Seeking Laylatul-Qadr is the most virtuous night in the year. Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an: [We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.] (Al-Qadr 97: 1-3) Thus, every Muslim should strive hard not to miss the opportunity of obtaining multiple rewards in these blessed night.
One should draw nearer and nearer to Allah to get the blessings of Laylatul-Qadr in the last third of the night of Ramadan 21-29.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the last ten days of Ramadan came, the Prophet (peace and blessings of be upon him) would stay up at night and also wake his family up, and would abstain from marital relations. Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined staying up and praying during Laylatul-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever stays up and prays during Laylatul-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The previous hadith indicates that it is prescribed to observe Laylatul-Qadr by spending the night in Prayer. One of the best supplications that may be recited on Laylatul-Qadr is that which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught to `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
At-Tirmidhi narrated, classing the report as authentic, that A’ishah said, “I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylatul-Qadr, what should I say on that night?' He said, 'Say: Allahumma innakaafuwwun tuhibb al-afwa faaffu `anni (O Allah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).’”
With regard to specifying which night of Ramadan is Laylat Al-Qadr, there is no clear-cut evidence for this, but the odd-numbered nights during the last ten nights are more likely than others, and the night of the 27th is the most likely to be Laylat Al-Qadr because it is mentioned in the Prophetic hadiths.
