All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The majority of jurists from the four well-known schools of Islamic law are of the view that it is recommended (mustahabb) to offer acts of worship on the night of the mid-Sha'baan. This is based on the hadith: “Allah, the Exalted, looks at His creation on the night of mid-Sha‘bān and forgives His servants except for two: one who harbors enmity and one who has killed a soul.”
This hadith was narrated by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad (Vol.11/P.217) from the narration of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr with a chain that is authentic when supported by corroborating narrations, as stated by the scholars who verified the Mu’assasat al-Risalah edition. It was also narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Mu‘jam with an authentic chain from Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) in a marfū‘ form, with the wording: “…except for a polytheist or one who harbors enmity.” Al-Haythami said: Its narrators are trustworthy.
The indication of this hadith is clear in showing that this night has a special virtue, mercy, and forgiveness. Whoever exposes himself to this divine grace through prayer, remembrance (dhikr), and supplication is hoped to attain those blessed outpourings. Moreover, standing in prayer at night is a recommended act of worship on all nights, including this night.
Imam al-Shāfi‘ī , may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book al-Umm: “I recommend all that I have mentioned regarding these nights [including the night of mid-Sha‘bān].” What he mentioned refers to prayer, supplication, and remembrance.
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “This night [i.e., mid-Sha‘bān] has virtue, during which a specific forgiveness and a specific acceptance [of supplication] occur.” (al-Fatāwā al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubrā)
Ibn Nujaym from the Hanafi school said: “Among the recommended acts is offering acts of worship in the last ten nights of Ramadan, the two nights of ‘Eid, the nights of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and the night of mid-Sha‘bān, as has been reported in the hadiths.” (al-Bahr al-Rā’iq)
It is mentioned in al-Tāj wa al-Iklīl (Vol.3/P.319), from the books of the Mālikīs: “Encouragement has been reported regarding standing in prayer on that night” (i.e., the night of mid-Sha‘bān). This is also the position of the Hanbali school, as stated in Sharh Muntahā al-Irādāt by al-Buhūtī.
However, we draw attention to two important rulings clearly stated by the scholars:
First: The recommendation of reviving the night of mid-Sha‘bān through prayer is only on an individual basis, not in congregation—neither in the mosque nor elsewhere. Rather, it should be individual worship between the servant and his Lord. For this reason, the jurists explicitly stated the dislike (karāhah) of observing it in congregation, and this has been mentioned by scholars of all four schools.
Second: It is not permissible to single out a specific form or structure of prayer on the night of mid-Sha‘bān, such as what has become known among some people as “the thousand-rak‘ah prayer”—which consists of one hundred rak‘ahs, reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ten times in each rak‘ah. This prayer has no basis in Islamic Law, has been condemned by scholars, and it is not permissible to attribute it to the religion. Rather, a Muslim should pray individually whatever is easy for him, and strive in making abundant supplication and asking Allah for his needs.
Imam al-Nawawī said: “The prayer known as Ṣalāt al-Raghā’ib and the prayer of the night of mid-Sha‘bān consisting of one hundred rak‘ahs—both of these prayers are reprehensible innovations. One should not be deceived by their mention in the book Qūt al-Qulūb or Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm al-Dīn, nor by the hadith mentioned therein, for all of that is false. Nor should one be deceived by some scholars who were confused about their ruling and thus wrote treatises declaring them recommended, for they erred in that.” (al-Majmū‘ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab, Vol. 4/P.56). And Allah the Almighty knows best.
