Shab e Barat or the 15th Night Of Shaban, is among the most blessed and virtuous nights in the Islamic calendar, respectfully observed and celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
It is an important night for prayers, dua, nawafil, and astaghfar and holds immense fazilat for Muslims.
In this article, we’ll tell you the exact date of Shab e Barat in 2024 and share its history and origin in hadith.
Plus, we’ll also list some of the common myths, misconceptions, and bidaat that people have unfortunately associated with this virtuous night.
Please read till the end and share with your friends as Sadqa e Jarya.
- Read: Shab e Barat Ke Nawafil Kese Ada Karain
- Read: Shab e Barat Main Kya Dua Mangay
- Read: Shab e Barat Fasting | Kya Roza Rakhna Sunnat Hai?
When Is Shab e Barat 2024 Date? 15 Shaban Kab Hai
Shab e Barat Date In Pakistan, India Bangladesh is the Night of Sunday 25th February 2024
Shab e Barat is observed on the night of the 15th Shaban in the Islamic calendar. Since the Islamic dates are based on moonsighting, the exact date of Shab e Barat is different across countries and regions.
In 2024, Shab e Barat will be celebrated on the following dates in different Muslim countries (estimated dates)
| Country | Night of 15th Shaban 1445 Date , 2024 |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia, UAE, Middle East | Night of Saturday, 24 Feb 2024 |
| Pakistan | Night of Sunday, 25 Feb 2024 |
| India | Night of Sunday, 25 Feb 2024 |
| Bangladesh | Night of Sunday, 25 Feb 2024 |
| United Kingdom | Night of Saturday, 24 Feb 2024 |
| United States | Night of Saturday, 24 Feb 2024 |
What Is Shab e Barat & Its Significance In Islam?
Shab e Barat, the night of 15th Shaban, is considered virtuous in the Islamic year. Muslims are encouraged to stay up and offer different acts of worship like namaz, dua, and the recitation of the Holy Quran in this night.
Many scholars call it the night of maghfirat (forgiveness) based on its virtues mentioned in Hadith by Rasoolullah ﷺ.
The word Shab e Barat is from the Urdu language.
Shab means night and Bara’at means to set free.
So, the word Shab e Bara’at means the night when people are set free from hellfire.
Allah SWT has granted us this night to cleanse ourselves before Ramazan and enter it as pious Muslims.
Shab e Barat, or Nisf Shaban, has a definite basis in hadith. However, most of those Hadith are weak. This is why many Arab scholars have completely negated the importance of this night.
But weak hadith doesn’t mean it’s incorrect or wrong. In fact, most scholars agree that:
- Weak hadith can be used to establish fazail (additional prayers, virtues)
- If multiple weak hadith contain the same argument, it can be considered valid as long as it doesn’t collide with a Sahih Hadith or an established rule of Shariah.
In this context, the weak Hadith about Shab e Barat can be considered as a basis for this night’s virtues since there are more than 17 narrations from different Sahaba about this night.
However, people have associated many false beliefs and cultural rituals with night, which is incorrect.
In short, Shab e Barat is definitely not a bidah and has a basis in Islamic history from the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Sahaba, right till this day. It is recommended to offer nawafil prayers like Tahajjud in this night and seek Allah’s forgiveness.
Hadith About Shab e Barat Fazilat
As mentioned in the previous section, the virtues of Shab e Barat have been narrated by more than 17 Sahaba and it has been observed as a special night by scholars and the pious people of this Ummah.
Here are several Hadith narrations on the virtues of the night of 15th Shabaan. You can read more about their authenticity in this detailed scholarly discussion.
“Jibra’il (peace be upon him) came to me and said: This is the 15th night of Sha‘ban and Allah frees from the fire so many people according to the number of hairs on the sheep of the tribe of Kalb; Allah does not look in that night to the polytheist, he who has hatred in his heart, the severer of family ties, one who drags his clothes below his ankles, he who disobeys his parents and an incessant drinker of wine.” (Bayhaqi)
“Allah bestows His special attention to His entire creation on the 15th night of Sha‘ban. He then forgives His entire creation except for a polytheist and one who harbors enmity.”
“Allah, Glorified, and Exalted is He, bestows His special attention to His entire creation on the 15th night of Sha‘ban. He then forgives His creation except two: one who harbors enmity and the murderer.”
“When it is the 15th night of Sha‘ban, Allah forgives His creation except for the polytheist and one who harbors enmity.”
“Allah descends to the lowest heaven on the 15th night of Sha‘ban. He then forgives His entire creation except for an idolatrous man and a man who has enmity in his heart.”
The authenticity of these hadees and whether they can be used to establish the importance of Shab e Barat is explained in detail by renowned scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani in this short lecture (Urdu)
What Happened On Shab e Barat | History & Origin
The history of Shab e Barat, the night of 15th Shabaan, starts from the time of Rasoolullah ﷺ, described in this narration by Hazrat Ayesha.
“The 15th night of Sha‘ban was my night, and the Prophet ﷺ was by me. When it was the middle of the night, I could not find him. Then that jealousy that takes hold of women took hold of me and so I wrapped myself in my cloak and sought him in the rooms of his wives. I did not find him and returned to my room where I found him all of a sudden like a piece of cloth that had fallen and he was saying in his prostration:
‘My body and shadow have prostrated to You, my heart has brought faith on You. These are my hands, and I have not committed a crime with them against myself. O Mighty One Whose help is hoped for in every mighty affair. O Mighty One, forgive the mighty sin. My face has prostrated to the One Who created it and created its hearing and vision.’
He then raised his head and then returned to prostration and said:
‘I seek your refuge with your pleasure from your anger, I seek your refuge with your forgiveness from your punishment, and I seek your refuge with you from yourself, You are as You praise Yourself. I say as my brother Dawud (peace be upon him) said: ‘I rub my face in dust for my master, every right for Him is that He is prostrated to.’
He then raised his head and said:
‘O Allah grant me a god-fearing heart that is pure from evil, not harsh nor wretched.’
Then he turned and entered with me into the blanket, and I was breathing heavily. He said:
‘What is this breathing O Humayra?
I told him, and he began to rub his hands on my knees and say:
‘How regretful is the difficulty that these two knees had to bear on this night, this night is the 15th night of Sha‘ban, in which Allah descends to the heaven closes to the earth and forgives His slaves, except a polytheist and a bearer of hatred.”
In short, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described the extra significance of this night through his actions. Nothing specific happened on this night. Rather, Allah grants a special status to any night He wants. It is His way of giving his servants opportunities to get closer to Him and seek His pleasure.
Why We Celebrate Shab e Barat?
We don’t celebrate Shab e Barat, we observe it with respect and prayer. There’s nothing to celebrate in it.
Instead, we observe it with prayers, nawafil namaz, recitation of the Quran, and dua because Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his Sahaba, and the pious men and women of this Ummah have done it for centuries.
What Is The Importance Of The Night Of 15th Shaban?
The 15th Night of Shabaan, Shab e Barat, has immense virtues and blessings. According to the various Hadith we mentioned earlier, Allah SWT accepts the duas and prayers in this night, and forgives anyone who seeks His mercy.
In fact, one tradition narrates that Allah Taala forgives as many people in this night as the number of sheep in the Bani Kalb tribe (they had hundreds of thousands of sheep).
It is a night of solitude and worshiping Allah SWT alone with full conviction.
7 Types Of People Who Are Not Forgiven Even In Shab e Barat
Here’s a detailed Urdu lecture on this topic by Maulana Mehboob Elahi Sahab.
Despite the immense virtues of this night, there are some people who are not forgiven even in Shab e Barat (unless they leave their sins and repent)
- Mushrik – those who associate partners with Allah in any way.
- Musbil – those men who cover their ankles with their trousers with arrogance (while standing or walking)
- Murderers – those who kill innocent humans
- Alcohol Addicts
- Those who commit Zina
- Those who are disobedient towards their parents
- Those who break the ties of kinship (qata rehmi)
However, if any person who has committed these sins sincerely repents, commits to not doing them again, and seeks Allah’s forgiveness, His mercy is unlimited.
What Should We Do In Shab e Barat
- Make fresh Wuzu
- Offer Tahajjud prayers alone at home
- Recite Syed ul Astaghfar and other astaghfar duas
- Recite Durood Sharif as many times as possible
- Recite the Holy Quran
- Make lots of Dua for yourself, your children, relatives, and all Muslims.
The Myths, Misconceptions, & Bid’ah Of Shab e Barat
The following actions are bidahs of Shab e Barat and have no basis in religion.
Preparing Halwa (Sweet Dishes)
Cooking Halwas or sweet dishes, specifically because of Shab e Barat is a false tradition among Indian Muslims. Eating sweets isn’t prohibited but considering it mandatory for Shab e Barat is a bidat.
Fireworks & Lighting
Wasting money on fireworks and lighting up houses and buildings is another false ritual that has nothing to do with Shab e Barat. Instead of wasting time with such useless activities, one should light up their hearts with Zikr, nawafil, and astaghfar in this night.
Considering It Mandatory To Visit Graves
Some hadith narrations report that Rasoolullah ﷺ visited Baqi graveyard on the 15th night of Shaban. So, if you want to follow the Prophet’s sunnah, go alone. Plus, it’s not mandatory to go every year because the Prophet did so on Shab e Barat only once in his life.
Offering Nawafil In Jamat
Nafl namaz, like Tahajjud, Salatut Tasbeeh, Slatul Tauba, or Salatul Hajat are all individual prayers. According to scholars, nawafil should be offered alone, not in a congregation.
Shab e Barat Kya Hai Aur Kyu Manate Hain Aur Iski Fazilat [Urdu/Hindi]
Shab e Barat Shaban ki 15th raat ko kehtay hain jo ek niohayat Mubarak raat hai. Is raat main Allah Taala Qabeela Banu Kalb ki Bakrio (jo lakho this) se ziada logo ki maghfirat farmatay hain.
Rasoolullah ﷺ ne is raat main nawafil ada karnay aur duain mangnay ki fazilat bayan ki hai.
Is liye is raat main jis qadar mumkin ho tanhaee main Allah Taala ki ibadat karni chahye aur astaghfar o dua ke zarye apnay malik ko razi karna chahye.
Is ke sath sath is raat ki Bidaat se bhi khoob bachna chahye kyu ke bidaat naikio ka noor cheen leti hain. Shab e Barat ki bidat ye hain.
- Halwa pakana zaruri samajhna
- Ijtimaee tor pe qabristan jana
- Jamat se nafli namaz jese Salatul Tasbeeh waghera parhna
- Aatish baazi aur charagha karna
Is raat ki bay shumar fazail kay bawujood kuch logo ki maghfirat nahi hoti. Woh ye hain.
- Mushrik yani Allah ke alawa kisi ko mushkil kusha hajat rawa, maal dene wala, aulaad dene wala, sehat o afyat dene wala samajhna.
- Musbil, yani woh mard jo apni shalwar ya pant ko takhnay se neechay rakhay takabbur ki waja se (chaltay huat aur kharay honay ki halat main).
- Qata Rehmi yani khoon ke rishto ko tornay wala
- Waaldain ka dil dukhanay wala nafarman
- Aadi Sharabi
- Aadi Zani
Lekin agar ye log bhi sachay dil se Tauba karlain aur ainda ye gunah na karnay ka irada karain, to Allah Taala muaaf farma dega, insha Allah.