When is Laylat al-Qadr and what should I do on it?

The short answer

Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is a night in the last ten nights of Ramadan, most likely an odd night, and it is better than a thousand months. Its exact date was not fixed for us, so the Sunnah is to strive in all of the last ten nights with prayer, Quran, dua and seeking forgiveness.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

Allah revealed a whole surah about it: the Quran was sent down on this night, "The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months", the angels and the Spirit descend in it, and it is peace until dawn 1. Most commentators identify it with the "blessed night" in which "every precise matter" is made distinct 2. A thousand months is over eighty years, more than most lifetimes.

When is it? The Prophet ﷺ said: "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan" 3, and also told people to look for it in the last ten nights generally 4. He once came out to tell people its date, but the knowledge was taken away, and he said "that might be for your own good" 8. So the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th are the strongest candidates, but a wise person does not bet everything on one night.

The reward: "Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven" 5. That is why, when the last ten nights began, the Prophet ﷺ would "tighten his waist belt", pray all night and wake his family for prayer 6.

What to say? Aishah asked the Prophet ﷺ what to say if she found the night, and he taught her: "O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me" (Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa fa'fu 'anni) 7.

A practical plan: pray Isha and taraweeh in congregation, set aside time for Quran, give some charity each night, and repeat this dua often. You do not need to know which night it is for it to count; you only need to be awake to it when it comes.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Al-Qadr · 97:1–5

    The Quran was sent down on the Night of Decree, which is better than a thousand months.

    إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ ۝١ وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ ۝٢ لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡرࣲ‏ ۝٣ تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرࣲ‏ ۝٤ سَلَٰمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ ۝٥

    1 Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree 2 And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree 3 The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months 4 The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter 5 Peace it is until the emergence of dawn

  2. 2
    Quran Ad-Dukhaan · 44:3–4

    The Quran was sent down on a blessed night in which every precise matter is made distinct.

    إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةࣲ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ۝٣ فِيهَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِيمٍ ۝٤

    3 Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind] 4 On that night is made distinct every precise matter

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2017
    Sahih Bukhari

    Seek the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten of Ramadan.

    Narrated `Aisha:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْوِتْرِ مِنَ الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ‏"‏‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2020
    Sahih Bukhari

    Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan.

    Narrated `Aisha:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, "Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُجَاوِرُ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، وَيَقُولُ ‏ "‏ تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ‏"‏‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1901
    Sahih Bukhari

    Praying on the Night of Qadr with faith and hope of reward forgives past sins.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ، وَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2024
    Sahih Bukhari

    In the last ten days the Prophet ﷺ strove hard, prayed through the night and woke his family.

    Narrated Aisha:With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ شَدَّ مِئْزَرَهُ، وَأَحْيَا لَيْلَهُ، وَأَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3513
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani
    Graders differ
    • Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
    • Al-Albani: Sahih
    • Bashar Awad Maarouf: Hasan Sahih
    • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif

    The dua taught to Aishah for the Night of Qadr - O Allah, You are Pardoning and love pardon, so pardon me.

    Aishah narrated:“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is your view if I know when the Night of Al-Qadr is, then what should I say in it?” He said: ‘Say: “O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me (Allāhumma innaka `Afuwwun [Karīmun], tuḥibbul-`afwa fa`fu `annī).’”

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الضُّبَعِيُّ، عَنْ كَهْمَسِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَلِمْتُ أَىُّ لَيْلَةٍ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ مَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا قَالَ ‏ "‏ قُولِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2023
    Sahih Bukhari

    Knowledge of the night's date was taken away, which may be for our good; seek it on the 29th, 27th and 25th.

    Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:The Prophet (ﷺ) came out to inform us about the Night of Qadr but two Muslims were quarreling with each other. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I came out to inform you about the Night of Qadr but such-and-such persons were quarreling, so the news about it had been taken away; yet that might be for your own good, so search for it on the 29th, 27th and 25th (of Ramadan)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيُخْبِرَنَا بِلَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ، فَتَلاَحَى رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ خَرَجْتُ لأُخْبِرَكُمْ بِلَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ، فَتَلاَحَى فُلاَنٌ وَفُلاَنٌ، فَرُفِعَتْ، وَعَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ خَيْرًا لَكُمْ، فَالْتَمِسُوهَا فِي التَّاسِعَةِ وَالسَّابِعَةِ وَالْخَامِسَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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