Mid-Sha'ban

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.

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 God saved Noah's followers from the deluge. According to Sunni tradition, God 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.

Note, of course, that the night of the 15th is the night before it.

It is reported from Sayyiduna `Ali that the Prophet 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 the Prophet specifically prescribed it.

Shia view

Shias observes the 15th night of Sha'ban as Laylat al Bara'ah, night of worship and salvation. They also believe that on the 15th day of Sha'ban, 255 AH (868 CE), Muhammad al-Mahdi was born. Shia believe him to be the twelveth Imam and also the Mahdi, a very important figure who Muslims believe will unite all Muslims.

1. About hadeeth:

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

As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Alee al-Qaaree (d.1014H) Rahimahullah records some of these Ahadeeth:

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 Durood Shareef and one who wishes for the acceptance of his Du’as should use the Wasila of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah. 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 Rasoolullah. So, it is our duty, as the Ummat of Rasoolullah to love and respect this month more than any other month (besides Ramadan). One should also offer abundantly salutations (Salaat-o-Salaam) upon the Prophet.

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 hadeeth indicates that this night surely has a special merit

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 .

Some quote 44.3 of the Quran 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

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 and not Laylatul Barat. Hence the concept of Laylatul Barat is somewhat disputed.

In the Indian subcontinent Muslims make sweets (especially halwa) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban, but is deemed as an innovation to the faith by most scholars; some even consider it as a sin.

Even when hadiths are used to justify the night, many scholars have labeled such hadiths as weak (da'if).

Some Muslims are not convinced with the idea that fate for the coming year is to be determined in this very night.

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
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