Lailatul Qadr -Night of Power

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

The exact date of Lailatul Qadr, the special Night of Power in Ramzan, has been a topic of debate since centuries. Lailatul Qadr is considered special as holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad on this auspicious night. Also known as Shab-E-Qadr, the night of power is regarded as more important that 1000 months. The Quranic chapter dedicated to Lailatul Qadr that is also translated in English as Night of Decree speaks about the Night of Power :

"Indeed the Divine Mystery has revealed this revelation
in the Night of Power: And what will make you comprehend what the Night of Power is?
The Night of Power is better in its status than a thousand months.
Therein come down the Angels and the Pure Spirit by God's decree, for every affair: Enshrouded in Peace this Night! Until the rise of the dawn!" (Surah 97)

  

In view of the declaration in the holy Quran about the significance of Lailatul Qadr, Muslims all over the world pray whole night to seek forgiveness of Allah on this holy night. They treat it as

crowning glory of Ramzan and consider it as night of spiritual bliss. The matchless importance of Lailatul Qadr is alkso indicated by these words of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad “"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"… "Whosoever stands up (in prayer) at the Night of Power out of faith and hopeful of reward, all his accumulation of negative actions will be forgiven."

Most Imamis believe that Lailatul Qadr is the 23^rd night of Ramzan. Scholars of other Islamic school of thoughts point out different dates such as @1^st Ramzan or 27^th Ramzan. Some even includes 19^th Ramzan as well. Traditions also offer not much assistance. Some very authentic Hadees also offers no exact date but simply reveal that it is one of the last 10 odd nights of Ramzan. Sufis too have tried hands to find the hints about the exact date of Lailatul Qadr. Despite difference about the date of Night of Power, there is no sect denies that
Lailatul Qadr commemorates the arrival of Quran as the final guidance for humans. It symbolizes the commencement of the message revealed to mankind by Allah to exhibit as to how happiness can be achieved in both the worlds.
It is also believed that Allah and his messenger kept hidden the exact night of Lailatul Qadr so as to propel believers to undertake an intense journey of worship to seek this hidden jewel. Since, the worship and the vigil of the Night of Power are a spiritual treat to the soul, Allah wants the heart of believers to melt into tears of gratitude for all the bounty he has given to the mankind.

Khwaja Abul Hasan Kharkani mentions in his account that  he never missed Lailatul Qadr by following the instructions given by Imam Jafar Sadiq. According to him, Lailatul Qadr will fall as under:

·         If first day of Ramadan starts on Monday, the Night of Power will be on 21st Ramadan.

·         If first day of Ramadan starts on Saturday, the Night of Power will be on 23rd Ramadan.

·         If first day of Ramadan starts on Thursday, the Night of Power will be on 25th Ramadan.

·         If first day of Ramadan starts on Tuesday or Friday, the Night of Power will be 27th Ramadan.

·         If first day of Ramadan starts on Wednesday or Sunday, the Night of Power will be on 29th Ramadan.

Maulana Abdul Hai Farangi Mahli has also mentioned in his book that he has implemented the formula used by Khwaja under the instruction from the 6^th Imam  and found the resultant Night of Power as blessed one. A similar methodology has also been given by Sheikh Ibn Arabi. The father of sheikh had informed him about special signs that could help him  recognize the blessed night. One of these signs is mentioned in the "Fotuhaat al-Makkiyya": "The dawn at the end of the Night of Power is not from the light of the sun. It is the light of the Night of Power itself, which manifests in the body of the sun, just as with the light of the moon... Thus, as the Night of Power effaces the rays of the sun, the sun remains like the moon, shining on things and giving light without rays".

The sheikh also composed a poem in this context :

“Each moment I behold You is my Night of Power,
While that which for mankind in the month of Ramadan
Is better than a thousand months.
Verily I, I am better than that without any time!

Its graciousness depends on me, while my own grace
Belongs to Him Who made me in His image. “


Similarly Sheikh al-Ishaq writes:  “The visionary will understand the implication completely, learning much from a few hints. He will have patience to be resolute in all matters, the secret of this patience being entrusted to the one who holds the authority to teach the book. He will be characterized by nearness to God most high, a spare diet and little sleep, supplication to God to ease the path for him and a heart made refined by refined thoughts”.

Sufi Bawa Mohiuddin in his description has not discussed any formula about the date of Lailatul Qadr but has highlighted its significance in the most eloquent manner. Sufi says that Allah has declared that this Qadr, this ray, I will resplend. It will resonate in the inner heart. I made the angel Gabriel hold you(Prophet) tight, three times. Then after you had crushed the three desires, earth, woman, and gold, after you had crushed arrogance, karma, and maya, desire, anger, sin, and hell, after you had crushed all these black stones that arise from the bile, I sent down the light known as Qadr. I made it descend and embed itself in your inner heart. That day, that first time, I sent the light, I sent the Quran. All the lights I sent down to you after that were like rays of splendor to your inner heart. Every sentence and every word was a ray of light. All these rays were the Lailatul-Qadr.”( References available on request.Photo Courtesy Goggle Image).