Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) said, “God says in every night of the month of Ramazan, ‘Is there any asker so that I grant his request? Is there any penitent so that I accept his penitence? Is there any seeker of forgiveness so that I forgive him?’”

The blessed month of Ramazan is the month of God and the month of forgiveness. It is the month of riddance of divine punishment. It is the month of returning to God.

The word Tawba in Arabic means returning. Returning has a clear meaning in the physical world. When a person covers a distance when he comes back to the starting point he has returned. But Tawba in spiritual matters means to give up sins and return to God. It means apologizing for the previous deeds in the divine court. For instance, you want to travel to the north of the country. You just set out and drive for some 50 kilometers. Suddenly, you notice that you have gone on the wrong direction (to the south). You push the brakes immediately. But will this 50- kilometer mistake be compensated? You must do U-turn and come back this 50-kilometer. This return is Tawba (repentance). Pushing the brake is similar to seeking forgiveness. In the month of Ramazan, we express regret before God and seek His forgiveness to prevent us from further flaws. Repentance means compensate the sins that have been committed. If you didn’t use to perform daily ritual prayer or fast in the month of Ramazan, you should try to perform the previous prayers and compensate for the previous months of fasting. If we have backbitten any Muslim we have to seek forgiveness with pure intention. Imam Sajjad (AS) says, “My Lord! I have come to Your forgiveness, and turned toward Your forbearance, and become enthusiast to Your donation, and trust Your grace and mercy. My God! I haven’t brought anything as a source of forgiveness with myself, and in my deeds I don’t see anything that deserves Your forbearance, and, after finding myself a convict, there is no way but Your attention and grandeur.”

The climax of the divine mercy and bounties occurs in the night of Qadr (Ordainment). As per the effects of these nights, they have a lofty position. In part of surah Qadr, God says, “What will show you what the Night of Ordainment is? The Night of Ordainment is better than a thousand months.”  

As a matter of fact, by giving superiority to the Night of Ordainment, God has provided an opportunity for the faithful to purify their soul and compensate their spiritual defects. The fifth infallible successor of the Prophet, Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS), says, “If God doesn’t multiply the deeds of the faithful manifold they will not reach perfection. In the night of Qadr the value of their good deeds is multiplied.”

 The mystery behind eternal bliss for humans in the night of Ordainment is the deeds that they do willingly and enthusiastically. God has called this night as a blessed night in which angels descend with God’s permission in every affair. Obviously, it is the clean heart of human being which can be the ground for the angels to descend. Another hadith from the Prophet’s sixth infallible successor, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS) telling his companion Abu Basir reads, “In this night, the events, deaths and sustenance is determined for one year, that is, till the next Night of Qadr. So, in this night perform prayer and keep vigil.” Abu Basir asked, “What if I cannot perform prayer while standing?” The Imam said, “Perform it while sitting.” He continued, “What if I cannot perform prayer while sitting?” Imam Sadeq answered, “Worship God however you can because the gates of heaven are open and Satan is in chains and the deeds of the faithful are accepted.”

The Night of Qadr (Ordainment) is the night of hope. Hope is the element for continuation of life and man can march in the way of perfection and progress with hope. Even a person who has wasted part of his life must not be disappointed. The month of Ramazan is a unique opportunity. The night of Qadr is the very rays of hope in the month of Ramazan. The bond between the servant and God, which has been created since the start of Ramazan, reaches its climax in the night of Qadr. Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) said, “Moses said to God, ‘My God! I want Your proximity.’ God said, ‘My proximity is for he who is awake in the Night of Qadr.’ He said, ‘I want Your mercy.’ God said, ‘My mercy is for he who is kind toward the poor in the Night of Qadr.’ He said, ‘I want crossing over Sirat Bridge.’ God said, ‘This is for he who does an act of charity in the Night of Qadr.’ He said, “I want the trees and fruits of paradise.’ God said, ‘This belongs to him who utters Tasbih in the Night of Qadr.’ He said, ‘I want salvation from Fire. God said, ‘This belongs to him who seeks forgiveness in the Night of Qadr.’ He said, ‘I want Your satisfaction.’ God said, ‘My satisfaction belongs to him who performs two rak’at prayers in the Night of Qadr.’”

The Night of Qadr (Ordainment) is a good opportunity for calculation and evaluation of one’s self and deeds. For sure, this will have many effects in the night which is better than one thousand months. Especially for those who have come of age, this night provides a chance to review their past and get prepared for a better future. They can ponder deeply on their past years to see what their aim is from life and what they are going to achieve in future. That’s why there are remarks from the Prophet and his infallible successors, stressing that thinking for one hour is superior to worshipping for one year or seventy years. Archangel Gabriel said to the Prophet, “O Mohammad! The Night of Qadr is the night in which no supplicant invokes God except his invocation is answered; and no penitent repents except his penitence is accepted.”

The Night of Qadr is an opportunity for those who have gone astray to decide seriously to compensate for their past. Imam Sadeq (AS) says, “Good for those who bow down and prostrate in this nigh! They review their past sins and shed tears and I hope they won’t be desperate at the divine court.”

RM/ME