Please provide me with the references of the ahadeeth that you mentioned, which support the significance of the 15th Shabaan, (NOT the significance of the Shabaan month in general, but rather, the 15th of Shabaan specifically).
1. The first Hadith of Sayyidatuna Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) has been recorded by Imaam Bayhaqi in his Shu’abul Imaan (vol.3 pg.382-383; Hadith3835)
The second Hadith has been recorded by Imaam Tirmidhi in his Sunan (Hadith 739), ibn Maajah (Hadith1389) as weak as Imaam Bayhaqi (Hadith3824).
The third Hadith has also been recorded by Imaam Bayhaqi (Hadith3837)
Hadith number 4 (which is reported by Sayyiduna Mu’aadh ibn Jabal (Radhiallaahu Anhu) has been recorded by Imaam Tabrani in his Majmu’al Awsat (Hadith6776) and Mu’jamul Kabir (vol.20 pgs108-109) as well as Imaam Bayhaqi in Shu’abul Imaan (Hadith3833, 6628). Ibn Hibbaan has classified it as Sahih (authentic) and has also included it in his ‘Sahih’. (Sahih ibn Hibbaan vol.12 pg.481; Hadith5665). Hafiz Haythami (RA) has mentioned that all the narrators of this Hadith are reliable. (Majma’u-z-zawaaid vol.8 pg.65)
Another authentic narration of the same topic is the narration of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (Radhiallaahu Anhu) recorded by Imaam Bazzaar in his Musnad and al-Bayhaqi (Hadith3827, 3828). Hafiz al-Mudhiri says that there is nothing wrong with its chain of narrators. (Targheeb vol.3 pg.459)
From among many great scholars which have agreed to the virtue of this night are: Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz, Imaam Shaafi’ee, Imaam Awzaa’ie, Attaa ibn Yassaar, Imaam al-Majid ibn Taymiyah, ibn Rajab al-Hanbaliy and Hafiz Zainud-Deen al-Iraaqi (Rahmatullaahi alayhim). (Refer Laylatul Ma’arif of Haafiz ibn Rajab pgs.263-264 and Faydhul Qadeer vol.2 pg.317)
Besides the above, there are many other Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) that narrated Ahaadith regarding the merit of this night, such as: Abu Hurayra (Masnad al-Bazzar), Abu Tha’labah (Shu’abul Imaan), Awf ibn Maalik (Masnad al-Bazzaar), Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas (Masnad Ahmad Hadith6642), Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (ibn Majah Hadith1390 and Shu’abul Imaan Hadith3833)
2. These are technical terms used in the field of the sciences of Hadith. A very brief explanation is as follows: Sometimes a particular Hadith is narrated from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) on the authority of various Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum). This results in there being more than one chain of narrators. So, for instance, if each chain of narrators has been classified as weak or slightly weak but the cause of the weakeness of each of them is different, then when all these weak chains are gathered and united, they equal to one strong chain.
In the above case, the Hadith of Sayyiduna Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) has been narrated from various different chains. And although each of them have slight defects, yet when all these chains are combined, they acquire credibility for acceptance. Al-Mubaarakfuri mentions in his commentary on Tirmidhi: ‘note that there are many traditions which discuss the sanctity of the 15th night of Sha’baan and when all of them are gathered, it does indicate that there is authenticity in them.’ (Tuhfatul Ahwazi vol.3 pg.365)
3. Refer 1 above
4. Refer 2 above.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Moulana Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abbassommar
FACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH
CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai