Shab e Barat
The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Jibraeel علیہ السلام came to me and said: ‘It is the 15th night of Sha’ban (Shab e Barat). On this night, Allah Almighty frees as many people from Hell as are the number of hairs of the goats of the Bani Kalb tribe. However, He does not cast a gaze of mercy upon a non-Muslim, hostility-bearer, severer of ties of kinship, the one who dangles clothes (below his ankles), the one who disobeys his parents and a habitual drunkard. (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, p. 384, Hadith 3837)
Shab e Barat and acts of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Our Beloved Prophet ﷺ would worship on Shab e Barat in different manners on different occasions.
Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رضی اللہ عنھا says: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed continuously whilst standing and sitting until morning came. By the morning, the blessed feet of the Holy Prophet ﷺ had become swollen so I began to massage his blessed feet. (Al-Da’waat-ul-Kabeer, vol. 2, p. 145, Hadith 530)
Visiting the graveyard on Shab e Barat
The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated: I used to forbid you from visiting the graves, but now visit them, for they will draw your attention away from this world and remind you of the Hereafter. (Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 2, p. 252, Hadith 1571)
The Sahabi destined for Paradise, whose father is also a Sahabi, Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abbas رضی اللہ عنہ narrates: ‘When Shab e Barat arrives, the (believing) deceased come out of their graves, go to the doors of their homes, and say: Give Sadaqah upon us, even if it be one morsel of bread as we are in need of this.’ If they do not find it (anything which is given in Sadaqah) then they return unfulfilled in grief. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 14, p. 694; Al-Durur-ul-Hisaan fi Al-Ba’thi wa Na’eem-il-Jinaan, p. 33)
70,000 Angels pray for forgiveness
Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Ali’ Al-Qaari رحمتہ اللہ علیہ states: It is Mustahab (desirable) to recite Surah Al-Dukhan on Shab e Barat. The Sahabi destined for Paradise, Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رضی اللہ عنہ states that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated: He who recites Ha-Meem Al-Dukhan at night, he will awake in a state of 70,000 praying for his forgiveness. (AtTibyan fi Bayan ma fi Laylat-in-Nisf Min Sha’ban, vol. 3, p. 52)
How should we spend Shab e Barat
The famous Mufassir, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na’eemi رحمتہ اللہ علیہ states: ‘The fifteenth night of this month is called Shab e Barat; it is a very blessed night. Visiting the graveyard on this night and reading Fatihah there is Sunnah. Similarly visiting the tombs of the pious predecessors is rewarding. If possible, fast on the fourteenth and the fifteenth. On the fifteenth, give something as Sadaqah after reading Fatihah on it for the pious predecessors. Stay up on the whole night of the fifteenth and pray Nafl Salah.
All the Muslims should get their mistakes forgiven by one other and pay back any debts etc as the Du’a of the Muslim holding malice is not accepted.’ He further states: ‘If you are not able to stay awake for the entire night, then worship however much you are capable of and visit the graves. If on this night, you heat water containing seven leaves of a jujube tree, and then perform Ghusl with that water, انشاءاللہ عزوجل you will remain secured from the effects of black magic throughout the year.