SHABE BARAAT

The Night of Deliverance
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.