One
day the Holy Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) related the life of a
saintly person who was called Shamsoon (ra) who lived among the Bani
Israel. He had done acts of worship of all kinds and holy war for a
period of a 1000 months. Listening to this story, a Sahabi
(companion) pointed out to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) that the longevity
of his Ummah
(community) is shorter than that of Hadhrat Shamsoon (ra). The Sahabi
also pointed out that one cannot do the same amount of Ibadat
(acts of worship) as Hadhrat Shamsoon (ra). It was at this time that
Hadhrat Jibra’il (as) appeared and recited the Surah Al-Qadr
(Decree).
The Benefits of the Night of Decree
According
to Hadhrat Abu Huraira (ra) and other Hadith narrators, during the
night of Qadr (Laylatul Qadr), innumerable angels descend on earth
and because of this, the gates of heaven are opened. At that moment,
the lights shine, the special manifestations occur, the celestial
world is unveiled. People can then contemplate it in varying degrees
(depending on their ability / the spiritual level which they reached
and the degree of their faith - Iman).
Some
have the ability to see the kingdom of the heavens and earth and when
they look at the heavens, then they can see the angels doing the
various acts of worship, some in the different positions of the
Salat,
that is, some in the Qiyam,
others in the Ruku,
others in the Sajda,
some doing the Zikr,
others giving Shukr
(thanking Allah), and some others reciting the Tasbih
[Subhan Allah] and the Tahlil
[Laa-Ilaaha Illallah], etc.
Other
people can see Paradise, with its palaces and houses, its Hurs,
rivers, trees and fruits etc. and there are even people who receive
the vision of the Heavenly Throne (Arsh)
which is the Roof of Paradise. They also see the stations of the
prophets, the friends of Allah, the martyrs, the truthful. Other
people also have the opportunity to lift the veil and they see
nothing but the splendour of the Beauty of their Merciful Lord.
In
these cases, it is a manifestation of Allah that they witness. Many
people see Allah as a very bright light, so bright that they cannot
even look at Him, and there are other people who can see Allah in
human form, or as Nothingness (a Void) - that is, to say, an empty
space, for Allah is in us and all around us. He fills all the space
He created. These are the Manifestations of Allah so that Allah shows
and makes His presence felt to His elects, the people He loves and to
whom He wants to give this favour.
According
to a Hadith reported by Hadhrat Aisha (ra), Allah’s Messenger
(pbuh) used to make much more effort in performing acts of worship in
the last ten nights of Ramadan compared to other nights. (Muslim,
Mishkat)
According
to several Hadiths, the Laylatul-Qadr is among the odd nights of the
last ten nights of Ramadan (21st,
23rd,
25th,
27th
or 29th
night). Hadhrat Aisha (ra) reported that Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) used
to go into retreat [in the mosque] (Ittikaaf)
in the last ten nights of Ramadan and he (pbuh) said, ‘Look
for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of
Ramadan’.” (Bukhari)
Hadhrat
Abu Huraira (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Whoever establishes the prayers on
the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s
rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven.”
(Bukhari)
In
another Hadith reported by Hadhrat Aisha (ra), Hadhrat Muhammad
(pbuh) advised her to recite in abundance a duah
(an invocation) if she manages to witness the Night of Al-Qadr
(Laylatul Qadr). This invocation is: ‘Allahumma
innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa’fu-anni’
- O Allah You are the One Who forgives
greatly, and loves to forgive, so forgive me.
(Mishkat, Ibn Maja, Tirmidhi).
So
pray that Allah will accept our repentance and grant us the unlimited
favours of Laylatul Qadr.
Fortunate are all the sincere members of
the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam whom Allah has chosen to recognize the
Imam of the Age [not elected by man but an Elect of Allah], and to
show their obedience to Allah and His Messenger, the Khalifatullah,
who came with the Ruh’il Quddus
(The Holy Spirit), in the Night of Ignorance that has enveloped this
world in this century.
Alhamdulillah,
the life and presence of a Messenger of Allah who receives divine
revelation to share it with the world and to reform this world is
also a continuous Laylatul Qadr. It is indeed a true Laylatul Qadr
that you, my disciples, are living, and just as in the days of the
Messenger of Allah Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) and the Promised Messiah
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), even today, you are recipients of
miracles of Allah on yourselves and your families, your children,
your homes, and your own bodies and souls, because Allah has given
you Kashafs
(visions) and extraordinary dreams. He gave you the ability to hear
the angels and also to receive revelation, and divine guidance and
instructions. Masha-Allah.
Sobhan-Allah, Allahu Akbar.
You
see! When you surrendered to the will of Allah and recognized His
Messenger, you then took hold of a strong rope, and certainly it is
the Party of Allah (Hizbullah) -
the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam - that will be victorious, Insha-Allah.
It is this true obedience that Allah’s sincere believers must
demonstrate, every time He sends His Messenger, a Khalifatullah with
the Holy Spirit who proclaims himself openly as such in the name of
Allah, who brings about a renewal of Islam for all those who have
gone astray, away from the path to Allah.
So,
I say to you, my disciples, continue with your excellent works. Do
not be afraid of people. Do not worry what they will say, what they
will think. Keep in mind that it is you who have received this
extraordinary blessing where the angels descend upon you and
transform your hearts so that you always support the truth.
Masha-Allah.
LAYLATUL
QADR MUBARAK!
---Friday Sermon of 31 May 2019~ 25 Ramadan 1440 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.