Lailatul Qadar 2015: How To Gain Maximum Out Of It
Hidden treasures have always been a source of joy, Allah has kept the same treasure with associated bounties in the last Ashra of Ramadan in the night of Lailat-ul-Qadar which is the night of power and mother of all nights. As the rainy season is suitable for farming, some nights are suitable for attainment of Allah’s mercy and closeness. Lailatul Qadar is one such night to ask for Allah’s blessings and to do Astaghfar for seeking refuge from hell and Allah’s wrath. It is the night of blessings in which Quran was revealed from Loh-e- Mahfouz on Muhammad (PBUH) as the last book of guidance. Quran says
“Surely We revealed it (the Holy Quran) on the grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night. The grand night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gabriel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning.” [97: 1-5]
Night Of Honor And Dignity
“Qadar” is an Arabic word meaning honor and dignity, the night in which the first divine revelation came to Muhammad when he was in Cave Hira. Lailatul Qadar is one of the blessed and holiest night that occurs in the odd days of the third Ashra of Ramadan. As narrated by Inb-ne-Umar that Allah messenger stated that
Seek the time of Lailat-ul-Qadr in the last (ten nights), or he said: in the last nine (nights). [Sahih Muslim]
Reward Of Worship Better Than Thousand Nights
Shab-e-Qadar is the mother of all nights, the reward of worship in this night is better than the reward for the thousand months, the reward that eyes cannot see, ears cannot hear and that the human heart cannot imagine. Offering nawafils, recitation of Quran with the intention of Allah’s fear will forgive all your sins. Ahadith narrated by Abu Hurairah states that
The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 .” [Bukhari]
Prepare Yourself To Get The Maximum
The month of Ramadan is here and soon we will enter in its last Ashra towards Shab-e-Qadar, we should prepare ourselves for this night not only mentally but also physically and spiritually as being a Muslim it will be shameful to recite prayers from the tip of the tongue and oblivion to its meanings.
- Mentally: Try hard to keep Allah at the fore of our minds to be focus on the blessings of this night.
- Physically: Do not exhaust physical body in worldly activities and social stuff. Try to store it for the night of power to be physically active for nafawils and ibadah.
- Spiritually: Increase the eagerness to receive the promised bounties of this Holy night in order to purify our soul by Allah’s mercy.
A’maal To Do On Shab-e-Qadar
Muhammad (PBUH) said and as narrated in Ahadith that find this night in the odd nights of last Ashra, 21st 23rd and more likely 27th. No exact night has been marked out in order to increase the yearning and to spend more nights in worshipping Allah. Following Zikar and Duas ought to perform to achieve high level of Allah’s kindness and to atone for our sins.
1. Dua For Lailatul-Qadar
The special Dua to recite over and over again in this holy night is narrated in Ahadith
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?’ He said: ‘Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me. [Tirmidhi]
2. Do Zikar In The Last Part Of Night
Recite Astaghfar in shab-e-Qadar for our sins to wipe out. Make strong connection with Allah, recite Quranic verses, make long Duaas passionately, and repent on sins with the intention that the same would never going to happen. Practice the zikar and nawafil especially Salat-tu-Tasbih in the last part of the night because then is the time when Allah descends down to earth from heaven and says who is there to ask for My forgiveness so that I can forgive him. Narrated by Abu Hurairah
Prophet said: When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him? [Bukhari Muslim]
3. Do Itekaf
It was the practice of our Muhammad (PBUH) to do itekaf in the last ten days of Ramadan in Masjid. While doing Itekaf in homes we may get distracted but if we isolate ourselves from the worldly connections while sitting in Masjid then we can create that special bond with Allah, which is required for the practice of Itekaf. Itekaf is of shorter span, can be of three days or week but doing it on the mighty night od Shab-e-Qadar will double our reward along following the Sunnah of Muhammad (PBUH) as narrated by Hazrat Ayehsa
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan and say, “Seek Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree) in the odd nights out of the last ten nights of Ramadan.” [Al Bukhari]
Ramadan is the month of pure blessings beholding the night of Lailat-ul-Qadar, the reward for which is double than the thousand months. No one out of us is sure that who will be alive to see the next Ramadan so stay focused, do Zikar and Astaghfar to get the maximum out of it, verily Allah is the only merciful and grants forgiveness to those who ask for it.
