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Chapter 97

The Ordainmental-Qadr ( القدر )

5 verses • revealed at Meccan

»The surah that mentions the moment in which God first revealed the Quran, calling it The Ordainment. It is named after the phrase “the night of ordainment” (laylay al-qadr), mentioned in verse 1. The surah celebrates the night when the first revelation of the Quran was sent down.«

The surah is also known as Determination, Honour, Power, The Glory, The Night of Empowering Decree, The Night of Glory, The Night of Power

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Mir Ahmed Ali: In the name of God,, the Beneficent,, the Merciful

1
إِنّا أَنزَلناهُ في لَيلَةِ القَدرِ

Mir Ahmed Ali

Verily,1 We sent it (The Qur’an) down in the Night of ‘Qadr’!I
  • The word ‘Qadr’ may mean—Power, Grandeur, Majesty.
    ‘Lailatul-Qadr’, i.e., the Night of Grandeur of the Lord—is kept a secret. The verse 2 below clearly means that none knows, what the night is, i.e., which night in the year it is and the special value of it, to its fullest extent.
    The various statements of the commentators are: (1) Some say it is concealed in the whole month of Shahan. (2) Some say it is the 14th of Shaban. (3) Some say it is one of the nights of Ramadhan.
    But the majority of the commentators agree on its being one of the odd nights in the latter half of the month of Ramadhan—commonly agreed to be 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and the 29th night of the month. The fact is that it is a Mystic Night of special value and worth allotted for men to spend the whole of it, awake and praying to the Lord seeking His forgiveness for the sins, and His grace and mercy. It is said that it is announced in the heavens, “Who is there among the mankind to seek tonight the forgiveness and the grace of the Lord and have it.” It is said that the Holy Qur’an was sent down on that Night to the heavenly centre (Baitul-Ma’moor) from where it was issued to the Messenger Angel Gabriel, in portions to he conveyed to the Holy Prophet. Some say that the whole of the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Holy Prophet in that night. See 2:185; 44:3, but he was ordained to convey it to the people as and when it will be revealed to him through the Messenger Angel Gabriel. This conception agrees to what is said in 20:114, and 75:16 wherein there is the indication of the Holy Prophet’s eagerness to release the matter in haste in his anxiety to let people he informed of the Word of God. Unless the matter was already with him there is no question of the haste in conveying the thing if he had yet to have it through revelation.
    However, it is an acknowledged fact, that the night referred to is a Mystic Night and it has been kept a secret so that people in their eagerness to realise the special value of the prayers in that night might 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 years 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 Shahan and Ramadhan have been thought to be the Night of Grandeur. (2) The ‘Isme-Aazam’ or the Greatest Name of God with which one could have everything he desires, is concealed in several names, so that man may remember and recite all the divine names of the Lord. (3) The ’salatul-Wosta', 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 every one 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 he prayerful the whole of the day as much as he can. (5) God’s pleasure is concealed in prayers so that man may he ever prayerful to the Lord. (6) The displeasure of the Lord is mentioned to he in sinning in general—so that man may abstain from all kinds of sins. (7) The most honourable with God is said to be the most pious, as that man may acquire piety for himself and seeking the friendship of the most honourable ones with the Lord, he may love the pious and the righteous one and hate impiety and be away from the unrighteous.
    Every believer in God has been enjoined to keep awake the whole of ‘Shabe-Qadr’ i.e., the Night of Grandeur and spend it in prayers to the Lord seeking pardon for his sins and the grace of the Lord and His bounties he desires for.
    The night of ‘Qadr’ is undoubtedly in the month of Ramadhan. Rnv. 44:1-3; 2:185. Wherein Qur’an was revealed in total. Thus ‘Beth’at’, i.e., the commencement of the ministry being in the month of Rajab does not clash with this. The descension of the Angels and the Spirits in that night continues since the creation of Adam up to the Resurrection Day, and the place of the descent is nothing but the human heart which is purified from all dirt of the temporal life. Therefore the existence of such purified heart should also continue. On this ground the Fifth Holy Imam says: “Argue against those who deny the continuity of the divine Vicegerency on the earth, with this Chapter.” (A.P.)