Month
Of Sha'aban (Watan Sha'aban - As In Hausa Language)
06 July 2010By Hassan M.D Chiranchi
All praise is due to Allah, the creator of the
universe, the controller of all affairs, and peace and
blessings be upon to His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
No doubt that 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 (S.A.W.).
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(Alkur’ani) and the Sunnah(teaching) of
the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
Sha’aban(watan Sha’aban) is a month of good that
introduces the great month of Ramadan. The Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.W.) was keen(interest) on fasting in the
month of Sha`aban(watan Sha’aban) more than he was in
other months. `Nana A'ishah ( R.A.) reported that the
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) never fasted for a whole
month except in Ramadan. This refutes what some people
do; observing fast for three consecutive months:
Rajab, Sha`aban and Ramadan, followed by six 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) usually observed
fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and three days of
each month may be fasted at the beginning of the
month, in the middle or at the end, and may be done
separately or consecutively, but it is better to fast
on the “AYYAMUL-BEED”, which are the days on which the
moon is full, namely the 13th, 14th and 15th of each
lunar month.
Hadith from Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be
pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
said, "Observing Saum (fasting) on three days of every
month is equivalent to a full month's fasting.'' [Al-Bukhari
and Muslim].
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) some times used to fast
every alternate day, following the pattern of Prophet
Dawud(Dauda) (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 Muhammad (S.A.W.) used to observe fasting
in Sha`aban 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`aban 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.
Fasting in the second part of the month of Sha`aban 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 Hurairah (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`aban, 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`aban 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(ayi
Azumi yau gobe a huta), 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`aban 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`aban, 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`aban 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 An-Nawawi has a
chapter entitled: “On the prohibition on anticipating
Ramadan by fasting after halfway through Sha`aban,
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”.
The late prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ibn Baz was
asked about the hadith which says that fasting after
halfway through Sha`aban is not allowed, and he said:
This is an authentic hadith as Sheikh Nasir Ad-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 Ash-Shaykh
Ibn Baz 15/385).
Moreover, the prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen said in his commentary on Riyadh As-Saliheen
(3/394):
Generally speaking, we would like to stress that Qiyam
Al-Layl (Night Vigil Prayer) is an act of Sunnah
offered on all the nights of the year. As for the
Tarawih Prayer, it is an act of Sunnah peculiar to the
month of Ramadan to be offered starting from the first
night of Ramadan. Regarding offering the Tarawih
Prayer on the night of the 30th of Sha`aban or laylat
ash-shak, on which people expect to sight the crescent
of Ramadan, generally, Muslims may not offer it until
they make sure the crescent has been sighted.
If astronomers have sighted the crescent moon of
Ramadan on that night, people can offer the Tarawih
Prayer. If not, there is no Tarawih Prayer to be
offered. People may, instead, offer Qiyam Al-Layl,
which is a Sunnah throughout the year.
WASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHAMTULLAHI WABARAKATUHU
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