By: Ridwan Ajimobi Abu Rayyaan
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
For the Muslims who thought that the night before the new Gregoriam year is when you have to pray for all the good things you want them to happen in the new year, this piece is for you.
Allaah, may He be exalted, said:
“We sent it (this Qur’an) down on a blessed night (i.e. night of Qadr) in the month of Ramadan, (the 9th month of the Islamic calendar). Verily, We are ever warning (mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship). Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.”
[ad-Dukhaan 44:3-4].
That is, Allaah, may He be exalted, instructs the angelic scribes to copy down what will happen during that year from al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet). This is what has been handed down from some of the early pious Muslims and was quoted by the commentators on the Qur’an.
Ibn Abee Haatim narrated in his Tafseer (18527) that Ibn ‘Abbaas said concerning the words “therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments,” 'there is written down from the Mother of the Book on Laylat al-Qadr what is to happen during the coming year, of provisions, deaths, lives, or rainfall, to the extent that it is written down: so-and-so will perform the Hajj, and so-and-so will perform the Hajj.'
Al-Haakim (3678) narrated – and classed it as saheeh – from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:' Verily you will see a man walking about in the marketplaces, when his name has been included among those who are to die.' Then he recited the words (interpretation of the meaning): “We sent it (this Quran) down on a blessed night (i.e. night of Qadr) in the month of Ramadan,(the 9th month of the Islamic calendar). Verily, We are ever warning (mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship). Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments” [ad Dukhaan 44:3-4].
That is Laylat al-Qadr! The night worldly matters are decreed throughout the coming year until the following Laylat al-Qadr.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'That is, on Laylat al-Qadr the decrees of the coming year are transferred from al-Lawh al-Mahfooz, ordaining what is to happen during the year of deaths and provisions, and what is to happen until the end of the year. This was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, Abu Maalik, Mujaahid, ad- Dahhaak and more than one of the early generations. The phrase amrin hakeem (translated here as “every matter of ordainments”), means something which has been determined and cannot be altered or changed. End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (7/246).
Something similar was stated by at-Taahir ibn ‘Aashoor in at-Tahreer wa’t-Tanweer (6/422) and by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen - may Allaah be pleased with him - in his Fataawa (20/3 44).
Points of Benefits:
When you wake up during the last ten days of Ramadan trying to search for Laylatu-l-Qadr, you witness the following:
It will be known to you that you really have the ability to wake up every night worshipping your Creator without stress, even after Ramadan.
Your waking up at midnight to worship in Ramadan or after, is what is permissible in Islam.
You have a very big chance for your supplications to be granted - praying at midnight when Allaah descends to the first heaven, this also happens on the Night of Majesty - so far what you asked for is not a bad thing like cutting the family ties and so on.
So observing the night vigil because of the new Greeco-Roman year, you get the following:
Doing an act of worship that has no basis in our religion which leads to no acceptance of prayers, and which is also sinning.
Following the footsteps of those who are not Muslims rater than following the one Allaah sent His deen through - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam.
Therefore, the night of 31st December has no spiritual benefit in the life of anybody let alone a Muslim. Those who venerate the night, and those who hold wanton fanfare in it, should desist because if it is agreed the origin of the New Year celebrations was of a pagan origin, then why must the people of monotheism - the Muslims - partake in it in any way let alone associating any spirituality with it as those who embark on special Tahajjud nights do in the night of 31st December?
ﺳُﺒْﺤَﺎﻧَﻚَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻬُﻢَّ ﻭَﺑِﺤَﻤْﺪِﻙَ ﺃَﺷْﻬَﺪُ ﺃَﻥْ ﻟَﺎ ﺇِﻟَﻪَ ﺇِﻟَّﺎ ﺃَﻧْﺖَ ﺃَﺳْﺘَﻐْﻔِﺮُﻙَ ﻭَﺃَﺗُﻮﺏُ ﺇِﻟَﻴْﻚ
