The Night of Power
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Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) holiest of all
Muslim scholars believe that while the Qur’an was revealed over a period of 23 years the Night of Power is considered the night in which the first revelations of Islam and the prophethood of Muhammed began. This night is in celebration of the arrival of the Qur’an.
In Arabic, Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Qur’an as, "better than a thousand months" (Sura 97:3). Al-Qadr means power and implies having power over something, particularly to Allah. The character of Allah is said to be excellence in power, capable, all powerful, almighty and also implies "high esteem" and thus the Night of Power is to be highly esteemed.
When does it occur?
It is often a point of debate among Muslim scholars as to when exactly the Night of Power occurs. Some scholars say that this night is hidden. Some say it occurs on either the 1st, 7th or 19th night of Ramadan. However, there is strong evidence that the night occurs during the last 10 days of Ramadan, specifically on odd numbered nights. In a report by Bukhari, Muhammed said, "Seek it on the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan." In Hadith by Ubayy bin Ka’ab, Muhammed also said, "By Allah, I know which night it is. It is the night the Messenger commanded us to observe, the night of the 27th."
Muslims believe angels perform special deeds on this night
The whole Night of Power, from sunset to dawn, is the holiest night of the year. It is believed that there are groups of special angels who are only seen on the Night of Power. These angels perform special purposes. Some come down for worship, others for granting the request of the believing Muslim. Other angels come down bringing with them proclamations of the coming year.
Today, many Muslims think this is a special night when God gives heed to their requests. Often they are open to dreams and visions as they seek for guidance and revelation. Many Muslims pray all night seeking a response to specific requests. One common belief is that angels will shower down the peace and blessings of God on all who remain awake during this "night of power". According to the Qur’an, God either listens directly or via the angel Gabriel, to the requests of Muslims concerning their fate.
As Muhammed had his destiny fulfilled by receiving the revelation of the Qur’an on this night, Muslims also call this the "Night of Destiny". This night seems equally important among orthodox Muslims and in Folk Islam. It is on this night, and during the following weeks, that many Muslims have had supernatural encounters with God.
Muslims are encouraged to stay awake the entire night, and pray for blessings and forgiveness. According to Abu Huraira translation of the Hadith, the Prophet Muhamed declared that "whoever prays during the Night of Power with faith and hoping for its reward will have all his previous sins forgiven." There are many things that a Muslim will endeavour to do on the Night of Power including recite and study the Quran, make special requests from Allah, evaluate their own lives and make plans for the next year.
Some Muslims will take the day off work so they can stay up all night and will often spend this night in the mosque.
Attitudes
Muslims come to this night with several attitudes. Some want to prove their devotion to God through their prayers, even being proud of their religious accomplishments. Others, knowing in their hearts that they are incapable of really pleasing God by their own religious activity, will feel disappointed with themselves. Finally, significant numbers will be praying in desperation and are genuinely seeking help from God.
Prayer Points
Researchers contend that 80% of new Christians in South Asia come to Christ as a direct result of supernatural encounters. More than half of new believers in Iran have had a dream or vision of Jesus and at least 35% of all recent Turkish conversions were in response to a dream and/or vision. In most cases, these supernatural encounters are in relation to a specific need or answer to prayer and are the result of years of prayer and labour by God’s people, including martydom. Often, a Muslim has heard the message of Jesus or even read parts of the Bible. While not all Muslims experience dreams or visions of Jesus, the supernatural is very much an accepted part of life.
There are many stories throughout the Bible where God spoke through a dream or vision. (Genesis 41, Genesis 46:2 & 3, Daniel 4, Judges 7:10-15, Ezekiel 11:24, Matthew 2:12, 19, Acts 10:3-20, Revelation 1:1). In many of these cases the end result was for the purpose of salvation or physical safety. Ramadan is a strategic time for Christians to believe that God would sovereignly reveal Himself to those who do not yet know Him.
* Consider setting this night aside as an all night prayer time with your church or mission group. Look for ways to make your time of prayer varied and interesting. For example: Flags, photographs, maps, posters, video documentaries will all add lots of interest and give you ideas to pray for.
* As you pray during this night, pray for issues such as Muslim leaders and governments, Muslim families and children. Pray for increased numbers of missionaries and workers, and pray for new believers (1 Timothy 2:1).
* Pray for a supernatural move of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to the many Muslims who will seek God tonight (Psalm 118:21, Acts 4:33).
Related
Filed under: Basics of Islam by TDI
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[Trackback] to 30-days.net, “80% of new Christians in South Asia come to Christ as a direct result of supernatural [...]
[Trackback] Millions of Muslims around the world stay awake through the Night of Power, seeking his mercy. [See What Christians Should Know About Islam and Ramadan | http://www.30-days.net ] So please pray through this week and especially on the night of Tuesday 9 October - the Night of [...]
i would like to know, why doe’s the QURAN contain hindu god’s, also the whole of the QURAN, is in sancript when it is read, it pronounce sancript language out of your mouth’s, that why you muslim’s go to such a great leng to learn that QURANIC language, that the enchantment’s of the language can reach the MA ALLAH, and hindu say allah is the mother of GODESSES, and MA mean’s mother, in the QURAN, ma allah is there and kali matha is the name of mother of GODESSES, in the QURAN, mostly everywhere, kali matha ala is there, the word RAMAHDAN, RAM, IS A HINDU god AND DHAN MEAN’S OFFERING, AND YOU MAKE OFFERING TO RAM WHEN YOU FAST AND CALL IT RAMAHDAN, now the black stone you call it sangey aswad and in sancript, sangey aswad mean’s non white, would mean’s black which is the stone in mecca sura baqara verse 187 [ASWAD] sura baqara VERSE 187 ALE MA ALLAH, THERE IS MUCH MORE, if you want to confont my challenge that allah is a hindu deity, also many disaster’s vanished the mecca more than 3 times, and you lot rebuilt it again not knowing that it was a sin to have that place rebuilt, your islam was blind, also written in sura baqara verse 135 say’s it not rigtheousness to turn east of west, obviously when praying, yet you still continue in that way, now if the stone was from a GOD why is it not mentioned in your so called holy QURAN? instead it is written many verses, save your families from the fuel which will be stones,also it say’s do not associate any object in your worship, a stone is a object, in sura maida verse 93, dedication to stones is satan’s handwork, don’t try to tell me any other reason for this, there are to many contradictions and lies in the islam, answer just these. in the muslim religion there are over a billion of you, yet you pray namaz and other salaat’s in some weird lanuage, which you don’t even,partly from the QURAN, partly some you do not know, you have over 101 languages, in your muslim world only, yet you learn a language with persistentce, and you learn, and learn and learn, why? well there could be a few reason’s, for the sane, 1 allah only understand’s that lingo, 2 or it is a code only in them day’s made up, to hide the truth, and it is in sancript and some other pagan ritual’s, or it is that no one should understand’s it, and you keep on enchanting then word’s, for your deties, that it may reach, and in this you make look like it one GOD, and some mystic prayer’s sent down from heaven, it has not been that case, we all are 21st century and are wise to know what has happened, so we have clocked you and your lies and deceit, and it is a hidden pagan hindu religon in disguise.