Laylat al-Qadr, the “Night of Decree,” is a blessed night in Ramadan associated with immense worship and mercy. The Qur’an describes it as better than a thousand months. Its exact date is not known, so Muslims seek it throughout the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially the odd-numbered nights, as the Prophet ﷺ instructed (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2766; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2774). You can seek it by:
- 1Praying the obligatory prayers carefully and adding voluntary night prayer.
- 2Making sincere dua, repentance, and abundant remembrance of Allah.
- 3Reading and reflecting on the Qur’an.
- 4Giving charity and doing other good deeds.
- 5Staying consistent across all the last ten nights rather than relying on one night.
A well-known dua for this night is: “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni” — “O Allah, You are Most Pardoning, and You love to pardon, so pardon me.” I’tikaf, meaning dedicating oneself to worship in the mosque, is another established way to seek it, but it is not required; the Prophet ﷺ sought Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2771).
