Question:
What do the experts and scholars of shari’ah say regarding the virtue of the 15th night of Sha’ban?
Answer:
The 15th night of Sha’ban is an extremely blessed night. Its virtues and merits have been mentioned in numerous ahadith. Each one of these narrations has strengthened the other and taken them to the rank of hasan.
Some ahadith which discuss the virtues of this night are mentioned here:
- It has been narrated by the Mother of the believers Sayyidah ‘Aisha who says: “I woke up one night and did not find the Prophet ﷺ near me, so I went out to search for Himﷺ. I found Him ﷺ in Jannat al-Baqi with His ﷺ blessed head towards the Heavens. He ﷺ said “O ‘Aisha, did you fear that Allah and His Messenger would wrong you? I said: “No, I was not worried about that, but I thought you had gone to one of the other wives.” He ﷺ then said to me: “Allah’s (Mercy) descends to the nearest sky on the 15th of Sha’ban and He forgives more people than the number of hair on the goats of the tribe of Banu Kalb. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah & Ahmad)
- Sayyiduna Mu’adh bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “On the night of the 15th of Shaban, Allah ﷻ gazes towards all of His creation with immense mercy. Excluding the the polytheist and the person who has hatred in his heart, everyone else is forgiven.”
- Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When it is the 15th night of Sha’ban, offer the nafl prayer in the night and fast during the day, indeed Allah ﷻ (His mercy) descends to the nearest sky and says, “Is there any person seeking forgiveness so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone seeking sustenance that I may give him sustenance? Is there anyone afflicted that I may cure and relieve him? Is there so and so, is there so and so?” This continues until dawn”. (Ibn Majah & Ahmad)
And Allah ﷻ knows the best.
This Fatwa is written by Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Munir Al-Azhari
Related answers: