The 15th of Sha’baan

With the middle of Sha’ban quickly approaching it is important to remind ourselves of the virtues of such a time and what we should do to seize the opportunity.

Virtues and Merits

The fifteenth night of Sha’ban, known in Arabic as Layla al-Nisf Min Sha’ban (the middle night of Sha’ban) or Layla al-Bara’h is one of the greatest nights of the entire year.

Many virtues and merits of this blessed night have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and prophetic narrations.

Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur’an:

“During it (the night) are distributed all the works of wisdom”

(QUR’AN 44:4)

The scholars say the “night” refers to the night of 15th Sha’ban in which all the works of wisdom are distributed, everything which Allah Almighty has decreed for His slaves for the ensuing year becomes manifest, their sustenance is allotted and those who are destined to die are named.

It has been narrated on the authority of Sayyidah Aisha (Allah is pleased with her) that:

“One night I noticed the Messenger of Allah had left the house so I went in search for him and found Him in the graveyard of Baqi’ with His hands raised towards the heavens. He said “On the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban Allah’s Mercy descends to the first sky and He forgives more people than there are hairs on the sheep of the tribe Kalb.”

(Jami’ al-Tirmidhi)

The tribe of Banu Kalb was known amongst the Arabs for possessing the most animals.

The Prophet (Peace and Salutations upon him) also said:

“When this night comes we should spend it in prayer and fast the following day, because truly Allah calls out to His slaves from sunset until dawn: “Is there anyone seeking forgiveness from me so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone seeking provision from me so I may provide for him? Is there anyone suffering so I may relive his suffering?””

(Ibn Majah)

Sayyiduna Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (Allah is pleased with him) said:

“Do not neglect four nights in the year, because on those nights Allah Almighty showers His mercy upon His slaves: the 1st night of Rajab, the 15th night of Sha’ban, the night before Eid al-Fitr and the night before Eid al-Adha.”

We should understand the importance of this night through the above narrations and spend our time in the remembrance of Allah Almighty and send countless salutations upon His beloved.

Prayer of 15th Sha’baan

It has been the practice of our predecessors to perform 6 units of supererogatory prayer after Salat al-Maghrib and after every 2 units to recite the dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban.

The beneficial prayers are:

• Pray 2 units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention of being blessed with a long life spent in the obedience of Allah, thereafter recite the Dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban.
• Pray 2 units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention that all calamities are diverted, thereafter recite the supplication (Dua) of Nisf al-Sha’ban.
• Pray 2 units of supererogatory (Nafl) prayer with the intention of not being in need of people and being blessed with a good ending, thereafter recite the supplication (Dua) of Nisf al-Sha’ban.

Dua of Nisf al-Sha’ban

اللهم يا ذا المن لا يمن عليه احد يا ذا الجلال والإكرام يا ذا الطول والأنعام، لا إله إلا أنتَ ظهر اللاجئين وجار المستجيرين وامان الخائفين
اللهم ان كنت كتبتني عندك في ام الكتاب شقيا أو محروما أو مطرودا أو مقترا عليّ من الرزق فامح اللهم بفضلك شقاوتي وحرماني وطردي واقتار رزقي وثبتني عندك في ام الكتاب سعيدا ومرزوقا للخيرات فانكَ قلت وقولك الحق في كتابك المنزل على لسان نبيك المرسل يمحوا الله ما يشاء ويثبت وعنده ام الكتاب.
إلهي بالتجلي الأعظم في ليلة النصف من شهر شعبان المعظم المكرم التي يفرق فيها كل امر حكيم ويبرم ان تكشف عنا من البلاء ما نعلم وما لا نعلم وما أنتَ به اعلم إنكَ أنتَ الأعز الاكرم. وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم.

O Allah! You shower favours on everyone and no one can seek to do You any favour. O The Possessor of Majesty and Honour, O The Distributor of bounty and rewards, there is no one worthy of worship except You. You help the fallen and provide refuge to the castaways and give peace to those who are in fear.

O Allah! If in the Mother of All Books, You have written for me as someone who is doubtful of achieving salvation, or deprived, or rejected or without enough sustenance, then, O Allah, by Your Grace remove all of these misfortunes from me and in the Mother of All Books that is with You, establish me as someone who is fortunate, with abundant provision and charitable good deeds. Indeed, what You said in The Book You sent through the [blessed] tongue of Your [Holy] Prophet is true that Allah changes and makes manifest what He intends and with Him is the Mother of All Books.

O My Lord! by [virtue of] Your Divine Secrets on this middle night of the blessed month of Sha’ban in which You issue all Wise and Irrevocable Decrees remove from us all calamities and hardships, those that we know about as well as those that we don’t, and who else is there who knows more than You. Truly, You are the Most Powerful, Most Generous. And may Allah the Exalted shower blessings and peace on Sayyiduna Muhammad, and on his family and his companions.

Translation of the Dua of Nisf al-Sha’baan

– Sayyid Mawlana Samdani