Literally, Shab-e-Barat means the night of salvation or the night of freedom from the Fire of Hell. It occurs in Mid-Shaban – between the 14th and 15th day of Shaban, according to Islamic lunar calendar. There are some special occasions in a year when one’s heart gets softened and one naturally feels more inclined to His obedience. The softness of hearts deepens as well. On such occasions, the very environment seems emitting spiritual enjoyment. Shab-e-Barat is one such occasion. This night, known as Shab-e-Barat or Laylat-ul-Baraa, is called Laylatun Nisf min Shaban in Arabic world. The blessed night starts at sunset on the 14th and ends at dawn on the 15th. The Muslims observe Mid-Shaban as a night of worship and salvation. Some spend the whole night awake and some worship half of it. We should not be negligent on this occasion, because people are shown grace on this auspicious night. According to Islamic scholars, the whole of the month of Shaban is meritorious. Its excellent merit is evident from a tradition narrated by Aisha (r.a), the mother of the faithful: “The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not fast in any month more than Shaban.” (Sahih Bukhari) Though fasts were not obligatory on him, the Prophet (pbuh), yet he observed them most of the month.
A companion of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Usama ibn Zaid (r.a), once asked him, Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha’ban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) replied: That (Sha’ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting. The special merit is attached to Shab-e-Barat. Aisha (r.a), the mother of the faithful, also reported: “The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: ‘On the middle night of Shaban (that is, Shab-e-Barat), Allah most high descends to the lowest heaven and remits more sins than the hair of the goats of Banu Kalb’” (Jami Tirmidhi).
A third tradition of Hazrat Aisha (r.a), the truthful, states that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked: “Do you know what happens this night?” meaning the middle night of Shaban (that is, Shab-e-Barat). She submitted: “O Allah’s Messenger, what happens in it?” He replied: “In it record is made of every human being who will be born, and of every human being who will pass away this year. In it their deeds are taken up to heaven and in it their provisions are sent down.” (Baihaqi) The pious predecessors of the Muslim nation have always observed this night as a night of special blessings and have spent it in divine service. Often, women who missed fasts in Ramadan make them up in this month.
Apart from worshipping on this night, fasting the following day is also recommended. It is reported from Hazrat Ali (r.a) that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “When the middle night of Shaban arrives, spend it in worship and fast during the day. On this night, at sunset, Allah descends to the nearest heaven and announces: ‘Is there no one asking forgiveness that I may forgive him? Is there no one asking provision that I may grant him provision? Is there no one afflicted that I may relieve them? Is there not such and such?’ (He keeps announcing) till the dawn comes.” The special blessings of Almighty descend during the night. According to Muadh ibn Jabal, Allah’s Messenger said: “Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle night of Shaban and forgives all those created by Him. Excepted is the one who associates partners with Him, or the one who has malice in his heart.” Hadrat Ayesha Siddiqa (radi Allahu ta’ala anha) reports: “One night, which was the 15th of Shabaan, I did not find the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) in the house so I went in search of him. After a long search, I found him in Baqiah (the cemetery of Madinah) offering Du’a for the deceased and praying for their forgiveness” (Baihaqi).
A special point must be made to visit the cemetery during this night and pray for the deceased buried therein, as the Most Beloved Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) is been reported as having visited the cemetery on this night and spending a long time therein, lamenting, reading and praying for the deceased. This night should be spent in worshipping Allah from the depth of heart. It is the time to focus one’s attention to Him alone. It is the time to enjoy the direct contact with Allah, Most Compassionate, Ever-Merciful. Most of all, it is the time for reforming one’s life to come. In most places in the world, people fast on 15th of Shaban, visit graves and commemorate their ancestors on this night. Let us Make dua on this occasion for the welfare of all Humans on this earth who are suffering in one way or the other. Our Prophet (peace be upon his soul) had recited a verse from the Gracious Quran in the presence of his companions. This verse was describing how religious people before Islam were distorting the religion of Allah: “They put aside the Almighty and declared the Rabbis, the preachers and the Messiah the son of Mary as God. Yet they had been ordered to be servants of the Almighty who is one.
There is no God but Allah. Allah is supreme and has no partners.”After reading the verse a companion of the Prophet who had converted from Christianity addressed him saying “Ohh envoy of Allah! But we were not worshipping them!” The Prophet replied “they were deciding what is permitted and what is regarded as sin. You were obeying them, weren’t you?” The companion replied “Yes.” The Prophet said “this is exactly what the verse says.” It is clear that at times throughout history human beings have veered off from the main course and have faces distortions. That is why the Almighty Allah has sent us prophets from Adam (A.S) to our beloved Prophet Muhammed Mustafa (PBUH) who helped us stay on course and consolidate our belief in tawhid (there is only one God and that is Allah and Allah has no partners). Tawhid is the true path, the straightforward road. On this path we only obey Allah, submit to Allah and surrender ourselves as servants.
Tawhid is the true path, the straightforward road. On this path we only obey Allah, shed polytheism, discord, hypocrisy and blasphemy
This path requires us to shed polytheism, discord, hypocrisy and blasphemy. It requires us to be truthful, be what we are and act as we are. On this path is wisdom and sincerity. On this path we have righteousness and not distortion, loyalty and not betrayal. The last envoy to invite people on this true path has been Prophet Muhammed Mustafa (peace be upon him). The Almighty Allah has brought the religion of Islam to a peak with our holy Quran and our Prophet. There have been so many esteemed persons who have called upon humanity to stay on the true path. Yet there have also been so many miserable people who pretended to be righteous who have tried to push people off course and invite them to heresy. On the true path there is no way anything can supersede the Almighty and the Prophet, the Quran and the Sunnah (teachings and actions of the Prophet). We cannot change the basics of religion on the true path. On this path no one has the right to define and set the rules of what is right and what is wrong, what is prohibited and what is permitted according to their own wishes and interests. Anyone doing this will only be distorting and harming the great religion of Islam. Anyone doing this will be creating a vacuum in Islam. This is an act of destroying Islam and creating a new religion. It should be known that those who are trying to create a new religion that supersedes the Quran and the Sunnah and those who follow this course are completely on the wrong path that leads to nowhere.
The alternative is to live a prosperous life under the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah on the true path using the rich Islamic cultural heritage and the Islamic civilization. Let no one forget that our fate on the Day of Judgment will be determined according to our own actions and deeds in this world. No one can put the blame or responsibility on others. On that great day our only hope is our sincere faith, our intentions, our knowledge and deeds and our clean heart. Our only shelter will be the vast mercy and compassion of the Almighty. May Allah help us be among thy subjects who act with responsibility, who are aware that we have to give an account and may Allah include us among the subjects that will be honored by thy compassion. May the Lord help us always stay on course on the true path. May Allah foil attempts of those who try to ruin our religious values, hurt our faith, distort our Islam and exploit our religion (Ameen).
(The author a teacher at S K University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology-SKUAST Srinagar writes on Islamic topics exclusively for “Kashmir Horizon”)