JUMAT SERMON: Importance Of (Laylatul Qadr) The Night Of Decree

• BY IMAAM MUSA OLADAPO RAJI

I seek refuge in Allah from the devil the accursed and I start in the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Waliy (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right path). I also testify that Prophet Muhammad is His messenger.  May His benediction be upon His (Muhammad) soul, members of His household, His companions, and all those who follow His way till the day of Judgment.

Just as the popular axiom says that whatever has a beginning must have an end. The month of Ramadan is gradually running to the end.  And by implication, the two third (2/3) of it remains few days. Hopefully, you and I shall be among those that will witness the last one third (1/3) which is the pinnacle of it all. The Prophet had once described Ramadan period thus: the first ten days as mercy; it’s second ten as period of forgiveness and the last ten days as when Allah sets the fasting Muslim free from the hell fire. However, this should not be misconstrued to be an automatic ticket for one’s entry into the Paradise. There are some conditions that govern it. Even though Allah is Benevolent during this period, He still reserves the right not to forgive these set of people according the tradition of the Prophet: (1) Drunkard (2) Disobedient child to his Parent (3) He who does not keep good relation with his kith and kin (4) He who keeps malice. These set of people will not enjoy that benefit.

LaylatulQadr: Many translators have tried to give a concise meaning to the phrase in an attempt to convince readers of what actually Allah means by it. Some call it “Night of Power, Night of Decree, Night of Majesty”. All these are just a matter of semantics; it is only the original language (i.e. Arabic) that can convey its real meaning.

LaylatulQadr is just a single night that comes but once in a year. Allah says “Therein (the night) is decreed every matter of ordainments”, Quran 44:4. Every matter, i.e. the matter of deaths, births, provisions, calamities, etc. for the whole (coming) year as decreed by Allah. If you like, you can describe it as a night of stock taking or night of budgeting. What makes the night so magnificent is the revelation of the Holy Qur’an therein.

The period of LaylatulQadr could be further described as one of the seasons where the adherents of Islam realise a bumper harvest. Bumper harvest here does not mean what one realises from farm product but the mercy and grace of Allah that the period envelops. Allah is so merciful that when the night is pointed at in the Qur’an as being powerful. Out of His grace, He gave the indexes in the Qur’an that lead us to discover the night of Power and that night is better than a thousand months. He says: “Verily, we have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) and what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (worshipping Him a thousand months i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruuh (Jibril (Gabriel)) by Allah’s Permission with all Decree. (All that night), there is peace (and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” Quran 97:1-5

Even though, it is on record that a number of people claimed to have seen the night among the last seven nights in the hadith as reported by ibn Umar (RAA), he states that some companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) were able to see the Blessed Night among the last seven nights of the Month of Ramadan in dream. On this, the Holy Prophet (SAW) remarked yours have confirmed the existence of the Blessed Night among the last seven nights of Ramadan. Therefore, anybody who seeks the Blessed Night should look for it among the last seven nights of the month of Ramadan.

In another place in the Qur’an, Allah says: “We sent it (this Qur’an) down on a blessed night…” Quran 54:3. With the two quoted references above, the night remains ambiguous and it should be so stressful to look for such if not for His mercy. Allah then scaled it down to a particular month in the year. He says: “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)”. Quran 2 185. Thereafter, the Prophet (SAW) further scaled it down to the last ten night of the month. When he was probed further by his companions, narrated by Aishah (RAA), Allah’s messenger said: “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan” – 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th. 

Among what makes the period unique is the special attention paid to it by the Prophet. One He used to embark on a RETREAT in the mosque during the period. A number of traditions confirmed this. Ibn Umar (RAA) states that the holy Prophet (SAW) used to retire to mosque for devotion and abstention during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan (Bukhari and Muslim).

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not represent the opinions or views of OSUN DEFENDER.