What’s going on in the last ten nights of Ramadan?

On March 21, Muslims will enter the last decade of the month of Ramadan, a spiritual summit of a month of full fast – drink, food and marital relations from dawn to bedtime – allowing the authentic fasting, according to Sarrâj Sufi (died in 988), to participate in the independence of God with regard to the world: ” Divine self -sufficiency ».

“Authentic fasting”: the one who measures that the abstinence of the body is only a step towards the purification of the soul, a means of “”Preserve the heart of worldly concerns and all vain thoughts, so that it is entirely present to God the Most High (1). This explains that a prophetic saying (Hadîth) promises the fasting of the sins, and that Junayd (died in 910), another renowned soufi, affirms: “”Fasting is half of the spiritual way.»»

But the blessing of the month is not only Diurnal: the nights of Ramadan have as much spiritual value and include rites followed assiduously by Muslims, including the youngest. “”The month of Ramadan is the month of the Koran»» : The famous formula shows the place that the book takes in the practices of this month when it is abundantly read and recited, day and night. Every night, precisely, Muslims come together “”in any place of prayer»» For evenings during which a thirtieth of the Koran is recited during collective offices (tarâwîh), the book being fully read in a month.

A night “better than a thousand months” …

A special night concentrates the attention of all, and sought with ardor: the night of determination (Laylat al-Qadr),, “”better than a thousand months old“, during which everyone’s annual fate is fixed, and where the angels and Gabriel descend in search of worshipers, bringing “”Peace until dawn»» (Koran 97, v. 3-6). “”Look for it during the unclean nights of the last ten days“, said a hadîth because anyone the day before “”with faith and hope»» will see his sins expired.

Another Hadîth details the signs of this night blessings, visible in the sky to dawn, pushing some to go out at the end of the vigil in order to scrutinize the celestial vault in the hope of having benefited from it. The whole creation would testify to this night, and such a saint tells that during one of them, “”I tasted sea water, and found it completely soft»»…

This spiritual climax of the last ten nights explains a prophetic practice, still today followed by those who can: spiritual retirement (i’tikâf). Up to ten days of imprisonment and evenings, “”In search of Laylat al-Qadr»» (Hadîth), thus carrying out the quadruple exercise of the saints, described by Ibn ‘Arabî: “”silence, loneliness, hunger and watch»» (2). One of these saints, sure of divine generosity, sums up the attitude of thei’tikâf :: “”As long as my support is not accepted, I will stay here. »»