"Night of Power," musings from Chishtiyya
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Dear Friends,
I wanted to share this with those who don't subscribe to Chishtiyya.
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Friends,
Each moment I behold You is my Night of Power
While that which for mankind in the month of Ramadan
Is 'better than a thousand months', ...
Shaykh Ibn al-'Arabi: Diwan; p. 47
Shaykh Ibn al-'Arabi has written a treatise wherein he pays attention to
the Night of Power and its timing (mudda). For shaykh Ibn al-'Arabi the
lunar month is a cycle that affords the most profound contemplation.
Lunar light is identified by him with the inner light. He received a
vision wherein God revealed to him knowledge of the appearance of the
Night of Power.
The Night of Power is the night upon which the whole Qur'an descended
and it is celebrated on one of the last odd nights of Ramadan. "God is
Odd and loves the odd". As the Night of Power may appear on different
nights, then it is up to you to be alert and awake to its
coming.According to Sulayman 'Ata, a mureed of shaykh Ahmad al-Yasavi,
you "should treat everyone you meet as Khizr and every night as the
Night of Power".
The beginning of Ramadan for many Muslims has been either on a Friday or
on a Saturday. In his treatise shaykh al-akbar makes it clear that the
blessed night may fall outside Ramadan, when the first day of the month
of Ramadan falls on a Friday. This confirms the validity of the doctrine
of imam Abu Hanifa, according to which it does not fall exclusively in
Ramadan, but may appear elsewhere in the year. He also writes: "If the
first of Ramadan falls on a Saturday, it will be on either the 25th
night or the 21st".
The shaykh also writes: "My father, may God rest his soul, informed us
about the coming of this blessed night by virtue of recognizing special
signs. When the night was due, these signs would appear". He also
advises: "Do not neglect to pray every night and in your prayer ask Him
to pardon your faults and restore you to well-being in religion...".
I also wish to everyone a blessed feast day after Ramadan!
Siraj
With Love and Hope,
Nizam
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