Question:
What is the authenticity of this hadeeth?
“إِذَا انْتَصَفَ شَعْبَانُ فَلَا تَصُومُو”
“When Sha’baan reaches half (the month), do not fast.”
Answer:
This hadeeth was reported by Ahmad and some others of the Sunnah [i.e., Abu Dawuud etc]. The scholars have differed in regards to its acceptance, and what’s apparent from its isnaad is that it’s Al-husnu [good]. It comes by the way [i.e. the chain of transmission] of the great scholar: Abdur Rahman, from his father from Abu Hurayrah, and the hadeeth of Abdur Rahman and his father are accepted. But some people of knowledge find fault with [the hadeeth] like Imaam Ahmad and other than him because it is munkar (denied) and it’s in opposition to an authentic hadeeth.
From that is the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ when he said:
“لا تقدم صوم رمضان بصوم اليوم أو اليومين”
“Do not precede Ramadan with fasting a day or two before it.”
And they mention this hadeeth:
“إِذَا انْتَصَفَ شَعْبَانُ فَلَا تَصُومُو”
“When Sha’baan reaches half (the month), do not fast.”
And the hadith:
“كان النبي ﷺ يصوم شعبان إلا قلبلا”
“The Prophet ﷺ used to fast Sha’baan all of it except a little.”
They say this is a clear opposition.
Some of the People of Knowledge reconcile between,
“إِذَا انْتَصَفَ شَعْبَانُ فَلَا تَصُومُو”
“When Sha’baan reaches half (the month), do not fast”
And..
“كان النبي ﷺ يصوم شعبان إلا قلبلا”
“The Prophet ﷺ used to fast Sha’baan all of it except a little.”
By saying, its meaning is that if a person fasts from the first of Sha’baan, then he reaches the half of the month of Sha’baan then he is still permitted to fast.
The prohibition is only for the one that when the half of Sha’baan comes, he starts what? : he starts fasting. Meaning, he didn’t start fasting from the beginning of Sha’baan, the first week passed, he didn’t fast, the second, he didn’t, then when the middle came, he starts fasting in Sha’baan, then this is what is prohibited from [being done].
And the prohibition is for karaha [i.e, it being disliked].
Now, if someone fasts before Ramadan, a day or two, then this is prohibited, i.e., impermissible [muharaam]. And this is the preferred opinion of the Shafi’yah, and this is the most correct statement from the hassan hadeeth, and Allaah knows best.
So the prohibition is that one starts the fast of Sha’baan from the middle, as for the one who starts from the beginning of Sha’baan then he desires to fast after the half or the likes then this is permissible.
As for the one who withholds, he doesn’t fast the first or second, then when half of Sha’baan comes then begins to first, then it is said this is prohibited, that the prohibition of karaha [disliked to do that].
It likewise becomes impermissible [tahreem] if he precedes Ramadan with a day or two due to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه in the Saheehain.
Answered by: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/OfficialChannelShaykhBaajammaal/27
Translated by: Abu Juwayriyah Nooruddeen Ibn Sulaymaan Ibn Haaroon Al-Eeddee