What is SHAB-E-BARAAT? Please quote the Ahadith relating to this. Are there any Hadith that support performing Special Ibadaat during this Night?

The Night of Bara'ah%0D%0A%0D%0AAnother significant feature of the month of Sha'ban is that it consists of a%0D%0Anight which is termed in Shariah as "Laylatul-bara'ah" (The night of freedom%0D%0Afrom Fire). This is the night occurring between 14th and 15th day of%0D%0ASha'ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu%0D%0Aalayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a meritorious night in which the%0D%0Apeople of the earth are attended by special Divine mercy. Some of these%0D%0Atraditions are quoted as follows:%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Ummul-Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, is reported to have said,%0D%0A"Once Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, performed the Salah of%0D%0Athe night (Tahajjud) and made a very long Sajdah until I feared that he had%0D%0Apassed away. When I saw this, I rose (from my bed) and moved his thumb (to%0D%0Aascertain whether he is alive). The thumb moved, and I returned (to my%0D%0Aplace). Then I heard him saying in Sajdah: 'I seek refuge of Your%0D%0Aforgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge of Your pleasure from%0D%0AYour annoyance, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as%0D%0Afully as You deserve. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.'%0D%0AThereafter, when he raised his head from Sajdah and finished his salah, he%0D%0Asaid to me: 'Aishah, did you think that the Prophet has betrayed you?' I%0D%0Asaid, 'No, O Prophet of Allah, but I was afraid that your soul has been%0D%0Ataken away because your Sajdah was very long.' He asked me, 'Do you know%0D%0Awhich night is this?' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,%0D%0A'This is the night of the half of Sha'ban. Allah Almighty looks upon His%0D%0Aslaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His%0D%0Amercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice (against%0D%0Aa Muslim) as they were before, (and does not forgive them unless they%0D%0Arelieve themselves from malice).'"%0D%0A%0D%0A2. In another Tradition Sayyidah' Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has reported%0D%0Athat Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said, "Allah%0D%0AAlmighty descends (in a manner He best knows it) in the night occurring in%0D%0Athe middle of Sha'ban and forgives a large number of people more than the%0D%0Anumber of the fibers on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb."%0D%0A%0D%0AKalb was a big tribe the members of which had a very large number of sheep.%0D%0ATherefore, the last sentence of the hadith indicates the big number of the%0D%0Apeople who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty.%0D%0A%0D%0A3. In yet another Tradition, she has reported Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu%0D%0Aalayhi wa sallam, to have said, "This is the middle Night of Sha'ban. Allah%0D%0Afrees in it a large number of the people from Fire, more than the number of%0D%0Athe hair growing on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb. But He does not even look%0D%0Aat a person who associates partners with Allah, or at a person who nourishes%0D%0Amalice in his heart (against someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties%0D%0Aof kinship, or at a man who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles%0D%0A(as a sign of pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a%0D%0Aperson who has a habit of drinking wine."%0D%0A%0D%0A4. Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet%0D%0AMuhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: "Allah Almighty looks upon%0D%0Aall those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha'ban and forgives all%0D%0Athose created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the%0D%0Aone who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)".%0D%0A%0D%0AAlthough the chain of narrators of some of these traditions suffers with%0D%0Asome minor technical defects, yet when all these traditions are combined%0D%0Atogether, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and%0D%0Aobserving this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as%0D%0Aenvisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects,%0D%0Ahave totally rejected to give any special importance to this night. In fact,%0D%0Asome of these traditions have been held by some scholars of hadith as%0D%0Aauthentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by%0D%0Athem as minor technical defects which, according to the science of hadith,%0D%0Aare curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the%0D%0Aelders of the ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of%0D%0Aspecial merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat should be done in this night?%0D%0A%0D%0AIn order to observe the Night of Bara'ah, one should remain awakened in this%0D%0Anight as much as he can. If someone has better opportunities, he should%0D%0Aspend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one cannot do so%0D%0Afor one reason or another, he can select a considerable portion of the%0D%0Anight, preferably of the second half of it for this purpose, and should%0D%0Aperform the following acts of worship:%0D%0A%0D%0A(a) Salah. Salah is the most preferable act to be performed in this night.%0D%0AThere is no particular number of Rak'at but preferably it should not be less%0D%0Athan eight. It is also advisable that each part of the Salah like qiyam,%0D%0Arukoo' and sajdah should be longer than normal. The longest surahs of the%0D%0AHoly Qur'an one remembers by heart should be recited in the Salah of this%0D%0Anight. If someone does not remember the long surahs, he can also recite%0D%0Aseveral short surahs in one rak'ah.%0D%0A%0D%0A(b) Tilawa. The recitation of the Holy Qur'an is another form of worship,%0D%0Avery beneficent in this night. After performing Salah, or at any other time,%0D%0Aone should recite as much of the Holy Qur'an as he can.%0D%0A%0D%0A(c) Dhikr. One should also perform dhikr (recitation of the name of Allah)%0D%0Ain this night. Particularly the following dhikr is very useful:%0D%0A%0D%0AOne should recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa%0D%0Asallam, as many times as he can. The dhikr can also be recited while%0D%0Awalking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or leisure.%0D%0A%0D%0A(d) Dua. The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this night is%0D%0Aprayers and supplications. It is hoped that all the prayers in this night%0D%0Awill be accepted by our Lord, insha-Allah. Prayer itself is an 'Ibadah, and%0D%0AAllah Almighty gives reward on each prayer along with the fulfillment of the%0D%0Asupplicator's need. Even if the purpose prayed for is not achieved, one%0D%0Acannot be deprived of the reward of the prayer which is sometimes more%0D%0Aprecious than the mundane benefits one strives for. The prayers and%0D%0Asupplications also strengthen one's relation with Allah Almighty, which is%0D%0Athe main purpose of all kinds and forms of worship.%0D%0A%0D%0AOne can pray for whatever purpose he wishes. But the best supplications are%0D%0Athe ones made by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. These are%0D%0Aso comprehensive and all-encompassing prayers that all the human needs, of%0D%0Athis world and the Hereafter, are fully covered in the eloquent expressions%0D%0Aused in them. Actually, most of the prophetic prayers are so profound that%0D%0Ahuman imagination can hardly match their greatness.%0D%0A%0D%0ASeveral books in various languages are available which provide these%0D%0Aprophetic prayers, and one should pray to Allah Almighty in accordance with%0D%0Athem, whether by reciting their original Arabic text or by rendering their%0D%0Asense in one's own language.%0D%0A%0D%0A(e) There are some people who cannot perform any additional Salah or%0D%0Arecitations for any reason, like illness or weakness or being engaged in%0D%0Asome other necessary activities. Such people also should not deprive%0D%0Athemselves completely of the blessings of this night. They should observe%0D%0Athe following acts:%0D%0A%0D%0A(i) To perform the Salah of Maghrib, 'Isha' and Fajr with Jama'ah in the%0D%0Amosque, or in their homes in case of their being sick.%0D%0A%0D%0A(ii) They should keep reciting the dhikr, particularly the one mentioned in%0D%0Apara (c) above, in whatever condition they are until they sleep.%0D%0A%0D%0A(iii) They should pray to Allah for their forgiveness and for their other%0D%0Aobjectives. One can do so even when he is in his bed.%0D%0A%0D%0A(f) The women during their periods cannot perform salah, nor can they recite%0D%0Athe Qur'an, but they can recite any dhikr, tasbeeh, durood sharif and can%0D%0Apray to Allah for whatever purpose they like in whatever language they wish.%0D%0AThey can also recite the Arabic prayers mentioned in the Qur'an or in the%0D%0Ahadith with the intention of supplication (and not with the intention of%0D%0Arecitation).%0D%0A%0D%0A(g) According to a hadith, which is relatively less authentic, Prophet%0D%0AMuhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, went in this night to the graveyard%0D%0Aof Baqi' where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. On this basis, some%0D%0Aof the fuqaha hold it as mustahabb (advisable) in this night to go to the%0D%0Agraveyard of the Muslims and recite Fatihah or any other part of the Qur'an,%0D%0Aand pray for the dead. But this act is neither obligatory nor should it be%0D%0Aperformed as regularly as an obligatory act.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat should not be done in this night%0D%0A%0D%0A1. As mentioned earlier, the Night of Bara'ah is a night in which special%0D%0Ablessings are directed towards the Muslims. Therefore, this night should be%0D%0Aspent in total submission to Allah Almighty, and one should refrain from all%0D%0Athose activities, which may displease Allah. Although it is always incumbent%0D%0Aupon every Muslim to abstain from sins, yet this abstinence becomes all the%0D%0Amore necessary in such nights, because committing sins in this night will%0D%0Aamount to responding to divine blessings with disobedience and felony. Such%0D%0Aan arrogant attitude can invite nothing but the wrath of Allah. Therefore,%0D%0Aone should strictly abstain from all the sins, particularly from those%0D%0Amentioned in the Hadith No. 3 quoted earlier in this article, because these%0D%0Asins make one devoid of the blessings of this night.%0D%0A%0D%0A2. In this night some people indulge in some activities which they regard as%0D%0Anecessary for the celebration of the Night of Bara'ah, like cooking some%0D%0Aspecial type of meal, or illuminating houses or mosques, or improvised%0D%0Astructures. All such activities are not only baseless and innovated in the%0D%0Alater days by ignorant people, but in some cases they are pure imitation of%0D%0Asome rituals performed by non-Muslim communities. Such imitation in itself%0D%0Ais a sin; performing it in a blessed night like the Night of Bara'ah makes%0D%0Ait worse. Muslims should strictly abstain from all such activities.%0D%0A%0D%0A3. Some people spend this night in holding religious meetings and delivering%0D%0Along speeches. Such activities are also not advisable, because these acts%0D%0Acan easily be performed in other nights. This night requires one to devote%0D%0Ahimself for the pure acts of worship only.%0D%0A%0D%0A4. The acts of worship like Salah, recitation of the Qur'an and dhikr should%0D%0Abe performed in this night individually, not collectively. The Nafl Salah%0D%0Ashould not be performed in Jama'ah, nor should the Muslims arrange%0D%0Agatherings in the mosques in order to celebrate the night in a collective%0D%0Amanner.%0D%0A%0D%0AOn the contrary, this night is meant for worshipping Allah in solitude. It%0D%0Ais the time to enjoy the direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and%0D%0Ato devote one's attention to Him and Him alone. These are the precious hours%0D%0Aof the night in which nobody should intervene between one and his Lord, and%0D%0Aone should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed or%0D%0Aintermitted by any one else.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, observed the%0D%0Aacts of worship in this night in total seclusion, not accompanied by anyone,%0D%0Anot even by his favorite life companion Sayyidah 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha,%0D%0Aand that is why all forms of the optional worship (Nafl Ibadah), are advised%0D%0Aby him to be done in individual, not in collective manner.%0D%0A%0D%0AFast of the 15th Sha'ban%0D%0AOn the day immediately following the Night of Bara'ah, i.e. the 15th of%0D%0ASha'ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad,%0D%0ASall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have recommended this fast%0D%0Aemphatically. Although the scholars of hadith have some doubts in the%0D%0Aauthenticity of this report, yet it is mentioned earlier that the fasts of%0D%0Athe first half of Sha'ban have special merits and Prophet Muhammad,%0D%0ASall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the days in Sha'ban.%0D%0AMoreover, a large number of the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been%0D%0Aobserving the fast of the 15th of Sha'ban. This constant practice indicates%0D%0Athat they have accepted the relevant hadith as authentic.%0D%0A%0D%0ATherefore, it is advisable to fast the 15th of Sha'ban as an optional (nafl)%0D%0Afast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he%0D%0Acan also benefit from the merits of this fast.%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti M Taqi Usmani