“Indeed, We revealed [the Qur’an] 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.” [Qur’an 97:1-5]
“Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins.”[Sunan an-Nasa’i 2192].
The precise night on which Laylatul-Qadr occurs has not been mentioned. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Search for Laylatul-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.”[Bukhari] There is a tremendous wisdom behind not knowing exactly when it occurs, which scholars have pointed out. One of the wisdoms is so that humanity would continuously strive in good deeds, being heedful of them.
There is also a special link between this night and seeking forgiveness from God. A’isha asked the
Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul-Qadr, what should I say during it?”
And he instructed her to say:
O Allah! You are Most Forgiving, and you love to forgive. So forgive me.
