In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Almighty Allah declares in Qur’an 39:1 – 3): “The revelation of this Book is from God, the exalted in power, full of wisdom. Verily, it is We Who have revealed the Book to thee in truth. So serve God, offering Him sincere devotion. Is it not to God that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than God (say): ‘We only serve them in order that They may bring us nearer To God.” Truly God Will judge between them in that wherein they differ. But God guides not Such as are false and ungrateful’.”
Indeed, the last 10 days of Ramadan is the high point of Ramadan fast, devotion, and total submission to the will of Allah, because this is the period when the Holy Qur’an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) during seclusion in Cave Hira, near Makkah. The king of Angels appeared to him during a lonely consecration and asked him to read, recite, and rehearse! This is Qur’an 96:1-5: “Proclaim! (or Read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created—Created man out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood. Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful —He Who taught (the use of) the pen —taught man that which he knew not”.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the unlettered Messenger and seal of Apostles, rushed home after the revelation in fear and in cold from the weight of the heavy Message of the Holy Qur’an. The wife, Khadijah, helped to cover him with clothes to douse the fear and cold. This incident was demonstrated later in Qur’an, Muzzammil, 73:1 – 10: “O thou folded in garments! Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night, —Half of it, — or a little less, or a little more; And recite the Qur’an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty Message. Truly the rising by night Is most potent for governing (The soul), and most suitable for (framing) the word (of prayer and praise).True, there is for thee by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties. But keep in remembrance the name of thy Lord and devote thyself To Him whole-heartedly. (He is) Lord of the East and the West. There is no god but He. Take Him therefore for (thy) Disposer of Affairs. And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity)”.
Truly, the glorious first day of the revelation of the Holy Qur’an to redeem humanity from ignorance, unfaithfulness, and pathway to guidance is called the Night of Power or Honour (Laylatul Qadr). The Holy Qur’an Qadr, 97: 1 – 7 says: “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the spirit by God’s permission, on every errand: Peace! … This until the rise of Morn!”
The Night of Power is a special blessing for the Muslim faithful as any act of worship (‘ibadah) like recitation of the Qur’an. Attending interpretation of the Qur’an (Tafsir), Islamic lectures, glorification of Allah (Dhikr), making Nawafil (KiyamuLayl), payment of compulsory annual poor rate from wealth and property (Zakat), giving gifts (Sadaqah), seeking forgiveness (Istighfar), blessings for Prophet Muhammad (SAW), among other actions done on this night are better than acting for a thousand months (83 years and four months) which do not contain the night of Qadr. Allah’s Messenger (SAW) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time” (Muslim). Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet.
The wife of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet said: “Look for LaylatulQadr on an odd-numbered night during the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari). Also, the Prophet said: “Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Bukhari and Muslim recorded from Abu Huraira).
The Night of Majesty (LaylatulQadr) started the revelation of the Holy Qur’an in bits for 23 years from 610 to 632 A.D. which were revealed in Makkah and Madinah cities in Saudi Arabia as the last of God’s 104 scriptures, to mankind. All previous scriptures of God were sent at once to Prophets, and Holy Qur’an is the last sent through Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to the entire humanity, which remains uncorrupted till eternity. Qur’an 15:9 says: “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message (the Holy Qur’an); and we will assuredly guard it (from corruption)”.
A statistical analysis of the Holy Qur’an reveals that it has 114 chapters, 6,236 verses, 157,935 words, 668,684 letters, while 86 chapters (4,613 verses) were revealed in Makkah and 28 chapters (1,623 verses) were revealed in Madinah. There are 30 Juz (divisions) in the Holy Qur’an for easier recitation of the Holy Book in the 30 days of fasting month of Ramadan. So, a Juz is recited in a day of Ramadan.
We also have the division of the Holy Qur’an into 60 Hizbs (Divisions) for the completion of the recitation of the complete Qur’an in 60 days. And the Holy Qur’an attests to its sanctity as guidance, healing, and mercy to mankind. According to Qur’an 2:2,“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God”. Quran 12:111 says, “There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding. It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it, — a detailed exposition of all things, and a guide and a mercy to any such as believe”.
The features of Meccan surahs differ from Medinan chapters. The Meccan Surahs were first revealed for 10 years from 610 A.D., and the Medinan chapters were revealed after the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to Madinah in June 21, to July 2, 622 A.D. till the death of the Prophet SAW in 632 A.D. The Meccan verses are poetic and short, and place more emphasis on the foundation of the religion, the principles of faith on unification, and the unity and indivisibility of Allah (At-Tawhid); in contrast with the people’s polytheism in the era of ignorance for good morals. The Medinan chapters are in prose form and longer giving emphasis to the obligatory duties of Islam, punishments and worship. They usually start with “O you who believe” as against Meccan Verses starting with “O humankind”. The Jews, Christians, and hypocrites are mentioned in Medinan surahs, while the Meccan chapters relate the stories of past communities that were perished for rejecting their Prophets, so that people may learn.
In the last 10 days of Ramadan, Muslim faithful go into seclusion (I’tikhaf) in mosques for prayers, praises of God, and recitation of the Qur’an till the morning of Eid-l-Fitr (Festival of Fast Breaking). In an authentic Hadith, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?’ He said: ‘Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.’ “(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi).The transliteration of this dua is “Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee”.
May Almighty Allah accept our acts of worship (‘ibadah) in this month of Holy Qur’an, Ramadan. Ameen.
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