Research on bid’ah and shirk in Detailed

[Abu Sarah]

bid’ah in Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan)

bid’ah in Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan)​

Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan) should not be singled out for worship

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no saheeh marfoo’ report that speaks of the virtue of the middle of Sha’baan that may be followed, not even in the chapters on al-Fadaa’il (chapters on virtues in books of hadeeth etc.). Some maqtoo’ reports (reports whose isnaads do not go back further than the Taabi’een) have been narrated from some of the Taabi’een, and there are some ahaadeeth, the best of which are mawdoo’ (fabricated) or da’eef jiddan (very weak). These reports became very well known in some countries which were overwhelmed by ignorance; these reports suggest that people’s lifespans are written on that day or that it is decided on that day who is to die in the coming year. On this basis, it is not prescribed to spend this night in prayer or to fast on this day, or to single it out for certain acts of worship. One should not be deceived by the large numbers of ignorant people who do these things. And Allaah knows best.

Shaykh Ibn Jibreen.

If a person wants to pray qiyaam on this night as he does on other nights – without doing anything extra or singling this night out for anything – then that is OK. The same applies if he fasts the day of the fifteenth of Sha’baan because it happens to be one of the ayyaam al-beed, along with the fourteenth and thirteenth of the month, or because it happens to be a Monday or Thursday. If the fifteenth (of Sha’baan) coincides with a Monday or Thursday, there is nothing wrong with that (fasting on that day), so long as he is not seeking extra reward that has not been proven (in the saheeh texts). And Allaah knows best.



Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

fast on the fifteenth of Sha’baan​

Firstly:

What is narrated concerning the virtue of praying, fasting and worshipping on the fifteenth of Sha’baan (al-nusf min Sha’baan) does not come under the heading of da’eef (weak), rather it comes under the heading of mawdoo’ (fabricated) and baatil (false). So it is not permissible to follow it or to act upon it, whether that is in doing righteous deeds or otherwise.

A number of scholars ruled that the reports concerning that were false, such as Ibn al-Jawzi in his book al-Mawdoo’aat, 2/440-445; Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah in al-Manaar al-Muneef, no. 174- 177; Abu Shaamah al-Shaafa’i in al-Baa’ith ‘ala Inkaar al-Bida’ wa’l-Hawaadith, 124-137; al-‘Iraaqi in Takhreej Ihyaa’ ‘Uloom il-Deen, no. 582. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] narrated that there was consensus on the fact that they are false, in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 28/138.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Hukm al-Ihtifaal bi Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (Ruling on celebrating the fifteenth of Sha’baan):

Celebrating the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan (Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan) by praying etc, or singling out this day for fasting, is a reprehensible bid’ah (innovation) according to the majority of scholars, and there is no basis for this in sharee’ah.

And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

There is no saheeh hadeeth concerning the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan (Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan). All the ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning that are mawdoo’ (fabricated) and da’eef (weak), and have no basis. There is nothing special about this night, and no recitation of Qur’aan or prayer, whether alone or in congregation, is specified for this night. What some of the scholars have said about it being special is a weak opinion. It is not permissible to single it out for any special actions. This is the correct view. And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/511.



Secondly:

Even if we assume that the hadeeth is da’eef (weak) and not mawdoo’ (fabricated), the correct scholarly view is that weak ahaadeeth should not be followed at all, even if they speak of righteous deeds or of targheeb and tarheeb (promises and warnings). The saheeh reports are sufficient and the Muslim has no need to follow the da’eef reports. Nothing is known in Islam to suggest that this night or day is special, either from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from his companions.

The scholar Ahmad Shaakir said: There is no difference between rulings or righteous deeds; we do not take any of them from da’eef reports, rather no one hast he right to use any report as evidence unless it is proven to be soundly narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a saheeh or hasan hadeeth.

Al-Baa’ith al-Hatheeth, 1/278.

For more information, see: al-Qawl al-Muneef fi Hukm al-‘Aml bi’l-Hadeeth al-Da’eef

 

[Abu Sarah]

Al-‘Ateerah and rulings thereon

Al-‘Ateerah and rulings thereon​

Praise be to Allaah.

Al-‘ateerah is a sacrifice was that was offered by the people of the Jaahiliyyah during the month of Rajab. They made that a tradition amongst themselves, like the offering of the udhiyah sacrifice on Eid al-Adha.

With regard to the ruling thereon, the scholars differed. The reason for their difference of opinion is the difference in the ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning that. Some of the reports enjoin it or allow it, and some forbid it.

The correct view, as we shall see below, is that the ahaadeeth which enjoin it or allow it came at the beginning of Islam, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade it.

The scholars differed concerning the ruling on it and there are a number of opinions.

The first view is that it is Sunnah and mustahabb. This is the view of Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him). He quoted a number of things as evidence for that, including the following:

1-

The report narrated by Imam Ahmad (6674) and al-Nasaa’i (4225) from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb from his father from his grandfather, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about al-‘ateerah and he said: “Al-‘ateerah is true.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4122.

2-

The report narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood (2788) and al-Tirmidhi (1518) from Mikhnaf ibn Sulaym who said: We were standing with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in ‘Arafaat, and I heard him say: “O people, every family must offer udhiyah and ‘ateerah every year. Do you know what ‘ateerah is? It is that which you call al-rajabiyyah.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

3-

The report narrated by al-Nasaa’i (4226) from al-Haarith ibn ‘Amr, according to which a man said: O Messenger of Allaah, (what about) ‘ateerahs? He said: “Whoever wishes may offer ‘ateerah and whoever wishes may not do so.” Classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef al-Nasaa’i.

See al-Majmoo’, 8/445, 446

The second view is:

That it is neither mustahabb nor makrooh. This was the view of some of the Shaafa’is, as was narrated by al-Nawawi in al-Majmoo’, 8/445.

The third view is:

That it is makrooh, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) disallowed it. Some of them said that it is haraam and invalid.

They said: The ahaadeeth which allow it and enjoin it were at the beginning of Islam, then they were abrogated by the Prophet’s forbidding of it.

In Sharh Muslim (13/137), al-Nawawi narrated that al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said: The command to offer ‘ateerah is abrogated according to the majority of scholars.

They quoted the following evidence to show that it is haraam:

1-

The report narrated by al-Bukhaari (5474) and Muslim (1976) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah.”

The fara’ was the first foal born to the she-camel, which they used to sacrifice to their idols.

2-

The ‘ateerah was a feature of the people of Jaahiliyyah, and it is not permissible to imitate them in their acts of worship because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4021), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1269.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said after mentioning some of the ahaadeeth which indicate that ‘ateerah is allowed in Islam:

After quoting some of the ahaadeeth about ‘ateerah, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Arabs used to do that during the Jaahiliyyah, and some of the Muslims did that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined it, then he forbade it and said: “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah.” So the people stopped doing that because of the prohibition. It is well known that disallowing applies to something that used to be done. We do not know of any scholar who says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to forbid it then he allowed it. The evidence that it was done before it was disallowed is to be found in the hadeeth of Nubayshah: “We used to offer the ‘ateerah during the Jaahiliyyah, and we used to offer the fara’ during the Jaahiliyyah.” The fact that the scholars of all regions are unanimously agreed to disallow ‘ateerah indicates that they were aware of the prohibition. Moreover there are proven reports which indicate that it is forbidden. End quote.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (R) stated in his Fataawa (6/165) that ‘ateerah is haraam. He said:

The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah” are, as far as I know, show that it is more likely to be prohibited.

The negative form indicates that something is not valid, as in the hadeeth “There is no ‘adawa and no tiyarah.” Does not saying “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah” indicate that they are invalid?

This is in addition to the evidence: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” So it is forbidden to imitate the Jaahiliyyah.

Moreover, this comes under the heading of acts of worship, and the ruling on acts of worship is tawqeef (i.e., they are to be based only on that which is mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah). Even if the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had not specifically disallowed it, it would still be disallowed, because all matters of the Jaahiliyyah are disallowed and there is no need to state a specific ruling on each one of them.

Some of the scholars stated that it is makrooh, but what we understand is that it is haraam. This is with regard to those who slaughter the first foal born to a she-camel, or offer a sacrifice in the first ten days of Rajab. As for that which they used to do in the Jaahiliyyah for their gods, this is shirk. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (7/325):

The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah” (according to another report: “There is no fara’ and no ‘ateerah in Islam”) indicate that this is a characteristic of the Jaahiliyyah, hence some scholars regarded ‘ateerah as makrooh, unlike fara’, because some Sunnahs were narrated concerning it. But in the case of ‘ateerah – i.e., offering a sacrifice at the beginning of Rajab – it deserves to be makrooh, especially if it is slaughtered at the beginning of Rajab and people have been told that there is nothing wrong with it. For people are inclined towards such things and the month of Rajab is like the month of sacrifice, Dhu’l-Hijjah. The people do that a great deal, so it has become a symbol and ritual. There is no doubt that this is prohibited.

It seems most likely in my view that there is nothing wring with fara’, because it is mentioned in the Sunnah, but as for ‘ateerah, the least that can be said is that it is makrooh. End quote.