THE NIGHT OF QADR

 *THE NIGHT OF QADR*

لَیۡلَۃُ الۡقَدۡرِ ۬ۙ  خَیۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ ؕؔ 

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

Mujahid رحمه الله has said that the night  of Qadr is better than a thousand months in the sense that Prayers and  devotions of this night are better than those of a thousand months in which this night does not fall. (A thousand  months is 83.34 years: Au.).  

It is also reported of Mujahid رحمه الله that he  said that an Israelite used to fight in Jihad during the day and Pray in the  nights. He did that for a thousand  months and ALLĀH عَزَّوَجَلٌَ revealed this verse  (Ibn Jarir).

Yusuf Ali rejoins: “This does not refer to our ideas of time, but to ‘timeless Time.’ One moment of enlightenment under ALLĀH'S Light is better  than thousands of months or years of  animal life and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory.” 

Razi رحمه الله Remarks: The objective in stating that it is a thousand times better  than ordinary nights is primarily to  encourage a man to greater devotion.  So that, sometimes he is told that a  certain deed will be rewarded ten  times more than other deeds; about  another deed he is told that he will  be rewarded seven hundred times  more than others. At times he is told  that a deed of a certain “occasion” is  more valuable; at other times that  a deed of a certain “place” is more  valuable - all to induce him to good  works, cut him from the affairs of  this world and turn him to the affairs  of the Hereafter. It is following this  scheme that preference is declared of  the House over all other places, or of  Ramadan over all the other months,  or of Friday over all other days of the  week, or of the night of Qadr over all  the other nights, and so on.

Laylatul Qadr is one of the most special nights of the year, as it is the night in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed and is described in the Qur’an as being "better than a thousand months." As Muslims, we spend the night in worship, which includes reading the Qur’an, performing supererogatory prayers, and reciting the best duas for Laylatul Qadr.

The most beautiful dua to make on Laylatul Qadr can be found in a well-known hadith reported on the authority of 'Aaishah (may ALLĀH be pleased with her) who said, I said: "O Messenger of ALLĀH! What if I knew which night Laylatul Qadr was, what should I say in it?” The Prophet ﷺ said: "You should say:

*اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي*

*Allāhumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee*

*O ALLĀH; YOU are the One Who pardons greatly; and YOU love to pardon; so pardon me.*

{At-Tirmidhi #3513}

Ibn Rajab (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: "Al-‘Afuww (The One Who pardons greatly) is from the Names of ALLĀH, the Most High; and HE overlooks the wrongdoings of HIS servants, HE is the One Who erases their trace from them. HE Loves to pardon; and so HE Loves to pardon HIS servants, HE likewise Loves from HIS servants that they should pardon each other, so if they pardon each other; HE conducts HIS pardon with them; and HIS Pardon is more beloved to HIM than HIS Punishment." *{Lataa-if wal-Ma’aarif || Page 279}*

Imām An-Nawawī (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: "Our companions have stated that it is recommended that one be plentiful in making this supplication, and it is recommended to recite the Qur’ān as well as making the other invocations. It is recommended that one is plentiful within it in making supplications for the important matters pertaining to the Muslims, for this is the distinctive sign of the righteous, and the well-acquainted servants of ALLĀH." *{Al-Adhkār || Page 229 (abridged)}*

We ask ALLĀH to make us of those who will witness Laylatul Qadr and attain its benefits.