Blessings

The Night of Power

Chapter 35: The Night of Power

Quote of the Day: "Whosoever stands up (in prayer) at the Night of Power out of faith and hopeful of reward, all his past sins will be forgiven." (Targhib)

What would you do, if you could add 100 years to your life?

Now let's take a minute to reflect before continuing on with our topic today. Did you all know, that in the past, the human life span was in fact longer? Need an example? Well just think about our wonderful Prophet Nuh (Noah); a man who lived approximately 900 years. And do you guys know what he did those 900 years of life?

He gave daw'ah. He persisted in his cause, which was to call his people to Islam and adhere to Allah (SWT)'s message. And despite his best efforts - lasting nine centuries - he only accumulated eighty or so believers. Subhan'Allah.

As much as I would like to discuss the beauty of Prophet Nuh's vigilance, I want to focus on his amazingly long life span. Think of how many good deeds he amassed in those 900 years! The average life span in the US is 80; how do we in today's generation compete?

Allah (SWT) answers, with Laylatul Qadr - the Night of Power - in which the Holy Quran was revealed.

Laylatul Qadr is the crowning glory of the holy month of Ramadhaan. It is associated with the sending down of the Qur'an Majeed, the last Book of Allah on His last Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), for the guidance of mankind. The Qur'an Majeed describes this Night.

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ

وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ

لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

سَلاَمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ

"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 Angels and the Spirit (Jibraeel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn!" (Surah 97)

The Night of Power is the night of spiritual bliss. Our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said concerning Ramadhaan:

"Verily this month has come to you; and therein is a night which is better than a thousand Months. Whosoever is deprived of it, is deprived of all good; and none is deprived of its good except a totally unfortunate person". (Ibn Majah)

Better than a thousand months.

A thousand months are equivalent to 83 years and 4 months. Fortunate is the person who spends this night in prayer. The man or woman, who prays for the whole night during this Night, will deserve blessings and reward for the period as if he or she had been praying for eighty three years and four months consecutively. Since the Night of Power is better than one thousand months no one can actually measure the extent as to how much better it is.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "Laylatul Qadr has been bestowed by Allah to my Ummah (People). It was not given to any people before this." (Dur-Mansoor).

How manifest and replete the special bounties and mercies of Allah Ta'ala are upon this Ummah is quite really beyond imagination. It will therefore be extremely foolish to allow ourselves to be deprived of these great blessings at the expense of sheer laziness and a few hours of extra sleep.

Subhan'Allah, this night is everything a person could ask for. A chance for us to catch up with the likes of Prophet Nuh and gain more years of good deeds and service on our life. We don't know when we will die, and that's what makes this night all the more important for us to seek out - so that we may attain these blessings.

Hazrath Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) reported that the Apostle of Allah said: "Search for the Blessed Night in the odd (nights) from the last ten (nights) of Ramadhaan" (Bukhari).

Although there are different reports in different traditions regarding the exact night, it is almost unanimous that the blessed night occurs in one of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan and more probably in one of the last ten odd nights (i.e. 2lst, 23rd, 25th 27th or 29th night).

The popular opinion is, however, in favour of the 27th Night of Ramadhaan but that is not absolutely certain. The traditions indicate that it is to be sought in one of the last ten nights and preferably in the last three odd nights. It was therefore the practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and his companions to make I'tikaaf - staying in the masjid - for the whole time offering Divine service during the last ten days of Ramadhaan.

Hazrath Aisha has narrated another saying:
"I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Tell me if I were to find a Night of Power, what should I recite therein?" Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) advised her to recite:

"Al-laa-hum-ma in-na-ka 'afoow-wan tu-hib-bul-'af wa fa-fu 'an-ni."

O Allah! You are Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive me."(Bukhari).

Special attention should therefore be given to the excessive recitation of this dua on the blessed night. Furthermore one may engage in lengthy rakaats of Tahajjud salaat, Tilaawat of the Qur'an, Dua, Zikr, etc.

The worship and the vigil of the Night of Power are a treat to the soul. The heart tends to melt into tears of heartfelt gratitude. The body is in a state of angelic ecstasy. The soul strives to reach nearer to Almighty Allah. In this holy month of Ramadhaan let us strive to seek the Night of Power and its bliss. May Allah reward us with His bountiful blessings. Aameen.