Spiritual Delights of Fasting Ramadhan (22)

Today on the 22nd day of the blessed month of Ramadhan, we start our daily programme titled “Spiritual Delights of Fasting Ramadhan” with the special supplication of the day:

“O Allah, open for me this day the doors of Your grace; send down to me therein Your bounties; enable me therein to obtain the means of Your good pleasure; and settle me therein in the midst of Your paradise; O Answerer of the calls of the distressed!”

After having listened to the special supplication for the 22^nd day of Ramadhan, let us prepare ourselves for the Laylat-al-Qadr or the Night of Grandeur. It is the night on which the holy Qur’an was descended by God on the heart of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). It is also the Night of Destiny on which God Almighty decrees events and happenings to occur for the year. As ayahs 3 to 5 of Surah Qadr say:

“The Night of Grandeur is better than a thousand months. The Angels and the Spirit descend therein by the permission of their Lord for (decreeing) every affair. Peace! it is till the breaking of the dawn.

The Holy Book further says in ayahs 3 to 5 of Surah Dukhan:

"Surely We revealed it on the Blessed Night. Indeed We are ever warning. Therein every wise affair is made distinct. A command from Us; surely We are the senders.”

When asked about Allah's saying "We revealed it on Laylat al-Mubareka or the Blessed Night...” the Prophet’s 5^th Infallible Heir, Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS) replied: "Yes, it is Laylat-al-Qadr, it comes every year, in the month of Ramadhan, during its last ten nights. The Qur'an was not sent down but on the Night of Grandeur as Allah says: In it every wise affair is made clear. That is, He decrees that night everything to happen during the year...

Questioned further on what is meant by "Laylat-al-Qadr is better than a thousand months?  He said: “Good deeds - such as prayer charity, and etc. done that night are better than similar deeds during a thousand months without the Night of Grandeur ...”

Hence, every believer has been enjoined to keep awake the whole Night of Qadr in prayer and doing of good deeds in order to seek from the Almighty, pardon for sins and bounties he/she desires for. A commentator says that the term ‘thousand’ must be taken in an indefinite sense, i.e. a timeless time, and interprets it to mean that one moment of enlightenment under Allah's light is better than thousands of months or the year of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory. Concerning forgiveness and granting of divine bounties on this night there is a justification attached.

After fasting for forty days the Lord granted Prophet Moses (PBUH) the Law as we read in Exodus, chapter 24, verse 18. After a similar fasting period Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was commissioned with his office, as we read in Gospel of St. Mathew, chapter 4, verse 2. Thus, there is justification in the Almighty's special grant of forgiveness and bestowing of favours to obedient Muslims, who fast as per His commandments for the whole month consecutively. Like the Qur'an, other Heavenly Books were also sent down in this blessed month to the respective Prophets. The Prophet’s 6^th Heir, Imam Ja'far Sadeq (AS) says: "The Torah was sent down on the 6th of Ramadhan, the Evangel on the 12th, the Book of Psalms on the 18th, and the Furqan (the Qur'an) on the Night of Grandeur.”

There are various narrations regarding the particular Night. The Qur'an does not mention any specific night, so as to encourage prayer and worship throughout the month. Imam Ja'far Sadeq (AS) questioned about the Night of Qadr said: "Seek it in 19th, 21st and 23rd nights.”

Hence, Muslims are advised to spend the above nights, especially the 23rd in prayer and good deeds. Some of the recommended acts on the Night of Grandeur are taking bath; keeping awake the whole night praying and supplicating to Allah; charity and helping the poor and the needy; reciting the Holy Qur'an, especially the Suras ttiled “Roum”, “Ankabout” and “Dukhan”. The Night of Qadr is therefore the Grandest Night of the year. In the light of hadith, it is said that this night, Allah, the Exalted decrees providence and every other affair of mankind to happen throughout the year. So, we must pray in sincerity and try to extract the maximum benefit from this Night of Grace and Grandeur. There are several reports that the Imams were asked to specify the Night of Ordainment among these two nights. Yet they refrained from doing so. Rather, they parried the queries with such statements as, “Two nights [of devotions] are a simple matter, when you consider what you are seeking. What do you lose by doing good on two nights?”

The great scholar Shaikh Sadouq who lived over a thousand years ago, once told an assembly of scholars, on the basis of hadith from the Infallible Imams that “a greater merit lies with those who spend the night in discussing matters pertaining to the knowledge of religion.”

Among the supplications recommended for the Night of Grandeur is one that reads: 

“O Allah, extend the span of my life and expand my provision. Grant me health in body and enable me to attain my expectations, and should I be one of the wretched, efface my name from the list of the wretched and write me among the felicitous, for indeed You have said (in ayah 39 of Surah Ra’d of) Your Book revealed to Your Prophet and Messenger, may Your blessing be upon him and his Family Allah effaces and confirms whatever He wishes and with Him the Mother of the Book.”.

It is said that it was the habit of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) to roll up his bed during the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan and devote himself to worship. On the 23rd night he would awaken the members of his family, and sprinkle water on faces of those who had fallen asleep. His Immaculate daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (peace upon her) says her father would not allow anyone in the family to fall asleep on this might. She would prepare them for worship by arranging lighter meals and prepared them for the night vigils by advising them to sleep and rest during the day so as not to fall asleep in the night. She would say that those who missed the blessings of this night were losers.

It is mentioned in a report that Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS) was once seriously ill. With the approach of the 23rd night of Ramadhan he asked his servants to carry him to the Mosque where he remained until morning. The days following these nights should also be honoured and spent in worship, supplication and reading of the holy Qur’an, as it is mentioned in reliable reports that the days following the nights of ordainment are similar to them in merit.

AS/MG