The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 519
PT. 30 AL-QADR CH. 97 3. And what should make thee know what the Night of Destiny is?4794 وَمَا أَدْرِيكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِة لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ 4. The Night of Destiny is better dálí than a thousand months. 4795 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 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. 4794. Commentary: The verse means that the blessings of the Night of Destiny are beyond count or calculation. 4795. Commentary: (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 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 (Mājah). Thus a (Night of Destiny) may signify the period of each one of these Divine Reformers. 3415