Authentic
Hadith About Shab-e-Bara’at (Mid Night of Shaban)
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.
This night, known as Shab-e-Barat or Laylat-ul-Baraa, is called Laylatun Nisf
min Shaban in Arabic. The blessed night starts at sunset on the 14th and ends
at dawn on the 15th.
He whole of the month of Shaban is meritorious. Its excellent merit is evident from a tradition narrated by Aisha, the mother of the faithful: “The Prophet did not fast in any month more than Shaban.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Authentic
Ahadith about the merits of Shab-e-Bara’at
1)Among the Hadiths stressing
the importance of 15th Sha`ban is the following:
The special merit is
attached to Shab-e-Barat. Aisha, the mother of the faithful, also reported:
“The Prophet 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)
2)A
third tradition of Hazrat Aisha, the truthful, states that the Holy Prophet
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)
3) Narrated by Aisha
(r.a), I missed Allah's Messenger during the night and found him in al-Baqui'.
He said: Were you afraid that Allah and His Messenger would deal unjustly with
you? I said: Allah's Messenger, I thought that you had gone to some of your
other wives. He (the Prophet) said: Verily Allah, the Exalted and Glorious,
comes down to the heaven of the world in "the middle night of
Sha'ban" and forgives sins even more abundant than the hair of the goats
of Kalb. [Sunan Tirmidhi Volume 001, Hadith Number 670, Ibn Maja Volume 002,
Hadith Number1379]
4) Narrated by Abu Musa
al-Ash'ari, Allah's Messenger said, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious looks down
on "the middle night of Sha'ban" and forgives all His creation,
except a polytheist or one who is mushahin(one bent on hatred). [Sunan Ibn Maja
Volume 002, Hadith Number 1380]
5) Narrated by
Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn al-'As Allah's Messenger said, Allah, the Exalted and
Glorious looks down on "the middle night of Sha'ban" and forgives all
His creation except two people, the Mushahin (one bent on hatred) and the
murderer. [Musnad Ahmad Volume 003, Hadith Number 6353]
6) It is reported by Abu
Thalaba that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: On the 15th night of
Shabaan, Allah looks over at his creation and forgives all the believers except
for the one who begrudges and hates. He leaves them in their enmity. [Bayhqi,
Tafsir ad-Dar al-Manthur under the Verse 44:3]
7) It is reported by
Muaz bin Jabbal that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah looks at His
creation in "the night of mid-Sha`ban" and He forgives all His
creation except for a Mushrik (idolater) or a Mushahin (one bent on hatred).
[Ibn Hibban, Sahih, ed. Shu`ayb Arna'ut Volume 012: Hadith Number 5665]
8) Narrated by
A'isha: She said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood up in prayer during
part of the night and made his prostration so lengthy that I thought his soul
had been taken back. When I saw this I got up and went to move his big toe,
whereupon he moved, so I drew back. When he raised his head from prostration
and finished praying, he (pbuh) said: "O A'isha, O fair little one (Humayra')!
Did you think that the Prophet had broken his agreement with you?" She
replied: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but I thought that your soul
had been taken back because you stayed in prostration for so long." He
said: "Do you know what night this is?" She said: "Allah and His
Prophet know best." He said: "This is the night of mid-Sha`ban!
Verily Allah the Glorious and Majestic look at His servants on "the night
of mid-Sha`ban, and He forgives those who ask forgiveness, and He bestows mercy
on those who ask mercy, and He gives a delay to the people of envy and spite in
their state." [Bayhaqi in Shu`ab
al-Iman Volume 003: Hadith Number 3835]
9) IImran bin Husain (ra)
reported, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) having said to him or to someone
else: Did you fast in the "Middle of Sha'ban?" He said: No. Thereupon
he (the Holy Prophet) said: If you did not observe fast, then you should
observe fast for two days. [Muslim Book 006, Number 2607]
Scholarly Opinions
The virtue of the night of
mid Shaban has been established right from the Prophet (peace be upon him)
himself and has come from multiple channels of transmission from Abdullah bin
Amr, Muadh, Abu Hurairah, Abu Thulabah, Awf bin Malik, Abu Bakr, Abu Musa,
Aishah (May Allah be pleased with all of them) each of the narrations
strengthening each other.
Imam
Shafi'i writes:
“Verily, Dua is accepted on
five nights: the night of Juma’, the night of Eid Al-Adha, the night of Eid
Al-Fitr, the first night of Rajab, and the 15th night of Shabaan”. [Al-Umm,
Volume 001, Page No. 231]
Imam
Shurunbulali Hanafi writes:
“It is desirable to revive
the last ten nights of Ramadan, two nights of Eidain (Eid ul-Fitr and Eid
ul-Adha), ten nights of Zil Hijjah, and the 15th night of Sha`ban.” [Noorul
Eidhah Page No. 63]
Shaikh
Abu-Ishaq Ibrahim Al-Hanbali writes:
“It is desirable to revive
the time (with Salat and Ibadah) between the two E’sha’s (Maghrib and E’sha)
because of the Ahadith. Many scholars say: Similarly with the night of Ashura,
the first night of Rajab, and the 15th night of Sha`ban”. [Al-Mubdi Volume 002,
Page No. 27]
Sheikh
Mansoor Bahoti Hanbali writes:
“As for the 15th night of
Sha`ban, it is a night of virtue. Some of the Salaf prayed the whole night,
although establishing congregational prayers (on this night) is good
innovation. And the reward of Ibadah on "the 15th night of Sha`ban"
is the same as the reward of Ibadah on the night of E’id. [Kash-shaful Qina,
Volume 001: Page No. 444]
Sheikh
Mubarakpuri (Salafi scholar) writes:
“You should know that
a sufficient number of Ahadith have been narrated confirming "the virtues
of the 15th night of Sha`ban". All these Ahadith prove that it has a
basis.
After relating many
Ahadith about the importance of this night, he says:
“The sum of all these
Ahadith is strong evidence against the one "who thinks there is no
proof" of the virtue of the 15th night of Sha`ban" and Allah knows
best. [Tuhfat ul Ahwadhi Volume 003: Page. 365-367]
Ibn-Taimiyyah
when asked about the 15th night of Sha’ban replied:
‘‘As for the 15th
night of Shabaan, there are many narrations and Athar (quotes from the Sahabah)
regarding its virtue. It has been reported of the Salaf that they prayed in
this night. Therefore, praying alone on this night, having precedence in the
Salaf, is sufficient evidence and something of this kind surely cannot be
denied”.
At another occasion,
Ibn-Taimiyyah was asked the same question and he replied:
“If one prays on this night
alone or in a select company of people as many groups amongst the Salaf did,
"then it is good". [Fatawa Ibn Taimiyyah Volume 23, Page 131-132]
Usually the
some group claiming that all Hadiths about the
merits of Shab-e-Bar’at are “Daeef” (Weak). First of all, the Hadith of Ibn
Habban is termed as "SAHIH" by classical scholars of this technical
Islamic science. Even if any follower of such groups does not believe in the
classical scholars of Hadith, here is a compelling evidence from those group
who raise object their scholar of the last century and a reputed scholar
of Ahlehadees, Nasir ud Din Albani. He declared Hadiths of 15th Shabaan as “Hassan”
and “Sahih” (authentic). See: (Silsilat ul-Ahadith-as Sahiha, Nasir ud din
Albani, Volume No. 3, Page No. 135) seethe scan copy of [Sahih Ibne Maja Safha 414] page
One more scholar of Ahlehadees,
Muhaddis
Allama Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri said these Hadiths are collectively
declare argument against those se who claim 15 Shaaban Night has no merits [Tohfatul Ahwazi P.441-442/3]
Conclusion:
To
sum up, the virtues of the blessed night of mid Sha’aban are established by
authentic Ahadith and a group of the Salaf (سلف "predecessor" is an
early Muslim of the first three generations of proponents of the religion). So,
it is highly recommended to celebrate this night and stay up on it.
