I chose the title of this post from a metaphor coined by the Shaykh in this talk through which he explains the level of effort accompanying a quest for the night: To earn the degree of Laylatul-Qadr and access the nur and the rahmah in it, one has to graduate from the college of ‘ibaadah – an equal-opportunity institution accessible to every Muslim regardless of his/her background and intellect.
Allahu Akbar. There is so much packed into these 30 minutes that this talk by itself is a shining example of barakah in the dispensation of knowledge.
If you’ve ever wanted clarity on Laylatul-Qadr, this lecture will help you connect the dots between: the revelation; the angels and the Ruh (Jibreel alayhisSalaam) coming down with it; the rationale behind the Power in the night; its greatness exceeding a thousand nights of worship. All of it comes together in bite-size bursts of alternating exegesis and exposition, peppered with fascinating stories from the lives of Shah Ismaeel Shaheed رحمه الله, Imam Abu Hanifa رحمه الله, and Hadhrat Uthmaan رضي الله عنه .
And just as we begin to take stock of this trove of knowledge to benefit ourselves, we learn that the ultimate act of compassion lies in harnessing the Power of this night to make a grand supplication to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى . I thought this was a fascinating piece of advice, especially relevant in our times when blaming the ummah for our troubles has become the norm.
May we find the nur we seek, and may Allah grant us the taufeeq to harness it to our advantage. And may He, the greatest Forgiver and the One who loves to forgive, forgive us.