Sya'ban Month...! ( Syahru Sha'ban)By : Dr. Ibrahim Al-AssilSya'ban occurs between Rajab and Ramadhan, as it prepares the Muslim people for Ramadhan.
The Muslim should prepare themselves for Ramadhan byfasting some days in Sya'ban in order to get them ready for benevolence, mercy, patience, tolerance, good will, self-control, order and other virtues for which fasting was legislated.
The Prophet ( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to invocate Allah at the beginning of Sya'ban saying, "
O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sya'ban blessed for us and let us reach the month of Ramadhan."
The Mother of The Believers, Aishah ( may Allah be pleased with her) said that she heard the Prophet ( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), I saying "
Allah opens the doors of good in four nights : the night of Adha, Al fitr, the night of the midle of Sya'ban and that of Arafat till the call of prayer." Also, it was narrated that the Prophet ( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) said, "
If Sya'ban begins, purify your souls and better your will.The Prophet ( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) gave importance to Sya'ban in a special way , as Aishah , the Mother of The believers said, "
The Prophet never fasted any month wholly except Ramadhan and he did not fast in any month more than he did in Sya'ban." Osama ibn Zaid (may Allah be pleased with them ) said "
I said O prophet of Allah. I don't see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sya'ban : He said, " That is a month to which people don't pay attention , between Rajab and Ramadhan, and it is a month in which deeds are elevated to the Lord of the worlds. I like for may deeds to be elevated when i am fasting". This month has a unique attribute: the deeds are elevated to Allah, Glory be to Him. Thus, it is preferableto fast much in it, as Allah did not create the worl in vain, but He created it to worship Him.
Also, Allah subjected everything in heaveans and earth for the human being , and demanded him ti worship Him alone and to employ all of His graces to carry out the imposed matters and to avoid the forbidden maters.
This is due to the fact tht all the people will be accounted for their deeds and everything they do is written in their book.
ووجدوا ما عملوا حاضرا ولا يظلم ربك احدا
{
They will find all that they did, pleaced before them, and not one will thy Lord treat with injustice.} Al-Kahf ( the Cave) : 49.As for the virtue of the night of the middle of Sya'ban , Ad-Darqutny and Ibn Shahin narrated by the attribution of Hassan Ibn Ali- may Allah honor him- that the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) said, "
When the night of the middle of Sya'ban comes, pray at night and fast in the morning, as Allah descends to the lowest heaven saying." Is there any one asking for forgiveness to be forgiven ? Is there anyone asking for live lihood ? Is there any afflicted person asking for removing affliction? And so on, till dawn.At-Tabrany narrated about Mu'az Ibn Jabal," Allah looks at His worshippers at the night of the middle of Sya'ban to forgive all of His creatures except a disbeliver or a quarreler, "and in another narration, "
or a self killer". At-termezy narrated in "
An-nawader", along with At-Tabrany and Ibn Shahin being assure by the Mother of the Believers, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her ), " this is the night of the middle of Sya'ban in which Allah forgives the people asking for forgiveness and mercy, while he delays the spiteful people for their spite.
There are many Hadiths around this meaning to reveal that the Muslim should invocate Allah at this night.
There are many Hadiths concerning this meaning and denoting the commemoration of this night due to the acceptance of invocations in it, and that worhipping is preferable in it.
Al-Abyhaqy narrated in along Hadith about Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her ) saying," The Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) said that Jibril came to me and said , "this isthe night of the middle of Sya'ban and Allah forgives people as many as the number of the hair of cattle of Bany Kalb"a big tribe".
Allah does not look at a disbeliever, a quarreler, a person undutiful to his parents and a wine addict. She said that he kneeled for along time and heard him sayig," Lord save ne with Your mercy from Your Punishment, save me with Your satidfaction fromYour discontent, save me from You and I can not praise You as much as You do." When he woke up , I told him this invocation , and he told her learn them well and to infirm the Muslins ot them, as Jiblir informed the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) of Them , ordering him to say at kneeling.
In this Hadith, we can find acknowledgment of the virtue of this night as well as instruction to worshipping and selecting the best invocations to guide oneself and others.
In any case , worshipping in Sya'ban in general and at this night in particular is a subkine behavior in bringing up habits and elevating the soul to glory and perfection by passing through a wider field in Ramadhan.
If the Muslim gets behaved in that way as Anas ( may Allah be pleased with him ). Said If Sya'ban comes, they fasted some of it , recited some surahs of the holy qur'an and gave alms to the poor and needy in Ramadhan.
The incident that gave the night of the middle of Sya'ban historical significance is that Allah changed the Qibla from Jerussalem to The Ka'ba in its morning.
This transfer represents general ecamination for all of people especially the Muslims.
Allah tests the strength of the Muslims'beliep from one time to another. The Prophet ( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked to dirrect himself to the Ka'ba and told Jibril ," I wish that Allah changes my Qibla from that of the Jews, and he told him," I am a mere Bondsman, invocate Allah to do this for you.
Then, he returned this face towards heavean and asked Allah for this demand till Allah sent down His verses.
قد نرى تقلب وجهك في السماء, فلنوتبنك قبلة ترضاها, فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام
{Verily, We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven. Surly, We shall turn you to a Qibla ( prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the diection of Al-Masjid al-Haram} (Al Baqarah –The Cow : 144)It was mentioned that while the prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him )was praying Az-Zuhr prayer in Bani Salama Mosqou direcitinf himself to the Furthest Mosqou, the following verse was sent down to him:
وحيث ما كنتم فولوا وجوهكم شطره
{and wherever you people are turn your face in that direction.} ( Al-Baqarah –The Cow: 144)The Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) prayed the first two prostrations at the direction of the Furthest Mosque , and directed himself in the last two prestrations to the Inviolable Mosque.
Thus, this mosque is called the mosque of the two Qiblas and is visited by the people coming to Medina.
Then, Allah's Messengger( May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him ) stayed there till Al-Azhr prayer directing himself to the Qa'ba emphasizing this rule, strengthening the Muslims and preparing them for facing the enemies of Islam .
Posted by Al Azhar MAGAZINE. Sya'ban, 1430 A.H – Aug., 2009 VOL. 82 Part VIII