Blessings of Laila-tul-Qadr: Divine Mercy, Forgiveness, and the Night of Infinite Blessings

Kingship of thousand cities

Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Warrāq رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْہِ has stated that Sayyidunā Sulaymān عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام and Sayyidunā Ẕulqarnain رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنْہُ both ruled 500 cities each. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made the worship of this night better than what these two great personalities ruled. (Tafsīr Qurṭubī, pp. 122, part 30, vol. 20)

Dear Islamic brothers! Laila-tul-Qadr is the night of goodness and peace. It is mercy from beginning to end. The honourable exegetists of the Quran have said: 'In this night there is protection from snakes, scorpions, calamities, problems and devils. It is also full of peace.'

Hoisting flags

According to a narration, in Laila-tul-Qadr, an army of angels under the command of Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام descends from Sidra-tul-Muntahā with four flags. They hoist one flag on the blessed tomb of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, one on the roof of Bait-ul-Muqaddas, while the third on the top of the Ka'bah and the fourth on mount Sīnā. Then they enter the houses of all the believers and say Salām. They say, 'Salām (this is one of the names of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ) sends peace upon you.'

However, these angels do not enter the houses in which there are alcoholics, eaters of swine or the people who break ties with invalid Sharī reasons. (Tafsīr Ṣāwī, pp. 2401, vol. 6) Another narration says that these angels outnumber even all grit of the earth, and they all come with peace and mercy. (Ad-Dur-rul-Manšūr, pp. 579, vol. 8)

Green flag

According to another detailed Ḥadīš reported by Sayyidunā 'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنْہُمَا, our Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, 'In Laila-tul-Qadr, Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام, accompanied by a large number of angels, descends onto the earth with a green flag he hoists on the top of the Ka'bah. Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام has 100 arms, two of which he opens only at this night. His arms spread across the east and the west. Then Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام commands the angels to say Salām and shake hands with every Muslim who is offering Ṣalāh or making the Ẕikr of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and to say Āmīn to their supplications. This process continues till dawn (Ṣubḥ-e-Ṣādiq).

In the morning, Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام commands all the angels to return. The angels say 'O Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام what about the needs of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?' Jibrāīl عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام replies, 'Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has seen them with mercy and has forgiven all of them except four types of people.'

The honorable companions رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنْہُم asked, 'Yā Rasūlallāh صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Who are those four types of people?' He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, '(1) Alcoholics (2) Disobedient to parents (3) Those who break ties with relatives (4) Those who bear malice and grudge against each other and break ties.' (Shu'ab-ul-Īmān, pp. 336, vol. 3, Ḥadīš 3695)

Unfortunate people

Dear Islamic brothers! Did you realize how blessed and sacred Laila-tul-Qadr is? Everyone is forgiven at this night, but the alcoholics, those who disobey their parents, break ties with relatives and have malice and grudge against fellow Muslim brothers without a valid reason of Sharī'ah are not forgiven.

Repent!

Dear Islamic brothers! Isn't it enough to make us fear the wrath of our Omnipotent Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ? How extreme sinners would be the ones who are not being forgiven even at the sacred and blessed night of Laila-tul-Qadr! We must repent sincerely of our sins and settle all the matters concerning the rights of others. Indeed, the mercy and bounties of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ are immense.

Nuisance of quarrel

Sayyidunā 'Ubādah Bin Ṣāmit رَضِیَ اللہُ عَنْہُ has narrated that our Noble Rasūl صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came out to tell us about Laila-tul-Qadr (as to which night it is) but two Muslims were quarrelling with each other. He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, 'I came to tell you about Laila-tul-Qadr but so and so persons were quarrelling, due to which its (exact) date has been concealed, it is possible that your betterment lies in it. Now look for it in the 9th, 7th and 5th night (of the last 10 nights).' (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 663, vol. 1, Ḥadīš 2023)

Our unmentionable state

Dear Islamic brothers! This blessed Ḥadīš contains a great lesson for us. Our Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was about to tell his companions the (exact) date of Laila-tul-Qadr but the quarrelling of two Muslims with each other proved to be a hurdle, causing the exact date of Laila-tul-Qadr to be concealed forever. This also indicates that Muslims' quarrelling with each other can prove to be an obstacle in the attainment of mercy and blessing.

Alas! It seems no one is prepared to advise others. People argue with each other saying such sentences as: These days, a naive person cannot live in this world; if someone is good to us we will also remain good to him but if anyone tries to harm us, we will teach him a lesson. Even worse, people turn violent on trivial matters to the extent of quarrelling, fighting and even killing each others.

Regretfully, these days, some of the Muslims belonging to different races such as Pathans, Punjabis, Muhajir, Sindhis and Balouchis are killing each other and burning their fellow Muslims brothers' properties and other things just on the basis of racial and linguistic differences.

O Muslims! You were the protectors of each other, what has happened to you! Our Dear and Beloved Rasūl صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, 'All believers are like a (single) body; if one part is wounded the whole body feels the pain.' (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 103, vol. 4, Ḥadīš 6011)

A poet has rightly said:

Mubtalāye dard koī 'uẓū ḥo rawtī ḥay ānkḥ

Kis qadar ḥamdard sāray jism kī ḥottī ḥay ānkḥ

When any part of the body has pain, weeps the eye

How sympathetic with the whole body, is the eye

Dear Islamic brothers! Instead of quarrelling and fighting, we must cooperate and assist each other sincerely. A Muslim does not fight, stab, rob and burn the shops and property of his other Muslim brother.