The Third Discussion: On which night of Ramadan does Laylat al-Qadr occur?

The answer: The Quran does not specify its exact night, but the hadiths establish that it falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, “observed iʿtikāf during the first ten nights of Ramadan, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Then he observed iʿtikāf during the middle ten nights. Then he was told that it was in the last ten nights, and he was shown it and shown that he would prostrate on its morning in water and mud. On the twenty-first night of Ramadan, while he was observing iʿtikāf, the sky rained and the mosque began to drip—that is, water flowed from its roof. The roof of the Prophet’s mosque was made of palm branches. He led his Companions in the Fajr prayer, then prostrated upon the ground. Abu Saʿid said: ‘He prostrated in water and mud, until I saw the trace of water and mud upon his forehead.’” (1) This shows that, in that year, it was the twenty-first night.

A group of his Companions were shown Laylat al-Qadr in dreams during the last seven nights, so he, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, said: “I see that your dreams have coincided concerning the last seven nights”—that is, they agreed—“so whoever seeks it should seek it in the last seven nights.” Accordingly, the last seven nights are more likely than the other nights of the final ten, unless what is meant by his saying, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, “I see that your dreams have coincided concerning the last seven nights” (2) is, that is, in