Laylatul Qadr is the most important night of the year. It’s very meaningful to the people of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  whose average age was shorter than the previous prophets who reached hundreds of years. Meanwhile, the average life span from the people of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was only around sixty-three years.

In the tafsir book of Shafwah Al-Tafasir written by Sheikh Ali As-shabuni, it is narrated that Laylatul Qadr is the answer to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ request to Allah SWT for his affection to the ummah. He prayed for his people getting the opportunity to do good deeds that have a value better than a thousand months.

There is a different opinion among the scholars regarding the meaning of “Qadr” itself. Those several opinions of scholars regarding the meaning of Qadr, such as:

• Qadr means determination because on that night Allah determines the journey of human life for a year.
• Qadr means arrangement because on the night when the Qur’an was revealed, Allah SWT arranged a strategy for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to invite people to virtue.
• Qadr means glory because on that night Allah sent down the glorious Qur’an.
• Qadr means narrow, because on the night when the Qur’an was revealed, there are many angels descended so that the earth became cramped, crowded with the angels.

In the tafsir book of Shafwah At-Tafasir, there are three reasons for Laylatul Qadr to be a very magnificent night:

1. 1. Allah SWT descended the Qur’an.
   2. Allah SWT descended the angels to earth.
   3. Allah SWT sends down peace from early night until dawn.

Allah SWT says in surah Al-Qadr:

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡر تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡر سَلَمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ

According to the verse, the virtue of doing good deeds on that night is better than a thousand months. If converted to years, 1.000 months is equal to 83.3 years.

The hadith also mentioned the magnificence of Laylatul Qadr:

من قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدّم من ذنبه

“Whoever spends the night of Laylatul Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

[Narrated by Imam Bukhari]

Then what should we do on the night of Laylatul Qadr other than performing acts of worship such as praying, reading the Qur’an, zikr, itikaf, and so on? We are advised to multiply the prayers as taught by Rasulullah ﷺ. It is mentioned in the hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad from Aisyah RA:

قلت يا رسول الله أرأيت إن علمت أيّ ليلة ليلة القدر ما أقول فيها ؟ قال: قولي: اللّهمّ إنّك عفوّ تحبّ العفو فاعف عنّي

“I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what do you think if I knew the night of Laylatul Qadar? What should I say at that time? The Prophet ﷺ answered, recite this prayer: “O Allah, You are indeed the most forgiving and love to forgive, so forgive us (the servant of Allah).”

[Narrated by Imam Ahmad]

When Does The Laylatul Qadr Occur?

It is a sunnah to look for Laylatul Qadr earnestly throughout the month of Ramadan. From beginning to end, especially in the last ten nights, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did.

In the hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari from Aisha RA:

كان إذا دخل العشر الأواخر أحيى ليله وأيقظ أهله وشدّ المئزر

“With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ used to pray all the night, keep his family awake for the prayers, and tighten his sarong.”

[Narrated by Imam Bukhari]

There are several opinions of scholars in determining the night of Laylatul Qadr. Some of them argue that Laylatul Qadr is on the twenty-first night, some say the twenty-third night, some argue twenty-five, and others argue twenty-nine. But most of them think that it falls on the twenty-seventh night.

As mentioned in the hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad from Ibn Umar RA:

من كان متحرّيها فليتحرّها ليلة السّابع والعشرين

“Whoever wants to search for it (Laylatul Qadr) should search on the twenty seventh (nights of Ramadan).”

[Narrated by Imam Ahmad]

It is why some regions have their own extraordinary tradition. Such as in Egypt where the people enthusiastically flock to do Itikaf in the night of the twenty seventh (of Ramadan). The voices of people reading Al-Qur’an are everywhere and so many people perform prayers and other acts of worship. It’s a very soothing sight, which we don’t get to see outside of the month of Ramadan.