Assallamu Allaikum

[b]SHA'BAAN AND THE NIGHT OF BARA'AT[/b]

Sha'ban is one of the meritorious months for which we find some
particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam. It is reported in the authentic ahadith that Prophet
Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the month
in Sha'ban. These fasts were not obligatory on him but Sha'ban is the
month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. Therefore, some
preparatory measures are suggested by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam. Some of these are given below:

1. The blessed companion Anas, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet
Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, "Which fast is the
most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?" He replied, "Fasts of
Shaban in honor of Ramadan."

2. The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports
that he asked Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam:
"Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha'ban
so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month."
Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, replied: "That
(Sha'ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by
many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of
human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish
that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting."

3. Ummul Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, says, "Prophet Muhammad,
Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast the whole of Sha'ban. I
said to him, 'Messenger of Allah, is Sha'ban your most favorite month
for fasting?' He said, 'In this month Allah prescribes the list of the
persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I
am in a state of fasting."

4. In another Tradition she says, "Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam, would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we
thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop
fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the
Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting a complete
month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting
in a month more frequently than he did in Sha'ban."

5. In another report she says, "I never saw the Messenger of Allah,
Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting in a month so profusely as he
did in the month of Sha'ban. He used to fast in that month leaving
only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of the month."

6. Ummul-Mu'mineen Umm Salamah, Radi-Allahu anha, says: "I have never
seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except
in the months of Sha'ban and Ramadan."

These reports indicate that fasting in the month of Sha'ban, though
not obligatory, is so meritorious that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam, did not like to miss it.

But it should be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha'ban are for those
persons only who are capable of keeping them without causing
deficiency in the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears
that after fasting in Sha'ban, he will lose strength or freshness for
the fasts of Ramadan and will not be able to fast in it with
freshness, he should not fast in Sha'ban, because the fasts of
Ramadan, being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts
of Sha'ban. That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa
sallam, himself has forbidden the Muslims from fasting one or two days
immediately before the commencement of Ramadan. The blessed Companion
Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "Do not fast after the first half of
the month of Sha'ban is gone."

According to another report Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa
sallam has said: "Do not precede the month of Ramadan with one or two
fasts."

The essence of the above-quoted ahadith is that Prophet Muhammad,
Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself used to fast most of the month
of Sha'ban, because he had no fear of developing weakness or weariness
before the commencement of Ramadan. As for others, he ordered them not
to fast after the 15th of Sha'ban for the fear that they would lose
their strength and freshness before Ramadan starts, and would not be
able to welcome the month of Ramadan with enthusiasm.
[b]
The Night of Bara'ah[/b]

Another significant feature of the month of Sha'ban is that it
consists of a night which is termed in Shariah as "Laylatul-bara'ah"
(The night of freedom from Fire). This is the night occurring between
14th and 15th day of Sha'ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet
Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a
meritorious night in which the people of the earth are attended by
special Divine mercy. Some of these traditions are quoted as follows:

1. Ummul-Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, is reported to have
said, "Once Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, performed
the Salah of the night (Tahajjud) and made a very long Sajdah until I
feared that he had passed away. When I saw this, I rose (from my bed)
and moved his thumb (to ascertain whether he is alive). The thumb
moved, and I returned (to my place). Then I heard him saying in
Sajdah: 'I seek refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I
seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your annoyance, and I seek Your
refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as fully as You deserve. You
are exactly as You have defined Yourself.' Thereafter, when he raised
his head from Sajdah and finished his salah, he said to me: 'Aishah,
did you think that the Prophet has betrayed you?' I said, 'No, O
Prophet of Allah, but I was afraid that your soul has been taken away
because your Sajdah was very long.' He asked me, 'Do you know which
night is this?' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,
'This is the night of the half of Sha'ban. Allah Almighty looks upon
His slaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and
bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who
have malice (against a Muslim) as they were before, (and does not
forgive them unless they relieve themselves from malice).'"

2. In another Tradition Sayyidah' Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has
reported that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has
said, "Allah Almighty descends (in a manner He best knows it) in the
night occurring in the middle of Sha'ban and forgives a large number
of people more than the number of the fibers on the sheep of the
tribe, Kalb."

Kalb was a big tribe the members of which had a very large number of
sheep. Therefore, the last sentence of the hadith indicates the big
number of the people who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty.

3. In yet another Tradition, she has reported Prophet Muhammad,
Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "This is the middle Night
of Sha'ban. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from Fire,
more than the number of the hair growing on the sheep of the tribe,
Kalb. But He does not even look at a person who associates partners
with Allah, or at a person who nourishes malice in his heart (against
someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties of kinship, or at a man
who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of
pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a person who
has a habit of drinking wine."

4. Sayyidna 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)".

Although the chain of narrators of some of these traditions 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.

[b]
What Should be Done in this Night?[/b]

In order to observe the Night of Bara'ah, one should remain awakened
in this night as much as he can. If someone has better opportunities,
he should spend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one
cannot do so for one reason or another, he can select a considerable
portion of the night, preferably of the second half of it for this
purpose, and should perform the following acts of worship:

Salah. Salah is the most preferable act to be performed in this
night. There is no particular number of Rak'at but preferably it
should not be less than eight. It is also advisable that each part of
the Salah like qiyam, rukoo' and sajdah should be longer than normal.
The longest surahs of the Holy Qur'an one remembers by heart should be
recited in the Salah of this night. If someone does not remember the
long surahs, he can also recite several short surahs in one rak'ah.

(b) Tilawa. The recitation of the Holy Qur'an is another form of
worship, very beneficent in this night. After performing Salah, or at
any other time, one should recite as much of the Holy Qur'an as he can.

(c) Dhikr. One should also perform dhikr (recitation of the name of
Allah) in this night. Particularly the following dhikr is very useful:

One should recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam, as many times as he can. The dhikr can also be
recited while walking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or
leisure.

(d) Dua. The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this
night is prayers and supplications. It is hoped that all the prayers
in this night will be accepted by our Lord, insha-Allah. Prayer itself
is an 'Ibadah, and Allah Almighty gives reward on each prayer along
with the fulfillment of the supplicator's need. Even if the purpose
prayed for is not achieved, one cannot be deprived of the reward of
the prayer which is sometimes more precious than the mundane benefits
one strives for. The prayers and supplications also strengthen one's
relation with Allah Almighty, which is the main purpose of all kinds
and forms of worship.

One can pray for whatever purpose he wishes. But the best
supplications are the ones made by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu
alayhi wa sallam. These are so comprehensive and all-encompassing
prayers that all the human needs, of this world and the Hereafter, are
fully covered in the eloquent expressions used in them. Actually, most
of the prophetic prayers are so profound that human imagination can
hardly match their greatness.

Several books in various languages are available which provide these
prophetic prayers, and one should pray to Allah Almighty in accordance
with them, whether by reciting their original Arabic text or by
rendering their sense in one's own language.

(e) There are some people who cannot perform any additional Salah or
recitations for any reason, like illness or weakness or being engaged
in some other necessary activities. Such people also should not
deprive themselves completely of the blessings of this night. They
should observe the following acts:

(i) To perform the Salah of Maghrib, 'Isha' and Fajr with Jama'ah in
the mosque, or in their homes in case of their being sick.

(ii) They should keep reciting the dhikr, particularly the one
mentioned in para (c) above, in whatever condition they are until they
sleep.

(iii) They should pray to Allah for their forgiveness and for their
other objectives. One can do so even when he is in his bed.

The women during their periods cannot perform salah, nor can they
recite the Qur'an, but they can recite any dhikr, tasbeeh, durood
sharif and can pray to Allah for whatever purpose they like in
whatever language they wish. They can also recite the Arabic prayers
mentioned in the Qur'an or in the hadith with the intention of
supplication (and not with the intention of recitation).

(g) According to a hadith, which is relatively less authentic, Prophet
Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, went in this night to the
graveyard of Baqi' where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. On
this basis, some of the fuqaha hold it as mustahabb (advisable) in
this night to go to the graveyard of the Muslims and recite Fatihah or
any other part of the Qur'an, and pray for the dead. But this act is
neither obligatory nor should it be performed as regularly as an
obligatory act.

[b]
Fast of the 15th Sha'ban[/b]

On the day immediately following the Night of Bara'ah, i.e. the 15th
of Sha'ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet
Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have
recommended this fast emphatically. Although the scholars of hadith
have some doubts in the authenticity of this report, yet it is
mentioned earlier that the fasts of the first half of Sha'ban have
special merits and Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam,
used to fast most of the days in Sha'ban. Moreover, a large number of
the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the
15th of Sha'ban. This constant practice indicates that they have
accepted the relevant hadith as authentic.

Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha'ban as an optional
(nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is
hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast.

Wassallaam
[/b]