Sūrah Al-Qadr The Night of Decree
سورة القدر
A Makkan sūrah of 5 verses about the greatest night in the Islamic calendar Laylat al-Qadr in which the Quran was revealed and which is better than a thousand months. Angels and Jibrīl descend with divine peace until the break of dawn.
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr
Ibn Kathīr explains "Innā anzalnāhu fī laylati l-qadr" as describing the Quran's initial descent from the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) to the lowest heaven (Bayt al-ʿIzzah) all at once on Laylat al-Qadr, after which it was revealed gradually to the Prophet ﷺ over 23 years as situations required. This is the reconciliation between the various verses about the Quran's revelation.
The sūrah's rhetorical question "And what will make you know what the Night of Decree is?" signals that its greatness cannot be fully comprehended. Ibn Kathīr records that it is better than 83+ years of worship, that angels descend in such numbers that the earth becomes crowded, that Jibrīl himself descends leading them, and that it is characterized by salām a total peace from every harm until Fajr.
- Quran's initial descent: The entire Quran descended to the lowest heaven on Laylat al-Qadr before gradual revelation to the Prophet ﷺ over 23 years.
- 1000 months: Worship on this single night equals more than 83 years a divine compensation for this Ummah's shorter lifespans compared to earlier nations.
- Jibrīl and the angels: They descend in such numbers that earth cannot contain them, bearing the divine decrees for the coming year.
- Salām until Fajr: The night is entirely peace no harm, no evil, only mercy and the meeting of angels making it the most precious night for worship.
- Seeking it: Ibn Kathīr records the Sunnah of seeking it in the odd nights of the last 10 of Ramaḍān, with the 27th night most widely cited by scholars.