Shab-e-Barat 2023 date in India: History, significance, rituals and all you need to know

Shab-e-Barat 2023 date in India: Shab-e-Barat, or popularly known as the night of forgiveness, is an important Islamic event that is observed on the 15th night in the month of Sha'ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It is also known as Mid Shaban, Barat Night or the 'Night of Forgiveness.' This time Shab-e-Barat is celebrated across the country on March 7.

The people of the Muslim community will worship Allah for the whole night to seek forgiveness for their sins. Apart from this, the worshippers will light the graves in the cemetery and pray. Shab-e-Barat is derived from two words, in which Shab means night and Baraat means acquittal.
 
 

Significance  

On the day of Shab-e-Barat, people offer prayers to their ancestors who have left this world. According to the belief, on this night Allah comes to settle accounts with his loved ones. By doing this Allah opens the doors of Jannat for them. Tonight prayers will be offered in the mosque and after the prayers, the ancestors will be remembered.
For the Muslim community, Shab-e-Barat is not only the night of worship but also of virtue. On this night they read Fatiha for their ancestors. Men go to mosques and graves to pray and women offer prayers at home.

Shab-e-Barat is widely celebrated throughout South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, as well as Central Asia, which includes Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It is observed on the 14th and 15th nights of the month of Shaban.

History

The origins of Shab-e-Barat can be traced back to the birth of the Shia Muslims' twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi.  Individuals from the Shia community celebrated this on his birthday. The Sunni Muslim community, on the other hand, believes that on this day, God spared Noah's Ark from the deluge, which is why people around the world celebrate the day.