Lailatul Qadr: Night of Power, Night of Destiny

On the Night of Power pray to God with all your heart and He will definitely answer all your prayers. The Quran says : "Surely We revealed it (the Holy Quran) on the grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night. The grand night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gibreel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning." (97:1-5)

The Night of Power is full of blessings because the Eminent Quran descended in it. The Quran is peace by itself. It distinguishes between the good and evil and shows the path of eternal Peace and Bliss to all Mankind forever. This being so, the Night in which this Divine Book was sent down is worthy of great esteem. During this night, as explained in the verse quoted above, the Angels and the Heavenly spirit (Hazrat Gibreel Alai-his-Salam) descend. Their nearness to earth gives a spiritual luster to the hearts and souls of the believers. The Holy Prophet [salalAllaho alaihe wasallam] passed this night in prayer and worship of God.

Those who pass his night in Prayer, experience an unimaginable bliss, a deep feeling of great pleasure as a result of immense heavenly blessings in this night.

Recite the Holy Quran, seek Allah's forgiveness and pray for the good of this world as well as the hereafter.

Allah (SWT) is inviting all the believers for a Divine feast; the invitation which has been brought by the messengers. Allah (SWT) is the host, his most favorite angels are the servants and the believers are the guests. The table is spread with Divine blessings containing all sorts of rewards and favors. Though the eyes cannot see them nor the ears hear them not the human hearts imagine them, yet the bounties are all kept in readiness to be awarded to the guests in accordance to her actions.

Laylatul Qadr is a blessed night because the Almighty brings down during it goodness, bliss, and forgiveness for His servants. It is a feast which has come with a message that shows one the way to achieve happiness in both the worlds. Laylatul Qadr is a feast for the spirit, a feast of worship and prayers.

It was narrated that in the days that Musa (Alahi salaam) wandered with Bani Israel in the desert an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (Alahi salaam) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israel whom had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) for more than forty years of his life. "Let him separate himself from the congregation," Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told Musa (Alahi salaam). "Only then shall I shower you all with rain."

Musa (Alahi salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity, "There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought." That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one.

The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said: "O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!"

As Musa (Alahi salaam) and the people of Bani Israel awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa (Alahi salaam) asked Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), "O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward." And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) replied, "O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water."

Musa (Alahi salaam), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked, "Show him to me O Allah!" Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) replied, "O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?"

This night is better than thousands nights. Do invoke Allah (subhano Ta'ala) for forgiveness. Do Tauba and Pray for your maghfirat and for all ummah, who are with us and who have left us.

It is reported from Abu Hurairah(radiAllaho anho) that he said: "When the month of Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah said: ‘The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah has made it obligatory for you to fast; in it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something irreplaceable.’"

 (Narrated by Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i).

It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever stood in prayer on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven."

 (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The sincere believer who worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During it he hopes to be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) for past sins, knowing that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) promised that all who bear down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To achieve this, the believer remembers the Prophet’s (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) advice in different sayings wherein he used words like "seek", "pursue", "search" and "look hard" for Laylatul Qadr.

Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. The Mu’min should search for it in the last ten (odd) nights of Ramadan, passing the nights in worship and obedience.

For those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away. The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) illustrated for us some of the things we should be doing on this Grand Night. From his blessed Sunnah we find the following:

Praying Qiyaam (night prayer):

 It is recommended to make a long qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many ahadeeth, such as

"Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylatul Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah’s reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the addition "and it is facilitated for him" is recorded by Ahmad from the report of ‘Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]

Making Supplications:

 It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night.

A'ishah(radiAllaho anha) reported that she asked Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say during it?" And he instructed her to say:

"Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee -

O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me."

 [An authentic Hadith recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi.]

Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:

 It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr is likely to fall. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).

A'ishah(radiAllaho anha) said: "Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights." [Muslim]

In this night (27th of Ramadan), the Holy Quran was sent down from LOH-E-MEHFOOZ (the Preserved Tablet) to the earth. Messenger of ALLAH (Blessings of Allah and peace be on him) told us to search for Shab-e-Qadr in the odd numbered nights, in the last ten days of Ramzan. So, the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night of Ramadan could be Shab-e-Qadr.

Hazrat Aisha Radiallah Anha stated that Rasool Allah peace be upon him said, "Look for Lailat-Ul-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Bukhari)

Hazrat Aisha Radiallah Anha stated that as much Rasool Allah peace be upon him tried (Ibadat) in the last Ashra (ten days) of Ramadhan, did not try in any of the Ashra." (Muslim)

Ameer-ul-Momineen, Hazrat Sayyiduna Ali Karamallahu ta'ala wajhul Karim said: “Whoever recites Surah Qadr 7 times in Laila-tul-Qadr, Allah shall protect him from every calamity and 70,000 angels pray that he enters Heaven. And whoever recites it three times on Friday (any Friday of the year) before the Friday prayer Allah Ta'ala shall write as many deeds for him as the number of people offering salah that day is. (Nuzha-tul-Majalis V::1 P::223)

take advantage of this night, from sunset till sunrise. Offer nawafil (prayers), recite QUR'AAN, do repent (Istaghfar), and Pray for pardon, recite many many Salawat (Darood Sharif & Salaam) and make benediction (Dua'as).

Eid - ul - Fitr

Zakatul-Fitr is due before Eid Prayer  Zakatul Fitr

Anas (ra), a companion of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported that when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the people of Madinah used to have two festivals. On those two days they had carnivals and festivity. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked the Ansaar (the Muslims of Madinah) about it. They replied that before Islam they used to have carnivals on those two joyous days. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told them: 'Instead of those two days, Allah has appointed two other days which are better, the days of Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.' (Hadith)

 EID-UL-FITR is celebrated on the first day of Shaw'waal, at the completion of Ramadan. Shaw'waal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day; it is a true Thanksgiving Day for the believing men and women. On this day Muslims show their real joy for the health, strength and the opportunities of life, which Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadan.

    Sunnah of Eid 

   
1. Wake up early.  
2. Prepare for personal cleanliness, take care of details of clothing, etc.  
3. Take a Ghusl (bath) after Fajr.
4. Brush your teeth.
5. Dress up, putting on best clothes available, whether new or cleaned old ones.
6. Use perfume (men only).
7. Have breakfast on Eid-al-Fitr before leaving for prayer ground. On    Eid-al-Adha, eat     
breakfast After Salaat or after sacrifice if you are    doing a sacrifice.
8. Pay Zakaat-al-Fitr before Salaat-al-Eid (on Eid-al-Fitr).
9. Go to prayer ground early.
10. Offer Salaat-al-Eid in congregation in an open place except when whether is not permitting like rain, snow, etc.
11. Use two separate route to and from the prayer ground.
12. Recite the following Takbir on the way to Salaat and until the beginning of Salaat-al-Eid:

Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. La ila-ha ill-lal-lah. Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. Wa-lilahill hamd.
(Allah is great, Allah is great. There is no god but Allah. Allah is great, Allah is great. And all praises are for Allah).

How to offer Eid prayer:

Ibn Abbass (ra) reported: " I participated in the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer with the Messenger of Allah (saw), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Uthman (ra), and all of them held Eid prayer before Khutbah, and then the Prophet Muhammad (saw) delivered the Khutbah (sermon)."                      

( Muslim )

Who should go to the prayer ground & offer Eid Prayer:

Umm Atiyah (ra) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (saw) commanded us to bring out on Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young women, hijab-observing adult women and the menstruating women. The menstruating women stayed out of actual Salaat but participated in good deeds and Duaa (supplication). I (Umm Atiyah) said to the Holy Prophet (saw): Oh! Messenger of Allah, one does not have an outer garment. He replied: Let her sister cover her with her garment."
                                                                                                                                                        (Muslim )
 On the Eid day, every believing man, woman and child must go to the prayer ground and participate in this joyous occasion.

Structure of Eid prayer:

Eid prayer is wajib (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory). It consists of two Rakaat (units) with six or thirteen additional Takbirs. It must be offered in congregation. The prayer is followed by the Khutbah.

The Khutbah is part of the worship and listening to it is Sunnah. During the Khutbah, the Imam must remind the community about its responsibilities and obligations towards Allah, fellow Muslims and the fellow human beings. The Imam must encourage the Muslims to do good and ward off evil. The Muslim community must also be directed to the state of the community and the Ummah at large and the feelings of sacrifice and Jihaad should be aroused in the community. At the conclusion of the prayer the Muslims should convey greetings to each other, give reasonable gifts to the youngsters and visit each other at their homes. Muslims should also take this opportunity to invite their non-Muslims neighbors, co-workers, classmates and business acquaintances to Eid festivities to expose them to Islam and Muslim culture.

Khwaza Garib Nawaz

Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty(R.A) occupies a prominent place among the spiritual Healers of the world. Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (R.A.) popularly know as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (R.A.) was born in 1142 A.D. in Sanjar (Iran). His paternal genealogy is related to Hazrat lmam Hussain (A.S.) and that of his matemal to Hazrat Imam Hassan (A. S.) and thus he is a direct descendant of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.)
In his temperament as in the circumstance of his life Khwaja Sahib was destined for an extra ordinary career.Into a tottering civilization, fraught with material acquisition, which guaranteed no safety to human life and which conferred no spiritual freedom on human beings he burst forth all the masterful force of his personality, There is a complete blending of greatness and grace, mediation and action precept, practice, indifference of the mystic and idealism of a Saint. He is a SYMBOL OF LOVE, HARMONY AND PEACE. The sources of this power may be traced to his own exceptional endowments.Throughout his life, he exhibited the noble traits of character so peculiar to the house of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) to which he belonged.His Shrine in Ajmer sharif is an important religious institution which for centuries has been attracting pilgrims from all over the world, irrespective of caste and creed. It is a symbol of humanity, national and emotional integration in the whole world. He interpreted the true Islamic message of love for mankind and through that the love for the Almighty Allah. He preached the Message of Islam, the message of the unity of religion and worked out its potentialities for the whole humanity.He laid the foundation of the liberal Chishtya order of sufis in India, and inspired millions of souls to be his followers and thus enlightened the masses of the Indian Sub-continent with the divine knowledge. 

Sufism

Genesis of Tasawwuf:

“It is the privilege of the men of God to see the sublimest mysteries of the spiritual world and instruct men in Righteousness; they warn and shield men against evil.” - The Holy Quran

“Tasawwuf or Sufism - the Islamic mysticism - means scrupulously maintained moral character and religious discipline which one must necessarily cultivate and observe towards all the creatures of God in the interests of peace and happiness of mankind.”- Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (R.A.)

Jacques de Marquette remarks in his introduction to Comparative Mysticism : ‘In fact mysticism seems to be able to solve most of the dilemmas confronting our generation in nearly all the avenues of thought and activities. Hence the timely character of our attempt to study its modalities and to interpret whatever message it may have in store for puzzled modern man’ (P. 18). Much the same is the raison d’ etre for this study : the relevance of Sufism to the needs of modern society.

Mysticism, it is said, has no genealogy. It is as old as man himself and echoes the eternal quest of the human soul to have direct experience of the Ultimate Reality. It proceeds on the assumption that ‘The divine disclosed itself in the human race as a whole’ and that it is possible for all human beings – irrespective of their caste, colour or creed – to have direct communion with Him. The spark of divine love shines alike in the heart of the learned and the illiterate, the Hindu, the Christian, the Muslim and the Sikh. It is not the exclusive privilege of higher religious intellects to strive to understand the essence of Divine Reality; a shepherd also, as Rumi has shown, may communicate with God while grazing his herd in the lonely valleys.

Ali, the Wali Allah:
According to Islamic ideology as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the seal of prophets and there would not be any prophet after him so the prophet designated Ali as his spirituial vicegerant at Ghadir-e-Kuhm on the pious occasion of Hajjatul-wada (The last pilgrimage of the prophet) and the prophet caught hold of Ali’s arm and raising it up high said “MANKUN TO MOULAHO FA HAZA ALIYUN MOULAHO, ALLAHHUMMA WA LY MANWALAHO WA ADE MAN ADAHO”.
(whoever takes me as his Maula (Master) should also take this Ali as his Maula. O Allah ! be a friend to his friends and foe to his foes.” According to Hazrat Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi Naqsbandi Mujaddid-e-Alf-e-Sani, Ali was designated as SHAH-E-WILAYAT-E-KUBRA (Qutbiyat-e-Kubra) by Allah since the day of the beginning of creation. (letter no. 134, Maktubat-e-Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi, Vol.3).
Hazrat Imam Ali is unanimously acclaimed by the Sufis as the founder of their sect because he combined mystical intuition with the firmest grasp of Islamic theology, the traditions of the Sufis depict him as “Wali Allah” (friend of God) and ascribe to him esoteric spiritual powers. They maintain that the highest aim of knowledge, as preached by Ali, is the awakening of latent spiritual faculties. They hold that if a person follows certain “Tariaqas”, or “Paths”, as laid down by their Saint of Saints, he will be enabled to discover his true and inner self. To this inner self, God will reveal Himself, while the self will disappear in the vision of the All-Absorbing Reality.
Ali, the Prince of Saints:
The Sufis look Ali as the founder of that knowledge of "Tasawwuf" which harmonises the mystical, moral and intellectual approaches to Reality. They call the period when he was Caliph, "The Sufistic epoch" and speak with intense pride of the way in which his spiritual intuitions re-inforced the doctrine of "Tauheed" (monotheism); and of how, by his personal example, Ali illumined the way in which the struggles of a man in this world can fulfill the covenant between the created and the Creator.
The Need of Spiritual Director:
The Sufis from time immemorial have recognized the necessity of a “Shaikh” or “Pir” or “Spiritual Director” to whom humanity may be entrusted for guidance and instruction. Staunch obedience was to be offered to this director, who was supposed to possess topmost Spiritual powers and to be well acquainted with all the paths of “Tariqat”. The disciple was required to remain with him for a number of years until he had familiarised himself with ‘mystic’ experiences and could himself graduate as a leader.
Since Ali possessed a noble, religious and philanthropic spirit to the highest degree, the Sufi recognize in him their first Spiritual Director; it was he who showed the way to eternal bliss. They hold that if Muhammad (may peace be upon him) was the seal of Prophets, Ali the spiritual sovereign of all the Sufi denomination was, undoubtedly, the seal of Saints. Without intercession of Hazrat Ali no saint can attain the degree of Wilayat and Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (R.A.) is direct descendant of Hazrat Ali (Alehissalam)
The quintessence of Sufi teachings is service to humanity regardless of caste, creed, colour, of faith. The Sufis believe, al khalq-o-ayalullah, meaning that the whole creation is the ‘family of God’. Love of God is not complete without loving his ayal (family). The Sufis believe that true worship is not in the performance of rites, rituals and supererogation. True worship is in the service of humanity. As Shaikh Saadi says:

Ibadat bajuz khidmat-e-khalq neest Ba tasbih-o-sajjadah-o-dalq neest
Without service of humanity,prayer means nothing It is not counting beads, sitting on the mat Or wearing tatters.
S.M. Zaman's 'Role of Social Service and Women in Sufism.' On the question of Khidma, says Zaman, the Sufi manuals are full of instructions and injunctions to be observed in providing service in Ribats to Muslims as well as non-Muslims. It was the single factor    
Most responsible for making Sufism a strong force for the propagation of Islam. Thus humanism helped the Muslim saints in India and the basic character of its composite society. For them India was neither dar-ul-Harb nor dar-ul-Islam. It was God's earth with variety of men, and stores of wisdom, a land where Adam and Eve first walked and where the Prophets Shis and Ayyub lay buried. Sayyid Jalaluddin Bukhari Mukhdum-I-Jahanian once said:
So many gifts of God and such a variety of men and Treasures of knowledge as one finds specifically in India Are not to be found anywhere else in the whole world.
For both Vedanta and Sufism, there is a common discipline. It includes purification of self, mastering of passions and desires,
 filling of the mind exclusively with the thought of God, obtaining control over bodily functions and mental processes till the objective world ceases to distract consciousness, till man passes away (fana/nirvana) from phenomenal existence and attains union with the divine. The soul stands self-enlightened and unperturbed by temptations and apprehensions.
The Sufis were held in high esteem among the masses who followed their simple teachings with eagerness and understanding. They laid stress upon the dignity of man, for they thought that every individual should reach the highest goal of human life by his own effort.
This essential unity of India has manifested itself in a beautiful synthesis of music and dance, drama and painting, literary and philosophical discourses which are also indicative of the rich and varied Indian panorama. Love of humanity is the key to the understanding of that essential unity. Maulana Rumi, the jem of the Sufi poets, perceived the same unity in Islam like the poet of Upanishads. In his words,

    O love! You are my greatest stimulator, you are the
    Medicine for all my ailments. Your are the true friend,
    Philosopher and guide of my soul and you are like
    Hakeem Jaalinus. You are the surest remedy for my
    vanity and pride. My being has adored the Vedas and
    Temples of Hindus, the Zendavesta of Parsis, the
    Quran of the Muslims, the Enjeel (the Bible) of the Christians
    And the Atishkada (fire-temple) of the Parsis.
    There is no second God for me other than love.

          This is the essence of Sufism.

   
  


Khwaj

Islamic Important Questions Answers

1. Meat Handled, Processed, Packed and Transported by Non-Muslims.

Allah In the name of , Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Question :   It is incorrect to say that Halal and lawfully slaughtered meat is rendered Haram simply due to the handling of a non-Muslim.

Answer :   

According to my limited research, no book of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) states that meat or any other product handled by a non-Muslim is rendered Haram. On the contrary, we find texts of classical jurists (fuqaha) asserting clearly that the handling of a non-Muslim does not render a Halal product Haram. One such example is provided below:

The author of the renowned Hanafi Fiqh Manual,Al-Hidaya states:

“If an individual [Muslim] sends his employee or servant who is a fire-worshipper [i.e. non-Muslim, non-Jew and non-Christian] to purchase some meat, and he says that I purchased this meat from a Jew, Christian or Muslim, then it will be permitted for the Muslim to consume of the meat. This is due to the fact that a non-Muslim’s word is accepted in transactions (mu’amalat)…” (Al-Hidaya 4/453)

In the above text, the meat was purchased and handled by a non-Muslim on behalf of a Muslim, but it was not rendered Haram. Rather, the non-Muslim servant’s claim that he had purchased the meat from a Muslim was also considered acceptable.

One must remember, however, that the permissibility here is of accepting the word of a non-Muslim employee or servant who knows how important Halal consumption is for his employer or master, and also there is no conflict of interest. This is different to the situation where there is ‘reasonable’ fear that a particular meat is possibly Haram — or when it is generally the case that meat labelled ‘Halal’ is dubious. In such cases, it would be one’s duty to make sure.

As such, it is important to ensure that the meat sold is actually Halal and the element of doubt is removed. However, if there is certainty that the animal had been slaughtered by a Muslim, and the meat was monitored and transported in such a manner that left no room for doubting that the animal may have been slaughtered in a un-Islamic way or that the Halal meat may have been mixed up with Haram meat, then this Halal meat will not be rendered Haram simply because it was handled and transported by a non-Muslim. Had this been the case, everything bar a few products would become Haram since they are all handled and packed by non-Muslims.

Nevertheless, the point that is clear from the above text of Al-Hidaya is that the handling, packaging and transporting of a non-Muslim does not render the meat Haram, after it is ensured that the animal was slaughtered in accordance with the rules of Shari’a, and that the Halal meat was not mixed up or contaminated with Haram meat.