Night of Forgiveness

BismillahirRahmaniRahim

Laylatu l-Barah'ah
(The Night of the 15th Sha'ban)

The Prophet said: "Allah looks at His creation in the night of mid-sha;ban and He forgives all His creation except for the mushrik(idolater) or a mushahin(one bent on hatred)".

From 'A'isha : She said: The Prophet stood up in prayer during part of the night and made his prostration so lengthy that I thought his soul had been taken back. When I saw this I got up and went to move his big toe, whereupon he moved, so I drew back. When he raised his head from prostration and finished praying, he said: "O 'A'isha, O fair little one (humayra')! Did you think that the Prophet had broken his agreement with you?" She replied: "No, by Allah, O Emissary of Allah, but I thought that your soul had been taken back because you stayed in prostration for so long." He said: "Do you know what night this is?" She said: "Allah and His Prophet know best." He said: "This is the night of mid-Sha'ban! Verily Allah the Glorious and Majestic look at His servants on the night of mid-Sha'ban, and He forgives those who ask forgiveness, and He bestows mercy on those who ask mercy, and He gives a delay to the people of envy and spite in their state."

This is the night before the 15th when your provision for the coming year is determinded and a night of forgiveness.

Althought the majority of the commentatoes consider the 'blessed night' in the above verses to refer to Night of Decree (laylat al-qadr) which is considered to be in the month of Ramadan, yet the commentaries also mention that this "blessed night" may be that of mid-Sha'ban (laylat l-bara'a). Consequently the Shar'a has commended observance of that night. Iman Suyuti says: "As for the night of mid-Sha'ban, it has great merit and it is desirable (mustahabb) to spend part of it in supererogatory worship."

One may do this between Magrib and 'Isha prayer:

Read Suratu Ya-Sin 3 times:
1) The first is to be read with the intention of raising ones maqam, or station.
2) The second with the intention of asking for rizq, or provision.
3) The third with the intention of protection from enemies.

After 'Isha one should read either:
a) 300 Ikhlas Sharif
or
b) 1,000 Ikhlas Sharif

In any number of raka'at needed to complete the above, e.g. for b) 40 raka'at in which 25 Ikhlas Sharif are read in each raka'at.

A way, which does come from Hadith and is mentioned, for example, in the book 'Al-Ghunyatu li-Taalibiyi l-Haqq", a word ascribed to Shaikh 'Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (or Geylani as Maulana prefers to pronounce it), consists of 100 raka'at. Best of all is to pray tese 2-2-2 etc, though it would be acceptable combine them into four, six or eight raka'at with on salam. Shaikh Nazim prays two-two-two, etc. In each raka'ah you pray Surahtu l-Fatihah and then ten times Suratu l-Ikhlas.


The Naqshbandi Handbook of Daily Practises - Maulana Sheikh Nazim