Lailat-ul Qadr (also known as Shab-e-Qadr), a night considered to be equal to praying for 1000 months, would be observed on Saturday night (Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 27) July 2, 2016, with religious fervour and reverence.
It merits mentioning here that the exact timings of Lailatul Qadr have not been revealed. According to the majority of Islamic scholars, Lailatul Qadr falls on the night of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 27 but it is better to search it in odd nights of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak.
Messenger of Allah (Blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) told us to search for Shab-e-Qadr in the odd numbered nights, in the last 10 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 (PBUH) said, “Look for Lailat-Ul-Qadr in the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramazan.” (Bukhari)
Although the literal meaning of the word “Qadr” is “measure”, the day has been popularly referred to as Night of Power while it is also the anniversary of the night on which the holy Quran was revealed in its entirety.
This is one of the holiest and most blessed nights when the believers seek Forgiveness of Allah and His Mercy. The night is likely to occur on one of the odd nights on the last ten days of Ramadan and most likely to be the 27th.
The night has special significance for the Muslims in which angels descend on the earth with the order of Allah Almighty for the welfare of faithful till dawn of the day.
The Holy Quran says : “Surely We revealed it (the Holy Quran) on a grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night is? 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 until the break of the morning.”
Those who pass this night in Prayer, experience an unimaginable bliss, a deep feeling of great pleasure as a result of immense heavenly blessings in this night.
The faithful offer collective prayers to seek Allah’s Forgiveness and divine worship throughout the night till Sehri. Ulema and Khatib throw light on the significance of the night. People distribute sweats among the neighbours and poor. The mosques and houses are profusely lit.
The faithful arrange Milad, Zikr, Quran Khwani and religious discussion in mosques and their houses in line with the traditional practices as the night is better than 1,000 months.
On this holy occasion, the Muslims also visit graveyards to seek blessings of the Almighty Allah for eternal peace of the departed souls of their near and dear ones.
According to Mufti Khubaib Salman, a religious scholar, the Muslims are bestowed with several holy nights from Rajab-ul-Murajab to Ramzan-ul-Mubarak including Shab-e-Miraj that is observed on Rajab 27, Shab-e-Barat on Shaban 15, and Shab-e-Qadr on Ramzan 27.
