Acts of Devotion on Special Nights

Remaining awake on the Night of Miʿraaj, the Night of Bara’ah, and similar nights, and making special arrangements for abundant worship and supplications on these nights, is Islamically permissible and commendable. Those who label staying awake on the Night of Miʿraaj, the Night of Bara’ah, and similar nights and arranging special Nawaafil (voluntary) Salaah and supplications as an innovation should remember this fundamental principle of Islam: any practice that did not occur during the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمor the era of the Companions, but was later adopted by people, is Islamically permissible, provided that there is no prohibition for it in the Shari'ah.

As the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمsaid:

Translation: “Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will have its reward, as well as the reward of all who act upon it.” (Saheeh Muslim Shareef) Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمsaid:

Translation: “That regarding which the Shariʿah has remained silent is among those matters that Allah Almighty has pardoned (i.e., permitted).” (Sunan Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn e Maajah) This means that any permissible act which the Shariʿah has not prohibited is lawful to perform. The Shariʿah has not forbidden staying awake on the Night of Miʿraaj or the Night of Bara’ah, offering voluntary Salaah, or making supplications on these nights. Therefore, in light of the Prophetic statements, such practices are permissible and commendable. Making extensive arrangements for worship and supplication on the Night of Bara’ah is fully in accordance with the conduct and practice of the pious predecessors.

Thus, it is in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, quoting Lataa'iful Maʿaarif:

Translation: “Among the people of Syria, the leading Taabiʿeen such as Khalid bin Maʿdaan, Imam Mak'hool, Luqmaan bin Aamir, and others (Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alaihim) used to revere the Night of Bara’ah (15th Of Shabaan) and strive intensely in worship during it. From them, people learned to acknowledge its virtue and to honour it.” (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Volume 7, Page 433/Raza Foundation, Lahore) Worship on the Night of Miʿraaj is likewise permissible and commendable. Regarding the virtue of worship on this blessed night, the spiritually enlightened Gnostic, the great scholar, Shaikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi Alaihir Rahmah, narrates a Hadith:

Translation: “In the month of Rajab there is a night in which, for the one who worships during it, the reward of one hundred years of good deeds is recorded. That night is the twenty-seventh of Rajab. Whoever performs twelve Raka'ats on this night, reciting Surah Fatihah and another Surah from the Holy Qur’an in each Raka'at, recites the Tashahhud in every Raka'at, and says Salaam at the end,

forgiveness (Istighfaar) from Allah Almighty one hundred times, sends Durood upon the Hoy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمone hundred times, and supplicates for whatever he wishes concerning his worldly and hereafterly affairs, and then observes a fast in the morning, then indeed Allah Almighty will accept all of his supplications, except a supplication for sin.” This narration was transmitted by Imam Bayhaqi Alaihir Rahma in Shu’abul-Iman, from Abaan, who narrated it from Hazrat Anas RadiAllahu Anhu. (Maa Thabata Bis-Sunnati, Page 150; Shu’abulIman, Book of Fasting, Chapter on specifying the month of Rajab with special remembrance, Volume 3, Page 374) Therefore, Muslims should not allow the whisperings of others to make them negligent in their worship. Rather, with hope for abundant reward from Allah Almighty, they should devote themselves wholeheartedly to worship and supplication during the sacred nights

such as the Night of Miʿraaj, the Night of Bara’ah, and similar blessed occasions.