How does a Muslim know that he has encountered the Night of Decree, given that he is seeking out the nights reported in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
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'Abbas 'Id: How does a Muslim know that he has encountered the Night of Decree, given that he is seeking out the nights reported in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
The Shaykh : That is a spiritual feeling that every person who has been blessed by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) with the vision of the Night of Decree experiences. On this night, a person turns toward the worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), the remembrance of Him, and prayer to Him. Consequently, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests Himself to some of His servants with a feeling that even the righteous do not usually experience in their other times. This feeling is what one can rely on to know that its possessor is seeing the Night of Decree. A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messenger (peace be upon him) a question that indicates the possibility of a person feeling the vision of his Night of Decree. She directed her question to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by saying, "O Messenger of Allah, if I see the Night of Decree, what should I say?" He said:Bulugh al-Maram 5:57 In this hadith, there are two benefits. The first benefit is that a Muslim can feel a personal, subjective sensation when encountering the Night of Decree. The second thing from this hadith is that if he feels that, the best thing for him to supplicate with is this supplication: Sunan Ibn Majah 3850Sahih (Darussalam) On this occasion, in our book, it was encouraged in some of the later lessons that the best thing a person asks his Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) for is forgiveness and well-being in this world and the Hereafter.
Yes, there are some physical signs and indicators for the Night of Decree, but not everyone who sees and knows the Night of Decree may be able to see them. This is because some of these signs relate to the general external weather, such as the night being neither very cold nor very hot, but moderate. A person might be in an environment that does not allow him to feel the natural weather of the town. There is also a sign, but it appears after the time of the Night of Decree has passed. That sign is in the morning of that night when the sun rises. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that it rises on the morning of the Night of Decree like a basin, like the moon without rays. Thus, the sun rises on the morning of the Night of Decree. This was witnessed by some righteous people who were keen to observe and note this on many nights of the Night of Decree. The important thing for the person who is worshipping is not to cling to such phenomena, because these phenomena are general; they are the nature of the weather. However, not everyone who lived in that weather shares in seeing the Night of Decree, meaning being in a state of spiritual clarity at one of the moments of that blessed night, such that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests Himself to him with His mercy and favor, blessing him. He should supplicate with what was mentioned before and with others. The physical signs are signs that do not indicate that everyone who sees and touches them has seen the Night of Decree. This is a reality. However, the aspect that a person finds in himself of spiritual clarity, the feeling of seeing the Night of Decree, and turning to Allah by asking Him what has been prescribed—this is the aspect that we should focus on and care about, so that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) may bestow it upon us.
The Shaykh : That is a spiritual feeling that every person who has been blessed by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) with the vision of the Night of Decree experiences. On this night, a person turns toward the worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), the remembrance of Him, and prayer to Him. Consequently, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests Himself to some of His servants with a feeling that even the righteous do not usually experience in their other times. This feeling is what one can rely on to know that its possessor is seeing the Night of Decree. A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messenger (peace be upon him) a question that indicates the possibility of a person feeling the vision of his Night of Decree. She directed her question to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by saying, "O Messenger of Allah, if I see the Night of Decree, what should I say?" He said:
Say: O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me.
قولي اللّهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعفو عنيAllahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa, fa'fu 'anni (O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me)
اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعفوا عنيYes, there are some physical signs and indicators for the Night of Decree, but not everyone who sees and knows the Night of Decree may be able to see them. This is because some of these signs relate to the general external weather, such as the night being neither very cold nor very hot, but moderate. A person might be in an environment that does not allow him to feel the natural weather of the town. There is also a sign, but it appears after the time of the Night of Decree has passed. That sign is in the morning of that night when the sun rises. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that it rises on the morning of the Night of Decree like a basin, like the moon without rays. Thus, the sun rises on the morning of the Night of Decree. This was witnessed by some righteous people who were keen to observe and note this on many nights of the Night of Decree. The important thing for the person who is worshipping is not to cling to such phenomena, because these phenomena are general; they are the nature of the weather. However, not everyone who lived in that weather shares in seeing the Night of Decree, meaning being in a state of spiritual clarity at one of the moments of that blessed night, such that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests Himself to him with His mercy and favor, blessing him. He should supplicate with what was mentioned before and with others. The physical signs are signs that do not indicate that everyone who sees and touches them has seen the Night of Decree. This is a reality. However, the aspect that a person finds in himself of spiritual clarity, the feeling of seeing the Night of Decree, and turning to Allah by asking Him what has been prescribed—this is the aspect that we should focus on and care about, so that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) may bestow it upon us.