In Surah Al Qadr it mentions night of laylatul Qadr is better for you than a thousand months.
Lailatul qadri khairum min alfee shahr
3. The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
Some Muslims look at these last ten nights and usually exhibit ‘Ramadan burnout’ and try to coast through these 10 days. They may have conquered the first 10 or 20 days but in the third phase they begin to falter back to their old habits and routine.
This is not practice of rasulullah and those people are probably unaware of the rewards that await them during these 10 days.
The best analogy to approach the last ten days of Ramadan is with the attitude that you are a runner in a race. When the finish line is in sight you wouldn’t slow down so that your opponent could overtake you. No, instead you would push the boundaries to find out what your capable of. You empty the tank and give the race all you got.
This was the attitude of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as was mentioned by Aisha, “the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. getting ready to work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.” [1]
In another hadith it Aishah narrated: “The Messenger of Allah would struggle (to perform Salat more) during the last ten (nights) more than he would struggle in the rest of it.” [2]
By struggle it is not meant that he found the salah difficult to perform but rather he would strive so hard in his worship towards allah subhanahu wa ta’ala unlike any other time that it became difficult.
So What date is Laylat al Qadr?
The night the Qur’an was first reveled to the Prophet is Laylat Al Qadr. However the exact date was not specified in the Qur’an.
Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan, on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan (i.e. 21, 23, 25, respectively). [3]
The belief is the night of decree falls on an odd-numbered day within the last 10 days of Ramadan.
What can you do the last 10 days of Ramadan for Maximum reward?
Anything good deed or sincere act of worship would be multiplied during these days. Here’s a list we put together that can help you maximize the rewards and blessings during these days. This is not an exhaustive list but rather something to get the ideas flowing and draw inspiration from.
1. Pay Zakat (charity or alms-giving) – have you donated money to your favorite charitable organization. You can also support your local masjid or help feed homeless etc. This is one of the five pillars of Islam and its recommended to donate 2.5% as minimum percentage of your annual income. You can donate at any time during the year but the rewards during Ramadan are multiplied so many Muslims donate generously during this month.
2. Read and Learn About Qur’an – Spend time reading the Qur’an. But beyond that we should seek to understand and learn more about the book of Allah. What are some of it’s teachings? What has Allah enjoined for the believers and what has he prohibited? You can read the translation of the Qur’an with our digital version, many of the Surahs also include Tafsir if you wish to expand your knowledge (for example read Surah Ikhlas Tafsir).
3. Dhikr in last 10 days of Ramadan – dhikr is another form of prayer like Salah or making supplications. It is a form or worship and remembrance of Allah.
It was narrated from Abu Darda that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds, the most pleasing to your Sovereign, those that raise you most in status, that are better than your gold and silver, or meeting you enemy (in battle) and you strike their necks and they strike your necks?” They said: ” WHat is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Remembering Allah (Dhikr).” [4]
4. Making Dua – During this time you can ask for Allah’s forgiveness. During this time you can strengthen the connection with Allah and ask him for anything you desire. Allah says,
“Indeed, we sent it down on a blessed night, and indeed we have been warning [mankind]. Every definitive matter gets resolved in it, as an ordinance from us. Indeed, we have been sending [apostles].” Surah Dukhan Ayat 3-5
Learn The Allahumma innaka affuwun dua for laylat Al Qadr
5. Wake up for Tahajjud prayer – We discuss the voluntary prayer and the rewards of performing tahajjud prayer in a different post. There’s many benefits, the main two (1) Allah’s mercy is to use your voluntary prayers as means of substitute for the missed prayers. And (2) during the night, right before suhoor, Allah calls out and says if anyone needs anything now is the time for the believer to ask.
6. Visit the Sick and Elderly – In the hadith it mentions the rewards of visiting the sick and elderly. During the coronavirus pandemic this is not advised but we can still pray and make dua for everyone affected.
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sick and release (set free) the one in captivity (by paying his ransom). [5]
7. Guard your fasts and your salah – Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [6]
8. Last 10 days of ramadan itikaf – The Prophet (ﷺ) used to devote himself to ibadah by staying in the Masjid during the last 10 days of Ramadan. He did so to avoid worldly affairs and to devote himself fully in the worship of Allah.
Narrated `Aisha: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.” [8]
Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to seclude himself (in the mosque) during the last ten nights of Ramadan. He would say, “Search for Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree) in the last ten nights of Ramadan.” [9]
References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari hadith number 2024
[2] Sahih (Darussalam) Jami At-Tirmidhi 796 and Ibn Majah 1767
[3] Sahih al-Bukhari 2021
[4] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 3790
[5] Sahih al-Bukhari 5373
[6] Sahih al-Bukhari 190
[7] Sahih al-Bukhari 2020
[8] Riyad As Salihin Arabic/English book reference : Book 9, Hadith 1191
Alhamdulillah. Jazakumullahu khairan, may almighty Allah continue to guide protect bless and help and reward you abundantly, and may he accept it (fasting, praying, and good deeds) from us and you. Ameeen.
Assalam alaikum
Mashallha my islam helping me like I’m ???? I can’t read arbic thanks to my islam team