ource: ermon of Hafiz Muhammad Ihaq Zahid, compiled by: Tauheed.com
Brother in Ilam! Allah Almighty ha created jinn and human olely for Hi worhip.
Allah Almighty' noble command i:
﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴾
I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worhip Me.
Reference: Adh-Dhariyat:56
But there i no pecific time in life, no particular month of the year, no pecial day of the week, or any pecial night deignated olely for worhip, uch that worhip hould only be performed then and the ret of the time be pent neglecting worhip. Rather, ince the primary purpoe of human creation i to worhip Allah Almighty, from the age of maturity until the lat breath of life, every moment hould be pent in worhip.
Allah Almighty ay:
﴿فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ ﴿٩٨﴾ وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ ﴿٩٩﴾
o exalt [Allah] with praie of your Lord and be of thoe who protrate [to Him] and worhip your Lord until there come to you the certainty (death).
Reference: Al-Hijr:98-99
And a ucceful peron i only the one who conider worhip to be the true purpoe of life; otherwie, a peron who remain heedle of the worhip of Allah and make it hi life’ goal to provide every comfort of the world for himelf and hi children can never be ucceful.
At thi time, firtly, the majority of Mulim are heedle of the worhip of Allah Almighty, and to make matter wore, ome people have firmly intilled in their heart the belief that performing night vigil two or three time a year and fating for two or four day i ufficient worhip for a peron’ alvation and for their worldly and hereafter ucce. However, the reality i that the Meenger of Allah, peace and bleing be upon him, forbade dedicating a ingle night excluively for worhip. The Prophet, peace and bleing be upon him, aid:
(( لَا تَخْتَصُّوْا لَیْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ بِقِیَامٍ مِنْ بَیْنِ اللَّیَالِیْ،وَلَا تَخُصُّوْا یَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ بِصِیَامٍ مِنْ بَیْنِ الأَیَّامِ إِلَّا أَنْ یَّکُوْنَ فِیْ صَوْمٍ یَصُوْمُہُ أَحَدُکُمْ ))
"Do not make the night of Friday alone pecial for prayer, nor the day of Friday alone pecial for fating. However, if the day of Friday fall on day when any of you i accutomed to fating, then there i no harm in fating on that day.
Reference: ahih Mulim:1144
Therefore, if it were correct to deignate one night pecifically for worhip, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would have permitted making the night of Friday pecial for thi purpoe, ince Friday i the bet day of the week. But hi prohibition of thi clearly indicate that it i not correct to worhip Allah on only one or two night of the year and remain heedle of worhip for the ret of the year."
The bleed habit of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wa alo that he ued to worhip throughout the night of the year, and indeed every moment of hi life wa pent in the worhip of Allah. Therefore, one hould alway trive to make every moment of life an act of worhip to Allah, and thi can only happen when we take every tep according to the will of Allah and do every deed for Hi pleaure.
Hazrat Aiha (may Allah be pleaed with her) narrate that the Prophet ﷺ ued to tand in prayer at night for uch a long time that hi bleed feet would become wollen. I aid: O Meenger of Allah! Why do you do thi when Allah ha forgiven all your pat and future in? He ﷺ replied:
(( اَفَلَا أَکُوْنُ عَبْدًا شَکُوْرًا))
"hould I not be a grateful ervant?"
Reference: ahih al-Bukhari:1130
And Hazrat Mughirah رضي الله عنه narrate that the Meenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم tood for uch a long time in prayer that hi bleed feet became wollen. It wa aid to him that Allah Almighty ha forgiven all your pat and future in, yet you tand for uch a long time! Then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم aid:
(( اَفَلَا أَکُوْنُ عَبْدًا شَکُوْرًا)) "hould I not be a grateful ervant?"
It wa alway the practice of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم to tand o long in prayer that hi bleed feet would crack or become wollen; it wa not that he did thi only two or three time a year. The bet way to live i alo the way of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrate that the Meenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم aid in the Friday ermon:
(( أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ خَیْرَ الْحَدِیْثِ کِتَابُ اللّٰہِ،وَخَیْرَ الْہَدْیِ ہَدْیُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلي الله عليه وسلم ،وَشَرَّ الْأُمُوْرِ مُحْدَثَاتُہَا،وَکُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ ))
"After praie and thank, you all hould know that the bet peech i the Book of Allah, and the bet way i the way of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the wort of deed i that which i newly invented in the religion, and every innovation i miguidance."
From thi hadith, it i undertood that the Book of Allah and the bleed unnah of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, are the true religion, and any act introduced into the religion that deviate from the Book of Allah and the unnah of the Meenger, peace be upon him, i the wort deed, no matter how good it may appear to people. It alo how that any act for which there i no proof from the Book of Allah and the unnah of the Meenger, peace be upon him, i an innovation, and every innovation i miguidance. There i no innovation that can be called a good innovation in the religion. All innovation are miguidance, and thoe who act upon them are themelve miled.
Virtue of Fating in the Month of ha'ban
In the month of ha'ban, the Meenger of Allah ﷺ ued to fat more than in all other month except Ramadan, and he ﷺ ued to ay that in thi month, good deed are taken up (to Allah), and I like that my deed be taken up while I am fating.
However, it i not correct to count the month of ha'ban among the four acred month in which fighting and bloodhed are forbidden. All commentator, hadith cholar, and cholar agree that thee four month are Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. No commentator ha included ha'ban among thee four month. The particular act of worhip that the Prophet ﷺ epecially oberved throughout thi entire month wa fating, and he maintained thi throughout the month without giving pecial emphai to any ingle day, nor did he mention any virtue for fating on any pecific day of thi month.
Hazrat Aiha (RA) narrate that the Meenger of Allah (AW) ued to fat o regularly that we would ay he never topped fating. Then he would top fating to the extent that we would ay he never fated. And I never aw the Meenger of Allah (AW) fat the entire month except in Ramadan, and I never aw him fat more in any month than in ha'ban.
Alo, Hazrat Aiha (RA) narrate that
(( کَانَ أَحَبَّ الشُّہُوْرِ إِلَی رَسُوْلِ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم أَنْ یَّصُوْمَہُ شَعْبَانُ،ثُمَّ یَصِلُہُ بِرَمَضَانَ ))
"The month mot beloved to the Meenger of Allah (AW) for fating wa ha'ban, then he would fat in Ramadan after that."
Reference: Munad Ahmad: 25548
imilarly, he tate that (( مَا رَأَیْتُ النَّبِیَّ صلي الله عليه وسلم فِیْ شَہْرٍ أَکْثَرَ صِیَامًا مِنْہُ فِیْ شَعْبَانَ،کَانَ یَصُوْمُہُ إَِّلا قَلِیْلاً،بَلْ کَانَ یَصُوْمُہُ کُلَّہُ))
"I never aw the Prophet (AW) fat more in any month than in ha'ban. He would fat in it except for a few day. In fact, he would fat the entire month."
Reference: unan Tirmidhi: 746
Wherea Hazrat Umm alama (RA) narrate that:
(( مَا رَأَیْتُ النَّبِیَّ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم یَصُوْمُ شَہْرَیْنِ مُتَتَابِعَیْنِ إِّلا شَعْبَانَ وَرَمَضَانَ ))
"I have not een the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) fating continuouly for two month except in ha'ban and Ramadan."
Reference: unan Tirmidhi:746
The Widom of Fating Frequently in ha'ban
Hazrat Uama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleaed with him) aked the Meenger of Allah (peace be upon him), "O Meenger of Allah! I have not een you fating a much in any month a you do in ha'ban." The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
(( ذَاكَ شَہْرٌ تَغْفَلُ النَّاسُ فِیْہِ عَنْہُ بَیْنَ رَجَبَ وَرَمَضَانَ ، وَہُوَ شَہْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِیْہِ الْأَعْمَالُ إِلٰی رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ، وَأُحِبُّ أَنْ یُّرْفَعَ عَمَلِیْ وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ ))
"Thi i the month in which people become heedle between Rajab and Ramadan, while in it the deed are raied to the Lord of the World, and I like that my deed be raied while I am fating."
Reference: ahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib:1022
From all thee ahadith, it i etablihed that one hould make an effort to fat frequently in thi month.
What i true and what i fale about the Night of Bara'at?
After learning about the virtue of fating in the month of ha'ban, the quetion now i: what i the ignificance of the fifteenth night of thi month? The reality i that among the two or three night whoe virtue are pecifically mentioned without ditinguihing between authentic and weak narration, one i the fifteenth night of ha'ban, commonly known a Laylat al-Bara'ah (the Night of alvation). Regarding thi night, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ha been reported with an authentic chain of narration that
(( یَطَّلِعُ اللّٰہُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی إِلٰی خَلْقِہِ لَیْلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ،فَیَغْفِرُ لِجَمِیْعِ خَلْقِہِ إِلَّا لِمُشْرِكٍ أَوْ مُشَاحِنٍ))
"Allah Almighty look upon Hi entire creation on the fifteenth night of ha'ban (with mercy), then forgive all of Hi creation except the polytheit and the one harboring enmity."
Reference: ahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib: 2767
The contemporary hadith cholar heikh al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning variou chain of thi hadith, write:
( وَجُمْلَةُ الْقَولِ أَنَّ الْحَدِیْثَ بِمَجْمُوعِ ہَذِہِ الطُّرُقِ صَحِیْحٌ بِلاَ رَیْبٍ )
"In ummary, thi hadith i undoubtedly authentic with all it chain."
While in another narration thee word are mentioned: (( إِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَطَّلِعُ عَلٰی عِبَادِہٖ فِیْ لَیْلَةِ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ،فَیَغْفِرُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَیُمْلِیْ لِلْکَافِرِیْنَ،وَیَدَعُ أَہْلَ الْحِقْدِ بِحِقْدِہِمْ حَتّٰی یَدَعُوْہُ ))
"Indeed, Allah Almighty look upon Hi ervant with mercy on the fifteenth night of ha'ban, then forgive the believer, relaxe the dibeliever, and leave the piteful people until they cleane their heart of malice."
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 593
Dear repected one! Thi i the very hadith that ha been narrated with an authentic chain regarding the virtue of the fifteenth night of ha'ban. Apart from thi, all the hadith that are commonly mentioned and are made the adornment of newpaper and gathering are all extremely weak or fabricated, and the hariah of the Meenger of Allah (peace be upon him) i free from uch upertition.
Among the weak and fabricated hadith commonly narrated about the night of Bara'at are a few a follow:
➊ (( شَعْبَانُ شَہْرِیْ وَرَمَضَانُ شَہْرُ اللّٰہِ))
"ha'ban i my month and Ramadan i Allah'." Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it fabricated.
➋ It i narrated that one night the Meenger of Allah ﷺ wa at the houe of Hazrat Aiha (may Allah be pleaed with her), and uddenly he left from there. When Hazrat Aiha (may Allah be pleaed with her) followed him, he aw that he wa in Baqi. When the Prophet ﷺ aw her, he aid: "Did you fear that Allah and Hi Meenger ﷺ would wrong you?"
he aid: O Meenger of Allah! I upected that perhap you had gone to another wife.
Then he aid: (( إِنَّ اللّٰہَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی یَنْزِلُ لَیْلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْیَا،فَیَغْفِرُ لِأَکْثَرَ مِنْ شَعْرِ غَنَمِ کَلْبٍ ))
"Indeed, Allah, the Bleed and Exalted, come down on the middle night of ha'ban to the heaven of the world and forgive more people than the hair of the goat of Banu Kalb."
Beide other Imam, Imam Tirmidhi himelf mentioned thi hadith and pointed out it weakne. In fact, he alo narrated from Imam Bukhari that he conidered it weak.
It hould be noted that the tory of Aiha (may Allah be pleaed with her) regarding the Prophet Muhammad' (peace be upon him) viit to Baqi and praying for the people of Baqi i authentic and i detailed in ource uch a
Reference: ahih Mulim
, but there i no mention of the fifteenth night of ha'ban in it. The complete incident i a follow:Hazrat Aiha (may Allah be pleaed with her) narrate that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wa with me one night. He took off the heet he wa covering himelf with and hi hoe, placing them near hi head. He pread one corner of the heet he wa wearing on hi bed and lay down on it. After a hort while, when he thought I had fallen aleep, he gently lifted hi heet, put on hi hoe, opened the door, and went outide. Then he quietly cloed the door. I got up, wore my armor on my head, covered myelf with a dupatta, wrapped my heet around me, and followed him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) reached Baqi‘, tood there for quite ome time, and during thi period, he raied hi hand three time in upplication. Then when the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned, I alo turned back. When he walked fat, I walked fat; when he lightly ran, I alo lightly ran; and when he ran quickly, I alo ran quickly. I entered the houe before him, and jut a I lay down, he alo arrived.
Reference: ahih Mulim: 974
The Prophet ﷺ aid: "Aiha! What i the matter with you? Why i your breath heavy?"
I aid: Nothing.
The Prophet ﷺ aid: (( لَتُخْبِرِیْنِیْ أَوْ لَیُخْبِرَنِّی اللَّطِیْفُ الْخَبِیْرُ ))
"Either you tell me yourelf, or Allah will inform me, who i Mot ubtle and All-Aware."
I aid: May my parent be acrificed for you. Then I told you everything.
The Prophet ﷺ aid: "Oh, wa it your hadow that I aw in front of me?"
I aid: Ye.
Then the Prophet ﷺ truck hi palm on my chet in uch a way that I felt pain from it. After that, he aid: (( أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ یَّحِیْفَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْكَ وَرَسُوْلُہُ ))
"Did you think that Allah and Hi Meenger ﷺ would wrong you?"
I aid (in my heart): No matter how much people try to hide, Allah know. Ye, indeed Allah know everything.
The Prophet ﷺ aid:
(( فَإِنَّ جِبْرِیْلَ أَتَانِی حِیْنَ رَأَیْتِ،فَنَادَانِی فَأَخْفَاہُ مِنْكَ ، فَأَجَبْتُہُ،فَأَخْفَیْتُہُ مِنْكَ،وَلَمْ یَکُنْ یَدْخُلُ عَلَیْكَ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِیَابَكَ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتِّ فَکَرِہْتُ أَنْ أُوْقِظَكَ، وَخَشِیْتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِی،فَقَالَ:إِنَّ رَبَّكَ یَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِیَ أَہْلَ الْبَقِیْعِ فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَہُمْ))
"When you aw, at that time Angel Jibreel (peace be upon him) had come to me. He called me oftly, hiding it from you, o I alo replied oftly, hiding it from you, and he could not come inide in that tate becaue you had taken off your (extra) clothe. I thought that you had fallen aleep, o I preferred not to wake you, and I wa alo afraid that you might become fearful and anxiou without me. Angel Jibreel (peace be upon him) aid: The command of your Lord i that you come to the people of Baqi and pray for their forgivene."
I (Aiha, may Allah be pleaed with her) aid: How hould I pray for them?
o you were intructed to ay:
(( اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰی أَہْلِ الدِّیَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمِیْنَ،وَیَرْحَمُ اللّٰہُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِیْنَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِیْنَ،وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللّٰہُ بِکُمْ لَلَاحِقُوْنَ))
Therefore, it i proven that the tory of Baqi ha no connection with the fifteenth night of ha'ban, nor i it mentioned in authentic hadith. Hence, it i not correct to hold the belief that going to the graveyard on thi night or the next day i unnah, baed on a weak hadith.
➌ (( إِذَا کَانَ لَیْلَةُ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَقُوْمُوْا لَیْلَتَہَا وَصُوْمُوْا یَوْمَہَا ، فَإِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَنْزِلُ فِیْہَا لِغُرُوْبِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَی سَمَاءِ الدُّنْیَا فَیَقُوْلُ:أَلَا مُسْتَغْفِرٌ فَأَغْفِرَ لَہُ،أَلَا مُسْتَرْزِقٌ فَأَرْزُقَہُ،أَلَا مُبْتَلًی فَأُعَافِیَہُ،ألَا سَائِلٌ فَاُعْطِیَہُ،أَلا کَذَا أَلاَ کَذَا،حَتّٰی یَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ ))
"When the fifteenth night of ha'ban come, you hould pend the night in worhip and fat the next day, becaue from the evening of that night Allah Almighty come down to the lowet heaven and ay: I there anyone eeking forgivene that I may forgive him? I there anyone eeking proviion that I may provide for him? I there anyone who i ill that I may grant him health? I there anyone aking that I may give him? I there anyone... I there anyone... until the dawn break."
Thi hadith i alo fale and fabricated. Intead, the authentic hadith hould be mentioned in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ aid: (یَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی کُلَّ لَیْلَةٍ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْیَا حِیْنَ یَبْقٰی ثُلُثُ اللَّیْلِ الآخِرُ،فَیَقُوْلُ:مَنْ یَّدْعُوْنِیْ فَأَسْتَجِیْبَ لَہُ؟مَنْ یَّسْأَلُنِیْ فَأُعْطِیَہُ؟مَنْ یَّسْتَغْفِرُنِیْ فَأَغْفِرَ لَہُ) and in the narration of Mulim: (فَلَا یَزَالُ کَذٰلِكَ حَتّٰی یُضِیْئَ الْفَجْرُ )
"Our Lord, the Bleed and Exalted, decend every night during the lat third of the night to the lowet heaven and ay: Who i calling upon Me o that I may anwer him? Who i aking from Me o that I may give him? Who i eeking My forgivene o that I may forgive him?" In one narration of Mulim, thee word are added: "Then He continue to remain in thi tate until the dawn break."
Reference: ahih al-Bukhari:1145
According to thi authentic hadith, thi virtue can be attained every night. Therefore, pecifying it only for the fifteenth night of ha'ban i certainly wrong and a great lie upon the Prophet ﷺ.
➍ The hadith of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleaed with him) in which he mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prayed fourteen rak'ah on the fifteenth night of ha'ban, then recited ome urah, and then aid: "Whoever doe a I have done will receive the reward of twenty accepted Hajj pilgrimage and twenty year of accepted fating."
Reference: Ibn al-Jawzi
after narrating thi hadith in
Reference: “Al-Mawdu'at”
ay:"Thi hadith i alo fabricated and it chain of narration i very weak."
Reference: Imam uyuti
ay that thi hadith wa narrated by
Reference: Al-Bayhaqi
in
Reference: hu'ab al-Iman
and he tate that it i quite poible that thi i fabricated (mawdu‘).➎
Reference: A-alat Al-Alfiyyah
, that i the prayer about which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) intructed Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleaed with him) that"Whoever pray one hundred rak'ah on thi night in uch a way that in each rak'ah after urah Al-Fatiha he recite urah Al-Ikhla ten time, Allah Almighty will fulfill all hi need. If he i written a unfortunate in the Preerved Tablet, Allah will erae it and write him a fortunate... and hi in for the coming year will not be recorded."
Reference: "Al-Mawdu'at"
in
Reference: Ibn al-Jawzi
after mentioning variou chain of thi hadith ay:"There i no doubt that thi hadith i fabricated. Mot of it narrator are unknown, and ome of them are very weak, o it i impoible that uch a hadith wa iued from the Holy Prophet ﷺ. We have een many people who perform thi prayer; when the night are hort, they leep after it, and their Fajr prayer i mied. Meanwhile, ignorant imam of moque have made thi prayer, a well a the 'alat al-Raghaib,' a mean to gather people and reach a high poition, and toryteller mention thi prayer in their gathering, even though all of thi i far from the truth."
Reference: Imam Nawawi
ay, "The prayer known a alat al-Raghaib, which conit of twelve rak'ah and i performed on the firt night of Rajab between Maghrib and Iha, and imilarly the one hundred rak'ah prayer on the fifteenth night of ha'ban, both of thee prayer are very bad innovation. Therefore, one hould not be deceived by their mention in
Reference: Qut al-Qulub
and
Reference: Ihya Ulum al-Din
, nor hould one be miled by the hadith narrated about them becaue it i entirely fale."And
Reference: Imam hawkani
ay that (ہُوَ مَوضُوعٌ،وَفِی أَلْفَاظِہِ الْمُصَرَّحَةِ بِمَا یَنَالُہُ فَاعِلُہَا مِنَ الثَّوَابِ مَا لاَ یَمْتَرِیْ إِنْسَانٌ لَہُ تَمْیِیْزٌ فِی وَضْعِہِ،وَرِجَالُہُ مَجْہُولُونَ ) "Thi i fabricated, and no enible peron can doubt the fabricated nature of ome of it word which pecify the reward for the one who perform it, and it narrator are unknown."
He further ay:
(وَقَدِ اغْتَرَّ بِہَا جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْفُقَہَاءِ کَصَاحِبِ الإِحْیَاءِ وَغَیْرِہٖ وَکَذَا مِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِیْنَ وَقَد ْ رُوِیَتْ صَلَاۃُ ہَذِہِ اللَّیْلَةِ أَعْنِی لَیلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ عَلیٰ أَنْحَاءٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ کُلُّہَا بَاطِلَةٌ مَوضُوعَةٌ )
"A group of jurit and commentator, for example ahib-e-Ihya and other, have been deceived by thi hadith, wherea the hadith narrated through variou chain about the prayer on the fifteenth night of ha'ban i fale and fabricated in all it chain."
Wherea
Reference: Mulla Ali Qari
(may Allah have mercy on him) ay about thi hadith: (لَمْ یَأْتِ بِہَا خَبَرٌ وَلَا أَثَرٌ إِلَّا ضَعِیْفٌ أَوْ مَوضُوعٌ،وَلَا تَغْتَرَّ بِذِکْرِ صَاحِبِ الْقُوتِ وَالإِحْیَاءِ وَغَیْرِہِمَا)"Regarding thi prayer, nothing ha been reported except weak or fabricated hadith. Therefore, you hould not be deceived by the fact that it ha been mentioned by the author of Qut al-Qulub and Ihya Ulum al-Din and other."
Mulla Ali Qari alo mentioned that thi innovation in prayer wa firt introduced in 448 AH in Jerualem when ome fire worhipper converted to Ilam. When they prayed with the Mulim, they would light a fire in front of them. In thi way, they would appeae the Mulim and alo practice their upertition and fale belief. It wa thee people who invented the alat al-Alfiyyah. Thu, when the fifteenth night of ha'ban came, they would perform thi prayer and light a fire in front of them. Their intention wa to tand repectfully in front of the fire for a longer time during the night. Beide thi, thee people committed many evil under the pretext of thi fire, to the extent that the aint of that time feared that they might be wallowed by the earth. Therefore, they would tay away from thoe area where thi innovation wa practiced and many prohibition were committed under it cover.
It i a matter of great orrow that the prayer invented by the fire-worhipper in the fifth century, and for which fale hadith were fabricated to extol it virtue, i today pecially oberved by Mulim on the fifteenth night of ha'ban with great enthuiam, and thee fale hadith are narrated with full vigor!!
Thee and other imilar hadith are unanimouly weak and fabricated. Eminent cholar uch a Al-hawkani, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn Hibban, Al-Qurtubi, Al-uyuti, and other have declared thee narration unreliable. For detail, one can refer to
Reference: Al-Fawaid al-Majmu'ah
,
Reference: Al-Mawdu'at al-Kubra
,
Reference: Tafir al-Qurtubi
,
Reference: Al-Alai al-Manu'ah
, and other. Therefore, it i eential for thoe engaged in the field of Dawah to refrain from narrating and preading thoe narration which are not authentic in term of their chain of tranmiion. urely, it would be a great ervice to the Prophetic Hadith if one invetigate the chain of tranmiion before narrating any hadith; otherwie, one hould alway remember the aying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that(( مَنْ یَّقُلْ عَلَیَّ مَا لَمْ أَقُلْ فَلْیَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَہُ مِنَ النَّارِ ))
"Whoever attribute to me that which I have not aid, let him prepare hi abode in Hell."
What hould be done on the night of Bara'at?
Now the quetion i about the hadith that ha come with an authentic chain regarding the virtue of the fifteenth night of ha'ban, which i: ("Allah Almighty look upon all Hi creation on the fifteenth night of ha'ban (with mercy), then forgive all creation except the polytheit and the one who harbor enmity.")
Doe thi mention the holding of any gathering or any pecial worhip? Or doe thi hadith mention lighting lamp and firework? The correct anwer to thi quetion can be given by anyone who, intead of truting upertition and fabricated tradition, believe in the pure and clear hariah of the Meenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Therefore, if thi hadith i tudied impartially, it become clear that the Prophet, peace be upon him, neither mentioned any gathering nor any pecial worhip, nor did he mention lighting lamp or firework. Rather, what i mentioned i the general forgivene of Allah Almighty, for which the Prophet, peace be upon him, declared every peron deerving who doe not mix hirk (polytheim) in their belief and doe not harbor peronal enmity or hatred in their heart againt any Mulim. Hence, to deerve the general forgivene granted on thi night, it i neceary for a peron to correct their belief. One hould conider Allah alone a the owner of benefit and harm, the remover of difficultie, place trut only in Allah, make the center of all hope not the court and hrine but only Allah, fear only Allah intead of elder or aint, offer vow and acrifice for Allah alone, and not call upon anyone ele for help beide Allah. Along with thi, one hould keep their heart pure regarding Mulim and not hold envy, hatred, or malice againt anyone. Thee are the thing that are extremely neceary for a peron' alvation. A for lighting lamp and firework, thi i merely wateful extravagance which our religion forbid, o avoiding it i obligatory upon every Mulim.
It i very regrettable that regarding the virtue of the fifteenth night of ha'ban, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ pecifically tated that Allah doe not forgive the polytheit and the piteful, but forgive all other. Yet today, many people pecially oberve thi night, hold gathering in the name of hab-e-Barat, and in thee gathering, beide narrating fale and fabricated hadith about thi night, they call upon the Prophet ﷺ through naat reciter and peaker, eeking hi help and aitance. In other word, they openly commit hirk (aociating partner with Allah) and till hope for Allah’ forgivene! The hadith of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, in which he clearly tated that forgivene i not granted to the polytheit on thi night, i practically mocked, and at the ame time, there i hope that on thi night a certificate of freedom from Hellfire will be granted!
What a cruelty it i that intead of completely diaociating from and repenting of polytheim, it i practically manifeted and people are invited toward it.
If the night of Bara'at i a night of forgivene, then why not worhip on it?
omeone may ak that ince you yourelf have proven that thi night i a night of forgivene, then what i wrong with performing pecial worhip on it? Our anwer i that Allah Almighty ha made the Meenger of Allah, peace be upon him, a perfect example for u, which mean that in every field we hould follow in the foottep of the Meenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and follow him in every action. Alo, oberve on which occaion the Meenger of Allah, peace be upon him, performed which worhip? Thu, when we tudy the book of Hadith and eerah, we find that the Meenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not arrange any pecial worhip on thi night, nor did he himelf celebrate thi night pecially, nor did he encourage hi noble companion, may Allah be pleaed with them, to do o. Therefore, when our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, did not arrange thi, then we hould not do it either. If you did not celebrate thi night, then we hould not celebrate it either.
Reference: Hafiz Ibn Rajab
ay:(قِیَامُ لَیْلَةِ النِّصْفِ لَمْ یَثْبُتْ فِیْہِ شَیْئٌ عَنِ النَّبِیِّ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَلَا عَنْ أَصْحَابِہِ)
"There i no evidence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) nor from hi noble companion (may Allah be pleaed with them) regarding the virtue of praying on the fifteenth night of ha'ban."
And
Reference: Imam Abu Bakr Tartuhi
narrated from
Reference: Zaid bin Alam
(who i a Tabi'i) that he aid:(مَا أَدْرَکْنَا أَحَدًا مِنْ مَشْیَخَتِنَا وَلاَ فُقَہَائِنَا یَلْتَفِتُونَ إِلَی النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ،وَلاَ یَلْتَفِتُونَ إِلٰی حَدِیثِ مَکْحُولٍ،وَلاَ یَرَوْنَ لَہَا فَضْلاً عَلٰی مَا سِوَاہَا،وَقِیلَ لاِبْنِ أَبِی مُلَیکَةَ:إِنَّ زِیَادًا یَقُولُ:إِنَّ أَجْرَ لَیلَةِ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ کَأَجْرِ لَیلَةِ الْقَدْرِ،فَقَالَ:لَوْ سَمِعْتُہُ وَبِیَدِیْ عَصًا لَضَرَبْتُہُ)
"We never aw any of our teacher and jurit pay attention to the fifteenth night of ha'ban nor to the fabricated hadith, nor did they conider thi night uperior to other night. When it wa told to Ibn Abi Malika that Ziyad, who wa a toryteller, ued to ay to people that the reward of thi night i equal to the reward of Laylat al-Qadr, he aid: If I hear thi from him and I have a tick in my hand, I will punih him."
In ummary, nothing i proven regarding the virtue of worhip on the fifteenth night of ha'ban, and whatever i narrated i all fale and fabricated.
Another point worthy of conideration i that the virtue of the fifteenth night of ha'ban, in which Allah epecially look toward Hi ervant and forgive all except the polytheit and the one harboring enmity, i not excluive to that night alone but applie to every Monday and Thurday a well. A the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ aid: (( تُفْتَحُ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ یَوْمَ الْاِثْنَیْنِ وَیَوْمَ الْخَمِیْسِ،فَیُغْفَرُ لِکُلِّ عَبْدٍ لاَ یُشْرِكَ بِاللّٰہِ شَیْئًا إِلاَّ رَجُلاً کَانَتْ بَیْنَہُ وَبَیْنَ أَخِیْہِ شَحْنَاءُ فَیُقَالُ:أَنْظِرُوْا ہَذَیْنِ حَتّٰی یَصْطَلِحَا،أَنْظِرُوْا ہَذَیْنِ حَتّٰی یَصْطَلِحَا،أَنْظِرُوْا ہَذَیْنِ حَتّٰی یَصْطَلِحَا ))
"On every Monday and Thurday, the gate of Paradie are opened, and then every peron who doe not aociate partner with Allah i forgiven, except for the one who harbor hatred and enmity againt hi brother. Regarding thee two, it i aid three time: Give them repite until they reconcile."
Therefore, the hadith about forgivene on the fifteenth night of ha'ban cannot be ued a evidence to pecially celebrate thi night, hold gathering, and perform pecial act of worhip. Otherwie, if it could be ued a evidence for all thi, then Monday and Thurday would alo have the ame virtue. o, will thoe who celebrate the Night of Bara'at alo pecially celebrate thee two day and hold gathering on them a well?
We pray to Allah Almighty to forgive u all. Grant u the ability to undertand the truth and act upon it, and grant u the ability to avoid and abtain from falehood. Ameen.
I the fifteenth night of ha'ban the night of decree?
The view of thoe who celebrate the Night of Bara'at i that thi night i the night of decree. Their evidence i thee bleed vere: ﴿إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ﴿٣﴾ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ ﴾
"Indeed, We ent it down during a bleed night. Indeed, We are ever warning. On that night i made ditinct every precie matter."
In the command of Allah Almighty, the "Bleed Night" i mentioned, in which the Quran wa revealed and in which the event of the entire year are decided. o, the quetion i which night i meant by thi night?
If we eek the interpretation of the Quran within the Quran itelf intead of interpreting it according to our own deire, then we find the anwer to thi quetion.
The command of Allah Almighty i: ﴿ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ﴾ [سورۃ القدر:1]
"Indeed, We ent it down during the Night of Decree." That i, the "Bleed Night" refer to Laylat al-Qadr, which occur on the odd night of the lat ten day of Ramadan, and in it, the deciion regarding a peron' life, death, utenance, and all other event are made.
Thi interpretation of the "Bleed Night" ha been given by Hazrat Abdullah bin Abba (may Allah be pleaed with him), Qatadah, Mujahid, Haan, and other, and thi interpretation ha been accepted a correct by the majority of commentator.
Reference: Imam Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi
ay:"The majority of cholar hold the view that thi night refer to Laylat al-Qadr. However, ome cholar ay that it refer to the fifteenth night of ha'ban, and thi i fale becaue Allah Almighty ha mentioned in Hi truthful Book ﴿ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ﴾ 'It i the month of Ramadan in which the Quran wa revealed.' Then He pecified one night in the month of Ramadan ﴿لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ﴾ in which the Quran wa ent down. Therefore, whoever claim that the 'bleed night' refer to any other night i committing a great lander againt Allah. A for the virtue of the fifteenth night of ha'ban or the claim that it i the night of decree, all the hadith related to thi are weak, o do not pay attention to them."
And
Reference: Imam Ibn Kathir
ay: "Thi bleed night and the 'night of decree' refer to Laylat al-Qadr, and whoever ay that it refer to the fifteenth night of ha'ban, a narrated from Ikrimah, i not correct becaue it i etablihed from the text of the Qur'an itelf that thi night occur in the month of Ramadan."Therefore, declaring the fifteenth night of ha'ban a the night of decree i completely wrong and ha no validity.
In the end, we pray to Allah Almighty to grant u the ability to remain teadfat in Hi obedience and compliance and to protect u from diobedience, and to make our end upon monotheim and righteou deed. Ameen.
