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Towards Understanding the Quran - Tafheem ul Quran

Quran Translation & Commentary by Abul ala Maududi, English render by Zafar Ishaq Ansari
(Surah 1-46, 66-114),
Muhammad Akbar & A. A Kamal
(Surah 47-65)

Quran Translation
Word for Word by
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
& Kausar Khatri

Introduction
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 97. Al-Qadr
Verses [Section]: 1-5[1]

Quran Text of Verse 1-5
97. Al-Qadr Page 59897. Al-Qadrبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِاِنَّاۤIndeed Weاَنْزَلْنٰهُrevealed itفِیْinلَیْلَةِ(the) Nightالْقَدْرِۚۖ(of) Power وَ مَاۤAnd whatاَدْرٰىكَcan make you knowمَاwhatلَیْلَةُ(the) Nightالْقَدْرِؕ(of) Power (is) لَیْلَةُ(The) Nightالْقَدْرِ ۙ۬(of) Powerخَیْرٌ(is) betterمِّنْthanاَلْفِa thousandشَهْرٍؕؔmonth(s) تَنَزَّلُDescendالْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُthe Angelsوَ الرُّوْحُand the Spiritفِیْهَاthereinبِاِذْنِby (the) permissionرَبِّهِمْ ۚ(of) their Lordمِنْforكُلِّeveryاَمْرٍۙۛaffair سَلٰمٌ ۛ۫Peaceهِیَit (is)حَتّٰیuntilمَطْلَعِ(the) emergenceالْفَجْرِ۠(of) the dawn
Translation of Verse 1-5
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(97:1) Behold, We revealed this (Qur'an) on the Night of Power.1

(97:2) And what do you know what the Night of Power is?

(97:3) The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.2

(97:4) The angels along with the Spirit3 descend in it by the permission of their Lord4 with all kinds of decrees.

(97:5) All peace is that night until the rise of dawn.5


Commentary

1. The word anzalnahu (We revealed this) unmistakably refers to the revelation of the Qur’an. Such ellipsis of pronouns is fairly common in the Qur’an. (For details see al-Najm 53: 9.)

This verse declares that the Qur’an was revealed on the night of power while elsewhere it is asserted: “During the month of Ramadan the Qur’an was sent down,” (al-Baqarah 2: 185). One thus learns that it was one of the nights of the month of Ramadan when the angel brought the revelation for the first time to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The night of power is spoken of as “the blessed night” in Verse 3 of al-Dukhan.

That the Qur’an was revealed on this night is open to the following two interpretations: (i) On this night, the entire Qur’an was placed in the custody of the angels who brought revelation as and when it was needed. Specifically, Gabriel, by Allah’s command, transmitted its verses and Surah’s to the Prophet (peace be upon him) over a period of twenty-three years. This interpretation is credited to Ibn ‘Abbas (Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Hakim, Ibn Marduwayh and Bayhaqj). (ii) The revelation of a Qur’an commenced on this night, as is held by Sha’bi. However, another report ascribes to him the same view on this issue which is presented by Ibn ‘Abbas. (Ibn Jarir). It is nonetheless certain that the revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him) started on this night, as the first five verses of Surah al-‘Alaq were sent down to him. It is worth clarifying that Allah did not compose the Quranic verses or Surahs as and when these were needed by way of providing guidance to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his call. Rather, even before the creation of the universe, Allah had in» place a grand plan regarding the creation of the human species, the advent of Messengers and their respective Scriptures, and the final stage of appointing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as His Messenger and sending down the Qur’an to him. On the night of power, the final item of the divine plan was executed. So, the handing over of the entire Qur’an to the angels at that stage should not come as a surprise.

Qadr is explained by some Qur’anic scholars in the sense that on this night Allah decides fates and entrusts the same to the angels for execution. This is reinforced by the following verse: “On that night every matter is wisely determined,” (Verse 4 of al-Dukhan). However, Zuhri insists on interpreting qadr as a blessed and glorious night. This view is supported by the Qur’anic statement that it is better than one thousand months (al-Qadr 97: 3).

As to the precise date on which the Qur’an was revealed, forty divergent opinions are on record. However, the majority view of ‘ulama’ is that it corresponds to one of the odd nights on the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. Many of them put it at the 27th night of Ramadan. Let us consider some authentic Ahadith on this issue:

Abu Hurayrah informs us that regarding the night of power, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It is the 27th or 29th night of Ramadan,” (Abu Dawud). In another report he is credited with the view that it corresponds to the last night of Ramadan (Ahmad, Musnad, Vol. II, p. 519). Ubayy ibn Ka’b, however, emphatically states that it represents the 27th night of Ramadan (Ahmad, Muslim, Kitab al-Tafsir, Abi: Dawid, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Hibban). While answering a query on this issue, Abu Dharr replied: “Umar, Hudhayfah and many Companions took it as the 27th night of Ramadan,” (Ibn Abi Shaybah, Muslim, Bab al-Siyam). Ubadah ibn Samit reports: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The night of power corresponds to one of these odd nights — the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th of Ramadan,’” (Ahmad). ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Look — ' for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, i.e. nine, seven or five days before the end of Ramadan,” (Bukhari, Bab Laylat al-Qadr) ‘ulama’ take the Prophet's allusion to mean any of the odd nights of Ramadan. Abu Bakr’s report says that it falls nine or seven or — five or three days before the last night. One should look for it on the above dates, (Tirmidhi and Nasa’1). ‘A’ishah informs: “The — Prophet (peace be upon him) directed that it should be looked for on the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan,” (Bukhari, Bab Laylat al-Qadr, Muslim, Ahmad and Tirmidhi). ‘A’ishah and ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) always made a point of taking ‘itikaf (devotional retreat) on the last ten nights of Ramadan.

On the basis of reports on the authority of Mu‘awiyah, Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Abbas the consensus view is that the night of power corresponds to the 27th night of Ramadan. This date has not been pinpointed by Allah and His Messenger perhaps for prompting people to engage in worship on several nights and, thus, gain the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan. They will, thus, not rest content with extra worshipping only on that particular night; rather they will do so on all the nights. As to the question of time zone, the night in each time zone is to be taken into account, not just the night in Makkah.

2. This is generally explained by Qur’anic scholars in the sense that a good deed on that night is better than one performed over one thousand months. This is no doubt a valid interpretation in its own right, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke highly of good _ deeds performed on that night. Bukhari quotes Abu Hurayrah’s report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “One who stands in Prayer in a state of faith and for the sake of winning Allah’s pleasure on the night of power, all of his past sins are forgiven.” Likewise, Ahmad cites ‘Ubadah ibn Samit’s report that the Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked: “The night of power falls on one as of the last ten nights of Ramadan. One who stands in Prayer on that night for earning reward, Allah condones all his sins, past and future ones.” However, the Qur’an does not specify good deeds in the context of this night. Rather, it states in general terms that this night is better than one thousand months. Once again, the above figure is not to be taken literally, as equal to 83 years and 4 months. Arabs idiomatically mention the figure of one thousand for a large number. Therefore, the meaning of the verse is that on the night of power something so momentous happened that does not otherwise take place over long periods of history.

3. In other words the Archangel Gabriel, who is mentioned apart from other angels in view of his exalted status.

4. The angels do not descend of their own. Rather, it is owing to their Lord’s command. As to “all kinds of decrees” these are branded as “wisely determined matters” in Verse 4 of al-Dukhan.

5. Peace and goodness prevail throughout the night of power, which is free from all mischief and evil.