Shab Baraat in the Holy Quran

Shab Baraat is the night in which the glad tidings of forgiveness and pardon are given to the worshippers of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).  This night is mentioned in the following verses of the Holy Quran: Dukhan 1-4.  A group of the Mufassirin and the scholars interpret this “Lailatul Mubarakah” as the 15^th night of Sha’abaan, which is called as Lailatul Baraat.

 

“Lailatul Mubarakah” in the light of the Tafseer:

 

The excellence of Shab Baraat is mentioned in many Hadith.  What does “Lailatul Mubarakah” mentioned in the Holy Quran is clearly written down by the scholars that the Lailatul Mubarakah means Shab Baraat. 

 

Imam Shaykh Ahmed Bin Muhammad Saavi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) (deceased 1427 Hijri) writes in his book: Haashiya As Saavi Alal Jalalain under the above mentioned verse in Vol. 4, Pg No: 57, Tafseer Kabeer, Surah Dukhan:

 

Translation: Lailatul Mubarakah means the 15^th night of Sha’abaan.  This is the opinion of Hadhrat Akrama and a group (of scholars) and this is acceptable because of some reasons.  One among them is that the 15^th of Sha’abaan has 4 names:

1.      The blessed night. 

2.      The night of deliverance.

3.      The night of Mercy.

4.      The night of reward.

 

Imam Syed Mahmood Alusi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) (D.  1270 Hijri) writes in Ruh Al Ma'ani:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Akrama and one group said that this is the 15^th night of Sha’abaan and this night is also called as the night of mercy, the blessed night, and night of reward and the night of freedom. 

 

The author of Ruh Al Bayan (D. 1127 Hijri) writes:

 

Translation: Lailatul Mubarak means the night of Sha’abaan.  (Ruh Al Bayan, Vol. 8, Pg No: 448)

 

The King of the saints, Hadhrat Ghawth ul A’adham (D. 561 Hijri) (May Allah be well pleased with him) in the Tafseer of Lailatul Mubarakah:

 

Translation: That is the 15^th night of Sha’abaan and it is Shab Baraat.  (Ghuniya Lit talibi tariqil haqqi Vol. 1, Pg No: 189)

 

The Holy Quran says about the Lailatul Mubarakah

 

In this (night) judgment is given on all matters of wisdom (separately).  Surah Dukhan (44:4)

 

This verse shows that Lailatul Mubarakah is the night of decisions and about the 15^th night of Sha’abaan, it is mentioned in the Hadith that all the affairs of the coming year are decided.  This way the mentioned Hadith become the details of Lailatul Mubarakah, as mentioned in the narration of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) in Ruh Al Ma'ani, Vol. 4, Pg No: 174:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) that the decisions of all the matters are taken on the 15^th night of Sha’abaan. 

 

One Final Explanation:

 

What does Lailatul Mubarakah mean:

 

In this connection, the Mufassirin have related 2 opinions.  One that Lailatul Mubarakah means Shab Baraat and the other that it means Shab Qadr.  To reconcile (Tatbeeq) these 2 interpretations, it is said that about Lailatul Mubarakah, it is said: Dukhan-4

 

This shows that in this blessed night decisions are taken and it is mentioned in the Hadith that decisions are taken on the 15^th night of Sha’abaan and they are given to the respective angels in Lailatul Qadr.  Thus, if Lailatul Mubarakah is interpreted as Shab Qadr, it means that the angels are given the orders on that night and if Shab Baraat is taken, then it means taking the decisions. 

 

It is given in Hashiya Al Jaml alal Jalalain, Vol. 4, Pg No: 100 and in Ma'alim Ut Tanzeel:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them): Verily! Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) makes the decisions in Shab Baraat and passes them on to those who are responsible in Shab Qadr.

 

Interpretation by Shah Abdul Aziz (May Allah shower His Mercy on him):

 

On interpreting Lailatul Mubarakah as Shab Baraat, a question might be raised that it is clearly given in the Holy Quran that it was revealed in Shab Qadr, then what revelation of the Holy Quran mean in Shab Baraat?

 

Hadhrat Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlwi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) writes about this in Tafseer Azeezi, 30^th para Surah Qadr, Pg No: 259:

 

Translation: Here a question is raised.  That is the Holy Quran was revealed completely over a period of 23 years, this began in the month of Rabe’e ul Awwal.  Then, the 40^th year of the blessed life of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was just starting.  Whereas in the Holy Quran, 3 separate occasions are indicated.  One among them is the month of Ramadhan, second Shab Qadr, which comes in the last 10 days of Ramadhan and third, Lailatul Mubrakah, which according to most Ulema is the 15^th night of Sha’abaan, which is also called as Shab Baraat.  Then how do you reconcile all these 2 opinions with what has happened?

 

The answer to this is that after a thorough research in the Hadith, what we get to know is that the revelation of Holy Quran from “Lauh Mahfooz” to “Bait Ul Izzat,” which is a high station in the heavens was done in Shab Qadr.  The same year, the decision to do so was made in Shab Baraat.  Now all the 3 are correct.  The actual revelation was in the month of Ramadhan in Shab Qadr.  The decision to do so was made in Shab Baraat and the revelation of it on the blessed tongue of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was started in Rabe’e ul Awwal and it was completed before the passing away of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  After this interpretation, there is no contradiction.