Most probably today... is the Day of Qadr, and it is also the anniversary of the Commander of the Faithful’s (peace and greetings be upon him) martyrdom. Last night was one of the three outstanding nights of the year: one of which could be the Night of Qadr. Divine angels and the Spirit have been, or are sent down, during a night like last night or the other two nights. Lucky are those individuals who managed to make their souls angelic with the sending down of divine angels. The presence of divine angels on the earth and among us people – God said, “Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every affair” [The Holy Quran, 97: 4] – should help us get closer to angelic behaviour.
Without a doubt, there have been some people among the servants of God who had a good time last night and whose perceptive and truth-seeking eyes understood the truths of the Night of Qadr. Some people might have seen angels with their own eyes. You, dear people from throughout the country, have experienced fine hours during the 19th and 21st nights and – by Allah’s favour – you will experience fine hours on the 23rd night. We can see that our people: our youth, our men and women truly intend to refine themselves with these nights. Their hearts are softened, their eyes become tearful, and their souls become gentle and fasting has helped them in this regards. We should be hopeful, pray, and try to benefit from these nights for the sake of our spiritual transcendence.
This is because saying daily prayers is the believers’ Mi’raj and the means to transcend. Praying and the Night of Qadr are the believers’ Mi’raj as well. We should do something to achieve transcendence and drift away – as much as we can – from material waste and trifles, which many people throughout the world are suffering from. Things to which we are attached to, bad behaviour – inhuman and anti-human behaviour – the spirit of transgression and greed, corruption, decadence and oppression are the garbage for the human soul. These nights should be able to help us drift far away from such things.
Imam Khamenei, Nov 5, 2004
