THE holy Shab-e-Qadr, also known as Lailatul Qadr, when the first verses of the holy Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), was observed across the country on Sunday night with due religious fervour. For this, the month of Ramzan is unlike other months. The Qur’an was sent down as guidance for the entire mankind.
Among the nights of Ramzan there is one special night, which is better than a thousand months. Virtuous deeds performed on this single night are stated to be equal to those performed over a thousand months. According to Islamic scholars, it was the night when the Qur’an was brought down from Baitul M’amur (Heavenly abode), for angel Jibrael to reveal in parts to the Prophet (PBUH). This is one of the holiest nights which occurs on one of the odd number nights in the last 10th days of Ramzan and is believed most likely to be the 27th of the holy month.
Muslim devotees passed the whole night offering special prayers, reciting from the holy Qur’an, holding zikr and other religious rituals, seeking blessings of almighty Allah for long life, peace and progress for themselves, relatives and friends, as well as the nation and the Muslim Ummah. Lailatul Qadr is a celebration to commemorate the arrival of the final holy book of guidance for humans. It is a tribute to the commencement of the message revealed to mankind by their Creator, a message that shows them the way to attain happiness in both the worlds — this earthly world and the world thereafter.
The devotees are encouraged to stay awake the entire night, and pray for blessings and forgiveness. It is the holiest night of the year, and it would be unwise to be heedless to the tremendous benefits of this night. Muslims on the night also visited graveyards to seek eternal peace for the departed souls of their near and dear ones.
This year, the devotees observed the holy occasion in a different situation amid the Covid-19, seeking divine blessings of the almighty Allah to get rid of the corona pandemic.
