WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 9)

By Yusuff Ademola Adesina

The Search for the Night of Decree (Laylatul-Qadr)

 
Indeed all praise be to Allaah. We praise Him, seek His help, His guidance and forgiveness.We seek refuge in Him from the evils of our souls and our evil deeds. Whomever Allah guides, no one can lead astray, whomever He allows to go astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah, and that He has no partner. I also bear witness that Muhammad [PBUH] is His servant and messenger.

A Majority of Muslims are conscious of how they spend their time in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. As it is undisputable and well known to everyone that there is a distinguished night among the last ten nights of Ramadan which is better than a thousand months! The precious night, in which the noble Qur’an was revealed to the noblest of the sons of Adam, Muhammad (PBUH).

This exceptional and magnificent night is the one in which the dutiful, devouted angels of Allah descend to the earth by the permission of their Lord, seeking and praying for the Mercy and Blessings of Allah for the believers. Allah revealed regarding the night:

“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.”(Q97:1-5)

No one will ever imagine missing the opportunity to stay awake praying to Allah, seeking His bounty, forgiveness, mercy, peace and blessings, and praying for His guidance in the worldly affairs during this enormously blessed night.

However, it is unfortunate that no one exactly knows which of the last nights is the night of Qadr and, thus it makes sense that we examine the available Ahadith of the Prophet (PBUH) on when to search for this great night.

Ubada bin as-Samit (Allah pleased with him) narrated:

“The Prophet (PBUH) came out to inform us about the Night of Qadr but two Muslims were quarrelling with each other. So, the Prophet said, “I came out to inform you about the Night of Qadr but such-and-such persons were quarrelling, so the news about it had been taken away; yet that might be for your own good, so search for it …”(Sahih Bukhari, Vol.3, Bk 32, No. 240)

This hadith clearly confirms that the exact night of Decree is indeed among the unseen knowledge which we have not been granted. Allah says:

“And they say, “Why is a sign not sent down to him from his Lord?” So say, “The unseen is only for Allah [to administer], so wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait.”(Q10:20)

Having understood that we have not been granted the knowledge of the exact night of Qadr, the next matter to elaborate on is; when can we start searching?

‘Aisha (Allah pleased with her) narrated:

Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) said: “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol.3, Bk 32, No. 234)

The last odd nights: 21, 23, 25, 27 or 29?

For more specification,

Ibn ‘Umar (Allah pleased with him) narrated:

“Some men amongst the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were shown in their dreams that the night of Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Allah’s Apostle said, “It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to search for it (i.e. the Night of Qadr) should search in the last seven (nights of Ramadan)”

The above narration further specify the nights to 25th, 27th, or 29th , on which the ‘Night of Power’ may befall. However, one must not rely on this deduction; take proper use of all the last odd nights. Increase your acts of worship to the best of your ability, for whatever acts of worship you could observe on that night will be better than that done in a thousand months!

Finally, the most frequently asked question regarding prayer in the night of Qadr is; what is the best du’a (supplication) to read?

Aisha R.A said that:

“I asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), ‘If I found Laylatul Qadr, what should I supplicate in it?’ He (PBUH) said: ‘You should supplicate: Allahuma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibul-afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me.)” (Jami’ Trimidhi)


The Virtues of the Night of Decree

1.       The night of Quran:

“Indeed, We sent it [Qur’an] down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]” (Q44:3)

“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.”(Q97:1)

2.       Decree of every matter

“On that night is made distinct every precise matter.” (Q44:4)

3.       Angels descend to the earth with peace, blessing and mercy

“The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.”(Q97:4-5)

4.       Forgiveness of past sins:

Narrated by Abu Huraira(Allah pleased with him)

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Bk 31, Hadith 125)

5.       A night better than a thousand months!

“And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.”(Q97:2-3)

Hence, you need to intensify your acts of worship so that you could make most of these blessed nights and end Ramadan in the best way. Jazakumul-Laah Khayran



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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 8)
http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/06/what-you-should-know-about-ramadan_15.html
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 7)
http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/06/what-you-should-know-about-ramadan_12.html
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 6)
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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 5)
http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/06/what-you-should-know-about-ramadan.html
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 4)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 3) http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/05/what-you-should-know-about-ramadan_28.html
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 2) http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/05/what-you-should-about-ramadan-episode-2.html
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RAMADAN (EPISODE 1) http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/05/what-you-should-know-about-ramadan.html
RAMADAN AND ITS SPIRITUALITY, HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW? http://themindbuilders.blogspot.com.ng/2017/05/ramadan-its-spirituality-how-much-do.html

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