Full Moon Night of Forgiveness, Night of Berat
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
Peace to your hearts dear Circle Guides and Dervishes!
Through Allah's Mercy to us we have again reached to the full moon nights of Shaban when Muhammad the compassionate intercessor prayed for the complete forgiveness of humanity.
We can feel the heightened atmosphere of prayer at this time. Some of you might be spontaneously awaking in the night. Use it to pray.
As we are told through the accounts of the Prophet's life, he prayed intensely on the three nights of the fullest moon. At the dawn after the first night he received the good news from noble Archangel Gabriel that his Lord had forgiven one third of his community. However his heart was not at peace with the news and he grieved over those not included. He prayed intensely in the following night and at dawn he was told by the trustworthy Gabriel that another third of his community was forgiven. Still he could not rest. What would happen to those not included? How could he accept that some souls would not participate in eternal bliss, as the divine Reality infused all souls? On the third night, joined by his precious family, he begged his Lord and Lover, the Lord and Lover of all beings, the most Merciful of the Merciful, to forgive everyone absolutely. And at dawn the great news came to his magnificent heart. All people without exception will be forgiven everything! Let us joyfully imagine this - that ultimately every person will receive complete forgiveness and dwell in eternal mercy! And this is why we pray on these nights. We join our prayers with his prayer. We actually join him in the garden of Medina as part of his family, for the heart's reality is beyond space and time.
Blessed full moon nights of Shaban! Blessed gift of prayer! "I hear the one who calls on Me," says the Most Merciful.
Increase your prayer. Spread your prayers like your breaths in the breeze. To the East and the West, to the North and the South, above and below, within and without.
This year the nights of fullest moon seem to span four nights almost equally. Tonight, Tuesday night and Wednesday night, or tomorrow, Wednesday night and Thursday. In NY we are offering the 100 rekats on Wednesday night. In Mexico City Shaykha Amina is offering the 100 rekats on Thursday because Mexico celebrates Mother's Day on Wednesday.
In Puerto Rico in past years the community has divided the hundred into 33 plus one spread over three nights. That has worked well for them and it might work for other circles. The advantage is that all three nights of intercession are honored. Circle Guides, look at the moon phases in your area and decide on which night/s you will offer prayer with your circle.
Know that on the night of Berat, the third night, the individual destinies for that year are made manifest and spiritual ranks are designated. Therefore this night is a night of Power.
Please honor it, and may we realize its power and mercy.
It is recommended to fast one of the three days.
Together in His Hand of Power and Love.
Forgiveness Ya Salaam
Ya Ghaffar.! Ya Ghaffur! Ya Afuw!
O Forgiver! O Redeemer! O Obliterator of our faults!
Peace! Peace! Peace!
Allah's love erases the wrongs etched in our soul.
His love Her love brings us back to our pure root.
It makes the tablet blank
It brings us to our essence
Pure breath in vast openness
Not a footprint in the newly fallen snow
May the new writing be good
May the footprints follow the Beloved's
Fariha al-Jerrahi