Ramadan's Final Ten Nights: A Sīrah-Inspired Path to Success

As Ramadan approaches its final ten nights, many hearts reflect on how the month has passed. Some may feel they began strongly, while others may regret not doing enough. Yet in Islam, the doors of Allah's mercy remain open until the very end. What matters most is not how we start, but how we finish. Allah reminds us:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins." (Sūrah az-Zumar, 39:53)

Lessons from the Prophet ﷺ

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا دَخَلَ العَشْرُ الأَوَاخِرُ أَحْيَا اللَّيْلَ، وَأَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ، وَشَدَّ مِئْزَرَهُ

"When the last ten nights began, the Prophet ﷺ would spend the night in worship, awaken his family, and strive harder." (Al-Bukhari, 2024, Muslim 1174)

Among these nights lies the blessed Laylat al-Qadr, about which Allah says:

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ "The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months." (Sūrah al-Qadr, 97:3)

Thus, even if we began Ramaḍan slowly, the opportunity is immense. These nights should be filled with recitation of the Qur'an, deep reflection (tadabbur), repentance, sincere supplication, night prayers, devotion through iʿtikāf, and all types of good deeds, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ.

Reflecting on this, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali beautifully wrote that the true believer does not rely solely on what has passed in Ramadan but strives intensely in its final days, hoping that the end of the month will bring acceptance, forgiveness, and salvation.

The Prophet ﷺ also taught his beloved wife, Aishah r.a to recite this duʿā when seeking Laylat al-Qadr:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ العَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي O Allah, You are Most Pardoning, and You love to pardon, so pardon me. (Al-Tirmidhi, 3513, ṣaḥīḥ)

Ramadan's True Success

Ultimately, the true success of Ramadan is to leave the month purified and counted among those whom Allah frees from the Hellfireعُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ.

اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا صِيَامَنَا وَقِيَامَنَا وَبَلِّغْنَا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ

O Allah, accept our fasting and night prayers, allow us to witness Laylat al-Qadr, and make us among those whom You free from the Hellfire.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

Dr. Nurul Jannah binti Zainan Nazri is an Assistant Professor of Qur'an and Sunnah Studies at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). She is passionate about ḥadīth text criticism, prophetic Sīrah, contemporary issues in the Tafsīr and Ḥadīth, environmental and scientific concerns, gender studies, and sociology. With a keen analytical perspective, her work explores the complexities of these fields, engaging both classical scholarship and modern challenges. She has presented her research at international conferences worldwide and has made significant contributions to books and academic journals, fostering meaningful discourse in her areas of expertise.