Mind, Body, Soul

Tonight we will be observing remembrance of Laylatul Baraat, the 15th Shabaan.

Some Resources on the significance of this night:

The Night of the 15th of Sha`ban
“Laylatul-bara’ ah” (The night of freedom from Fire).

1) Imam Nawawi mentioned in his Majmu`, where he also quoted Imam al-Shafi`i from the latter’s al-Umm that it has reached him that there are 5 nights when dua is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban.
**Note, of course, that the night of the 15th is the night before it.**

2) Imam Haskafi said in his Durr al-Mukhtar, one of the primary references in the Hanafi school:
“Among the recommended [prayers] are on. . . . the nights of the two Eids, the middle of Sha`ban, the last ten of Ramadan, and the first [ten] of Dhul-Hijjah. ”

3) It is reported from Sayyiduna `Ali (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Let all of you spend the night of mid-Sha`ban in worship (i.e. partly) and its day in fasting. Allah descends to the nearest heaven during this night, beginning with sunset, and says: ‘Is there no one asking forgiveness that I may forgive them? Is there no one asking sustenance that I may grant them sustenance? Is there no one under trial that I may relieve them? Is there not such-and-such, is there not such-and-such, and so forth until until dawn rises.’” [Narrated by Ibn Majah with a weak chain.]

There are many other narrations from the Companions and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lata’if al-Ma`arif, and others.

There is general consensus that weak hadiths may be acted upon for virtuous acts, such as voluntary fasting and prayer, as long as the hadith is not excessively weak, returns to a general basis in the Shariah, and one is not convinced that the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) specifically prescribed it.

Mother of the believers, Sayidatuna A’isha (May Allah be pleased with her) says, I missed the Prophet (Sallahu alayhi wa salaam) one night so I went out to al-Baqi’ graveyard, and found him). He said: “Were you afraid that Allah would wrong”? I said: “O Messenger of Allah, I thought that you might have gone to visit one of your [other] wives.” He said: “Allah Glorious and Exalted descends to the nearest heaven on the night of mid-Shabaan (15th night) and He forgives more people than the number of hair on the hides of the flocks and herds of sheep of the tribe of Kalb. {Tirmidhi}.

It is recorded in books that the tribe of Kalb used to have the most number of sheep in Arabia, but some unfortunate people are still not forgiven on this night when Allah showers His mercy on mankind. Amongst them are 1) those who are habitual drinkers [alcoholics] 2) those who are habitual adulterous 3) those who are disobedient to their parents 4) those who break family ties 5) those who are mischief-spreaders and, 6) those who are back-bitters. In another narration mischief-spreader is replaced with those who make pictures. {Mukashifatul Quloob}.

In a long Prophetic narration, narrated in Ghunya tut-Talibin, the Messenger of Allah said, that is the night of mid-Shabaan (15 night) when Allah (Exalted is He) arranges the affairs of the year. He transfers [some of] the living to the list of dead, and records those who will make pilgrimage [Hajj] to the House of Allah that year, neither adding one too many nor leaving a single one of them out.”

Spend the night, as much as possible, in worship and on the 15th of Shabaan. It is written in Anees-ul-Waezeen that whoever fasts on the fifteenth of Shabaan the fire of hell will not touch him.

Next to the “night of Qadr” the night of 15th Shaban is the most auspicious night ( also known as “night of Baraat”). According to the Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali Al Baqir (AS) and Jafar Ibn Muhammad Al Sadiq (AS) The Almighty Allah has promised to fulfill every legitimate desire put foward to him tonight.

In another Tradition she says, “Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Shaban.”

SIGNIFICANCE OF SHAB’E BARAAT – 15th of Sha’baan

The night which falls on the even of the 15th of Sha’baan is called Shab’e Baraat.

THE AUSPICIOUSNESS OF THIS NIGHT

1. The names of those who are to die in the coming year are given to the Angels.
2. The names of those who are to be born in the coming year are given to the Angels.
3. Those who are to receive sustenance during the coming year, their names are given to the Angels.
4. After sunset Allah Ta’ala’s splendour descends on the first Heaven. This remains till dawn.
5. A proclamation is made by Allah Ta’ala for those seeking forgiveness so that they may be forgiven.
6. A proclamation is also made for those seeking livelihood so that they may be given livelihood.
7. A proclamation is made for those in trouble so that they may be released from their troubles.
8. Countless people are freed from Jahannum.

Ummul Mu’mineen ‘Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, says, “Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast the whole of Shaban. I said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, is Shaban your most favorite month for fasting?’ He said, ‘In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting.”