Shab-e-Barat (The Fifteenth Sacred Night of Sha'ban)

 

Shab-e-Barat

(The Fifteenth Sacred Night of Sha'ban)

Mohammad Musaddiq

The analogy of the word Sha'ban is given below: The word Sha‘ban contains five letters that are

ا ب ع ش and ن . 

According to some commentators, the following meanings are given to these words:

1.     شرف:  ش— Dignity, honour and exaltation, etc.

2.     علو: ع— Eminence, height and sublimity etc.

3.     بر : ب — goodness, kindness, virtue etc.

4.     اُلفت:  ا— Friendship, love and affection etc.

5.     نور : ن— Light, splendour, etc.

Almighty Allah has specialized these words for his servant because all the doors of kindness, virtues and blessing are kept open in this holy month. Sins, therefore, are forgiven in this holy month.

It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (R.D.A.) saying that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) used to fast continuously, and we used to think that he will keep fast without any break, but sometimes he used to break his fast and she used to think that he will not fast. It is said that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) loved the month of Sha‘ban" very much. I (Hazrat-Aisha) asked the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) why he is fasting during Sha'ban. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) replied that it is the only month in the year in which the record has to be made for those who are going to die in the next part of the year. And I want my name should be recorded when I am fasting.

Hazrat Aisha (R.D.A.) said that the most loving month for the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was the month of Sha’ban, because the said month is connected to the month of Ramadan.

It is narrated by Abu Huraira (R.D.A.) that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said that Sha'ban is my month, Rajab is Allah's month and Ramadan is for my Ummah. Sha‘ban removes the sins from Muslim and Ramadan makes them pure. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said that Sha’ban is the middle month between Rajab and Ramadan, and most of the people are ignorant of the fact that the record of the deeds has to be presented to Almighty Allah, therefore l like that my record should be presented to Almighty Allah while I am fasting.

It is narrated by Hazrat Anas (R.D.A.) that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) has said that the month of Rajab has superiority over the other months just as Qur'an has superiority over other holy books, and Sha'ban has it's superiority over other months as I have superiority over the other Prophets (ﷺ).

It is said by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) that every Muslim should be mindful of this month because it is a month of preparation for the month of Ramadan. The man has to adjure himself from his bad deeds and he has to ask Almighty Allah to forgive him for his sins, whatever he committed in the past, because there are only three days: yesterday, today and tomorrow. As far as today is concerned, you can act in it and there is then only hope for tomorrow, and the day which has passed will never come again. Therefore, today is very important, in the same way there are three months, i.e., Rajab which has already passed and it will never come back, and you then have to wait for Ramadan, so therefore Sha‘ban is very important because it is in hand.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) advised Abdullah, son of Hazrat Umar (R.D.A.) of the following five things and told him to be mindful of it happening before its time and much preference must be given to these things:

(1) The adolescence before old age.

(2) The health before sickness.

(3) The richness before poverty.

(4) The free time before work.

(5) The life before death.

So in the same way, preference must be given to Sha'ban because we do not know whether we will be able to get Ramadan or not.

The Merits of Shab-e-Barat

Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

حم . وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ . إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ ۚ

Ha.Meem. By the lumimbus Book. Verily, we have sent it down on a blessed night. (44: 1-3.).

According to some Commentators the blessed night is the Shab-e-Barat. Hazrat Aisha (R.D.A.) narrated that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said that in this Holy night names used to be recorded of all new born children who has to be born during the year and in the same way the name of those who are to pass away in some year is also to be recorded, in the very same night Allah grants the food to the people, and in the very same night the record of the people is also to be presented to Almighty Allah.

So I asked the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) if there is anyone to enter Heaven without the Grace of Almighty Allah, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) replied that no one can enter Heaven without the Grace of Almighty Allah. So I asked “Even you?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said yes, but Allah has covered me with His blessings and after that he rubbed my face with his Holy Hands.

It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (R.D.A.) who said:

“On the fifteenth night of Shaban, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) asked me which is that night. I replied that Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ) know better, then he said it is the fifteenth night of Sha‘ban.

The record of the people will be presented to Allah and He will forgive them, then he stood up to worship Allah.”

The Rewards of Sha'ban

It is narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (R.D.A.) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that Hazrat Gibriel (A.S.) came to him on the fifteenth night of Sha'ban and asked him to look at the sky. “I asked him which night is this?” He replied that it is the night in which Almighty Allah open the doors of His Grace and forgiveness for those who did not associate anyone with Almighty Allah, neither is he a magician nor a drunkard, etc.

Then Hazrat Gibriel (A.S.) came to me in the last part of the very same night and asked me to look at the sky, I saw that all the doors of the Heavens were opened, and at every door there was an angel calling that those who worship Almighty Allah on the very same night, Allah will accept all his prayers and will forgive all of his sins. Then the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) asked Hazrat Gibriel (A.S.) for how long these doors will be kept open, he replied, “till Fajar” (dawn), then Gibriel (A.S.) said to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) that the people have been saved in this night from Hell.

The Prayer in Shab-e-Barat

The great sages of religion have said that it is better to perform one hundred Rakaat of prayer in this night of Sha'ban and it is good to recite 10 times سورة الاخلاص per Rakaat. This is called the prayer of   خیر i.e., virtue.

The great men has also said that this prayer contain a lot of virtues, and goodness.

Hazrat Hassan Basri (R.A.) said that whosoever prayed in this night, Allah looks at him seventy times and for every single look He fulfils his seventy needs and also forgives his sins.

In short, I shall say that we must try to get the blessings of Almighty Allah throughout our lives and ask God Almighty to forgive our sins, especially in the aforesaid night.

In conclusion, I pray to Almighty Allah to give us the strength to worship Him as we are directed by our Holy Prophet (ﷺ) to get the blessings of Almighty God and ask Him to forgive all our sins, and guide us on the straight path of Islam, Ameen.