Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power)

Laylat al-Qadr, often translated as the Night of Power or Night of Decree, is described in Surah al-Qadr (Qur'an 97) as "better than a thousand months." It commemorates the night the Qur'an's first revelation descended upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the cave of Hira on Mount Nur outside Mecca. Although the precise date is not specified in scripture, hadith literature directs believers to seek it among the odd-numbered nights of the last ten of Ramadan, with the 27th night being the most widely observed across the Muslim world. The night is said to carry such immense spiritual reward that worship performed during these hours surpasses the equivalent of more than eighty-three years of devotion.

Devotees engage in I'tikaf, a spiritual seclusion in the mosque during the final ten days of Ramadan, leaving only for absolute necessities. The night itself is spent in prolonged Qiyam al-Layl prayers, recitation of the Qur'an, dua supplications, and dhikr. The supplication taught by the Prophet to Aisha — "Allahumma innaka 'Afuwwun, tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anni" (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me) — is repeated throughout the night. Many mosques organize complete Qur'an recitations and offer iftar and suhoor for those staying.

In Mecca and Medina, hundreds of thousands gather in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque for nightlong worship that is broadcast worldwide. In Turkey, the night is called "Kadir Gecesi" and is marked by mosque illuminations called mahya. Indonesian and Malaysian families often visit ancestral graves the following morning and distribute charity to neighbors. In South Asia, special Nafl prayers are offered in two-rakat units throughout the night, and many bring children to mosques to introduce them to the practice.