And among these days is the middle of Sha'ban, so is it a recommended practice and not a religious innovation?
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The questioner : I have heard some scholars who encourage fasting on the middle of the month of Sha'ban and mention that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast three days of every month, and among these days is the middle of Sha'ban, so is it a recommended practice and not a religious innovation? Also, celebrating the days of Sha'ban because they are the days in which the qiblah was changed from the Sacred Mosque to the Sacred Mosque, please answer us in detail regarding this topic, and may Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : As for fasting on the middle of Sha'ban based on the fact that it is one of the white days that we were commanded to fast, which are the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, if a person fasts the white days in Sha'ban, it is like fasting them in Rajab, in Jumada, in Rabi', in Safar, in Muharram, and in Dhul Qa'dah. However, the fact that he singles out only the day of the middle does not indicate that he fasted it because it is one of the white days, but rather it indicates that he fasted it because it is the middle of Sha'ban. This requires evidence, and the hadith reported in this regard is weak. Therefore, it is not prescribed for a person to single out the middle of Sha'ban for fasting.
As for what he mentioned regarding celebrating the days of Sha'ban because the qiblah was changed in them, this first requires the authenticity of the report, because the qiblah was changed in Sha'ban. And assuming the authenticity of that, it is not permissible to take these days as a festival to be celebrated. Indeed, these days in which the Ka'bah was turned passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, and yet they did not celebrate them. It is obligatory for Muslims to follow the tracks of those who preceded them from the Companions and those who followed them with excellence, and not to be deceived by what people do today, for much of it is outside the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and is an innovation. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani).
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : As for fasting on the middle of Sha'ban based on the fact that it is one of the white days that we were commanded to fast, which are the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, if a person fasts the white days in Sha'ban, it is like fasting them in Rajab, in Jumada, in Rabi', in Safar, in Muharram, and in Dhul Qa'dah. However, the fact that he singles out only the day of the middle does not indicate that he fasted it because it is one of the white days, but rather it indicates that he fasted it because it is the middle of Sha'ban. This requires evidence, and the hadith reported in this regard is weak. Therefore, it is not prescribed for a person to single out the middle of Sha'ban for fasting.
As for what he mentioned regarding celebrating the days of Sha'ban because the qiblah was changed in them, this first requires the authenticity of the report, because the qiblah was changed in Sha'ban. And assuming the authenticity of that, it is not permissible to take these days as a festival to be celebrated. Indeed, these days in which the Ka'bah was turned passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, and yet they did not celebrate them. It is obligatory for Muslims to follow the tracks of those who preceded them from the Companions and those who followed them with excellence, and not to be deceived by what people do today, for much of it is outside the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and is an innovation. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error
كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالةThe questioner : May Allah bless you.