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The Concept of Qiyam Laylat Al-Qadr
Author : Mufti. Zakaria Ali Salman
Date Added : 29-12-2024

Reflecting on the immense reward given to those who observe the Night of Decree (Laylat Al-Qadr), one should strive to seize it. When we know that the reward for observing Laylat al-Qadr is equivalent to a thousand months, as stated in the verse (Which means): "The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months." [Al-Qadr/3], we realize the significance of observing it. We also understand the wisdom behind its concealment from us, encouraging us to strive in seeking and searching for it and to take precaution to ensure we catch it.

Our role model in this is the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who, when the last ten nights began, would stay awake, awaken his family, and devote himself to worship, tightening his belt." [Agreed upon].

The Prophet (PBUH) used to seclude himself in the mosque (I'tikaf) for ten days every Ramadan. In the year of his passing, he observed I'tikaf for twenty days." [Al-Bukhari].

I'tikaf involves withdrawal, but the Prophet’s withdrawal is unlike any other. He was the commander of the army, head of state, teacher of the nation, its mufti, judge, and imam, as well as a family man with relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Above all, he was divinely guided and free from sin, yet despite all this, he observed I'tikaf.

If the moment of divine acceptance were a fixed hour that one could attain simply by sitting during that time, sinners, oppressors, and transgressors would be the keenest to attend that hour. This is why it is wisely concealed from the lazy, so they must exert effort, and from the diligent, so they do not neglect it.

One should not let any signs distract them from persistent observance and effort, especially since some signs appear after the night has passed. A person in I'tikaf may mistakenly think they have seen its signs and abandon I'tikaf, thus missing the guaranteed reward for something uncertain. This would be a significant loss and ignorance. How could it be otherwise when the Prophet (PBUH) did not end his I'tikaf even when he knew he had observed Laylat Al-Qadr? He continued until the end of the month.

I share this with my beloved brothers and sisters in faith to prevent Satan from deceiving them into abandoning the observance of this great night, which may not recur. Life’s end is unknown, and free time may not be available in another year, not to mention health and other circumstances.

Laylat Al-Qadr has two aspects:

1. The moment of acceptance: This is the supreme happiness when prayers are answered, and a person receives their heart’s desires. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is the Night of Decree, what should I say?" He replied: "Say: O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me" [At-Tirmidhi]. Material wealth, spouses, and children are important, as are position and status. However, more important than all these is safety on the Day of Judgment, as mentioned in the following verse, stating (What means):  "And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of what you count." [Al-Hajj/47].

2. Attaining the reward: Whoever performs a single unit of prayer on this night receives the reward of praying for a thousand months. Whoever utters a word of glorification (Tasbih) is rewarded as though they had uttered it thirty thousand times, multiplied by the reward of the fighters in the cause of Allah. Such immense reward and abundant blessings!

Here, Satan may employ his traps, either by leading you to sin—God forbid—or by distracting you with permissible amusement. If he fails in both, he may settle for making you perform a lesser good deed to prevent you from attaining the greater reward.

Congratulations to you, those who observe Laylat Al-Qadr! If you perform I'tikaf, your prayer counts as part of its observance, listening to a sermon is part of its observance, reading the Quran is part of its observance, speaking a kind word is part of its observance, and even resting to renew your energy for worship is part of its observance.

For this reason, the noble companions would pray for months to reach Ramadan, hoping to enjoy these great rewards. They wished to encounter this blessed night, to pray to Allah to alleviate distress, illuminate paths, grant victory to the nation of the Messenger of Allah, and make them a mercy to the world by spreading the religion of guidance and avoiding ways of misguidance.                                       

O Allah, endear faith to us and adorn it in our hearts. Make us detest disbelief, defiance, and disobedience, and make us among the rightly guided.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on a woman using contraception without her husband's knowledge if he is mistreating her?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is not permissible for a woman to use any means of delaying pregnancy without her husband's knowledge, consent, and mutual agreement. This is because having children is a sharʿī right belonging to both spouses equally in Islamic law. Imām al-Māwardī, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated: "The right to a child from a free woman is shared between them both" — meaning between the two spouses. [al-Ḥāwī al-Kabīr, 9/320]
It is therefore not permissible for either spouse to make a unilateral decision regarding the prevention of pregnancy without the consent of the other. We advise both spouses to discuss the matter with wisdom and mutual respect, so as to resolve any disagreement and arrive at a suitable solution that serves the interests of them both. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is the Saying "Whatever is Taken by the Sword of Shyness is Forbidden" an Authentic Ḥadīth?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The saying "Whatever is taken by the sword of shyness is forbidden" is not an authentic ḥadīth, though its underlying meaning is sound. The established sharʿī principle is that a Muslim's wealth is not lawful for anyone to take except with his wholehearted consent, as Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly, but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent." [Al-Nisā/ 29] And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Listen to me and you will live well: do not wrong others, do not wrong others, do not wrong others. Indeed, a man's wealth is not lawful except with his full, willing consent." (Reported by Aḥmad in his Musnad.) Whatever is taken through the pressure of shyness or social embarrassment runs directly counter to genuine, wholehearted consent.
The jurists have explicitly stated that whatever is taken by means of the "sword of shyness" carries the same ruling as that which is taken by coercion — it must be returned to its rightful owner.
Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states in al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā (Vol.3/P.30): "Do you not see the reported scholarly consensus that whoever has something taken from him purely out of shyness, without his genuine consent, does not pass ownership of it to the one who took it? They reasoned that this constitutes a form of coercion through the 'sword of shyness,' comparable to coercion at the point of an actual sword. Indeed, many people would rather submit to the literal sword and endure the pain of its wound than submit to this first kind of coercion, out of fear for their dignity and standing — which people of sound judgment hold dear and guard most fiercely." And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on using moisturizing creams on the skin during the day in Ramadan?

Using moisturizing creams on the skin does not break the fast because they do not enter the body cavity (jauf). Any absorption that occurs through the skin pores does not count as entering through an open passage.

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