Laylatul Qadr: The Night of Power, Mercy, and Blessings

More than a thousand years later, we commemorate this incredible night, a night of blessings and forgiveness, a night of closeness and intimacy with one’s Creator.

From His deep love and generosity, Allah al-Akram (the Most Generous) named this night for us (‘Laylat al-Qadr') and revealed a surah dedicated to it. This is so that we do not ever forget the greatness of this night, the greatness of this gift (the Quran), the greatness of the angel (Jibril) responsible for its transmission, the greatness of the man (Muḥammad ﷺ) upon whose heart the book was revealed, and ultimately the greatness of the greatest: Allah.

What is Laylat al-Qadr?

The exact date of Laylatul Qadr is not known, but it is believed to fall within the last ten nights of Ramadan, specifically on the odd-numbered nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th). Many scholars and Muslims observe it on the 27th night of Ramadan, though it can occur on any of the odd nights.

There is an entire shurah in the Qur'an dedicated to this one night. This shows its great importance and virtue.

إِنَّآ أَنْزَلْنَـٰهُ فِيْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ( 1) وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ (2) لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍۢ (3) تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَالرُّوْحُ فِيْهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍۢ (4) سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ (5)

“Indeed, We sent this (Qur’ān) down on the Night of Qadr. And what will make you realize what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Jibrīl) descend in it, by the permission of their Lord, for every matter. It is peace—until the rising of the dawn” (97:1–5).

Let us reflect on this surah to help us understand the significance of this incredible night:

Ayah 1

إِنَّآ أَنْزَلْنَـٰهُ فِيْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

Indeed, we sent this (Qur’ān) down on the Night of Qadr.

This night is special as it marks one of the most magnificent events in history: the first revelation of the Qur’ān. Even if we worshipped Allah for a thousand years, it would not be enough to appreciate and thank Him for this favor.

Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said that the Qur’ān was revealed in its entirety from the highest heaven to the lowest he heaved and was subsequently revealed to Muḥammad ﷺ over the span of twenty-three years.

Qadr could refer to:

1) Honour and nobility. It is a noble night as the Qur’ān descends in it, Allah’s noble angels descend in it, and the mercy of Allah descends on the entire earth. A noble angel (Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām)) was chosen to descend with a Noble Book—the words of the Entirely Noble—to the heart of the noblest man. Allah (ʿazza wa jall) states, “Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night." (44:3). Likewise, the one who worships Allah on this night is noble and honored by His Lord.

2) Decree. The angels descend with the allotted decree of each person for the next year. Allah (ʿazza wa jall) says, “On that night every matter of wisdom is ordained” (44:4).

3) Constraint and congestion. This could refer to the earth becoming restricted as angels fill up the earth, and there is no room for any evil. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, there are more angels on the earth on 

Ayah 2

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ

And what will make you realize what the Night of Qadr is?

‘Mā adrāka (what will make you realize)’ is a powerful rhetorical question that draws our attention to the importance of this night. We can never fully appreciate the greatness of this night. It is something that we should not take for granted.

Ayah 3

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍۢ

The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months.

Worshipping Allah in this one night is not just equivalent to a thousand months (more than 83 years), but even better than that. Allāhu Akbar! Look at the kindness of Allah! We struggle to worship Him for more than a few hours, let alone spend a major portion of our lives worshipping Him—and yet, from His immense generosity, He gifts us with Laylat al-Qadr. Not once in our lifetime, but once every year throughout our time on this earth.

“The Messenger ﷺ was shown the lifespans of the people before him, or what Allah willed of that; and it was as if he thought that the lifespan of his ummah was short, and they would be unable to reach the level of deeds as others before them had due to their long lives. Thus, Allah gave him Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.” (Muwaṭṭa’)

The average lifespan of this ummah is between 60 and 70 years. Despite such short lives, however, Allah blessed us so that we can gain the rewards of worshipping Him for many lifetimes. Just as every deed is potentially multiplied by ten, this one night brings with it immeasurable rewards, blessings, and goodness.

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “In it, Allah has a night, which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived!” (Nasā’ī).

Juwaybir (raḥimahullāh) said: “I asked Ḍaḥḥāk, ‘Do women experiencing post-natal bleeding and menstruation, those traveling, and those asleep (due to illness) have a share of Laylat al-Qadr?’ He replied, ‘Yes. Whoever’s deeds Allah accepts, He will give them their share of Laylat al-Qadr.’”

Ayah 4

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَالرُّوْحُ فِيْهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍۢ

The angels and the Spirit (Jibrīl) descend in it, by the permission of their Lord, for every matter.

Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) wrote, “The angels descend in abundance during this night due to its abundant blessings. The angels descend with blessings and mercy, just as they descend when the Qur’ān is recited and surround the gatherings of dhikr.”

Allah announces the decree of the upcoming year to His angels on this night, as they will be carrying out His commandments. This includes births, deaths, provisions, and calamities.

The spirit’ refers to Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām), the greatest of all angels, the link between the heavens and the earth, the angel tasked with the most prestigious job: conveying the message of the Creator to His creation. This is the only time of the year in which he ascends to the earth. We can only imagine how blessed this night is.

It is difficult to appreciate the spiritual and physical greatness of Jibrīl. He has 600 wings. If he were to unroll a pair of them, it would fill the space between the sky and the earth. Allah describes him as an angel of mighty power and great perfection’ (53:5-7).

Ayah 5

سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

It is peace—until the rising of the dawn.

‘Salām’ (peace) could mean that this night is full of peace. All of it is good, and there is safety from all harm and evil until dawn. As the earth is full of angels, there is goodness and peace throughout the earth.

It has also been said that angels greet (say salām to) the believers. They pray for the protection and the removal of evil and harm for every slave who is worshipping Allah.

How to Observe Laylatul Qadr?

Muslims around the world spend this night in worship, prayer, and reflection. Some key practices include:

• Tahajjud (Night Prayer): Offering extra prayers (Nafl) during the night.

• Recitation of the Qur'an: Reading and reflecting on the Qur’an.

• Dua (Supplication): Seeking forgiveness, mercy, and blessings from Allah.

• Dhikr (remembrance of Allah): repeating phrases like SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar.

• Giving Charity (Sadaqah): Helping those in need, as the rewards are multiplied.

• I'tikaf (Seclusion in the Mosque): Many Muslims spend the last ten days of Ramadan in spiritual retreat.

Special Dua for Laylatul Qadr

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommended the following dua:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anni."

 "O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me."

Conclusion

Laylatul Qadr is a night of immense blessings, mercy, and forgiveness. Muslims are encouraged to seek it during the last ten nights of Ramadan by increasing their devotion, prayer, and good deeds. Since its exact date is unknown, it serves as a reminder to remain spiritually engaged throughout Ramadan’s final days.