Shabe Barat
Ibadat must be accomplished as Quran and Sunnah prescribe. Unfortunately, people of our times don’t go to Ulama (Pious Scholars) and roughly make queries about ‘how to’ or FAQs regarding a matter – this practice has become common today. For this reason, we make simple things complex.
At this age of information bombardment, if we, the Muslims become too incautious, take the matters of Deen lightly and just read any book or listen to any layman, who doesn’t have the real understanding of Deen, our concepts, beliefs, and deeds would become ‘as I wish’ or ‘whatever I like’ or ‘whatever I choose to do’. But Islam, the Deen by Allah Taala has reached us through more than 1000 years by the hardship of the pious people and if we ignore it, we may easily draw our lives astray.
Let us be rational. Let us easily accept the fact that Islam is from Allah Taala, brought by His Messenger – Beloved Rasulullah ﷺ – Protected by Allah Taala – in various means; major means is the pious people, starting from Sahaba (RA) the Imams of Hadith, Fuqaha and so on. There is a CHAIN – through which the Divine Knowledge, as well as spiritual teachings, have reached us – at this age, up to this moment. Allah Taala has preserved His Deen through the way He has decided.
Still, why do we get confused? Why do we mix up our own concepts and beliefs with the original and genuine ones? The only reason for it is: we do not make our queries to the People of Knowledge.
Take a closer look at the people who say ‘new things’ today. They ‘turn down’ the viewpoints of the Mujtahideen – Imams. They make comments and meanings on the Verses of the Quran and Hadith. Even they sound ‘good’, most of their comments and feelings are self-derived. In our Deen (Islam), even the right judgment is considered to be wrong, if it is uttered without confirmation. People who are commenting and establishing rulings regarding several Deeni matters are of two types: layman and scholars. If I consider myself as a layman, it is important to remember and bear in mind that, pious people of the past are far comparing to today’s people in many aspects and attributes. Therefore, scholars who are very rigid to oppose on matters like Shabe Barat, cannot be the only people whom we should follow when there is a clear indication of worship at this night from the pious predecessors. If we are too excited to say that there is nothing called Lailatul Barat, we should be very cautious, because the pious predecessors did not shun it in this way!
Some people today are too much biased by one or two contemporary scholars and completely abandoning the words and views of the past pious scholars. Some even dare to negatively comment on the unmatched pious Fuqaha, like, Imam Abu Hanifa (R) [Na-wuzubillah], whereas, they seriously take into account the Respect of Imam Bukhari (R). Imam Abu Hanifa (R) is the man who got the Company of few Sahaba (R) and wrote a book on Hadith many years before Imam Bukhari (R). But of course, we respect all our pious predecessors and do not hastily make comments on what we may not know. Just because of not attaining knowledge from reliable sources and in the right way, people today are following such concepts, conducts and occasions, which is contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam.
The men who had introduced or added new ideas, programs and occasions in Islam are the enemies of Muslims until they do Tawba sincerely. The Ulama hold the Proper Knowledge of Deen rightly and Allah Taala preserves Deen through the pious scholars, the Ulama – Allah Taala, by His Wisdom prepares a group of Islamic Scholars at every age. Sunnah is the yardstick to measure who is in the right path and who is in the wrong. And just as mentioned above – the reliable chain of Divine Knowledge is there of every individual, who carry and forward the knowledge they had attained. The liars and innovators don’t have any such reliable chain. Allah Taala had preserved the life of our pious predecessors in such a fashion and way, which has no match in human history! If with a pure and sincere heart, any individual seeks the Rights Path, it is wide open and Allah Taala Himself will guide the individual. The intention has to be very pure and clean while searching the truth.
Now that Shabe-Barat is approaching, see one wrong practice, we are in – at large. We are crowding in the mosques at night. Mufti Taqi Usmani (DB) has given an interesting example and explained how foolish this ‘meeting’ with Allah Taala is. He related that, if a king or a ruler has called someone to hold a confidential meeting with him and also gives the individual a particular time – ‘come at night when all others will be busy in their works’, what should the individual do? If the individual foolishly goes to meet the king at broad daylight and also take some of his friends with him, what will the king’s reaction be? Just similarly, in case of supererogatory worship (nafl Ibadat), Allah Taala has called his slaves towards him alone – separately. Authentic narrations bear the Ibadat (worship) at Shabe Barat’s night, but it is nafl – supererogatory. To accomplish supererogatory deeds, we are gathering in the mosque collectively, responding to Allah Taala’s call – fine, but in a way, which Allah Taala doesn’t like! Hadn’t it been much wiser and much better for us, if we have stayed in our houses, and performed Salat or Recited Quran and did Dua in solitude on the 15th Shaban night? Hadn’t this been much more rational and close to Sunnah?
Dear Reader, take another practice for instance! Today collectively many of us go to the graveyard on 15th Shaban night. From one Hadith we come to know that Beloved Rasulullah ﷺ had once gone to Jannatul Baqi – the graveyard in Madina, later Sayidatuna Ayesha (RA) followed him. At that time, wasn’t Rasulullah ﷺ alone in the graveyard? So what do we learn here? Our Beloved Rasulullah, ﷺ, was alone! But our eyes escape this fact! Our Noble Predecessors had always been much careful in following and complying with the Deeds of Beloved Rasulullah ﷺ. Let us also try so; let us stick close to the Sunnah as much as possible! Let us not make greetings like “Shabe Barat Mubarak” and let us not accomplish such acts, which are not in the authentic narrations of Quran and Sunnah. Let us look close, what are the dos and don’ts of Shabe Barat(Please Click to read). Let us clear our concepts and correct our Deeds. Then we could expect divine acceptation and forgiveness.
Last Updated on March 22, 2021 @ 6:00 pm by admin
