15th Sha'ban

 

Laila-tul Baraa'at is the 15th day of the eighth month (Sha'ban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. The preceding night is also known as Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world, and as Shab-e-barat (شب برات) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Muslim parts of India. These names are translated to the night of records, the night of assignment and the night of deliverance, and the observance involves a festive nightlong vigil with prayers. In some regions, this is also a night when one's deceased ancestors are commemorated. Muslims observe Mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. In his Majmu`, Al-Nawawi quoted Al-Shafi`i saying that there are 5 nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban. According to Muslim tradition, this night is called Shab-e-Baraat ("the night of freedom") because Allah frees His sinful servants who were destined for hell. A person's life in the coming year, his sustenance, and whether or not they will have the opportunity to perform Hajj (pilgrimage) shall be decided on this night. The names of the souls of all those who are born and of all those who are to depart from this world are determined. One's actions are raised and sustenance sent down. On this night, Muslims perform Nawaafil, recite the Qur'an, Salawat, Kalima Tayyibah, and seek forgiveness.

 

Qiblah (Qibla or Kiblah) is the direction of the Sacred Mosque of Holy Kaabah (Kaaba) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, toward which Muslims from all over the world turn five times each day when performing the Salat (daily ritual prayer).

Baitul-Maqdis in Jerusalem was the first Qiblah for Muslims before the announcement of present Qiblah at Sacred Mosque of Holy Kaabah (Kaaba) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

When Allah (SWT) first ordered Prophet Mohammed (saw) and all Muslims to offer the daily Salat (Salah), they prayed facing Baitul-Maqdis in Jerusalem, Palestine. This was the practice in Makkah and continued in Medina until the seventeenth month after Hijrah (migration).

In Medina, the Jews also said their prayers facing Baitul-Maqdis. They did not like the fact that the Muslims had the same Qiblah as they did, and tried to use this fact to discredit Islam and Prophet Mohammed (saw). They said to the Muslims, "Mohammed claims to have a religion whose laws supersede all other previous laws, yet he does not have an independent Qiblah, and offers his prayers facing the Qiblah of the Jews."

The fools (pagans, hypocrites and Jews) among the people will say: What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah which they had? Say (O Mohammed): The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides whom He likes to the right path. Glorious Qur'an (2:142)

Prophet Mohammed (saw) prayed facing Jerusalem for sixteen or seventeen months after arriving in Medina. But after received this hurtful news Prophet Mohammed (saw) used to come out at night and look into the sky awaiting the revelation from Allah (SWT) about this matter. The following verse was revealed at this time:

Indeed We see the turning of your [Prophet Mohammed (saw)] face to heaven, so We shall surely turn you to a Qiblah which you shall like; turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face towards it, and those who have been given the Book (i.e. Jews and the Christians) most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do. Glorious Qur'an (2:144)

It appears from the above verse of the Glorious Qur'an that change of Qiblah was not due only to the objection of the Jews, but there was also another reason for it. It was that the matter possessed an aspect of test. The intention was that the true believers and those who were not sincere in their faith should be identified and the Prophet Mohammed (saw) should fully recognize such persons, because the second order, in obedience to which he turned his face towards Masjidil Haram, Sacred Mosque of Holy Kaabah (Kaaba), the new Qiblah as chosen by Allah (SWT) while performing prayers, was the sign of faith in the new religion and disobedience and delay is a sign of double-mindedness and hypocrisy. This is confirmed in the following verse of Glorious Qur'an:

And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you; and We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn back upon their heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith (prayers) to be fruitless (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem); most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people. Glorious Qur'an (2:143)

One day, while Prophet Mohammed (saw) and the Muslims were praying together, the command came from Allah to change the Qiblah from Baitul-Maqdis to Sacred Mosque of Holy Kaabah (Kaaba) in Makkah. After Prophet Mohammed (saw) had already completed two Rakaats of the noon prayer in congregation, the Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) communicated to him the mandatory divine command of Allah (SWT).

Jibraeel (as) held the hand of Prophet Mohammed (saw) and turned him towards Holy Kaabah (Kaaba) in Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. Prophet Mohammed (saw) at once changed his direction in the middle of salat and those praying behind him also did so.

The mosque where this happened is known as "Masjid-e-Dhul Qiblatain or Masjid Al-Qiblatain" which means "Mosque with two Qiblah". This is one of the famous and oldest mosques in Islamic history, still exists in Medina today few kilometers from Masjid al-Nabawi. It had two Mihrabs, one Mihrab is facing "Baitul-Maqdis" and the other one is facing "Masjid al-Haram". It was one of the Prophet Mohammed's (saw) miracles that he turned exactly to face the Holy Kaabah (Kaaba) without the use of any scientific instrument or computation.