Night of 15th of Sha'ban & it's importance

Allah Talah , due to his infinite grace and mercy, presented to His bondsmen some special occasions wherein they have a golden opportunity of earning the mercy and forgiveness of Allah. 

Some explicit examples of these special occasions are the nights of Ramadan and Laylatul Qadr. In the same mold is the fifteenth night of Sha'baan. 

Several Ahaadith extol the tremendous merit of this occasion. Amongst them is the fact that countless people are forgiven by Allah during this blessed night. It is due to this reason that this night is called "The night of Bara'at" (i.e. the night wherein judgment of being free from Jahannam and punishment is passed).

SOME AHADITH CONCERNING SHAB-E-BARA'AT

1. It is reported from Hazrat Mau’dh Ibn-e-Jabal (R.A.) that Rasulullah (S.A.W.)said: "On the fifteenth night of Sha’ban Allah bestows his special attention on His entire creation. He then pardons His entire creation except an idolater and one who harbours enmity.' 

2.  It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (R.A.) that RasulAllah (S.A.W.) said "Allah looks with special attention towards His creation on the fifteenth night of Sha'baan and forgives all his servants except two categories of people; the person who harbours enmity and a murderer." 

And countless other such narrations are found. However while some of the narrations regarding Laylatul Bara’ah are weak and may lead one into the error of totally disregarding this wondrous night, we have to see what the understanding of Muhaditheen was regarding these narrations & save ourselves from adopting an attitude that might lead us into missing out on this night’s Barakah. 

VIEW OF MUHADITHEEN REGARDING SHAB-E-BARA'AT:

“An overview of the various narrations regarding this night lends credence to the acceptability of the virtue of this night. The Reason being that although these narrations are weak, they are numerous and narrated by a number of Sahabah.

 Some are such that not much criticism has been leveled at their Sanad (chain of narrators). Ibnu-Hibbaan has included some of these narrations in his 'Sahih" and Hafiz Mundhiri has remarked regarding the Sanad of some that 'LA BA'SA BIHI' (it is acceptable). 

Therefore, according to the principal of the Muhadditheen, the excellence of the night of Bara'at is proven from a conjunction of all narrations.  This is the general consensus of the Muhadditheen and Fuqaha and this is correct. 

Even Ibn-e-Taymiyyah, accepts the virtue of the night of Bara'at.  He says: 'So many Ahaadith and reports exist regarding the excellence of the fifteenth night of Sha'ban that one is compelled to accept that this night does possess some virtue.' Some of the pious predecessors used to specially devote this night for Salah” -Muhaddith Shaykh Fazl-ur-Rahman al-Azam

VIRTUE OF THIS NIGHT AS ESTABLISHED BY MUHADITHEEN

 “The virtue of this night that is established from these Ahaadith is that from the very beginning of the night Allah turns with special mercy and attention towards the creation and forgives those who repent and seek forgiveness. Every Muslim should therefore value this night. Turn towards Allah with sincere regret and shame over sins committed and make a promise never to return to sin again and seek forgiveness from Allah. Seek forgiveness for oneself and the rest of the Muslims, living and deceased. Have the firm hope and resolution in the heart that Allah will surely show mercy and forgiveness.” - Muhaddith Shaykh Fazl-ur-Rahman al-Azam

UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEPRIVED ON THIS NIGHT:

It is understood from the Ahaadith that even on this night, some servants of Allah are deprived of His forgiveness. They are as follows:

1. Idolaters

2. Those who harbour enmity against others

3. Consumers of alcohol

4. Those who disobey their parents

5. Those who wear their trousers, kurtas, lungis, etc. below their ankles;

6. Those who commit adultery and murderers

7. And those who sever family ties.

We can thus gauge the severity of these sins and the need to perpetually abstain from them as they are so grave that even on an occasion when Allah's mercy comes to the fore, they still pose an obstacle to our forgiveness.

Every Muslim should consider carefully and if he is involved in any of these sins, he should sincerely repent and seek forgiveness for his sin lest he be deprived of this night.

THE SPECIAL VIRTUE OF THE NIGHT OF BARA'AT:

The special virtues of the night of Bara'at are:

1. Contrary to other nights wherein the last third of the night has special blessings and Allah descends to the lowest Heaven during this section of the night, on the night of Bara'at the special rain of the mercy and forgiveness of Allah begins to shower down right from the beginning of the night and continues right up till dawn.

2. The sins of countless of people are pardoned. The numbers of pronouncements seeking out those who want forgiveness far supersede those which occur on other nights. 

THE FAST OF THE 15TH OF SHA'BAAN

Whereas the fast of 15th of Sha’ban is not Sunnah, however it was a Sunnah of Nabi SAW to fast a lot in the month of Sha’baan. And if we have uptil now been deprived of this Sunnah, 15th of Sha’baan can be a good chance for us; a night of Ibadah followed up by a day of fasting will inshAllah benefit us spiritually.

Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed, regarding the fast of 15th of Sha’ban states:

“Muhadiseen have viewed the reports about the 15th of Shaban to be transmitted by a chain that is known as ‘hasan’. Ibn-e-Tamiyah himself mentions the amal or the practice of all the great and pious generations of Muslims, that they would make special worship on this night and that they would fast on the day of the 15th of Sha’ban. So, I would encourage generally that the Prophet saw used to increase his fasts in the month of Sha’ban and if someone hasn’t started as yet, starting from the 15th would be a wonderful way to start. Otherwise, it was a year round sunnah of the Prophet saw, that he saw used to fast on the 13th, 14th and 15th of any month.”

The shaykh also states:

“For us, who live extremely busy lives that are distracted from the remembrance of Allah swt, we may need something to snap us into this reality that the month of Ramadan is indeed coming soon and I think for that reason, if nothing else, marking the night before the 15th of Sha’ban with extra ibadat and spending the day of the 15th of Shaban in a state of fasting is even more important and critical for us modernity afflicted Muslims, because we don’t have that Sunnah temperament that we are present and preparing for the month of Ramadan, which for us still seems like a distant future event. 

The thing that is critical for many of us that we should spend the night of the 15th of Shaban with as much ibadat as we can and that day in a state of fasting to snap us out of worldly distractions and back into heightened remembrance and awareness of Allah swt and to really make us feel the imminent coming of the month of Ramadan like the Prophet saw felt the imminent coming of the month of Ramadan.”

WHAT IBADAH TO DO IN THIS NIGHT?

 A person can do any sort of Ibadah on this night. No nawafil or special Salah of Laylatul Bara’ah are sunnah. One should try to do all sorts of Ibadah; darood, astaghfar, nawafil, zikr, dua etc.

Also no special amal is associated with this night, according to Sunnah.

MAKE SPECIAL DUA ON THIS NIGHT REGARDING SPIRITUAL RIZQ

Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed states:

“There are some Ahadith that mention that the night of 15th Sha’ban is a night in which Allah swt decides the Rizq of the creation for the upcoming year again these ahadith are hasan  in their chain of narration, they are reliably sound but not of utmost soundness. So, it’s not a necessary part of the Deen of Islam that a person believe in this but again we have to look and make our response the way that the muhadiseen and ullema was and it is that the vast overwhelming 95% of all of the mufasireen, muhadiseen, fuqaha, usooleen, auliya-e-kamileen took this to heart and they would make extra prayers and dua to Allah swt to make them a good Rizq in the following year.”

CONCEPT OF RIZQ

Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed:  “We need to understand that the concept of Rizq is much more than just monetary wealth and our sustenance, it includes first and foremost our spiritual rizq: that how much ‘amal we are going to do next year, how much ikhlaas it is going to have, how much qubooliat it will have i.e. how much will be accepted by Allah swt, how much tahajjud we are going to do, how much fajr we are going to do, how much isha we are going to do or how much jama’at we are going to do, how much dhikr we are going to do, how much tillawat, istighfar, durood salawaat, khidmat etc that we are going to do. 

And when we think of it like that, it’s very interesting that in the deen of Islam, Allah swt has linked this annual planning to the month of Ramadan, it almost seems that the 15th of Shaban is the initial decision by Allah swt about about how much to bestow upon us the following year but then Allah swt gave us the rest of Sha’ban and all of Ramadan to earn more and more.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**The above mentioned text has either been taken from “15th of Sha’ban in the Light of Quran & Hadith” by the great Muhaddith Shaykh Fazl-ur-Rahman al-Azam. Or from the audio by Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed.

The full text can be read at:

http://attahawi.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/15th-night-shabaan.pdf

And the audio at:

http://www.islamicspirituality.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Laylatul-Baraah-And-Spending-Shaban.mp3

"When a test comes to you"

1.) Know that everything is by Qadr of Allah (swt)
2.) Remember that other people have bigger problems than you
3.) Remember the death of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the greatest calamity the Ummah faced.
4.) Maybe through this trial, Allah (swt) has saved you from an even bigger trial.
5.) Through this trial Allah (swt) will remove some of your sins.
6.) Through this trial Allah (swt) has opened up a huge world of ibadah like sabr, salah, repentance, etc.
7.) With this trial, Allah (swt) is putting you on the path of the Prophets. It is a confirmation that Allah loves you. The more Allah loves somebody, the more he tests them.
8.) Through this trial perhaps Allah (swt) is looking to give you something better than what you had!"

Life of Imam Bukhari

Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari popularly known as Bukhari or Imam Bukhari, was a Sunni Islamic scholar of Persia. He is the author of the collection of Hadiths which Sunni Muslims regard as the most authentic of all Hadith compilations, the Sahih Al-Bukhari. Most Sunni scholars consider it second only to the Qur’an in terms of authenticity. The Arabic word sahih translates as authentic or correct. Imam Bukhari was born in 810 A.D. / 196 A.H. in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. His father, Ismail Ibn Ibrahim, was a known hadith scholar who died while he was still an infant and he was hence raised by his mother. Imam Bukhari began studying hadith, memorising works of Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak while still a child. At age of sixteen, Imam Bukhari made the pilgrimage to Mecca, beginning a series of travels in order to increase his knowledge of hadith. He went through all the important centres of Islamic learning of his time, talked to scholars and exchanged information on hadith. It is said that he heard from over 1,000 men, and learned over 600,000 traditions. After sixteen years’ absence he returned to Bukhara, and drew up his al-Jami’ as-Sahih, a collection of 7,275 tested traditions, arranged in chapters so as to afford bases for a complete system of jurisprudence. Imam Bukhari finished his work around 846 A.D., and spent the last twenty-four years of his life visiting other cities and scholars, teaching the hadith he had collected. In every city that he visited, thousands of people would gatherin the main mosque to listen to him recite traditions. Imam Bukhari died in a village near Samarkand in the year 870/256.

The Sahih Al-Bukhari book covers almost all aspects of life in providing proper guidance of Islam such as the method of performing prayers and other actions of worship directly from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Hadiths are a practical example of the implementation of Quranic guidance and are essential supplements to the teachings of the Quran. Neither the Quran nor the Sunnah can be understood correctly without the other. They have been meticulously compiled by individuals with exceptional memory skills and analytical expertise like Imam Bukhari, who travelled tirelessly to collect thousands of narrations and distinguish the true words of prophetic wisdom. Muslims during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)and generations that followed and generations to come are blessed to have these pearls of wisdom to guide us in a righteous, Islamic way of life leading to Al-Firdaus.

Taking Hijaab (Cloak & Veil) In The Light of Sunnah - [Part 2]

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet said: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil. [Sunnan Abu Dawud 2:641]

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Asma bint Abu Bakr, entered upon the Apostle of Allah wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of Allah turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma', When a woman reaches the age of mensuration, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands. [Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4092]

Narrated Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya, Ummul Mu'minin: When the verse: "That they should cast their outer garments over their persons" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments. [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4101; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3456]

Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: 'Aisha used to say: "When the verse: "They should draw their veils over their necks & bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces." [Sahih Bukhari 6:60:282, Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4091]

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it. Allah's Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah's Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of 'Aisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned & I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, And I went along with him too. When we reached the door of 'Aisha's room, he returned & I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me & him & the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed.[Bukhari 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim 8:3334]

The Prophet (saw) said: “I disown every Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.] 

According to a tradition related by Hazrat Buraidah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) instructed Hazrat Ali (RA): “O Ali, do not cast a second look after the first look. The first look is pardonable but not the second one.” (Trimizi, Ahmad, Abu Da’ud)

Hazrat Jarir bin Abdullah Bajali says that he asked the Holy Prophet (saw) replied, “What should I do if I happen to case a chance look? “ The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied, “Turn your eyes away or lower your gaze.” (Muslim, Ahmad, Trimizi, Abu Da’ud, Nasai)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud quotes the Holy Prophet (saw) as having said: “Allah (swt) says that the gaze is one of the poisonous arrows of Satan. Whoever forsakes it, out of His fear, he will be rewarded with a faith whose sweetness he will relish in his own heart.” (Tabarani)

According to a traidion related by Abu Umamah, The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “If a Muslim happens to glance at the charms of a woman and then turns his eyes away, Allah (swt) will bless his worship and devotion and will make it all the more sweet.” (Musnand Ahmad).

Imam Ja’far Sadiq (RA) has quoted from his father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (RA), who has quoted Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari  as saying: “On the occasion of the farewell Pilgrimage, Fadal binAbbas, who was a young cousin of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), was riding with him on the camelback during the return journey from Mash’ar al Harim. When they came to a few women passing on the way, Fadal started looking at them. Thereupon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) put his hand on his face and turned it to the other side.” (Abu Daud)

On Another occasion during the same Pilgrimage, a woman of the clan of Khath’am stopped the Holy Prophet (saw) on the way and sought clarification about a certain matter pertaining to Hajj. Fadal bin ‘Abbas fixed his gaze at her, but the Prophet (saw) turned his face to the other side. (Bukhari, Abu Daud, Trimizi)

Son of Umm Khallad was killed in a battle; she came to the Holy Prophet (saw) to enquire about him and was wearing the veil as usual. It was natural to presume that on such a sad occasion one is liable to lose one’s balance and ignore the restriction of Purdah. But when questioned she said, “I have certainly lost my son but not my modesty” (Abu Daud)

Hazrat Aisha (RA) has stated that during the farewell pilgrimage when they were moving towards Makkah in the state of ihram, the women would lower down their head sheets over their faces whenever the travellers passed by them, and would uncover their faces as soon as they had passed by. (Abu Daud)

The Holy Prophet (saw) has said: “No man should look at the satar of another man nor a woman at the satar of another woman.” (Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Daud, Trimizi).

Hazrat Ali (RA) has quoted the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) as saying: “Do not look at the thigh of another person, living or dead.” (Abu Daud, Ibn Majah)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has warned: “Beware, never remain naked, for with you are those (i.e angels of mercy and goodness), who never leave you alone except when you ease yourself or go you go to your wives. So feel shy of them and give them due respect.” (Trimizi)

According to another tradition, The Holy Prophet (saw) said: “Guard your satar from everybody except from your wife and your slave-girl.” The questioner asked, “Even when we are alone?” The Prophet (saw) replied, “Yes, even when alone, for Allah (swt) has a greater right that you should feel shy of Him.” (Abu Daud, Trimizi, Ibn Majah)

Hazrat Umm Salamah (RA) and Hazrat Umm Maimunah (RA), wives of Prophet Muhammad (saw) were stting with him when Ibn Umm Maktum, a blind companion, made his appearance. The Holy Prophet (saw) said to his wives: “Conceal your faces from him.” The wives said, “O Messenger of Allah: Is he not a blind man? Neither will he see us nor recognize us.” Thereupon the Prophet (saw) remarked: “Are you two also blind? Do you not see him?: Hazrat Umm Salamah (RA) has clarified that this incident occurred at a time when the commandments about the observance of Purdah had already been sent down. (Ahmad, Abu Daud, Trimizi)

The above Hadith is also supported by a tradition in Mu’atta saying that a blind man came to see Hazrat Aisha (RA) and she observed Pardah from him. When asked as to why she observed purdah when the man could not see her, she replied: “But I do see him.”

“The woman who perfumes herself and passes through a gathering is an adulteress.” [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi].

Beware of entering where women are. A man from the Ansar asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-laws?". He (saw) replied, The in-laws is death." [Bukhari, Muslim].

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must never be in privacy with woman without there being a mahrem (of hers) with her, for otherwise Satan will be the third person (with them).” [Musnand Ahmad]. 

Note:In addition to the above proofs, the majority of Imams - including those of the four schools - hold the opinion that a woman is obliged to cover her entire body with the exception of her face and hands in the presence of non-maharem men.