Scholars differed regarding its time. Some held that it existed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and was then withdrawn. The majority of the Companions and scholars hold that it remains until the Day of Resurrection.

It is reported from Abdullah ibn Makanis, the client of Mu‘awiyah, that he said: “I said to Abu Hurayrah, ‘They claim that the Night of Decree has been withdrawn.’ He replied, ‘Whoever says that has lied.’ I said, ‘Is it in every month that I live to see?’ He said, ‘Yes.’” (1)

Others said that it is one night among the nights of the year, such that if a man made his wife’s divorce and his slave’s emancipation contingent upon the Night of Decree, neither would take effect until a full year had passed from the time he made the oath. This is narrated from Ibn Mas‘ud, who said: “Whoever stands in prayer throughout the year will encounter it.” When this reached Abdullah ibn Umar, he said: “May Allah have mercy on Abu Abd al-Rahman. He certainly knew that it is in the month of Ramadan, but he intended that people should not become complacent.” (2)

The majority of the people of knowledge hold that it is in the month of Ramadan.

They also differed as to which night it is. Abu Razin al-‘Uqayli said: “It is the first night of the month of Ramadan.” Al-Hasan said: “It is the seventeenth night—the night whose morning saw the Battle of Badr.”

The sound view, and that held by most scholars, is that it falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Abu Uthman Sa‘id ibn Isma‘il al-Dabbi informed us; Abu Muhammad Abd al-Jabbar ibn Muhammad al-Jarahi informed us; Abu al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Mahbubi related to us; Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi related to us; Harun ibn Ishaq al-Hamdani related to us; Abadah ibn Sulayman related to us, from Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father, from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would devote himself to worship in seclusion during the last ten nights of Ramadan, and would say: “Seek the Night of Decree in the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (3)

Abu Uthman al-Dabbi informed us; Abu Muhammad al-Jarahi informed us; Abu al-Abbas al-Mahbubi related to us; Abu Isa related to us; Qutaybah related to us; Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad related to us, from al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, exerted himself in worship during the last ten nights as he did not exert himself at any other time. (4) (5)