‘in Shaban the riziq and provisions are planned’

Q: Salam Alaikum Imam,

I heard that in Shaban the riziq and provisions are planned for the following year. Can you explain more? And I know that this Shaban is almost over so my question is a late but what are some special things we should know about Shaban?
Jazakumullshu khairen

Time: Saturday July 23, 2011 at 7:48 pm

A:   (by Br: Yassir Butt. Due to time constraints, we send questions to him for answering; we appreciate all that he does for the community.)

Shaban is a blessed month that preceds Ramdan that has many virtues, we should fast it and be mindful of the night of 15 of shaban or shab-e-eBaraa known in India and Pakistan or ليلة البرأءة.  In the Arab world there is a controversy on this between the scholars of hijaz (mecca and Madinah) and the scholars of Shamm (Palestine, Syria and Jordan) which has existed from the time of the تابعين the students of the Sahabah.  For instance Khalid bin Midaan خالد بن معدان Makhool مكحول from Shaam Tabeen used to establish prayer in this night While The group with Imam Malik bin Anas and Tabeen of hijaz used to cionsider it an innovation.  Hence what should our stance be? we should avoid public expressions of its virtue to not give an impression that it is a public virtuie and yet establish it privately to gain personal benefit.

Imam Qurtubi states in the tafseer of  surah al-qadr that Ibn abbas (Sahabi RA) said that (Allah decides matters on the night of the 15th of shaban  and hands over matters to the angels responsible for them on the night of Qadr.)

Here are some academic citations to establish its virtues

تحفة الأحوذي شرح سنن الترمذي

كتاب الصوم عن رسول الله

باب ما جاء في ليلة النصف من شعبان

” هي الليلة الخامسة عشر من شعبان وتسمى ليلة البراءة……..

اعلم أنه قد ورد في فضيلة ليلة النصف من شعبان عدة أحاديث مجموعها يدل على أن لها أصلاً،……..

فهذه الأحاديث بمجموعها حجة على من زعم أنه لم يثبت في فضيلة ليلة النصف من شعبان شيء…إلخ”

The above citation is from  Tuhfat ul Ahfadhi in explanation of Tirmidhi, the book of fasting and sub chapter” what evidence is there for the night of the fifteenth of shaban the author states

(Know that the cumulative understanding of all the combined hadith in the virtues of this night indicate that there is credibility in its essence, and these combined hadith are a proof against whomever negates its virtue!)

As far as what we should do in that Night

إبن تيمية في الفتاوى الكبرى

جزء23 صفحة 131

وسئل: عن صلاة نصف شعبان؟

فأجاب: إذا صلى الإنسان ليلة النصف وحده، أو في جماعة خاصة كما كان يفعل طوائف من السلف، فهو أحسن.

Fatawa Ibn Tayimiah Volume 23 page 131

He was asked about Praying on the night of 15th Shaban?

His response was that if an individual prays alone or in a small group as the predecessors used to do that is good.

والله أعلم

p.s. Admin apologizes, we have no control on how the Arabic turns up at the above. The author has sent it to us in ‘good condition,’ our formatting skills as it relates to Arabic script and its presentation is not superb.