Like any other night, it creeps in as the sun goes down. Darkness envelopes everything, and the world goes to sleep.
But unlike any other night, there is a shower all night: a shower of peace, of gifts and blessings. And some special guests come down from the sky. At the forefront of these guests is the bearer of the light of Revelation – Angel Jibreel [alaihis salam].
The mysteries of Laylat al-Qadr fall under matters of the Unseen. And like every matter of the unseen, we know only so much as Allah shares with us through revelation. So no matter how much we want to solve the debate of when this night is, how the Qur’an could be revealed in one night, and many similar matters, the answer to all these questions is: “We don’t know for sure”. And that’s not the point anyway. The point is, like the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) answered the man who asked when the Day of Judgment is, “What have you prepared for it?”
Laylat al-Qadr at a Glance
It’s a night on which the Qur’an was revealed. [Surah 97] It falls within the last ten days of Ramadan. [Tirmidhi 792] It starts from Maghrib and ends before Fajr.
The rewards of any sincere good deed done on this night are multiplied manifolds. This one night is better than one thousand months. [Surah 97] It is a night full of barakah (blessings), a mubarak night. [Surah 44 Ayah 3]. It is the night when all important decrees are issued.
The Goal of Laylat al-Qadr
Recite the whole Quran? Pray 20 rakat of taraweeh? Spend the night in I’tikaf? These are excellent means to achieve our goal. But remember, these are only means.
Shaykh Amin Ihsan Islahi says, “A person who prostrates himself before the Almighty during this night might attain His nearness to an extent which he may never be able to emulate in a thousand other nights…. a lot of spiritual wealth is hidden beneath the veils of this night. Lucky are the ones who strive and reap its bounties.” (Tadabbur-e-Qur’an) What we want to achieve on this night, is a qalb saleem (sound heart), because that’s what will save us on the Day of Judgment. [26:89] We want to feel the light of eemaan glowing in our hearts, filling our hearts with so much love for Allah that it spills from our eyes. And once we have achieved that, we won’t ever want to let go. We’ll do anything to ensure that it stays, and our whole life will change in accordance with the pleasure of our Beloved Lord. Don’t make Laylat al-Qadr a one-off night of worship – make it a life-changing experience.
Things to do on Laylat al-Qadr
Remove the veil between you and Allah completely. Asking Allah’s forgiveness removes the veil that prevents us from getting close to Allah. [Muslim 2702] Ask Allah to wipe away your past and give you a fresh opportunity to become a righteous slave. A special dua for Laylat al-Qadr: “O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me.” [Tirmidhi 3513]
Refrain from bad deeds. Ironically, though devils are chained up, we are still prone to sin on this night. In our zeal of worshipping Allah, some of us might neglect our duties towards others. A husband might leave his wife crying while he goes to the masjid for I’tikaf, thinking what he’s doing will please Allah. Doing this is nothing less than constricting the meaning of worship.
Worship isn’t about turning our faces to the east and the west. It encompasses every aspect of our lives. And Laylat al-Qadr is no exception.
Read the Quran like it’s supposed to be read. Allah revealed the Qur’an as guidance. And in order to find guidance, we must first understand what it says. Make every effort to understand a bit of this guidance this night – tafsirs, translations and lectures are at your fingertips. And don’t just stop there. Reflect on what you learn, let it broaden your intellect and fill your heart, so that you get a glimpse of the infinite ocean of treasure that this book holds.
Attempt to achieve the things that you’ve failed to achieve so far. In order to remove any barriers from our path to righteousness, Allah has given this night salaam. Salaam means “safety and protection from every sort of risk and danger in general and from satanic interference in paticular, they are unable to acquire the secrets of this night and are unable to cause disruptions in the blessings of this night.” [Islahi]
If you are trying to mend a relationship broken beyond repair, to say sorry to someone who’ll never forgive you, or to let go of a sin that’s rooted in the depths of your being, give it a try on this safe and protected night. Remember, nothing is impossible for Allah.
Do as much good deeds as you can, and do them from the heart. Remember, the goal is to build a powerful connection with Allah that will hold for the rest of the year, inshaAllah.
