An Abandoned Sunnah –During the Last Ten Days of Ramadan

[Abu Abdillah]

Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle. Doha, Qatar 19-9-1429
Taken from Taif Al-Muarif by Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (may Allah rest him in Doha, Qatar 19-9-1429

An Abandoned Sunnah –During the Last Ten Days of Ramadan

عائشة : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا كان رمضان قام و نام فإذا دخل العشر شد المئزر و اجتنب النساء و اغتسل بين الأذانين و جعل العشاء سحورا

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

” That during Ramadan Allah’s messenger would sleep , wake up and pray. However when the last ten days came he would burn the midnight oil, avoid relations with his wives, perform a Ghusl between Maghrib and Isha and have dinner at the time of Sahur.”

Collected by : Ibn Abee ‘Asim. Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (795 H ) graded the isnad for this hadeeth as being Hasan.

Points of Benefit:

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali mentioned his book “Taif Al-Muarif” that performing Ghusl between Maghrib and Isha is a Sunnah to be performed during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Ibn Jarir said about this hadeeth, “ The Salaf used to considered it Sunnah to take Ghusl every night during the last ten days of Ramadan .An-Nakhaee used to wash every night, while others used to wash and dap cologne on their bodies on the night they hoped was Laylutul Qadr. It has been reported that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) on the 24th night of Ramadan took a bath, put on some nice fragrance, and wore his best izar. The next morning he took it off, folded it up and didn’t wear it again until next Ramadan on the same occasion.

Ayyub As-Sakhtayanni (may Allah be pleased with him) used to bathe on the 23rd and 24th night , wear new clothes and burn incense to perfume his clothes.

Hamad ibn Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “ Thabit Bananee and Humayd At-Tawheel used to wear their best clothes, best fragrance and burn incense and spray aroma in the masjid during the night in which the hoped to be Laylutul Qadr.

Tameem Ad-Daree (may Allah be pleased with him) bought an Izar for 1,000 Dirhams. He used to wear it on the night in which he anticipated was Laylutul Qadr.

Ibn Jarir-said,” Therefore based on these acts from the Salaf, it establishes that it is recommended for the night in which a person thinks is Layultul Qadr to dress up, wear nice fragrance, and take a bath. This is similar to the Sunnah for Jumu’ah and both Eed.

 

[Muslimah-S]

:salam2:

On these odd nights we should read “Allahumma innaka afuwuun karimun tuhibbul afwa fa fu anni” – O Allah, you are the best Forgiver, Beneficent and Merciful. You love forgiveness so forgive me. (Tirmidi)

 

[wonnee3]

As Salaam Alaykum, not understanding how it could b 4gotten if it is sunnah? what is ur dalil that it was sunnah, was this a loose held hadith that doesn't have a strong enuf chain 2 b mentioned, help me out here??? ASA

 

[Deen_e_Mohammad]

May Allah guide us to success in this life and hereafter...

There is no doubt the thread was been created for good and good intention alone. But as far as the saying of four Imams we should take extra care.

There could be many sahih hadees which could contradict with any of the saying of Imams and create a great doubt amongs muslim of little knowledge like me.

Kindly read the following, May Allah help us to come closer to the truth...

(The Night of Power)

Crowning Glory

Laylatul Qadr is the crowning glory of the holy month of Ramadhaan. It is associated with the sending down of the Qur’an Majeed, the last Book of Allah on His last Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), for the guidance of mankind. The Qur’an Majeed describes this Night.

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ
وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ
لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
سَلاَمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
“We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the Angels and the Spirit (Jibraeel) by Allah’s permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn!” (Surah 97)

The Night of Power is the night of spiritual bliss. Our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said concerning Ramadhaan:

“Verily this month has come to you; and therein is a night which is better than a thousand Months. Whosoever is deprived of it, is deprived of all good; and none is deprived of its good except a totally unfortunate person”. (Ibn Majah)
“Whosoever stands up (in prayer) at the Night of Power out of faith and hopeful of reward, all his past sins will be forgiven.”(Targhib)

Better than a thousand months

A thousand months are equivalent to 83 years and 4 months. Fortunate is the person who spends this night in prayer. The man or woman, who prays for the whole night during this Night, will deserve blessings and reward for the period as if he or she had been praying for eighty three years and four months consecutively. Since the Night of Power is better than one thousand months no one can actually measure the extent as to how much better it is.

Exclusive

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Laylatul Qadr has been bestowed by Allah to my Ummah (People). It was not given to any people before this.” (Dur-Mansoor).

How manifest and replete the special bounties and mercies of Allah Ta’ala are upon this Ummat is quite really beyond imagination. It will therefore be extremely foolish to allow ourselves to be deprived of these great blessings at the expense of sheer laziness and a few hours of extra sleep.

Which Night is it?

Although there are different reports in different traditions regarding the exact night, it is almost unanimous that the blessed night occurs in one of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan and more probably in one of the last ten odd nights i.e. 2lst, 23rd, 25th 27th or 29th night.

The popular opinion is, however, in favour of the 27th Night of Ramadhaan but that is not absolutely certain. The traditions indicate that it is to be sought in one of the last ten nights and preferably in the last three odd nights. It was therefore the practice of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and his companions to make I’tikaaf in the Mosque for the whole time offering Divine service during the last ten days of Ramadhaan.

Hazrath Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) reported that the Apostle of Allah said: “Search for the Blessed Night in the odd (nights) from the last ten (nights) of Ramadhaan” (Bukhari).

Hazrath Aisha has narrated another saying:
“I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Tell me if I were to find a Night of Power, what should I recite therein?” Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) advised her to recite:

Al-laa-hum-ma in-na-ka ‘afoow-wan tu-hib-bul-’af wa fa-fu ‘an-ni.
O Allah! You are Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive me. (Bukhari).

Special attention should therefore be given to the excessive recitation of this dua on the blessed night. Furthermore one may engage in lengthy rakaats of Tahajjud salaat, Tilaawat of the Qur’an� Dua, Zikr, etc.

The worship and the vigil of the Night of Power are a treat to the soul. The heart tends to melt into tears of heartfelt gratitude. The body is in a state of angelic ecstasy The soul strives to reach nearer to Almighty Allah. In this holy month of Ramadhaan let us strive to seek the Night of Power and its bliss. May Allah reward us with His bountiful blessings. Aameen.