Selected authentic narrations from the book at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (Encouragement of Right and Discouragement of Wrong), by al-Munthiree
along with brief explanatory notes
الترغيبُ في صومِ شعبانَ، وما جاء في صيام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم له، وفضلِ ليلةِ نصفِه
[9.08] Encouragement of optional fasting during the month of Sha‘baan, as well as what was narrated about the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fasting during it, and what was narrated about the virtue of its middle night
[1481] عن أسامةَ بنِ زيد رضي الله عنهما قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، لم أَرَكَ تصوم من شهرٍ من الشهور ما تصوم من شعبانَ؟ قال: ذاك شهرٌ يغفُل الناس عنه، بين رجبٍ ورمضانَ، وهو شهر تُرفَع فيه الأعمالُ إلى رب العالمين، وأُحِب أن يُرفَع عملي وأنا صائم.
[1481] Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with both of them) narrated: I had once said, “Messenger of Allaah, I have not seen you fast in any other month as much as you fast in Sha‘baan. Why is that?” He replied, “It is a month that many people are heedless of. It falls between Rajab and Ramadaan{1}. It is a month in which people’s deeds are raised to the Lord of all creation and, due to that, I desire for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting.{2}
Notes:
{1} Some scholars have mentioned this implies that people perform many prescribed acts of worship in Rajab (one of the four inviolable months) and in Ramadaan (the month of obligatory fasting which is a pillar of Islaam), but they do not give the same degree of attention to performing prescribed acts of worship in Sha‘baan, which is the month that falls between those two. (See Thakheerah al-‘Uqbaa, 21/268).
{2} In other words, since it is a time when deeds are raised to Allaah, a person should ensure that his deeds during it are righteous ones, especially fasting which is one of the most virtuous deeds. (ibid.)
\End of notes.
[1482] عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم ولا يُفطِر حتى نقول: ما في نفْس رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يُفطِر العامَ، ثم يُفطِرُ فلا يصوم حتى نقول: ما في نفْسه أن يصوم العامَ، وكان أَحَبُّ الصومِ إليه في شعبانَ.
[1482] Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: There were times when Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) would fast to such an extent that we would say it appears that Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) does not intend to refrain from fasting this year, and then there were also times when he would refrain from fasting to such an extent that we would say it appears that he does not intend to fast this year{1}. Additionally, the most beloved fasting to him was during Sha‘baan.
Notes:
{1} This may have been due to circumstances that kept Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) occupied at certain times and not at others. Consequently, there were times when he fasted optional fasts for many consecutive days, and others when he did not fast for many consecutive days. (See Subul as-Salaam, 4/129, 3rd ed. Hallaaq).
\End of notes.
[1485a] وعن [عائشةَ رضي الله عنها] قالت: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم حتى نقول: لا يُفطِر، ويفطر حتى نقول: لا يصوم. وما رأيتُ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم استكمل صيامَ شهرٍ قطُّ إلا شهرَ رمضانَ، وما رأيتُه في شهرٍ أكثرَ صيامًا منه في شعبانَ.
[1485a] [‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] said: There were times when Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) would fast to such an extent that we would say he does not go a day without fasting, and there were times when he would not fast to such an extent that we would say he does not fast at all. Furthermore, I never saw Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fast all the days of any month in its entirety except Ramadaan, and I never saw him fast in any other month more than he did in Sha‘baan.”
[al-Munthiree added that another narration of the hadeeth mentions that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] stated:
[1485b] ما رأيتُ النبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم في شهرٍ أكثرَ صيامًا منه في شعبانَ، كان يصومه إلا قليلًا، بل كان يصومه كلَّه.
[1485b] I did not see the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fast in any other month more than he did in Sha‘baan. He would fast all but a little of it. In fact, he would fast all of it.”{1}
Notes:
{1} After taking the various narrations of this hadeeth into consideration – some of which are coming up in this same section – scholars provided a few explanations for this phrase. One explanation is that there were some years when the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) would fast all of Sha‘baan and other years when he would fast all but a little of Sha‘baan, so that no one would mistakenly presume that fasting Sha‘baan was an obligation. A second explanation is that the phrase “he would fast all of it” means there were times when he fasted the beginning of Sha‘baan, others when he fasted its middle, and others when he fasted its conclusion; and there were no particular portions of the month that he specifically designated for fasting. A third explanation is that the phrase “he would fast all of it” was used to emphasize and intensify the phrase “all but a little of it” which came before it in the hadeeth. (See Fath al-Baaree, no. 1970; Tuhfah al-Ahwathee, no. 737; Thakheerah al-‘Uqbaa, 21/264).
\End of notes.
[al-Munthiree added that another narration of the hadeeth mentions that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] stated:
[1485c] كان أَحَبَّ الشهورِ إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يصومه شعبانُ، ثم يَصِلُهُ برمضانَ.
[1485c] Out of all the months, the one which Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) loved to fast most was Sha‘baan, and he would then join that with Ramadaan.{1}
Notes:
{1} As preceded, when the various narrations of the hadeeth are given consideration altogether, this one is understood to mean that there were times when the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fasted Sha‘baan in its entirety and then started fasting Ramadaan immediately afterwards, and there were also times when he fasted most of Sha‘baan and there would have been an intermission between the end of his fasting in Sha‘baan and the beginning of Ramadaan, and Allaah knows best. (See Thakheerah al-‘Uqbaa, 21/264; Murshid Thawil-Hijaa, 10/43).
\End of notes.
[al-Munthiree added that another narration of the hadeeth mentions that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] stated:
[1485d] لم يكن رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لشهرٍ أكثرَ صيامًا منه لِشعبانَ. كان يصومه، أو عامَّتَهُ.
[1485d] Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) did not fast in any other month more than he did in Sha‘baan. He would fast all of it or most of it.
[al-Munthiree added that another narration of the hadeeth mentions that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] stated:
[1485e] لم يَكُنِ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم شهرًا أكثرَ من شعبانَ، فإنه كان يصوم شعبان كلَّه، وكان يقول: خُذوا من العمل ما تُطِيقُون، فإن الله لا يَمَلُّ حتى تَمَلُّوا. وكان أَحَبَّ الصلاةِ إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ما دُووِمَ عليه وإن قلَّت. وكان إذا صلى صلاةً داوَمَ عليها.
[1485e] The Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) did not fast any month more than Sha‘baan. He would fast all of Sha‘baan{1} and he used to say, “You must perform the deeds which you are able to perform since Allaah certainly does not become fatigued whereas you are the ones who become fatigued.”{2} In addition, the most beloved of prayers to the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) were the ones that were performed consistently, even if relatively few; and if he performed any optional prayer, he would make that a consistent practice.{3}
Notes:
{1} As preceded, this can be understood to mean that is what the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) did in some years but not others, or that he fasted in all parts of the month over various years, or that the meaning intended is all but a little of the month.
{2} See al-Bahr al-Muheet ath-Thajjaaj, 16/177.
{3} Scholars have pointed out that the example of the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) in performing acts of worship such as the ones mentioned should be emulated by those who are actually able to do these things; and that if a person exhausts himself by any optional act of worship, it is feared that he would become fatigued and then forsake that act. However, remaining consistent in performing relatively few optional acts of worship is better than exhausting oneself with many of them for a short time and then stopping altogether. (See Fath al-Baaree, no. 1970).
Additionally (see Lataa’if al-Ma‘aarif, pg. 169-170), some scholars have pointed out that the best optional fasting is that in which an individual does not make his body too weak to perform duties that are more virtuous than such fasting. Those duties include [1] fulfilling the rights of Allaah which He has obligated us to fulfil, as well as [2] fulfilling the rights of Allaah’s servants which He has obligated us to fulfil. If optional fasting renders an individual too weak to fulfil those duties, it is more virtuous for him to refrain from optional fasts.
Regarding [1] Allaah’s rights, that concept applies if optional fasting makes the person too weak to properly perform obligatory prayers, remain obedient to Allaah in general, or attain knowledge of Islaam that he is required to have. In fact, the Four Imaams (i.e. four among the most prominent scholars of the laws prescribed by Islaam’s teachings) stated that acquiring knowledge of Islaam is more virtuous than optional prayers. Furthermore, prayers hold more virtues than optional fasting, and this implies that acquiring and imparting knowledge of Islaam hold more virtue than optional fasting. This can also be understood from the fact that knowledge of Islaam is the light that enables a person to see through the darkness of ignorance and disobedient inclinations, and if a person tries to proceed along his course to Allaah without the light he needs, he would not be able to avoid various pitfalls that would obstruct him from moving forward.
Regarding [2] the rights of Allaah’s servants, if optional fasting makes a person too weak to provide for his dependants or fulfil the rights of his spouse, it would be more virtuous for him to fulfil those duties rather than fast optional fasts.
\End of notes.
[1486a] وعن أم سلمة رضي الله عنها قالت: ما رأيتُ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم شهرَينِ متتابِعَينِ إلا شعبانَ ورمضانَ.
[1486a] Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I did not see Allaah’s Messenger (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fast any two months consecutively except for Sha‘baan and Ramadaan.
[al-Munthiree added that another narration of the hadeeth mentions that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her)] stated:
[1486b] لم يكنِ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم في السَّنَةِ شهرًا تامًّا إلا شعبانَ، كان يَصِلُهُ برمضانَ.
[1486b] The Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) did not fast any month of the year in its entirety except for Sha‘baan. He would join that with Ramadaan.{1}.
Notes:
{1} The same explanations offered for the narrations of the previous hadeeth from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) apply to this hadeeth as well from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her).
\End of notes.
[1487] وعن مُعاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ رضي الله عنه عن النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: يَطَّلِعُ اللهُ إلى جميع خَلْقه ليلةَ النصفِ من شعبانَ فيَغْفِرُ لجميع خَلْقه إلا لِمُشْرِكٍ أو مُشَاحِنٍ.
[1487] Mu‘aath ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) said, “On the middle night of Sha‘baan, Allaah looks at all of His creatures, and He forgives all of His creatures except for any person who commits shirk (i.e. worships others besides Allaah) and any person who has hostilities with others for no legitimate reason.”{1}
\Notes:
{1} In other words, those who would attain Allaah’s forgiveness are the people who commit sins but also acknowledge their wrongdoing, repent to Allaah, seek His forgiveness, and avoid doing things that obstruct them from attaining His forgiveness and prevent their supplications from being accepted. (See Lataa’if al-Ma‘aarif, pg. 190-191; Mirqaah al-Mafaateeh, 3/975. See also Sunan ibn Maajah, no. 1390; at-Tanweer, 3/344; Murshid Thawil-Hijaa 8/366).
\End of notes.
Discussion/Review for Section 9.08:
Q1 What type of fasting is being encouraged in this section as it relates to the month of Sha‘baan?
Q2 Where does Sha‘baan come in the sequence of lunar months?
Q3 What have some scholars mentioned about people’s heedlessness towards worship prescribed in Sha‘baan versus the months immediately before and after it, and what is the significance of those other months in Islaam?
Q4 What reason did the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) give for fasting more optional fasts in Sha‘baan than any other month of the lunar year?
Q5 How have some scholars explained the fact that the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) would sometimes fast optional fasts for many consecutive days, and also sometimes refrain for many consecutive days?
Q6 What are three of the ways in which scholars have reconciled between ahaadeeth which mention that the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) fasted all of Sha‘baan and others which mention he fasted most of it?
Q7 What optional fasting was most beloved to the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection)?
Q8 What optional prayers were most beloved to the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection)?
Q9 What instruction did the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) give regarding performing optional acts of worship?
Q10 According to the explanation given by scholars of Islaam, when should a person seek to emulate the example of the Prophet (may Allaah mention him with commendation and grant him protection) in optional acts of worship like the ones mentioned in this section, and why is that?
Q11 What have some scholars pointed out about the best type of optional fasting for an individual based on his circumstances?
Q12 What are some examples of duties towards Allaah that one must not neglect due to optional acts of worship?
Q13 What are some examples of duties towards Allaah’s servants that one must not neglect due to optional acts of worship?
Q14 What authentic hadeeth was cited about the middle night of Sha‘baan?
Q15 Were any authentic ahaadeeth cited about any particular acts of worship to be performed specifically on the middle night of Sha‘baan?