The virtue of Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is great and abundant because it contains favors and gifts, of which:
1- In that night Allah (may He be Exalted) sent down the Glorious Qur’an, as Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’ân) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [Surat Al Qadr: 1].
The authentic view is that of Ibn Hajar (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) who said in the explanation of Sahih Al Bukhari as it was authentically reported from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Glorious Qur’an was sent down in Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) as a whole from Al-Lawh-ul-Mahfuzh (the Preserved Tablet) to the home of honor in the worldly sky.
Others said: It is the night in which the Glorious Qur’an started to come down to the heart of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Others said: It is the night in which Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded the pen to write the Qur’an in Al-Lawh-ul-Mahfuzh (the Preserved Tablet).
Anyhow, it is the night which was decisive between the world of the Unseen and the seen world.
It was the night in which the Glorious Qur’an was revealed. It was a great event which the earth and the sky have never witnessed something of the like.
It is as if that night has a great status at Allah since the beginning of time, then its honor and status increased by the descend of the Qur’an, thereby it became the master of nights.
This takes us to the second virtue, which is:
2- Allah (Glory be to Him) raised its status and greatness by mentioning it in the following Ayah: “And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?” which means that the knowledge of its status and greatness is beyond the knowledge of people, so none knows its high rank but the Knower of the Unseen (Glory be to Him).
3- Performing the acts of worship and the righteous actions in that night, such as: Fasting, Qiyam [Optional Night Salah], invocation, reciting the Qur’an is better than actions done in one thousand months. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allâh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).” [Surat Al Qadr: 3].
Ibn Jarir At-Tabary (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in his Tafsir (30/167): “An action is done in Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is better than actions done in one thousand months.”
4- Devils do not exist in Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree):
The proof to that is the narration of Ibn Abu Shaybah on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The sun rises everyday between the two horns of Satan except on the next morning of Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree).”
In another narration at Imam Ahmad on the authority of `Ubadah ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It is not permissible for Satan to come out with that Night.”
In the narration of Ibn Hibban on the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Its devils do not come out [during that night] until its dawn comes.”
Therefore, the Lord of all the Worlds said about it: “(All that night), there is Peace (and Goodness from Allâh to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [Surat Al Qadr: 5].
So, that night is full of goodness and peace, and free of Satan and his harm.
Ad-Dahhak reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): “In that night, the giant jinns are chained and the afreet of jinns are fettered.”
Mujahid said: “It is full of peace, and devils cannot do harm or evil.”
He also said: “Devils are not sent in that night and diseases do not take place in that night.”
It was reported from Ubay ibn Ka`b (may Allah be pleased with him) that “Devils cannot harm anyone, spread disease or corruption, and the spell of sorcerers is harmless in that night.”
5- Angels and the Holy spirit come down in that night, Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “Therein descend the angels and the Rûh [Jibrîl (Gabriel)] by Allâh’s Permission with all Decrees.” [Surat Al Qadr: 4].
Ibn Khuzaymah reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) is the twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth night. Angels in that night on earth are more in number than the number of pebbles. And angels come down with mercies, blessings, and assurance. It was said: They come down with every command Allah decreed and destined in that year.”
6- Security and peace prevail in that night to the people of faith, Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “(All that night), there is Peace (and Goodness from Allâh to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [Surat Al Qadr: 5].
Scholars differed about the explanation of this Ayah:
It was said: Peace from all evil.
It was said: Angels come down in that night to greet the people of faith.
It was said: Devils cannot harm anyone in that night.
7- It is a blessed night:
Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “We sent it (this Qur’ân) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the night of Al-Qadr, Sûrah No. 97) in the month of Ramadân – the 9th month of the Islâmic calendar].”[Surat Ad-Dukhan: 3].
8- Whoever performs Qiyam out of sincere faith and hoping for Allah’s Reward all his past sins will be forgiven:
Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven. The one who stays up for worship during Laylat Al Qadr (Night of Decree) out of sincere faith and hoping for Allah’s Reward all his past sins shall be forgiven.”
9- In that night the destinies and decrees of that night are estimated. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.” [Surat Ad-Dukhan: 4].
Ibn Rajab (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said as in Lata’if Al Ma`arif (1/231):
It was narrated from `Ikrimah and other commentators about Allah’s Saying: “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.” [Surat Ad-Dukhan: 4], it is the night of the fifteenth of Sha`ban, however the majority said: It is Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree), which is the most correct.
Finally, we say to everyone who neglected and wasted: Try to benefit from Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) to make up what you missed, for actions done in that night are better than one thousand months, and whoever is deprived of goodness shall be the deprived as the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed.
Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa’y reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There has come to your Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.”
Ibn Majah reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “Ramadan began, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
This month has come to you. It contains a night that is better than a thousand months (of worship), whoever is deprived of it is deprived of all goodness, and no one shall be deprived of its good but a loser.” [Sahih Al Jami`: 2247].
My dear brothers, in Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) the doors of Paradise are open, the beloved ones draw nearer, secret speech [with the Lord] is heard, the response of invocations is rapid, and doers shall receive their rewards. The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than one thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allâh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). So, exert efforts (may Allah bestow mercy on you) in seeking it, for this is the time, and beware of heedlessness for heedlessness leads to destruction.
A pause:
These divine gifts and favors make us seek and search for Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) in compliance to the Prophet’s saying that is authentically written in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim from the Hadith of `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.”
And in compliance to Allah’s Saying: “So, now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allâh has ordained for you (offspring).” [Surat Al Baqarah: 187]. It was said in the explanation of Allah’s Saying: “And seek that which Allâh has ordained for you (offspring).” [i.e., offspring] as was reported by Mujahid, `Ikrimah, and Al Hasan Al Basry. It was said: “And seek that which Allâh has ordained for you (offspring)” means: Laylat-ul-Qadr as was reported by Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).