Shab-e-Barat

This article is about the regional and cultural aspect of the religious day of Mid-Sha'ban. For an overview, see Mid-Sha'ban.

Not to be confused with Shab-e-Miraj, which marks when the Prophet ascended to heavens.

Shab-e-Barat
Shab-e-Barat observance in Iran
Also called	Nisfe Barat
Observed by	Muslims
Date	Mid-Sha'ban (night between 14 and 15 of Sha'ban)

Shab-e-Barat (lit. Barat Night) is a Mid-Sha'ban related Islamic celebration celebrated in many South Asian, Central Asian, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries, on Mid-Sha'ban which is the 15th night of the month of Sha'ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

Etymology

According to tradition, this night is called Shab-e-Barat (

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) because Allah frees those who are destined for Hell.

Shab-e-Barat is also known as the "Night of Forgiveness" or "Day of Atonement".

Origins

Muslims observe Mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Scholars like Imam Shafi, Imam Nawawi, Imam Ghazali, and Imam Suyuti have declared praying acceptable on the night of mid-Shaban. In his majmu (a comprehensive compendium of legal rulings), Imam Nawawi quoted from Imam Shafi's Kitab al-Umm (his seminal work on jurisprudence), that there are five nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha'ban. However, many Islamic scholars also consider Shab-e-Barat to be a bid'ah (innovation), and hence discourage observing it.

Muslims believe that on the night of Shab-e-Barat, God writes the destinies of all men and women for the coming year by taking into account the deeds they committed in the past. It is regarded as one of the holiest nights on the Islamic calendar.

Observance

Shab-e-Barat is considered a major event in South Asia and Southeast Asia, during which Muslims gather to worship and seek forgiveness for their wrongdoings. It is believed to reward them with fortune for the whole year and cleanse them of their sins. In many regions, it is also a night when prayers are offered to forgive one's deceased ancestors. Additionally, Twelver Shia Muslims commemorate the birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdi. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq and Imam Muhammad al-Baqir perform special prayers on this night.

To pray for the dead and ask Allah for the forgiveness of the dead is a common ceremony in all cities that hold Barat ceremonies. According to a hadith tradition, the prophet Muhammad went into the graveyard of Baqi on this night, where he prayed for the Muslims buried there. On this basis, some clerics deem it advisable on this night to go to the graveyard of the Muslims to recite a part of the Qur'an and pray for the dead.

Customs by country

This occasion is celebrated all over South and Central Asia. In the Arab world, the festival is celebrated by Sufi and Shia Muslims. Salafi Arabs do not celebrate this holiday.

West Asia

Iran

Shab E Braat in Iran

Peganum harmala incense

The Barat festival in the Khorasan region, Kurdistan, and other parts of Iran, is one of the most important festivals for respecting the souls of the dead. People in every area have their own customs, but the common tradition is to prepare sweets and candy with dates (halva) and date palm. Before sunset groups gather in cemeteries to clean the tombs to place offerings of sweets and candy pot on the tombs for the departed to eat, to pray, and to light candles to turn on the lights (cherag). In some Iranian cities, to celebrate this festival people gather in the cemeteries to burn Peganum harmala or wild rue in a corner of the tombs and pour some salt on the fire, and recite a poem saying: the Peganum harmala is bitter and salt is salty so the jealous eye of the enemy be blind. In Iran, it is a national holiday and all city streets are lit to commemorate the birth date of Imam Al Mahdi, the last Shia imam.

Iraq

In Iraq, people give children candies as they walk through their neighborhoods. Sunni Muslims and non-Muslim Yazidi Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan celebrate this holiday 15 days before Ramadan.

Turkey

Berat Kandili is the name for Mid-Sha’ban and it is considered a sacred day in Turkey. Muslim holiday celebrations have been called Kandil (, oil lamp) since Sultan Selim II of the Ottoman Empire after burning lamps to light up minarets on the occasion of special blessed nights.

South Asia

In South Asia, Muslims make sweets (especially halwa or zarda) to give to neighbors and the poor on the evening before the 15th of Sha’ban.

Bangladesh

Bangladeshi halwa

Shab-e-Barat is observed by Bengali Muslims. Many schools remain closed on that day. Many people fast, pray after the isha prayer, read the Quran, barter bread and sweets and donate to the impoverished on that day. People visit graveyards, pray and light candles and incense and place flowers. Shab-e-Barat and lanes of Old Dhaka get bustling with shops vending these soft, fluffy decorative pieces of bread, using traditional motifs such as fish and kalka. Alongside the traditional decorative breads, colorful Bengali sweets such as halua, borfi, sandesh, pitha, kheer er putli, rasmalai, nikuti, naru, moya as well as savoury dishes like boondi kabab polao and hari kababs are served. Buildings get illuminated and decorated by traditional lighting such as diyas, candles and lanterns, cloth architectures (shamiana) and paperworks. Children engage in fireworks and burn fireworks and crackers. Religious cultural programs such as waz mehfil, Quran recitation, na'at mehfil, Bengali ghazal mehfil, qasida, tabarruk distribution and mezban are held in mosques and other places. Shab-e-Barat has now become a cultural festival of Bengalis.

India

Historically, Shab-e-Barat in India has been associated with fasting, visiting mosques and charity. The Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in India has opined that individual worship on the night of 15th Shaban is mustahab (virtuous) but practices such as lighting bulbs, preparing a variety of dishes, wearing new clothes, making halwa and collective worship in mosques are bid'ah (innovation) and should be avoided.

People belonging to the Muslim community of India pray all night and also recite the Quran. They start their prayers after sunset and pray until suhur. On the next day down, before azaan, sehri is eaten. Devotees also believe that Shab-e-Barat is the night when Allah decides the fortunes of people. On the occasion people wish each other "Shab-e-Barat Mubarak".

Pakistan

A child lighting candles and scent sticks on the graves of the deceased, a tradition among some families to seek forgiveness of their loved ones.

The ulema and religious scholars in their sermons highlight teachings of Islam while different gatherings and Mahafil-e-Naat are arranged to mark the holy night.

Shab-e-Barat is observed throughout Pakistan, and is an optional holiday that can be chosen from employment and holiday laws in Pakistan. Some employees may choose to take this day off, though most offices and businesses remain open.

Traditional sweets like halwa, savaiyyan (vermicelli) and flatbread are prepared and shared with neighbours, friends and relatives, and the poor.

Flowers are also placed on graves of deceased family members besides offering fatiha for them.

In various places, it is a common tradition to offer prayers to Allah for forgiveness on behalf of the deceased, which is why people visit the graves of their loved ones, offer prayers and light candles and scent sticks at the graves of their loved ones.

The houses, streets and mosques are decorated with colourful pennants and buntings.

Southeast Asia

Indonesia

Muslims in Indonesia do communal dhikr devotions in mosques followed by a lecture (ceramah) led by an ustadz. This tradition is rarely followed in Indonesia, but it is widely followed in Aceh, West Sumatra, and South Kalimantan.

See also

• Obon
• Pitru Paksha
• All Saints' Day
• All Souls' Day
• Day of the Dead
• Thursday of the Dead

References

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