A photo of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi during Laylet El-Qadr celebration ceremony held in Cairo on Monday, 16 March 2026
Speaking at the Laylet El-Qadr (Night of Decree or Night of Power) celebration ceremony held in Cairo on Monday, El-Sisi framed his address around a message of peace, invoking the Quranic description of the night as one of peace "until the emergence of dawn."
His speech comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week, as Washington and Tel Aviv intensify their strikes on Iranian territory while Tehran presses its retaliatory campaign against Israeli and US military targets across the Gulf, as well as inside Iraq and Jordan.
President El-Sisi reaffirmed Cairo’s commitment to supporting just causes, while expressing solidarity with civilians affected by ongoing conflicts.
He urged all parties to pursue serious negotiations aimed at resolving regional disputes, grounding his appeal in what he described as the shared destiny of humanity and the necessity of peaceful coexistence in the face of common challenges.
El-Sisi said peace represents "the essence of existence and the aspiration of the wise," and a fundamental value in protecting lives and preserving human dignity.
Quranic recitation competitions
The president extended congratulations to the Egyptian people, the Arab and Muslim world, and all nations, calling the sacred night a divine invitation to spiritual renewal and national resolve.
Laylat El-Qadr, the holiest night in Islam, marks the occasion on which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad — peace be upon him. It falls within the final ten days of Ramadan, and while the exact date remains unspecified, it is most commonly observed on the 27th night of the holy month.
Meanwhile, the president used the occasion to formally conclude the inaugural edition of the State of Recitation competitions, a nationally televised initiative launched in November 2025 to discover and celebrate talents in Quranic recitation.
He described the initiative as a reflection of the "pioneering spirit of the Egyptian character," saying Egypt "was and will remain a land of creativity and genius."
"There was no better time to conclude the State of Recitation than this blessed night, on which the Qur'an was revealed, so that the lights would be completed with lights," El-Sisi said.
The initiative, he said, had succeeded in uniting Egyptian society around a shared religious and cultural identity, while reaffirming the country's historical role as a global reference point for the art of recitation.
"Egypt has always been the pure source from which the entire world has drawn the principles of Qur'anic recitation," he added.
During the ceremony, the president honoured the winners of the competition across its various categories, as well as the winners of the 32nd International Holy Quran Competition.
The president also expressed ambitions to replicate this model across other domains, including science and invention, to ensure that Egypt remains a leader in every field, just as it leads in the State of Recitation.
"After the State of Recitation, we may witness the birth of the State of Science, the State of Creativity and Invention, and the State of Eloquence," El-Sisi suggested.
Challenges need patience
Meanwhile, the president urged the public to exercise patience and perseverance, acknowledging the ongoing national challenges the country faces.
He reaffirmed the government's commitment to development across all regions of the country, noting that current infrastructure projects and reforms represent investments for future generations.
"The projects and development we are presenting today are the fruits that our children will reap," he said, closing his address with a call for continued effort, hard work, and faith.
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