Nisfu Syaaban & my thoughts ..

Tonight it’s the full moon but I can’t see it where I am, I usually can. There is suppose to be two full moons – aka Mars being way close to Earth – if it that’s true than I think I may have missed the greatest this moon wise during this life time .. anyways ..

Tonight also is the night of Nisfu Syaaban. It’s a night of blessings, of sins being forgiven and a night where prayers are answered and it is a reminder to all Muslims that Ramadhan is about two weeks or so away.

Syaaban is the 8^th month of the Muslim Calendar and according to sources one of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) favorite months.

Nisfu syaaban is not a Muslim holiday but more like a religious observance.The two months before Ramadhan which is Rejab and Syaaban are known to be two of the most blessed months before Ramadhan. Blessings are promised to those who fast on the 7^th , 8^th and 9^th month of the Muslim Calendar.

In blessed syaaban, we are promised blessings and goodness in abundance. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ..

‘Syaaban is my month, and Ramadhan is the month of my people. Syaaban is a month of forgiveness and eradication of sins and Ramadhan a month of purification of the soul’.

During this month, people are known to fast for a day or a whole month. Fasting in Syaaban and Rejab is not obligatory but it’s like an added incentive, bonus if you could call in our spiritual journey.

The special night of Nifsu starts way before night time. We are encouraged to say special supplications all through the day before the night.

On the night of Nifsu Syaaban, our family would usually gather together to do the special prayers together. We would gather together at grandma’s house in the evening. We do the obligatory prayers in this case Maghrib , together and then sit and read the Yaa Sin which is a verse from the Quran. We read it three times, with breaks after each, reading a special supplication for this blessed month of Syaaban. We would sit and do this until the call for prayer for the final prayer of the day which is Isyak.

During this time, we ask God for whatever it is that we want, most importantly we ask for His forgiveness, we ask for His blessings, His mercy for ourselves, our parents, our family and the humanity on the whole.

On a personal note, I think this time spent in prayer not only gives us a sense of peace but it always brings the family together. This year however it was an individual feat for everyone seeing that the head of the household, my uncle and his wife are out of town – which isn’t as bad, one on one time with God is always nice and I am a believer than yes prayer has tremendous powers, its about bringing your self closer to Allah, gives you a sense of peace & serenity, it fills your soul and on a night such as this all the negatives that seem to have transpired in recent days seem to go away .. subhanallah J … even if only for a moment and it does make it a little more easier ..

Hope everyone had a blessed evening …