Night of Power
The Night of Power[2] (Arabic: لیلة القدر, romanized: Laylat al-Qadr; also rendered as the Night of Destiny,[3] Night of Decree,[4] Night of Determination, or the Precious Night), is, in Islamic belief, the night when Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down from heaven to the world, and also the night when its first verses were revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad; it is described as better than a thousand months of worshipping.[5] According to various hadiths, its exact date is uncertain but was one of the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Since that time, Muslims have regarded the last ten nights of Ramadan as being especially blessed. Muslims believe the Night comes again every year, with blessings and mercy of God in abundance.[6]
For the Spider Robinson novel, see Night of Power (novel).Night of Destiny
ليلة القدر
Night of Destiny, Precious Night, Night Of Decree or Night of Determination[1]
Angels descend to the earth and the annual decree is revealed to them
Annual
Qadr (قدر), in Arabic, means measure and limit or value of something or destiny.[7] Some reasons have been offered for its naming:
Other names such as "Laylat al-'Azama" (Arabic: ليلة العظمة; night of the greatness) and "Laylat al-Sharaf" (Arabic: ليلة الشرف; lit. 'night of the honor') have also been used.[11]
Some commentators believe that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad twice;
The Quran uses the word anzal (انزل) which justifies 'the immediate revelation', according to Allamah Tabatabai.[12] Some others believe that the revelation of Quran occurred in two phases, with the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat al-Qadr to the angel Gabriel (Jibril in Arabic) in the lowest heaven, and then the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Muhammad by Gabriel.[3] The revelation started in 610 CE at the Hira cave on Mount Jabal al-Nour in Mecca. The first Surah that was revealed was Sūrat al-ʿAlaq (in Arabic العلق).[13] During Muhammad's first revelation, the first five verses of this Surah, or chapter, were revealed.[14]
Muhammad would usually practice spiritual retreat (Iʿtikāf) during the last ten days of Ramadan, awaiting the Night of Power, fasting and praying throughout the night, and abstaining from sexual relations. He urged his followers to do the same. According to one hadith, Muhammad said: "Whoever stands [in prayer] during the Night of Power out of belief and seeking reward, his previous sins are forgiven." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1901)[15][16]
Special prayers (Shi'a)[edit]
Shi'as practice the special prayers (Amaal) of the Night of Qadr every year in mosques, tekyehs, shrines of Imams or children of Imams, Husayniyyas or their own houses. They stay vigilant the whole night until dawn and worship God. The most important practices of the Night of Qadr include congregational prayers, recitation of the Iftitah Supplication, Abu Hamza al-Thumali Supplication, and al-Jawshan al-Kabir, and collective supplications while they keep volumes of the Qur'an on top of their heads. Other rituals of the night include donations of dawn food, payment of their nadhr for the dead, feeding the poor, and emancipation of financial prisoners.
Since the assassination of Ali occurred in the last ten days of the Ramadan month, Shi'as mourn in these nights.[39]