Laylatul Bara'ah

The night of the 15th of Sha'ban is referred to as "Laylatul-bara'ah" (The night of freedom from Fire) by some.

Imam Ibn Majah states:

It is narrated by Ali (Radi allahu unho) that the Prophet Sallalahu alayahi wa salam stated; " when it is the 15th night of Shabaan, do Qiyaam in the night, and fast in the morning, and ask for forgiveness. Because on that night Allah calls: 'Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness so that I can forgive them, who is in distress that I may relieve his distress, is there anyone who needs (rizq) food that I may give it to him.' And this continues till the morning." [Ibn Majah chapter Salaah]

Imam Tirmidhi writes:

Ommul Momineen Sitana Aisha Radi Allahu unha said: "On this night the Prophet Sallalahu alayahi wa salam went to Jannat-ul-Baqee to make du'a, I followed him. The Prophet Sallalahu alayahi wa salam said to me: Allah puts His attention towards the first Heaven, and forgives the sins of the people, even if they were equivalent to the hairs of the goats of Bunn Kalb. (A tribe who at the time had a lot of goats)

[ Tirmidhi , Kitab-us-Siyaam]

Imam Bukhari has objected upon one narrator but this is compensated by the fact that Ibn Majah has narrated it with different narrations (chains).

The Ahl-Sunnah say this is a permissible act, but it is not a Sunnah. There is enough proof that if the majority of the Muslims consider it to be good then it is sufficient. As the Prophet Sallalahu alayahi wa salam stated: The thing that group of a Muslims says is good, it is accepted to Allah.

[ "Mishkat chapter Ihtisaam"]

Two great followers of Ibn Taymiyah and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Najdi, are Hafidhh Abdullah Rawpari and Thanaa'ullah Amritsari, both state that to worship on the 15th night of Shabaan is not Bid'ah and the person who does Ibada (Worship) on this night will obtain reward for it. The narrations concerning this night are weak.

[Fatawa Ahl-e-Hadith by Hafidhh Rawpari and Fatawa Thanawi by Thana'ullah Amritsari, chapter on fasting]

Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiya writes:

The excellency regarding the 15th of Shabaan is an area of dispute between the Scholars, some of them say that there is no significance of this night, but Imam Ahmed recognises the excellency of this night, and other Hanbli Scholars also agree with Imam Ahmed. There are Ahadith on this night being significant, some of them are from Sunnan (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah) and the other Ahdeeth books as well [Iqtidah Siratul Mustaqeem page 203 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah].

This corresponds to what Imam Nawawi mentioned in his Majmu`, where he also quoted Imam al-Shafi`i from the latter's al-Umm that it has reached him that there are 5 nights when dua is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban.

Ibn Taymiyya was asked about the prayer of mid-Sha`ban [i.e. the night of]. He answered:

"If a person prays that night alone, or in a select congregation, as many groups (tawa'if) of the Early Muslims used to do, it is very good."

He agreed that doing worship on the 15th of Sha'ban is a worthy act.

Also Hassan Basry (may Allah be pleased with him) has said, regarding the 15th of Shabaan, that

“Thirty Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him – ) gave me the news that the person who reads prayer (Salah) on this night Allah looks towards him seventy times and every time He looks, Allah fulfils one of his wishes and the smallest wish granted is forgiveness.”

Allahu Alam--I'm not saying it's permissible or impermissible to do special Ibadah on the 15th of Sha'ban, just stating some of my findings.

Ma'Assalama,

Hena