In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Surely We revealed it (Quran) on the Night of Qadr – And what\ndo you know about what Night of Qadr is – The Night of Qadr is better than a\nthousand months – The angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of\ntheir Lord every command – It is peace\ntill the break of the morning<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The holy Quran, Chapter 97 (Surah al-Qadr))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A year consists of different hours, days, nights, months, and\nmost importantly different periods. However amidst all these times, certain\nmoments are given a higher value than the rest because of the special attention\nof Allah (SWT) upon them, the effects they have, and the events that occur or\nhave occurred during those times. Of these very important times is the Night of\nQadr. This night is the most important and valuable night of the year. The\nimportance of this night is to such an extent that along with the different\nverses that discuss the Night of Qadr, a whole chapter (Surah) in the holy\nQuran has been named after this night.1<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To further study the importance of this night, we can\nconsider two series of the verses, one of which talk about its magnificence and\nthe others are about its effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The magnificence of this night in the holy Quran is to the\nextent that Allah (SWT) addresses His messenger as \u201cAnd what do you know about\nwhat Night of Qadr is?\u201d2 By referring to the holy Quran, we find that such kind\nof addressing is used only when Allah (SWT) is referring to very important\nissues or when He is reminding people of very great events.3 For example, where\nthe Recurrence day and its magnificence is mentioned and Allah (SWT) has intended\nto inform people and draw their attraction to the huge events of that day, such\nkind of addressing is used. Likewise in this verse of Surah al-Qadr, if Allah\n(SWT) is addressing His best creature and last messenger in this way,\ndefinitely He is implying the great magnificence of this night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In another verse the almighty Allah considers this night to\nhave a higher value than nearly 30,000 ordinary night4. Such comparison of the\nholy Quran is an obvious proof for the high value and great magnificence of\nsuch night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the second series of verses Allah (SWT) mention the\nspecial features of this night. Having such features causes the Night of Qadr\nto have special and unique effects among the other nights of the year. For\nexample this night is called Mubarak5. Mubarak means full of mercy and\nblessing. Applying such a word for the Night of Qadr states that this night has\nthe capacity of abundant blessing to the degree that the revelation of the holy\nQuran has taken place in this night6, 7. Also due to the abundant blessing in\nthis night the gates of forgiveness and mercy of Allah (SWT) is open to people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another effect of it is that in this great night no\npunishment is assigned for the creatures8. For the almighty Allah has named it\na night full of Salam (Peace) till the break of the morning.9<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Considering the greatness and importance of the Night of Qadr\nand contemplating the effects and events of it, one is naturally inclined to\nlearn more about this holy night. In this article we are to briefly study different\naspects of it .Then we will briefly touch on the terminology of Qadr, the\nevents that take place on this night, the exact date, and the ways to truly\nbenefit most from the abundant blessings of this night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Definition of Qadr<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In general, Qadr is defined as measurement. Apparently the\nreason for using the term Qadr in referring to this grand night is mainly for\nthe fate and measure of all affairs that will be decided in this night. In this\nprecious night, the detail of events and affairs such as life and death,\nfortune or misfortune, sustenance and wealth \u2026 is determined for the Man. Also\nthe detail of Natural events such as floods, earthquakes and \u2026 is determined.10\nA verse in the chapter of the holy Quran, al-Dukhan confirms this fact about\nthe Night of Qadr, \u201cTherein11 the detail of every affair which is to happen is\nmade distinct.\u201d12 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing the outstanding mercy and blessings in this Night of\nQadr one may wonder, does this night belong to a certain time; has this night\nbeen a specific night in the past? Or is there the Night of Qadr today and we\nalso can benefit from the high blessings of this night?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is better to search for the answer to these questions in\nthe verses which are talking about this night. The verses in the holy Quran\nconfirm this fact. When discussing the events that take place on the Night of\nQadr, the verbs are used in the continuous form.13 So this night is not limited\nto a certain age, time, or year, rather is repeated at different times. This\nnight along with the different events that take place, such as the descending\nof angels, will be repeated in the present age. But if we focus more deeply on\nthe verses of the holy Quran, we will discover more details on how this night\nis repeated continuously in the different ages. One of the clear points that\ncan be seen in the verses is that the Night of Qadr is in the sacred month of\nRamadan (this point will be discussed further in the next sections). Just as the month of Ramadan is reoccurring\neach year, the Night of Qadr is also repeated each year. Therefore, depending upon the level of\nattention we give to understanding the significance of this night, we too can\nbenefit from the great value and blessings of this night today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The events that take place on Night of Qadr<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As previously stated, by referring to the verses of the holy\nQuran, we understand that all affairs destined to happen in the universe and\nalso to each person and other creatures in the following year, are made clear\nin this night. Moreover the angels will descend these destined affairs in the\nform of divine command.14 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By referring to the verses which have talked about the\ndescent of the angles, we can divide the descent of the angles according to\ntheir purpose into two groups. One type is when the angels would descend to\nexecute the orders of Allah (SWT). \nExamples of this method can be seen in the descending of angels for the\ntask of helping the believers in Badr, Hunain and other stages 15, taking the life\nof people16, or the descending of angels to execute a punishment from Allah\n(SWT), like the punishment on the people of Prophet Lut (PBUH) 17\n\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second type of descending is mainly to present the sacred\naffairs and communicate the message of Allah (SWT). It is clear that each\nmessage requires a receiver or an audience. Therefore in this manner of\ndescending the angles deal with both Allah (SWT) as the sender and a recipient.\nIn other words the angles should receive the messages from Allah (SWT) and then\npresent it or descent it to a creature of Him. An example of this method of\ndescending can be seen in the descending of Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP). Angel Gabriel descended upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) for\ntwenty three years to continuously give the messages of Allah (SWT).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now we have to see, which method of descending do the angels\nhave on the Night of Qadr. In the verse 4 of Surah al-Qadr Allah (SWT) has\ntalked about the descent of the angles and divine commands. In fact in this\nverse, we should see what the responsibility of the angles about these commands\nis. Are they to perform such commands? Or are they to descent them and inform\nthese commands as messages? When Allah (SWT) says that the angels will descend\nin it by the permission of their Lord, every command, then it is clear that\nthis manner of descending is like the second type: to communicate a message. 18 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The descent of the angles toward which destination?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it was discussed the descent of the angles in the Night of\nQadr is for delivering messages. In this type of descending, the angels act as\nmessengers from Allah (SWT) to bring a message for a receiver. Therefore there\nhas to be a recipient for the angels to descend upon and give the commands.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Considering the descending of the angels and the message they\ncarry, and supposing that the descent of angles is not vein, one can conclude\nthat the descending of the angels can not be upon every creation of Allah\n(SWT). Rather it should be upon a person who has the ability of receiving such\nextensive and important information. Not only different inanimate objects,\nplants, the animals, and even holy places are incapable of receiving such an\nimportant message, but also normal human beings do not have the capacity of\nreceiving such an important message, including the distinction of affairs for\nall the humans. The distinction of the yearly affairs of only a single man is\nextensive amount of information. Now let us refer to the verse of the holy\nQuran which implies that in that very night the angels reveal the distinction\nof all affairs, namely not only the distinction of the yearly affairs of you\nand I, but all the human beings on this planet. Therefore we simply find that\nan ordinary man can never receive such amount of information in just one night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, the angels reveal the executive commands\nof Allah (SWT). In order for this act of angels to be considered useful, their\ndescent needs to be followed by a result. In another words, the person who the\nangles descend upon should have a responsibility and role in the process of\naccomplishment of these commands. Now by a careful glance at ourselves and the\npeople around us, we would find that not only we are not in the position to\nreceive divine messages from the angles, but also we don\u2019t have any role in relation\nwith the distinctions of people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now that we realize an ordinary human being cannot be the\nreceiver of the decrees brought by angels, we can therefore expect that certain\nchosen people exist for this task. These chosen people must be far from any\nimpurities or defects of any normal human being, and they must have the\ncapacity of receiving and executing divine messages. In other words they must\nbe Allah\u2019s (SWT) representative on the earth. This is the status which the holy\nQuran refers to when talking about the representatives of Allah (SWT)19. The\nrepresentative of Allah (SWT) is one who represents Allah (SWT) and with His\npermission does divine acts, like Prophet Jesus (PBUH) who was able to bring\nthe dead back to life20. The caliph of\nAllah on the earth is responsible for executing specific command and effects,\nin other words he is the connection between the heavens and the earth. It is\nobvious that the Caliph of Allah (SWT) being His representative on the earth\nand in connection with Him should be able to receive and execute divine messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who are these people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Muslims all agree on the fact that in the age of the Prophet\nthe only person whom the angels would descend upon for bringing the sacred\nmessages was the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)21. During his lifetime, no one\nelse would receive these messages. However, just as discussed above, the\ndescending of the angels on the Night of Qadr and bringing the divine commands\nis a progressive act that is repeated each year. Therefore it did not end after\nthe demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP). And the angels continue to bring\nthe distinction of people to the a person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is obvious that such a person should be the one who like\nthe Prophet is appointed to by Allah to be responsible for divine affair like\nthe descent of the angles upon him. Also he should be given the special\nabilities and capabilities by Allah (SWT). Naturally such a person is the\ncontinuer of the path of the Prophet and is responsible for the acts which he\nwas responsible for and should be continued after him. To be more clear he is the successor of the\nprophet and besides the representative of Allah on the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Historical sources have shown that after the demise of\nProphet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), no one except a few have claimed that the\nangels descend unto him on the Night of Qadr. If they had done such, their\nclaim could be easily defeated by asking the people of his era a few simple\nquestions about the future and its specifics. \nHowever there were a few who claimed that angels would descend upon\nthem, and they would defend their claim through legitimate proof. They, like\nthe Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) had such a vast knowledge about the\nincidents of the world that the people of their era would easily realize that\nthey were the most knowledgeable Man in\ntheir era. The biographies of these certain people confirm this claim and open\na whole new subject that will need to be discussed in other articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let it not be unsaid that these people are none other but the\none who the Shiites believe in their Imamah, the successors of Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP), the representative of Allah (SWT): Ali and the eleven infallible\nImam from his progeny (PBUT). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the above argument, one can deduce that there must be a\nleader chosen by Allah (SWT), a representative of Allah at all times so the\nangels can descend upon on the Night of Qadr for bringing the destinies. Based\non this reasoning the Shiite Muslims believe that after the demise of Prophet\nMuhammad (PBUH&HP), the angels would descend upon the representatives of\nAllah (SWT) and true successors of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) on the Night\nof Qadr. And in our present age, each year the angels descend upon the living\nImam of the time, Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his appearance) to bring the\ndestined affairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When is the Night of Qadr exactly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through verses of the holy Quran and the Prophetic narrations\nwe can deduce that the Night of Qadr is in the holy month of Ramadan. In one verse, Allah (SWT) confirms that the\nQuran was revealed in the month of Ramadan, 22 And in another chapter, it is\nmade clear that the Quran was descended on the Night of Qadr, \u201cWe have indeed\nrevealed this (Quran) in the Night of Qadr.\u201d 23 Since in the first verse it was\nmade clear that the Quran descended in the month of Ramadan, and in the second\nverse it was said that the Quran was revealed in the Night of Qadr, then we can\nconclude that the Night of Qadr is in the month of Ramadan. In addition to the\nverses of the holy Quran, narrations from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and\nfrom the Ahl al-Bait (the Imams) also confirm that the Night of Qadr is in the\nmonth of Ramadan. The Quran does not\nreveal the exact Night of Qadr, but the traditions give more detail as to which\nnights have a higher possibility to be the Night of Qadr. In these narrations,\nthe infallibles have suggested that there is a strong possibility that the\nNight of Qadr may be on the 19th, 21st, or 23rd of Ramadan. However the 23rd of\nRamadan has been given the strongest possibility for being the Night of Qadr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is recommended to do on this night?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the previous sections we referred to the verse that\nconsiders the value of the Night of Qadr to be better than a thousand months24.\nThe Infallible Imams (PBUT) see the reason for the excellence of this night in the\nfact that any good deed or worship done in this night has more value than if\none were to accomplish these good acts in a thousand months25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we think to ourselves in just a few moments we would get\nthat out of the 365 nights of the year only one has the value of 1000 months\nand has such extraordinary features. Therefore with a little thinking we would\nfind that we should make the most benefit from this great opportunity. This is\nthe reason that every wise man would\nstrive to do his best in understanding this night and performing good deeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On these possible nights of Qadr, it is best to act upon the\nrecommended acts and pay attention to the worships we are advised by the\nInfallible Imams (PBUT). Of the recommended acts in this night is best to stay\nup till dawn and think about the issues which help us keep closer to Allah\n(SWT). For example it is proper to sit aside and investigate our acts in the\npast year. Where were we last year and where we are today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By thinking about these issues we can get prepared for\nbenefiting better from this night. We may ask Allah (SWT) a better distinction\nin this year. We may ask Him to help us follow the path which He is satisfied\nwith. We may ask Him to forgive us in this night which He has promised us the\nforgiveness for the incorrect acts we have committed. We may decide in this\nnight to obey Allah (SWT) more than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remembering Allah (SWT) in our heart, helping the poor, and\npraying for others is of the other recommended acts of this night.26<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this way every wise man can benefit from the blessings of\nthis night due to his attention to this opportunity. We pray for all to take\nthe best advantage from this valuable night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful Surely We revealed it (Quran) on the Night of Qadr – And what do you know about what Night of Qadr is – The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months – The angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28276,28246],"tags":[17953,17745,17978,17977,17976,17943,17975],"class_list":["post-3846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-beliefs","tag-articles","tag-beliefs","tag-lord","tag-morning","tag-night","tag-quran","tag-the-night-of-qadr"],"yoast_head":"\n