SITTINGS IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN
The Virtue of the Night of Qadr
All praises belong to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. May salutations and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
To proceed:
The Night of Qadr (Laylatul-Qadr) is a great night. Allah exalted this night in His noble Book and described it with tremendous descriptions. It is the Night of Qadr. Qadr means the status and position. And this means the night when the lifespans and decrees that will happen that year are decreed. Allah the Exalted said:
فِيۡهَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ اَمۡرٍ حَكِيۡمٍۙ
“Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of wisdom.” [Surah ad-Dukhān 44:4]
At any rate, it is a tremendous night. Allah has described it as better than a thousand months; meaning, worship during this night is greater than worship for a thousand months which do not contain this night. So what do you think about a night which is greater than a thousand months?! The person absorbs himself in the worship of Allah the Exalted. If Allah gives the Muslim success in catching the Night of Qadr and striving with standing the night in prayer and worship during this night, then Allah will write for him the reward for standing in prayer for a thousand months as an increase for his good deeds.
There is no doubt that this night is during the month of Ramadan, because Allah mentioned that He sent the Qur’an down during this night, and the Qur’an was sent down during the month of Ramadan. Allāh the Exalted said:
شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِىۡٓ اُنۡزِلَ فِيۡهِ الۡقُرۡاٰنُ
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an…” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:185]
This means that the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an started during this month, then it continued to be revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) according to incidents that occurred, until the death of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). With it, Allah completed the religion and concluded the descent of the Noble Qur’an. Thus, the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an was during this noble night, and due to the greatness of the Qur’an and the status of the Qur’an, Allāh exalted the night in which it was first revealed to His Messenger (ﷺ).
From the virtues of this night is that, during this night, the angels descend to the earth.
تَنَزَّلُ الۡمَلٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَالرُّوۡحُ
“Therein descend the angels and the Ruh (Jibril).” [Surah al-Qadr 97:4]
No one knows the number of angels except Allah. Allah sends the angels down to assist the Muslim upon His obedience, just as He sends them down to assist them in fighting in the cause of Allah. Therefore, the angels descend to earth on this night.
As for the Ruh, it is said that this is Jibril. Allah the Exalted said:
نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوۡحُ الۡاَمِيۡنُ، عَلٰى قَلۡبِكَ لِتَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُنۡذِرِيۡنَ
“Which the trustworthy Ruh has brought down, upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners.” [Surah ash-Shu’arā’ 26:193-194]
It has also been said that “Rūh” is a category of angels only known to Allah the Exalted. And from the meaning of the word ruh is strength. Thus, the angels are strong and they descend to strengthen the believers upon faith and obedience.
He has described this night as:
سَلٰمٌ هِىَ حَتّٰى مَطۡلَعِ الۡفَجۡرِ
“Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” [Surah al-Qadr 97:5]
All of it is safe from evil, pests, and harms, so the entire night is safe and secure. The people of this night are safe from evil, pests, and calamities until the emergence of the dawn, until Fajr arrives.
Two affairs are necessary during this night. The first matter is Tarawih prayer and Tahajjud, as well as other supererogatory prayers. The door is open for those who want to increase the supererogatory prayer. He can pray alone or in congregation, in his home or at the masjid. If he prays this entire night, then this will not be too much.
“With the start of the last 10 days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt and spend his night in prayer, and he used to wake his family for the prayers.” [1]
Another narration mentions that he (ﷺ) would not close his eyes. [2] But if the Muslim prays Tarawih prayer and Tahajjud with the imām, this is a great deal of good. It is mentioned in the hadith:
“Whoever stands in prayer with the imam until he leaves will be written among those who prayed the night prayer.” [3]
The second affair concerning this night is du’a’. The Muslim must say a lot of du’a, both inside the prayer and outside the prayer. Du’a’ inside the prayer is more virtuous, especially while the person is prostrating. Verily, he is closest to his Lord while he is prostrating. The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged us to supplicate a lot while in sujud because the du’a’ is most likely to be answered in this position. Thus, the Muslim must strive in du’a’. He should seek those comprehensive du’a’ that agree with the Book and the Sunnah, from those supplications that appear in the Book and the Sunnah. Likewise, he should supplicate for what he needs, because the needs of the people differ. Some of the people are sick, so they ask Allah to be healed. Some of the people are poor, so they ask Allah to enrich them. All the people are in need of forgiveness; thus, they all seek His forgiveness and ask Him to pardon them from the sins they bear. Thus, the Muslim asks for forgiveness a great deal and he asks for mercy, for surely, Allah is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Some of the people are deficient in their religion and they commit some sins and transgressions, so they need to increase in seeking forgiveness and sincere repentance during this night, and they should increase in du’a’ during the last 10 nights and at the end of each night and each year.
Thus, Allah’s door is always open, night and day, especially during the last part of the night and the time before daybreak. Allah has opened a door for you.
“The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says, “Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?”” [4]
This is every night, but during these last 10 nights and during this exact night, it is more affirmed for the Muslim to strive in du’a’, seeking forgiveness, repentance, and asking from Allah the Exalted. And Allah is happy with the repentance of His slave, while He has no need for it. But due to His mercy, He is happy with the repentance of His slaves. He is happy when they achieve good and when they repent, because He wants to show them mercy and He wants them to prosper. This is from the kindness of Allah, because He has absolutely no need of His slaves. If all of them disbelieved, that would not diminish His kingdom in the least. And if all of them were to accept Islām, that would not increase His kingdom in the least. But from His mercy, virtue, and kindness, He loves for His slaves to seek forgiveness and repent so He will forgive them. And when they ask of Him, He will take care of their needs, enrich them from their poverty, and forgive them for their sins.
Thus, the people must strive in du’a’ while avoiding supplication against the people when they have not been transgressed upon. If they are patient and pardon those who wrong them, this is better. If someone harms you or makes a mistake towards you, do not supplicate against the people; rather, be patient and Allah will compensate you with better than what you left.
فَمَنۡ عَفَا وَاَصۡلَحَ فَاَجۡرُهٗ عَلَى اللّٰهِ
“But whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah.” [Surah ash-Shūrā 42:40]
This is even though supplicating against the oppressor is permissible; but to remain patient and seek the reward from Allah and pardon is better. This is in relation to the person who has been oppressed, so how about the oppressor-how can he supplicate against the people unjustly?! The only reason he does so is because they don’t follow his desires and go along with his requests.
Do not supplicate for sin or to obtain something impermissible. Do not supplicate to break the ties of kinship; do not supplicate against your relatives or kinfolk. This is the opposite of keeping the ties of kinship which Allah has commanded. Even if someone oppresses you, do not supplicate against them; rather, be kind to them. The reward with Allah is better and longer lasting. Do not supplicate to break the ties of kinship and do not supplicate for sin; all of this is considered transgression in du’a’, and Allah the Exalted has prohibited this.
It is upon the Muslim to have the proper etiquette when making du’a’. He should be certain that Allah is going to answer his du’a’, and he should supplicate sincerely to Allah the Exalted. He should avoid eating and consuming the haram, as this will prevent his du’a’ from being accepted. Likewise, he must not become hasty and impatient with his du’a’ being accepted and he should not despair from the mercy of Allah. He should not say, “I supplicated and supplicated but my du’a’ was not answered,” and as a result he will stop making du’a’ and he will despair from Allah’s mercy. On the contrary, he must continue to supplicate. Allah the Exalted has full knowledge of all things. Perhaps it is more beneficial for the person if the response to his du ‘a’ is delayed. Thus, all affairs return to Allah the Exalted.
Du’a’ is worship for which the person will be rewarded even if he does not receive his need. He is still rewarded for supplicating, because it is worship. And Allah the Exalted has commanded us to worship Him. Allah will perhaps safeguard the person from evil that is equivalent to the du’a’ he made, or He may delay answering his supplication. And delaying the du’a’ could be more beneficial and better for him than hastening the answer. Thus, the slave does not do what is best for him, so he trusts the affair to Allah the Exalted.
In summary: Du’a’ is good in every aspect, and it is worship of Allah the Exalted. And du’a’ can be said at any time, but the response to the du’a’ is more likely during certain times, like this night (the Night of Qadr) and this blessed month (the month of Ramadan).
And with Allah lies all success and may the salutations of Allah and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad.
Footnotes:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 2024
[2] Translator’s Note: Hilyah al-Awliya 90030.
[3] Collected by at-Tirmidhi (806); also narrated by Abu Dawud (1375), an-Nasa’i (1605), and Ibn Majah (1327).
[4] Sahih Muslim 758
Excerpt taken from the book ‘Sittings in the Month of Ramadan’ by Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan.
Precious Gems from the Quran and Sunnah 