Laylatul Qadr

Lit. “The Night of Decree.”

Bismillah.

Introduction

Allah ﷻ says in His Book:

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ، وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ، لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍۢ، تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍۢ، سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
“Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Sūrat al-Qadr 97:1–5)

Laylatul Qadr is the most virtuous night of the year. It is the night in which the Qurʾān was revealed, and in which decrees for the year to come are apportioned by the permission of Allah.

Worship performed during the Night of Al-Qadr is equivalent to worship carried out over a period of one thousand months.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) encouraged the Ummah to seek it during the last ten nights of Ramadan—particularly the odd nights—devoting themselves to increased prayer, supplication, and repentance because of its immense virtue.

Aḥādīth

Narrated ʿUbādah ibn As-Sāmit (رضي الله عنه):

“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) went out to inform the people about the date of the Night of Decree (Laylatul Qadr), but a quarrel occurred between two Muslim men. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘I came out to inform you about the date of Laylatul Qadr, but since these two quarrelled, its knowledge was taken away. Perhaps that is better for you. Now seek it in the 5th, 7th, or 9th night of the last ten nights of Ramadan.’” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 49]

Narrated `Aisha (رضي الله عنها):

“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, ‘Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.’” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2017]

Narrated Ibn `Abbas (رضي الله عنهما):

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan, on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan (i.e., 21, 23, 25, respectively).’” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2021]

Supplication During Laylatul Qadr – Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr

It is recommended to supplicate often at all times, especially during the month of Ramadan, in the last ten nights, and during its odd nights, even more so. It is recommended that one recite the following supplication frequently:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Transliteration: Allaahumma Innaka ‘Afuwwun Tuhibbul-‘Afwa Fa‘fu ‘Annee.

Translation: “O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me.”

This is due to what Aisha (رضي الله عنها) reported. She said, “O Messenger of Allah! If I find the Night of Al-Qadr, what should I say?” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Say: O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me.” (Recorded by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad Ahmad, 6:182).

Al–Hāfidh Ibn Rajab [d. 795H] (رحمه اللّٰه) said:

“Al-‘Afuww is from the Names of Allah, He is the one who pardons the sins of His servants, wiping out their traces. He loves al-‘Afuww; He loves pardoning His servants often, and He loves that His servants pardon one another. For if His servants pardon one another, He will treat them with His ‘Afuww; His pardoning often is more beloved to Him than His Punishment.” [Latā’if al-Ma’ārif, p 466.]

References

Qurʾān Verses: The Virtue of Laylatul Qadr
Qurʾān, Sūrat al-Qadr (97):1–5.

Ḥadīth: The Wisdom of Concealing Laylatul Qadr
Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 49.

Ḥadīth: Seeking Laylatul Qadr
Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, nos. 49, 2017, 2021.

Ḥadīth: Supplication for Laylatul Qadr
Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm, commentary on Sūrat al-Qadr (97).
Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī (ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ); see also Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, 9:495.
Al-Nasāʾī, As-Sunan al-Kubrā, 6:218.
Ibn Mājah, Sunan Ibn Mājah, 2:1265.
Al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī, Al-Mustadrak ʿalā al-Ṣaḥīḥayn, 1:530 (recorded with a different chain of narration; authenticated according to the criteria of al-Bukhārī and Muslim).
Imam Aḥmad, Musnad Aḥmad, 6:182.

Scholarly Reference
Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī, Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif, p. 466.

May Allah ﷻ write us among those freed from the Fire and whose sins are completely erased. 🌙

Aameen!