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Mid-Sha'ban is the 15th day of the Muslim month of Sha'ban. Laylatul Bara'ah is the night preceding the 15th day of Shaban.
The month of Sha’ban is the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fifteenth night of this month is known as Laylatul Bara’ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, etc., it is known as Shab-e-barat.
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Other names
- Lailatul Baraat
- Lailatul Dua
- Nim Sha'ban in Afghanistan and Iran.
- Nisf Sha'ban in Arabic speaking countries.
- Nisfu Sya'ban in Malay speaking countries.
- Shab e Bara'at in South Asia meaning the 'Night of Emancipation'.
- Berat Kandili in Turkish
Sunni view
Sunni observe Mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation, commemorating when Allah saved Noah's followers from the deluge. According to Sunni tradition, Allah determines the destiny of all people, including whether a person lives or dies, in the coming year. For this reason it is sometimes called the "Night of Emancipation".
Imam Nawawi mentioned in his Majmu`, where he also quoted Imam al-Shafi`i from the latters 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.
The night of the 15th starts at sunset on the 14th and ends at sunrise on the 15th.
It is reported from Sayyiduna Ali that the Muhammad 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.]
There are many other narrations from the Companions and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lataif 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 Muhammad specifically prescribed it.
1. About hadith:
On this night, perform Nawaafil, recite the Qur'an, Salawat, Kalima Tayyibah, and seek forgiveness.
As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not believed authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Alee al-Qaaree (d.1014H) records some of these hadith:
In another narration, the following people have also been mentioned: 1. One who deals in usury (Riba), 2. One who wears his trousers below his ankle with pride and arrogance (In Arabia, people displayed their wealth and boasted in this manner), 3. One who creates disunity among two Muslims, 4. The person who unjustly takes away the right and property of another Muslim and has not yet rectified himself. All these persons are not shown mercy on this auspicious Night. A humble appeal to seek pardon and ask Allah’s forgiveness
Also on this night the Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness are opened wide,and those who sincerely grieve over and repent for their past sins and seek forgiveness from Allah are pardoned and forgiven by the Grace of Allah the Merciful.
Each Tasbih or Du’a should begin and terminate with the recital of Salawat and one who wishes for the acceptance of his Du’as should use the Wasila of Muhammad.
Hadrat Ghawth al-A’zam, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani has mentioned in his famous ”Gunyat-ut Talibeen” that the month of Shaban according to some narrations is related to Muhammad. So, it is our duty, as the followers of Muhammad to love and respect this month more than any other month (besides Ramadhan). One should also offer abundantly salutations (Salaat-o-Salaam) upon Muhammad. [1]
Ruling
It is the special night of seeking forgiveness and repenting to God, remembering past sins and sincerely settling the mind that one will never commits sins in the future. All the deeds that are against Shari’ah must be totally avoided so that our Du’a and Istighfaar, hopefully, will be accepted.
Dr. Muhammad al – Jibaly said: The hadith indicates that this night surely has a special merit[citation needed]
Shia view
The Shia spend the entire eve of the 15th of Sha'ban in prayers and worship. Twelvers spend the 15th day in celebration, as it marks the birthday of their final Imām, Muhammad al-Mahdi. Twelvers believe him to be the Mahdi, an important figure who Muslims believe will rid the world of tyranny and injustice.
Controversy
Many scholars and general people believe that Shab-e-Barat is not what it is believed to be. This belief is based on the fact that there is no mention of such a night in the Quran [2].
Some quote 44.3 of the Quran [2] to justify the Night from the Quran. However, reading the entire quote,
44.1 Ha. Mim. 44.2 By the Scripture that maketh plain 44.3 Lo! We revealed it on a blessed night - Lo! We are ever warning - 44.4 Whereon every wise command is made clear[3]
It demonstrates that this Night referred to in 44.3 is in fact the Night in which the Quran was revealed, which is the Laylatul Qadr[3] and not Laylatul Barat. Hence the concept of Laylatul Barat is somewhat disputed.
In the Indian subcontinent Muslims make sweets (especially Halwa or Zarda) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban[2], but is deemed as an innovation to the faith by some Sunni scholars; some even consider it as a sin.
Even when hadiths are used to justify the night, some Sunni scholars have labeled such hadiths as weak (da'if)[4].
Some Muslims are not convinced with the idea that fate for the coming year is to be determined in this very night[5].
References
- ^ http://sunninews.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/laylat-al-baraah-or-shab-e-barat-night-of-salvation/
- ^ a b c http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/S_0229.htm
- ^ a b http://arthursclassicnovels.com/arthurs/koran/koran-pickthal.html
- ^ http://www.pakistanlink.com/religion/99/11-19.html
- ^ http://javeria.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/misconceptions-vs-facts-about-shabaan/
External links on Shab-e-Barat 15th of Shaban
- Complete Article about Shab-e-Bra'ah or Night of Salvation
- Laylatul Baraat Discussion
- Sunni Forum Discussion on this topic
- Islam Q & A article on Mid Sha'ban
- Student of Knowledge article about Mid Sha'ban
- [1]
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