The Blessings of "Laylatul Qadr"… The Night of Sublime Greatness

The Night of Qadr is a very great night in the blessed month of Ramadan. It is “the Night of
Greatness.”  In it, Allah sent a great Book- the Qur'an. Each year, when the Night of Qadr
occurs, great angels and great mercies come down to earth. This night is not a night specific to
the nation of Muhammad which occurred after the revelation to Prophet Muhammad, . It is
known that the Night of Qadr occurred during Ramadan in the eras of the previous prophets. 
However, what is a specific for the nation of Prophet Muhammad is that Allah guided them to
know that the month of Ramadan would be their fasting month.  In Surat al -Qadr, Allah, ta^ala,
said:

)1( ‫نز ْلنَاهُ فِى لَ ْيلَ ِة ْالقَ ْد ِر‬

َ َ‫إِنَّا أ‬
)2( ‫اك َما لَ ْيلَةُ ْالقَ ْد ِر‬
َ ‫ َو َما أَ ْد َر‬ 
ِ ‫لَ ْيلَةُ ْالقَ ْد ِر َخ ْي ٌر ِم ْن أَ ْل‬ 
)3( ‫ف َشه ٍْر‬
)4( ‫تَنَ َّز ُل ْال َمالئِ َكةُ َوالرُّ و ُح فِيهَا بِإِ ْذ ِن َربّـِ ِه ْم ِم ْن ُكلِّ أَ ْم ٍر‬ 
ْ ‫ َسال ٌم ِه َى َحتَّى َم‬ 
)5( ‫طلَ ِع ْالفَجْ ِر‬
 

The  first verse of this Surah:

‫إِنَّا أَن َز ْلنَاهُ فِى لَ ْيلَ ِة ْالقَ ْد ِر‬

means: [The whole Qur'an was brought down in its entirety during the Night of Qadr].  The
Qur'an was copied from the Guarded Tablet and Jibril brought it down as a complete book to
Baytul-^Izzah in the first sky.  This occurred on the Night of Qadr in the month of Ramadan in
the year Jibril first brought the revelation to the Prophet. Then, on the next day, Jibril came with
the first five verses of Suratul-^Alaq. This was the beginning of the prophethood of Prophet
Muhammad.

Ibn Hibban narrated from Wathilah Ibn al-‘Asqa^ that he said the  Prophet, , said:

‫أنزلت التوراة لست مضين من رمضان وأنزل االنجيل لثالث عشرة خلت من‬ 
‫رمضان وأنزل الزبور لثمان عشرة خلت من رمضان وأنزل القرءان الربع‬
‫وعشرين خلت من رمضان‬
which means: <<The Torah was revealed on the sixth (6th) night of Ramadan, the Injil on the
thirteenth (13th) night, the Zabur on the eighteenth (18th) night, and the Qur'an on the twenty-
fourth (24th) night of Ramadan.>> From this hadith it is known that it is not a condition that the
Night of Qadr happens on the 27th or the 29th of the month of Ramadan, although from other
hadiths we know that this is most likely the case. Since the Night of Qadr might occur on any of
the nights of Ramadan, the Muslims should put forth effort to pray each night of Ramadan,
seeking the promised reward for the one who prays (the optional prayers) during that night. 
Making the extra effort in worshipping Allah especially during the last ten days of Ramadan  is
recommended, because in most of the cases, the Night of Qadr occurs during one of those nights.

The second verse:

 ‫اك َما لَ ْيلَةُ ْالقَ ْد ِر‬

َ ‫َو َما أَ ْد َر‬
literally means: [How would you know what the Night of Qadr is ?,] This means that before
Allah informed you, you did not know what the merit of that Night was. This ayah truly is a
question which emphasizes the high status of this night and encourages the person to seek its
goodness.

The third verse:

ِ ‫لَ ْيلَةُ ْالقَ ْد ِر َخ ْي ٌر ِم ْن أَ ْل‬

‫ف َشه ٍْر‬
is the answer to the previous question It means:  [The reward one receives for praying during this
night is greater than the reward he receives for praying one thousand (1000) months [which do
not have the Night of Qadr in them.]

The fourth verse: 

 ‫تَنَ َّز ُل ْال َمالئِ َكةُ َوالرُّ و ُح فِيهَا بِإِ ْذ ِن َربّـِ ِه ْم ِم ْن ُك ِّل أَ ْم ٍر‬
means: [The angels (in great numbers), including Jibril, descend from the sky to the earth during
that night, and Allah gives them the knowledge of what is going to happen during the coming
year.] It was narrated from Abu-Hurayrah that the number of angels who would descend to earth
during that night may be more than the number of pebbles on earth.  Jibril, referred to as “ar-
Ruh” in this verse, will be among them.

Al-Hakim narrated from the Prophet that during the Night of Qadr Jibril comes down to earth
with a group of angels, and they make supplication (du^a’) for every slave standing up or sitting
down mentioning Allah. In another narration it is mentioned that these angels descend to earth at
sunset and remain until the appearance of the dawn.

During the Night of Qadr, Allah, tabaraka wa ta^ala, gives the angels the knowledge of what is
going to happen during the coming year in what pertains to the sustenance (rizq), the changes in
the situation of the slaves, and the like.  This is the meaning of min kulli amr (of all the matters)
in the verse. Allah informs the angels about the details of the matters which will happen in the
next year including what they are ordered to do that year. The angels copy matters from the
Guarded Tablet which will happen during the coming year including the births, deaths,
sustenance, calamities, enjoyments, and the like.

The fifth verse:

ْ ‫ َسال ٌم ِه َى َحتَّى َم‬ 

 ‫طلَ ِع ْالفَجْ ِر‬
means: [The night is full of safety, goodness, and blessings (for the obedient believer) until the
appearance of dawn.]

Among the signs that show the person that he saw (witnessed) the Night of Qadr
are:

1. To see a great, clear light during the night other than the light of the sun, the moon, or
electricity;

2. To see the trees prostrating;

3. To hear the voices of angels;

4. To see the angels in their original form with two (2), three (3), four (4) or more wings, or to
see them in the shape of a human being, i.e. the shape of a man (however, without genitalia).

Also, the way the sun rises the next morning is an indication that the previous night was the
Night of Qadr. When the sun is rising its light and heat are not intense.

It is a very good sign for the person who sees the Night of Qadr and makes supplication (du^a’)
during it.  A very great goodness is hoped for this person, and, in sha’ Allah, the supplication
would be answered. At-Tirmidhiyy narrated from ^A’ishah that she said: “O Prophet of Allah, if
I encounter the Night of Qadr, then what should I say? (What supplication should I make during
it?).  The Prophet answered her: “Say:

ُ ‫تحبُّ ال َع ْف َو فَا ْع‬

‫ف َعنَّا‬ َ َّ‫اللَّهُ َّم إِن‬
ِ ‫ك َعفُ ٌّو‬
which means: <<O Allah, You are the One who forgives a great amount and You love
forgiveness, so forgive me.>>  May Allah bless us with seeing this great Night and making
supplication in it.

There is wisdom in hiding from the slaves exactly which night is the Night of Qadr. This is so
they put forth effort during all the nights of Ramadan hoping that by that they would acquire the
reward of praying during the Night of Qadr. One would get the aforementioned multiplication of
the reward, promised in the verses of the Qur’an, by praying during that night whether one prays
many optional rak^ahs or a few—even two (2) rak^ahs. Reciting for a long time during the
prayer is better than reciting for a short time.  If one has the choice between praying a few
number of rak^ahs with a longer recitation in each and praying more (many) rak^ahs but reciting
for a short time during each rak^ah, then the first is better.  It is not a condition that one actually
witnesses the signs of the Night of Qadr to get the promised reward of praying in that night.

Al-Bukhariyy and Muslim narrated from the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, that the one
who prays during the Night of Qadr (out of believing in Allah and for the sake of Allah) then
Allah forgives him his previous sins.  Some scholars said that the one who prays the Dawn
Prayer (Subh) and the Evening Prayer (^Isha’) in congregation each day of Ramadan would get
the reward of the Night of Qadr—even if he does not see that night.  What a great reward!

Al-Bukhariyy and Muslim also narrated from ^A’ishah that the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa
sallam, urged the Muslims to take very special care to pray during the last ten nights of
Ramadan, because most of the time the Night of Qadr is one of those nights.  Likewise, they both
narrated from ^A’ishah that she said: “When the last ten nights of Ramadan started, the Prophet
used to put a forth great endeavor in worshipping during these nights.  He used to pray the whole
night and also  wake his wives to pray.”  They also related from ^A’ishah that the Prophet used
to make I^tikaf (stay in the mosque during the last ten (10) nights of Ramadan) each year until he
died.

Praying during all the nights of Ramadan has a great reward.  Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu
^alayhi wa sallam, urged us to do that. Imam Muslim narrated from the Prophet that Allah
forgives the previous sins of the one who prays all the nights of Ramadan out of believing in
Allah and for His sake.”

We are now in the month of Ramadan. The blessings are coming down to earth to us. Many
opportunities are open for us to acquire these blessings and  the gate of repentance is open for
those who want to repent.  May Allah guide us.  Let us take this great opportunity before we lose
it.

َ َّ‫اللَّهُ َّم إِن‬

ُ ‫ك َعفُ ٌّو ت ِحبُّ ال َع ْف َو فَا ْع‬
‫ف َعنَّا يا كريم‬
O Allah, You are the One who forgives a great amount and You love forgiveness so forgive me.

And Allah knows best.