Lailat-ul-Qadr

[pacifist]

The most unluckiest person in the world.. is the one who did not make it to forgive all his past sins in month of Ramadhaan.
How many people are laying in there Grave, who thought they can make it to Ramadhaan this year. They never made it !!
We are lucky we got a chance this year !!
The Prophet (SAW) said: "Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadhaan and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then may ALLAH distance him."[Ahmad (2/246) and Bayhaqi (4/204)]
Its not too late, Also we have the 'Night of Power' ( Lailat-ul-Qadr ) in hand

The Messenger (SAW) said: "Whoever prays the Night of Qadr with Eemaan (faith) and hoping for its reward, ALLAH will forgive him all his previous sins." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

'Lailat-ul-Qadr' or 'Night of Power' a very important occasion in the history of Islam and in our personnel lives.

The Night Of Power is better for you to live, to experience and to enjoy than one thousand months of your personal life. Even if you were to live one thousand months ( 83.3 years ) with sincerity, dedication, and sacrifices and with good intentions and deeds, the Night Of Power is still far better for you to live and to enjoy.

ALLAH says in the Qur'an in Surah Al-Qadr:

"We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the spirit by God's permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn." (97:1-5)
The Night of Power is a night of blessings ALLAH has blessed this Night. Therefore whosoever is interested in receiving the blessings of ALLAH may look forward to the Night of Power.

Anyone who seeks the Night of Power and lives it, all his/her sin will be erased. This is, as if, he/she is, born again now free of all sin and mistakes.

Aa'isha (R) said: "When the last ten days of Ramadhaan arrived the Messenger (SAW) used to abstain (from contact a with his wives) and he would establish the nights. He would awaken (his family) to do the same also." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]

I am sure every one of us would like to live a life free of sins an free of mistakes. Everyone would like to meet ALLAH on the Day of Judgment without sins. Every one of us would like to feel that he/she is reborn today. All of us wish to rejuvenate ourselves, and to start a new year with a fresh outlook and a fresh life. Every one of us wants to live a pure life and everyone wants to purify himself/herself without anguish or torment.

The Night of Power is one of the best way in which a person is to achieve all these ideals. For this reason may I suggest that you start looking for it, so you will be able to observe it and enjoy it.

Imam Bukhari reports from 'Aishah that the Messenger of ALLAH (may ALLAH bless him and grant him peace) would tighten his waist-cloth ( i.e. detach himself from his wives), spend the night in worship and awake his family, during the last ten nights of Ramadan.

As far as determining the Night of Power (Lailat-ul-Qadr) is concerned, it has been reported to be during one of the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadhaan, i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. It has been emphasized that it is most likely to be the 27th night. But this doesn't mean you should stick to 27th night only.

The Signs of the Night of Qadr .
The Messenger of ALLAH (SWT) described the morning of the night of Qadr so that the muslims can know which night it is.
Ubayy (R) 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 Hurairah (R) said : "We mentioned the night of Qadr to the Messenger of ALLAH (SWT) and he said: "Which of you remembers when the moon rises and it is like half a bowl ." [Muslim]
Ibn Abbaas (R) said that the Messenger of ALLAH (SWT) 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." [Tabaranee, Ibn Khuzaimah and Bazzaar]


To summarize, I would like to mention the following:



1. The sun rises early in the morning without rays.

2. Rain may fall either during the night or during the day of that night.

3. During night the sky will be lightly foggy.

4. The sky will be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.

5. The angels and Gabriel all descend down onto earth for many purposes.



If you are interested in living the Night of Power, let me remind you of some of the things that you might have to do.


a. Recitation of the Our'an.

b. Prayers-Nafl after Taraweeh.

c. Remembrance of ALLAH or zikr

d. Supplication or Du'a for you and for others.

e. Reading books of Hadeeth so as to enjoy the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

In Sahih Bukhari (6/521), there is an amazing piece of advice from the Prophet (may ALLAH bless him and grant him peace): "Recite the Quran as long as your hearts agree on it; if you disagree about it, stop reciting it (for the time being)" -- studying the Quran should bring people together!



Ten days are the last part of the month and a person's actions are based on his last ones. So perhaps, he will encounter the night of Al-Qadr, while standing in prayer for ALLAH and thus have all his past sins forgiven .

The Night of Power is a very important occasion in Islam. Everyone is asked to live it and to enjoy it. This Night is a ' Night of Mercy ', a ' Night of Blessing ', a ' Night of Peace ' and a ' Night of Guidance '. It is a ' Night of Unification ' between the finite world of ours and the Infinite Universe of the Unseen.

May ALLAH give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort to do our best to obey ALLAH and to follow His teachings. May ALLAH guide us and may ALLAH strengthen our Emaan May ALLAH help us to live another year with sincerity and devotion. May ALLAH make us realize that one year of our life is over and that we are one year closer to our graves .

Let us wake up and do our best to please ALLAH in our daily life. Let us ask Almighty ALLAH forgiveness. Ameen.
And one must incite, animate and persuade his family to perform acts of worship, especially in these great times in which no one neglects it except that he has been deprived. What is more incredible than this is that while the people are performing prayer and making tahajjud, some individuals spend their time in forbidden gatherings and sinful events. This is indeed the greatest loss . We ask ALLAH for his protection.
So we ask ALLAH to grant us the ability to change ourselves for the better, during this blessed month, and not to be of those who are prevented from His Mercy and forgiveness. Indeed He is the One who Hears and He is the One to Respond .
Take a vacation for ALLAH

We take a break from our jobs for almost everything in life. Why not this time to focus on worshiping and thanking our Creator.

If this is not possible at least take a few days off if you can. This can make it easier to stay awake at night to do extra Ibadah. Whatever you loose is very negligible in front of whatever you gain from this Night.


Brothers and sisters in Islam!

Fear ALLAH Ta'ala and beware of wasting your life away in futile activities. Make use of your time by being positive and constructive. This may well be your last Ramadaan , your last opportunity to benefit from the special blessings and forgiveness that accompanies this month. Know that Ramadaan is a manifestation of ALLAH Ta'ala's bountiful blessings on His slaves. Use it as a turning point in your life ; a time for transformation towards a better way of life.

Yaa ALLAH ! We are full of sins. We ignore you in our life, Please don't ignore us and guide us towards your path with the help of Prophet Mohammed (SAW). And open our hearts to understand our Deen.. Ameen
May ALLAH Subhanahu wa Ta'ala weigh your prayers in gold, count your blessings with stars and ease your every effort like a gentle summer breeze.

Compiled from various sources

JazakALLAH to all those who are involved directly and indirectly in this article.

 

[EagleEyes]

Thank you for posting this. I appreciate it.

 

[pacifist]

Night Of Qadr

Peace Until The Appearance of Dawn
From As-Sunnah Newsletter

Introduction:
The word 'Qadr' means decree; 'Qadar' It also means ‘majesty’ or ‘high esteem’. Thus, Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Qadr means ‘Night of Decree’ or ‘the Night of Majesty.’



Laylat al-Qadr is a very blessed night. It is the best night of Ramadaan, rather the whole year. Rewards in this night are multiplied to equal the worship of one thousand months. It is the night, which Allah chose to send down the Qur'aan to the lowest heaven, from where it was revealed in small parts to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam).



Laylat al-Qadr is the night, when Allah decrees His wise ordainment, matters of life, death, sustenance, disaster, etc. and the angels descend with these decrees: “Verily! We have sent this (Qur'aan) down in the Night of al-Qadr. And what will make you know what Night of Qadr is? The Night of al-Qadr is better than one thousand months. In it the angels and the Spirit (Angel Jibreel alaihis-salaam) descend, by the Permission of Allah, with all decrees. Peace it is until the appearance of dawn.” [Soorah al-Qadr (97): 1-5]



And He says: “We have sent this (Qur'aan) down on a blessed night. Verily! We always warn (people from sinning). In it, every matter of ordainment is decreed by Our Command. Verily! We always send (the messengers for guidance). It is a Mercy from Your Lord; He is indeed All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Soorah ad-Dhukhan (44): 3-5]



The sending down of the Qur'aan here does not mean that it was revealed all at once to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam). According to the scholars, the Qur’aan was sent down on Laylat al-Qadr from al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh (the Preserved Tablet) to the lowest heaven; it was then revealed in small segments, as necessary over a period of twenty three years of the Messenger's life. [Ibn Katheer]



The same applies to Allah's Decrees; they (the Decrees) are not formulated on this specific night every year. Rather, Allah with His encompassing knowledge knew everything which will happen and recorded it all in al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh. On Laylat al-Qadr, Allah issues His decrees pertaining to the following year (life, death, sustenance etc.) to the angels, after having been in al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh. [Ibn Katheer]

When is Laylat al-Qadr?
The knowledge of the exact date of Laylat al-Qadr is hidden from us. Ubadah bin as-Samit t reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) walked into the Masjid (Prophet's mosque) and found two men arguing. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said:

“I was coming to tell you about (the time of) Laylat al-Qadr; when such and such men disputed, the knowledge of it was raised (taken); and this may be better for you. So seek it on the ninth, seventh, and fifth nights (after twenty).”
[Saheeh al-Bukharee]


Various authentic reports indicate that Laylat al-Qadr falls on the nights of twenty first, twenty-third, twenty fifth, twenty seventh, twenty-ninth, or the last night of Ramadaan. Therefore, scholars differ regarding the exact date of Laylat al-Qadr, but definitely it falls on an odd night among the last ten nights of Ramadaan.


Note: Twenty-first night means the night preceding the twenty-first day of Ramadaan.


Scholars also differ whether Laylat al-Qadr always falls on a fixed night, or moves from year to year between nights. The safest approach is to follow the Ahadeeth, which instruct one to seek Layat alQadr (at least) on odd nights of the last ten days in Ramadaan. At the same time, special care should be given to the night of the twenty-seven because it is the night on which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) gathered all his family, and spent it in prayer and worship.

How to seek Laylat al-Qadr?
Laylat al-Qadr is the most blessed night. One who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of rewards. If a believing person is zealous to obey his Lord and increase in good deeds, he should strive to encounter this night and spend it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven.

Qiyam:
It is recommended to make a long Qiyam (standing) in prayer during the nights on which Laylat al-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in a number of Ahadeeth. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said:

“Whoever stands (in Qiyam) in Laylat al-Qadr (and it is facilitated to him) out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all his previous sins forgiven.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] “and it is facilitated to him.” This addition is recorded in Musnad Ahmad, it means that if he is permitted to be among the sincere worshipers during the blessed night.

Supplication:
It is also recommended to make extensive supplications on the night of Laylat al-Qadr. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) reported that she asked the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam): "O Messenger of Allah r! If I knew the night of Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) instructed her to say: “Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anni” O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me.” [(saheeh) by Shaikh al-Albanee (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhee) ]
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the night on which Laylat al-Qadr is likely to be. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for Allah. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) reported: “When the (last) ten days started, the Prophet of Allah 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.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

Signs of Laylat al-Qadr:
Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) have mentioned some signs to identify the night of Laylat al-Qadr. It is interesting to note that by the Wisdom of Allah, the All-Wise, these signs occur after the night has passed. Some scholars state that the wisdom behind this is that one would not rely on definite knowledge in order to limit his worship to just one night of the whole year. This understanding is supported from the Prophet’s statement: “…and this may be better for you.” (as in the previously mentioned Hadeeth).

Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “On the morning following Laylat al-Qadr, the sun rises without rays, resembling a dish, until it becomes high.” [Saheeh Muslim] Also, a report from Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu- anhu) informs that it is a moderate night, neither hot nor cold. [(hasan) Ibn Khuzaimah]

Unfound folk-tales:
Many fables circulate among the common people, claiming unusual incidents occurring on Laylat al-Qadr, like trees making sujood, animals acting in a strange way etc. All this has no basis in the Qur’aan or the Sunnah. Laylat al-Qadr is a blessed night, which should be spent in worship and obedience; he who makes good use of it in accordance with the Sunnah as outlined above, can hope Allah's acceptance and blessings.

Taken from, AHYA.ORG - Authentic Islamic Resources and Information