Middle of Sha`baan’s Night
• It is Sunnah to pray this night and fast the day after it, i.e., Tuesday.
Greatest Manifestation
• In each night Allah reveals his mercy to his servants during the time of the Sahar (a short period before the Fajr’s time).
• In the Middle of Sha`baan’s Night the time when Allah reveals his mercy starts from the beginning of the night until Fajr and part of it coincides with the Sahar time. In this case, Muslims benefit from two great times of the manifestation of Allah’s mercy. This is called the Greatest Manifestation and it occurs once every year.
Virtue
This night is a great night and has many virtues. Some of those are:
• Allah’s mercy descends
• Allah gives a great opportunity to his servants
• Allah opens the door of du`aa’, hope, repentance, forgiveness and endowment
• Allah encourages his servants to benefit from this opportunity
It is a great night that has a high status as mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam.
This issue is not based upon one’s opinion because it relates to issues of reward and good deeds. The mere opinion cannot judge about such issues on its own. The blessed times and the specific merits of different periods are determined by Prophethood, because the Prophethood uncovers this truthful matter. This is dependent upon the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam. He was the one who taught us about this special night and its specificities.
Hadith
• The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said:
يطلع الله الى جميع خلقه ليله النصف من شعبان فيغفر لجميع خلقه إلا لمشرك او مشاحن
Allah’s mercy descends in the Middle of Sha`baan’s Night and Allah forgives all his servants except a person who associated a partner with Allah (i.e., a non-Muslim) and a person who has hatred to another Muslim.
• In another narration of this hadith, The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said:
فيغفر لجميع خلقه الا لمشرك او مشاحن أو عاق لوالديه أو مدمن خمر أو قاطع رحم
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, mentioned a person who associated a partner with Allah (i.e., a non-Muslim), a person who has hatred to a Muslim, a person who harmed his parent, an alcoholic, and a person who severs his/her kinship.
• You are invited to fix your state with others for the sake of being counted among those whom Allah will grant forgiveness.
• The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, invited us to direct ourselves to ask Allah seeking his mercy, his forgiveness, his repentance, and show remorse and return to obedience.
• This was mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, narrated by Lady `Aa’ishah:
اخرج البيهقي عن العلاء بن الحرث ان عائشه رضي الله عنها قالت
قام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من الليل فصلى فأطال السجود حتى ظننت انه قد قبض فلما رأيت ذلك قمت حتى حركت ابهامه فتحرك فرجعت فلما رفع راسه من السجود وفرغ من صلاته قلت ظننت انك قبضت لطول سجودك فقال اتدرين أي ليله هذه قلت الله ورسوله اعلم قال هذه ليله النصف من شعبان ان الله عز وجل يطلع على عباده في ليله النصف من شعبان فيغفر للمستغفرين ويرحم المسترحمين ويؤخر اهل الحقد كما هم
قال البيهقي هذامرسل جيد ويحتمل ان يكون العلاء اخذه من مكحول.
Lady `Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, started praying one night and extended his prostration for a long period until I thought that he died. I moved his toes and it moved. I then went back to my place. When he finished prayin I said:
– I thought you had died
– The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: Do you know what night is this night?
– I said: Allah and his Messenger know best.
– He said: This is the Night of the Middle of Sha`baan and Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, offers his mercy to his servants in this night and forgives those who ask forgiveness and grants mercy to those who ask mercy but leaves the people of hatred the way they are. (Imamul Bayhaqiyy in more than one narration and said it has a good lineage to the Companion’s followers; and Imamun Nisaa’iyy)
• It means ask for mercy and forgiveness and seems as if it is guaranteed to be granted, since the servants are asking Allah who made this time a time of acceptance. Allah is AlKarim and is very generous and when the door is opened the endowment is given without count.
• For this reason, work on resolving any hatred in your heart between you and your brothers. Forgive others and Allah will forgive you. Remember the time of the Hereafter and the Judgment. Let the bad feeling towards others go off your heart. Such bad manners can prevent the forgiveness and keep you far from Allah’s mercy. Keep your heart clean and your chest clear. Be with a sound soul and pure conscious. Follow the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, as he advised.