Rajab, Shab-e-Meraj and Shab-e-Barat 2027: Dates and Guide
Rajab 1448 is expected to begin on Thursday, 10 December 2026 (Friday, 11 December in India and Pakistan), subject to moon sighting. Rajab and Sha’ban are the two months that lead up to Ramadan, which is expected on 8 February 2027. This guide gives the expected dates of Shab-e-Meraj (Isra and Mi’raj) and Shab-e-Barat (15 Sha’ban), with their meaning and what Muslims do.
Expected dates at a glance
| Occasion | Saudi Arabia, Gulf, UK, USA | India, Pakistan, Bangladesh (often a day later) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Rajab 1448 | Thursday, 10 December 2026 | Friday, 11 December 2026 |
| Shab-e-Meraj (night of 27 Rajab) | Monday night, 4 January 2027 | Tuesday night, 5 January 2027 |
| 1 Sha’ban 1448 | Saturday, 9 January 2027 | Sunday, 10 January 2027 |
| Shab-e-Barat (night of 15 Sha’ban) | Friday night, 22 January 2027 | Saturday night, 23 January 2027 |
| 1 Ramadan 1448 | Monday, 8 February 2027 | Tuesday, 9 February 2027 |
Islamic nights begin at Maghrib, so “Monday night” means after sunset on Monday. Dates follow the Umm al-Qura calendar and astronomical estimates; local moon sighting may move them by a day. See today’s Hijri date on our Islamic date today page.
Rajab: one of the four sacred months
Allah says that four of the twelve months are sacred (Surah at-Tawbah 9:36). The Prophet ﷺ named them as Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab (Sahih al-Bukhari 3197). In these months good deeds carry extra weight and wrongdoing is more serious, so Rajab is a good time to start preparing for Ramadan: make up missed fasts, build a habit of Tahajjud, and increase Quran recitation.
Many Muslims recite this dua when Rajab begins:
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَانَ
Allahumma barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha’bana wa ballighna Ramadan.
“O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan.”
Reported in Musnad Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi. Scholars note that its chain is weak, but its meaning is good, and many recite it as a general dua.
Shab-e-Meraj 2027 (Isra and Mi’raj)
Isra and Mi’raj is the miraculous Night Journey of the Prophet ﷺ from Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem (the Isra), and then his ascent through the heavens (the Mi’raj). The Quran mentions it in Surah al-Isra 17:1 and Surah an-Najm 53:13–18.
- The gift of Salah: on this journey the five daily prayers were made obligatory (Sahih al-Bukhari 349; Sahih Muslim 162).
- Meeting the Prophets: the Prophet ﷺ led the earlier Prophets in prayer at al-Aqsa and met several of them in the heavens.
- The date: the 27th of Rajab is the date most widely observed. Historians and scholars have differed on the exact date, and no specific fast or prayer for this night is established in authentic hadith.
Many Muslims use the occasion to learn the story of the Isra and Mi’raj with their families, renew their commitment to the five daily prayers, and make general Nafl worship and dua.
Shab-e-Barat 2027 (15 Sha’ban)
Shab-e-Barat, also called Laylat al-Bara’ah or Nisf Sha’ban, is the night before the 15th of Sha’ban. A hadith reports that on this night Allah looks at His creation and forgives everyone except one who associates partners with Him or who holds hatred against others (Sunan Ibn Majah 1390; graded hasan by a number of scholars because of supporting reports).
Scholars differ on how to observe this night. Many, especially in South Asia, encourage individual worship such as Nafl prayer, Quran recitation, Istighfar and dua for the deceased. Others hold that it should not be marked with special rituals. Points most agree on:
- Make sincere Tawbah and Istighfar, and remove hatred from your heart. Reconcile with relatives and friends.
- Worship quietly and individually; avoid fireworks, extravagance and gatherings that lead to sin.
- Fasting on the 15th of Sha’ban is part of the general Sunnah of fasting in Sha’ban and on the white days (13th, 14th, 15th).
Sha’ban: the month of preparation
Sayyidah Aisha (RA) said she never saw the Prophet ﷺ fast more in any month, apart from Ramadan, than in Sha’ban (Sahih al-Bukhari 1969). He also said it is a month in which deeds are raised to Allah, and he loved for his deeds to be raised while he was fasting (Sunan an-Nasa’i 2357). Use Sha’ban to:
- Complete any missed (Qada) fasts from last Ramadan.
- Fast Mondays and Thursdays to prepare your body.
- Calculate your Zakat with our Zakat calculator so it is ready for Ramadan.
- Save the Ramadan 2027 Sehri and Iftar timetable for your city.
Frequently asked questions
When does Rajab 2026 start?
Rajab 1448 is expected to begin on Thursday, 10 December 2026 in Saudi Arabia, and on Friday, 11 December 2026 in India and Pakistan, depending on the moon.
When is Shab-e-Meraj 2027?
Shab-e-Meraj (27 Rajab 1448) is expected on the night of Monday, 4 January 2027 in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and on the night of Tuesday, 5 January 2027 in India and Pakistan.
When is Shab-e-Barat 2027?
Shab-e-Barat (15 Sha’ban 1448) is expected on the night of Friday, 22 January 2027 in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and on the night of Saturday, 23 January 2027 in India and Pakistan.
How many days are left until Ramadan 2027?
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on 8 February 2027, about 30 days after the start of Sha’ban. See the full timetables for world cities and Indian cities.
Related
Sources: Quran 9:36, 17:1, 53:13–18; Sahih al-Bukhari 349, 1969, 3197; Sahih Muslim 162; Sunan Ibn Majah 1390; Sunan an-Nasa’i 2357 (via sunnah.com). Dates follow the Umm al-Qura calendar; confirm locally with your moon-sighting committee.
