Imad Benjelloun
April 29, 2022
KEY QUESTIONS
- What are the best ten nights of the year? And why?
- What did the Prophet use to do during the best ten nights of the year?
- What does laylatul qadr mean and why is it important?
- When is laylatul qadr?
- What are the signs of laylatul qadr?
- What special du’a to make during laylatul qadr?
- As a youth, how to benefit from the best ten nights of the year including laylatul qadr?
ANSWERS
What are the best ten nights of the year? And why?
The best ten nights of the year are the last ten nights of Ramadan, starting with the night of the 20th day of Ramadan (i.e., the night right before the start of the 21st day). Why? Because they include a night that is better than a thousand months, called laylatul qadr (night of decree).
What did the Prophet use to do during the best ten nights of the year?
Lady Aisha, God be pleased with her, narrated that with the start of the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet, God bless him and grant him peace, used to tighten his waist belt (i.e., make extra effort in acts of worship and not be intimate with his wives), stay awake all night (in performing spiritual acts of worship), and wake his family up (to do the same). (Bukhari)
What does laylatul qadr mean and why is it important?
laylatul qadr means (1) the night of decree because every matter is decreed in it, and (2) the night of high esteem because it is a highly honored night with a high status. It is important because:
- Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, recommended that you seek it, as narrated by lady Aisha, God be pleased with her (Bukhari). The purpose of seeking it, looking for it, and searching for it is to not miss it and so spend it in praying, supplicating, reading Quran and practicing other forms of dhikr, etc.
- An entire chapter in the Quran is named after it: chapter 97. God Almighty says: “We have revealed it (the Quran) in laylatul qadr. And what will make you realize what (the utmost importance of) laylatul qadr is? laylatul qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein, the angels and the Spirit descend by the permission of their Lord, with every (decreed) It is peaceful until the rise of dawn.”
What is meant by the revelation of the Quran during a single night (laylatul qadr in Ramadan) is the revelation of its entirety from the Preserved Tablet to the heaven of this world. The other kind of revelation of the Quran is its revelation in piecemeal during a period of 23 years from the heaven of this world unto Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace. And one of the possible meanings of the Spirit is Archangel Gabriel, peace be upon him.
- laylatul qadr is the night in which the entire Quran was revealed as stated in Quran (Ch. 97).
- laylatul qadr is better than a thousand months as stated in Quran (Ch. 97).
- laylatul qadr is the night when the angels descend with God’s mercy and blessings, and with all your decreed matters of the year, as stated in Quran (Ch. 97).
When is laylatul qadr?
No one except God Almighty knows when laylatul qadr is, probably, so that you make an extra effort in worship in all nights, not just a single night if you just knew what it was. The following tells us when laylatul qadr could be:
- Any night in Ramadan
The Quran was revealed in its entirely in Ramadan and since laylatul qadr is the night when such revelation occurred, laylatul qadr could be on any night during Ramadan.
- Any of the last ten nights of Ramadan
Lady ‘Aisha, God be pleased with her, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Seek the laylatul qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari)
- Odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan
Lady ‘Aisha, God be pleased with her, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Seek laylatul qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari)
- Any night in the last week of Ramadan
Ibn Umar, God be pleased with him, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Seek laylatul qadr in the last week of Ramadan.” (Muslim)
- 27th night of Ramadan
Abdullah Ibn Umar, God be pleased with them, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever is seeking laylatul qadr should seek it on the 27th night of Ramadan.” (Ahmed). The 27th night means the night preceding the 27th day.
In summary, laylatul qadr could be any night in Ramadan, more probably any night in its last ten (or seven) nights, even more probably any odd night of the last ten (or seven) nights, but most probably on the 27th night of Ramadan. And God knows best, always!
- What are the Signs of laylatul qadr?
We do not know exactly when laylatul qadr is, but we know some of its signs that include:
- The moon looks like a piece of a plate:
Abu Huraira, God be pleased with him, narrated: We were talking about laylatul qadr in the presence of the Messenger of God, God bless him and grant him peace, then he said: “Who amongst you remembers (the night) when the moon arose, and it was like a piece of a plate.” (Muslim)
- Calm and peaceful, and not hot or cold:
God Almighty says: “It (laylatul qadr) is peaceful until the rise of dawn.” (Quran 97:5). And Abdullah Ibn Abbas, God be pleased with him, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, said: “laylatul qadr is a calm and peaceful night, not hot or cold. In its morning, the sun rises reddish without rays.” Without rays implies that one is able to stare at it.
- The sun rises reddish without rays:
As stated in the above hadith, in the morning right after laylatul qadr, the sun rises without rays and with a reddish disc. Imam an-Nawawi gave two possible explanations: (1) God Almighty wants the sun to rise in a very special way after a very special night. (2) The abundant number of angels filling the sky during laylatul qadr block the rays of the sun.
- Rain:
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, God bless him and grant him peace, narrated that Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace, saw himself (in a dream) prostrating in mud and water in the morning of laylatul qadr. (Bukhari)
Note that if any of such signs is not observed, it does not necessarily mean that it is not laylatul qadr because God Almighty can keep it a secret in any Ramadan. That is why we should always pray and hope to not miss it.
What special du’a to say during laylatul qadr?
Lady ‘Aisha, God be pleased with her, narrated: O Messenger of God, if I know when laylatul qadr is, then what should I say in it? He said: “Say: ‘Oh God, indeed You are the Pardoner, the Generous, You love to pardon, so pardon me (allahumma innaka `afuwwun kareemun], tuhibbul-`afwa fa`fu `anni).’” (Tirmidhi)
The above hadith does not mean that the recommended du’a in it is the only one you should make during laylatul qadr. You can and should make any other important du’as especially during such very special night.
As a youth, how to benefit from the best ten nights of the year including laylatul qadr?
- Pray both Isha and Fajr in congregation, preferably in the Mosque, because that is equivalent to performing salat the entire night as stated by Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace.
- Pray taraweeh and qiyamul layl in congregation, preferably in the Mosque.
- Read Quran as much as possible
- Make dhikr as much as possible
- Say a lot the special du’a “Oh God, indeed You are the Pardoner, the Generous, You love to pardon, so pardon me (allahumma innaka `afuwwun kareemun], tuhibbul-`afwa fa`fu `anni)” as recommended by Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace.
- Make a lot of du’a for yourself to your Creator Almighty to strengthen your relationship with Him and His Messenger, to keep you highly motivated to learn and practice Islam, to better your relationship with your parents, to make you successful at school, to guide you in your career, to make you healthy, and to give you the strength to stay away from evil temptations. At your age, this is the best time to choose a specialty/career so that you can start planning for it now in advance, with the goal of becoming among the best at it. And the best One to guide you choose is God Almighty; the best ten nights of the year including laylatul qadr are a golden opportunity to ask Him to guide you choose what is best for you.
- Make a lot of du’a for others, first and foremost for Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace; then for all Prophets and righteous men and women of God; then for your parents, family, and all Muslims.
- Make a lot of du’a that God Almighty make you the cause for your non-Muslim classmates, friends, co-players, and neighbors to discover the beauty of Islam and embrace it.
- Stay focused on the primary purpose behind all the above, which is to better connect with your Lord Most High, gain His satisfaction and love, and achieve nearness to Him!
- Give charity every night, even if it is only $1 because that would be as if you donated $1 every day for about 83 years!
