Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

one of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaams,
What should one pray in the Night of Qadr ?

Does one has to pray all the 5 Odd night of the last 10 days of the Ramadan or he can choose one and pray ? What are the Timings of this nights - After Magrib or After Ishaa ? & then finishes after the sunrise or after the Fajr prayers ?

Is there any special namaaz or prayers to be performed on the nights of lailatul-Qadra which comes in the holy month of ramadan? Can you please guide us?

Abde Allah.

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Answer:

What should one pray in the night of Lailatul Qadr

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 97 Surah Al-Qadr verses 1-5:We have revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Glory. And what do you know what the Night of Glory is? The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Hadrat Jibrael a.s.) descend in it with every decree, by the leave of their Lord. That Night is all Peace, till the rise of dawn.

Allah revealed the Holy Quran to His slave and Messenger Mohamed (saws) in Ramadan in a night which Allah has termed the Lailatul Qadr, or Night of Glory. Allah Alone knows the exact night, but in light of the various authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it seems the night falls in the last ten days of Ramadan, and to narrow the night further, he (saws) mentioned that the Lailatul-Qadr should be searched for in the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan.

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."

It is reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever prays during the Night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven."

As to the supplication during the night of qadr, one of his (saws) wives asked the Messenger of Allah (saws): 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are the Oft-Forgiving, You love to forgive, so (please) forgive me.'

Your comment: What should one pray in the Night of Qadr ?

There is no special formation of prayer for the Night of Qadr. One should spend this night in praying the night prayers, and pray as many ‘nafl’ or voluntary prayers as is easy for him. Or one could recite the Holy Quran in this Blessed Night. Or one could remember Allah and make sincere supplications to our Merciful Lord. And when asked what was the best supplication one could make on this night, the Messenger of Allah (saws) replied: “Allah humma innaka Afu-wann, tohibbul Afwa, Fah-fo anna” (O Allah, You are the Oft-Forgiving, You love to forgive, so (please) forgive me.)

One should be careful not to waste this night in vain talk, play and sports, but rather use this time to worship and glorify Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Your comment: Does one has to pray all the 5 Odd night of the last 10 days of the Ramadan or he can choose one and pray ?

One of the wisdoms of not announcing the exact date of the Night of Qadr, would be that the believers would pray all of the last ten nights of Ramadan, or at least all the five odd nights, in order to be sure that they had achieved the blessings and rewards of the Night of Qadr. Thus whoever prayed, worshipped and glorified Allah Subhanah in all of the last ten nights (especially the odd nights), he has surely gotten the blessings and rewards of the Night of Qadr. But if one picks and chooses one of the nights of the last ten nights, it is possible that he might miss the Night of Qadr. Thus, if one indeed wants to be 100% sure that he receives the full blessings and rewards of this blessed night which is better than a thousand months, then he should strive to worship and glorify his Lord in all of the last 10 nights of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (saws) and many of his noble companions would dedicate the last 10 days and nights of Ramadan, and seclude themselves in the mosque completely, for the worship and glorification of Allah in ‘itiqaaf’.

Your comment: What are the Timings of this nights - After Magrib or After Ishaa ? & then finishes after the sunrise or after the Fajr prayers ?

With the advent of Magrib, the night starts; and ends, when the sun starts rising.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan