16 things you can do on the Night of Power
Abdul Malik Mujahid
Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Quran as, "better than a thousand months" (97:3). Any action done on this night such as reciting the Quran, remembering Allah, etc. is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr.
Allah's Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time." (Muslim). Allah's peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet said: Look for Laylatul Qadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan (Bukhari).
The Prophet said: "Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven." (Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Huraira).
Here are some tips of things we can do on the Night of Power and the time before and after it.
1. Take a vacation for Allah
We take a break from our jobs for almost everything in life. Why not this time to focus on worshiping and thanking our Creator.
If this is not possible at least take a few days off if you can. This can make it easier to stay awake at night to do extra Ibadah, not having to worry about getting to work the next day.
It will also facilitate doing Itikaf.
2. Do Itikaf
It was a practice of the Prophet to spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan in the masjid for Itikaf.
Those in Itikaf stay in the masjid all this time, performing various forms of zikr (the remembrance of Allah), like doing extra Salat, recitation and study of the Quran. They do not go outside the masjid except in case of emergencies, therefore, they sleep in the masjid. Their families or the masjid administration takes care of their food needs.
Itikaf of a shorter period of time, like one night, a day or a couple of days is encouraged as well.
3. Make this special Dua
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' "(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).
The transliteration of this Dua is "Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee"
4. Recite the Quran
Perhaps you can choose Surahs or passages from the Quran which you have heard in Tarawih this past Ramadan to recite.
If you attend a class where the recitation of the Quran is taught, this is a great time to put your knowledge into practice.
5. Reflect on the meaning of the Quran
Choose the latest Surah or Surahs you've heard in Tarawih and read their translation and Tafseer. Then think deeply about their meaning and how it affects you on a personal level.
(If you want to study the Quran with more understanding, check out Way to the Quran and Access to Quranic Arabic.
6. Get your sins wiped out
Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger said: Whoever stands (in prayer) in Laylatul Qadr while nourishing his faith with self-evaluation, expecting reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven. [Bukhari and Muslim).
Don't just pray using the shorter Surahs that you know. Try to make your prayers longer, deeper and meaningful. If you are familiar with longer Surahs, read the translation and explanation and then pray reciting these Surahs, carefully reflecting on the meaning while you pray.
Even if you are only familiar with the shorter Surahs, read the translation and explanation beforehand, and then pray reflecting on the message of the Surahs.
This is a good way to develop the habit of concentration, even in regular prayers, where many of us tend to be fidgety and/or easily distracted.
7. Make a personal Dua list.
Ask yourself what you really want from Allah. Make a list of each and everything, no matter how small or how big it is, whether it deals with this world or not. Allah loves to hear from us. Once this list is ready, you can do three things:
• Ask Allah to give you those things
• Think about what actions you have taken to get those things
• Develop a work plan to get those things in future.
8. Evaluate yourself.
Ask yourself those questions that need to be asked. Do an evaluation of where you are and where you are going. Let this evaluation lead you to feel happiness for the good you have done and remorse for the bad you have done. (see a short and a long evaluation guide) This latter feeling should make it easier to seek Allah's sincere forgiveness when making the Dua mentioned in tip number one above.
9. Make long, sincere and deep Duas
One of the best times to do this is during the last part of the night.
Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet said: When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him? (Bukhari, Muslim).
That means for instance, waking up one hour before Suhoor time to ask Allah for anything and everything you want that is Halal. This can be done using the Duas of the Sunnah, but also Dua in your own language, with sincerity and conviction.
For some tips on making Dua please see the article Some personal Duas you can make.
10. Memorize a different Dua every night
They don't have to be long. They can be just one line. And be sure to know what they mean generally at least, even if you don't know the exact translation in English.
You can put them on index cards (or and keep them with you during the day, glancing at them during work, while driving, waiting in line, etc.) Then practice them at night in prayer.
11. Have Iftar with the family
If you've spent Iftar time on weekdays in your cubicle at work alone with a couple of dates, now is the last few days you'll have this Ramadan to spend with your family. Use it wisely.
12. Take the family to Tarawih
Have your spouse and kids missed Tarawih most of Ramadan because you weren't there to drive them to the Masjid, which is too far away to walk to? If so, do all of yourselves a favor and bring everyone for Tarawih in these last ten nights.
13. Attend the Dua after the completion of Quran recitation
Almost all Masjids where the Imam aims to finish an entire reading of the Quran in Tarawih prayers in Ramadan will be completing their recitation in these last ten nights. They may try to end on one of the odd nights and read the Dua at the end of a reading of the Quran. Attend this particular night's Tarawih prayer with your family. See if you can attend different Masjids' Tarawih prayers the night they finish reading the Quran.
14. Finish reading a book on the Prophet
Read about the Prophet's life, which can increase your love for him and Islam by seeing how much he struggled for Allah's sake. It may inspire you to push yourself even harder during these last ten nights. This community is built on sacrifice.
15. Plan for the next year
Once you've done a self-evaluation, you can plan on where you want to go, at least in the next 12 months. Laylatul Qadr is a great night to be thinking about this (without taking away from your worship), since you'll Insha Allah, be in a more contemplative state. You may choose to dedicate one night of power for evaluation and one night for planning for the next year.
16. To do list for the Night of Power
Make a to do checklist for each Night of Power. This should define how you would like your night, the one better than a thousand months, to be used. Pick things from this list and define the sequence you would like to do things in. This will help you avoid wasting your time in unproductive chats which common in the festive atmosphere of Masjids at the Night of Power.
Source
: SoundvisionThis is an interesting article sent to me by Br Muqeeth!
Jazakallah Muqeeth!
![Photo: Bismillah: Ramadan GoodDeed Cookbook brought to you by Deeds in 60 seconds
Recipe 16: The final ingredient!
What will protect you on the Day of Judgement?
"Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for the slave on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: 'O My Rabb! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.'
And the Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.' He (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: 'And they will (be allowed to) intercede.'" [Ahmad, at-Tabarani & Al-Hakim]
Last few nights of Ramadan – let us not count the days but let us make the days count! Go the extra mile. Make the sacrifices now! If you can’t make them in these blessed nights then when will you make the change?
[Take 60 seconds...] Increase in DUA, Quran Recitation, Nafl / Sunnah Prayers, giving sadaqah, in Kindness to others etc. Really max it out so you can get really close to Allah swt!
May Allah swt bless you all with many laylatul qadr nights. Say Ameen.](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c48.0.403.403/p403x403/296973_10151192903435774_769229576_n.jpg)
![Photo: Bismillah:
Ramadan GoodDeed Cookbook
By Deeds in 60 seconds
Recipe 6: Chocolate Moose
A man asked the Prophet pbuh "Who is most worthy of my love and respect?"
The Prophet pbuh replied, "Your mother." The man asked, "And then who?" The Prophet pbuh again answered, "Your mother." The man asked one more time and received the same answer. When the man asked the question a fourth time, the Prophet pbuh answered, "Your father." [Bukhari & Muslim].
And Allah swt says: "Verily, Allah loves those who repent and those who purify themselves."[Surah Al-Baqarah:222]
[How about a challenge to incorporate both the hadeeth and ayaah?] Compete with your mother and see how many times you will say “Astagfarulla” in the day. Cultivate this as a habit and help each other to attain the pleasure of Allah. SubhanAllah what an amazing way to spend time with your mother, seek forgiveness, have fun and attain the love of ALLAH.
Just like chocolate is essential to the moose, our parents are the essential LIFE ingredient to entering Jannah.;-)
[Take 60 seconds…] Do something special today to make your mother smile. Take her for a walk; ask her how her day has been. And if you are brave enough take up the challenge? Or simply record a thankyou message in the history of time by leaving a thankyou note/dua/ comment below.
[Complete the sentence] "My mother is..."](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.0.320.320/p403x403/425043_10151159191020774_81964535_n.jpg)
![Photo: Bismillah.
Ramadan GoodDeed Cookbook
By Deeds in 60 seconds
Recipe 5: Bread ‘n’ Butter Pudding [pronounced butta]
Want to get billions of hasanaat (rewards) from Allah in just a few seconds? Just make du'aa to Allah to forgive your brothers & sisters in Islam!
’The Prophet sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam said: “Whosoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and the believing women, Allah will record for that person – equivalent to every believing man and believing woman – a good deed.” [Tabarani]
SubhanAllah how easy is that? How Merciful is Allah swt to His slave. DUA is the bread n butter for a MUSLIM - it is the essence of ibaadah!
“O ALLAH HELP & FORGIVE ALL THE MUSLIMS IN BURMA”
“O ALLAH HELP & FORGIVE ALL THE MUSLIM IN SYRIA”
“O ALLAH HELP & FORGIVE ALL THE MUSLIMS ALL OVER THE WORLD…”
[Take 60 seconds…] And say a HUGE Ameen sincerely for the sake of Allah! And remember them in your duas, before you open your fast, in qiyam, at suhoor and why not just make dua right now?](https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.0.320.320/p403x403/483290_10151156728565774_1791907502_n.jpg)
