We are usually aware of the significant occasions that present themselves each year.
The crucial thing is how do we “avail ourselves” and maximise our benefit from these blessed nights?
Here under is a suggested format for “What to do on Blessed nights?”
🌹1. Offer ‘Isha and Fajr Salah in congregation.
🌷Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:
“One who performs ‘Isha in congregation gets the reward of spending half the night in worship. And he who follows that up with the Fajr salah in congregation, will be as if he has stayed up all night in ‘ibadah.”
(Sahih Muslim and Sunan Abi Dawud)
🌹2. Sleep in the state of wudu
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has mentioned a reliable narration that states: “The soul of one who sleeps with wudu makes sajdah (prostrates) at the ‘Arsh of Allah.”
(Fathul Bari)
Imagine our souls making sajdah at the throne of our Creator on a night like Laylatul Qadr!
🌹3. Abstain from sin
It’s not logical to fill the bucket when it has a hole…
One should specifically free the heart of any ill-feelings or malice towards fellow Muslims. (See here for “how to clean the heart” of such ailments)
🌹4. Clear your heart from ill-feelings towards fellow Muslims.
The ‘Ulama state that those who harbour ill-feelings are deprived of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness on occasions like these.
A Hadith in Sahih Ibn Hibban, mentions of four people that will be deprived on auspicious nights:
a) An Alcoholic.
b) One who disobeys his parents.
c) One who severe family ties
d) One who harbours ill-feelings in his heart for others.
🌹5. Salatut Tasbih
This is very strongly recommended due to its huge reward. See here for a detailed article on it’s authenticity, and here for the format of Salatut Tasbih.
🌹6. Tawbah
Since the purpose of the turning to Allah on these nights is precisely to attain forgiveness from Allah, this act is a fundamental on such occasions.
The procedure for Tawbah is:
a. Perform two rak’ats of Salah. (Optional)
b. Stop the sin that one is repenting from.
c. Regret the sin from the bottom of your heart.
d. Make a determined pledge with Allah never to repeat that sin. Besides the two rakats of Salah, the remainder are all fundamental.
Furthermore, if the sin involved usurping the right of the next person, one needs to ask him/her for forgiveness too. Without this we are not guaranteed forgiveness.
If that person has passed away, we could make du’a for him and repay the debt (if any) to his heirs.
🌹7. Dhikr
There are many forms of dhikrullah. I would suggest the following:
A hundred times: “La ilah illallah”
A hundred times repeating the name of “Allah”
And a hundred times: “Subhanallahi wabihamdihi subhanallahil ‘Azim”
🌹8. Salawat on Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam)
If it was not for our beloved Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) we would not have these Blessed occasions. Therefore we cannot afford moments like these to pass without remembering him. In Fact by doing so we ourselves benefit.
One Hadith states:
“He who sends salutations upon me once, Allah Ta’ala sends ten salutations upon him.”
🌹9. Tilawat (Recital) of Quran
This is considered the best form of Dhikr. One could recite even a quarter juz or just the masnun Surahs that are to be recited every night. Like Surahs Waqi’ah, Mulk, Sajdah, Yasin etc.
🌹🌹🔥10. Du’a
More so on occasions when Almighty Allah accepts du’as such as on the night of Qadr. One should spend a lengthy duration in begging from Allah, as we are all in need of it.
In light of the current world crisis, do remember our oppressed brethren around the globe.
On the night of Qadr the following du’a should also be repeated as taught by Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihiwasallam) to his beloved wife Sayyidah ‘Aishah (radiyallahu ‘anha):
💥💥اللهم إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ العَفْوُ فَاعْفُ عَنِّيْ
“Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘Anni”
O Allah! You are indeed Most Forgiving, so forgive me.
