Four Nuzulul Qur'an Practices in Ramadan: What Are They?
Nuzulul Qur’an is one of the special nights in Ramadan. The Night of Nuzulul Qur’an falls on the 17th night of Ramadan each year. Nuzulul Qur’an marks the event of the revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. On the Night of Nuzulul Qur’an, there are several acts of worship that are recommended for Muslims. Quoting from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), here is the information.
- Increasing Qur’an Recitation
On the Night of Nuzulul Qur’an, Muslims are encouraged to recite more of the Qur’an, as this is recommended during Ramadan. Many people race to complete a recitation of the Qur’an. This is also in line with the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, reported by Nu’man ibn Bashir: “The best of worship for my nation is the recitation of the Qur’an.” Additionally, in the collection Al-Adzkar by Imam Nawawi, it is explained that on the Night of Nuzulul Qur’an, the angel Gabriel commanded the Prophet Muhammad to recite the Qur’an with its various readings and to explain the rulings of Sharia.
- Increasing Dhikr
Increasing remembrance of God (dhikr) on the Night of Nuzulul Qur’an is certainly a noble act. The virtue of dhikr is described in Surah Al-Ankabut, verse 45: “Indeed, prayer restrains from indecency and wrongdoing, and remembrance of Allah is greater; Allah knows what you do.”
- Performing the Night Prayer
The night prayer is a highly virtuous act after the obligatory prayers. Those who perform the night prayer are described as a sign of the honour of the faithful, as per a hadith reported by Ath-Thabrani in Al-Mu’jam al-Awsath: “Jibreel, peace be upon him, came to the Prophet and said: O Muhammad, live as you wish, for you shall surely die; love whom you love, for you shall surely be parted from them; and do as you wish, for you shall surely be recompensed for it.” Then he added: “O Muhammad, the nobility of a believer lies in the night prayer. His dignity lies in his independence from people.”
- Observing I’tikaf
As a means of attaining the honour of the Night of Nuzulul Qur’an, Muslims may also perform i’tikaf in the mosque. In this practice, one can engage in the aforementioned acts. The intention for i’tikaf is: “I intend to observe i’tikaf in this mosque for Allah, the Most Exalted.”