When is the Nuzul al-Qur'an Night 2026? A look at the differences between government and Muhammadiyah schedules

Muslim communities in Indonesia are preparing to welcome the Nuzul al-Qur’an Night 2026, which falls in the middle of Ramadan 1447 AH. This event marks the historic moment of the first revelation of the Qur’an, namely Surah Al-Alaq verses 1–5, to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Angel Jibril at the Cave of Hira.

The dating of Nuzul al-Qur’an 2026 shows a slight divergence depending on the method used to determine the start of the lunar month (Hisab vs Ruqyat). The essence of the commemoration remains the same: to deepen the faithful’s engagement with the Holy Qur’an.

Linguistically, Nuzul al-Qur’an means ‘the descent of the Qur’an’. The event occurred on the night of 17 Ramadan in the year 610 CE. The first revelation, Iqra’, was not merely a command to read texts but a directive for humankind to study the signs of God’s greatness and the phenomena of the natural world through knowledge.

To welcome this blessed night, Muslims are encouraged to increase acts of worship. The national-level commemoration of Nuzul al-Qur’an 2026 is planned to be centred at the Istana Negara, with the theme of strengthening Qur’anic literacy for the advancement of the nation.