Alhamdulliah (All praise is due to Allah), who has allowed us to reach the last ten nights of Ramadan and has made them a time filled with immense blessings and illuminating virtues.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner a testimony that illuminates the heart and soul.
And I bear witness that our leader and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and Messenger, the best of those who prostrate to Allah at the last part of the night.
May Allah’s salah and salam be upon him, his family, and his companions for as long as years and time continue to pass.
Here we are Ramadan is drawing to a close, preparing to depart, as its days swiftly slip away and its nights race to finish.
And now, the greatest of the nights [of this month] have arrived: ten nights filled with the light of Allah, where every moment is a treasure, every prostration raises you in rank, and every hour is surrounded by mercy and engulfed in blessings.
During these nights, the kindness of Allah becomes manifest, the doors [of the Hellfire] are flung open for those to be freed from it, and forgiveness descends from above. It was during these very nights that the Prophet ﷺ devoted himself in worship in a way that was unparalleled.
He would bring the nights to life with prayer, praying an abundant amount of tahajjud and making much du’a, as though this was his last chance [to do so].
For he knew that within these nights is Laylat al-Qadr, a night in which Allah sent down the Qur’an,
What an extraordinary example of the generosity of Allah and His great and vast mercy a single night that erases all sins, removes hardships, and raises souls to the ranks of the sincere and devoted.
To those of you who are fasting, these are the nights to draw closer to Allah! In these nights, tears of devotion fall upon the prayer mat before dawn.
In them, quiet pleas of repentance ascend [to the heavens] during the stillness of the night, and hearts humbled before Al-Ghaffar lay bare their needs and their hopes.
Whoever wastes these nights has squandered the most precious part of Ramadan, and whoever neglects them has missed a great opportunity that may never return.
How many hearts, distant from Allah, have these nights brought back to His light? How many heedless souls have they awakened from their deep sleep [during these nights]? How many sinners have been cleansed by tears of repentance before Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful)?
So, glad tidings to those who made these nights a turning point in their lives. And what a loss for those who remained careless until these nights passed them by.
When the last ten nights arrived, the Prophet ﷺ would tighten his belt, awaken his family, and spend the night in worship. These nights were unlike the rest of the days. They were filled with prayer and the abundant dhikr of Allah.
“He would tighten his belt” meaning he would strive even harder in worship and turned away from all worldly distractions.
During these blessed nights, there was no room for rest or neglect.
> Du‘a is a door that remains open. It is a gift with no limits. Dhikr soothes the heart and comforts the soul. Charity multiplies your blessings and brings great reward. I‘tikaf clears the heart and renews your bond with faith.
Salam it is until the emergence of dawn. This peace does not fade away in the middle of the night, nor does it disappear before the break of dawn.
Rather, it lasts until the morning rises. It is as if Allah extends His mercy until the very last moment. He leaves the doors of hope wide open.
He invites His servants to call upon Him, to seek His forgiveness, and to purify themselves from their sins.
> This is a night that may change the course of your life. It could be the dividing line between a life burdened by sin and a future lit by the effects of repentance.
A night that raises you in rank. A night that wipes away your sins. A night that moves you from a life of neglect to being guided, from being far [from Allah] to being close [to Him].
On this night, Allah decrees the provisions for His servants, decrees how long they will live, and determines what will unfold in the year ahead.
So, whoever hopes for their du‘a to be accepted should turn to their Lord with a humble heart, for Allah is Most Generous and does not turn away those who are sincere and come to Him with truthfulness.
> O Allah, calamity and suffering have befallen Palestine; You are most aware of it and most capable of removing it.
O Allah, lift the calamity that has descended upon them.
O Allah, they are barefoot, so carry them; they are hungry, so feed them; they are naked, so clothe them; they are oppressed, so grant them victory.
O Allah, grant them victory over Your enemies and their enemies, the oppressive Zionists.