قَدْرِ

22:75; 39:68.

36:16; 67:10.

Commentary:

In this verse, the Quran gives the reason why there are differences in religion. Differences spring from ignorance, from a lack of true estimation or true understanding, as indicated by the words, they do not make a just estimate of Allah. Indeed, those who say that Allah has not revealed anything to any man make a very poor estimate of His attributes. To hold such a view about God is highly derogatory to His glory and most inconsistent with His attributes.

As regards religious beliefs, there were two classes of men in the days of the Holy Prophet. Firstly, there were those who denied revelation in toto. According to them, there had never been any revelation in any age. Secondly, there were those who believed that there had been revelation in the past, but that God had sent no revelation in their own age. To the first-mentioned class belonged the مشرکون (Idolaters), i.e. those who ascribed co-partners to God and worshipped idols. To the second class belonged the People of the Book. As the words, Allah has not revealed anything to any man, may mean: (1) that God has never revealed anything to any man; or (2) that He has not revealed anything to any man in the present age, so they may be ascribed to both idol-worshippers and the People of the Book. In the foregoing verses only the former were addressed, but now the latter have also been included in the address.

As regards the People of the Book, the Quran specifically states: Say, Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for the people, though you treat it as scraps of paper which you show while you conceal much, i.e. you have split up the Book of Moses into parts, disclosing one part and concealing the other which contains prophecies and signs of the advent of the Holy Prophet. You deny the Quranic revelation, but your own Book contains evidence of its truth which you suppress.

The above reply, however, could not satisfy the idol-worshippers who did not believe in the Book of Moses or, for that matter, in any revealed Book. The Quran, therefore, gives them a rational answer. It says, And you have been taught that which neither you nor your fathers knew. This is an argument which is meant to prove the Divine origin of the Quran rationally and is meant not merely for the People of the Book but also for idol-worshippers. The argument may be put thus: "If this Book (the Quran) has not been revealed by God, then who embodied in it such wise and comprehensive teachings as were known neither to you nor to your forefathers—teachings which it was beyond your power to produce ? Such teachings could not proceed from a man. Only God could give such teachings."

The last words of the verse, i.e. leave them to amuse themselves with their vain discourse, do not mean that you should abandon preaching to disbelievers. The meaning is, "Tell them and make clear to them that the Quran is the Word of God, for it is superhuman and full of wisdom; but if they still persist in ridiculing it, then leave them alone while they thus amuse themselves." This injunction is similar to the one given in 6:69 above.

6:92; 39:68.

Commentary:

The fact that idolaters degrade themselves so low as to worship idols shows that they have a very poor conception of the powers and attributes of God the Almighty, the Great Creator. In fact all polytheistic beliefs and idolatrous ideas spring from this poor conception of God’s powers and attributes being limited and defective like those of man. The essential characteristics of a Being Who demands and is entitled to our worship are (a) that He should be قوی i.e. He should have the power to create; and (b) that He should be عزیز i.e. He should have complete control over the whole creation. Both these attributes the idols of the polytheists utterly lack.

44:4.

Important Words:

القدر (Destiny) is derived from قدر (qadara). They say قدر الشیء i.e. he measured or decreed the things; he thought upon the thing or affair and considered its issue, or result and compared one part of it with another; he estimated, honoured or magnified the thing. قدرت علی الشیء means, I had power or ability to do the thing. قدر means, measure, limit or number; value, worth, greatness; dignity, majesty; power; decree or destiny, ordinance (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Generally لیل and لیلة mean the same thing, i.e. night, but according to the famous lexicographer, Marzuqi, لیل is used as opposed to نھار and لیلة as opposed to یوم. لیلة like علامة and نسابة is expressive of exaggeration, and possesses a wider and more extensive meaning than لیل as یوم which is its opposite has a wider sense than نھار which is opposite of لیل. The word لیلة has been used as many as eight times in the Quran (2:52; 2:188; 44:4; twice in 7:143 & three times in the verse under comment), and everywhere it has been used in connection with the revelation of the Quran and other kindred subjects. It thus points to the dignity, majesty and greatness of those nights in which the Quran was revealed. In view of different meanings of قدر given under Important Words and of the significance of the word لیلة the present verse may be interpreted as follows:

1. We have revealed the Quran in the night which We had specifically set apart for the manifestation of Our special powers, i.e. We have revealed the Quran at a time about which prophecies were to be found in previous Scriptures.

2. We have revealed it in a night which is equal in worth to all the other nights put together, i.e. this one night is equal in worth to the life of the whole of humanity.

3. We have revealed it in a night of dignity, majesty and honour, i.e. the Quranic teaching is too dignified to be successfully assailed.

4. We have revealed it in the night of sufficiency, i.e. the Quran fully meets all moral and spiritual human needs and requirements so as to render man independent of all other scriptures.

5. We have revealed it in the Night of Decree or Destiny, i.e. the Quran was revealed at a time when man’s destiny was decreed, the future pattern of the universe was settled, and right principles of guidance for humanity were laid down for all time to come. The time of the appearance of a great Divine Reformer is also called لیلة القدر because at that time sin and vice hold widespread sway and the powers of darkness reign supreme. It has also been taken to mean the particular night among the odd nights in the last ten days of Ramadan when the Quran first began to be revealed. Or it may signify the whole period of 23 years of the Holy Prophet’s ministry when the Quran gradually was being revealed.

6:92; 22:75.

21:105.

Commentary:

The word یمین signifying power and strength, the verse refers to the great power and majesty of God and purports to say that nothing is more derogatory to His great attributes than that idols, made of wood and stone, or weak human beings, should be worshipped.

Commentary:

The verse means that the blessings of the Night of Destiny are beyond count or calculation.

Commentary:

ألف (a thousand) being the highest number of count in Arabic signifies a number beyond count, and the verse means, that the Night of Destiny is better than countless number of months, i.e. the period of the Holy Prophet is infinitely better and superior to all other periods put together. Or the verse may signify that the sacrifices which the Muslims were required to make at Mecca in the night of their distress and agony which had taken out of their lives all light and happiness, were infinitely greater than those sacrifices which they made afterwards.

The word شھر also means a learned man. The verse in this sense may signify that the mysteries of spiritual sciences and heavenly knowledge which will be revealed in the Book which is being revealed in the Night of Decree are greater in quantity and superior in quality than the knowledge produced by the concerted and combined efforts of all learned men.

The verse, however, embodies an allusion to the appearance of Divine Reformers among the Muslims when they would stand in need of them. One thousand months roughly make one century and the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that God would continue to raise from among his followers, at the head of every century, a Reformer who would regenerate Islam and give it new life and new vigour (Majah). Thus لیلة القدر (Night of Destiny) may signify the period of each one of these Divine Reformers.