How to Farewell the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr)

As was described for the other important and esteemed nights, the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) should also be farewelled exactly in the similar manner, i.e. at the end of the night, one should resort (tawassul) to the Impeccable ones (the M'asumin [a]) - to whom that night belongs - should submit his deeds and worships to those exalted ones, with a heart broken, with grief and shedding tears, should request them to make those deeds as righteous, and should intercede with Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), for their acceptance, and thus making them as fruitful.

A Reminder

Yes! Congratulations and thousands of congratulations for the one who was able to have the divine grace of performing correctly whatever was described. But the one who did not have the divine grace of performing all of them, lest be tricked by Satan and through acceptance of his whispers, in which he says:

"You are not the one who could perform all these tedious worships, the way they ought to be performed, therefore, it makes no sense to bother yourself, leave it and do your own things, because, their incomplete performance would not bring any reward for you."

In this manner he would quit performing whatever he could have performed, would close upon himself the path of salvation and righteousness forever, and with this negligence and cheating would entangle himself into serious disaster. Therefore, he should not pay attention to these Satanic whispers and should not show any negligence in performing whatever he could perform, even if it happens to be quite insignificant, because, deeds and worships however smaller they might be, possess illumination and reward, would enable the doer to have the divine grace for performing another deed and worship, which quite often helps the person to be able to perform complete worship.

Be aware that Satan does not have any other aim and objective except to keep you away from Lord's obedience and to cut off your bonds of servanthood. It should not be forgotten that paying attention to Satanic whispers results in heart's darkness, which in turn makes a person lazy and disappointed in performance of Allah's worship; disappointment from performance of deeds and worship results in renunciation of some of the worships; renunciation of some of the worships results gradually in renunciation of all the worships; renunciation of all the worships results in our eternal degradation and doom, except that Allah's generosity rescues us, so that we practice abstinence in following Satan, and because of abstinence from Satan's following, our heart becomes illuminated, thus having the divine grace for worship and servanhood.

Yes, the prudent believer, lest underestimate his good deed, no matter how insignificant it may be, or may consider even a tiny portion of it as insignificnt and worthless, and with such presumption renounces it; that such behaviour would not accomplish anything except loss and damage. (Similarly considering his good deeds as big and with such presumption getting himself involved in self-conceit).

Also, lest he renounces a good deed because he is not able to perform it, instead, he should perform it, as much as possible; of course, after performance of a deed be it small or big, he should regard it as insignificant while comparing it with Allah's Exaltedness. Because, the All deed and worship, regarded as insignificant by the servant are considered as much bigger by Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), who very often looks at it positively, and accepts it from his servant, and what is important and useful for the servant is that Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), accepts deed, and not its being small or big, because He does accept quite insignificant deeds, rewards handsomely, and this acceptance and rewards mean infinite gains for the doer. On the contrary, plenty of deeds which aren't accepted by Him don't mean anything for the servant. Didn't Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), accept a little worship and repentance from Prophet Adam [a] but reject plenty of worship from Satan, and order him to leave the Celestial kingdom forever?

Therefore, from this consideration lest, one may regard his deed and worship as big and looks at it with appreciation and astonishment, even though if he has performed worship equivalent to the worship performed through all humans and angels; because considering one's own worshipping as great does not have any gain except its being ruined, and worst then that, it changes deed's illumination into darkness. Similarly lest he regards a little deed and worship as worthless and may renounce it, because, so often Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), accepts a small deed, and with his acceptance makes it a lot.

Comments About the Prayers of Others

Whatever has been described so far to strive hard to have more sincerity and truth and to consider deeds and worships as small and insignificant was about the deeds and worships which some one performs for himself; and all this emphasis is because of the reason, that no one should like and accept about himself anything, except, the deeds and worships which are performed with sincerity, and should not account for whatever is not done with truth and sincerity, rather should see it as sinning and transgression. But lest he regards and presumes so about the deeds and worships of others, because underestimating others deeds not only doesn't produce any gain - the gain which is obtained for underestimating one's own deeds - rather is detrimental, because it produces the background whereby others become discouraged and disgusted with respect to their deeds and worship, thus the doors of goodness and prosperity becoming closed upon them.

Therefore, from this consideration to treat others deeds and worships in this manner is not allowed, instead, for appraisal of others deeds their very apparent value should be considered as genuine. Or even higher than this, Allah's Generosity and Magnanimity should be considered as criteria, and should be presumed so, that very often Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), because, of his Generosity and Magnanimity might accept their deeds, even if they are not accompanied with truth and sincerity. Also, we should consider the possibility that perhaps Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), because of His kindness and love towards the servants, might accept and grant their prayers, even if they are recited from the tip of their tongue, and not from the depth of their souls. Therefore, from this consideration lest we disappoint and discourage Allah's servant from His blessing and forgiveness.

And thus with such undesirable conduct make him discouraged and with respect to his deeds and worships, ultimately resulting in his quitting worship and servitude. Even if his deeds and worships are not sincere, and are mixed with some undesirable things, it is not too far that this very apparent and superficial deeds and worship - if are not renounced suddenly - performed by a servant would become the basis for breezing the cold breeze of Allah's grace over him, thus, blowing the spirit of reality in the spiritless skeleton of his worships; the illumination of reality radiating upon his soul in such a manner that he would suddenly became transformed, gaining access to the real worship and the reality of worship, from that superficial worship, and attaining righteousness, salvation, and eternal prosperity. I even believe that if an intoxicated sodomite in state of intoxication, would cry O' Allah! and besought Him for help, He would reply him.

The Commentary - World Being the House of Illusion (Dar al-Ghuroor)

A little bit of pondering and meditation about the above-mentioned supplication, would reveal this delicate point that in accordance with the Qur'anic verses, traditions narrated from the Sinless Imams [a], and whatever has been spiritually contemplated by the mystics, this world is altogether deceitful and whatever we see, in reality isn't as it appears to be, rather it is like a mirage, which is misleading. Therefore, from these considerations it has been called as the House of Arrogance (Dar al-Ghuroor) and the House of Deception (Sarai-Farib).

Perhaps acceptance of this point might be hard for some, and they may not accept it easily that whatever is being seen by them in reality is not, what it appears to be, rather mistakenly they see a thing as something else. But there are situations, where human perception makes a mistake in seeing a thing as something else, e.g., a spoon inside a glass of tea appears as a broken spoon. If we think, ponder, and pay attention that this mistake of human sight -whose being a mistake, there is the least contradiction with other sights which are not mistakes, at least in appearance doesn't differ at all.

With this analogy, we can therefore conclude, that seeing a thing as something else - even contradictory to what it is supposed to be is a phenomenon whose occurrence is possible, and is not an impossibility. And if the traditions describe that our perceptions see the world and its phenomenon mistakenly as things - which in reality they are not - then with reference to the above-mentioned analogy, such occurrence and its reality should also be acceptable i.e., the reality that whatever we see in this world, is not, what it appears to be. Following are some of the traditions relevant to this matter:

The traditions which mention the speaking of lifeless solid material, like the speaking of stone pebbles upon the Prophet's [s] hands. In spite of the fact that our senses do not accept the speaking of stone pebbles and other solid bodies.

The traditions which describe the conditions of graves, that some of the graves are full of joy like green pastures, while some of them are like the trenches full of blazing fires, in spite of the fact that human senses do not see the graves as such.

The traditions which describe the role of angels in directing the world's phenomenon, while our sense of perception does not see them.

The traditions which mention that the sustenance of all worldly existence including solids, plants and animals comes from the Celestial kingdom, while our sense of perception do not see such a thing.

All these traditions describe this point, that in this world, there are plenty of phenomenon which are not perceived by our senses, or are perceived in a different manner. Yes! This world is named as the House of Arrogance (Dar al-Ghuroor), because its phenomenon do not manifest themselves to us the way they really are; rather manifest themselves with forms which do not show reality; with perspectives which lack authenticity, with essence which like a mirage disappears; with stability which is altogether in motion; with realities which like mirage, are imaginations and hallucinations. It deceives its lovers, and presents itself to them in a charming manner; only for the believers for whom the worldly materialistic veils have been removed from their esoteric eyes the world manifests itself, the way it actually is, and they see world's phenomenon the way they really are. Removal of worldly materialistic veils from the heart's esoteric eyes, as have been mentioned in the above-mentioned tradition means:

"Becoming disgusted with the House of Arrogance."

And seeing the worldly phenomenon the way they are, means:

"Becoming attracted towards the House of Eternity."

Since Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), has spread his blessings and forgiveness more than any other period, during these esteemed nights for his servants, and has invited them for worship, obedience and sitting down upon the table of his generosity it is a must for the servants to pay more attention towards the etiquette of these nights, by engaging themselves in worshipping and vigilance, they should look forward hopefully towards His Generosity and Magnanimity, and should not be negligent in remembering, that during these nights Satan too tries hard, more than any other period, to keep us away from worship, vigilance, and being benefited from Allah's blessings and favours.

 The Last Night of the Holy Month of Ramadhan

During this night there are few important deeds and one should make his best endeavours for their performance as follows:

To offer ten rak'ats of prayer for acceptance of this month's deeds and worships. In the book of Iqbal, it has been narrated from the Holy Prophet [s], that he has sworn that whoever offered ten rak'ats of prayer during this night in the following manner:

"The prayer should be offered with salutations after each two (rak'ats); in each rak'at after Surah al-Hamd, Surah al-Ikhlas should be recited ten times; and in each genuflection (rukoo) and prostration (sujood), recite the four-praises (tasbihatul-arba) - 10 times:

(subhan Allahi wal hamdu lillahi wala ilahi illAllahu wAllahu akbar)

"Glory to Allah, all praises belong to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is Great."

And after offering the salutations of the last rak'at should recite the following phrase one thousand times:

(Astaghfirullah)

"I ask Allah to forgive me."

Then in the end he should offer prostration by reciting the following:

"O' Living, O' Self-existent, O' the Majestic and Magnanimous, O' the Merciful in this world as well as in the next-world, O' the Lord of the first and the last, forgive our sins, and accept our prayer, fasting, and deeds. He wouldn't even have raised his head from the prostration, but Allah would bestow upon him his forgiveness, would accept from him his Ramadhan's deeds and worships, and would pardon his sins no matter how heavy they might be, because of him would accept the worshipping of his neighbours, and in the end the Holy Prophet [s] said: 'this is the special gift for the men and the women of my community (ummah), and before me Allah has not given such gift to anybody."

It would be desirable that all of us should do especially, those who care about others reformation and refinement; because of their being benefited from Allah's blessing of general compassion, they love to guide others towards reformation, righteousness, truth and perfection; for this purpose have selected the preaching as their profession, therefore, they must be ahead of others in undertaking this deed, because, the benefits which are gained by the people due to the performance of this deed are far greater than the benefits received by them in a preaching assembly. Because, undoubtedly, whatever is said in a preaching assembly does not influence all the people present over there what to say about its influence upon those who were absent and did not listen to the preaching sermon.

But the reward of the above-mentioned deed reaches to all the neighbours living in that area, even if their number happens to be in thousands or more. In addition to that the benefit which is gained by someone through a preacher is far insignificant as compared to the benefit of the above-mentioned deed, i.e., forgiveness for all their sins and acceptance of all their deeds and worships performed during the Holy Month of Ramadhan.

Studying Imam al-Sajjad's [a] Affairs

It is desirable to study and ponder, whatever has been narrated about the actions, deeds, intensity of repentance and obedience of Imam al-Sajjad [a] during this night, in order to find out that such a noble and esteemed personality like him, with all that piety and spiritual grandeur, present himself before Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), for repentance in this manner; therefore how should we -with all this disobedience, ingratitude, indecency and intemperance present ourselves before Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), for repentance and obedience.

"The great Sayyid in the book of Iqbal has quoted from Imam al-Sadiq [a], that when the Holy Month of Ramadhan arrived, Imam al-Sajjad [a] did not admonish his male and female servants for their mistakes, rather wrote all their mistakes in a diary. Then on the last night of the Holy Month, he called all of them and asked them to sit down around him, opened his diary, called their names one by one, saying: 'Do you remember that on that day you made a mistake and I did not admonish you?' The servant replied: 'Yes! I do remember. Then when he got all of them to admit their mistakes in this manner, he stood up in their midst and said: 'All of you cry loudly saying: 'O' Ali bin Hussein! As you have written our mistakes in your note-book, your Lord has also written about your mistakes, and without even a single mistake being left out, has registered them in a special diary; a day will come when you will be scrutinized in His presence the way we have come before you for scrutiny; now you should forgive us and let us go, the way you desire Allah to forgive you; you forgive us so that He forgives you; you overlook upon us, so that He may overlook upon you; you be kind to us so that He be kind towards you.

"O' Ali bin Hussein! Here we are standing afraid in your presence, you too should remember the Day when you would be standing afraid in the presence of your Master; the Wise and Just Lord Who would not overlook even the tiny deeds and would bring them for accounting; therefore, you be generous to us, so that He too would be generous towards you on that Day.

"He uttered these words himself, so that they could repeat them, they too repeated these words with their tongues loudly, while he was standing among them, shedding tears, cried, and said: `O' Allah! You Yourself have commanded to overlook and forgive those who have done wrong to me. O' Allah! I have done wrong to my own self, in accordance to Your command I have forgiven and overlooked those who have done wrong to me; You too should overlook and forgive me, because, You are most deserving to overlook and forgive; O' Allah! You have commanded us not to oust the destitute from our threshold; here we are destitute, who have placed our heads upon Thy threshold, have put our hands upon the skirt of Your generosity, our eyes are eagerly fixed upon Your love and kindness, please do a favour upon us, and do not oust us disappointed and empty handed from Your threshold, because You are more deserving for mercy and compassion among all.

"Then he looked upon them and said: 'I have forgiven you and have overlooked your mistakes, now will you too over-look me? And if I was not a good master for you, will you forgive me? That I was not a good, just, and generous master, but I myself am a servant of an Exalted, Merciful, and Compassionate Master.' Then they would respond to him: 'O' our master! We have overlooked and have forgiven you.' Then he said to them: 'please pray and say: O' Allah! Forgive 'Ali bin Hussein the way he has forgiven us; make him free from the Hell's fire the way he has freed us from the servitude.'

"And they repeated these words upon their tongues, then he himself said Amen and said to them: 'Go away, I have forgiven you all, and have made you free, so that my Master too may forgive me and make me free.' In this manner he would make all of them free; since, the Day of Eid ul-Fitr would have arrived, also bestowed upon them gifts and rewards, so that they should not depend upon others for their needs; and there was never a Ramadhan that in its last night, he would not have freed more or less twenty of his slaves in this manner.

"He said: 'Allah frees seventy millions sinners from the Hell on every night of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, and on the last night frees a number equivalent to the sum of freed during all the nights, and I also like to free my servants in this world, so that my Master also frees me from his punishment on the Judgement Day.' He never kept a slave for more than one year, if he got a slave in the beginning or end of the year, freed him on the night of Eid ul-Fitr brought another one in his place, and when the Night of Eid arrived again, freed him too, and he practised this method until the end of his life."

Yes! This was the method practised by Imam al-Sajjad [a] for absorbing Allah's blessing at the Night of Eid ul-Fitr, and if we cannot properly execute his method in our lives, it would be desirable, to strive our best to follow it to the extent that is possible. At least, we may write in a diary the mistakes and omissions committed by our children, relatives, servants and others, then on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr's night let us overlook and forgive all of them and so much better, if we look towards Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), and say:

Allah! So-and-so, Your slave, did such and such wrong and transgression against me, but I did not take revenge'; and similarly should remember the mistakes and wrong of all of them one by one, and then should say; O' Allah! You know it very well that these slaves of your did these wrongs to me, but as far as I was concerned, only for Your sake did not stand against them, and did nothing to take revenge, with the hope that You too would keep Your wrath and punishment away from me. O' Allah! You Yourself have commanded us to overlook and forgive others, therefore You too should overlook and forgive us, because, You are far more deserving for forgiveness and generosity as compared to all of us.

O' Allah! You are the one Who bestowed this divine grace upon me to forgive those who have done wrong to me, therefore, please be generous and do not deprive me from Your forgiveness, because that divine grace, which you bestowed upon me is greater than this forgiveness. Therefore, when you did not deprive me from that greater blessing, please, also do not disappoint me from being blessed with your forgiveness too. O' Allah! You Yourself have commanded me to respond to an act of goodness in a much better way. I have forgiven those who had done wrong to me, I am hopeful that You too will respond to my act of goodness with a much better reward; would free me from Your punishment; with the alchemy of Your love, would replace my evils into manifold goodness, would increase my rank; therefore, complete Your generosity, and do not disappoint me from these wants.

Here, it should be reminded that not executing this method exactly, the way described above, and simply paying heart's attention, although might be useful and effective, nevertheless, its performance in the above manner is far more effective and possesses many distinctions including:

1. As heart's attention towards a deed is considered only as heart's worship, its execution and performance with tongue and other bodily parts is considered as part's worships, therefore, if we do it in the above manner in addition to the heart's worship, we would also have the worship of other body organs.
2. Further performance of a certain deed by a certain human body organ, produces a special influence upon the heart, thus, exciting other organs to perform other deeds, which in itself creates a background for another deed, and in this manner like a chain reaction, a continuous reward is achieved by the worshiper. It is obvious, that paying heart's attention only would never accomplish such an auspicious happening.
3. Also performance of deed and worship through bodily organs, have this good advantage that it might become an ideal example and model, providing the relevant background for others, who may also perform it, thus bestowing a reward upon us, because, whoever is the pioneer of a decent tradition and desirable work, every time someone would act in this manner, a reward would also be bestowed upon the pioneer of that good tradition. In addition to that, it provides a background, whereby the righteous and good deeds are spread among others, as the method practised by Imam al-Sajjad [a] provided a background, thus enabling it to make its entry among others and, thus encouraging them to perform it. Now, if Imam al-Sajjad [a] instead of performing it in this particular style, would simply have paid attention by heart, then in that case, would we have any awareness about this method today, and have practised it? Never.