“Seek it in the last ten nights of Ramaḍān —Laylat al-Qadr—on the ninth (night) remaining, on the seventh (night) remaining, or on the fifth (night) remaining.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī (No. 2021), from the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both; and similarly, by Muslim (No. 1167), from the ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may Allah be pleased with him.

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

Among the favors of Allah, the Exalted, upon this Ummah is that He has appointed for it great seasons in which good deeds are multiplied and mercy descends; and among the greatest of them is Laylat al-Qadr, which Allah honored by the revelation of the Qur’ān and made it better than a thousand months.
In this ḥadīth, the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — encourages his Companions to seek it: “When nine remain, when seven remain, when five remain,” indicating that it should be sought on some nights of the last ten, which are usually the odd nights.
“When nine remain” refers to the night after which nine nights of the month remain, that is, the night of the twenty-first, for the last ten nights begin with it; when the night of the twenty-first enters, nine nights of Ramaḍān remain until the end of the month. And ‘when seven remain’ refers to the night after which seven nights of the month remain, that is, the night of the twenty-third; for when this night begins, seven nights of Ramaḍān remain until the end of the month. And ‘when five remain’ refers to the night after which five nights of the month remain, that is, the night of the twenty-fifth; for when this night begins, five nights of Ramaḍān remain until the end of the month.
It is called Laylat al-Qadr due to the greatness of its status and virtue, or because in it is decreed what will occur in the year regarding lifespans and sustenance, as Allah, the Exalted, says: {In it is decreed every matter of wisdom} (al-Dukhān 44:4).
Scholars have unanimously agreed that Laylat al-Qadr will remain until the Day of Judgment and is not specific to the time of the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — but its exact night was concealed so that Muslims would strive in worship throughout all of the last ten nights.
The ḥadīth also indicates that Laylat al-Qadr is not fixed to a specific night, but is to be sought in the last ten nights of Ramaḍān, particularly in their odd (witr) nights.

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Related Hadiths

He used to observe iʿtikāf (spiritual retreat) during the last ten days of Ramadān until Allah, the Almighty, took his soul. Then, his wives observed iʿtikāf after him.

Laylat al-Qadr is in the last ten nights [of Ramadān], or in the fifth, or in the third.

If I know which night is the Night of Decree, what should I say in it? He said: “Say: O Allah, You are All-Pardoning, and You love pardon, so pardon me.”

I see that your dreams (coincide) regarding the last ten nights, so seek it (Laylat al-Qadr) during the odd nights among them.

(The Prophet) left the iʿtikāf during Ramadān, and later observed iʿtikāf during the first ten days of Shawwāl.

Whoever stands (in prayer) on the Night of al-Qadr out of faith and seeking reward shall have his past sins forgiven.

When the last ten days [of Dhul-Ḥijjah] begin, and one of you intends to offer a sacrifice, he should not cut any of his hair or trim his nails.

Whenever the last ten [nights of Ramadān] began, he would tighten his waist-wrapper, spend the nights in worship, and awaken his family.

“No deeds are more virtuous during the ten days than the righteous deeds done in them.” They said, “Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah?” He said, “Not even Jihad.”