Some Bid’ah Acts of 15th Sha’baan

SOME BID’AH PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH LAYLATU NISF-USH-SHA’BAAN (15TH SHA’BAAN) / SHABE-BARAAT

The occasion of Laylatul Baraa-ah has become synonymous with some baseless beliefs and practices.

1. Burning lights and candles: Nothing has or can be found in any Hadith, whether strong or fabricated, nor in any Islaamic books. The Muslims of India,being in close contact with the Hindus, probably began imitating them in their practices, thus resulting in the introduction of this and various other bid’ahs [Ma-Thabata-bis-Sunnah, pg 215].

2. Preparing of Sweetmeats: Some consider this being compulsory. Without it there can be no Shabe-Baraat. This is absolutely baseless. Some say that this act gains significance from the fact that on the occasion of Uhud when the blessed tooth of Rasoolullaah (SallAllaahu ‘Alayhi wasallam) became Shaheed, he had some Halwa. Others say that Sayyidunaa Hamza (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) was martyred on this day and the sweetmeats are taken as his “Faatihah” (In commemoration of him). These are fabricated and concocted theories. How can it ever be possible when it is a known fact that the battle of Uhud in which Sayyidunaa Hamza (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) was martyred took place in Shawwal and not Sha’baan.

3. Souls Visit Families: Some people firmly believe that the souls of the deceased visit their families homes and see whether any food has been prepared for their honour or not. Some people feel that if a person dies before Laylatul Baraa’ah than until his “Faatihah” is not made on Shabe-Baraat, he is not counted amongst the dead. These are baseless ideologies that clearly contradict the Ahaadith.

4. Distribution of Food: Some feel that it is compulsory to distribute food on this night with the intention of Isale-Thawaab. There is no association between this practice and the significance of the night. No special acts of charity etc. have been prescribed for this night. [Fatawa Imdadiyyah, vol 4, pg 27].

5. Hadith on Rajab, Sha’baan and Ramadaan: Some people quote the following narration in their lectures:
Rasoolullaah (SallAllaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Rajab is Allah’s month, Sha’baan is my month and Ramadaan if the month of my Ummah”. It should be noted that this “Hadith” is a fabrication. [Akhbaare-Modhoo’, pg 329].

OTHER ACTIONS WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF MISINFORMATION

On these nights, in many Masaajids,
1. Congregational Yaseen Khathams are held:
2. Congregational Zikr sessions are held;
3. Congregational recitation of Salaat wa Salaam are held;
4. One person recites the 40 Durood etc. whilst others listen;
5. Individual Quraan recitations takes place.
All the above are NOT proven in the Shari’ah of Islam.

Some opine that before this we were performing hundreds of Raka’ats but now this ‘benefit’ is lost.
To this we say…

The author of Majma-ul-Bahrayn has related in his commentary that a man thought of saying two raka’ahs of nafl salaat in the Eedgah before the Eed Salaat. Sayyidunaa Ali (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) forbade him. The man said, “O Commander of the Faithful, I well know that Allah, The Most High will not punish me for saying Salaah; (why am I then being prevented from Salaat? ) Sayyidunaa Ali (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) said: “I also well know that Allah, The Most High does not recompense an act which the Rasool did not perform or for which he did not persuade (his Ummah). Hence your salaah is in vain and a vain work (in devotions) is unlawful. Probably Allah might punish you that you did a work which the Rasool did not do”. (Majalis ul Abrar-majlis 18. pp 129).-Fatawa Rahimyah Vol.1 pp 60 -English .

Can anyone object and question why Sayyidunaa Ali (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) stopped the person from performing Salaah, from reciting the Noble Qur-aan, from remembering Allah?
“Oh Allah! Show us that which is Haqq (truth) and guide us to follow it and show us that which is Baatil (false) and guide us to refrain from it. May Allaaah shower His choicest blessings upon the best of His creation, Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) and upon his descendants and his entire Ummah”.

Sheikhul Hadith Fazlur Rahman Aazmi – Darul Uloom Azaadville

Many people argue that increasing in a’maal is a good work even if it be against the Sunnah of Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam). They argue saying that if it increases the love of Allah, then why should we not do it. This, my friends, is a trap Iblees (the devil) has magnifcently worked and perfected on many unsuspecting Muslims all over the world. How could you ever stop an action if you see no harm in doing it? So Iblees beautifies these bid’ah (innovative) actions for those doing them and it continues, taking the one who “loves the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam)” further away from his Sunnah and depriving him to drink from the hands of the beloved Rasool (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) at the Pond of Kawthar on the Day of Reckoning. Remember if it doesn’t sound right or you are in doubt, ASK an ‘Aalim. There is no excuse for ignorance.

May Allah save us from bid’ah and keep us steadfast in good works in accordance to the Sunnah.