This excerpt is taken from Kitab al-Sawm, compiled by Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri, may Allah preserve him.
Question:
What is meant by the blessed night (Laylat al-Mubarakah) in Surah Dukhan, verse number 3?
Answer:
Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ
"We sent it (the Quran) down on a blessed night; indeed, We are ever warning."
Reference: (44-Ad-Dukhan: 3)
In this verse, the blessed night refers to Laylat al-Qadr, which is one of the five odd nights in the last ten days of Ramadan. It was on this night that the Quran was revealed, and this is explicitly mentioned in Surah Al-Qadr.
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says:
إنك لترى الرجل يمشي في الأسواق وقد وقع اسمه في الموتى ثم قرأ إنا أنزلناه في ليلة مباركة إنا كنا منذرين فيها يفرق كل أمر حكيم يعني ليلة القدر ففي تلك الليلة يفرق أمر الدنيا إلى مثلها من قابل
"You see a person walking in the market while his name has already been recorded among the deceased." Then he recited these verses: ﴿إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ﴾
Reference: (Ad-Dukhan: 3-4)
"We sent it (the Quran) down on a blessed night; indeed, We are ever warning. On that night, every wise matter is decreed." This night refers to Laylat al-Qadr, on which the major worldly affairs for the coming year until the same night are decided."
Reference: (Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 3678, and its chain is Hasan)
According to Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), the night mentioned in these verses is Laylat al-Qadr; therefore, it is incorrect to assume without evidence that this night refers to the night of the 15th of Sha'ban.
Some say that the blessed night mentioned in the verse refers to the night of the 15th of Sha'ban; this position is baseless.
❀ Allama Ibn al-Arabi al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (543 AH)
says:هو باطل قطعا لأنه لا يعضده أثر ولا خبر والصحيح أنها ليلة القدر
"To say that the blessed night refers to the night of the 15th of Sha'ban is absolutely false because it is not supported by any narration or hadith. The correct understanding is that it refers to Laylat al-Qadr."
Reference: (Al-Masalik fi Sharh Muwatta Malik: 4/264)
Question:
How is the following narration?
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that when Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
قد جاءكم رمضان شهر مبارك افترض الله عليكم صيامه تفتح فيه أبواب الجنة وتغلق فيه أبواب الجحيم وتغل فيه الشياطين فيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر من حرم خيرها فقد حرم
"The month of Ramadan has come to you, it is a blessed month, Allah has made fasting obligatory upon you in this month, in this month the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained. There is a night in it which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is truly deprived."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 2/230, 425, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 2106)
Answer:
The chain of narration is weak. Abu Qulabah Jarmi did not hear it from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه.
Question:
When was the Quran revealed to the lowest heaven (the sky of the world)?
Answer:
Allah Almighty revealed the complete Quran from the Preserved Tablet to the heaven of the world, then gradually and according to the appropriate occasion, He sent it down to the earth.
❀ Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
"Indeed, We sent it (the Quran) down during the Night of Decree (from the Preserved Tablet to the heaven of the world)."
Reference: (97-Al-Qadr: 1)
❀ Also, the Divine command is:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ
"We sent it (the Quran) down on a blessed night; indeed, We are ever warning."
Reference: (44-Ad-Dukhan: 3)
In this verse, the blessed night refers to Laylat al-Qadr, which is one of the five odd nights in the last ten days of Ramadan.
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنزِيلًا
"We have sent down the Quran in stages so that you may recite it to the people at intervals, and We have revealed it gradually."
Reference: (Al-Isra: 106)
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says:
أنزل الله القرآن إلى السماء الدنيا في ليلة القدر فكان الله إذا أراد أن يوحي منه شيئا أوحاه أو أن يحدث منه في الأرض شيئا أحدثه
"Allah Almighty revealed the entire Quran on Laylat al-Qadr to the heaven of the world, then He revealed as much as He wished through revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him), or when an event occurred on earth, He revealed verses accordingly."
Reference: (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 30187, Fada'il al-Quran by Ibn al-Durays: 117, Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 2877, and its chain is authentic)
This narration was declared authentic by Imam Al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) and authenticated by Hafiz Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him).
Question:
Some people observe a fast of silence, what is its Islamic ruling?
Answer:
This is following Satan. Remaining silent all the time is the act of a sick mind. Allah Almighty has given the wise a tongue, and they speak. Observing silence as a form of worship is not a practice adopted by the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the noble companions, nor were the predecessors of the Ummah familiar with it, so how can it be a religion?
However, the Prophetic hadith advises avoiding idle talk and speaking words of goodness and virtue. Words based on goodness and virtue can be spoken abundantly.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فلا يؤذ جاره ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest.”
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6475, Sahih Muslim: 47)
This hadith is a clear text that one should speak only that which is good and beneficial and whose wisdom is evident. If there is doubt about its wisdom, it is better not to speak.
Question:
A student vowed that if he passed the exam, he would fast the day after the result, but he did not fast the day after the result. What is the ruling?
Answer:
When he passed the exam, it became obligatory for him to fast on the day after the result because he had made a vow for a specific day. Now, if he did not fast on that specified day, he must pay the expiation for the vow.
