❀ Meaning of Qiyām al-Laylah al-Qadr in the Light of Qur’an and Ḥadīth ❀
A ḥadīth states:
(( مَنْ قَامَ لَیْلَۃَ الْقَدْرِ اِیْمَانًا وَّ اِحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَلَہٗ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِہٖ ))
"Whoever stands (in worship) on Laylat al-Qadr with faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven."
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṣawm, Bāb Faḍl man Qāma Ramaḍān, Ḥadīth: 1901
What is meant by "standing" (qiyām) during this night?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The qiyām (standing) of Laylat al-Qadr refers to Ṣalāt al-Layl (night prayer).
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ قُمِ اللَّیْلَ اِلَّا قَلِیْلًا ﴾
"Stand (in prayer) during the night, except a little."
— Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 2
And further in the same sūrah:
﴿ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ یَعْلَمُ اَنَّکَ تَقُوْمُ أَدْنٰی مِنْ ثُلُثَیِ اللَّیْلِ وَنِصْفَہٗ وَثُلُثَہٗ وَطَآئِفَۃٌ مِّنَ الَّذِیْنَ مَعَکَ وَاللّٰہُ یُقَدِّرُ اللَّیْلَ وَالنَّھَارَ عَلِمَ اَنْ لَّنْ تُحْصُوْہُ فَتَابَ عَلَیْکُمْ فَاقْرَءُوْا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ﴾
"Your Lord knows that you stand (in prayer) nearly two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or a third of it — and so do a group of those with you. Allah determines the measure of night and day. He knows you cannot calculate it precisely, so He turned to you in mercy. Recite then of the Qur’an as much as is easy for you."
— Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 20
Thus, qiyām on Laylat al-Qadr means worship at night, particularly through tahajjud and nafl prayers, performed with sincerity of faith and the intention of seeking Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question
A ḥadīth states:
(( مَنْ قَامَ لَیْلَۃَ الْقَدْرِ اِیْمَانًا وَّ اِحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَلَہٗ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِہٖ ))
"Whoever stands (in worship) on Laylat al-Qadr with faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven."
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṣawm, Bāb Faḍl man Qāma Ramaḍān, Ḥadīth: 1901
What is meant by "standing" (qiyām) during this night?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
The qiyām (standing) of Laylat al-Qadr refers to Ṣalāt al-Layl (night prayer).
✿ Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ قُمِ اللَّیْلَ اِلَّا قَلِیْلًا ﴾
"Stand (in prayer) during the night, except a little."
— Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 2
And further in the same sūrah:
﴿ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ یَعْلَمُ اَنَّکَ تَقُوْمُ أَدْنٰی مِنْ ثُلُثَیِ اللَّیْلِ وَنِصْفَہٗ وَثُلُثَہٗ وَطَآئِفَۃٌ مِّنَ الَّذِیْنَ مَعَکَ وَاللّٰہُ یُقَدِّرُ اللَّیْلَ وَالنَّھَارَ عَلِمَ اَنْ لَّنْ تُحْصُوْہُ فَتَابَ عَلَیْکُمْ فَاقْرَءُوْا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ﴾
"Your Lord knows that you stand (in prayer) nearly two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or a third of it — and so do a group of those with you. Allah determines the measure of night and day. He knows you cannot calculate it precisely, so He turned to you in mercy. Recite then of the Qur’an as much as is easy for you."
— Sūrat al-Muzzammil: 20
Conclusion
Thus, qiyām on Laylat al-Qadr means worship at night, particularly through tahajjud and nafl prayers, performed with sincerity of faith and the intention of seeking Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
