Seeking out the Night of Qadr

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful...

It is narrated in Musnad Imam Zayd that Sayyid Imam Abul-Hussein Zayd b. 'Ali (as) related on the authority of his forefathers that 'Ali b. Abi Taalib, upon them be peace, said:

When the first night of the last ten days of this month took place, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, would strive hard. He would tie up his sarong, depart from his house and seclude himself during the last ten days of this month. He would give life to the nights and perform the purification bath between the two evening prayers (i.e. Maghrib & Isha).

The following has been narrated in Usuul al-Ahkaam of Sayyid Imam al-Mutawakkil 'ala Allah Ahmed b. Suleiman (as) as well as the Sharh at-Tajreed of Sayyid Imam al-Mu´ayyad Billah (as) regarding Laylat al-Qadr:

It is narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((On the Night of Qadr, Gabriel, upon him be peace, descends in the stars with the Angels. They give the greetings of peace to all who are standing and sitting while supplicating to Allah unless such person was a drinker of intoxicants or one who severs family ties)).

It is narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((It [i.e. the Night of Qadr] is in the last ten nights on an odd night. It is a night with moderate temperature—without it being warm or cold. The sun in the morning of it will be red and not strong [lit. “weak”])).

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr, may Allah be merciful to him: "I asked Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, about the Night of Qadr and whether it was in Ramadan or not. He replied: ((It is in Ramadan)). I said: 'It was with the Prophets when they existed. When they passed, does it constantly change?' He replied: ((No. It will be the same until the Day of Judgement)). I asked: 'When is it during Ramadan?' He replied: ((It is in the last ten)). I kept repeating the question. He then said: ((It is in the last ten, and don’t ask me anything after this))."

It is narrated that Imam Rassi (as) said that the Night of Qadr is on the twenty-third or twenty-seventh night. It is also related that he said that it is on the twenty-ninth night.

Sayyid Imam al-Haadi (as) related in his Ahkaam:

It has reached us that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, spent the last ten days in religious seclusion giving life to the nights. He used to bathe himself, tie his sarong and strive hard until the completion of the month. The meaning of ‘tie his sarong’ is stay away from his wives. The meaning of ‘strive hard’ is engage in worship of his Exalted Lord.

May Allah enable us to take advantage of this blessed time!