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]