Laylat al-Qadr, also known as “Night of Power”, was the night when the first verses of the Qur’an had been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). It is supposedly one of the nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. This is a time when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) would stay up during the nights and pray in hope of reward. It is a time for all Muslims to make dua and seek forgiveness from Allah (swt). There was a hadith that said “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” Some physical signs that one may seek in Laylat al-Qadr is to look at the moon after Isha prayer and see if the moon is shaped like half of a plate. Another sign is if a night seems very peaceful and if it’s not too hot or too cold. If the sun is rayless in the morning, that is one sign as well. Remember, not seeing these signs is still not absolutely guaranteed that it’s Laylat al-Qadr. That’s why it’s important to be doing all that you can in the last 10 nights.
Ubayy ibn Ka’b (ra) used to swear that it was the night of the twenty-seventh, citing this sign as evidence. The more correct view is that it moves through all the last ten nights, but it is most likely to be one of the odd-numbered nights, and the night of the twenty-seventh is the most likely among the odd-numbered nights. Whoever strives in worship during all of the last ten nights, praying, reading Qur’an, making du’aa’ and other kinds of good deeds will undoubtedly catch up with Laylat al-Qadr and attain what Allaah has promised to those who do that out of faith and seeking reward.
Al-Tirmidhi narrated, and classed the report as saheeh, that Aisha (ra) said,
“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say on that night?’ He said, ‘Say: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni (O Allah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).”
Three Practical Things to do in the Last 10 Nights
- Give money in charity every night of the last ten days of Ramadan, so that if it falls on Laylat al-Qadr, it is as if you were to give charity everyday for 84 years.
- Pray two Rak’ah every night of the last ten days of Ramadan, so that if it falls on Laylat at-Qadr, it is as if you prayed everyday for 84 years.
- Read Surah Ikhlas three times a night of the last ten days of Ramadan, so that if it falls on Laylat al-Qadr, it is as if you read the whole Qur’an everyday for 84 years.
My Daily Deen 