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SHABAAN AND NISF

SHABAAN (LAYLATUL
BARAAAH)


Shabaan is the 8
th
month of the Islamic Calendar. In this
month Allah Almighty distributes abundance of blessings
and livelihood.

According to a Hadith, the reason this month is named
Shabaan is because abundance of goodness (reward) is
showered on those who fast in this month until they
attain Jannah (Paradise).

THE AUSPICIOUS MONTH

The following are some Ahadeeth relating to this auspicious month of Shabaan.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Allah be please with him) reported that the Beloved Prophet () said:
Shabaan is my month, Rajab is the month of Allah and Ramadhan is that of my Ummah. Shabaan
removes the sins of man and Ramadan purifies him completely. (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen)
The Beloved Prophet () said: Between Rajab and Ramadhan is the sacred month of Shabaan.
People are unmindful about it, yet the deeds of people are presented to Almighty Allah. It is for
this reason that l desire my deeds to be presented when I am in a state of fasting. (Baihaqi)
The Beloved Prophet () also said: Superiority of Shabaan over other months is like my
superiority over all other Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all). (Ghunya-tut-
Talibeen)
The Beloved Prophet () also stated: When the month of Shabaan approaches you, cleanse
your souls to receive the blessed month of Ramadan. Rectify your intentions, for verily the
greatness of Shabaan is like my greatness over all the Prophets. Take heed Shabaan is my month
and anyone who observes one fast in it, my intercession will become lawful for him.











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Important dates of Shabaan

The following are key dates of this month.

On the 4th of this month Sayidduna Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him)
was born.
13
th
Wisaal of Hadhrat Khwaja Syed Noor Muhammad (Chura Shareef)
14
th
Wisaal of Hadhrat Bayazid Al Bistami (May Allah be pleased with him).
On the 15
th
of this month is the night of salvation Nisf Shabaan (Laylatul Baraaah)
On the 15
th
of this month the direction of Qibla was change from Bait-ul-Maqadas towards
The Holy Kaaba in Masjid e Qiblatain near Madinatul Munawwarah.
22
nd
Wisaal of Hadhrat Muhammad Waaqif Amkangi (Bukhara)
On the 30
th
of this month is the Birth of Hadhrat Ghauth ul Azam, Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al
Jilani (May Allah be pleased with him).






































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LAYLATUL BARAA'AH - NIGHT OF SALVATION (15
th
SHABAAN)

According to Hadith, the name of this Mubarak night is "Nisf Shabaan" which means 15
th
night of
Shabaan.

This night is also called Laylatul Baraa'ah which means the Night of Salvation, Seeking Freedom from
Punishment and Calamity. It is the night of blessings and acceptance of repentance.

Laylatul Baraa'ah is known Shab-e Baraat in Persian and Urdu.


Duties Allocated to Angels

Hadrat Ibn-e-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

In the night of Nisf Sha'baan, Allah arranges the affairs of the year, transfers (some of) the living to
the list of dead, records those who will make pilgrimage to the house of Allah, neither adding one
too many nor leaving a single one of them out. (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen)

The Visitors of this Night

It is narrated that the departed souls (Arwaah) of the Muslims visit the houses of their friends and
relatives on this night and proclaim:

O people of the house! You stay in our houses and enjoy the wealth that we have left behind. You
use our children and take work from them, please perform our Esaal e Thawaab. Verily our deeds
have become complete, while your record of deeds is still spread.

If the people of the house perform the Esaal e Thawaab and Khatam Shareef on this night, then the
Arwaah depart with the Thawaab, extremely happy and overjoyed and make Du'a for the people.

Three Hundred Gates of Mercy Are Opened

Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Beloved Prophet () said:

Hadhrat Jibraeel (Alayhi Salaam) came to me on the night of Nisf Sha'ban and said to me: "Ya
RasoolAllah (), raise your head towards heaven!" I asked him: "What night is this? He replied:
"This is night when Allah (Glorified is He) opens three hundred of gates of mercy, forgiving all who
do not associate partners with Him. The only exceptions are those who practice sorcery or
divination, are addicted to wine, or persist in usury and illicit sex; these He does not forgive until
they repent. (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen)

The Eight Doors Of Jannah Are Opened

At a quarter of the night, Hadhrat Jibraeel (Alayhi Salaam) came down and said: Ya RasoolAllah
(), raise your head!" So I looked up and saw the gates of Paradise wide open.

At the first gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who bow in worship in this
night!"

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At the second gate an angel was calling: Good news for those who prostrate themselves in
worship in this night!"
At the third gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who offer supplication in this
night!"
At the fourth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who make remembrance in
this night!"
At the fifth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who weep in this night from the
fear of Allah!"
At the sixth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who submit in this night!"
At the seventh gate an angel was calling: "Is there anyone with requests, that his requests
may be granted?"
At the eight gate an angel was calling: "Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, that he may be
forgiven?"

The Beloved Prophet () said: O Jibraeel, how long will these gates remain open?" He replied:
From the beginning of the night until the break of dawn (Fajr)

Then he said: "Ya RasoolAllah (), tonight Allah has as many slaves freed from the fire of hell as
the number of woolly hairs on the flocks and herds of Qalb tribe." (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen)
The Beloved Prophet () said:
Worship in the fifteenth night of Shaaban and fast the following day. Because Allah Taalas mercy
descends to the lowest heaven, from sun set till dawn, He says Is there anyone with request that
his request may be granted?... Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness, that he may be forgiven?
(Ibne-Majah)
The Beloved Prophet () has stated:

Verily! Almighty Allah directs His Special Grace on the world in this Night. He forgives my Ummah
more than the number of woolly hairs of the sheep of the Bani Kalb. (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen)

In those days the Bani Kalb possessed the most number of sheeps than any other tribe.

Visit to the Cemetery

Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa (RadiAllahu Anha) reports: "One night, which was the 15th of Shabaan, I did
not find the Beloved Prophet () in the house so I went in search of him. After a long search, I
found him in Baqi (the cemetery of Madinah) offering Du'a for the deceased and praying for their
forgiveness". (Baihaqi)

A special point must be made to visit the cemetery during this night and pray for the deceased
buried therein, as the Beloved Prophet () is been reported as having visited the cemetery on
this night and spending a long time therein, lamenting, reading and praying for the deceased.





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To Fast

According to the Hadith Shareef which is narrated by Ibne Habaan (radi Allahu anhu) that the
Beloved Prophet () said:

When the night of 15th Shabaan arrives spend the night awake and keep fast the next day.
(Ibne Habaan)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reports that the Beloved Prophet () said often in his
Khutba (sermon):

O people! Lighten and cleanse your bodies by way of fasting during Shabaan, so that it shall be
easy and helpful to you for the fast during Ramadaan. Whoso fasts for three days during Shabaan,
all his past sins are wiped off (Baihaqi).

Fasting is also recommended on the 13
th
, 14
th
and 15
th
of this month.

Seek Forgiveness

It is the night of seeking pardon and repenting to Almighty Allah, remembering our past sins and
sincerely settling the mind that one will never commits sins in the future.

The Unfortunate People
The following are most unfortunate people who will not benefit from this very blessed night, except
those who sincerely repent from these bad acts.
1. Idol worshippers
2. Wine drinkers
3. Adulterers
4. Prostitutes
5. Breaker of family ties
6. Bearer of malice
7. Disobedient to their parents
8. Backbiters
9. Magicians
10. Consumers of Usury (Riba)

Nafl Salaah To Be Read in Nisf Shabaan
Before sunset, recite "La Hawla walaa Quwwata illa Billahil-aliyil Azeem" forty times with three times
Durood Shareef before and after. It is mentioned that by reciting this, Almighty Allah will forgive
forty years of your sins and forty Hoors will await to serve them in Paradise.

Good News of Paradise
Beloved Prophet () is reported to have said that Allah Ta'ala assigns 100 angels to the person
who performs 100 Nafl Salaahs on this auspicious night - 30 of which will bring the good news of

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Jannat, 30 angels to protect one from the punishment of Hell, 30 to remove all misfortunes and
miseries of this world and 10 angels to protect one from Shaitaan.
Six Nawafil Salat After Maghrib Salaah
In the fifteenth night of Shaban after the prayer of Maghrib perform six rakaats, in 2 rakaat units
asking Allah Taalah for the following.
1. Long pious life
2. Protection from the calamities and misfortunes
3. Increment in subsistence (rizk)
After every two rakat, recite Sura Yaseen once and Surah Ikhlaas 21 times. At the end recite dua for
Nisf Shaban.

Reward For Ten Thousand Good Deeds

Anyone who performs 20 rakaahs of Nafl after Maghrib in such a way that after Surah Fatiha, recites
Surah Ikhlaas 10 times in every rakaah, will be rewarded abundantly by Allah Ta'ala, and ten
thousand good deeds will be recorded in his Amal Namaa (Book of Deeds).


Death with Complete Faith/Imaan

Anyone who performs 2 rakaahs of Nafil on the last Friday of Shabaan between Maghrib and Esha
will die with full faith and Imaan. After Surah Fatiha, one should read Ayatul Kursi once, Surah
Ikhlaas 10 times and Surah Falaq and Surah Naas once in both rakaahs. If the person who reads Nafil
in such a way dies until the next Shabaan, he will die with Imaan, Insha-Allah. The performing of
Salaatul Tasbeeh on this night is also very virtuous.