Laylat al-Qadr: The Night of Power

Laylat al-Qadr means the Night of Decree or the Night of Power. It is a night of great honour and mercy.

Surah al-Qadr (Quran 97:1-5) says that Allah sent down the Quran on this night. It says that the night is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit, Jibril, come down by the permission of their Lord, and it is a night of peace until the break of dawn.

Quran 44:3 also speaks of a blessed night in which the Quran was sent down. Most scholars understand this to be the same night, and Quran 2:185 tells us that the Quran was sent down in Ramadan.

The Prophet ﷺ taught Muslims to look for Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 2017; Sahih Muslim 1169). He had been shown the night and was then made to forget it, so he told his companions to seek it in the odd nights of the last ten (Sahih al-Bukhari 2016).

Scholars have given different opinions about which night it is. Ubayy ibn Kab, may Allah be pleased with him, swore that it is the morning of the twenty-seventh, and said that its sign is that the sun rises on the following morning without strong rays (Sahih Muslim 762). Many Muslims therefore seek it especially on that night. Still, there is no fixed date that is agreed by all, and we should not claim one. Allah kept the exact night hidden, so that believers would worship with effort on many nights.

The best plan is to give your best effort in every night of the last ten, and especially the odd ones. When the last ten nights began, the Prophet ﷺ used to keep the night alive, wake his family and tighten his waist wrapper (Sahih Muslim 1174). The last ten nights begin at the sunset that ends the twentieth day, which is the twenty-first night. Because the Hijri month can start on different days in different places, follow the Ramadan dates of your local community.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that whoever stands in prayer on Laylat al-Qadr with faith and hope for reward will have their past sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 1901; Sahih Muslim 760).

You can spend the night in these ways:

• Pray extra prayers (qiyam), including taraweeh and tahajjud.
• Read the Quran and think about its meaning.
• Make dua (personal prayer) for yourself, your family and all Muslims.
• Make istighfar (asking Allah for forgiveness) and repent.
• Remember Allah often with dhikr, and send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
• Give charity, and be kind to the people around you.

You do not need to stay awake the whole night. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said that she never saw the Prophet ﷺ stand in prayer for a whole night until the morning (Sahih Muslim 746). Do what you can, with sincerity, and keep your worship steady.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet ﷺ what she should say if she knew which night was Laylat al-Qadr. He taught her a short dua. It is reported in Jami at-Tirmidhi 3513 and Sunan Ibn Majah 3850.

The dua is: Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anni.

The meaning is: "O Allah, You are the Pardoner. You love to pardon, so pardon me." You can repeat it in every night of the last ten, in any position and at any time.

I'tikaf means staying in the mosque for worship for a period of time. The Prophet ﷺ made i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah took his soul, and his wives made i'tikaf after him (Sahih al-Bukhari 2026; Sahih Muslim 1172).

It is a sunnah, so it is not required unless a person has vowed it. During i'tikaf you leave aside worldly matters and focus on prayer, Quran and dhikr. If you cannot stay in the mosque for ten days, you may do a shorter period. Umar vowed to spend one night in i'tikaf, and the Prophet ﷺ told him to fulfil his vow (Sahih al-Bukhari 2032). The schools differ on the shortest length, so ask a local scholar how you can do it.