Laylat al-Qadr — Give Zakat on the Night of Power
Laylat al-Qadr — the Night of Power — falls in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan. The Quran declares it better than a thousand months. Giving Zakat or Sadaqah on this night carries immeasurable spiritual reward.
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ · لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
"Indeed, We sent it [the Quran] down on the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months."
— Surah Al-Qadr (97:1–3)
What is Laylat al-Qadr?
Laylat al-Qadr (Arabic: لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ) means the Night of Power or Night of Decree. It is the night on which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is described in the Quran as being "better than a thousand months" — meaning that worship, prayer, and charity on this night carries the reward of more than 83 years of continuous worship.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Bukhari). This spiritual opportunity is why so many Muslims choose to pay their Zakat during the last ten nights.
When is Laylat al-Qadr?
The exact night is known only to Allah, hidden as a mercy so that Muslims seek it with effort. The Prophet (PBUH) instructed: "Seek Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan." (Sahih Bukhari)
The five nights to focus on are the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th of Ramadan. Many scholars consider the 27th night most likely, citing the structure of the word in the Quran — but this is a scholarly opinion, not a certainty. The wisest approach is to maximise worship and giving across all five odd nights.
Giving Zakat on Laylat al-Qadr
Paying Zakat during the last ten nights is encouraged. There are two scenarios:
Your Hawl date falls in Ramadan
If your annual Zakat anniversary falls during Ramadan, pay on that exact date (which may coincide with Laylat al-Qadr). This is the most straightforward case.
Your Hawl date falls outside Ramadan
You can pay Zakat early — up to one year before your Hawl date — with the intention that it counts as your upcoming annual obligation. This is unanimously valid across the four Sunni schools. Many Muslims bring their Zakat payment forward to Ramadan for the spiritual reward.
Giving across all five odd nights
A popular approach used by many Muslims is to divide their Zakat across the five odd nights: split your calculated Zakat amount into five equal portions and give one portion on each of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th nights. This guarantees at least one portion falls on Laylat al-Qadr itself.
The total given counts as your single annual Zakat obligation — you do not owe five times your Zakat simply because you spread it across five nights.
Additional Sadaqah on Laylat al-Qadr
Beyond your obligatory Zakat, many Muslims give additional voluntary Sadaqah on Laylat al-Qadr. Even if your Hawl date has not yet arrived, any donation given with the intention of Sadaqah carries the reward of the night. Sadaqah Jariyah — ongoing charity such as funding a cataract surgery — is particularly powerful because the reward continues long after the night itself.