Name: Abdullah
Title: Sha`ban Fasting: Any Specific Days?
Question: Thanks for all your efforts and services. May Allah reward you abundantly. My question is: Are there any specific days in the month of Sha`ban in which fasting is commendable? Thanks.
Mufti: Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, thanks a lot for such an important question. May Allah Almighty bless you and we pray to have all our efforts rendered for the sake of Allah.
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 (peace and blessings be upon him). He has set for us a shinning model that we should emulate 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. `Aishah (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 (Lesser Bairam). 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. `Aishah (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’d never break fast, and in other times he would refrain from fasting to the extent that they thought he’d never fast again.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) usually observed fasting on Monday and Thursday 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 (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.
Title of Fatwa: Specifying the 15th of Sha`ban with some Acts of Worship
Date of Fatwa: 8/ October/ 2003
Date of Reply: 8/ October/ 2003
Topic Of Fatwa: `Ibadaat (Islamic Rituals)
Question of Fatwa:
Dear Sheikh, As-Salamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh. I have noticed that some Muslims specify the 15th of Sha`ban with some acts of worship such as fasting during the daytime, observing Qiaym Al-Layl (nigh vigil), reading the Glorious Qur'an, and making Du`aa'. Is this right from the Islamic perspective? Please clarify. Jazakum Allah khayran.
Name of Mufti: Group of Muftis
Content of Reply:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, we appreciate the great confidence you have in us, and we implore Allah to help us serve the cause of Islam and to render this work for His Sake.
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, was reported as having 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 eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh ibn Fowzaan, states:
"Nothing firm and reliable has been established on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he held night-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 Muslim scholar, Sheikh ibn `Uthaymeen, states:
"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 Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to fast more in 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."
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.fatwa-online.com
Allah Almighty knows best.
Title of Fatwa: Can I Keep Fasting in Rajab and Sha`ban Till Ramadan?
Date of Fatwa: 16/ September/ 2004
Date of Reply: 16/ September/ 2004
Topic Of Fatwa: `Ibadaat (Acts of Worship)
Question of Fatwa: Some people are keen on observing the fast in Rajab and Sha`ban, joining them with Ramadan. Is this permissible?
Name of Mufti: Sheikh 'Atiyyah Saqr
Content of Reply:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner! Thank you for your question and the confidence you place in our service. We pray to Allah to enable us to render this service purely for His Sake.
It goes without saying that the obligatory fast is the one in Ramadan, but perpetual fasting all through Rajab and Sha`ban and joining them with Ramadan is not recommended by some scholars. However, offering fast for some days in Rajab and Sha`ban is recommended, and earns a great reward.
Highlighting this concept, the prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, issues the following fatwa:
"Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory as well as offering fast for fulfilling a vow, or as an expiation. As for other types of fasting, they are merely recommended. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged people to offer voluntary fast in a hadith reported in the two sahihs (Authentic Collections) of both Al-Bukhari and Muslim. The hadith reads: "Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years."
Furthermore, the commendable fast is in the sacred months, of which Rajab is one, as well as in Sha`ban.
However, Ibn Hajar related that it is reprehensible to fast in Rajab carrying the intention of making it similar to Ramadan or thinking that it has a special merit pertaining to the month itself.
There are authentic hadith about the virtues of fasting in Sha`ban. Al-Bukhari reported that `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe the most fast in Sha`ban; it seemed even that the Prophet fasted throughout that month. In a narration about this, it is reported that the Prophet did that to celebrate the approaching of month of Ramadan. An-Nasa'i reported that Usama ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “I have never seen you offer fast in a month as you do in Sha`ban." The Prophet said, “It is a month people disregard that is between Rajab and Ramadan. In that month deeds are presented to the Lord of the Worlds, so I like my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.”
As for fasting perpetually or fasting in the end of Sha`ban and connecting it with Ramadan, it is not recommended to fast during that period, for in a Prophetic hadith reported by Abu Dawud, which Ash-Shafi`i based his opinion on, it is forbidden to fast in the two days before Ramadan. The group of narrators related a hadith that goes: Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "None of you should fast a day or two before the month of Ramadan unless he has the habit of observing voluntary fasting (and if his fasting coincides with that day), then he can fast that day."
There are no hadiths that render fasting Rajab and Sha`ban perpetually and linking them to Ramadan as a dispraised innovation in religion. As I said earlier, fasting in Rajab and Sha`ban is permissible. As for Rajab, it's is one of the sacred months. Regarding Sha`ban, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast in it. Nevertheless, there is advice for Muslims not to overburden themselves by fasting more than they can bear. In a hadith reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: The Prophet never fasted in any month more than in the month of Sha`ban. He used to say: “Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing righteous deeds).”
Moreover, if one continues fasting the two months consecutively although this might affect fasting in Ramadan, then one will be heedless to the above mentioned hadith. The same applies even if it was for fasting because of a vow because this will overburden one. However, fasting in Rajab and Sha`ban is allowed for the one who is able to fast without getting tired. Furthermore, if a wife wants to observe a voluntary fast, she shall take her husband’s permission. This is according to the hadith reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim: "A woman should not fast (optional fasts) except with her husband's permission if he is at home (staying with her).""
Title of Fatwa: Observing Voluntary Fasting
Date of Fatwa: 30/ August/ 2003
Date of Reply: 30/ August/ 2003
Topic Of Fatwa: Fasting
Question of Fatwa: As-Salamu `Alykum. Are there certain days to fast in the week as a Sunnah or is it a bid`ah (innovation in religion)? Some books say it is Sunnah to fast Mondays, Thursdays, and 13th, 14th, and 15th of each months. Does that mean those days are special in the week and month or holier? Could you explain this please? Jazakum Allah Khayran.
Name of Mufti: A Group of Islamic Researchers
Content of Reply:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for showing keenness on knowing the teachings of Islam, and we appreciate the great confidence you have in us. We hope our efforts meet your expectations. Yet we also apologize for the late reply.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has exhorted us to fast during certain days: six days of Shawwal, the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, especially the day of `Arafah for those who are not performing Hajj, fasting Mondays and Thursdays, fasting three days (the 13th , 14th, and 15th) of every month.
As for fasting Mondays and Thursdays, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast on Monday and Thursday. On being asked about that the Prophet said: "Deeds are presented on every Monday and Thursday. Allah forgives every Muslim or every believer, except for those who are forsaking each other. He says [about them]: 'Leave them.' " (Reported by Ahmad with authentic chain of narrators)
It is recorded in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when asked about fasting on Monday, said: "That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received revelation."
As for fasting the 13th , 14th, and 15th of each month, Abu Dharr Al-Ghafari reported: "The Messenger of Allah ordered us to fast for three days of every month - that is, on the days of the full moon (the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month). And he said: 'It is like fasting the whole year.'" (Reported by An-Nasa'i)
(Quoted from Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq's Fiqh-us-Sunnah, vol. 1.)
So, dear brother, it’s clear that observing fasting on those days moves in line with the practice of the noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who set a shinning example for Muslims to follow, in compliance with Allah’s words: ” Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.” (Al-Ahzab: 21)
Keep in touch. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to contact us.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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