By Reviveology in Islam, Salat On 24-07-2014

Allah informs that He sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Al-Qadr, and it is a blessed night in The month of Ramadan in which The Qur’an was revealed. (2:185).

Meaning of Qadr

One meaning of the word qadr is “greatness, honour or dignity.” This is the meaning assigned by Zuhri and other scholars. A man seeks repentance and righteous acts and becomes a man of dignity on this night.

Another meaning of qadr is predestination. Every individual’s destiny is measured out to the angels to be implemented.

97:2  And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr is?

This rhetorical question posed by The Master to The slave invokes us to contemplate the magnificence of this night and its’ unparalleled greatness. We cannot estimate the value of the night according to our limited definitions.  We are humbled by the question and by our ignorance.

97:4 Innumerable angels descend with uncounted blessings and mercy

With all decrees: Qataadah it means that the Divine Decrees are issued at that night, the appointed time of everything is fixed and the blessings are apportioned.

The Value of The Night

Deeds will get their rewards manifold

97: 3 The Night of Qadr is much better than a thousand months

Acts of worship performed in this night are better than worship in  one thousand months  i.e  83 years and four months.

In the fourth Ayah of Soorah Ad-Dukhaan it is said

In the fourth Ayah of Soorah Ad-Dukhaan it is said: (Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments) meaning that every great affair is decided and established on Laylat-ul-Qadr for the year that follows it: for a complete year from one month of Ramadan to another.

Qatadah and others have said,”The matters are determined during it, and the times of death and provisions are measured out (i.e., decided) during it.”

Innumerable angels descend with uncounted blessings and mercy. With all decrees: Qataadah said that this means that the Divine Decrees are issued at that night, the appointed time of everything is fixed and the blessings are apportioned. The “Annual Spiritual Budget” is announced.

“Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived. “An-Nasa’i recorded this same Hadith.

Intention first.

One of the most emphatic narrations on The Night of power points to the value of intentions.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ، وَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Riad ul Saliheen- Book of virtues-The Excellence of observing fasts during Ramadhan-1219.

The Last Messenger pbuh also stated:

“I came out to tell you about Laylat al-Qadr, but  so  and so started arguing, so (that knowledge) was taken away. Perhaps that will be better for you. So seek it on the (twenty-) seventh and the (twenty-) ninth and the (twenty-) fifth.” (Bukhaari, 49)

The Last Prophet advised us to use our hearts to “seek”, “pursue”, “search”, and “look hard” for Lailatul Qadr with faith and expectation.

This shows that the highest objective is not to secure a slot of time but to seek Allah swt, his pleasure and his rahmah for the sake of Jannah and freedom from Hellfire.  Further this ought to be done according to the sunnah of The Last Messenger pbuh.  The objective is thus not simply the night in itself.

Perhaps Allah wanted us to strive hard in worship: with love and devotion and desire to be with him.

The ambiguity of the night is the rahmah of Allah swt as he increases the chances of his slave to make manifold duas and increase his worship.  Thus the diseases of negligence and laziness that are associated with worshipping heartfully only on one night are implicitly cured. There are many spiritual treasures that Allah swt out of his rahmah leaves hidden such as the reward of good works and the certainty of whether we have obtained it.  The Night of Power is another such treasure that is hidden.

More on ikhlas: sealing the deal

The function of this night is not merely to secure our duas like a rubber stamp but to make our Creator happy in the way The Last Messenger did.  To stand with love and trust, emotion and devotion in front of the Lord of the worlds.  To surrender the soul with humility. To be conscious of God in every millisecond of the night.

Love and trust

To trust that whatever Allah swt wills will be best for you is an integral part of faith.  On this night we are expected to do our best with full effort expecting the best.  Allah swt is then responsible for the outcome in this life and the next.

“And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him”. (65:3)
‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying: “If you all depend on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full belly at dusk”. (79  Belief and Reliance Ch 7 Riad ul Saliheen) [At-Tirmidhi].

Emotion and devotion

The Last Messenger was a soldier in worship. In fact at night he was with his Khaliq, Creator, and during the day he was in the service of His Creation: all for the pleasure of Allah swt.

Surrender the soul

The soul must break.  This is the night when worldly comforts and sleep are no longer primary.  It is indeed the soul that is hungry for the solace of finding its’ Lord.

Scholars say that the one that really wants to turn to Allah and really is a seeker of salvation  should forgive everyone and clean his heart of any bad feelings/anger for others. He should make dua for all those people that hurt him and ask Allah(swt) to guide them with love and change their hearts.  Allah will forgive him on the Day of Judgement

Making Allah swt happy

Dua is both a Quranic and Prophetic obligation. It makes Allah swt happy if we spend the night in dua.

Quranic obligation

Make dua to me I will respond to you (Surah Ghafir 60)

“When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me.” ( Surah Baqarah 186 )

Prophetic obligation

“The best form of worship is du’a.” (Al Hakim 1/491)

There are countless narrations that show how dua was used as a weapon by The Last Messenger in every trial and tribulation.

“Nothing repels divine decree except dua.” Ibn Majah. Dua can avert tragedies that have been written for you this year. Either the dua is answered or evil is averted-Tirmizi. The Prophet (pbuh) said that Allah (swt) does not respond to a dua of an inattentive heart.

The formula for dua:-

1. Salawaat. 2. Istighfar. 3. Praise Allah then call upon him using His great names-“Allah” is the greatest name.  4. Adab of dua- the ripple. Ask for yourself, then your parents and close family then distant relatives. 5. Salawaat.

One should face the Qibla when making the dua. It is better to have wudu when making Finally to cry when making dua shows how sincere and humble one is.

Acknowledge your sins

Shaddad bin Aus (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said, “The best supplication for seeking forgiveness (O Allah! You are my Rubb. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon).’ [Al-Bukhari].

Aa’isha (ra) that she said: “O Prophet of Allah (saw) if I make contact with Laylat-ul-Qadr what should I say? He (saw) said: You say: Allahumma Innaka ‘Afuwun tuhibbul ‘Afwa fa’fu ‘Anni (O Allah you are the pardoner, you love to pardon, so pardon me)”. At-Tirmidhi said: This Hadeeth is Hasan Saheeh.

Finally, strive to pray as much as possible. “Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights.” [Muslim]

Salaatul Tasbih:

This is also something one can do on this night. The following Dhikr should be read 300 times.
“Subhaan Allahi Wal Hamdulillahi Wa Laa ilaha illal Laahu Wallahu Akbar”

Formula
Pray like a normal 4 raka’ah (Nawafil) prayer except above Dhikr is said 15 times after the Surah after Surah Faathiha, 10 times in Ruku (After Subanarabbiyyal Adheem), 10 times after Qiyaam (Saami-Allah), 10 times in Sajda (After Subhanarabiyyal Adheem), 10 times when up from Sajda in sitting position, 10 times in second Sajda, 10 times when up from second sajda in sitting position. Repeat for every Raka’h.

9 years ago / Comments Off