It is well known to the Muslims that the whole Quran was placed into prophet Muhammad’s soul in the special night known as a Night of the Power (laylat al-qadr) in 13 B.H (609 A.D.) when he, the soul not the body was taken to the highest Heaven. Subsequently, the angel Gabriel helped the prophet release a few verses of the Quran at a time, from his soul to his memory over the time period of 23 years to recite it to the people (2:97, 17:106):
[2:97] Say (Muhammad), “Whoever has been an enemy to Gabriel then indeed, he has brought it (Quran) down into your heart by permission of God, confirming that what was of its before, and a guidance and good news for the believers.”
[17:106] And the Quran we have divided it that you (Muhammad) can read it to the people over a period of time, and we have sent it down gradually.
There had been some confusion around the Muslim arena for long about the blessed night but God has blessed us with the knowledge to confirm it on the night of 27th Ramadan from the very sura that has described the significance and the process of revealing the Quran. There is a 2-fold confirmation from the occurrences of the phrase “laylat al-qadr” (the night of destiny) in the sura and the gematrical values of the Arabic letters that spell out the phrase. This confirmation would help us eliminate any misconceptions or rituals around the night introduced by traditions. Let us confirm the process of revealing the Quran from the relevant verses of Quran as God has taught us that Quran has answers of all our questions and concern (75:18-19) being complete (6:115), perfect (11:1, 18:2) and fully detailed (6:114, 7:52, 10:37):
[75:18] Once we recite it, you (Muhammad) shall follow such a Quran.
[75:19] Then it is we who will explain it.
[6:115] The word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
[11:1] Alif.Laam.Raa. A scripture has been perfected its verses, then has been explained in detail by the One who is Most Wise, Cognizant.
[18:2] A perfect (scripture) to warn of severe retribution from Him, and to deliver good news to the believers who lead a righteous life, that they have earned a generous recompense.
[6:114] Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt.
[7:52] And certainly, we had provided them with a scripture we have explained with knowledge as guidance and mercy for a people who believe.
[10:37] And it has not been this – the Quran that it could be produced by other than God, but it is a confirmation of that which was of its before and a detailed explanation of the scripture, there is no doubt in it, is from Lord of the worlds.
Inspiration of the whole Quran into prophet’s soul in a Night of the Power
The journey of the prophet to the highest horizon to receive the whole Quran and the process of inspiring Quran are still not clear to many of us that can be confirmed from the following the suras covering its different aspects.
Sura Al Najm (The Star): Revelation Order 23 (Sura # 53)
God has confirmed us about where the prophet was taken to, what was given to him and what he saw there in the following verses of the Quran (4-18). It was a divine inspiration by the Most Powerful who revealed what was to be revealed to him. The prophet was as close to God so He had made it. The whole environment was awesome at the ultimate point, located near the eternal Paradise where he saw great signs of God.
[53:4] It is not but an inspiration what is inspired.
[53:5] He has taught him (Muhammad) having might of the power.
[53:6] Possessor of all authority that He has established (Himself).
[53:7] And He is in the highest horizon.
[53:8] Then He had approached that He came down.
[53:9] Thus, He had been at a closer distance or was nearer.
[53:10] Then He inspired to His servant what He had inspired.
[53:11] The heart (soul) did not wrong what it had seen.
[53:12] Will you then debate with him on what he had seen?
[53:13] While certainly, he saw him in another descent (of God).
[53:14] Near a Tree of the utmost boundary (sid’rat al-muntahaa).
[53:15] Near it is a Garden of the Eternal Abode (jannatu al-mawaa).
[53:16] When the Tree is covering what it covers.
[53:17] The vision has not swerved, nor has it gone blind.
[53:18] Certainly, he saw the great of his Lord’s signs.
It is also noteworthy that the following verses at the beginning of this sura are often illogically associated with the process of revealing the whole Quran while these verses clearly talk about the prophet who was neither astray nor was he misled nor does he speak out of his personal desire. In fact, it was an assurance from God for the contemporary people so that they can believe him and accept the message sent down to him as the very first verse is an oath of God referring to the shooting star being a visual fact for all generations of people though it is occasional like the dawn, night etc. The climbing of souls to the highest level accompanied by angels is not an unusual event as it occurs every moment when our life is terminated on earth by the angel of death and we say, “We belong to God and to Him we are returning” (2:156) when someone dies.
[53:1] By the star when it has gone down.
[53:2] Your friend (Muhammad) has not gone astray nor has he erred.
[53:3] Nor does he speak out of desire.
Sura Al-Qadr (The Power): Revelation Order 25 (Sura # 97)
God has described the awesomeness of the night including the completion of process of revealing Quran within the night. Thus, He has made the night better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend with all commands to complete the process before the dawn. However, the journey was mediated by the angels traveling at the speed of million times faster than the speed of light to complete the event in one night according to God’s leave.
[97:1] Indeed, we have revealed it (the Quran) in a Night of the Power.
[97:2] And what has made you know what a Night of the Power is?
[97:3] A Night of the Power is better than a thousand-month.
[97:4] Descend the angels and the Spirit therein, by their Lord’s leave, with every command.
[97:5] Peace it is until advent of the dawn.
Note: The whole sura depicts the process of revealing the whole Quran indicating the significance of the night. However, we are confused about the event to be a recurrent one for long because of the use of present tense in the subsequent statements followed by the perfect tense in the first statement as well as the misinterpretation of the statement in the verse (97:4). The completion of the process before the dawn indicates that the event took place between the night prayer and the dawn prayer so that the prophet did not miss any prayer, and we may also reflect on the importance of the Contact Prayer to establish it in a timely manner for developing anyone’s soul.
Bani Israel (Children of Israel): Revelation Order 50 (Sura # 17)
The verse below confirms that the prophet was taken to the highest Heaven, billions of Light Years away from the earth to place the whole Quran into his heart.
[17:1] Glory to the One who took His servant (Muhammad) in the night, from the Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of prostration, whose surroundings we have blessed, in order to show him some of our signs. He is the Hearer, the Seer.
Note: This is the only verse that has direct mention of the prophet’s journey specifying origination and destination. However, Muhammad, the soul, not the body was taken to the farthest place, i.e., the ultimate point (sid’rat al-muntahaa) traveling at the speed of million times faster than the speed of light to take him to the ultimate point as well as to bring him back to earth. What he is to deliver had been taught as well as what he had learned from the surroundings strengthened his heart for successful delivery of the message given to him upon return to earth. However, this might be a good lesson for us either to learn from our surroundings reflecting upon all the advancements and scientific discoveries that happen within God’s knowledge can help us to accept the truth from Him. We also find the teaching of learning from our surrounding in the verse (5:31).
Sura Al Dhukhan (Smoke): Revelation Order 64 (Sura # 44)
The following verses not only confirm that the entire Quran was revealed in the blessed night but also every matter of wisdom is clarified in it what was released gradually over 23 years period to move it in pieces from the prophet’s heart to his memory to facilitate his memorization as well as to share it with the people around him.
[44:1] Ha. Meem
[44:2] And the clarifying scripture.
[44:3] Indeed, we have sent it (the scripture) down in a night of blessing, indeed, we are warners.
[44:4] In it (the blessed night), every matter of wisdom is clarified.
Note: This is a Ha. Meem initialed sura which has confirmed that the enlightening scripture having our clear teaching in it has been revealed in a blessed night. The masculine object pronoun (hu) in 44:3 refers to the scripture while the female object pronoun (haa) in 44:4 refers to the blessed night. This gender difference helps us to eliminate any confusion from our heart to avoid any misinterpretation between the scripture and the blessed night. The above verses have confirmed the night to be a blessed one while the night and the process have been detailed out in the sura 97.
Sura Al Baqarah (The Heifer) : Revelation Order 87 (Sura # 2)
The Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan as guidance for the people, clear proofs of the guidance and the statute book. Fasting is decreed in the entire month to glorify God for guiding us and to express our appreciation through fulfilling our obligations to Him.
[2:185] Ramadan which is a month, has been revealed in it the Quran as a guidance for the people, clear proofs of the guidance and the statute book. So whoever among you has witnessed the month, then he should fast in it, and whoever has been ill or on a journey then the prescribed number from other days. God wishes ease for you and He does not wish hardship for you, and that you may complete the number, and that you may glorify God through which He has guided you and that you may appreciate.
Note: Fasting during the whole month is the only rite decreed by God in the Quran in honor of the Night of Power to purify our souls in addition to follow the message as our guidance revealed in the night.
However, to some, this night is so elusive that they try to stay up all nights during the last ten days of Ramadan so as not to “miss out” any chances of experiencing it claiming that there is a reference about it in the following verse of the Quran. The night may be unknown to us but known to God and He does not order us anywhere in the Quran to stay in the masjid during the last days of Ramadan to experience this night. In fact, its origin is tradition as well as the misinterpretation of the verses that talk about the night including this verse that talks about the prohibition of sexual relation if someone stays in the masjid.
[2:187] Permitted for you is sexual intercourse with your wives during the nights of fasting. They are the keepers of your secrets, and you are the keepers of their secrets. God knew that you used to betray your souls, and He has redeemed you, and has pardoned you. Henceforth, you may have intercourse with them, seeking what God has permitted for you. You may eat and drink until the white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn. Then, you shall fast until sunset. Sexual intercourse is prohibited if you decide to retreat to the masjid. These are God’s laws; you shall not transgress them. God thus clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may attain salvation.
Note: It is assumed that there is a reference in the verse, 89:2 to stay in the masjid during the last ten days of Ramadan, is inappropriate. The ten nights as mentioned in the verse is a part of a profound oath (89:1-5) which could be a reference from the verse, (7:142) that completed Moses’s appointment with God by adding ten to the initial appointment of thirty nights being a significant historical event. However, we have the opportunity to earn extra credits considering Ramadan being a blessed month extending our time to study the Quran to know God’s teachings to be righteous.
Mathematical confirmation
The event of revealing the whole Quran is mentioned in a number of suras covering its different aspects. There is a short sura which has addressed the details of the process including its significance and completion while a part of some suras covers other important aspects of the event. We are blessed with the knowledge to mathematically confirm many of our given rites as well as the crucial events to remove any traces of doubt from our hearts, and God willing we have the same opportunity to apply that to confirm this one-night event either. There are 26 verses across 5 suras in the Quran that cover this awesome event. The total of the relevant sura and verse numbers associated with the event is a multiple of 19, Quran’s code and common denominator.
Note: There is also another verse that tells us that he saw him at the high horizon in 81:23, is not included in the calculation to be a separate event, and an indirect proof that the messenger of covenant was taken to somewhere in the universe.
Conclusion
The Quran is honorable and so is the night in which it was revealed being a special just like a thousand months because of the completion of the process of revealing Quran that took place on the night of 27th Ramadan in 13 B.H. Muhammad participated in the process driven by God involving Gabriel, and the angels while God Himself established at the highest height placed the whole Quran into his soul.
The different aspects of the event have been found across 5 surahs, and we are blessed to isolate 26 verses across 5 surahs in the Quran linked with the event. Now, we have both logical and mathematical proofs to confirm the night being the night of a great event that God has called it the “a Night of the Power”. Thus, what is directly related to the event is God has decreed fasting the entire month of Ramadan and this is the only rite decreed by God in the Quran in honor of a Night of the Power to purify our souls and express our appreciation for the light He had sent us. However, to earn extra reward considering Ramadan a blessed month we may plan to intensify our remembrance of God and extend our time to study the Quran to understand God’s teachings and laws in it to follow. But evidences confirm that there is no extra salat nor is there anything like staying up nights during the last ten days of Ramadan to experience the Night of Power from God except introduced by tradition.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (3/11/2016)