Last Ten Days of Ramadaan

Upon reaching the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to exert himself in performing acts of worship and acts of obedience. He used to exaggerate in offering various types of good deeds, different forms of acts of benevolence, and acts of worship more than he would offer at any other time, given the greatness and merit of such nights and seeking the Night of Decree.

1. Encouraging the frequent practice of benevolence and various forms of acts of obedience generally during the month of Ramadan and particularly during its last ten nights.
2. The last ten nights of Ramadan start from the twenty-first night until the end of the month.
3. It is recommended to take advantage of the honorable occasions by engaging in acts of obedience.

صحيح مسلم (2/ 832) (1175). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (14/ 463). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 848). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 339).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells about the merit of Qiyām al-Layl in the Night of Decree, which lies in the last ten days of Ramadan; that whoever engages in a lot of prayer, supplication, Qur'an recitation, and dhikr in this night, believing in it and its reported merit, seeking Allah's reward by his deed, without show-off or pursuit of reputation among people, his previous sins will be forgiven.

1. The Hadīth points out the merit of the Night of Decree and urges us to perform Qiyām al-Layl therein.
2. Righteous deeds are not accepted without sincere intentions.
3. It shows Allah's grace and mercy, for whoever performs Qiyām on the Night of Decree out of faith and in pursuit of reward, his past sins will be forgiven.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 16) (35). صحيح مسلم (1/ 523) (760). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (14/ 435). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 337). نزهة المتقين، (2/ 846). شرح النووي على مسلم (6/ 40). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 220). شرح صحيح البخاري، لابن بطال (4/ 21).

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform I‘tikāf in the middle ten days of Ramadan, in pursuit of Laylat al-Qadr. One year, he stayed as usual in I‘tikāf up to the night of the twenty-first (of Ramadan). On the morning of that night, he was supposed to end his I‘tikāf. However, he learned that Laylat al-Qadr would be in the last ten nights. So he told his Companions who stayed in I‘tikāf with him the middle ten nights to continue their I‘tikāf the last ten nights. He also told them that Allah, the Almighty, showed him Laylat al-Qadr in his sleep, but later made him forget which night it was. However, in that year he saw in his sleep a sign of that night, which was his prostration in the morning prayer on water and mud. Allah fulfilled the vision of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and it rained on the night of the twenty-first. The mosque of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was built like a lattice; its pillars were made of palm trunks and its roof made of palm stalks and fronds. Therefore, the roof leaked from rain, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated on water and mud in prayer on the morning of the twenty-first.

عمدة الأحكام، تأليف: عبد الغني بن عبد الواحد المقدسي، تحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، دار الثقافة العربية ومؤسسة قرطبة، الطبعة الثانية، 1408هـ. تيسير العلام، تأليف: عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، تحقيق محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، مكتبة الصحابة ومكتبة التابعين، الطبعة العاشرة، 1426 هـ. تأسيس الأحكام شرح عمدة الأحكام، تأليف: أحمد بن يحي النجمي: نسخة إلكترونية لا يوجد بها بيانات نشر. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الإحكام، تأليف: محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مكتبة الصحابة ومكتبة التابعين، الطبعة الأولى: 1426هـ. الإفهام في شرح عمدة الأحكام، للشيخ عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز، تحقيق: سعيد بن علي بن وهف القحطاني، الطبعة الأولى، 1435 هـ خلاصة الكلام على عمدة الأحكام، تأليف: فيصل بن عبد العزيز آل مبارك، الطبعة الثانية، 1412 هـ صحيح البخاري ، تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري ، تحقيق: محمد زهير الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ صحيح مسلم ، تأليف: مسلم بن الحجاج النيسابوري، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged diligence in pursuing and seeking out the Night of Qadr by increasing good deeds. It is more likely to occur during the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan every year, which are: the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th nights.

1. The merit of the Night of Qadr and the encouragement to seek it out.
2. Out of His wisdom and mercy, Allah has hidden this night so that people would be diligent in performing worship, seeking this night, and their reward would, thus, be abundant.
3. The Night of Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and it is more likely to be on the odd nights.
4. The Night of Qadr is one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. It is the night in which Allah Almighty revealed the Qur’an to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He made this night better than a thousand months in its blessing, its immense significance, and the impact of good deeds performed therein.
5. It was named "the Night of Qadr,"  with a silent "d,"  either due to its honor, as one says: "so-and-so is of great 'qadr' (value or status)," making the addition of "night" an attribution of something to its quality, i.e., the noble night, signifying its immense status, grandeur, rank, etc. {Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night.} [Surat ad-Dukhān: 3] Alternatively, it could be derived from "taqdīr" (decree), making the addition one of a container to what it contains, i.e., it is the night in which the decree for the year is determined. {On that night, every matter of wisdom is determined.} [Surat ad-Dukhān: 4]

صحيح البخاري (3/ 46) (2017). صحيح مسلم (2/ 828) (1169). تيسير العلام، لعبد الله البسام (ص347). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (3/ 470).

Some men among the Prophet's Companions saw in their dreams that the Night of Qadr is in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: I see that your visions have agreed on the last seven nights of Ramadan. So, whoever seeks it and is keen on pursuing it, let him seek it and pursue it with diligence by increasing the good deeds, as it is more likely to be in the last seven, which start from the 24th night if the month of Ramadan is thirty days, or from the 23rd night if the month is twenty-nine days.

1. The merit of the Night of Qadr and the encouragement to seek it out.
2. Out of His wisdom and mercy, Allah has concealed this night so that people would be diligent in performing worship, seeking this night, and their reward would, thus, be abundant.
3. The Night of Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and it is more likely to be in the last seven nights.
4. The Night of Qadr is one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. It is the night in which Allah Almighty revealed the Qur’an to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He made this night better than a thousand months in its blessing, its immense significance, and the impact of good deeds performed therein.
5. It was named "the Night of Qadr,"  with a silent "d,"  either due to its honor, as one says: "so-and-so is of great 'qadr' (value or status)," making the addition of "night" an attribution of something to its quality, i.e., the noble night, signifying its immense status, grandeur, rank, etc. {Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night.} [Surat ad-Dukhān: 3] Alternatively, it could be derived from "taqdīr" (decree), making the addition of the adverb to what it contains, i.e., it is the night in which the decree for the year is determined. {On that night, every matter of wisdom is determined.} [Surat ad-Dukhān: 4]

صحيح البخاري (3/ 46) (2015). صحيح مسلم (2/ 822) (1165). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (3/ 467). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص347).

Upon the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would revive the whole night with various acts of obedience. He would wake up his family to pray. He would exert himself in worship more than he usually did, and he would devote himself entirely to worship and avoid having intimate relations with his wives.

1. Encouraging the act of taking advantage of honorable times by performing righteous deeds.
2. An-Nawawi said: As clear from this Hadīth: it is recommended to increase the acts of worship in the last ten days of Ramadan, and it is recommended to revive its nights with acts of worship.
3. One should be keen on his family's interest by ordering them to engage in worship and be patient with them.
4. Doing righteous deeds requires resolve, patience, and perseverance.
5. An-Nawawi said: Scholars held different opinions regarding the meaning of (tightened up the lower garment). It is said: it refers to increasing his efforts in acts of worship beyond his usual practice (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at other times, i.e., showing diligence in acts of worship. The expression: "I tightened up my lower garment for this matter" means: I am entirely devoted to it, and I give it all my time. It is also said: it is a metaphor for abstaining from women to focus on acts of worship.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 47) (2024). صحيح مسلم (2/ 832) (1174). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 132). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 181).