In the light of these verses
of the Chapter Al-Qadr (the Destiny/Decree), it shall be good
for us to recall once again how these verses were revealed.
One day, the Holy Prophet
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was relating the life of a pious man (Wali) by
the name of Shamsun (ra) who used to live among the Children of Israel. From
what we understand, he was someone who used to pray a lot and struggle hard for
the cause of Allah for the duration of a thousand months. When the companions
of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) heard that, they became sad upon thinking that they
would never be able to surpass Hazrat Shamsun (ra). As an encouragement, Allah
said that if the Community of the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) indulge in acts of
worship during the Night of Decree (Laila-tul-Qadr), therefore
their prayers would earn rewards better than a thousand months of worship.
(Ruh’ul Bayan, Vol. 10 pg. 483)
In Hadith, Hazrat Anas bin
Malik (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah stated about the month of
Ramadan: “This month (of Ramadan) has begun and there is a night in it
better than one thousand month. So, any one deprived of its blessings is
actually deprived of all goodness. Indeed, He is truly deprived who is kept
away from its good.” (Ibn Majah, Mishkat)
Therefore, the Night of
Decree is a night filled with blessings and is very valuable. It is a great
divine favour upon the Ummah of the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) when transforming
acts of worship made during the Night of Decree into acts of worship (prayers)
which is worth more than a thousand months of blessings. For the communities of
the past prophets, there were no such designed night reserved for the descent
on earth of Hazrat Jibreel (as) and the angels except for the Muslims whereby
they send the divine peace on the Muslims absorbed in any act of worship and
thus these angels prays for them and ask forgiveness for them. In His wisdom,
Allah has hidden that special night in the last 10 holy nights of Ramadan so
that the Muslims make efforts to seek it. In this way, their courage increase
and they spend their time in worship for Allah so as to reap the blessings
concealed in the Night of Decree.
The last ten nights (of Ramadan)
In a Hadith reported by
Hazrat Aisha (ra), the Messenger of Allah used to double his efforts in
worship/prayer during the last ten nights (of Ramadan) compared to other
nights. (Muslim, Mishkat). According to different Hadiths, the Night of Decree
is found in the odd nights of Ramadan (21, 23, 25, 27 and 29). In the light of
this Hadith, the Night of Decree is the night wherein the first revelations of
the Quran came down on the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Even Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has
not given a precise date for this special night, but he indicated that it was
found among the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.
There have been great
scholars of Islam who commented on the Night of Decree, whereby they are of
opinion that it was the 27th night of Ramadan. These scholars,
like Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra), Hazrat Ubayy ibn Ka’b (ra), Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa
and even Hazrat Sheik Muhyi-ud-Din Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) have commented
whereby they explained the greatness of number 7, such greatness which is not
commonly found in the odd numbers like 3, 5 or 9. They corroborate their
analysis through the following reasons:
1. There are 7 heavens and 7
earths.
2. In a week, there are 7
days and 7 nights.
3. We need to perform 7
circumambulations (tawaf) around the Holy Ka’aba.
4. We run 7 times between
Safa and Marwa.
5. There were 7 companions
in the Cave (Kahf).
6. Hazrat Yusuf (as)
remained in prison for 7 years.
7. The dream which Hazrat Yusuf
(as) interpreted for the King mentioned 7 fat cows and 7 thin cows.
8. We perform 17 cycles (Rakat) of
Obligatory prayers in 24 hours.
9. For each Salat (prayer),
there are 7 obligatory conditions so that our prayer may be considered
complete.
10. And of course, in Surah
Al-Fatiha, there are 7 verses.
For these reasons, according
to them the number 7 is greater in worth than the other odd numbers. The word “Laila-tul-Qadr” (Night
of Decree) is made of 9 (Arabic) letters, and it appeared 3 times in the Surah
Al-Qadr. Therefore 3 multiply by 9 gives 27.
According to the Holy Quran
and cited Hadiths, we can see the worth and greatness of that grand night, and
the density of the blessings it contains. Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) narrated that
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out
of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his
past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of
Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his
previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari).
In another Hadith, Hazrat
Aisha (ra) reported that she asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): “O
Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Lailatul-Qadr was, then what
should I say in it?”
He said: “Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘affuwwun tuhibbul
‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee.” (O Allah, You are forgiving and You love to forgive, so
forgive me).” (Mishkat, Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi)
On I’tikaaf – Spiritual Retreat
On the subject of I’tikaaf, Allah says in the Holy
Quran:
“…and do not have contact
with them (your wives) while you keep to the mosques (for worship); these are
the limits of Allah, so do not go near them. Thus does Allah make clear His
communications for men that they may guard (against evil).” (2: 188)
1. I’tikaaf –
Spiritual Retreat means staying in the mosque with the intention to pray and
remember Allah a lot. When someone makes the intention to observe theI’tikaaf (spiritual
retreat), therefore he does so only for Allah the Almighty and not for the eyes
of people. Hazrat Aisha (ra) narrated that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to
observe the I’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan till
the year he died, and afterwards his wives observed it (the I’tikaaf)
after him. (Bukhari and Muslim)
2. Abu Huraira (ra) narrated
that the Messenger of Allah used to observe the I’tikaafeach year
and the year in which he died, he remained in I’tikaaf for 20
days. (Bukhari).
Zakat in Ramadan
Now let us come on the
subject of Zakat. Zakat is an obligatory act of charity, ordained to each
financially established Muslim and which is distributed to poor Muslims, or
those facing difficulties/problems. Zakat is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and
it has been prescribed in the Holy Quran and Hadiths.
The definition and root of
Zakat in Arabic means blessing, growth, purity and amelioration. The subject of
Zakat also concerns those who pay the Sadaqua which is a form
of Zakat in the context where Allah states in Chapter 9, Verse 103:
“Take
from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase,
and invoke (Allah’s blessings) upon them. Indeed, your invocations are
reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.”
Zakat is an act of worship
which purifies the wealth and soul of a Muslim. Purification of wealth means
purification of all his properties he possesses, and the money held in banks
which he does not use which is distributed with justice. Purification of the
soul comprises also freeing himself from hatred, jealousy, egoism and cupidity.
In the Quran the term Zakat has been mentioned in several verses, appearing 30
times, out of which 27 times the word Zakat is mentioned along with Salat (prayer).
Among those verses, there is the Verse 11 of Surah At-Tauba:
“But if
they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in
religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.”
I therefore mention some
Hadiths (on this subject): Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra)
narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Whoever is made
wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, then on the Day of
Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous male snake
with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite
his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’”
Then the Prophet
recited the holy verses: “And let not those who (greedily) withhold what Allah
has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. Rather, it is
worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day
of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the
earth. And Allah, with what you do, is (fully) Acquainted.” (to the end of the
verse). (3: 181).” (Bukhari).
The month of Ramadan is
coming to an end. Time is running and we have only few days before the end of
Ramadan and the coming of Eid. Therefore, each Ramadan is an opportunity for
the Muslim to make an analysis of his self: Ramadan is going away, has
my life changed and am I living my life according to the Islamic teachings?...
-From the Friday Sermon of 18 July 2014 delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius.