PREPARING HALWA ON SHAB E BARAAT

Due to Shab e Bara-at being the night when innumerable Blessings and Mercies descend, performing acts of worship (making Ibaadat), performing virtuous deeds and seeking forgiveness has been emphasised on this night. To this degree, it is reported in the Hadith of Ibn e Majah Shareef that on this night from sunset until dawn, Allah Almighty directs His Special Divine Attention towards the sky of the earth as it is befitting His Divine Majesty, and He addresses His servants who seek forgiveness and those who request sustenance and those who seek freedom from adversities, by commanding them to present their needs. It has been proven from the Hadith Shareef of the Mother of the Believers Hazrat Aayesha Siddiqah Radi Allahu Anha that that our Master used to visit the graveyard of Baqee on this Blessed Night. It is proven from this that performing good deeds in abundance and conveying the rewards of it to the deceased on this Blessed Night is Sunnah. Feeding the people is also a good deed and feeding that which is regarded as a delicious meal is better and greater. Muslims consider Halwa to be an exquisite meal (a delicacy) and thus they spend on preparing it and they also distribute it amongst the people, with the intention that they will be rewarded for it. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'an:

You Can Never Attain Virtue Until You Spend In Allah's Cause The Things You Love. (Surah Ale-Imran 3:92). It is in Tafseer e Madaarik:

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Hazrat Umar ibn Abdul Aziz Radi Allahu Anhu used to buy sacks of sugar and he used to give it as a Sadqah, so people asked him that why don't you give its price (monetary value) as Sadqah? He said that, I like sugar, so I prefer to spend that which is preferred (dear) to me. From this we have ascertained that to spend that which is loved or preferred by you, is in compliance with this Qur’anic Verse. Halwa (A Sweet Dish) is something which is preferred and loved by the Muslims, so if they spend on it (i.e. distribute) it for the sake of Allah, then their action is according to this verse and they will receive the rewards from Allah Almighty. (Fataawa Sadrul Afaadil, Page Numbers 234/235)

Hakimul Ummat Mufti Ahmad Yaar Khan Naeemi Alaihir Rahma has mentioned in his authentic book Miratul Manaajeeh Sharh e Mishkaatil Masaabeeh that the source reference of making Faatiha and Niyaaz on sweet things is found in the Hadith Shareef of Rasoolullah . It has been mentioned that to prepare Halwa and present it in the Blessed Court of the Holy Prophet is the way of Hazrat Usman e Ghani Radi Allahu Anhu, who is one of the most exalted Companions of the Holy Prophet . It has been mentioned in Miratul Manaajeeh, Volume 6, Page number 25 as follows:

It is narrated from Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah Radi Allahu Anha that the Holy Prophet used to like and enjoy eating sweet things and honey. (Bukhari) Generally the Buzurgaan e Deen (The Pious Personalities) loved sweet things, therefore, Faatiha and Niyaaz are usually done on sweet dishes. The source of this is found in the above mentioned Hadith Shareef. There is another Hadith in which it has been mentioned that the believer is sweet and he likes (prefers) sweet. Every (permissible) sweet thing is included in the category of Halwa (Sweet Dish), and this includes Sharbat (milk-shake), sweet fruits, the general sweetmeats and the customary Halwa as well. (Mirqaat). The current day and customary Halwa was first made by Hazrat Usman e Ghani Radi Allahu Anhu, and he was the first person to present it in the Blessed Court of the Holy Prophet which contained flour, ghee (clarified butter) and honey. Huzoor enjoyed this very much and said that the Persians called it Dakhees. (Mirqaat). Regarding the Halwa of Shab e Bara-at, The Annotator of The Bukhari Hazrat Allamah Mufti Muhammad Sharif-ul-Haq Amjadi Alaihir Rahmah writes in Nuzhatul Qaari: It has been a tradition amongst the Muslims since ancient times to make Halwa on the night of the 15th of Sha’baan and according to the Shari’ah there is no harm (objection) in it, rather it is desirable and commendable for two reasons. The first being that it is an Auspicious Night which is from the Bounty and Grace of Allah Almighty: Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'an:

Say, "Upon Allah's Munificence And Upon His Mercy - Upon These Should The People Rejoice" (Surah Yunus 10:58). One of the ways to celebrate is also to eat and to feed good food, and sweet dishes were loved by the Holy Prophet . The Mother of the Believers Hazrat Aayesha Siddiqah Radi Allahu Anha says:

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Used To Love Honey And Sweet Things. (Bukhari)

The second reason is that the souls of the deceased come to the doors of their houses (i.e. visit their homes) on Shab e Bara-at and they request (blessings). There is greater reward in feeding the Halwa to the poor and needy for their Esaal e Sawaab because the more delicious the food will be, the greater the reward will be. (Nuzhatul Qaari, Volume 5, Page number 106, Chapter of Fasting, Published by Razvi Kitaab Ghar Delhi). In response to a similar question Huzoor Ala-Hazrat Alaihir Rahma writes in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef: On the night of 15th of Sha’baan cooking Halwa etc. and distributing it amongst the poor or to send it to friends is permissible. (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef Volume 23 page number 183).