Surah 97. Al-Qadr

BEHOLD, from on high have We bestowed this [divine writ] on the Night of Destiny.¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "of Almightiness" or "of Majesty" - thus describing the night on which the Prophet received his first revelation (see introductory note to the preceding surah). On the basis of several Traditions it may be assumed that it was one of the last ten nights - probably the twenty-seventh of the month of Ramadan, thirteen years before the Prophet's emigration to Medina.

Surely We have revealed this (Qur'an) in the night of Qadr.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, 'It is' We 'Who' sent this 'Quran' down on the Night of Glory.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 It is also believed that the angels descend with all decreed matters for the whole year during that night (al-qadr also means ordainment or destiny).

Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Power.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of Power: ⁶²¹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xliv. 3 and n. 4690. The 23rd, 25th or 27th night of Ramadhan, as well as other nights, have been suggested as the Night of Power. See, however, the Introduction to this Sura. It is best to take this in conjunction with verse 3 below, which says that the Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. It transcends Time: for it is Allah's Power dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, by his Revelation, in every kind of affair.

And what could make thee conceive what it is, that Night of Destiny?

  - Mohammad Asad

And what will make you understand, what the night of Qadr is!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And what will make you realize what the Night of Glory is?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Night of Power is!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is?

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months:²

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "in which there was no similar night" (Razi).

The night of Qadr is better than one thousand months.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months.

  - Mustafa Khattab

The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. ⁶²¹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"A thousand" must be taken in an indefinite sense; as denoting a very long period of time. Cf. notes 3632 and 3634 to xxxii. 4-5, and n. 5678 to lxx. 4. This does not refer to our ideas of time, but to "timeless Time". One moment of enlightenment under Allah's Light is better than thousands of months or years of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory.

in hosts descend in it the angels,³ bearing divine inspiration⁴ by their Sustainer's leave; from all [evil] that may happen

  - Mohammad Asad

The grammatical form tanazzalu implies repetition, frequency or multitude; hence - as suggested by Ibn Kathir - "descending in hosts".

Lit., "and [divine] inspiration". For this rendering of rain, see first sentence of 16:2 and the corresponding note [2]. The present instance is undoubtedly the earliest example of the Qur'anic use of this term in the sense of "divine inspiration".

The angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) come down with every decree, by the leave of their Rabb,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That night the angels and the 'holy' spirit¹ descend, by the permission of their Lord, for every 'decreed' matter.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the angel Gabriel.

The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission on every errand: ⁶²¹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Spirit: usually understood to be the angel Gabriel.

does it make secure,⁵ until the rise of dawn.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "it is salvation (salam, see surah {5}, note [29]) - i.e., it makes the believer secure from all spiritual evil: thus Mujahid (as quoted by Ibn Kathir), evidently implying that a conscious realization of the sanctity of this night acts as a shield against unworthy thoughts and inclinations.

that night is the night of Peace, till the break of dawn.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is all peace until the break of dawn.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(That night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Peace!... This until the rise of Morn! ⁶²²⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the Night of spiritual darkness is dissipated by the glory of Allah, a wonderful Peace and a sense of Security arise in the soul. And this lasts on until this life closes, and the glorious Day of the new world dawns, when everything will be on a different plane, and the chequered nights and days of this world will be even less than a dream.