اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمْضَانَ

O Allah, grant us blessings in the month of Rajab and Shabaan and make us reach the month of Ramdaan

Allah Ta’ala had granted us Salaah in the month of Rajab which connects a person to Allah Ta’ala. In the month of Shabaan, Allah Ta’ala granted us the night of Shabe- Baraat. This night has been granted to us to cleanse and purify ourselves prior to the month of Ramdaan.

During the course of the year we get involved in various forms of sins. These sins are worse than urine and stool in the words of Hadrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alaihi. So, Allah Ta’ala gives us an opportunity to cleanse ourselves of these sins on the night of the 15^th of Shabaan. This can be understood by the following example, If a boy who is going to get married on a Sunday morning is busy repairing his motor vehicle, and then comes to the Masjid to have his Nikah performed with oil and grease on his clothing, the people will send him home to cleanse himself and come to have his Nikah performed. Similarly, we can take a spiritual bath and cleanse ourselves by repenting before Allah Ta’ala.

In the terminology of the Quraan Sharif a sinner is termed as a Dhaalim. For such a sinner who is Dhaalim, Allah Ta’ala is Ghaafir (one who forgives). If one sins to a much greater degree in comparison to the Dhaalim, then such a sinner is termed as Dhallam (a greater sinner). For such a sinner, Allah Ta’ala is Ghaffar (one who forgives in abundance). The third type of sinner is one that sins excessively and he is termed as Dhaloom. For such a sinner, Allah Ta’ala is Ghafoor (one who forgives excessively). If we study the Quraan Sharif, we will find the term Ghafoor is repeated again and again in the Quraan as Allah Ta’ala is prepared to forgive the servants even though they err abundantly.

In some verses of the Quraan Sharif, Allah Ta’ala says,

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ

And He is most forgiving, All loving

Allah Ta’ala forgives a person for sinning and then favours him by loving him as well.

إِنَّهُ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ

Verily He is Most Forgiving, Most Appreciative

After forgiving a person for the wrong that he has committed, Allah Ta’ala shows appreciation. In the world, if a son wrongly uses his father’s cheque book, the father might forgive him, but he will not thank him and show appreciation but Allah Ta’ala shows appreciation as well.

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

And Allah Ta’ala is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful

From this verse, once again we understand the mercy and kindness of Allah. If one acts wrongfully, he may be forgiven in court but he will not be given any gift when he is forgiven. On the other hand, Allah Ta’ala showers his mercy upon the person that sought forgiveness after disobeying the commands of Allah Ta’ala.

When we have such a kind and compassion Allah, we should turn to him in repentance and beg of his pleasure. The words of forgiveness have been taught to us by Allah Ta’ala in the Quraan Sharif. In the last verse of Surah Baqarah we have been taught this Dua,

وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Overlook our sins, forgive us and have mercy on us. You are our protector so assist us against the nation of disbelievers.

In the above Dua we start our supplication by saying “Wafoo Anna.” Allama Aaloosi Rahmatullahi Alaihi (the great commentator of the Quraan and Mufti of Baghdad) explains the Tafseer of the this Dua in the following manner,

اى امح اٰثار ذنوبنا

(O Allah), Wipe out the effects of our sins.

On the day of Qiyaamah there will be four witnesses to every sin that a person had committed (i.e.the earth, the limbs of the body, the book of deeds and the angels.) By reciting the above Dua all the above witnesses are made to forget the sin committed by the servant. 

بستر القبيح واظهار الجميل

(Forgive us) by concealing our evil (that we had committed) and exposing the good (within us).

Many pious servants of Allah Ta’ala had a past history, but they had repented sincerely and become the beloved of Allah Ta’ala. When people remember these pious souls, they remember them on account of their good action and not because the sins that they had previously indulged in.

تفضل علينا بفنون الاء مع استحقاقنا بافانين العقاب

(Have mercy on us) Favour us with various bounties in spite of us being worthy of various forms of punishments.

This is a precious Dua taught to us in the Quraan Sharif. The mercy of Allah Ta’ala is likened to a wave of the ocean which washes all the dirt remaining on the shore. Just as the shore becomes absolutely clean, the wave of Allah’s mercy will completely purify us of our sins.

Another Dua that we should recite excessively on this night, the Dua which Hadrat Aisha Radiallahu Anha heard Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam reciting whilst in Sajda on the 15^th night of Shabaan. The Dua is as follows,

اَعُوْذٌ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ وَاَعُوْذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَاَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنْكَ لاَ اُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ اَنْتَ كَمَا اَثْنَيْتَ عَلٰى نَفْسِكَ

From Your punishment I take protection in Your forgiveness, from Your displeasure I take protection in Your pleasure, (from Azaab/punishment) I take protection in Thee, I cannot praise You (as You ought to be praised), You are as You have praised Yourself.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq of seeking forgiveness during this night and preparing for the month of Ramdaan! Ameen!