Once, a certain Aalim addressed Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah) and said, “Hazrat! Tonight is the 27th night of Ramadhaan, and people regard this to be Laylatul Qadr! What should we recite on this night?”
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah) gave the following reply. He said:
On these auspicious occasions, it was the practice of our pious predecessors to engage in three types of ibaadah. Nowadays, people have left out two of these and have sufficed on one. These three types of ibaadah are engaging in zikr, reciting the Qur’aan Majeed and performing nafl salaah.
The two types of ibaadah which the Aabideen (people who engage in ibaadah) have left out are performing nafl salaah and reciting the Qur’aan Majeed. In other words, they engage in these ibaadaat very little, and most of their focus is towards making zikr.
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (rahimahullah) then said, “Coincidentally, I came across all these three types of ibaadaat mentioned together in one verse of the Qur’aan Majeed:
اُتۡلُ مَاۤ اُوۡحِیَ اِلَیۡکَ مِنَ الۡکِتٰبِ وَاَقِمِ الصَّلٰوة اِنَّ الصَّلٰوةَ تَنۡهی عَنِ الۡفَحۡشَاءِ وَالۡمُنۡکَرِ ؕ وَلَذِکۡرُ اللّٰه اَکۡبَرُ
(O Rasul of Allah!) Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’aan Majeed), and establish salaah. Certainly, salaah prevents one from (committing) shameful and evil acts, and undoubtedly the zikr of Allah is the greatest of all things. (Surah Ankaboot v. 45)
(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 1/374)