Is Shab e barat a bidah

[sheem]

Is Shab e barat a bidah(lailatul barat..15th of shaban)?

I know most of the Arabs are not even familiar with it, but the South Asian people consider it as a very holy night.
What does islam say about it? Is it really a holy night like Lilatu Qadr? Are we supposed to do anything on the night of 15th Shaban? and why do some people think its a holy night?


This (Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’baan (the middle of Sha’baan)) is mentioned in some ahaadeeth, but there is some scholarly difference of opinion as to the soundness of those ahaadeeth. There is no saheeh hadeeth concerning the virtue of the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan.


It is known as Shab-e-barat. Some people believe that in Surah al-Dukhan (44:3-4) there is a reference to this night as Allah says, “We sent it (the Qur’an) down during a blessed night. We are truly warners. In that night is made distinct every affair of wisdom” But the night referred to here cannot be a Sha’ban night, because it is said here clearly that the Qur’an was revealed in this night. We know from the Surah al-Qadr (97) that the Qur’an was revealed in the night of Qadr and we also know from the Qur’an (Al-Baqarah 2:185) that the Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan, so it is obvious that the night of the revelation of the Qur’an was in Ramadan, not Sha’ban, and that it was Laylatul Qadr not Shab-e-barat


It has been narrated by Abu Huraira (RA) that Prophet Muhammd (PBUH) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"
This hadith is from Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of night prayers, Hadith No: 1081.

Now brothers and sisters tell me something. Why would you want the angels to intervene with your fate on the night of Shab e Barat, when Allah-May The Glorified and Exhalted-Himself saying that he is waiting for your repentance and invocation at the last third part of every night?


Shaykh al-Islam was also asked about it and he said:

This prayer was not offered by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or by any of the Sahaabah or the Taabi’een or the imams of the Muslims. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not enjoin it and neither did any of the salaf or imams. They did not suggest that this night has any virtue for which it should be singled out. The hadeeth which is narrated concerning that from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is false and fabricated, according to scholarly consensus. Hence the scholars said that it is forbidden and not mustahabb. End quote.

Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 2/262

[Mohammad Sajid]

Jazak ALLAH Khair

[Arslan]