As-salamu Alaykum Wr. Wb. My dearest friends, brothers and sisters, Importance of Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Decree) in Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of blessing in which our goal should be to achieve extreme levels of heights by worshiping Allah Almighty rather than just passing on this holy month without any achievement. One of the most special aspects of the month of Ramadan is that it includes Lailatul Qadr (the night of decree). As we all know that Lailatul Qadr is the most blessed night of the year. This is night in which Allah (SWT) chose to reveal the Holy Quran upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). In Holy Qur'an, Allah Almighty says: “Verily! We have sent it (Qur'an) down in the Night of Decree (Lailatul Qadr). And what will make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (i.e. Gabriel) by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, Peace! until the appearance of dawn” [Qur'an, 97:1-5]

As Qur'an was revealed in the Night of Decree so this is a clear indication that the recitation of the Qur'an on this Night of power (Lailatul Qadr) is more rewarding than during any other time of the year. If someone recites a single letter of the Qur'an, he/she will be blessed with ten deeds.

Muslims believed that Lailatul Qadr is also the night in which Allah Almighty decides the destiny, sustenance, birth, death, good and evil of their affairs etc. for His creation. It is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an that this night is better than a thousand months as Allah Himself speaks: “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months” (Quran, 97:3). This means the worship performed in this night brings more reward than that worship carried out for the duration of a thousand months.

Lailatul Qadr is one of the major blessings of Ramadan. Importance of the night of decree could be analyzed in the following hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). According to a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA), the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Seek it in the last ten days of Ramadan, when there are nine days left, and seven days left, and five days left” (Al-Bukhari). Lailatul Qadr the Night of Decree occurs in odd-numbered nights during the last ten days of Ramadan. It may be on twenty-first, twenty-third, twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth. It is narrated by Aisha (RA): “Allah’s Messenger (SAW) used to practice Itikaaf in the last ten nights and say: ‘Seek out Lailatul-Qadr in the (odd nights) of the last ten days of Ramadan” (Muslim).

Lailatul Qadr is the night wherein Allah Almighty sends His special blessings from the heavens upon the earth. Even the angels from the heavens descend upon the earth and convey salaams to every believer who is indulged in worshipping of Allah Almighty. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had said: “…all those angels who are stationed by the Sidratul Muntaha (lote tree of the utmost boundary beyond which none can pass) descend with the angel Jibraeel (AS) to the earth and there remain no male or female believers whom they do not convey salaams to, exempting the person who drinks liquor or consumes pork”. (Bukhari)

The most subtle way to obtain benefit from the blessings of this night is to stay awake for the whole night and spend it in prayers. Those who cannot do so, for any reason, should at least spare a reasonable part of the night for Allah (SWT). May Allah Almighty give us the strength to gain the blessings of this night in the holy month of Ramadan! Ameen