Excellence of Shab Qadr

Ramadhan is the month in which all arrangements are made to forgive the sins of the Ummah.  Along with this the value of good deeds is also increased and their reward is increased.  In this month such an auspicious night is granted to the worshippers, which is superior to 1000 months, which is called “Shab Qadr” (The night of power)

 

Shab Qadr is a night of greatness, excellence and blessings.  This is the auspicious night when the Holy Quran was revealed.  In this night, angels descend.  In this night those who are busy in worship and remembrance of Almighty Allah are granted the reward of worshiping for 1000 months.  Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Surely, We sent down this (Holy Qur’an) during the Night of Destiny.

 

And what have you made out what the Night of Destiny is?

 

The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months (in merit, blessings, reward and recompense).

 

The angels and the Spirit of Peace (Jibreel) descends by their Lord’s command during this (night) with decrees concerning all matters (of blessings and bounties).

 

This (night) is (absolute) peace and security till daybreak.  Surah Qadr (97:1-5)

 

There are many distinctions of this night.  In light of the Holy Quran, 6 distinctions can be understood:

 

1.    Its greatness and excellence can be understood with the fact that Almighty Allah has revealed one complete Surah in its name.

 

2.    The Holy Quran was revealed this night.

 

3.    This night is better than 1000 months.

 

4.    This night, angels descend on the earth.

 

5.    Jibreel (May peace be upon him) descends on the earth.

 

6.    Peace and blessings are rained on the believers until sunrise.

 

We know that Shab Qadr is in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has instructed us to perform special worship in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan to search for Shab Qadr.  As given in this Hadith:

 

Translation: Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform ‘Itikaaf in the last 10 days of Ramadhan and would say:  You search for Shab Qadr in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 2020; Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2833; Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 797)

 

It is clear from the words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that Shab Qadr is in the last 10 days of Ramadhan.  The Companions were very close to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  They are the ones who act perfectly on the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and there cannot be even the faintest of the suggestion that they missed a single Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The very same Companions declare that Shab Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadhan.  Although once before the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had not fixed a specific date for Shab Qadr, but after the narration of Hadhrat ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her), Imam Tirmidhi narrates a Hadith:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ubai bin Ka'ab (May Allah be well pleased with him), he would say on oath and say that Shab Qadr is on the 27th night of Ramadhan and would say:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) described its signs to us and we enumerated them and memorized them.

 

It is given in Fath Ul Bari the great commentary on Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) that Shab Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadhan.  A similar narration is related on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with him) as well and he has deduced this from the fact there are 30 words in Surah Qadr and the pronoun Hiya (meaning that night i.e. Shab Qadr) is the 27th one.

 

Those who spend this night in worship and remembrance of Almighty Allah, their past sins are forgiven, provided that person is a believer and is sincere.  Faith and sincerity are basic conditions for the forgiveness of past sins.  Thus, there is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The person who spends Shab Qadr in worship (of Allah Most High) in a state of faith with the intention of reward, all the past sins of that person are forgiven.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 35)

 

Thus, we should try our best to spend this night in prayer and worship and remembrance of Allah Most High.