Seeking Out the Night of Qadr
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Practice of the Prophet ﷺ
It is narrated in Musnad Imām Zayd that Sayyid Imām Abūl-Ḥusayn Zayd b. ʿAlī (ʿalayhi as-salām) related on the authority of his forefathers that ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (ʿalayhim as-salām) said:
“When the first night of the last ten days of this month took place, the Prophet ﷺ would strive hard. He would tie up his sarong, depart from his house, and seclude himself during the last ten days of this month. He would give life to the nights and perform the purification bath between the two evening prayers (Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ).”
Descent of the Angels
In Uṣūl al-Aḥkām of Sayyid Imām al-Mutawakkil ʿala Allah Aḥmad b. Sulaymān (ʿalayhi as-salām) and in Sharḥ al-Tajreed of Sayyid Imām al-Muʾayyad Billah (ʿalayhi as-salām), it is narrated regarding Laylat al-Qadr:
“On the Night of Qadr, Gabriel (ʿalayhi as-salām) descends in the stars with the angels. They give the greetings of peace to all who are standing and sitting while supplicating to Allah—unless such person was a drinker of intoxicants or one who severs family ties.”
Its Signs and Timing
It is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“It [i.e., the Night of Qadr] is in the last ten nights on an odd night. It is a night with moderate temperature—neither warm nor cold. The sun in the morning of it will be red and weak.”
It is narrated on the authority of Abū Dharr (raḥimahullāh):
**“I asked Allah’s Messenger ﷺ about the Night of Qadr and whether it was in Ramadan or not. He replied: ‘It is in Ramadan.’
I said: ‘It was with the Prophets when they existed. When they passed, does it constantly change?’ He replied: ‘No. It will be the same until the Day of Judgement.’
I asked: ‘When is it during Ramadan?’ He replied: ‘It is in the last ten.’
I kept repeating the question until he said: ‘It is in the last ten, and don’t ask me anything after this.’”**
Opinions of the Imams
- Imām al-Rassī (ʿalayhi as-salām) said that the Night of Qadr is on the 23rd or 27th night. It is also related from him that it could be on the 29th night.
- Sayyid Imām al-Hādī (ʿalayhi as-salām) related in his Aḥkām:
**“It has reached us that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ spent the last ten days in religious seclusion, giving life to the nights. He used to bathe himself, tie his sarong, and strive hard until the completion of the month.
The meaning of ‘tie his sarong’ is to stay away from his wives. The meaning of ‘strive hard’ is to engage in worship of his Exalted Lord.”**