Abu Dawud

1381. Commentary: One of the customs in Arab date reckoning is that when the month passes its midpoint, they count the dates by the remaining days. And a lunar month is sometimes thirty days and sometimes twenty-nine days. In this way, there are two possibilities for the last ninth, seventh, and fifth nights. If the month is of thirty days, then these nights become the twenty-second, twenty-fourth, and twenty-sixth, and from the end, these are the odd nights. And if it is of twenty-nine days, then these nights are the twenty-first, twenty-third, and twenty-fifth. From this statement with dual meanings, the virtue of the entire last ten days of Ramadan, especially these three nights, is established. And the wisdom in keeping Laylat al-Qadr hidden is so that the servants may strive to perform as much worship as possible and attain closeness to Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
The brief explanation of this hadith by Qastallani and others is as follows:
“In the twenty-fourth night of Ramadan, which is the night of the revelation of the Qur’an. The inclusion of this hadith here has been questioned, because the chapter heading is about the odd nights, whereas this (night) is the twenty-fourth, which is even. The answer given is that what is meant is: seek it (Laylat al-Qadr) after completing the twenty-fourth of Ramadan, that is, on the night of the twenty-fifth. Moreover, it is the habit of al-Bukhari rahimahullah to often mention a chapter heading and then bring in it whatever has even the slightest relevance to the chapter, even if minimal.”
That is, the twenty-fourth night of the noble month of Ramadan, in which the revelation of the Noble Qur’an began.

And by bringing this hadith here, the difficulty arises that the chapter heading is for the odd nights, while the twenty-fourth night is not odd but even. The answer to this difficulty is that what is meant is: after completing the twenty-fourth day of Ramadan, seek Laylat al-Qadr in the coming night, which is the twenty-fifth night.

It is the noble habit of Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah that he often brings under his chapter headings such ahadith in which even the slightest relevance to the chapter can be found.

The translator says: Here too, the Imam rahimahullah, in the chapter “fi al-witr min al-‘ashr” (regarding the odd nights of the last ten), has indicated this very point—that although in the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhu the mention is of the twenty-fourth date, what is meant is that after completing it, seek Laylat al-Qadr in the twenty-fifth night, which is odd.

And Allah knows best what is correct.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
It is stated in the title that Laylat al-Qadr should be sought in the odd nights of the last ten nights, whereas in the last hadith, seeking it on the twenty-fourth night is mentioned, and this night is not an odd night.
The commentators of Bukhari have tried to resolve this issue in the following manner:
In the first narration, it is stated to seek it in the last seven nights, and if the month consists of thirty days, then the twenty-fourth night becomes one of the last seven, which is why Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) mentioned the twenty-fourth night out of precaution.
Some have said that what is meant is that after twenty-four days are completed, seek it on that night.
In this way, what is meant is actually the twenty-fifth night.
(Irshad al-Sari: 4/593) (2)
“Seek it on the twenty-fourth night.”
There is a difference of opinion regarding whether this narration is connected (mawsul) or suspended (mu‘allaq).
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) inclines to the view that it is connected through the route of ‘Abd al-Wahhab, however, Imam Mizzi (rahimahullah) has stated with full confidence that this is a suspended narration, and is a separate narration from that of Khalid.
(Fath al-Bari: 4/333) (3)
In this narration, the phrase (arba‘ wa ‘ishrin) “twenty-fourth night” is problematic, and the commentators have also tried to resolve it, because the discussion is about the odd nights, and in other ahadith as well, there is encouragement to seek Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights.
We have not found this statement of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) in these exact words in any other book.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has quoted a narration from Musnad Ahmad from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) in Fath al-Bari.
This narration from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) is reported in Musnad Ahmad: (1/255), al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir of al-Tabarani: (11/292), and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/120 as a connected narration, and in it, instead of “twenty-fourth night,” the words are “twenty-third night.” Therefore, in (Fath al-Bari: 4/333), the words (laylat arba‘ wa ‘ishrin) are a slip.
The narration is as follows:
Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) says:
“One night I was sleeping when it was said to me that this is Laylat al-Qadr. I woke up while drowsy, and my foot got entangled in the rope of the tent of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
I came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and he was standing and performing prayer.
Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) says:
I reflected and it was the twenty-third night.”
From this, it is evident that the basis of the statement of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) is this narration, and in it, the mention is of the twenty-third night, not the twenty-fourth, and furthermore, the narration mentioning the twenty-fourth night is also suspended. Therefore, the preferred view appears to be that the words “twenty-fourth night” are anomalous (shadhdh) or it is a mistake of the narrator, because in the authentic narrations, the command is to seek it in the odd nights, and in the narration of Musnad Ahmad as well, the mention is of the twenty-third night.
The narration “when seven nights remain” also most likely refers to the twenty-third night.
And Allah knows best.