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Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Decree)
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 17-04-2023

Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Decree)

 

 

It is the blessed night at which the angels and the spirit come down. It is the night at which the Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from God through angel Gabriel.

The earth has never witnessed such a blessed night in terms of greatness, status and indications. The whole universe rejoices at it and whosoever performs acts of worship at this night, with Faith and in the hope of receiving Allah's reward, will have his/her past sins forgiven. In addition, worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months.

During that night, Allah`s mercies and blessings come down on His believing servants who are offering different acts of worship to come closer to Him.

Al-Khalil Bin Ahmad said: "Laylatul Qadr: It is the night of restriction based on the verse, which reads: (and the man whose resources are restricted). It was called as such because the earth becomes so restricted/narrow by the huge numbers of angels coming down to it. However, their coming down brings goodness and blessings to the people of the earth. Allah Says {What means}: "Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by God’s permission, on every errand:" {Al-Qadr, 4}.

Abu Dawoud reported from Abu Hurayrah who said that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "And verily, the angels who are on the earth during that night are more numerous than the number of pebbles."

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said  concerning the words “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments”: There is written down from the Mother of the Book on Laylat al-Qadr what is to happen during the coming year of provision, death, life, or rain. Allah Says {What means}: "We sent it down during a Blessed Night: for We (ever) wish to warn (against Evil)."

Many Quran commentators said: "For its noble status and honor, the night of decree encompasses all these meanings."

The real preference for this night, is the descent of the Holy Quran, because Allah, The Most Exalted, Says {What means}: "We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:" In an authentic narration by Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) as related by Ibn Hajar from Sahrih Al-Bukhari that it is either: "The whole Quran was sent down during the Laylatul Qadr from 'Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (the Preserved Tablet) to Baitul Izzah in the lower heaven, the night in which the Quran started coming down on the heart of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Or, it is the night in which Allah ordered the angelic scribes to write the Quran on 'Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz.

There is no iota of doubt that the Quran is the source of all goodness, guidance and light, and it guides to that, which is most right. This is why Allah Said about this blessed night (What means): "And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?"  This means that none can explain what Laylatul Qard is except Allah, The Knower of the unseen.

Is Laylatul Qadr fixed or does it change?

Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami (May Allah have mercy on him) said: "A group of scholars said that Laylatul Qadr doesn`t necessarily occur in a certain night of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Rather, it changes since in a year or in years, it is an odd night (i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th) while in a year or in years, it is an even night (i.e. 22nd, 24th and so on). It was reported that Ibn Qulaba said: "Lailatul Qadr changes in the last ten nights of Ramadan and many of the Salaf (righteous predecessors), such as Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Abu Thawr, Muzni and others, have opted for this view."

However, Al-Shafie`I said that Lailatul Qadr is a fixed night that doesn`t change. He based this view on the following Hadith: Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit: "Allah's Messenger (PBUH) went out to inform the people about the (date of the) night of decree (Al-Qadr) but there happened a quarrel between two Muslim men. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "I came out to inform you about (the date of) the night of Al-Qadr, but as so and so and so and so quarreled, its knowledge was taken away (I forgot it) and maybe it was better for you. Now look for it in the 7th, the 9th and the 5th (of the last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan)."

The sign of Laylat al-Qadr: 

Ahmad, Al-Baihaqhi and others reported from 'Ubada bin As-Samit that the Messenger of Allah said: "The sign of the night of Al-Qadr is that it is bright and shining, as if there is in it a bright still moon without any cold or wind. The weather during this night is neither hot nor cold. In addition, there is no shooting of the stars until the morning. Its sign is that the sun in the morning after this night, rises up without beams exactly like the full moon and Satan does not come out with the sun on this morning."

May Allah make us witness Lailatul Qadr to offer acts of worship and may He accept our fast, night prayers and righteous good deeds.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the wisdom and purpose behind the 'aqīqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Among the wisdoms and purposes of the 'aqīqah are the following:
First: Expressing joy at the blessing of Allah the Almighty, rejoicing in the newborn, and giving thanks to Allah for this gift. Allah the Almighty says (what means): "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you." [Ibrāhīm/7]
Second: Proclaiming and publicising the lineage (nasab) of the child — and the 'aqīqah serves as an appropriate and fitting means to this end.
Third: Gladdening the hearts of family members, relatives, friends, and the poor by gathering them together over a shared meal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling if a postpartum woman becomes pure before forty days; are acts of worship obligatory upon her, and is she permissible for her husband?

If the postpartum woman becomes definitely pure before forty days, she must perform the ritual bath and perform acts of worship as a pure woman does. What was prohibited for her also becomes permissible, so she becomes permissible for her husband after her bath. The minimum duration for postpartum bleeding is a moment (an instant), and its usual maximum is forty days. Reaching forty days is not a condition; rather, it is sufficient for the blood to stop or to see the white discharge (qassa bayda'). And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on performing ablution (wudu') and ritual bathing (ghusl) with Zamzam water?

It is permissible to perform ablution and ritual bathing with Zamzam water. However, scholars disliked using it for cleaning after relieving oneself (istinja'). And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the correct point at which to raise the hands when standing up for the third rak‘ah (after the middle tashahhud)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Raising the hands while saying the takbīr [when rising for the third rak‘ah] is a recommended sunnah, and omitting it does not affect the validity of the prayer. The proper time for this is after rising from the middle tashahhud, once one has fully stood up.
It is stated in I‘ānat aṭ-Ṭālibīn (Vol.1/P.158): "His statement, 'and rising from the first tashahhud' — meaning, this manner [of raising the hands] is also a sunnah when he rises from the first tashahhud, that is, when he stands upright from it.
Consider [the question]: when precisely does the raising of the hands begin? Is it at the very start of rising from the first tashahhud, or after he has reached the minimum position of rukū‘ [i.e., once fully upright]? The apparent, [correct] view is the latter — even though the outward wording [of the text] might suggest the former — because at the very start of his rising, he is still relying on both hands [to push himself up, and therefore cannot yet raise them]."
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 53): "If his prayer extends beyond two rak‘ahs, he sits after them in the iftirāsh position, recites the tashahhud, and sends blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ alone, without [mentioning] his family [at this point]. He then stands while saying the takbīr, supporting himself with his hands; and once he has stood upright, he raises them level with his shoulders." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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