Question
Is this Hadith authentic?
Sayyiduna Abu Nasr ibn Sa’id (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “On the 13th Sha’ban, Jibril (‘alayhis salam) came to me and said, ‘Rise, O Muhammed, it is the time of Tahajjud. Make du’a on behalf of your Ummah.” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) rose and did accordingly. At the time of dawn, Jibril (‘alayhis salam) descended and gave glad tidings to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that “Allah Ta’ala has forgiven one third of your Ummah.”
Upon hearing this Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) cried and said, “O Jibril, tell me about the remaining two thirds, what has happened to them?” Jibril (‘alayhis salam) replied, “I have no knowledge about them.”
On the following night, Jibril (‘alayhis salam) reappeared and once more exhorted Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to rise and make du’a, as he had done the previous night. Once again, at the time of dawn, Jibril (‘alayhis salam) descended and informed Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that Allah Ta’ala had forgiven two thirds of the Ummah. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) again cried and said, “Tell me about the remaining third.” Jibril (‘alayhis salam) replied, “I have no knowledge about it.”
Then when it was the 15th of Sha’ban, the night of Bara’ah Jibril (‘alayhis salam) delivered the glad tidings to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that the entire Ummah has been forgiven, provided that they do not ascribe partners to Allah Ta’ala in His Being or His Attributes. Jibril (‘alayhis salam) then said, “O Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) turn your head towards the sky and look. What do you see?”
When Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) looked up, he saw that all the doors of the Heavens were open and all the angels from the first heaven till the ‘Arsh of Allah Ta’ala were in sajdah, seeking forgiveness for the Ummah of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). At the door of each heaven an angel was making an announcement:
The Angel at the first heaven was proclaiming, “Glad tidings for the one who performs ruku’ on this night.”
The Angel at the second heaven was proclaiming, “Glad tidings for the one who performs sajdah on this night.”
The Angel at the third heaven was proclaiming, “Glad tidings for the one who makes dhikr on this night.”
The Angel at the fourth heaven was proclaiming, “Glad tidings for the one who supplicates to his Rabb.”
The Angel on the fifth heaven proclaimed, “Glad tidings for the one who cries out of the fear of Allah Ta’ala on this night.”
The Angel on the sixth heaven proclaimed, “Glad tidings for the one who performs an act of goodness and virtue on this night.”
The Angel on the seventh heaven was proclaiming, “Glad tidings for the one who recites Quran on this night.”
Then this same angel proclaimed, “Is there anyone who is asking for anything, so that he may be granted it? Is there anyone supplicating so that his supplication may be answered? Is there anyone seeking repentance so that his repentance may be accepted?”
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