About Shab-e-Qadr
Shab-e-Qadr, Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power, is the night Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed, sought in the odd nights of the last ten of Ramadan. In India most Sunni Muslims keep the 27th night, which in 2027 is expected to begin at sunset on Saturday, 6 March 2027, subject to the moon. Shia Muslims give special weight to the 19th, 21st and 23rd nights.
On the 27th night of Ramzan, mosques across India stay full long after the taraweeh prayers end. People pray, read the Quran and make long duas until it is time for sehri. In Srinagar, families spend the whole night at Hazratbal on the bank of Dal Lake. In Hyderabad the police have in past years closed most of the city's flyovers for the night. This is Shab-e-Qadr, which many Muslims hold to be the holiest night of the year.
What the night is
Shab is Persian for night, and qadr is Arabic for decree, measure or power. So the night is called the Night of Decree, or the Night of Power. Muslims believe it is the night the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and many believe it is when God decides the course of the coming year.
A short chapter of the Quran, Surah Al-Qadr (97), is about this night. In five verses it says that angels and the Spirit come down by God's leave, and that the night is peace until dawn.
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
A thousand months is more than 83 years, about a lifetime. That is why people who can barely stay awake through the last week of fasting still try to spend this night in prayer. A hadith in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim says that whoever stands in prayer on this night with faith, hoping for reward, has their past sins forgiven.
Which night it is
The exact night is not known, and that is part of the point. The Prophet told Muslims to look for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially the odd ones. Different communities give weight to different nights.
| Community | Nights given most weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Most Sunni Muslims in India | The 27th night, while also praying on the 21st, 23rd, 25th and 29th | A report from the companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b points to the 27th, and many scholars consider it the likeliest night |
| Shia Muslims | The 19th, 21st and especially the 23rd | Imam Ali was struck on the 19th of Ramadan and died on the 21st, so these nights join worship with mourning; many Shia scholars hold the 23rd to be the night itself |
| Dawoodi Bohras | The 23rd | The community's own tradition places the night on the 23rd |
Because Islamic days begin at sunset, the 27th night is the evening before the 27th day of fasting. The date also depends on when Ramadan began locally. If Kerala starts fasting a day before Delhi, its 27th night comes a day earlier too.
How the night is spent
People who keep the night usually follow a pattern like this. Some people spend the last ten days in i'tikaf, a retreat in the mosque, and keep the whole night there.
- SunsetIftar and Maghrib
The fast is broken as usual, often a light meal to stay awake later
- NightIsha and taraweeh
The night prayer of Ramadan, often 20 rak'ats, in a mosque fuller than on most nights of the month
- Late nightNafl prayers, Quran and dhikr
Voluntary prayers, reading or listening to the Quran, and repeating God's names, alone or with others
- Through the nightDua and forgiveness
Long personal prayers for the family, the dead and the year ahead; many also give charity that night
- Before dawnSehri and Fajr
The pre-dawn meal, the dawn prayer, and the next day's fast
The best-known prayer for the night comes from a hadith in Tirmidhi. Aisha asked the Prophet what to say if she knew it was the Night of Qadr, and he taught her: "Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anni", O God, You forgive and love to forgive, so forgive me.
Shia Muslims stay awake until dawn on their nights of Qadr, pray together and recite long supplications such as Du'a Jawshan al-Kabir and Du'a Abu Hamza al-Thumali. Because these nights also remember Imam Ali, there are majlis gatherings and, in Lucknow, a procession on the 21st of Ramzan. Some Sunni scholars, for their part, warn against turning the night into a public event with lights and feasts, and say it should stay a night of private worship.
Jammu and Kashmir lists Shab-i-Qadr as a public holiday on the day after the 27th night, as on Tuesday 17 March 2026. In most other states it is a working day, and the people fasting at your office may have been awake all night.
What to write
Most Indian Muslims say "Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak" or simply ask, "Duaon mein yaad rakhna", remember me in your prayers. The second is the more common request among friends and family, and a non-Muslim colleague can use either. Asking forgiveness is also part of the night, so a short "please forgive me if I have hurt you" is a natural line to add.
Leave "Happy", sweets and party images out of it. Eid is still a few days away, so save "Eid Mubarak" for after the moon is seen.
Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak. Twenty-six fasts done and the best night still ahead. Please remember me and my family in your duas tonight.
Ammi, Abbu, Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak. Please pray for all of us tonight, and forgive us for anything we did wrong this year.
Wishing you a peaceful night of prayer. Take it easy tomorrow morning, and I hope the last days of Ramadan go gently for you.
Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak. The masjid back home will be full till sehri tonight. We'll pray for you, and please pray for us.
Thinking of you on these nights of Qadr. May your prayers and your remembrance of Imam Ali be accepted. Please keep me in your duas.
Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak. Is mubarak raat apni duaon mein humein bhi yaad rakhiyega. (A blessed Night of Power. Please remember us too in your prayers on this blessed night.)
شبِ قدر مبارک۔ اس مبارک رات اپنی دعاؤں میں ہمیں بھی یاد رکھیے گا۔ (A blessed Night of Power. Please remember us too in your prayers on this blessed night.)
शब-ए-क़द्र मुबारक। इस मुबारक रात अपनी दुआओं में हमें भी याद रखिएगा। (A blessed Night of Power. Please remember us too in your prayers on this blessed night.)
For the rest of the month, see Ramadan, Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the fast, and Eid al-Fitr, which follows when the moon is seen.
How to wish someone on Shab-e-Qadr
Shab-e-Qadr is a night of worship, and the person you are writing to has fasted for more than three weeks and may pray until sehri. A good message asks for their prayers, wishes that their fasts and duas are accepted, and asks forgiveness. \"Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak\" is the usual Indian greeting; a quiet \"remember me in your duas tonight\" is just as good. Keep celebration words out of it, and don't send Eid wishes yet.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Urdu + Hindi.
Good to know: The exact night is unknown and is sought in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan; many in India keep the 27th. A night of worship, not a party.
When is Shab-e-Qadr in each year?
Shab-e-Qadr is set by the Islamic lunar (Hijri) calendar, so it falls on a different date each year. In 2027 it falls 10 days earlier than in 2026.
- 2026
- 2027may vary by location
- 2028may vary by location
Frequently asked questions
When is Shab-e-Qadr in 2027?
Shab-e-Qadr 2027 falls on Saturday, 6 March 2027. The exact date can vary by location and local calendar, so confirm with your community.
Which night is Shab-e-Qadr?
Shab-e-Qadr falls on one of the odd nights of the last ten of Ramadan, and its exact night is not known. Most Sunni Muslims in India keep the 27th night, while Shia Muslims give special weight to the 19th, 21st and 23rd.
Why do Indian Muslims keep the 27th night as Shab-e-Qadr?
A report from the companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b points to the 27th, and many scholars consider it the likeliest of the odd nights. Most Indian Muslims pray through the 27th night while also praying on the other odd nights in case the night falls on one of them.
What dua should be read on Shab-e-Qadr?
The best-known dua for the night is "Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anni", which means "O God, You forgive and love to forgive, so forgive me". The Prophet taught it to Aisha, according to a hadith recorded by Tirmidhi.
Why do Shia Muslims observe the 19th, 21st and 23rd nights of Ramadan?
Shia tradition holds that Laylat al-Qadr is most likely the 23rd night, with the 19th and 21st also important. Imam Ali was struck on the 19th of Ramadan and died on the 21st, so those nights combine prayer with mourning.
Can I say "Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak"?
Yes. "Shab-e-Qadr Mubarak" is a common greeting among Indian Muslims. Many people simply ask the other person to remember them in their prayers that night, which is just as warm.
What does "Qadr" mean in Shab-e-Qadr?
Qadr is Arabic for decree, measure or power, and shab is Persian for night. So Shab-e-Qadr means the Night of Decree or the Night of Power, when Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed.
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