We are now past the halfway point for the holy month of Ramadan, which means Eid will soon be approaching to celebrate the end of fasting for Muslims all across the world.
Before Eid, however, there is another significant period of Ramadan which is considered especially important for the majority of Muslims today. Laylat al-Qadr marks the last 10 days of the holy month and is otherwise known as the Night of Power or Night of Destiny.
According to Islamic belief, it was during one of the off-numbered nights in the last days of Ramadan when the Quran (Islam's holiest text) was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad. The exact day of the night is not officially known but many Muslims believe the 'Night of Qadr' comes with an abundance of mercy and blessings from Allah (God).
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Another important belief associated with the Night of Qadr is that it is when Allah sends down his yearly decree from heaven to earth which decides all the actions of creation for the following year. The Night of Qadr is considered so important in Islam that it is incomparable to any other night - in the Quran, it states: "The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months."
The night is also important for some Muslims mourning the assassination of Ali (the prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law) who is highly revered in many branches of Islam. Some groups of Muslims will stay up all night until dawn in prayer and worship to mark the occasion and mourn Ali in a variety of ways.
Another common belief is that Muslims are able to change their fate on the Night of Qadr by spending their evenings praying and doing goods deeds.
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