RAMADAN

How to Behave in Ramadan
BY MUFTI MUHAMMAD TAQI USAMANI

All praise is for Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and His forgiveness and we believe in Him and rely on Him. We seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and the vices of our deeds. there is no one to misguide whom Allah guides and there is no one to guide whom Allah lets go astray. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah Alone. He has no partner. I also bear witness that our authority, our Prophet and our Master, Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. May Allah have mercy on him, his household and on his Companions and bless them and send peace on them in great abundance.

RAMADAN — A MONTH OF BLESSING
The month of Ramadan is a great blessing from Allah, the Exalted. We cannot realise the gravity of its blessings because we are occupied in worldly affairs all the time. We are engrossed in materialism day in and day out so we cannot comprehend the significance of the month. But, those whom Allah has blessed with His favours recognise the blessings and glow which Allah showers during the month and they truly value the month. When the Prophet (saws) sighted the moon heralding Rajab, he would say:

"O Allah bless us during Rajab and Sha'ban and cause us to see Ramadan "

He meant to say,” Prolong our lives that we may live through Ramadan" We must observe two months before the month of Ramadan, he began his watch for it, and showed eagerness who recognises the value of the month will make this supplication and wait for it.

SUPPLITCATION FOR LONGEVITY
This Hadith confirms that a man may pray to Allah to give him a long life if his intention is to spend it in a way that pleases Allah, so he may accumulate pious deeds for the next world .He may pray, "O Allah! Increase my life that I may live to seek Your pleasure and come to You as one entitled to receive Your pleasure ". However, some people pray to Allah to take them away from this world. The Prophet (saws) has forbidden us to make such a supplication and he has said that we must not yearn to death. Some people pray for death hoping that they would be relieved from the problems the face in this world but, do they examine themselves and see what they have amassed for the next world? Have they ensured that they would find peace there? Rather, we must pray for security and for ability to spend the rest of or lives in a way that pleases Allah. Aameen

THE PROPHET'S SUPPLICATION FOR LIFE
The prophet (saws) used to make this supplication:

"O Allah! Let me live as long as life is a blessing for me and cause me to die when death is good for me".

The fore - going prayer of the Prophet (saws) automatically asks that we may live until Ramadan.

WHY WAIT FOR RAMADAN?
The question arises why was the Prophet (saws) anxious to live till Ramadan ? The answer is that Allah has said about this month that Ramadan is His month. We are however, short - sighted and we only see the superficial that we will fast and offer taraweeh prayers during this month. The fact is whether we fast or offer taraweeh, or worship Allah in any other way, Allah has called it His month. He allows opportunity to those who have been slack in religion for eleven months of the year to gain nearness to Him in this month. It is as if He tells them," you have strayed far away from Me . You were immersed in worldly pursuits and were lost in negligence, We give you this one month. Come to Us . Spend it in the right way and you will receive nearness to Us"

WHY WAS MAN CREATED
Allah has created mankind that they should worship Him. He has said in the Qura'n.:

And I have not created the Jin and Mankind But to worship Me. (Az-Zariyat 51:56)

That is they are created for only one purpose to worship Allah and that is why mankind was sent to earth.

ARE NOT ANGELS ENOUGH?
Some minds might wonder why should another species be created to worship Allah when the angels were there already, the truth is that the angles are created solely for that purpose and they have no choice but to worship Allah. Their nature is moulded in that manner and they have no inclination to sin or disobey. Man is created with to sin and disobedience, and he is commanded to worship Allah. It is easy for the angels to worship Allah but man is commanded to save himself from disobedience and sin, and control himself, and worship Allah.

TWO KINDS OF WORSHIP
We must stop here and understand two things because failure to comprehend them leads many to the wrong path. We are told that whatever a believer does is worship if his intention is sincere and he lives according to sunnah. In that case, every act of his is worship including eating and drinking, meeting others engaging in business and living with wife and children. Then, when he offers prayer that also is worship. Then, how to distinguish between two forms of worship. It is imperative that we understand the difference else we may stay on the wrong path.

FIRST TYPE, DIRECT WORSHIP
The difference lies in the fact that the worship of one kind is a direct worship whose objective is nothing more than obeying Allah. Examples are, prayer, Fasting, zakah remembrance of Allah (zikr), recital of Quran, charity, Hajj and Umrah. All these things are done exclusively for Allah and they are direct forms of worship.

THE SECOND TYPE, INDIRECT
In contrast, there are some deeds which are personal or worldly needs but Allah has assured the believer that if he does them sincerely with an honest intention observing the limits of Allah and the sunnah of the Prophet (saws) then Allah will reward the believer in like manner to the first kind . This kind of worship is not a direct kind but an indirect worship.

TO MAKE A LAWFUL LIVING IS INDIRECT
If anyone earns livelihood to meet the rights of his wife and children and observes the limits of shariah with the intention of making a lawful living then Allah regards the effort as a worship. In its essence the effort is not worship; hence, this worship is of the second kind, an indirect worship.

DIRECT WORSHIP IS SUPERIOR
Obviously, direct worship is superior to indirect worship, thus when Allah has said that he created the jin and men to worship Him, He refers to the first kind of worship the direct one. He does not mean to include the second kind.

THE CASE OF A DOCTOR
A lady once told him about her husband who is a physician. She said," My husband runs a clinic where he attends to the patients . But he does not offer prayers at their proper time when he is in the clinic. When he returns home at night, he offers the missed prayers of three times all together. I advise him to offer them at their proper times when he is the clinic but he argues that there he attends to his patients and that is service to humanity while the prayers are his individual concern; so he prefers the former over the latter." The woman asked me how she may convince him to offer prayers at the right time.

ONE IS NOT EXCUSED PRAYERS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
The fact is that her husband did not distinguish between the two kinds of worship. Prayer is a direct form of worship. Allah has said that the warriors in a battle are not exempt from observing prayer even if the enemy is before them. It is another thing that the procedure is some what easier, but the obligation is not set aside. Allah has said:

Surely the salah is prescribed for the believers at appointed times. (An-Nisa, 4:103)

We know that there is no deed superior to jihad but the command is to observe prayer even during Jihad.

SERVICE TO HUMANITY IS THE SECOND TYPE
A patient who is unable to do anything is also not excused from offering prayer. He is commanded to pray even though he is allowed to sit down if he cannot stand or lie down if he cannot sit or simply pray through gestures. If he cannot perform ablution, he may perform tayammum (dry ablution.) Prayer is not forgiven, anyway, because it is a direct form of worship. The treatment that
the said doctor metes out to his patients is , of course, service to humanity is a great kind of worship but it is of the second type and not direct worship. Hence, if anyone faces a choice between the two kinds, he must prefer the direct kind. The physician had not recognised the difference so he had misunderstood his option.

PRAYER IS MORE IMPORTANT
The physician must realise that if he has to, he leaves his patients for some time, like when he has to go to the toilet, or when he has to eat, so, he can also get up for prayers and it will not harm the patients much, for prayer is more important than those other tasks. Of course, everything a believer does is worship if he has a pious intention but it is of the second type and second level . The first ranking worship includes prayer, fasting , Hajj, zakah remembrance of Allah and so on. These are the direct kind Man has been created for this kind of worship.

MAN IS PUT TO TRIAL
Allah has created man for worship and he examines him by giving him emotions of desires, potential of doing right and wrong and an inclination to sin. He is examined to see whether he shuns those tendencies and turns to Allah or follows them to distract him.

THE COMMAND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CRUEL
Once we know that man was created to worship, we must realise that Allah could have commanded us to worship him all day and do nothing else. He may have allowed us a short interval to attend to urgent needs food in the afternoon and at nightfall. If that was the command, it would not have been cruel on us, because we are created for that purpose.

WE ARE MERCHANDISE DISPOSED OF
He has created us to worship him and he has also said: Surely Allah has bought from the believers their lives and riches for theirs shall be the garden (in return). At-tawbah 9:11

Thus our lives and possessions have been bought and the buyer has quoted a high price for them, Paradise. The width of that place is equal to the heaven and earth. Now, the buyer has a right to restrict us to worship alone allow us only a limited time to eat and drink enough to keep us alive. However this buyer has bought us and paid a high price yet returned our lives to us . He has allowed us to reap advantage from our lives as long as we live, we may eat, do business, work and attend to our needs and desires. The only demand is that we present ourselves before him five time a day, and there is a small other demand there are certain do's and dont's.

MAN HAS FORGOTTEN THE PURPOSE OF HIS CREATION
Allah, on his part, has allowed man to engage in business, labour, cultivation and so on . But, man, in his turn, lost himself in these pursuits to such an extent that he frogot why he was created. What was the purpose behind his erection?

Who has bought him? He is so engrossed in these occupations that he makes a lot of money and is occupied day and night in these things . Suppose if anyone does think of offering prayers, he goes to the mosque but his mind is elsewhere and hurries through the exercise. He hastens back to his occupation. Some times, he does not even go to the mosque, but offers his prayers at home. At other times, he misses the prayers altogether. The pursuits of the world overwhelm him.

PECULIARITIES OF WORSHIP
The peculiarity of worship is that it joins man with Allah in a relationship. It grows a link between them that man may draw near to Allah.

PECULIARITIES OF WORLDLY AFFAIRS
The peculiarity of worldly affairs is that even if one stays within proper limits he gradually becomes disobedient and move away from spiritualism. When man is busy with worldly tasks for eleven months he is so conditioned with materialism, that the relationship that should have been established with Allah remains weak. He cannot attain the nearness.

THE MONTH OF MERCY
Allah , of course, knew that man will forget Him once he occupies himself in the affairs of the world . He will not pay as much attention to worship as he will be immersed in his worldly pursuits. So, he said to man, "We will give you one more opportunity. Every year you will get one month . You will spend eleven months running after the material things and We will give you one month of mercy. If you come us in this one month, you will regain the lost spiritual blessings and you will again come near Us. We guide you in this months that the rust that has come over your heart you may remove and may you come out of negligence. You may take up Our remembrance." To obtain these things fasting is very important. The other forms of worship prescribed in this month are also helpful in achieving nearness to Allah. The aim of Allah is that those who have gone far away may regain nearness to Him.

REGAIN NEARNESS
Allah has said, "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as was prescribed for those before you that you may be God fearing. (al-Baqarah, 2:183)
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It is as though Allah says: The eleven months that you have been spending away from Us have weakened your taqwa (fear of Allah) You can regain that by fasting this month." So, it is not enough that we fast and offer taraweeh prayers but we must regain what we have lost in that past eleven months. We can do that by keeping ourselves attached to worship as much as possible right from the first day of Ramadan because we can do other things in the remaining eleven months. In the month of Ramadan, we must bring down the other tasks as much as we can. Let us keep this month aside for worship.

WELCOMING RAMADAN
My respected father Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Shafi (rah) used to say that the way to welcome Ramadan is to review beforehand what work, or part of it , may be held in that task and devote oneself to worship in the time available.

WHY ANNUAL VACATIONS IN RAMADAN
The annual vacations in our religious institutions, known as Madrasah (pl. Madaris), commence from 15 th shaban and continue upto 15th shawwal when the new academic year begins. This has been the practice since a very long time and our elders have begun it. Some people object to this and say that our ulama teach students to remain idle in the month of Ramadan while the companions (ra) took part in Jihad and other work during Ramadan. They must know that if the need arises they may participate in jihad during Ramadan. In fact, the battle of Badr was fought in Ramadan and Makkah was taken over in Ramadan. But when there is to be a time for vacation then why not in Ramadan so that more time may be devoted to worship.

Nevertheless, whatever is done in these Madaris all over the year is also religious, the Quran and Hadith are taught. Fiqh or Juristic science is taught. But that is all indirect worship and Allah wishes that in Ramadan. Muslims engage in direct worship. That is why our elders had set aside Ramadan for direct worship. Instead of summer vacations they set aside the month of Ramadan for vacations.

So, those who can take vacations in Ramadan may seize the opportunity but if they cannot then they may devote as much time as they can to worship. That is the aim of Ramadan.

THE PROPHET (saws) ASKED TO WORSHIP
My respected father, Mulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi (rah) once pointed out to the following verses of the Quran.

So when you are free (from your public duties) exert in worship, and let toward your Lord be your entire quest. (al - inshirah.94.7,8)

What worship? Offering prayers, standing before Allah prostrating before him. My respected father used ask us to consider who was addressed in these words. The Holy Prophet (saws) He was asked to exert himself after he Was free! Was he busy in the affairs of the world? No! Rather, whatever he did was worship , He was engaged in teaching, preaching, training or purifying his people, or Jihad against the enemy. He had no other work but serving the religion of Allah. In spite of that, he is told that when he finishes with them, he must stand before Allah and exert himself. So, in obedience to this command, the Messenger of Allah used to stand all night in prayer and his feet would swell because of that. This shows that the tasks in which he was busy were indirect and he was called upon by these verses to engage himself in direct worship.

THE DEVIL OF THE SCHOLAR IS A SCHOLAR
My respected father used to tell us that the devil misguided the ulama in a scholarly way. He tells them that it is the common man who is reminded that they are engaged in worldly pursuits for eleven months of the year (and they may devote themselves to Allah for the month of Ramadan). The devil continues telling the religious scholars, "but you are occupied those eleven month in religious duty. You teach, preach religion and deliver sermons. You write and issue verdicts. These are religious duties." In truth ,this is a temptation of the deceiving devil because the eleven months the scholars are occupied in indirect worship while Ramadan is the month of direct worship. May Allah inspire us to occupy ourselves in the month of Ramadan in worship of the direct kind.

FORTY OPPURTUNITIES
Let us now chalk out a program or a time table for this month. Let us see what work we can postpone. We have to fast and offer the taraweeh prayers. Mawlana doctor Abdul Hayy (rah) used to say a very interesting thing about taraweeh. He would day, "It is a marvelous thing. Through it, Allah allows man to attain nearness to Him through forty more opportunities. There are twenty raka'at in taraweeh comprising of forty prostrations each of which is an opportunity of the best kind to gain nearness to Allah the forehead rests on the floor and the tongue repeats, Glory be to my Lord, the High.)

THE MI'RAJ OF THE BELIEVER
This opportunity was brought to us by the Prophet (saws) from the Mi'raj. When he was given the high honour, he wondered what gift he should give to his people and Allah said to him that he should present them the prostration, each of which will be a believer's mi'raj.

The Prophet said: Prayer is the ascension of the believer.

He will attain nearness to Allah when he rests his forehead on the earth.

NEARNESS IN PROSTRATION
The surah al- Iqra tells us

Prostrate yourself and draw nigh(to Allah) (alalaq96..19) [ This verse calls for prostration so we must prostrate ourselves on reading it.]

It means that every prostration draws us near to Allah and we have forty More) opportunities in Ramadan, every one of us has that, every day! It was given because we were involved in worldly pursuits for eleven months which kept us away from Allah and these forty opportunities are available to us in Ramadan, to regain the lost time and draw near to Allah. So, we must not take the taraweeh lightly. Some people offer only eight raka'at taraweeh, not twenty, which means that though Allah offers them forty opportunities they consider sixteen as enough for them . They have not understood the significance of these opportunities and have thus lost them.

EXCESSIVE RECITAL OF QURAN
As we have said, we have to observe fasting and offer taraweeh in the month of Ramadan and whatever time we have, we must spend in worship of Allah, for instance, we must pay particular attention to reciting the Quran because the month has a special relationship with the Quran. Imam Abu Hanifah (rah) used to recite the whole Quran during the day time in Ramadan and again once in the night, and yet again in the taraweeh prayers over the month which means that he recited the Quran from cover to cover sixty one times in Ramadan. Allamah Shami (rah) recited the Quran in its entirety once every day and night .Recital of Quran is part of the run time of our religious elders. So, we must also increase the recital of the Quran in Ramadan compared to our normal recital during other days.

EXCESS OF OPTIONAL WORSHIP
We must try to offer those supererogatory prayers which we do not observe in other days. For instance, the tahajjud. We may also offer the ishraq ,chast and awwabeen.{ Respectively, post sunrise optional prayer, midmorning optional prayer, and post Maghrib optional prayer.}

EXCESSIVE CHARITY
A part from Zakah, we must give voluntary charity as much as we can in the month of Ramadan. A Hadith tells us that the Prophet (saws) was known to give away charity very generously at all times but in Ramadan he was extra-ordinarily generous. He gave to whoever came to him.

INCREASE ZIKR
Apart from that, we must mention Allah all the time, whether we are sitting, or walking about. Our hands may be busy but our tongue must be occupied in remembering Allah: We may also invoke blessings on the Messenger of Allah (saws) frequently and seek forgiveness of Allah often.

KEEP AWAY FROM SIN
In the month of Ramadan, we must pay particular attention to keep away from sin. Let us resolve to keep our eyes in check in the Holy month so that they do not rest on wrong places. We must control our tongue and not speak anything wrong, neither tell a lie nor backbite anyone. We must not hunt anyone with our behaviour that while we refrain in the Holy month from the permitted eatables but do not stop eating carrion because the Quran has said that to backbite anyone is to eat a dead brother's flesh. We must avoid falsehood and keep away from unnecessary talk, unnecessary gatherings and any unnecessary work.

INTENSIFY SUPPLICATIONS
In addition to that, we must make supplications to Allah frequently. The doors of mercy are wide open. Mercy is being showered in plenty. Allah is looking for excuses to forgive. A crier cries out," is there any supplicant that I may grant him," we must beg, beseech and implore in the morning evening or night at all times. Allah says," you ask Me at the time of iftar, I will give you ask at night, I will grant, ask while you are fasting, I will bestow, ask in the last part of night and I will give." Allah has let us know that the doors are open , so ask at all times! Maulana Doctor Abdul Hayy (rah)used to say that Ramadan is the month to ask. He used to restrict himself in the mosque between Asr and Maghrib prayers during Ramadan. During this time, he recited from the Quran, recanted tasbeeh (rosary), supplicated from the Munajat maqbool and them presented his petition, his supplication to Allah upto the time of iftar (breaking of fast). We must also make plenty of supplications, for ourselves, our country and people, all the muslims. Allah will surely approve that.

May Allah cause us to follow what we have read and respect the month of Ramadan and spend its hours correctly. Aameen.

SHAABAAN

Sha'ban is one of the meritorious months for which we find some particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. It is reported in the authentic ahadith that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the month in Sha'ban. These fasts were not obligatory on him but Sha'ban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. Therefore, some preparatory measures are suggested by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Some of these are given below:
1. The blessed companion Anas, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, "Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?" He replied, "Fasts of Shaban in honor of Ramadan."
2. The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam: "Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha'ban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month." Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, replied: "That (Sha'ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting."
3. Ummul Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, says, "Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast the whole of Sha'ban. I said to him, 'Messenger of Allah, is Sha'ban your most favorite month for fasting?' He said, 'In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting."
4. In another Tradition she says, "Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Sha'ban."
5. In another report she says, "I never saw the Messenger of Allah, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, fasting in a month so profusely as he did in the month of Sha'ban. He used to fast in that month leaving only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of the month."
6. Ummul-Mu'mineen Umm Salamah, Radi-Allahu anha, says: "I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha'ban and Ramadan."
These reports indicate that fasting in the month of Sha'ban, though not obligatory, is so meritorious that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did not like to miss it.
But it should be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha'ban are for those persons only who are capable of keeping them without causing deficiency in the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears that after fasting in Sha'ban, he will lose strength or freshness for the fasts of Ramadan and will not be able to fast in it with freshness, he should not fast in Sha'ban, because the fasts of Ramadan, being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts of Sha'ban. That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself has forbidden the Muslims from fasting one or two days immediately before the commencement of Ramadan. The blessed Companion Abu Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "Do not fast after the first half of the month of Sha'ban is gone."
According to another report Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam has said: "Do not precede the month of Ramadan with one or two fasts."
The essence of the above-quoted ahadith is that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, himself used to fast most of the month of Sha'ban, because he had no fear of developing weakness or weariness before the commencement of Ramadan. As for others, he ordered them not to fast after the 15^th of Sha'ban for the fear that they would lose their strength and freshness before Ramadan starts, and would not be able to welcome the month of Ramadan with enthusiasm.
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The Night of Bara'ah
Another significant feature of the month of Sha'ban is that it consists of a night which is termed in Shariah as "Laylatul-bara'ah" (The night of freedom from Fire). This is the night occurring between 14th and 15th day of Sha'ban. There are certain traditions of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to prove that it is a meritorious night in which the people of the earth are attended by special Divine mercy. Some of these traditions are quoted as follows:
1. Ummul-Mu'mineen 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, is reported to have said, "Once Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, performed the Salah of the night (Tahajjud) and made a very long Sajdah until I feared that he had passed away. When I saw this, I rose (from my bed) and moved his thumb (to ascertain whether he is alive). The thumb moved, and I returned (to my place). Then I heard him saying in Sajdah: 'I seek refuge of Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your annoyance, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You as fully as You deserve. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.' Thereafter, when he raised his head from Sajdah and finished his salah, he said to me: 'Aishah, did you think that the Prophet has betrayed you?' I said, 'No, O Prophet of Allah, but I was afraid that your soul has been taken away because your Sajdah was very long.' He asked me, 'Do you know which night is this?' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'This is the night of the half of Sha'ban. Allah Almighty looks upon His slaves in this night and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice (against a Muslim) as they were before, (and does not forgive them unless they relieve themselves from malice).'"
2. In another Tradition Sayyidah' Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has reported that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said, "Allah Almighty descends (in a manner He best knows it) in the night occurring in the middle of Sha'ban and forgives a large number of people more than the number of the fibers on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb."
Kalb was a big tribe the members of which had a very large number of sheep. Therefore, the last sentence of the hadith indicates the big number of the people who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty.
3. In yet another Tradition, she has reported Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "This is the middle Night of Sha'ban. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from Fire, more than the number of the hair growing on the sheep of the tribe, Kalb. But He does not even look at a person who associates partners with Allah, or at a person who nourishes malice in his heart (against someone), or at a person who cuts off the ties of kinship, or at a man who leaves his clothes extending beyond his ankles (as a sign of pride), or at a person who disobeys his parents, or at a person who has a habit of drinking wine."
4. Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: "Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha'ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart (against a Muslim)".
Although the chain of narrators of some of these traditions suffers with some minor technical defects, yet when all these traditions are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has some well founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is not a baseless concoction as envisaged by some modern scholars who, on the basis of these minor defects, have totally rejected to give any special importance to this night. In fact, some of these traditions have been held by some scholars of hadith as authentic and the defects in the chain of some others have been treated by them as minor technical defects which, according to the science ofhadith, are curable by the variety of their ways of narration. That is why the elders of the ummah have constantly been observing this night as a night of special merits and have been spending it in worship and prayers.
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What Should be Done in this Night?
In order to observe the Night of Bara'ah, one should remain awakened in this night as much as he can. If someone has better opportunities, he should spend the whole night in worship and prayer. However, if one cannot do so for one reason or another, he can select a considerable portion of the night, preferably of the second half of it for this purpose, and should perform the following acts of worship:
(a) Salah. Salah is the most preferable act to be performed in this night. There is no particular number of Rak'at but preferably it should not be less than eight. It is also advisable that each part of the Salah like qiyam, rukoo' and sajdah should be longer than normal. The longest surahs of the Holy Qur'an one remembers by heart should be recited in the Salah of this night. If someone does not remember the long surahs, he can also recite several short surahs in one rak'ah.
(b) Tilawa. The recitation of the Holy Qur'an is another form of worship, very beneficent in this night. After performing Salah, or at any other time, one should recite as much of the Holy Qur'an as he can.
(c) Dhikr. One should also perform dhikr (recitation of the name of Allah) in this night. Particularly the following dhikr is very useful:
One should recite Salah (durood) on Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, as many times as he can. The dhikr can also be recited while walking, lying on bed and during other hours of work or leisure.
(d) Dua. The best benefit one can draw from the blessings of this night is prayers and supplications. It is hoped that all the prayers in this night will be accepted by our Lord, insha-Allah. Prayer itself is an 'Ibadah, and Allah Almighty gives reward on each prayer along with the fulfillment of the supplicator's need. Even if the purpose prayed for is not achieved, one cannot be deprived of the reward of the prayer which is sometimes more precious than the mundane benefits one strives for. The prayers and supplications also strengthen one's relation with Allah Almighty, which is the main purpose of all kinds and forms of worship.
One can pray for whatever purpose he wishes. But the best supplications are the ones made by Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. These are so comprehensive and all-encompassing prayers that all the human needs, of this world and the Hereafter, are fully covered in the eloquent expressions used in them. Actually, most of the prophetic prayers are so profound that human imagination can hardly match their greatness.
Several books in various languages are available which provide these prophetic prayers, and one should pray to Allah Almighty in accordance with them, whether by reciting their original Arabic text or by rendering their sense in one's own language.
(e) There are some people who cannot perform any additional Salah or recitations for any reason, like illness or weakness or being engaged in some other necessary activities. Such people also should not deprive themselves completely of the blessings of this night. They should observe the following acts:
(i) To perform the Salah of Maghrib, 'Isha' and Fajr with Jama'ah in the mosque, or in their homes in case of their being sick.
(ii) They should keep reciting the dhikr, particularly the one mentioned in para (c) above, in whatever condition they are until they sleep.
(iii) They should pray to Allah for their forgiveness and for their other objectives. One can do so even when he is in his bed.
(f) The women during their periods cannot perform salah, nor can they recite the Qur'an, but they can recite any dhikr, tasbeeh, durood sharif and can pray to Allah for whatever purpose they like in whatever language they wish. They can also recite the Arabic prayers mentioned in the Qur'an or in the hadith with the intention of supplication (and not with the intention of recitation).
(g) According to a hadith, which is relatively less authentic, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, went in this night to the graveyard of Baqi' where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. On this basis, some of the fuqaha hold it as mustahabb (advisable) in this night to go to the graveyard of the Muslims and reciteFatihah or any other part of the Qur'an, and pray for the dead. But this act is neither obligatory nor should it be performed as regularly as an obligatory act.
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What Should Not be Done in This Night
1. As mentioned earlier, the Night of Bara'ah is a night in which special blessings are directed towards the Muslims. Therefore, this night should be spent in total submission to Allah Almighty, and one should refrain from all those activities, which may displease Allah. Although it is always incumbent upon every Muslim to abstain from sins, yet this abstinence becomes all the more necessary in such nights, because committing sins in this night will amount to responding to divine blessings with disobedience and felony. Such an arrogant attitude can invite nothing but the wrath of Allah. Therefore, one should strictly abstain from all the sins, particularly from those mentioned in the Hadith No. 3 quoted earlier in this article, because these sins make one devoid of the blessings of this night.
2. In this night some people indulge in some activities which they regard as necessary for the celebration of the Night of Bara'ah, like cooking some special type of meal, or illuminating houses or mosques, or improvised structures. All such activities are not only baseless and innovated in the later days by ignorant people, but in some cases they are pure imitation of some rituals performed by non-Muslim communities. Such imitation in itself is a sin; performing it in a blessed night like the Night of Bara'ah makes it worse. Muslims should strictly abstain from all such activities.
3. Some people spend this night in holding religious meetings and delivering long speeches. Such activities are also not advisable, because these acts can easily be performed in other nights. This night requires one to devote himself for the pure acts of worship only.
4. The acts of worship like Salah, recitation of the Qur'an and dhikr should be performed in this night individually, not collectively. The Nafl Salah should not be performed in Jama'ah, nor should the Muslims arrange gatherings in the mosques in order to celebrate the night in a collective manner.
On the contrary, this night is meant for worshipping Allah in solitude. It is the time to enjoy the direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and to devote one's attention to Him and Him alone. These are the precious hours of the night in which nobody should intervene between one and his Lord, and one should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed or intermitted by any one else.
That is why Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, observed the acts of worship in this night in total seclusion, not accompanied by anyone, not even by his favorite life companion Sayyidah 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, and that is why all forms of the optional worship (Nafl Ibadah), are advised by him to be done in individual, not in collective manner.
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Fast of the 15th Sha'ban
On the day immediately following the Night of Bara'ah, i.e. the 15th of Sha'ban, it is mustahabb (advisable) to keep fast. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have recommended this fast emphatically. Although the scholars of hadith have some doubts in the authenticity of this report, yet it is mentioned earlier that the fasts of the first half of Sha'ban have special merits and Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to fast most of the days in Sha'ban. Moreover, a large number of the elders (salaf) of the Ummah have been observing the fast of the 15th of Sha'ban. This constant practice indicates that they have accepted the relevant hadith as authentic.
Therefore, it is advisable to fast the 15^th of Sha'ban as an optional (nafl) fast. One can also keep a fast of qada on this day and it is hoped that he can also benefit from the merits of this fast.

 Today Halwa and Roti are becoming farz adn the 'ibaadat is being neglected.