Laylatul Qadr is a night of the month of Ramadan. It is considered as the noblest night where that night is better than a thousand months. The word of Laylatul Qadr is from the word “lailah” which means night and the word “qadr” which means noble. So, we can define that Laylatul Qadr is a noble night that fall in the month of Ramadan.
Allah SWT said :
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضاً أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Q.S. Al-Baqarah : 185)
Related article :
When is the Laylatul Qadr?
No human know when that noble night comes, because it is a secret of Allah SWT. The Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has only signaled to his people, so they search the noble night in the odd nights from the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said :
تحروا ليلة القدر في الوتر من العشر الأواخر من رمضان
“Search Laylatul Qadr in the odd night from the last ten days of Ramadan.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
What are signs of the coming of Laylatul Qadr?
Allah SWT said :
وَما أَدْراكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
“And what can make you know what is the night comer? It is the piercing star.” (Q.S. At-Thariq : 2 -3)
Besides that, there are many hadith of the Prophet which said about that matter, one of them is below :
عَنْ جَابِرٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «إِنِّي كُنْتُ أُريتُ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ ثُم نَسيتُهَا وَهِيَ في العَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ، وَهِيَ طَلْقَةٌ بَلْجَةٌ لا حَارَّةٌ ولا بَارِدَةٌ، كَأَنَّ فيهَا قَمَراً يَفْضَحُ كَوَاكِبَهَا لا يَخْرُجُ شَيْطَانُها حَتى يَخْرُجَ فَجْرُهَا
“From Jabir R.A. said : Rasulullah SAW said, “Indeed has been showed to me Laylatul Qadr, then I am forgotten from it. It happened in the last ten nights.
The signs, it is a bright and clear night, not hot and not cold, as if there is a moon that shines stars, Satan in that night will not out until the dawn.” (Narrated by Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban)
[AdSense-B]
Good Deeds in The Laylatul Qadr Night
Allah SWT has concealed the coming of Laylatul Qadr night. So, His people try to find that night every night and multiply their worships to Allah SWT, such as do I’tikaf, virtues of dhikr, Qiyamul lail and reciting Al-Qur’an.
From Aisha radhiyallahu ‘anha, he has said :
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا دخل العشر – أي العشر الأخير من رمضان – شد مئزره، وأحيا ليله، وأيقظ أهله . متفق عليه
“If Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam entered to the last ten days of Ramadan, he strengthened the string of his sarong (increase his worship), activated his nights, and woke up his wives.” (Muttafaqun ‘alaihi)
From the hadith above, we can take its wisdom that Rasulullah saw was very serious to meet and welcome the noble night (Laylatul Qadr). He multiplied his worships, such as doing benefits of night prayers, reciting Al-Qur’an, dhikr, shadaqah and many more. Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has said :
مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Who is do qiyamul lail in the Laylatul Qadr night, then his past sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
[AdSense-A] Many people think that qiyamul lail in the hadith above is a special sunnah prayer in the noble night, Laylatul Qadr prayer. Then, how is the opinion of Ulama about Laylatul Qadr prayer? People who believe in Laylatul Qadr prayer are based on the hadith below :
من صلّى ركعتين في ليلة القدر، فيقرأ في كل ركعة فاتحة الكتاب مرة، وقل هو الله أحد سبع مرات، فإذا فرغ يستغفر سبعين مرة؛ فما دام لا يقوم من مقامه حتى يغفر الله لـه ولأبويه، وبعث الله ملائكة يكتبون له الحسنات إلى سنة أخرى، وبعث الله ملائكة إلى الجنان يغرسون له الأشجار ويبنون له القصور ويجرون له الأنهار، ولا يخرج من الدنيا حتى يرى ذلك كله
“Who is praying two rakat in Laylatul Qadr, in every rakat he reads Al-Fatihah and qul huwallahu ahad seven times, after prayer he says istighfar seventy times, then as long as he is still in the place of his prayer, Allah will forgive his sins and his parents, Allah will assign angels to note his good deeds until the next year, Allah also assigns angels to plant a tree for him in the heaven, build a palace, drain river for him. And he will not die until he see all of that.”
The hadith above has been stated as a fake hadith by Fatawa Syabakah Islamiyah Institution, because that hadith is never met in any hadith. Most likely, that hadith is a hadith from Syiah people, because people who do Laylatul Qadr prayer are only them.
So, the conclusion is no special prayer which named Laylatul Qadar prayer. But Muslim are recommended to multiply qiyamul lail in that noble night, such as importance of Witr prayer or benefits of Tahajud prayer, dhikr, I’tikaf, reciting Al-Quran and other good deeds. When Laylatul Qadr night comes, Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam advises to read the following dua :
اللَّـهُـمَّ إنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُـحِبُّ العَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
“ALLAHUMMA INNAKA ‘AFUWWUN TUHIBBUL ‘AFWA FA’FU ‘ANNII.”
“O Allah, indeed You are Merciful and Beneficent, then forgive me.”
See also : Prayers at night of Lailatul Qadr
What are virtues of Laylatul Qadr?
- The Night of Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months
Allah SWT said :
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ. لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
“And what can make you know what is the Night of Laylatul Qadr? The Night of Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months.” (Q.S. Al-Qadar : 2 – 3)
- Laylatul Qadr is a night where Allah SWT downed Al-Qur’an for the first time to the Prophet Muhammad SAW
The word of Allah SWT :
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Laylatul Qadr.” (Q.S. Al-Qadar : 1)
- Laylatul Qadr is a night full of glory
The word of Allah SWT :
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
“Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Q.S. Al-Qadr : 5)
- In the Laylatul Qadr night, Allah SWT decides all of matters, the fate of rizq, death and everything that will happen in this year.
The word of Allah SWT :
إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ. فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ. أَمْرًا مِنْ عِنْدِنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ. رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. On that night is made distinct every precise matter. [Every] matter [proceeding from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger]. As mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Q.S. Ad Dukhan : 3 – 6)
- In the Laylatul Qadr Night, Allah SWT will forgive every sins.
Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said :
مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِإِيْمَاناًوَاحْتِسَاباً،غُفِرَلَهُ مَاتَقَدَّمُ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever establish prayer in Laylatul Qadr night on his faith and hope a reply (from Allah), be forgiven his past sins.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, An Nasa’i and Ahmad)
- In the Laylatul Qadr Night, Allah SWT delegates angels to arrange all of matters.
Allah SWT said :
تَنَزَّلُ المَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
“The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.” (Q.S. Al-Qadr : 4)
- Annual destiny will be noted in the Laylatul Qadr night
Allah SWT said :
فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ
“On that night is made distinct every precise matter.” (Q.S. Ad Dukhan : 4)
Other important virtues of Laylatul Qadr night are :
- As a guidance for every Muslim
- A night that is blessed by Allah SWT
Thus the article about virtues of Laylatul Qadr night. Hopefully, I can add our knowledge and we get a chance to meet Laylatul Qadr night. Amen.