Fiqh Assunah
Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3: Night of Qadr
Volume3, Page 144b: Its virtue
The night of qadr is the most virtuous night of the year. Allah says in theQur'an: "We revealed it on the night of power [that is, qadr]. What willtell you what the night of power is? It is better than a thousand months."Any action therein, for example, reciting the Qur'an, making remembrance ofAllah, and so on, is better than acting for one thousand months which do notcontain the night of qadr.
Volume3, Page 145: Night of Qadr, it is preferred to seek this night
It is preferred to seek this night during the last ten nights of Ramadan, asthe Prophet, upon whom be peace, strove his best in seeking it during thattime. We have already mentioned that the Prophet would stay up during the lastten nights, would wake his wives, and then would remain apart from them toworship.
Volume3, Page 145a: Night of Qadr, which night is it?
Scholars hold different opinions as to the night which is the night of qadr.Some are of the opinion that it is the 21st, some say the 23rd, others say the25th and still others say it is the 29th. Some say that it varies from year toyear but it is always among the last ten nights of Ramadan. Most scholars,though, vouch for the 27th.
Ahmad recorded, with a sahih chain, from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet said:"He who likes to seek that night should do so on the 27th. Ubayy ibn K'absaid: By Allah, and there is no God but Him, it is during Ramadan--and He sworeto that--and by Allah, I know what night it is. It is the night during whichthe Prophet ordered us to make prayers, the night of the 27th. Its sign is thatthe sun rises in the morning white and without any rays." This is relatedby Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, and by at-Tirmizhi who called it sahih.
Volume3, Page 145b: Night of Qadr, praying and making supplications during the nightof qadr
Al-Bukhari and Muslim record from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, upon whombe peace, said: "Whoever prays during the night of qadr with faith andhoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven."
As to the supplication during the night of qadr, 'Aishah said: "I askedthe Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is thenight of qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You arepardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' " This is related byAhmad, Ibn Majah, and by atTirmizhi, who called it sahih.