Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalam Alaikum,

Pls advise if its true that if one fasts for 12 days during Shaaban, 70,000 angels will come down on the first night of one being buried, that is to give one company and to pray for the soul.   Pls advise.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Fasting in shaban

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Prophet (saws) would fast most of the month of Sha'ban. Hadrat Aishah (r.a.) said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) fast a complete month save for Ramadan, and I have never seen him (saws) fast more in a month than he did in the month of Sha'ban."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Usamah ibn Zaid (r.a.) inquired: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), I never find you fasting in any month like you do during the month of Sha'ban." The Prophet (saws) responded: "That is a month the people neglect. It comes between (the months of) Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the Worlds. I love that my deeds be raised while I am fasting."

Related by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, and by Ibn Khuzaimah.

As meritorious and rewarding the voluntary fasting in the month of Shaabaan are, to the best of our knowledge we have not come across such a narration in the collection of authentic ‘hadiths’ whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) declared that twelve days of voluntary fasting in Shabaan would bring about the specific rewards as mentioned in your note ….and Allah Alone Knows Best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan