Question:
Assalamualaikum. Is it true that a person who performs the Isyak prayer in congregation at the mosque during the last 10 nights will receive the rewards of a person who perform qiyam on the night of al-Qadar?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Ramadhan is a month where Allah SWT blesses the ummah of the Prophet PBUH filled with great rewards and offers. This include in the last ten nights where there is a night greater than a thousand months. According to the above question, we would like to cite a hadith from Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah:
- From Abu Hurairah RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ
“Whoever performs the last Isyak (Isyak is the last obligatory prayer or the true Isyak prayer in its time) in congregation in the month of Ramadhan, then he has attained Lailatul al-Qadar.”
Narrated by Ibn Khuzaimah (2195)
Most scholars tstate the advantages of the night al-Qadar will be attained by a person who performs the Isyak and Subuh prayer in congregation. Among them are Imam al-Syafie RA who said it is sunnah for a person to strive during the day (of Lailatul Qadar) the same as he strive during its night. Imam al-Syafie RA also said in his old madhhab:
مَنْ شَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ وَالصُّبْحَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، فَقَدْ أَخَذَ بِحَظِّهِ مِنْهَا
“Whoever witness (attend) the Isyak and Subuh prayer on the night of al-Qadar, then he attained his part from the night.”
(See Raudhah al-Tholibin, 390/2)
Furthermore, there is no known evidences which contradict this in the new madhhab of Imam al-Syafie. Thus, everything that is stated in the old madhhab of which there is no contradiction in the new madhhab, regardless of whether the contradiction or corroboration for it, then it is its madhhab. Moreover, Imam al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said the time when the night of al-Qadar starts is after the sun sets and ends when the sun rises according to the last verse in surah al-Qadar. This is also the opinion of our ashab (Syafi’iyyah scholars) when they commented on this matter. (See Fath al-Bari, 451/6)
We are inclined to state that the rewards of the night of al-Qadar will be given to those who perform the Isyak prayer in congregation for it is considered as qiyam and the night of al-Qadar has already started. However, we are commanded to seek, find and strive to perform worship on the last ten nights according to other sahih hadiths. Among the rewards prepared by Allah SWT for His slaves on the night of al-Qadar is the expiation of one’ previous sins. This is explained in a sahih hadith:
- From Abu Hurairah RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1901)
Conclusion
To conclude, the night of al-Qadar is one special night prepared by Allah SWT specific for only the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Furthermore, let us all fill our last ten days and nights of Ramadhan with obedience and acts of worships such as recite the Quran, supplicate, donate and other good deeds for in these days, there is a certainty that one would meet with the night of al-Qadar. Here we would also like to share a hadith which mentions the determination of the Prophet PBUH in worship:
- From Aisyah RA, she said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَجْتَهِدُ فِيْ العَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ ، مَا لَا يَجْتَهِدُ فِيْ غَيْرِهِ
“Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time.”
Sahih Muslim (2009)
Lastly, may Allah SWT grant us the night of al-Qadar filled with obedience and acts of worship in enlivening the night which consequently made us eligible to attain His forgiveness. Amin.
Wallahua’lam.