✨Virtue of the Night of Decree

Praise be to Allah, the Mighty, the Forgiving. He creates what He wills and chooses. We praise Him – Glory be to Him – for His numerous blessings, bountiful gifts, and abundant bounty. He extends His Hand during the day to forgive the sinners of the night and extends His Hand at night to forgive the sinners of the day.

I advise you and myself to be conscious Allah, to be mindful of Him in public and in private. Know – may Allah have mercy on you – that Allah alone creates, selects and chooses. Allah Almighty said:
Al Qasas (28) 68: And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses

For He – the Exalted and Most High – administers this universe and manages its affairs as He wills out of great wisdom and abundant grace, and He – the Most High – distinguishes from His creation whatever He wills of places, people and times. He singles them out for more of His favor and abundant bestowal. For to Allah belongs the command before and after.

And from what Allah designated of great virtue and blessing is a night that comes once a year. And it is in the blessed month of Ramadan. It is one night that Allah elevated and raised its status and singled it out with His immense and great bounty. It is Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree). And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? It is a blessed night with great attributes and noble features not found in other nights.

The Night of Decree has a high status with Allah, and it has a great place in the hearts of Muslims. And from the virtues of this blessed night is that Allah – the Mighty and Sublime – singled it out for the revelation of His great words. For He – the Almighty – revealed His Glorious Book in Laylat al-Qadr.

Allah said:
Ad Dukhan (44) 3-6: (3) Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. (4) Therein [i.e., on that night] is made distinct every precise matter – (5) [Every] matter [proceeding] from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger] (6) As mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing,

And Allah said:
Al Qadr (97) 1-5: (1) Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down during the Night of Decree. (2) And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? (3)The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. (4) The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. (5) Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

And from the great status of this night is that Allah Almighty made it a blessed night, as He – Glory be to Him – said: Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night. And the blessing of this night includes blessing in time, blessing in deeds, and blessing in reward that is with Allah Almighty.

Among the blessings of this night and its great standing with Allah is that He made it better than a thousand months. That is, better than more than eighty-three years! On this night, deeds are better than deeds of more than eighty-three years! What a great blessing! And how great is its status! And how great is the reward of Allah Almighty in it! One night is better than a thousand months. That is a deed in it is better than deed in a thousand months not including Laylat al-Qadr. How great is this night!

And among its virtues is that the angels descend in it, and among them is Gabriel. They descend with goodness, mercy and blessing. For they are Angels of mercy, they descend with goodness and blessing. Allah said:
Al Qadr (97) 4: The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

And from the characteristics of this blessed night is that it is peace until the emergence of dawn. For it is a peaceful night with no evil in it. Rather, it is all good, grace, favor and blessing.

And from the characteristics of this night is that every matter of ordainments is decreed therein. That is, what will happen of people’s deeds until the next Laylat al-Qadr. And what is meant by writing here is the annual register. As for the complete register, it was written in the Preserved Tablet fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth, as was narrated in the authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Among the virtues of this night is what has been narrated from our Noble Prophet ﷺ that he said:
Whoever observes the Night of Decree in prayer out of faith and in anticipation of the reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. [Bukhari 1901, Muslim 760a]

It is a night of great importance and esteem, high in rank and abundant in bounties and blessings. And it is incumbent upon us as believers to appreciate the value of this night, and to know its status, virtue and blessing, and to strive in seeking its goodness and blessing through worshipping earnestly and diligently.

He ﷺ used to encourage his ummah (nation) and galvanize their resolve to seek the blessings of this night, its abundant bounties, and its great blessings. It is our duty to seek out this blessed night with determination and diligence in acts of obedience, striving in worshipping and drawing closer to Allah – the Mighty and Sublime.

What great a loss if this night, of what it contains of good and blessing, passes and is lost, wasted and neglected! What a great loss it is if this night passes by a Muslim and he does not value it and has no place for it in his heart. Then he is deprived of its goodness and blessing! What a great loss if this night passes while one continues in his misguidance, heedlessness, neglect and deviation!

If hearts do not move in turning to Allah Almighty at such a blessed time and great season, then when will they move? If one does not turn to Allah and repent to Him in these days, then when will they repent?

It is incumbent upon us to sincerely turn to Allah – the Mighty and Sublime. Repenting to Him for our sins, asking Him for well-being, hoping for His mercy, longing for His bounty and great reward.

Among the matters that we should pay attention to on this night, the Night of Decree, is making plenty of supplication, especially that great supplication that the Prophet ﷺ taught the mother of the believers, Aishah – may Allah be pleased with her. It is related in al-Tirmidhi that Aishah – may Allah be pleased with her said:
O Messenger of Allah, if I knew what night Laylat al Qadr is, what should I say? He said: Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and you love to pardon, so pardon me. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3513]

What a great and blessed supplication! And how beautiful it is on the blessed Night of Decree! And this supplication is most appropriate for the Night of Decree. Because in Laylat al-Qadr every matter of ordainments is decreed. That is, what will happen until the next Night of Decree is written. So how beautiful it is for a servant to turn to Allah on the night of decree – asking Him for wellbeing! For whoever is given wellbeing on this night has been given all good.

Oh Allah, we ask You for forgiveness and wellbeing, Oh Allah, we ask You for forgiveness and wellbeing in religion, this world and the hereafter. Oh Allah, You are pardoning, you love pardoning, so pardon us.

Oh Muslims: Be conscious of Allah Almighty, for whoever is conscious of Allah, He will protect him and guide him to the best of his religious and worldly affairs.

Know that these nights and days are virtuous and blessed and honored times. The Prophet ﷺ used to strive in these ten nights in obedience, worship, and getting closer to Allah with all kinds of acts of worship in a way that he would not strive at any other time. In Sahih Muslim, Aishah – may Allah be pleased with her – said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to strive hard (in worship) in these (last) ten (nights of Ramadan) to a greater extent than at any other time. [Muslim 1175]

And in Sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
When the last ten days of Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to tighten his lower garment (refrain from intimacy with his wives), stay up at night, and awaken his family (to pray). [Bukhari 2024, Muslim 1174]

These are times of hard work and diligence. They are times of spending and giving, turning to the worship of Allah, reciting His book, remembrance of Him and performing prayer and drawing closer to Him with all kinds of deeds and acts of obedience.

It is a glorious season and virtuous time, but it passes by quickly. So we should make the most use of this honorable blessed period through striving, diligence and eagerness to obey Allah.

And in these virtuous times, parents should pay attention to their children. For in these nights, the Prophet ﷺ used to awaken his family. This is an important matter and an aspect that should not be overlooked. Rather, it is the duty of parents to explain to their children the great status and importance of these great nights. And to encourage them and to awaken them lest these virtuous days and honorable nights be wasted in vain.

It is not appropriate for Muslims, women and men, to waste these nights on activities that can be done at other times such as shopping and thus miss out on the goodness and blessings of these nights. Indeed, they are great nights that pass by quickly. Oh Allah, Possessor of Majesty and Honor, the Most Generous, we ask You to make us realize the Night of Decree, and to help us attain the greatest and most generous reward. And we ask You not to leave us to ourselves for the blink of an eye, and that You guide us to the straight path. Indeed you are All Hearing, Answering.

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