Surah Al-Qadr consists of five verses. Qadr mean The Power. The Surah has been so designated after the word Al-Qadr in the very first verse.
This Surah refers to the revelation of the Holy Quran on the Night of Power (glory) and then, it describes the importance of the night and the Blessings thereon.
There’s difference of opinion for it be Makki or Madini. Among the commentators it is known as a Meccan Surah, although some hold that it was revealed in Medina.
Its theme is to acquaint man with the value, worth and importance of the Quran. As the Surah explains how Quran was revealed in the Night of Qadr. Its being placed just after Surah Al-Alaq in the arrangement of the Quran by itself explains that the Holy Book, the revelation of which began with the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq, was sent down in a destiny making night. It is a glorious Book and its revelation for mankind is full of blessings.
The revelation of Quran in this Night of Qadr is not merely the revelation of a book but an event which will change the destiny of not only the Quraish, or of Arabia, but of, the entire world.
The Night of Qadr is unique full of honor, dignity and glory; so much so that it is better than a thousand months. Thus, the disbelievers of Makkah have been warned, as if to say that You on account of your ignorance regard this Book, which Muhammad pbuh has presented, as a calamity for yourselves and complain that a disaster has befallen you, whereas the night in which it was decreed to be sent down was such a blessed night that a task was accomplished in it for the well being of mankind, which had never been accomplished even during a thousand months of history.
Allah says “We have sent down the Quran in the Night of Destiny”, and Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down. This shows that the night in which Jibreel a.s had brought down revelation for the first time to the Prophet pbuh in the Cave of Hira, was a night of the month of Ramadan. This night has been described as Lailat-ul-qadr here.
This night was made noble and majestic by Allah even before the Quran came down and its dignity was enhanced after the Quran descended which is why the name laylatul qadr is used.
Allah sent the Quran down from the Preserved Tablet (Lohe-Mahfooz) in the seventh heaven to the first heaven (Bayt al-Izzah), which is the heaven of this world, on laylatul qadr. Then it came down in parts to the Messenger of Allah pbuh from Jibreel a.s based upon the incidents that occurred over a period of 23 years.
Different meanings of Qadr
➖ The Night of Power because of its honor and majestic nature.
➖ The Night of Determination means Allah gives all the plan-list of the upcoming year, sends decree of every matter in this night.
➖ The Night of Appreciation, means Allah appreciates and rewards the efforts of a striving believer in this night. He counts this night’s worship as being better than a thousand months.
➖ Qadr also means tightness, which means here that on this night angels descend on the earth in huge numbers such that space on earth becomes tight.
Allah used the perfect word QADR to capture all of these implications at the same time without compromising the integrity of the meaning. So a blessed night in which the Quran was given to the Messenger pbuh over 23 years time to time in order to make it reach mankind !
Here Allah is essentially asking what in the world could make you realise what laylatul qadr really is. This is different to asking when it is. A lot of our discussion on this night is centred on when it actually is but the question Allah is highlighting is not when it is but what it is. Its significance is being emphasized.
It is a beautiful night which Allah decreed for His close friends. The worshippers of Allah realise their worth to Allah, through the quality of their worship in this Night (meaning the people who take advantage of this night realise what they are worth to Allah because if you are not worth anything to Allah you sleep through the night and don’t take any advantage of it). And those who truly aim to seek and recognise Allah, they appreciate their servitude to the One they are seeking in this Night.
And that’s because Laylat ul Qadr is better than a thousand months! Means the deeds you do in this night are better than the good deeds you could do in a thousand months. One opinion is that this is approximately eighty-three years, if we make the calculation. Its given such a weight because 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, the Revelation of Quran! Another opinion is that this was used as an idiom among the Arabs, when they wished to say something for infinity or forever, they would say “…. a thousand months”, which does not necessarily mean thousand months but it denotes forever idea. Quran used the same style too!
In this night of Honour, the Angels and Jibreel a.s descend with permission of Allah. Jibreel a.s who has been mentioned separately from the angels is because of his unique eminence, honor and merit. Jibreel a.s brought the Quran down to the Prophet pbuh and every year he repeats his Sunnah which began on this night with the revelation of the Quran, which gives this night honour. The angels descend because they come with the commands which Allah has issued to them for that coming year.
Allah says that the angels descend and have been given responsibilities divided up into all sorts of wise decisions that He has given to them. Whenever Allah says angels come down He always makes it clear where the command came from, from Allah himself. The angels come with all the commands that Allah has issued them with, for them to be executed from this night to the following year.
This is a night of absolute peace in which there is no intervention of the shayateen. There is no evil whatsoever on this night because when Allah sends the angels down, there is only peace in every single thing they do. On other nights there can be peace too but not total peace and one will always find something to disturb the peace but on laylatul qadr the night is entirely peaceful. Thus, the entire Night, from evening till morning, is peace, free from every evil and mischief.
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