✨The Last Ten Nights
The last ten nights of Ramadan have approached. And how fast they will pass. And they are the essence of the entire month of Ramadan. And the Prophet used to mix the first 20 nights of the month with sleep and voluntary night prayers. As far as the last 10 ten nights, he ﷺ did not sleep within them. For if the last ten nights entered, he ﷺ did not sleep during the night. And he ﷺ used to wake up his family. And he ﷺ used to strive hard in worship and liven the night with acts of obedience to Allah. And he used to make Itikaf (seclusion in the Masjed) during these ten.
It is incumbent on us to emulate our Prophet Mohammad ﷺ by giving proper attention to these ten nights. And that we intend Itikaf (seclusion in the Masjed). And we can implement this Sunnah if we stay in the Masjed for just an hour or two with the intention of Itikaf. The scholars have mentioned that if one intends Itikaf the minimum duration is one day and one night or one or two hours.
These last ten nights contain laylatul Qadr (night of decree). In this night the decrees are taken from the Lawh al Mawfooth (Preserved Tablet) to Bayt al Izza in this worldly heaven. Then to the angels so that they know what will happen to people during that year from sickness and wellbeing, richness and poverty and life and death. The angels look at a man walking on the Earth and it is written with them that he will die during this year in such-and-such month and such-and-such day due to an accident or illness and so on.
During this night the angels descend from the heavens and observe the people in the Masjed’s praying and remembering Allah Almighty. So congratulations to the worshipper and the one remembering Allah during this night. Whomever observes this night in worship it is as if he worshipped Allah Almighty for more than 1000 months which is equivalent to about 84 years.
Allah said:
Al Qadr (97) 3: The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
The goodness of this month has a great impact on the scale of good deeds when one finds on the Day of Judgment that a new lifespan of acts of worship were added that raises their rank in Paradise. It is a simple deed with a great reward. So congratulations to the one who strives during Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) and all of the ten nights. Whether one sees its signs or not. For through the sincere intention, Allah grants the reward, for the graces of Allah are boundless. So let us strive and capitalize on these ten nights through the remembrance of Allah, supplication, prayer, charity, dutifulness to parents, reciting the Noble Quran and righteous deeds. And beware of sins and guard our eyes, ears and tongues from the forbidden.
Some of the scholars said that Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) is on the 27th night and some said the 21st night and some said the 23rd night and some said the last night of Ramadan. And some have said that Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) is not fixed on a specific night and can be on any of the last ten nights. So in one year it would be on a particular night and the next year it would be on another night and so forth.
And the wisdom of hiding it is so that the Muslims strive in acts of obedience on all of the last ten nights. Likewise, Allah has hidden the hour in which supplications are answered on the day of Friday. Also, Allah has hidden the time of death from everyone so that people constantly stay in preparation for that moment.
These ten nights are a chance to raise the ranks and expiate the bad deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever performs voluntary night prayer during Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) out of faith and anticipation (of the reward from Allah), his previous sins will be forgiven. [al-Bukakhari 2014]
Faith in that Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) is believing that it is during these 10 nights. And anticipation is performing voluntary night prayer on all of these 10 nights in anticipation of the reward and virtue of this night.
Oh Muslims: There are those who waste their time on these virtuous nights in the markets. And there are those who miss these virtuous nights while watching various media, especially shows that offend modesty and religion and increase the sins.
And there are young people who waste these nights playing and having fun or watching entertainment and matches. And there are those who waste these nights in gatherings of ill speech and improper conduct. Thus, such people miss out on a lot of goodness for themselves. And they will grieve and have regret on the Day of Resurrection over losing and neglecting this great virtue and over the sins and bad deeds that they have incurred.
We ask Allah Almighty to make us among those who perform voluntary night prayer during Laylatul Qadr (night of decree) out of faith and anticipation of the reward from Allah.
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