Fasting the first half or the entire month of Sha‘ban

Deen_Al_Islaam

Junior Member
:salam2:

Fatwa no. 6139
Q: I am a twenty-seven-year-old Saudi man. I went to prison and I began to worship Allah. I observe Sawm (fasting) on Monday and Thursday of every week, on three days of every month, the whole month of Rajab; nine days of Dhul-Hijjah; the ninth, tenth and eleventh of Muharram (i.e. the day of ‘Ashura’, a day before and a day after); six days of Shawwal, and the middle of Sha‘ban. It is claimed that Sawm should be observed in Ramadan only, and the rest is a Bid‘ah (innovation in religion), and there is no Sahih (authentic) Hadith that proves them. But I found a Sahih Hadith which states this in the book entitled "Tanbih Al-Ghafilin" by Shaykh Abu Al-Layth Al-Samarqandy. Please advise whether Sawm on these days is really a Bid‘ah, given that my colleagues in prison say so.

A: Sawm on Mondays and Thursdays, three days of every month (13th, 14th, and 15th of every Hijri month), the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the tenth of Muharram, in addition to a day before or after it, and six days of Shawwal, every year, all this is Sunnah (supererogatory acts of worship following the example of the Prophet), established by authority of Sahih (authentic) Hadiths.
(Part No. 10; Page No. 385)

This also applies to fasting the first half of Sha‘ban. It is also an act of Sunnah to observe Sawm the whole of this month, or most of it. As for dedicating the middle of Sha‘ban for Sawm, it is Makruh (reprehensible) and groundless. May Allah grant you more success. As for singling out the month of Rajab for Sawm, it is also Makruh. However, if a person observes Sawm on some of its days and breaks the Sawm on other days, there is nothing wrong with this. May Allah double your reward and accept your Tawbah (repentance).
May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!


Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’


Member Member Deputy Chairman Chairman
`Abdullah ibn Qa`ud `Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan `Abdul-Razzaq `Afify `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz


Source: Fatwas of Permanent Committee​
 
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