Al-Qadr
سُورَةُ القَدۡرِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
About Surah Al-Qadr
Meccan · 5 verses
Main Themes
Laylat al-Qadr, the descent of angels, peace until dawn, the Night of Power
Significance
Al-Qadr is one of the shortest and most spiritually significant surahs in the Quran, describing the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) in which the Quran was first revealed. The surah declares this night "better than a thousand months" — approximately 83 years of worship — making it the most valuable spiritual opportunity in the Islamic calendar. Scholars explain that the night's value comes from the presence of the angels and Jibril and the descent of divine peace.
Key Verse Explained
Ayah 4 ("The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter") refers to the angels descending with the divine decrees for the coming year — provisions, lifespans, events. Classical scholars debate whether this annual decree is absolute or modifiable by supplication, but the majority position holds that du'a is itself part of the decree, making Laylat al-Qadr the most important night for abundant supplication.
Related Practices
Seeking Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan — particularly the odd nights — is one of the most practiced Sunnahs of Ramadan, based on authentic hadith. The dua taught by the Prophet ﷺ for this night — "Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa fa'fu 'anni" (O Allah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me) — is one of the most memorised du'as in Islam and is recited intensively during Ramadan's final nights.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ 1
Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ 2
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ 3
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ 4
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ 5
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.