Shab-e-Barat tonight

LAHORE

Shab-e-Barat, the 15th of Sha’aban, also known as the night of blessings and glory will be observed on the night between Sunday and Monday with traditional religious zeal and solemnity.

Large number of the faithful will throng mosques to offer special prayers nawafil and Shabina during the whole night, which according to some traditions is the night of blessings and accountability wherein mass judgments regarding lives, deaths and blessings for the next year are made by The Almighty.

In addition to that, judgments for awarding blessings and Rizq to the believers are also made and prayers of the believers are answered.

The city mosques have already been specially decorated and illuminated to facilitate the worshippers. To enhance security measures, the number of police guards deployed outside mosques will be increased by the government to maintain safety of the worshippers inside the mosques.

The believers will make special prayers for the unity, prosperity and security of the country and entire Muslim Ummah.

Special nawafil and Shabina will also be offered by the people to seek blessings of Allah and forgiveness for their sins.

Besides, believers will visit graveyards to make special prayers for the departed souls of their near and dear ones. According to some traditions, they will light candles and scent sticks on the graves and seek Allah’s blessings for the souls of their departed kins. According to Islamic traditions, Shab-e-Barat, falling between Sunday and Monday, is considered as the night of immense blessings and accountability when Allah Almighty bestows His creations countless blessings and also decides about lives and deaths coming in the following year till the next Shab-e-Barat.

Ulema and prayer leaders have appealed to the masses to make diligent and whole-hearted supplications before the Almighty Allah on the blessed night for themselves and especially for the security and solidarity of our country and entire Ummah and those Muslim brethren facing persecutions and atrocities by the enemies of Islam.

Chairman of Majlis-e-Ulema Pakistan and chief Khateeb of historic Badshahi Masjid, Maulana Dr Abdul Khabeer Azad has asked the believers to make the maximum prayers in this night to fetch the best out of this auspicious night. Delivering Friday sermon, he said a special Mehfil-e-Shabina would be offered in Badshahi masjid at 1:30am on Sunday while the main gate of Badshahi masjid and that towards the food street would also be kept open to facilitate the worshippers.

On the day after the blessed night, special sweet dishes like Halwa, Zarda etc. will be prepared and distributed among the relatives and neighbours apart from the poor and destitute. In addition to that, Langar (food in large quantities) will also be distributed among the orphans and the destitute at special langars in mosques and by the philanthropists.

However, the excessive display of fireworks and crackers, already begun for over a week by youths and children, have caused annoyance and nuisance for the worshippers and general public who have cursed such un-Islamic practices, and demanded a complete ban on such anti-social activities. The people said the fireworks also caused loss of lives and properties apart from being un-Islamic and dangerous activity.