The Night of Mid-Sha’ban

The Night of Mid-Sha’ban, known in Arabic as Laylat al-Nisf min Sha’ban, is one of the greatest nights of the year. In the Islamic understanding, the night precedes the day so it falls on the night before the fifteenth day of Sha’ban. ‘Ata’ bin Yasar, who narrated hadith from the Companions, said that after Laylat al-Qadr there is no night better than the Night of Mid-Sha’ban. Its greatness is due to the divine gifts that are bestowed during it. Continue reading The Night of Mid-Sha’ban

The Annual Visit to the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him)

Thousands will soon be gathering to attend the annual visit of the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him), probably the most significant event in the calendar of Hadramawt.

Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) will be leading his students to the visit. In doing so, he follows in the footsteps of his forefathers. It is said that the Ba `Alawi scholars went to great lengths to extol the virtues of two things: the books of Imam al-Ghazali, particularly Ihya’ `Ulum al-Din, and the visit of the Prophet Hud. Continue reading The Annual Visit to the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him)

Merits of Sha’ban

Scholars say that the linguistic root of the word Sha’ban is a branch, because many good things “branch off” from the month of Sha’ban. It acts as a bridge between the two blessed months of Rajab and Ramadan. In spite of this, it is often neglected. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ alerted us to this fact when he was asked why he was fasting so much in Sha’ban. He replied: “It is a month that people neglect, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which actions are raised to the Lord of the Worlds and I love for my actions to be raised while I am fasting.”1

Continue reading Merits of Sha’ban