Question:
Assalamu‘alaikum SS Dato’ Mufti. How does someone seek the rewards of lailatul qadr?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Seeking lailatul qadr which is a night better than a thousand months is encouraged. We are also encouraged to increase our good deeds and worship on the last nights of Ramadhan to attain the rewards of worship on the night of lailatul qadr.
When is Lailatul Qadr?
Islamic scholars state that Lailatul Qadr happened on a night of Ramadhan where the Quran is revealed. This is stated in Quran:
شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ
“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an,”
Surah al-Baqarah (185)
Allah SWT states that the Quran is revealed on the night of al-Qadr:
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
“Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.”
Surah al-Qadr (1)
The same is also stated by Allah SWT in another verse:
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَة مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۚ
“Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night.”
Surah al-Dukhan (3)
Commentary scholars (mufassirun) such as Imam al-Thabari, Imam al-Baghawi and Imam Ibn Kathir, commented on verse 3 of Surah al-Dukhan, citing the famous opinion of renown mufassirin such as Imam Qatadah and Imam Abu Zaid, stating that the meaning of mubarakah (blessed) night is Lailatul Qadr. See Tafsir al-Thabari, Ibn Jarir al-Thabari (22/7).
On What Day in Ramadhan is Lailatul Qadr?
After learning that Lailatul Qadr happened in the month of Ramadhan, then when exactly does it happen in the month? Does it happen in the first, middle or last ten nights of Ramadhan?
Answering this question, the following we include the related hadiths:
First: From Abdullah Ibn Umar R.Anhuma, he said, the Prophet PBUH said:
تَحَيَّنُوا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ
“Seek the time of Lailat-ul-Qadr in the last (ten nights),”
Sahih Muslim (1165)
Second: From Ummul Mukminin A’isyah R.anha, she narrated the Prophet PBUH said:
تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْوِتْرِ مِنَ الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ
“Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (2017)
According to the above stated sound hadiths, we can understand that lailatul qadr happens in the last ten nights of Ramadhan and it happens on one of the odd nights of Ramadhan which are; 21,23,25,27 and the 29 of Ramadhan.
Worships on the 10 Nights of Ramadhan
From Ummul Mukminin A’isyah R.Anha, she said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَجْتَهِدُ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مَا لاَ يَجْتَهِدُ فِي غَيْرِهِ
“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to strive hard (in worship) in the last ten nights of Ramadan as he never did at any other time.”
Sahih Muslim (1175)
Among the acts of worship that the Prophet PBUH did is narrated by A’isyah R.anha:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ شَدَّ مِئْزَرَهُ وَأَحْيَا لَيْلَه وَأَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ
“With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (2024)
The three types of worships that the Prophet PBUH did during the last ten nights of Ramadhan as mentioned in the above hadith are as the following:
First: Tighten his waist belt
Imam al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab Rahimahullah commented that there are two opinions regarding the meaning of the said action. The first meaning is that the Prophet PBUH strive and did his best in performing his worship. The second meaning is that the Prophet PBUH keep away from his wives during the last ten nights of Ramadhan. According to Ibn Rajab, the sound opinion is that the Prophet PBUH keep away from his wives. See Lathaif al-Ma’arif, Ibn Rajab (pg. 332).
Second: Enliven the night
The meaning of enliven the night is divided into two possibilities:
- Enliven the whole night with acts of worship
- Enliven the majority or some part of the night with acts of worship
The reason is, enlivening half of the night is also considered as enlivening the night as stated by Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali. See Lathaif al-Ma’arif, Ibn Rajab (pg. 329).
Some Syafi’eyyah jurists said: “(The rewards) of enlivening the night is attained when someone perform Isyak prayer in congregation and determined to perform the Subuh prayer in congregation.”
The same is said by Imam al-Syafi’e Rahimahullah: “Whoever attended the Isyak and Subuh prayer (in congregation) on the night of lailatul qadr, then he has gained the rewards from it (worship on the night of al-qadr).” Refer Lathaif al-Ma’arif, Ibn Rajab (pg. 329).
Third: Wake family members for worship
During the last ten nights of Ramadhan, the Prophet PBUH wakes up his wives and family members to perform worship. There is even a narration that mentioned the Prophet PBUH knocked on the doors of Fathimah R.Anha and Ali bin Abi Thalib R.Anhu and said:
أَلَا تَقُومَان فَتُصَلِّيَان
“Both of you are not performing prayer?”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1127)
The Advantages of Worship on Lailatul Qadr
Among the advantages of enlivening the night of al-Qadr with acts of worship are as follows:
First: Venial sins are forgiven.
This is based on a narration from Abu Hurairah R.anhu, where he said, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever spends the night of Lailat Al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1901)
The meaning of spends the night (enlivening) means spends the night of lailatul qadr with worships such as tarawih prayer, recitation of the Quran, charity and other good deeds.
Second: Rewards of more than a thousand months
This is in accordance with the statement of Allah SWT:
لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡر مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡر
“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.”
Surah al-Qadr (3)
Al-Imam al-Nakhaie Rahimahullah commented on this verse: “Worship on the particular night (lailatul qadr) is better than worship for a thousand years.” See Lathaif al-Maarif, Ibn Rajab (pg. 341).
Conclusion
Lastly, may this explanation give some understanding and encourages us to increase our worship and good deeds in the last ten nights of Ramadhan in our effort to seek lailatul qadr. We pray that Allah SWT bless us with the rewards of worshipping on the night, which is better than a thousand months. Ameen.