Shab E Barat - Night of Forgiveness

In month of Shaban, Shab-E-Barat is celebrated with pomp and enthusiasm by Muslims all over the world. On the night of Shab-E-Barat Allah writes the destinies of all men for the coming year by taking into account the deeds committed by them in the past.

The festival is celebrated held either on the thirteenth or on the fourteenth day of Shaban, the eighth month of the Muslim year. This happens to be fifteen days before the beginning of Holy Month of Ramadan.

Shab-E-Barat means the night of forgiveness or Day of Atonement. People pray to Allah both in preparation for Ramadan and for the forgiveness of the sins committed by them. The festival is also known as Boraks Nigh.

In Persian language, ‘Shab’ means night and ‘Barat’ means ‘the night of commission or assignment’.
In Arabic language, however, the day is known as Lailatul Bara'at, meaning the night of emancipation.
Some though see Shab-E-Barat as the night of good fortune and a popular legend says that on this night the Prophet visits each house and relieves the pains of suffering humanity.

The night of Shab-E-Barat also commemorates the entry of Prophet Muhammad pbuh into the city of Mecca. However, Shia Muslims associate this night with the birth of their last Imam.

Celebrations
Skies light up on the night of Shab-E-Barat as the festival is celebrated in the night. Houses and streets are are also illuminated by candles and strands of electric bulbs to provide a joyful ambiance to the festival.

Colourful fire works keep dazzling the skies as the Muslims stay awake on the night of Shab-E-Barat. This is due to a belief that Allah writes the destinies of all living beings for the coming years in heavens during the night.

It may be noted that there is no mention of Shab-E-Barat in the Holy Quran. However, Sura Dukhan does mentions about Laila Mubaraka, which, according to the learned scholars of the Holy Quran and the Hadith, is Shab-E-Barat.

Excellence of Month of Rajab

Rajab is a month with blessings beyond out imagination and a month in which Duas are sure to be answered. We must respectthis month and busy ourselves in as much Ibaadat as is possible within our capacity, so that we may take advantage of the numerous blessings of this month and so that we may attain the Pleaaure and Mercyof Allah.

Allah has stated in the Holy Quran.

"Undoubtedly, the number of months with Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred. This is the right religion. Therefore, do not wrong yourselves in these months. (Surah 9, Vers 36)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, There is no doubt that Rajab is one of the sacred months. It was in this month that Allah put Hazrat Nuh aboard the Ark. Hazrat Nuh then spent th month fasting aboard the Ark, and he ordered thosw who accompanied him to keep the same fast, so Allah delivered them and kept them safe from drowning, while He used the flood to purifythe earth by ridding it of unbelief and tyranny.

This beautiful month of Rajab has several names two of which will be explaind here. Once after the new moon ofor Rajab had been sighted, Hazrat Uthman Ghani went onto the pulpit during the Jumuah prayer. After he delivered the Khurba he went on to say, "Well now this is the Deaf month of Allah".The reason it was called deaf month of Allah is beause as soon as the new moon was sighted ofr Rajab, the Arabs, who were perpetuallyengaged in feuding with each other, would lay down their weapons. As a result the noise of the clashed of arms and spears would not to be heard for the duration of the month. A man might have gone outin search ofhis father's killer, but if he spotted hum during Rajab he would not confront him. He would act as if he could neither see him nor hear him.

Related Posts:
Month of Muharram
Month of Ramdan
Month of Safar
Month of Sha'ban

Importance of Education in Islam

Islam is the religion of peace, and it is one of the most sacred and trustworthy religions, which has given us guidance in every aspect of life. Islam has given us education with knowledge which has no limits. The Holy Quran is the most sacred book of Allah revealed on Prophet Muhammad (SAW), for the upliftment guidance and enriched messages to the humanity.

Education is the knowledge of putting one's potentials to maximum use. Without education, no one can find the proper right path in this world.

This importance of education is basically for two reasons. Education makes man a right thinker. Without education, no one can think properly in an appropriate context you. It tells man how to think and how to make decision. The second reason for the importance of education is that only through the attainment of education, man is enabled to receive information from the external world. It is well said that

"Without education, man is as though in a closed room and with education he finds himself in a room with all its windows open towards outside world."

This is why Islam attaches such great importance to knowledge and education. When the Quran began to be revealed, the first word of its first verse was 'Iqra' that is, read..

The reflective book of Holy Quran is so rich in content and meaning that if the history of human thought continues forever, this book is not likely to be read to its end. Every day it conveys a new message to the humanity. Every morning, it gives us new thoughtful ideas and bound us in the boundaries of ethics.

Islamic Education is one of the best systems of education, which makes an ethical groomed person with all the qualities, which he/she should have as a human being. The Western world has created the wrong image of Islam in the world. They don't know that our teachings are directly given to us from Allah, who is the creator of this world, through our Prophets.

The Muslims all over the world are thirsty of acquiring quality education. They know their boundaries and never try to cross it. It is the West, which has created a hype that the Muslim are not in a path of getting proper education. They think that our education teaches us fighting, about weapons, etc., which is so false. This is true that there are certain elements, which force an individual to be on the wrong path, because as we will mould a child, they will be like that, but it doesn't mean that our religion teaches improperly to us.

Our Holy Prophet (SAW), said,

Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.

And:

Seek knowledge even [if it is to be found in a place as distant as China. At the battle of Badr, in which our beloved Holy Prophet (SAW) gained victory over his foes, seventy people of the enemy rank were taken to prison. These prisoners were literate people. In order to benefit from their education the Prophet declared that if one prisoner teaches ten Muslim children how to read and write, this will serve as his ransom and he will be set free. This was the first school in the history of Islam established by the Prophet himself with all its teachers being non-Muslims. The Sunnah of the Prophet shows that education is to be received whatever the risk involved.

Today, the Muslims are acquiring good ideas, thoughts, knowledge, and skills, from all corners of the world. The world is moving very fast, and in this industrialize world, It is the duty of the teachers to give quality ethical integrated education to the Muslim students worldwide, because children are invaluable assets of future generations.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged all Muslims to acquire knowledge and share it. He said:

"Acquire knowledge, for he who acquires it in the way of Allah performs an act of piety; he who speaks of it, praises the Lord; he who seeks it, adores Allah; he who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and he who imparts it to others, performs an act of devotion to Allah." (Bukhari, Muslim)

All the teachers of either secular or religious education should give more attention to the pupils inside the classroom. It is necessary that in the Islamic system that we should consider these dear children as our own children, and put aside all other considerations, and rise above all such things and realize our duty and our mission. We should raise the standards of education and attend to the needs of these children. We should realize our duties with earnestness and awaken to the sense of responsibility. It has been seen that there are certain teacher who are not fulfilling their duties with keen interest. I would like to request all the teachers that for the sake of God, for the sake of your revolutionary duty, teach the children with devotion and dedication.

It is important that we advance our work through discussions, debates, studies, and through proper distribution of work among ourselves.

We must never forget that we are living in an Islamic State, and our aim should be simultaneously to create both an independent as well as an Islamic culture in character. Independence and richness of content are indeed among the characteristics of the Islamic culture. Our system is an ideological system.

We should make our child enthusiastic, dynamic, and this search should pervade every corner of our society. We should aspire them to be truthful and sincere.

Self-sacrifice and generosity, love of freedom, the resolve for resistance and headstrong perseverance, the courage to welcome martyrdom-all these are the new values of the new generation, which should be taught according to the teaching of Islam.

The doors of the school should always be kept open for the sake of Islam, for the sake of the Muslim Ummah.