Laylatul Qadr is in these last days, and Muslims across the globe will be giving their best in trying to attain the pleasure of Allah and forgiveness for all their sins.
Multiple articles, blogs, videos will be posted online in the ever-growing webspace giving tips and hints on maximizing Laylatul-Qadr. But what actually happened on Laylatul Qadr?
Why is it that Allah says that this night is better than a thousand months?
What impact did it have?
Laylatul Qadr was made special by Allah more than 1,400 years ago in the middle of the Arabian desert. It was a society full of corruption and hatred. There was not only the false belief in idols and idol worship inside the House of Allah itself, but even more!
Prostitution was common. People were cheated in the marketplaces. Men would often cheat their wives and have no remorse about it. People would be killed for petty reasons and there would be no retribution or justice. The strong overpowered the weak, and slavery was widespread.
Society as a whole was in ruin. It was at this time that there existed a human being by the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was very disillusioned by society. All of this corruption and evil disturbed his noble soul.
He started frequenting a cave called Hira just before his fortieth birthday. He would meditate and contemplate for days at a time. Around that same time, he started having dreams that would turn out to be true.
Solitude in the cave of Hira‘ became more and more beloved to him over time. Then one night as he was there in meditation and contemplation, he saw a very bright light.
And a tremendous creature came and said:
“Read!”
Muhammad, a man of the desert, had no idea about how to read or write. He duly replied:
“I am not able to read.”
The creature, who was the angel Jibreel, gave him a tight squeeze. It was so tight that Muhammad thought he would choke to death. Then he was released and the angel said again:
“Read!”
Muhammad replied again as he had before:
“I am not able to read.”
The angel squeezed him again, until he thought he would choke, and released him. The order was repeated “Read!” He replied again the same:
“I am not able to read.”
Jibreel (peace be upon him) gave Muhammad (peace be upon him) another tight squeeze before letting him go. This time, he said more, he recited words that were so purely Arabic but not at all human speech. The angel recited, the meaning of which is:
{Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from an embryo. Read and your Lord is Most Honorable and Generous. The One who has taught by the Pen. Taught man that which he had no knowledge of.} (Quran 96:1-5)
This was what happened on the Night of Al-Qadr. Without any exaggeration, in the history of humankind the greatest night is probably this night. Its implications for humanity are so far-reaching that is not possible to fathom for any of us.
Allah, the All-Mighty, the Most Powerful, the Owner of all that exists, the King of Kings and Creator of all Creation communicates His last message to mankind on that night. From above the seven heavens, Allah sent down what is described as “guidance and mercy”.
Laylatul Qadr is the night when Muhammad the Shepherd, became Muhammad the Prophet. The night when Muhammad, son of Abdullah, was turned into Muhammad the Messenger of Allah. Muhammad the husband of Khadijah became Muhammad al-Mustafa (the Chosen One).
All that we have today, all that we do of prayers (salat), charity and any other goodness, has its root in that fateful night of al-Qadr many many years ago. All the technological discoveries that the Muslims did later on that allowed the West to flourish all had their base on that fateful night.
That night Allah sent a message that turned the war-mongering Arabs into the greatest generation of humans that ever walked the face of this earth. That was the Night of Al-Qadr.
When we reflect on how grand that Night was, how much it changed humanity, it actually seems like an understatement that Allah said that it is greater than a thousand months! Along that same chain of thought, many scholars actually do say that “thousand” here is actually a metaphor for “a lot”. Allah knows best.
So what is the significance of this night?
Allah talks about in Surah Al-Qadr of the Quran, and following is a summary of what He says:
- It is the night in which the Quran was revealed
- The night of Qadr is better than a thousand months for worship
- Multitudes of angels and the angel Jibreel himself descend to the earth on that Day
- The command and decree of Allah is sent down for the next year
- Peace and tranquility is on that night until the break of dawn
This year, let us look at Laylatul Qadr a bit differently. Let us understand the grand and magnificent value of a night that is so great and majestic.
Let us truly indulge in the last ten nights seeking it and finding it.
May Allah bless us all with an accepted Laylatul Qadr.
(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)