The Glory of the Night of Laylatul Qadr
By: Ansaf Muarif Gunawan, MINA News’ Journalist
One of the special features of the month of Ramadan is Laylatul Qadr. The majority of scholars are of the opinion that every year Lailatul Qadr occurs. This night became glorious not only because of the time the Al-Qur’an was revealed, but also the night itself had a glory, whose glory then increased with the revelation of the Al-Quran.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says in Q.S. Al-Qadr [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)
“Indeed, We have sent it [the Qur’an] down on the night of glory (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 the archangel Gabriel descended with the permission of their Lord to arrange all affairs (4). The night was [full of] prosperity until dawn (5).
This noble verse shows that these virtues are general, whoever Muslims do good deeds on that night, God willing, they will get the virtues, not just certain people. It’s the same whether he realizes that night was Lailatul Qadr or not.
Al-Qadr is a complete letter that talks about the glory of Laylatul Qadr. Among his glories:
A Blessed Night
Laylatul Qadr is a night filled with abundant goodness, calm and safety, a night 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 Qur’an on a blessed night and indeed We were the ones who gave the warning. On that night everything was explained that was full of wisdom.” [Ad-Dukhan: 3-4]
The value of righteous deeds is doubled to be better than 1000 months of deeds
Good deeds on that night are better than good deeds done for 1000 months (83 years and 4 months) without Laylatul Qadr, even though if someone lives that long it is not certain that he will have good deeds of that value, let alone greater ones.
Asy-Shaykh Abdur Rahman As-Si’di Rahimullah said, “The practice done during Laylatul Qadr is better than the practice of a thousand months without Laylatul 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 there is one night that is better than a thousand months.” (H.R. Ibnu Majah)
Many angels descended with the blessings and mercy of Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla
The Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wa sallam said,
إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَدَدِ الْحَصَى
“Indeed, there were more angels on the face of the earth that night than there were pebbles.” (H.R. Ahmad)
Al-Imam Ibn Kathir Rahimullah said:
يُكْثُرُ تَنَزُّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ لِكَثْر َةِ بَرَكَتِهَا، وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَتَنَزَّلُونَ مَعَ تَنَزُّلِ اِ ْبَرَكَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ
“Many angels descended on that night because of their abundant blessings, and angels descended along with the descent of blessings and mercy.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/444]
Annual Night of Determination of Destiny
Al-Imam Qotadah (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
يُقْضَى فِيهَا مَا يَكُونُ فِي السَّنَةِ إِلَى مِثْلِهَا
“It was determined that night what would happen for one year until the next.” [Tafsir Ath-Thobari, 24/534]
Angels Pray for People Who Worship
The angels say greetings (pray for safety) to the people who worship that night.
Al-Imam Asy-Sya’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
تَسْلِيمُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ عَلسى اجِدِ، حَتّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ
“Angels pray for safety during Laylatul Qadr for people who worship until dawn.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/444].
The night when human sins are forgiven by Allah
Apart from being filled with blessings and prosperity, Laylatul Qadar is also an opportunity for humans to achieve forgiveness from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever performs worship on the night of Qadar with faith and sincerity, his past sins will be forgiven. And whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan, with faith and sincerity, his past sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih Hadith, narrated by al-Bukhari: 1768 and Muslim: 1268).
Apart from that, it is also sunnah for Muslims to recite the evening prayer Lailatul Qadar. This was once asked by Aisyah Radiyallahu Anha. Rasulullah said, the following prayers can be recited on the night of Laylatul Qadar:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّى
Meaning: “O Allah, You are Forgiving and You like to forgive (erase mistakes), therefore forgive me (erase my sins).” (HR. Tirmidhi no. 3513 and Ibnu Majah no. 3850, authentic).
Maybe in a particular year it will happen on the twenty-seventh night or maybe in the following year it will happen on the twenty-fifth night depending on the will and wisdom of Allah Ta’ala.
This is confirmed by the words of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,
الْتَمِسُوهَا فِى الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِى تَاسِعَةٍ تَبْقَى ، فِى سَابِعَةٍ تَبْقَى ، فِى خَامِسَةٍ تَبْقَى
“Look for lailatul qadar in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan on the remaining nine, seven and five nights.” (HR. Bukhari)
The wisdom of Allah in hiding knowledge about the occurrence of the night of Lailatul Qadar includes differentiating between people who are serious about looking for that night and people who are lazy in worship. Because, people who really want to get something will certainly be serious about looking for it.
This is also God’s grace so that we increase our practice on these days, so that we will get closer to Him and will get many rewards.
May Allah make it easy for us to obtain this blessed night of Laylatul Qadar. Amen, Rabbal ‘Alamin.
Wallahu Alam Bissoab. (AT/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)