Shab e Barat 2022 is to be on the night of Friday, March 18th, 2022.
Shab e Barat meaning
The literal meaning of Shab e Barat can be translated to the night of Atonement. It has numerous names as per the different cultures worldwide, such as Cheragh e Barat, Barat Night, Berat Kandili, or Nisfu Syaaban. Due to the virtues of the night, it is one of the holiest nights in Islam. People use the night to atone for the sins of their ancestors and prevent them from hellfire.
Shab e Barat is a night that many Muslims revere as the night of forgiveness, praying the whole night asking Allah to bestow them with His blessings.
Shab-e-Barat according to Hadith:
There are no Sahih Hadiths or verses in the Quran that clearly point out or talk about the significance of the night. However, especially in South Asia, many people celebrate the night, spending time in worship of Allah.
However, there are some Daaif Hadiths that mention the importance and virtues of this night.
Aishah (R.A.) narrated that:
“…. He (S.A.W.) said: ‘Indeed Allah, Mighty and Sublime is He, descends to the lowest Heavens during the night of the middle of Shaban, to grant forgiveness to more than the number of hairs on the sheep of (Banu) Kalb.’” (Tirmidhi: 739)
Another Hadith reported by Aishah (R.A.) stated that the Prophet (S.A.W.) spent the night of 14th and 15th Shaban in extensive prayer to the extent that she thought he had died. (Al-Bayhaqi & Al-Tabarani).
Fasting on 15th Shaban:
There is no authentic Hadith that explicitly mentions the importance of fasting especially on the 15th day of Shaban. As mentioned above the Prophet (S.A.W.) used to fast frequently during this month. So 15th Shaban cannot be singled out for fasting.
Is Shab e-Barat a Public Holiday?
Shab e-Barat is an optional holiday. Employment and holiday laws in Pakistan allow employees to choose a limited number of holidays from a list of optional holidays.
Celebration of Shab-e-Barat:
Shab-e-Barat is celebrated with devotion and respect all over the country. Different countries have different ways of celebrating this night. People even celebrate the night with fireworks although this is a result of the influence of the local traditions and does not have any religious significance and even some scholars called this Bidah (Innovation in religion).
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