Lailat al Bara'a

Also known as Lailat Al Baraah , Barat, or popularly as Shab e Bara or Night of Forgiveness , it is an Islamic holiday during which practitioners of the faith seek forgiveness for sins. It is regarded as one of the most sacred nights on the Islamic calendar.

Why is it important?

Mid-Sha'ban (Arabic: ┘åÏÁ┘ü Ï┤Ï╣ϿϺ┘å, romanized: niß╣úf ┼ía╩┐b─ün or ┘ä┘è┘äÏ® ┘åÏÁ┘ü ┘à┘É┘å Ï┤Ï╣ϿϺ┘å laylat niß╣úf min ┼ía╩┐b─ün "night on the half of Sha'ban") is a Muslim holiday observed by Shia and Sunni Sufi Muslim communities on the eve of 15th of Sha'ban (i.e., the night following the sunset on the 14th day) — the same night as Shab-e-barat or Laylat al-Bara'ah (Arabic: ┘ä┘è┘äÏ® Ϻ┘äÏ¿Ï▒ϺÏíÏ®).

It is regarded as a night when the fortunes of individuals for the coming year are decided and when Allah may forgive sinners. In many regions, this is also a night when prayers are arranged for forgiveness from Allah for one's deceased ancestors. Additionally, Twelver Shia Muslims commemorate the birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdi on this date.

Salafi Muslims oppose the recognition of Mid-Sha'ban as exceptional for prayer.

History and Significance

Sahb-e-Barat commemorates the day Prophet Muhammad entered the city of Makkah. Another belief has it that Prophet Muhammad's wife, Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa, went out in search of him when she found him missing on this night. Later, she found him in Medina's cemetery, lamenting and praying for the forgiveness of the deceased for a long time and this lent ultimate sanctity to this day.

According to the Quran, on this night Allah said, "Who wants forgiveness, I will forgive you. Who wants food, I will provide food." It is believed that Allah said this throughout the night until it was Fajr, the time when Muslims pray at dawn. It is believed that on this day the destinies of all people are written by Allah taking into account their past deeds and when he also forgives sinners.

Significance

According to some Sunni traditions, on this night the names of the souls who will be born and those who will leave the world are also determined and sustenance sent down. It is believed that the Doors of Mercy and Forgiveness are wide open on this night as Allah can be approached for his infinite mercy.

However, some qualities are unacceptable and will not be shown any mercy, for example a person who creates conflicts between two Muslims or a person who wrongfully takes away the right and property of another Muslim and has not yet rectified himself.

According to a hadith, "Doubtlessly, Allah surrounds everything on the fifteenth night of Sha'aban with his mercy. He forgives all of His creatures except mushriks (polytheists) and those whose hearts are full of hatred or enmity of others..." (Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, 2:118).

source: hindustantimes.com

Birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdi

According to Twelver Shias, Muhammad al-Mahdi, the final Shia Im─üm, was born on 15 Sha'ban. Shi'as celebrate Muhammad al-Mahdi's birthday on that day and perform religious acts such as prayers for the reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi,[12] fasting, and worship. Iranian cities are decorated on night of Mid-Sha'ban.

A dispute about the journey

The base for celebrating Mid-Sha'ban is not without dispute. Whether or not 15 Sha'ban is regarded as a special holiday, has primarily been an issue of interpreting the Quran and classifying the Hadith (what most Muslims and the mainstream schools of Islamic thought, believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of the Islamic prophet Muhammad as transmitted through chains of narrators).

Customs

Mid-Sha'ban is celebrated in countries including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. In the Arab world the festival is celebrated by Arabs with Sufi heritage, and Shias.

In Iraq, children are given candies as they walk around their neighborhoods. Sunni Muslims in Iraqi Kurdistan and Afghanistan celebrate this holiday 15 days before Ramadan. Some Muslims in Indonesia do communal zikr in mosques followed by a lecture (ceramah) led by an ustad or otherwise known in Java and Madura as a kyai. This tradition is rarely followed in Indonesia, but it is widely followed in Aceh, West Sumatra and South Kalimantan.

In South Asia, Muslims make sweets (especially Halwa or Zarda) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban. This custom of distributing Halva is also practiced in Bosnia on the 15th night of Sha'ban, as well as on three other holidays: Laylat al-Qadr, Laylat al-Mi'raj and Laylat al-Raghaib.