Worship Allaah on “ALL” of the LAST TEN NIGHTS of Ramadhaan and NOT just the ODD numbered ones!

by Asma bint Shameem

Laylatul-Qadr is the most amazing and blessed night of the entire year. 

Worship during this night is as if we worshipped Allaah for MORE than 83 years!

Who would want to miss this beautiful opportunity to have his sins forgiven and collect rewards of 83 years?

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said: 

“Whoever observed the fasts of Ramadhaan with faith and seeking reward (from Allaah), ALL his previous sins would be FORGIVEN, and he who observed prayer on Laylat-ul- Qadr with faith and seeking reward (from Allaah), all his previous sins would be forgiven.” (al-Bukhaari 38, Muslim 759).

🍃 And he ﷺ said:

“Look for Laylat-ul-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadhaan”

(Muslim 2/82)

So to make sure we don’t miss this golden chance, we should look for it in ALL of the LAST TEN nights;

That includes the odd nights AND the EVEN nights.

QUESTION

Isn’t there an authentic hadeeth that tells us to look for Laylatul-Qadr in the ODD nights of Ramadhaan?

ANSWER

Yes the hadeeth is authentic and it is said that we should look for Layatul Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan. 

BUT in order to make SURE we don't miss Laylatul Qadr, the Ulama say it is better to worship ALL of the LAST TEN NIGHTS of Ramadhaan, if possible. 

WHY IS THAT?

1. That’s what the Prophet ﷺ did

The best example for us is the Prophet ﷺ.

He spent ALL TEN NIGHTS worshipping Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and strived the HARDEST in them like he NEVER did at any other time of the year. 

He did NOT worship Allaah ONLY on the odd nights.

Rather, he did it on ALL ten nights, “EVEN” and “ODD”, BOTH.

🍃 Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“When the last ten days of Ramadhaan began, the Prophet ﷺ would stay up at night, wake his family and tie his lower garment tight (meaning he strove really HARD).” 

(al-Bukhaari 1920, Muslim 1174)

🍃 And she said:

“He would STRIVE HARD in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadhaan as he did not do at other times.” (Muslim 1175)

2. There’s another way to understand the Hadeeth

There are other ways of understanding the authentic ahaadeeth of the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) regarding Laylatul Qadr. 

For example:

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said: 

“Seek it in the last ten days of Ramadhaan, when there are nine days left, and seven days left, and five days left." 

(al-Bukhaari 1917)

🍃 Ibn Taymiyah explains this hadeeth:

“Odd-numbers have to do with what is PAST [i.e., when one starts counting from the beginning of the month], so it should be sought on the twenty-first, the twenty-third, the twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth. 

OR it may be with regard to what is LEFT of the month, as the Prophet ﷺ said: 

‘when there are nine left, or seven left, or five left, or three left.’ 

On this basis, IF the month has THIRTY days, these will be EVEN NUMBERED nights, so on the twenty-second there will be nine days left, on the twenty-fourth there will be seven days left. 

This is how it was explained by Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri in the saheeh hadeeth, and this is how the Prophet ﷺ prayed qiyaam during this month. 

If this is the case, then the believer should seek it in ALL of the LAST TEN DAYS." 

(Majmoo’ul Fataawaa 25/284-285)

In other words, the ‘odd’ nights of the last ten nights of Ramadhaan might actually be the EVEN nights, if we look at it ‘backwards’.

This shows that it’s POSSIBLE that Laylatul-Qadr might be on the EVEN nights. 

3. There may be difference in the sighting of the moon

Also put into consideration, the difference among the Muslims when they start Ramadhaan. 

Some start a day earlier and some start a day late. 

So what is an EVEN night for YOU, will be an ODD night for the OTHER group.

Having said all that, yes indeed Laylatul Qadr is most likely to fall on the odd nights and according to the majority of the Sahaabah and Ulama, it is most likely on the 27th of Ramadhaan.

But of course, we don't know that for sure. 

So try your BEST to seek it in ALL of the LAST TEN nights. 

STRIVE HARD in worship so that you will FOR SURE 'CATCH it' in one of those nights bi idhnillaah. :)

May Allaah enable us to witness Laylatul-Qadr.

And Allaah knows best