Virtue of night of Power(Qadr) for seekers of Laylathul qadr ?

Laylat ul-Qadr is the most blessed night of the holy month of Ramadhaan. It is associated with the sending down of the holy Qur’an, the last Book of Allah on his last Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), for the guidance of mankind. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good .As holy Qur’an, describes this Night as following

“We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the Angels and the Spirit (Jibraeel) by Allah’s permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn!” (Surah 97)

The Night of Power is the night of spiritual bliss. Our Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said concerning Ramadhaan:“Verily this month has come to you; and therein is a night which is better than a thousand Months. Whosoever is deprived of it, is deprived of all good; and none is deprived of its good except a totally unfortunate person”. (Ibn Majah)

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylat ul-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]

Hazrath Aisha has narrated another saying:“I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Tell me if I were to find a Night of Power, what should I recite therein?” Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) advised her to recite:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Al-laa-hum-ma in-na-ka ‘afoow-wan tu-hib-bul-’af wa fa-fu ‘an-ni. which mean:O Allah! You are Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive me. (Bukhari).

Great blessing only for ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Laylatul Qadrhas been bestowed by Allah to my Ummah (People). It was not given to any people before this.” (Dur-Mansoor).

Better than a thousand months?

A thousand months are equivalent to 83 years and 4 months. Fortunate is the person who spends this night in prayer. The man or woman, who prays for the whole night during this Night, will deserve blessings and reward for the period as if he or she had been praying for eighty three years and four months consecutively. Since the Night of Power is better than one thousand months no one can actually measure the extent as to how much better it is.

Which Night is it?

Although there are different reports in different traditions regarding the exact night, it is almost unanimous that the blessed night occurs in one of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan and more probably in one of the last ten odd nights i.e. 2lst, 23rd, 25th 27th or 29th night.

It was therefore the practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and his companions to make I’tikaaf in the Mosque for the whole time offering Divine service during the last ten days of Ramadhaan.

Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) reported that the Apostle of Allah said:“Search for the Blessed Night in the odd (nights) from the last ten (nights) of Ramadhaan” (Bukhari).