The Glory of the Night of Lailatul Qadr
By: Ansaf Muarif Gunawan, Journalist of MINA
The month of Ramadan holds many privileges in it. Abundance of mercy, forgiveness and rewards, thus making Muslims around the world compete in doing good deeds.
فَٱسۡتَبِقُواْ ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِۚ
“So compete with you [in doing] good.”
The verse above explains that every Muslim is required to compete in this greatest goodness in the month of Ramadan which has entered the last 10 of Ramadan.
The month of Ramadan is a momentum for us to collect as many good deeds as possible. Because in Ramadan Allah bestows the widest field of charity for his servant. In Ramadan, Allah multiplies the worship and good things we do.
In the month of Ramadan, the goodness value of every activity that is worth worship is higher than other months. In fact, good deeds are rewarded with multiple rewards.
“Whoever in that month draws closer to Allah with a kindness, his value is like someone who does the obligatory act in another month. And, whoever performs an obligation in that month, the value is equal to 70 times the obligation he performs in other months. The virtue of alms is alms in the month of Ramadan.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).”
In this regard, all Muslims are ordered to increase their acts of worship in the holy month of Ramadan, both obligatory and sunnah. By multiplying good deeds, and keeping all forms of disobedience.
One of the privileges of the month of Ramadan is the presence of Lailatul Qadr.
Quoting the opinion of the Indonesian mufassir, Prof. Quraish Shihab, in his book, Tafsir al-Misbah, it is stated that Lailatul Qadr is the night when Allah sent down the Al-Quran.
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that every year there is Lailatul Qadr. The night becomes glorious not only because of the time when the Koran was revealed, but the night itself has glory, which then increases in glory with the revelation of the Koran.
As Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says Q.S. Al-Qodr [97]: 1-5.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (١) وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (٢) لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬ (٣) تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ۬ (٤) سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ (٥)
“Verily We have sent it [the Qur’an] down on the night of glory [1]. (1) And do you know what the night of glory is? (2) The night of glory is better than a thousand months. (3) On that night the angels and Gabriel came down with the permission of their Lord to arrange all matters. (4) That night was [full of] prosperity until dawn. (5).”
Imam Tirmidhi narrated from Hasan bin Ali that lailatul qadar is better than a thousand months. The revelation of the letter was due to the bad deeds of the Umayyads to Ali bin Abu Talib for a thousand months. However, this opinion was rejected. Because this letter came down long before the dispute between Ali and Muawiyah. And the reign of the Umayyads lasted 92 years, not a thousand months (83 years).
Meanwhile, according to Ibn Abi Hatim and Al-Wahidi narrated from Mujahid that Rasulullah Shallallahu Alaihi Wasallam once mentioned a man from the Children of Israel jihad in the way of Allah for a thousand months. The Muslims were amazed by that, then Allah sent down Surah Al Qadr. That lailatul qadar is better than the thousand months of jihad of the Children of Israel.
And this noble verse shows that these virtues are general in nature, whoever Muslims do charity on that night, God willing, he will get his virtues, not just certain people. It’s the same whether he realizes that night is Lailatul Qadr or not.
Surah Al-Qodr is a full letter that talks about the glory of lailatul qadr. Among its glories:
1. A Blessed Night
Lailatul qodr is a night filled with abundant goodness, peace and safety, a night that was glorified by the revelation of the Qur’an, as in another verse Allah ta’ala says.
اِنَّاۤ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ فِىۡ لَيۡلَةٍ مُّبٰـرَكَةٍ اِنَّا كُنَّا مُنۡذِرِيۡنَ ٣ فِيۡهَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ اَمۡرٍ حَكِيۡمٍۙ ٤
“Indeed, We sent down the Quran on a blessed night and indeed, it was We who gave the warning. On that night all matters are explained which are full of wisdom. [Ad-Dukhan: 3-4]
2. The value of good deeds is multiplied to be better than 1000 months of practice
Good deeds on that night are better than good deeds done for 1000 months (83 years and 4 months) without lailatul qodr, even though if someone lives that long it is not certain that he has deeds worth that let alone greater.
Asy-Shaykh Abdur Rahman As-Sa’di Rahimahullah said,
فَالْعَمَلُ الَّذِي يَقَعُ فِيهَا، خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْعَمَلِ فِي أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ خَالِيَةٌ مِنْهَا
“Practice that is done during lailatul qadr is better than practice for a thousand months without lailatul qadr.” [Tafsir As-Si’di, p. 931]
In hadith. Rasulullah said:
إِنَّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ قَدْ حَضَرَكُمْ وَفِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ
“Indeed this month (Ramadan) has come to you. In it is a night that is better than a thousand months.” (H.R. Ibn Majah)
3. The Many Angels That Come Down with the Blessings and Mercy of Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla
Rasulullah shallallahu’alaihi wa sallam said,
إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَدَدِ الْحَصَى
“Verily, the angels on that night on earth are more than the number of pebbles.” (H.R. Ahmad)
Al-Imam Ibn Kathir Rahimahullah said:
يُكْثُرُ تَنَزُّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ لِكَثْرَةِ بَرَكَتِهَا، وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَتَنَزَّلُونَ مَعَ تَنَزُّلِ الْبَرَكَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ
“The many angels descended on that night because of the abundant blessings, and the angels descended along with the blessings and mercy.” [Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, 8/444]
4. Annual Judgment Night
Al-Imam Qotadah Rahimahullah said,
يُقْضَى فِيهَا مَا يَكُونُ فِي السَّنَةِ إِلَى مِثْلِهَا
“It was decided that night what would happen for one year to the next.” [Tafsir Ath-Thobari, 24/534]
5. Angels Pray for Worshipers
The angels greet (pray for safety) for those who worship that night.
Al-Imam Asy-Sya’bi Rahimahullah said:
تَسْلِيمُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسَاجِدِ، حَتّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ
“Angels pray for safety during lailatul qodr for those who worship until dawn.” [Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, 8/444].
Those are some of the glories of Lailatul Qadar, may we be given the opportunity by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala to meet, so that we are forgiven for all our sins. Amen. Wallahu Alam Bissoab. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
