It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Unays Al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I was shown [in a dream] the [date of the] Night of Al-Qadr, but I was caused to forget it. I saw myself performing prostration in the morning after it in water and mud.’ Then, on the twenty-third night, it rained. The Messenger of Allah led us in prayer and when he finished, the traces of water and mud were on his forehead and nose.” ‘Abdullaah ibn Unays, may Allah be pleased with him, would therefore say that [the Night of Al-Qadr] was the twenty-third night. [Muslim]
It is narrated on the authority of Maalik that ‘Abdullaah ibn Unays Al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Messenger of Allah, , "O Messenger of Allah, I am a man whose house is far away. Tell me which night I should go out for prayer on.” The Messenger of Allah, , said: "Go out on the twenty third night of Ramadan." [Maalik in his Muwatta']
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, that he said, "While I was sleeping in Ramadan, I was visited by somebody in a dream and it was said to me, ‘Tonight is the Night of Al-Qadr.’" He continued, “I got up while still slumbering and pulled myself up by one of the ropes straightening the tent of the Messenger of Allah and when I went to the Messenger of Allah he was praying." He added, "I counted and it was the twenty third night." [Ahmad]
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huthayfah, from one of the Companions of the Prophet, , from the Prophet, , that he said: "I looked at the moon on the morning after the Night of Al-Qadr and saw it as if it were half a bowl." Abu Is’haaq As-Sabee‘i said, "The moon looks like that on the morning after the twenty third night." [Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i]
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “We mentioned the Night of Al-Qadr while we were with the Messenger of Allah thereupon he said: ‘Who among you remembers that night when the moon rose [and it was] like the half of a bowl?’" [Muslim]
Benefits and rulings
First: The Prophet, was caused to forget the exact date of the Night of Al-Qadr. The wisdom behind this may be that the people would therefore not rely on it and slacken in performing acts of worship at other times.
Second: The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were eager to seek and ask about the nights which have superiority over others, for the purpose of spending them entirely in prayer and Thikr (remembrance and mentioning Allah).
Third: The excellence of the twenty third night, on which the Night of Al-Qadr may occur; and this is why Muslims should spend it in diligent worship.
Fourth: The moon on the twenty third night looks like half a big bowl, which coincided with the night of Al-Qadr in that year as mentioned in the previous Hadeeths.