Laylatul Qadr - Signs, Importance & What to Do

Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Decree (or Power), is the night on which the Quran was first revealed, and it is better than a thousand months. This guide explains what the Quran and hadith say, the reported signs, which night it may be, and how to spend it.

Laylatul Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, most likely on one of the odd nights, and the exact night is not fixed by an authentic text. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever stands in prayer on it out of faith and seeking reward will have his previous sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

• "Indeed, We sent the Quran 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 descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn" (Quran 97:1-5). Read Surah Al-Qadr.
• "The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran" (Quran 2:185). Scholars link this with Laylatul Qadr.
• "We sent it down during a blessed night" (Quran 44:3).

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Search for Laylatul Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan" (Sahih al-Bukhari). Ubayy ibn Ka'b swore that it is the twenty-seventh night (Sahih Muslim), and that is the most commonly cited estimate in practice. Other reports and scholars point to other odd nights. No authentic text fixes the date, and many scholars say the ambiguity is deliberate, to encourage worship across all of the last ten nights, and some advise seeking it in all of them.

• The sun the next morning rises without strong rays, white and gentle. This is in Sahih Muslim, from Ubayy ibn Ka'b.
• A calm night. Some reports describe it as mild, neither hot nor cold. Scholars grade these reports differently, so treat the signs as indications, not as proofs.
• A feeling of peace is mentioned by scholars, but it is not a legal sign. Do not wait for a sign before praying.

1. Stand in prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said whoever stands in prayer on Laylatul Qadr in faith and seeking reward will be forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). Taraweeh and tahajjud both count.
2. Make the dua of Aisha. She asked what to say if she met the night, and the Prophet ﷺ taught: "Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa fa'fu 'anni" ("O Allah, You are Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me"). Recorded in Jami' at-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah, and graded sahih by al-Albani.
3. Recite and reflect on the Quran. The night is tied to its revelation.
4. Give sadaqah. See types of sadaqah.
5. Seek forgiveness and make dua for yourself, your family and the Muslims.
6. I'tikaf, if you can. See our last ten nights guide.

A woman who cannot pray can still make dhikr, dua and listen to the Quran, and she can seek the night through those acts, including Aisha's dua.

• A specific recitation or number of rak'ahs is "required" for the night. There is no fixed prayer. Pray what you can with khushu'.
• The night is only the 27th. The 27th is a common estimate, but it is not certain.
• Reciting Surah Al-Qadr equals reading the whole Quran. We have not found a reliable source for this. See our Surah Al-Qadr benefits.