Wednesday, September 1, 2010

THE MESSAGE OF LAILATUL-QADR

By: Bilal Bashir Bhat
Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Lailatul-Qadr. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (i.e. Gabriel) by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, Peace! Until the appearance of dawn." (97: 1-5)
The term Lailatul-Qadr is made of two words. In Arabic, Lailat means night and Qadr means honour and dignity. Therefore, the term Lailatul-Qadr refers to the night of honour and dignity. It is this night in which the first Divine Revelation came to the Prophet (PBUH), when he was in meditation and prayer in the Cave of Hira, Mecca. Since this night enjoys the honour of having the first revelation brought to the Prophet (PBUH), it has been named Lailatul-Qadr.
This is one of the holiest and most blessed nights, which is likely to occur on one of the odd nights on the last ten days of Ramadhan, most likely to be the 27th. The reward of worship on this night is better than the worship of a thousand months of worship, equivalent to a person’s lifetime. So, on this night one should perform the night prayers, recite the Quran, do much remembrance of Almighty Allah, make duas as much as possible and send blessings to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
"The person who offered prayers to Allah in the night of Dignity with faith and with hope of reward from Allah, all his past sins have been forgiven." (Bukhari)"Seek the night of Dignity in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Bukhari)
By odd nights, the reference is made to the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th night of the month of Ramadhan. No one night has been fixed so that the yearning to find it may increase and people may spend more nights in worshiping Allah. From this aspect, the importance of ‘Itikaaf (seclusion) during the last ten days of Ramadhan is clear.
Let us seek abundance rewards from our Creator by performing extra actions in these last few days of the noble month of Ramadhan as it could be our last Ramadhan of our life.One who misses this blessed night then he has missed much good for no one misses it except one from whom it is withheld. Therefore it is recommended that the Muslim who is eager to be obedient to Allah should stand in Prayer during this night out of Iman and hoping for the great reward, since if he does this, Allah will forgive his previous sins.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Whoever stands in (Prayer) in Lailatul-Qadr out of Iman and seeking reward then his previous sins are forgiven." (Bukhari)
It is recommended to supplicate a great deal in it, it is reported from A’shah, (May All pleased with her) that she said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Lailatul-Qadr was, and then what should I say in it?" He said: Say: "Allaahumma innaka ‘affuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee." (O Allah you are the one who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so pardon me.) (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
May Almighty Allah forgive all of our sins on the occasion of this coming Lailatul-Qadr.

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