This year`s Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune, according to Islam, will be observed tonight across Bangladesh and in rest of the Muslim world with due religious commitments and vehemence.

This night actually comes with a lot of significance to all the Muslims across the world. It has a great importance, believed to be, to the life of Muslims.

The night also gives a great opportunity for the Muslims to make them free and release from all kinds of sins and misdeeds what they acted during their past time.

According to Islamic Scholars, this night has 4 other names:
1. Lailatul Mubarak (or) Shab-e-Mubarak;
2. Lailat-ur-Rehmat (or) Shab-e-Rehmat;
3. Lailatul Barat (or) Shab-e-Barat;
4. Lailat-us-Sak (or) Shab-e-Parwana-e-Najaat.

This night has been named as Shab-e-Mubarak and Shab-e-Rahmat because the night is filled with numerous blessings. The word ‘Bara’at’ means to be acquitted, to be forgiven and to gain freedom.

On this night, God (Allah) frees believers from punishments and grants them entry in to heaven, therefore this night is also known as Lailat-us-Sak.

Shab-e-Barat, the 15th night of Shabaan is a very blessed night to the Muslims.

According to Hadith, the second constitution of the Muslims, the name of this night is “Nisf Sha’baan” which means 15th night of Shabaan. The reason for this special night to attain its name of Laylat al-Bara’ah, meaning the Night of Salvation, Seeking Freedom from Azaab and Calamity, is that in this night the Barakaat and acceptance of repentance may be accomplished.

Laylat al-Baraa’ah in Persian, as well as in Urdu, is called Shab-e Bara’at. It is the special night of seeking forgiveness and repenting to Almighty God (Allah), remembering the human being`s past sins and sincerely settling the mind that one will never commits sins in the future.

All the deeds that are against Islam must be totally avoided so that their prayers hopefully, may be accepted in the night.

According to Muslim belief, Shab-e-Barat is the night when Allah, the Almighty, arranges the affairs of the following year.

But those of the people who are deprived from God’s blessings, according Islam, are-
1. One who disrespects his mother.
2. One who disrespects his father.
3. A conjuror – someone who attempts to calculate the future, someone who claims to know the future.
4. Someone who foresights - It has been forbidden to foresight in the Holy Quran.
5. Murderers – who kills another innocent being.
6. Executioners.
7. Someone who breaks ties with his close relatives.
8. Someone who keeps enmity – someone whose heart is filled with the enmity of another Muslim.
9. Someone who takes interest – has taken interest at least three times.
10. Adulterer whether it is a woman or a man.

On Shab-e-Barat night, Allah writes the destinies of all the creations for the coming year by taking into account of their past deeds.

Shab-e-Barat also means the night of forgiveness. On this exalted night, Muslims pray to Allah both in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan and seeking forgiveness of the sins committed.

The Muslim devotees traditionally pass the night by offering special prayers, reciting from the Holy Quran, holding milad mahfil, zikr, and other religious rituals seeking divine blessings for the wellbeing of mankind.

On the night, they also visit the graveyards of their relatives and Muslim saints and distribute sweets and homemade foods among the poor, their neighbours, friends and relatives.