Poonam Nath

All you need to know about ‘Night of Forgiveness’ Shab-e-Barat 2025

Digital Desk: Festivals are part of our lives; different festivals hold different kinds of emotions and faith. Today (13th February) is celebrated as Shab-e-Barat. As per the Islamic calendar, it is one of the holiest nights observed on the 15th night of Sha'ban, the eighth month of the Islamic lunar year, also named 'Night of Forgiveness.'.

On this day, devotees spend the night in prayer, asking the Almighty for forgiveness, mercy, and blessings.

It is to be mentioned that as per the Hijri calendar, Shab-e-Barat will be observed in 2025 from the evening of Thursday, February 13, till the evening of Friday, February 14.

It has been said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) reached Makkah on this auspicious night. Another popular legend holds that his wife, Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa, went looking for him after noting his absence. She subsequently found him in Medina's cemetery, plunging in prayer, begging forgiveness for the fallen souls.

The essence of Shab-e-Barat is all about the atonement of sins. It is also believed that if one wholeheartedly prays to the almighty for the forgiveness of the sins committed and asks for the blessing, then the almighty grants them blessing for the whole year.

On this sacred night, people assemble in mosques to pray and ask Allah's forgiveness. Many people visit their loved ones' graves to pray on their behalf.

Acts of generosity, such as distributing food and money to the poor, are also important parts of the celebration.

A hadith narrates Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) messages about this night: "Doubtlessly, Allah surrounds everything with His mercy on the fifteenth night of Sha'aban." He forgives all His creations except mushriks (polytheists) and those who harbor anger or malice toward others..." (Targhib wa Tarhib, 2:118).