Virtue of the Night of 15th Sha'ban and Addressing Related Misconceptions
Written by: Ilyas Hamid
➊ First Misconception: Hadiths Regarding the Virtue of 15th Sha'ban
Misconception:
There are several narrations that mention the virtue of the night of the 15th of Sha'ban and emphasize dedicating it to worship.
Response:
According to the principles laid down by the Companions رضي الله عنهم and the scholars who followed them for evaluating Hadith, all narrations related to the virtue of the 15th night of Sha'ban are weak (ḍa‘īf). Experts in Hadith sciences, especially those skilled in jarḥ wa ta‘dīl (criticism and accreditation) and ‘ilal (hidden defects), have declared these narrations weak.
Imam Abu Hanifah رحمه الله said:
"إذا صح الحديث فهو مذهبي"
(If a ḥadīth is authentic, then that is my school of thought.)
This indicates that Imam Abu Hanifah رحمه الله himself did not consider acting upon weak Hadith acceptable.
➋ Second Misconception: Acting on Weak Hadiths in Virtues
Misconception:
It is permissible to act upon weak Hadiths in the chapter of virtues (faḍā’il).
Response:
A weak Hadith signifies that it is not proven to be from the Prophet ﷺ. One cannot assign religious merit to an act based on something not authentically attributed to him. Only those actions proven from the Prophet ﷺ can be expected to yield reward.
In Islam, two conditions must be met for any deed to be accepted:
➊ It must be done solely for the sake of Allah.
➋ It must be in accordance with the method of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد"
(Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our way, it is rejected.)
➌ Third Misconception: A Weak Hadith is Still a Hadith
Misconception:
A weak Hadith is still classified as a Hadith, so why not act upon it? Just as one doesn’t stop acknowledging an aged father, similarly, one shouldn't abandon a weak Hadith.
Response:
A weak Hadith is not the authentic statement of the Prophet ﷺ. Acting upon it as though it is, is incorrect. The analogy of an aged father does not apply here. A father's relationship does not end with old age, but a weak Hadith's connection to the Prophet ﷺ is essentially severed, and thus it is not actionable.
➍ Fourth Misconception: One Hadith About 15th Sha'ban is Acceptable
Misconception:
Some scholars, such as Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله, have graded a narration about the 15th of Sha'ban as ḥasan (acceptable), so why should it not be acted upon?
Response:
Although Shaykh al-Albani رحمه الله considered one narration to be ḥasan li-ghayrih, many other scholars have graded it as severely weak. Even if the narration is accepted as ḥasan, it only proves the virtue of the night—not the prescription of specific worship on that night.
Examples:
◈ The virtue of Friday and its night is well-established,
but dedicating that time specifically for worship is not allowed.
◈ Similarly, no authentic narration from the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions رضي الله عنهم supports assigning exclusive worship practices to the night of 15th Sha'ban.
➎ Fifth Misconception: Performing Shari‘ah-Endorsed Acts on 15th Sha'ban
Misconception:
On the night of 15th Sha'ban, we only perform acts already established in the Shari‘ah—such as nafl prayers, du‘ā’, Qur'an recitation, charity, and visiting graves.
Response:
If someone adds words to the adhān, for example, by inserting "ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh" at a place where the Prophet ﷺ didn’t instruct, such an act is invalid, even though the phrase is true.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ never designated the night of 15th Sha'ban for special worship. To independently designate such a night for religious acts is an innovation (bid‘ah), as it was neither ordered nor practiced by the Prophet ﷺ.
➏ Sixth Misconception: Mention of 15th Sha'ban in the Qur’an
Misconception:
The phrase "laylah mubārakah" (blessed night) in the opening verses of Sūrat al-Dukhān refers to the 15th night of Sha'ban.
Response:
The "blessed night" mentioned in Sūrat al-Dukhān is the night on which the Qur’an was revealed. According to Sūrat al-Baqarah and Sūrat al-Qadr, the Qur’an was revealed on Laylat al-Qadr, which occurs in Ramadan, specifically in the last ten nights, not in Sha'ban.
The majority of Qur'anic commentators (mufassirīn) interpret "laylah mubārakah" as Laylat al-Qadr, and this interpretation aligns with both the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.
وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلصَّوَابِ
And Allah knows best what is correct.
