15th Night of Shabaan (Shab-e-Baraat) (Shaʿbān)
This night is extraordinarily honorable. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) has narrated that when Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) was asked about the merits of the fifteenth night of Sha’ban, he answered, “It is the most favorable night after the Qadr Night. At this night, Almighty Allah bestows upon His servants with His favors and grants them His pardon out of His conferral of benefits to them. Therefore, you should exert all efforts to seek nearness to Him at this night, because He - the Majestic and Honorable - has decided not to reject any asker as long as he does not ask for an act of disobedience to Him. Almighty Allah has chosen this night for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, just as He has chosen the Qadr Night for our Prophet - peace be upon him and his Household. You should thus pray and thank Him diligently.”
However, narrations have carried may recommended rites to be carried out at this night:
First: It is highly recommended to bathe oneself at this night, for this act decreases the punishment for one’s sins.
Second: It is highly recommended to imitate Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-’Abidin (a.s.) who used to spend this whole night with acts of worship, prayers, supplications, invocations, and implorations for forgiveness. A tradition confirm that as for one who spends this whole night with acts of worship, his heart will not die when other hearts die.
Explanation / Details::
One of the marvelous blessings of this night is that it is the birth night of the Patron of the Age, Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) - may Allah accept our souls as ransoms for him. He was born in Samarra at the hour before daybreak in AH 255. This incident increases the merits of this honorable night.
It is highly recommended to visit the tomb of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.) In fact, this is the most favorable act at this night. It also brings about forgiveness of one’s sins. If you desire that 124,000 Prophets shake hands with you, you may visit the holy tomb of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.) at this night. The least act of Ziyarah is to go up an elevated place, look to the right and the left, raise the head towards the heavens, and say these statements:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکَ وَ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَکَاتُہٗ
Translation:
Peace be upon you; O Aba-`Abdullah! Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
Explanation / Details::
One who performs this form of Ziyarah is expected to win the reward of one Hajj and one ‘Umrah. In the section of Ziyarat, we will mention further details about the peculiar merits of Ziyarah at this night.
It is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer, which stands for a form of Ziyarah for Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.). This supplicatory prayer has been mentioned by both Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Shaykh al-Tusi:
اَللّٰھُمَّ بِحَقِّ لَیْلَتِنَا ھٰذِہِ وَمَوْلُوْدِھَا وَحُجَّتِکَ وَمَوْعُوْدِھَا الَّتِیْ قَرَنْتَ اِلٰی فَضْلِھَا فَضْلًا فَتَمَّتْ کَلِمَتُکَ صِدْقًا وَّعَدْلًا لَّا مُبَدِّلَ لِکَلِمَاتِکَ وَلَا مُعَقِّبَ لِاٰیَاتِکَ نُوْرُکَ الْمُتَاَلِّقُ وَضِیَاوُکَ الْمُشْرِقُ وَالْعَلَمُ النُّوْرُ فِیْ طَخْیَآئِ الدَّیْجُوْرِ الْغَآئِبُ الْمَسْتُوْرُ جَلَّ مَوْلِدُھٗ وَکَرُمَ مَحْتِدُھٗ وَالْمَلَآئِکَۃُ شُہَّدُھٗ وَاللّٰهُ نَاصِرُھٗ وَمُؤَیِّدُھٗ اِذَا اٰنَ مِیْعَادُھٗ وَالْمَلَآئِکَۃُ اَمْدَادُھٗ سَیْفُ اللّٰهِ الَّذِیْ لَا یَنْبُوْ وَنُوْرُھُ الَّذِیْ لَا یَخْبُوْ وَذُو الْحِلْمِ الَّذِیْ لَا یَصْبُوْ مَدَارُ الدَّھْرِ وَنَوَامِیْسُ الْعَصْرِ وَوُلَاۃُ الْاَمْرِ وَالْمُنَزَّلُ عَلَیْھِمْ مَا یَتَنَزَّلُ فِیْ لَیْلَۃِ الْقَدْرِ وَاَصْحَابُ الْحَشْرِ وَالنَّشْرِ تَرَاجِمَۃُ وَحْیِہٖ وَوُلَاۃُ اَمْرِھٖ وَنَھْیِہٖ اَللّٰھُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلٰی خَاتِمِھِمْ وَقَآئِمِھِمُ الْمَسْتُوْرِ عَنْ عَوَالِمِھِمْ اَللّٰھُمَّ وَاَدْرِکْ بِنَا اَیَّامَہٗ وَظُھُوْرَھُ وَقِیَامَہُ وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ اَ نْصَارِھٖ وَاقْرِنْ ثَارَنَا بِثَاْرِھٖ وَاکْتُبْنَا فِی اَعْوَانِہٖ وَخُلَصَآئِہٖ وَاَحْیِنَا فِیْ دَوْلَتِہٖ نَاعِمِیْنَ وَبِصُحْبَتِہٖ غَانِمِیْنَ وَبِحَقِّہٖ قَآئِمِیْنَ وَمِنَ السُّوْٓئِ سَالِمِیْنَ یَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِیْنَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ وَصَلَوٰاتُہٗ عَلٰی سَیِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِیِّیْنَ وَالْمُرْسَلِیْنَ وَعَلٰٓی اَھْلِ بَیْتِہِ الصَّادِقِیْنَ وَعِتْرَتِہِ النَّاطِقِیْنَ وَالْعَنْ جَمِیْعَ الظَّالِمِیْنَ وَاحْکُمْ بَیْنَنَا وَبَیْنَھُمْ یَا اَحْکَمَ الْحَاکِمِیْنَ