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The Concept of Qiyam Laylat Al-Qadr
Author : Mufti. Zakaria Ali Salman
Date Added : 29-12-2024

Reflecting on the immense reward given to those who observe the Night of Decree (Laylat Al-Qadr), one should strive to seize it. When we know that the reward for observing Laylat al-Qadr is equivalent to a thousand months, as stated in the verse (Which means): "The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months." [Al-Qadr/3], we realize the significance of observing it. We also understand the wisdom behind its concealment from us, encouraging us to strive in seeking and searching for it and to take precaution to ensure we catch it.

Our role model in this is the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who, when the last ten nights began, would stay awake, awaken his family, and devote himself to worship, tightening his belt." [Agreed upon].

The Prophet (PBUH) used to seclude himself in the mosque (I'tikaf) for ten days every Ramadan. In the year of his passing, he observed I'tikaf for twenty days." [Al-Bukhari].

I'tikaf involves withdrawal, but the Prophet’s withdrawal is unlike any other. He was the commander of the army, head of state, teacher of the nation, its mufti, judge, and imam, as well as a family man with relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Above all, he was divinely guided and free from sin, yet despite all this, he observed I'tikaf.

If the moment of divine acceptance were a fixed hour that one could attain simply by sitting during that time, sinners, oppressors, and transgressors would be the keenest to attend that hour. This is why it is wisely concealed from the lazy, so they must exert effort, and from the diligent, so they do not neglect it.

One should not let any signs distract them from persistent observance and effort, especially since some signs appear after the night has passed. A person in I'tikaf may mistakenly think they have seen its signs and abandon I'tikaf, thus missing the guaranteed reward for something uncertain. This would be a significant loss and ignorance. How could it be otherwise when the Prophet (PBUH) did not end his I'tikaf even when he knew he had observed Laylat Al-Qadr? He continued until the end of the month.

I share this with my beloved brothers and sisters in faith to prevent Satan from deceiving them into abandoning the observance of this great night, which may not recur. Life’s end is unknown, and free time may not be available in another year, not to mention health and other circumstances.

Laylat Al-Qadr has two aspects:

1. The moment of acceptance: This is the supreme happiness when prayers are answered, and a person receives their heart’s desires. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is the Night of Decree, what should I say?" He replied: "Say: O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me" [At-Tirmidhi]. Material wealth, spouses, and children are important, as are position and status. However, more important than all these is safety on the Day of Judgment, as mentioned in the following verse, stating (What means):  "And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of what you count." [Al-Hajj/47].

2. Attaining the reward: Whoever performs a single unit of prayer on this night receives the reward of praying for a thousand months. Whoever utters a word of glorification (Tasbih) is rewarded as though they had uttered it thirty thousand times, multiplied by the reward of the fighters in the cause of Allah. Such immense reward and abundant blessings!

Here, Satan may employ his traps, either by leading you to sin—God forbid—or by distracting you with permissible amusement. If he fails in both, he may settle for making you perform a lesser good deed to prevent you from attaining the greater reward.

Congratulations to you, those who observe Laylat Al-Qadr! If you perform I'tikaf, your prayer counts as part of its observance, listening to a sermon is part of its observance, reading the Quran is part of its observance, speaking a kind word is part of its observance, and even resting to renew your energy for worship is part of its observance.

For this reason, the noble companions would pray for months to reach Ramadan, hoping to enjoy these great rewards. They wished to encounter this blessed night, to pray to Allah to alleviate distress, illuminate paths, grant victory to the nation of the Messenger of Allah, and make them a mercy to the world by spreading the religion of guidance and avoiding ways of misguidance.                                       

O Allah, endear faith to us and adorn it in our hearts. Make us detest disbelief, defiance, and disobedience, and make us among the rightly guided.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on a latecomer who joins the imam during the standing position of the first rakʿah but was unable to complete the recitation of al-Fātiḥah?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If a latecomer (masbuq) joins the prayer while the imam is standing, he should begin reciting Sūrat al-Fātiḥah immediately, without pausing to recite the opening supplication (duʿāʾ al-istiftāḥ) or the seeking of refuge (taʿawwudh). If the imam bows before he completes al-Fātiḥah, he follows the imam into the bow and leaves whatever remains of al-Fātiḥah — the imam bears it on his behalf.
It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 47): "If a latecomer finds the imam standing and is confident that he has enough time to recite the taʿawwudh and al-Fātiḥah in full, he may do so. If he is uncertain, he should neither recite the opening supplication nor the taʿawwudh, but rather begin directly with al-Fātiḥah. If the imam bows before he completes it, he follows him into the bow — provided he had not already begun the opening supplication or the taʿawwudh. If he had begun either of them, he continues reciting al-Fātiḥah for as long as he spent on them." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

 
What is the ruling on someone who eats or drinks while uncertain about the arrival of dawn, then later finds out that dawn had not yet broken?

If a person does this, their fast remains valid, as it is confirmed that they ate during the night. Similarly, if someone eats while uncertain and remains unsure whether they ate before or after dawn, their fast is still valid. This is based on the maxim of Sharia Law, which states: "Certainty is not removed by doubt." Certainty, here, is the presence of night, and the doubt concerns the arrival of dawn. Therefore, one relies on certainty and disregards doubt.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on sitting between the two prostrations, and what is the ruling on the dhikr recited during it?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Sitting between the two prostrations (al-jalsah bayna al-sajdatayn) is one of the pillars (arkān) of the prayer, while the dhikr recited during it is Sunnah according to the Shāfi'ī scholars. It is recommended (mustahabb) to say what was narrated from Ibn 'Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say between the two prostrations in the night prayer: 'Rabbi ighfir lī, warhamnī, wajburnī, warzuqnī, warfa'nī' (My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, make good my deficiencies, provide for me, and raise me)." If one were to say a different supplication instead, such as "Rabbi ighfir lī" (My Lord, forgive me), the prayer would still be valid.
If the worshipper omits this dhikr between the two prostrations, whether intentionally or out of forgetfulness, their prayer remains valid and nothing is required of them, though they miss the reward of following the Sunnah. Leaving it out does not necessitate the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw).
It is stated in Hāshiyat al-Bājūrī 'alā Sharḥ Ibn Qāsim 'alā Matn Abī Shujā' (Vol.1/P.298): "The eleventh — i.e., of the eighteen pillars — his statement: 'sitting between the two prostrations,' meaning even in a supererogatory (nafl) prayer... his statement: 'with the supplication that has been narrated concerning it,' meaning: 'Rabbi ighfir lī, warhamnī, wajburnī, warfa'nī, warzuqnī, wahdinī, wa 'āfinī' (My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, make good my deficiencies, raise me, provide for me, guide me, and grant me well-being). Al-Ghazālī added: 'wa'fu 'annī' (and pardon me). Al-Mutawallī also added: 'Rabbi hab lī qalban taqiyyan, naqiyyan min al-shirk, bariyyan lā kāfiran wa lā shaqiyyan' (My Lord, grant me a heart that is God-fearing, pure from associating partners with You, innocent, neither disbelieving nor wretched)."And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

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