The twenty-second, twenty-fourth or twenty-sixth night
“Look for the night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan; on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan.”[19]
“My father narrated to me, ‘The Night of Al-Qadr was mentioned in the presence of Abu Bakrah (ra) so he said, “I do not search for it due to something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah [saws] except for during the last ten [nights]; for indeed I heard him say, ‘Search for it when nine remain or when seven remain or when five remain or during the last three nights.’ During the twenty [nights] of Ramadan Abu Bakrah [ra] used to perform salah just as he performed salah during the rest of the year. But when the [last] ten began he would struggle [performing more salah during the night].”’”[20]
“The Messenger of Allah [saws] observed I’tikaf during the middle ten days of Ramadan seeking Lailat Al-Qadr before it was shown to him. When they were over he ordered that the tent be taken down then he was shown that it was in the last ten nights so he ordered that the tent be put back then he came out to the people and said, ‘O people Lailat Al-Qadr was shown to me and I came out to tell you about it but two men came disputing and the Shaytan was with them and I was caused to forget it. So seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, seek it on the ninth, the seventh, the fifth.’ I [Abu Nadrah (ra)] said, “O Abu Sa’eed [ra] you know more about numbers than I do.” He said, “Yes we are bound to.” I said, “What are the ninth, the seventh and the fifth?” He said, “When twenty-one nights have passed and the next night is the twenty-second that is the ninth. When twenty-three have passed the next night is the seventh. And when twenty-five have passed the next night is the fifth.”[21]
The twenty-third night
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Unais [ra] that the Messenger of Allah [saws] said, “I was shown Lailat Al-Qadr then I was caused to forget it but I was shown that on the [following] morning I would be prostrating in water and mud.” It rained on the night of the twenty-third and the Messenger of Allah [saws] led us in prayer; when he finished the traces of water and mud were on his forehead and nose.[22]
The twenty-fourth night
“The night of Qadr is in the last ten nights of the month [Ramadan] either in the first nine or in the last seven nights.” Ibn ‘Abbas [ra] added, “Search for it on the twenty-fourth of Ramadan.”[23]
The twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth night
“The Prophet came out to inform us about the night of Qadr but two Muslims were quarrelling with each other. So the Prophet [saws] said, ‘I came out to inform you about the night of Qadr but such and such persons were quarrelling so the news about it had been taken away; yet that might be for your own good so search for it on the 29th, 27th and 25th [nights of Ramadan].’”[24]