Laylatul Qadr, also known as the Night of Decree, is one of the most significant and blessed nights in the Islamic calendar. It is said to be better than a thousand months (~83 years), and any good deeds performed on this night are immensely rewarded. The importance and merits of Laylatul Qadr can be found in the Quran itself, where a whole surah is dedicated to it.
Surah 97, al-Qadr (the Decree, the Power).
Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
The angels and the Spirit (Archangel Jibreel, peace be upon him) descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.
Every Ramadan is a chance for us to catch this blessed night and earn immense rewards from Allah by engaging in acts of worship and good deeds.
The exact night of Laylatul Qadr is not known with certainty, however, prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to look for it during the last ten nights of Ramadan, particularly on odd-numbered nights, i.e. on the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th. Many scholars believed it to be the 27th night, and this became a cultural norm for Muslims to consider the 27th as the night.
However, since we do not know for sure, it's best to engage in increased worship during each of the ten nights, and especially the odd ones. Important to note that in Islam night precedes day (e.g. the 21st night starts at the sunset of the 20th of Ramadan).
A hadith from 'Aisha states that:
"With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers."
To make the most of Laylatul Qadr, one should strive to stay awake throughout the night and engage in worship. You can do any of the following:
Recite the Quran: Reading and reflecting on the Quran is an excellent way to spend the night.
Perform missed obligatory prayers.
Offer extra prayers such as Taraweeh, Tahajjud, and other voluntary prayers throughout the night to earn additional rewards.
Give charity: One can give to those in need and support charitable causes to show your thankfulness and earn blessings and reward.
Seek forgiveness: Asking Allah for forgiveness for past sins is an essential act of worship which can help to purify the heart and set your account clean.
Make dua: Supplicating to Allah for oneself and others is a powerful way to connect with Him and ask for His blessings.
Make dhikr: remember Allah with praises and glorification, contemplate on the blessing you have in your life, and send salawat (blessing) upon His Beloved Messenger
Imam al-Tirmidhi narrates that ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say on that night?’ He said, ‘Say: Allaahumma innaka عafuwwun tuhibbul-عafwa faعfu عannee [O Allah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me].”
May Allah grant us the success of catching the night, spending it in worship, and earning the blessings and rewards of Allah's mercy. Ameen!