Verse [ 5] سَلَامٌ (Peace it is till the rising of dawn.) The word Salam [ peace ] stands for a complete sentence meaning 'it is all peace, equanimity and complete goodness, having no evil in it.' [ Qurtubi ]. Some scholars treat the word Salamun as a sentence qualifying مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ min kulli amrin, meaning 'the angels come with every such matter which is good and peace'. [ Mazhari ].

هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ‌ The concluding expression of the verse means the blessings of the Night of Qadr are not restricted to any particular part of the night. They start descending at the fall of night and continue till the break of dawn.

Special Note

According to the verse 'The Night of Power is better than a thousand months' which equals eighty-three years and four months. Obviously, each year will contain a laylatul Qadr which will be better than a thousand months. As a result, the Night of Qadr will recur ad infinitum, that is, repeat or continue without an end. For this reason, some of the commentators say the expression 'more than a thousand months' does not include nights of Qadr. Thus this should not pose any problem. [ Ibn Kathir on the authority of Mujahid ].

On account of geographical positions, the time will vary from place to place. As a result, the Night of Qadr will not occur in all the regions of the world simultaneously. This is not a problem because people of each location should calculate and consecrate the night and receive its blessings according to their geographical position. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best.

Ruling

If anyone performs the ` Isha' and Fajr salahs in congregation, he will receive the blessings and reward of the Night of Qadr. The more one performs acts of worship in this night, the more he shall receive its blessings. It is recorded in Sahih of Muslim that Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "If a person performs his ` Isha' salah in congregation, he will attain the blessings of spending half the night in devotion; and if he performs Fajr salah in congregation, he will attain the blessings of spending the entire night in devotion."

Al-Hamdulillah

The Commentary on

Surah Al-Qadr

Ends here