Reaping Allah’s bounty in Sha’aban
It is mentioned in the book, Tuhfat al-Ikhwan, narrated from Ata’ ibn Yasir (as), that “….there is no night better after the night of Qadr than the 15th night of Sha’aban”. This is a night in which the Ummah of the earth are offered special Divine mercy and exhorted to send their salaams and blessings upon the […]
It is mentioned in the book, Tuhfat al-Ikhwan, narrated from Ata’ ibn Yasir (as), that “….there is no night better after the night of Qadr than the 15th night of Sha’aban”. This is a night in which the Ummah of the earth are offered special Divine mercy and exhorted to send their salaams and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) with renewed and greater commitment. “Verily Allah and His Angels send blessings upon the Prophet. Oh you who believe! Send your prayers and blessings upon him and salute him well!” – Ahzab.
Sha’aban is also called the month of the Prophet (pbuh). The prophet (pbuh) is reported in authentic hadith as saying, “Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha’aban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of the Qu’ran.”
Sha’aban is the only month that is almost entirely fasted by the Prophet (pbuh). Ummul Mu’mineen, A’isha (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to fast until we thought he would never break his fast, and not fast until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Sha’aban.” – Bukhari and Muslim.
Ibn al-Mubarak and other Islamic scholars said that the Prophet (pbuh) did not fast all of Sha’aban, but that he fasted most of it. This is supported by the report above narrated from “A’isha (ra) that the “Prophet Muhammad used to fast for most of Sha’aban. I said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, is Sha’aban your 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,’ “ she was also reported to have said.
“I never knew of him” (meaning the Holy Prophet, “fasting for any entire month apart from Ramadan,” A’isha (ra) said in another report.
Similarly, Usamah ibn Zayd (as) reported that: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha’aban.” The Messenger of Allah said, “That is a month to which people do not pay attention; between Rajab and Ramadan; and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the Worlds. I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.” – al-Nasaa’i.
It should however be noted that the fasts of Sha’aban are voluntary and for people that are capable of observing them without suffering setback when the obligatory Ramadan fast which is just around the corner. Scholars agree that where someone is afraid that if he fasts in Sha’aban it will affect his capability or strength to observe the fasts of Ramadan, he should forego the fast in Sha’aban. This is because it is the Ramadan fast that is obligatory and therefore more important compared to the optional fasts in the month of Sha’aban.
Redoubling effort in acts of worship of Allah (swt) – recitation of the Holy Qur’an, supererogatory prayers in addition to fasts in the month are highly recommended for Muslims, as acts of worship in the meritorious month are highly profitable.
Allah (swt) says that He has created both men and Jinns only that they may worship and serve Him (al-Dhariyat). Muslims should seize the opportunity of the meritorious month to rededicate themselves; strive to remain faithful and loyal to Allah so as to reap from the bounty that belong to Him alone and which He alone disburses. So hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of God.
(Quran 3:103).
Many scholars recommend special worshiping during the night of 15th of the month based on the Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) which states that in that night, Allah (swt) will proclaim: “is there any person repenting so that I forgive him, and any person seeking provision so that I provide for him, and any person with distress so that I relieve him, and so on until dawn.” – Ibn Majah.
The second 10 days of Sha’aban are preferred over other months due to the 15th night, the night in which the provisions of created beings are allotted.
It is also reported in Tuhfat al-Ikhwan that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Verily Allah forgives all of the believers on this night, except the fornicator, the one who drinks alcohol and the one disobedient to his/her parents”. Similar ahhadith show that this list also includes those who associate partners with Allah (swt) and those who break family ties of kinship amongst others.
Some scholars recommend that 100 raka’s of voluntary prayer (nafl), among others, but which are considered as innovation as they have no basis in Shari’a.
It is therefore more preferable to engage in salat al-tasbih as was taught by the Prophet (pbuh) to his uncle ‘Abbas.