When Ramadan is coming , we are excited and happy! We say Ahlan Ramadan, welcome Ramadan.. But now Ramadan will enter the last 10 days and we’ll say mahlan Ramadan, please go slowly, don’t leave us!
Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said ;
Ramadan is the month which beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its end is emancipation from the hell fire.
According to a narration, Almighty Allah has divided Ramadan in three parts the first ten days reflect the mercy of Almighty Allah; the other ten days represent forgiveness of Almighty Allah, while the last ten days represent safety from the fire of Hell. There is no doubt in the fact that Ramadan is a month of mercy and forgiveness, it also provides the opportunity for all the believers to be saved from the fire of Hell.
Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “If any Muslim comes out of Ramadan without gaining forgiveness and goodness, he is a real loser.” (Ibn Hibban and At-Tabarani).
O muslimah, Ramadan goes too fast, we are now at the last ten days of Ramadan which are very special days in the life of every Muslim. Because the blessed night, called Laylatul Qadr, occurs in one of the last ten nights of Ramadan and more probably in one of the last ten odd nights i.e. 2lst, 23rd, 25th 27th or 29th night. Laylatul Qadr is the crowning glory of the holy month of Ramadan. This night is when the Qur’an was reveled. This the last Book of Allah on His last Prophet Muhammad (Shallallaahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam), for the guidance of mankind.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ
وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ
لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
سَلاَمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
“We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the Angels and the Spirit (Jibraeel) by Allah’s permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn!” (Surah Al-Qadr)
Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said:
“Verily this month has come to you; and therein is a night which is better than a thousand Months. Whosoever is deprived of it, is deprived of all good; and none is deprived of its good except a totally unfortunate person”. (Ibn Majah)
“Whosoever stands up (in prayer) at the Night of Power out of faith and hopeful of reward, all his past sins will be forgiven.”( Reported by Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibbaan. It is a hasan report. Saheeh al-Targheeb)
A thousand months are equivalent to 83 years and 4 months. Fortunate is the person who spends this night in prayer. The man or woman, who prays for the whole night during this Night, will deserve blessings and reward for the period as if he or she had been praying for eighty three years and four months consecutively. Since the Night of Power is better than one thousand months no one can actually measure the extent as to how much better it is.
Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam used to strive hard (in worship) during the last ten days of Ramadan in a way that he did not strive at any other times. [Narrated by: Muslim, from ‘A’ishah radhiallahu ‘anha]
Among the things Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam did was to secluding himself in I’tikaf and seeking Laylat al-Qadr during this time. [ Narrated by: Al-Bukhari, Muslim]
In al-Sahihayn it is reported from the hadith of ‘A’ishah that when the last ten days of Ramadan came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would stay up at night, wake his family and gird his loins. [Narrated by: Al-Bukhari, Muslim].
On this night Allah sent down the Qur’an which the Lord of the Worlds Subhanahu wa ta’ala has described as blessed. It was reported from a group of the companions of the prophet (peace be upon him) Salaf – including Ibn ‘Abbas, Qutadah, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, ‘Ikrimah, Mujahid and others – that the night on which the Quran was sent down was Laylat al-Qadr.
Rasulullah shalallahu ‘alayhi wasallam taught this dua to Aysha radhiallahu ‘anha for Lailatul Qadr:
اللهم إنك عفو كريم تحب العفو فاعف عني
“O Allah, you are the One who grants pardon for sins. You love to pardon so pardon me”.
There are some signs that reveal which night is Laitatul Qadr. The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays. There will be no shooting stars in the night. At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light. One companion of the Prophet reported that on Laitatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.
O Allah keep us safe from the hell fire, the torment of grave and the terror of Day of Judgment
O Allah bless us with the knowledge of Qur’an and help us to understand it and implement its teachings. O Allah make us among the people of Qur’an.
May Allah accept our effort this Ramadan In shaa Allah as we do our best to do maximal ibadah in this month.
Allahumma Aamiin.
