Practices of the Night of Mid-Sha‘ban: Halwa and the Like

Question

(1) Here, in the region of Kohkan (in the rice country), the 15th of Sha‘ban is regarded as a festival (Eid) and rice halwa (a sweet dish, usually of semolina or flour cooked in ghee) is prepared with the intention of reward. Is preparing such halwa permissible or not? (2) A certain scholar here says that on the 15th of Sha‘ban it is permissible to come to the mosque on that night after eating a light meal — that is, rice [halwa] is a light meal. Is this statement true and correct, or wrong? (3)

Answer

(1) Regarding this day as a festival (Eid) and preparing rice halwa with the intention of reward is baseless and wrong. (2) To regard this as a matter of the Sacred Law is wrong. However, performing supererogatory prayers (nawafil), reciting the Qur’an and making du‘a on this night is established; but there too no gathering should be held.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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