The reality of Shab-e-Barat in the light of the Quran and Hadith
There are different opinions about the night of Shab-e-Barat, i.e. the 15th of Shaban. Some people consider this night to be very virtuous, while others do not consider it to have any special significance.
Is Shab-e-Barat mentioned in the Quran?
Some people interpret this verse of Surah Ad-Dukhan as referring to the Night of Barat.
Allah said: "Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night. Indeed, We are a warner. On that night, every wise deed is decided."
(Surah Ad-Dukhn, verses 3-4)
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned the revelation of the Quran, meaning We revealed it on a blessed night, but it does not explicitly mention the word Quran. But if we look at the second verse of the Quran, it becomes clear that this is Laylatul Qadr and not Shab al-Barat.
Allah says in the Quran, "Indeed, We sent down this Quran in the Night of Decree."
(Surah Al-Qadr, verse 1)
Allah says in the Quran: The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed
(Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 185)
These verses are telling us that the night on which decisions are made and the Quran was revealed is Laylat al-Qadr, which falls in Ramadan, and not Shab al-Barat, which falls in Sha'ban. Therefore, it is not correct to say that the verse of Surah Ad-Dukhan is about the Night of Judgment.
Hadith about the Night of Baraat:
Most of the narrations about the virtues of Shab-e-Barat are weak or fabricated. Here are some famous narrations.
On the fifteenth night of Sha’ban, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and forgives more people than the hairs of the goats of the Banu Qalb tribe.
(Ibn Majah, 1390 weak)
This hadith is weak because its chain of transmission includes a narrator named Abu Bakr bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abi Sabrah, who was weak and a fabricator of hadith.
On the fifteenth night of Sha'ban, Allah Almighty writes the destiny of the coming year.
(This tradition is weak and not supported by any authentic chain of transmission.
Some narrations say that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went to the cemetery that night and prayed, but these narrations are also weak and there is no authentic hadith that mentions the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performing any special worship that night Confirmation not received۔
There is no mention of Shab-e-Barat in the authentic hadith:
There is no evidence in authentic hadiths that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) worshipped, fasted, visited a cemetery, or performed any other act on the fifteenth night of Sha'ban.
However, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) often fasted during the month of Sha'ban.
I did not see the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasting so much in any month except Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting so much in any month except Sha’baan.
(Sahih Bukhari 1969)
This hadith states that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to fast a lot in the month of Sha'ban, but he did not make any special mention of fasting on the 15th of Sha'ban.
Scholars' opinions about Shab-e-Barat:
The great scholars of hadith and scholars say that there is no virtue in the fifteenth night of Sha'ban.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah says:
There are some narrations narrated about the virtues of the night of the procession, but they are often weak or fabricated and cannot be relied upon. (Fatwa Ibn Taymiyyah: 23/131)
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim says:
There is nothing proven from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about this night, nor has any command been given to worship on this night.
(Zad al-Mad is 1/58)
Sheikh Albani also declared it an innovation.
Note:
- There is no clear mention in the Quran about the Shabe Baraat.
- There is no authentic narration in the Hadith that proves its virtue.
- There is no proven worship on this night from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
- There is a general virtue in observing voluntary fasts in Sha'ban, but there is no specific virtue in fasting on the 15th of Sha'ban.
- Muslims should avoid innovation and adopt only proven forms of worship.