When is Laylat al-Qadr?
In 2026, Laylat al-Qadr falls on Monday, March 16, 2026. It is classified here as a paid public holiday.
History of Laylat al-Qadr
Laylat al-Qadr in The Gambia is the Night of Power or Night of Decree, associated in Islamic belief with the Qur’an’s first revelation. It is sought during Ramadan’s final ten nights, especially the odd-numbered nights, rather than treated by all Muslims as an event whose religious significance can be reduced to one civil-calendar date. In the 1447 AH calendar, the conventionally listed 27th night corresponded to March 16, 2026.
Many worshippers devote part or all of the night to prayer, Qur’an recitation, supplication and charity. Mosques may extend programmes and households may prepare for a late night, but practice differs by age, health, work and religious guidance. This is a devotional Ramadan observance, not a daytime festival with a universal public ceremony.
The cross-checked 2026 holiday schedule classifies Monday, March 16 as a public holiday, but no separate 2026 State House declaration was located in the official release archive. It is therefore less securely documented than Koriteh, Easter or Ashura and should be rechecked against any gazetted or employer-specific notice. The Labour Act 2023 recognises remuneration for public holidays and preserves a public holiday that falls during annual leave, but it does not by itself turn every named commemoration into a holiday. The 2021 presidential advisory says a Monday will be declared when a public holiday falls on Saturday or Sunday; because that wording anticipates a declaration, users should still check the dated State House notice rather than assume an automatic statutory substitute.
How Laylat al-Qadr is observed
Listed for Monday, March 16, 2026; the religious observance is nocturnal and the public-holiday classification should be checked against current official notices.
Traditions of Laylat al-Qadr
Community practice
Worshippers may spend the night in prayer, read or listen to the Qur’an, make personal supplications and give quietly to people in need.
Public or religious programme
Mosques publish their own late-night prayer and teaching arrangements during Ramadan’s final nights; one programme should not be assumed nationwide.
Planning the holiday
Because the observance runs after sunset and the official-document trail is incomplete, confirm opening hours and the local Ramadan calendar before making plans.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official The Gambia official holiday calendar or legislation. Government, regional, school and employer schedules in The Gambia may differ; check the linked official source and current local notices before making time-sensitive plans.
History sources: Government of The Gambia: important dates and holidays, Office of the President: 2021 public-holiday standardisation advisory, National Assembly of The Gambia: Labour Act 2023, The Fatu Network: analysis of the Public Holidays Act, timeanddate.com: 2026 Gambia holiday cross-check, timeanddate.com: Laylat al-Qadr in The Gambia.
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