A Bitter Pill To Swallow For The Najdiyyah

The impious predecessor of the Najdiyyah Ibn Taimiyyah affirms that the Pious Predecessors (Salaf) considered the 15th Sha'ban a virtuous night

Ibn Taymiyyah says regarding the middle night of Sha'ban (Shab e Baraa'at):

...لكن الذي عليه كثير من أهل العلم، أو أكثرهم، من أصحابنا وغيرهم -على تفضيلها، وعليه يدل نص أحمد، لتعدد الأحاديث الواردة فيها، وما يصدق ذلك من الآثار السلفية، وقد روي بعض فضائلها في المسانيد والسنن

"But a lot of the people of knowledge or most of them from amongst our companions and other than them hold the opinion of its [15th Night of Sha'ban] superior virtuosity and the statements of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal indicate upon that due to the numerous Ahadith related concerning it and that which affirms that from the narrations of the Salaf and some of its virtues are related in the masaaneed and the Sunan books of Ahadith."

[Iqtida Sirat al-Mustaqim vol 2 pg 137]