In the name of Allah the compassionate, the Merciful

                            Shab-e-Meraj
      How To Spend- The night of Meraj (Ascension)

    The night of Ascension of our Prophet (Allah Bless him and give him peace ) is the night of great significance for us because it is a night of great rewards, blessings and bounties of God. It should not be wasted by sleeping or by watching movies etc. Believers should spend the whole night worshipping, begging for forgiveness, seeking divine mercy and aspiring for His true love and vision. A few tips about how to spend this night are given below:
 

1. Start Zikrullah ... Remembrance of God right from the sunset. Offer Magrib and Isha prayers with jam-at or in congregation and continue up to sunrise, as far as possible.

2. Try to be with Wuzu (ablution) during the whole night. Whenever it is lost take a fresh ablution. It should be followed with offering two rak-at of Wuzu Greeting or thanks giving prayer.

3. In the 1st rak-at, after Surah Fateha recite "Wallazeena Iza fa-alu fahishatan....." and in the 2nd rak-at after reciting Surah-Fatiha "Wa man ya-mal....." as taught by our Imam, the Promised Mehdi (May God Bless Him and give Him peace). And after the two salaams, go into sajdah (prostration) and say the Munajat as taught by the Imam. Thereafter, pray for a firm, strong and unshakeable Iman (faith) for yourself and for all the loved ones. Pray for the well being of yourself and all the fellow human beings. Solicit His love and purity of heart from the lust and greed of the world and worldly attractions. Ask for Halal or permissible means of living. Pray for making our conduct to be in obedience to His Book and His Prophet (SAS). Pray for health and well being of the self and the loved ones. Pray for the ultimate bounty, which is His vision within this lifetime.

4.Whenever you take ablution, offer this prayer during this night. Prayers five times a day was made obligatory for all the believers in this night. We do not remember how many we missed in our life. Therefore, offer Qaza-or makeup prayers. We may offer all the five obligatory prayers with Witr-Wajib of one day as Qaza. These may cover the prayers of five or three or at least one day. We may seek forgiveness from the questioning in the grave for our failure in offering the prayers during our lifetime.

5. Fortunate believers, men and women who have been regularly offering Tahajjud or late night prayers may offer it now i.e. before dawn. 

6. Eat Sahr food if you intend to observe fasting the next day, which is also very rewarding (of sawab) in the life hereafter.  

7. After offering Fajr prayer in congregation stay performing Zikrullah or remembrance of God with love and devotion up to Sunrise.

  May Allah make us His whole-hearted worshippers? Please remember that Worship of  our Beloved, Merciful Lord is the very purpose of our coming into this world.