Laylatul Qadr

Valuable is this Night of Qadr that the Quran devotes a special surah to
It. “Lailatul Qadr is better than a thousand months” [97:3]. This one night
surpasses the value of 30,000 nights, the reward is of over 83 years of
worship!

1. Recite the Quran abundantly

Az-Zuhri used to say upon the coming of Ramadan,
“It is only about reciting the Qur’an and feeding the poor.” Abdur-Raziq
said, “When Ramadan came, Sufyan Ath-Thawri would give up all acts of
(voluntary) worship and devote himself to the recitation of the Qur’an.”
Laylatul Qadr is the night the Qur'an was revealed so we should spend
much of the night reciting it for we will gain 700 hasanah or more by reciting
each letter!

2. Strive to gain forgiveness

The main Dua for Laylatul Qadr is the following:
'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.'

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee"

(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).

3. Do much Superogatory Prayers (Nafil)

Rabi'ah ibn Malik al-Aslami reported that the Prophet sallallahu alehi
wasallam said: "Ask (anything)." Rabi'ah said: "I ask of you to be your
companion in paradise." The Prophet said: "Or anything else?" Rabi'ah
said: "That is it." The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam said to him: "Then
help me by making many prostrations (i.e., supererogatory prayers)."
(Muslim). The Prophet peace be upon him said: “Whoever draws near to
Allaah during it (Ramadaan) with a single characteristic from the
characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an
obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act
during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other
times.” – Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887.

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In this most blessed month of Ramadhan all good deeds are multiplied by
70 or more. Every Nafil one prays one will gain the reward of a Fard Salaah
and every Fard Salah is the reward of 70 Fard salaah. Here are some Nafil
prayers we can pray on Laylatul Qadr:

1. Two Rakat after performing Wudu (Ablution)

2. Tahajjud
Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said, "There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that
among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer."

The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud from the Qur'an
and prophetic hadiths:
1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya, Fath al-Qadir]
2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this was the
general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon
him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]
3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of rakats prayed.
4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short rakats, because
of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him
and give him peace) said, "It you get up for night prayer, start with two short
rakats."

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I cannot pray at night."
He said, "Your sins have prevented you."

4. Increase in Dhikr (Rememberance of Allah)

We should glorify Allah night and day, especially in the last odd nights.
1. Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee
2. Subhanallah
3. Alhamdulillah
4. Allahu Akbar
5. Laa ilaha ilallah
6. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
7. Asthaghfirullah
8. Sub-han'allah hil azeem wa bi-ham'dihi

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9. Subhāna-llāhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llāhi, wa lā ilāha illā-llāhu, wa-llāhu akbar.
Wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā bi-llāhi-l-aliyyi-l-azīm

10. Lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-

ḥamdu yuhyi wa yumītu wa huwa ḥayyu-llā yamūtu abadan abada, ḏū-l-
jalāli wa-l-ikrām, biyadihi-l-khayr, wa huwa alā kulli Shay-in qadīr

Or the shortened version:

11. Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-
hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer

12. Recite Durood Sharif

13. Lā ilaha illā Anta, subḥānaka inni kuntu min al-ẓālimeen (There is no
God but Allah, Glory be to You, verily I was one of the wrongdoers)

5. Make much Dua

"When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close
(to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me."
[2:186]. The place of duaa is so high to Allah, that the Prophet (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallim) had said: "Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most
High than du`a. Almighty Allah also said: "The most excellent worship is
du`a." Allah tells us In the Qur'an to enter fully into our deen and not partly:
O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of
Shaitan, surely he is your clear-cut enemy’.

Durood-e-Ibrahim

“‫إن ك إب راه يم آل وع لى إب راه يم ع لى ص ل يت ک ما محمد آل وع لى محمد ع لى صل ال لهم‬

‫ حم يد‬،‫آل وع لى إب راه يم ع لى ب ارك ت ک ما محمد آل وع لى محمد ع لى ب ارك ال لهم مج يد‬
‫”مج يد حم يد إن ك إب راه يم‬.

English Transliteration:

Allahumma salli ala Muhammadiw wa ala aali Muhammadin kama sall’aita

ala Ibrahima wa ala aali Ibrahima inna’ka hamidum majeed. Allahumma
barik ala Muhammadiw wa ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ala
Ibrahima wa ala aali Ibrahima inna’ka hamidum majeed.

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Darood Sharif in English:
“O Allah, send your favor upon Muhammad‫ ﷺ‬and upon the family of
Muhammad‫ﷺ‬, as You sent favor upon Ibrahim and upon the family of
Ibrahim. You are indeed praiseworthy, glorious. O Allah, bless
Muhammad‫ ﷺ‬and the family of Muhammad‫ﷺ‬, as You blessed Ibrahim
and the family of Ibrahim. You are indeed praiseworthy, glorious.”

Short Version of Darood Sharif

1) Sall’allahu Alaihi Wa Aalihi Wa Salam”. (‫صلَى‬ ّ ‫علّيَلَ اهللا‬

ّ ‫َلَّمّوّ وآل ل‬
ّ)
2) Sallal laho Ala-Nabi Muhammad‫ﷺ‬. ‫صلَّى‬ ّ ‫علّى اهللَّا‬ ّ َ َ‫حمَّدم ال َّب‬
ّ ‫ما‬
3) Allahumma Sallay Ala Muhammad ew wa-ala Ale Muhammad‫ﷺ‬.
َّ‫علّى صل الّلَهام‬
ّ ‫حمَّدم‬
ّ ‫علّى ما‬
ّ ّ‫حمَّدم آلَ و‬
ّ ‫ما‬
4) Alllahumm sall ealaa muhammad alnnabi al’ummii, waealaa al
Muhammad َّ‫صلَ الّلَهام‬ ّ ‫علّى‬ ّ ‫حمَّدم‬
ّ ‫ا اَمَ َ ال َّبَ َ ما‬، ‫علّى‬
ّ ّ‫حمَّدم آلَ و‬
ّ ‫ما‬

Astighfar and duas for forgiveness

The Prophet (pubh) said, “The most superior way of asking for forgiveness
from Allah is Sayyidul Istighfar. The Prophet (pbuh) added. “If somebody
recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day
before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if
somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the
morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.”

Sayyidul Istighfar transliteration:

“Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Khalaqtani wa ana `Abduka, wa

ana `ala `ahdika wa wa`dika mastata`tu, A`udhu bika min Sharri ma
sana`tu, abu’u Laka bini`matika `alaiya, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi faghfir lee
fa innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta.”

Meaning: Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped
except You, You created me and I am Your servant, and I abide by Your
covenant and promise [to honor it] as best I can, I take refuge in You from
the evil of which I committed, I acknowledge Your favor upon me and I
acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except
You.

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Other duas you can recite for forgiveness from hadith:

‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: Prior to his demise, the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to supplicate frequently: Subhan Allahi wa
bihamdihi; Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilaihi. (Allah is free from imperfection,
and I begin with praising Him. I beg forgiveness from Allah and I turn to
Him in repentance.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: We counted

Messenger’s saying a hundred times during one single sitting: Rabb-ighfir
li, wa tubb `alayya, innaka Antat-Tawwabur-Rahim. (My Rubb! Forgive me
and pardon me. Indeed, You are the Oft-Returning with compassion and
Ever Merciful.”(Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi).

In Arabic the phrase Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaih is written as: ‫ُّ وّ اهللّ ََُّسـّسـَسـَسرا‬
‫ ّلسَيلَ إَ ُاسوـا‬Meaning: I seek forgiveness to Allah and repent towards Him.

There are two variations you can recite:

(1) Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi; Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilaihi

(2) Astaghfir ullah-alladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Haiyul-Qayyumu, wa atubu
ilaihi

3) Astaghfirullaahal-‘Adheemal-lathee laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa Huwal-Hayyul-

Qayyoomu wa ‘atoobu ‘ilayhi.

Meaning: I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none
worthy of worship except Him, the Living, the Eternal, and I repent to Him

His sins will be forgiven even if he should have run away from the
battlefield (while he was engaged in fighting for the Cause of Allah).