Sūrat al-Qadr

Meccan, though some say Medinan. It contains 5 verses and was revealed after [Sūrat] ‘Abasa.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

{ Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Decree. }

{ And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? }

{ The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. }

{ The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. }

{ Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. }

The Magnification of the Quran The Quran is magnified in three ways:

1. By attributing its revelation to Himself, making it exclusive to Him.
2. By using a pronoun instead of its explicit name, testifying to its prominence and lack of need for identification.
3. By elevating the status of the time in which it was revealed.

The Revelation It is narrated that it was sent down all at once on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest heaven. Gabriel then dictated it to the scribes, and it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in stages over twenty-three years. Al-Sha‘bi said: The meaning is that we began its revelation on the Night of Decree.

The Timing of the Night Scholars differ on its timing, but the majority hold that it is in the month of Ramadan, during the last ten nights, specifically the odd-numbered ones. The most common view is that it is the twenty-seventh. Perhaps the reason for concealing it is to encourage the seeker to spend many nights in worship, thereby increasing their devotion and reward, and to prevent people from relying solely on that one night and neglecting others.

The Meaning of "Al-Qadr" It means the night of decreeing and ordaining matters, based on the verse: "On that night, every wise matter is made distinct" (Ad-Dukhan: 4). It is also said it is named so because of its high status and honor over all other nights.

"And what will make you know what the Night of Decree is?" This means: Your knowledge cannot reach the extent of its excellence or the limit of its high status. He then clarifies this by stating it is better than a thousand months. The reason for its excellence lies in the religious benefits mentioned: the descent of the angels and the Spirit, and the decreeing of every wise matter.

Regarding the duration (a thousand months):

1. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned a man from the Children of Israel who wore his armor in the cause of Allah for a thousand months. The believers were amazed and felt their own deeds were small, so they were given a night better than that warrior's duration.
2. It is said that in the past, one was not called a "worshipper" (‘abid) until they had worshipped Allah for a thousand months. They were given a night which, if they spent it in worship, made them more deserving of being called worshippers than those of the past.

"The angels and the Spirit descend" They descend to the lowest heaven, or it is said, to the earth. "The Spirit" is Gabriel. It is also said to be a creation of angels whom other angels do not see except on that night.

"By the permission of their Lord for every matter" Meaning: They descend for every matter that Allah has decreed for that year until the next. It is also read as "for every person" (min kulli imri’). It is said they do not meet a believing man or woman without greeting them on that night.

"Peace it is" It is nothing but safety. Meaning: Allah decrees only safety and goodness on that night, whereas on other nights He decrees both trials and safety. Or, it is "peace" because of the abundance of greetings they offer to the believers.

"Until the rising of the dawn" It is read as matla‘ (with a fatha on the lam) and matli‘ (with a kasra).

From the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Whoever recites Surah Al-Qadr is given a reward like one who has fasted Ramadan and spent the Night of Decree in worship."