Shab-e-Baraat or Lailatul Baraat, meaning the night of absolution is a vessel for mercy. On this great night, the Almighty Allah descends to the first heaven and proclaims, “Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone who seeks sustenance so that I may grant him sustenance? Is there anyone who seeks freedom from his problems so that I may remove his problems?” This announcement continues until the break of dawn. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said “On the night of the middle of Shabaan, Allah Ta’ala descends to the heaven of this lower world and forgives every Muslim, except a mushrik (one who associates partners with Almighty Allah), the bearer of malice, the breaker of family ties, the adulterer, the miser, the one who is disobedient to his parents and the one who consumes alcohol. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has also said that during this night the Almighty Allah opens 300 doors of mercy unto his servants and that the slaves of the Almighty Allah are emancipated from the fire of hell, as numerous as the hairs on the flocks of the tribe of Bani Kalb. The Almighty Allah says “Therein all matters of wisdom are sorted out for Decree.” (Surah 44, Verse 4). This Aayat refers to Shab-e-Baraat and it is stated in Tafseer Noorul Irfaan that on this great night, the entire year’s program of sustenance, death, life, honour and disgrace, in short every affair of man is listed from the divine tablet and handed over to the angels of each area on the earth in the form of a book. Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) reports that once on Shab-e-Baraat Prophet Muhammad (SAW) went into prostration for a long time and she watched him until she thought that Almighty Allah had taken the Prophet (SAW) from this world. After a long time had elapsed, she got close enough to touch the soles of his feet. He stirred, and she heard him saying in his prostration, “I take refuge with your pardon from your punishment. I take refuge with your approval from your displeasure. I take refuge in you from you. Glory be to you. I cannot fully praise you, as you have praised yourself.”
“Lailatul Baraat is an opportunity that everyone needs to take advantage of. We do not know if our names will be written on the list given to the Angel of Death this year, and whether we will have the opportunity of experiencing this blessed night again”.
After this incident Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) asked Prophet Muhammad (SAW), “O Messenger of Allah (SAW), tonight I have heard you utter something during your prostration that I never heard you mention before.” Prophet Muhammad (SAW) then asked, “Have you learnt it?” When she said yes, he replied, “Study those words and teach them, for Hazrat Jibra’eel (Alaihis Salaam) instructed me to repeat them during the prostration.” Lailatul Baraat is an opportunity that everyone needs to take advantage of. We do not know if our names will be written on the list given to the Angel of Death this year, and whether we will have the opportunity of experiencing this blessed night again. We must make Tauba (repent) for our sins and ask for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness. We are such wretched sinners but the mercy of the Almighty Allah is boundless. No matter how sinful we are, it is never too late to fall down in prostration before Almighty Allah and to cry in shame for our insolent behaviour in disobeying his commands. Almighty Allah’s mercy overcomes his anger therefore we should not lose hope in his mercy, no matter how wretched we might be. Almighty Allah just wants an excuse to forgive us but it is we who are too lazy to humble ourselves before him to ask for His Mercy.
