Special worship and supplications of the 15th night of Shabaan

Special worship and supplications of the 15^th night of Sha’abaan

Hadhrat Abu Kurdus (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) narrates on the authority of his father that whoever stays awake (engaged in worship) on the nights of the 2 ‘Eid and the 15th night of Sha'aban that person's heart will not die when the hearts of others will die.  (Kanz Ul ‘Ummaal, Hadith No: 24107)

Translation of Hadith: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ibrahim (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said: Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: I saw the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) engaged in worship on the 15th night of Sha'abaan.  He offered 14 Raka'at of Salaat.  Then after the Salaat, he seated himself and recited Surah Fatiha 14 times, Surah Ikhlas 14 times, Surah Falaq 14 times, Surah Naas 14 times and Ayatul Kursi once and the last verse of Surah Tauba from "La qad Jaa…." once.

When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) finished his supplication, I asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) about what I had seen.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Whoever does this what you have seen me do, there is a reward of 20 accepted Hajj and 20 years of fasting for that person.  If that person fasts the next day, then there is a reward of 2 years of fasting, the year gone by and the coming year.  (Shu’abul Imaan, Hadith No: 3683)

The special prayers and Dua of this night are mentioned in the Hadith:

The author of Ruh al Bayan says:

Translation: It is mentioned in the Hadith: Whoever offers 100 raka'at in this night, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) sends 100 angels to that person.  30 of them give that person glad tidings of Jannah, 30 will remove the fear of hell from that person, 30 will remove the difficulties of this world from that person and 10 will protect that person from the machinations of Satan.  (Ruh al Bayan, Vol. 8, Pg. No. 448)

Imam Ghazali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) writes in Ihya Ul Uloom:

Translation: Offer 100 Raka'at in Shab Bara'at.  Offer 2 Raka'at with one Salaam.  In each Raka'at recite Surah Ikhlas 10 times after Surah Fatiha.

(Ihya Ul Uloom, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 373, Ruh al Bayan, Vol. 8, Pg. No. 447)

It is mentioned in Ruh al Bayan:

If so desired, offer 10 Raka'at.  In every Raka'at recite Surah Ikhlas after the Fatiha.  Like the Salaat of Rajab, this Salaat is also related from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The Pious Predecessors (Salf Saliheen) would offer this Salaat in Shab Bara'at and called it Salaatul Khair.  Sometimes, they would it offer with Jama'at (congregation) (without inviting people for Jama'at).  (Ruh al Bayan, Vol. 8, Pg. No. 448)

Hadhrat Hasan Basri (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:

Translation: 30 Sahaba told me that whoever offers this Salaat in that night, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) looks at him with mercy 70 times and with every look fulfils 70 needs of that person and the least among them is the forgiveness of sins.

The King of the Saints of Deccan, Hadhrat Khwaja Banda Nawaz (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says in his book Jawami’ Ul Kalim:

There is a mention of offering Supererogatory worship

in the 15th night of Sha'aban.  Hadhrat Banda Nawaz (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) said: It is written in Qut al Qulub that in Makkah and Madina 400, 500 people would gather and offer 100 Raka'at of Shab Bara'at.

And in this night, there is mention of reciting Surah Yaseen as well.  (Jawami Ul Kalim, Pg. No. 169)

Offering Salaat ut Tasbeeh on this night

The elders of the Ummah also offer Salaat ut Tasbeeh on this night.  Here, we relate the Hadith on Salaat ut Tasbeeh from Noor ul Masabeeh, Vol. 3:

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Wahhb (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  I asked Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (May Allah be well pleased with him) about Salaat al Tasbeeh.  He said:  (Except the prohibited times, it can be offered at whatever time and whichever day one wants to.  It is Commendable to offer Salaat al Tasbeeh on Friday before high noon and the method of offering it is to offer 4 Raka’ah with the intention of Salaat al Tasbeeh in this manner) after the Sana (i.e. after reciting Subhaanakallaahumma wabi hamdika wata baara kasmuka wa ta’aala jadduka wa laa ilaaha ghayruk) after the Opening Takbeer, recite 15 times Subhaanallaahi walhamdulillaahi wa laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu akbar (as mentioned additionally in some Hadith – Mirqaat) laa haula wa laa quwwata illaa billaaihil ‘aliyyil ‘adheem.  Then say a’oodhubillaahi min ash shaytaanir rajeem and bismillaahir rahmaanir Raheem and then recite Surah Fatiha and another Surah after it and then recite the aforementioned litany 10 times and then go into Ruku' and in Ruku' (after the litany of Ruku'), recite the aforementioned litany 10 times.  Then on getting up from Ruku' (after saying Sami’allaahu liman hamidah rabbanaa lakal hamd) recite the aforementioned litany 10 more times.  Then go into prostration.  After reciting the litany of prostration, recite the aforementioned litany 10 more times.  Then get up from the prostration and in the sitting position, recite the aforementioned litany 10 more times after saying rabbighfirlee.  Then perform a second prostration and after the litany of the prostration, recite the aforementioned litany 10 more times.  In this manner, in 1 Raka’ah, this litany will be recited 75 times.  (After the second prostration, one should neither sit nor recite the aforementioned litany) instead on getting up from the second prostration, one should stand up straight and start the second Raka’ah.  In the 3 remaining Raka’ah, recite the litany similarly 75 times in each Raka’ah (i.e. 15 times at the beginning of the Raka’ah before Surah Fatiha.  After reciting another Surah after Surah Fatiha 10 times, 10 times in the Ruku', 10 times on getting up from Ruku', 10 times in first prostration, 10 times on sitting between the prostrations, 10 times in the second prostrations).  In this manner, this litany should be recited 75 times in each Raka’ah.  There is no need to recite the litany in the first sitting position or the final sitting position.  If someone makes a mistake in the Salaat, then this litany should not be recited in the Sajda Sahw, as the aforementioned litany has to be recited 300 times in Salaat al Tasbeeh which has been done.  If by mistake, one recites less than the required number in any article of Salaat, then one can make it up by reciting more in the next article of Salaat.

Tirmidhi has related this Hadith.

In a Hadith related by Abu Dawood it is said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  If your sins are more than the sins of all those who inhabit the earth, even then Allah Most High will forgive them by virtue of this Salaat.

In a Hadith related by Ibn Majah, it is said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  If your sins are numerous like the sand of the dunes, even then by the blessings of this Salaat, Allah Most High will forgive your sins.  Hadhrat ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) said:  O Prophet of Allah!  Who has the strength to offer this Salaat every day?  The Prophet said:  If you cannot offer it every day, then offer it every Friday and if you cannot it every Friday, then offer it at least once a month (if you cannot offer it once a month, then at the very least, offer it once a year).

Special supplications of the 15th night of Sha'abaan

Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says that on the 15^th night of Sha’baan, she heard the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) supplicate in these words:

Transliteration: A’oodhubi ‘afwika min ‘iqaabika wa a’oodhu bi razaaka min sakhatika wa a’oodhubika minka jalla wajhuka laa uhsee thanaa'an ‘alayka, anta kamaa athnayta  ‘alaa nafsik.

Translation: O Allah!   I seek the refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment.  I seek the refuge of Your pleasure from Your wrath.  I seek Your refuge from Yourself.  You are great, o Allah!  I cannot praise You as You ought to be praised.  You are the way You have praised and glorified Yourself.

Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  O ‘Aisha!  Have you memorized these words?  (Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says) I said:  Yes.  The Prophet said:  Remember them and pass them onto others.  (Shu’abul Imaan, Hadith no. 3678)

It is also related that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said this supplication on the 15^th night of Sha’abaan:

Transliteration: Sajada laka khiyaalee wa sawaadee waa aamana bika fuaadee fa haadhihee yadee  wa maa janaytu bihaa ‘alaa nafsee yaa ‘adheemu urjaa li kulli ‘adheem, ighfirudh dhambal ‘adheem, sajada wajhee lilladhee khalaqahoo wa shaqqa sam’ahoo wa basarahoo.

Translation: My outward and inward aspect have prostrated to You.  My heart believes in You.  This is my hand and all that I have done with it.  O Great and Majestic One, of whom forgiveness is hopes for the all great sins, forgive my great sins.  My face has prostrated to the One who has created it and has made ears and eyes in it.  (Shu’abul Imaan, Hadith no.  3680)