The Fifteenth of Sha’ban
Through His infinite mercy and wisdom, Allah has bestowed superiority upon certain days and nights over others. Among these are the day of Jumu'ah, the day of Arafah, the night of Qadr, and the night of Nisf Sha'ban. So, to benefit from the blessings and rewards that these special days and nights offer, we should seek them all year long.
With the night of Nisf Sha’ban quickly approaching it is important to remind ourselves of the virtues of such a time and what we should do to seize the opportunity.
VIRTUES AND MERITS
The fifteenth night of Sha’ban, known in Arabic as Layla al-Nisf Min Sha’ban (the middle night of Sha’ban) or Layla al-Bara’ah (the night of salvation) is one of the greatest nights of the entire year.
Many virtues and merits of this blessed night have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and prophetic narrations.
Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur’an:
فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ
“During it (the night) are distributed all the works of wisdom” (Qur'an, 44:4)
Some exegetes say that the "night" refers to the middle night of Sha’ban. During this night, all matters of wisdom are apportioned, and everything that Allah Almighty has decreed for His servants for the coming year is revealed. Their sustenance is allocated, and those who are destined to die are named.
It has been narrated on the authority of Sayyidah Aisha (Allah is pleased with her) that:
“One night I noticed the Messenger of Allah had left the house so I went in search of him and found Him in the graveyard of Baqi’ with His hands raised towards the heavens. He said “On the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban Allah’s Mercy descends to the first sky and He forgives more people than there are hairs on the sheep of the tribe Kalb.” (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi)
The tribe of Banu Kalb was known amongst the Arabs for possessing the most animals.
The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) also said:
“Allah looks at His creation on the middle night of sha’ban and forgives the entirety of His creation except for the idolater, or someone whose heart is holding malice.” (Ibn Majah)
Important Note: While some narrations concerning nisf sha’aban are classified as weak (da’if) according to hadith scholars, the majority agree that such narrations are acceptable regarding virtues. The actions and statements of our pious predecessors on this night also signify its importance.
STATEMENTS FROM SCHOLARS
Imam Ibn Hajj al-Maliki said in his work, Al-Madkhal:
"The predecessors, may God be pleased with them, used to venerate it - meaning the night of the middle of Sha'ban - and would prepare for it before its arrival.”
Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said in Lata'if al-Ma'arif:
"The Successors from the people of Sham, such as Khalid ibn Ma'dan, Makhul, Luqman ibn 'Amir, and others, used to venerate the night of the middle of Sha'ban and strive in worship during it. People learned about its virtue and veneration from them."
Imam Al-Shafi'i said in Kitaab Al-Umm:
"Indeed, supplication is answered in five nights: the night of Friday, the night of Eid al-Adha, the night of Eid al-Fitr, the first night of Rajab, and the night of the middle of Sha'ban."
Allamah Ibn Nujaym al-Hanafi said in Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq:
"Among the recommended acts are: reviving the nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, the nights of the two Eids, the nights of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and the night of the middle of Sha'ban."
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (Allah is pleased with him) said:
“Do not neglect four nights in the year, because on those nights Allah Almighty showers His mercy upon His slaves: the 1st night of Rajab, the 15th night of Sha’ban, the night before Eid al-Fitr and the night before Eid al-Adha.”
The significance of this night should be understood through the aforementioned narrations. We should devote our time to the remembrance of Allah Almighty and offer countless salutations upon His beloved.
PRAYER OF 15TH SHA’BAAN
Our pious predecessors traditionally observed six rak'ahs of nafl prayer following Salat al-Maghrib, reciting the Dua of Nisf al-Sha'ban after every two rak'ahs.
Pray two units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention of being blessed with a long life spent in obedience to Allah. Afterwards, recite the Dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban.
Pray two units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention that all calamities are averted. Afterwards, recite the Dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban.
Pray two units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention of not being in need of people and being blessed with a good ending. Afterwards, recite the Dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban.
DUA OF NISF AL-SHA’BAN
“O Allah! You shower favours on everyone and no one can seek to do You any favour. O The Possessor of Majesty and Honour, O The Distributor of bounty and rewards, there is no one worthy of worship except You. You help the fallen and provide refuge to the castaways and give peace to those who are in fear.
O Allah! If in the Mother of All Books, You have written for me as someone who is doubtful of achieving salvation, or deprived, or rejected or without enough sustenance, then, O Allah, by Your Grace remove all of these misfortunes from me and in the Mother of All Books that is with You, establish me as someone who is fortunate, with abundant provision and charitable good deeds. Indeed, what You said in The Book You sent through the [blessed] tongue of Your [Holy] Prophet is true that Allah changes and makes manifest what He intends and with Him is the Mother of All Books.
O My Lord! by [virtue of] Your Divine Secrets on this middle night of the blessed month of Sha’ban in which You issue all Wise and Irrevocable Decrees remove from us all calamities and hardships, those that we know about as well as those that we don’t, and who else is there who knows more than You. Truly, You are the Most Powerful, Most Generous. And may Allah the Exalted shower blessings and peace on Sayyiduna Muhammad, and on his family and his companions.”
Written by Sayyid Samdani
