Tonight is the auspicious Night, known variously as the Night of Salvation, as the Night of Privilege, and Night of Accountability, for seeking the forgiveness of the Almighty. And the Muslims all over the world will be observing the night with due solemnity and religious fervour. Lailat-ul-Barat, popularly known as Shab-e-Barat in this sub-continent, is indeed a glorious and important occasion in the life of every God-fearing Muslim.
Lailat-ul-Barat comes every year in the eighth month of the Hegira calendar on the night preceding the 15th of Shaban. For the Muslims it is a night for atonement for the past and for making new resolve for the future. It is the night as tradition goes, when the Almighty opens the door of His boundless mercy to bestow on those who supplicate to Him in true spirit of heart and soul. He is ready to give those that ask for His Mercy and Benediction.
The occasion has special significance for the Muslims since they believe it to be night when the Almighty determines the fate of all His creatures for the next year. And Muslims all over the world will be spending the night in prayers and in imploring His mercy.
This should also be an occasion for the Muslims to comprehend the true spirit of the Night, to introspect on the past and take renewed resolution for the future. Unfortunately, sometimes the predisposition to demonstrative rituals and indulging in the outer manifestation of the occasion often subdues the true meaning of the event, which is, the imperative for every Muslim to completely submit to the will of the Almighty and resolve to abjure the path prohibited by the scripture and move on the path of the righteous.
It is unfortunate that while most of the God-fearing Muslims spend the night in prayers and penance some turn the occasion into one for fun and merrymaking and partaking in delicious food, ignoring the very spirit of the night, which is also in part giving alms to the poor.
This should be an occasion for the Muslims all over the world to take of stock of the situation that they find themselves in at the moment, and take serious cognizance of the fact that while on one side the essence of Islam is being gradually eroded in the face of the superficial, and more emphasis is being laid in observing rituals and customs rather than reflecting the teachings of Islam in the daily life of a Muslim, on the other side it is being distorted to perpetrate the worst form of violence on innocent people.
Not only must the true teaching of Islam be infused in the hearts of all believers, its true character, as a creed of peace, must also be spread to the world by opposing those that seek violence as a method of dispute resolution.
-Agencies