Ameer Hamzah :
Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Power) is the most significant night for mankind all over the world. This is the night in which some 1,410 years ago Archangel Jibreel carried the revelations from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (Sm). In the Quran, it is also called ‘Blessed Night’,-(Surah Dukhan, Verse No.3)
The word Qadr means Majesty, according to M.H. Shakir, an Islamic scholar from Iran. Abdullah Yusuf Ali from Pakistan translates it as Power or Honour. Muhammad Mamaduke Pickthall from the United Kingdom says that Qadr means Power. According to Maulana A.K.M. Fazlur Rahman Munshi from Bangladesh, Qadr is the night of Fate. Mufti Muhammad Shafi from Pakistan writes in Ma Areful Quran, an explanatory book on the Noble Quran, Qadr means Majety or Honour. Another meaning is Fate and Decree. This is the night in which the fate of mankind for the next one year is also decided. Most of the Islamic scholars hold this view.
On the night of Qadr, the Prophet Muhammad (Sm) received the first five revelations of the Quran. The story is that the Prophet was in the cave for three days and three nights. At that time, Jibreel came to him and said: Read. Muhammad (Sm) said, I cannot read. The angel commanded again and said: Read. The Prophet again said: I cannot read. The angel embraced him with force and said: Read. The Prophet said: What shall I read? Jibreel said:
Read: In the name of thy Lord who creates, Creates man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man what he knew not, (Surah Alaq, Verse No. 1-5).
The Prophet came out of the cave and began walking towards home. Just then, he heard a voice calling him by name, ‘Muhammad.’ The Prophet looked to and fro but found nothing. Again he heard that thunderous voice. It said, “I am Jibreel, and you, O Muhammad, are the Prophet of Allah. Wherever he looked, he found Jibreel confronting him.
Prophet Muhammad (Sm) returned, with his heart beating severely and naratted to Khadija (Ra) everything that had happened in the cave of the Mt. Hira and said, “I fear that something may happen to me”. She replied, “Never! By Allah, He will never disgrace you, as you keep good relations with your kith and kin, solve the unemployment, always speak the truth, arrange food, clothing and shelter for orphans, widows, blinds, crippled and destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the calamity afflicted people.”
Allah has sent Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) as Prophet unto mankind-(Ref: Verse No. 79 of Surah An-Nisa) and revealed the Quran unto him as guidelines for mankind-(Ref: Verse No.185 of Surah Baqarah). Allah says in Verse No. 151 of Surah Baqarah, “I have sent to you (O man) an Apostle from among you, who recites to you My revelations and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you knew not.” And Allah says to mankind, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and reason and argue in the best manner,”-16/125.
About the Night of Power, there are seven verses in two Surahs. These are Al Qadr, an early Meccan Surah, and At-Dukhan, a middle group of Meccan Surah.
The verses in Qadr are:
l. Surely We revealed it (Quran) on the Night of Power.
2. And what will make you comprehend what the Night of Power is?
3. The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
4.The Angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair.
The verses in Dukhan are:
2. We swear by the Book (Quran) that makes manifest (truth)
3. Surely We revealed it (Book) on a Blessed Night-Surely We are ever warning-
4. That every wise affair is made distinct.
It is clear from the above verses that the Night of Power and the Blessed Night is one and they are magnificent because of the revelation of the Quran. From this day, the revelation continued for 23 years. The text of the related verse is:
And it is Quran which We have revealed in proportions so that you (0 Muhammad) may read it to the people by slow degrees, and We have revealed it revealing in portions. (17/106).
The first five verses of the Quran were revealed in the month of Ramadan. The text of the verse is: The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion (of right and wrong). (2/185).
However, as to the exact date of Qadr, the Prophet asked his Sahabies to search it in last 10 days of the month of Ramadan. By it the Prophet wanted to engage them into research about the Quran. To read the Quran with meaning is the demand of the Lailatul Qadr.
Lailatul Qadr (The Night of Power) is the most significant night for mankind all over the world. This is the night in which some 1,410 years ago Archangel Jibreel carried the revelations from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (Sm). In the Quran, it is also called ‘Blessed Night’,-(Surah Dukhan, Verse No.3)
The word Qadr means Majesty, according to M.H. Shakir, an Islamic scholar from Iran. Abdullah Yusuf Ali from Pakistan translates it as Power or Honour. Muhammad Mamaduke Pickthall from the United Kingdom says that Qadr means Power. According to Maulana A.K.M. Fazlur Rahman Munshi from Bangladesh, Qadr is the night of Fate. Mufti Muhammad Shafi from Pakistan writes in Ma Areful Quran, an explanatory book on the Noble Quran, Qadr means Majety or Honour. Another meaning is Fate and Decree. This is the night in which the fate of mankind for the next one year is also decided. Most of the Islamic scholars hold this view.
On the night of Qadr, the Prophet Muhammad (Sm) received the first five revelations of the Quran. The story is that the Prophet was in the cave for three days and three nights. At that time, Jibreel came to him and said: Read. Muhammad (Sm) said, I cannot read. The angel commanded again and said: Read. The Prophet again said: I cannot read. The angel embraced him with force and said: Read. The Prophet said: What shall I read? Jibreel said:
Read: In the name of thy Lord who creates, Creates man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man what he knew not, (Surah Alaq, Verse No. 1-5).
The Prophet came out of the cave and began walking towards home. Just then, he heard a voice calling him by name, ‘Muhammad.’ The Prophet looked to and fro but found nothing. Again he heard that thunderous voice. It said, “I am Jibreel, and you, O Muhammad, are the Prophet of Allah. Wherever he looked, he found Jibreel confronting him.
Prophet Muhammad (Sm) returned, with his heart beating severely and naratted to Khadija (Ra) everything that had happened in the cave of the Mt. Hira and said, “I fear that something may happen to me”. She replied, “Never! By Allah, He will never disgrace you, as you keep good relations with your kith and kin, solve the unemployment, always speak the truth, arrange food, clothing and shelter for orphans, widows, blinds, crippled and destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the calamity afflicted people.”
Allah has sent Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) as Prophet unto mankind-(Ref: Verse No. 79 of Surah An-Nisa) and revealed the Quran unto him as guidelines for mankind-(Ref: Verse No.185 of Surah Baqarah). Allah says in Verse No. 151 of Surah Baqarah, “I have sent to you (O man) an Apostle from among you, who recites to you My revelations and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you knew not.” And Allah says to mankind, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and reason and argue in the best manner,”-16/125.
About the Night of Power, there are seven verses in two Surahs. These are Al Qadr, an early Meccan Surah, and At-Dukhan, a middle group of Meccan Surah.
The verses in Qadr are:
l. Surely We revealed it (Quran) on the Night of Power.
2. And what will make you comprehend what the Night of Power is?
3. The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
4.The Angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair.
The verses in Dukhan are:
2. We swear by the Book (Quran) that makes manifest (truth)
3. Surely We revealed it (Book) on a Blessed Night-Surely We are ever warning-
4. That every wise affair is made distinct.
It is clear from the above verses that the Night of Power and the Blessed Night is one and they are magnificent because of the revelation of the Quran. From this day, the revelation continued for 23 years. The text of the related verse is:
And it is Quran which We have revealed in proportions so that you (0 Muhammad) may read it to the people by slow degrees, and We have revealed it revealing in portions. (17/106).
The first five verses of the Quran were revealed in the month of Ramadan. The text of the verse is: The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and criterion (of right and wrong). (2/185).
However, as to the exact date of Qadr, the Prophet asked his Sahabies to search it in last 10 days of the month of Ramadan. By it the Prophet wanted to engage them into research about the Quran. To read the Quran with meaning is the demand of the Lailatul Qadr.
