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Night of Qadr - most virtuous night of the year

Author: Uztad Abdul Muhaemin Karim

Living the Lailatul Qadr

Allah (s.w.t.) said: “We have indeed revealed this ( message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is?The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.Therein come down the angles and the spirit by God’spermission,on every  errand:  Peace!  This until the rise of Morn.”(Al-Qadr:1-5)

 

The above surah tells us that the night of Qadr is the most virtuous night ofthe year.

 

Any action therein, for example, reciting the Qur’an, making remembrance of Allah, and so on, is better than acting for one thousand months of our personal life. Even if we were to live one thousand months (83.3 years) with sincerity, dedication, sacrifices and with good intentions and deeds, the Night of Power is still far better for us to live and to enjoy.

 

The Night of Power is a night of blessings. Allah has blessed this night. Therefore whosoever is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah may look forward to the Night of Power. Anyone who seeks the Night of Power and lives it, all his sins will be erased. This is, as if, he is born again free of all sins and mistakes.

 

Indeed, every one of us would like to live a life free of sins and mistakes.

 

Everyone would like to meet Allah on the Day of Judgment without sins. All of us wish to rejuvenate ourselves, and to start a new year with a fresh outlook and a fresh life. The Night of Power is one of the best ways in which a person is to achieve all these ideals. Therefore, we should start looking for it so we will be able to observe it and enjoy it.

 

As far as determining the Lailatul Qadr is concerned, it has been reported to be during one of the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan, i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. It has been emphasized that it is most likely to be the 27th night.

 

In this night a person should make worship of Allah (SWT) exclusively, even though there is no special form of worship prescribed for this night, one can engage in the offering of nafl prayers as much as possible or in supplications, in the recitation of the Holy Qur’an or by any other good deed, which is not contrary to the Shariah.

 

If we are interested in living the Night of Power, the following things might be observed:

 

a. Recitation of the Holy Qur’an and remembrance of Allah(zikr)

 

b. Reciting istghfar and la ilahaillallah

 

c. Prayers-nafl after taraweh and supplication ordu’a.

 

d. Reciting suratAl-Qadr

 

e. Reading books of hadith andtafseer.

 

f. Giving charity toothers

 

g. Doing i’tikaf in the mosque.

 

Once, the beloved wife Aisha (R.A.) inquired from the Prophet (SAW) as to what du’a should be made on the Lailatul Qadr, he taught her the following du’a: “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun karimun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni.” It means “Oh Allah! You are surely most forgiving and merciful, you love forgiving, so do forgive me.”

 

May Allah give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort to do our best to obey Allah and to follow His Prophet? Let us wake up and do our best to please Allah in our daily life. Ameen.