Category Archives: Research

Big Nights and Days of Islam: Dhul Hijjah

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Prayers and Peace upon His Noble Messenger

 

Dhul Hijjah is the 12th and last month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is one of the four sacred months, the other three being Muharram, Rajab Dhul Qa’dah. Only Rajab is on its own, the other three come together. Dhul Hijjah’s significance is enormous as related in the Holy Quran, and the sayings of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and His Noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, says in the Holy Quran:

“And by oath of ten nights.”

                                                                                    [Al-Fajr 89:2]

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), the great Companion of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and illustrious exegete of the Holy Quran explained that the expression “and ten nights [wa layaalin ‘ashr]” refers to the ten special nights at the beginning of the month of Dhul Hijjah.

Hazrat Abu Saeed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), another great Companion of the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam reported that the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“The chieftain [sayyid] of the months is the month of Ramadan, and the mightiest of them in sanctity [hurma] is Dhul-Hijjah.”

According to Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said that:

“Of all the days, there are none in which Allah, Exalted is He, more dearly loves to have worshipful service performed for His sake, other than the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah. To devote just one of the them to fasting is equivalent to fasting for one whole year, and keeping vigil on one of these nights is like keeping vigil for one whole year.”

Narrated Hazrat Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma: The Prophet alayhi salatu wa salaam said,

“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul Hijjah).” Then some Companions radi Allahu anhum of the Prophet alayhi salatu wa salaam said, “Not even Jihad?” He alayhi salatu wa salaam replied, “Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah’s sake) and does not return with any of those things.” [Bukhari Shareef, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 86]

Sayyidina Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu reported that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said,

“None of the days are dearer to Allah during which He is worshipped than the ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Fasting on each of these days is like fasting for a year and standing (in worship) on each of its nights is like standing on Laylatul Qadr.” [Jami’ At-Tirmidhi Hadeeth #758, Ibn Majah Hadeeth #1728]

***

Hazrat Ali (may Allah ennoble his face) reported that the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam once said:

“When the Ten [Days and Nights] of Dhul-Hijja come around, you must devote yourselves strenuously to worshipful obedience, for they are the days upon which Allah, Exalted is He, has bestowed His special favor, and He has made the sanctity of their nighttime equivalent to the sanctity of their daytime. So if a worshipper prays during any night of the Ten Nights, performing four cycles of ritual prayer [raka’at] in the last third [of the night], and including the following recitations from the Holy Quran in each cycle:

 

  • Surah Al-Fatiha [1:1-7] once
  • Surah Al-Falaq [113:1-5] Surah An-Naas[114:1-6] once each
  • Surah Al-Ikhlaas [112:1-4] 3 times and
  • Ayat Al-Kursi [2:255] 3 times

 

and if he  raises his hands, as soon as he has completed this ritual prayer and says:

 

Subhaana Dhil-‘Izzati wal-Jabaroot. Subhaana Dhil-Qudrati wal-Malakoot. Subhaanal-Hayyil-ladhee laa yamoot. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa yuhyee wa yumeetu wa Huwa Hayyun laa yamoot. Subhaanal-laahi Rabbil-‘ibaadi wal-bilaad. Al-hamdu lil-laahi katheeran wa tayyiban wa mubaarakan ‘alaa kulli haal. Allahu Akbaru kabeera Rabbanaa jalla Jalaaluhu wa Qudratuhu bi-kulli makaan.

 

and if he then pleads for whatever he wishes, he will be entitled to the same reward as someone who perform the Pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah, visits the tomb of the Prophet y and strives in the cause of Allah. Whatever he asks of Allah, He will surely grant him his request.

 

If he performs that same ritual prayer during every night of the Ten Nights, Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him lawful access to the Highest Paradise [al-Firdaws al-A’laa] and He will erase every bad deed from his record. ‘Now set about your work from a new beginning,’ he will be told.

 

If it happens to be the Day of ‘Arafa, and he devotes the daytime thereof to fasting and night thereof to ritual prayer, and he pronounces this invocation and he offers many a humble entreaty in the presence of Allah, Exalted is He, Allah will say: ‘O My angels, bear witness that I have granted him forgiveness, and that I have equated him with the Pilgrim of the House of Allah [al- Haajj ilaa Baitillah].’ The angels will be delighted to learn what Allah, Exalted is He, has bestowed upon that believing servant, as a reward for his ritual prayer and his invocation.”

***

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said:

We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, when a group of people arrived from Yemen. They said: “May our mothers and fathers be our ransom! Will you tell us about the special merits of the Pilgrimage [Hajj]?” He sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“Yes! If any mans sets out from his home, as a Pilgrim or a Visitant, whenever he lifts a foot, or sets a foot down on the ground, sins are scattered from his feet, just as leaves are scattered from the trees. Then, when he reaches the city of Medina, shakes my hand, and salutes me with the greeting of peace [salaam], the angels will likewise salute him with the greeting of peace. Then when he reaches Dhul Haleefa (the miqat or meeting point for Pilgrims approaching Mecca from the direction of Medina), and performs the major ritual ablution, Allah will purify him of his sins. When he puts on two new pieces of clothing, Allah will renew his good deeds for him….” (Please refer to the source text for the entire Hadeeth, which is quite extensive.)

***

 

Hazrat Ibn Umar  (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said that he heard Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam say:

“Allah, Exalted is He, inspects His servants on the Day of ‘Arafa, and if there is an atom’s weight of faith [imaan] in the heart of any one of them, He grants them forgiveness without fail.”

Fasting on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah

Hazrat Abu Qatada al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may blessings and peace be upon him) … was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafa (9th of Dhu’I-Hijja), whereupon he said:

“It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year….” [Sahih Muslim, Book 006, Hadeeth #2603][1]

 

Ritual  Prayer to Be Recited on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah

Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“If someone performs four voluntary cycles of ritual prayer, on the Day of ‘Arafa, between the Dhuhr and ‘Asr reciting in each cycle Surah Al-Faatiha one time, and Surah Al-Ikhlaas 50 times, one million good deeds will be recorded in his credit column. For every letter in the Quran, he will be promoted by one level in the Garden of Paradise, the distance between each level and the next being a journey of fifty years…” (Please refer to the source text for the remaining benefits of performing this prayer.)

Also, in another traditional report, Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Holy Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“If someone performs two voluntary cycles of ritual prayer on the Day of ‘Arafa, reciting in each cycle:

 

  • Surah Al-Faatiha 3 times, each beginning with the Basmala (Bismillaahir-rahmaanir-raheem) and ending with Aameen,
  • Surah Al-Kaafiroon [109:1-6] 3 times, and
  • Surah Al-Ikhlaas once, beginning each time with the Basmala,

 

Allah (Exalted is He) will surely say [to the angels]: ‘Bear witness that I have granted him forgiveness for his sins.’”

***

 

In the ritual prayer of the Night of Sacrifice (i.e. the night preceding the day of Eid), the worshipper must perform two cycles of prayer, reciting in each cycle:

  • Surah Al-Faatiha 15 times, and
  • Surah Al-Ikhlaas 15 times, and
  • Surah Al-Falaq 15 times, and
  • Surah An-Naas 15 times

After concluding the prayer he should:

  • recite Ayat-ul-Kursi 3 times
  • seek forgiveness of Allah 15 times, and then:
  • appeal for whatever he wishes from the good of this world and the Hereafter.

 

When the believer sets out to attend the Festival prayer, following a particular route, he is recommended to return home by a different route. This advice is based on the report of Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) who said that the Holy Prophet y took one road [to the congregational prayer] on the Day of the Festival, and used a different road on His way back home.

Udhiyya (Qurbani)

 

The animal sacrifice (udhiyya /qurbani) is a customary practice (Sunnah) in the Hanbali, Maliki, and Shafi madhhabs, the omission of which is not recommended for anyone who is capable of performing it. In the Hanafi it is strictly necessary (wajib) (technically same as Fard in terms of implementation).

***

We pray that Allah, Most Glorified and Exalted is He, by the waseela (connection) of His Beloved Prophet (Prayers and Peace be upon Him) accepts the Hajj of all those who had the good fortune to go this year and may He grant the opportunity to those who desire the journey in future years. May He forgive our faults and accept our worship and make us true servants of His Noble Friends (Awliya Kiram). Aameen.


[1] Part of a larger Hadeeth text

Quaid-i-Azam’s message on Iqbal Day

To the cherished memory of our National Poet Iqbal, I pay my homage on this day, which is being celebrated in commemoration of that great poet, sage, philosopher and thinker, and I pray to God Almighty that his soul may rest in eternal peace. Amen!
Though he is not amongst us, his verse, immortal as it is, is always there to guide us and to inspire us. His poetry, besides being beautiful in form and sweet in language, presents to us a picture of the mind and heart of this great poet, and we find how deeply he was devoted to the teachings of Islam. He was a true and faithful follower of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), a Muslim first and a Muslim last. He was the interpreter and voice of Islam.
Iqbal was not merely a preacher and philosopher. He stood for courage and action, perseverance and self-reliance, and above all faith in God and devotion to Islam. In his person were combined the idealism of the poet and the realism of the man who takes a practical view of things. Faith in God and unceasing and untiring action is the essence of his message. And in this he emerges truly Islam. He had an unflinching faith in Islamic principles, and success in life meant to him the realization of one’s “self”, and to achieve this end the only means was to follow the teachings of Islam. His message to himanity is action and realization of one’s self.
Although a great poet and philosopher he was no less a practical politician. With his firm conviction and faith in the ideals of Islam, he was one of the few who originally thought over the feasibility of carving out of India such an Islamic state in the North-West and North-East Zones which are historical homelands of Muslims.
I wholeheartedly associate myself with the celebrations of this “Iqbal Day”, and pray that we may live up to the ideals preached by our National Poet so that we may be able to achieve and give a practical shape to these ideals in our sovereign state of Pakistan when established.
Originally appeared in The Dawn, December 11, 1944. Cited in Pakistan As Visualized by Iqbal and Jinah by Prof. Dr. G. H. Zulfiqar

فضائل ليلة النصف من شعبان – On the Benefits of the Night of mid-Sha`bān

كتب الأمام الغزالي: وليلة النصف من شعبان – ففيها مائة ركعة يقرا في كل ركعة بعد الفاتحة سورة الاخلاص عشر مرات كانوا لا يتركونها كما اوردناه في صلاة التطوع – وليلة عرفة‏ . ( إحياء علوم الدين )‏

Imam al-Ghazali wrote in his Ihyā, “The Night of mid-Sha`bān, in it [pray] 100 raka’ts, reciting in each raka`t after al-Fātiha, Surat al-Ikhlās 10 times; they never left it, as we related about the voluntary extra prayers and the Night of `Arafat.”

وقال بعض المفسرين المراد من الليلة المباركة ليلة النصف من شعبان ولها أربعة اسماء الاول الليلة المباركة لكثرة خيرها وبركتها على العاملين فيها الخير وان بركات جماله تعالى تصل الى كل ذرة من العرش الى الثرى كما فى ليلة القدر وفى تلك الليلة اجتماع جميع الملائكة فى حظيرة القدس.

Shaykh Ibrahim al-Hakki, in his tafsir Ruh al-Bayān, says: “and some of the mufassireen said that the intent in “Blessed Night” [44:3] is the Night of mid-Sha`bān, and his has four names, the first being “Blessed Night” due to the huge number of people performing good deeds in it, and truly the blessing of Allah’s Beauty reaches to every atom from the Throne to the earth, as in Laylat al-Qadr and in that night all the angels gather in the Holy Presence.

أولاً: ما ورد فى فضل هذه الليلة في القرأن و تفسيره

قول الله تبارك وتعالى في أول سورة الدخان: ﴿إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ* فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ﴾ (الدخان: 3، 4). اختلف العلماء في الليلة المقصودة في هذه الآية الكريمة، فمنهم من ذهب إلى أنها ليلة القدر التي تكون في رمضان، ومنهم من ذهب إلى أنها ليلة النصف من شعبان، ومنهم من ذهب إلى أن ليلة القدر قد تكون في النصف من شعبان،.
فأما القول بأنها ليلة القدر فهو الراجح الوارد عن جمهرة المفسرين والعلماء المحققين، وقد تعقبوا أدلة القائلين بأنها ليلة النصف من شعبان بما يبدو أمامنا صالحًا لرده، وإليك نماذج من ذلك:

Regarding the Words of Allah the Blessed and Exalted, “We sent it down during a Blessed Night: for We (ever) wish to warn (against Evil). On that [night] was made clear, in wisdom, the distinction between all things [good and evil]” [44:3-4] the `ulama differed as to which night which is intended in this blessed verse. And among them are those who went with it being Laylat al-Qadr which is in Ramandan and among them are those who went with it being the Night of mid-Sha`bān, and among them are those who went with it being Laylat al-Qadr and that is the Night of mid-Sha`bān.

– قال الألوسي في تفسيره عند قوله تعالى: ﴿فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِين﴾: “هي ليلة القدر على ما روى ابن عباس وقتادة وابن جبير ومجاهد وابن زيد والحسن، وعليه أكثر المفسرين والظواهر معهم، وقال عكرمة وجماعة: هي ليلة النصف من شعبان”.
وقال الطبري في تفسيره عن هذه الآية الكريمة: واختلف أهل التأويل في تلك الليلة، أي ليلة من ليالي السنة هي؟ فقال بعضهم: هي ليلة القدر، ثم ذكرهم، وقال بعد سردهم: “وقال آخرون: بل هي ليلة النصف من شعبان، ولم يذكرهم”ØŒ.

Al-Alusi said, in his Tafsir, regarding the Words of the Exalted “We sent it down during a Blessed Night: for We (ever) wish to warn (against Evil).” [44:3] that it is Laylat al-Qadr, from what is related from ibn `Abbās and Qatādah and ibn Jubayr and Mujāhid and ibn Zayd and al-Hasan. And that is what most mufassireen stood upon and the majority agree with them. And `Ikrimah and his group said, “It is the Night of mid-Sha`bān.”

وقال النيسابوري في تفسير الآية الكريمة أيضًا: وأكثر المفسرين على أنها ليلة القدر لقوله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ﴾ (القدر:1)، وليلة القدر عند الأكثر في رمضان.

And an-Nisāburi in his Tafsir of the blessed verse also said: and most mufassireen say it is Laylat al-Qadr from He, the Exalted’s saying “Verily we revealed it on Laylat al-Qadr” [97:1] and Laylat al-Qadr, in the view of most, is in Ramadan.

ثم نقل كلام الطبري وقال بعده: وزعم بعضهم كعكرمة وغيره أنها ليلة النصف من شعبان،

And we transmit the words of at-Tabari and he said, part of which is: and some of them [early mufassireen] like `Ikrimah and others, claimed that it [refers] to the Night of mid-Sha`bān.

ما ورد من أحاديث في فضل هذه الليلة، ومن ذلك:

اربع لياليهن كايامهن وايامهن كلياليهن يبر الله فيهن القسم ويعتق فيهن النسم ويعطي فيهن الجزيل‏:‏ ليلة القدر وصباحها، وليلة عرفة وصباحها، وليلة النصف من شعبان وصباحها وليلة الجمعة وصباحها‏.‏

‏(‏الديلمي – عن انس‏)‏‏.‏

Anas (r) related that the Prophet (s) said: “There are four whose nights are like their days and their days are like their nights; in them Allah confirms the oath and He frees the breaths and in them He gives in plenty: the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) and its morning; the Night of `Arafat and its morning; the Night of mid-Sha`bān and its morning; the Night of Jumu`ah and its morning.” ad-Daylami.

يسح الله عز وجل من الخير في اربع ليال سحا‏:‏ ليلة الاضحى والفطر وليلة النصف من شعبان، ينسخ فيها الاجال والارزاق ويكتب فيها الحج، وفي ليلة عرفة الى الاذان‏.

The Prophet (s) also said to Hazrat `Aisha (r), “Allah pours down goodness in four nights without measure: the Night of Adħā and [the night of] Fiţr, and the Night of mid-Sha`bān. In it, Allah records the lifespans the allotments of provision, and in it those who will make Hajj are written; and the Night of `Arafat until the adhān is called.”

واخرج ابن جرير وابن المنذر وابن ابي حاتم من طريق محمد بن سوقة، عن عكرمة ‏}‏فيها يفرق كل امر حكيم‏{‏ قال‏:‏ في ليلة النصف من شعبان يبرم امر السنة وينسخ الاحياء من الاموات ويكتب الحاج، فلا يزاد فيهم ولا ينقص منهم احد‏.‏

From `Ikrimah, the client of Ibn `Abbās (regarding the verse) “In the (Night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom,” [44:4] he said, “That is the night of mid-Sha`bān, when Allah (Exalted is He) arranges the affairs of the year. He transfers [some of] the living to the list of the dead, and records those who will make pilgrimage to the House of Allah, neither adding one too many nor leaving a single one of them out.”

واخرج ابن زنجويه والديلمي، عن ابي هريرة ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏”‏تقطع الاجال من شعبان الى شعبان، حتى ان الرجل لينكح ويولد له، وقد خرج اسمه في الموتى‏”‏‏.‏

Abu Hurayrah (r) related that the Messenger of Allah (s) said, “the lifespans are cut from Sha`bān to Sha`bān, until a man marries and a child is born to him while his name has been pulled out as one destined to die.”

واخرج ابن ابي شيبة، عن عطاء بن يسار قال‏:‏ لم يكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شهر اكثر صياما منه في شعبان، وذلك انه ينسخ فيه اجال من ينسخ في السنة‏.‏

`Atā ibn Yassār (r) said, “The Prophet (s) did not fast in any month more than his fasting Sha`bān. And that is because in it is recorded the lifespans of those who are to pass away in that year.”

واخرج ابن مردويه وابن عساكر، عن عائشة قالت‏:‏ لم يكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شهر اكثر صياما منه في شعبان لانه ينسخ فيه ارواح الاحياء في الاموات، حتى ان الرجل يتزوج وقد رفع اسمه فيمن يموت، وان الرجل ليحج وقد رفع اسمه فيمن يموت‏.‏

`A’isha (r) said: “The Prophet (s) did not fast in any month more than his fasting Sha`bān because in it is recorded the souls of the living from those who are to dies, until a man marries and whereas his name has been pulled out as one destined to die; and a man makes hajj and his name has been raised from those who would die.”

أخرجه بن ماجه والبيهقي في شعب الإيمان عن علي- كرم الله وجهه- قال: قال رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إذا كانت ليلة النصف من شعبان فقوموا ليلها، وصوموا نهارها، فإن الله ينزل فيها لغروب الشمس إلى سماء الدنيا، فيقول: ألاَ من مستغفر لي، فأغفر له! ألا مسترزق فأرزقه! ألا مبتلىً فأعافيه! ألا كذا ألا كذا حتى يطلع الفجر”.

It is reported from SayyÄ«dunā `Ali (r) that the Prophet (s) said: “Let all of you spend the night of mid-Sha`bān in worship (i.e. partly) and its day in fasting. For verily in it, Allah descends to the nearest heaven during this night, beginning with sunset, and says: Is there no one asking forgiveness that I may forgive them? Is there no one asking sustenance that I may grant them sustenance? Is there no one under trial that I may relieve them? Is there not such-and-such, is there not such-and-such, and so forth until until dawn rises. [Narrated by `Abd al-Razzāq and Ibn Mājah].

أخرجه الترمذي وابن أبي شيبة والبيهقي وابن ماجه عن عائشة قالت: فقدت رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- ذات ليلة فخرجت أطلبه، فإذا هو بالبقيع رافعًا رأسه إلى السماء، فقال: “يا عائشة، أكنت تخافين أن يحيف الله عليك ورسوله؟”ØŒ فقلت: ما بي من ذلك، ولكني ظننت أنك أتيت بعض نسائك، فقال: “إن الله- عز وجل- ينزل في ليلة النصف من شعبان إلى السماء الدنيا، فيغفر لأكثر من عدد شعر غنم بني كلب”.

`A’isha (r) said: “I missed the Prophet (s) one night so I went out to al-Baqi` [and found him there]. He said: `Were you afraid that Allah Most High would wrong you and that His Prophet would wrong you?’ I said: `O Messenger of Allah, I thought that you might have gone to visit one of your wives.’ He said: `Allah Most High descends to the nearest heaven on the night of mid-Sha`bān and He forgives to more people than the number of hairs on the hides of the sheep of the tribes of Kalb.'” Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Mājah, and al-Tirmidhi who said that he had heard al-Bukhāri grading this hadith as weak because some of the sub-narrators did not narrate directly from each other.

حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ اُسَامَةَ، قَالَ اَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنِ الْاَعْرَجِ، عَنْ اَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ فَقَدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ الْفِرَاشِ فَالْتَمَسْتُهُ فَوَقَعَتْ يَدِي عَلَى بَطْنِ قَدَمَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَهُمَا مَنْصُوبَتَانِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا اُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ اَنْتَ كَمَا اَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ‏.(مسند أحمد و مسلم و نحوه في سنن النسائي و موطأ مالك و سنن أبي داود و صحيح ابن خزيمة و سنن الترمذي و سنن ابن ماجه)

Ummul-Mu’mineen `Aishah, (r) is reported to have said, “I missed the Prophet (s) during one night from the bed, and my hand fell upon the middle of his feet, and he was in the masjid and his two feet were upright (i.e. he was in sajdah), and he said: ‘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.’ Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Mājah, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’ee and al-Tirmidhi.

وفي رواية { جاءني جبريل ليلة النصف من شعبان فقال يا محمد ارفع راسك الى السماء فقلت ماهذه الليلة ، قال هذه ليلة يفتح الله فيها ثلاثمائة من ابواب الرحمة يغفر الله لجميع من لا يشرك به شيئاً }

The Prophet (s) is reported as saying:

Jibreel (as) came to me on the night of mid-Sha`bān and said to me: “O Muhammad, raise your head heavenwards!” I asked him: “What night is this?” and he replied: “This is the night when Allah (Glorified is He) opens three hundred of the gates of mercy, forgiving all who do not make anything His partner.”

يقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : { إذا كانت ليلة النصف من شعبان فتحت أبواب السماء السبع ووقف على كل باب ملائكة يستغفرون للمسلمين ، فيغفر لكل مسلم إلا من كان مصراً على كبيرة }

The Prophet (s) said, “When it is the Night of mid-Sha`bān, the gates of the seventh sky are opened and on every gate stand angels who seek forgiveness for the Muslims and every Muslim is forgiven except one who is established in committing a grave sin.”

عائشة رضي الله عنها تقول { كانت ليلتي من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فدخل الفراش حتى نمت ثم استيقظت فلم اجده فقمت فوجدته يصلي فخفف القيام ثم ركع وسجد مطولاً سجوده الى نصف الليل ثم قام الى الثانية كذلك ثم ركع وسجد حتى كاد الفجر أن يطلع فظننت انه قد قبض فوضعت يدي على قدميه فتحرك فحمدت الله تعالى فسمعته يقول : سجد لك سوادي وآمن بك فؤادي فاغفرلي الذنب العظيم فإنه لا يغفر الذنب العظيم الا الرب العظيم اعوذ برضاك من سخطك وبمعافاتك من عقوبتك وبك منك لا احصي ثناء عليك انت كما اثنيت على نفسك ، فلما فرغ من صلاته قال اتدرين أي ليلة هذه ياعائشة قلت لا قال : هذه ليلة النصف من شعبان إن الله يطلع على عباده في ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر للمستغفرين ويرحم المسترحمين ويؤخر اهل الحقد كما هم }

Ummul-Mu’mineen `Aishah, (r), is reported to have said, “It was my night with the Prophet of Allah (s) and he went to bed until I slept, then he got up and I did not find him. I got up and found him praying, with a short standing and then bowing and then he prostrated in a very long sajdah until half the night was over, then he stood for the second raka`t, then he bowed, then he prostrated until Fajr was nearly on us, until I feared that he had passed away. Then I put my hand on his feet, and he moved and praised Allah the Exalted and I heard him say, ‘I prostrated to You [for the length] of the darkness, and my heart has become full of trust in You so forgive the tremendous sin, for truly no one forgives the tremendous sin except the Tremendous Lord. I seek refuge of Your pleasure from Your anger, Your pardon from Your punishment and I seek refuge in You from Yourself. I cannot praise You as fully as You praised Yourself.’ Thereafter, when he completed his prayer, he said to me: ‘Do you know which night is this, O `Aishah?’ I said, ‘no.’ He said, ‘This is the night of mid-Sha`bān. Allah Almighty looks upon His slaves in the the night of mid-Sha`bān and forgives those who seek forgiveness and bestows His mercy upon those who pray for mercy but keeps those who have malice as they were before.’

[missing Arabic]

It is related by Sayyidina Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani in his Ghunya, from Abu Nasr, we learn that `Aisha (r) once said:

“When it was the night of mid-Sha`bān, the Prophet (s) had removed a garment of mine.” Then she added, “By Allah! That garment of mine was not of silk, nor of raw silk, nor of linen, nor of silk and wool, nor of wool.” [The reporter said:] “‘Glory be to Allah!’ I said to her, ‘So what was it made of?'” She replied: “Its warp was of hair and its weft was of silk. I reckoned that he (r) might have gone to one of his [other] wives, so I got up and searched for him in the [darkness of the] apartment. My hand made contact with his feet, as he was prostrate in worship. Of his prayer (r), I remember these words:

Prostrated before You are my form and my spirit, and my heart is in Your safekeeping. I acknowledge Your favors, and to You I confess my sin. I have wronged myself, so forgive me; surely none forgives sins but You. I seek refuge with Your pardon from Your punishment, with Your mercy from Your vengeance, with Your approval from Your displeasure. I seek refuge with You from You. I do not tell Your praises, for You are as You have extolled Yourself.

She continued: “So he did not cease from worship, now standing and now sitting [on his heels], until morning came. Then his feet were put up, and as I massaged them I said: ‘My father be your ransom and my mother too! Surely Allah has forgiven your former and your latter sins? Surely Allah has dealt with you? Is it not so? Is it not so?’

“He replied (s): ‘O `Aisha, shall I not therefore be a grateful servant? Do you know what happens during this night?’ ‘What happens?’ I asked, and he said: ‘This is when all births are recorded for this year, and every death is registered. This is when provisions are allotted to mankind, and their deeds and actions are gathered up.’

“‘O Messenger of Allah,’ said I [`A’isha], ‘Will no one enter Paradise except by Allah’s mercy?’ ‘No one will enter Paradise except by Allah’s mercy,’ he told me (Allah bless him and give him peace). ‘Not even you?’ I asked. ‘Not even I,’ said he (Allah bless him and give him peace), ‘unless Allah envelops me with His mercy.’ Then he rubbed his hand over his head and his face.”

ان الله تعالى يطلع على عباده في ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر للمستغفرين، ويرحم المسترحمين، ويؤخر اهل الحقد كما هم عليه‏.‏

‏(الطبراني في الكبير‏)‏ عن عائشة‏

`Aisha (r) related that the Prophet (s) said, “When it is the night of mid-Sha`bān Allah looks upon His slaves, then He forgives the seeking forgiveness and sends His mercy to those imploring mercy and He leaves the resentful to their resentment as they are.” At-Tabarani in his Kabir.

Commentators say that Bani Kalb was at that time the largest tribe and its members had large numbers of sheep. Therefore, the last sentence of this hadith and many others here indicates the big number of the people who are forgiven in this night by Allah Almighty.

عن عبدالله بن عمرو بن العاص أن رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال: “يطلع الله- عز وجل- إلى خلقه ليلة النصف من شعبان، فيغفر لعباده إلا اثنين: مشاحن، وقاتل نفس”. أخرجه أحمد بن حنبل في المسند Ùˆ لترمذي

The Prophet (s) said, “Allah Almighty looks upon His slaves night of the mid-Sha`bān and forgives His servants (or those who are involved in worship) except for two [types]: someone who bears malice and a murderer.'” Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad and at-Tirmidhi.

اذا كان ليلة النصف من شعبان اطلع الله الى خلقه، فيغفر للمؤمنين، ويملي للكافرين، ويدع اهل الحقد بحقدهم حتى يدعوه‏.‏

When it is the night of mid-Sha`bān Allah looks upon His slaves, then He forgives the believers and He gives respite to the unbelievers and and leaves the resentful to their resentment until they call on Him.

ينزل الله الى السماء الدنيا ليلة النصف من شعبان، فيغفر لكل مؤمن، الا العاق والمشاحن‏, ابن خزيمة Ùˆ للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان عن ابي بكر‏(‏ابن قانع – عن ابي ثعلبة الخشنى‏)‏‏.‏

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (r) relates, “Allah descends to the sky of the world on the night of mid-Sha`bān and He forgives every believer, except the irreverent disobedient to [his parents] (al-`aq), and the one who bears malice.” al-Bayhaqi in his Shu`b, Ibn Khuzymā, ibn Ħibbān

عن القاسم بن محمد بن ابي بكر الصديق عن ابيه عن عمه عن جده‏.‏

ينزل الله الى السماء الدنيا ليلة النصف من شعبان، فيغفر لكل بشر الا رجلا مشركا، او رجلا في قلبه شحناء‏.‏

ابن زنجويه والبزار وحسنه ‏( للدارقطني في السنن, لابن عدي في الكامل و للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان

Al-Qāssim ibn Muħammad ibn AbÄ« Bakr aÅ¡-Å iddÄ«q (r) related from his father from his uncle that his grandfather said: “Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha`bān and forgives all human beings, except the man who associates partners with Him or the man who has malice in his heart.” Ibn Zanjuwiyya, ad-Darqutni in his Sunan, Ibn `Adee in his Kamil and al-Bayhaqi in his Shu`b.

ينزل ربنا الى السماء الدنيا في النصف من شعبان، فيغفر لاهل الارض الا مشركا او مشاحنا‏.‏

ابن زنجويه عن ابي موسى‏.‏

Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: “Our Lord descends to the sky of this world in the Night of mid-Sha`bān and forgives all the people of earth, except the idolater or the one who has malice in his heart. Ibn Zanjuwiyya from Ibn Musa.

يطلع الله تعالى الى خلقه في ليلة النصف من شعبان، فيغفر لجميع خلقه، الا لمشرك او مشاحن‏.‏

‏(‏حب طب‏)‏ وابن شاهين في الترغيب ‏(‏و للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان ‏)‏ وابن عساكر عن معاذ‏.‏

Mu`adh (r) related that the Prophet (s) said, “Allah Almighty looks upon His creation on the night of the mid-Sha`bān and forgives all His creation except for a idolater or someone who bears malice.” Narrated by Ibn Hibban (12:481 #5665) with a sound chain according to al-Arna’ut and by al-Tabarani with a chain of sound narrators according to al-Haythami and by al-Bayhaqi in Shu`b al-Imān and Ibn `Asākir.

ان الله تعالى ليطلع في ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر لجميع خلقه الا لمشرك او مشاحن ‏(‏مشاحن‏:‏ المشاحن‏:‏ المعادي، والشحناء العداوة‏.‏ النهاية‏.‏ 2/449‏.‏ ب‏)‏‏.‏

‏(‏ه – عن ابي موسى‏)‏ ‏(‏اخرجه ابن ماجه كتاب اقامة الصلاة باب ما جاء في الليلة النصف من شعبان رقم ‏(‏1390‏)‏ وقال في الزوائد‏:‏ اسناده ضعيف‏.‏ سعيد ابن منصور في سننه‏)‏‏.‏

Prophet Muhammad, (s) has said: “Indeed Our Lord ascends in the Night of mid-Sha`bān and forgives all His creation, except the idolater or the one who has malice in his heart.” Ibn Majah and Ibn Mansur in His Sunan.

في ليلة النصف من شعبان يغفر الله لاهل الارض الا لمشرك او مشاحن‏.‏

‏(‏ للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان عن كثير بن مرة الحضرمي مرسلا‏)‏‏.‏

Prophet Muhammad, (s), has said: “Allah Almighty looks upon all those created by Him in the middle Night of Sha`bān and forgives all those created by Him, except the idolater or the one who has malice in his heart. Al-Bayhaqi in his Shu`b.

في ليلة النصف من شعبان يوحي الله الى ملك الموت بقبض كل نفس يريد قبضها في تلك السنة‏.‏

‏(‏الدينوري في المجالسة – عن راشد بن سعد مرسلا‏)‏‏.‏

On the night of mid-Sha`bān Allah reveals to the Angel of Death those whose souls He wishes him to take in that year. Al-Daynuri in his al-Majalisa, from Rashid ibn Sa`d (mursalan)

اذا كان ليلة النصف من شعبان نادى مناد‏:‏ هل من مستغفر فاغفر له‏؟‏ هل من سائل فاعطيه‏؟‏ فلا يسال احد شيئا الا اعطاه الا زانية بفرجها او مشرك‏.‏

‏(‏ للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان عن عثمان بن ابي العاص‏)‏‏.‏

On the Night of mid-Sha`bān a caller calls out, “Is there anyone asking forgiveness, so that I might forgive him? Is there anyone asking so I may grant him?” And thus no one asks for anything except that He gives him except a profligate adultress or an idolater. Bayhaqi in his Shu`b al-Iman from `Uthman in Abi al-`As.

ان الله تبارك وتعالى ينزل ليلة النصف من شعبان الى سماء الدنيا فيغفر لاكثر من عدد شعر غنم كلب‏.‏

‏(‏أحمد في مسنده،الترمذي ‏(‏اخرجه ابن ماجه كتاب اقامة الصلاة باب ما جاء في ليلة النصف من شعبان رقم ‏(‏1389‏)‏‏.‏ سعيد ابن منصور في سننه‏ عن عائشة‏)‏‏.

Sayyidah `Aishah, (r) reported that the Prophet (s) said, “Allah the Blessed and Exalted descends in the night occurring in the middle of Sha`bān, to the sky of this world and forgives a large number of people more than the number of the hairs on the sheep of the tribe of Kalb.” ‏ Sa`eed ibn Mansur in his Sunan.

اذا كان ليلة النصف من شعبان يغفر الله من الذنوب اكثر من عدد شعر غنم كلب‏.‏

‏(> للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان – عن عائشة‏)‏‏.‏

Sayyidah `Aishah, (r), has reported that Prophet Muhammad, (s), has said, “When it is the night of mid-Sha`bān Allah forgives from the sins as many as the number of the hair of the sheep of the tribe of Kalb.” Bayhaqi in his Shu`b.

يا عائشة‏!‏ اكنت تخافين ان يحيف ‏(‏يحيف‏:‏ الحيف‏:‏ الجور والظلم‏.‏ النهاية‏.‏ 1/469‏.‏ ب‏)‏ الله عليك ورسوله‏؟‏ بل اتاني جبريل فقال‏:‏ هذه الليلة ليلة النصف من شعبان، ولله فيها عتقاء من النار بعدد شعور غنم كلب، لا ينظر الله فيها الى مشرك ولا الى مشاحن ولا الى قاطع رحم ولا الى مسبل ‏(‏مسبل‏:‏ المسبل‏:‏ هو الذي يطول ثوبه ويرسله الى الارض اذا مشى‏.‏ وانما يفعل ذلك كبرا واختيالا‏.‏ النهاية‏.‏ 2/339‏.‏ ب‏)‏ ولا الى عاق لوالديه ولا الى مدمن خمر‏.‏

‏(‏ للبيهقي في شعب الإيمان وضعفه – عن عائشة‏)‏‏.‏

Sayyidah `Aishah, (ra), reported Prophet Muhammad, (s), to have said, “O `Aishah! Did you think that Allah and His Prophet would oppress you. Rather JibrÄ«l came to me and said, ‘This is the Night of mid-Sha`bān. Allah frees in it a large number of the people from Fire, more than the number of hairs on the sheep of the tribe of Kalb. But He does not even look at an idolater or at a person who nourishes malice against someone in his heart, 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.” Bayhaqi in his Shu`b.

When all these traditions are combined together, it becomes clear that this night has well-founded merits, and observing this night as a sacred night is clearly indicated. 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 of hadith, 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.

The Invocation of the Night of mid-Sha`ban

هذا الدعاء ما علمنا عن أصله أنه ذكر، أو بعضه قد ورد على لسان بعض الصحابة والتابعين الصالحين، قال الألوسي في تفسيره:

أخرج بن أبي شيبة في المصنف وغيره عن ابن مسعود – رضي الله عنه- قال: ما دعا عبد قط بهذه الدعوات إلا وسع الله عليه في معيشته: “يا ذا المن ولا يمن عليه، يا ذا الجلال والإكرام، يا ذا الطول، لا إله إلا أنت، ظهر اللاجئين وجار المستجيرين، ومأمن الخائفين، إن كنت كتبتني عندك في أم الكتاب شقيًّا فامح عني اسم الشقاوة، وأثبتني عندك سعيدًا، وإن كنت كتبتني عندك في أم الكتاب محرومًا مقترًا عليَّ رزقي، فامح حرماني، ويسر رزقي، وأثبتني عندك سعيدًا موفقًا للخير، فإنك تقول في كتابك الذي أنزلت: ﴿يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ﴾،

Al-Alūsī in his Tafsīr relates from ibn Abī Shayba in his Mušannaf from Ibn Mas`ūd, “Never did a servant invokes Allah with this invocation except that Allah will widen for him his living:

O God, Tireless Owner of Bounty. O Owner of Sublimity, Honor, Power, and Blessings. There is no god except You, the Support of refugees and Neighbor of those who seek nearness, Guardian of the fearful. O God, if you have written in Your Book that I be miserable, then erase O God, my misery, and establish me with You as happy. O God, if you have written in Your Book that I be cut off from bounty, then erase O God, my cutting off, and make easy for me my provision, and establish me in Your Presence happy, supported in goodness and prosperity, for surely You have said in the Book You Revealed, ‘God blots out or confirms what He pleases, and with Him is the Mother of Books.’ (13:39)”

وأخرج عبد بن حميد وغيره عن عمرو- رضي الله عنه- أنه قال- وهو يطوف بالبيت-: “اللهم إن كنت كتبت عليَّ شقوة أو ذنبًا فامحه واجعله سعادة ومغفرة، فإنك تمحو ما شئت، وتثبت وعندك أم الكتاب”ØŒ

`Abd bin Ħumayd and others relate that `Umar said, as he was circumambulating the Sacred House, “O Allah, if You have written me as miserable, or sinful, then erase [that destiny] and make it [written that I be] happy and forgiven, for You erase whatever You wish and you confirm and with You is the Mother of Books.”

وذكر مثله عن شقيق أبي وائل ، نقل ذلك بن جرير الطبري عن ابن عباس من طريق سعيد بن جبير،

وعن مجاهد كذلك من طرق عدة، وذكر صاحب الإبداع أنه نقل عن اليافعي أن أول ما يدعى في ليلة النصف من شعبان: “اللهم يا ذا المن ولا يمن عليه”.

And it is transmitted by ibn Jarīr aţ-Ţabarī from the way of Sa`īd ibn Jubayr and from Mujāhid also from many other transmissions and the author of al-Ibdā`a that he transmitted from al-Yaf`ī that the first thing one invokes on the night of nisf-Sha`bān is “O God, Tireless Owner of Bounty.”

From the Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan

والثانى ليلة الرحمة والثالث ليلة البرآءة والرابع ليلة الصك وذلك لأن البندار إذا استوفى فى الخوارج من اهله كتب لهم البراءة كذلك الله يكتب لعباده المؤمنين البرآءت فى هذه الليلة (كما حكى) ان عمر بن عبد العزيز لما رفع رأسه من صلاته ليلة النصف من شعبان وجد رقعة خضرآء قد اتصل نورها بالسماء مكتوب فيها هذه برآءة من النار من الملك العزيز لعبده عمر بن عبد العزيز وكما ان فى هذه الليلة برآءة للسعدآء من الغضب فكذا فيها برآءة للاشقياء من الرحمة نعوذ بالله تعالى ولهذه الليلة خصال.

الاولى تفريق كل امر حكيم كما سيأتى.

والثانية فضيلة العبادة فيها وفى الحديث ” من صلى فى هذه الليلة مائة ركعة ارسل الله تعالى اليه مائة ملك ثلاثون يبشرونه بالجنة وثلاثون يؤمنونه من عذاب النار وثلاثون يدفعون عنه آفات الدنيا وعشرة يدفعون عنه مكايد الشيطان ” قال فى الاحياء يصلى فى الليلة الخامسة عشرة من شعبان مائة ركعة كل ركعتين بتسليمة يقرأ فى كل ركعة بعد الفاتحة قل هو الله احد عشر مرات وان شاء صلى عشر ركعات يقرأ فى كل ركعة بعد الفاتحة مائة مرة قل هو الله احد فهذه ايضا اى كصلاة رجب مروية عن النبى عليه السلام فى جملة الصلوات كان السلف يصلون هذه الصلاة فى هذه الليلة ويسمونها صلاة الخير ويجتمعون فيها وربما صلوها جماعة

(روى) عن الحسن البصرى انه قال حدثنى ثلاثون من اصحاب النبى عليه السلام ان من صلى هذه الصلاة فى هذه الليلة نظر الله اليه سبعين نظرة وقضى الله له بكل نظرة سبعين حاجة ادناها المغفرة انتهى كلام الاحياء قال الشيخ الشهير بافتاده قدس سره ان النبى عليه السلام لما تجلى له جميع الصفات فى ثمانية عشر ألف عالم وأكثر صلى تلك الصلاة بعد العشاء شكرا على النعمة المذكورة (وروى) مجاهد عن على رضى الله عنه انه عليه السلام قال ” يا على من صلى مائة ركعة فى ليلة النصف من شعبان فقرأ فى كل ركعة بفاتحة الكتاب مرة وقل هو الله احد عشر مرات ” قال عليه السلام ” يا على ما من عبد يصلى هذه الصلاة الا قضى الله له كل حاجة طلبها تلك الليلة ويبعث الله سبعين ألف ملك يكتبون له الحسنات ويمحون عنه السيئات ويرفعون له الدرجات الى رأس السنة ويبعث الله فى جنات عدن سبعين ألف ملك وسبعمائة ألف يبنون له المدآئن والقصور ويغرسون له من الاشجار ما لا عين رأت ولا اذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب المخلوقين وان مات من ليلته قبل ان يحول الحول مات شهيدا ويعطيه الله بكل حرف من قل هو الله احد فى ليلته تلك سبعين حورآء ”

كما فى كشف الاسرار قال بعضهم أقل صلاة البرآءة ركعتان واوسطها مائة واكثرها ألف.

يقول الفقير الألف الذى هو اشارة الى ألف اسم له تعالى تفصيل للمائة التى هى اشارة الى مائة اسم له منتخبة من الالف لان التسعة والتسعين باعتبار احديتها مائة وهى تفصيل للواحد الذى هو الاسم الاعظم ولما لم تشرع ركعة منفردة ضم اليها اخرى اشارة الى الذات والصفات والليل والنهار والجسد والروح والملك والملكوت ولهذا السر استحب ان يقرأ فى الركعتين المذكورتين اربعمائة آية من القرءآن فان فرض القرآءه آية واحدة ومستحبها اربع آيات والمائة اربع مرات اربعمائة فالركعتان باعتبار القرآءة المستحبة فى حكم المائة فاعرف جدا وفى الحديث ” من احيى الليالى الخمس وجبت له الجنة ليلة التروية وليلة عرفة وليلة النحر وليلة الفطر وليلة النصف من شعبان ”

والثالثة نزول الرحمة قال عليه السلام ” ان الله ينزل ليلة النصف من شعبان الى السماء الدنيا ” اى تنزل رحمته والمراد فى الحقيقة تنزل عظيم من تنزلات عالم الحقيقة مخصوص بتلك الليلة وايضا المراد تنزل من اول الليلة اى وقت غروب الشمس الى آخرها اى الى طلوع الفجر أو طلوع الشمس.

والرابعة حصول المغفرة قال عليه السلام ” ان الله يغفر لجميع المسلمين فى تلك الليلة الا لكاهن او ساحر أو مشاحن أو مدمن خمر أو عاق للوالدين او مصر على الزنى ” قال فى كشف الاسرار فسر اهل العلم المشاحن فى هذا الموضع بأهل البدع والاهوآء والحقد على اهل الاسلام.

والخامسة انه اعطى فيها رسول الله عليه السلام تمام الشفاعة وذلك انه سأل ليلة الثالث عشر من شعبان الشفاعة فى امته فأعطى الثلث منها ثم سأل ليلة الرابع عشر فأعطى الثلثين ثم سأل ليلة الخامس عشر فأعطى الجميع الا من شرد على الله شراد بعير وفى رواية اخرى قالت عائشة رضى الله عنها رأيت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى ليلة النصف من شعبان ساجدا يدعو فنزل جبريل فقال ان الله قد أعتق من النار الليلة بشفاعتك ثلث امتك فزاد عليه السلام فى الدعاء فنزل جبريل فقال ان الله يقرئك السلام ويقول أعتقت نصف امتك من النار فزاد عليه السلام فى الدعاء فنزل جبريل وقال ان الله اعتق جميع امتك من النار بشفاعتك الا من كان له خصم حتى يرضى خصمه فزاد عليه السلام فى الدعاء فنزل جبريل عند الصبح وقال ان الله قد ضمن لخصماء امتك ان يرضيهم بفضله ورحمته فرضى النبى عليه السلام.

والسادسة ان من عادة الله فى هذه الليلة ان يزيد ماء زمزم زيادة ظاهرة وفيه اشارة الى حصول مزيد العلوم الالهية لقلوب اهل الحقائق { انا كنا منذرين } استئناف مبين لما يقتضى الانزال كأنه قيل انا انزلناه لان من شأننا الانذار والتخويف من العقاب

{ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ }

{ فيها يفرق كل امر حكيم } اى يكتب ويفصل كل امر محكم ومتقن من ارزاق العباد وآجالهم وجميع امورهم الا السعادة والشقاوة من هذه الليلة الى الاخرى من السنة القابلة وقيل يبدأ فى انتساخ ذلك من اللوح فى ليلة البرآءة ويقع الفراغ فى ليلة القدر فتدفع نسخة الارزاق الى ميكائيل ونسخة الحروب والزلازل والصواعق والخسف الى جبرائيل ونسخة الاعمال الى اسمعيل صاحب سماء الدنيا وهو ملك عظيم ونسخة المصائب الى ملك الموت حتى ان الرجل ليمشى فى الاسواق وان الرجل لينكح ويولد له ولقد أدرج اسمه فى الموتى.

وقد قال الله تعالى ” ان رحمتى سبقت غضبى ” وكما ان فى هذه الليلة يفصل كل امر صادر بالحكمة من السماء فى السنة من اقسام الحوادث فى الخير والشر والمحن والمنن والمنصرة والهزيمة والخصب والقحط فكذا الحجب والجذب والوصل والفصل والوفاق والخلاف والتوفيق والخذلان والقبض والبسط والستر والنجلى فكم بين عبد نزل له الحكم والقضاء بالشقاء والبعد وآخر ينزل حكمه بالوفاء والرفد

Source: Sunnah.org