Bayhaqi 8559 — Encouragement to seek it on the twenty-seventh night

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: I was with Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and his companions were with him. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked them: Concerning the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about Laylat al-Qadr, 'Seek it in the odd nights of the last ten', which night do you think it is? Some of them said: The first night; some said: The third night; some of them said: The fifth night; and some said: The seventh night. I was silent, so he said: Why are you silent and do not speak? I said: You told me not to speak until they had spoken. He said: I only sent for you so that you would speak. I said: I have heard Allah, Glorified and Exalted, mention seven: there are seven heavens and seven earths like them, man was created from seven things, and the produce of the earth is of seven kinds. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What you have told me (so far) I know; but tell me what I do not know: your saying that the produce of the earth is seven, what are they? He said: Allah Almighty says: "Then We split the earth, splitting it, and caused to grow in it grain, and grapes and fodder, and olives and date-palms, and gardens dense with trees" [Surah Abasa: 26-30]. "Gardens dense with trees" means orchards of date-palms and trees; "and fruit and pasture (abb)" [Surah Abasa: 31]: "abb" is what the earth grows that animals and cattle eat but people do not eat. He said: Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said (to his companions): Were you unable to say what this boy has said, whose skull has not yet fully formed? By Allah, I too hold the view that he holds.