Surah 97. Al-Qadr

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Verses [Section]: 1-5[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-597. Al-Qadr Page 59897. Al-Qadrبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِاِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَنْزَلْنٰهُrevealed itفِیْinلَیْلَةِ(the) Nightالْقَدْرِۚۖ(of) Power وَ مَاۤAnd whatاَدْرٰىكَcan make you knowمَاwhatلَیْلَةُ(the) Nightالْقَدْرِؕ(of) Power (is) لَیْلَةُ(The) Nightالْقَدْرِ ۙ۬(of) Powerخَیْرٌ(is) betterمِّنْthanاَلْفِa thousandشَهْرٍؕؔmonth(s) تَنَزَّلُDescendالْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُthe Angelsوَ الرُّوْحُand the Spiritفِیْهَاthereinبِاِذْنِby (the) permissionرَبِّهِمْ ۚ(of) their Lordمِنْforكُلِّeveryاَمْرٍۙۛaffair سَلٰمٌ ۛ۫Peaceهِیَit (is)حَتّٰیuntilمَطْلَعِ(the) emergenceالْفَجْرِ۠(of) the dawn

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Translation of Verse 1-5In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(97:1) Behold, We revealed this (Qur'an) on the Night of Power.¹

(97:2) And what do you know what the Night of Power is?

(97:3) The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.²

(97:4) The angels along with the Spirit³ descend in it by the permission of their Lord⁴ with all kinds of decrees.

(97:5) All peace is that night until the rise of dawn.⁵

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Commentary

1. The word anzalnahu (We revealed this) unmistakably refers to the revelation of the Qur’an. Such ellipsis of pronouns is fairly common in the Qur’an. (For details see al-Najm 53: 9.)

This verse declares that the Qur’an was revealed on the night of power while elsewhere it is asserted: “During the month of Ramadan the Qur’an was sent down,” (al-Baqarah 2: 185). One thus learns that it was one of the nights of the month of Ramadan when the angel brought the revelation for the first time to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The night of power is spoken of as “the blessed night” in Verse 3 of al-Dukhan.

That the Qur’an was revealed on this night is open to the following two interpretations: (i) On this night, the entire Qur’an was placed in the custody of the angels who brought revelation as and when it was needed. Specifically, Gabriel, by Allah’s command, transmitted its verses and Surah’s to the Prophet (peace be upon him) over a period of twenty-three years. This interpretation is credited to Ibn ‘Abbas (Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Hakim, Ibn Marduwayh and Bayhaqj). (ii) The revelation of a Qur’an commenced on this night, as is held by Sha’bi. However, another report ascribes to him the same view on this issue which is presented by Ibn ‘Abbas. (Ibn Jarir). It is nonetheless certain that the revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him) started on this night, as the first five verses of Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down to him. It is worth clarifying that Allah did not compose the Quranic verses or Surahs as and when these were needed by way of providing guidance to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his call. Rather, even before the creation of the universe, Allah had in» place a grand plan regarding the creation of the human species, the advent of Messengers and their respective Scriptures, and the final stage of appointing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as His Messenger and sending down the Qur’an to him. On the night of power, the final item of the divine plan was executed. So, the handing over of the entire Qur’an to the angels at that stage should not come as a surprise.

Qadr is explained by some Qur’anic scholars in the sense that on this night Allah decides fates and entrusts the same to the angels for execution. This is reinforced by the following verse: “On that night every matter is wisely determined,” (Verse 4 of al-Dukhan). However, Zuhri insists on interpreting qadr as a blessed and glorious night. This view is supported by the Qur’anic statement that it is better than one thousand months (al-Qadr 97: 3).

As to the precise date on which the Qur’an was revealed, forty divergent opinions are on record. However, the majority view of ‘ulama’ is that it corresponds to one of the odd nights on the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. Many of them put it at the 27th night of Ramadan. Let us consider some authentic Ahadith on this issue:

Abu Hurayrah informs us that regarding the night of power, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It is the 27th or 29th night of Ramadan,” (Abu Dawud). In another report he is credited with the view that it corresponds to the last night of Ramadan (Ahmad, Musnad, Vol. II, p. 519). Ubayy ibn Ka’b, however, emphatically states that it represents the 27th night of Ramadan (Ahmad, Muslim, Kitab al-Tafsir, Abi: Dawid, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban). While answering a query on this issue, Abu Dharr replied: “Umar, Hudhayfah and many Companions took it as the 27th night of Ramadan,” (Ibn Abi Shaybah, Muslim, Bab al-Siyam). Ubadah ibn Samit reports: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The night of power corresponds to one of these odd nights — the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th of Ramadan,’” (Ahmad). ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Look — ' for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, i.e. nine, seven or five days before the end of Ramadan,” (Bukhari, Bab Laylat al-Qadr) ‘ulama’ take the Prophet's allusion to mean any of the odd nights of Ramadan. Abu Bakr’s report says that it falls nine or seven or — five or three days before the last night. One should look for it on the above dates, (Tirmidhi and Nasa’1). ‘A’ishah informs: “The — Prophet (peace be upon him) directed that it should be looked for on the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan,” (Bukhari, Bab Laylat al-Qadr, Muslim, Ahmad and Tirmidhi). ‘A’ishah and ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) always made a point of taking ‘itikaf (devotional retreat) on the last ten nights of Ramadan.

On the basis of reports on the authority of Mu‘awiyah, Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Abbas the consensus view is that the night of power corresponds to the 27th night of Ramadan. This date has not been pinpointed by Allah and His Messenger perhaps for prompting people to engage in worship on several nights and, thus, gain the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan. They will, thus, not rest content with extra worshipping only on that particular night; rather they will do so on all the nights. As to the question of time zone, the night in each time zone is to be taken into account, not just the night in Makkah.

2. This is generally explained by Qur’anic scholars in the sense that a good deed on that night is better than one performed over one thousand months. This is no doubt a valid interpretation in its own right, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke highly of good _ deeds performed on that night. Bukhari quotes Abu Hurayrah’s report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “One who stands in Prayer in a state of faith and for the sake of winning Allah’s pleasure on the night of power, all of his past sins are forgiven.” Likewise, Ahmad cites ‘Ubadah ibn Samit’s report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked: “The night of power falls on one as of the last ten nights of Ramadan. One who stands in Prayer on that night for earning reward, Allah condones all his sins, past and future ones.” However, the Qur’an does not specify good deeds in the context of this night. Rather, it states in general terms that this night is better than one thousand months. Once again, the above figure is not to be taken literally, as equal to 83 years and 4 months. Arabs idiomatically mention the figure of one thousand for a large number. Therefore, the meaning of the verse is that on the night of power something so momentous happened that does not otherwise take place over long periods of history.

3. In other words the Archangel Gabriel, who is mentioned apart from other angels in view of his exalted status.

4. The angels do not descend of their own. Rather, it is owing to their Lord’s command. As to “all kinds of decrees” these are branded as “wisely determined matters” in Verse 4 of al-Dukhan.

5. Peace and goodness prevail throughout the night of power, which is free from all mischief and evil.