Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Night of Destiny (Lailatul-Qadr)

The Messenger of Allah (S) is quoted on page 265, Vol. 3, of al-Amin's work Muftahul Jannat, saying, "Allah has favored Friday over all other days, the month of Ramadan over all other months, and the Night of Destiny (Lailatul-Qadr) over all other nights." And Allah has favored the Holy Qur'an over all other Books which He revealed. Ibrahim, one of the companions of Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as), is quoted on p. 25, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, saying that he once asked the Imam (as) about how the Holy Qur'an was revealed during Lailatul-Qadr, knowing that it took more than twenty years to reveal.

The Imam (as) answered by saying, "The Holy Qur'an was revealed as a whole during the month of Ramadan at the Ancient House (the Ka’ba), then from there it was revealed along the span of (more than) twenty years." Then he cited the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, "The Books of Ibrahim (as) were revealed on the first night of the month of Ramadan; the Torah was revealed on the sixth of the month of Ramadan; the Gospel (Injil) was revealed on the thirteenth of the month of Ramadan; the Psalms (Zabur) were revealed on the eighteenth of the month of Ramadan, and the Holy Qur'an was revealed on the twenty-fourth of the month of Ramadan." This tradition is also recorded on p. 80, Vol. 1, of al-’Ayyashi's Tafsir.

This name was used for Lailatul-Qadr because Allah Almighty determines in it for everyone all what will happen the entire next year. The "Qadr" in this sense means destiny. According to al-Qummi's Tafsir, as explained on p. 432 of its second volume, such destiny includes life and death, sustenance, abundance of crops or famine, and everything good or bad. This means that Allah the Glorified and Exalted determines in this night each and every event to occur during the next year to any and all of His creation.

Al-Majlisi quotes his father on p. 12, Vol. 94, of his own Bihar al-Anwar quoting al-Nadar quoting Yahya al-Halabi quoting Ibn Maskan quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) saying, "During Lailatul-Qadr, the angels, the spirit, and the trusted scribes all descend to the lower heavens and write down whatever Allah decrees that year, and if Allah wishes to advance something or postpone it or add thereto, He orders the angel to erase it and replace it with whatever He decrees." This is also confirmed by al-Qummi in his renown Tafsir, exegesis of the Holy Qur'an.

On p. 182, Vol. 1, of ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, and on p. 14, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, Ja’far ibn Ali ibn Ahmed quotes al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Sadaqah quotes Muhammad son of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz quoting al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali quoting Sulayman al-Marzawi asking Imam al-Rida (as), "Could you please tell us why the Chapter of Qadr was revealed?" The Imam (as) said, "O Sulayman! Lailatul-Qadr is the night when Allah, the most Exalted, the most Great, decrees what will take place from one year to another of life or death, good or evil, or regarding sustenance, and whatever He then decrees is sure destiny."

On p. 315 of Ma’ani al-Akhbar, and also on p. 18, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, Ibn Musa quotes Ibn Zakariyya citing Muhammad ibn al-Abbas quoting Muhammad ibn al-Sary quoting Ahmed ibn Abdullah ibn Yunus

quoting Ibn Tareef quoting Ibn Nubatah quoting Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) saying, "The Messenger of Allah (S) asked me once, ‘O Ali! Do you know the implication of Lailatul-Qadr?' I said, ‘No, indeed, O Messenger of Allah!' He (S) said, ‘Allah, the Praised One, the Most Glorified, decreed in it what will take place till the Day of Judgment, and among what He, the most Exalted, the Most Great, decreed was your own Imamate and Wilayat and the Imamate and Wilayat of your offspring till the Day of Resurrection."

Both Ma’ani al-Akhbar and Bihar al-Anwar quote Sa’d citing the great traditionist Abdullah son of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab quoting Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Mahran quoting Salih quoting Salih ibn ‘Uqbah quoting al-Fadl ibn ‘Uthman saying, "When the Chapter of Qadr was mentioned in the presence of Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), he was asked about its merits over other chapters, and he said, ‘It was revealed with reference to the Wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali) (as).' He (as) was asked, ‘Do you mean Lailatul-Qadr for which we look in anticipation during the month of Ramadan?' He (as) said, ‘Yes; it is the night in which the heavens and the earth were determined, and the Wilayat of the Commander of the Faithful (as) was decreed.'"

Ahmed ibn Muhammad and Ahmed ibn Ishaq, as recorded on p. 21, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, quote al-Qasim ibn Yahya quoting others citing Imam Abu Abdullah (as) saying that Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) quite often used to say, "We saw the Messenger of Allah (S) once in the company of al-Taymi and a friend of his while the latter was reciting Chapter al-Qadr. He (S) was profoundly moved and he kept weeping to the extent that he (S) was asked, ‘How so deeply moved by this Chapter your heart is!'

He (S) said, ‘My heart is deeply impressed because of what my eyes had witnessed, and what my mind had comprehended, and because of what the heart of this man [meaning Ali (as)] will go through after me.' Both men asked the Messenger of Allah (S), ‘Did you really see all of that?! And what will he (Ali) see?' He (S) would then recite the verse saying, ‘The angels and the Spirit descend therein with the permission of their Lord for every affair; peace, it is, till the break of the morn.'

Then he (S) would pause and ask them, ‘Is there anything left after the Almighty having verbally said ‘every affair'?' They would both answer in the negative, and he (S) would then ask them, ‘Do you both know regarding whom it is revealed?' They would both say, ‘No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah!'

He (S) would then say, ‘Yes; is there going to be a Lailatul-Qadr after me (I.e., after my demise)?' They would answer in the affirmative, and he (S) would then ask them, ‘Will every affair descend therein?' They said: ‘Yes.' He then asked them, ‘To whom will it descend?' They answered, ‘We do not know.' He (S), with his hand on my head, pushed me gently forward and said, ‘If you do not know, then it is regarding this person after me.' Both men, ever since the demise of the Messenger of Allah (S), used to be filled with awe whenever that night approached.'"

The Almighty says,

"Therein every wise affair is made distinct" (44:4).

This means that in this night, the Exalted One decrees everything that will happen next year. It is also said in Arabic that someone has a "qadr," a social status or a certain prestige, which he enjoys among people. The "Qadr" in this sense, therefore, also connotes prestige and significance.

The Almighty also says in the Holy Qur'an, "They did not honor Allah as He ought to be honored," that is, they did not glorify Him as He ought to be glorified; thus, "qadr" in this verse implies glorification. Lailatul-Qadr, then, is the great night which enjoys a great deal of prestige and high esteem with Allah and in which He determines and decrees the fate and sustenance of all His creation. It has a special status simply because obedience to Him during it is regarded with great seriousness and urgency, and a great reward awaits those who honor the month wherein it falls.

It is also said that it was so named because a Book from Allah which enjoys greatness of status was revealed to a Prophet who also enjoys a great honor and prestige. Another view is that it was named so because the earth becomes straitened due to the number of angels on it. "Qadr," according to this view, carries the meaning of straitness due to the fact that the Almighty has said "... and whoever He decides to straiten his sustenance...," and Allah knows best.

The Almighty has addressed His servant and Messenger, our master, Muhammad (S), saying, "And what will make you comprehend what Lailatul-Qadr is? Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months;" that is, "How would you know the greatness, significance, and sanctity of this night which I have decreed to be better than a thousand months?"

There are indications that the Holy Qur'an was revealed as a whole to the Messenger (S). In the Holy Qur'an, we read:

"Haa, Meem. By the Book that makes (the truth) manifest, surely We revealed it on a blessed night" (Surah Dhukhan 44:1-3),

and also,

"Surely We revealed it on Lailatul-Qadr" (Surah Bayyinnah 98:1).

Ibn Abbas is quoted saying, "The Holy Qur'an was revealed as a whole from the Safeguarded Scroll from the heavens to the lower earth on Lailatul-Qadr, then Gabriel (as) used to reveal it unto Muhammad (S) gradually." It is well known that the Holy Qur'an was revealed unto the Messenger of Allah (S) in installments during a period of twenty-three years. The first chapter revealed unto the Messenger of Allah (S) at the Cave of Hira was the Chapter of al-’Alaq when Gabriel said to him: "(O Muhammad!) Read!" He (S) said: "I cannot read." He repeated, "Read!" Again the Prophet (S) said, "I cannot read." So he said once more,

"Read in the Name of your Lord Who created..." (Surah Alaq 96:1),

up to the end of the chapter. The last verse of the Glorious Book of Allah revealed unto the Messenger (S) was:

"Today have I completed for you your religion, perfected My blessing unto you, and accepted Islam as your religion" (Surah Maida 5:3).

Thus, suffices this blessed night the honor and dignity of being particularly chosen by the Glorified and Exalted One for the revelation of His Glorious Qur'an which is the shining and guiding light of the religion of Islam and the constitution of its adherents.

Why is Lailatul-Qadr better than a thousand months? Why not better than ten or a hundred thousands?! Al-Qummi indicates on page 432, Vol. 2, of his Tafsir, that the Messenger of Allah (S) once saw in a vision monkeys climbing over his pulpit, and he felt very distressed; thereupon, the chapter of Qadr was revealed to remove his distress. The period of Banu Umayyad's government lasted roughly a thousand months: from 661 to 750 A.D., with the first ruler being Abu Sufyan and the last Mu’awiyah al-Himar.

Both al-Kulayni in his Al-Kafi and al-Majlisi in his Bihar al-Anwar quote Ahmed ibn Muhammad quoting Ali ibn al-Hassan quoting Muhammad ibn al-Walid and Muhammad ibn Ahmed quoting Yunus ibn Ya’qub quoting Ali ibn ‘Eisa al-Qammat quoting his uncle quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) saying, "The Messenger of Allah (S) was shown in a vision how Banu Umayyah climbed over his pulpit (like monkeys climb over trees), so he felt very unhappy, whereupon Gabriel (as) descended upon him and asked him why he was so forlorn.

He (S) said, ‘I have seen (in a vision) tonight Banu Umayya ascending my pulpit after having misled people from the Straight Path.' Gabriel (as) said,

‘I swear by the One Who has sent me (as a messenger) with the truth, this is something with which I am not familiar.' Having said so, he ascended to the heavens. After a short while, he brought him one verse to remove thereby his grief; it said: ‘Have you considered if We would let them enjoy themselves for (a few) years, then that with which they are threatened comes to them, so much so that whatever they were permitted to enjoy shall not avail them (in the least)?' (Holy Qur'an, Surah Shu’ara 26:205-207).

And he also brought him: ‘We revealed it in Lailatul-Qadr, and what will make you comprehend what Lailatul-Qadr is? Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months..., etc.'"

Lailatul-Qadr is a blessed night also because the Almighty brings down during it goodness, bliss, and forgiveness for His servants. One tradition of the greatest of all prophets Muhammad ibn Abdullah (S) states that when Lailatul-Qadr approaches, the Almighty orders Gabriel (as) to descend accompanied by a crowd of angels to the earth with a green banner.

He would mount the banner atop the Ka’ba while having six hundred wings one of which is not spread except on Lailatul-Qadr; so, he would spread them during that night, and he and all other angels would greet everyone who is standing for his prayers, sitting, adoring, or reciting the Holy Qur'an. They would shake hands with them and pray the Almighty to accept their pleas, and they would continue doing so till daybreak.

It is then that they would ask Gabriel: "What has the Almighty Allah done with the wishes of the believers among the nation of Muhammad (S)?" He would answer, "The Almighty Allah has looked upon them on this night and forgiven them, all of them, except the following: one who is addicted to drinking, one who severs his ties with his kin, and one who is a trouble-maker."

The Almighty has said, "Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months," meaning, mathematically, that this night, which is comprised of a few hours,

is honored by Allah the Exalted and Praised over about eighty-three years which is the equivalent of a thousand months. The Umayyads fought Islam since its inception, then they fought the family of the Prophet (S), that is, Ahl al-Bayt, the whole time they were in power.

The first self-declared Umayyad ruler was Abu Sufyan, and the last was Mu’awiya al-Himar. If you trace the period extending from the first year during which Abu Sufyan forced his authority on the Muslims until the Umayyad lost grip over power, you will come to a figure equivalent to a thousand months. It is as if the Holy Qur'an is saying that one night in the sight of Allah is better than all the thousand months those corrupt Umayyads ruled the Muslim masses by sheer force.

The Almighty has also said, "Peace, it is, till the break of the morn," that is, "Lailatul-Qadr is a night of peace and tranquility against all evils, tribulations, and the mischief of the devils. No evil can take place during it, nor can a demon practice his evil designs. It is peace for the devotees who are greeted whenever they are met by the angels. The angels greet them and greet you, O Muhammad, and so does My Spirit, since the moment they descend from heavens and till the time of daybreak."

According to the book titled al-Iqbal which cites Kanzul Yawaqeet by Abul-Fadl ibn Muhammad al-Harwi, the Prophet (S) has said, "Whoever remains awake during Lailatul-Qadr and spends it in adoration will have his penalty postponed till the next year." According to the same reference, the Prophet (S) says that Moses (as) once addressed the Almighty saying, "Lord! I desire to be near to You." The Almighty said, "Whoever desires nearness to Me is one who remains awake during Lailatul-Qadr (worshi­pping Me)."

He said, "Lord! I wish to earn Your mercy." The Almighty said, "My mercy is granted to anyone who is merciful to the indigent during Lailatul-Qadr." He said, "Lord! I wish to pass on the right path." He said, "This is granted to anyone who spends alms during Lailatul-Qadr." He said, "Lord! I wish to enjoy the trees and fruits of Paradise!" The Almighty said, "This is granted to anyone who praises Me during Lailatul-Qadr."

He said, "Lord! I wish to achieve salvation from the fire!" He said, "This is granted to anyone who seeks forgiveness during Lailatul-Qadr." He said, "Lord! I wish to achieve Your pleasure!" The Almighty said, "I shall be pleased with anyone who prays two (optional) rek’ats during Lailatul-Qadr."

The same book quotes the Holy Prophet (S) saying that the gates of heaven will be opened during Lailatul-Qadr; every devotee who performs prayers during it will receive a tree in Paradise for each prostration he makes, a tree under whose shade a rider may keep riding for a hundred years without leaving its shade. And he will receive for each rek’a a mansion in Paradise of pearls, sapphires, chrysolites and diamonds. For each verse he recites he will receive one of the crowns of Paradise. The tradition is lengthy and it contains quite a generous reward indeed.

Al-Dooryasti, in Kitab al-Husna, relying on the authority of Abu Ja’far al-Jawad who quotes his forefathers quoting Imam al-Baqir, peace be upon all of them, the Messenger of Allah (S) is quoted saying that whoever spends Lailatul-Qadr adoring his Lord will have all his sins forgiven even if

they had numbered as many as the stars in the heavens, the weight of the mountains, or the measures of the seas. Al-Harwi reported a similar tradition which is recorded in Kanz al-Yawaqeet.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, is quoted on page 5351 of Al-Sahih al-Jami’ citing the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, "Lailatul-Qadr is easy, airy, neither very hot nor very cold; the sun rises on its morning colored pale red." The Messenger of Allah (S) is also quoted saying, "At the morning of Lailatul-Qadr, the sun rises without rays, looking like a washbowl, till it is high." This tradition is reported by Muslim and al-Tirmithi. The Mes­senger of Allah (S) is also reported saying, "Lailatul-Qadr is a serene night, neither hot nor cold, and no comet is hurled during it. One of the signs of its advent is that the sun rises without a ray."

Zad al-Ma'ad quotes a few scholars who believe in its perpetuity, indicating that some of them say that it is at the conclusion of the year; therefore, it has to be observed during all nights of the year so that one of them will be it. Others say that it is in Sha’ban and the month of Ramadan, while still others say that it is the night of the middle of Sha’ban.

Others say that it is the beginning of the month of Ramadan, while others say it is the middle of it; yet others say it is the seventeenth. Still others say it is the twenty-ninth of it, while others say it is the last night of it, and most Sunnis of our time are of the view that it is the twenty-seventh. This proves that the reason why it was not determined exactly is due to the purpose of observing the entire month.

On Lailatul-Qadr did the night journey (israa) to heavens take place, and the Almighty raised Jesus son of Mary (as) to Him. On it, His servant and prophet Moses (as) died, and so did Joshua son of Noon, the wasi of Moses, peace be upon both of them. Also on it was the commander of the faithful Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) martyred.

Relying on the authority of Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him, a few narrators of hadith have indicated that the Prophet (S) had been asked once about the Night of Destiny (Lailatul-Qadr). So he ascended the pulpit and, having praised the Almighty, he (S) said, "You have asked me about the Night of Destiny. I have not concealed the knowledge of it from you out of my ignorance thereof.

Be informed, O people, that whoever during the month of Ramadan is healthy, and he fasts during its days and performs prayers during a portion of its nights and is punctual regarding the obligatory prayers, and makes an effort to attend congregational prayers on Fridays during it and attends the Eid prayers as well, he will then have honored the Night of Destiny duly, and he will receive his reward from the Creator."

Do you need any more clues regarding the greatness of Lailatul-Qadr? Then let us tell you that the authors of Thawab al-A’mal and Bihar al-Anwar have cited the son of al-Mutawakkil quoting Muhammad al-Attar quoting al-Ash’ari quoting Muhammad ibn Hassan quoting Ibn Mahran quoting al-Bataini quoting his father quoting Abu Busayr quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as), the men whose truthfulness is not doubted even by the most skeptic scholar, saying that whoever recites Surat al-’Ankabut (The Spider) and Surat al-Rum (Romans) during the 23rd night of the month

of Ramadan will secure admission into Paradise without any exception. On p. 19, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, the Imam (as) is quoted adding, "I do not fear lest Allah should record that I have committed a sin for having said s; surely these two Chapters enjoy a great status with Allah."

Which Night is Lailatul-Qadr?

Is it the 17th or the 19th? Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali-al-Baqir (as) is quoted in Bihar al-Anwar and Da’aim al-Islam as having said, "The 17th night of the month of Ramadan is when the two parties met, and the 19th is when the lists of the pilgrims is written down, and the 21st is when successors to the Prophets passed away and Jesus Christ (as) was raised to heaven and Moses (as) passed away, whereas the 23rd is hoped to be Lailatul-Qadr."

Both al-’Ayyashi's Tafsir and al-Majlisi's Bihar al-Anwar quote ‘Amr ibn Sa’eed saying, "A man from Medina disagreed with me regarding the night (Lailatul-Qadr) when the two hosts meet, saying that it was the night of the 17th of the month of Ramadan, so I went to see Abu Abdullah (as) and told him about our disagreement, whereupon he (as) said, ‘The man from Medina did not say the truth; I know that you mean it is the 19th when the Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali, as) was wounded, and it is the same night when Jesus son of Mary (as) was raised to heavens."

Both references quote Humran quoting Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) saying, "The destiny referred to as Lailatul-Qadr is the same destiny referred to in another verse (of Surat al-A’raf) wherein the most Exalted One says: ‘When their doom is come, they shall not remain behind in the least, nor will they go before' (Holy Qur'an, 7:34)."

Or is it the 21st or the 23rd? Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ubaydullah, according to Majalis al-Shaykh, as quoted on p. 2, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, quotes Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya who in turn quotes his father saying, "I was in the company of Abu Abdullah (as) when Abu Busayr asked him, ‘Which night is the one when one is to plead to his Lord whatever he wishes to plead?' The Imam (as) answered him by saying, ‘Either the twenty-first or the twenty-third.'

He then asked him (as), ‘What if I have no strength to observe both of them?' The Imam (as) said, ‘How easy it is to observe them when compared to your pleas!'" Abu Abdullah (as) is also quoted in the same volume of Bihar al-Anwar saying, "The twenty-third night of the month of Ramadan is the one when every weighty matter is decided, when trials, tribulations, deaths, and means of sustenance and other matters are determined, and so will whatever Allah decrees to take place for the entire next year; so, congratulations to anyone who remains awake during it bowing, prostrating, contemplating upon his sins, weeping on their account, for if you do all of that, God willing, you will never be disappointed."

Then he added, "Allah will order an angel to call out during each and every day of the month of Ramadan conveying Allah's message to them thus: ‘Good news, O My servants! I have forgiven your past sins and permitted some of you to intercede on behalf of the rest on Lailatul-Qadr except those who break their fast with an intoxicant or those who bear grudge against another Muslim brother!'" It is narrated that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala wards off evil and sins and all types of trials on the 25th night from all His servants who fast and grants them light in their hearing and vision; Paradise is decorated during Lailatul-Qadr's day and night.

The great Sunni scholar Ibn Abul-Hadid, in his commentary on Nahjul Balagha, cites Ibn Durayd's Amali stating that al-Jarmoothi quotes Ibn al-Muhallabi quoting Ibn al-Kalbi quoting Shaddad ibn Ibrahim quoting ‘Ubaydullah ibn al-Hassan al-Fahri quoting Ibn ‘Aradah saying, "The Commander of the Faithful (as) was once asked about Lailatul-Qadr, and he said, ‘It is not at all improbable that I know which night it is and deliberately hide such knowledge, and I do not at all doubt that Allah hid such knowledge from you only out of His love for you, for if you knew which night it is, you would have honored it and left the others, and I hope you will not err in its regard."

Which Night is Lailatul-Qadr?

Is it the 17th or the 19th? Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali-al-Baqir (as) is quoted in Bihar al-Anwar and Da’aim al-Islam as having said, "The 17th night of the month of Ramadan is when the two parties met, and the 19th is when the lists of the pilgrims is written down, and the 21st is when successors to the Prophets passed away and Jesus Christ (as) was raised to heaven and Moses (as) passed away, whereas the 23rd is hoped to be Lailatul-Qadr."

Both al-’Ayyashi's Tafsir and al-Majlisi's Bihar al-Anwar quote ‘Amr ibn Sa’eed saying, "A man from Medina disagreed with me regarding the night (Lailatul-Qadr) when the two hosts meet, saying that it was the night of the 17th of the month of Ramadan, so I went to see Abu Abdullah (as) and told him about our disagreement, whereupon he (as) said, ‘The man from Medina did not say the truth; I know that you mean it is the 19th when the Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali, as) was wounded, and it is the same night when Jesus son of Mary (as) was raised to heavens."

Both references quote Humran quoting Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) saying, "The destiny referred to as Lailatul-Qadr is the same destiny referred to in another verse (of Surat al-A’raf) wherein the most Exalted One says: ‘When their doom is come, they shall not remain behind in the least, nor will they go before' (Holy Qur'an, 7:34)."

Or is it the 21st or the 23rd? Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ubaydullah, according to Majalis al-Shaykh, as quoted on p. 2, Vol. 94, of Bihar al-Anwar, quotes Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya who in turn quotes his father saying, "I was in the company of Abu Abdullah (as) when Abu Busayr asked him, ‘Which night is the one when one is to plead to his Lord whatever he wishes to plead?' The Imam (as) answered him by saying, ‘Either the twenty-first or the twenty-third.'

He then asked him (as), ‘What if I have no strength to observe both of them?' The Imam (as) said, ‘How easy it is to observe them when compared to your pleas!'" Abu Abdullah (as) is also quoted in the same volume of Bihar al-Anwar saying, "The twenty-third night of the month of Ramadan is the one when every weighty matter is decided, when trials, tribulations, deaths, and means of sustenance and other matters are determined, and so will whatever Allah decrees to take place for the entire next year; so, congratulations to anyone who remains awake during it bowing, prostrating, contemplating upon his sins, weeping on their account, for if you do all of that, God willing, you will never be disappointed."

Then he added, "Allah will order an angel to call out during each and every day of the month of Ramadan conveying Allah's message to them thus: ‘Good news, O My servants! I have forgiven your past sins and permitted some of you to intercede on behalf of the rest on Lailatul-Qadr except those who break their fast with an intoxicant or those who bear grudge against another Muslim brother!'" It is narrated that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala wards off evil and sins and all types of trials on the 25th night from all His servants who fast and grants them light in their hearing and vision; Paradise is decorated during Lailatul-Qadr's day and night.

The great Sunni scholar Ibn Abul-Hadid, in his commentary on Nahjul Balagha, cites Ibn Durayd's Amali stating that al-Jarmoothi quotes Ibn al-Muhallabi quoting Ibn al-Kalbi quoting Shaddad ibn Ibrahim quoting ‘Ubaydullah ibn al-Hassan al-Fahri quoting Ibn ‘Aradah saying, "The Commander of the Faithful (as) was once asked about Lailatul-Qadr, and he said, ‘It is not at all improbable that I know which night it is and deliberately hide such knowledge, and I do not at all doubt that Allah hid such knowledge from you only out of His love for you, for if you knew which night it is, you would have honored it and left the others, and I hope you will not err in its regard."

Recommended Deeds for the Twenty-Third Night of the Month of Ramadan

All recommended deeds stated above are also recommended for this night and for all the nights referred to above one of which, according to the above-quoted traditions, Lailatul-Qadr may as well be. On all these nights, it is recommended that you perform the ghusul twice: once at the beginning of the night, and once at its end as Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, is quoted saying. It is also recommended that you read the Chapter of the Holy Qur'an dealing with the Romans and the one with the Spider.

Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, has told Abu Baseer that whoever recites both chapters of al-'Ankaboot (Spider) and al-Room (Romans) on the twenty-third night of the month of Ramadan will certainly be among the residents of Paradise without any exception, adding, "... and I do not fear that Allah will record a sin against me for giving such a status for these two Chapters." It is also recommended to recite the Dukhkhan (Smoke) Chapter too.

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, has said, "Everything has a fruit, and the fruit of the Holy Qur'an is the Qadr Chapter. Everything has a treasure, and the treasure that removes poverty is the Qadr Chapter. For everything there is a means whereby it can be attained, and the means of the weak is the Qadr Chapter. For every hardship there is ease, and the ease of those suffering from hardship is the Qadr Chapter.

There is a shield against everything evil, and the shield of the believers is the Qadr Chapter. For everything there is guidance, and the guidance of the righteous is the Qadr Chapter. There is excellence for everything, and the excellence of knowledge is the Qadr Chapter. There is a decoration for everything, and the decoration of the Holy Qur'an is the Qadr Chapter.

There is a canopy for everything, and the canopy of the devotees is the Qadr Chapter. There is a glad tiding for everything, and the glad tiding of the innocent is the Qadr Chapter. There is a Proof (Hujja) for everything, and the Hujja after the Prophet (S) is the Qadr Chapter; therefore, believe in it." He (as) was asked how to believe in it, and he answered, "That it shall occur in each and every year, and that everything revealed in it is true."

He (as) is also quoted saying, "For anyone who recites the Qadr Chapter, God Almighty writes down a good deed for every particle of dust where he sits while reciting it." He (as) is also quoted saying, "It is a good companion for anyone who wishes to pay off his debt, esteem his creed, prolong his life-span, and improve his condition. Anyone who recites it quite often will meet Allah as a siddeeq and as a martyr."

The book Misbah al-Mutahajjid quotes Muhammad ibn 'Isa, relying on the authority of the righteous, peace be upon them, says, "You sho­uld repeat the following invocation on the twenty-third night of the blessed month of Ramadan either prostrating, standing up, or sitting down, or in any other way, and during the entire month and however you can, and whenever you are faced with hard times.

Having glorified Allah and sent blessings unto the Prophet and his progeny, peace be upon all of them, you should say, ‘Lord! Be for Your wali Muhammad ibn al-Hassan at this hour and at every hour of the night

and the day a Protector, Guardian, Leader, Supporter, Guide and Reconnoiterer, till You let him reside in Your earth willingly and grant him enjoyment therein for a long period of time.

O You Who manages all affairs, Who brings life back to the residents of the graves, Who permits the oceans to flow and the iron to be pliant for David, peace be upon him, I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad,' then you mention your wish, raising your hands. You may repeat it while you are prostrating, kneel­ing, standing or sitting, and repeat it on the last night of the nights of the month of Ramadan."

Invocation for the Twenty-Third Night (of the Month of Ramadan)

This is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (S) and it is as follows:

"Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the angels and the Spirit, Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the angels and the Throne, Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the heavens and the earth, Praised One, Glorified, Lord of the oceans and the­moun­tains; Praised One, Glorified, praised by the fish in the oceans, by the reptiles and the beasts and the hills; Praised One, Glorified, praised by the angels and those who are near to Him; Praised One, Glorified, Exalted, Vanquished everything and created everything in a measure. Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised, Praised! Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified, Glorified! I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad (S) and to forgive me and have mercy on me, for You are the One, the Unique."

Then you ought to add the following:

"Lord! I pray You to make my share of every goodness You have sent down this night, or are sending down this night to be the most generous, of light whereby You guide, or mercy You spread out, or sus­tenance You divide, or a tribulation You shun, or an evil you expose, and to write for me what you write for Your righteous servants who deserve Your rewards and who deserved security by pleasing You. You affect retribution. You give without a measure; You are the Generous One! I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad (S) and to deal with me mercifully; You are the most Merciful of those who are merciful unto others."

Then you should say:

"I pray You like one who is poor and helpless, and I invoke You like one who is poor and humble, and I ask you like one who has submitted willingly to You and admitted his wrong-doing and whose eyes have over-flown with tears, who is most helpless, who has no other means, to grant me this night forgiveness for all my past sins, and to protect me from sinning for the rest of my life, to grant me pilgri­mage and ‘umra this year, to make it pilgrimage purely for the sake of achiev­ing Your pleasure, and to enable me to al­ways do so, and do not hinder me from visiting Your House and the grave-site of Your Messenger Muhammad, Your bles­sings and peace be upon him and his pro­geny.

And I plead You, Lord, not to let me remain in dire need of Your creatures, of the jinns and of mankind, of the Arabs and of the non-Arabs, of every being whom You can overpower; for You are on the right path. Lord! Grant me, Lord, of what­ever You decide and decree of every des­tined matter on this night, the fate which cannot be avoided nor can it be altered, to visit Your sacred House among other pilgrims this year whose pilgrimage You appreciate and whose endeavor is forgiven and so are their sins, and to pro­long my life-span, to increase my sus­tenance, and to grant me a dutiful son, for You can do whatever You will, and You are aware of everything."

What ought to be repeated every night of the last ten nights of the month

An annotation on al-Kaf’ami's book Al-Misbah contains an invocation narrated through the authority of Imam al-Sadiq (as). It is recommended to be repeated on each of the last ten nights of the month. The author indicates that he (as) used to say the following on each such night:

"Lord! You have said in Your revealed Book: ‘The month of Ramadan is that in which the Holy Qur'an was revealed, a guid­ance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction,' and You glorified the sanctity of the month of Ramadan due to the Holy Qur'an which You revealed therein, assigning Lailatul-Qadr to it and making it better than a thousand months. Lord! These are the days of the month of Ramadan which have gone by and so have its nights. Lord!

You are more knowledgeable than I, and more aware, of the number of Your devotees; so, I pray You in whatever Your angels who are close to You, Your messen­gers, and Your righteous devotees, pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad, and to free me from the fire, to let me enter into Paradise by Your mercy, and to be Gracious unto me, to forgive me, to accept my endeavor to be near to You, to respond to my invocation and to grant me security on the day when everyone will be terrified, apprehensive of the horrors prepared on the Day of Judg­ment. Lord!

I seek refuge with Your Glory and Great Prestige not to let the days and nights of the month of Ramadan pass away without forgiving me for the sins for which You intend that I should atone. O Lord, Lord, Lord! I pray You, You with Whom there is no other god, for there is no god but You, to be pleased with me in this month, and to be even more pleased with me if You were pleased with me before. So, be pleased with me, Lord, for You are the most Merciful of those who are merciful unto others, O You Who is the One and Only God, the One Independent of any need, the One Who did not beget nor is He begotten, nor is there ever the like of Him!"

Then repeat the following at least three times:

"O You Who made the iron pliant to David, peace be upon him! O You Who removed distress and the great agony from Jacob, peace be upon him! O You Who removed the distress of Joseph, peace be upon him! I pray You to send blessings unto Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad, for You are Capable of doing so, and not to punish me with the punishment that I de­serve."

Zakatul-Fitr (Fitra)

Zakatul-Fitr is a mandatory religious tax paid by those who can afford it at the end of the month of Ramadan. It depends on the type of major item of food consumed by the believer during the year. This may be rice, wheat, barley, dates, etc. In weight, it should be at least three kilograms of food per person. It is also permissible to pay cash of equivalent value.

Due to the inflation and rising prices, we suggest that a fitra of $5.50 per person is reasonable. It must be paid by the head of the family on behalf of his dependents, including servants of both sexes, and/or dependent relatives who are fed in his house. If a Muslim or even a non-Muslim guest arrives at someone's house prior to the night preceding Eidul-Fitr and dines with his host, it is incumbent on the latter to pay for the former's fitra.

If the guest arrives after sunset of the night preceding the Eid, fitra is not obligatory even if he dines with his host. If the guest who arrives before sunset does not dine, fitra is still obligatory on his host. It is better, however, if both host and guest give fitra. If one's wife is at her parents' house on the night preceding the Eid, her parents should take out her fitra. On the last day of the month of Ramadan, if someone arranges a majlis which commences after sunset, and if he treats his guests to iftar, he does not have to pay fitra on their behalf.

Who receives Fitra

Fitra should be given to deserving believers whose income is not sufficient to spend on their families for one year. Fitra cannot be given to one's own dependents. Deserving neighbors and pious persons are good candidates to receive and enjoy the fitra. Fitra from Sayyids (descendants of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) can be given to poor Sayyids or non-Sayyids. Fitra from non-Sayyids cannot be given to Sayyids. If deserving persons are not easy to find or identify, fitra should be sent to places where such persons can be found, or the amount should be sent to a mujtahid who would do justice in its distribution.

It is absolutely mandatory that the recipient of fitra be ‘adil, I.e., a just and fair person who can be trusted to distribute it properly, and it is necessary to ensure that fitra is not given to anyone who may in any possibility use it for sinful acts such as drinking liquors, gambling, etc.

Although it is permissible to send fitra to any place, it is better to distribute it to a deserving person locally. The time for giving fitra is from the night preceding Eidul-Fitr up till noon. If this is not possible for any reason, the amount of fitra must then be set aside and be distributed when deserving persons are present, or it may be sent to a mujtahid for proper distribution, and it cannot be paid prior to the time when it becomes due. The best time to pay it is before noon prayers on Eid al-Fitr.

Eid al-Fitr and its Prayers

Once the holy month of Ramadan is over, the pious get ready to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Feast of Fast-Breaking, to thank the Almighty who enabled them to fast and to remember the needy and the indigent. It is also customary on such an occasion to give gifts to the members of the family, especially children. Once it becomes known that the next day is going to be the Eid, it is very highly recommended to spend the night preceding the Eid in prayers and adoration.

On p. 104 of al-Saduq's Thawab al-A’mal, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim is quoted saying that he heard Isma’eel ibn Muhammad quoting Muhammad ibn Sulayman quoting Ahmed ibn Bakr-al-Farisi quoting Muhammadibn Mis’ab quoting Hammad quoting Thabit quoting the great sahabi Anas ibn Malik saying that the Messenger of Allah (S) has said, "The heart of anyone who spends the Eid night [the night preceding the Eid] will not die on the Day when the hearts die."

How to perform the Eid prayers, what is recommended and what is not in its regard, and all fiqh related to it in the following paragraphs are excerpted from Vol. 1 of Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih by Shaykh (mentor) Abu Ja’far ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Babawayh al-Qummi (306 - 381 A.H.).

Is the Eid prayer compulsory (Sunnah wajibah) or is it highly recommended (Sunnah mustahabbah)? Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, whose followers are referred to as Shi’as Ja’faris Ithna-’Asheris, followers of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (S) as outlined by Imam Ali (as) and according to the fiqh of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) and who follow all the Infallible Twelve Imams (as), is quoted on p. 339, Vol. 1, of al-Saduq's book Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih saying, "Prayers on both Eids (al-Fitr and al-Adha) are compulsory, and so is the prayer on the eclipse."

The author comments on this weighty statement by saying that the Imam (as) means they are among "minor obligations," that is, sighar al-faraiz, due to one narration by Hareez which states the following:

Zurarah quotes Imam Abu Ja’far (as) saying: "To pray both Eid prayers with an Imam is a Sunnah; no prayers should be performed before or after them on that occasion till the time of zawal.1

He (as) is also quoted on the same page as saying, "No Eid prayers on both Eids should be offered without an Imam (a just one), but if you pray it by yourself, there is no harm in doing so." Hareez, on p. 340 of the same reference, quotes Zurarah citing Imam Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) saying, "The Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali), peace be upon him, used not to eat anything on Eid al-Adha till he eats of what he offers by way of sacrifice. And he used not to go out on Eid al-Fitr before eating something and paying the fitra." Then he added: "And we do likewise."

How should the Eid (be it Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha) prayers be performed? They are two rek’ats without iqamah or athan. The imam starts by calling "Allahu Akbar!" once, then he recites Surat al-Fatiha and "Sabbih ismi Rabbikal-A’la" (Surat al-A’la, The Most High, Chapter 87, which is comprised of 19 verses), then he makes takbeer (by saying: "Allahu Akbar!") five times, then he makes qunoot followed by rukoo’, then he is to prostrate twice (as is the case with fajr prayers).

When he stands to perform the second rek’a, he should recite Surat al-Fatiha followed by "Wal shamsi wa Duhaha, etc." (Surat al-Shams [The Sun], Chapter 91, which is comprised of 15 verses), followed by four takbeers, including takbeerat al-qiyam. Having made takbeer for the fifth time, he makes rukoo’ and goes on to the prostrations as described above. What is recommended to be said during the qunoot (in the first rek’a) of a great occasion such as the Eid? We think the most beautiful supplication is one narrated by Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who quotes Abu al-Sabah al-Kinani quoting Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as), our sixth Imam, as follows:

In order to benefit the readers who are not versed in Arabic, we would like to offer this modest translation of the sophisticated text cited above, imploring the Almighty to forgive us for falling short of matching the Arabic text (English never rises to the level of classic Arabic especially when it comes to prayers, the Holy Qur'an, and supplications):

I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One and Only God, without any partner, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Lord! You are the Lord of greatness and magnanimity, generosity and might, potence, authority and dignity! I plead to You on this Day which You have made as an Eid for the Muslims and as a treasure for Muhammad (S) and an increase (in his prestige), to bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, to also bless Your angels who are near to You as well as all Your deputied messengers, and to forgive us and all believing men and women, and all Muslim men and women, the living and the dead.

O Lord! I plead to You to grant me of the best of that for which your righteous servants plead to You, and I seek refuge with You against all (evil) from which Your righteous servants seek refuge with You. Allah is the First and the Last of everything, the One Who knows everything and Who brings them back to life. The destiny of everything is to Him and so is its return. He is the One Who manages the affairs and brings life back to those in the graves. He accepts good deeds and unveils what is hidden; He reveals the secrets of the hearts. Allahu Akbar! His Kingdom is great; He is the ever-Living Who never dies; when He decrees a thing, He only says to it "Be!" and it is! To You are the voices humbled and the faces succumb, and no vision can ever reach him, nor can any tongue glorify You enough.

All forelocks are in Your grip and all affairs are referred to You: none can judge in their regard besides You, nor can anything be accomplished without Your aid. Allahu Akbar! Your protection encompasses everything; Your Dignity subdues everything; Your command overwhelms everything, and everything stands through You. Everything is humbled to Your greatness; everything is subjected to Your Exaltation; everything surrenders to Your will, and everything is a subject in Your Kingdom! Allahu Akbar!

The same reference contains other such sermons for those who appreciate them and who seek nearness to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala through reciting them.

Reference

1. The time of zawal is when the sun gets closer to midday. For example, if noon is at 12:00 o'clock, the zawal is between 10:30 and 11:00 am. The reason why the Imam (as)

says that there should be no prayers performed before or after the Eid prayer is, most likely, to highlight its great significance.