Laylatul Qadr – Prayer, Duas, Hadith (The Night of Power)

Laylatul Qadr is said to be ‘The Night of Power’ 

Allah ﷻ subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) says in the Qur’an: 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. [Qur’an: 97:3-5]

Laylatul Qadr can be found in any of the last 10 nights of … particularly on the odd-numbered nights: 21st, 25th, 27th and 29th.

Laylatul Qadr in the light of Quran & Hadith:

Allah swt says in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Qadr:

“Truly We sent it down on the Night of Power.And what will convey to you what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.In it the angels and the Ruh descend by their Lord’s authority with every ordinance. It is Peace –until the coming of the dawn.” (Surah 97: Verses 1-5)

Allah swt also says about this powerful night in Surah Dukhan:

“Ha. Mim. By the book that makes things clear. We sent it down during a blessed night. For We (ever) wish to warn (against evil). In that (night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom, by command, from Our Presence. For We (ever) send (revelations), as a mercy from Thy Lord: for He hears and knows (all things).” (Surah 44: Verses 1-6)

Allah swt said in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah:

“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).”(Surah 2 : Verse 185)

Hadith No: 125
From: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 003, Book 031
Narrated By Abu Huraira : The Prophet said (sallallaho alaihay wa aalaiyhee wa sallam), “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.”

Hadith No: 234
From: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 32, Night Prayer in Ramadaan (Taraweeh)
Narrated/Authority of Aisha:
Allah’s Apostle said, “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.”

Hadith No: 244
From: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 33, Retiring to a Mosque for Remembrance of Allah (Itikaf)
Narrated/Authority of Abu Said Al-Khudri
Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf in the middle ten days of Ramadan and once he stayed in Itikaf till the night of the twenty-first and it was the night in the morning of which he used to come out of his Itikaf. The Prophet said, “Whoever was in Itikaf with me should stay in Itikaf for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of the Night (of Qadr) but I have been caused to forget it. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water in the morning of that night. So, look for it in the last ten nights and in the odd ones of them.” It rained that night and the roof of the mosque dribbled as it was made of leaf stalks of date-palms. I saw with my own eyes the mark of mud and water on the forehead of the Prophet (i.e. in the morning of the twenty-first).

Hadith No: 35
From: Sahih Bukhari. Chapter 2, Belief
Narrated/Authority of Abu Huraira
Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven.”

Hadith No: 3850
From: Sunan Ibn Majah. Chapter 37, The Chapters on Supplication
Narrated/Authority of Aisha
that she said: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you think I should say in my supplication, if I come upon Laylatul-Qadr?” He said: “Say: ‘Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me).'”

Signs of Lailatul-Qadr:

As far as the Signs of Lailatul-Qadr are concerned:
1. The sun rises early in the morning without rays.
2. Rain may fall either during the night or during the day of that night.
3. During night the sky will be lightly foggy.
4. The sky will be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.
5. The angels and Jibraeel alaihay salaam, all descend down onto earth . (ofcourse we cant see the angels and Jibraeel alaihay salaam, but this is a great blessing that Allah swt revealed in the Quran , that they descend………so think about the night , (i.e. either 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th)that in one of those nights , the angels along with Jibraeel alaihay salaam will descend on earth………and truly that night is “peace” until the rising of the dawn.)

Surah Qadr:

 

Prayers in Laylatul Qadr:

1. Two Rakat after performing Wudu (Ablution)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): “Tell me about the best of your deeds (i.e. one which you deem the most rewarding) since your embracing Islam because I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “I do not consider any act of mine more rewarding than that whenever I make ablution at any time of night or day, I perform Prayer for as much as was destined for me to do.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)”

2. Tahajjud

Imam Abu Sa’id al-Khadimi said,

“There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer.” [al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]

The scholars derived the following in regards to Tahajjud from the Qur’an and prophetic hadiths:

1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of rakats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar]

4. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short rakats, because of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “It you get up for night prayer, start with two short rakats.” [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, “I cannot pray at night.” He said, “Your sins have prevented you.”

3. Salaatul Tasbih

This is a very rewarding prayer that we should pray on each of the odd numbered nights.

Ibn al Mubarak says: “The tasbih prayer is a greatly desired act and it is desirable that one should punctually observe it and never neglect it.

How to perform this Salaah

‘Ikrimah reports from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said to ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdal-Mutalib: “O ‘Abbas, O Uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present to you, shall I not donate to you, shall I not tell you ten things which, if you do, Allah will forgive your first and last sins, past and present sins, intentional and unintentional sins, private and public sins? The ten actions are: pray four rak’at, reciting in every rak’ah al-Fatihah and a surah. And when you finish the Qur’anic recitation of the first rak’ah, say, while standing, ‘Subhanallah, al-hamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa Allahu Akbar‘ [‘Glory be to Allah. All praise is due to Allah. There is no God except Allah. Allah is the greatest.’] Fifteen times. Then make ruku’, and while you are in ruku’, say the same ten times; then stand, and say the same ten times. Then go down and make sajdah, and while you’re in sajdah, say the same ten times. Then sit after the sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then make sajdah, and say the same ten times. Then sit after the second sajdah, and say the same another ten times. That is seventy-five [repetitions of the phrases] in each rak’ah. Do that in each of the four rak’at. If you can pray it once a day, do so. If you cannot, then once every Friday. If you cannot do that, then once a year. And if you cannot do that then once in your life. “

4. Increase in Dhikr (Rememberance of Allah)

We should glorify Allah night and day, especially in the last odd nights.

Here are some easy and very beneficial Dhikr and glorification we can do throughout the last ten odd nights:

1. Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee

2. Subhanallah

3. Alhamdulillah

4. Allahu Akbar

5. Laa ilaha ilallah

6. LA HAWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH

7. Asthaghfirullah

8. SUB-HAN’ALLAH HIL AZEEM WA BI-HAM’DIHI,

9. Subhāna-llāhi, wa-l-hamdu li-llāhi, wa lā ilāha illā-llāhu, wa-llāhu akbar. Wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā bi-llāhi-l-aliyyi-l-azīm

10. Lā ilāha illā-llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamdu yuhyi wa yumītu wa huwa ḥayyu-llā yamūtu abadan abada, ḏū-l-jalāli wa-l-ikrām, biyadihi-l-khayr, wa huwa alā kulli Shay-in qadīr

Or the shortened version:

11. Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer

One can also recite the durood that one recites in one’s Salaah or a Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallim

5. Make much dua

Laylatul Qadr Dua:

Best Dua of the last 10 nights:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

(‘’Allahumma innaka ‘afuwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni’’)

 

Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:

“When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me.” [2:186]

And Allah knows best in all matters