There is a beautiful hadith about anyone who performs the prayers this evening, the first Thursday night of the month of Rajab. It says that anyone who performs the prayers, on the first night in his grave Allah will send down them down as a person with a beautiful and very bright face, who will give that person the good tidings that Allah has given you security from all hardship and sorrows of the grave. The dead person will be amazed and he will ask this person, “Who are you? I have never seen a beautiful face like yours, nor did I ever hear someone speak so softly and sweetly.” The person will answer, “I am the reward of the prayers that you had performed on such year at such place and on such and such night. I have come to give you company in your loneliness and to remove your fear; and on the day of judgement when you will be awakened I will be your shade.”
If our children are young, maybe we can encourage them to simply recite a two rakaat salaat but with the intention of fulfilling the importance of this night? Then followed by either a simple sajda where they just talk to Allah and thank Him for everything, or if they are old enough, do the Sajda part of the prayers – reciting the dhikr once (instead of 70 times).
The aim inshallah is nothing too weighty but just enough to feel like this is a special evening…maybe end with a special treat for having done the above 🙂
Iltemase dua tonight!