SURAH (97) AL-QADR (AYA 1 to 5)

Sura (97) AL-QADR (The Grandeur) Aya 1 to 5 verses in 1 Section

Revealed at Makka

SECTION 1

The Night of ‘Qadr’

Qur’an sent down in the night of ‘Qadr’---The important of the night---Angels and Spirit descend with the decrees of the Lord about all affairs---Peace rules all through the night until the dawn.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ {97:1}

[Q97:1] Innaa anzalnaahu fee lailatil qadr 
[Q97:1] Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree)

ä  Qadr is power, honour, glory, grandeur.

Refer to the commentary of Dukhan 44:3 to 6 and references mentioned therein to have a clear understanding about the doctrine of determinism propagated by a large number of Muslim schools of thought; AND ALSO the true, rational and Islamic article of faith based on divine adl (justice) presented by the Ahlul Bayt THAT MAN HAS BEEN GIVEN A FREE WILL TO DO GOOD OR DO EVIL ON THE BASIS OF WHICH OR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH HE WILL BE EXAMINED ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:2 and 5 and 2:21.

ß  Laylatil Qadr means the night of power or grandeur. As VERSES 2 AND 3 suggest it is, in the *spiritual sense, *a secret kept hidden, and it transcends time BECAUSE in it ALLAH (SWT)'s power dispels the darkness of ignorance through His revelation.

ß  Jalal al Din al Suyuti, in Durr al Manthur, says that laylatil qadr stands for the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) and his Ahlul Bayt.

THE NIGHT OF QADR IS IN THE MONTH OF RAMADAN. See Baqarah 2:185 and Dukhan 44:1 to 3 wherein it is stated that the whole Qur’an was revealed in this night. *The dissension of the angels and the spirit is a regular occurrence since the creation of ALLAH (SWT) till the Day of Resurrection, *and the place of descent is a thoroughly purified heart (Ahzab 33:33). *THEREFORE there should be such a purified heart in existence at all times.

v  Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "Present this surah as a decisive argument for the continuity of the divine vicegerency on the earth."

HOWEVER, it is an acknowledged fact that the night referred to is a Mystic Night and it has been kept a secret so that the people in their eagerness to realise the special value of the prayers in that night be ever busy in seeking it. Some similar important factors of special grace and particular value to mankind are kept concealed: -

1.        According to some reports this night (the Night of Grandeur) is concealed in the year as a whole---so that men be ever seeking His grace every night as much as they possibly can. Similarly, one of these several nights in the months of Shaban and Ramadhan have been thought to be the Night of Grandeur

2.        The ‘Isme-Aazam’ or the Greatest Name of ALLAH (SWT) with which one could have everthing he desires, is concealed in several names, so that man may remember and recite all the divine names of the Lord.

3.        The ‘Salatul-Wusta’, i.e., the Middle one of the prescribed daily prayers, to observe which without fail, man has been enjoined---is kept concealed in the five daily prayers so that man may offer everyone of them with eagerness to earn the special return for it.

4.        In one particular hour of Friday every week it is said, prayer of a man is heard without fail, but the hour is not disclosed, so that man may be prayerful the whole of the day as much as he can.

5.        ALLAH (SwT)’s pleasure is concealed in prayers so that man be ever prayerful to the Lord.

6.        The displeasure of the Lord is mentioned to be in sinning in general---so that man may abstain from all kinds of sins.

7.        The most honourable with ALLAH (SWT) is said to be the most pious, so that man may acquire piety for himself and seeking the friendship of the most honourable ones with the Lord, he way love the pious and the righteous one and hate impiety and be away from the unrighteous.

µ  The 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night of Ramadan is the night of qadr.

THE WHOLE QUR’AN WAS REVEALED TO THE Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf) IN THIS NIGHT BUT HE USED TO RECITE OR CONVEY TO THE PEOPLE ONLY SUCH PASSAGES OR VERSES AS HE WAS COMMANDED BY ALLAH (SWT) THROUGH JIBRAIL. IT IS KNOWN AS GRADUAL REVELATION. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:2.

VERSE 2 suggests that the spiritual nature of this night and its value is known to ALLAH (SWT) only. Quoting Sajdah 32:4, 5 and Ma-arij 70:4, Abdullah Yusuf Ali says that "a thousand months" refers to "timeless time". One moment of enlightenment under ALLAH (SWT)'s light is better than thousands of months or years of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory.

Ë  The Imams of Ahlul Bayt have asked their followers to pray to ALLAH (SWT) and invoke His forgiveness and blessings during the night of Qadr. It is said that angels and holy spirits descend on the earth with peace and special blessings from ALLAH (SWT) for those who seek ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy and bounties through prayers and supplications during this night.

In the month of Ramadan the believers *fast, *pray and *do good, therefore ALLAH (SWT) sends down **His forgiveness, **mercy and **blessings on those believers who obey His commands, AND the boon of blessings and bounties promised to the sincere devotees of ALLAH (SWT) continues until the rising of the dawn.

WHEN THE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS IS DISPELLED BY THE LIGHT FROM ALLAH (SWT), A SENSE OF SECURITY AND PEACE DAWNS ON THE SOUL.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ {97:2}

[Q97:2] Wa maa adraaka ma lailatul qadr 
[Q97:2] And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

The question put in this verse, is a clear indication of the mystic nature and value of the Night of Granduer which none else BUT the Lord knows. The succeeding verses only defined the night with its value and do not say which night in the year it is.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ {97:3}

[Q97:3] Lailatul qadri khairum min alfee shahr 
[Q97:3] The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

The announcement here in this verse about the night, refers to the greatness of the Night.

±  The Second Holy Imam Hasan ibne-Ali says that he heard from his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (pbuh & hf), that once he dreamt of monkeys getting upon his pulpit, and the Messenger Angel Gabriel informed him of the significant of the dream saying that “Those whom thou dost see get upon thy pulpit are the Bani-Umayyah who would rule the Muslim Empire after thee for a thousand months.” And revealed this verse.

Quoting verses 32:4-5 and verse 70:4 a commentator says that the term “A Thousand, must be taken in an indefinite sense, i.e., a timeless time---and interprets it to mean that “one moment of enlighterenment under ALLAH (SWT)’s light is better than thousands of months or the years of animal life and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory.”

REGARDING THE BOON OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND THE GRANT OF GRACE AND MERCY endowed in the ‘Shabe-Qadr’ which is said to be in the concluding days of the fasting month of Ramadhan, there is a justification attached to this special grant of grace of the Lord.

Ü  After fasting for forty days by Moses, the Lord granted him the Law. (Exodus 24:18)….. **And after a similar fasting for an equal period, Jesus was commissioned with his office (Math. 4:2).

There is a justification in the special grant of the grace in forgiving the sins and bestowing His special favours on the Muslims who fast in obedience to His command for thirty days continuously.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

*2 The commentators in general have understood this to mean that the good acts performed in this Night are superior in value to the good acts of a thousand months in which Lailat-ul-qadr is not included. There is no doubt that this is in itself correct and the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has described great excellencies and virtues of the good acts and devotions of this Night. According to a tradition related in Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet said: The one who remained standing in worship in the state of belief and for the sake of rewards from Allah during Lailat-ul-qadr, would have all his previous sins forgiven." And in Musnad Ahmad, there is a tradition from Hadrat `Ubadah bin as-Samit, saying that the Holy Prophet said: Lailat-ut-qadr is. Among the last ten nights of Ramadan. The one who stood up in worship in order to take advantage of their rewards, Allah wilt forgive all his former and latter sins." But, the verse does not say: "To act righteously in Lailat-ul-qadr is better than acting righteously in a thousand months," but it says: lailat-ul-qadr is better than a thousand months. " And "a thousand months" also does not imply 83 years and 4 months exactly, but a very long period of time as "a thousand" denoted among the Arabs. Therefore, the verse means that in this one night a task was accomplished for the welfare of mankind the like of which had not been accomplished even during an indefinitely long period of history. 

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ {97:4}

[Q97:4] Tanaz zalul malaa-ikatu war roohu feeha bi izni-rab bihim min kulli amr. 
[Q97:4] Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah's Permission with all Decrees,

It is said that angels and the holy spirits decend on earth with the special blessings from ALLAH (SWT) and peace for those who seek them through prayers, supplications to the Lord.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(97:4) The angels along with the Spirit *3 descend in it by the permission of their Lord *4 with all kinds of decrees.

*3 "The Spirit": Gabriel (peace be on him), who has been mentioned separately from the angels in view of his unique eminence, honour and merit. 
*4 That is, they do not descend of their own accord but by leave of their Lord, and "every decree" implies amr hakim (a wise decree) as described in Ad-Dukhan: 5. 

سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ {97:5}

[Q97:5] Salaamun hiya hattaa mat la'il fajr 
[Q97:5] Peace! (All that night, there is Peace and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.

Taking the mystic word ‘Night of Grandeur’ as one of the scared nights, in any of the months mentioned above, this verse would mean that the shower of the special boon and the great blessings of ALLAH (SWT), promised to the sincere devotees that night, continues until the dawn of the succeeding day.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

*5 That is, the entire Night, from evening till morning, is peace, free from every evil and mischief.

**********************