When Is Lailatul Qadar?

The question everyone has is: “When is the Night of Power? Which night is lailatul qadar?”

We already know from the Quranic verses above, that lailatul qadar occurs during the month of Ramadan. A narrative from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the prophet’s wife, states: “when the last ten days of Ramadan began, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would stay up at night, wake his family and tie his lower garment tight.”

So now we know that Lailatul Qadar is during the last ten nights of Ramadan.

There is a statement from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that reveals more evidence. He stated:

“Verily I saw Lailatul Qadr, and I was caused to forget it, and indeed it is during the last ten (nights). It is during an odd night and I saw myself as if I were prostrating in mud and water.”

This shows that the Night of Power occurs during the odd numbered nights during the last ten days of Ramadan.

It was recorded that after he made this statement, Prophet Muhammad led his companions in prayer. While they were praying, it began to rain, and after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came up from prostration, his forehead was covered in mud and water. One narration states this occurred on the twenty-first nght.

However, another narration states that lailatul qadar may occur during another night.

“Seek it in the last ten (nights) of Ramadan. In the ninth it still remains, in the seventh it still remains, in the fifth it still remains.”

Yet another narration from the companion Ubay Ibn Ka’b states otherwise. When informed that another Ibn Mas’ud (another companion of our prophet) said whoever stands for prayer during the entire year will catch lailatul qadar, Ubay responded: “May Allah have mercy upon him. Indeed he knows that it is during the month of Ramadan and that it is the twenty-seventh night.”

And then the companion Abu Hurayrah reported that Prophet Muhammad stated:

“Verily, it is during the twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth night. And verily, the angels who are on the earth during that night are more numerous than the number of pebbles.”

And Ubaidah Ibn Samit reported that Prophet Muhammad said:

“Seek it in Ramadan in the last ten nights. For verily, it is during the odd nights, the twenty-first, or the twenty-third, or the twenty-fifth, or the twenty-seventh, or the twenty-ninth, or during the last night.”

So, we can see that while there is ample evidence that Lailatul Qadar occurs during the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, there’s no absolute evidence of the exact night. What is for the Muslim then, is to spend each of the last ten nights involved in worship, hoping to catch the Night of Power.

Several scholars believe that the Night of Power moves about during the last ten nights from year to year, and is not necessarily the same night every year. There appears to be sound evidence for this theory. This gives us even more reason to seek lailatul qadar during each of the last ten nights, instead of just focusing on one particular day.

This night is also a good time to increase our understanding of Islam. This is a good time to learn Quran or memorize a new dua. Even if you only know the basics of Islamic beliefs, you should take advantage of Lailatul Qadar.

And Allah knows best.