The Last Ashra of Ramadan
The Last Ashra of Ramadan
The month of Ramadan enjoys and intrinsic supremacy over all the other months of the calendar year. In a same way, its last ten days or Ashra are higher in rank compare to earlier Ashras. The most important part of these 10 days (Days of Refuge) are that Laylatul Qadr also known as The Night of Power usually falls in these days. This is why, Holy Prophet (PBUH) devoted himself completely to prayer and other forms of worships during these days and urged other people also to do the same. It has the greatest value among all Muslims. There is a hadith reported by Muslim about the routine of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that: “Allah’s Messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time”. It is narrated by Ayesha (RA) that:
“when the last ten days of Ramadan began the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would gird up the loins and keep awake in the nights (i.e., he used to spend the whole of the nights in prayer and worship), and, also, wakened the members of his family (so that they, too, could partake of the blessings of the nights of that month).”
As these last of Ramadan accompany with Iteqaf and Lailat-ul-Qadar, it should be spent in worships in search of Lailat-ul-qadar with good deeds and reading of Holy Book Quran. Dua for Lailat-ul-Qadar is:
“ALLAH HUMMA INNAKA’AFUWWUN KAREEMUN TUHIBBUL’AFWA FA’AFU ANNI YA GHAFOOR”
Laila-tu-Qadr or the night of Power is the night in which the first Verses of Holy Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and this night has uttermost importance as described in the Hadith of Prophet (P.B.U.H):
“Whoever stays up (in prayer) on the Night of Qadr fully believing (in Allah’s promise of reward for that night) and hoping to seek reward (from Allah), he shall be forgiven for his past sins.”
Nijaat means “salvation” and in the last Ashra, Allah keeps His people under His kindness and benevolence, keeps us safe from His wrath in the hereafter and accepts prayers. In these days, most of the sins are forgiven, and it is said that if you cannot seek forgiveness in these days then there are very little chance of getting it as these are the best days and nights of the year. Iteqaaf is the great and generally esteemed custom of the final ashra of Ramadan. In Itekaf, Muslim Ummah sits in Mosques for a long time and refrains from gatherings, and all their time is fully occupied in offering prayers to Allah and reciting Holy Quran.
The final Ashra of Ramadan is the ending ten days of Ramadan after that Eid is the gift to them from Allah. So Muslims attempt intently to get its full peace before saying goodbye to it. We Muslims besides Itikaf and recitation of Quran, perform special Nawafils, Salatuh Tasbeeh in these last days for beseeching refuge from hell. Dua for the last Ashra is:
Translation: “O Allah! Save me from the Hell – Fire.”
