Shab-e-Barat occurs in the night between 14th and 15th Shaban. Shaban is an important 8th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is an essential occasion in Islamic history, which is celebrated by doing worship and prayers. Shab-e-Barat is of utmost importance for Muslims because God Almighty takes big decisions regarding the person’s fate, livelihood, life, and death, etc.
So, to get the decision of God almighty in their favor, people all night worship and offer prayers.
As described in Ahadith, it is also called “ Nisf Shaban” because it happens in the mid-Shaban, the 8th month of the Islamic calendar.
The importance of Shab-e-Barat becomes evident by the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad SAW, he said, on this beautiful night, Allah sends his special favor to the world, He also announce the forgiveness of my Ummah in the countless numbers as compared to the wool that bani Kalb goats have on their body.
In another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad SAW said, except Mushrikeen and the spiteful, Allah forgives all the subordinate as the creature in the 15th night of Shaban.”
These ahadith show the authenticity of the Shab-e-Barat, mainly working as the opportunity to get the blessings of God almighty.
Significance of Shab-e-Barat
Shaban is an important month in the history of Islam. For example, the direction of Qibla was changed this month. Sha-e-Barat is the 15th night of this month having enough importance in the life of Muslims.
In a hadith, Harat Ali RA narrated” During the 15 night of Shaban, The Muslim should stand at the (Particular) night with the day fast, It is due to Allah Almighty, who comes in this night on the opening heaven and announces, who wants to be forgiven by me mainly who did sins without any break, is there anyone who finds sustenance, so that I sustain, and those who are in affliction, so that I manifest. This continuation runs till the morning prayer.”
If this is the actual condition of the blessing of God, how can one keep him or herself away from such blessings? This Ahadith shows that Our Almighty God wants to shower his prizes over us, but we often become the victim of insincerity.
In another hadith, the prophet SAW said that, in the 15th night of Shaban, all the Muslims would be forgiven by God almighty, but the mushrik and the spiteful will never be the one who would have been overlooked.
To error is human, to forgive is divine. As a human, We make thousands of mistakes; even some mistakes are made deliberately. But, our mighty God wants to forgive us. Shab-e-Barat is one of the opportunities that God almighty provides us.
Moreover, the prophet Muhammad SAW did not only emphasize to worship and pray for yourself only. But, he went to the graveyard and offered to pray for the buried people there. By taking such a move, he also told us to include those persons who were with you some time ago but not now.
Hazrat Ayesha Um-al-momaneeen said,” Once upon a time, Prophet Muhammad SAW offered the prayer of Tahajad and In this prayer made a prolong Sajdah. I was sleeping near the place where Prophet Muhammad SAW was offering prayer. The Sajdah became so long during which no movement was recorded. I felt that the prophet Muhammad SAW died. Therefore, he did not make any type of movement. At once, I stood from the bed and took myself near him and moved his thumb. After moving thumb, I became assured that he was alive and was offering some words. When I went nearer, I heard,’ I am the applicant of your pleasure than from your annoyance…….. I cannot make my prayers as you deserve……? Then he got up and came near me and said, O Aisha, how can you think that Prophet Muhammad SAW deceived you? I said that I was afraid of thinking about your death. Later, Prophet Muhammad SAW said, ‘Ayesha, Do you know about this night? I said that Allah knows best. Then, he told me that this is the night of half Shaban. God almighty pays his attention to those who are slaves and also forgives those who made a lot of sins. God bestows his grace upon those who pray for grace.
This Hadith is another certification for Shab-e-Barat. Our mighty God, again and again, provides us an opportunity to save us from the Fire of Jahanam.
According to another Hadith narrated by Hazrat Ayesha RA,” Aliah almighty descends and forgives the people wholeheartedly. Even, he forgives the people more than the fiber of the goats of Banu Kaleb.” It is pertinent to mention here that Banu Kaleb was the tribe at that time had a lot of goats more than all over the Arab. Just, the purpose is to tell the people by showing a specific example of how he behaves us when we think to come close toward him.
Similarly, in another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad SAW said that’ Today is the middle night of Shaban. Allah forgives and saves a large gathering of people from fire, But do not forgive who is a mushrik, nourishes bad feelings in his heart against someone, and those who cut off relationships. ‘By saying this, Prophet Muhammad made a big hint to those who have committed big sins and ordered to avoid it for our benefit.
No doubt, the chain of some of these traditions were weak, but it is not difficult to guess who our God almighty and our prophet thought about us. As Muslims, we should pay attention to our deeds and action. And if these actions are not according to the Shira of Islam, we should pay attention to it because at the end of life; we would be met the day of judgment where no recommendation, capital, and our elders would save us from the Fire of Jahanam. Everyone would get their share according to their deeds.
What should be done in this night?
The 15th night of Shaban has confirmed the opportunity to get our sins forgiven by God almighty and the opportunity to get our direction right if the previous one is wrong. But, these prayers are not obligatory. It is up to the person either he or she chooses to offer prayer and spend this night in sleeping. But, who can prevent himself or herself from getting the reward? It is also not necessary to spend the whole night in prayers and Tilwah. We can select a timetable before the night comes and can easily do whatever we want.
The following works can be done on this precious night.
1. Salah
The perfect way to obtain the will of God is the way of Salah. The number of Rakah is not specific, and it is also not necessary to spend the whole night in Salah. Similarly, in these Rakat of Salah, Qayam, Rakho, and Sajdah should belong than usual. It is also the best practice to read the long Surah in these Rakahs of Salah. It is even better to make the schedule before time.
2. Tilawa
Tilawa is in the second position and amongst one of the best works to obtain the will of God. The tilawa of the holly Quaran is not necessary for the whole night. It should be made according to the schedule. The Tilawa of Quaran cannot be completed in the short period of this night. We can select some Sorah to recite in the night, for example, Surah Yaseen, Surah Rahman, Charam Qul. Similarly, these Sorah can recite more than one time. It is also not obligatory.
3. Dua in Shab-e-Barat
According to the confirmed Hadith,” Dua is the mind of all prayers.” We can see the importance of Dua by this Hadith. It is also beneficial to pray on the 15th night of Shaban. The method of praying is present in the numerous books of Islam. It helps us to get forgiven our sins and makes us near Our God almighty. Dua, offered according to the rules and regulations, must be acceptable near God almighty.
According to the Hadith Qudsi, prophet Muhammad SAW said,” Allah says that he feels shame if a person offers due and I reverse than without accepting.”
4. Dhikr in shabe barat
Dhikr is the perfect way to find the grace of God. It can be quickly done without leaving the place where you are sitting or lying. It is not obligatory but the perfect way to obtain the will of God. The importance of Dhikr is definite by this Hadith,” without Dhikr, the heart of the person gets hard.”
Dhikr illustrates the heart and mind of the person. It can be included in the schedule. It is also not necessary to spend the whole night in Dhikr.
Salah, tilawa, Due, and Dhikr has also been confirmed by the Life of Prophet Muhammad SAW. These are essential ways to get the will of God. If fact, we should do it regularly, no matter if we do it in little quantity. Because these are the few crucial ways by which we can save ourselves by the fire of Jahannam. It can also be done on the occasion of Shab-e-Sarah. Shab-e-Barat is an opportunity to get the assurance of God regarding our betterment.