Shab e Barat (Lailat ul Barat) or also known as the Mid-Sha'ban is the night between the 14th and the 15th of Shaaban.
Shab e Barat is the night when the fortunes for the upcoming year of men/women are decided and finalized by Allah. It is also noted that Allah forgives the sins of many people.
It also happens in some regions that prayers are arranged on this night for one’s deceased family members to ask for the forgiveness of Allah for them.
The reason behind the title of this night as the Lailat ul Barat is that this night is to seek forgiveness and mercy from the Almighty Allah. The meaning of Lailat ul-Bara’at is the night of salvation.
This night is to seek freedom from any type of calamity or Azaab. Allah accepts the repentance of the people who ask for it and one can collect maximum blessings from Allah.
The prayer of Shab-e-bara’at is not rejected
It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُمَا, he said that there are 5 blessed nights in which a prayer is not rejected:
- The night of Friday (i.e. The night before Friday i.e. Thursday night).
- The first night of Rajab.
- The 15th night of Sha'ban.
- The night of Eid ul Fitr.
- The night of Eid ul Azha.
(shu'abul iman, hadith no: 3558)
Hadith in Roman Urdu or Hindi
Imam muhammad ibn idrees shafai rahmatullah alaih apni kitab ul umm me likhte hai,
“05 raat hai jinme duayein kabool hoti hai
- Jumaah ki raat,
- Eid ul fitr ki raat,
- Eid ul azha ki raat,
- Rajab ki pehli raat,
- Nisf shaban (yaani shaban ki 15wi raat)”
(kitab ul umm vol : 02, pg :485, hadees : 482)