Fatwa

Fasting on 15th Sha’baan

Fatwa #1254 Category: Sawm (Fasting) Country: Date: 6th February 2025
Fatwa #1254 Date: 6th February 2025
Category: Sawm (Fasting)
Country:

Question

Salaam Mufti

7 October 2024

I heard some Molvis that follow Sheikh Yunus Jawnpuri saying that it is Bidah to fast on 15th Shabaan. He states that the Hadeeth of fasting on 15th Shabaan is fabricated.

What is the response of the followers of the akaabir to this?
Our Akaabir like Mufti Ashraf Ali Thaanwi and Mufti Shafi (ml Taqis father) say its Sunnat to fast on 15th Shabaan. I dont think our Akaabir were so stupid not to know the difference between an acceptable Hadeeth and a rejected or fabricated Hadeeth.
What is your Darul Iftas response to Sheikh Yunus Jawnpuri:
> saying that the Hadeeth of fasting on 15th Sahaabn is fabricated, unacceptable or practically rejected.
> saying that it is Bidah to fast on 15th Shabaan

Is it correct what Sheikh Yunus Jawnpuri says?

If not, then kindly explain in detail for the benefit of the Ummah.

SHukran

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The hadith in reference is as follows:[1]

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةُ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَقُومُوا لَيْلَهَا، وَصُومُوا نَهَارَهَا

Translation: “When it is the night of the 15th of Sha’baan, then spend the night in ibaadah and fast its day.”

Most of the scholars have considered this hadith to be weak or extremely weak, but not fabricated. Some have considered it fabricated. There is no problem in fasting the 15th of Sha’baan. Due to the weak reports on the subject, the fast is mustahab, not an established sunnah on its own.[2]

It should also be noted that the 15th is part of ayyaamul beedh (13th, 14th, 15th of each month) wherein it is sunnah to fast. Similarly, there are ahadith that encourage fasting during Sha’baan.

Furthermore, whilst one may disagree on the virtue of fasting specifically on the 15th, it remains a permissible day to fast, just as all other days of the year. Therefore, to label it as a bid’ah would be incorrect.[3]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia

www.daruliftaazambia.com

سنن ابن ماجه ت الأرنؤوط (2/ 399) [1]

1388 – حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلَّالُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخبَرنَا ابْنُ أَبِي سَبْرَةَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: “إِذَا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةُ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَقُومُوا لَيْلَهَا، وَصُومُوا نَهَارَهَا (1)، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْزِلُ فِيهَا لِغُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَيَقُولُ: أَلَا مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ لِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ، أَلَا مُسْتَرْزِقٌ فَأَرْزُقَهُ، أَلَا مُبْتَلًى فَأُعَافِيَهُ، أَلَا كَذَا أَلَا كَذَا، حَتَّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ” (2).

(2) إسناده تالف بمرة، ابن أبي سبرة -وهو أبو بكر بن عبد الله بن محمَّد القرشي- رموه بالوضع. إبراهيم بن محمَّد: هو ابن علي بن عبد الله بن جعفر.

وأخرجه البيهقي في “شعب الإيمان” (3822)، وفي “فضائل الأوقات” (24)، والمزي في “تهذيب الكمال” في ترجمة أبي بكر بن عبد الله بن محمَّد بن سبرة 33/ 107 من طريق الحسن بن علي الخلال، بهذا الإسناد.

 [2]فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا ج3 ص323

https://al-miftah.com/significance-of-the-15th-of-shaban/

 

https://hadithanswers.com/the-fast-of-15th-shaban/

 

 [3]فتاوى محمودية ج10 ص 203