Ramadan: Night of Power prayers receive the most reward

As I look each night and see the full moon slowly descending, or melting down, I realize that soon will be born a new moon and a new month.

I also realize that the blessed month of Ramadan is fast approaching its end.

I realize too, that time is nothing and yet it is everything. (Ramadan is a very reflective month).

So anxiously we awaited the ascent of Ramadan and now we, with mixed feelings of both anxiety and relief, approach Ramadan’s descent.

This blessed month has certainly for me been a transition from physical deprivation; disciplining one’s physical need for food and water during the daylight hours to slowly seeing its benefits by the enhancement of the spiritual self.

Slowly but surely we see the benefits of the fast of Ramadan. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is reported to have said “I pass the night with my Lord: He gives me food and drink.

“Hunger is Allah’s food whereby He revives the bodies of the sincere one. In hunger God’s nourishment reaches them.”

I pray that the month of Ramadan leaves be a better person than it found me. After all, this is the goal of Ramadan.

The last days of Ramadan are to seek Refuge in Allah from the Hellfire.

Allah in His mercy grants us many blessings during the month of Ramadan, and during these last ten days Allah, the Merciful, gives us the Night of Power or in the Arabic term, Laylat Al Qadr.

We all know that prayers are beneficial all the time, but more so during the month of Ramadan and even more beneficial (can you believe God’s mercy!) are prayers recited on Laylat Al Qadr or The Night of Power.

The Night of Power occurs during the last ten days of Ramadan with no precise night being known.

The prayers of this night receive the most reward as this night is considered one of the holiest nights of the blessed month of Ramadan, and indeed the year.

The Night of Power falls on one of the odd nights during the last ten days of Ramadan and is mostly believed to fall on the 27th of Ramadan, i.e. the 27th night of the blessed month.

The night is believed to be the night when our dearly beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received the first revelation of the noble Quran.

The Imams of all three mosques here in Bermuda and around the world strive to complete the recitation of the Quran on the Night of Power.

As well, Muslims strive hard to be at their most devotional selves during the Night of Power; the attendance of taraweeh prayers is high and some even spend the entire night in prayer.

Abu Hurairah quoted Allah’s Messenger as saying: “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.”

The importance of prayer on this night is awesome, as the Quran says this night is “better than a thousand months”, meaning it is better than living an entire life in complete and sincere devotion to Allah, so imagine the rewards of such a life!

When we pray we should do so sincerely from our heart and soul, asking God’s forgiveness, His love and His guidance.

Allah says in the Noble Quran "We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is?

The Night of Power is better than a 1,000  months. Therein come down the angels and the spirit by God's permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn." (97:1-5).

Many male Believers will spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in the mosque. It was the sunnah (practice) of the Prophet (pbuh), to spend the last 10 days and nights of Ramadan in the mosque for I’tikaf.

I’tikaf is when one makes a spiritual retreat in the mosque, performing various forms of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), i.e., recitation and study of the Qur’an, extra prayers, etc.

During I’tikaf one does not go outside the mosque at all. I can only imagine that the spiritual experience of such devotion is beyond measure.

So as we approach end of Ramadan, we should strive hard during the days and nights of these last ten days; seeking Laylat al-Qadr and following the example of our Prophet (pbuh), by striving hard in making du’aa’ and drawing closer to God.

The following was reported by Aisha: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you think, if I witness Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say?’ He said: ‘Say, O Allah, You are Forgiving and Generous, and you love forgiveness, so forgive me.’”

Let these words, too, be ours; let us ask Allah to accept our fasting; to accept our prayers during the day and during the night; and to help us to remember Him and to thank Him and to worship Him with sincerity.

May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. May Allah grant us the blessing of paradise in the hereafter through His divine mercy, forgiveness and love. Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarek!