The sacred night of 15 Shaban, “Shab-e-Barat,” will be observed on 15 Shaban, which falls on Friday, February 14, 2025. People are taking to social media to inquire whether there will be a holiday in Pakistan on this day.
Holiday announced in Sindh
The Sindh province education board announced a holiday for Shab-e-Barat on 6 February. All public and private institutions, including schools and colleges, will remain closed on 14 February 2025, providing a sigh of relief for students.
Punjab is yet to announce a holiday on 14 Feb
Although the notification for the holiday has been issued in Sindh province, the Punjab government is yet to make a public announcement of the holiday on Friday, 14 Feb. Schools and colleges with other educational institutions would likely remain open despite the observance of Shab-e-Barat on Friday, February 14.
Doctored notifications and fake news reports regarding a February 14 holiday in Punjab are circulating on social media. However, there is no truth to these claims.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division regarding public holidays for the year 2025, Shab-e-Barat is listed as an optional holiday.
Significance of Shab-e-Barat
The month of Shaban is considered one of the most important months in Islamic history. This month hosts the sacred night of the 15th Shaban, which is known as Shab-e-Barat, referred to as the Night of Forgiveness. T
This year, Shab-e-Barat will fall after the Maghreb (sunset prayers) on Thursday, Feb 13. This night is considered very important religiously as Muslims across the globe engage in prayers, observe fast during the day, seek forgiveness, and visit graveyards to pray for their belated loved ones.
The last Islamic month before Ramzan, Shaban, which hosts the sacred night on 15 Shaban “Shab-e-barat” commenced in Pakistan on January 31, following the moon sighting observed on Thursday. The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee updated the nation about moon sightings after reviewing observations and testimonies from across the country.
