Explanation of Soorah al-Qadr

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ (1) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ (2) لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ (3) تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ (4) سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ (5)

In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

[1] We certainly sent this Qur’aan down during the Night of Decree. [2] And Messenger of Allaah, what could ever truly apprise you about the reality of the Night of Decree? [3] The Night of Decree is better than one thousand months. [4] The angels in general, and the angel Jibreel in particular, descend during it abundantly by their Lord’s permission with every matter. [5] It is protection until the appearance of dawn.

[97:1] Allaah said, إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ((We certainly sent this Qur’aan down during the Night of Decree)). Here, Allaah stated that He sent the Qur’aan down during Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) and it is the blessed night about which Allaah said, ((We certainly sent the Qur’aan down on a blessed night)) [44:3]. That refers to the Night of Decree, and it occurs during the month of Ramadaan. Allaah said, ((The month of Ramadaan during which the Qur’aan was sent down)) [2:185]. Ibn ‘Abbaas and others explained that Allaah sent the Qur’aan down in its entirety all at one time from the Preserved Tablet to Baytul-‘Izzati (The House of Honour), which is in the lowest heaven. After that, the Qur’aan came down in parts to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) over the course of twenty-three years according to events that occurred throughout that time.

After saying إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ((We certainly sent this Qur’aan down during the Night of al-Qadr (Decree))), Allaah then emphasized the tremendous status of the Night of Decree which He exclusively chose for sending down this magnificent Qur’aan.

[97:2-3] He said, وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ . لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ((And Messenger of Allaah, what could ever truly apprise you about the reality of the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than one thousand months)).

Al-Imaam Ahmad collected that Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “When Ramadaan would come, the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) would say, ‘Indeed, the month of Ramadaan has now come to all of you. It is a blessed month. Allaah made it obligatory for you to fast its days. During it, the gates of Jannah are opened, the gates of the hellfire are shut, and the shayaateen are shackled. It contains a night that is better than one thousand months; and if a person is deprived of its goodness, he has certainly suffered an immeasurable loss’.” This was also collected by an-Nasaa’ee.

In light of the fact that worship during the Night of Decree on its own merits the reward of worship performed for a period of one thousand months, there is a pertinent authentic hadeeth in the Two Saheeh collections narrated by Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). He narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) said, “If a person worships Allaah during the Night of Decree while having sound beliefs and while sincerely seeking to please Allaah, that person would be forgiven for his previous sins.”

[97:4] Allaah then said, تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ((The angels in general, and the angel Jibreel in particular, descend during it abundantly by their Lord’s permission with every matter)).

The angels descend in abundance during the Night of Decree due to the abundance of its blessings. Angels descend when Allaah’s blessings and mercy descend. Angels also descend when the Qur’aan is recited; they surround the gatherings in which Allaah is mentioned, and they lower their wings out of respect for the individual who pursues knowledge of Islaam sincerely for Allaah.

In reference to the expressionوَالرُّوحُ in the passageتَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا , it has been explained as referring to the angel Jibreel here in this context. Therefore, the wording of this passage ((The angels in general, and the angel Jibreel in particular, descend during it abundantly)) is understood as mentioning a broad term first, and then mentioning a specific instance of what the broad term already includes.

Concerning Allaah’s statement مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ((with every matter)), Qataadah and others commented that during that night, matters are decreed; and times of death, as well as amounts of provision, are measured out. Elsewhere in the Qur’aan, Allaah said, ((During that Night, every decisive decree for that year is made clear)) [44:4].

[97:5] Allaah then said, سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ ((It is protection until the appearance of dawn)). Mujaahid commented that this means the Night of Decree is protected such that shaytaan cannot perpetrate evil or cause harm during it. Ash-Sha‘bee commented that it refers to the angels saying salaam (i.e. supplicating Allaah to grant protection) during the Night of Decree to the people in the masjids until the break of dawn. Qataadah and ibn Zayd commented that it means that the night in its entirety is one of goodness without any evil, and that continues until the appearance of dawn.

This meaning is supported by a hadeeth collected by al-Imaam Ahmad from ‘Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit (may Allaah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) said, “The Night of Decree occurs during the ten remaining nights of Ramadaan. If a person worships Allaah during them and does so sincerely seeking to please Allaah and earn His reward, Allaah would indeed forgive that person’s previous and latter sins. It is an odd night: the ninth remaining night, the seventh remaining night, the fifth remaining night, the third remaining night, or the last night”. The Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) further said, “The sign of the Night of Decree is that it is clear and bright as though the moon is shining brilliantly. It is a calm and quiet night. It is neither cold nor hot, and no star is allowed to be sent shooting until morning. Another of its signs is that the sun appears on the morning following it smooth without rays, just like the moon on a night when it is full; and shaytaan is not allowed to come out with the sun on that day.”

The chain of narration for this hadeeth is hasan; though it must be noted that its text contains portions that are not supported by other narrations, and some of its wordings are inconsistent with other ahaadeeth which are more authentic than it.{1}

Notes:

{1} We would like to add a comment here about the way of counting mentioned in this hadeeth. Some of the scholars have explained that the Arabs of old would express the days of the first half of a lunar month in terms of how many had already passed since its beginning, but they would express the days of the second half of a lunar month in terms of how many remained until its ending. The count in the foregoing hadeeth and others like it is to be understood that way presuming that the lunar month is 29 days long. Since the month will have at least that many days for sure, and it can never be shorter than that. This understanding is also the case here, since this hadeeth – and others as well – specify that Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Decree) falls on an odd night. Therefore, “the 9^th remining night” here refers to the 21^st night, “the seventh remaining” refers to the 23^rd, “the 5^th remaining” refers to the 25^th, “the 3^rd remaining” refers to the 27^th, and “the last night” refers to the 29^th, and Allaah knows best.

\End of notes.

Aboo Daawood has a section in his Sunan that he titled “Clarification that the Night of Decree occurs during every Ramadaan”. Then, he reported a hadeeth from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with both of them) who said, “The Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) was asked about the Night of Decree while I was present listening, and he said, ‘It occurs every Ramadaan’.” The narrators of its chain are all thiqah, but Aboo Daawood remarked that Shu‘bah and Sufyaan both narrated it from Aboo Is-haaq as a statement of the Companion, ibn ‘Umar himself, not a statement of the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection).

Aboo Sa‘eed al-Khudree (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that “the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) performed i‘tikaaf during the first ten of Ramadaan and we also performed i‘tikaaf with him. Then, the angel Jibreel came to him and said, ‘What you are seeking is indeed still ahead of you.’ Consequently, the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) performed i‘tikaaf during the middle ten of Ramadaan and we also performed i‘tikaaf with him. Then Jibreel came to him and said, ‘What you are seeking is still ahead of you.’ The Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) then stood and delivered a sermon on the morning of the twentieth of Ramadaan and he said, ‘Anyone who already performed i‘tikaaf with me is to return once more because I saw the Night of Decree but I was caused to forget it. It is during the last ten nights, and it is an odd night. I saw myself as though I was prostrating in mud and water.’ The roof of the masjid was made of thatch from palm leaves, and we did not see any sign of rain in the sky at the time; however, a patch of clouds ended up coming and it rained. Thus, the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) lead us in prayer, and I myself saw the trace of mud and water on the forehead of the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) which confirmed what he had been shown in his dream.” Another narration of this hadeeth states that this occurred on the morning of the twenty-first. The hadeeth was collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. Ash-Shaafi‘ee commented that this hadeeth is the most authentic of the narrations about the topic.

Another view is that the Night of Decree is on the twenty-third night, and this is based on a hadeeth narrated by ‘Abdullaah ibn Unays in Saheeh Muslim.

Another view is that the Night of Decree is on the twenty-fifth night, and this is based on what al-Bukhaaree collected from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with both of them). He narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) said about the Night of Decree, “Seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadaan. In the ninth remining night, in the seventh remaining night, in the fifth remaining night.” Many scholars explained this hadeeth to refer to the odd nights, and this is the most apparent and well-known explanation. However, there are some who understood it as referring to the even nights. Muslim collected that Aboo Sa‘eed al-Khudree (may Allaah be pleased with him) had explained it that way.

Another view is that the Night of Decree is the twenty-seventh night, and this is based on what Muslim collected in his Saheeh from Ubay ibn Ka‘b (may Allaah be pleased with him), who narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) mentioned that it was the twenty-seventh night. Additionally al-Imaam Ahmad collected that Zirr had asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allaah be pleased with him), “Abul-Munthir, your brother ibn Mas‘ood says that if a person worships Allaah during each night of the entire year, he will not miss the night of Decree.” Ubayy said, “May Allaah have mercy upon him. He indeed knowns that it is during the month of Ramadaan and that it is the twenty-seventh night.” Ubayy then swore an oath by Allaah about what he had said. Zirr asked, “How do all of you know that?” Ubayy replied, “By the sign or indication that we were informed of. It rises the next day having no rays,” meaning the sun. This was also collected by Muslims.

Another view is that the Night of Decree is the twenty-ninth night. Al-Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal collected that ‘Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit had asked the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) about the Night of Decree and he replied, “Seek it in Ramadaan during the last ten nights. It is indeed during the odd nights: the twenty-first, twenty-third, twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh, or twenty-ninth.” Al-Imaam Ahmad also collected that Aboo Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) had said about the Night of Decree, “It is indeed the twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth night. And the angels who are on the Earth during that night are indeed more numerous than the number of its pebbles.” This hadeeth was only collected by Ahmad, and there is nothing objectionable about its chain of narration.

Another view can be found in what at-Tirmithee collected from Aboo Qilaabah who said, “The Night of Decree changes from year to year throughout the last ten nights.” This view that at-Tirmithee cited from Aboo Qilaabah was also held by Maalik, ath-Thawree, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Is-haaq ibn Rahooyah, Aboo Thawr, al-Muzanee, Aboo Bakr ibn Khuzaymah, and others. It was also ascribed to ash-Shaafi‘ee, as reported from him by al-Qaadee. This view appears to be the most accurate, and Allaah knows best.

It is highly encouraged to supplicate Allaah much during all times in general, but even more in the month of Ramadaan, and even more in its last ten nights, and even more in the odd nights among the last ten. It is highly encouraged to say the following supplication often: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عُفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي “O Allaah, You are indeed the One who continually pardons Your servants. You love pardoning. Thus, I beseech You to grant me Your pardon.” This is based on a hadeeth collected by al-Imaam Ahmad from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her). She had asked, “Messenger of Allaah, if I knew exactly which Night Laylatul-Qadr was, what should I say during it?” He replied, “You should say: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عُفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي O Allaah, You are indeed the One who continually pardons Your servants. You love pardoning. Thus, I beseech You to grant me Your pardon.” This was collected by at-Tirmithee, an-Nasaa’ee, and ibn Maajah. At-Tirmithee graded the hadeeth as being hasanun saheeh. It was also collected by al-Haakim in his Mustadrak with a different chain of narration and he graded it saheeh according to the criteria of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. That narration was collected by an-Nasaa’ee as well.

This is the end of the tafseer for Soorah Laylatul-Qadr, and to Allaah alone belong all praise and favour.