Special Night

[Zainab_M]

September 5, 2010 - Night of Leilatul Qadr

The Noble Quran, the Love of the life of every believer, began being revealed to our beloved Prophet from Allah, the Exalted, on one of the nights of the month of Ramadan.  

Though Allah has only mentioned in the Quran that the revelation began in Ramadan and has not specified which day of Ramadan, most people consider the night of 26th and 27th of Ramadan to be the most likely date.  Only Allah knows best.   As confirmed by Allah, we can only be sure that the revelation of the Noble Quran began on one of the nights of Ramadan.  Thus, while we pray extra hours on all days and  nights of Ramadan, we observe our most special prayers on the night of the 26th and 27th of Ramadan, that is, tonight, picking (or dedicating it) to be the special Night.  

Here's a message in regard to Leilatul Qadr from Facebook Prayer Circle which I would like to share tonight:

Quote

Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power)
We reach the most luminous and fruitful night on the Night of Power. Ramadan is the only month and the Night of Power is the only night mentioned in the Quran. The Rabb of the Universe informed His beloved Messenger about the honor and value of those fruitful hours. The virtue of that night is so great that there is an independent Chapter in the Quran explaining the mercy that will be manifest and the spiritual events that will take place on that night. That chapter is the Chapter of al-Qadr, Surah 97.

God Almighty, uses the expression “Night of Power” clearly three times in a Chapter that consists of five verses to inform us the Significance of that night:"Indeed, We revealed it on the Night of Power.  And what will convey unto you what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months."  97:1-3

The exalted events are expressed as follows at the end of the Chapter:  "The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Rabb, with all decrees.  (The night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn."

Unquote


Related post with more details:
Leila-tul-Qadr

[N. Truth Seeker]

InshAllah, InshAllah,  I sincerely hope the Night of Qadr was well utilized by everyone with extra prayers and begging the forgiviness of Allah.
 
How quick time flies!  We are already on the last 3 days of this most blessed month when we renew our committment to our Faith every year.   And each year, during the renewal of our committment to Allah Almighty, we learn something new from our reading of the Noble Quran and our prayers & supplications to Allah.   
 
I pray and hope each one of us learned something new which we can carry with us as a piece of wealth or treasure during our final journey.   As we recently talked in our Ramadan get-together discussion day, I hope that our post Ramadan planning of our lives will include this additional treasure to further beautify our lives, InshAllah, ameen.
 
For instance, it would be wise to choose a worship we were blessed with doing in Ramadan, such as, offering our Fajr prayers on time at dawn, reading the Noble Quran daily or praying at least 2 rakah Salaat al-Leil, or better still if we can offer even just 2 rakah of Tahajjud .. commit to doing it as a minimum every single day of the year in addition to your daily prayer schedule prior to Ramadan.   Even if it feels difficult because of the hectic daily routine, at least try to fulfil it whenever you can. 

"Lo! those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and afterward are upright, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not nor grieve, but hear good tidings of the paradise which ye are promised.
We are your protecting friends in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. There ye will have (all) that your souls desire, and there ye will have (all) for which ye pray.
A gift of welcome from One Forgiving, Merciful."
(41:30-32) Surah Fussilat

[Ruhi_Rose]

Sister Zeynab and Br. ts - JazekAllah Khair, thank u for your very lovely messages.  Br. ts, your post Ramadan planning sounds like such a wonderful idea.  And yes, this is the time when we renew our commitment to Allah.  You put it so well.  I hear people saying with sarcasm that Muslims devote themselves to Allah with so much devotion in Ramadan, and after Ramadan they forget everything.  Few people realize that Ramadan serves an excellent opportunity to renew and strengthen our commitment to Allah Subhana Wa'Tala.  There are some who forget the promises they made to Allah soon after Ramadan because their devotion is shallow or outward, and some because they just cannot find the time on account of all the challenges and family responsibilities of life.  Those whose devotion is outward, I won't talk about them except that may Allah grant them guidance.  But as for those who do sincerely love Allah and yet the hectic routine of daily life snatches away most of their time, I hope such of us are somehow able to organize our lives in a way so as to add even a little extra worship to Allah after the end of each Ramadan we spend.  It really gives a great feeling of accomplishment.  May Allah be with us and keep helping us to come closer to Him.  Nothing more important than that for sure.  

Indeed, time flies so fast!   It feels just the other day Ramadan began and now the month of Shawal is almost about to start.  

Sister Zeynab, and also br. ts .. I would like to ask regarding what sister Zeynab mentioned that Allah stated that the Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan, which would meant that it could have been revealed in any one of the 30 nights of Ramadan.  The focus on searching for Night of Qadr in the odd nights during the last 10 days seems to have stemmed from the Hadith.  Can any of you think as to why Allah didn't mention the exact date of the Night of Qadr?  Of course, only Allah would know it best, but can you suggest any reasons?  I'm just a bit curious.

Walaykum As-salam to everyone  

[N. Truth Seeker]

Walaikum salam sister Ruhi.  Thank u for appreciating our messages, and I hope, InshAllah that Ramadan for you and your family has been spent to your satisfaction so far.

Yes sister, only Allah would know why He did not mention the exact date for the Night of Qadar except that it was on the month of Ramadan.  The fact that the Quran was revealed in Ramadan is very clear and confirmed.  But Allah has mentioned nothing beyond that, not even any hints as to which part of the month it might have been revealed .... beginning of Ramadan, middle or end.  Allah only says during "Ramadan," that's all.  I would surmise, only surmise, that perhaps the reason Allah didn't mention the date was because He wanted us to do extra worship on all 30 nights of Ramadan.  And I think it's very possible that if Allah had mentioned the exact date, then most people would take all other days of Ramadan too easy and only fill up the Night of Qadar with all the extra worship.  Perhaps, Allah wanted us to spread our extra worship evenly over all 30 days & nights of Ramadan.  Since the Hadith has come up with its presumpton of searching for Qadar during the last 10 odd nights, therefore as we can see, many Muslims (especially those living in the West) do indeed become somewhat slack during the early days of Ramadan and concentrate on extra worship only on 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th.  Probably it was to avoid this that Allah didn't tell us the precise date of this Night. After all, the entire month of Ramadan becomes very important because of that one Night.  We need to keep this in mind and therefore offer extra worship on all days of Ramadan as much as we can.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Hummm, your perception makes a lot of sense dear brother.  Thanks a lot for this.

therefore as we can see, many Muslims (especially those living in the West) do indeed become somewhat slack during the early days of Ramadan and concentrate on extra worship only on 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th. 

Btw, why do u think Muslims living in the West are more slack during the early days of Ramadan?

[N. Truth Seeker]

Btw, why do u think Muslims living in the West are more slack during the early days of Ramadan?

Well .... I've generally observed it, because, since Western countries are not geared up for giving any concessions to Muslims during Ramadan by shortening their work hours and thus providing them more time to worship, Muslims living in the West find it much harder to fulfil their duties in Ramadan than those living in their countries of origin.  So, for those Muslims living in Western countries, it suits them fine to restrict most of their worship on those few nights of Ramadan instead of all 30 nights. 

[Ruhi_Rose]

Ah! okay, I understand u.  Yeah, u r right.  In places like North America and Europe, especially in the United States at present, observing the month of Ramadan properly is really tough because of the hurdles created by the inconsideration and insensitivity of Western attitudes.

Indeed, every command of the Noble Quran is meant to be a universal message.  Thus, Ramadan should have been followed by the entire world.  Unfortunately more than half the world does not see it that way, and so they create problems for those who do follow it. 

Isn't it sad that everywhere in North America and Europe people are so particular about taking a vacation to relax and get a break every year, and they spend so much money on it.  But they never think of relaxing to remember Allah.  What better vacation can there be than the great spiritual vacation of Ramadan when we are expected to put aside most of our stressful earthly work and relax with the thought of Allah and to thank Him for His endless mercy & bounty He has bestowed upon us?   Human nature is so ungrateful, mean and insensitive!

[N. Truth Seeker]

Exactly, sister.  I couldn't agree more with all your points.

[Zainab_M]

Walaikum Salaam and JazekAllah Khair, thank you for this very useful discussion that filled my heart with happiness and inspiration.  Alhumdulilah.

Just 2 more days left to fast.   As a sister friend of mine commented today on the ending of this blessed month, it feels like the "departure of an old friend."  The good thing is that it comes every year.  The depressing thing is that each year Ramadan ends, we never know if we'll be alive to see the next one. Or, we don't even know if we'll be healthy enough to observe it.  Thus, thank Allah with all your heart after successfully completing each Ramadan for we never know which one might be the final one.

And now, let's share a dua I received from the prayer circle of Facebook.  Do please read it with sincerity and InshAllah, if Allah wills, He will grant it to us.

The Last Day of Ramadan gives us the opportunity for asking anything we need from The Most Merciful One.

Ya Rab!  Send Your Mercy to all my beloved ones and their families and grant them Paradise.   Make their life easy, sucessful and full of happiness
and show them the ways of serving the Noble Islam and give them goodness here and next world.  Ameen, ameen, Ya Allah.

O Allah! I ask You to lighten my burden, purify my heart, keep me chaste, forgive me my sins and I ask of You a high rank in the Garden.

O Allah! Bless me in my sight, in my hearing, in my soul, in my body, in my conduct; bless me in my life, in my family, in my work; accept my good deeds, and I ask of You a high rank in the Garden.

O Allah! I seek refuge in You against difficulties, calamities, troubles, oppression and the ridicule of enemies.

O Allah!  O Controller of the Hearts!  Keep my heart firm in Your Religion; keep it contented with Your worship. 

O Allah! Grant us increase and not decrease, honour and not dishonour; give us Your favors and do not deprive us;  prefer us;

O Allah! Grant us the best of outcomes in all our affairs, and save us from disgrace in this world and from punishment in the Hereafter.

O Allah! Grant me soundness of belief, goodness of character, forgiveness of my sins, and Your eternal pleasure in the Hereafter.

May Allah's blessings be upon Muhammad (S.A.W) and his family and Companions.

Ameen, ameen.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Ameen, ameen.  Alhumdulilah and Allah-o-Akbar, always!

This is a wonderful thread and reading it made my day.  Questions and answers are very educative. 

With the end of Ramadan just around tomorrow, may Allah Almighty accept our fasts, prayers and duas.  May Allah accept the dua posted above, ameen.  Indeed we are lucky to have been given yet another chance from Allah to renew our commitment to serving Him alone.  InshAllah, I pray we get more opportunities to offer our extra worship to Allah alone in the future years.

Allah bless u, sister Zeynab, Rose and br. PT and all our readers and visitors.