Muslims in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the globe observed the holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune and forgiveness, on Monday night with due religious fervour and devotion. Devotees spent most of the night at mosques and homes offering prayers, reciting from the holy Quran, and seeking blessings to Almighty Allah for long life, peace, progress, and happiness for themselves as well as the nation and the Muslim Ummah.
Shab-e-Barat comes in the run-up to the month of Ramadan. According to Hadith, Allah forgives sins of a large number of His devotees in this night. This auspicious night is an excellent opportunity for people to seek forgiveness through sincere ‘tauba’ (repentance). Many Muslims keep fasting from sunrise to sunset on the day. On the night, devotees also visit graves and prayed for their beloved ones seeking their eternal peace. To them, it is also a night when Allah decides fortunes for the following year.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) directed the Muslims to devote themselves to Nafl prayers this night when Allah opens the doors of blessings and mercy for them. Many families prepared traditional foods like handmade rice-bread, beef, and halua both in rural and urban areas for their neighbours and relatives, besides helping the poor with foods and money.
This year the devotees offered prayers following health protocols amid an alarming up-trend in the daily corona infection rate. TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes on the occasion while newspapers published special supplements articles and features highlighting the significance of the night. Shab-e-Barat signals the advent of the month of fasting (Ramzan) 15 days later. Muslim devotees prepare for the holy month starting from the night.
