Questions and Answers

Once Aisha (the wife of the Prophet), asked the Prophet as to how she should pray during Lailatal-Qadr. The Prophet gave this prayer: “O God, You are the forgiver, You love to forgive Your servants, so You forgive me.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3850) The greatest thing to ask God is forgiveness. It is forgiveness which leads one to eternal Paradise. Therefore one seek forgiveness from God Almighty on this night. What is the qualification to receive the blessings of the night of Lailatal-Qadr? To answer this question, it is important to understand the following incident from the Prophet’s life. During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet of Islam was in seclusion (itikaf ) practised in the final phase of Ramadan. Then he came out of the mosque but went back inside again. He later told his Companions that an angel had come to pass on the knowledge about the Night of Destiny. When the Prophet came out to inform the believers, he saw two of his people quarrelling with each other. Instantly, the knowledge of the Night was taken away from the Prophet’s mind. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2023) This incident has a great lesson for the believers. The quarrel was not an armed battle: the two believers were merely arguing, but even a verbal fight is enough to have the divine knowledge taken away. Those who adopt the path of violence can never become the recipients of divine blessings. To receive the blessings or knowledge from God, a believer must be a positive personality in the ultimate sense of the word. Else the blessings may be showered, but not on him! Positivity is the most important trait that makes a man worthy of receiving God’s blessings. We should keep a positive mind at all instances and seek forgiveness from God.