HOW TO PREPARE FOR LAYL AT TUL QADR (THE NIGHT OF POWER)

Laylat al-Qadr (Photo credit: umar nasir)

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بسم اللّٰہ الرحمٰن الرحیم

السلامُ علیکم و رحمۃ اللہ و برکاتہ

Jannah is calling! Who will respond?

By Asma bint Shameem

Subhaan Allaah!

The beautiful month of Ramadhaan is flying literally by! Its blessed days and fragrant nights are soon about to leave. And it truly breaks our heart to let it go.
Yet, O Muslim, Rejoice! For there is good news for you!
A great opportunity is about to dawn upon you!
A once-in -a -lifetime chance!
An offer that you cannot pass by!

Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala, in his Infinite Mercy, has bestowed upon you a Great and Noble night!
A Night of Power…. A Night of Divine Decree.
A Night in which angels descend and send salutations to the believers…
A Night of innumerable blessings…..full of PEACE and tranquility….
A Night…… in which, Ibaadah is better than a thousand months!

“The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.” (Surah al-Qadr:3)

A thousand months! Subhaan Allaah!
That is equal to 30,000 nights or 83 years and 4 months!

Could there be a better chance for you than this??!!
Could there be a more Merciful Lord than this??!!
Subhaan Allaah wal-Hamdulillaah!

Here is your chance to repent….to come back to the Most Merciful….to change your life for the better.
Here is your chance to have ALL your previous sins forgiven!

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said:

“Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allaah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven” (Bukhaari)

This is a perfect opportunity to earn Allaah’s pleasure…..being saved from Hellfire and entering Jannah. A time when your dua will be accepted.

SO WHAT TO DO?

Search for this night in the LAST TEN nights of Ramadhaan (not just the 27th)

Don’t just single out one night for Ibaadaat. Make sure to do it ALL TEN NIGHTS, because the EXACT date for Laylat al-Qadr is hidden from us.

What if Laylat al-Qadr is some other night and not on the 27th?? Have you ever thought about that? Then you would have no one to blame but yourself if you miss this great Night….this perfect opportunity of goodness and blessings.

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said:
“Seek Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

Strive HARD in your search, worshiping Allaah sincerely and diligently

This is your chance to earn Jannah. So give it ALL you got…. everything you have.
“The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) used to used to strive hard in worship during the last ten days of Ramadhaan as he never did at any other time.” (Muslim, Ahmad)

Prepare for it mentally and physically

They say, the better you are prepared for something, the better the results.

So prepare for it in every which way you can. Plan out your worship schedule for the night. Take off work, if possible and go for Umrah or make I’tikaaf in the Masjid.
Don’t overtire yourself during the day, such that you don’t have any energy left to worship the Almighty. That goes especially for the sisters, who exhaust themselves cooking different kinds of food all day so that by the evening, they have no energy left.

Take a nap during the day, if possible and remember…DO NOT OVEREAT!

Shun worldly pleasures

Don’t waste A SINGLE MOMENT of your time, such as spending all your precious time in the mall, shopping for Eid or in extravagant ‘Iftaar-cum-fashion show’ parties.
Stay away from anything and everything that might distract you from remembering Allaah (TV, movies, music, unnecessary phone calls, gossip, cooking all day, etc.)

“When the last ten days of Ramadhaan began, the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) would tighten his waist-wrapper (meaning he would stay away from marital relations), spend his nights in prayer, and wake his family.” (Muslim)

Spend these nights in prayer, reciting Qur’aan, making dua, doing istighfaar.

Stand LONG in Qiyaam….hands folded obediently…your head low…in shame…humbly.
Eyes downcast….hearts trembling…tears rolling…..
Tears of regret and sorrow…..tears of repentance and shame.
Spread out your hands….like a beggar, begging for his life….
Ask Allaah to forgive you and He will forgive you!
Beg for his Mercy and He will give it to you!
Beseech Him to guide you and save you from the torments of Hell.
Rectify your mistakes and improve your shortcomings.
Resolve to be steadfast in your Commitment and firm in your Deen.

What if the sister is on her period?

Don’t let anything stop you from doing good deeds and worshipping Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala.

Even in this situation, there are a million things you can do. You can still make dua or tasbeeh, read Qur’aan (without touching it), read tafseer, memorize Surahs or hadeeth, listen to the Qur’aan or a good lecture, send blessings on the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam), make istighfaar, give sadaqah, clean the masjid, babysit for someone….and the list goes on.

DON’T BE THE ONE WHO SLEEPS and misses out on immeasurable goodness

One who misses this blessed night has indeed missed much goodness, for no one misses it except for the one from whom it is withheld.

“ In it (i.e. Ramadhaan) is a night better than a thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something irreplaceable.” (Ahmad, an-Nasaa’i)

There are many chances to sleep, but a chance like this is rare to come by ….only once a year. And that also if you are lucky to be alive next year.

Are you going to miss a golden chance like this one…..sleeping??

Or are you going to maybe just stand for some quick pecks on your head for half an hour and think you did enough??
Isn’t there plenty of time to sleep??
And haven’t you been sleeping all this while, anyway??
Haven’t you “SLEPT” enough??

ACTUALLY…….ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME YOU WOKE UP???

Life is about opportunities. They say the wise man is the one who makes the most of his opportunities. Here is an opportunity to enter Jannah.

Dear brothers and sisters, Jannah is calling. Is there anyone who will respond?!!

 DUA:

اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني

Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni

(O Allaah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).” (Tirmidhi)