“We have indeed revealed this 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 by Allah’s permission, on every errand. “Peace!…This until the rise of Morning!”
Qur’an (97:3)
As it is declared in Qur’an, the night of power is better than a thousand months. Why is that? What does it mean for us? How we can read the symbols.
If you like to see the realities behind the veils, you can also be interested to read about:
Ramadan Symbols and Why We Celebrate Ramadan?
10 Activities of Ramadan for Ramadan Reflections & Blessings of Ramadan
After having said this, if you are ready to start a journey about the night of power, let’s start. Shall we?
What is the most important night of Ramadan?
The most important night of Ramadan is the Ramadan night of power which is also called Laylat al-Qadr.
What is the night of power during Ramadan?
Ramadan night of power is when the Qur’an is first revealed to Prophet Muhammad and believed to be the most powerful night of the year.
When is the night of power during Ramadan?
The Prophet Muhammad advised Muslims to “Look for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.” (Bukhari). However, it is typically believed to fall on the 27th night.
Signs of the night of power in Ramadan: Ramadan story of the Laylat al-Qadr-night of power
According to Islamic tradition, the prophet used to retreat for a month every year to the cave of Hira, which was in a mountain outside of the city of Mecca.
In 610 C.E, at the age of 40, Gabriel, appeared in his angelic form and recited to him the first revelations of the Quran and informed him that he is God’s prophet. That is when Prophet Muhammad fled the cave thinking he was visited by an evil spirit. He ran down the mountain in fear and directly went home.
He asked Lady Khadijah (his wife) to cover him up (with a blanket or piece of cloth). Hearing what happened on the mount Hira, Khadijah took Prophet Muhammad to her devout Christian relative. Prophet Muhammad, then, was told by the relative of Khadijah that it was Gabriel that had visited him earlier that day.
After that night, the prophet is believed to have continued to receive revelations of the Quran over 23 years.
Why is the 27th night of Ramadan- the night of power- so important?
Ramadan is the 3th and last month of the holy 3 months; Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan. Ramadan is the sultan of these holy months and Laylat-al Qadr is the crown of Ramadan.
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How one can read the symbolic meaning of Laylat-al-Qadr?
Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan are giving us guidance for our inner path to walk. It is a symbolic time interval, where it is showing us what does it mean to be a human, what is the meaning of life and what is my story, and what wants to happen if I just let it be?
As Niyazi Misri said in his poem.
“Where is your road coming from and where you are going?
The one who does not know from where she comes and goes is the animal.”
Niyazi Misri
Dhul-Nun al-Misri, says that;
“Rajab is the sowing month, Shaban is the irrigation month and Ramadan is the month of gathering.”
Dhul-Nun al-Misri
As you see, until the month of Ramadan there is much to do. Let’s see what all these can mean for us, in the search for guidance for our inner work.
How the month Rajab is guiding us on our inner path?
In the month of Rajab, one can make her intention. To make the intention, one needs to see inside, and to see inside, one needs to look.
What kind of intention are we talking about?
We are talking about an intention that is coming from deep listening. Once you begin to deep listen, you begin to feel what wants to be born through you and how you can serve in this world of others.
So the month Rajab is showing us the importance of the intention which is coming from deep listening.
To be able to listen, one needs to be in the search of inner balance. There is no one way for all. You will find your way to listen to yourself.
Where you sow your seeds? To the soil. Rajab is the month of earth energy, grounding.
Once you begin to take care of your body, your mind, and your soul and once you begin to create a relationship of care and respect and love with your whole self, that is when you will begin to listen yourself as you are listening to the void – not you anymore.
Then you will again lose the balance and the harmony with life but as you have already been there of deep listening, first you will become aware when you are not listening anymore and then each time you will find the way to that void easier.
The Rajab month is all about deep listening and hearing the intentions that are coming from inside.
As Dhul-Nun al-Misri said it is the month of sowing our intentions to the soil.
How the month Shaban is guiding us on our inner path?
In Shaban it is time to give water to your seeds, it is the time of having the work done.
What does it mean to take care of the seeds that you sow to the land?
It is about holding space for yourself, having self-respect so acting for your intention, even those inner sound says many things against everything you do. Shaban month is about passing the fields of doubts and doing the best that you can do, and finally being in consent with your efforts and being in consent with however life is interacting with you. It is about surrender.
How is the month of Ramadan guiding us on our inner path?
In Rajab you sow the seeds, in Shaban you water it and in Ramadan, you get what you give.
Ramadan is the month of witnessing. It is the month when you read the signs and link the dots.
In Ramadan, you become nothing so that you can see what want to reveal from you. You can get an idea about your life, from where you are coming and where you are going. It is time to drink the wine of the meaning.
In the last Ashra of Ramadan, there is the night of power. The night of the power is the most powerful night of all Ramadan. The inspiration of this night can come from the poem of Rumi:
Night of power inspiration
There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.
We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox
is stuffed full of anything, no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean
with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.
The fog clears, and new energy makes you
run up the steps in front of you.
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.
When you’re full of food and drink, Satan sits
where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue
in place of the Kaaba. When you fast,
good habits gather like friends who want to help.
Fasting is Solomon’s ring. Don’t give it
to some illusion and lose your power,
but even if you have, if you’ve lost all will and control,
they come back when you fast, like soldiers appearing
out of the ground, pennants flying above them.
A table descends to your tents,
Jesus’ table.
Expect to see it, when you fast, this table
spread with other food, better than the broth of cabbages.”
Rumi
Night of power Ramadan dua/prayer
This night the prayers of Ibn Arabi can inspire you.
“I ask of You. O God, that I may flee from me to You.”
Ibn Arabi
“Raise me to the station of closeness to You.”
Ibn Arabi
What is the month after Ramadan?
Shawwal is the month after Ramadan and it is the month of Eid-ul-Fitr.
What are the months in the Islamic calendar?
The Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri, Lunar Hijri, Muslim or Arabic calendar, is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days.
1. MUHARRAM
2. SAFAR
3. RABI-AL-AWWAL
4. RABI-AL-THANI
5. JUMADA-AL-AWWAL
6. JUMADA-AL-THANI
7. RAJAB
8. SHABAN
9. RAMADAN
10. SHAWWAL
11. ZUL-QAADAH
12. ZUL-HIJJAH
6 day fasting after Ramadan
The first day of Shawwāl is Eid al-Fitr. Some Muslims observe six days of fasting during Shawwāl beginning the day after Eid ul-Fitr since fasting is prohibited on this day.
Conclusion
This fasting of 6 days during Shawwāl can be the symbol of a new start. Ramadan is not an end, it is a new start, practicing what we have learned during the journey of becoming human, living as we have learned during Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan.
As Rumi says:
“Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.”
Rumi
Ramadan Mubarak!
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Ramadan Board!
