Baraat Night - an important holiday in Islam: what a Muslim should do, what namaz to read

Muslims around the world celebrate the night of Baraat at the end of winter. It is a time of repentance and diligent prayers ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, which is the longest and strictest fast. Izvestia tells about what the night of Baraat means and what date the holiday is celebrated in 2025.

Baraat night in Islam: what it means

In Islam, the celebration takes as important a place as the Night of Predestination, in which the first surahs of the Koran were sent down to Muhammad. And on the night of Baraat, Allah gave the prophet the right of intercession for all Muslims (Shafaat).

In Arabic, the name of the holiday translates as "Night of absolution" or "Night of purification", in the original - "Laylatul-Baraat". The first mention of it appears in the Holy Book of Muslims. It says that on this night the Almighty decides the fate of people who turn to him with prayers of repentance.

Like other memorable dates of Muslims the holiday is tied to the lunar calendar. Every year Baraat night is celebrated in the middle of the eighth month of Shaban, which precedes Ramadan. In 2025, the holiday will be celebrated on the night of February 14.

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What a Muslim should and should not do on the night of Baraat in 2025

Unlike Eid al-Adha or Uraza al-Adha, it is not customary to organize lavish feasts and mass events on the holiday. However, as on other important dates, it is necessary to devote time to spiritual purification, focusing on prayers, and to perform ritual ablution (ghusl). Also on the night of absolution it is prescribed to help your neighbor, in particular to give alms to the needy.

Another rule that should be observed by all faithful Muslims is to stay awake as long as possible. It is strictly forbidden to sleep on the holy night. All this time it is necessary to read surahs of the Koran, namazes and prayers (dua), including those that were missed during the day.

Allowing any bad deeds and sinful thoughts is considered a great transgression before Allah. Muslims believe that sins committed on this night will increase manifold. It will then be much more difficult to absolve them.

And the celebrations of Shiites and Sunnis, the two main currents of Islam, are different. The former emphasize prayers, and the latter - on remembering and praising the last of Mohammed's successors - Mahdi, who must return to earth again before the end of the world.

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What kind of namaz to recite on the night of Baraat

There are several types of worship that can be performed on the night of Baraat. First of all, there is the namaz or as-salat, a canonical prayer in Islam, which should be performed longer than usual. This is followed by the recitation of the Qur'an (tilawat), repeated praise of Allah (zikr) and directly by the believers' personal prayers (dua). In their prayers, Muslims ask for acceptance of their good deeds and forgiveness of their own and deceased loved ones' transgressions.

The traditions of Islam also prescribe the recitation of Surah Yasin, which is often called the heart of the Qur'an. It speaks of the unity of Allah, the Day of Judgment and resurrection. The Surah should be recited three times. It is believed that the first recitation is an appeal to Allah, the second is a pledge of devotion to God, and the third is a request for protection and patronage.

All this should be done in seclusion, as the night of Baraat is a time that should be devoted only to prayerful communion with Allah.

Earlier "Izvestia" told when Muslims celebrate Ramadan in 2025.