The Best Of Nights

As we enter the last 10 days of Ramadan Muslims will be looking out for the most religious night of the year and the most important.

Laylat Al Qadr, the Night of Decree, is when the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

Allah says in what can be translated from the Quran:
"Verily! We have sent it (the Quran) down in the Lailat Al Qadr. And what will make you know what the Lailat Al Qadr is? Lailat Al Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (ie. Jibreel [Gabriel]) by Allah's Permission with all Decrees. Peace until the appearance of dawn." [97:1-5]

The reward for one who manages to spend Laylat Al Qadr in prayer and doing good is that his rewards are multiplied to the extent that they are greater than his rewards would be had he prayed for 1,000 months and this is the reason Muslims observe this day so vigilantly.

No one knows exactly when the day falls but we know that it is during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Many believe it is in the last five odd days of the month while others claim it is specifically on the 27th.

It is for this reason that on the 27th mosques will be more full than they have been on any other day of Ramadan.

In any case, Muslims stay up most nights during these last few days in remembrance of Allah, to perform qiyam prayers and read Quran as a precaution to receive the great rewards of this night no matter when it is.

In addition to this, many observe itikaf, retreat, whereby they spend the last 10 days (or any part thereof) of this blessed month in the mosque praying and seeking religious knowledge and immersing themselves in all things spiritual.

I pray that God accepts our prayers on this holy night and makes them our best. And recommend for those wishing to observe it to remember that no one knows the exact day on which it falls, so it is best to be cautious and pray every night and not just on the 27th.