[17].Surah Al-Isra' [The Journey By Night]: Ayat 79

also known as Surah Bani Israel [The Children of Israel]

 

Ayat 79. And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salât (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur'an in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawâfil) for you (O Muhammad  [SAWW](PBUH). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqâman Mahmûda (a station of praise and glory, i.e. the highest degree in Paradise!). 

Hazrat Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) used to observe I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan and say, "Seek Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree) in the odd nights out of the last ten nights of Ramadan.''

[Al-Bukhari Book 03, Chapter 32, Hadith # 234]. 

Lesson : We learn from this Hadith that Lailat-ul-Qadr occurs in any of the five odd nights - 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th - of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Its exact date has not been revealed for the reason that people keep themselves awake for prayer for a larger number of nights. Had its date been fixed, people would have kept awake for prayer only on that night. There is a general belief among the scholars that it is fixed, on the 27th night of Ramadan. But this is not correct. Ahadith do not confirm this view.