After my husband died, I started studying Islam thoroughly and I studied so hard that even the teachers said I knew more than them. I wanted to know my lord better than anything on this earth. He grew closer to me and I to him. As the hadith says:
Allah Almighty says in a hadith qudsi, "O My servant! If you take one step toward Me, I am taking ten towards you."
Oh how true that was and I was indeed closer. So, as I fasted each day and went to the Mosque to pray taraweeh prayer (late night prayers after Isha), I would rush home to watch the Medina salat and prayers. I watched how many people prayed to Allah and how many loved him so much. I so wanted to be one of them. Then after watching the prayers, I would read my Quran and do some zikr (praising of Allah). I could not sleep as this was a time to be close to Allah. At 2 am, I would pray again and do my dua (supplication) for everything I wanted and needed. The things I pray for in Ramadan is simple. Nothing for this life, nothing of financial gain, I pray for just one thing. I always ask Allah, that I wanted Angel Gabriel to come to me on Laylat Al-Qadr and shake my hands and he always does. I guess many may laugh, but I am serious.
So with my request in hand and believing very seriously that Allah will grant my dua, I go outside each morning to wait for the sun to rise. The true sign of Laylat Al-Qadr is when the sun rises with no rays. It will be like the shape of the moon and you can look directly at the sun. There are many old "wives tales", but you should not listen to them. Such as the dogs will not be barking, but you should only listen to the hadiths.
Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: On the morning following Laylat al-Qadr, the sun rises without rays, resembling a dish, until it becomes high. [Saheeh
Muslim] Also, a report from Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu-anhu) informs that it is a moderate night, neither hot nor cold. [(hasan) Ibn Khuzaimah]
I sit in a chair outside the house and wait. I wait to see if the trees do indeed bow down to Allah and I wait to talk to the Angels. Each night I go and wave to all the Angels, looking for people who love Allah the most and each night I thank Allah for his mercy and blessings. Each night I ask Allah to bless my friends, to help the weak and the sick, to help our brothers in Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya and Afghanistan and each night I cry. I cry so hard as it can only be seen by Allah.
A sure sign that it is Laylat Al-Qadr is that I cry so much, I cannot stop. The tears flow like fountains. Yes, and each night I pray that Angel Gabriel comes and shakes my hand. So my very first sighting, I am sitting outside and the sun starts to rise and I watch it, as the very tip of the sun comes up. Slowly it comes and comes and then suddenly I see the most beautiful sight in the whole world. I have seen Jannah, not literally, but I feel as I am in Allah's presence. The sky is painted with the clouds all stretched out, as if Allah had painted the sky for me.
I fall down on the ground and I cry and cry. I take my hands and put them up to my face in amazement and I just can't believe so many years, I have missed this beauty and this wonder. I look all around to all the homes below and everyone is asleep, everyone is missing what I had seen. I jump up and down and run all around the roof and then I run in to pray. Allah Akbar, I am so happy, my heart just won't stop beating. I fall down on the ground and I knew for sure Gabriel had shook my hand, well maybe, well maybe.
Here is the prayer that I pray each Laylat Al-Qadr, read it like I do and wish what I do too.
http://www.curezone.com/forums /em_fck.asp?i=1261769
