Your Guide to Worship During the Last 10 Nights of Ramadan
This year, the last ten nights of Ramadan are estimated to begin at Maghrib on Saturday 30th March 2024. [Important note: that clocks go forward at 1:00 AM on Sunday 31st March, which is likely to correspond to the 21st night of Ramadan]
As we enter the final ten nights of Ramadan,you may be asking yourself:
Have I made the most of my Ramadan? Did I reach my goals I set out before Ramadan? Have I prayed every Salah? Have I made the most of my time? The list goes on...
Whether you’re satisfied with the progress you’ve made, or feel you could have done more, these remaining moments are the time to up our game and aspire towards new heights.
Within these last nights of Ramadan is a very special gift. It is the Night of Power – a night ‘greater than a thousand months [of worship].’ [The Noble Qur’an, 97:3].
The Prophet (saw) was shown that the lifespans of previous nations were hundreds to thousands of years [Malik] and the ones of his Ummah were in their sixties and seventies [Ibn Majah]. He was concerned that his Ummah would not be able to compete with the previous nations, so Allah (swt) gifted the Night of Power to his Ummah for him.
If we look at the verse ‘greater than a thousand months [of worship]’, it becomes clear that worship on Laylat al-Qadr is greater than 83 years of worship – more than a lifetime for most of us.
Knowing about this special opportunity before us should spark a renewed sense of purpose, giving us hope that it is not too late to finish Ramadan strong. So let’s push hard in this last stretch of the race.
In this article, we will share ten tips on how you can take your worship to the next level during the last ten nights of Ramadan.
1. Give charity
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was described in Ramadan as being, ‘more generous in giving charity than the blowing wind.’ [Muslim]
Muslim Hands The Best Ten Nights donation tool ensures that you don’t miss out on the rewards of donating on the Night of Power. You can choose from three ways to split your donations: evenly across all ten nights OR give double on the odd nights OR even give double on odd nights and triple on the 27th night.
You might be wondering why The Best 10 Nights tool encourages you to give priority to odd nights. The Prophet (saw) said, ‘Search for the Night of Power in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.’ [Bukhari]
In another narration, the he (saw) said, ‘The Night of Power is the twenty-seventh (night of Ramadan).’ [Abu Dawud]
A simple £10 donation given on the Night of Power could earn you the reward of giving over £295,000 on any other night!
Splitting your donations to ensure you don’t miss this blessed night is a must! You can even split your donations between five funds of your choice to maximise the impact.
2. Don't waste time
Every second during the Night of Power is equal to more than 24 hours of worship!
You don’t want to spend these precious seconds scrolling through social media. Plan every moment. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ‘There is no intelligence like planning.’ [Ibn Majah]
3. Read and listen to the Qur'an
You may be aware that Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an. Did you know that other revelations like the Scrolls of Ibrahim (as), the Torah and the Gospel were also revealed in Ramadan [Ahmad]?
‘It was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong.’ [The Noble Qur’an, 2:185]
A person receives ten rewards for every Arabic letter of the Qur’an that they recite [Tirmidhi]. Imagine the rewards for reciting all 327,792 letters in the Qur’an!
4. Pray Tahajjud before Sahur
The time before Fajr is the special time when we can pray Tahajjud prayers. Try to get up a bit earlier than usual to pray some two-unit (rak’ah) nafl (voluntary) prayers before Fajr.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ‘Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted be He, comes down every night to the nearest Heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying, "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to him? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"’ [Bukhari]
Seeking forgiveness from Allah at this blessed time is further emphasised in the Qur’an that Allah’s true servants are those who ‘pray for forgiveness before dawn.’ [The Noble Qur’an, 3:17]
Of course, don’t forget to eat Sahur too! The Prophet (saw) said, ‘Take the pre-dawn meal (Sahur), for indeed there is a blessing in it.’ [Bukhari]
5. Pray Tarawih
Try to pray in the Masjid, as prayers in congregation are multiplied your reward by twenty-seven times [Bukhari]. If you can find a Masjid where the Imam has a beautiful melodious recitation, this can help you concentrate and connect with the prayer.
The blessing of Ramadan this year is that the fasts are shorter and the nights are longer than previous years. So, make the most of the nights in worship by doing a variety of worship as it is difficult to sustain one act of worship.
6. Perform I’tikaf
Try to perform I’tikaf in your local masjid in the last ten nights or a few days that you are available to do. Women have the option to do this in their homes in a specified room.
Aishah (ra) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to practice I’tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Search for the Night of Power in the last ten nights of Ramadan.”’ [Bukhari]
7. Don’t eat too much and stay hydrated
The Prophet (saw) said, ‘A human being does not fill any container that is worse than (his) stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. But if this is not possible, then a third for his food, a third for his drink and a third for his breath.’ [Tirmidhi]
Prioritise eating wholesome foods like fruit and vegetables and keep hydrated with plenty of water.
Staying active is also key so we can look after our bodies that have been given to us by Allah (swt). The Prophet (saw) said, ‘indeed, your body has a right over you.’ [Abu Dawud]
For ideas for engaging in exercise and earning great rewards, click here.
8. Do lots of Du‘a and Dhikr
The Prophet (saw) said, ‘Du‘a is the essence of worship.’ [Tirmidhi].
To make the most of these last ten nights, prepare a list of exactly what you want to ask Allah (swt) for.
‘When My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided.’ [The Noble Qur’an, 2:186]
This verse appears directly after the verse commanding fasting in Ramadan. Scholars have said there is a direct connection between fasting and making du‘a. Take every chance you get to make du‘a during this blessed month, especially in the last ten nights.
The Prophet (saw) used to make a very specific du’a during these nights:
Another du’a he (saw) advised us to make in Ramadan is, ‘You should ask Allah for Jannah (Paradise) and ask for refuge in Him from Jahannam (Hellfire).’ [Ibn Khuzaimah]
9. Work on your character
The Prophet (saw) said, ‘I have been sent to perfect good character.’ [Muwatta].
Good character includes modesty, courage, forgiveness, generosity, kindness, and more.
By studying the Seerah of the Prophet (saw) and the life of the Sahabah (ra), we can understand how they lived lives of righteousness. Spend time with people that encourage you towards goodness, as this will rub off onto you too, in sha Allah!
Use these nights to reflect on your character and behaviour towards others and in difficult situation. Ask yourself: how can I be more patient, avoid getting angry, be more helpful...?
10. Finish strong
Even if you had a poor start to Ramadan, now is the time to exert your efforts whilst we still have time.
The Prophet (saw) said, ‘Seek it in the last ten (nights), i.e. the Night of Power. If one of you shows slackness and weakness (in the earlier part of Ramadan), it should not be allowed to prevail upon him in the last week.’ [Muslim]
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzi (rh) said, ‘When the race horse knows that it is nearing the end of the track it exerts all of its effort to win the race. Do not allow the race horse to be more clever than you. For verily deeds are judged by their conclusions. So if you didn't do so well with welcoming Ramadan then perhaps you will do better in bidding it farewell.’
Remember the words of the Prophet (saw), ‘Indeed, deeds are only (judged) by their endings.’ [Bukhari]
We pray that Allah (swt) accepts all our worship this Ramadan and that we emerge with all our sins forgiven, amin!
AUTOMATE YOUR DONATIONS ACROSS THE LAST 10 NIGHTS
