On Looking for the Night of Power During Ramadan

Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye’ said in his Ihya: “From the
path of the sunna of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, during Ramadan is it
being highly recommended to search ('iltimaas) for the
night of power (laylat 'l-qadr) during the last ten
odd nights of the month.

It is related in the Saheeh of al-Bukhari on the
authority of 'Aisha that the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace said: "Search for
the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten
days of Ramadan."
It is clear that the Night of Qadr (Power) is confined
to the month of Ramadan in the last ten nights.

The foundation for the Night of Qadr is what Allah
ta`ala says in His Qur’an: “Verily We have revealed it
in the Night of Qadr.”

Imam Muhammad ibn Jareer at-Tabari said in his Jaami`
al-Bayaan `An Ta’weel Ayyi ‘l-Qur’an: “Ibn `Abaas
said: ‘The Night of Qadr is the blessed night from
Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed completely at
one time from the Tablet to the Oft-Visited House
(Bayt’l-Ma`muur) at the place of the stars in the
lower heaven. Then it was revealed to the heart of
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
regarding commands, prohibitions, and war little by
little.

His words: “Search for the Night of Qadr…”means intend
or make effort in seeking it by means of all forms of
worship and drawing near to Allah ta`ala.

The above tradition further limits this night to the
odd nights, which are the 21st, the 23rd, the 25th,
the 27th, and the 29th.

Ibn Hajr noted that the scholars of the Sunna have had
many disagreements about the reality of the Night of
Qadr, which amounts to more than forty opinions.
However, what is agreed upon about it is that it falls
on one of the last ten odd nights of Ramadan and that
it fluctuates and is not fixed as it has been related
by Abu Qilaaba that he said:

“The Night of Qadr fluctuates through the last ten
nights and should be sought in the odd nights.”

Imam as-Shafi` said: “It should be sought in the 21st
or the 23rd of the month.”

The majority of the scholars of the Sunna say it
should be sought during the 27th night of Ramadan.

This is what Malik, at-Thawri, Ahmad and Is’haq
narrated. Al-Mawardi said: “This is what the scholars
are agreed about.”

He took his proof for that from the tradition of `Ubay
ibn Ka`b. However, al-Haafidh said: “The Companions
are agreed that the Night of Qadr falls on the last
ten nights, but they differed regarding specifying
which of these nights it is.”

Success is with Allah