Significance of Shab-i-Barat
SHAB-i-Barat occurs in the night between 14 and 15 Shaban. 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 15 night of this month having enough importance in the life of Muslims.
Hazrat 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 Allah, how can one keep him or herself away from such blessings? These Ahadith shows that Our Almighty Allah wants to shower his prizes over us, but we often become the victim of insincerity.
In another hadith, the Holy Prophet (SAWW) said that, in the 15th night of Shaban, all the Muslims would be forgiven by Allah 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 Almighty Allah wants to forgive us. Shab-i-Barat is one of the opportunities that God almighty provides us.
Moreover, The Holy Prophet (SAWW) 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, the Holy Prophet (SAWW) offered the prayer of Tahajad and in this prayer made a prolong Sajdah.
I was sleeping near the place where the Holy Prophet (SAWW) was offering prayer. The Sajdah became so long during which no movement was recorded.
I felt that the Holy Prophet (SAWW) 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 Holy Prophet (SAWW) deceived you? I said that I was afraid of thinking about your death.
Later, Holy Prophet (SAWW) 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.
Allah Almighty pays his attention to those who are slaves and also forgives those who made a lot of sins. Allah bestows his grace upon those who pray for grace.
This Hadith is another certification for Shab-e-Barat. Our Almighty Allah, 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 fibre 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, Holy Prophet (SAWW) 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 Allah Almighty and our Holy Prophet (SAWW) 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 Allah 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, Recitation. We can select a timetable before the night comes and can easily do whatever we want.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
