What are the signs of Laylat-ul Qadr

What are the signs of Laylat-ul Qadr

Question
⦁ What are the signs of Laylat-ul Qadr?
How can we seek the Night of Power?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

“The Night of the Power (Laylat-ul Qadr) is clear, neither hot nor cold. There are no clouds in the sky. There is no rain and no wind. The sign of the following morning of this night is the rising of the sun without rays.” (Tabarani)
Angels stay on the earth until the breaking of dawn. When the sun appears in the sky Gabriel is the first angel ascending to sky and, (He) opens His two wings which are green. He doesn’t open them in any time else. Thus the rays of the sun can not be seen. Then he calls an angel and lifts him up. The lights of angels and the lights of the two wings of Gabriel join (together). That day, the sun is constantly unstable. (Ibn Kathir)
“The sign of the Laylat-ul Qadr is that it is pure and glowing. That night is calm and moon is fullmoon. It is neither hot nor cold. There is no shooting star until morning. Its sign is that the sun appears on the morning following it smooth having no rays on it, just like the moon on a fullmoon night.” (Ahmad)

It is a night in which no barking of dogs can be heard. (Al-Ghunyat’ut-Talibin)
When the sun rises on the following morning of the Night of Power, it appears as a disc without rays, rather like a copper bowl. (Al-Ghunyat’ut-Talibin)
They are revealed to those who possess the qualities of spiritual development and sainthood, to those who are committed to worshipful obedience, and to whomever Allah wishes among those of His servants who are true believers in accordance with their spiritual states, their alloted portions, and their degrees of nearness to Allah. (Al-Ghunyat’ut-Talibin)

Question
Can Laylat al-Qadr be seen, i.e. can it be seen with the human eye? Some people say that if a person can see Laylat al-Qadr he sees a light in the sky and so on. How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them all) see it? How can a person know that he has seen Laylat al-Qadr? Will a person still gain its reward even if he could not see that night? Please explain that to us, and mention the evidence for it.

Answer

Laylat al-Qadr may be seen with the eye, for the one whom Allaah helps to see it. That is by seeing its signs. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to recognize it by its signs. But not seeing them does not means that one will not gain its reward, if one spends that night in prayer out of faith and the hope of reward. The Muslim should strive to seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, as enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), hoping to earn reward. If it so happens that a person spends this night in prayer out of faith and seeking reward, then he will gain its reward, even if he does not know that that was Laylat al-Qadr. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” According to another report: “Whoever spends that night in prayer, seeking Laylat al-Qadr, then he catches it, his previous and future sins will be forgiven.”
And a sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicates that the sign of Laylat al-Qadr is that the sun rises on the following morning with no visible rays. Ubayy ibn Ka’b used to swear that it was the night of the twenty-seventh, citing this sign as evidence. The more correct view is that it moves through all the last ten nights, but it is most likely to be one of the odd-numbered nights, and the night of the twenty-seventh is the most likely among the odd-numbered nights. Whoever strives in worship during all of the last ten nights, praying, reading Qur’aan, making du’aa’ and other kinds of good deeds will undoubtedly catch up with Laylat al-Qadr and attain what Allaah has promised to those who do that out of faith and seeking reward.
And Allaah is the Source of strength, May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Question
How should we observe Laylat al-Qadr? Is it by praying, or by reading Qur’aan and the Prophet’s Seerah, listening to lectures and lessons and by celebrating it in the mosque?.

Answer

Firstly:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to strive hard in worship during the last ten days of Ramadaan as he never did at any other time, praying, reading Qur’aan and making du’aa’. Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that when the last ten days of Ramadaan came, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would stay up at night and would wake his family up, and would abstain from marital relations. Ahmad and Muslim narrated that he used to used to strive hard in worship during the last ten days of Ramadaan as he never did at any other time.

Secondly:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined staying up and praying on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” Agreed upon. This hadeeth indicates that it is prescribed to observe Laylat al-Qadr by spending the night in prayer.

Thirdly:
One of the best du’aa’s that may be recited on Laylat al-Qadr is that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). Al-Tirmidhi narrated, and classed the report as saheeh, that ‘Aa’ishah said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say on that night?’ He said, ‘Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).”

Fourthly:
With regard to specifying which night of Ramadaan is Laylat al-Qadr, this needs specific evidence, but the odd-numbered nights during the last ten nights are more likely than others, and the night of the twenty-seventh is the most likely to be Laylat al-Qadr, because that is mentioned in the ahaadeeth.

Fifthly:
With regard to innovations, they are not permissible during Ramadaan or at other times. It was proven that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected.” According to another report, “Whoever does any action that is not part of this matter of ours will have it rejected.”
We know of no basis for the celebrations that are held during some nights of Ramadaan. The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the worst of matters are those which are innovated (bid’ah).
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

 

Question
The Especial Night Mentioned in Surah Ad-Dukhan Means Which Night. Is It the Shaban or Qadar?

Answer

What is the importance of 15 Shaban, is it the night in which the fate of every one is decided for the next year? The especial night mentioned in Surah Dukhan means which night. Is it the Shabaan or qadar?

Praise be to Allaah.

Laylat al-Nesf min Shabaan (the 15th of Shabaan) is like any other night, and there is no sound report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to indicate that on this night the fate or destiny of people is decided. (See Question no. 8907)

With regard to the night mentioned in the verses, “We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.”[al-Dukhan: 3-4]

Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “The commentators differed concerning that night, i.e., which night of the year it is. Some of them said that it is Laylat al-Qadr, and it was narrated from Qurtaadah that it is Laylat al-Qadr. Others said that it is the night of the 15th of Shabaan. The correct view is the view of those who say that it is Laylat al-Qadr, because Allaah has told us of that when He says, ‘Verily, We are ever warning’[al-Dukhaan: 3].” (Tafseer al-Tabari, 11/221)
With regard to the phrase, “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments”: Ibn Hajar said in his commentary on Saheeh al-Bukhaari, “What this means is that the decrees for the year are decided on that night, because Allaah says, ‘Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments’. And al-Nawawi said, ‘The scholars said that it is called Laylat al-Qadr because on this night the angels write down the decrees (aqdaar), because Allaah says, ‘Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments’. This was also narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq and other mufassireen with saheeh isnaads from Mujaahid, ‘Ikrimah, Qataadah and others. AlToorbashti said that the word used in the Qur’aan is qadr, whereas people think it is qadar (decree); the word qadr refers to the detailed manifestation of the decree.’”

Laylat al-Qadr brings great reward for the one who does good deeds and strives in worship on that night. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning), “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) 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 (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [al-Qadr: 1-5]

There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of that night, such as the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Abu Hurayrah, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven, and whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and hoping for reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Sawm, 1768)

Question
Is it possible that some people can recognize the Night of Al-Qadr? Is it true that whoever sees its signs and supplicates that his supplication will definitely be answered?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is true that the supplication made at any of the recommended times is more likely to be fulfilled, Allaah willing. The Night of Al-Qadr is one of these recommended times, along with the last third of the night and the time between the Athaan (call to prayer) and Iqaamah (the immediate call to prayer).
At such times, supplication is most likely to be answered provided there are no impediments present that would prevent the supplication from being answered.
Allaah The Almighty may grant some of His slaves the privilege of seeing one of the signs of this great night. This happened with some of the Companions . In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar it was mentioned that some of the Companions saw in their sleep that the Night of Al-Qadr is in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Hence, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered Muslims to seek this great night in the last seven nights of Ramadan. [Al-Bukhari]
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