Here are some Common doubts and misconceptions affiliated with Laylat al-Qadr and their clarification.

Doubt/Misconception 01 and Its Clarification: Laylat al-Qadr Is Not in Ramaḍān

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله) said:

The popular belief that the annual decree occurs in the middle of Shaʿbān is false, for* verily, the night the annual decree occurs is Laylat al-Qadr, as Allāh stated:

حم ﴿١﴾ وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ ﴿٢﴾ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ ﴿٣﴾ فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ أَ

“Hā-Mīm. By the manifest Book [i.e this Qur’ān] that makes things clear, We sent it [i.e. this Qurʾān] down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our oneness of lordship and worship]. Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainments. A Command from Us. Verily, We are ever sending [the Messengers as a mercy from your Lord]. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the *All-Knower” [Sūrah al-Dukhān, 44:1-4].

Laylat al-Qadr is the very night Allāh revealed the Qur’ān, as He stated:

“إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ”

“Verily, We have sent it [i.e. this Qurʾān] *down in the night of al-Qadr [Decree]”

[Sūrah al-Qadr, 97:1].

Furthermore, Laylat al-Qadr is in Ramaḍān because Allāh revealed the Qur’ān in Ramaḍān. He said:

“شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ”

“The month of Ramaḍān in which the Qurʾān was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the *criterion [between right and wrong]” [Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:185].

Therefore, whoever claims that the annual decree occurs in the middle of Shaʿbān has contradicted these verses of the Qurʾān.

● [Majmū‘ Fatāwá wā Rasāʾil al-ʿUthaymīn, vol. 20, pg. 30-32]

Discussing the same issue, Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl al-Shaykh (حفظه الله) *stated:

The annual decree occurs on Laylat al-Qadr, as Allāh stated:

“إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ”

“Verily, We sent it [i.e. this Qurʾān] down on a blessed night” [Sūrah al-Dukhān, 44:3].

“فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ”

*“Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainments” [Sūrah al-Dukhān, 44:4].

“إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ”

“Verily, We have sent it [i.e. the Qurʾān] down on the night of al-Qadr [Decree]” [Sūrah al-Qadr, 97:1].

This night, Laylat al-Qadr, is in Ramaḍān. It isn’t in the middle of Shaʿbān. As for the Aḥādīth which state that the decree occurs in the middle of Shaʿbān, then their text are contradictory [to the above verses of the Qurʾān], and the majority of their chains are weak. Therefore, the decree occurs on Laylat al-Qadr, which is known to be in Ramaḍān.

● [Sharḥ Usūl al-I‘īmān, pg. 194-195]

Allaahu Musta’aan