Laylat ul Qadr (The Night of Power)

Surat-ul-Qadr (97)

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ

وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ

لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬

تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ۬

سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ

We have indeed revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Power (al-Qadr) (1)

And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? (2)

The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. (3)

The angels and the Spirit descend in it, with the leave of your Lord, along with every command. (4)

Peace it is! Until the rise of dawn (5)

It comes in a hadith in the Muwatta of Imam Malik R.A. that the Messenger ﷺ used to look at the longer lives of the earlier people and was saddened when pondering over the much shorter lives of his own Ummah. If his Ummah had wished to compete with the people before them in piety and Taqwa, because of their shorter lives it would be impossible for them to either emulate or surpass them. To compensate for the difference in their life span, Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala out of His great Muhabbat and Infinite Mercy and Bounty granted them this great night of honour, grandeur and blessings. None of the previous Ummahs were given the gift of Laylat ul Qadr. 

MEANING OF THE NIGHT OF QADR

Qadr is commonly translated as the Night of Power. But, it has multiple interpretations, all of them being correct.

1- It means 'power, greatness, status honour and dignity'. 

مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ - 22:74

They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.

Its a night of great honour and nobility. Allah SWT, who has the highest status, chose to  reveal the greatest of revelation (Qur'an),  to the greatest of Prophets, through the greatest of angels Jibril AS, in the night that has the highest status.

Allah sent the Qur'an down all at one time from the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz) to the House of Might (Baytul-`Izzah), which is in the (first) heaven of this world. Then it came down in parts to the Messenger of Allah based upon the incidents that occurred over a period of twenty-three years.

Another interpretation is that the first revelation, consisting of the opening verses of Surah Alaq, was revealed in the month of Ramadan on the Night of Qadr, when the Messenger of Allahﷺ was in the cave of Hira. The rest of the Qur'an was revealed little by little according to the need of different occasions. 

A person becomes a man of honour and dignity on account of his repentance and righteous acts during this night, while prior to this he might have lacked honour and dignity because of leading a life of disobedience. 

2- Qadr also means 'predestination, decree, estimation and determination'. The night is so called because the destiny of individuals and nations that was in the knowledge of Allah, is assigned to the relevant angels who are appointed to carry out these tasks. Every man's age, death, sustenance, rain and other things are measured out to the angels to be implemented for a complete year from one month of Ramadan to another. All angels are delegated different divine commandments by Allah. It is amazing that Allah chose this night for our decree, because this is the night when people will be engaged in worship and dua to Allah. Allah could have chosen any night, but He chose a night in which we would feel closest to Allah.

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ - 44:3

Indeed, We sent it (Qur'an) down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ - 44:4

On that night is made distinct every precise matter -

أَمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ - 44:5

[Every] matter [proceeding] from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger]

3- It also means 'the night of appreciation and value'. In this night, whoever worships Allah, Allah does qadr(appreciates it) so much that He counts this worship as better than a thousand months. The actions of this night are magnified and multiplied and have great value in the sight of Allah. Also, those who truly seek to recognise Allah will find a great appreciation of Allah in this night.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that :

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Whoever stands (in he voluntary night prayer of) the Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven." (Sunan Nasai)

4- It also means 'constriction, restriction or congestion'. e.g. Qadr is used in the Qur'an when Rizq becomes tight and restricted for someone. 

أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ - 39:52

Do they not know that Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.

So many angels descend on the Earth on this night that the heavens and the earth become constricted. The quantity of angels on the Laylat ul Qadr is more than the pebbles on Earth.

The Messenger of Allah sws said narrating about the journey of ‘Isra wal Miraaj, “Then I was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma'mur (i.e. Allah’s House). I asked Jibril AS about it and he said, This is Al Bait-ul-Ma'mur where 70,000 angels perform prayers daily and when they leave they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).”- Sahih Bukhari & Muslim

One of the signs of Laylat ul qadr is that in the following morning, the sun appears bright but has no rays, and the reason could be the descent of angels.

THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS NIGHT

Allah has chosen and favoured some people (e.g. Prophets) over others, some places (e.g. Makkah) over others, some objects (e.g. Zamzam, Ka'bah) over others, some months (e.g. Ramadan) over others. This is a part of the mercy and wisdom of Allah. Ramadan is the best of all months, and Laylat ul Qadr is the best of all nights of Ramadan.

The rewards and barakah of deeds we do on this night is better  than a thousand months. If we take it literally, a thousand months is approximately 83 years. The average lifespan for men in developed countries is less than that! So the reward of this night is even more than our lifespan. 

According to some, 'a thousand months' is used metaphorically and it does not signify a precise number, but actually denotes eternity. Allah alone knows how much more the reward is multiplied. SubhanAllah! So, we should use this night to do as many good deeds and ibadah as we can. 

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven ." (Bukhari)

Anas Bin Maalik (ra) said: “Ramadhaan began so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Verily this month has arrived upon you and in it is a night that is better than 1000 months. The one who is deprived of it has been deprived of all Goodness and only the deprived person is deprived of it.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (1644). Also narrated by Ahmad and An-Nasaa’i from Abu Hurairah (ra)

All the angels bring down, during the Night of Qadr, the decree for everything destined to occur in the coming year.Throughout this blessed night, the Malaikaat (Angels) will descend and fill the sky. There will be a constant flow of Angels coming to give their salams and immediately leaving. In other words, Angels will be coming and going throughout the night delivering salams upon those who are worshipping. It is the nature of the Angels to love those who perform Ibadaat and turn to Allah  in repentance. They love those who praise and glorify Allah. They seek out those who perform such acts and pray for them. Angel Jibrail will also be one of those Angels that will descend on this night. The very same Angel that was blessed to carry the wahi (revelation) to our messengers, including Rasullulah ﷺ. How amazing is such a night, to be in the presence of such an Angel!

Sayyidna Anas narrates that the Messenger of Allah said: "When the Night of Qadr occurs, Jibril AS descends on the earth with a huge throng of angels and all of them pray for every servant of Allah, man or woman, busy in salah or dhikr, to be blessed by Allah." [Mazhari]. (MQ)

One of the signs of Laylatul-Qadr is that on the morning after that night, the sun will be bright and clear, but the rays of the sunlight will not be as visible. It is said that because of the wings of the Angels on that morning, the rays of the sunlight will be blocked.

Although we cannot see the Angels, we can try to reflect on the sheer magnitude of what is happening on that night!

WHEN DOES THE NIGHT OF QADR OCCUR?

It is explicitly stated in the Qur'an that the Night occurs in the blessed or auspicious month of Ramadan, but its exact date has not been disclosed. As a result, it is disputed and debated among scholars. There are about forty opinions recorded.  The most authentic opinion is that the Night of Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadan. It could be any of the last ten odd nights: 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29. All the Traditions pertaining to the date of the Night are authentic, and there is no need for any convoluted interpretation. The safest method is to find the Night of Qadr in all the last 10 nights of Ramadan. (MQ)

Narrated `Aisha: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan." (Bukhari)

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 (Bukhari)

Narrated Aisha: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. (Bukhari)

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit: The Prophet (ﷺ) came out to inform us about the Night of Qadr but two Muslims were quarreling with each other. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I came out to inform you about the Night of Qadr but such-and-such persons were quarreling, so the news about it had been taken away; yet that might be for your own good, so search for it on the 29th, 27th and 25th (of Ramadan). (Bukhari)

 Ubaadah bin Saamit (ra) reports that he asked the Prophet ﷺ about “Laylatul Qadr”. He replied: “It is in Ramadhan, during the last ten days, on the unevenly numbered nights, either the 21st 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th or the last night of Ramadhan. Whosoever stands in “Ibaadah” on this night, with sincere faith and with genuine hopes of gaining reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. Among the signs of this night is that it is a serene, quiet, shining night, neither hot, nor cold but temperate as if a moon is shining clear, and no meteors are shot at the “Shayateen” on that night; it lasts until the break of the dawn. Another sign is that at morn, the Sun rises without any radiant beams of light, appearing rather like the moon in its fullness. On that day, Allah prohibits the “Shayateen” from rising up with the Sun.”Reported by Ahmad (23145) and Al-Haithami said that the transmitters are trustworthy.

WHY WAS THE PRECISE DATE OF LAYLAH TUL QADR KEPT HIDDEN?

Not having the exact knowledge of Laylat ul Qadr is a gift from Allah. There are many benefits of not knowing the exact night:

1. Anything that is valuable in the sight of Allah, Allah does not disclose its exact time and place. He makes us search and strive for it because the juice is worth the squeeze. For example, Allah told us to guard prayers, especially the middle prayer, but didn't specify what the middle prayer is. Allah told us to prepare for death but did not reveal to us the time and place of our deaths. Allah told us there is a special time in Jumuah when duas are accepted, but He kept the knowledge hidden. So, the major benefit is to make us search for Laylat ul Qadr in all the nights so that we earn extra reward by turning to Allah.  Imagine if someone offers a million dollars to us for praying for ten nights, who would refuse that offer? Allah is offering us a reward of more than a thousand months! The sad reality is that if Allah had specified the date, the masjid would have been empty in all the remaining nights. 

2. Imagine you spend 10 days with a friend, and after that you have to part with them. You will have developed such a strong bond with them in those days that you will miss them sorely. Allah wants us to spend the complete ten nights with Him so that we develop such a strong relationship with Him that we miss him after these nights are over. Regular Ibadah in these nights will make it easy for us to turn to Allah after Ramadan is over

3. Also, if someone ignored Laylat ul Qadr and kicked it to a side even after knowing the exact date, imagine what loss he would have been in? It is a mercy that Allah kept the knowledge hidden, so we wouldn't be of the unfortunate ones. 

HOW TO MAXIMISE THE LAST 10 NIGHTS?

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived."' (Sunan An Nasai)

If we are able to make the most of Laylat ul Qadr, it means that Allah chose us and gave us the taufiq to maximise the blessings of this night. We need to get rid of all those sins that could keep us away from gaining the qurb of Allah SWT, and deprive us of the rewards of Laylat ul Qadr. Whoever is deprived of this blessing is truly deprived i.e. it is a huge loss. 

So, how do we make the most of it?

1. I’tikaaf – This was a practice of Rasullulah ﷺ. 

Abdullah bin Umar narrated that Rasullulah ﷺ used to practise Itikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan [Bukhari].

Dedicate the last ten days and nights of Ramadan to the worship of your Creator, Al-Khalaq. Spend the time performing dhikr, reading Qur’an, praying supererogatory prayers, tahajjud, etc. If you can’t devote the full 10 days and nights, it’s encouraged that you do what you can, even if it’s a night or two. Dhikr includes dhikr made with the heart and dhikr of the tongue, constant and exclusive.

2. Make a master du’a list

 Take some time and brainstorm all the things you would like to ask from Allah  in your du’a. Include anything and everything, whether it be things in this dunya or in the akhira. Don’t feel shy, as Allah  is Ar-Razzaq (the One Who Provides your Sustenance), Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful) and Al-Wali(the One Who Protects you the Most).

Allah  loves for His servants to supplicate and ask for their desires to be met. He is Al-Ghani (the Rich), and His Provisions do not diminish by answering the du’as of His servant. In fact, it is out of the arrogance of us if we do not seek Allah’s guidance, mercy and provisions by supplicating in du’a.

Having an organized list will help you visualize and remember your list, so that when you make your du’a to Allah  you will be prepared, knowing exactly what you desire and being efficient in your supplications.Also, be sure to include some of the du’as that were commonly recited by Rasullulah ﷺ.

A’isha radi Allahu `anha asked Rasullulah ﷺ, “If I knew which night is Laylatal-Qadr, what should I say during it?” Rasullulah ﷺ told her to say:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni. “O Allah, indeed You are the Pardoner, You love to Pardon, so Pardon me.”[Tirmidhi]

This is a very simple, yet powerful du’a. One of the beautiful names of Allah  is Al-Afuw, the One Who Pardons your sins and Removes them from your record (as if you never committed them). Allah  loves to pardon so ask Him for your pardon. He loves to forgive those who sin and ask for their forgiveness.

Also, try to memorize new sunnah duas, and duas from the Qur’an and hadith.

3. Reflect on the Words of Allah 

During these last ten nights, use the opportunity to become closer to kalam-Allah (the speech of Allah). Reflect and ponder over its meaning. Read what the scholars of Tafseer and the Ulema have commented on the Qur’an and try to derive lessons that you can immediately implement into your daily life.

Listening to the Qur’an, Recitation, Memorization, Understanding, Explanation.

Focus on a Surah as a project

4. Pray Tahajjud/Qiyaam 

Rasullulah ﷺ said, “Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in (the night of) Laylatul Qadr out of faith and expectation (of Allah’s reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Sayyidna 'Uthman narrates that the Messenger of Allah said: "If a person performs his 'Isha' salah in congregation, he will attain the blessings of spending half the night in devotion; and if he performs Fajr salah in congregation, he will attain the blessings of spending the entire night in devotion." (Muslim)

Strive to perform prayer in the last 3rd of the night as that is the most virtuous portion of the night.Abu Huraira reports that Rasullulah ﷺ said, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: ‘Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?’” [Bukhari]

5. Worship all the 10 nights: 

Try to worship the whole of the 10 nights or as many days you can manage as that is the best way to catch the unimaginable and incomprehensible rewards of  Laylatul Qadr. Each and every good deed from Maghrib until Fajr on Laylatul Qadr is rewarded a minimum of at least 83 years’ of worship. Subhan Allah, that is longer than most of us will live!

6. Avoid sins and kick out distractions: 

As much as we plan on striving to increase our ibadaat during these nights, it’s important to refrain from those actions which displease Allah. 

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Nothing will be heavier on the Day of Resurrection in the Scale of the believer than good manners. Allah hates one who utters foul or coarse language.” [Tirmidhi]. 

So we must aim to be the best in character during these blessed nights and continue to do so for the rest of the year. Minimize idle conversations and actions which take you away from the remembrance of Allah. 

7. Be extra generous 

Rasullulah ﷺ was well known to be generous – but he was especially generous during the month of Ramadan.  Any good act such as charity during Laylatul Qadr is rewarded like you have done it for over 83 years.

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most generous of people in giving charity. He was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to meet him. Every night of Ramadan Jibril used to come to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would read the Qur'an to him. When Jibril came to him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more generous in giving charity than the blowing wind.” (Al Adab al Mufrad)

8. Evaluate yourself and make life changes

Ask yourself those questions that need to be asked. Do an evaluation of where you are and where you are going. Let this evaluation lead you to feel happiness for the good you have done and remorse for the bad you have done. We should make the necessary changes to improve ourselves as Muslims and what better time to make such changes than during these blessed 10 nights where we can change our lives forever. We must internalise these changes and make a firm commitment to Allah, and maybe that he will wipe off our sins until we become newborn babies, In sha Allah.

9. To do list for Laylat ul Qadr

Make a to do checklist for each Night of Power. This should define how you would like your night, the one better than a thousand months, to be used.

Significance of Fasting & Ramadan (Tafseer of Surah Baqarah 183-186)

INTRODUCTION: THE RELIGION OF IBRAHIM AS

The religion of Islam is in essence the religion of Ibrahim AS. All of the five founding pillars of Islam go back of Ibrahim AS:

Shahadah goes back to Ibrahim AS as he is considered the father of monotheistic faith, and he built the Ka'bah, the establishment of Tawheed.

The Salah go back to Ibrahim AS, as he made dua for prayers to be established in his offspring.

Every part of Hajj commemorates the legacy of Ibrahim AS (Maqam e Ibrahim, Safa Marwah, ZamZam, Rami, Sacrifice)

Zakat goes back to Ibrahim AS as well. Ismael AS used to tell his family to pray and give Zakat, and he obviously learnt these teachings from his father.

Even Ramadan is attributed to the legacy of Ibrahim AS. In the barren desert, he made the dua that a messenger be raised who recites the revelation, and teaches people the book and wisdom, and cleanses them. Ismael AS was alongside him when this prayer was made. The only prophet who came from Ismael AS's lineage was Muhammad ﷺ He received the Qur'an in Ramadan, and Allah describes Ramadan as the month in which Qur'an was revealed. Ramadan is an answer to Ibrahim AS's prayer.
Ibrahim AS had two sons, Ishaq AS and Ismael AS. The nation of Bani Israel was from the progeny of Ishaq AS, and Muhammad ﷺ was the only messenger from the progeny of Ismaeel AS.

The Muslims initially used to pray in the same direction as Jews. Our Ummah was closest to the nation of Bani Israel. In Makkah, Prophet ﷺ prayed in such a direction that he'd be facing Masjid Aqsa while being in line with the direction of Ka'bah. But, after migration to Madinah, Prophet ﷺ could only face Masjid Aqsa as the Ka'bah was in the opposite direction. Allah revealed the ayahs about change of qibla to Ka'bah and immediately after, Allah mentioned the establishment of Muslims as a middle nation امة وسطا. The change of qibla established our new capital as Makkah, and distinguished us as a separate nation from the Bani Israel. The Jews were deeply offended by this change of qibla as they realised that now they were no longer the favoured Ummah, and they had to submit to the truth of Islam.  They were aware in their hearts that Prophet ﷺ was indeed the last Messenger, but their pride prevented them from openly professing faith. Surah Baqarah addresses the mistakes made repeatedly by the nation of Bani Israel, and how they had knowledge but did not implement it. 

Followed by the change of Qibla, the ayahs about Ramadan were revealed. Initially Muslims fasted the same days as Jews, but with these ayahs, the institution of fasting was established in the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the month in which our constitution was revealed in the form of Qur'an. Allah gave us not one day, but 30 days to mark the celebration of our constitution! It marks the beginning of a new era for Muslims.

PART 1: FASTING PRIOR TO RAMADAN

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -

صوم means to abstain. In the context of fasting, it refers to abstaining from eating, drinking and intimacy from dawn to sunset, with the intention of fasting. But, that is merely a legal definition. True fasting involves fasting of every limb and cell of the body, from everything that is displeasing to Allah and harmful for our Ruh.
Fasting is not unique to the Muslims, but it had also been enjoined upon the earlier Ummahs. The reference to the earlier Ummahs in this verse shows the importance of fasting on one hand, and also gives encouragement to the Muslims. It indicates that although there may be some apparent inconvenience in fasting, but it was also faced by earlier nations. This brings psychological comfort because if something is experienced by a large number of people, it becomes easier to cope. (MQ)

Fasting in previous Ummahs

It does not mean that the fasts enjoined upon earlier communities were fully identical in all respects with the fasts enjoined upon our Ummah. There were differences in the number, timings and rulings of fasts. Note that Allah used the word صيام which is not synonymous with صوم. Saum was used for the fast of Jews in which they refrained even from speech. It was part of their law. For Muslims, the prohibitions of fasting were made more lenient, and speech was allowed. Guarding our tongues was emphasised as a form of spiritual development, but not as a law. 


The Goal of Fasting!

The purpose of fasting is different from the purpose of Ramadan. The purpose of fasting is to develop تقوى. Taqwa is not equal to fear, but the word for fear is خوف. Taqwa comes from وقايه which means "Abstinence" or "protection". اتّقى means to seek protection. Taqwa refers to taking appropriate precautions/protective measures to protect oneself from something e.g. locking the doors, installing security alarms, wearing a seatbelt etc. to protect oneself from danger. Even preparing well in advance for an exam to avoid failure, or preparing provision for a journeys as a precaution is a form of taqwa. Taqwa provides us the filter to get a renewed perspective regarding how we live various aspects of our lives because we become aware of Allah’s pleasure and displeasure in all our affairs. (MQ)

We all know Taqwa is essential. It has been mentioned over a hundred times in the Qur'an! But how do we develop Taqwa? Allah gives us different training exercises to assist us in developing taqwa, and one of the most important exercise is fasting. All of us are commanded to fast in order to attain Taqwa because we are all in need of it. None of us can claim to have ultimate taqwa but it is something we must always strive towards. Fasting is not guaranteed to develop taqwa, but Allah says لعل maybe, hopefully you will develop Taqwa. Allah has the hope that we will develop taqwa, so we should have hope in Allah's hope for us, SubhanAllah! 

“This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqin (People of Taqwa).” (Sura Al-Baqarah:2)

"Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that(believer) who has Taqwa." (Hujaraat 49:13)

Abu Dharr said: "The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Have Taqwa of Allah wherever you are, and follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out, and treat the people with good behavior." (Tirmidhi)

How does fasting develop Taqwa? 

Our existence consists of our body and our Ruh. Our body and Ruh have entirely different needs. Our body was made from dirt, so it's food and nutrition is derived from the earth. Our Ruh came from the heavens, so its nutrition comes from the heavens. Just like our body, our Ruh is also always in need of food, and without food it will starve to death. Its food is in the form of revelation, which Allah describes as "Nur" in the Quran. The light within us is in need of the light of revelation to complete itself, and light the way.

Our Ruh has the intrinsic desire to submit to Allah, but our Nafs is like a wild horse. We are the horse rider who needs to learn how to control and command this wild horse. If we don't control this wild horse, it will lead us wherever it wishes. It is driven by our needs and desires. Needs are necessary for our survival e.g. food, drink, shelter etc. Desires are in excess of our basic needs and are  not necessary for  our survival. Sometimes, we become so obsessed with our desires that they overpower us. Allah does not ask us to strangle our desires, but He asks us to control and channel our desires in the right direction. If we lose self control, we become like animals. We need to maintain the balance between our body and Ruh. If we feed our body alone and starve our soul, we will lose this balance. 

In Ramadan, Allah deprives us of our basic needs of food, drink and intimacy. During fasting, we feel intense thirst and hunger. These natural bodily needs continuously push us to rebel against Allah to fulfil our needs. But, we fight against our nafs the entire day, due to the consciousness of Allah. It is a constant battle between our Nafs and our Ruh that goes on throughout Ramadan. Allah locks Shaytaan for 30 days to make this period of training easier for us. We crush our basic needs and the strongest desires only to gain the pleasure of Allah.  We starve our bodies to feed our Ruh in order to regain the lost balance between our body and Ruh.

When we manage to suppress our basic needs during Ramadan, we realise that we have the strength to refrain from sins outside of Ramadan. When we manage to stay away from even the permissible things in Ramadan, we realise that we have the ability to abstain from impermissible things. Allah makes us go through a tough physical practice regimen, and this training develops our spiritual muscles that drive us after Ramadan is over. It is a practice of self-restraint, just like an athlete who follows a strict diet and exercise plan to prepare for a marathon race. Fasting develops into us a power that helps us control our desires, which is the foundation of Taqwa. Fasting is not the ultimate goal, but it is the means to attain Taqwa.

[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.

ايام معدودات= Handful of days. Linguistically it refers to less than 10 days. It refers to the fasts of Ramadan because the days of Ramadan are a handful compared to the days of the year. It has been used rhetorically to encourage the muslims that fasting is easy e.g. a teacher tells his student that the exam is easy, so that the student doesn't become afraid and lose confidence

Whoever is ill or is on a journey should make up by fasting an equal number of days. "Ill" refers to a person who cannot fast without unbearable hardship or has a strong apprehension that his illness will be aggravated. This should be verified based on the opinion of a reliable doctor, or based on personal past experience. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also included in this ruling.

While giving concession to a traveler, Allah says whoever is "on a journey" rather than "whoever is a traveler". This is to point out that merely leaving the home is not enough to claim the exemption, but the duration of travel should be taken into consideration.  The precise duration is derived from Ahadith, and is considered 48 miles. Moreover, the travel will only be entitled to this exemption as long as his travel continues. If he stays at a place for fifteen days or more, he is no longer considered to be a traveler, based on a hadith. Allah has given us the rukhsah(concession) of not fasting if we are traveling, but if our travel is easy, the azimah(better, preferable course of action)  would be to fast. 

"Equal number of days are to be made up" suggests that fasts only have to be made up after the ill person regains health, and after the traveler returns home. If one dies before having the opportunity to make up for these fasts, he will not be required to make a bequest for Fidya. (MQ)

Those who have the strength to fast and are not restricted by sickness or travel but do not wish to fast, had the alternative to feed a poor person instead(fidya). Fidya is to pay the market value of approximately 1.6 kg wheat to a poor person, in lieu of every missed fast. But, Allah adds that whoever volunteers excess i.e. keeps extra fasts, or feeds extra people, it is better for him. And fasting is best in the sight of Allah as it has a lot of spiritual benefits and is a means of gaining His qurb. 

PROGRESSION OF THE RULINGS OF FASTING FOR MUSLIMS

Initially, Prophet ﷺ used to fast for three days every month (ايام بيض) i.e. the 13th,14th and 15th of every month.  He also used to fast on Ashura, the 10th of Muharram.  When Allah revealed these verses "Fasting is for a limited number of days", it became fardh upon Muslims to fast in Ramadan. It was difficult for Muslims initially as they were not accustomed to fasting for an entire month, so Allah gave them the alternative of feeding a poor person as a concession. 


After that, Allah revealed the following verse that "Whoever witnesses the month of Ramadan should fast" which abrogated the previous ayah. If a person is traveling or is ill, he has to make up for it later with an equal number of days. The concession of paying Fidya(expiation) was taken away from those who had the strength to fast. Fidya only remained permissible for those who were  unable to fast in their lives because of old age or sickness.

Moreover, initially Muslims were not allowed to eat, drink or have relations if they fell asleep after Maghrib, even if the night wasn't over. Sleeping was taken to be an indicator of the beginning of the next fast. Some Sahaba karam R.A. faced difficulty as they fell asleep after Maghrib and had to fast without eating any meal. Some Sahaba had relations with their wives after having a post iftar nap in Ramadan. Allah made it easier by making these actions permissible until dawn, in fact Suhoor was made a Sunnah. (MQ)

PART 2: THE SPIRIT OF RAMADAN

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

This is the only ayah about Ramadan in the whole Qur'an. How did Allah choose to introduce the month of the Qur'an? The Month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down. The Qur'an was sent from the Lauh e Mahfooz (Preserved Tablet) to the lowest heaven in one night of Ramadan, but it was gradually revealed to Prophet  ﷺ  over the course of twenty three years. The defining feature of Ramadan is Qur'an, not fasting. We subconsciously associate Ramadan with fasting, hunger, thirst, and Iftaars. Ramadan has been reduced to a festive activity for us, and has lost its true spirit. We should repeatedly remind ourselves that this is the month in which the food for our soul came down. Ramadan was the turning point in history, as Qur'an brought a revolution and transformation in the entire world. The Qur'an had the power to transform entire civilisations in a brief span of time, so imagine how it can transform our hearts! Moreover, all the previous scriptures were also revealed in their entirety in the month of Ramadan.

This is the month of Qur'an, so we have to allow it to penetrate our hearts, and experience it the way we have never experienced it before. Ramadan is the month to rediscover and reflect upon the Qur'an, the way we've never reflected upon it before. Moreover, Allah mentioned the passive tense: In which was revealed the Qur'an. This shifts all the focus to the Qur'an exclusively. When we reconnect to the Qur'an, we rediscover our relationship with Allah.

THE DESCRIPTION OF QUR'AN

1) A guidance for humanity هدى للناس
2) Containing clear proofs of guidance بينات من الهدى
3) Criterion, or the ultimate separation الفرقان

The Muslims were already familiar with these roles of Qur'an when these ayahs were revealed (in the Madani period). None of this information was new for the sahaba, so why did Allah repeat this description? The purpose was to reintroduce us to the Qur'an, because in this month we are meant to dive into the Qur'an again. Every time we dive into the ocean of Qur'an, we come back drenched, with treasures and pearls. We can never claim to have experienced the entire ocean. The only thing we can claim to have experienced is a few drops of the ocean. Every time we dive, we will be touched by different drops and come back with different pearls. We can never say: I have entirely experienced and understood Surah Fatihah, or any other Surah for that matter.

The Qur'an is a guidance for all people i.e. it provides us counsel to deal with every possible situation. Sometimes, when we are in a difficult situation, we open the Qur'an and find personal tailored guidance in the Qur'an for ourselves. It is a guidance for all the people ناس, so this reminds us that we should be concerned with the guidance all of humanity. The mission of RasulAllah ﷺ must be revived and the word of Allah must be shared with all people. 
للناس also emphasises that the Qur'an is a guidance for all people, irrespective of their culture, background or ethnicity. It is a guidance for all generations that have passed by, and all generations to come. The Bani Israel thought guidance and prophethood was exclusive to them, so Allah also negated them by making Quran a guidance for all humanity. All humans are equal in the sight of Allah, and there is no concept of racism in Islam. Our deen is so beautiful that Bilal R.A. stood next to Uthman R.A. during salah and there was no difference between them in the sight of Allah! The Qur'an is a unifying force for all Muslims.


The Qur'an contains clear proofs of guidance. All previous prophets were give a message and various visual miracles, but the miracles were limited to their own generations. Appreciating those miracles was effortless for those people. But people in the following generations could not experience those miracles, and gradually they became tales and fables for them. When we read about those miracles, it does not affect our hearts the way it affected the hearts of those who visually experienced it. Our Prophet ﷺ was given the message of Qur'an, which itself was a self evident miracle. But, it is not a miracle that will manifest itself to everyone, but only to those who reflect on the Qur'an. Allah not only gave us guidance, but also proofs and arguments to prove that this is the ultimate guidance.

The Qur'an is the criterion. فرق refers to having clear separation between things. Now, we have no excuse to go off sirat ul mustaqeem. Allah has given us clear laws and foundations of moral conduct. He has made clear the difference between good and evil and guidance and misguidance.

شهد means presence. شهر means month. Whoever witnesses the month of Ramadan, should fast in it. Fasting is obligatory for all those who "witness" or are "present" in the blessed month with the ability to fast (i.e. adult, sane, Muslim, resident, pure of ritual impurities). Whoever is ill, or on a journey, he should make up for it with an equal number of days. The option of expiation was taken away from a healthy person. The institution of fasting became harder because the number of days of fasting increased for Muslims, and now there was no alternative for a healthy person but to fast. 

ALLAH INTENDS EASE!

Immediately after that, Allah says that He intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you.  Allah reassures us by repeating the same point twice! How does Allah intend ease?

1. Allah makes fasting naturally easy for us in Ramadan, more than at any other time in the year. 

2. Allah gives us 30 days dedicated to fasting, that helps strengthen our Imaan and Ruh, and makes us strong enough to deal with real life situations after Ramadan. The Qur'an is the ultimate food for our soul.

3. Deen is an ease for us because it gives us detailed guidance on how to live our lives. Some rulings might apparently seem difficult, but there is long term Khayr for us in following them. Sometimes, a short term discomfort leads to long term benefits. 

4. Allah has even given us easy alternatives for everything! If we make a mistake in salah, we can make sajdah sahw, if we make a mistake in Hajj we can offer sadaqah or sacrifice, if we miss our salah or fast, we can make up for it later, if we are unable to make up for it because of health, we can pay fidya. Allah hasn't kept a deadline for Qadha and we can make up for our missed ibadah at any point in our lives. 

Some people twist the verse by saying that we should do whatever is easy for us. Whatever appears difficult, we should leave it. This is incorrect. The verse means that Allah has made ease for us, so we should make use of whatever ease Allah has given us. Allah does not intend to make things difficult for us. Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. The verse can also be translated as Allah intends ease through you, which implies that fasting assists our purpose of spreading ease for other people.

Allah follows it by saying that He wants us to complete the count. Fasting in Ramadan is a tough training regimen for a fixed number of days, after which we have our graduation ceremony in the form of Eid. So, Allah says that He wants us to glorify Him because He guided us, referring to the takbeerat of Eid. Takbeer refers to declaring the greatness of Allah. Allahu Akbar implies that just like Allah was greater than all our desires in Ramadan,   it needs to continue after Ramadan. Allah should be the biggest priority in our lives. What greater thing to be grateful for than the month of Ramadan and the blessing of Qur'an?


PART 3: FRUIT OF OUR LABOUR

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.


In the previous Ayahs, Allah was speaking to us and conveying His message. In this Ayah, it is our opportunity to speak to Allah and complete the conversation. According to some narrations, this verse was revealed when a Sahaba asked Nabi Kareem ﷺ whether they should make dua silently or loudly i.e. Is Allah near or far? Or, a sahaba asked Nabi Kareem ﷺ at what time they can make dua to Allah? This verse was revealed to tell us that Allah is always there for us and always listening. 

Imagine a mother sent her soldier son to a battle. She is extremely hopeful of his return, so she says that "when" he returns, I will rush to welcome him. The mother doesn't say "if" because she loves her son unconditionally, and cannot even consider the possibility of her son dying and not returning.

Allah is more than a loving mother to us. Allah begins the Ayah by saying "when" "my" slave ask "you" about "me", "Indeed I am near". Allah is in anticipation of our call and calls us "my" slaves. Allah owns and loves us by saying عبادى, My slaves! Imagine that Allah is the highest of the highest as our Rabb, and we are the lowest of the lowest as His slaves, but Allah is there for us.  He also uses "me" instead of "us" to establish His closeness to us. Allah is so happy that He responds to the question directly, instead of responding through the tongue of Nabi Kareem ﷺ. Allah establishes a direct relationship with us, without the need of any intermediary or intercessor. Allah says انّى to place emphasis and remove all doubts about whether He is listening. قريب is an Ism Sift which has the internal meaning of "always" so Allah has always been near and always will be near. Allah never turned away from us, but we are the ones who turn our back to Allah. The advantage is that when someone is near, it is easier for us to communicate with them, as opposed to someone who is far away from us. This also makes us more conscious of the presence of Allah, and helps us increase in our Taqwa.

I respond to the invocation of "the" caller "whenever" he calls me. اجيب means "to respond." Allah does not say استجيب  which means to try to answer, or to respond over time, but Allah says اجيب which means that Allah responds immediately. Allah responds to even the silent, unspoken duas in our hearts that have not even come upon our tongues yet. Allah does not put any conditions for responding to our dua, but He responds to every call, even if it is a single call دعوة. Anybody who calls, qualifies to be caller, even if he is not a Muslim. Allah listens to us even if this is the first time in our lives that we are making dua to Him and remembering Him. Don't forget that Allah has the right to be angry with us for neglecting His remembrance, but He still responds immediately. Some people lose patience and feel that Allah does not respond to their duas,  but Allah always responds immediately with that which is best for us. Moreover, Allah first mentioned His response, and then mentioned our call, which implies that Allah is so eager to respond to us that He flipped the sequence in this ayah! SubhanAllah!

Also, note that Allah says "the" caller الداع as if He knows every single one of us personally. It is very hard to gain access to any person of authority or importance in the dunya, but Allah has given each one of us so much importance that He calls us "the" caller. He identifies and recognises every single one of us.  Allah is closer to us than our jugular vein and can distinguish us from the millions of other people who may be calling Him simultaneously.  If we are asked to listen and respond to multiple people simultaneously, we will not be able to make any sense or even recall their names! Allah also emphasises that He will respond whenever He is called i.e. immediately اذا دعان.  It is very hard to arrange an appointment with important people, but Allah is with us 24/7. Allah is always available to listen to us, be it in the brightness of the day or the darkness of the night!

Allah follows it by saying that let them فليستجيبوا "try to respond to me". Allah values our niyyah and efforts, even if we are imperfect and unable to achieve the desired results. When they respond to me, they should believe in me وليومنوا. Allah mentioned belief because some people lose faith and assume that Allah is ignoring their duas, so Allah is reminding us to have tawakkul and sabr. Trust in Allah's plan, as His plans have the most khayr for us. Recall how the mother of Musa AS placed trust in Allah, and placed baby Musa AS in the river to protect him from being killed by Firaun's soldiers  It was apparently a suicide mission, but Allah quickly reunited Musa AS with his mother, in the palace of Firaun. SubhanAllah!

Allah ends by saying يرشدون "that they may be rightly guided" because those people who have such a strong reliance upon Allah, stay firm on Sirat ul mustaqeem. The revelation from Allah, and dua made to Allah when combined together, set our lives straight. Allah speaks to us through the Qur'an, and we communicate to Allah through dua, SubhanAllah!

This verse is also an indication that we should make special dua in Ramadan, especially at the time of Iftaar and Suhoor. Ramadan is the month to reconnect ourselves to Allah through dua. Dua is the most intimate conversation with Allah so we should call Allah with presence of heart. We should make dua with the belief that Allah is always, constantly listening to us, and waiting for us to call upon Him. 

The goal of fasting was defined as Taqwa. The goals of Ramadan are to complete the 30 day training period, to declare the greatness of Allah over everything else in our lives, and develop a feeling of gratitude for the Qur'an and every single blessing. The purpose of dua is to develop a relationship with Allah and be guided through it.

An-Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Du'a (supplication) is worship." [Abu Dawud].

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The supplication of the servant is granted in case he does not supplicate for sin or for severing the ties of blood, or he does not become impatient. It was said: Allah's Messenger, what does:" If he does not grow impatient" imply? He said: That he should say like this: I supplicated and I supplicated but I did not find it being responded. and then he becomes frustrated and abandons supplication. (Sahih Muslim)

Abud-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Everytime he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: 'A meen! May it be for you, too'."[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "You must not supplicate: 'O Allah! forgive me if You wish; O Allah bestow mercy on me if You wish.' But beg from Allah with certitude for no one has the power to compel Allah."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Another narration of Muslim is: "A supplication should be made in full confidence and one should persistently express his desire (before Allah) in his supplication, for no bounty is too great for Allah to bestow (upon his slaves)."

Abu Hurairah [may Allah be pleased with him] narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever wishes that Allah would respond to him during hardship and grief, then let him supplicate plentifully when at ease.” (Tirmidhi)

PART 4: THE LIMITS SET BY ALLAH

It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah , so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.

رفث has been made permissible for all of you in the night of the fast. رفث encompasses all aspects of intimacy, including intercourse and everything that leads to it. Ramadan is the time to restore the loving relationship between husband and wife. Allah calls spouses a لباس for each other. It could refer to protection, zeenah, covering imperfections and closeness between spouses. Allah has mentioned this after the Ayahs of Ramadan because our spiritual efforts will be incomplete without developing a healthy, loving relationship with our spouses. This is important because an unhealthy relationship between spouses and a lack of sukoon at home affects our spirituality. The Shayateen are chained in this month, so this is the best time to reform the relationship.

Allah already knew that you were deceiving yourselves, and He has accepted your repentance. This refers to the mistakes made by Sahaba of having relations after post- Iftaar nap. Allah says, now have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you.  And eat and drink until the white thread (brightness) of dawn becomes distinct from the black thread (darkness) of night. This refers to the time of Fajr adhan. Then complete the fast until sunset (Maghrib). So it is impermissible for one to engage in any of the prohibited actions after adhaan of Fajr or before the adhan of Maghrib. This can spoil the fast and a make up would be required. 

Do not have any intimacy with them if you are in itikaaf. Itikaf literally means "to stay or remain attached to a place in seclusion". The sunnah itikah is the act of staying in the mosque in the last ten days of Ramadan. After Iftaar, it is permissible for the person inItikaf to eat and drink, but intimacy remains impermissible even at night. These are limits prescribed by Allah, so don't even go near them. If we go near the limits, we might end up crossing them unintentionally. 

PRACTICAL TIPS:

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting. It is (exclusively) meant for Me and I (alone) will reward it. Fasting is a shield. When any one of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language, nor raise the voice; or if anyone reviles him or tries to quarrel with him he should say: I am a person fasting. By Him, in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah on the Day of judgment than the fragrance of musk. The one who fasts has two (occasions) of joy, one when he breaks the fast he is glad with the breaking of (the fast) and one when he meets his Lord he is glad with his fast. (Muslim)

1. Add the niyyah of Taqwa with every fast.  "I intend to fast for the pleasure of Allah, to gain taqwa and draw closer to Allah, and become a better person"

2. Niyyah to reconnect to the Qur’an

Listening to the Qur’an, Recitation, Memorization, Understanding, Explanation.

Focus on a Surah as a project: memorize, recite in salah, reflect, understand, implement.

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the most generous of people in giving charity. He was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to meet him. Every night of Ramadan Jibril used to come to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would read the Qur'an to him. When Jibril came to him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more generous in giving charity than the blowing wind.” (Al Adab al Mufrad)

3. Memorise Sunnah duas. Implement one Sunnah a day, inward and outward

4. Kick out distractions. Prepare for Eid well in time

5. Fardh comes first, so focus on faraidh and qadha, them move to Sunnah and nawafil

6. Simple Iftaar and Suhoor. Don’t waste precious dua time in preparing food

7. Maximise the barakah of last 10 nights. Try to sit in Nafl Itikaf at least.

8. Give charity

Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever provides the food for a fasting person to break his fast with, then for him is the same reward as his (the fasting person's), without anything being diminished from the reward of the fasting person.” (Tirmidhi)

9. Perfect our ikhlaaq. Fast from sins, not just food. Develop lasting habits that can be continued outside of Ramadan

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: Fast is a shield ; when one of you is fasting, he should neither behave in an obscene manner nor foolishly. If a man fights or abuses him, he should say: I am fasting, I am fasting. (Sunan Abi Dawud)

10. Invite others to deen this month as hearts are softer.

11. Make personal duas to Allah. Make a dua list

12. Habit of zikr. Remembering Allah in the heart, and with the tongue, only and also.