97
اَلْقَدْرِ
Power
(or Fate)

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ۔

اِنَّآ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ فِيْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ۔ وَ مَآ اَدْرٰىكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ۔ؕ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ اَلْفِ شَهْرٍ۔ؕ تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ وَ الرُّوْحُ فِيْهَا بِاِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ اَمْرٍ۔ سَلٰمٌ ؕ هِيَ حَتّٰى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ۔

In the name of God—the most compassionate, the most merciful.

We have sent it down on the Night of Power! What will make you realize what the Night of Power is like?

The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Angels and the Spirit descend on it on every errand with their Lord's permission; [it means] peace till the approach of daybreak.

The ‘Night of Power’ refers to one of the last ten days during the month of Ramadan, when the Koran was first sent down to Muhammad. This passage might be compared with 24:5 for a similar hymn to God’s power or glory, as this is manifested in His light.

A particular night of the year (perhaps some night in the last days of the month of Ramadan) is the night of decisions by God. Certain tasks have to be performed in the course of the year in connection with the administration of the world, and the angels descend to the earth to arrange for them to be carried out. On a similar particular night, the revelation of the Koran began.

The Spirit refers to the Angel Gabriel.

It seems that on that night there is an abundance of angels on the earth. Those who are spiritually aroused are influenced by this atmosphere and, as a result, they become imbued with a spirituality which enhances the value of their religious deeds at that time as compared to such deeds as are performed in ordinary circumstances.

For this reason, as the month draws towards the last ten days, the worshippers give more time to prayers, give more in charity and read as much as possible from the Koran, beseeching their Lord for His mercy and forgiveness.

When the Prophet was asked by his wife, ‘A’ishah, what one’s prayer should be if one finds the Night of Destiny, Lailatul Qadr, he taught her this simple prayer: Allahumma innaka afuwwun, tuhibbul afuwa, fa afuanni. O Allah, You are forgiving, You love forgiveness, so forgive me.