Salaams All
According to Islamic Calendar, 15th Shaban falls on Wednesday/Thursday 11/12 June 2014 evening according to Islamic calendar.
This is the night before 15th when everyones provision for the coming year is determined and it is also a night of forgiveness.
The Prophet (SWS) said " Allah looks at His creation in the night of mid-Sha'ban and He forgives all His creation except for a mushrik (idolater) or a mushahin (one bent on hatred)."
From A'isha (RA), She said " The Prophet (SWS) stood up in prayer during part of the night and made 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 Messenger of Allah, but I thought that your soul had been taken back because you stayed in prostration 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 asking 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."
Imam Suyuti (KS) 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."
PRAYERS FOR 15 th SHA'BAN
Here are the Nafl (optional) prayers below for believing men and women to gain forgiveness, blessings and Divine Mercy from God Almighty.
On the Holy Night of 15th Shaban, after Maghrib or Isha prayer it is traditional practice to read Surah Yasin three times, and after each time, read a special du'a with the following intentions:
(According to Naqshbandi Daily Practices)
1st Surah Yasin read with the intention of raising one's maqam, or station.
2nd Surah Yasin read with the intention of asking for Rizq, or provisions.
3rd Surah Yasin read with the intention of protection from enemies.
After Isha, one should either read: a) 300 Surah Ikhlas Sharif or b) 1000 Surah Ikhlas Sharif
According to other traditions, 3 x Surah Yasin read as follows:
1st Yasin then 2 rakah Nafil reading the niyyat (intention) for should be for a Long Pious & Righteous Life - Read
Dua Nisf-Shaban after each Yasin
2nd Yasin then 2 rakah Nafil reading the niyyat (intention) should be for Protection from Heavenly & Wordly Calamities -
Dua Nisf-Shaban as above
3rd Yasin then 2 rakah Nafil Reading the niyyat (intention) should be for not being needy to anyone except Allah -
Dua Nisf Shaban as above
It is highly advisable that just as others observe this night, you observe it too. To make an invitation to feed people on that night, to remember Allah (swt) and to remember His Prophet (s), and to fast its day and pray its night, will be rewarded for that night and for whoever observes it.
In order to observe the Night of Bara'ah, one should remain awake in this night as much as one can. If someone has better opportunities, he should spend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one cannot do so, he/she can select a considerable portion of the night, preferably of the second half of it for this purpose and should perform the following acts of worship:
The Prayer of Benefits Salat al-Khair
It is good to spend that night praying Salat ul-Khair, which consists of 100 raka'ts, in each raka't reciting Sura al-Fatiha and 10 Surat Ikhlas. To complete the prayer one recites 1000 Sura Ikhlas.
The Night of Bara'ah is a night in which special blessings are directed towards the Muslims. Therefore, this night should be spent in total submission to Allah Almighty, and one should refrain from all those activities which may displease Allah.
Fast of the 15th Sha'ban On the day immediately following the Night of Bara'ah, i.e. the 15th of Sha'ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad (s), is reported to have recommended this fast emphatically. A large number of the predecessors (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the 15th of Sha'ban.
Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha'ban as an optional (nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast.
Abu Huraira (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as saying: Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me on the night of mid-Sha'ban and said to me: "O Muhammad, raise your head heavenwards!" I asked him: "What night is this?" and he replied: " This is the night when Allah (Glorified is He) opens three hundred of the gates of mercy, forgiving all who do not make anything His partner . The only exceptions are those who practice sorcery or divination, are addicted to wine, or persist in usury and illicit sex; these He does not forgive until they repent."
At a quarter of the night, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came down and said: "0 Muhammad, raise your head!" So I looked up, to behold the gates of Paradise wide open. At the first gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who bow in worship this night!" At the second gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who prostrate themselves in worship this night!" At the third gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who offer supplication this night!" At the fourth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who make remembrance this night!" At the fifth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who weep this night from fear of Allah!" At the sixth gate an angel was calling: "Good news for those who submit this night!" At the seventh gate an angel was calling: "Will anyone ask, that his request may be granted?" At the eighth gate an angel was calling: "Will anyone seek forgiveness, that he may be forgiven?"
I said: " O Gabriel, how long will these gates remain open?" He replied: "From the beginning of the night until the break of dawn." Then he said: "0 Muhammad, tonight Allah has as many slaves emancipated from the Fire as the number of woolly hairs on the flocks and herds of Kalb."
Most extracts taken from the Ghawth-Al-A'zam Sayyid Abdul Qadir Gilani-Book al-Ghunya li-Talibi - Complied by Muhammad Sajad Ali Qadiri
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