Demolishing the Misconstructions

Succinct evidences proving the authenticity of Nisf Shaban

I. Shafi H. Ahmad

Contents
Demolition 1 .......................................................................................................... 2 Ibn Taymiyyah refutes Ibn Baaz .......................................................................... 2 Demolition 2 .......................................................................................................... 2 The Salaf considered it a virtuous night .............................................................. 2 Demolition 3 .......................................................................................................... 2 The Student of Ibn Taymiyyah ............................................................................ 2 Demolition 4 .......................................................................................................... 3 Evidence from the Holy Quran ........................................................................... 3 Demolition 5 .......................................................................................................... 4 Ibn Taymiyyah an Innovator according to Ibn Baaz? ........................................... 4 Demolition 6 .......................................................................................................... 4 Approval of Hafiz ibn Rajab ................................................................................. 4 Demolition 7 .......................................................................................................... 5 The Salaf vs. Ibn Baaz & Salih al-Munajjid ........................................................... 5 Building upon firm foundations ............................................................................. 5 The way of the Salaf............................................................................................ 5 Advice from Hafiz Ibn Rajab ................................................................................ 6

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Demolition 1
Ibn Taymiyyah refutes Ibn Baaz Ibn Taymiyyah says in Iqtida Sirat al-Mustaqim1 "indeed there have been narrated such Ahadith Marfooah2 that necessitate that it is a virtuous night3 and that from the pious predecessors (salaf) there are those who would specify this night with prayer in it4 and as for the fasting of the month of Sha'baan, Sahih Ahadith have come concerning it."

Demolition 2
The Salaf considered it a virtuous night Ibn Taymiyyah says in Iqtida Sirat al-Mustaqim regarding the middle night of Sha'ban: "But a lot of the people of knowledge or most of them5 from amongst our companions and other than them hold the opinion of its superior virtuosity and the statements of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal indicate upon that due to the numerous Ahadith related concerning it and that which affirms that from the narrations of the Salaf and some of its virtues are related in the masaaneed and the Sunan books of Ahadith.

Demolition 3
The Student of Ibn Taymiyyah Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah the student of Ibn Taymiyyah says in Kitaab al-Rooh6

Volume 2, pg 136-137 Hadith whose chain ends with the Prophet 3 laylatun mufaddalatun 4 minas salafi man kaana yakhussuhu bis salaati feehaa 5 katheerun min ahlil ilm aw aktharuhum 6 Olume 1, pg91
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Imam Malik said: 'It has reached me that the soul is released and it goes where it wishes."" In the Musannaf of Ibn abi Shaybah in 'Kitaab alZuhd' 7 from Abdullah bin Amr that he said: ""When believer dies he is released and goes where he wishes and Allah Knows Best" Amir ul Mu'minin fil Hadith Imam Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak also narrates hadith in Kitaab al-Zuhd8. al-Hafiz al-Bayhaqi relates in Shu'b al-Eemaan9: "The Sahabi Abdullah ibn Salam asked the Sahabi Salmaan al-Faarisi: 'Do the living and dead meet. He replied: 'Yes, as for the believers their souls are in Jannah and they go where they wish.

this

Demolition 4
Evidence from the Holy Quran Some of the Mufassireen considered Surah al-Dukhaan Therein every affair of wisdom is divided"10 to be concerning the night of mid sha'baan . Al-Hafiz ibn Rajab says in his Tafsir11: "It has been related from Ikrimah and other than him from the Mufassireen that the statement of Allah Ta'ala: "therein every affair of wisdom is divided" that it is the night of the middle of Sha'ban." He also relates: "Ata' ibn Yasaar said: 'When it is the middle night of Sha'baan the Angel of Death is given a scroll and it is said: 'take the soul of whosoever is in this scroll. So a slave sows a plantation and marries and builds dwellings and his name

Hadith 16571 'baabun fee talab al-halaal' hadith 597 9 baab al-Tawakkul hadith 1293 10 Ayah 4 11 Volume 2, pg 245
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is transcribed amongst those who are to die and the Angel of Death only awaits the command to take his soul."

Demolition 5
Ibn Taymiyyah an Innovator according to Ibn Baaz? Ibn Taymiyyah says in answer to a question in "al-fataawaa al-kubraa" 12 QUESTION: Concerning the prayer of mid sha'baan? ANSWER: "If a person prayed individually in the night of mid-sha'baan or in a specific congregation as groups from the pious predecessors used to do then that is best13. As for gathering in the masjid for a particular fixed prayer like congregating upon 100 raka'aat with the continuous recital of Surah al-ikhlaas 1000 times then that is a bid'ah which none of the Imams considered preferable and Allah Knows Best.

Demolition 6
Approval of Hafiz ibn Rajab Al-Hafiz ibn Rajab al-Hanbali approves the fast of the middle night of Sha'ban in Lataa'if al-Ma'aarif14 despite deeming the hadith as weak: "As for fasting the day of mid-sha'baan then it is not prohibited as it is from the white days (13th, 14th, 15th) whose fasting is recommended from every month and there has come a command to fast the 15th of Sha'baan in particular in the Sunan of ibn Majah with a weak chain from Ali from the Prophet

: "When it is the night of mid-sha'ban spend its night in worship and fast its
day." He then states: "The taabi'een15 from the people of Shaam like Khaalid bin
volume 2 pg 262 [222-138]: fa huwa ahsan 14 Page 136 15 Successors to the Sahaba
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Ma'daan and Mak-hool and Luqman bin Aamir and other than them would revere the night of mid-Sha'baan and strive in worship in it.

Demolition 7
The Salaf vs. Ibn Baaz & Salih al-Munajjid Al-Hafizh ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentions in Lataa'if alMa'aarif 16" The Tabiin Khaalid bin Ma'daan, Luqmaan bin Aamir and other than them would wear their best clothes on the night of mid-Sha'baan, perfume themselves, apply kuhl and observe that night in ibaadah and Is-haaq ibn Raahawayh concurred with them upon that and said regarding the gathering to observe the night in the Masjids: 'It is not a bid'ah (laysah bi bid'atin)', Harb alKirmaani related that from him in his Masaa'il. An amazing occurrence befalls the Imaam of Hadeeth! al-Hafizh al-Dhahabi relates in Tadhkiratul Huffaaz: "Al-Imam al-Bukhari related that:' Is-haaq ibn Raahawayh passed away on the night of mid-sha'baan 238 A.H

Building upon firm foundations

The way of the Salaf A-Hafiz ibn Rajab says in Lataa'if al-Ma'aarif17 Al-Imaam al-Shafi'i said: 'It has reached us that du'a is answered in 5 nights: the nights of jumu'ah, the two eids, the first of Rajab and midSha'baan."

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Advice from Hafiz Ibn Rajab It is necessary for a believer in that night that he free himself up for the dhikr of Allah and du'a for forgiveness of sins and covering of faults and lifting of anxieties and that he present before that repentance because Allah accepts repentance in that night from he who repents and it is incumbent upon a Muslim that he avoid those sins which prevent forgiveness and the acceptance of du'a in that night."

The night of mid-Sha'baan will begin Sunday (23/06/2013) after Maghrib and the fast will be on Monday Luton Sunni Movement Strong Foundations for the Future

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