Lailatul Qadr - by Ibn Saifuddin

 

Lailatul Qadr – Night of Power in the

last ten nights of Ramadan:

Talk by Professor Dr. Ahmad ibn Saifuddin Turkestani

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Professor Dr. Ahmad bin Saifuddin Turkestani gave a talk on “Catch These Special Deeds Before Ramadan” at the Islamic Centre for Kuwait (ICK) on an invitation of an organiser on 15 Ramadan 1441 Hijri. Addressing the gatherings and audience Professor Dr. Ahmad ibn Saifuddin said, “Brothers and Sisters, I am inviting to a very special meeting - very special one at a very special time – special day, i.e. Friday. I like to thank my brothers who has organising at ICK – the Islamic Centre for Kuwait – They have trust and interest, we have heart-feeling today because we are supposed today to be  attending Jumah – but because of the circumstances as you know this Pandemic which is all over the world confined   us in our houses, May Allah Subhanahu wa Taala uplifted – the reason are our Masjids, the reasons are our gatherings – near future, very near future by Allah’s Will.”

Before I indulge myself into his talk on this very special topic on and about Ramadan, I would like to introduce him. Professor Dr. Ahmad ibn Saifuddin Turkestani is a professor in the College of Media and Communication at the Imam Muhammad Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was also Former Head of Cultural Affairs  Section at the Saudi Embassy in the United Kingdom and worked as Director at the Institute of Islamic Studies and Arabic Sciences in Washington under the Ministry of Higher Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

Second Half of Ramadan: More

Precious and greater opportunities

Speaking about the first half of Ramadan which has already passed and the forthcoming second half of the month, Dr. Ahmad ibn Saifuddin said, “Since in this month of Ramadan today is 15^th Ramadan, already half of the month has passed heading for second half – the second could be the same days, may be 14 days. The days forthcoming   is no less than what we have passed; in fact the second half is precious and greater opportunities for the Muslims in the month of Ramadan.”

Explaining why he said that, Dr. Turkestani  mentioned, “Because we are coming towards the end – towards the last ten days and nights of the month of Ramadan – the last ten days are so precious , so good and there is a great opportunity for us to catch certain deeds;  they are marked down in this ten days. So this is our talk today. We are going to concentrate the last ten days of Ramadan and also what is going to take place even afterwards – after the end of Ramadan shortly.”

Lailatul Qadr

Speaking about the last ten days and nights of the month of Ramadan, Professor Ahmad mentioned about Lailatul Qadr. He explained the importance and significance of this night first. He said, “Let me say that these ten days contain Lailatul Qadr – Lailatul Qadr is the Night, is the Night of the Revelation of the Glorious Qur’an. It is the night that if anyone is accepted in their worship and in their dua and coming forward towards Allah, it would have, wishes of Allah, for 83 years, to be exact, 83 years and four months. The 1000 months – 1000 months imagine. And this is exactly the same – the Glorious Qur’an, let me recite Suratul Qadr. To know the significance of this night.

Night of Honour & Prestige

Professor Ahmad continued: “This is the night of Honour & Prestige and the saver, which was revealed the Glorious Qur’an in this night and Allah says oma adraka lailatul Qadr Are you in this night? Lailatul  Qadr Alf-e-Sahr, not only you will worship in this night –this particular time – amount of time – which can be found in one night during nine night or ten nights in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. So if you are very fortunate, if you catch this night before it is over, you will never know whether you would be here in or none of us. Nobody is certain that they would be here again next year or the year after – although we asked Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala long life in the worship of HIM Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. But that’s catch the moment.”

 

After reciting the Suratul Qadr, Professor explained the greater opportunity lies in that night the Night of Lailatul Qadr. He said, “Lets take the opportunity – kairum min Alf-e Sahr better than 1000 months– Subhanallah – it is like you devoting your life 83 years and 4 months in the worship of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala a accepting all the good things – the great opportunities and for some reason it was hidden. We don’t know exactly which night it is. Yes; some scholars, even Ibn Abbas (R.A.) it is the night of 27; but you know with calendars and not knowing for certain which night Ramadan is and there is in different months in different countries and localities when Ramadan started; nonetheless we will say that it is for certain in the ten nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Sure; so if we get it ourselves this; this night from the beginning from the 20^th day, because as you know the night precedes day; so when we say 21^st, it means it is on the 20^th night; means 20^th day; so 5 days from now. We can have that opportunity, Insha Allah. To catch this night.”

How can we catch it? Taubah Repentance

Dr Ahmad ibn Saifuddin asked: “How can we catch it? That’s the question. It is what you call it one billion Hasanat question. Yes, indeed. How can we catch it?” and he quickly answered, “First we have to do certain things. I advise myself and my brothers and sisters to do this. We need it to catch it starting it from Taubah.  Repentance is very essential. Before we get into worship we need to cleanse our heart. We need to receive the barakah the mercy and the blessings of this night and to be in a good situation to receive all the good in it by coming forward towards away from everything that we have done that in the past. We need to come forward to receive the blessings. And that comes only through Taubah. Taubah from everything that we did in the past; to be determined not to do it again. Not to get involve into wrong doings, although we know the nature of human beings.”

“As soon as we remember we come back just as Ibrahim peace be upon him. He comes back time after time towards Allah. We need to renew our intention every time in order to come closer and closer to Allah and to stay away from all bad things. We may fall in that human beings commit wrong things. But the most Allah loves those who repent every time.  In the Hadith: Those who make mistakes and repent Allah loves them because they come to Allah if they commit mistakes; they do wrongs they come back to Allah. That is a key brothers and sisters. That is the key to repent to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala; repent sincerely from the bottom of your heart and ready for ten nights and beyond. It is just only the start. Let’s renew. Allah has given the opportunity – to live to this moment and to come Insha Allah – to the end of Ramadan. If that is the case then we are very fortunate,” said Professor Ahmad Saifuddin.

Dr. Ahmad Saifuddin reminded that many people wanted to come back and wanted to do good deeds. He said, “How many people are under the ground wishing to come back and to do something good but are not able to do it. So we need to do that. So Taubah is very very important and very significant; if you have done something wrong against anyone; like taking their rights; like taking their money, their wealth, violating their honour; you are thinking you want to come back; you want to think is it possible; we tried to rectify situations. You have done something wrong you correct it now – Taubah is the way. Allah loves those who can; Allah loves those who repent.”

 Involve into More Ibadah:

How do you do it

Professor Ahmad Saifuddin then mentioned about Ibadah and Night Prayer and Reading Qur’an. He said, “Secondly, starting from the first night, the 21^st night which precedes the 20^th day of Ramadan to get involve into more Ibadah. How do you do it? Well just like in the Hadith, When Ayesha (Radhi Anha) said: ‘When it is the ten days Prophet peace be upon him wake up and stay up all night; also in their house, they stay away from intimacy. This is not a time for intimacy; time for Allah  Subhanahu Wa Taala for your own benefit. It is a time we need to devote for Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala in order to be trained; in order to love this and what is better than to stand before Allah – Salah – standing before Allah; recite the Glorious Qur’an; doing Taraweeh, doing Tahajjud; although it’s the same – Tahajjud is the same word for Qiyam. Qiyam is for the first part of the night, second part of the night or the last part of the night. People have come to Taraweeh the early part of the night. Someone told Ibn Umar the importance of standing up at night; Abdullah ibn Umar after knowing the significance of the Qiyam al-Lail, he never left Qiyam-al-Lail at any night of the year. You can do it at any night – no exception.”

 “But try to make it like starting point for you every night as much as you can. Read two Rakaats, then you get tired. No take it easy. Take step by step; train yourself and you will love it. I know from the stories of righteous people. It is possible for them to do Qiyam even on travel; when they were travelling on train, or at airport.” He mentioned.

“So Lets make this Ramadan a beginning  to stay and pray at night – never miss a night prayer even if it is two rakaats, or four rakaats – whatever is possible for you; wake up last part of the night, its better; even half an hour before the Azan to Allah,” said Dr. Ahmad Saifuddin and added, “By the way, meet Allah if you will closer to him and strive to do that. Once you do it, you are waiting for some one to see it who stands up in night for prayer and they make Istaqfar at Sahoor time, which is before dawn, before Fajr.”

To be closer to Allah

Professor Turkestani said, So we get involved in this night in prayer, in recitation of the Qur’an, in dua, in being kind to people around us within the family, to the neighbours, to outside to the world, just to say good word, be nice, be kind, be generous, just like Prophet peace be upon him, so generous all time; even he was more generous in the month of Ramadan. So these are the good deeds; Sometimes we may say well we have done our prayer; what? Be versified; try to make different kinds of worship. I can read a book on Sirah; I can read a book on the interpretation of the Qur’an. That’s part of worship. That’s part of the righteous deeds. It has not to be recitation of the Glorious Qur’an all times.”

 My recommendations:

Make Qur’an Your Friend

Professor Ahmad emphasized, “Though my recommendations for myself and for you is to be as close as much to the Glorious Qur’an; be with the Qur’an at all times; make Qur’an your friend, very close friend- where you enjoy to be always being together; its take time, be attachment. Again like Salah, you feel much attached to the Glorious Qur’an. So we need to do that and nothing better than to recite the Qur’an in prayers. So in prayers you are joining two things – praying and you are reciting the Glorious Qur’an at the same time. I recommend reading the Glorious Qur’an in the remaining few days of Ramadan and make it your best companion all the time.”

[To be Continued[

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