إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 97:1
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 97:1] Qadr is power, honour, glory, grandeur. Refer to the commentary of Dukhan: 3 to 6 and references mentioned therein to have a clear understanding about the doctrine of determinism propagated by a large number of Muslim schools of thought; and also the true, rational and Islamic article of faith based on divine adl (justice) presented by the Ahl ul Bayt that man has been given a free wil1 to do good or do evil on the basis of which or as a consequence of which he will be examined on the day of judgement. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 2 on page 20; and 5 on page 24; and 21 on page 55. Laylatil Qadr means the night of power or grandeur. As verses 2 and 3 suggest it is, in the spiritual sense, a secret kept hidden, and it transcends time because in it Allah's power dispels the darkness of ignorance through His revelation. Jalal al Din al Suyuti, in Durr al Manthur, says that laylatil qadr stands for the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: The night of qadr is in the month of Ramadan. See Baqarah: 185 and Dukhan: 1 to 3 wherein it is stated that the whole Quran was revealed in this night. The descension of the angels and the spirit is a regular occurrence since the creation of Allah till the day of resurrection, and the place of descent is a thoroughly purified heart (Ahzab: 33). Therefore there should be such a purified heart in existence at all times. Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "Present this surah as a decisive argument for the continuity of the divine vicegerency on the earth." The 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night of Ramadan is the night of qadr. The whole Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet in this night but he used to recite or convey to the people only such passages or verses as he was commanded by Allah through Jibrail. It is known as gradual revelation. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 2 and Aqa Puya's essay "The Genuineness of the Holy Quran". Verse 2 suggests that the spiritual nature of this night and its value is known to Allah only. Quoting Sajdah: 4, 5 and Ma-arij: 4, Abdullah Yusuf Ali says that "a thousand months" refers to "timeless time". One moment of enlightenment under Allah's light is better than thousands of months or years of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory. The Imams of Ahl ul Bayt have asked their followers to pray to Allah and invoke His forgiveness and blessings during the night of Qadr. It is said that angels and holy spirits descend on the earth with peace and special blessings from Allah for those who seek Allah's mercy and bounties through prayers and supplications during this night. In the month of Ramadan the believers fast, pray and do good, therefore Allah sends down His forgiveness, mercy and blessings on those believers who obey His commands, and the boon of blessings and bounties promised to the sincere devotees of Allah continues until the rising of the dawn. When the spiritual darkness is dispelled by the light from Allah, a sense of security and peace dawns on the soul.