with Bani Israa'eel in the desert an intense drought befell them.
Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the
blessed rain to come. Then, to theastonishment of Musa
(alayhis-salaam) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that
were in the sky vanished,the heat poured down, and the drought
intensified.
It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of
BaniIsraa'eel who had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) for more
than forty years of his life. "Let him separate himself from
thecongregation," Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) told Musa
(alayhis-salaam). "Only then shall Ishower you all with rain." Musa
(alayhis-salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity, "There is
a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him
separate himself from thecongregation and only then shall we be
rescued from the drought." That man, waited, looking left and right,
hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat
poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one.
The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die
of thirst and that if hestepped forward he would be humiliated for all
eternity.
He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a
humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks
he said: "O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah,
forgive me!" As Musa (alayhis-salaam) and the people of Bani Israa'eel
awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and
the rain poured. Musa (alayhis-salaam) asked Allah (Subhanahu wa
ta'ala), "O Allah, you blessed us with rain eventhough the sinner did
not come forward." And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) replied, "O Musa,
itis for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani
Israa'eel with water." Musa (alayhis-salaam), wanting to know who this
blessed man was, asked, "Show him to me O Allah!" Allah (Subhanahu wa
ta'ala) replied, "O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think
that after his repentance I shall exposehim?"
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed the Qur'an in the most blessed
month; the month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur'an was sent
down.
On the most blessed night, the Grand night: Laylatul Qadr;"Verily, we
revealed the Qur'an on the night of Qadr."
Ibn Jareer narrates, on the authority of Mujaahidthat there was a man
from Bani Israa'eel who used to spend the night in prayer. Then in the
morning he would fight the enemy in the Way of Allah during the day,
until the evening and he did this for a thousand months.
And so Allah revealed the Surah:"Verily, We sent it down in the night
of Al-Qadr"until the verse"The night of Al-Qadr is better than a
thousand months."That is, standingin prayer on that night is better
than the actions ofthat man.
Sufyaan ath-Thawree reports, on the authority of Mujaahid (also), that
the night of Al-Qadr being better than a thousand months means that
the good deeds performed on it, fasting on it, and standing in prayer
on it are better than a thousand months' good deeds, prayers and
fasting. (Narrated by Ibn Jareer)
It is reported from Abu Hurairah that he said:"When the month of
Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah said:'The month of Ramadan has
come, a blessed month in which Allah has made it obligatory for you to
fast; in it the gatesof Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are
closed and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a
thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something
irreplaceable.'"(Narratedby Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i).
It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that Allah's
Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:"Whoever stood in prayer
on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah,
he will have all of his previous sins forgiven."(Narrated by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The sincere
believer who worries dayand night about his sins and phases of neglect
in his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During it he hopes
to be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) for past sins, knowing
that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) promised that all who
bear down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven.
To achieve this, the believer remembers the Prophet's (Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam) advice in different sayings wherein he used words
like "seek", "pursue","search" and "look hard" for Laylatul Qadr.
Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has
indeed missed a great amount ofgood. The Mu'min should search for it
in the last ten nights of Ramadan, passing the nights in worship and
obedience.
For those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away.
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) illustrated for
us some of the things we should be doing on this Grand Night. From his
blessed Sunnah we find the following:
Praying Qiyaam (night prayer):
It is recommended to make a long qiyaam prayer during the nights on
which Laylatul Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many ahadeeth,
such as"Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylatul Qadr [and it is
facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward),
will have all of his previous sins forgiven."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim;
the addition"and it is facilitated for him" is recorded by Ahmad from
the report of'Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to
be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]
Making Supplications:
It is also recommended tomake extensive supplication on this night.
'A'ishah reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi
wa sallam) "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul
Qadr, what should I say during it?" And he instructed her to say:
"Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee - (O Allah! You
are forgiving, and you love forgiveness.So forgive me)."[An authentic
Hadith recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi.]
Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the
nights on which Laylatul Qadr is likely to fall. This calls for
abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and
thoughts solely for worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).
'A'ishah reported: "When the (last) ten started, the Prophet
(Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would tightenhis izaar (i.e. he stayed
away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the
whole night awake (in prayer) and wake up his family." [Al-Bukhari and
Muslim]
And she said: "Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to
exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights."
[Muslim]
Have we estimated Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) correctly?
The opportunity of Laylatul Qadr is coming inthe next few days. Life
is about people that take advantage of their opportunities to win the
love of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), and this is indeed one of those
chances.
Abu Dah Daah was one ofthose who found an opportunity and won that
which is greater than the heavens and theearth. An adult companion of
the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) cultivated his garden next
to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm
tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion
rejected the claim and off to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam) went the orphan boy to complain. With hisjustness,
the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) measured the two
gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the
companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet
(Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) offered the companion,"would you give
him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?"However,
thecompanion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the
Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) missed the opportunity and went
away angry.
But someone else saw the opportunity, Abu DahDaah - radi Allahu 'anhu.
He went to the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and asked, "Ya
Rasul Allah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan
shall I havethat tree in Jannah?" The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam) replied,"Yes."
Abu Dah Daah chased after the companion and asked, "Would you sell
that tree to me for my entire garden?" The companion answered,"Take it
for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet
about."
Immediately, Abu Dah Daah went home and found his wife and children
playing in the garden. "Leave the garden!" shouted Abu Dah Daah,
"we've sold it to Allah! We've sold it to Allah!" Some of his children
had dates in their hand and he snached the dates from them and threw
them back into the garden."We've sold it to Allah!"
When Abu Dah Daah was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, Rasul
Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) stood over his slain body and
remarked,"How many shady palm trees does Abu Dah Daah now have in
paradise?"
What did Abu Dah Daah lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt?What did he gain? He
gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth.
Abu Dah Daah did not miss his opportunity, andI pray to Allah
(Subhanahu wa ta'ala) that we do not miss our opportunity of standing
to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) on Laylatul Qadr.
Dear brothers and sisters,we do not obey, worship and revere Allah
(Subhanahu wa ta'ala) in a way befitting of His Majesty.
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed:
"No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him. On
the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be but His
handful, and the heavens will be rolledup in His right hand: Glory to
Him! High is He above the partners they attribute to Him."(Surat
al-An'aam, Ayat 91).
Everything that we have belongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). When
someone dies we say,Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon, Indeed to
Allah we belong and indeed to Him we shall return. This is not a
supplication just for when a soul is lost. It is a supplication for
every calamity that befalls a believer, even if his sandal were to
tear. Why? Because everythingbelongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala)
and everything shall come back to him. Sit andtry to count the
blessings Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has bestowed upon you. Have you
ever tried to count stars?
"And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors
of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given
up to injustice and ingratitude."
(Surat Ibrahim, Ayat 34).
We have not understood the weight of this Qur'an that we rest on our
high shelves, this Noble book that was sent to give life to the dead.
For even if our hearts were as solid as rock they would have crumbled
to the ground in fear and hope of Allah's (Subhanahu wa ta'ala)
punishment and Mercy. Could it be that our hearts are harder than that
mountain?
"Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst
haveseen it humble itself and split asunder in fear of Allah."(Surat
al-Hashr, Ayat 21).
Dear brothers and sisters,as you fill the Masajid for Qiyamul Layl in
the last ten nights of Ramadan, remember what Allah (Subhanahu wa
ta'ala) wants you to know:
"Know ye that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is
Oft-forgiving,Most Merciful."
There shall be a night, some night in your life that you shall awaken
in Jannah or Hell fire. Anas ibn Malik, on his deathbed, prayed to
Allah, (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), "O Allah, protect from a night whose
morning brings a journeyto hell fire." Think about that morning.
Peace shall descend on Laylatul Qadr until the dawn. It may be that
you shall leave the Masjid after Fajr one day soon forgiven by Allah,
Glorious and Most High.
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