Laylat al-Qadr

Lailatul Qadr History

Lailatul Qadr, or the Night of Power, honors the night when the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad by Angel Gabriel, making it one of the most sacred observances in Islam. Not only does the event serve as a moment of commemoration, but it is also a time for intense reflection, prayer, faith and devotion. Believers are encouraged to exert themselves in ritual worship, seeking forgiveness for past sins and praying for guidance and blessing in the future.

Historically, Lailatul Qadr dates back to the early 7th Century, during the time of Prophet Muhammad. Its relevance for American Muslims today is multifaceted. It provides an opportunity to connect with their faith, gain spiritual elevation and come together as a community. It serves as a significant reminder that Islam's core values of peace, compassion, and mercy extend to providing community service and charity - concepts that overwhelmingly resonate with people, be they Muslim or otherwise, in America.

In America, the observance of Lailatul Qadr typically involves an increase in community and congregational activities. Mosques and Islamic centers throughout the country host night-long prayer vigils, Quran recitation sessions, and community Iftars. The date of Lailatul Qadr isn't fixed as it falls within the last ten odd nights of Ramadan, making it a significant time for Muslims across America. The observation of Lailatul Qadr in America underscores the universality of the Islamic faith and its adaptability to various cultural contexts.

Facts about Laylat al-Qadr

• An entire chapter of the Quran, called Al-Qadr is devoted to explaining the merits of worshipping on Lailatul Qadr.
• According to Islamic tradition, the following are signs of The Night of Power every year: A peaceful night with moderate temperatures, no shooting stars, and a moon that shines without rays. The sun, when it rises, will appear as a disk with no beams of light coming out of it.
• Some Muslims believe that the entire Quran was revealed to Angel Gabriel on this night, who conveyed it to Muhammad verse by verse over a period of twenty-three years, when ordered to do so by God.
• Muslims who can afford to take time off work spend every single one of the last ten nights in prayer, hoping to find Lailatul Qadr, trying to emulate the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. They fast during the day and study the Quran and pray during the night. The Prophet Muhammad used to do the same. In fact, according to his wife, he would tighten his belt and pray all night, and encouraged his family members to pray all night as well. (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 241)

In the News and Trending in the US for Laylat al-Qadr

Top things to do in the US for Lailatul Qadr

• For Lailatul Qadr, Muslims typically congregate in mosques to pray and worship all night together. Imams often give sermons that teach listeners about the best prayers they can make that night.
• On this night, many Muslims give money away in charity, after more than 20 days of fasting. The rewards of charity are multiplied on Lailatul Qadr. This can be evidenced by the Prophet Muhammad's teachings: Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times - Ibn Khuzaymah, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, 1887
• There are several Islamic recommended acts for Muslims to do on this night: Study the Quran, give charity, strive for forgiveness, pray, make duma (a more personal prayer during which Muslims ask God for things that they need), and remember the power of God.