Shab e Barat in the light of Hadiths

Shab e Barat is celebrated in the month of Shaban which is the 8th month of Islamic calendar. Muslims all across the world celebrate Shab e Barat with religious zest and make special preparations for this night in the form of standing up in prayers all night and keeping fast the next day. The 15th of Shaban (Shab e Barat) is one of the most revered nights among Muslims in which Muslims seek Allah’s forgiveness and blessings and repent over their sins.

Shab e Barat occurs in mid-Shaban that is between the 14th and 15th day of Shaban. Shab e Barat or Laylat-ul-Baraa, is also called Laylat un Nisf min Shaban in Arabic. The blessed night Shab e Barat starts at sunset on the 14th and ends at dawn on the 15th of Shaban. The lines below discuss the significance of Shab e Barat in the light of hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The hadith is narrated by Hazrat Ali (RA) in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said about 15th of Shaban in these words:

“When it is the fifteenth of Shaban, then stand (in worship) at night and fast during the day. Because Allah descends in this night at sunset to the first heaven and says: ‘Is there any seeker of forgiveness, that I may forgive him? Is there any seeker of sustenance, that I may sustain him? Is there anyone in affliction, that I may remove his affliction? Is there anyone like this, like that (and so on)’. This continues until Fajr.” (Ibn Majah)

In another hadith, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “In the fifteenth night of Shaban, Allah manifests and forgives all His creation except for the Mushrik (idolater) and the spiteful.” (Ibn Majah)

The Mother of believers Hazrat Aisha (RA) reported: “The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘On the middle night of Shaban (that is, Shab-e-Barat), Allah most high descends to the lowest heaven and remits more sins than the hair of the goats of Banu Kalb.’” (Tirmidhi)

Hazrat Aisha (RA) also narrated that, “I missed Allah’s Messenger during the night and found Him in al-Baqui’. He (PBUH) said: Were you afraid that Allah and His Messenger would deal unjustly with you? I said: Allah’s Messenger, I thought that you had gone to some of your other wives. He (SAW) said: Verily Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, comes down to the heaven of the world in “the middle night of Shaban” and forgives sins even more abundant than the hair of the goats of Kalb. (Tirmidhi)

The full month of Shaban is very important. The importance of this month is evident from the tradition narrated by Hazrat Aisha (RA): “The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not fast in any month more than Shaban.” (Bukhari)

The Shab e Barat is the blessed night in which a Muslim can repent on the previous mistakes and sins with a true heart and receive forgiveness from Allah Almighty. Muslim can turn towards Allah Almighty and find His doors of forgiveness open for him or her in this blessed night. Therefore, every Muslim must make use of this night and repent in front of Allah Almighty so that He forgives the sins that a person committed throughout the year.

May Almighty Allah forgive our sins and give us strength to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Ameen!