Mid-Sha'ban is the 15th day of the eighth month (Sha'ban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. The preceding night is known as Laylatul Bara’ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world, and as Shab-e-barat (?? ????) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Muslim parts of India.
Sunnis observe mid-Sha'ban as a night of worship and salvation. Various ahadith have been transmitted in this regard, some weak and others graded hasan or sahih. Scholars including Al-Shafi‘i, Al-Nawawi, Al-Ghazali and Al-Suyuti have declared praying on the night of mid-Sha'ban as acceptable.
In his Majmu`, Al-Nawawi quoted Al-Shafi`i saying that there are 5 nights when dua (prayer) is answered, one of them being the night of the 15th of Sha`ban.
There are many other narrations from Sahaba and early Muslims confirming this matter, as mentioned by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his Lataif al-Ma`arif, amongst others.
