The holy Shab-e-Barat, known as the night of fortune, is being observed across the country on Sunday (Apr 21) night with due religious fervour and devotion, reports BSS.
The Muslim devotees are spending the night at mosques and homes offering prayers, reciting from the holy Quran and seeking blessings to Allah for long life, peace, progress and happiness for themselves, their families, relatives and friends as well as the nation and the Muslim Ummah.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday greeted all Muslims of Bangladesh and elsewhere across the world on the occasion of the holy Shab-e-Barat.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the holy Shab-e-Barat is a magnificent and blissful night for the Muslims. The night is imminent, like in the previous years, heralding the advent of the holy month of Ramadan and fortune, he added.
He wished mercy, progress and welfare for the entire mankind.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the night of fortune brings mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah for the whole mankind. He shows greatness of forgiving and fulfilling desires, she added.
The premier wished that the holy Shab-e-Barat would bring the message of happiness, peace and development for all.
Muslims consider Shab-e-Barat as one of the three most sacred nights and believe that on this night Almighty Allah decides the fate of all human beings fixing their ‘rizq’ (livelihood) for the next year.
The devotees across the country are visiting graves and praying for their beloved ones seeking their eternal peace. Many are visiting mazars, shrines of saints all over the country.
Many families prepared traditional foods like handmade rice-bread with beef and halva (a kind of desert made usually from semolina, carrot, chickpea or papaya) both at rural and urban areas across the country on the occasion.
They are distributing food and sweets among the neighbours and the poor. Besides, foods and money are being distributed among the destitute on the occasion. A good number of Muslims will observe fast tomorrow to mark the day.
On the occasion, the Islamic Foundation (IF) chalked out a nightlong programme at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque today.
The programmes include recitation from the holy Quran, hamd-nath, waz mahfil (religious sermons), milad, qiyam, zikr and special munajat, said an IF press release here today.
According to an IF press release, Principal of Tejgaon Madinatul Ulum Kamil Madrasah Mawlana Abdur Razzaq Al Azhari has been delivering sermons highlighting the significance of Shab-e-Barat since 7:05 today.
Pesh imam of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mawlana Muhiuddin Quashem will deliver sermons on the importance of Ibadat and doa from 9:05 pm while another Pesh imam of the National Mosque Mufti Mawlana Ehsanul Haque Zilani will narrate the importance of the holy night and Ramadan from 11:40 pm.
Senior Pesh Imam of the National Mosque Hafez Mawlana Muhammad Mizanur Rahman will discuss the importance and advantage of the ‘tahajjut’ prayers from 1.55 am. Finally, he will administer the akheri munajat (final prayers) after Fazr prayers.
Tomorrow will be a public holiday on the occasion of the holy Shab-e- Barat.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private television channels and radio stations are airing special programmes on the occasion.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed restrictions on the use of fireworks and carrying all types of explosives and crackers in the capital on the occasion of holy Shab-e-Barat.
The ban has been enforced under the Section 28 of DMP Police Ordinance- 1976 and will remain effective from 6 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, DMP sources said.