What is Laylatul Qadr?

Laylatul Qadr — the Night of Power or Night of Decree — is the night the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The entire 97th chapter of the Quran (Surah Al-Qadr) is dedicated to it. It is described as 'better than a thousand months' (Quran 97:3) — roughly 83 years of worship. Angels descend in waves with Jibril (Gabriel), and the night is described as peaceful until dawn.

What are the signs of Laylatul Qadr?

Authentic hadith mention several signs: (1) The night is calm, tranquil, neither hot nor cold. (2) The sun rises the following morning with a soft, weak glow, without strong rays — many describe it as 'like a copper plate.' (3) The moon appears clear and bright. (4) Worshippers feel an unusual peace and concentration in prayer. These are confirmation signs, observable in retrospect — you cannot use them to predict which night IS Laylatul Qadr in advance.

Do I have to stay up all night for Laylatul Qadr?

Ideally, yes — at least for the most likely nights. The Prophet ﷺ would 'tighten his garment' (a metaphor for intense effort) and stay up the entire last 10 nights of Ramadan, worshipping and waking his family. If full-night worship isn't possible, focus on the period AFTER Isha + Tarawih until you sleep, then wake up for the last third of the night before Suhoor. Even 1–2 hours of focused worship on Laylatul Qadr is more valuable than 1,000 months of regular worship.

What should I do on Laylatul Qadr besides pray?

Multiple recommended acts: (1) Pray voluntary rakaat — Tahajjud, Qiyam al-Layl — as many as you can. (2) Recite Quran, especially Surah Al-Qadr (97) and Surah Yasin (36). (3) Make dhikr — SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah. (4) Repeat the Aisha dua throughout the night. (5) Make personal dua for yourself, family, the Muslim ummah. (6) Reflect on the year passed and resolve sincere tawbah (repentance). (7) Give sadaqah (charity) before the night begins. The Prophet also performed I'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) for these 10 days.

Laylatul Qadr 2026: The Night of Power — Dates, Signs, Worship Guide

Of all the nights of the year, one stands above the rest: Laylatul Qadr — the Night of Power — described in the Quran as "better than a thousand months" (97:3). Worship performed on this single night carries the reward of ~83 years of regular worship. Yet its exact date is hidden. The Prophet ﷺ instructed Muslims to seek it on the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan, with the 27th night being the strongest scholarly candidate. Here's the complete guide: dates for 2026, what the night actually is, the signs, and exactly what to do.

The Quranic significance

The entire 97th chapter of the Quran — Surah Al-Qadr — is about this night:

"Indeed, We sent the Quran down during the Night of Decree.
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn."
(Surah Al-Qadr, 97:1–5)

"Better than a thousand months" — 1,000 months is approximately 83 years. One night of sincere worship can outweigh a lifetime. This is the single most generous offer in the Islamic calendar.

The night is also Laylat ad-Dukhan — the Blessed Night referenced in Surah Al-Dukhan (44:3–4): "Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night... On that night is made distinct every precise matter."Scholars understand "every precise matter" to mean: the decrees for the year ahead — provision, life events, who lives and dies — are confirmed on this night for the coming year.

When is Laylatul Qadr in 2026?

Ramadan 2026 (1447 AH) begins on the evening of Tuesday, February 17, 2026 and ends on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The last 10 nights begin at Maghrib on March 8, 2026. The five odd-numbered candidate nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th) are:

Ramadan night	Gregorian date	Note
Night 21	Sun, March 8 → Mon, March 9	Last 10 nights begin
Night 23	Tue, March 10 → Wed, March 11	Odd night
Night 25	Thu, March 12 → Fri, March 13	Odd night
Night 27	Sat, March 14 → Sun, March 15	Most likely (majority opinion)
Night 29	Mon, March 16 → Tue, March 17	Odd night

Important:In Islamic tradition, the day begins at Maghrib (sunset) — not midnight. So "the 27th night" means the night that BEGINS at Maghrib on the 26th day and continues until Fajr on the 27th day. This catches a lot of newcomers off-guard.

Worship intensely on all five odd nights. If circumstances only allow you one, prioritize the 27th night (March 14 → 15, 2026), which is the majority scholarly opinion based on multiple hadith including Ubay ibn Ka'b who swore by Allah it was the 27th (Muslim 762).

Why is the exact date hidden?

A hadith explains this directly. The Prophet ﷺ went out to inform his Companions of Laylatul Qadr, but two Muslims were quarreling. Because of this, the exact knowledge of the date was lifted from him: "Perhaps that is better for you" (Bukhari 2023). Allah hid the date so that:

Muslims worship intensely across MULTIPLE nights, not just one.
No one becomes complacent thinking "I'll just worship that one night."
Effort itself is rewarded — searching for Laylatul Qadr is part of the worship.

Signs of Laylatul Qadr (observed in retrospect)

These signs are described in hadith — they help you confirm AFTERWARDS which night it was, but cannot be used to predict in advance:

Calm, peaceful atmosphere— "Peace it is until the emergence of dawn" (97:5). The night feels unusually tranquil — neither too hot nor too cold, often a gentle stillness in the air.
The sun rises soft— the next morning, the sun is described as rising with weak, gentle rays — "like a copper plate" (Muslim 762). You can look toward it without being dazzled.
Bright clear moon — Some narrations mention the moon appearing especially bright that night.
Increased spiritual focus — Many worshippers report unusually concentrated prayer, tears flowing easily, dua coming from a deep place.

The single most important dua

Aisha (RA), the Prophet's wife, asked: "O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say in it?" He replied:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allāhumma innaka ʿafuwwun tuḥibbu-l-ʿafwa fa-ʿfu ʿannī
"O Allah, You are the One who forgives abundantly, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me."
(Tirmidhi 3513, classed sahih)

Repeat this throughout the night. It's short, profound, and the Prophet ﷺ specifically taught it for this occasion.

How to spend Laylatul Qadr

Before the night begins

Make ghusl (full ritual bath) and dress nicely.
Give sadaqah (charity) — the Prophet was most generous in Ramadan.
Have a light, energy-dense Iftar so you're alert, not stuffed.
Pray Maghrib, Isha, and full Tarawih in congregation if possible.

During the night

Pray voluntary rakaat (Qiyam al-Layl / Tahajjud) — even 2, 4, or 8 rakaat with long recitation.
Recite Surah Al-Qadr (it's only 5 verses) multiple times.
Recite the dua of Aisha repeatedly — slowly, with concentration, not mechanically.
Make long personal dua for yourself, your family, the Muslim ummah, the oppressed worldwide.
Sincere tawbah — repent for specific sins, resolve to change.
Read more of the Quran if you can.

Before Fajr

Eat Suhoor close to Fajr (Sunnah).
Pray Fajr in congregation if possible.
Don't sleep until after sunrise — the post-Fajr period is also blessed.

If you can only manage one night

Prioritize the 27th night (Saturday March 14 → Sunday March 15 in 2026). After Isha + Tarawih, take a 90-minute nap, then wake at the last third of the night (~2 AM local) and worship intensely until Fajr (~4:30 AM). Even 90 minutes of sincere worship that night, if it IS Laylatul Qadr, gives you 83 years worth of reward.

Track Ramadan and prayer times

See live Iftar, Suhoor, and prayer times for your city on /ramadan-2026 (full 30-day calendar), or use prayer times for your specific city for daily Maghrib/Fajr exact times.

Frequently asked questions

When is Laylatul Qadr in 2026?: Laylatul Qadr falls on one of the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan — most likely the 27th night. In 2026 (1447 AH), the 27th night begins at Maghrib on Saturday, March 14 and continues until Fajr on Sunday, March 15. The Prophet ﷺ instructed Muslims to seek it on the odd nights (21, 23, 25, 27, 29) because the exact date is hidden — Allah concealed it so people would worship intensely on multiple nights.
What is Laylatul Qadr?: Laylatul Qadr — the Night of Power or Night of Decree — is the night the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The entire 97th chapter of the Quran (Surah Al-Qadr) is dedicated to it. It is described as 'better than a thousand months' (Quran 97:3) — roughly 83 years of worship. Angels descend in waves with Jibril (Gabriel), and the night is described as peaceful until dawn.
What are the signs of Laylatul Qadr?: Authentic hadith mention several signs: (1) The night is calm, tranquil, neither hot nor cold. (2) The sun rises the following morning with a soft, weak glow, without strong rays — many describe it as 'like a copper plate.' (3) The moon appears clear and bright. (4) Worshippers feel an unusual peace and concentration in prayer. These are confirmation signs, observable in retrospect — you cannot use them to predict which night IS Laylatul Qadr in advance.
What dua should I recite on Laylatul Qadr?: Aisha (RA) asked the Prophet ﷺ what to say if she found Laylatul Qadr. He taught her: 'Allāhumma innaka ʿafuwwun tuḥibbu-l-ʿafwa fa-ʿfu ʿannī' — 'O Allah, You are the One who forgives, and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.' (Tirmidhi 3513, classed sahih). This is the single most important dua of the night. Repeat it abundantly. The Prophet also recommended praying long rakaat, reciting Quran, and making dua throughout the night.
Do I have to stay up all night for Laylatul Qadr?: Ideally, yes — at least for the most likely nights. The Prophet ﷺ would 'tighten his garment' (a metaphor for intense effort) and stay up the entire last 10 nights of Ramadan, worshipping and waking his family. If full-night worship isn't possible, focus on the period AFTER Isha + Tarawih until you sleep, then wake up for the last third of the night before Suhoor. Even 1–2 hours of focused worship on Laylatul Qadr is more valuable than 1,000 months of regular worship.
What should I do on Laylatul Qadr besides pray?: Multiple recommended acts: (1) Pray voluntary rakaat — Tahajjud, Qiyam al-Layl — as many as you can. (2) Recite Quran, especially Surah Al-Qadr (97) and Surah Yasin (36). (3) Make dhikr — SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah. (4) Repeat the Aisha dua throughout the night. (5) Make personal dua for yourself, family, the Muslim ummah. (6) Reflect on the year passed and resolve sincere tawbah (repentance). (7) Give sadaqah (charity) before the night begins. The Prophet also performed I'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) for these 10 days.