Significance of worship of Lailatul Barat or Shab-e-Barat

Shab-e-Barat is considered a major event in the Islamic calendar, where Muslims worship together and ask forgiveness for their wrongdoings. It is believed to reward them with good fortune throughout the year and cleanse them of their sins. In many areas, it is a night when one prays for the forgiveness of one's dead ancestors. Because there is no evidence that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) or his great Companions or family ever celebrated or remembered the night of Shab-e-Barat. But according to a hadith tradition, it is known that Prophet Muhammad (saw) went to Baki's graveyard that night and prayed for the Muslims buried there.

Lailatul Barat or Shab-e-Barat

Shab-e-Barat, Night of Barat, or Nisfu Shaaban or lailatul Barat (among Southeast Asian Muslims) Shab-i-Barat is one of the major Muslim festivals, celebrated on the 15th night of the month (night between the 14th and 15th). Sha'ban is the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. This blessed night begins at sunset on 14 Shaaban and ends at dawn on 15 Shaaban. Different countries have different ways of celebrating this day and each has a different name.

Shab-e-Barat is also called the night of forgiveness or the Day of Atonement. Muslims observe mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Scholars such as Imam Shafi'i, Imam Nawawi, Imam Ghazzali, and Imam Suyuti have declared prayer acceptable on the night of mid-Shaban. Imam Nawawi in his Majmu quotes Imam Al-Shafi's Kitab Al-Um that there are five nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of which is the night of 15 Sha'ban.

According to Imam Al-Shafi'ee:

There are five nights when the dua (dua) is accepted by Allah. These are (i) Friday night, (ii) the night before Eid-ul-Fitr, (iii) the night before Eid-ul-Adha, (iv) the first night of Rajab, and (v) Nisf Shaban night.

According to Imam Malik:

There are four nights on which the door of righteousness is opened, (i) the night before Eid al-Fitr, (ii) the night before Eid al-Adha, (iii) the night of Arafat (the 9th of Jilhaj during Hajj), and (iv) the night of Nisaf Shaban.

Significance of worship of Lailatul Barat or Shab-e-Barat

Holy Lailatul Barat is a glorious night. There are many hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about the night of the 15th of Shabaan. It is better to spend this blessed night in worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Paradise will be obligatory for one who stays awake for five nights.

Those five blessed nights are –

i. The eighth night of Jilhajj.

ii. Ninth night of Jilhaj.

iii. Eid al-Adha night.

iv. The night of Eid-ul-Fitr.

v. The night of the 15th of Shaban. (Attargib Wattarhib).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend the night of the 15th Shabaan in worship. Hazrat Ayesha (RA) said, "One night I did not find the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in bed." So I went out to look for him. I saw that he was in the rest of Jannatul. He looked at me and said, ‘Do you fear that Allah and His Messenger will deal unjustly with you? I said, O Messenger of God! I was guessing that you have visited another wife's room. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “On the night of the 15th of Shabaan, Allah brought Tashreef to the heavens and forgave more people than the wool of the sheep and goats of the tribe of Banu Qalab.” (Tirmidhi Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi, Musnad Ahmad).

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Nafl Ibadat has been urged on the night of the 15th of Shaban, the month of Mercy, Blessing, and Forgiveness. Hazrat Ali (Ra) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “When the night of Shabaan comes, you should stay awake at night and worship and fast during the day. Because Allah subhanahu ta'ala first landed in the sky after sunset on this night and said, is there any apologetic person? I will forgive him, is there no livelihood candidate? I will provide for him. Is there any Endangered? I will save him from danger. Thus the proclamation continues till dawn. (Ibn Majah). It is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to perform supererogatory worship at night on Lailatul Barat. He used to worship and pray more on this holy night and visit graves. There is no special method for Lailatul Barat prayers. Like all other prayers, prayers can be offered on this night. It is better to perform the prayers in two rak'ats. On this holy night, recitation of the Qur'an, remembrance of God, Askar, Doa, Istigfar, etc., is as good as possible.