In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most

compassionate

The night of the 15th

1
of Sha'ban
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 on this namely: Najam Al-Ghayti, Ibn Hajr
Al-Makki, Ali Al-Qari, Salim Al-Sanuhuri and
Makaalat Al-Kawthari by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Kawthari p.50
-52.
1

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 AlHanbali. 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 AlTirmidhi rated Hassan. Especially, since this
hadith has corroborating reports from Ibn Majah,
Al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah and others.2 Its 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
If a hadith is weak but has other, corroborating reports that
confirms the information in it. Then it upgrades the hadith to
hassan li gharhi/hassan with other evidence. This is a principle
in the science of hadith methodology.
2

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 AlGhunyah (Abdulqadir Al-Gilani). There is a
lengthy section by Al-Muhaddith Abu Al-Hayi AlLukanwi 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-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 AlFahri." From Al-Musaib ibn Abi Dhaib from AlQasim 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, AlTirmidhi, 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

mercy3 when the sun sets in 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
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
translate according to what befits the majesty of Allah (the
Exalted).
3

There is a similar hadith about the last third of the night but
this is daily.
4

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
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 AlKawthari 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 AlAwwal 14387/3rd December 2016 by Arfan Shah
(Straight Translations and Sheikhy notes).