One of the well-known ḥadīths regarding this is the narration of Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī رضي الله عنه, in which the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Indeed, Allāh looks down on the night of mid-Sha‘bān and forgives all of His creation, except a polytheist (mushrik) or one engaged in enmity (mushāḥin)."
Ibn Mājah (1390) authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ, (5665), from Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه.

Some scholars, such as Ibn Ḥibbān, authenticated this narration, while others have criticized its chain. Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī in Laṭā’if al-Ma‘ārif (p.261) mentioned:

"There are multiple ḥadīths about the virtue of the night of mid-Sha‘bān, but scholars have differed regarding them. Most scholars have considered them weak, while Ibn Ḥibbān authenticated some of them."

Despite the difference of opinion on the authenticity of this narration, some scholars have pointed out that even if it were accepted, it does not establish any special acts of worship on this night. Instead, it merely speaks of Allāh’s general forgiveness.

Additionally, some scholars have noted that Allāh’s descent occurs every night, and therefore, the night of mid-Sha‘bān is included within that general rule, making its specification unnecessary.

The ḥadīth establishing Allāh’s descent is authentically reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim from Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:

"Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He, descends every night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and says: ‘Who is calling upon Me, so that I may respond to him? Who is asking Me, so that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?’" Al-Bukhārī (1145), Muslim (758)

This ḥadīth indicates that Allāh’s descent is not unique to mid-Sha‘bān but occurs every night, meaning that the 15th night of Sha‘bān is included within this general rule without needing special emphasis.

This is what I have at this moment in this brief response. The One who grants success and guidance to the straight path is Allāh. والله أعلى وأعلم.

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Abū 'Aṭīyah
15th Night of Sha‘bān 1446H.

﷽

Question:

Could you clarify the authenticity of the aḥādīth regarding the 15th night of Sha‘bān? From my research, fasting and night prayer on this night are based on fabricated reports. However, is there a difference of opinion on whether this is the night when deeds are presented to Allāh and when He forgives all except those engaged in enmity over worldly matters and those who commit shirk?

Response:

First, celebrating the night of mid-Sha‘bān or specifically performing certain prayers like Ṣalāt al-Raghā’ib and offering other such rituals on that night, then these practices are bid‘a (innovations) and newly introduced matters. There is no authentic evidence to support them.

Ibn Rajab said in Laṭā’if al-Ma‘ārif (p.137):

The Tābi‘ūn from the people of Shām, such as Khālid ibn Ma‘dān, Makḥūl, Luqmān ibn ‘Āmir, and others, used to venerate the night of mid-Sha‘bān and exert themselves in worship during it. People took the idea of its virtue and significance from them. It has been said that they received reports about it from Isrā’īliyyāt (narrations from Jewish and Christian sources). When this became widespread among them in different lands, scholars differed in their stance on it. Some accepted it and agreed with them in honoring it, among them were certain worshippers from Baṣrah and other places. However, most of the scholars of Ḥijāz rejected it, including ‘Aṭā’, Ibn Abī Mulaykah, and others. ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam also reported that the jurists of Madīnah, including the followers of Mālik and others, regarded it as bid‘ah.

Imām an-Nawawī said al-Majmū‘ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab (4/56):

"The well-known prayer called Ṣalāt ar-Raghā’ib and the 100-rak‘ah prayer on the night of mid-Sha‘bān—both of these are bid‘ah and reprehensible (munkar). One should not be deceived by their mention in books like Qūt al-Qulūb and Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm ad-Dīn, nor by the ḥadīths mentioned concerning them, for all of that is false. Likewise, one should not be misled by some scholars who, due to confusion, wrote treatises endorsing them, for they were mistaken in that regard." Allāh knows best.

There is a point of confusion regarding whether deeds are presented before Allāh in the month of Sha‘bān as a whole or specifically on the night of mid-Sha‘bān. The authentic report from the Prophet ﷺ establishes that deeds are presented in Sha‘bān, but specifying the 15th night for this has no evidence.

Al-al-Mubārakpūrī in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhī (3/375) quoted from Ibn Ḥajar that he said:

"This does not contradict the idea that deeds are raised in Sha‘bān, as he ﷺ said: ‘It is a month in which deeds are raised, and I love for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting.’ This allows for the possibility that weekly deeds are raised in detail, while annual deeds are raised in summary."

In ‘Awn al-Ma‘būd (10/226), it is stated:

"The deeds of the year are presented in Sha‘bān, as reported by the truthful and trustworthy Messenger ﷺ: ‘It is a month in which deeds are raised, so I love for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting.’ The deeds of the week are presented on Yom al-Ithnain and al-Khamīs (Mon. and Thurs.) as established in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.

The deeds of the day are raised at its end before nightfall, and the deeds of the night before daybreak. Thus, the daily and nightly presentations are more specific than the annual one. When a person's life ends, all of their lifetime deeds are presented, and their record is sealed."

Another point of disagreement is the reported virtue of mid-Sha‘bān, particularly regarding Allāh’s descent (nuzūl) and His forgiveness of all except a disbeliever (mushrik) or one engaged in enmity (mushāḥin).

The most correct view, in shā’ Allāh, is that the ḥadīths on this topic contain weaknesses despite their numerous chains. Their weakness is severe (shadīd aḍ-ḍa‘f), meaning they cannot support one another nor be strengthened collectively. Some of them are outright fabrications (mawḍū‘), and thus, they do not serve as a valid basis for argument.

Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) said:

“There is no authentic ḥadīth that can be used as evidence regarding the virtue of the month of Rajab, its fasting, fasting on specific days of it, or standing in prayer on a specific night within it. This was explicitly affirmed by Imām Abū Ismā‘īl al-Harawī, the ḥāfidh, and we narrate this from him with a sound chain of transmission, as well as from others.”

He also said:

“As for the ḥadīths concerning the virtue of Rajab, its fasting, or fasting specific days of it explicitly, they fall into two categories: weak and fabricated.”

(From the book: “Tabyīn al-‘Ajab fīmā Wārada fī Faḍl Rajab” by Ibn Ḥajar, p. 6 and 8, and “Al-Sunan wa al-Mubtadi‘āt” by Al-Shuqayri, p. 125.)