إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of al-Qadr (Laylat al-Qadr)
Meaning, we sent down this miraculous Qur’an to you, O Muhammad (pbuh), during a noble night called Laylat al-Qadr. It is called by this name due to its honor and high rank with Allah. It is a night in which Allah shines divine light onto the people of earth.
The word al-Qadr means honor and nobility.
The meaning of We sent the Qur’an is that the revelation began during this night. The remaining of it was sent down in parts over a period of 23 years. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Allah sent down the Qur’an all at once from the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh almahfuz) to the Bayt al-‘Izzah in the lowest heaven. Then it was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) according to circumstances over a period of 23 years.”
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ
And what can make you know what is Night of al-Qadr?
This is a rhetorical question for the purpose of showing esteem and glorification for this night’s extreme importance. The meaning here is, “What will make you realize, O Messenger, what the Night of al-Qadr is?!”
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
The Night of al-Qadr is better than a thousand months
Meaning, this night in honor and merit is better than worshiping a thousand months.
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter
Meaning, the angels come down to earth during this blessed night with the Angel Jibreel himself, who is the leader of the angels, in order to celebrate whatever Allah has Decreed of good for mankind.
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn
Meaning, during this blessed night there is only peace and security from its beginning to its end. Allah only decrees in it good and safety for human beings. There are no catastrophes, disasters, earthquakes, thunder, floods, etc. There is only goodness and blessings the entire night. The angels, and Jibreel along with them, pray and send peace over every slave standing worshiping Allah or sitting doing remembrance (dhikr) of Allah. They do not stop descending on them until dawn (Fajr)!
There are three things which Allah mentions specifically special about this blessed night:
First
Worshiping Allah during this night is equal to worshiping Him more than 1000 months (83+ years)! Any worship or act of obedience done to Allah during this night is as if it was done for more than a 1000 months!
Second
The angels descend down to earth on this very blessed night in celebration of it. The Angel Jibreel, the chief of all the angels, comes down along with them.
Third
Allah decrees in it only safety and security for mankind and there is happiness and delight in it for those on earth and heaven. This is the great value this night holds with Allah!
Source: Al-Tafseer al-Waadih al-Muyassar by Sh. Muhammad Ali al-Sabuni
I am a Pakistani-American Muslim blogger. I hold a B.S. in Information Technology and a B.A. in Islamic Studies. I am also a follower and a student of the Hanbali school of Islamic law. Read more