what is laylatul Qadr ?

source : http://www.islamiccentre.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=42

Lailatul Qadr (Night of Power)

There is night in the month of Ramadhan which is better than a thousand months (83 years, 4 months). This night is called Laitatul Qadr.

According to Hadith, this night occurs during the last ten days of Ramadhan on one of the odd numbered nights. Usually it is celebrated on the 27th night of this holy month. It is a night of great importance and enormous blessings for Muslims.

A night such as Lailatul Qadr was not granted to any religious community (Ummah) before Muslims. Only the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were favoured with a night of huge reward. Once reason, it  was granted, was to enable Muslims to equal the worship of any people who lived before us. In the distant past it is said that people lived very long lives of hundreds of years. We, today, live much shorter lives. And so Allah gave us Laitatul Qadr to enable us to do as much worship as a man who lived even hundreds of years longer. If in a lifetime, you only worshipped on Lailatul Qadr ten times, you would have equaled in those ten nights 833 years of worship.

Signs of Laitul Qadr

• There are some signs that reveal which night is Laitatul Qadr.
• The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays.
• There will be no shooting stars in the night
• At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light.
• One companion of the Prophet reported that on Laitatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.

 Nawafil (Optional Prayers) for Laitatul Qadr

1. Two Rakaat - In each Rakaat

Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) - Once

Surah Al-Qadr (Inna Anzalna) - Once

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwal Lahu) - Once

One who observes this Nafl prayer will be granted the enormous rewards of Laitatul Qadr.

2. Two Rakaat - In each Rakaat

Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) - Once

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwal Lahu) - Seven times

After Completing this nafl prayer recite 70 times :

"Astaghfirullah hallazi la-ila-ha illa huwal Hayyul Qayyumo wa atu-bu ilaihe"

"I seek forgiveness from Allah, the almighty, there is no god but He. He is the self-existent, the Eternal and I turn to Him"

Once who observes this prayer, Allah the Merciful will forgive sins of that person and their parents' sins.

3. Four Rakaat - In each Rakaat

Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) - Once

Surah Takathur (Alhakumat Takasur) - Once

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwal Lahu) - Three times

A person observing this prayer will be protected from pain and hardship at the time of death and will be saved from the punishment  of the grave.

4. Four Rakaat - In each Rakaat

Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) - Once

Surah Al-Qadr (Inna Anzalna) - Three times

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwal Lahu) - Fifty times

After completing this prayer recite once :

"All glory and All Praise are for Allah, and there is no God but Allah and Allah is the Greatest".

The dua of  the person observing this prayer will be accepted by Allah Almighty.

5. Four Rakaat - In each Rakaat

Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) - Once

Surah Al-Qadr (Inna Anzalna) - Once

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwal Lahu) - Twenty Seven times

For one who observes this prayer all their sins are forgiven by Allah Almighty and they will enter into Heaven.

Dua of Lailatul Qadr

The Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) taught this dua to Hazrat Ayesha for Lailatul Qadr.

"O Allah, you are the One who grants pardon for sins. You love to pardon so pardon me".