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,

can u please let me know whether Shab -e- Baraat is existing in light of quraan and sunnah.

thanks 

(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:

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.

There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic Sunnah whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) or his noble companions or family ever celebrated or commemorated the night of ‘Shabe-Baraat’, nor did he (saws) ever offer any special prayers on this night, nor did he (saws) ever command the believers to do anything special on this night!

It is the absolute unanimous opinion of all the good jurists and scholars in Islam that there is to be no special commemoration or celebration of the so-called ‘Shabe-Baraat’ night; and if anyone offers or ordains any special prayer or rite of worship especially for the commemoration of this night, it would be against the guidance and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws); and they would be guilty of following a ‘bida’ or innovation in the perfect deen of Islam.

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 (bida), and every innovation (bida) is an error.”

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

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

The absolutely biggest evidence of the non-importance and non-existence of the ‘Shabb-e-Baraat’ in Islam is the term itself! The very term ‘shabb’ is not an Arabic word but rather a ‘farsi’ or Iranian term which means ‘night’; and ‘baraat’ in Arabic means ‘to boycott’ or ‘destiny’. The fact that the term itself is half-Farsi half-Arabic signifies that this term was not used by the Messenger of Allah (saws) or his early companions, but rather was invented and innovated long after their deaths in the Indo-Pak region where ‘Farsi’ was the court or official language of the rulers for a long period of time!

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan