15th night of Shabaan

The 15th night of Shabaan or the night which is called Shabb-e-Baraat is a night in which Allah Ta'ala pours out His blessing and His grace. According to one Hadith of Tabraani which is reported by Hazrat Mu'aaz Bin Jabal (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"Allah 'Azza Wa Jalla looks at his creatures during the night of mid Shabaan and He pardons all his creatures except one who is a Mushrik or one who keeps grudges."

This Hadith is a Hadith Hasan in itself and has been reported in several books of Hadith by the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallaahu Anhum) such as Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Hazrat Abu Musa Al Ash'ari (Radiyallaahu Anhu), and Hazrat Abdullah Bin Amr Bin Al-Aas (Radiyallaahu Anhu). The fact that it has been reported by several sources, makes it a very authentic Hadith. Thus, it is a night where Allah Ta'ala manifests His immense grace on his servants.

Fatwa Allaamah Bin Taimiyyah (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh)

"...As for the night of mid-Shabaan, it contains a merit. There were those who were performing (special) Salaah during that night among the ancestors. However, to gather in the Masjid to spend that night is a Bid'ah (innovation)...” (Al-Fataawaa Al-Kubra from Allaamah Bin Taimiyyah (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh))

The best way to spend the 15th night of Shabaan

The 15th night of Shabaan is a night of blessing and grace. Therefore, it is recommended that a person spends this night in Ibaadah according to his ability. One must not neglect it out of laziness nor must one engage oneself in so much of Ibaadah that one cannot wake up to perform the Salaah of Fajr. As Ibaadah, one may perform Nafl Salaah, do Istighfaar, Zikrullah, Tilaawat-ul-Qur'an, Durud Shareef, Dua, etc. It is better to spend the night at home with the family because the greatest majority of 'Ulama-e-Kiraam have disapproved the practice of gathering in the Masjid to spend that night. As justification, they mention that this was not the practice of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallaahu Anhum) and Taabi'in. According to the Sharh Munniyyat-ul-Musalli, according to Abu Muhammad Izzud-Deen Bin Abdussalaam Al-Muqaddasi, it is a practice that came into existence in the year 448 Hijri.

In books such as Al Bahr-ur-Raa'iq, Sharh Munniyyat-ul-Musalli, Maraaqil-Falaah etc., the 'Ulama made it very clear that gathering in the Masjid to spend that night and perform specific Salaah in Jamaat is Makruh. Thus, to perform Salaah Awwaabeen or another Salaah Nafl in Jamaat is Makruh. Likewise, performing Nafl Salaah in Jamaat during this night is also Makruh. Every person can perform as much Nafl Salaah as he wants. However, he must do it individually. Not in Jamaat.

Roza of the 15th day of Shabaan

Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to fast and he recommended fasting during the days when actions are presented before Allah Ta'ala.

According to a Hadith of Saheeh Muslim Shareef, presentation of actions takes place twice a week: on Mondays and Thursdays. This is why according to a Hadith of Tirmîzî, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"Actions are presented on Mondays and Thursdays. That is why I like being in a state of Roza at the time when my actions are being presented."

Likewise, according to a Hadith in Nisai, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to fast a lot during the month of Shabaan and he used to say that it was a month in which actions of people are presented in front of Allah Ta'ala.  There is a Hadith also which mentions that actions of people are presented in the night of the 15th Shabaan.

To reconcile between the two, we can say that this kind of presentation of actions which is done in the month of Shabaan does not take place every day. Rather it only happens at a specific time during this month. And this moment is the 15th night of Shabaan. This is the idea that Mulla Ali Qaari tried to elaborate in his Al-Mirqaat.

"For now, what seems obvious to me is the fact that the night of the 15th Shabaan is the night in which the actions of the past year are presented ..."

Probably, it is from this that the 'Ulama recommended to do Ibaadah during the 15th night of Shabaan and to fast during the day of the 15th Shabaan.

[English version of "15eme nuit de Sha’baan" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.10]