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Shabaan

The Eighth month in the Islamic Calendar

Allah ta'ala's Habeeb Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said :
''Fast in Sha'baan, in honour of Ramadan''





More to come ....


Ramadan [1] | Ramadan [2]

Muharram | Rajab | Hajj

Power of Salat | Power of Du'a | Power of Darood


World of Tasawwuf | Islam 786 Forum







Meaning



On the meanings of the five Arabic letters of the word Sha'baan.

The word Sha'baan [in the Arabic script] is spelt with five letters:

  1. shiin,
  2. 'ain,
  3. baa,
  4. alif  and
  5. nuun.


The shiin stands for sharaf [nobility], the 'ain for 'uluww [sublimity], the baa' for birr [piety], the alif for ulfa [harmonious intimacy], and the nuun for nuur [radiant light].


These are the gifts from Allah Almighty to His servant in this month. It is a month in which treasures are laid open, in which blessings are sent down, in which faults are forsworn, in which sins are expiated, and in which benedictions are multiplied upon His Beloved Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, the best of human creatures. This is the month of blessings upon the Chosen Prophet.




Prophet



It is a month in which treasures are laid open, in which blessings are sent down, in which faults are forsworn, in which sins are expiated, and in which benedictions are multiplied upon the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, the Best of human Creation.

This is the month of blessings upon the Chosen Prophet [Peace and Blessings upon him & His Family]. Allah the Almighty has said,


Inna 'llaaha wa mala'ikata-hu yusalluna 'ala 'n-Nabiyy:
yaa ayuha 'lladhina aamanu sallu ’alai-hi wa sallimuu tasliimaa.

Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet.
O' you who believe invoke blessings upon him and salute him with a worthy salutation.  (al-Qur'an 33:56)


The blessing from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala is Mercy ; from the angels, intercession and petition for forgiveness; and from the believers, supplication and appreciation.


According to Mujaahid Radi Allahu anhu:


''The blessing from Allah is prosperity and virtue; from the angels, help and support; and from the believers, compliance and respect.''

It was Ibn 'Ataa' 'alayhir rahman who said:


''The blessing on the Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam from Allah (Exalted is He) is conjunction, from the angels it is tender care, and from the believers it is following with affection''



As someone else put it:


''The blessing of the Lord ( Blessed and Exalted is He) upon His Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'alihi wa Sallim) is the enhancement of respect.  The blessing of the angels upon him (Salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam) is the display of gracious favour. The blessing of his Community upon him (Salla Allahu alayhi wa aalihi wa Sallam) is the request for intercession.''


As he himself (The Noble Last Messenger, Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) has told us:

When someone pronounces a single blessing on me, Allah blesses him ten times. Far from being negligent during this month, therefore, every conscientious believer is obliged to exert himself in preparation for the coming month of Ramadan, using the days that remain to get clear of sins and repent those committed in the past. One should beseech Allah (Exalted is He) in the month of Shabaan. One should appeal to Allah (Exalted is He) through the owner of the month, Muhammad ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam ), until the corruption of one’s heart is corrected,and the sickness of one’s inner being is cured.



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Merits of Shabaan




The virtous Merit's of Sha'baan



From Ghunyat lit-Taalibi

 

On the special merit of the month of Sha'baan, and the divine forgiveness [maghfirah] and good pleasure [ridwaan] sent down
on the middle night of that month.


Sayeda A'isha Radi Allahu anha, the wife of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam  is reported as having said :


Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam used to fast until we would say he was never going to stop fasting, and he would go so long without fasting that we would say he was never going to fast, but I never saw Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam continue a fast from the beginning to the end of any month except the month of  Ramadan, [apart from which] I never saw him do more fasting in any month than he did in Sha'baan.


Sayeda A'isha Radi Allahu anha is also reported as having said:


Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam used to fast until we would say he was never going to stop fasting, and go so long without fasting that we would say he was never going to fast. The fasting he liked best was that he did in Shabaan, so I said to him:


''O Messenger of Allah, how is it I always see you fasting in Sha'baan?'' and he Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam replied:


''O ''A'isha, it is the month in which the Angel of Death has to note down the name of anyone whose soul he must take before the year is out, so I would rather he did not record my name except while I am fasting.


Umm Salma Radi Allahu anha is reported as having said:


In no other month, apart from Ramadan, did Allah Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam fast more often than in Sha'baan. And that was because, each Sha'baan, all who must die in the course of that year have their names transcribed from the list of the living onto that of the dead, and a man may embark on a journey even while his name is listed among those about to die. Hadrat Anas [ibn Malik] Radi Allahu anhu once said:


When asked about the most meritorious fasting, the Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said: 


''Fast in Sha'baan, in honour of Ramadan''


Hadrat Ubaydullah ibn Qais once heard A'isha Radi Allahu anha say:


'The dearest of months to Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam were Shabaan, which he would link to Ramadan.'


According to Hadrat Abdullah Radi Allahu anhu, Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam once said:


Anyone who fasts on the last Monday of Sha'baan will be granted forgiveness. - meaning the last Monday that falls within it, not as the very last day of the month, for it is forbidden to anticipate the month [of Ramadan] by one or two days.


Anas ibn Malik Radi Allahu anhu is the authority for the report that Allah's Messenger Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam once said:


''It is called Sha'baan simply because it is juxtaposed [yansha'ibu] to Ramadan, containing many blessings, while Ramadan is so called because it scorches [yurmidu] sins.''

Allah Almighy (Exalted is He) has said:

Your Lord creates and chooses what He wills.
wa Rabbuka yakhluqu maa yasha'u wa yakhtaar. (al-Qur'an, 28:68)

According to Abu Hurayra Radi allahu anhu, the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam once said:


''Sha'baan is my month, Rajab is Allah's month, and Ramadan is the month of my  Community.
Sha'baan is the expiator, while Ramadan is the purifier.''


He Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam also said :


Sha'baan is a month between Rajab and Ramadan. People tend to neglect it, but that is when the deeds of His servants ascend to the Lord of All the  Worlds, so I would rather mine rose up while I was fasting.


According to Anas ibn Malik Radi Allahu anhu, the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam once said:


''The excellence of Rajab over other months is like the excellence of the Qur'an over all other speech, while the excellence of Sha'baan over other
months is like my excellence over the rest of the Prophets, and the excellence of Ramadan over other months is like the excellence of Allah
(Exalted is He) over all His creatures.''



Anas ibn Malik Radi Allahu anhu is also reported as having said:


''When the Companions of the Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam beheld  the new moon of Shabaan, they would immerse themselves in reading their copies of  the Qur'an. The Muslims would pay the alms-due [zakaat] assessed on their wealth, thereby providing the means for the weak and the poor to fortify themselves in preparation for the fasting of the month of Ramadan. The governors would summon  the prison inmates, to carry out the sentence on those convicted of major offences under Islamic law, and to set the rest free. Businessmen would set about paying their debts and collecting their dues. Then, when they beheld the new moon of Ramadan, they would bathe themselves and devote themselves to worship.








al-Qur'an



Concerning the Night of Absolution [Laylat al-Bara'ah], its special mercy, grace and merits. Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He) has said:


Ha-Mim. Ha-Mim: wa 'l-Kitabi 'l-mubini ina anzalna-hu fi lailatin mubarakatin.
By the Book that  makes plain; We sent it down  on a blessed night.  (al-Qur'an 44:1-3)


According to the greatest Faqih in al-Islam, Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, and with his father),

'' 'Haa-Miim' means that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has predetermined everything in existence till the Day of Resurrection. The Book that makes plain is the Qur'an, which is also the object referred to in 'We sent it down.'  The ‘blessed night' is the night of mid-Sha'baan, which is the Night of Absolution.''

In the Quran al-karim, Allah (Exalted is He) calls many things 'blessed,' including the Qur'an itself, of which He has said:


Wa hadhaa dhikrun mubaarakun anzalnaa-h.
This is a blessed reminder that we have revealed. (al-Qur'an 21:50).


Part of its blessedness is that one who reads it and believes in it enjoys right guidance and salvation from the Fire, and these benefits are also passed by extension to his ascendants and descendants.  As the Noble Nabi Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam has said:



When someone reads the Qur'an from the written text, Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He) alleviates the torment of his parents, even if they were unbelievers.






Ka'aba




The Ka'ba is one of the things called blessed by Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He):


Inna awwala Baitin wudi’a li’n-naasi la-‘lladhii bi-Bakkata mubaarakan.
The first House appointed for mankind was that at Bakka, a blessed place. (al-Qur'an 3:96)

Part of its blessedness is that one who enters it, bearing a heavy load of sins, will come out having been forgiven. Allah (Exalted is He) has said:


Wa man dakhala-hu kaana aaminaa.
And anyone who enters it is safe.  (al-Qur'an 3:97)


So if someone enters the House as a believer, aware of his sins and repentant, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala waives his punishment, accepts his repentance and forgives him. It is also said that anyone who enters it is immune to wrongdoing, as long as he remains within the Sacred Precinct.  It is therefore unlawful to kill the game there, or to fell the trees.

The sanctity of the Ka'ba is due to the sanctity of Allah, the sanctity of the Mosque to the sanctity of the Ka'ba, the sanctity of the Makkah to the sanctity of the Mosque, and the sanctity of the Sacred Precinct to the sanctity of Makkah As it is said:


''The Ka'ba is a Qibla [direction of prayer] for the people of the Mosque, the Mosque is a Qibla for the people of Makkah, Makkah is a Qibla for the people of the Sacred Precinct, and the Sacred Precinct is a Qibla for the people of the earth.''

Water




One of the things Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He) calls 'blessed' is water, for He has said:



Wa nazzalnaa mina 's-samaa'i maa'an mubaarakan.
And down from the sky We have sent blessed water. (al-Qur'an 50:9)



Part of its blessedness lies in the fact that all life depends on it.  In the words of Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He):



wa ja'alnaa mina 'l-maa'i kulla shai'in hayy: a-fa-laa yu'minuun.
And We made every living thing from water Will they not then believe?  (al-Qur'an 21:30).



Water is said to contain ten subtle properties: delicateness, suppleness, energy, fluency, limpidity, mobility, moistness, coolness, humility & vitality.  Allah the Almighty (Exalted is He) has imbued the conscientious believer [mu'min labiib] with these same properties, namely, refinement of the heart, flexibility of temperament, energy in obedient service, politeness of the personality, purity of behaviour, movement in good works, moistness in the eye, coolness toward sinful transgressions, humility toward fellow creatures, and vitality in heeding the truth.




Tree



The olive tree is another thing called ' blessed' by Allah (Exalted & Glorious is He):


Min shajaratin mubaarakatin zaituunatin.
From a blessed tree, an olive. (al-Qur'an 24:35)



This was the first tree from which Adam 'alayhis-salaam ate when he was cast down to earth. It contains nourishment and enlightenment. In the words of Allah (Exalted is He):

Wa sibghin li' l-aakiliin.
''And relish for the eaters.'' (al-Qur'an 23:20)


Some say the' blessed tree'  is Hadrat Ibrahim 'alayhis-salaam, some say it is the al-Qur'an, and others say it is true faith. Still others say it is the tranquil soul of the believer,  insistent on good  conduct, obedient to commandment, restrained by prohibition, submitted to destiny, conforming to the Lord in what He has decreed and ruled. Hadrat Isa (Jesus) 'alayhis-salaam is also among those Allah (Almighty & Glorious is He) calls  blessed :

Wa ja' ala-nii mubaarakan aina-maa kuntu.

[Isa (jesus) said]: ''And He has made me blessed wherever I may be.''  (al-Qur'an 19:31)



His blessedness ( peace be upon him ) includes the sprouting of the fruit from the date palm for his faithful mother, Hadrat Maryam (The Blessed Mother Mary, peace be upon both mother & son), and the gushing forth of water beneath him.

In the words of the Almighty & Glorious :


Fa-nadaa-haa min tahti-haa  allaa tahzani qad ja' ala Rabbu-ki tahta-ki sariyyaa:
wa huzzii ilai-ki  bi-jidh' i' n-nakhlati tusaaqit' alai-ki rutaban janiyyaa:
 fa-kulii wa' shrabii wa qarrii' ainaa.''


Then [a voice] cried to her from below her, saying:

''Grieve not, for your Lord has placed a rivulet beneath you.
And shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you: 
It will cause ripe dates to fall upon you.  So eat and drink and be consoled.  (al-Qur'an 19:24-26) .





Three



As The Noble Last Messenger, Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) has told us:


When someone pronounces a single blessing on me, Allah blesses him ten times. Far from being negligent during this month, therefore, every conscientious believer is obliged to exert himself in preparation for the coming month of Ramadan, using the days that remain to get clear of sins and repent those committed in the past. One should beseech Allah (Exalted is He) in the month of Shabaan. One should appeal to Allah (Exalted is He) through the owner of the month, Muhammad ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam ), until the corruption of one’s heart is corrected,and the sickness of one’s inner being is cured.


This must be done without delay and not put off until tomorrow, for the days are three: 


  1. yesterday, which is a date in history [ajal];
  2. today, which is a time for action [amal]; and
  3. tomorrow, which is a hopeful expectation [amal], for whether you will get there or not is beyond your ken. 


Thus [1] yesterday is a caution, [2] today is an opportunity, and [3] tomorrow is a risk.

The months are likewise three: 

Rajab, now past and gone beyond return; Ramadan, awaiting in a future you may not live to see; and in between we have Sha'baan, so let us seize this opportunity for worshipful devotion.



Four



Allah Almighy (Exalted is He) has said:

Your Lord creates and chooses what He wills.
wa Rabbuka yakhluqu maa yasha'u wa yakhtaar. (al-Qur'an, 28:68)


Thus Allah (Exalted is He) has selected four out of each kind of thing, then He has chosen one of the four:


From among the Angels, He selected :

  • Gabriel [Jibra'il], 
  • Michael [Mikaa'il],
  • Israafil and
  • Azraa'il,

Then he chose Jibra'il 'alayhis-salaam from these four.

From all the Ambiya* Salla Allahu 'alayhim ajma'een, the four He selected were :

  • Abraham, [Ibrahim]
  • Moses, [Musa]
  • Jesus [Isa] and
  • Muhammad

*(Allah bless them all, and give them peace), then of these He chose Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala ;alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam.


The four He selected from among the Noble Companions Radi Allahu ta'ala anhum were :

  • Abu Bakr,
  • Umar,
  • Uthmaan and
  • Ali,

And He chose Hadrat Siddiq al Akbar Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.

The four mosques: 

  • The Sanctuary Mosque [by the Ka'ba in Makkah],
  • Al-Aqsa [Palestine/Jerusalem],
  • Mosque of Madinah [Masjod of the Ennobled City],
  • Mosque of Mount Sinai

Of these He chose the Sanctuary Mosque [al-Masjid al-Haraam].

The four days: 

  • the Day of Breaking Fast [Yawm al-Fitr],
  • the Day of Sacrifice [Yawm al-Adha],
  • the Day of Arafat, and
  • the Day of Ashuraa.

Of these He then chose the Day of Arafat.

The four nights: 

  • the Night of Absolution [Laylat al-Bara'a],
  • the Night of Power [Laylat al-Qadr],
  • the Night of Friday Congregation [Lailat al-Jum'a], and
  • the Night of the Festival [Lailat al-'Id]. 


From these he chose the Night of Power.

The four sites : 

  • Makkah,
  • Madinah,
  • Jerusalem, and the
  • Mosques of the Tribes [Masajid al-Asha'ir]. 

Of these He chose Makkah.

The four mountains: 

  • Uhud,
  • Sinai,
  • Likaam, and
  • Lebanon [Lubnaan].
Of these He chose Mount Sinai.

The four rivers:

  • Jaihuun,
  • Saihuun,
  • the Euphrates [al-Furat] and
  • the Nile [an-Niil].

Of these He chose the Euphrates.

The four months: 

  • Rajab,
  • Sha'baan,
  • Ramadan, and
  • Muharram.


Of these He chose the month of Sha'baan, and made it the Prophet's own month. So, just as Huzur Nabi Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam is the most excellent of Ambiya, his month is the most excellent of months.



Five



The Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa sa'abihi wa Sallam once said to a man (some say it was 'Abd 'allah ibn 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu) by way of stern advice:


Make the most of five before five: 

  1. Youth before old age;
  2. Health before sick-ness;
  3. Wealth before poverty;
  4. Ease before business, and
  5. Life before Death




Fasting



QUESTIONS ON FASTING AND EXTRA WORSHIP IN RAJAB AND SHA'BAN


The deviant sects "Salafis" [Wahabi/Ahle Hadith/Tablighi Jama'at/Deobandis] try to prevent the people from treating the night of Isra' and Mi'raj on 27th Rajab and the night of mid-Sha'ban (Laylat al-bara'a) as special. They claim that honouring these nights are innovations that must not be allowed. Yet practically all Muslims hold these two nights in high reverence and consider it good, not blameworthy, to celebrate or commemorate them through gathering, feeding the people, reciting Qur'an and Sira, reading hadith, performing supererogatory prayers etc.


"Salafi" literature also abounds with condemnations of those who fast in Rajab. Since pious people in my background fast the three blessed months of Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan in a row as far back as I can remember, and like to offer extra worship and invocation (du'a) on the nights of 27 Rajab and 15 Sha'ban, I wanted to confirm that these are recommended in the fiqh of Ahl al-Sunnah, not blameworthy, and what is the evidence for either position?

It is recommended to fast the months of Rajab and Sha'ban as a nafila or supererogatory worship, with the intention of following the Sunnah of the Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam which has established the merit of this fast. As for extra devotions on certain nights of Rajab and Sha'ban there is grounds for prohibiting them as the "Salafis" try to do now and then, and only the those with deficient understanding or faith would object to increasing remembrance of Allah on such nights as Laylat al-isra' or 15th of Sha'ban.




A'la Hadrat



The 15th night of Shabaan is a very blessed night. According to the Hadith Shareef, the name of this mubarak night is "Nisf Shabaan" which means 15th night of Shabaan. The reason for this special night to attain its name of Laylat al-Bara'ah, meaning the Night of Salvation, Seeking Freedom from Azaab and Calamity, is that in this night the barkaat and acceptance of repentance may be accomplished. Laylat al-Bara'ah in persian, as well as in urdu, is called Shab-e Bara'at.




It is the special night of seeking forgiveness and repenting to Almighty Allah, remembering our 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. Muslims should check themselves and A'la Hadrat, Imam Ahmad Rida Fadil e-Bareilly radi Allahu anhu has given a beautiful advise in this regard. This great Imam said:



"Verily the auspicious night of Shab-e-Bara'ah is drawing near when the deeds of the slave will be presented to the Almighty Allah. I humbly supplicate in the Darbar-e-Aqdas of the Almighty Allah that through the wasila-e-uzma of Sayyiduna Rasulullah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa ' aalihi wa Sallam He forgives the sins and transgressions of all Muslims. Aameen.


On this occasion, it should be the duty of all Sunni Muslims to forgive one another and to make sure that whatever debts owed to one another is settled. The importance of Huqooq al-Ibaad cannot be over-emphasised as this is among the pre-requisites for proper Ibaadat. I pray that all Muslims humbly remember this night and try as much as possible to perform Ibaadat and other pious deeds so that their Record of Deeds be presented in all dignity.


Finally, I pray that the Almighty Allah assists you and I and the Muslim Ummah wherever you may be. Muslims should be aware of sincerity and honesty in all their deeds. May Almighty Allah forgive all of us. Aameen."



Faqeer Ahmad Rida Qadiri (may Allah forgive him)




Welcome the night



How to welcome the Night



On this auspicious night, you should perform fresh Ghusl and Wudhu and perform the two Rakaat [cycle] of Tahhiyatul Wudhu. In every Rakaat, after the Surat ul Fatiha, you should read Ayat ul Kursi once and Surah Ahad 3 times.


Also perform eight Rakaats of Salah with four Salaams. In each Rakaat after the Surah Fatiha, you should read the Ayatul Kursi (once) and Surah Ahad fifty times.




after Sunset



What to Recite immediately after Sunset



After sunset, you should recite :



 "La Hawla walaa Quwwata illa Billah il-aliyil Azeem"



Recite forty times with three times Durood Shareef before and after. It is mentioned that by reciting this, Almighty Allah will forgive forty years of your sins and forty maidens will await to serve you in al-Jannah.



Mercies





Countless Mercies


The Most Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam has stated:



"Verily!  Almighty Allah directs His Special Grace on the world in this Night. He forgives my Ummah more than the number of wool that is found on the sheep of the Bani Kalb".



We should remember that in those days the 'Bani Kalb' possessed the most number of sheep that any other tribe.  How great is the Mercy of Almighty Allah on this night that He forgives millions of Muslims. We also realise from this that these numbers can only pertain to the Ahl as-Sunnah Wah Jama'ah collectively, for the righteous followers of the Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali indeed number millions of Muslims.




Visitors




The visitors of this Night


It is narrated that the departed souls [arwaah] of the Muslims visit the houses of their friends and relatives on this night and proclaim:



"O people of the house! You stay in our houses and enjoy the wealth that we have left behind. You use our children and take work from them, please perform our Esaale Sawaab. Verily our deeds have become complete, while your record of deeds is still spread".



If the people of the house perform the Esaale Sawaab and Khatam Shareef on this night, then the departed arwaah will gain the sawaab [reward] and thus will be extremely happy and overjoyed with all the people making du'a [supplication].




Cemetery



Visit to the Cemetery


Hadrat A'isha  Siddiqa Radi Allahu ta'ala anha reports:



"One night, which was the 15th of Sha'baan, I did not find the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam in the house so I went in search of him. After a long search, I found him in Baqi'ah (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 kabiristan [muslim burial centre/cemetery] during this night and pray for the deceased buried therein, as the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi 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.





Fast for 3 days



To keep Fast for 3 days:


According to the hadith which is narrated by Ibn Habaan radi Allahu anhu that the Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said:



"When the night of 15th Shabaan arrives spend the night awake and keep fast the next day".



Hadrat Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu ta'ala anhu reports that the Most Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said often in his
Khutba (sermon):


"O people! Lighten and cleanse your bodies by way of fasting during Shabaan, so that it shall be easy and helpful to you for the fast during Ramadan. Whoso fasts for three days during Shabaan, all his past sins are wiped off". (Baihaqi)



Fasting is recommended on the 13th, 14th and 15th of Shabaan.



spend the Night



How to spend the Night


On this night, perform Nawaafil, recite the Qur'an Shareef, recite abundant Durood Shareef, Istighfaar and Kalima Tayyibah.



It is also mentioned that if one reads Surah Dukhan seven times on this night, Almighty Allah will reward you with 70 worldly needs and 70 deeds for the Hereafter.


Surah Dukhan :



Deprived





Do not be amongst those deprived of Mercy


Allahs Most Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam said:


 "Almighty Allah forgives all Muslims on this night, besides the fortune tellers, the magicians, the alcoholics, those who disrespect their parents and those who take part and encourage adultery".


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.





Appeal to seek pardon



A humble appeal to seek pardon and ask Allah's forgiveness



Dear Muslim brothers, the Bountiful Allah in His Infinite Mercy has provided us with such an auspicious night so that we may take advantage of it and repent for our sins,and thus obtain His Grace and Favour. It is for us to take full advantage of it. During this night, offer special prayers and repent sincerely for our past sins and ask for His 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 Durood Shareef and one who wishes for the acceptance of his du'as should use the Wasila of the Beloved Prophet of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala alyhi wa Sallam.


Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani ; al-Ghawth al-A'zam, radi Allahu ta'ala anhu has mentioned in his famous"Gunyat-ut Talibeen" that the month of Shabaan according to some narrations is related to Rasulullah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. So, it is our duty, as the Ummat of Rasulullah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam to love and respect this month more than any other month (besides Ramadan). We should also abundantly offer salutations (Salaat-o-Salaam) upon the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.



While we are praying and asking for ourselves and family, we should also remember in our du'as  the Muslim Ummah facing calamities in many parts of the world, that may Allah Ta'ala grant them the strength and Istiqaamat (steadfastness) in Deen. Those weak Muslims who are under pressure from the West and modernisation, may Allah Ta'ala guide them and show them the right path so that they be in touch with their glorious past. Aameen.



May Almighty Allah guide us on the path of the Ambiya and the Awliya. Aameen.




Laylat al-Bara'ah



The Night of Absolution has also been called ' blessed ', because it is a vessel for the mercy, a blessing, a benefit, and pardon & forgiveness descending for the people on earth.

According to Abu Nasr, the Beloved Nabi Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam is reported as having said:


On the night of the middle of Sha' baan, Allah (Exalted is He) descends to the heaven of this lower world and forgives every Muslim, excepting only the idolater, the bearer of malice, the breaker of family ties, or the woman who is sexually promiscuous.


Again from Abu Nasr, we learn that Hadrat A' isha Radi Allahu ta'ala anha once said:


''When it was the night of mid-Sha' baan, the Prophet Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallim had removed a garment of mine.''  Then she added, "By Allah! That garment of mine was not of silk nor of raw silk, nor of linen, nor of silk and wool, nor of wool.''



[The reporter said:] ''' Glory be to Allah!' I said to her, ' So what was it made of ?'' 


She replied:


''Its warp was of hair and its weft was of silk.  I reckoned that he (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) might have gone to one of his [other] wives, so I got up and searched for him in the [darkness of the] apartment. My hand made contact with his feet, as he was prostrate in worship. Of his (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) prayer,  I remember these words:


Prostrate before You are my form and my spirit, and my heart is in Your safekeeping. I acknowledge Your favours, and to You I confess my sin. I have wronged myself, so forgive me; surely none forgives sins but You. I seek refuge with Your pardon from Your punishment, with Your mercy from Your vengeance, with Your approval from Your displeasure. I seek refuge with You from You. I do not tell Your praises,  for You are as You have extolled Yourself.


She continued: ''So he did not cease from worship, now standing and now sitting [on his heels], until morning came. Then his feet were put up, and as I massaged them I said: 


' My father be your ransom and my mother too!  Surely Allah has forgiven your former and your latter sins? Surely Allah has dealt with
you?  Is it not so?  Is it not so?' '



'He (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) replied :


' O A' isha, shall I not therefore be a grateful servant?  Do you know what happens during this night?'   ' What happens ?'  


I asked, and he said :


' This is when all births are recorded for this year, and every death is registered. This is when provisions are allotted to mankind, and their deeds and actions are gathered up.' '


'' O Messenger of Allah,' said I, ' Will no one enter Paradise except by Allah' s mercy?' 


' No one will enter Paradise except by Allah' s mercy,' he (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) told me.


' Not even you?'  I asked.


Not even I,' said  he (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam), - ' unless Allah envelops me with His mercy.'  


Then he rubbed his hand over his head and his face. 


The following account, which I also received from Abu Nasr, tells how Hadrat A' isha Radi Allahu ta'ala anha related that Allah' s Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam once said to her:



''O ' A' isha, what night is this?''  She replied, ''Allah and His Messenger know best.''



Then he said:



''The night of the middle of Sha' ban, during which worldly actions and the needs of mankind are carried aloft.  As numerous as the wool on the flocks of the tribe of Kalb, are Allah' s slaves emancipated this night from the Fire of Hell. 



So will you excuse me tonight?'' She said: 



''I said yes, so he performed his prayer like this: 


He held the upright position only briefly, and recited al-Hamd and a short Surah; then he stayed in prostration till the middle of the night; then he stood up to begin the second cycle with a recitation similar to the first, and then his prostration lasted until dawn.


A' isha Radi Allahu anha went on to say:


'I watched him till I thought that Allah (Exalted is He) had taken His Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, then, after a long time had elapsed, I got close enough to touch the soles of his feet.  He stirred, and I heard him say in his prostration:


' I take refuge with Your pardon from Your punishment.  I take refuge with Your approval from Your displeasure.  I take refuge with You from You.  Glorious be Your praise!  I do not spell out praises upon You, for You are as You have extolled Yourself.'


''I said: ' O Messenger of Allah, tonight I have heard you utter something, during your prostration, that I never heard you mention before?'


' And have you learned it?' he (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) asked.


When I said yes, he (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) told me: 


' Study those words and teach them, for Jibra'il (peace be upon him) instructed me to repeat them during the prostration.'


According to another report, of which Abu Nasr informed me, Hadrat A' isha Radi Allahu anha once said:

''I could not find Allah' s Messenger Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam one night, so I went outside and there he was in the grove, his head turned up toward the sky.  Then he said to me: 


' Were you afraid that Allah and His Messenger would treat you unfairly?' 


I replied: ' O Messenger of Allah, I thought you had gone to one of your [other] wives.'


He (Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam) said:


' On the night of mid-Sha' baan, Allah (Exalted is He) descends to the lowest heaven and forgives more than the number of woolly hairs on the flocks and herds of  [the tribe of] Kalb.' '


Ikrima (may Allah bestow his mercy upon him), the client of Hadrat Ibn ' Abbaas Radi Allahu anhu and with his father), is reported as having said, about the words of Allah (Exalted is He):


Fii-haa yufraqu kullu amrin hakiim.
[A night] in which every firm decree is made distinct. (al-Qur'an, 44:4)


''That is the night of mid-Sha' baan, when Allah (Exalted is He) arranges the affairs of the year.  He transfers [some of] the living to the list of the dead, and records those who will make pilgrimage to the House of Allah, neither adding one too many nor leaving a single one of them out.''

Hakiim ibn Kaysaan said:


''Allah (Exalted is He) surveys His creatures on the night of mid-Sha' baan, and when He purifies someone then, He keeps that person clean until the next such night comes around.''


According to ' Ataa' ibn Yasaar:


''The activity of the year is mapped out on the night of mid-Sha' baan, so a man may embark on a journey, or get married, when he has already been transferred from the list of the living to that of the dead.''


Abu Nasr informed me that Hadrat A' isha Radi Allahu anhu once said:


''I heard the Nabi Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam say:


Allah showers down benefits on four nights: 


the Night of