Laylatul-Qadr (Arabic: لیلة القدر‎), The Night of Power, is the holiest night in the Islamic calendar. Muslims believe that on this night, the Quran was sent down from the heaven to the Earth

According to Islamic tradition, Muslims who stay up on this holy night worshipping God will have all their sins forgiven. Furthermore, they will be granted as many good deeds as though they had worshipped continuously for one thousand months (83.3 years).

Lailatul Qadr Facts

• An entire chapter of the Quran, called “Al-Qadr” is devoted to explaining the merits of worshipping on Lailatul Qadr.
• According to Islamic tradition, the following are signs of The Night of Power every year: A peaceful night with moderate temperatures, no shooting stars, and a moon that shines without rays. The sun, when it rises, will appear as a disk with no beams of light coming out of it.
• Some Muslims believe that the entire Quran was revealed to Angel Gabriel on this night, who conveyed it to Muhammad verse by verse over a period of twenty-three years, when ordered to do so by God
• Muslims who can afford to take time off work spend every single one of the last ten nights in prayer, hoping to find Laylatul Qadr, trying to emulate the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. They fast during the day and study the Quran and pray during the night. The Prophet Muhammad used to do the same. In fact, according to his wife, he would tighten his belt and pray all night, and encouraged his family members to pray all night as well. (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 241)

An aerial view of one of the many resorts that dot the islands comprising the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Saudi Arabia plans to invest $10 billion in a group of Maldives islands, raising concerns among locals that they may have to move. Credit Roberto Schmidt/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“Inhabitants of Maldives Atoll Fear $10 Billion Saudi Investment” (news article, March 27) casts undue suspicion on an otherwise normal investment deal. The precise details of the Faafu Atoll deal have not been kept secret. These are preliminary investment discussions.

The article diminishes the importance of development for small countries like mine. This investment will aid economic diversification away from tourism. The Maldives is not just a country of picturesque beaches but also home to 425,000 people with the same aspirations as people anywhere else. That means offering the dignity of decent housing and access to employment.

There is no history of “pushing people off the smaller islands.” Our government has been explicit: The relocation of residents is voluntary, never obligatory. Based on incentives, we pursue population concentration so we can provide better services to more citizens.

Every country deserves the opportunity to improve the lives of its people. All investments are in line with our Constitution. There is no reason this one will be any different.

AHMED SAREER, WASHINGTON

The writer is the ambassador of Maldives to the United States.