In a hadith, the holy Prophet of Allah told that among the people of Israel (bani-Israaïl), there was a person who used to spend his whole night in worship (ibaadats) to Allah and his daytime to serve (khidmat) Allah. And thus a thousand (1000) months of his life was spent in this way. When the companions (sahaabas) of the holy Prophet listened to that, thay felt sad while thinking they would never equal that person, in terms of ibaadats and good deeds. In order to give them hope and to encourage them, Allah ta’ala send down the sourah Al-Qadr, emphasizing this blessed night and signifying that if the people of Hazrat Muhammad Mustwapha perform ibaadats during this sacred night, his ibaadat will be better that one thousand months of ibaadats. What an enormous gift of the kindness of Allah! [sumary of the comments of tafseer Ibn Katheer].

Hazrat Anas bin Maalik (r.a) reports that the holy Prophet of Allah said when Ramadwaan was approaching: « In fact, a great month is coming, a month in which there is a night better than a thousand months. The who would have not take profit from that blessed night, would have lost all its benefits » [Ibn Maajah & Mishkaat]

The night of Qadr, the superior and chief of all nights, can be understood, inter alia, in two ways:

• Qadr means destiny. As we recite it in the last kalimah, we believe in destiny.
• Qadr means also power. As Allah tells us several times in the holy Koran: « wallaahu ‘ala kulli shay-inn Qadiir » « Allah is powerful on every thing ».

By these two meanings, we must understand that Allah proclames his power and sends orders for the whole year and changes also the destinies of people, for example sinners who sincerely repends can get their sins forgiven, whilst changing their destiny!

The ummat (people) of the holy Prophet was so honoured by the attribution of this great night since not only, they can reep more than a tousand months of ibaadats in a single night, but also, no other people of past prophets (a.s) did receive such a night as laylat-ul-Qadr.

By wisdom, Allah ta’ala did not openly revealed that night but just precised us that this night is “hidden” in the last ten (10) nights of the holy month of Ramadwaan, in such a way that muslims make efforts to look for it. In this way, they will endeavour in ibaadats during the whole last third of the Ramadwaan.

According to a hadith reported by Hazrat ‘Aysha siddeeqaa (r.a), the Apostle of Allah did more ibaadats in the last ten nights of the Ramadwaan. And following several hadiths, the night of Power is among the odd nights of the last third of this month, which means among the ten last nights of Ramadwaan, which is among the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th & 29th nights. Hazrat ‘Aysha siddeeqaa (r.a) reported that the holy Prophet said: « Go look for that night among the odd nights of the last 10 ten days of Ramadwaan » (Bukhaari & Mishkaat)

Many wises and great scholars of Islam, such as Hazrat Ibn Abbaas (r.a), Hazrat Obay bin Ka’ab (r.a), Hazrat Imaam Abu Haneefah (r.a) et Hazrat Abdul Qaadir Jeelaanee (r.a) indicated that this night was the 27th night of Ramadwaan shareef and it is for this particular reason that the majority of people pay a special attention to the 27th night of this great sacred month.

Ibaadats for Laylat-ul-Qadr

Hazrat ‘Aysha Siddeeqaa (r.a) asked the holy Prophet : « If i happen to live this blessed night, what best du’a must I read? (supplication) » And the holy Prophet replied « Read this du’a : « Allaahumma inaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu’annii » which is translated as follows : « O Allah, you are the best forgiver, you like to forgive, so forgive me » (Mishkaat, Ibn Maaja & Tirmizi)

It is recommanded to spend that blessed night in a maximum of ibaadats such as namaz nafil Laylat-ul-Qadr, Namaz-Tasbeeh, Istighfaar (supplication for the forgiveness of one’s sins), Tilaawat-ul-Quraan (reading of the holy Koran), Darouds shareef (recitations of respectful salutations onto the holy Prophet , Tasbeehs and making du’as (supplications), since according to a hadith the du’a in ibaadats is like the moelle in the bones. Don’t forget to ask du’a also for our muslim brothers and sisters, especially the needy ones, the poor and those who suffer.

The namazs nafil of Laylat-ul-Qadr are read after the namaz Ishaa, in the following way: Read 4 raka’ats and in each raka’at, after the sourah al-Faatihah, read 3 times the sourah Al-Qadr (Innaa anzalnaahu fii laylatil-Qadr…) and 50 times the sourah al-Ikhlaas (Qul huwallaahu ahad…). After the salaam, “fell” in the sajdah (prostration) and read 11 times: « Sub’haanallaahi wal-hamdulillaahi wa laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu akbarr, walaa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaahil ‘aliyyil ‘azhwiim »

Translation: « Gloiry to Allah. Praises to Allah. There’s no diety but Allah. Allah is great. There’s neither force nor power except those of Allah the supreme, the infinite »

Then you get up from your sajdah and ask your du’as, which will be accepted (qubool) insha-Allah. Perform ibaadats according to your capacity and take precaution not to miss the namaz Fajar if possible in jama’at.