03/07/2012
Shab e Baraat – The Blessed Night of the 15th of Sha’ban
The Prophet sallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam said to the nearest meaning that, the Month of Sha’ban is attributed to me, this is my month. On the 15th night of Sha'ban, it is said that this night is the Night of Baraat, or Shab e Baraat, Many people celebrate this night in their own ways, but one way is the way the Prophet sallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam spent this time, and what he did in these moments, and how our pious predecessors' the Tabieen, the Tabee Tabeein, and then Saaliheen and righteous ulamah and Muthakeen and Ahlullah and Awliyah and the Friends of Allah, the way they spent their time. If a person does not have the right Tardeeb and the right etiquettes, the benefits are very minimum.
This night is called Shab e Baraat, Baraat means, when a person declares freedom from something, or aloof's him, or separates him, and shows his separation that I am free from this and it has nothing to do with me. Syyidina Abdul Qadir Al Jilani rahimahullah has said that, this night is called Shab e Baraat because in this night, two kinds of separations and Baraats, take place, one is the sinful and rebellious people and they spend time according to how they are normally living. Another type is for the righteous servants of Allah, they are sinners, but they want to turn to Allah Ta'ala, repent to Allah, they want freedom from sin, from actions that displease Allah, freedom from such thoughts and activities that displease Allah.
So The Person Reading this should think, which kind of freedom are they wanting? Freedom from sin? From hell? from shayateen? Or freedom from Allah Azzawajal? They want freedom from Allah Azzawajal, they don’t want to follow, they want to follow their own nafs, they want to follow whatever they like, they want freedom from paradise, they don’t want to enter paradise, not with their tongue, but with their actions they say they don’t want to enter paradise because they are doing actions of the people of Hell.
This night is to be Mostly Spent in seclusion, in private and in individual worship; it is not a collective night of Gathering. Although partially after Maghrib and Isha, people can get together collectively, but briefly.
Some people are not forgiven on this night, these people involve in magic and in evil spells for themselves and for others, also, people who have gone in and asked things from people who claim to know your future, and they forecast about your future like Astrologers and other people like palm readers etc. Everyone is forgiven, who does not associate partners with Allah. The person who eats in Interest, the adulterers, the Alcoholics, one who commits zina, eating haraam, and to have animosity against people without having a valid shariah reason, to behave badly with relations, to do zulm, to oppress them, and to wrong them…will not be forgiven on this night.
Some Ibadah a person can do on this night, after maghrib, to read Salatul Awwabeen from 6 to 20. After Isha to recite the Masnoon Surahs i.e. Surah Mulk, Yaseen, Alif Laam Meem Sajdah etc, to Read Salatul Tawbah, Beg Allah for forgiveness And Ask for forgiveness from People, Amend your relations with family and relatives, with brothers and sisters, husband and wife, mother and father, daughter and son.
Please remember the Ummati of RasulAllah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam, in your Supplications on the Blessed Night of the 15th Sha’ban. According to what the Calendar says, this Blessed night is set to Appear on Thursday Night – UK Time. & Allah Knows best.
A few Ahadith which mentions Shab e Baraat or The 15th of Sha'baan;
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1307 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As (radiallahu anhu)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious looks down on the middle night of Shabaan and forgives all His creation except two people, the innovator and the murderer.
Transmitted by Ahmad.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith1306 Narrated by AbuMusa al-Ash'ari (radiallahu anhu)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious looks down on the middle night of Shabaan and forgives all His creation except a polytheist or one who is mushahin (innovator in religion and out of the main stream of the community.
Transmitted by Ibn Majah.
Bayhaqi relates from `Aisha (Radiallahu anha) in Shu`ab al-iman with his chain of transmission that she said,
"The Prophet (sallAllahu Alaihi wa sallam) stood up in prayer during part of the night and made his prostration so lengthy that I thought his soul had been taken back. When I saw this I got up and went to move his big toe, whereupon he moved, so I drew back. When he raised his head from prostration and finished praying, he said: "O `Aisha, O fair little one (humayra')! Did you think that the Prophet had broken his agreement with you?" She replied: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but I thought that your soul had been taken back because you stayed in prostration for so long." He said: "Do you know what night this is?" She said: "Allah and His Prophet know best." He said: "This is the night of mid-Sha`ban! Verily Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) look at His servants on the night of mid-Sha`ban, and He forgives those who ask forgiveness, and He bestows mercy on those who ask mercy, and He gives a delay to the people of envy and spite in their state."
