There is a powerful night in the month of Ramadan: Lailat-ul-Qadr. During this night the worship of the Almighty the Most High as well as the performance of any noble deed are more valuable than those done during a thousand months. The Holy Qur’an says:
“Verily! We have sent it [this Holy Qur’an down in the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr). And what will make you know [o, Muhammad] what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months! Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (i.e. Jibreel [angel Gabriel]) by Allah’s permission with all decrees. Peace!(or – there is peace and quiet with any decree in this night [It lasts] until the appearance of dawn” ( the Holy Qur’an, 97).
Herewith follow some explanations and comment on the surah:
- The fact that the last Scripture – the Holy Qur’an was sent down from the Preserved Tablet on the first celestial level out of the seven existing ones exactly on this night demonstrates its power and significance in the sight of the Creator.
- The repetition of the word combination Lailatul-Qadr three times is not accidental. Such turn of speech in Arabic points at a respectful treatment the object defined with this word combination.
- Lailatul-Qadr – the Night of Power. Scholars specified various versions motivating the excellence of this night. Here are some of them:
- “Its power and greatness lie in the fact that it was on this very night that the Holy Qur’an was sent down”;
- “…because an enormous number of angels descend on this night to earth”;
- “… because the manifestation of grace, mercy and forgiveness from the Lord of the worlds in this night is incomparable with other nights by its significance”;
- “… because a believer, who spends this night praying, acquires, with the mercy of God the Most High, Most Great, Powerful energy”.
The word al-qadr can be also translated as tightness, closeness. Taking into account this meaning of the word, alims have said: “On this night such a great number of angels descend to earth that there is simply no room for them all”.
Sometimes the word combination Lailatul-Qadr is translated as The Night of Predestination. It is especially true when the word qadr is read as qadar. Taking into account such possible translation Islamic scholars are said to have explained:”
Depending on how a believer spends this night and with what prayers he invokes Almighty the Most High, it may have a significant impact on the following year of the life of this person, with his actions going in line with the original all-awareness of the Creator”.
4. “The Night of Power is better than a thousand months!” Of course, with regard for the fact that in these months and on these thousands of days there is no such night, as Lailatul-Qadr.
The ayah makes it clear for believers that any good deed performed in this blessed night is of greater value in the sight of the Almighty than the performance of the same action or deed during a thousand of months. This is the manifestation of the great mercy of the Creator towards men, who often forget about Him, eternity and piety.
5. “Therein descend the angels”– angels descend from heaven to earth and become closer to believers.
6. “…and the Rooh (i.e. Jibreel [angel Gabriel])”. Allah the Most High, first talks about all angels and then mentions separately one angel from such great number, pointing at the privileged position of angel Jibreel [angel Gabriel] in His sight, in the sight of the Creator of the worlds.
7. “with any decree”. I.e. angels descend both in order to reveal and fulfill God’s decrees and to encourage the conception of all the deeds that are to be performed in the next year.
8. “[It lasts] until the appearance of dawn” – Lailatul-Qadr begins immediately after the sun sets and ends at dawn, i.e. at the beginning of the time of the morning prayer Fajr. The Holy Qur’an contains another mentioning of Lailatul-Qadr:
“Verily, We [says God the Most High, herewith He means His Grandeur, and by no means at His plurality] revealed it [the Holy Qur’an] on a blessed Night. Verily, We are ever warning [informing people with those injunctions that were written by Us in the Holy Scripture, as well as with the explanation of is in store for them on the Judgement Day, in the hereafter]. Therein (in Lailatul-Qadr) every wise affair is made distinct. A command from Us; verily, We are the senders (of messengers). A mercy from your Lord. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Knowing” (see, the Holy Qur’an, 44:3-6).
Prophet Muhammad (may Allah greet and bless him) said:
“He, who performs a night prayer in the Night of Power with faith and seeking his reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven”. As far as Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself is concerned, ‘Aisha (RA) conveyed that “during the last ten nights of Ramadan Prophet Muhammad would pray a lot, wake his family for a night prayer and perform many good deeds”.
Question: We often hear how generously man is rewarded for a good deed performed in the Night of Power. When should one expect it to come? What are its signs?
When should one expect it to come?
In the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah greet and bless him) there is a great number of hadith which indicate probable time limits for finding this blessed night. Here are some of them:
“Seek the Night of Power [praying, performing night prayers and doing noble deeds] during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan”;
“Look for the Night of Power on an odd numbered night during the last ten days of the month Ramadan”;
A considerable number of Islamic scholars pointed at the night of the 27 day of Ramadan saying that this is the most probable time, although it is not certain. Very often various events, which are timed to this great night, take place exactly on the 27 day of the month of Ramadan. Of course for those, who don’t want to miss this great night, it would be most foresighted to pay special attention to each odd night of the last ten nights of Ramadan. It would be good, to rely on Allah’s mercy, at least toperform an additional prayer, then invoke Allah, the Creator of the worlds, with a Du’a and perform at least one, noble deed in the name of Allah the Most High. Even if a night has not been the Night of Power, our prayers, with the mercy of the Creator, will be heard and accepted, for they were read at night, moreover, in one of the nights of the blessed month of Ramadaan.
What are its signs?
1.This night possesses an extraordinary shine and brightness of its own.
2.Taking into account local climate the weather on that night won’t be either cold or warm, i.e. the night temperature will be average for this climate, region and season.
3.This night will be calm, clear and dry.
4.Stars do not fall on that night.
5.The next morning after this night the sun will be bright, brilliant and encarnadine (light red). Its shine will be tender, not blinding just like the full moon in the clear night.
Question. Why is the date of this blessed night concealed from people? Why isn’t this night clearly defined unlike other the two blessed nights, whose signs are mentioned in the hadith?
Answer. Not a single night of the year is comparable with the Night of Power, as has already been mentioned above. Probably, that’s why it is concealed from people, in order that they don’t confine themselves to one night in the year when they ward off evil most
diligently and live with their hearts, soul. Some prominent scholars said: “A Muslim should seek Lailatul-Qardr in every night of the year”, i.e. revive it with prayers, Du’a and deep reflection both about the worldly and the eternal.
The mysterious and ambiguous character of this issue is similar to the unknown day of death, the date of the Day of Doom. Why? Simply because when having the possibility to be pious today one shouldn’t leave it for tomorrow, let alone for the following years or decades!
Question. How should one act on the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr)?
Answer. One should do more noble deeds, perform additional prayers, read the Holy Qur’an, pray to Almighty the Most High for forgiveness and ask Him for blessing (Tawfik)
in one’s deeds as well as for Barakah, appealing to Allah the Most High in any language in which it is most convenient for you to express your thoughts, hopes and wishes.