Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān:

All praise is due to Allah, and may the peace and salutations of Allah be upon his Messenger, his family and companion.

Certainly, the last 10 days of Ramadan are blessed. From their virtues, is that Laylat al-Qadr is most likely to fall within them. It is the night that Allah has emphasised its affair in His Book ﷻ and the Prophet ﷺ encouraged standing in prayer on it.

He said, Whoever stands and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Allah ﷻ said about it in the Qurʾān:

۞ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“The night of al-Qadr (decree) is better than a thousand months.” (Q 97:3)

Performing good deeds on this night is better than performing good deeds for a thousand months. This is for he whom Allah ﷻ makes successful.  The Prophet said “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward..” Meaning, faith in its virtues and hope in seeking its reward which has been promised for it.

The Prophet ﷺ said “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.

Allah ﷻ has hidden this night in this month, however it is most correctly viewed that it would fall in the odd last 10 nights, on 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. However, the more correctly according to the people of knowledge is it will fall on the 27th night of Ramaḍān. Nevertheless, whomsoever stands in prayer on these nights, while believing in its virtue and seeking its reward has obtain great goodness. Indeed Allah ﷻ grants it to whomsoever he wills.

As for the one who stands to pray on some nights and leaves other nights then he may not have attained Laylat al-Qadr because it may have fallen on a day that he abandoned praying.

This night has many virtues.

  • Firstly: It is the night which the Qurʾān was revealed down. Allah ﷻ said;

۞ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

“Verily! We have sent it (this Qurʾān) down in the night of al-Qadr.” (Q 97:1)

  • Secondly: It is better than a thousand months.
  • Thirdly: It is the night that yearly actions and fates are decreed. Actions, fates and lifespans are decreed in the Preserved Tablets fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens.

However that is a general decree, whereas on this night specific decrees are made. Allāh ﷻ decrees what will happen in the year. This is why it is called ‘the Night of Decree’ Allāh ﷻ said,

۞ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

“Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainment.” (Q 44:4)

  • Fourthly: Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Great virtues are gathered in this night. It is a blessed and virtuous night. It is a night of decree and its [true] value is only known by Allah ﷻ. This night recurs for us every Ramaḍān. Every Ramaḍān that arrives, it has a Laylat al-Qadr in it. This is from the blessing of Allah. So what do you think about the one who Allah has  blessed to attain Laylat al-Qadr every year? The one who Allah has made successful to attain it every year! This is a great and generous reward.