Shab-e-Barat

Shab-e-Barat is considered a major event in South East Asia, in which Muslims collectively worship and ask for forgiveness of their wrongdoings.

Some Muslims believe that on the night of Shab-e-Barat, God writes the destinies of all men and women for the coming year by taking into account the deeds they committed in the past.

On this basis, some clerics deem it advisable on this night to go to the graveyard of the Muslims to recite part of the Qur'an and pray for the dead.

In some Iranian cities, to celebrate this festival people gather in the cemeteries to burn Peganum harmala or haoma (wild rue) in a corner of the tombs and pour some salt on the fire, and recite a poem saying: the Peganum harmala is bitter and salt is salty so the jealous eye of the enemy be blind.

In southern Asia, Muslims make sweets (especially halwa or zarda) to give to neighbors and the poor on the evening before the 15th of Sha’ban.

Many people fast, pray after the Isha prayer, read the Quran, barter bread and sweets and donate to the impoverished on that day.

Shab-e-Barat and lanes of Old Dhaka get bustling with shops vending these soft, fluffy decorative pieces of bread, using traditional motifs such as fish and kalka.

[16] Alongside the traditional decorative breads, colorful Bengali sweets such as Halua, Borfi, Sandesh, Pitha, Kheer er putli, Rasmalai, Nikuti, Naru, Moya as well as savoury dishes like boondi kabab polao and hari kababs are served.

[17] Buildings get illuminated and decorated by traditional lighting such as Diyas, candles and lanterns, cloth architectures (Shamiana) and paperworks.

[19] The Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in India has opined that individual worship on the night of 15th Shaban is mustahab (virtuous) but practices such as lighting bulbs, preparing a variety of dishes, wearing new clothes, making halwa and collective worship in mosques are bid'ah (innovation) and should be avoided.

[20] People belonging to the Muslim community of India pray all night and also recite the holy Quran.

[22] Traditional sweets like halwa, savaiyyan (vermicelli) and flatbread are prepared and shared with neighbours, friends and relatives, and the poor.

[23] The Ulema and religious scholars in their sermons highlight teachings of Islam while different gatherings and Mahafil-e-Naat are arranged to mark the holy night.

They eagerly wait for the moon sighting to be aware about the confirmed date of Shab e Barat in Japan and to plan their activities accordingly.

Shab E Braat in Iran
Peganum harmala incense
Peganum harmala / haoma
A decoration of Bengali sweets is prepared on Shab e Barat.
A child lighting candles and scent sticks on the graves of the deceased, a tradition among some families to seek forgiveness of their loved ones.