Al-Qadr
Encyclopedia
Sūrat al-Qadr (Power, Fate) is the 97th sura of the Qur'an
with 5 ayat. It is a Meccan sura
.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: (1)
وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? (2)
لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬
The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. (3)
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ۬
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: (4)
سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ
It's all Peace!... until the rise of Morn (Dawn)! (5)
, the "Night of Power" in Ramadan
on which Muslims believe the Qur'an
was first revealed. The "Spirit" mentioned in verse 4 is commonly interpreted as referring to the angel Jibreel (Gabriel). The "peace" referred to is called by Mujahid "security in which Shaytan (Iblis) cannot do any evil or any harm", while Ibn Kathir quotes Ash-Sha'bi as saying that it refers to the angels greeting the people in the mosques throughout the night.
Laylat al-Qadr occurs during an odd-numbered night within the last ten days of Ramadan, but its exact date is uncertain; due to the promises made in the sura and in various hadith. Muslims consider it a particularly good time for prayer, supplication, and repentance to God.
and Qur'an-translator, Richard Bell, commented on the similarities between the events mentioned this sura and the Nativity of Jesus
in canonical gospels.
In the newer and controversial Syro-Aramaic interpretation of the Qur'an by German scholar Christoph Luxenberg
- who suggests that the Qur'an is largely based on a (misread) Christian Syro-Aramaic lectionary
(known in Aramaic
as qeryana) - this sura is understood as a Qur'anic version of the birth of Jesus and not of the revelation of the Qur'an. It is interpreted by Luxenberg as an invitation to the Eucharist
.
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
with 5 ayat. It is a Meccan sura
Meccan sura
The Meccan suras are the chronologically earlier suras of the Qur'an that were, according to Islamic tradition, revealed anytime before the Hijrah . The other type of sura is the Madinan sura....
.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: (1)
وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? (2)
لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬
The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. (3)
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٍ۬
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: (4)
سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ
It's all Peace!... until the rise of Morn (Dawn)! (5)
Summary, Lines 1-5
This sura describes Laylat al-QadrLaylat al-Qadr
Lailatul Qadr , the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures, is the anniversary of two very important dates in Islam that occurred in the month of Ramadan...
, the "Night of Power" in Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
on which Muslims believe the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
was first revealed. The "Spirit" mentioned in verse 4 is commonly interpreted as referring to the angel Jibreel (Gabriel). The "peace" referred to is called by Mujahid "security in which Shaytan (Iblis) cannot do any evil or any harm", while Ibn Kathir quotes Ash-Sha'bi as saying that it refers to the angels greeting the people in the mosques throughout the night.
Laylat al-Qadr occurs during an odd-numbered night within the last ten days of Ramadan, but its exact date is uncertain; due to the promises made in the sura and in various hadith. Muslims consider it a particularly good time for prayer, supplication, and repentance to God.
Alternative interpretation (by Christians)
Already in 1939, the British orientalistOriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and Qur'an-translator, Richard Bell, commented on the similarities between the events mentioned this sura and the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
in canonical gospels.
In the newer and controversial Syro-Aramaic interpretation of the Qur'an by German scholar Christoph Luxenberg
Christoph Luxenberg
Christoph Luxenberg is the pseudonym of the author ofThe Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran: A Contribution to the Decoding of the Language of the Qur'an and several articles in anthologies about early Islam....
- who suggests that the Qur'an is largely based on a (misread) Christian Syro-Aramaic lectionary
Lectionary
A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion.-History:...
(known in Aramaic
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
as qeryana) - this sura is understood as a Qur'anic version of the birth of Jesus and not of the revelation of the Qur'an. It is interpreted by Luxenberg as an invitation to the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
.
External links
- Al Qadr Learn Surah Al Qadr with Audio at MountHira.com
- Al-Qadr at Sacred Texts
- http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/ at QuranExplorer.com