Shab-e-Qadr, also known as Laylat al-Qadr, is one of the most important nights for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. It is believed to be the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. Shab-e-Qadr is an extremely important night for Muslims, and it holds great spiritual significance. It is a night of worship, reflection, and seeking Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. Muslims consider this night a blessing and an opportunity to draw closer to Allah and seek His blessings and guidance. During this blessed Night (Lailat-ul Qadr) the Qur’an was revealed. This night is better than thousands of months with regard to its value and greatness, with regard to the task carried out in it, with regard to the bounties and rewards that are distributed, and could be won, in it. A person who stays awake during this night for prayers and supplication has been given the glad tidings of forgiveness from all his sins. Like any other night, there comes a time in this night too when supplications are accepted and whatever is asked for, in terms of goodness in this life and the Hereafter, is granted. Conversely, there can be no bigger misery than remaining devoid of goodness in spite of the descent of this blessed night. We have not been told which of the Ramadhan nights is the Blessed Night, Hadith informs us that it is any of the odd-numbered nights of the last decade of Ramadhan any of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th. While it is true that narration of some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and other tall figures of Islam make the 27th night more probable, there appears to be a great wisdom, to me, in not revealing the exact date for the blessed night. If it had been specified as, say, 27th, then this wisdom would be lost. The secret of keeping it concealed is that you remain engaged in its search, work hard towards its pursuit, and keep the flame of devotion ablaze search it in the odd-numbered nights during the last decade; if you are more willing and keen in the search, seek it in every night of that decade; if you are simply devoted to the task, go in search for it throughout Ramadhan.
“The Blessed Night is the biggest of all these signs. So, get ready! Make a resolve that you would devote at least the five odd numbered nights of the last decade for the search of the Blessed Night by keeping awake for prayers, supplications, and recitation of Qur’an. If it is not possible to devote the whole night, then do earmark a couple of hours in the last half of the night. Keep standing in prayers and recite from Qur’an as much as you can, prostrate long, be repentant for your sins, weep and wail, and seek forgiveness from Allah.”
What is most pleasing to Allah is that His servant should engage himself in untiring effort to please his Lord, to seek His mercy and bounties. Staying awake for prayers in this night would get you all the benefits of doing so in any other night, but, more and above that, there will be manifold increase in reward and opening up the floodgates of additional mercy, bounty and generosity. The whole of Ramadhan is a sign of Allah’s special favour on this Ummah, in that He has set for us great rewards for less time and effort, which earlier nations could get with great effort spanned over a long time. According to a saying of the Prophet (SAW), it is as if Muslims get more recompense for their work from Asr (afternoon) to Maghrib (evening), than that which Jews would get for their work from Fajr (dawn) to Zuhr (noon) or Christians’ from Zuhr (noon) to Maghrib (evening). The Blessed Night is the biggest of all these signs. So, get ready! Make a resolve that you would devote at least the five odd numbered nights of the last decade for the search of the Blessed Night by keeping awake for prayers, supplications, and recitation of Qur’an. If it is not possible to devote the whole night, then do earmark a couple of hours in the last half of the night. Keep standing in prayers and recite from Qur’an as much as you can, prostrate long, be repentant for your sins, weep and wail, and seek forgiveness from Allah.
