“By Allah, I certainly know it, and to the best of my knowledge, it is the night on which the Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—commanded us to stand in prayer: it is the night of the twenty-seventh.”
Narrated by Muslim (no. 762), from the ḥadīth of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb—may Allah be pleased with him.
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
When the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—came to know the virtue of Laylat al-Qadr and the greatness of its status, they strove to seek it out, hoping for its immense reward. Among this is what Ubayy ibn Kaʿb—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “By Allah, I certainly know it,” meaning that he knew it with certainty, or by strong preponderance, as clarified by his statement, “and to the best of my knowledge.” He then said: “It is the night on which the Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—commanded us to stand in prayer: it is the night of the twenty-seventh.”
And this was his personal ijtihad —may Allah be pleased with him—since he held the view that Laylat al-Qadr is the night of the twenty-seventh.
Zirr ibn Ḥubaysh asked him: “On what basis do you say that, O Abū al-Mundhir?” He replied: “By the sign—or the indication—that the Messenger of Allah —may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—informed us of: that the sun rises on its morning without rays.” This, then, is one of the signs by which Laylat al-Qadr is recognized and inferred.
This view is supported by the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which the Prophet —may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Seek out Laylat al-Qadr, and whoever is seeking it, let him seek it on the night of the twenty-seventh.”
Likewise, Ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—used to swear that it is the night of the twenty-seventh. This indicates that specifying it applies only with respect to certain years. As for its original ruling, it moves and varies; it occurs in every Ramaḍān. Seeking it in the odd nights of the last ten is more emphatic, and the night of the twenty-seventh is the most hoped for. Thus, in one year it may be the night of the twenty-seventh, in another the night of the twenty-third or the twenty-first, and so on.
This ḥadīth indicates that the twenty-seventh night is among the most likely nights in which Laylat al-Qadr is sought. It also shows the permissibility of taking an oath without being prompted, when the purpose is to affirm the truth and emphasize the statement. The ḥadīth further highlights the wisdom of Islamic law in concealing Laylat al-Qadr, so that people strive in worship throughout the entire last ten nights, thereby increasing righteous deeds, multiplying the reward, and manifesting sincerity in seeking it.