Surah al-Qadr (The Power)
Chapter 97: Verses 1-5
“Verily, We have sent it (Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Power).
And What will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr is?Â
The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.Â
Therein descend the angels and the Spirit (Ruh) by their Lord’s permission with every matter.Â
In it there is peace until the appearance of dawn.”
Commentary:
The theme of this chapter of the Quran is to acquaint us with the importance of the Quran and the role of the Night of Al-Qadr, which falls in the last ten nights of Ramadan, plays in connecting us with Allah. Al-Qadr could be translated in several ways, all of which are interrelated in meaning: Power, Decree, Glory, Destiny, etc.
Allah begins by stating that He has sent the Quran down during the Night of Al-Qadr, and it is a blessed night. The fact that this chapter is placed, in the arrangement of the Quran, right after the chapter “Al-‘Alaq”, the first five verses of which began the process of revelation to the Prophet Muhammad in the cave Hira, explains that this book was sent down in a destiny-making night that changed the future of humanity!
The Night of Decree has two implications: First, it is the night during which the destinies of people and the Allah’s creation are decided. It is also the night when the times of death and provisions are measured out, as Allah says about this night in another chapter: “Therein is decreed every matter of decree.” [44:4] In other words, it is not an ordinary night, but a night in which new decisions are being made and the relationships of the believers with Allah strengthened and refreshed.Â
No wonder, Allah then emphasizes its importance in the following manner, “The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.” And as the Prophet (peace be upon him) once said, “…Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived!” [Ahmed and An-Nasaai]. Not only that, this night can surely change our life forever, as the Prophet (pbuh) further says, “Whoever stands (in prayer) during the Night of Al-Qadr with faith and expecting reward (from Allah), he will be forgiven for his previous sins.” [Muslim]
Second, the revelation of this Book and its revolutionary message is not merely the revelation of a book, only to be used for academic study or recited on certain occasions, but this revelation is an event that will change the destiny of not only the Arabia, but of the entire world!
Allah concludes by outlining some signs of this Night: when the angels, peace, and blessings descend on earth, surrounding the believers. In fact, as Mujahid (Rahimahullah) said, “[On this Night] Peace is concerning every matter. It is peace and security because Shaytan will not be able to do any evil or any harm on this night.”
[compiled from “Tafsir Ibn Kathir”, by Ibn Kathir (Rahimahullah) and “Towards Understanding the Quran” by Syed Abul Ala Mawdudi]
