وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعۡتَرَفُواْ بِذُنُوبِہِمۡ خَلَطُواْ عَمَلاً۬ صَـٰلِحً۬ا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ
And (there are) others who have acknowledged their faults. They mixed a righteous actions with a bad actions. It may be that Allah will relent toward them. Allah is very Forgiving, Merciful (9:102)

Doing a lot of Righteous Deeds and Filling one’s time with them

This is one of the best ways of dealing with weak faith, and is clearly very effective in strengthening faith and make us getting closer to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’alaa.

Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) set the best example of this, when the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked his Sahaabah: “Who among you got up fasting this morning?” Abu Bakr said, “I did.” He asked, “Who among you has attended a funeral today?” Abu Bakr said, “I have.” He asked, “Who among you has fed a needy person today?” Abu Bakr said, “I have.” He asked, “Who among you has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr said, “I have.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “No man does all of that but he will enter Paradise.” (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab Fadaa’il al-Sahaabah, Baab 1, Hadeeth 12).

This story demonstrates that Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) was keen to make the most of every opportunity and to do a variety of acts of worship. Because this was an unexpected question on the part of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), this indicates that Abu Bakr’s days were filled with acts of obedience and worship. The salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) reached the highest levels in their efforts to do righteous deeds and fill their time in this manner. An example of this is what was said about a group of the salaf among whom was Hammaad ibn Salamah. Imaam ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Mahdi said: “If it were said to Hammaad ibn Salamah, ‘You will die tomorrow,’ he would not be able to do more good deeds (than he was already doing).” (Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, 7/447).

The Muslim should pay attention to the following when doing good deeds:

1 – Hasten to do good deeds

Allah says (interpretation of the meanings): “And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:133] and “Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allaah), and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth…” [al-Hadeed 57:21].

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Deliberation in all things,” but according to another report, he added, “except in deeds that pertain to the Hereafter [i.e., good deeds].” (Reported by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, 5/175; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3009).

2 – Continuing to do good deeds

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, transmitting the words of his Lord in a hadeeth qudsi: “… ‘My slave keeps drawing nearer to me with naafil (supererogatory) deeds until I love him.’” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 6137).

The phrase maa yazaalu (“keeps [drawing near]”) gives the impression of continuity. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Continue doing Hajj and ‘Umrah.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 810; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 1200).

This is an important principle when it comes to strengthening one’s eemaan and not neglecting oneself to the point of stagnation. A small deed that is continuous is better than a big deed that is not done regularly.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked: “Which deed is most beloved to Allah?” He said, “The one that is continuous, even if it is little.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 11/194).

“When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did something, he kept it up.” (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab Salaat al-Musaafir, Baab 18, Hadeeth 141).

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`O son of Adam! I shall go on forgiving you so long as you pray to Me and aspire for My forgiveness whatever may be your sins.

O son of Adam! I do not care even if your sins should pile up to the sky and should you beg pardon of Me, I would forgive you.

O son of Adam! If you come to Me with an earthful of sins and meet Me, not associating anything with Me in worship, I will certainly grant you as much pardon as will fill the earth.”

[At-Tirmidhi Hadith # 3540].

Surah Al-Qadr
Surely We revealed it on the grand night.
And what will make you comprehend what the grand night
The grand night is better than a thousand months.
The angels and the spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord
for every affair, Peace! it is till the break of the morning.  (97:1-5)
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Qadr:
“We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to thee 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 God’s permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn.” (97:1-5)

Allah also says about this powerful night in Surah Dukhan (smoke, mist):
Ha. Mim. By the book that makes things clear. We sent it down during a blessed night. For We (ever) wish to warn (against evil). In that (night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom, by command, from Our Presence. For We (ever) send (revelations), as a mercy from Thy Lord: for He hears and knows (all things). (44:1-6)

Allah said in the Qur’an in Surah A 1-Baqarah (the Cow):
“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).”(2:185)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said about Lailatul-Qadr:
It as narrated by Abu Hurayra that Prophet said, “Anyone who stays awake for the Night Of Power with belief and for the pleasure of Allah, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

It has also been reported by Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) who said:
“I asked the Messenger>Of A11ah if I knew which night was the Night of Power and what Prayer I should say during that night? He said to me: Say: “O Allah! You are forgiving and you love forgiveness, so you too forgive me.

From the foregoing verses of the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) I would like to mention to you the following:

The Night Of Power is better for you to live, to experience and to enjoy than one thousand months of your personal life. Even if you were to live one thousand months (83.3 years) with sincerity, dedication, and sacrifices and with good intentions and deeds, the Night Of Power is still far better for you to live and to enjoy.
The Revelation of the Qur’an started in the month of Ramadan and specifically on the Night Of Power. The Revelation of the Qur’an; a sign of Mercy, a guide and a blessing of Allah to mankind.
Anyone who is interested in finding the best guide, he/she should look into the teachings of the Qur’an.

The Night of Power is a night of blessings Allah has blessed this Night. Therefore whosoever is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah may look forward to the Night of Power.

Anyone who seeks the Night of Power and lives it, all his/her sin will be erased. This is, as if, he/she is, born again now free of all sin and mistakes.

I am sure every one of us would like to live a life free of sins an free of mistakes. Everyone would like to meet Allah on the Day of Judgment without sins. Every one of us would like to feel that he/she is reborn today. All of us wish to rejuvenate ourselves, and to start a new year with a fresh outlook and a fresh life. Every one of us wants to live a pure life and everyone wants to purify himself/herself without anguish or torment. The Night of Power is one of the best ways in which a person is to achieve all these ideals. For this reason may I suggest that you start looking for it, so you will be able to observe it and enjoy it.

As far as determining the Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr) is concerned, it has been reported to be during one of the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. It has been emphasized that it is most likely to be the 27th night.

As far as the signs of Lailatul-Qadr are concerned:
1. The sun rises early in the morning without rays.
2. Rain may fall either during the night or during the day of that night.
3. During night the sky will be lightly foggy.
4. The sky will be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.
5. The angels and Gabriel all descend down onto earth for many purposes.

If you are interested in living the Night of Power, let me remind you of some of the things that you might have to do:
1. Try to observe it during the last ten days of Ramadan, at the time of sunrise, during the days and the nights.
2. On the nights one may spend the time collectively and/or individually observing the following activities:
a. Recitation of the Our’an.
b. Prayers-Nafl after Taraweeh.
c. Remembrance of Allah or zikr
d. Supplication or Du’a for you and for others.
e. Pondering and contemplating into the universe, the creation of the Heavens and the Earth: “…and they contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heaven and the earth….”(3:191)
f. Reading books of Hadeeth so as to enjoy the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
g. Reading Tafseer of Qur’an.
h. Giving charity to others if you can afford it.
i. Trying to explain Islam, if you know something about it, to those next to you so they will benefit from you.

To summarize, I would like to mention the following:
The Night of Power is a very important occasion in Islam. Everyone is asked to live it and to enjoy it. This Night is a night of Mercy, a night of Blessing, a night of Peace and a night of Guidance. It is a night of Unification between the finite world of ours and the Infinite Universe of the Unseen.

Anyone who is interested in attaining the Mercy of Allah will strive very hard to look for the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah on the Blessed Night will work very hard to enjoy the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in attaining peace of mind, peace of body and peace in society, he has to look for this Night and to live it.

May Allah give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort to do our best to obey Allah and to follow His teachings. May Allah guide us and may Allah strengthen our Iman May Allah help us to live another year with sincerity and devotion. May Allah make us realize that one year of our life is over and that we are one year closer to our graves.

Let us wake up and do our best to please Allah in our daily life. Let us ask Almighty Allah forgiveness. Ameen

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The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The first of his deeds for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his Salaah (prayer). If it is good then he will succeed and prosper, and if it is bad then he will be a loser and doomed. If anything is lacking from his obligatory prayers, the Lord will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave has any voluntary (prayers), and use that to make up whatever is missing from his obligatory prayers.’ Then all of his deeds will be reviewed in like manner.” [Sunan an-Nasaa’i]

The first of his duties towards Allah for which a person will be brought to account will be his Salaah (prayers). So guard your prayers.

To respect and honour them as they will be the source of your respect and honour on the Day of Judgement, leave whatever you are doing as soon as their time commences and get up to pray beautifully and dutifully.

To show importance to prayers, begin to get ready for them before their time commences.