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The Night of Al-Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of
Ramadaan during an odd night (i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or
29th). However the scholars differ as to if it is fixed to one of
these odd nights every year or if it changes every year to a
different odd-numbered night. Below are the sayings of two of our
great scholars, Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen and Muhammad
Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on both of
them).
The Night of Al-Qadr has a Fixed Date:
The
best night in Ramadaan is the Night of Al-Qadr, based on the
Prophet's saying: "Whoever performs the night prayer on
the Night of Al-Qadr with firm faith and while seeking reward, his
past sins will be forgiven." [1]
It is on the
twenty-seventh night of Ramadaan according to the strongest
opinion. A majority of the ahaadeeth comply with this, including
the hadeeth of Zurr Ibn Hubaysh who said: "I heard Ubay Bin
Ka'ab (radyAllaahu 'anhu) say when it was said to him that
'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood (radyAllaahu 'anhu) said "Whoever
performs the night prayer (every night) throughout the year will
achieve the Night of Al-Qadr." He (Ubay Bin Ka'ab) said: "May
Allaah have mercy on him, his intention was that the people not
(grow lazy) and depend solely (on just one night). By the One of
whom there is no deity worthy of worship beside Him, it is indeed
in Ramadaan. And by Allaah I know on which night it is. It is on
the night that Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
commanded us to perform the Night Prayer. It is on the
twenty-seventh night. Its sign is that the sun rises on its
following morning bright with no rays."
In one
report this is raised to being a saying of the Prophet
(sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). [2]
[Imaam Al-Albaanee in
his book Qiyaam Ramadaan (pg. 18-19)]
The Night
of Al-Qadr is to be sought:
The Night of Al-Qadr is in
the last ten nights of Ramadaan, based on the saying of the
Prophet: "Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in the last ten
nights of Ramadaan." [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim] And it
falls in one of the odd nights more likely than on the even
nights, based on the Prophet's (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
saying: "Search for the Night of Al-Qadr in the odd nights
of the last ten nights of Ramadaan." [Al-Bukhaaree] And
it is closer to the last seven nights, based on the hadeeth of Ibn
'Umar (radyAllaahu 'anhumaa) that: "Some men from the
Companions of Allaah's Messenger saw the Night of Al-Qadr in a
dream during the last seven nights (of Ramadaan). So the Prophet
(sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: 'I see that all of your
dreams agree that it (the Night of Al-Qadr) is in the last seven
nights. So whoever wants to search for it, then let him search for
it in the last seven nights.'" [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
And it is also based on the hadeeth in Muslim from Ibn 'Umar that
the Prophet said: "Look for it in the last ten nights. But
if one of you becomes weak or is unable, then do not let the
remaining (last) seven nights overcome him."
Amongst
the odd nights in the last seven nights, it is closest to the
twenty-seventh night due to the hadeeth of Ubay Bin Ka'ab
(radyAllaahu 'anhu) who said: "By Allaah, I know which
night it is. It is on the night that Allaah's Messenger commanded
us to perform the Night Prayer. It is on the twenty-seventh
night." [Muslim]
The Night of Al-Qadr is not
specified to one fixed night throughout all the years. Rather, it
constantly changes. So one year it could occur on the
twenty-seventh night for example and on another year it could
occur on the twenty-fifth night, according to Allaah's Will and
Wisdom. What directs us to this is the Prophet's (sallAllaahu
'alayhi wa sallam) saying: "Look for it (i.e. the Night of
Al-Qadr) when there remain nine nights, when there remains seven
nights, or when there remains five nights (i.e. 21st, 23rd, and
25th respectively without mention of 27th)."
Al-Haafidh
Ibn Hajr said in Fath-ul-Baaree: "The most strongest
opinion is that it is on an odd night in the last ten nights and
that it constantly changes."
Allaah has hidden
knowledge of its occurrence from His servants out of mercy for
them so that they can increase their actions in the search for it
during these honorable nights, by praying, making dhikr and
supplicating. So they grow and increase in the nearness to Allaah
and His reward. And He also kept it hidden from them as a test for
them to distinguish who amongst them struggles and makes an effort
to find it and who is lazy and negligent. This is since whoever
constantly strives for something, he will exert himself in his
search for it and trouble himself in finding it and achieving it.
And perhaps Allaah discloses the time of its occurrence to
some of His servants through signs and signals, which one is able
to see, just as the Prophet saw its sign that he would be
prostrating in mud on its following morning. So it rained on that
night and he prayed the (following) morning (Fajr) prayer in mud.
[Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen in his book
Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan (pg. 106-107)]
Footnotes:
[1]
Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and others from the narration of
Abu Hurairah (raa) and by Ahmad (5/318) from the narration of
'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit (raa). The addition to it in [...] belongs
to him and to Muslim from Abu Hurairah.
[2] Reported by
Muslim and others and it is referenced in Saheeh Abee Dawood
(1247)
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