Laylat al-Qadr - The Night of Power

Laylat al Qadr is the most excellent night of the whole year, it is better then a thousand months. One nights worship is equivalent to the worship of a life time. The night occurs during one of the odd nights of the last nine/ten days of Ramadan, most likely to be on the 27th of Ramadan.

Laylat al-Qadr enjoys superiority over all the nights of the year. This night should be sought in one of the odd nights of the last nine/ten nights of Ramadan. According to most narrations it falls on the 27th night of Ramadan. Surah al-Qadr has hinted towards it in that "Laylat al-Qadr" has 9 letters in which Laylat al-Qadr is repeated thrice. Hence if you multiply 9 by 3 you will get 27.

According to Imam al-A'zam Abu Hanifa (R.A) Laylat al-Qadr in most instances falls on the 27th night of Ramadan, though it is most certainly in the last nine/ten odd nights of this blessed month. On this blessed night especially the Mercy and Blessings of Allah (S.W.T) pours upon the earth in great abundance.

Therefore, one should keep oneself engaged in the recitation of the Glorious Qur'an, in Zikr, in reciting Darood Shareef, and Istighfaar. Offer as many Nafl Rakaats as you possibly can. Recite the following Wazeefah in abundance as it was taught to Hazrate Ayesha (R.A) by our Beloved Prophet (S.A.W):

" Allah-humma innaka Afuwwun-tuh, ibbul Afwa fa-fu Annee " (Timidhi Shareef)

“O Allah ! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness, So forgive me”

The reason for calling it Laylat al-Qadr is because the sincere worship of a believer in this night is better than the worship of a thousand months.

Hadrat Ali (R.A) states that on the Night of Power any person who after Isha Prayer recites Surah al-Qadr seven times, Allah (S.W.T) will protect him from all calamites and 70 thousand Angels will pray for Paradise for him. If a person on a Friday recites this Surah three times before the Jum'ah Prayer, Allah Almighty will enter in his Book of Deeds rewards for him equal to the people who have offered Jum'ah Namaaz on that day.

Some scholars have written that if any person who on the night of Qadr offers Four Rakaats Nafl in the following manner : After Surah Fateha recites Surah Takathur once and Surah Ikhlaas three times, Allah Almighty will ease for him the pangs of death, remove from him the punishment of the grave and grant him numerous mansions in Paradise.

It is stated in one Hadith Shareef that on the Night of Qadr groups of Angels descend upon the earth one after the other. Hadrat Jibrael (A.S) too descends. These Angels bring with them four flags : One is set up on the Roza al-Mubarak (Shrine) of our Most Beloved Prophet (S.A.W), One is placed on the Ka'bah, the third on Bait al-Muqaddas and the fourth on Mount Sinai. They then enter the homes of every Muslim male and female and extend greetings to them.