سورة القدر

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [better than a thousand months] — that is, Fatimah (peace be upon her).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Humran says: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the saying of Allah the Blessed and Exalted — what did Allah mean in the verse: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months]? He said: "Performing a righteous and fitting deed such as prayer, zakat and other good works on the Night of Decree is better than performing these same deeds during a thousand other months that do not contain the Night of Decree; and if Allah the Exalted did not multiply the reward of the believers, they would never reach it, but Allah multiplies the reward of their good deeds several times over."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibn Abi Umayr has narrated: They asked him: "How is the Night of Decree better than a thousand nights?" He said: "On this night (the Night of Decree), performing a good deed on that night is equal to performing the deed during a thousand months."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): He said to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): "Do you know why that one night is better than a thousand months?" He said: "No." He said: "Because on that night the angels and the 'Ruh' (Spirit) descend, by the permission of their Lord, for [decreeing] every affair. And when Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, gives permission for something, He has approved it."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): The reason for the superiority of night over day is that during it there is rest (bayat), the punishment is lifted, sins are fewer, and among the nights is Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree), which is better than a thousand months.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sama'ah said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to me: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months]. So I said to him: "How is the Night of Decree better than a thousand nights?" He said: "On this night (the Night of Decree), performing a good deed is equal to the deeds of a thousand months, and in the other months there is no such night."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Mufaddal said: In the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), the blessed verse إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ [Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Decree] was mentioned. He said: "How manifest is its superiority over the other surahs!" He said: I submitted: "What is its superiority?" He said: "On that night the wilayah (guardianship) of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was revealed." I said: "On the Night of Decree that we hope for in the month of Ramadan?" He said: "Yes! A night in which the heavens and the earth were measured out, and the wilayah of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was decreed and appointed."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): When the month of Ramadan arrives, strive to the utmost of your ability [perform the obligatory and recommended acts, and avoid the disliked and forbidden acts]... In this month, there is a night in which performing a good deed is equal to the deeds of a thousand months.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): O people! A month has cast its shadow upon you in which there is a night better than a thousand months, and that is the month of Ramadan.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): O people! Indeed, this month has arrived and Allah has singled it out for you; a month which is the master of months; a night in it is better than a thousand months.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): He gave superiority to [worship and servitude in] one night (the nineteenth, twenty-first or twenty-third night) of its nights over [worship in] the nights of a thousand months [because in it are blessings, benefits, goodness, and religious and worldly benefits], and He named it Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree) [the night in which Allah the Exalted decrees the appointed times, provisions, and every matter that comes to pass].

Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance): [The supplication of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) on every night of the last ten days of the blessed month of Ramadan]: O Allah!... and thus You magnified the sanctity of the month of Ramadan by sending down the Quran in it, and You singled out this month and magnified it by placing Laylat al-Qadr in it, and You said: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months]... .

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Among the Children of Israel there was a man called Ibn Nanin who had a thousand sons. An enemy rose to fight them, and they fought him for a thousand months, each son fighting for one month, until they were all killed. Their father throughout all this time was engaged in prayer, and did not turn to his right or left. Then he himself went out to fight, and was finally killed. When the Muslims heard this story, they longed for his rank and station. So Allah revealed this verse: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months], meaning the Night of Decree is better than the thousand months of that Israelite man.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): It was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) that a man from the Children of Israel carried his weapon on his shoulder in the way of Allah for a thousand months [and waged jihad]. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) marvelled greatly at this and wished that among his ummah there would also be such people, and he submitted [before Allah]: "O Lord! You have made the lifespan of my ummah the shortest of people, and [consequently] their good deeds the fewest"! So Allah bestowed the Night of Qadr upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]; the Night of Qadr, in every month of Ramadan, for you and your ummah after you until the Day of Resurrection, is better than the thousand months in which that Israelite man carried his weapon on his shoulder in the way of Allah."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [better than a thousand months]; which is the rule of Banu Umayya [in it]. A single night of [the imamate of] a just Imam is better than a thousand months of the rule of Banu Umayya.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): Allah has brought in His Qur'an: وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْیَا الَّتی أَرَیْناکَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِی الْقُرْآنِ وَ نُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَما یَزیدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْیاناً کَبیراً [And We did not make the vision which We showed you except as a trial for the people, and [likewise] the accursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur'an. And We threaten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression] (al-Isra/60), and what is meant by the accursed tree is Banu Umayya. He has also sent down this verse: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]. So I bear witness for you and against you that after the killing of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) the duration of your caliphate — as the All-Knowing Allah has determined in the glorious Qur'an — will not be more than a thousand months.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): Indeed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) saw in a dream that Banu Umayya, one after another, were mounting his pulpit and delivering sermons. This matter caused him distress, and at that time Allah revealed this noble verse: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ * وَ ما أَدْراکَ ما لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ * لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]. What is meant by a thousand months is the duration of the caliphate and rule of Banu Umayya. We calculated this period, and their caliphate was exactly a thousand months.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): These verses were revealed: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ * وَ ما أَدْراکَ ما لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ * لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]; in which Banu Umayya will rule, O Muhammad! Qasim said: We counted the days of their rule, and it was, without any more or less, a thousand months.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): لَیْلَةُ القَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ الْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months] — those are months in which Banu Umayyah reign, and in them there is no Night of Qadr.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) saw in a dream that Banu Umayyah, one after another, were delivering sermons [from his pulpit]. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was grieved by this dream, so Jibra'il came to him and brought the Surah: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ [Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): There was revealed [the verse] which says: "Tell Me, if We give them enjoyment [of this life] for years, then there comes to them what they were promised, that in which they were given enjoyment will not avail them" (Shu'ara/205-207). Then the Surah إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ [Indeed We sent it down] was revealed. The meaning of the revelation of this Surah is that Allah made the Night of Qadr for His Prophet better than the thousand months in which Banu Umayyah reigned.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) saw in a dream that monkeys were climbing up and coming down from his pulpit. He was distressed and saddened by seeing this dream, and after this incident he was never seen laughing until he passed away.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) says in a hadith: ... The great Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: When the number of the sons of the lizard reaches thirty men, they will seize the wealth of Allah among themselves [as their own], take the servants of Allah as bought slaves, and corrupt and nullify the Book of Allah. When their number reaches three hundred and ten, the curse of the Truth will be upon them and for them. When their number reaches four hundred and seventy-five, their destruction will be swifter than the chewing of a date. After this, Hakam ibn Abi al-'As came forward and intended to speak about this, but the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Lower your voices, for the lizard is listening." When the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) saw in a dream that Banu Umayyah would become masters of the affair of this Ummah after him, he was extremely distressed, and the Wise Allah revealed this verse: لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months] — meaning that [attaining] the Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months [during which the caliphs of Banu Umayyah ruled]. I bear witness for you and against you that after the killing of Ali (peace be upon him), the duration of your rule — just as the All-Knowing Allah has determined in the glorious Qur'an — will not exceed a thousand months.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Jibril descended upon the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) while he was sorrowful and dejected. He said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why is it that I find you dejected and sorrowful?" He said: "Last night I had a dream." He said: "What did you see?" He said: "I saw the Banu Umayyah climbing up my pulpit and coming down from it!" He said: "By the One who sent you in truth as a Prophet, I know nothing of this." Then he ascended to the heaven, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic sent him back down with verses to comfort the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) with them: ... إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ* وَ ما أَدْراکَ ما لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ* لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [Indeed We sent it down in the Night of Qadr. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]. Allah sent down these verses for that group, and made the Night of Qadr for His Prophet better than a thousand months.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his forefathers from Imam Ali (peace be upon him): A light sleep overtook the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) while he was upon his pulpit, and in his sleep he saw a group of people leaping onto his pulpit like monkeys and turning the people back on their heels in retreat. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) awoke and sat up, and grief was visible on his face. Then Jibril [or Jibra'il, which, it has been said, means "abd Allah" — "the servant of Allah"] brought this verse to that noble one: إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ * وَ مَا أَدْرَاکَ مَا لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ * لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Qadr. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months] — "We sent down the Quran on the Night of Qadr [all at once to the Preserved Tablet, or to the Noble Prophet himself before his prophetic mission, after which Jibril brought it to the Prophet gradually, little by little, over the course of twenty-three years]. And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months — in which the Bani Umayyah will rule, and in it there is no Night of Qadr." … Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "So Allah the Mighty and Majestic informed His Prophet (peace be upon him) that the Bani Umayyah would seize the sovereignty and mastery of this ummah for this period [a thousand months], and if the mountains were to contend with them in height they would rise above the mountains [meaning: whoever confronted them during this period would be defeated and destroyed], until Allah the Exalted willed the passing away and destruction of their rule. And the Bani Umayyah, throughout the period of their rule, made enmity and hatred for us the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) their emblem and their way."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) saw in a dream that after him the Banu Umayya would climb up onto his pulpit and lead the people astray, turning them backwards. He rose in the morning grieved and sorrowful. Jibra'il descended and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Why do I see you grieved and sorrowful?" He said: "O Jibra'il! Tonight I saw in a dream that the Banu Umayya after me climb up onto my pulpit and lead the people astray, drawing them back from the path." He said: "By the One who sent you truly as a Prophet, this is something I had no knowledge of." He ascended to heaven, and it was not long before he came down with several verses of the Qur'an by which he consoled the Prophet. He said... إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِی لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَ ما أَدْراکَ ما لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Qadr; and what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months]; Allah gave the Night of Qadr to His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), which is better than a thousand months of the kingship of the Banu Umayya.