NIGHT OF POWER WHEN THE HOLY QURAN DESCENDED

 

LAILAT-UL-QADR

(NIGHT OF POWER WHEN THE HOLY QURAN DESCENDED)

M.M. Ansari

The expression "a thousand months" used in the verse is not to be taken literally. It rather points to an indefinitely long span of time, a time beyond human count, or timeless time so to say. Time has not only a quantitative but also a qualitative connotation. Related to the revelation of the Word of God, it touches the very apex of excellence.

“We have indeed revealed this (Quran) on Lailat-ul-Qadr. And what will explain to you what Lailat-ul-Qadr is? Lailat-ul-Qadr is better than a thousand months. In it come down the Angels and the Spirit (Jibrail), by God's permission, with all decrees. Peace — this until the break of the dawn." (AI-Quran:-97).” 

The Arabic word QADR has several shades of meaning. It stands for Power, Measure, Honour, Worth, Destiny, Determination, etc. Commenting on the above-cited Quranic Chapter, Hazrat Shah 'Abdul Qadir (RA) says, "Revelation of Holy Quran began on this night, i.e. Lailat-ul-Qadr. Then Almighty God did bless it forever with three excellences. First, the status of this night is elevated to so good that practising goodness this night is like doing it for one thousand months. Secondly, the phenomena that are predestined to occur in this world; come down upon the firmament of the earth this night. Thirdly, it is during this night that God sends spiritual peace that lends sweetness and delight to man's act of devotion to God." 

The revelation of AI-Quran by itself is the choicest gift of love and consideration to the man from the Creator. It contains His final Word sent to the last of His apostles for the guidance of entire mankind for all times. Almighty God elucidates: 

"...We have made this (Quran) a light with which We guide such of Our servants as We will..."(42:52). 

The event of the descent of the Glorious Quran, the Divine Book of Wisdom and Guidance, demands spirited celebration and earnest thanksgiving to God, the Most Merciful. For this purpose Lailat-ul-Qadr undoubtedly offers a commensurate opportunity to the believers. 

A Thousand Months: 

The expression "a thousand months" used in the Quranic Verse is not to be taken literally. It rather points to an indefinitely long span of time, a time beyond human count, or timeless time so to say. 

It is said that once Hazrat Rabi'a of Basrah (RA) was sitting with a wax candle, a needle, and a hair in her hand. In the accompanying message to the contemporary saint, she said, "Be like a candle to illumine the world while you yourself burn. Be like a needle which is but cares not for a costume for itself. When you have done these two things, a hair's worth of time will be like a thousand years for you." 

This anecdote illustrates how human beings, through their selfless acts of piety and tender fellow-feeling, can add new dimensions to the limited time at their disposal. We measure life in terms of the profane time divided into nights and days, but righteousness and its intensity is the divine perimeter for it. It is the quantum of reward from God that man earns in a given time that makes one night equivalent to "a thousand months". It depends on the quality of one's acts of goodness and worship. To illustrate, about the Ramadan fasting the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said: 

"Every good action of the son of Adam will be multiplied from ten up to seven hundred times." (Agreed) 

Search for the Night: 

Speaking of the sanctity and bliss of Ramadan, Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said that its first ten days comprise the decade of Mercy; the middle ten of Forgiveness, and the last ten, of Salvation. (Baihaqi). Great indeed are the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan, and of it's last ten days in particular when acts of worship reach their climax and which also include I'tikaf and Lailat-ul-Qadr devotions. 

There was inquisitiveness among the early believers to know which particular night was Lailat-ul-Qadr. When the Companions asked about it from the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), Hazrat 'Ayesha (RDA) has reported that he said: 

"Search for it in the odd ones of the last ten nights of Ramadan." (Bukhari) 

The consensus of scholars in Islam is that it is the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan. 

Poet-savant Shaikh Sa'di of Shiraz (RA) has succinctly put, “If every night were the Night of Qadr, the Night of Qadr would be of no worth.”

The believers set out in search of this night in the last decade of the month of Ramadan. The pleasure of this spiritual quest is unique. Hazrat 'Ayesha (RDA)' has narrated another tradition of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) as follows: 

“I asked: O Messenger of God! Tell me if I were to discover the night that be Lailat-ul-Qadr, what should I recite in it?”

The holy Prophet (ﷺ) advised her to make the following supplication to God: 

“O God! You are Forgiving, You love forgiveness, so do forgive me.” (Bukhari). 

Night   of   Power:   God's   Sign: 

God manifests His Power not only in the fitful furies of nature such as tempests, rains, and thunder, but also in regular and routine happenings in the cosmic system like the passage of time. Says He: 

“It is God who alternates the Night and the Day: Verily in these things is an instructive example for those who have vision.” (24:44)

 He proclaims “by the Night as it conceals” (92-1), and “by the Night when it is still” (93:2), and “by the Night when it retreats” (74:33), and “by the Night when it passes away” (89:4). He also proclaims “by the Ten Nights” (89:2) whose identity is shrouded in mystery. He asks His Messenger:

“Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night, half of it or a little lesser a little more; and recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones.” (73:2-4).

 Conclusion: 

In God's scheme of things, night has a charm of its own. It claims any God-fearing man's attention for devotional practices. The Night of Power, or Lailat-ul-Qadr as a special significance of its own. Throughout the mundane life, man oscillates between a fixed fats and a limited free will. Lailat-ul-Qadr offers a unique opportunity for the exercise of man's limited free will within a limited time to seek the good pleasure of God by totally resigning himself to His command. The believers all over the world spend this night in the recitation of Holy Quran , offering long-drawn special prayers, observing night vigil for meditation (Fikr) and remembrance (Zikr).

 

And God, the Most Merciful, listens to man's prayer and responds to His servants' beseechs, as He tells His Messenger:

 

"When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me. Let them also, with a will , listen to My call and believe in Me, so that they may walk in the way that is straight." (2:186).