When is Laylatul Qadr?

When is Laylatul Qadr?

 

Allah Most High granted His Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) the knowledge of the beginnings and the endings and among them He also granted Him the knowledge of date of Laylatul Qadr. Thus, in Zujajatul Masabeeh, it is mentioned on the authority of Hadhrat Imam Malik and Imam Shaf’iee (May Allah shower His Mercy on them):

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ummul Momineen Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: I saw Laylatul Qadr in Ramadhan, but when 2 people fought with each other, its knowledge was lifted.  This is narrated by Imam Malik, Imam Shaf’iee and others.

Signs of Laylatul Qadr

What are the signs of Laylatul Qadr and how can we know that we have gotten Laylatul Qadr?  There are Hadith about this to guide us.  Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has mentioned a detailed Hadith about this in his Tafseer Durre Manthur:

Translation: Imam Ahmed, Imam Ibn Jareer, Imam Muhammad bin Nasr, Imam Baihaqui, Imam Ibn Mardaway have narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Ubada bin Saamit (May Allah be well pleased with him) that he heard from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) about Laylatul Qadr and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  It is in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  It is in the odd nights, either the 21st, the 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th or the last night of Ramadhan.  The person who in a state of faith (Iman), with the intention of reward stand up in prayer in this night, then all the past sins of that person are forgiven and it has the following signs:  (1)  That night is exceptionally bright.  (2)  It is very clear.  (3)  It is very calm.  (4)  It has a delicious silence.  (5)  It is neither too warm nor too cold.  It is as if this night the moon is spreading its light.  (6)  This night, no star wanes until the morning dawns.  (7)  It is also among its signs that the next morning the sun rises full, like the full moon.  (8)  Almighty Allah has forbidden for Satan to rise this day along with the sun.  (Durr Manthur, Surah Qadr-2)

In Laylatul Qadr, the water of the seas becomes sweet

Among the signs of Laylatul Qadr, it is also said that this night the water of the oceans becomes sweet.  Imam Razi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has related an incident of the ocean water becoming sweet on the 27th:

Translation: Hadhrat ‘Uthman bin Abul A’as (May Allah be well pleased with him) had a slave.  He told him:  In Ramadhan, there is a night in which the water of the ocean turns sweet.  When the night came, he informed me and it was the 27th night of Ramadhan.  (Mafateeh Ul Ghaib, Surah Qadr-1)

There is Tradition in Tafseer Qurtubi that in Laylatul Qadr, the water of the oceans turns sweet:

Translation: Hadhrat ‘Ubaid bin ‘Ameer (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  I was traveling through the seas on the 27th night of Ramadhan.  I drank some water from the sea and found it sweet and tasty.  (Tafseer Qurtubi, Surah Qadr-1)

Laylatul Qadr – In the last 10 days of Ramadhan

We know that Laylatul Qadr is in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has instructed us to perform special worship in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan to search for Laylatul Qadr.  As given in this Hadith:

Translation: Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform ‘Itikaaf in the last 10 days of Ramadhan and would say:  You search for Laylatul Qadr in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 2020; Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2833; Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 797)

Laylatul Qadr – The 27th night of Ramadhan

It is clear from the words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that Laylatul Qadr is in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  The Companions were very close to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and are familiar and understand the intent of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  They are the ones who act perfectly on the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and there cannot be even the faintest of the suggestion that they missed a single Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The very same Companions declare that Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadhan.  Although once before the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had not fixed a specific date for Laylatul Qadr, but after the narration of Hadhrat ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), Imam Tirmidhi narrates a Hadith:

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ubai bin Ka'ab (May Allah be well pleased with him), he would say on oath and say that Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadhan and would say:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) described its signs to us and we enumerated them and memorized them.

Deduction from Surah Al Qadr

There is a narration on the authority of Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) that Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadhan.  Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) deduces from the words of Laylatul Qadr that there are 30 words in Sura Qadr.  Among them the pronoun Hiya (meaning that night i.e. Laylatul Qadr) is the 27th one, as given in Fath Ul Bari the great interpretation of Sahih Bukhari:

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) that Laylatul Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadhan.  A similar narration is related on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) as well and he has deduced this from the fact there are 30 words in Sura Qadr and the pronoun Hiya (meaning that night i.e. Laylatul Qadr) is the 27th one.

Deduction from “Laylatul Qadr”

In Surah Qadr, the words, “Laylatul Qadr” have been mentioned thrice.  There are 9 letters in Arabic in the said word and that 9 when multiplied by 3 is 27.  Thus, this number also suggests that Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th night, as ‘Allama Hafidh Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has written:

Translation: And some scholars have deduced (that Laylatul Qadr is on the 27th) in yet another way.  Thus, it is related that Lailatul Qadr has 9 letters (in Arabic script) and in this Surah (i.e. Surah Qadr), it has been mentioned thrice.  This way, it comes to 27.  (Fath Ul Bari; Mafateeh Ul Ghaib, Surah Qadr-03)

The special characteristics of Laylatul Qadr

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 Laylatul Qadr

Almighty Allah has granted us a great chance through Laylatul Qadr 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 Laylatul Qadr.  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 Laylatul Qadr 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 Laylatul Qadr

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 Laylatul Qadr, 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’ab Ul Iman, Hadith No: 3562)