’ban. Similarly, in the commentaries on hadith, the same point is made. For example:
The well-known Hanafi muhaddith Mulla Ali Qari writes in “Mirqat Sharh Mishkat”:
Some predecessors think that the blessed night refers to the night of the middle of Sha’ban. But this opinion contradicts the texts of the Quran, because the Quran was revealed in Ramadan on the Night of Qadr. Therefore, the term “the blessed night” also refers to the Night of Qadr. Thus, there is no difference in the verses.
Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, states in Tuhfat al-Ahwazi, Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi:
Indeed, the verse إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ refers to the Night of Qadr according to the majority. Some consider it to be the night of the middle of Sha’ban, but this opinion is weak and rejected.
ليلة مبارکہ
Six Ways to Observe the Night of Bara’at
Considering the previous details, it becomes clear that the commonly used names for the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban, such as Laylat al-Qadr or Laylat al-Bara’at, are not found in the books of Tafsir and Hadith. The mention of this night is only in reference to the night of the middle of Sha’ban. As for the observance of this night, five different customs and methods are prevalent here:
On that evening, good and special foods or halwa are prepared, and those who prepare them sit together and enjoy eating them. Fireworks and illumination are done, a lot of gunpowder is fired, and extravagance takes place.
Some people clean their homes and perfume them well to welcome this night, all done with the belief that the souls of the deceased return on this night.
In some places, people specially arrange and sometimes collectively visit the cemetery for prayers on this night. Fasting is observed on this day. This night is spent in remembrance and worship.
First Method: Cooking and Eating Halwa Manday
As far as the first method is concerned, that is preparing and eating good and excellent food and halwa manda, these are considered symbols of Islamic festivals, whereas the night of the middle of Sha’ban cannot be called an Islamic festival at all, and giving it the form of Eid or Hajj is wrong. And if someone says that we do this thinking it is a festival, then how can it be said that cooking good food is not permissible on any day? In this regard, it can only be said that undoubtedly there is no harm in preparing food that does not fall under extravagance and wastefulness, but if this becomes a routine every day or on most days, and if it is especially made exclusive to the evening of the 15th of Sha’ban, then the matter certainly becomes somewhat doubtful, and avoiding doubtful matters is the characteristic of a believer.
Now every person can examine their own actions whether they prepare this halwa thinking it is a festival or it is prepared as usual? Apparently, no matter what anyone tries to prove with eloquence, the reality is that it is considered a festival, and some halwa eaters and religious leaders have continued this custom for their specific interests, which if not kept within the idea of this festival, then it is certainly not permissible.
And very strange proofs are given to continue such customs, and cooking halwa on this night is declared Sunnah. Refuting such people, Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlavi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes on page 214 of his book “Ma Thabata bil Sunnah” under the virtues of Sha’ban that the popular belief among the public that on this night Sayyid al-Shuhada Hazrat Amir Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred and on the same night the blessed tooth of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was broken, and that the Prophet, peace be upon him, ate halwa, is completely baseless and false. Because historians agree that the Battle of Uhud took place in the month of Shawwal in 3 AH, not in Sha’ban. Therefore, holding the belief that halwa is obligatory and necessary today is an innovation. Some people prepare lentils of masoor and chickpeas, which is the same as halwa.
The correct thing is that food should be cooked as usual, and this night should not be made a festival.
The famous Hanafi scholar Allama Abdul Hayy Lakhnawi, may Allah have mercy on him, has a fatwa regarding the halwa of this night that there is no text of negation or affirmation about it, so the Shariah ruling is that if one considers the custom obligatory, then it will be disliked, otherwise there is no harm.
Similarly, Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said in “Iqtidā’ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm”:
وكذلك الخاده موسما تصنع فيه الأطعمة و تظهر فيه الزينة هو من المواسم المحدثة التى لا أصل لها
And celebrating the night of the 15th of Sha’ban, cooking food, and displaying adornment are also among innovations, which have no basis.
Second Method: Lighting lamps and fireworks, making religion a spectacle:.
The second way of celebrating the Night of Bara’at is that on this night, fireworks are set off with great noise and commotion, gunpowder is fired, crackers are burst, candles and lamps are lit to illuminate the surroundings. The beginning and reasons for this, as well as its physical and financial harms, have been detailed in the context of the celebration of Mi’raj. Moreover, there is no concept in Islam of celebrating any day or festival with fireworks; rather, such acts are reprehensible and blameworthy in Shariah, because lighting excessive lights anywhere and burning countless candles is not permissible, as it is wastefulness and extravagance, which Allah has forbidden in the Holy Quran and those who do so are called brothers of Satan, as stated in Surah Bani Isra’il, verses 26-27:
وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا
And do not waste wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.
Here, extravagance and wastefulness are described as satanic acts, and those who do so are called brothers and followers of Satan, because a person who spends the wealth given by his true Owner in disobedience follows the path of Satan.
Hazrat Muhaddith Dehlvi (may Allah have mercy on him) states in his explanatory notes on Tafsir Al-Mawduh Al-Quran:
That is, wealth is a great blessing from Allah, which should be saved for worship and to increase ranks in Paradise; wasting it unnecessarily is ingratitude.
Just as the prohibition and blame of wastefulness (tabdheer) has been mentioned, similarly, at many places in the Holy Quran, extravagance (israf) has been condemned. For example, in Surah Al-An’am, verse 141, Allah says:
وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
And do not waste your wealth extravagantly. Indeed, Allah does not like the wasteful.
In Surah Al-A’raf, verse 31, it is said:
كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
Eat and drink but do not waste extravagantly. Indeed, He does not like the wasteful.
In Surah Al-Furqan, verse 67, describing the characteristics of the believers and the pious, it is said:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا
And those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but hold a just balance between those extremes.
Here it should also be noted that there is a difference between tabdheer (wastefulness) and israf (extravagance). Spending beyond the limit of moderation and necessity in a lawful and permissible place is israf, while spending in unlawful and impermissible places is called tabdheer, and for this, there is no limit of small or large; even if one spends a single penny, it will be unlawful and such a person will be considered a brother and follower of Satan.
Furthermore, this fireworks and illumination is a blatant and crude mockery of the true religion, and by implementing the conspiratorial actions of the enemies of the religion, it is tantamount to cooperating with them and deceiving oneself. Turning one’s religion into mere amusement and play is a matter that invites the punishment of Allah. Read the Holy Quran and see what happened to those nations among the first peoples who made their religion a spectacle, and what punishments they were afflicted with. We should take a lesson from the fate of those nations, otherwise the punishment of Allah is not far away.
In this regard, in Surah Al-An’am, verse 70, Allah says:
وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَذَكِّرْ بِهِ أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لَّا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَا ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا بِمَا كَسَبُوا ۖ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ
Leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. But remind with the Quran lest a soul be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it will have no protector or intercessor besides Allah. And if it offers every compensation, it will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who are given to drink scalding water and a painful punishment because of what they used to deny.
And in Surah Al-A’raf, verses 50-51, Allah says:
وَنَادَىٰ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ ۚ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا ۚ فَالْيَوْمَ نَنسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَٰذَا وَمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
And the people of Paradise will call out to the people of the Fire, “Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you.” They will say, “Indeed, Allah has forbidden them both to the disbelievers who took their religion as amusement and diversion and were deluded by the worldly life.” Allah says: Today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for denying Our verses.
From these verses, the warnings given to the past nations and the people of earlier times should serve as a lesson for us, and we should not turn our religion into a spectacle with fireworks and illumination, etc.
Third Method: The Theory of Cleaning Homes and the Arrival of the Souls of the Deceased
The third common way of observing the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban is that homes are cleaned in preparation for this night, and along with cleanliness, decoration is done, with the belief that the souls of the deceased return on this night.
The first point in this regard is that cleanliness, whether of the body, clothing, or home, is all beloved and favored in Islam. In fact, Islamic teachings consider it a part of faith, and encouragement for it has been given in various ways, including a well-known authentic hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
الطهور شطر الإيمان
Purity and cleanliness are part of faith.
This hadith applies to the entire life of Muslims, every month, year, day, and night. So why should this command be specially applied to just one night? Moreover, there are specific commands for cleanliness and purity on Fridays and the two Eids, but there is no special evidence for this act specifically for welcoming this night. However, if one is continuously able to maintain general cleanliness, then there is no harm in doing so on this night as well. But if it is done as a festival and with the belief in the arrival of souls, then since both these things lack evidence, our action does not require any refutation.
The underlying belief behind cleaning and decorating homes on the evening of the fifteenth of Sha’ban—that the souls of the deceased return—is entirely false. There is no proof of this in the Quran or Sunnah. After death, the return of any soul is neither possible on this night of Sha’ban nor on any other day. In the society of the Indian subcontinent, some religious leaders who are fond of preparing and distributing special halwa have even created a formal chart of the arrival and departure of souls for their own interests, according to which they continuously collect offerings from the public in the form of food, drink, and clothing in the name of the deceased.
According to them, the soul of the deceased returns on the third day (teyza), the seventh day (satza), and the tenth day, and even continues to come to the home for forty days. Then, the souls of the believers come once a week on Thursday and once a year on the night of Bara’at (Shab-e-Barat), and perhaps their annual gathering is on the anniversary of death.
This belief is not correct according to the agreed-upon beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah but is false, because the deceased become connected to the life of Barzakh (the intermediate realm), and the realm of Barzakh has no connection with this world. There is no authentic hadith proving that souls return to their homes on this night. In fact, the Quran clearly denies this in Surah Al-Mu’minun, verses 99-100, where Allah says about the wrongdoers who will not desist from their deeds:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ ﴿٩٩﴾ لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّا ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
Until when death comes to one of them, he will say, “My Lord, send me back, that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” Never! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.
All these deceased are behind the veil of Barzakh, which will remain until the Day of Resurrection.
Some people are misled or mislead others by the words of Surah Al-Qadr from the 30th Juz:
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا
They translate these words to mean that on this night, i.e., Laylat al-Qadr, angels and souls descend, and try to convince others that this means the descent of souls of the deceased. However, firstly, the night mentioned here is the night of Laylat al-Qadr in Ramadan, not in Sha’ban. Secondly, the word “ruh” (spirit) here and in similar contexts does not mean the souls of the deceased but refers to the trustworthy spirit, the angel Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him.
Moreover, in this very verse, Jibril is not called “ruh,” but in many other places in the Quran, he is referred to as “ruh al-amin” and “ruh al-qudus,” as in Surah Al-Baqarah verses 87 and 253, where “ruh al-qudus” refers to Jibril or the knowledge of divine revelation. According to some, it even refers to the pure soul of Prophet Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, whom Allah endowed with sacred attributes. The same is mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’idah verse 110. In Surah An-Nahl verse 2, “ruh” refers to the spirit of prophethood or the knowledge of revelation, not the souls of the deceased. In Surah An-Nahl verse 102, “ruh al-qudus” is Jibril. In Surah Ash-Shu’ara verse 193, Surah Al-Ma’arij verse 4, and Surah An-Naba verse 38, “ruh al-amin” and “ruh” also refer to Jibril.
In short, wherever the word “ruh” is used in the Quran in the context of descending or ascending, it refers to the trustworthy spirit, Jibril, not the souls of the deceased.
From this detailed explanation, it is clear that cleaning, tidying, and decorating homes on the evening of Sha’ban with the intention of welcoming souls is a self-invented belief with no evidence from the Quran or Sunnah. However, if someone, or generally people, clean daily, then doing so on this evening as usual is not harmful but rather a commendable act.
Fourth Method: Visiting Graves in a Congregational Form
The fourth method of observing the night of mid-Sha’ban is that people, with special arrangements and collectively, visit the cemetery on this night.
In this regard, it should be noted that visiting graves in a prescribed manner is permissible on any day or night. In fact, the Prophet ﷺ encouraged it because it helps in the remembrance of death and the Hereafter. The supplication made during the visit is also established in authentic hadiths. There are three types of grave visits, and excluding the polytheistic and innovative types, only the legitimate type is permissible. Even then, it should be done occasionally and only to the nearby cemetery of one’s own village. However, it is more beneficial and more thought-provoking if done individually. When many people go together to the cemetery, it is obvious that they cannot gain the same reflection that an individual can. The practice of the Prophet ﷺ also confirms this, as when he visited graves for this purpose, he went alone, not in a group.
The Prophet ﷺ went alone for visitation, and if we go there in groups, this is not following the Sunnah but an innovation; it is not a Sunnah but a bid’ah, not a cause of reward but a cause of punishment. Moreover, there is no authentic hadith proving the virtue of specifically going for visitation on the night of mid-Sha’ban. The narration cited in this regard has been criticized by hadith scholars and declared weak. Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned after narrating this hadith that he heard Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) say that he considered this hadith weak. He further explained two breaks in the chain of narration: between Hajjaj and Yahya, and between Yahya and Urwah, because Yahya did not hear from Urwah, and Hajjaj did not hear from Yahya.
Also, one person mentioned in the chain, Hajjaj ibn Arta’ah, is considered a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain). If a mudallis narrator says, “I heard from so-and-so,” the narration is accepted; otherwise, it is not. However, in this narration, Hajjaj did not say this. Rather, it is narrated in the form of عنعنه (عن فُلان … style). Imam Bukhari probably declared it weak for these two reasons as well.
Therefore, it is not correct to base the practice of visiting graves in large groups and collectively on the night of mid-Sha’ban solely on this narration. However, if a person visits the graves in a legitimate manner as usual, then his case is different.
From the previous details, you must have understood that there are many matters which are permissible in themselves, but people have not left them in their original state. Instead, they have added their own colors to them, which has caused them to move out of the circle of Sunnah and be counted among innovations. The important point is that the religion, as established by the Prophet ﷺ, should be followed exactly as it is for reward. If one makes even the slightest change or alteration on their own, the matter will become corrupted.
Fifth Method: Fasting on the Night of Mid-Sha’ban
The fifth way to observe the night of the 15th of Sha’ban, known as Shab-e-Bara’at, is to fast during the day and dedicate the night to remembrance and worship. This method is the most well-known and commonly practiced. So, first, let us see the legal status of fasting on that day.
In this regard, first recall what we mentioned at the beginning of this topic: the Prophet ﷺ used to fast frequently in this month of Sha’ban without specifying particular days. A person who is accustomed to the Dawoodi fast—fasting one day and breaking the fast the next—can fast regularly in this month, whether it includes fasting on the 15th of Sha’ban or fasting one or two days before Ramadan. Similarly, a person who fasts the white days of every month—the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month—can also fast on this day without any difference, because he is not fasting only on the 15th of Sha’ban but also on the 13th and 14th. Moreover, he does this not only in Sha’ban but throughout the entire year continuously.
Likewise, a person who fasts every week on Mondays and Thursdays can fast on the 15th of Sha’ban if it falls on a Monday or Thursday. There is no prohibition for him. Even if Monday or Thursday falls one or two days before Ramadan, he is permitted to fast as usual. Otherwise, fasting from the 15th until the end of Sha’ban is prohibited for an irregular or ordinary person, and this has been mentioned with hadith references and translations at the relevant place.
Fabricated Tradition:
Certain traditions are narrated specifically for fasting on the fifteenth of Sha’ban, from which it is inferred that fasting on the fifteenth of Sha’ban is established, while one tradition is so weak and feeble that it is not permissible to use it as evidence. This is why the Muhaddith of the Indian subcontinent, Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
لم أجد فى صوم يوم ليلة النصف من شعبان حديثا صحيحا مرفوعا
I have not found a single authentic chain of narration or a Marfu’ Hadith reaching the Prophet ﷺ regarding fasting on the day of the middle of Sha’ban.
Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
فأما صوم يوم النصف مفردا فلا أصل له بل إفراده مكروه
Fasting solely on the fifteenth of Sha’ban has no basis; rather, it is disliked.
Imam Suyuti, may Allah have mercy on him, and Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, have declared the mentioned hadith as fabricated and fabricated tradition. (Al-Alā’i al-Maṣnū‘ah li al-Suyuti 60/2, Al-Fawā’id al-Majmū‘ah li al-Shawkani: 50-51)
First Tradition:
And the narration that is mentioned is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and it is in Ibn Majah. It states:
إذا كان النصف من شعبان فقوموا ليلها وصوموا نهارها فإن الله ينزل فيها لغروب الشمس إلى السماء الدنيا فيقول ألا من مستغفر فأغفر له ألا من مسترزق فأرزقه ألا من مبتلى فأعافيه ألا كذا ألا كذا حتى يطلع الفجر
When the night of mid-Sha’ban comes, stand in prayer during this night and fast on its day, for indeed Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven at sunset on this night and says: Is there anyone asking for forgiveness that I may forgive him? Is there anyone seeking provision that I may provide for him? Is there anyone afflicted that I may grant him relief? Is there anyone with such and such a need that I may fulfill it? Until the dawn breaks.
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has not only declared it weak but also fabricated.
Hafiz Munthiri (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this hadith in “At-Targhib wa At-Tarheeb” with the form of tamreed and tad’eef of رُوِيَ.
In “Misbah az-Zujajah fi Zawa’id Ibn Majah,” Allama Busiri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
إسناده ضعيف لضعف ابن أبى سبرة واسمه أبو بكر بن عبد الله بن محمد بن أبى سبرة
The chain of this narration is weak because one of its narrators, Ibn Abi Sabrah, is weak. His full name is Abu Bakr bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abi Sabrah.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Ibn Ma’in (may Allah have mercy on him) said about him that he used to fabricate narrations, meaning he used to narrate fabricated things as hadith.
Allama Mubarakpuri (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in “Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi” after narrating this hadith:
In its chain is a narrator Abu Bakr bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abi Sabrah Al-Qurashi Al-Amiri Al-Madani, and it is also said that his name is Abdullah, and sometimes Muhammad is mentioned, and sometimes he is attributed to his grandfather. And in “Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb,” Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote: رموه بالوضع The muhaddithin have accused him of narrating fabricated hadiths. And Maulana Syed Amir Ali (may Allah have mercy on him) claimed consensus on its weakness in “Ta’qib at-Taqreeb.”
Allama Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in “Mizan al-I’tidal” that Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) and other senior muhaddithin declared this narrator weak, and the honorable sons of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), Abdullah and Salih, narrated from their father that he used to fabricate narrations, and Imam Nasai (may Allah have mercy on him) declared him abandoned.
Second Tradition:
Another tradition has also been attributed to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in which it is stated:
فإن أصبح فى ذلك اليوم صائما كان كصيام ستين سنة ماضية وستين سنة مقبلة
Whoever fasts on the fifteenth of Sha’ban will receive the reward of fasting for sixty past years and sixty future years.
This tradition has been mentioned by Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) in his book “Al-Mawdu’at,” which contains fabricated and forged hadiths, and commenting on it he wrote:
موضوع وإسناده مظلم
This is a fabricated and forged tradition and its chain of narration is dark and weak.
Therefore, fasting on the fifteenth of Sha’ban based on the reasons mentioned earlier is permissible and acceptable, but if none of those reasons exist and this day’s fast is observed solely based on these mentioned traditions, then it is impermissible and inappropriate, because these fabricated and weak traditions are not reliable for evidence.
Sixth Method: Standing in prayer on the night of mid-Sha’ban:
As for the sixth way to observe this night, which is to stay awake at night, engage in dhikr and supplications, and perform a specific prayer, it is stated that this night, in any case, has somewhat more virtue compared to ordinary nights, which can be inferred from the overall benefit of the related narrations. These ahadith indicate the virtue of this night, but none of them suggest that a festival should be celebrated on this night, that night vigil should be arranged, or that specific forms, quantities, and qualities of prayers should be performed as is commonly practiced nowadays.
Specific prayers for the night of mid-Sha’ban:
صلوة الخير or صلوة الألفيه
On the middle or fifteenth night of the month of Sha’ban, a specific prayer is performed, which is also called Salat al-Khair and Salat al-Alfiyyah.
Regarding this, the opinion of many hadith scholars and mujtahid scholars is that it is not established by any authentic hadith. Accordingly, the commentator of Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), states in another of his books “Al-Majmu’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab”:
The prayer known as Salat al-Ragha’ib, which is performed on the night of the first Thursday of Rajab between Maghrib and Isha, consisting of twelve rak’ahs, and the prayer on the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban consisting of one hundred rak’ahs, both of these prayers are the worst innovations. One should not be deceived by their mention in the books “Qut al-Qulub” and “Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din,” nor should one be deceived by the narrations mentioned regarding these prayers.
Because all of these are false, and one scholar among the knowledgeable became doubtful about the reality and legal status of these prayers and even wrote a treatise consisting of a few pages in which he mentioned the recommendation of these prayers. One should not be deceived by that treatise either because it is of the type of زلات العلماء, in which he used fallacy. Sheikh al-Islam Abu Muhammad Abdul Rahman ibn Ismail al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote a fine book refuting him in which he proved their invalidity in an excellent manner.
Imam Abu Bakr Tartushi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in his book “Al-Hawadith wa al-Bida'” quoting Imam Abu Muhammad Abdul Rahman al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him):
In Bayt al-Maqdis, the prayer “Salat al-Ragha’ib” which is performed in Rajab was not practiced, nor was the prayer of the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban customary.
وأول ما حدثت عندنا صلاة شعبان فى سنة ثمان وأربعين وأربع مائة
And this Sha’ban prayer was invented in 448 AH.
And further, narrating the incident of the beginning of this prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis, he says:
A man from Nablus named Ibn Abi Hamra came to Bayt al-Maqdis who was a very melodious reciter. He started leading this prayer in Masjid al-Aqsa. At first, only one person was with him, then a second, third, and fourth joined, and by the time the prayer was completed, a large congregation had gathered with him. The same person came the following year, and a large number of people prayed with him, and its fame spread in mosques and homes. Then this practice continued so that it is still regularly performed as if it were a Sunnah act.
Imam Tartushi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he asked Imam al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him):
Have you seen people performing this prayer in congregation yourself? He said: Yes, and he also prayed for Allah’s forgiveness for it and said استغفر الله.
His seeking forgiveness was probably on the basis that he saw an innovation being established with his own eyes but could not stop it.
Among the scholars who hold the innovators accountable, Imam Shahab al-Din known as Abu Shama (may Allah have mercy on him) strongly refuted the Rajab prayer “Salat al-Ragha’ib” and the Sha’ban prayer which he called “Salat al-Alfiyyah,” proving that these are innovations, and the narrations found and mentioned about them are weak, fabricated, and invented.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
The gathering in the congregational mosque, neighborhoods, streets, and other mosques for this “Salat al-Alfiyyah” is an innovation and a bid’ah. This gathering for a voluntary prayer with a fixed time, fixed rak’ahs, and fixed recitation is not legitimate and is an innovation. The narration that indicates this is fabricated according to the consensus of the scholars of hadith.
Ibn al-Jazari (may Allah have mercy on him) declared the chain of narration of the mentioned hadith in “Al-Hisn al-Haseen” to be fabricated and false.
The Reason for Naming it Salat al-Alfiyyah:
The reason why the prayer is called “Al-Salatu Al-Alfiyyah” or “Hazari Namaz” is essentially because it consists of one hundred rak’ahs, and in each rak’ah, Surah قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
is recited ten times. Thus, since Surah Al-Ikhlas is recited a thousand times in one prayer, it is called the Hazari Namaz.
Regarding innovations, probably the first book written on the subject is “Al-Bida’ wa al-Nahy ‘anha” by its author Imam Muhammad ibn Waddah al-Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him, who was among the scholars of the third century Hijri. He brings two narrations with chains of transmission about the night of the 15th of Sha’ban. In the first, he narrates from Abdul Rahman ibn Zaid ibn Aslam, may Allah have mercy on him, that our elders and jurists did not pay attention to the night of the 15th of Sha’ban nor did they observe such matters or prayers.
In the second narration, he reports from Ibn Abi Mulaika, may Allah have mercy on him, that he was told that Ziyad al-Namiri said the reward of the night of the 15th of Sha’ban is equal to the Night of Qadr in Ramadan. Ibn Abi Mulaika, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
لو سمعت منه وبيدي عصا لضربته بها وكان زياد قاضيا
If I had heard this from him and had a stick in my hand at that time, I would have struck him with it, while this Ziyad was then serving as a judge.
Hafiz al-Iraqi, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote in “Takhrij Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din” about the narration regarding the prayer of the night of the 15th of Sha’ban:
حديث صلاة ليلة النصف حديث باطل
The hadith about the prayer of the night of the 15th of Sha’ban is false (i.e., fabricated and falsely attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him).
Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, collected fabricated hadiths in one of his books. Among them, he declared the narration containing the prayer of one hundred rak’ahs as forged and self-invented. He mentioned multiple chains of transmission and, due to the unknown status of their narrators, labeled them fabricated.
Imam al-Suyuti, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book consisting of fabricated narrations, called the narration of the hundred rak’ahs prayed on the night of the 15th of Sha’ban from Musnad al-Firdaws al-Dailami as fabricated and mentioned that all narrators in its chain are unknown. He also declared the narrations containing twelve and fourteen rak’ahs prayers as fabricated and self-invented.
Imam Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that some of the Tabi’in from the people of Sham, such as Khalid ibn Ma’dan, Makhool, and Luqman ibn Amir, and others used to worship and honor this night. Some pious and ascetic people from Basra also followed them. However, according to most scholars of Hijaz, such as Ata ibn Abi Mulaika and Abdul Rahman ibn Zaid ibn Aslam, the jurists of the people of Madinah and the companions of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on them, denied it and considered it an innovation.
The aforementioned Tabi’in Khalid and Luqman used to pray Nafl in congregation on this night, wore fine clothes, applied perfume, and even used kohl. Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, may Allah have mercy on him, approved of their practice. Meanwhile, Imam and scholar and jurist of Sham, Imam Awza’i, may Allah have mercy on him, considered praying Nafl in congregation in mosques, making supplications, and reciting stories as disliked (makruh). If a person prayed some Nafl individually, he did not consider it disliked. Hafiz Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, considered this the closest (to correct).
This is the choice of some Tabi’in and scholars, but what about actions that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not do, nor are proven from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them? Where would permissibility or recommendation come from? Despite the opportunity and no preventing factor, the fact that the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, did not do such acts clearly indicates the impermissibility of such actions as clear as daylight.
In summary, the specific number of rak’ahs and the specific number of Surah Al-Ikhlas recitations prayed on the night of the 15th of Sha’ban are not proven by any authentic hadith, neither in congregation nor individually, neither silently nor aloud. On this night, some specific supplications يا ذا المن and الهى بالتجلي الأعظم are recited, which are self-invented.
Overall, it can be said that there is no evidence in the Qur’an or any hadith to celebrate this night in any special way. However, aside from fireworks, illumination, and frivolous festivities, fasting during the day, and fabricated prayers with specific forms and numbers at night, if someone individually engages in any dhikr, supplication, or general voluntary worship, they should not be criticized or condemned. But if they do so while adhering to those customs, then it would not be correct in any case, because the virtue of a night does not necessarily require celebration, festivity, or specific acts of worship.
Hadiths of Mid-Sha’ban Night of Bara’at :.
We have mentioned the details about the fifteenth of Sha’ban regarding what should happen? But what is happening? Now only one thing remains related to these days, and that is: some other hadiths or narrations found about Mid-Sha’ban or the Night of Bara’at and their investigation. Therefore, here, leaving aside the details, we are presenting to you the authoritative status of only ten hadiths related to the month of Sha’ban in a brief manner so that the topic about the month of Sha’ban comes before you in a somewhat complete form.
First Hadith :.
The first of those hadiths is narrated as Marfu‘ from Hazrat Mu’adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) in Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Asim, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Shu’ab al-Iman by Bayhaqi, Tarikh Ibn Asakir, and Mu’jam Kabir and Awsat by Tabarani. It states:
يطلع الله تبارك وتعالى على خلقه ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر لجميع خلقه إلا لمشرك أو مشاحن
Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, looks towards His creation on the night of the 15th of Sha’ban and forgives everyone except the polytheist and the one who harbors enmity.
Allama Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majma’ al-Zawa’id regarding the narrations of Tabarani that the narrators of both chains are trustworthy.
Allama Zahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) pointed out a break in the chain of the hadith from Mu’adh’s narration, writing that Makhool never met Malik bin Yakhmar, so how could he narrate from him?
Sheikh Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said that if this issue did not exist, the chain would have been Hasan (good), because all its narrators, according to Imam Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him), are trustworthy.
Second Hadith:
It has been narrated mursal from Hazrat Abu Tha’laba (may Allah be pleased with him) by Ibn Abi Asim, Lalakai, and Tabarani. In its chain, there is a narrator named Ahwas bin Hakim, whom Allama Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared weak in Majma’ al-Zawa’id. Imam Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) has transmitted it in Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib and stated that this narration is reported from Abu Tha’laba (may Allah be pleased with him) through Makhool in Tabarani and Bayhaqi. Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that this narration is mursal between Makhool and Abu Tha’laba (may Allah be pleased with him), and there is also a difference of opinion regarding the authenticity of mursal narrations.
Third Hadith:.
This is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both. The chain of this narration has been classified as لا باس به for use as corroborations and evidences, indicating that there is no objection in it. While Allama Haithami, may Allah have mercy on him, said that there is a narrator Ibn Lahi’ah in its chain who is “weak in hadith,” and the rest of the narrators are trustworthy. Meanwhile, Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, considered Ibn Lahi’ah weak, and Imam Mundhiri, may Allah have mercy on him, described its chain as “soft and lenient.” Considering the corroborations and evidences, Sheikh Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, classified it as a narration of good grade. In this narration, the word used is “killer” rather than “one who harbors enmity” with the polytheist.
Fourth Hadith:
This is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) in Ibn Majah Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Asim and Al-Lalakai, and in its chain, Ibn Lahi’ah is weak, Waleed bin Muslim is a fabricator, and Abdul Rahman Ibn Zaid bin Aslam is of unknown status; therefore, this narration is also weak.
Fifth Hadith:
This is narrated mursal from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). One of its narrators is Hisham bin Abdul Rahman, about whom Allama Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) said that he does not know who he is or what his status is, while all the other narrators are trustworthy.
Sixth Hadith:
This is narrated from Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) in Musnad Bazzar, Al-Tawheed by Ibn Khuzaymah, Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Asim and Al-Lakaa’i, Akhbar Isfahan by Abu Nu’aym, and Al-Bayhaqi. Imam Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) has transmitted it in “Al-Targhib” and wrote: لا بأس به that there is no objection in its chain of narration. And Allama Haithami has transmitted it in Majma’ al-Zawa’id and regarding one narrator mentioned in its chain, Abdul Malik bin Abdul Malik, he said that Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned this narration in his book “Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil” but did not call this narrator weak, while the other narrators are trustworthy. However, Imam Bukhari considered Abdul Malik’s narration as unreliable, as mentioned in Mizan al-I’tidal by Al-Dhahabi.
Seventh Hadith:
This is narrated from Hazrat Auf bin Malik رضي الله عنه, which Imam Bazzar has mentioned in his Musnad and has written that its chain of narration is weak.
The reason for this is actually that in its chain there is Ibn Lahi’ah who is لين rather weak, and secondly the narrator Abdul Rahman bin An’am, whom according to Allama Haithami رحمه الله, the majority of the Imams of Hadith have declared weak, and only Ahmad bin Salih has authenticated him. Apart from these two, all other narrators are trustworthy, and according to Allama Albani رحمه الله, this narration and many other similar narrations have been transmitted by Lalakai in his book “As-Sunnah” from senior Tabi’in such as Ata bin Yasar, Kalbi, and Fazl bin Fudala رحمه الله on a Mauquf basis, which have different chains of narration. Such narrations, even if Mauquf, are considered as having the status of Marfoo because such statements cannot be made merely on personal opinion.
Eighth Hadith:
This is narrated mursal from Hazrat Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) in Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad. It states:
إن الله تعالى ينزل ليلة النصف من شعبان إلى السماء الدنيا فيغفر لأكثر من عدد شعر غنم بني كلب
Indeed, Allah Almighty descends on the night of the middle of Sha’ban to the heavens and the earth and forgives more sinners than the hairs of the goats of Bani Kalb.
The tribe of Bani Kalb is mentioned because among the Arabs, this tribe had the most goats.
And the commentator of Tirmidhi wrote:
Abhari has quoted from Al-Azhar that here the forgiveness and pardon of sins more than the hairs of the goats of Bani Kalb is meant, not the forgiveness of that many sinners. In any case, whether the forgiveness of sinners or sins is meant, there is no decrease in Allah’s treasures for anyone. At the beginning of this hadith, Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also narrated the incident that one night she found the Prophet (peace be upon him) absent from the bed, and when she went out to look for him, she saw him in Baqi’. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Are you afraid that I will wrong you?” She replied: “O Messenger of Allah! I thought that perhaps you had gone to another wife.” Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the aforementioned words. However, after this narration, Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) himself said that he heard Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) declare this narration weak, and he further explained the two breaks in its chain of transmission: between Hajjaj and Yahya, and then between Yahya and Urwah, meaning he did not hear from Urwah.
Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Hajjaj did not hear from Yahya, while one narrator in this chain, Hajjaj bin Artaah, was also considered a mudallis by the muhaddithin. A narration from a mudallis is only acceptable if he explicitly states that he heard it from so-and-so or that so-and-so narrated it to him, but in this narration, Hajjaj used عنعنه, which does not indicate explicit hearing.
And Imam Bukhari’s declaring this hadith weak is certainly due to these very reasons.
Ninth Hadith:
This is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sunan Ibn Majah, in which fasting on the day of the 15th of Sha’ban and the night vigil are mentioned. The details of its weakness have been explained by us in the context of the invalidity of fasting on the 15th of Sha’ban.
Tenth Hadith:
This is narrated from Hazrat Usman bin Muhammad bin Mughirah bin Akhnas, may Allah be pleased with him. Imam Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, has quoted it in his Tafsir. It mentions births, deaths, and marriages throughout the year, but it is also a disconnected and weak narration. Moreover, it does not mention the night of the 15th of Sha’ban specifically, but rather the month of Sha’ban in general, which contradicts all other narrations.
In short, Imam Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, states that the virtue of this night has come in multiple narrations, most of which many hadith scholars have declared weak, but some have been authenticated by Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him. Among them, the most exemplary and best hadith is that of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, accepted the virtue of this night based on the multiplicity of hadiths and the texts of Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him.
Allama Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, stated based on multiple hadiths that it has some basis.
And the well-known contemporary hadith scholar Sheikh Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, transmitted multiple chains and, based on the combined strength of these, declared the aforementioned hadith number one as authentic.
This is evidence for the affirmation of some virtue of this night. Therefore, considering all the previous details, it can be said that if a person performs voluntary worship and recitation on this night, there is no harm. However, no specific or prescribed form of worship has been established. Moreover, the virtue of any night does not necessarily require a particular act of worship.
