5 things to do on the Night of Bar'a (Shabe-Baraat)

By Farrukh Paasha

Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: "Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha'ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)".

The world renowned Sheikh Mufti Taqi Uthmani says regarding this night:

Although the chain of narrators of some of these traditions regarding this night suffers with some minor technical defects, yet when all these traditions are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as envisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected to give any special importance to this night. In fact, some of these traditions have been held by some scholars of hadith as authentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by them as minor technical defects which, according to the science of hadith, are curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the elders of the ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of special merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers. Ibn Tayymiya said regarding this night: The excellency regarding the 15th of Shabaan is an area of dispute between the Scholars, some of them say that there is no significance of this night, but Imam Ahmed recognises the excellency of this night, our other Hanbli Scholars also agree with Imam Ahmed. There are Ahadith on this night being significant, some of them are from Sunnan (Tirmizy, Ibn Majah) and the other Ahdeeth books as well [Iqtidah Siratul Mustaqeem page 203 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah] Sheikh Al-Albani also confirmed the significance of this night. Below is the hadith which he declares it Sahih: Hadith: Allah turns towards his creation in the Night of "MID-SHABAN" and He forgives all of them except for a Mushrik and one who hates other people (Albani calls it); "A SAHIH HADITH" narrated by group of Sahaba with different routes (Turuq) such as from Muadh bin Jabal (ra), Abu Thalbah (ra) Abdullah bin Umar (ra), Abu Musa al Ashari (ra), Abu Hurraira (ra), Abu Bakr as Saddiq (ra), Awf bin Malik (ra) and Aisha (ra).The Hadith of Muadh bin Jabal (ra) comes through Makhul from Malik bin Yakhamir and It is "MARFU" narrated by Ibn Abi Asim in his As-Sunnah Hadith #512 [Nasir ud din Albani in Silsilat ul-Ahadith-as Sahiha, Volume No. 3, Page No. 135 #1144] Imam Nawawi mentioned in his Majmu`, where he also quoted Imam al-Shafi`i from the latters alUmm 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. 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.

Fasting the day The tradition relating to the merits of fasting on 15th of Shabaan is, no doubt, a weak tradition, not competent to prove this practice to be a Sunnah or a formal Mustahabb, but it can be acted upon as a measure of precaution, provided that the practice is not taken as Sunnah or a formal Mustahabb. It is for these reasons that some Ulama and elders have been fasting on the 15th of Shabaan and have been taking it an advisable practice.

So there is no doubt that there is some significance on this auspicious night but there are no specific acts of worship to be done.

The following are my own suggestions for what could be done on this night:

1. Recite the Quran

Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah will receive a hasanah (good deed) from it (i.e. his recitation), and the hasanah is multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif-Laam-Meem is (considered as) a letter, rather Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter. [At-Tirmidhi, Ad-Darimi] Imagine then how much rewards will be gained for every letter of the Qur'an we recite?

Ibn Kathir says regarding tafsir of [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 179]:The similitude of the one, who memorizes the Qur'an but does not act in accordance to it, is like a donkey, which carries a load of books, but does not understand! So we should make a target tonight for how much we are going to recite and then recite it sincerely and if we can we should also read the meanings of what we have read and try to understand what we have read and contemplate over it. We should also try and implement it into our daily lives.

2. Strive to gain forgiveness tonight for past and present sins

Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: "Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha'ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)". Therefore we should spend much of this night striving to gain the forgiveness and mercy of Allah and sincerely repent for our past and present sins with utter remorse crying to Allah.

We must also have the intention of not repeating such sins again and ask of Allah Taaala to help us to prevent ever doing them again. ask Allah to perfect our characters and to help us improve ourselves in everyway possible.

3. Do Superogatory Prayers (Nafil)

Allah says in Hadith Qudsi: .and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary deeds) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My Protection, I will protect him..." [Bukhari]

Do we want to be the companions of the Prophet in Paradise? Then let us increase our Nafil prayers: Rabi'ah ibn Malik al-Aslami reported that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "Ask (anything)." Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your companion in paradise." The Prophet said: "Or anything else?" Rabi'ah said: "That is it." The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said to him: "Then help me by making many prostrations (i.e., supererogatory prayers)." (Muslim) Here are some Nafil prayers we can pray on this night: 1. Two Rakat after performing Wudu (Ablution) Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much as was destined for me to do. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) 2. Tahajjud Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said, "There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer." [al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya] The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud from the Qur'an and prophetic hadiths: 1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir] 3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of rakats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd alMuhtar] 4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short rakats, because of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "It you get up for night prayer, start with two short rakats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud] Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I cannot pray at night." He said, "Your sins have prevented you." 3. Salaatul Tasbih This is a very rewarding prayer that we should pray on each of the odd numbered nights. Ibn al Mubarak says: The tasbih prayer is a greatly desired act and it is desirable that one should punctually observe it and never neglect it. How to perform this Salaah Ikrimah reports from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said to Abbas ibn Abdal Mutalib: O Abbas, O Uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not tell you ten things which, if you do, Allah will forgive your first and last sins, past and present sins, intentional and unintentional sins, private and public sins? The ten actions are: pray four rakat, reciting in every rakah al-Fatihah and a surah. And when you finish the Quranic recitation of the first rakah, say, while standing, Subhanallah, al-hamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa Allahu Akbar ['Glory be to Allah. All praise is due to Allah. There is no God except Allah. Allah is the greatest.'] Fifteen times. Then make ruku, and while you are in ruku, say the same ten times; then stand, and say the same ten times. Then go down and make sajdah, and while youre in sajdah, say the same ten times. Then sit after the sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then make sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then sit after the second sajdah, and say the same another ten times. That is seventy-five [repetitions of the phrases] in each rakah. Do that in each of the four rakat. If you can pray it once a day, do so. If you cannot, then once every Friday. If you cannot do that, then once a year. And if you cannot do that then once in your life.

4. Dhikr (Rememberance of Allah)

Here are some easy and very beneficial Dhikr and glorification we can do throughout this night: 1. La ilaaha illah antha Subhaanaka innee kunthu mina-dhaalimeen

2. Subhanallah 3. Alhamdulillah

4. Allahu Akbar 5. Laa ilaha ilallah 6. LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH HILALIYYIL ADHEEM 7. Asthaghfirullah 8. SUB-HAN'ALLAH HIL AZEEM WA BI-HAM'DIHI, 9. Subhna-llhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llhi, wa l ilha ill-llhu, wa-llhu akbar. Wa l hawla wa l quwwata ill bi-llhi-l-aliyyi-l-azm 10. L ilha ill-llhu wadahu l sharka lahu lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-amdu yuhyi wa yumtu wa huwa ayyu-ll yamtu abadan abada, -l-jalli wa-l-ikrm, biyadihi-l-khayr, wa huwa al kulli Shayin qadr Or the shortened version: 11. Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa alaa kulli shay-in qadeer We should also recite much durood especially the one we recite in our Salaah or the shortest version is: Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim

5. Make much dua

We spend much of this night asking of Allah: Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an: "When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me." [2:186]

"When My servants question thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me" (Quran 2:186), "Is not He (best) who listens to the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and who relieves its suffering." (Quran 27:62) The place of duaa is so high to Allah, that the Prophet(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim) had said: "Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most High than du`a." [Sahih al-Jami` no.5268]. Almighty Allah also said: "The most excellent worship is du`a." [Sahih Al-Jami` no. 1133] Therefore let us devote much of this night in dua and ask of Allah for whatever we want. We should also beg of his mercy and forgiveness for all of our past sins and making firm intentions to Allah that we will change for the better and strive to become closer to him as well as make our deen a FULL part of our lives and not just a little part of our life as Allah says: Allah tells us In the Qur'an to enter fully into our deen and not partly: O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan, surely he is your

clear-cut enemy.... (Surah Al-Baqara, Ayah 208-210) Worshipping Allah on this night is one of the best ways for us to start preparing ourselves for Ramadan and to increase our imaan so that we can be prepared for this month and make the best of it.

And Allah knows best in all matters