I HAVE A friend who has a nose for the markets. He has been advising me to invest in gold for a while. I should have paid him more heed. Gold has reached an all-time high. Prices have been rocketing in the last few months with worldwide economic uncertainty fueling demand.
I thought came to me. The Believers don’t need to play the market with all its uncertainties to hit the jackpot. Allah has given us something more valuable than any amount of gold and he has taken away the uncertainty.
It’s in the next 10 nights. Guaranteed. A night worth more than 1000 months. And it’s open to all who want it. You just need to be mindfully present.
Laylatul Qadr!
The Prophet ﷺ actually knew the exact night. Yet, the knowledge was lifted from him because of the arguing between two Muslims.
There is, nonetheless, wisdom behind not knowing exactly when it occurs. Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi writes: ‘Allah has concealed this night from the ummah so that they may strive in seeking it and performing worship throughout the month in the hopes of catching it. Similarly, He concealed the hour of special acceptance on Friday so that one would increase in their supplications throughout the day… and He concealed an individual’s lifespan and the Hour [of the Day of Judgment] so that humanity would continuously strive in good deeds, being heedful of them.’ (al-Mughni)
This night is both magnificent and rare. It creates a desire in us to seek it. We are drawn closer to Allah. It is like searching for treasure; if treasure were easy to find, we wouldn’t value it as much. The reward of discovering Laylatul-Qadr outweighs any effort we put in. It grants us forgiveness for our sins. We experience a lifetime of worship in just one night! It’s no surprise it evokes feelings of awe, wonder, anticipation, eagerness, excitement, hope, and longing!
But what exactly happens on this night?
We know that this was the night that the Qur’an was revealed completely from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven. It was placed in a special chamber called Bayt al-`Izzah (the House of Honour). From there, it was revealed gradually over twenty-three years to the Prophet ﷺ in his mission to establish Islam.
We also know that the earth becomes restricted as angels descend to the earth, occupying the earth. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Truly the angels on this night are as numerous as the pebbles upon the earth.” (Musnad Ahmad).
But, there’s something else about this night that I find inspires both great hope and great fear. This is the night when all affairs of lifespan, deeds, and creation are decreed. These will come to pass in the coming year. Think about the implications of that. The angels who manage these matters, our guardian angels, all of them will be given their instructions about each one of us for the next year!
What will happen to us? Will we face losing a loved one or our own life? Will we suffer from illness? Will we experience war and hardship? Will we lose our wealth? Most importantly, will we lose our faith? Will we find joy and happiness in life? Will we find peace in marriage? Can we achieve fulfilment as parents? Can we discover solutions to our problems? Will there be an increase in our provisions? Will we find success in our mission? Will we experience closeness to Allah?
Tonight, the angels will get their orders about me. In the coming year, that Decree will come true.
Can I do anything about it? Can I influence this in any way? This is something that the scholars debate about. We know that Allah’s Decree is fixed. It is written and the ink has dried.
وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَراً مَقْدُوراً
“And ever is the command of Allah a destiny decreed” (al-Ahzab 38)
Yet the Prophet ﷺ also said: ‘Nothing averts destiny except dua.’ (ibn Majah)
There are different ways to understand this contradiction. One good explanation I’ve found, and Allah ﷻ knows best, is that His Decree is final. Dua doesn’t alter what has been written for me. But, it can change how I feel about it. It also affects how I deal with that Decree.
To illustrate, consider a couple who lose a child. This loss can cause them guilt and blame, straining their marriage and leading to deep depression. In contrast, another couple also lose a child but choose to feel gratitude. They see their child as a gift from Allah to love and care for. Despite the pain, they look ahead to reuniting with their child in the akhirah.
The same event, but the effect on the individual was very different. Similarly, seemingly good things that befall us can be destructive by turning us away from Allah.
It is thus with hope, fear, and iman that I seek Laylatul Qadr. To be cleansed of sins. To multiply good deeds. But also, I ask Him to help me bear with sabr and iman. I pray to be content with the Decree, which certainly will come to pass.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ… وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ…
“O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided … and save me from the evil of what You have decreed.”
Living For Islam 