Laylat al-Raghaib

Laylat al-Raghaib (Arabic: لَيْلَةُ الرّغائِب, lit. 'Night of Wishes'; Turkish: Regaip Kandili) is a night of prayer in Islamic practice, classed in Turkish tradition as one of the five blessed Kandil nights. Observance of this night differs among Muslims in the world. It is mostly practiced by Muslims influenced by Sufism, such as Muslims in Turkey and Muslim Balkan communities today, and Shia Muslims, while Sunnis in the contemporary Arab world pays little attention (although it originated in the Levant), and Salafis dismiss it entirely.^[1] Views on the permissibility of observing it also differ among Muslim scholars, and have been the subject of repeated debates over the past millennium. The practice is usually accepted as bid'ah hasanah (meritorious innovation) in Islamic jurisprudence.^[2]

Raghaib is derived from the root of the verb word "ra-gha-ba" (Arabic: رَغَبَ) meaning "to desire" or "to tend toward".^[3]

Laylat al-Raghaib marks the beginning of the "Three holy months" (Rajab, Sha'ban and leading to Ramazan) in the Hijri calendar.^[4] As Islamic holidays begin the night before, Laylat al-Raghaib is celebrated on the Thursday night preceding the first Friday of the month of Rajab.^[5] Followers of this tradition believe that if, on the first Thursday of Rajab, they recite a special set of prayers, they will be rewarded by the fulfillment of their wishes.^[6]