Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear brother BURHAN saheb.asalamaleikum wa rahamatullah e wa barakatuhu.

i am schocked to read above reply of quistion no:263.how is possible that since hundreds of years muslims are cleberting this night and no one has denied this night.there is no any problem from any side.

can you please give the muslim brothers some more details and arguments in the light of qurran and sunah.

your well wisher and brother in deen

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Celebrating shab-e-baraat

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

No person who ever walked on this planet earth worshipped Allah Subhanah better than the person of the noble Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws)! And there is absolutely no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) celebrated the night of 15^th Shabaan in a special way, or commanded that the believers treat this night as superior or different than any other night of the year. And if Allah and His Messenger (saws) did not command the believers to celebrate this night in a special way; it does not behove the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day, to innovate a new ritual in the deen approved by Allah Subhanah and practiced by the noble Messenger of Allah (saws). Whoever introduces or follows any innovation in the deen of Islam will be guilty of the heinous sin of ‘bidah’!!!

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people.”

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the innovations, and every innovation is an error.”

Your Statement: how is possible that since hundreds of years muslims are cleberting this night and no one has denied this night.

There is absolutely no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah that the 15^th of Shabaan is a night superior to any other night of the year, or that it has to be celebrated in a particular manner. And if Allah and His Messenger (saws) have not approved of the celebration of this particular night, it does not matter in the least who introduced this innovation, or how many billions of people follow this innovation, or for how many thousands of years this night has been celebrated: it still remains an innovation, and as with all innovations in the deen of Islam, it must be immediately rejected by the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day.

The criteria for something being right and wrong is not how many people do a deed, or for how many years the deed has been in circulation; but the one and only criteria for the believers has to be the approval of the deed from the Quran and Sunnah. This exact argument that a deed was right just because it was being followed for thousands of years since the time of their forefathers was used by the pagans to justify their ways of shirk and disbelief has been unequivocally refuted and dispelled by Allah Subhanah Himself several times in the Glorious Quran!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 170-171:When it is said to them, “Follow the Commands that Allah has sent down”, they reply, “We will follow only what we found our forefathers practising.” Well, will they go on following their forefathers even though they did not use common sense and did not find the Right Way! The mental condition of those who rejected the way of Allah may be likened to that of the cattle whom the shepherd calls but they hear nothing except the sound of shouts and cries. They are deaf, they are dumb, they are blind; therefore they do not understand anything.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 21:And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has sent down”, they say, “We shall only follow that upon which we found our forefathers.” What! Will they still be following them even if Shaitaan had been calling them to the raging Fire?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 34 Surah Saba verse 43:When Our clear Revelations are recited to these people, they say, “This person only wants to turn you away from those deities whom your forefathers have been worshipping.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verse 22-25:Nay! But they say, “We found our forefathers on a way and we are only walking in their footsteps.” Even so, whenever before you We sent a warner to a habitation, its people of means said, “We have found our forefathers on a way and we are only following in their footsteps.” Every Prophet asked them, “Will you still go on following the same old way even if I guide you to a more right way than that you found your forefathers following?” They replied, “We disbelieve the religion with which you have been sent.” Consequently, We took vengeance on them. Just consider what was the end of those who denied.

Your Statement: and no one has denied this night. there is no any problem from any side.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have denied to give this night any more importance than any other night of the year; thus it does not matter if the whole world celebrates this night in a special manner, it will always remain an innovation!!

Just imagine if the same be said about the celebrations of Christmas or Diwali or any other pagan celebrations; that they are right just because they have been celebrated for thousands of years! Will that argument make these celebrations legal in the sight of Allah Subhanah???

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan