Seeking the Night of Power

In Turkey, Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) is generally fixed to the 27th day of Ramadan, indeed to its night. We say "in Turkey" because elsewhere it is only a strong possibility that Laylat al-Qadr falls on the 27th day of Ramadan; there is no certainty. Even its falling in the last ten days of Ramadan is again only a strong possibility. The possibility of its falling on any day outside the last ten days of Ramadan is not nonexistent either. In fact, Laylat al-Qadr is an indeterminate time, and for that reason it has the quality of being a time that is sought.

Because it is reported that the Qur'an was sent down in Laylat al-Qadr, which is therefore better than a thousand months, and because it is also reported that prayers are answered more in that night, everyone attaches a quite special importance to that night, and acts of worship and prayers are increased in it. Those who have not fasted the whole month fast on that day in particular, and most people save their zakat and alms for that day.

Although its time is indeterminate, because on the strength of certain preferred narrations its falling within the last ten days of Ramadan is considered more likely, it is advised that the search be concentrated in the last ten days. It is better to try to catch that time in these ten days. That night is in fact any night of the year, but the Messenger of God said that it is highly probable that it falls within the last ten days of Ramadan. For that reason he himself generally spent the last ten days of Ramadan in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat), trying to meet that night in a state of worship.

Just think, even the Prophet of God was not given definite knowledge about that blessed night... (according to some accepted narrations, this time was made to be forgotten by the Messenger of God (pbuh)). Of course, there is much, much need to dwell on the wisdom of this. How and why could such an important time have been made to be forgotten by the Messenger of God? To be left in yearning for a time. For a night better than a thousand months to be hidden for a whole year, and to have to search for it...

We know that the forgetting of such an important time by the Messenger of God does not make the knowledge or the situation concerning it deficient. On the contrary, its being made to be forgotten is a wisdom that Almighty God has ordained for the nature of this time. The Muslim will be in constant search. He will not stop at some point by saying "I have found it." The search itself is in and of itself something valuable. He will not consider his standing guaranteed in any matter by saying "I have arrived." As long as he draws breath, he continues in worship and in good, upright, right deeds..

In fact this is a tremendous warning that being a Muslim is not an opportunity, a rank, a right and an acquisition settled once and for all, and that one needs to keep earning it continually.

Has it not always been the reason for the loss of the generations before us, the so-called "chosen nations"? Nations that saw themselves in a position in which, whatever evil they did, they would not cease to be God's beloved servants, gradually began to behave like God's spoiled children and assumed an air of absolute superiority over other people. This feeling by itself is sufficient reason for God to take back the trust.

So that the same would not happen to Muslims, God willed to subject them to a special education. Alongside a series of other forms of education, this situation, in which Laylat al-Qadr alone is made forgotten and is sought, longed for and thereby realized within a certain span of time, is as it were a part of that special curriculum that educates Muslims.

God, who made even His Prophet forget the definite knowledge of a blessed night, of Laylat al-Qadr that is better than a thousand months, of the night in which the Qur'an was sent down, thereby shows mercy to that community, and wills to tell them that they cannot be saved by performing a few good deeds or only by performing certain deeds on a particular day or night. Nor does it end there: He educates them in this direction within an intense discipline, educates them practically.

Perhaps this situation reflects one of the most important features of Islam as a religion. Never being in complete security before God, relying on one's own deeds. Islam is a religion in which no one bears another's sin nor can save another. The understanding of individual responsibility finds its magnificent expression in the Prophet's words to his own daughter Fatima, "Be careful, even I cannot save you." Doing good deeds is very important, but one must not trust even them sufficiently. For one must try to remain constantly vigilant against the danger of ostentation, hidden polytheism or other motives that may seep into those deeds and that a person may not be able to notice himself.

There is no guarantee for this vigilance either, what we are aware of and what we are not... To what extent can a person always be aware of his own states? This is a tension that, from whichever side you look at it, can never be removed. A tension that cannot be removed by a few acts, a few remembrances, a membership, a closeness. This tension drives a person to prayer.

Prayer leads a person to constantly check himself, to know himself, and meanwhile to know God, to know his place. It is hoped that the state of never being in complete confidence of salvation, but of course never being in despair either, provides a complete balance of fear and hope. Without our prayers we truly have no worth before God. Prayers, especially those the Prophet made, each of which is a separate lesson for all Muslims, magnificent prayers that make God known, and that explain to, show and make a person feel his own place before God...

Therefore, one need not wait for the 27th night. Saying that any night of Ramadan may be Laylat al-Qadr, one must not hold back from searching and from arming oneself with its consciousness.

Note: I hope you will excuse my republishing, with small changes, an article I published 5 years ago, in these days when we are experiencing Laylat al-Qadr.

May Almighty God make us among those who appreciate the worth, the truth, of Laylat al-Qadr.