Shab-e-Baraat, Night Of Blessings To Be Celebrated On April 20

Shab-e-Baraat, the night of blessings and worship of the Allah Almighty, the fifteenth night of Shaban, eighth month of the Islamic calendar, is known as Shab-e-Barat in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan and others, while it is known as Laylatul Bara'ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha'ban in the Arab world

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Apr, 2019 ) :Shab-e-Baraat, the night of blessings and worship of the Allah Almighty, the fifteenth night of Shaban, eighth month of the Islamic Calendar, is known as Shab-e-Barat in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan and others, while it is known as Laylatul Bara'ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha'ban in the Arab world.

Muslims typically celebrate Shab-e-Baraat on the 15th of Shaban, usually around fifteen days before the month of Ramadan begins. This year, Shab-e-Barat will be celebrated on April 20 (Saturday).

Shab-e-Baraat has tremendous benefits for Muslims. It is best to pray and worship Allah on that night and seek his forgiveness.

Muslims pass the night (Shab-e-Baraat) offering special prayers, recitation from the Holy Quran, holding Mahfil-e-Milad, Zikr and other religious rituals to mark the occasion with due solemnity.

People also visit the graveyards of their relatives and offer Fateha for the departed souls of their beloved ones.

According to a Hadith, Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said any individual who fasts for three days during the month of Shabaan and recites Durood three times at Iftar, Allah will forgive his sins and will increase his provisions. Additionally, the person will enter in Paradise on a female camel on the Day of Judgment.

Some Islamic scholars believe in that in Surah al-Dukhan, there is a reference to this night as Allah says, "We sent it (the Qur'an) down during a blessed night. We are truly warners. In that night is made distinct every affair of wisdom.

" Some scholars also say that in the second year of Hijrah, the direction of Qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to Ka'bah (Makkah) on the 15th day of Sha'ban.

According to some of other scholars of Tafsir, the Qur'an has not mentioned anything about this night. There are some Ahadith that speak about the middle of Sha'ban and its night.

Imam al-Mundhiri (died in 656 A H) in his famous book Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib (vol. 2, pp. 116-120) has reported fourteen Ahadith on the subject of this night. The following points can be summarized from those Ahadith: The month of Sha'ban is a great month. In this month Allah takes the account of His creation. Because this month occurs between two other important months, viz Rajab and Ramadan, many people do not pay enough attention to it.

The Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) loved to fast during this month. He used to fast most of the month of Sha'ban. After sunset during this night (Laylatul Bara'ah), Allah in His great mercy and kindness turns towards His creation and asks, "Is there anyone who would seek My forgiveness and I forgive him/her? Is there anyone who is in need to ask Me and I provide for his/her needs. Is there anyone who in pain and seek My help and I help him/her. "It is our duty as Muslims to take advantage of all good occasions to revive our faith, to purify our souls and to increase our love and devotion to Allah subhanhu wa ta'ala, but we must follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). We must not do anything in our celebrations that is against his teachings.