سَلامٌ هِيَ حَتّىٰ مَطلَعِ الفَجرِ

It is peaceful until the rising of the dawn.

EXEGESIS

The word salām means peace, tranquillity, completeness,^{‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 450} and soundness.^{‎[2]Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/535.} It also means safety and security (21:69),^{‎[3]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 451; Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/535.} and is used as a greeting of peace (56:91, 6:54, 51:25),^{‎[4]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 451.} as when it is said salāmun ʿalaykum it means ‘may safety and peace be or abide on you’, thereby indicating that nothing evil or disliked may befall the addressee henceforth and that no harm is meant to them.^{‎[5]Lane, 2/1425.} It takes the form of a prayer, especially when rendered as salām allāh ʿalayka, meaning ‘may God’s peace and security be on you’,^{‎[6]Lane, 2/1425.} or ʿalayhi al-salām, meaning ‘may (God’s) peace and security be on him’. It can also mean ‘being clear or being quit of’ something negative and distasteful, as in 26:63.^{‎[7]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 452.} Al-salām is one of the beautiful names of God (59:23) because of His soundness from imperfection, defect, change, and non-existence,^{‎[8]Lane, 2/1425.} and because He is the source of peace. Paradise is described in the Quran as dār al-salām (6:127) (the abode of peace), it being the place of everlasting safety and security from all evil.^{‎[9]Lane, 2/1425.}

The preposition ḥattā, which has the meaning of until, up to, to the point of, or as far as,^{‎[10] Tabrisi, 10/787.} serves to illustrate the extent of what has preceded, which in this case refers to the descent of the angels and the Spirit,^{‎[11] Ibn Ashur, 30/410.} and the state of peace,^{‎[12] Ibn Ashur, 30/410; Kashif, 7/590.} safety, and security. Thus, the meaning obtained is that the angels and the Spirit descend until dawn, greeting the believers, just as the state of peace, safety, and security extends until dawn.^{‎[13] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/533.}

The term maṭlaʿ is a noun that has ṭ-l-ʿ as its root letters, which means to ascend, to rise, to come into view, to emerge, and to break forth,^{‎[14] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 569.} such as the sun rising (18:17). Maṭlaʿ is the noun of time, denoting here the time of rising and breaking through of dawn.^{‎[15] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 569.}

EXPOSITION

The previous verse says that the angels and the Spirit descend to the lower heavens and to the earth on the Night of Qadr. They descend to the earth in order to, among other things, convey God’s blessings. This understanding is augmented by this verse which mentions a third characteristic of the Night of Qadr, which is that it is a night replete with peace and mercy till the break of dawn, denuded of apparent and hidden afflictions and tribulations, indicating the divine providence that encompasses this night for those of God’s servants who seek to approach Him, as well as the blocking of avenues of afflictions and trouble for them which includes the intrigues of the devils.^{‎[16] Mizan, 20/333.} Thus in this night the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every decree, carrying greetings of peace for the believers which they convey to them until the rising of the dawn.^{‎[17] Tabrisi.J, 4/519; Razi, 32/236.}

It is interesting that the Night of Qadr (laylat al-qadr) is described by the noun salām meaning peace rather than the active participle sālimah. Taken literally, the phrase salāmun hiya would mean: the night is peace in that it embodies the quality of peace in and of itself until the break of dawn. This mode of description serves to indicate emphasis. For example, a just person may be described as just by means of the active participle ʿādil (huwa ʿādil – he is just), however, if he was described by means of the noun ʿadl (justice) itself (huwa ʿadl – he is justice), it would mean he personified and embodied the quality of justice in and of itself. This mode of expression would thus be used for a highly just person in the spirit of emphasis.^{‎[18] Amthal, 20/345.}

The term salām may also mean safety and security such as in 21:69. In this case, the night would be understood to embody safety and security. Each of these explanations is mutually inclusive with the other and therefore all of them may be considered together, thereby enriching the meaning of this verse.^{‎[19] Amthal, 20/345.}  

Finally, this verse delineates the extent of the night’s sanctity, limiting its sanctity and significance to its dawn by the use of the preposition ḥattā (up to, until, to the point of, as far as). This further augments the notion of the recurrent nature of this night for specifying the extent of its time period has no incremental effect in manifesting its significance, which is the purpose of this surah, but makes sense if the Muslims after the time of the Prophet were to encounter it.^{‎[20] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. The Messenger of God said: ‘Satan truly does not come out during this night till the break of dawn. He is unable to affect anyone during it with insanity or ailment or any kind of wickedness, while the magic of a magician fails to prove effective during it.’^{‎[21] Tabrisi, 10/789.}

Note: This indicates that any wickedness perpetrated on this night does not originate from Satan, but from man himself.

2. Imam Ali (as) is attributed to have said: ‘They [the angels and the Spirit] descend in order to greet and salute us and in order to intercede on our behalf. Thus, whoever obtains the greetings and salutations shall have his sin forgiven.’^{‎[22] Razi, 32/233.}
3. Imam al-Sajjād (a) used to recite the following supplication at the onset of the month of Ramadan: ‘Then He made one of its nights surpass the nights of a thousand months and named it the Night of Qadr. In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every decree. A peace, constant in blessings, until the rising of dawn upon whomsoever He wills of His servants according to the decision He has made firm.’^{‎[23] Sahifah, supplication 44.}

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 450
[2] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/535.
[3] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 451; Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/535.
[4] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 451.
[5] Lane, 2/1425.
[6] Lane, 2/1425.
[7] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 452.
[8] Lane, 2/1425.
[9] Lane, 2/1425.
[10] Tabrisi, 10/787.
[11] Ibn Ashur, 30/410.
[12] Ibn Ashur, 30/410; Kashif, 7/590.
[13] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/533.
[14] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 569.
[15] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 569.
[16] Mizan, 20/333.
[17] Tabrisi.J, 4/519; Razi, 32/236.
[18] Amthal, 20/345.
[19] Amthal, 20/345.
[20] Munyat al-Ṭālibīn, 30/528.
[21] Tabrisi, 10/789.
[22] Razi, 32/233.
[23] Sahifah, supplication 44.