Prayer TimesLaylat al-Qadr is a sacred night whose name means "decree" or "destiny." On this night, by Allah’s command, the Qur’an was sent down from Lauh al-Mahfuz (the Preserved Tablet, where the fate of all creation is written) to Bayt al-‘Izzah (the heaven of this world). Allah says in the Qur’an:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree” [1]. After that, over the course of 23 years, it was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in response to various circumstances and events.
Regarding the virtue of this night, Allah says in the Qur’an:
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months” [2].
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
مَن قَامَ لَيْلَةَ القَدْرِ إيمَانًا واحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ له ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever spends the Night of Decree in prayer, out of faith and seeking reward, will have his past sins forgiven” [3].
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “When Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘A blessed month has come to you! In it is a night better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its goodness is truly deprived, and only a truly deprived person misses out on all its blessings’” [4].
Imam Mujahid said: “A deed performed on Laylat al-Qadr (such as prayer, reciting Qur’an, or giving charity) is better than a deed performed over a thousand months” [5]. Hafiz Ibn Rajab said: “I make up for what I missed by striving on Laylat al-Qadr, for this night is equal to a lifetime!” [6].
When does Laylat al-Qadr occur in Ramadan?
Answer: There are two main narrations about which night of Ramadan Laylat al-Qadr falls on:
The odd nights of the last ten nights. Our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “Seek Laylat al-Qadr among the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan” [7]. And Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “Seek Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan, on the ninth, seventh, and fifth remaining nights” [8].
The twenty-seventh night: In a hadith from Ibn Umar, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
تَحرُّوا ليلَةَ القَدْرِ في السَّبْعِ الأواخِرِ
“Seek Laylat al-Qadr on the twenty-seventh night” [9].
Ubayy ibn Ka‘b said about Laylat al-Qadr: “By Allah! I know which night it is. It is the night the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to spend in worship—it is the twenty-seventh night” [10].
In another narration from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), an old man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am an old man and it is hard for me to stand in prayer at night. Please tell me a night so that I may coincide with Laylat al-Qadr, and may Allah grant me its reward.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “Stand in prayer on the twenty-seventh night” [11].
The wisdom behind the exact night being hidden is similar to the wisdom behind the hidden time of death or the Day of Judgment: to encourage Muslims to increase their worship and not become negligent or lazy [12].
From the book “Fatwas Regarding Ramadan Fasting”
[1] Surah al-Qadr, verse 1.
[2] Surah al-Qadr, verse 3.
[3] Bukhari, No. 1901.
[4] Ibn Majah, 1/289.
[5] Ibn Kathir, “Mukhtasar Tafsir”, 3/659.
[6] “Lata’if al-Ma‘arif”, p. 191.
[7] Bukhari, No. 2020. Muslim, No. 1169.
[8] Bukhari, No. 2021.
[9] Muslim, No. 1165.
[10] Muslim, No. 762.
[11] Ahmad, No. 2149.
[12] “Tafsir al-Munir”, p. 338
This content was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.