The fifteenth night of the month of Sha’baan, commencing with sunset, is a highly auspicious night. It is known as Shab-e-Baraat – tha Night of Deliverance from sins.
Authentic Traditions reveal that the account of a person’s activities of the last year is closed this evening and simultaneously fresh account is opened for the new year. In this night Allah passes of His Knowledge of every individual’s activities in the year ahead to the angels concerned.
It is revealed to us in Traditions that in this night Allah proclaims : Is there any seeker of deliverance from sins? Then I forgive him his sins. Is there any seeker of happiness ? Then I make him happy. Is there any seeker of provisions ? Then I provide him with provisions. Is there any seeker? Is there any seeker?
The giver is bent upon giving In this night. Where is the taker? If the taker is sleeping, he is the loser. Therefore, Allah’s Messenger (Blessing of Allah and Peace be on him), the Mercy for the universe, has advised is to keep awake the whole night and occupy ourselves in the recitation of the Holy Qur’aan, voluntary namaaz (Nafl), visiting the graveyard and putting forth supplications before the Almighty Allah for the fulfillment of our material as well as spiritual desires. It is set out in Traditions that three hundred gates of Allah’s Mercy are opened this night and all supplicants are granted their prayers except the polytheist, the sorcerer, the astrologer, the miser, the drinker of wine, malicious, the usurer and the adulterer. Therefore let everyone repent sincerely for his past misdeeds and wrong beliefs, make a vow to Allah that he shall never indulge in these and other vices and then stick to his vow in order fo derive the utmost benefit of the Divine Gifts showered in this night.
While visiting the graveyard, one must not indulge in idle talk, fireworks, and other absurdities. The time spent in this visit, including the time for coming and going, should not be wasted in trifles.
‘LAA HAV-LAA WA- LAA QUV-VA-TA IL-LAA BIL-LAA HIL A-LIY-YIL A-ZEEM’ at least forty times. Pray this after Asr and continue it till the Magrib Azaan. This will show credit entries at the end and beginning of your old and new accounts respectively. From sunset your life’s new year begins. Begin it with prayers. After the Nagrib Namaaz, offer six raka’at Nafl. Two at a time. Offer the first two raka’at with the intention (niyyat) of seeking Allah’s favour for granting you long and prosperous life.
The second two raka’at with the intention of warding off all calamities and the third two raka’at at with the intention that you may not be subjugated to the will of the creation for your needs.
After every two raka’at recite Suratul Yaaseen once or Suratul Iklas twenty-one times and then the Du’aa (Supplication) for the night. After the first recitation of the du’aa, seek Allah’s favour for granting you long, prosperous life, after the second, pray for warding off all calamities and after the third pray that you may not be subjugated to the will of the creation for your needs.
Take permissible food and drink in the night till dawn. Then observe fast for the next day, the 15th Sha’baan (you may abserve fast on 14th as well). This will bring you happiness and Allah’s favours in both the lives.
Voluntary Prayers of 15th of Sha’ban
On the night, after Isha prayer offer twelve raka’at with six salaams (3 sets of 2 raka’at each). In every raka’at after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Sura Ikhlas’ fifteen times. After completion of namaaz, recite Darood Sharif seventy times and offer repentance of sins committed.
In this month after every namaaz reciting this duaa is good for freeing oneself from sins :
AS-TAG-F-RUL-LAA-HAL A-ZEE- MAL-LA-ZEE LAA I-LAA-HA IL-LAA HU-WAL HAIY-YUL QAIY-YOO-MU WA A-TOO-BU I-LAI-HI TAV-BA-TA AB-DIN ZAA-LI-MIL LAA-YAM-LI-KU LI-NAF-SI HIDAR-RANW WA LAA NAF-ANW WA LAA MAV-TANW WA LAA HA-HAA-TUNW WA LAA NU-SHOO-RAA
On the night of first Friday of Sha’baan (the night that follows Thursday), after Ishaa namaaz, offer eight raka’at with two salaams (2 sets of 4 raka’at each) and in each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’-ham-du’ recite ‘Sura Ikhlas’ eleven times, and offer its sawaab to Hazrat Fatima (Allah be pleased with her), daughter of Allah’s Messenger. She has said that she will not step into Paradise without taking those with her, who offer this namaaz.
In the first Friday night (the night that follows Thursday), after Ishaa namaaz, offer four raka’at namaaz with one salaam (1 set of 4 raka’at) and in each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘SuraIkhlas’ threetimes. Allah will give him/her reward of Umrah.
On the first Friday of this month, after magrib prayer but before Ishaa, offer two raka’at, and in each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Aayatul Kursi’ once, ‘Qul-hu-wal-lah’ ten times, ‘Sura Falaq’ once and ‘Sura Naas’ once. Allah willing this namaaz will prove beneficial indevelopment of Imaan (faith). (Auraad-o-Namaaz) .
NAWAAFIL NAMAAZ TO BE OFFERED ON THE 15th DAY OF SHA’BAAN
On the fifteenth day of Sha’baan, after Zuhr prayer, offer four raka’at namaaz with two salaams (2 sets of 2 raka’at each). In the first raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Sura Zilzaal’ once and ‘Sura Ikhlas (Qul-hu-wal-lah)’ ten times. In the second raka’at, after ‘Al-hamdu’ recite ‘Sura Takaasur’ once and ‘Sura Ikhlas’ ten times. In the third raka’at, after ‘ Al-ham-du’ recite ‘Sura Ikhlas’ tentimes. In the fourth raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’-ham-du’ recite ‘Aayat-ul-Kursi’ three times and ‘Sura Ikhlas’ twenty-five times.
On the Day of Judgement the Almighty Allah will pay special attention on the one who offers this namaaz. Recite the Holy Qur’aan, Darood Sharif, Salaatut-tasbeeh and other wazaaif in Shab-e-Baraat.
SOME MORE NAWAFIL NAMAAZ OF SHA’BAAN
Allah’s Messenger says “The one who offers twelve taka’at (5 sets of 2 raka’at each) in the first night of Sha’baan, in each raka’at, after ‘Al-ham-du’-ham-du’ recites ‘Qul-hu-wal-lah’ five times, then Almighty Allah will give him reward of twelve thousand years will be recorded in his name and he will become free from sins as if he was born that day.”
It is recorded in ‘Rauze Al-Afkaar’ that Hazrat Isa (Peace be on him) passed near a mountain. He saw a big white stone. Since it was a very different kind of stone, he was looking at it with surprise. The Almighty Allah conveyed to him, “Would you like to see something more surprising that this?” Hazra Isa (Peace be on him)said, “Yes, my Lord. “The stone burst open and a man came out of if holding a green coloured stick in his hand. There was a grape-tree beside him. The man said, This is my daily food.” Hazrat Isa (Peace be on him) asked him, “Since when are you busy worshipping Allah in this stone ?”He replied, “Since four hundred years.” Hazrat Isa (Peace be on him) pleaded to Allah, “I feel that you have not created anyone better than this man.”
The Almighty Allah conveyed, “That person from the people of Muhammed (Blessing of Allah and peace be on him) who offers two taka’at on the night of 15th Sha’baan will be better than the four hundred year’s worship. “Hazrat Isa (Peace be on him) said, “I wish I were among the people of Muhammed (Blessing of Allah and Peace be on him).