Mid-Sha'ban

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Mid-Sha'ban
Observed by Muslims
Significance Salvation; Muhammad al-Mahdi's birthday
Date 15 Sha'ban

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Bara'at Night (Arabic: ليلة البراءة‎, translit. Laylat al-Bara’at) or Mid-Sha'ban (Arabic: نصف شعبان‎, translit. Niṣf Sha‘bān) is a holiday observed by various Muslim communities on the night between 14 and 15 Sha'ban.[1] It is regarded as a night when the fortunes of men for the coming year are decided and when Allah may forgive sinners. In some regions, this is also a night when one's deceased ancestors are honoured.[2] Additionally, Twelver Shia Muslims commemorate the birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdi on this date.

Etymology

The 15th of Sha'ban goes by several names, depending on the country in which it is observed. Most can be categorised into two general meanings:

  • Mid-Sha'ban or Half of Sha'ban. Named after the day's chronological position in the eighth month of the Islamic calendar:
    • Nisf(u) Sha'ban (Arabic: نصف شعبان‎‎), Nisfu Syaban (Malay)
    • Nim Sha'ban (Persian: نيم شعبان‎‎)
  • Bara'at Night. Bara'at is an Arabic noun which is roughly translated to English as either innocence, records, assignment, deliverance or salvation.
    • Laylat al-Bara'at (Arabic: ليلة البراءة‎‎)
    • Shab-e-Baraat (Urdu: شبِ برات‎); Şeva Beratê (Kurdish)
    • Berat Kandili (Turkish)

Origins

The base for celebrating Mid-Sha'ban is not without dispute. Whether or not 15 Sha'ban is regarded as a special holiday, has primarily been an issue of interpreting the Quran and classifying the Hadith.

Quran

Although not mentioned directly in the Qur'an, two verses are sometimes ascribed to Mid-Sha‘ban:

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"We sent it (this Qur'an) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]. Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments"[Quran 44:3–4]

This passage has however also been attributed to another Islamic holy night, Laylat al-Qadr, based on additional verses.[3][4][5]

Sunni views and hadiths

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Sunnis observe mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Various hadiths have been transmitted in this regard, some weak and others graded hasan or sahih.

In his Majmu‘, Al-Nawawi quoted Al-Shafi'i saying that there are 5 nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban.[6]

There are many other narrations from Sahaba and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lataif al-Ma‘arif, amongst others.[citation needed]

On this night, Muslims perform Nawaafil, recite the Qur'an, Salawat, Kalima Tayyibah, and seek forgiveness.[citation needed]

As for the other narrations concerning the 15th of Sha'baan (which are not believed authentic), the Hanafi scholar, Shaikh Mulla 'Ali al-Qaari (d.1014H) records some of these hadiths:

Also on this night the Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness are opened wide,and those who sincerely grieve over and repent for their past sins and seek forgiveness from Allah are pardoned and forgiven by Allah.[citation needed]

Each Tasbih or Du’a should begin and terminate with the recital of Salawat and one who wishes for the acceptance of his Du’as should use the Wasila of Muhammad.[citation needed]

Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani has mentioned in his book ”Ghunyat li Talibee Tariqil Haqq” (i.e., The Gift for those seeking the path of truth) that the month of Shaban according to some narrations is related to Muhammad. So, it is the duty of Muslims, as the followers of Muhammad to love and respect this month more than any other month (besides Ramadhan). Muslims should also offer abundantly salutations upon Muhammad.[citation needed]

Dr. Muhammad al-Jibaly said: The hadith indicates that this night surely has a special merit.[citation needed]

Salafi view

Even when hadiths are used to justify the night, Salafi scholars have labeled such hadiths as weak (da'if). Day of Arafa, Laylat al-Qadr and Day of Ashura on the other hand have much stronger references in Quran and/or hadiths.

Some Salafi streams oppose the recognition of Mid-Sha'ban as exceptional.[7] However, those "neo-"Salafis don't consider quotations from Ibn Khuzaymah's book, Kitab At-Tawhid wa Ithbat Sifat ar-Rabb (which is used extensively by Salafis for 'Aqidah), about Mid-Sha'ban. Ibn Khuzaymah has specifically mentioned the night of Nisf-Sha'ban in his book (in the section on Nuzool, normally meaning Revelation but in the current context Descent (of Allah)) from the hadith of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. He clarified in the same book that, while it has been revealed that Allah does descend to the world every night, the exact method of the descent remains unrevealed.[8][9]

Twelver Shia view

Mid-Sha'ban at the Jamkaran Mosque, Qom.

According to Twelver Shias, Muhammad al-Mahdi, the final Shia Imām, was born on 15 Sha'ban. Shi'as celebrate Muhammad al-Mahdi's birthday on that day and perform religious acts such as prayers, fasting, and worship. Iranian cities are decorated on night of Mid-Sha'ban.[10][11]

Related customs

Mid-Sha'ban is celebrated in countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kirghistan. The Salafi Arabs do not celebrate this holiday. In the Arab world the festival is celebrated by Arabs with Sufi heritage, and Shias. In Iraq, children are given candies as they walk around their neighborhoods. Sunni Muslims in Iraqi Kurdistan and Afghanistan celebrate this holiday 15 days before Ramadan. [12] Some Muslims in Indonesia do communal zikr in mosques followed by a lecture (ceramah) led by an ustadz or otherwise known in Java and Madura as a kyai. This tradition is rarely followed in Indonesia, but it is widely followed in Aceh, West Sumatra and South Kalimantan. In South Asia, Muslims make sweets (especially Halwa or Zarda) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban.[13] This custom of distributing Halva is also practiced in Bosnia on the 15th night of Sha'ban, as well as on three other holidays: Laylat al-Qadr, Laylat al-Mi'raj and Laylat al-Raghaib.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Quran 97:1–5
  4. ↑ Quran 2:185
  5. ↑ Fatwa by the Permanent Committee
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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