The Night of Power/Majesty/Destiny/Decree/Predestination, or anything else you can think of in the limited English vocabulary to attempt the translation of this very, very special night.

This night marks the anniversary of, not only the first revelation (in the Qur’an) to the Prophet Mohammad(sawas), but also the completion of the Final Message of Islam:

[97:1]  Verily! We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree)

[97:2]  And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

[97:3]  The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, (i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

[97:4]  Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah\’s Permission with all Decrees,

[97:5]  Peace! (All that night, there is Peace and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.

To keep things impartial, let us observe a hadith in regards to this majestic evening by an Imam that has served as the scholar of all our teachers:

On the night of Qadr , the fate of every believer for the coming year is also determined. It is reported from Imam Ja’ffar ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq (AS): “During Laylatul-Qadr, the angels, the spirit and the trusted scribes, all descend to the lower heavens and write down whatever God decrees for that year. And if God wishes to advance something, or postpone it, or add thereto, He (SWT) orders the angel to erase it and replace it with whatever He decrees”. (Tafseer-e-Namoona)

Salaam ou alaykum.