In the name of Allah, the most merciful,

the most compassionate

The night of the

15th of Sha'ban1
by Sheikh Muhammad Zahid Al-Kawthari (may
Allah show him mercy)
(d. 1371/d. 1951)

Translated by Sheikh Arfan Shah Al-

Bukhari

The night of 15th Sha'ban is a night in

which the nation maintains with different
types of worship and raises their
supplication to the one who fulfils all
needs (Almighty and Exalted) and there
are many reports in which its virtues are
transmitted. It gladdens us to be close
to the month of fasting (Ramadan) and to
prepare for it. Many people of knowledge,
the early and latter, have authored work

1 Makaalat Al-Kawthari by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Kawthari

p.50 -52.
on this namely: Najam Al-Ghayti, Ibn Hajr
Al-Makki, Ali Al-Qari, Salim Al-Sanuhuri
and others are more known than these
works. The most beneficial of those books
authored about the virtues of the
blessings of day and the night is the
book Al-Lataif Al-Ma'arif by Ibn Rajab
Al-Hanbali. This is printed, in
circulation and before me.
Al-Tha'labi mentioned in his Quranic
commentary that whoever bears the
blessing of this night, mentioned from
the first Surah of Al-Dhukan,
(beginning). From the night of the 15th
of Sha'ban, from the different pen
starches and this is by the text of
Quran, that comes down in the month of
Ramadan, but do not stop here, from
following what some of the other
commentators said. There is no prevention
from this night being a time in which
some records are moved: (records of those
who are going to be) felicitous and
wretched (those going to paradise and
those going to hell) in that year. The
honoured angels are given responsibility
over them as reported in some
transmissions. Similar is reported by
some of the pious Salaf who wished to
increase acts of worship in that virtuous
night and this is in relation to the
divine decree of the year, which is fixed
between it and the night of power (27th
Ramadan) accordingly.
It was reported by Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn
Majah, Ahmed and others that he (may
Allah bestow peace and blessings upon
him) went out to Al-Baqiyah (graveyard)
in that night to supplicate to Allah (the
Exalted and Almighty). He (may Allah
bestow peace and blessings upon him) said
to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with him)
that there is much forgiveness from
Allah, Glorified be He, in this blessed
night for sinners and repenters. If we
are to look in the report in Al-Bukhari
there are two places in the chain of
transmission with gaps. Al-Hajjaj ibn
Artah did not hear from Yahya ibn Abi
Kathir and Yahya ibn Urwah, although the
gaps are not a proof to leave the hadith
altogether. Yes, the speech of Ibn Artah
that Al-Tirmidhi rated Hassan.
Especially, since this hadith has
corroborating reports from Ibn Majah, Al-
Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah and others. 2 Its

2 If a hadith is weak but has other, corroborating

reports that confirms the information in it. Then it
virtue cannot be denied nor the virtue of
seeking forgiveness and supplication.
This is why you will find the books of
jurisprudence consider enlivening (using
acts of worship) that night as one of the
nights in which it is desired to enliven,
in the sacred law. To make the stingy
busy himself in his religion and in
desire that this is one of the blessed
nights, by doing different types of
worship that draw one to the pleasure and
forgiveness of Allah (may He be
glorified). Similar acts continue to
occur in all the lands of the Muslims.
Are there specific prayers in to be done
in it? There is nothing proven to be
specific. There are excellent examples in
Qut Al-Qulub (by Abu Talib Al-Makki), Al-
Ihya (Imam Ghazali) and Al-Ghunyah
(Abdulqadir Al-Gilani). There is a
lengthy section by Al-Muhaddith Abu Al-
Hayi Al-Lukanwi himself, clarifying the
issues of the chains of narration of the
paths of the hadith in Al-Athar Al-
Marfuat fi Al-Akhbar Al-Muduaat (p307 -
314). Ibn Rajab said in Lataif Al-

upgrades the hadith to hassan li gharhi/hassan with

other evidence. This is a principle in the science of
hadith methodology.
Ma'arif, "The virtues of the midpoint of
Sha'ban are many. There are differences
in the many weak reports, some are
authenticated by Ibn Hibban and they are
reported in his collection. The examples
of these are reported on the authority of
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
which are in the collections of Imam
Ahmed, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah." There
is the report that he (may Allah bestow
peace and blessings upon him) went to Al-
Baqiyah in that night. Ibn Al-Arabi was
stern upon it (its practice) and his
strictness was known. The upshot of this
is what Al-Tirmidhi said, "We do not know
the Hadith from Aisha (may Allah be
pleased with him) except from this report
that Al-Hajjaj heard from Muhammad (Al-
Bukhari). Who said this hadith was weak.
He said, "Yahya did not hear from Urwah
and Al-Hajjaj and nor the opposite." That
after we commented in the chapter of Abu
Bakr the Truthful (may Allah be pleased
with him). That it is reported Ibn Wahb
from Amair ibn Al-Harith from Abd Al-
Malik, "Ibn Abd Al-Malik ibn Al-Musaib
ibn Abi Dhaib Al-Fahri." From Al-Musaib
ibn Abi Dhaib from Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
from his father or uncle from his
grandfather (Abu Bakr the Truthful) from
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow
peace and blessings upon him) as reported
in (chapter of) Tawheed of Ibn Khuzaymah.
The chapter of Tawheed is considered part
of his authentic work. His student also
reported from Ibn Hibban, in authentic
report, but heard from Al-Musaib from Al-
Qasim, which is agreed. Allah knows best.
As for the raised hadith by Ali ibn Abu
Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)
that is reported by Ibn Majah, "When the
night of the 15th Sha'ban would come; we
prayed in the night and fasted the day."
In the chain is Ibn Abi Sabarah and he is
not sourced by any of the Imams of the
six books of hadith (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu
Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nisa'i and Ibn
Majah) except Ibn Majah. It presents a
situation but Ibn Juraj reports from him
and he is included in many hadiths in his
work. A judge in Baghdad, before Abu
Yusuf, completes the rest of the hadith,
"Allah sends mercy 3 when the sun sets in

3 Literally, it says that Allah comes down but this is

not the correct understanding. It is agreed that it
is not to be taken literally but as Sheikh Kawthari
explains. It is a time in which the supplication is
accepted. Ahl Al-Sunnah have two opinions: Maturdi's
say Allah knows better what it means. The Ashari's
the heaven of the world, saying, "Who
seeks forgiveness so I can forgive him.
Who seeks provision so I will provide.
Who is in tribulation so I can give him
relief. And so forth until sunrise."
The meaning of (mercy) coming down is
that the door of acceptance is opened for
the servant and this is using Arabic
correctly. If he thinks that He moves
below or above something is ignorant of
what is permissible and what is not for
Allah (the Exalted). The meaning of come
down is reported metaphorical that he
sent a caller (an angel) to make this
proclamation, as indicated in the hadith
in Al-Nisa'i. 4 Alternatively, another
metaphor could mean, those seeking
forgiveness are accepted, and this is the
opinion of Hammad ibn Zayd and others.
The sunset and the third of the night are
which they differ upon its coming and
from here, it continues, and that looks
at the differences of the countries. Do
not imagine that it means that there is
sensory descent in any of the hadiths
that mention coming down. So in this
translate according to what befits the majesty of
Allah (the Exalted).
4 There is a similar hadith about the last third of

the night but this is daily.

manner the hadith of the midpoint of
Sha'ban and moreover the hadith about
Sha'ban is spoken of. Ibn Khuzaymah drove
home the point concerning the many proofs
that the sensory descent is falsehood and
rejected completely.
Ibn Hazam said in Al-Fasal (172-2), "This
can only be done by Allah (the Exalted)
that the acceptance of the supplication
is opened in the heaven of the earth.
This is the time in which it is expected
to be accepted, responded, and
forgiveness for the strivers, those
seeking forgiveness and the repenters.
This is well known in the language. We
say, "So and so comes upon his right
meaning that he has given (something) to
me and extended (something) to me. This
is a proof that He is attributed with
action and not the attribute of the being
that concerns the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah bestow peace and blessings upon
him) of coming mentioned in a specific
time. It is correct to say that action is
this done at that time. We truly know
that it is not related to time at all.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow
peace and blessings upon him) has
explained this in some words of reported
hadith that are mentioned, that this is
not an action. He (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) mentioned that
Allah (the Exalted) ordered an angel to
proclaim in that time. Also, the third of
the night is different in each county
because of the differences in sunset and
sunrise. It is known to be necessary,
from where it is from Him. It is correct
that He is does as He (wishes) (the
Exalted) in that time to the people of
that geographical horizon. This is not
about movement because that is falsehood
and it nullifies the speech of the
anthropomorphists (Mujasim), by the
support and assistance of Allah (the
Exalted). If one was to say that the
Exalted is limited, created, who is busy
with being in places, then this is the
attribute of creation and Allah is beyond
all of this (Allah is unlike His
creation) totally and utterly. Allah (the
Exalted) praised His bosom friend, His
Messenger and His servant (the Prophet)
Ibrahim (upon him peace) when he
clarified that the moving of the moon is
not worthy of the Lord. He (the Exalted)
said, "When it set, he said, I do not
like things that set." (Quran: Al-Anam
6:76) Everything that moves from place to
place is passing. Allah is beyond all
that."
This is the speech of Ibn Hazam Al-Zahari
on the hadith of coming down. Where are
the anthropomorphists with this when
today they claim to take merely the
outward meaning which takes them out of
religion! Allah is the provider of
guidance.

Makaalat Al-Kawthari by Sheikh Muhammad

Al-Kawthari p.50 -52
Dar Al-Salam Print 2009

We pray that Allah accepts this

translation, forgives our families,
teachers and all the Muslims. May endless
and countless blessings be showered upon
the final Messenger (may Allah bestow
upon him peace and blessings), always and
forever, upon his family, his companions,
the Awliyah and all the Prophets and
Messengers. This translation was
completed on 4th Rabi Al-Awwal 14387/3rd
December 2016 by Arfan Shah (Straight
Translations and Sheikhy notes).