Today Date:Friday September 9th,2005=Shaban 5 1426.

'That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadaan, 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.'-Prophet Muhammad(on whom be the peace and blessing of Allah) (Narrated by al-Nasaa'i, see Saheeh al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb, page 425).

Fasting in Shaban

Muslims are urged to strive hard in getting close to Allah with all forms of acts of worship; they should take that as a top priority. However, they are instructed that whatever they do, they should not deviate from the teachings and principles set by the noble Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He has set for us a shinning model that we should follow in order to keep firm on the right path. Therefore it's very important for a committed Muslim to make sure that his acts of worship have basis both in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

This point is the theme of the following fatwa issued by the prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was keen on fasting in the month of Sha`ban more than he was in other months. `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never fasted for a whole month except in Ramadan. This refutes what some people do; observing fast for three consecutive months: Rajab, Sha`ban and Ramadan, followed by six days of Shawwal, which they call the White Days of Shawwal. That is, they start fasting at the beginning of Rajab until the seventh of Shawwal, leaving nothing but the Day of `Eidul-Fitr. Neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) nor his Companions or even their successors were reported to have done so.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast some days of every month. `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sometimes would observe fasting continuously, to the extent that his Companions thought he would never break fast, and in other times he would refrain from fasting to the extent that they thought he would never fast again.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) usually observed fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and three days of each month (the 13th , 14th and 15th). He sometimes used to fast every alternate day, following the pattern of Prophet Dawud(David) (peace be upon him). He even made this clear: "The best way of fasting in Allah's sight is that of Dawud, who used to observe fasting every alternate day."

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to observe fasting in Sha`ban more than he did in other months. This was a kind of self-preparation for the coming of Ramadan; that is, to act as some sort of girding oneself for Ramadan. But there are no textual evidence that there are specific days in Sha`ban in which fasting is commendable. It is, by and large, impermissible for one to prefer certain days to observe voluntary fasting or certain nights to perform Night Prayers, lacking any juristic basis for that action. Religious acts are not left for man's whims. Rather, they are subject to Divine legislation. Thus, specifying certain times and places for worship and the description of different acts of worship are the matters of the Divine, not that of human.

Fasting on the 15th Shaban.

The month of Sha`ban is a beloved month for Muslims, for it precedes the month of Ramadan. In addition, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have observed optional fasting in this month more than in any other month. 

Shedding light on the question "whether is allowed to specify the 15th of Sha`ban with some acts of worship or not", the Saudi eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh ibn Fowzaan, states the following: 

Nothing firm and reliable has been established on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that he held nigh vigil prayer and fasted during the day of the 15th of Sha`ban. So, the night of the 15th of Sha`ban is like any other night, and if someone regularly observes acts of worship during other nights, then he may hold night vigil prayer on this night without assuming anything special (because of it being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban). 

This is because specifying a time for any act of worship requires an authentic proof, so if there is no authentic proof then the act is regarded as an innovation and all innovations are misguidance. Likewise, regarding specifically fasting during the 15th day of Sha`ban, then no (authentic) proof has been established on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to indicate the legality of fasting on that particular day.

Tackling the same issue, the well-known Saudi scholar, Sheikh ibn `Uthaymeen, adds: 

What is correct is that fasting on the 15th of Sha`ban or specifying it with reciting (the Qur'an) or making (particular) supplications on that day has no basis. So that day is like any other 15th day of other months. Something that is clear is that it has been made permissible for a person to fast on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every month. However, Sha`ban is somehow special (except for Ramadan) in the sense that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast more in the month of Sha`ban than any other month. So he used to either fast all of Sha`ban or just a little. 

Therefore, as long as it does not involve any hardship, one can increase his fasting days during Sha`ban, emulating the example of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Celebrating on the 15th Shaban.

In the hadith reported by Imam At-Tabarani, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: "Truly, there are nafahat (blessed seasons or days) in which your Lord vouchsafes plentiful mercy. So, make sure that you make the best use of such seasons!" A true believer should purify himself from the fleshly inclinations and the earthly desires and make his aspirations so high and beseech Allah for mercy in such blessed seasons which witness the abundant mercy of Allah. One point here to be stressed is that a true Muslim should consider his whole life a long-term season of obedience so as to show gratitude to the everlasting blessing of Allah. 

Discussing this issue,Dr. Muzzamil Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following: 

The month of Sha`ban is the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fifteenth night of this month is known as laylatul-bara'ah (The Night of Innocence) or laylat un-nisfe min Sha`ban (the Middle Night of Sha`ban) in the Arab world. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, etc., it is known as shab-e-barat. Some people believe that in Surat Ad-Dukhan (44:3-4) there is a reference to this night as Allah says, "We sent it (the Qur'an) down during a blessed night. We are truly Warners. In that night is made distinct every affair of wisdom." But the night referred to here cannot be a Sha`ban night because it is said here clearly that the Qur'an was revealed in this night. We know from the Surat Al-Qadr (97) that the Qur'an was revealed in the Night of Qadr and we also know from the Qur'an (Al-Baqarah 2:185) that the Qur'an was revealed in the month of Ramadan. So it is obvious that the night of the revelation of the Qur'an was in Ramadan, not Sha`ban, and that it was laylat ul-qadr (The Night of Power) not shab-e-barat. 

Some people also say that in the 2nd year of Hijrah, the direction of the Qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to the Ka`bah in Makkah on the 15th day of Sha`ban. This report is also not confirmed by authentic hadiths. According to most of the exegetes, the Qur'an has not mentioned anything about the Sha`ban night. 

There are some hadiths that speak about the Middle of Sha`ban and its night. However, the scholars of hadith say that most of the hadiths concerning this night are not authentic. They are weak (da`if) according to the criteria of the narrators and scholars of hadith. Imam Al-Mundhiri (died in 656 A.H.) in his famous book At-Targhib wat-Tarhib (vol. 2, pp. 116-120) reported fourteen hadiths on the subject of this night. The following points can be summarized from those hadiths: 


1. The month of Sha`ban is a great month. 

2. In this month Allah takes the account of His creation. 

3. Because this month occurs between two other important months, viz. Rajab and Ramadan, many people do not pay enough attention to it. 

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) loved to fast during this month. He used to fast most of the month of Sha`ban. 

5. After sunset on the night of Middle of Sha`ban, Allah in His great mercy and kindness turns towards His creation and asks, "Is there anyone who would seek My forgiveness and I forgive him (or her)? Is there anyone who is in need to ask Me and I provide for his (or her) needs. Is there anyone who is in pain and seeks My help and I help him (or her)? Is there.? Is there.?" until the time of Dawn." 

6. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is said to have recommended prayers during this night and fasting during the following day. 

7. It reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit the Muslim cemetery on this evening and he used to pray for the deceased Muslims. 


These are the things that we learn from some hadiths about the significance of this night. However, there are many practices and customs common in some Muslim countries, such as making a sweet dish, setting off fireworks, etc. These things have no meaning and no reference in hadiths. There are also some superstitious beliefs about this night. For example, some people believe that the spirits of the deceased visit their relatives during this night. Some believe that there is a special tree in Heaven upon whose leaves are the names of all human beings, and whatever leaves drop during this night, those people are destined to die in this year. Some think that the decisions about the life and death of people are made during this night. All these beliefs and superstitions do not belong to the authentic teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. 


We must try to follow the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah of the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is our duty as Muslims to take advantage of all good occasions to revive our faith, to purify our souls, and to increase our love and devotion to Allah (glory be to Him), but we must follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). We must not do anything in our celebrations that is against his teachings." 

Fasting after the middle of Shaban.

Fasting in the second part of the month of Sha`ban is a controversial issue among Muslim jurists. According to the Hanbali School, it is makruh (disliked). For the Shafi`i School, it is haram (forbidden). The majority of Muslim jurists state that it is permissible. Hence, it is better for the person to avoid fasting in the second half of the month of Sha`ban unless the person himself is accustomed to fast regular days such as Mondays and Thursdays of every week, or when a person is obliged to make up for missed days of Ramadan before the new Ramadan begins. 

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Sha`ban is half over, do not fast." (Classed as authentic by al-Albani) 

This hadith indicates that it is not allowed to fast after halfway through Sha`ban, i.e., starting from the sixteenth day of the month. 

However, there are reports which indicate that it is permissible to fast at this time. For example: 

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not anticipate Ramadan by fasting one or two days before it begins, but if a man habitually fasts, then let him fast." (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) 

This indicates that fasting after halfway through Sha`ban is permissible for someone who has the habit of fasting, such as a person who regularly fasts on Mondays and Thursdays, or who fasts alternate days, and the like. 

'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) "used to fast all of Sha`ban and he used to fast Sha`ban except a few days." (Reported by Muslim) 

Imam An-Nawawi said: In the words, "He used to fast all of Sha`ban, and he used to fast Sha'ban except a few days" the second phrase explains the first, and indicates that the word "all" means "most of". 

The above hadith indicates that it is permissible to fast after halfway through Sha`ban, but only for those who are continuing after fasting in the first half of the month. The Shafi`i School followed all of these hadiths and said: 

It is not permissible to fast after halfway through Sha`ban except for those who have a habitual pattern of fasting, or who are continuing after fasting before halfway through the month. 

According to some scholars, the prohibition here means that it is haram. (See Al-Majmoo`, 6/399-400; Fath al-Bari 4/129) 

Some, such as al-Ruyani, suggested that the prohibition here is to be understood as meaning that it is makruh but not haram. 

In Riyadh As-Saliheen (p. 412): Imam al-Nawai has a chapter entitled: "On the prohibition on anticipating Ramadan by fasting after halfway through Sha`ban, except for one who is continuing after fasting before halfway through the month or who has a regular pattern of fasting such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays". 

Some scholars are of the view that the hadith which forbids fasting after halfway through Sha`ban is weak, and based on that they said that it is not makruh to fast after halfway through Sha`ban. 

Al-Hafiz said: The majority of scholars said that it is permissible to observe voluntary fasts after halfway through Sha`ban and they regarded the hadith concerning that as weak. Also, among those who classed it as weak were Al-Bayhaqi and At-Tahhawi. 

Ibn Qudamah said in Al-Mughni that Imam Ahmad said concerning this hadith: "It is not sound. We asked `Abd al-Rahman Ibn Mahdi about it and he did not class it as authentic, and he did not narrate it to me. He used to avoid talking about this hadith. 

Ibn Al-Qayyim said: "With regard to those who think that there is a contradiction between this hadith and the hadiths which speak of fasting in Sha`ban, there is no contradiction. Those hadiths speak of fasting half of it along with the previous half, and of habitual fasting during the second half of the month, whereas the hadith speaks of the prohibition of fasting deliberately only after the month is halfway over, not about fasts that a person observes regularly or that are a continuation after fasting during the first part of the month. 

The late prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ibn Baz was asked about the hadith which says that fasting after halfway through Sha`ban is not allowed, and he said: 


This is an authentic hadith as Sheikh Nasir al-Deen al-Albani said. What is meant is that it is not allowed to start fasting after halfway through the month. But if a person fasts most or all of the month, then he is following the Sunnah. (Majmoo` Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baz 15/385). 

Moreover, the prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in his commentary on Riyadh al-Saliheen (3/394): 


Even if the hadith is authentic, the prohibition in it does not mean that this is haram, rather it is simply makruh, as some of the scholars have understood it to mean so. But whoever has the habit of fasting regularly should fast, even if it is after halfway through Sha`ban.

Dalay in making up lost Fasts.

Question : 

One year I did not fast the days when I had my monthly period, and I have not been able to fast them until now. Many years have gone by and I want to make up the fasts that I owe, but I do not know how many days I have to make up. What should I do?.


Answer : 

Praise be to Allaah. 

You have to do three things: 

1 - You have to repent to Allaah for this delay, and regret your past negligence; you must also resolve not to do such a thing again, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

"And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful"

[al-Noor 24:31] 

This delay is a sin, so it is essential to repent to Allaah from that. 

2 - You must hasten to fast the number of days you think you missed, and (remember that) Allaah does not burden any person beyond his scope. However many days you think you missed, you have to fast that number of days. So if you think that it was ten days, then fast for ten days; if you think that it was more or less than that, fast as many days as you think, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

"Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope"

[al-Baqarah 2:286] 

"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"

[al-Taghaabun 64:16] 

3 - Feed one poor person for each day if you can afford to do that, even if you give it all to one poor person. But if you are poor and cannot feed another person, then you do not have to do anything apart from fasting and repenting. 

What is meant by feeding a poor person here is giving half a saa' of the local staple food for each day; half a saa' is equivalent to one and a half kilograms. 

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