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In each of the daily
prayer we offer, we solemnly declare to Allah, “Iyyaka
na’budu” (You alone do we worship). While the intelligent
and committed believer realizes that his very lifestyle spells
worship, he knows, remembering the words of our Prophet (pbuh)
that “Du’aa’ (supplication) is worship” [Tirmidhi, Abu
Daud] Allah, the Most Merciful, has encouraged the believers
to take advantage of certain times during the year to make
du’aa’. Such an occasion presents itself annually during
Ramadan — especially on the Lailatul Qadr, the Night of
Power. On this night, the single most important event in human
history unfolded as, after the Glorious Quran was preserved in
the Protected Tablet, Jibril descended with the blessed book
to reveal it, upon Allah’s command, to His Messenger (pbuh).
Accentuating its significance, Allah says “and how would you
know (the value of the) Night of Qadr [97:2]
"Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to
exert more (in
worship) on the last ten than on other nights." [Muslim]
So valuable is this Night of Qadr that the Quran devotes a
special surah to
it “Lailatul Qadr is better than a thousand months”
[97:3]
This one night surpasses
the value of 30,000 nights. The most authentic account of the
occurrence of the Night indicates that it can occur on any one
of the last ten, oddnumbered nights of Ramadan. The fact that
the exact night is unknown reflects Allah’s will in keeping
it hidden. Indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) was prevented from
telling us its precise time. One day, he came out to tell the
companions the exact night. On the way he saw two men arguing
with each other. By the will of Allah, he(pbuh)forgot and
subsequently remembered it.
Afterwards the Prophet (pbuh) was instructed not to divulge
this information. “Had I been allowed,” he (pbuh) remarked
once, “I would have told you (of its exact time).”
[Ahmad]
The Almighty in His
wisdom kept this hidden from us for many reasons (wa Allahu
'Alam). Perhaps He wants us to strive hard in our worship
during the last ten days of Ramadan so that we don’t become
lazy, worshipping hard on just that one night and denying
ourselves the benefit of doing the same on the other nights.
“Had people not left their salah except for that (one)
night, I would have informed you (of its exact
date).”[Al-Tabarani]
The sincere believer who
worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in
his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During
it he hopes to be forgiven by Allah for past sins, knowing
that the Prophet (pbuh) promised that all who bear down during
the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To
achieve this, he remembers the Prophet’s (pbuh) advice in
different sayings wherein he used words like “seek”,
“pursue”, “search”, and “look hard” for Lailatul
Qadr (see tomorrows Post). Moreover, Allah and His Prophet
(pbuh) provided us some signs of its occurrence.
Allah (swt) describes
the night as “..peace until the rise of the morn.”
[97:5]
In various sayings, the
Prophet (pbuh) described the night as serene, tranquil, and
peaceful. The sun at sunrise would appear reddish and without
its normal blazing and sharp rays. Ubayy (R) said : "On
the morning of the night of Qadr the sun would rise without
any beams; (it is like) a wash basin until it raises."
[Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (R) said :
"We mentioned the night of Qadr to the Messenger of
Allaah (S) and he said: "Which of you remembers when the
moon rises and it is like half a bowl." [Muslim]
Ibn Abbaas (R) said that
the Messenger of Allaah (S) said : "The night of Qadr is
a night of generosity and happiness, it is not hot and neither
is it cold. The sun comes up in its morning weak,
reddish." [Tabaranee, Ibn Khuzaimah and Bazzaar]
The Prophet (pbuh) added
that “the angel of earth on that night of Qadr will
be more numerous than all the pebbles of the earth.”
What should one do
during the last ten days in pursuit of Lailatul Qadr? The
devoted servant of Allah makes these nights alive with prayer,
reading and reflecting on Quran. The long qiyaam prayer has
been particularly recommended during the nights on which
Laylat ul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many hadeeths,
such as the following:
Abu Tharr (radhiallahu
`anhu) relates: "We fasted with Allah's Messenger
(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in Ramadaan. He did not lead us
(in qiyaam) at all until there were seven (nights of Ramadaan)
left. Then he stood with us (that night - in prayer) until one
third of the night had passed. He did not pray with us on the
sixth. On the fifth night, he prayed with us until half of the
night had passed. So we said, 'Allah's Messenger! Wouldn't you
pray with us the whole night?' He replied:
'Whoever stands in
prayer with the imaam until he (the imaam) concludes the
prayer, it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole
night.'…" [Recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud,
at-Tirmithi (who authenticated it), an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah,
at-Tahawi (in Sharhu Ma`an il-Athar, Ibn Nasr, al-Faryabi, and
al-Bayhaqi. Their isnad is authentic.]
Abu Dawud mentioned:
"I heard Ahmad being asked, 'Do you like for a man to
pray with the people or by himself during Ramadan?' He
replied, 'Pray with the people' I also heard him say, 'I would
prefer for one to pray (qiyaam) with the imaam and to pray
witr with him as well, for the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam) said: "When a man prays with the imaam until he
concludes, it is recorded that he prayed the rest of that
night." [Masaa'il]]
Abu Hurayrah
(radhiallahu `anhu) narrated that the Messenger (sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in
Laylat ul-Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith
and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all of his
previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the
addition "and it is facilitated for him" is recorded
by Ahmad from the report of `Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means
that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers
during that blessed night.
He makes du’aa’ to
Allah, penitently beseeching Him for His forgiveness. He is
inspired by the Prophet’s (pbuh) words “Our Lord, most
Exalted, Most high comes down to the lowest heaven during the
last third of each night and announces (reassuringly): Whoever
makes du’aa’, I shall answer it. Whoever asks (for
something halal) I shall grant it; and whoever seeks
forgiveness, I shall forgive him.” [Bukhari] The believer,
conscious of Allah and their sins, will continue to beseech
Allah, in and out of prayer, during his prostration.
`A'ishah (radhiallahu
`anha) reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam), "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew
which night is Laylat ul-Qadr, what should I say during
it?" And he instructed her to say:
"Allahumma innaka
`afuwwun tuh.ibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee - O Allah! You are
forgiving, and youlove forgiveness. So forgive me."
[Recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi]
Aa'isha (R) said:
"When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed
away from his wives in order to have more time for worship),
spend the whole night awake (in prayer), and wake up his
family." [Bukhaaree and Muslim] For a time, the only
concern will be cleansing oneself of the forgetfulness that
this life propagates in one’s heart, the sins that
accumulate, darkening the heart, making it insensitive to
disobeying Allah. He begs Allah to keep him away from
misfortunes in this world, the punishment of the grave, and
the torment of Hell. He asks Allah to make him patient and
steadfast in struggling to maintain his Islam in this world
and asks Him to overlook his shortcomings, periods of laziness
and neglect. Sincere devotion on that night will render the
believer forgtful of the time, until he is surprised by the
Adhan of Fajr. After Fajr, as the sun creeps above the
horizon, reddish and weak in its appearance, without any rays,
the effort at night will have been worthwhile. The believer
rejoices, knowing that this was quite possibly Lailatul Qadr
and “whoever stays up (in prayer and remembrance of Allah)
on the Night of Qadr fully believing (in Allah’s promise of
reward for that night) and hoping to seek reward (from Allah
alone and not from people), he shall be forgiven for his past
sins.” [Bukhari, Muslim]
It is narrated from
Aa'isha (R) that she said: "I said: 'O Messenger of
Allaah, if I know what night is the Night of Qadr what should
I say?." He said: "Say: O Allaah you are pardoning
and you love to pardon so pardon me. " [Ahmad, Ibn
Majah,Tirmidhee]
It is also the Night when all ordainments for the year are
decreed. Allah (T)
said, which means: {By
the manifest Book (the Quraan) that makes thing clear. We sent
it (this Quraan) down on a Blessed Night (i.e. the Night of
Qadr) in the month of Ramadaan. Verily We are ever warning
[mankind that Our Torments will reach those who disbelieve in
Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of Wordship].
Therein (that night) is decreed every matter (amran) of
ordainment} [The Smoke 44:2-5]
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