The Tajalli of the Night of Power

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) from 1995, at Peckham Mosque. 

The nights are the time Allah (s.w.t.) Designated for the attainment of spiritual blessing and power.  Allah (s.w.t.) Told His Beloved, in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ المُزمّل

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ (١) قُمِ ٱلَّيۡلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ (٢) 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

O you folded in garments!  Stand (to pray) by night, but not all night ― (Surah al-Muzzammil:1-2) 

Allah (s.w.t.) Ordered the Prophet (s.a.w.) to spend most of the night in worship in order to prepare his heart for the Tremendous Revelation of Qur’an.  This night worship was the means for the Prophet (s.a.w.) to Ascend spiritually.  His companions would join him for the night prayer and would begin rising in station and spirituality: 

سُوۡرَةُ المُزمّل

إِنَّا سَنُلۡقِى عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلاً۬ ثَقِيلاً (٥) إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِىَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـًٔ۬ا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلاً (٦) 

Soon shall We Send down to you a Weighty Message.  Truly, the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of prayer and praise). (Surah al-Muzzammil:5-6) 

Laylat al-Qadr is a holy night.  All the nights of Ramadhan are holy but Laylat al-Qadr is the holiest night of this holy month.  It is also the holiest night among all other holy nights throughout the entire year.  It comes only once a year, and Allah (s.w.t.) Grants to His most praised and most beloved servant, Muhammad (s.a.w.) this holy night, the Night of Power.  About this night, Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ القَدر

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (١) وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (٢) لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬ (٣) تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ۬ (٤) سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ (٥) 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

We have indeed Revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to you what the Night of Power is?  The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months.  Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah’s Permission, on every errand: Peace!  This until the rise of morn! (Surah al-Qadr:1-5) 

“Night of Power” is a strange translation for Laylat al-Qadr but it attributes to it a good meaning.  Whoever attains the Blessings of this holy night attains perfection in his spiritual life.  One can attain perfection by means of this night because its value is more than one thousand months of worship.  Every act of worship performed increases the spiritual status of people, and on this night, any act of worship will be valued at a thousand months of worship on any other night.  It is condensed power.  Allah (s.w.t.) Makes it a Mighty night by Placing, in it, such incredible power.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says it is much more valuable than a thousand months of worship. 

On the Night of Power, Allah (s.w.t.) Grants the possibility for His servants to come to His Divine Presence.  On this night, worshippers are on several different levels.  No doubt, we are on the lowest level, so we hope in this night, to attain the honour and illumination Granted in it.  When we reach a higher state, we begin to sense something of the Divine Power being Manifested on this night.  Whoever is at the highest level of spirituality will be in the Divine Presence.  That appearance will occur in a matter of seconds, perhaps within a single second.  Perhaps a second is an enormous unit of time in comparison to that moment.  It may be more than a second or much less, but it is an instant in time when an appearance from Divine Presence is Manifested to Creation. 

When that Tajalli is Manifest, no one will remain standing throughout the Heavens and the Earth.  Everything falls into prostration for that moment.  That Manifestation of Divine Power, that Divine Light, Appears, and whoever is Prepared and who has been Invited sees it and falls in prostration.  Everything at that moment is in sajdah, all the animals, all the trees, even buildings.  This is Mentioned in Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ الرّعد

وَلِلَّهِ يَسۡجُدُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ طَوۡعً۬ا وَكَرۡهً۬ا وَظِلَـٰلُهُم بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأَصَالِ ۩ (١٥) 

Whatever beings there are in the Heavens and the Earth do prostrate themselves to Allah (acknowledging subjection) ― with good― will or in spite of themselves: so do their shadows in the mornings and evenings. (Surah ar-Ra’ad:15) 

سُوۡرَةُ الحَجّ

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَسۡجُدُ لَهُ ۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَن فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ وَٱلنُّجُومُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ وَٱلدَّوَآبُّ وَڪَثِيرٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡعَذَابُ‌ۗ وَمَن يُہِنِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِن مُّكۡرِمٍ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفۡعَلُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۩ (١٨) 

See you not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the Heavens and on Earth ― the Sun, the Moon, the stars; the hills, the trees the animals; and a great number among mankind?  But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment: and such as Allah shall Disgrace, none can rise to honour: for Allah Carries Out all that He Wills. (Surah al-Haj:18) 

May Allah (s.w.t.) Forgive us because we are sinners.  We are in need of our Lord’s Forgiveness for the honour of His Most Praised Servant, Sayyidina Muhammad (s.a.w.).  For that reason, we must attend humbly to worship on that night as our Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) directed us, “Whosoever offers voluntary prayers during the Night of Power out of belief and expecting from Allah its Reward will have his past sins Forgiven.”  This hadits is in the Shaykhayn.