The Night of Wishes

Today is first Thursday and first Friday night of the holy month of Rajab. The night linking this Thursday to Friday is Laylat ul-Ragha’ib. And today is a blessed day. It has great Barakah. Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla is generous and kind. He ﷻ is the possessor of generosity. He ﷻ wants to give. He ﷻ wants to give to those who want. Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla says, “Take. Come and take.” But people are not taking jewels. They go and collect dirt and filth, ḥāshā mina l-ḥuḍūr [expression of respect meaning: saving your presence]. They get happy with that and put it on their heads, eyes and bodies. They don’t appreciate jewels. They don’t know their value.

Every Friday is blessed. And every day of the three holy months is blessed. But Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla has given these days as more favorable among them. Ragha’ib means beautiful things that are given. It means desired things. And what is the desire? Akhirah. It is to follow Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla and our Holy Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, to be the way He ﷻ wants. These are the things that should be desired. Good things should be desired. Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla has given Halal and Haram. Desire Halal. Halal things bring benefit to you. They increase your rank. Halal means good things that should be desired. Clean things bring benefit to people’s bodies and even more benefit to their souls and spirituality.

Today and tonight, Shukr to Allah ﷻ – We must make Shukr to Allah ﷻ for making us know. Many people don’t know about Rajab and Sha’ban, about the three months and prayer. There are many people who don’t know anything. They are the people who desire Dunya. May Allah ﷻ improve them. And may He ﷻ grant them insha’Allah.

Our duty is to inform, to tell people about these days and good things. The good things are these. The good things are the favors given by Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla. We must make Shukr for them and nourish our bodies and souls with them. There is no benefit in nourishing otherwise with Haram. That is nothing but harm to the body. May Allah ﷻ make His ﷻ favors perpetuate. May these days and nights be blessed.

Shukr to Allah ﷻ, it is the first holy night. All nights are holy. But tonight is the first one among the beautiful nights of the three holy months. And then there is Laylat ul-Miraj and Laylat ul-Bara’ah. There is Laylat ul-Qadr in Ramadan. We have those, Shukr to Allah ﷻ. Whoever wants may benefit from them. They are not special to only one person. There is enough for everyone and more. Even if there is a thousand, a million, or a billion fold of this world, paradise is enough for them. They will all fit. Therefore, may we be on the way of Allah ﷻ insha’Allah. May this day and night be blessed insha’Allah. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 

02 January 2025/ 02 Rajab 1446

Fajr Prayer, Akbaba Dergah