الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد
Regarding the virtuous night of Laylatul Qadr (the night of decree), Shaikh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said:
“Laylatul Qadr is the best of nights, and Allaah indeed revealed the Qur’aan within it, and He, The Glorified, informed that it is better than a thousand months, and that it is blessed, and that within it every matter of ordainment is decreed, as He, The Glorified, said at the beginning of Soorah Ad-Dukhaan:
حم * وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ * إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ * فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ * أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ * رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
((Hā-mīm. By the clear Book. Indeed, We sent it [the Qur’aan] down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning. Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainment. A command from Us. Verily; We are ever sending [the Messengers]. As a Mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing.)) (Ad-Dukhaan: 1-6)
Likewise, He, The Glorified, said:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ* وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ* لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ* تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ* سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
((Indeed; We sent it [the Qur’aan] down in the Night of Al-Qadr [Decree]. And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr [Decree] is? The Night of Al-Qadr [Decree] is better than a thousand months. The Angels and the Rooh [Jibreel] descend therein by permission of their Lord with every matter. Peace! It is until the appearance of dawn.)) (Al-Qadr: 1-5)
It has also been authentically established from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that he said:
مَن قَامَ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ إيمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ له ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ
((Whoever stands [in prayer] in Laylatul Qadr out of true faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him.))[1]
The standing within it is by way of the prayer and dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) and supplication and recitation of the Qur’aan and other than that from the aspects of good.
This great Soorah proves that action within it (this night) is better than action in a thousand months besides it, and this is an immense virtue and a mercy from Allaah for His servants. Therefore it is befitting of the Muslims that they should venerate it and spend it in worship.”[2]
The Wisdom of Not Knowing Which Exact Night Laylatul Qadr Falls Upon
On the authority of ‘Ubaadah bin Saamit (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) who said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) came out in order to inform us of Laylatul Qadr, but two men from the Muslims were quarrelling, so he said:
خَرَجْتُ لِأُخْبِرَكُمْ بلَيْلَةِ القَدْرِ، فَتَلَاحَى فُلَانٌ وفُلَانٌ، فَرُفِعَتْ وعَسَى أنْ يَكونَ خَيْرًا لَكُمْ، فَالْتَمِسُوهَا في التَّاسِعَةِ، والسَّابِعَةِ، والخَامِسَةِ
((I came out to inform you of Laylatul Qadr, but so and so and so and so were quarrelling – so [knowledge of] it was taken away – and perhaps it is better for you. So seek it on the ninth and the seventh and the fifth [of the last ten nights].))[3]
Al-Baihaqee (rahimahullaah) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) used to know concerning it initially, except that he was not permitted to inform concerning it, so that the people should not come to rely upon knowledge of it – such that they should remain awake standing in prayer within it – to the exclusion of the rest of the nights. Then he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was made to forget it, so that he should not be asked about anything from the affair of religion (in this regard) and that he should not inform of it.
Likewise that which these reports point to – and that which is contained in their meanings; as well as that which has been reported from the Salaf (radhiyallaahu ‘anhum) in view of it is that it interchanges within the last ten nights.”[4]
Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr (rahimahullaah) said: “His saying:
وعَسَى أنْ يَكونَ خَيْرًا لَكُمْ
((And perhaps it is better for you))
Indeed the aspect of betterment is on the part of the fact that its being hidden calls for standing (in prayer) for the entire month or the ten nights, in contrast to if knowledge of its specification had remained.”[5]
Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:[6] “The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) did not specify it, and this is from the mercy of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic, as well as from His Wisdom. As for its being from the mercy of Allaah then it is that the believers should increase in worship of Allaah, The Blessed and Most High, as well as in obedience. Since if it had been specified as being in a specific night, then the people would strive in this night to the exclusion of other than it.
As for its being from the Wisdom of Allaah, then it is that Allaah, The Glorified and Most High, tests who is ardent upon accomplishing it from the one who is not ardent, he (the latter) finds it burdensome that he should strive hard in all ten nights. As for the one who is ardent; then he does not care, because the recompense is significant and eminent:
مَن قَامَ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ إيمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ له ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ
((Whoever stands [in prayer] in Laylatul Qadr out of true faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins will be forgiven for him.))”[7]
The Authentic Supplication to be Said When Seeking Laylatul Qadr
On the authority of ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallaahu ‘anhaa) who said, I said: “O Messenger of Allaah! What if I knew which night Laylatul Qadr was, what should I say in it?”
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:
((You should say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
(Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee)
O Allaah; You are The One Who pardons greatly; and You love to pardon; so pardon me.))[8]
Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:[9] “Look how the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) directed her to seeking pardon even though the people strive hard during the ten nights, it is an indication that however much they reach by way of exertion, they will never reach the true right of Allaah, The Mighty and Majestic. So one should ask Allaah for pardon, and that he is one who falls short.
So this from the best supplication to be said in Laylatul Qadr, and this supplication is to be said when in the state of prostration due to the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):
وأَمَّا السُّجُودُ فَاجْتَهِدُوا في الدُّعَاءِ، فَقَمِنٌ أنْ يُسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ
((And as for the prostration; then strive earnestly in supplication, since it is worthy that it should be answered for you.))”[10]
وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين
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[1] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1901) and Muslim (no.759)
[2] Majmu’ Fataawa vol 15 p.425-426
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.2023)
[4] Kitaab Fadaa-il al-Awqaat p.244
[5] Fathul Baaree vol 4 p.340
[6] As occurs in Fath Dhil-Jalaal wal-Ikraam be-Sharh Buloogh al-Maraam vol 7 p.564
[7] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (no.1901) and Muslim (no.759)
[8] Reported by At-Tirmidhee (no.3513) and Ibn Maajah (no.3850) and Ahmad (no.25384) and others and it was declared Saheeh (authentic) by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Sunan At-Tirmidhee (no.3513).
[9] As occurs in Fath Dhil-Jalaal wal-Ikraam be-Sharh Buloogh al-Maraam vol 7 p.568
[10] Part of a hadeeth reported by Muslim (no.1074)
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