The Benefits and Rewards of the Night of Power (Laylat-ul-Qadr)

“Surely, we have revealed to you the Grand Night, and what will make you comprehend what the Grand Night is? The Grand Night is better than a thousand months. The Angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair. Peace! It is till the break of the morning.”

 – The Holy Qur’an (97:5)

The Holy Night of Laylat-ul-Qadr (also known as the Night of Power, Night of Destiny, Night of Decree) is a single night worth a thousand months of reward in Islam. Any good acts and deeds completed on this single night are the equivalent to if you had performed that one act for a thousand months (83 years).

It is known to be the night that the revelation of the Holy Qur’an was sent down to our Prophet Muhammed PBUH as guidance for all mankind. It is said that during this night our destiny is written for the coming year – and who knows what is written for us and whether we will be blessed with another Ramadan again? Therefore, it is important to make the most of such blessed occasions and reap as much reward as we can for our Hereafter.

The Night of Power falls within the final ten nights of the Holy month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan, amongst many great acts, consists of the act of fasting, which forms one of the five obligatory Pillars of Islam for Muslims across the world.

There are plenty of things one can do on this auspicious night to maximise our blessings and reward. We have detailed some of these below:

Recite the Holy Qur’an

During the month of Ramadan and over the course of the year, many of us tend to recite the Holy Qur’an without knowing what it is we are actually reading. Take some time out to translate the meaning of the Holy Qur’an on this night; it is, after all, the night the very first verses of the guidance were revealed – ask yourself one simple question: would you read an English book from cover to cover if you did not understand what you were reading?

Supplications (Dua)

It is said that you may ask Allah SWT for whatever you wish for on this night (legitimate desires, of course) but in doing so, do not forget to make as much Dua as possible for others and seek repentance as much as possible to your Lord for your sins on this night.

Donate to Charity

The act of giving is an act that is greatly rewarded by Allah SWT and is greatly encouraged during the Holy month of Ramadan. If the rewards and blessings of giving in this month are so great, can you imagine what the rewards for giving on this night of Laylatul Qadr will be like?

Whether you choose to help someone in need by way of donating your time or contributing money; by giving towards sadaqah jaariyah on behalf of a deceased loved one or should you choose to donate your zakat, ensure you give as much as possible on this auspicious night. Even the smallest act of giving someone a glass of water or smiling at another being is a great act of charity in Islam.

Send your Ramadan donations with Muslim Aid this year and ensure your generosity goes towards those who need it the most.  

Unite

Ramadan is intended to bring peace and unity to Islam so ensure you spend as much time as possible praying and worshipping with your loved ones. Visit the Mosque with your family and friends, have your suhoor and iftar with them and pray alongside each other, too.

Dedicate Time

In this day and age, we take numerous days off from our work and commitments to attend occasions and events that hold much importance to us. This night is, by far, infinitely more important than any worldly commitment we could have, so ensure you book the day off to worship, seek repentance and thank your Lord for the privilege itself.

Perform I’tikaaf

The Holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) used to spend the final ten days of this Holy month in I’tikaaf at the Masjid. I’tikaaf is the act of performing continuous prayer and Dhikr (devotional prayers/remembrance of Allah SWT) at the Masjid for a prolonged period of time, without leaving.

Ibaadah (Worship)

If you cannot perform I’tikaaf during the last ten nights it is strongly recommended to spend the actual night of Laylat-ul-Qadr in ibaadah, at the Masjid, reciting dua and seeking repentance as much as you can. As mentioned above, reciting the Holy Qur’an and supplications are recommended, along with reciting tasbih prayers and the recommended amaal for Laylat-ul-Qadr during the course of the night.

A Time for Self-Reflection

The night of Laylat-ul-Qadr is a night for reflection, so ensure you evaluate yourself as a person and ask yourself these things: As a Muslim, are you humble? Is there more you can do for your amaal or is there more you could do for others whilst you still have the opportunity? Are you a good person? Do you have decent characteristics? Have you got good morals and values? Do you have good akhlaaq? Could you be a better person?

Identify all the things you feel you could change or better about yourself; be your own worst critic as none of us are perfect and there is always room for improvement.

This is also a great time to plan your year ahead – your short-term goals and your long-term goals. Make a promise to spend more time in worship and stick to your plan. Allah SWT rewards us not only for our good acts but for our good intentions, too.

Brothers and sisters, remember, on this auspicious night it is important that we make the most of the blessings whilst we can. Refrain from day to day activities of daily life such as watching TV and indulging in trivial worldly acts. Take just this one night, pray as much as you can, give as much as you can and reap a multitude of rewards for your Aakhirah (Hereafter).

On this beautiful night of Laylat-ul-Qadr, we thank Allah SWT for bestowing upon us the privilege of this Holy night and we pray that the Lord accepts all of our good deeds and acts, accepts all our prayers and dua and grants all of our legitimate desires – both in this world and in the Hereafter. Ameen.