Laylatul Qadr - Peace Until Fajr !

In each of the daily prayer we offer, we solemnly declare to Allah, "Iyyaka na'budu" (You alone do we worship). While the intelligent and committed believer realizes that his very lifestyle spells worship, he knows, remembering the words of our Prophet (saws) that "Du'a' (supplication) is worship." [At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud] Allah, the Most Merciful, has encouraged the believers to take advantage of certain times during the year to make du'a'. Such an occasion presents itself annually during Ramadhan — especially on the Laylatul-Qadr, the Night of Power. On this night, the single most important event in human history unfolded as, after the Glorious Qur'an was preserved in the Protected Tablet, Jibril descended with the blessed book to reveal it, upon Allah's command, to His Messenger (saws). Accentuating its significance, Allah says, "And how would you know (the value of the) Night of Qadr?" [Al-Qur'an 97:2]

"Allah's Messenger (saws) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights." [Sahih Muslim]

So valuable is this Night of Qadr that the Qur'an devotes a special Surah to it, "Laylatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months." [Al-Qur'an 97:3] This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The most authentic account of the occurrence of the Night indicates that it can occur on any one of the last ten, odd numbered nights of Ramadhan. The fact that the exact night is unknown reflects Allah's will in keeping it hidden. Indeed, the Prophet (saws) was prevented from telling us its precise time. One day, he came out to tell the companions the exact night. On the way he saw two men arguing with each other. By the will of Allah, he (saws) forgot and subsequently remembered it. Afterwards the Prophet (saws) was instructed not to divulge this information. "Had I been allowed," he (saws) remarked once, "I would have told you (of its exact time)." [Ahmad] The Almighty in His Wisdom kept this hidden from us for many reasons (Wallahu a'alam). Perhaps He wants us to strive hard in our worship during the last ten days of Ramadhan so that we don't become lazy, worshipping hard on just that one night and denying ourselves the benefit of doing the same on the other nights. "Had people not left their Salah except for that (one) night, I would have informed you (of its exact date)." [At-Tabarani] The sincere believer who worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadhan. During it he hopes to be forgiven by Allah for past sins, knowing that the Prophet (saws) promised that all who bear down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To achieve this, he remembers the Prophet's (saws) advice in different sayings wherein he used words like "seek", "pursue", "search", and "look hard" for Laylatul-Qadr. Moreover, Allah and His Prophet (saws) provided us some signs of its occurrence.

Allah describes the night as "...peace until the rise of the morn." [Al-Qur'an 97:5] In various sayings, the Prophet (saws) described the night as serene, tranquil, and peaceful. The sun at sunrise would appear reddish and without its normal blazing and sharp rays. Ubayy said, "On the morning of the night of Qadr the sun would rise without any beams; (it is like) a wash basin until it raises." [Muslim] 

Abu Hurayrah said, "We mentioned the night of Qadr to the Messenger of Allah and he said, 'Which of you remembers when the moon rises and it is like half a bowl.'" [Muslim] 

Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "The night of Qadr is a night of generosity and happiness, it is not hot and neither is it cold. The sun comes up in its morning weak, reddish." [At-Tabarani, Ibn Khuzaymah and Bazzar] 
The Prophet (saws) added that "the angel of earth on that night of Qadr will be more numerous than all the pebbles of the earth." 

What should one do during the last ten days in pursuit of Laylatul-Qadr? The devoted servant of Allah makes these nights alive with prayer, reading and reflecting on Qur'an. The long qiyam prayer has been particularly recommended during the nights on which Laylatul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many Ahadith, such as the following:
Abu Dharr relates, "We fasted with Allah's Messenger(saws) in Ramadhan. He did not lead us (in qiyam) at all until there were seven (nights of Ramadhan) left. Then he stood with us (that night - in prayer) until one third of the night had passed. He did not pray with us on the sixth. On the fifth night, he prayed with us until half of the night had passed. So we said, 'Allah's Messenger! Wouldn't you pray with us the whole night?' He replied:

'Whoever stands in prayer with the imam until he (the imam) concludes the prayer, it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.'…"[Recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmithi (who authenticated it), An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, At-Tahawi in Sharhu Ma'an il-Athar, Ibn Nasr, Al-Faryabi, and Al-Bayhaqi. Their isnad is authentic]

He makes du'a' to Allah, penitently beseeching Him for His forgiveness. He is inspired by the Prophet's (saws) words, "Our Lord, most Exalted, Most High, comes down to the lowest heaven during the last third of each night and announces (reassuringly): Whoever makes du'a', I shall answer it. Whoever asks (for something halal) I shall grant it; and whoever seeks forgiveness, I shall forgive him." [Bukhari] The believer, conscious of Allah and their sins, will continue to beseech Allah, in and out of prayer, during his prostration. 

'A'ishah said, "When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (saws) would tighten his izar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer), and wake up his family." [Bukhari and Muslim] For a time, the only concern will be cleansing oneself of the forgetfulness that this life propagates in one's heart, the sins that accumulate, darkening the heart, making it insensitive to disobeying Allah. He begs Allah to keep him away from misfortunes in this world, the punishment of the grave, and the torment of Hell. He asks Allah to make him patient and steadfast in struggling to maintain his Islam in this world and asks Him to overlook his shortcomings, periods of laziness and neglect. Sincere devotion on that night will render the believer forgetful of the time, until he is surprised by the Adhan of Fajr. After Fajr, as the sun creeps above the horizon, reddish and weak in its appearance, without any rays, the effort at night will have been worthwhile. The believer rejoices, knowing that this was quite possibly Laylatul-Qadr and "Whoever stays up (in prayer and remembrance of Allah) on the Night of Qadr fully believing (in Allah's promise of reward for that night) and hoping to seek reward (from Allah alone and not from people), he shall be forgiven for his past sins." [Bukhari and Muslim] 

It is also the Night when all ordainments for the year are decreed. Allah said, which means:

"By the manifest Book (the Qur'an) that makes thing clear. We sent it (this Qur'an) down on a Blessed Night (i.e. the Night of Qadr) in the month of Ramadhan. Verily We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torments will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of Worship]. Therein (that night) is decreed every matter (amran) of ordainment." [Al-Qur'an 44:2-5]

[Excerpted from Manar As-Sabil, Al-Muntada al-Islami]

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