Mid-Sha'ban

Mid-Sha'ban(Arabic:نصف شعبان,romanized:niṣf šaʿbānorليلة نصف مِن شعبانlaylat niṣf min šaʿbān"night on the half of Sha'ban") is aMuslim holidayobserved byShiaandSunniMuslim communities on theeveof 15th ofSha'ban(i.e., the night following the sunset on the 14th day) — the same night asShab-e-baratorLaylat al-Bara’ah(Arabic:ليلة البراءة).
It is regarded as a night when the fortunes of individuals for the coming year are decided and whenAllahmay forgive sinners. In many regions, this is also a night when prayers are arranged for forgiveness from Allah for one's deceased ancestors.Additionally,TwelverShia Muslims commemorate the birthday ofMuhammad al-Mahdion this date.ImamJa'far al-Sadiqand ImamMuhammad al-Baqirused to perform special prayers in this night.Both Sunni and Shia Muslims recognise this night to be as the Night of Forgiveness. Muslims observe Mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Scholars like Imam Shafii, Imam Nawawi, Imam Ghazzali, and Imam Suyuti have declared praying acceptable on the night of mid-Shaban.
The 15th of Sha'ban goes by several names, depending on the country in which it is observed. Most can be categorised into two general meanings:
The base for celebrating Mid-Sha'ban is not without dispute. Whether or not 15 Sha'ban is regarded as a special holiday, has primarily been an issue of interpreting theQuranand classifying theHadith.
Although not mentioned directly in the Qur'an, two verses are sometimes ascribedto Mid-Sha‘ban:
According to Tafsir Ibn Kathir,the more correct interpretation of this blessed night been attributed to another Islamic holy night,Laylat al-Qadr, based on additional verses.
In some hadiths ofṢihah Sittah, this Hadith is described as the specialty of the night. Also in the other Hadith texts mention the specialty of this night. There are different standards of the hadiths and disagreements in this regard. The term "night of mid-Sha'ban", which is used in the hadeeth of the Hadith, is "Nisf Sha'ban" or "laylatun nisfi min Sha'ban(ليلةٌ نصفِ مِن شعبان)". It has been said in a Hadith,
Another Hadith says,
According to differentSahih Hadith, Muhammad used to perform fasting in this month. The fast of mid-Sha'ban was the most loved of him. He used to perform fasting in the month of Ramadan, from the first to the 15th of the month. When asked about this, he said,
According toTwelver Shias,Muhammad al-Mahdi, the finalShiaImām, was born on 15 Sha'ban. Shi'as celebrate Muhammad al-Mahdi's birthday on that day and perform religious acts such as prayers for thereappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi,fasting, and worship. Iranian cities are decorated on night of Mid-Sha'ban.
Mid-Sha'ban is celebrated in countries including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. TheSalafiArabs do not celebrate this holiday.In the Arab world the festival is celebrated by Arabs withSufiheritage, andShias. In Iraq, children are given candies as they walk around their neighborhoods. Sunni Muslims inIraqi Kurdistanand Afghanistan celebrate this holiday 15 days beforeRamadan.Some Muslims in Indonesia do communal zikr in mosques followed by a lecture (ceramah) led by an ustad or otherwise known in Java and Madura as a kyai. This tradition is rarely followed in Indonesia, but it is widely followed in Aceh, West Sumatra and South Kalimantan. In South Asia, Muslims make sweets (especiallyHalwaorZarda) to be given to the neighbors and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban.This custom of distributing Halva is also practiced inBosniaon the 15th night of Sha'ban, as well as on three other holidays:Laylat al-Qadr,Laylat al-Mi'rajand Laylat al-Raghaib.
Although the date of Mid-Sha'ban is always the same in the Islamic calendar, the date in the Gregorian calendar falls approximately 11 days earlier each successive year, since the Islamic calendar islunarand the Gregorian calendar issolar. Hence if date falls in the first ten days of a Gregorian calendar year, there will be a second occurrence in the last ten days of the same Gregorian calendar year.