Understanding the Essence of Sura Al-Qadr - The Night of Power
Sura al-Qadr is the 97th chapter of the Holy Quran. It contains one section, five verses, thirty words, and one hundred and twelve letters.
Context of the Revelation of Sura al-Qadr
The context of the revelation of this sura, as mentioned in the Hadith, is that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) once spoke of a man from previous nations who would spend the entire night in worship and the entire day in jihad. In this way, he spent a thousand months in devotion. The Muslims were amazed by this, so Allah granted the Prophet the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) and revealed the verse which declares that the Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The Night of Power is also referred to as the Night of Destiny, Night of Decree, Night of Determination or the Precious Night.
This is Allah’s benevolence upon His beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) that if his umma worships on Laylat al-Qadr, their reward will be greater than that of the previous nation’s worship over a thousand months.
Blessings of Laylat al-Qadr
This is Allah’s benevolence upon His beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) that if his umma worships on Laylat al-Qadr, their reward will be greater than that of the previous nation’s worship over a thousand months.
Exegesis of Sura Al-Qadr
Verse 1: Surely, We sent this down during the Night of Power
In the first verse of sura al-Qadr, Allah says:
اِنَّاۤ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ فِیۡ لَیۡلَۃِ الۡقَدۡرِ
Meaning: Surely, We sent this down during the Night of Power. (97:1) This verse does not explicitly specify what was sent down or upon whom it was sent down. Similarly, the question of what Laylat al-Qadr is, remain partially hidden.
Upon whom it was sent down
To understand the essence of the above verse, first and foremost, it is essential to know and understand that Allah created this universe for His beloved Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). He is the reason for the creation of this universe. Allah says in his honor:
لَوْلَاکَ لَمَا اَظْھَرْتُ الرَّبُوْبِیَۃَ
Meaning: If it was not for you (O My beloved Mohammad) I would not have manifested my Lordship. He told the Holy Prophet:
لَوْلَاکَ لَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْاَفْلَاکَ
Meaning: If it was not for you (O My beloved Mohammad) I would not have created the universe. It is stated in Hadiths:
اَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰہُ نَوْرِیْ
Meaning: First of all, Allah manifested my light.
اَنَا مِنْ نُّوْرِ اللّٰہِ تَعَالٰی وکُلُّ خَلَائِقٍ مِّنْ نُّوْرِیْ
Meaning: I am from the light of Allah and all the creation is from my light.
اَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰہُ رُوْحِیْ
Meaning: First of all, Allah manifested my soul. Hence it is clear that whatever Allah revealed on the Night of Power, He revealed it on His beloved Prophet. No angel or Prophet holds a rank higher than Prophet Mohammad. The Holy Prophet said:
ِ لِیْ مَعَ اللّٰہِ وَقْتٌ لَا یَسَعُنِیْ فِیْہِ مَلَکٌ مُّقَرَّبٌ وَلَا نَبِیٌّ مُّرْس
Meaning: At times I have such closeness with Allah when neither any Prophet nor any archangel is between us. Tazkirah-e-Ghausia is a book of transcripts of Ghaus Ali Shah Qalandar. In this book, he states: Once Angel Gabriel came to Prophet Mohammad with a revelation. The Holy Prophet asked him, “Do you know where you receive the revelation from?” He replied, “My approach beyond the lote tree is impossible but I can hear an unknown voice at this point and accordingly convey the message to you. I know nothing more than this.” The Holy Prophet advised him to start his flight towards that voice next time and see where it comes from. He did the same and after a long flight he witnessed that the Holy Prophet himself was uttering the words. Then Gabriel looked at the earth and found the Prophet there at his place.
What did Allah reveal on His beloved on the Night of Power?
Now the next question is what did Allah reveal upon His beloved Prophet on the Night of Power? According to the interpreters, Allah revealed the Holy Quran upon His beloved Prophet on this blessed night. However, it is important to contemplate whether Allah revealed only the Quran on this night? Allah created this universe for His beloved Prophet and granted him authority over all His exoteric and esoteric treasures. In fact, the Holy Prophet was bestowed authority over all things from eternity, both manifest and hidden, because this universe was created solely for him. However, the purpose of granting the glorious night of Laylat al-Qadr was to honor and elevate his status and to demonstrate to Muslims and believers that the Holy Prophet is the master of all things.
Angel Gabriel brought revelations to the Prophet Mohammad over a period of twenty-three years by the command of Allah, completing the Holy Quran. This was done to outwardly establish that the Holy Prophet is the final Messenger of Allah, and just as Angel Gabriel brought revelations to the previous Prophets, the same method was followed with him. Otherwise, he was already a Prophet even at the time when Prophet Adam was still between water and clay. The Holy Prophet himself said:
کُنْتُ نَبِیًا واٰدَمُ بَیْنَ الْمَائِ وَالطِّیْن
Meaning: I was Prophet even at the time when Prophet Adam was between soil and water (in the process of creation).
On the Night of Power, Allah bestowed His beloved Prophet the authority and control over the kingdom that had been his from the very beginning, both outwardly and inwardly. One of the titles of the Holy Prophet is Abu al-Qasim. Qasim literally means “the distributor.” This title reflects one of his attributes, signifying that he is the distributer of the treasures created by Allah among His creation. A Hadith states:
واِنَّمَا اَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللّٰہُ یُعْطِیْ
Meaning: I am the distributor, and Allah is the Giver. (Bukhari) Only with authority can one distribute. Allah has granted complete authority to Prophet Mohammad over all outward and inward treasures, which is why he is their distributer. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: I was asleep one night when I was given the keys to all the treasures of the world. (Bukhari 7013)
What are these outward and inward treasure?
Outward treasures refer to worldly wealth, riches, sustenance, offspring, knowledge, and all the blessings created by Allah. Indeed, the Creator of all blessings is Allah, but the Prophet can grant whatever he wishes. Inward treasures refer to Faqr (Sufism). The Holy Prophet said:
اَلْفَقْرُ کَنْزٌ مِنْ کُنُوْزِ اللّٰہِ تَعَالٰی
Meaning: Faqr is a treasure among the treasures of Allah.
اَلْفَقْرُ فَخْرِیْ وَ الْفَقْرُ مِنِّیْ
Meaning: Faqr is my pride and Faqr is from me. Sultan Bahoo says: You must know that all the Prophets requested Faqr, but their request was not granted. Faqr was completely bestowed upon Prophet Mohammad sall’Allahu alayhi wa’alihi wasallam who entrusted it to his umma. (Ameer-ul-Kaunain) Sultan-ul-Faqr VI Sultan Mohammad Asghar Ali says: Faqr is the true inheritance of the Prophet, and his true heir is the one who inherits this legacy.
Verse 2: And what have you made out what the Night of Power is?
Having understood what was revealed and upon whom it was bestowed upon in the first verse of sura al-Qadr, the next question arises, what is the true essence or meaning of Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power)? Allah says in the second verse of sura al-Qadr:
وَمَا اَدْرٰکَ مَا لَیْلَۃُ الْقَدْرِ
Meaning: And what have you made out what the Night of Power is? (97:2) Here, Allah is inviting us to reflect and ponder the true essence of the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). The Night of Power is a Divine secret, which is why we are encouraged to contemplate over it. The Night of Power refers to the Universal Divine Man, the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). On this glorious night, Allah revealed both outward and inward treasures, and only the Universal Divine Man possesses the strength to bear them, neither any day nor night, nor the heavens, the earth or the mountains. The Holy Quran says regarding this:
اِنَّا عَرَضۡنَا الۡاَمَانَۃَ عَلَی السَّمٰوٰتِ والۡاَرۡضِ والۡجِبَالِ فَاَبَیۡنَ اَنۡ یَّحۡمِلۡنَہَا واَشۡفَقۡنَ مِنۡہَا وَ حَمَلَہَا الۡاِنۡسَانُ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ ظَلُوۡمًا جَہُوۡلًا
Meaning: Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear this and felt scared of it, but man took it on. Verily he is ever so cruel (towards his self) and ignorant (of his highest rank near Allah). (33:72)
Here the Trust means the treasure of Faqr. Allah says in a Qudsi Hadith: Neither the earth nor the heavens could contain Me whilst the inward of My believer can.
Grandeur of the Universal Divine Man
The Universal Divine Man (Insan-e-Kamil) is the manifestation and perfect reflection of Allah, manifesting His Divine Essence, attributes, names, and actions. He is adorned with the comprehensive Divine attributes and marvels. Only he can bear the weight of Allah’s secrets, treasures, and Divine Essence. Syed Mohammad Zauqi Shah says: The Universal Divine Man is comprehensive of entire creation. With respect to his wisdom and soul, he is titled as the mother of Book; with respect to his inward, he is the Guarded Tablet; with respect to his innerself, he is the book of obliterations and affirmations. The Universal Divine Man is the revealed book which encompasses everything in the universe. Its secrets and true meaning are revealed only upon those who have been liberated from the veils of inner darkness. (Sirr-e-Dilbaran)
Abdul Karim al-Jili describes about the Universal Divine Man: The Universal Divine Man is the celestial pole around whom the entire universe revolves from pre-existence till eternal end. Ever since the advent of existence till eternity of the eternities, he is a unique entity. Then there are different physical dresses for this entity in different ages (this entity appears in a different physical appearance in each era). In accordance to that particular dress he is given a name that would not go for another of his dress. His actual name is Mohammad, his filial appellation is Abu al-Qasim, his epithet is Abdullah (man of Allah) and his title is Shamsuddin. He has a name in accordance to each physical dress. In every era he has a new name which suits to the physical dress in which he appears. (Al-Insan al-Kamil) He further says: The Mohammadan Reality manifests itself in every era in the being of the Universal Divine Man according to the requirements and prevailing conditions. The Universal Divine Man is the representative of Prophet Mohammad in his particular era. (Al-Insan al-Kamil) Hence the answer to the question, “And what have you made out what the Night of Power is?”, is hidden within the first verse itself: “We have sent down this treasure, both outward and inward, on the Night of Power, that is, the Universal Divine Man.”
The word Qadr also refers to the Universal Divine Man
If we look at the meaning of Qadr, it refers to honor, dignity, power, destiny, mode or approach, decision, way, and foundational truths. The meanings of Qadr reflect the grandeur of the Universal Divine Man. For instance, if Qadr is understood as grandeur, honor, dignity, and power, then all honor and grandeur belong to the Universal Divine Man, Prophet Mohammad. The Prophet said:
- I am the most honored of the first and the last in the sight of Allah, without boasting. (Tirmidhi, Daylami)
- I am the greatest among you in terms of reward and recompense on the Day of Judgment. (Ibn Maja, Daylami)
- I will be the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Judgment, and I do not boast. (Tirmidhi)
- I will be the leader of all the Prophets on the Day of Judgment, and I do not boast.
- When people come in groups, I will be their leader. (Tirmidhi, Daylami)
Sultan Bahoo, while describing the grandeur of the Universal Divine Man, says:
عارف کامل قادری بہر قدرتے قادر وبہر مقام حاضر
Meaning: The perfect Mystic of (Sarwari) Qadri order is omnipotent and omnipresent. (Risala Roohi Sharif)
The word Qadr taken in sense of destiny also refers to the Universal Divine Man
If the word Qadr is taken in the sense of taqdeer (destiny), meaning that Laylat al-Qadr is when destinies are decreed, then this rank also belongs exclusively to the Universal Divine Man, as stated in the Quran:
وَکُلَّ شَیْئٍ اَحْصِیْنٰہُ فِیْٓ اِمَامٍ مُّبِیْنٍ
Meaning: And We have encompassed everything in the Imamin Mubin. (36:12) In this verse, Imamin Mubin refers to the Universal Divine Man. Allah has kept all His wills, commands and the created universe in the Guarded Tablet which is in fact the inward of the Universal Divine Man. Al-Ghawth al-Azam Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani said: Allah said to me: Fakir (the Universal Divine Man) is not the one who has nothing. Instead, Fakir is he who says, “Be,” and it becomes. (Ar-Risala tul-Ghausia)
The revelation of Quran on the Night of Power again refers to the Universal Divine Man
If we say that the Quran was revealed on the Night of Power, then in these terms also, Laylat al-Qadr refers to the Universal Divine Man, because the Universal Divine Man himself is entirely the Quran. Once, when Aisha bint Abi Bakr was asked about the character of the Prophet, she replied: His character is entirely the Quran itself (Abu Dawud, 1342)
Allama Iqbal expresses about this:
ہر لحظہ ہے مومن کی نئی شان نئی آن
گفتار میں کردار میں اللہ کی برہان
قہاری و غفاری و قدوسی و جبروت
یہ چار عناصر ہوں تو بنتا ہے مسلمان
یہ راز کسی کو نہیں معلوم کہ مومن
قاری نظر آتا ہے حقیقت میں ہے قرآن
Explanation: (1) The Universal Divine Man is the exact manifestation of Allah in all his words and deeds. In every era he appears with a new grandeur and every moment his glory keeps elevating as Allah says:
کُلَّ یَوۡمٍ ہُوَ فِیۡ شَاۡنٍ
Meaning: Every moment, His glory manifests anew. (55:29)
(2) Unless a seeker crosses the realm of bodies, the angelic realm, the realm of power and the realm of Divinity he cannot be titled as a true Muslim (believer) who is one with the Essence and manifests all the Divine attributes. He is titled the Universal Divine Man because he is the paragon who esoterically witnesses the celestial light of angels, purity of Divine soul and embodies both Divine beauty and majesty.
(3) Such a believer is the embodiment of teachings of Quran though he may appear to be its reciter. As Aisha bint Abi Bakr said, “The morals of the Holy Prophet are exact Quran.” The believer follows every step of the Holy Prophet and molds his life according to Quran hence becomes the practical of Quranic teachings.
Verse 3: The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months
In the third verse of sura al-Qadr, Allah says:
لَیۡلَۃُ الۡقَدۡرِ ۬ۙ خَیۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ
Meaning: The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. (97:3) This verse indicates the significance of the revelation of sura al-Qadr. The Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) is a special favor from Allah for the umma of Prophet Mohammad. In Muwatta Imam Malik, it is mentioned: When Prophet Mohammad was informed about the lifespans of previous nations, he reflected on the shorter lifespans of his own umma and wondered how they could attain the same level of good deeds as the previous nations. Therefore, Allah granted him Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months. Laylat al-Qadr is a unique blessing exclusively for the umma of the Prophet Mohammad. Imam Jalaluddin al-Suyuti relates from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet said: This sacred night has been granted by Allah only to my umma. No previous nation was given this honor.
Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: Whoever spends the Night of Decree in worship and remembrance, with faith and purely seeking the reward of the Hereafter, their previous sins will be forgiven. (Bukhari 35) Anas ibn Malik narrates that once upon the arrival of Ramadan, the Holy Prophet said: This month has come to you, and in it is a night better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of this night is deprived of all good, and only the truly deprived one can be deprived of its blessings. (Ibn Majah 1644)
Determining the exact Date of Night of Power
There are various opinions regarding the determination of Laylat al-Qadr:
- Aisha bint Abi Bakr narrates that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Seek Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. (Bukhari 2017)
- Imam al-Qurtubi states:
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the exact night of Power, but the majority believe that it falls on the 27th night of Ramadan. (Tafsir al-Qurtubi)
The third verse of sura al-Qadr also highlights the Universal Divine Man’s grandeur
The third verse of sura al-Qadr also highlights the grandeur of the Universal Divine Man. If we delve into the revelation context of sura al-Qadr and the virtues of Laylat al-Qadr, it becomes evident that this night was granted to the umma of the Holy Prophet due to its superiority over all other nations. The superiority of Mohammadan umma is due to the Universal Divine Man, Prophet Mohammad, and those perfect and accomplished spiritual guides whom the Holy Prophet appoints as his spiritual successors elevating them to the rank of the Universal Divine Man. For this reason, the perfect Fakirs interpret Laylat al-Qadr as referring to the Universal Divine Man. Rumi describes the importance of the company of the Universal Divine Man in these words:
یک زمانہ صحبت با اولیا
بہتر از صد سالہ طاعت بے ریا
Meaning: One moment spent in the company of the Saints is better than hundred years of sincere worship.
Al-Ghawth al-Azam Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani said: The men of Allah seek the company of the Saints, for their grandeur is such that when they cast their glance and attention upon someone, they breathe life into them. That is, they awaken the inward and kill the inciting self, even if the person is a Jew, Christian, or Magian. (Al-Fath ar-Rabbani, Malfoozat-e-Ghausia)
Verse 4 and Verse 5
In the fourth and fifth verses of sura al-Qadr, Allah Says
تَنَزَّلُ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ والرُّوۡحُ فِیۡہَا بِاِذۡنِ رَبِّہِمۡ ۚ مِنۡ کُلِّ اَمۡرٍ۔ سَلٰمٌ ۟ۛ ہِیَ حَتّٰی مَطۡلَعِ الۡفَجۡرِ
Meaning: The angels and the Spirit of Peace (Gabriel) descend by their Lord’s command during this (night) with decrees concerning all matters (of blessings and bounties). This (night) is (absolute) peace and security till daybreak. (97:4-5)
These verses also highlight the glory and excellence of the Night of Power. Anas ibn Malik narrates that the Messenger of Allah, while describing the virtues of Laylat al-Qadr, said: On the Night of Decree, Angel Gabriel descends to the earth along with a host of angels. They pray for the forgiveness for every person who is engaged in the remembering Allah, whether standing, sitting, or in any other position. May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to comprehend the true essence of Laylat al-Qadr and favor us to worship with sincerity on this sacred night. Ameen
Summary of the Blog:
Sura al-Qadr highlights the glory and significance of Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power), a Divine secret and a night of immense blessings. It refers to the Universal Divine Man (Insan-e-Kamil), Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), who is not only the reason of creation of this universe but is also bestowed upon the authority over all inward and outward treasures revealed on this night. The Night of Power symbolizes honor, destiny, and Divine decree, reflecting the Holy Prophet’s unparalleled status as the leader of all creation. It is a time for reflection, worship, and seeking Allah’s mercy, as it holds the key to spiritual elevation and Divine connection.
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