The significance of Thursday nights is as follows:

-          The deeds of people are presented to Allah on Thursday night.

-          Sins committed during the week are forgiven by the virtue of worshiping Allah during this night.

-          Dua made during this night is not refused by Allah.

-          Thursday night, according to the Shariah, is actually the auspicious night of Jum’ah(Friday) -- as in the Shariah the night precedes the day.

-          The punishment in the grave is stopped for a sinful Muslim on Thursday night and the punishment is then lifted till the Day of Judgment.

-          A sinful Muslim who dies during this night or on Friday only receives punishment in the grave for a moment, then his punishment is lifted till the Day of Judgment.

-          A Muslim who dies during this night or on Friday will not be asked questions in the grave.

How one should spend Thursday night

One should spend Thursday night just like other blessed nights such as the last ten nights of Ramadan, the first ten days of Zul Hijjah, the night of the two Eids, the night of the fifteenth of Sha’baan and the first night of Rajab. One should spend these nights in offering Salaat, reciting the Holy Quran, listening to the recitation of the Holy Quran, reading and listening to ahaadith, zikrullah (remembrance of Allah), salaat on the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam), making dua, etc. One should endeavor to spend the majority of the night doing the abovementioned things. If majority of the night is difficult, then for however long he can. However, to get together in the masjid during these nights for the purpose of staying awake at night and worshipping is not permissible as it was not the practice of Rasulullah (SallallaahuAlaihi Wa Sallam) nor of the Sahabah (Radiyallahu Anhum). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu AlaihiWa Sallam) said, ‘One who offers Isha salaat in jama’ah (congregation) is as if he spent half the night in worship, and the one who offers Fajr salaat is jama’ah is as if he spent the whole night in worship.’ (Muslim, hadith no. 1049). Therefore, one should at least endeavor to offer the Isha and Fajr salaat in the masjid during these blessed nights

Singling out Thursday night for worship is makrooh tanzeehi

Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, ‘Do not single out Friday night (what we call Thursday night) for spending the night in worship from the (other) nights.” (Muslim, hadith no. 1930)

The fuqaha (jurists) have written that based on the hadith mentioned above, it is makroohtanzeehi to single out Thursday night for worship. In other words, it is makrooh tanzeehi to specifically designate Thursday night for doing ibaadah (worship) and leaving out other nightsaltogether. In fact, the same injunction applies if one singles out any other night for ibaadah. If one coincidentally happens to spend Thursday night in ibaadah, then it is not makrooh. Although it is makrooh tanzeehi to single out Thursday night for ibaadah, one who does so will still get the reward.

Mulla Ali Qaari has written two possible reasons of it being makrooh to single out Thursday night for ibaadah:

-          The Shariah desires one to do acts of ibaadah and righteous acts at all times. Restricting oneself to a particular day or night will lead to abandoning ibaadah and righteous acts at other times.

-          If one exerts himself in ibaadah during Thursday night more than his normal habit, it will tire him out and he will, therefore, not be inclined to do the waza’if (righteous deeds) of Jumu’ah (Friday).

At the same time, Mulla Ali Qaari has written that admitting ones inability to grasp the wisdom of Allah’s commands and embracing His commands without delving into its wisdom is better, more befitting and of higher status.