By Raiiq Ridwan
With Laylatul Qadr arriving soon, it’s worth visiting the Surah that is dedicated to this night alone! Allah has not honoured any other night more than the Night of al-Qadr. So what is it that Allah says about this grand night? This is a short run-through the Surah with the aim that we can make the best of this night, insha Allah.
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Indeed we have revealed it (the Quran) in the Night of Qadr
The greatest of night is greatest because of this one major reason— the Quran was revealed in it! When the world was in ruin, corruption was rife, society was getting destroyed, a man called Muhammad lived in the middle of the desert. He was a man who was disillusioned by all that was going on. He started seeking solitude in the cave of Hira for a few nights at a time. It was on one of these nights that Allah decided to reveal the Quran. Without any exaggeration, this was the greatest night in the history of humankind. It was the night that Allah, The Owner of Majesty and Honour, the Most Powerful, the Most High decided to send His own words down to this world. From above the seven heavens He sent down what is described as “guidance and mercy”. It is the night when Muhammad the Shepherd, became Muhammad the Prophet. The night when Muhammad son of Abdullah was turned into Muhammad the Messenger of Allah. Muhammad the husband of Khadijah became Muhammad al-Mustafa (the Chosen One).
All that we have today, all that we do of prayers, charity and any other goodness, has its root in that fateful night of al-Qadr many many years ago. All the technological discoveries that the Muslims did later on that allowed the West to flourish all had their base on that fateful night. That night Allah sent a message that turned the war-mongering Arabs into the greatest generation of humans that ever walked the face of this earth. It is this night upon which over one and a half billion Muslims today base their faith on. The night that was the start of all good that we have. That was the Night of Qadr. This Quran is what is called “mau’idha” in the Quran. “Mau’idha” is defined by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan as “heart penetrating advice.” It is the night which changed the course of history.
Surah Qadr is after Surah Alaq in the Quran. Surah Alaq mentions what was sent down in the first Surah of the Quran, and Surah Qadr mentions about the Night in which it was sent down. Surah Alaq finishes with the command to worship Allah, and Surah Qadr gives us the best night to worship Allah and earn His pleasure
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And what will tell you what the Night of Qadr is?
This verse is powerful in that Allah shows us that we do not know. Just like He taught us so much, He is also the only One who can tell us what the Night of Qadr is all about. Allah repeats the wording of “Night of Qadr” again in the second ayah. This shows us the importance of the Night as well.
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The Night of Qadr is the Night which is better than a thousand months!
Never in the whole of the year do we get such an opportunity. A thousand months equals more than 83 years! Most people today do not live that long anyway (life expectancy for most countries like between 55-65). Allah out of His Mercy is giving us a chance to earn the rewards of 83 years of worship by just worshipping Him for ONE night! Could it be any easier than this?
So the worship that we must try and put into our routines for the last ten nights are as follows: 1. Extra prayer 2. Extra dhikr 3. Extra Quran 4. Charity.
Some scholars said that the word “thousand” is actually a metaphor for “a lot” and it is actually even more in reward! Allah is indeed Most Generous and that could very much be the case! If we look back at the impact that this Night of Qadr has had on civilizations everywhere, we do understand how it is indeed so special!
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Angels and the Holy Spirit (Jibreel) descend in it with the permission of their Lord carrying all the commands.
Laylatul Qadr is also the Night in which Allah sends down all His commands for the next year. It is the Night when our destiny is decreed for the next year. There is only one thing that the Prophet said can change Divine Decree, and that is dua! So what better time to make dua than on the Night that all the Decrees are sent down? Also the Majesty of this Night is confirmed in the fact that even the Archangel Jibreel descends on such an auspicious night. It is the night that thousands and thousands of angels descend on to the Earth. It is our chance to make more and more dua, more and more worship so that we may maximize from it!
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Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.
The ultimate end of our faith is peace and tranquillity of the heart- here and hereafter. That is what this Night of Laylatul Qadr is. It is a night of peacefulness and mercy. It is the Night of our Lives. It is the Night that can get us forgiven for every sin we have committed. It is the Night which can guarantee us a spot in paradise.
With so much differences of opinion on when the Night of Qadr is, the best for us to do is to work on every single night of the last ten Nights insha Allah. Let us not lose out on the greatest opportunity that Allah has presented us with. Let us make the best of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and earn Allah’s pleasure and paradise! O Allah accept from us.
Correction on the above. Its written:”it’s the night Mohammad the shepherd became Muhammad the Messenger”….NOT true as Laylatul Qadr was that night the Quran was sent down from the 7th heaven to the lower heaven.
Jazakallah khair
The Ulamak said that at least 10% time of the last 10 nights should be getting by most Muslims. From Azan Maghrib till Azan Fajar is about 10 hours. Therefore those who had the opportunity to pray Isyak followed by Taraweeh perhaps could get one hour as the maximum objective to get the SAWAB of Iktikaf from Allah .
Another opinion is from 24 hours , try to achieve IKTIKAF/BE IN THE MASJID for 2.5 hours or about 10% of the total time per day and night. Those who had the opportunity to be at the Masjid from Maghrib Iftar till Tarawikh ended perhaps could get this objective.
We could choose solat sunat Witir either before going to bed at Midnight follow the practiced of Abu Bakar r.anhu or Set Alarm 1.5 hours before Fajar Azan to pray TAHAJJUD followed by WITIR as practiced by Omar r. anhu. Conclude with DOA from ALQURAN started with one RABBBANA or to the level of 40 RABBANA depending on the time that we have after the SAHUR/DINNER in RAMADAN. There are four activities during this one and a half hour before night ended when we hear Fajar Azan.
Grab the opportunity for MEN who had car /motor-cycle/bicycle to pray Fajar at the Masjid to gain the highest SAWAB from ALLAH of one night IBADAT. The wives get FREE SAWAB of one night Ibadat when their husbands perform FAJAR prayer in the Masjid though the wives pray alone at home.(Hadith encouragement).
May all of us have the opportunity to perform the last 10 nights this year since we are not sure to get the same opportunity in RAMADAN next year. Assalam from Muhammad Razalee.
Jazak allah,
Ameen