The distinctions of the Night of Power

 

The distinctions of the Night of Power

 

 

There are many distinctions of this night.  In light of the Holy Quran, 6 distinctions can be understood:

 

1.   Its greatness and excellence can be understood with the fact that Almighty Allah has revealed one complete Surah in its name.

 

2.   The Holy Quran was revealed this night.

 

3.   This night is better than 1000 months.

 

4.   This night, angels descend on the earth.

 

5.   Jibreel (May peace be upon him) descends on the earth.

 

6.   Peace and blessings are rained on the believers until sunrise.

 

The superiority of the Night of Power

 

Almighty Allah has granted us a great chance through the Night of Power that we acquire the treasures of reward through worship in this night and fill our coffers with the bounties of our Lord Almighty.  If someone squanders away even this great chance, then it is a sign of divine deprivation.

 

There is a Hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says that when the month of Ramadhan started, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: This is the month in which there is a night, which is better than 1000 months.  The one who is deprived of this is deprived of everything and only that person will be deprived of its blessings who is totally deprived.  (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No: 1634)

 

Past sins are forgiven

 

There are many Hadith which describe the excellence of the Night of Power.  Those who spend this night in worship and remembrance of Almighty Allah, their past sins are forgiven, provided that person is a believer and is sincere.  Faith and sincerity are basic conditions for the forgiveness of past sins.  Thus, there is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The person who spends the Night of Power in worship (of Allah Most High) in a state of faith with the intention of reward, all the past sins of that person are forgiven.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 35)

 

Angels descend in the Night of Power

 

Among the distinctions of this night is that angels descend in this night and they pray for divine mercy and forgiveness for those whom they find engaged in worship of Almighty Allah.  There is a Hadith in Shu’abul Iman, Mishkaat Ul Masabeeh and Zujajatul Masabeeh:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says that in the Night of Power, Jibreel (May peace be upon him) descends with a group of angels and prays for forgiveness for every worshipper who is busy in prayer and remembrance of Allah Most High, either standing or sitting.  (Shu’abul Imaan, Hadith No: 3562)

 

Descent of 70,000 angels and flags of radiance

 

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ummul Momineen ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says that efforts for worship, which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would make in the last 10 days of Ramadhan, He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would not make in other days.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No: 2845)

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of the mother of the believers, Hadhrat ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says: When the last 10 days of Ramadhan would start, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would ready himself and engage in even more worship than ever before and would spend the night in worship and would wake up the members of the house as well (so that they could also pray and gain the blessings of the last 10 days of the Ramadhan).  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No: 2024, Sahih Muslim Hadith No: 2844)

 

 

There is a Hadith in Shu’abul Imaan of Imam Baihaqui and Mishkaatul Masabeeh:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Salman Farsi (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a sermon on the last day of Sha’aban and said: People! A great blessed month is going to dawn on you. This is the month in which 1 night is better than 1000 months.  (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No: 3455)

 

 

There are many Hadith in this regard.

 

When Fajr comes, Jibreel (May peace be upon him) calls out to the angels: O Angels! Let’s go, let us return! The angels ask: O Jibreel! What did Allah Most High do about the needs and necessities of the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)?

 

Hadhrat Jibreel (May peace be upon him) says: This night, Allah Most High looked at them with Mercy and cast His special attention on them, He pardoned them, He forgave their sins except 4 people!

 

The Companions asked: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), who are those 4 people?

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

 

1. The one who drinks wine

2. The one who disobeys parents

3. The one who breaks away from the relatives.

4. Those who hold the wrong beliefs.  (Shu’abul Imaan, Hadith No: 3540)

 

Almighty Allah has granted His Beloved Prophet the knowledge of all that has happened and all that will happen.  Among them is that Almighty Allah has also granted the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) the definite knowledge of when the Night of Power is.  There is a Hadith in Zujajatul Masabeeh on the authority of Imam Malik, Imam Shafa’ee and Imam Abu ‘Awana (May Allah shower His mercy on all of them):

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  I have seen the Night of Power in Ramadhan, but when 2 people argued the definite knowledge of the Night of Power was taken.  (Zujajatul Masabeeh)

 

The Night of Power has been kept in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  One reason is that when someone fulfils their duty, they are given reward and honors.  In the same way, the Night of Power is like a great reward for those worshippers who have valued Ramadhan and have fasted in it.

 

Another reason has been described by Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His mercy on him):  Common folk develop some weakness through fasting and all and in the last 10 days, spirits are down.  For this reason, to raise the spirits, the Night of Power has been kept.  Almighty Allah casts His special radiance this night so that the spirits are raised and they are able to complete Ramadhan.  (Fadhail-e-Ramadhan, Pg. No. 110)

 

The worship of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in the last 10 days of Ramadhan

 

It is a tenet of faith that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the Imam of all Prophets.  The Creator of the universe has made Him the leader of all worlds.  In spite of all this, to encourage us common folk, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform profuse worship in Ramadhan when compared to other days and in the last 10 days of Ramadhan, He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform even more profuse worship as given in Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says:  When compared to other days, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform more worship in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2845)

 

The Night of Power is the night when the Holy Quran was revealed.  This night, people are freely forgiven.  The supplications are people are accepted.  Those who ask are granted.

 

Almighty Allah has declared in Surah Al Qadr that this night is superior to 1000 months.  Therefore, spending the night in heedlessness is not the mark of a believer.  Instead, one should bathe early in the night and spend the night in worship and remembrance of Allah Most High.  One should try to please Almighty Allah and to earn His approval.  It is mentioned in a Hadith about the Night of Power:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Zur bin Hubaish (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:  The Night of Power is the 27th night of Ramadhan, so whoever gets it should bathe in it and have an Iftaar of milk.  (Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, Hadith No. 7701)