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By
Magda Azzam |
16/11/2003 |
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| Muslims seek
this night and spend it diligently in devotion |
[Lo!
We revealed it on the Night of Power. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the
Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The
angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all
decrees. (That night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn.]
(Surat Al-Qadr 97:1 – 5)
Muslims
believe that the month of Ramadan
is the holiest month of the year, the month when worshipers are closest to their
Creator, and the Night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr) is the holiest night of
Ramadan. Some Islamic scholars have said that the complete Qur’an was sent
down from the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfoozh) in the night of Al-Qadr to
the House of Glory (Bayt Al-`Izzah) in the lowest heaven, from whence it was
revealed piecemeal to the Prophet
Muhammad according to events that took place during his life over a period
of twenty-three years.
What
Laylat Al-Qadr Means
The
night itself has two meanings. First, it is the night during which destinies are
decided. Muslims believe that the revelation of the Qur’an in this night is
not merely the revelation of a book, but an event that will change the destiny
of the entire world.
[Therein
[that night] is decreed every matter of ordainments]
(Surat Ad-Dukhan 44:4)
The
other meaning is that this is a night of unique honor, dignity and glory, so
much so that it is better than a thousand months. Muslims believe that it was
such a blessed night that what was accomplished in it for the well-being of
mankind had not been accomplished during a long period of human history.
[Lo!
We revealed it on a blessed night. Lo! We are ever warning.]
(Surat Ad-Dukhan 44:3)
According
to Muslims, Laylat Al-Qadr is the night when the gates of heaven are wide open
and Allah
will listen to the lucky ones who encounter it. In Islam there is no
intermediary between the creation and the Creator. Whether you live in a stately
mansion or in a tent in the middle of the desert, all you need to do is raise
your hands towards the sky and ask Him. In your heart you know nobody can take
away anything Allah has meant for you or give you anything Allah has denied you.
[And
when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh, I answer
the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them bear My call and
let them trust in Me in order that they may be led aright.]
(Surat Al-Baqarah 2:186)
Every
day in the life of a Muslim is special if he is mindful of Allah in all that he
does. Laylat Al-Qadr is even more so. For Muslims, this one night is better than
a thousand months of our life, and worshiping on that one night is better than
84 years of our worship.
When
Is Laylat Al-Qadr?
Muslims
believe that the Lord has concealed the exact date of the Night of Power so they
would worship Him fervently during the whole month of Ramadan. It was reported
that the Prophet Muhammad said, “Seek it on the odd nights of the last ten
days of Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
What
Muslims Do on Laylat Al-Qadr
Muslims
are encouraged to seek this night and spend it diligently in devotion including
performing voluntary salah (ritual Prayer), reciting Qur’an, and
supplicating. The Prophet Muhammad said, “He who spends the night in prayers
on the Night of Power as a sign of his devotion and seeking rewards from Allah,
his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
For
Muslims, it is a glorious night in which
angels ascend while others descend, with their Lord’s permission, saluting
those who worship Allah on that night, and bringing with them a wish of safety
and peace.
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