لَيلَةُ القَدرِ خَيرٌ مِن أَلفِ شَهرٍ

The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months.

EXEGESIS

The word shahr (month) has sh-h-r as its root letters. These are defined to mean: the new moon, the lunar month,^{‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 500.} to make manifest or public,^{‎[2]Razi, 5/251.} to make famous.^{‎[3]Razi, 5/251.}

A month in Arabic is known as shahr (pl. ash-hur, shuhūr) since it is the time period between two moon risings or two crescents in a lunar calendar. Therefore, a month is named shahr because it becomes manifest, renowned, and distinct (ishtihār) by means of the manifestation or prominence of the crescent or new moon.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 10/386.}

EXPOSITION

This verse begins by repeating the phrase with which the previous verse ended, which is laylat al-qadr, and it does this rather than merely refer to the night by means of the feminine pronoun hiya (it). This is to emphasise the attention and concern that this night deserves and to stress the same.^{‎[5]Tabrisi, 10/789.}

In the Quran it is observed that ‘night’ has a special spiritual significance and importance such as in 2:51, 3:113, 17:1, 17:79, 51:17-18, 73:2, 73:6, and 76:26, while this verse informs of the first amazing attribute of this night from its three amazing attributes that this surah describes, which is that it is better than a thousand months, meaning that good deeds and acts of devotion done during this night are better in respect of their effects and rewards than carrying out the same good deeds and acts of devotion during a thousand months in which the Night of Qadr does not occur.^{‎[6]Tibyan, 10/386; Tabari, 30/167.}

Thus, this night is particularly blessed, and this verse encourages Muslims to spend this night awake and engrossed in devotions and manifold good deeds because specific time periods and specific places have an effect on the acceptance of prayers, supplications, and deeds.^{‎[7]Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528.} This understanding of the verse is reflected in and inspired by the transmitted reports from the Imams from the Prophet’s family (see Insights from Hadith). It is worthwhile to note here that the verse says The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months rather than saying: The Night of Qadr was better than a thousand months. The latter rendition would make the Night of Qadr a thing of the past, while the former rendition indicates its recurrent and continuous nature.

All places and time periods are essentially the same and it is only due to an accidental factor relevant to them, such as something blessed and divine happening in a place or in a time period, that causes a place or a time period to attain a merit or degree of excellence over another. Hence, the Night of Qadr is essentially the same as any other night in the year, however it is due to the descent of the angels and the Spirit in it, and subsequently the descent of the Quran in it, as well as it being enveloped in peace, blessings, and security till dawn, which are external factors and accidental to it, that has granted the Night of Qadr a merit and an excellence which renders it better than a thousand months. This principle applies to all special places and special time periods.^{‎[8]Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/526-527.} In addition, reports cited previously say that during this night sustenance is distributed, lifespans are determined, and pilgrims to Mecca are chosen, which corroborates and augments the notion of excellence attributed to this night.

It is argued that when something helps shorten the time period in a person’s effort to achieve his goal, then such a thing is valued and cherished deeply. The Night of Qadr does exactly that for Muslims, since it is a gift that past communities were probably not made aware of. It allows Muslims to achieve in one night what would otherwise take more than a thousand months to achieve, which translates to approximately the lifetime of a human being in our times. So, if a person is to live a short period of time while another is to live considerably longer, then it is possible that the former is disadvantaged with respect to achieving his life’s goals. But it is possible to alter his disadvantaged state into an advantage and that is by giving depth to time, which is to make sure that every moment of his short life is exploited meaningfully. In this way, he can achieve in a relatively short time what would otherwise be achieved in a relatively long time. That is what the Night of Qadr grants to Muslims who recognise and appreciate its worth, which is that it is better than an entire lifetime. It grants the dimension of depth to a specific night such that what may be achievable in terms of good deeds and worship in more than a thousand months can be achieved in one night.^{‎[9]Mudarrisi, 18/240-241.}

This is probably what the following report attempts to convey. It is related that the Messenger of God was apprised of the lifespans of the members of the past nations whereupon he found the lifespan of members of his community to be vastly shorter in comparison. He feared that they would fail to achieve the excellence which the past nations achieved due to their long lives. Consequently, God granted him, and by extension his community, the Night of Qadr and rendered it better than a thousand months.^{‎[10] Tabrisi, 10/789.}

The same would apply to the effect of supplications made for a change in destiny and good deeds done in this night, in that there is a depth or a greater power and weight to them even though one can continue to alter one’s destiny throughout the year and do good deeds throughout it.

There appear to be two interpretations regarding a thousand which occurs in this verse. One interpretation says that it represents the specific number mentioned, such as in 29:14, while the other interpretation says that it denotes manifold abundance and increase, ‘a great amount’ such as in 2:96.^{‎[11] Fadlallah, 24/351.} Thus, according to some, the meaning of a thousand months need not be taken literally but as emphasis and exaggeration to reflect the meaning of ‘great significance’, ‘unparalleled grace and value’, and ‘many’, while some have even suggested it may mean ‘all time’.^{‎[12] Muhit, 10/514.}

However, it appears from some transmitted reports such as the one cited immediately above and some more transmitted from the Imams from the Prophet’s family (see Insights from Hadith) that a more or less literal meaning is intended from the words a thousand in this verse. This is while the second meaning may only be partaken of if abundant relevant evidence is available which preponderates over the first meaning.^{‎[13] Amthal, 20/343.} The latter reports also demonstrate that the Imams understood an additional meaning from this verse, one that was in addition to its well-known meaning enunciated above, namely that the verse foretold the main period of rule of the Umayyad dynasty in the Muslim heartland.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Muhammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr reports that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) was asked: ‘How is the Night of Qadr better than a thousand months?’ He replied: ‘Deeds done in it are better than deeds done in a thousand months in which the Night of Qadr does not occur.’^{‎[14] Kafi, 4/157, h. 4; Faqih, 2/158, h. 2025.}
2. Ḥumrān relates: ‘I recited the verse The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months to Imam al-Bāqir (a) and asked him: “What is meant by it?” He replied: “Virtuous deeds done in it such as the ritual prayer, the giving of alms, and different kinds of good deeds, are better [in terms of their effects and rewards] than good deeds done in a thousand months in which no Night of Qadr occurs. And had God not multiplied [the rewards] for the believers, they would not have achieved it, however God multiplies the good deeds for them.”’^{‎[15] Kafi, 4/157, h. 6; Faqih, 2/158, h. 2024.}
3. Samāʿah relates that the Imam recited The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months, so he asked the Imam: ‘How is the Night of Qadr better than a thousand months?’ The Imam replied: ‘Deeds done in it are better than deeds done in a thousand months during which no Night of Qadr occurs. And it occurs in the month of Ramadan. Every definitive matter is decreed in it [44:4].’^{‎[16] Tahdhib, 3/58, h. 199.}
4. Abū al-Ṣabbāḥ al-Kinānī relates from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) who said: ‘When the Night of Qadr arrives and in it every definitive matter is decreed, a caller calls out that night from the depths of the Throne, saying: “Surely God, the exalted, has forgiven whoever visits the grave of Husayn (a) during this night.”’^{‎[17] Nur, 5/613.}
5. Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘Whoever keeps awake during the Night of Qadr shall have his sins forgiven even if his sins were as numerous as the stars in the sky, as weighty as the mountains, and to the measure of the seas.’^{‎[18] Iqbal, p. 186.}
6. This verse was also understood to foretell the main period of rule of the Umayyad dynasty in the Muslim heartland. Thus, Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is attributed to have said the following with respect to it: ‘The speech of God, the mighty and majestic, better than a thousand months, refers to the reign of the Umayyads.’ He also said: ‘One night spent under the leadership of a just ruler is better than a thousand months of the rule of the Umayyads.’^{‎[19] Taʾwīl al-Āyāt, 2/827, h. 2.}
7. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) relates: ‘The Messenger of God (s) was shown a dream in which the Umayyads were ascending his pulpit after him and misleading the people from the path, causing them to regress. As a result, he became most sad and distraught. Then Gabriel descended to him and asked: “Messenger of God, what for do I see you sad and distraught?” He replied: “Gabriel, I saw the Umayyads during this night ascending my pulpit after me and causing the people to go astray from the path, causing them to regress!” Gabriel said: “I swear by He who sent you with the truth, I am not aware of this.” Consequently, Gabriel ascended the heavens; however, he did not tarry long before he descended to the Prophet with verses from the Quran with which he attempted to cheer him up. He recited: Do you see, should We let them enjoy for some years, then there comes to them what they have been promised, of what avail to them will be that which they were given to enjoy? [26:205-207]. And he revealed to him: Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr, and what will show you what is the Night of Qadr? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. God has made the Night of Qadr for his Prophet better than the thousand month reign of the Umayyads.’^{‎[20] Kafi, 4/159.}
8. Al-Qāsim ibn al-Faḍl al-Ḥadānī related from Yūsuf ibn Saʿd al-Jumaḥī [or Yūsuf ibn Māzān al-Rāsibī in other variants]^{‎[21] Hasakani, 2/457.} who narrated that a man went to Imam al-Hasan (a) after he had entered into peace with Muʿāwiyah and said to him: ‘You have blackened [that is, denigrated] the faces of the believers!’ Or he said: ‘O one who blackens [and denigrates] the faces of the believers!’ Imam al-Hasan (a) responded: ‘Do not chide me thus, may God have mercy on you. The Prophet (s) was shown the Umayyads on his pulpit which offended and upset him exceedingly whereupon the verse, Indeed, We have given you abundance [108:1] descended and [he was informed]: “O Muhammad, it refers to a river in paradise,” and [then] descended, Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr, and what will show you what is the Night of Qadr? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months, which the Umayyads shall have [as a period of rule], O Muhammad.’ Al-Qāsim ibn al-Faḍl al-Ḥadānī said: ‘We counted the months [of the reign of the Umayyads] and realised that it was a thousand months, without a day more or less.’^{‎[22] Tirmidhi, cited in Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528, and in Ibn Ashur, 30/405.}
9. In a variant of the previous report, the person who went to Imam al-Hasan (a) and chided him for his decision to abdicate in favour of Muʿāwiyah is identified as Sufyān ibn Abī Laylā al-Nahdī who met him in Medina, in the courtyard of the Imam’s house. The rest of the report is similar to the one above except that instead of 108:1 being revealed on this occasion, it is 17:60 that is revealed. The terminal part of this variant has Imam al-Hasan (a) say to his interlocutor: ‘I heard my father, Ali – may God bless him – say: “The affairs of this community shall be controlled by a man who shall have a wide gullet and a big stomach.” I asked him about his identity and he said: “Muʿāwiyah.” And he said to me: “The Quran has surely articulated the reign of the Umayyads and its period.” Then he recited the verse [97:3] and said: “This is the reign of the Umayyads.”’^{‎[23] Hasakani, 2/457.} It is very possible that more than one person saw fit to criticise the Imam and the Imam offered basically the same explanation to them. It is also possible that the Prophet experienced the vision more than once and different verses were revealed to console him.
10. A couple of generations later, during the lifetime of the Imams al-Bāqir (a) and al-Ṣādiq (a), knowledge of this prophecy was very probably the reason Imam al-Bāqir (a) dissuaded his brother Zayd ibn Ali from revolting against the Umayyads, while Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) forecast his paternal uncle Zayd ibn Ali’s and the latter’s son (and the Imam’s cousin) Yaḥyā ibn Zayd’s failed revolt against the Umayyads.^{‎[24] See the anecdote which forms part of the transmission chain of al-Ṣaḥīfah al-Sajjādiyyah.}

Note: These reports suggest that this surah was revealed in Medina because these reports describe the Prophet seated on a pulpit and a pulpit was made for the Prophet quite late during his period in Medina, very probably between the seventh to ninth years of his migration there. And yet it is also maintained that it was revealed in Mecca. This confusion regarding the provenance of the surah is exacerbated when it is observed that these reports mention specific surahs and verses that were also revealed alongside the revelation of this surah, such as 108:1, 26:205-207, 17:60, and 14:28-29, thus giving the impression that these revelations were also Medinan in provenance. However, the first two are actually Meccan revelations and there does not appear to be any disagreement concerning their provenance; although the last two verses form part of Meccan surahs, their actual revelation is disputed with some maintaining that they descended in Medina. Perhaps Gabriel recited these surahs and verses to the Prophet several times due to their suitability to the circumstance at hand, and hence the same happened with respect to this surah – it may have been revealed in Mecca, and then Gabriel recited it to the Prophet several times due to the circumstance at hand; one of which was when the vision of the monkeys astride his pulpit occurred to the Prophet, and this was during his time in Medina, which vision probably recurred. Hence, the mention of multiple descents of this surah needs to be understood to mean multiple recitals of it by Gabriel to the Prophet in order to console him, remind him, or clarify the matter to him. This is because if any verse or surah descended multiple times as part of the Quran then it has to appear multiple times in it such as the verse, It is He who has sent His Apostle with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all religions, which occurs verbatim in 9:33, 48:28, and 61:9. Or like the two verses, There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith. Indeed your Lord is the all-mighty, the all-merciful, which occur eight times in chapter 26, and others.

Alternatively, it is suggested that the surah is Meccan while these anecdotes are examples of subsequent applications of a revealed verse(s) to subsequent suitable and relevant incidents, or instances in order to convey a relevant message (taṭbīq).^{‎[25] Amthal, 20/339.}

On the other hand, Tabatabai writes while conceding this surah’s attribution to both Mecca and Medina, that what is transmitted from the Imams and others regarding the reason for its revelation regarding the Umayyads could be taken to corroborate its Medinan provenance.^{‎[26] Mizan, 20/330.} However, ultimately God knows best.

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 500.
[2] Razi, 5/251.
[3] Razi, 5/251.
[4] Tibyan, 10/386.
[5] Tabrisi, 10/789.
[6] Tibyan, 10/386; Tabari, 30/167.
[7] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528.
[8] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/526-527.
[9] Mudarrisi, 18/240-241.
[10] Tabrisi, 10/789.
[11] Fadlallah, 24/351.
[12] Muhit, 10/514.
[13] Amthal, 20/343.
[14] Kafi, 4/157, h. 4; Faqih, 2/158, h. 2025.
[15] Kafi, 4/157, h. 6; Faqih, 2/158, h. 2024.
[16] Tahdhib, 3/58, h. 199.
[17] Nur, 5/613.
[18] Iqbal, p. 186.
[19] Taʾwīl al-Āyāt, 2/827, h. 2.
[20] Kafi, 4/159.
[21] Hasakani, 2/457.
[22] Tirmidhi, cited in Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528, and in Ibn Ashur, 30/405.
[23] Hasakani, 2/457.
[24] See the anecdote which forms part of the transmission chain of al-Ṣaḥīfah al-Sajjādiyyah.
[25] Amthal, 20/339.
[26] Mizan, 20/330.