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, odd numbered nights of Ramadan, 21, 23, 25,
27, 29.
We should strive to stay up at least on the odd numbered
nights of the last ten days. If we can't manage that then let us pray at least
on the 27th night. If one prays on all of the last odd numbered nights then
there is more chance that one may have caught this most powerful night and the
reward is of over 83 YEARS OF WORSHIP! Subhanallah! Most will not even live
upto that age!
It is a night that we CANNOT miss out on so here is how we
can maximize this blessed night:
1. Recite the Qur’an abundantly
Abdur-Raziq said, “When Ramadan came, Sufyan Ath-Thawri
would give up all acts of (voluntary) worship and devote himself to the
recitation of the Qur’an.”
Laylatul Qadr is the night the Qur'an was revealed so we
should spend much of the night reciting it for we will gain 700 hasanah or more
by reciting each letter!
Aisha (Ra) said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O
Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I
say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to
pardon, so pardon me.' “
"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu
'annee" (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).
We should sincerely repent for past and present sins with
the intention of not repeating them again and ask of Allah Ta’aala to help us
prevent ourselves from doing them again and ask Allah to perfect our characters
and to help us improve ourselves in every way possible.
3. Do much Superogatory Prayers (Nafil)
Rabi'ah ibn Malik al-Aslami reported that the Prophet
sallallahu alehi wasallam said: "Ask (anything)." Rabi'ah said:
"I ask of you to be your companion in paradise." The Prophet said:
"Or anything else?" Rabi'ah said: "That is it." The Prophet
sallallahu alehi wasallam said to him: "Then help me by making many
prostrations (i.e., supererogatory prayers)." (Muslim)
The Prophet peace be upon him said: “Whoever draws near to
Allaah during it (Ramadaan) with a single characteristic from the
characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an
obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during
it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” –
Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887.
In this most blessed month of Ramadhan all good deeds are
multiplied by 70 or more. Every Nafil one prays one will gain the reward of a
Fard Salaah and every Fard Salah is the reward of 70 Fard salaah. Subhanallah
what other time of the year is this possible? NONE! So let us make the best of
these precious seconds and pray as many Nafil prayers as is possible!
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Bilal (may Allah be
pleased with him): “Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you
deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your
footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him)
replied: “I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I
make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much as was
destined for me to do.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)”
Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said,
The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud
from the Qur'an and prophetic hadiths:
1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya,
quoting Fath al-Qadir]
2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this
was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon
him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]
3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of
rakats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar]
4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short
rakats, because of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah
bless him and give him peace) said, "It you get up for night prayer, start
with two short rakats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]
Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I
cannot pray at night." He said, "Your sins have prevented you."
Here are some easy and very beneficial Dhikr and
glorification we can do throughout the blessed nights:
1. Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee
2. Subhanallah
3. Alhamdulillah
4. Allahu Akbar
5. Laa ilaha ilallah
6. LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH
7. Asthaghfirullah
8. SUB-HAN'ALLAH HIL AZEEM WA BI-HAM'DIHI,
9. Subhāna-llāhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llāhi, wa lā ilāha
illā-llāhu, wa-llāhu akbar. Wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā
bi-llāhi-l-aliyyi-l-azīm
10. Lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu lahu-l-mulku
wa lahu-l-ḥamdu yuhyi wa yumītu wa huwa ḥayyu-llā yamūtu abadan abada, ḏū-l-jalāli
wa-l-ikrām, biyadihi-l-khayr, wa huwa alā kulli Shay-in qadīr
Or the shortened version:
11. Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu,
lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer
One can also recite the durood that one recites in one's
Salaah or a Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim
5. Make much dua.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an:
"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." [2:186]
The place of duaa is so high to Allah, that the
Prophet(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim) had said: "Nothing is more honourable
to Allah the Most High than du`a." [Sahih al-Jami` no.5268].
Almighty Allah also said: "The most excellent worship
is du`a." [Sahih Al-Jami` no. 1133]
Therefore let us devote much of the night of Qadr in dua
asking of Allah for his mercy and forgiveness for all of our past sins and
making firm intentions to Allah that we will change for the better and strive
to become closer to him as well as make our deen a FULL part of our lives and
not just a little part of our life as Allah says:
Allah tells us In the Qur'an to enter fully into our deen
and not partly:
O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow
the footsteps of Shaitan, surely he is your clear-cut enemy.... (Surah
Al-Baqara, Ayah 208-210)
So then will we not make Islam a FULL part of our lives?
This is our best opportunity and if we don't take it and death comes to us then
surely we will regret it for ETERNITY!
And Allah knows best in all matters.
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