It is well known to the Muslims that the entire 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 ultimate point. Afterwards, 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 enemy to Gabriel then indeed, he has brought down it (Quran) into your heart by permission of God, confirming that which was before of it, 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 down it a gradual sending down.
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 detailed and explained (6:114, 7:52, 10:37):
[75:18] So when we have recited it, then you (Muhammad) shall follow its recitation.
[75:19] Then indeed, upon us is its clarification.
[6:115] Your Lord’s word has completed truth and justice. There is no modifier of His words, and He is the Hearer, the Knower.
[11:1] Alif.Laam.Raa. A scripture has been perfected its verses, then has been explained in detail from the One who is Wise, Cognizant.
[18:2] It is perfect to warn a severe punishment from Him as well as to give good news to the believers those who do the righteous deeds that for them there is a good reward.
[6:114] Is there then other than God should I seek as a judge, while He has sent down to you the scripture is a detailed one? Those whom we have given them the scripture know that it is a sent down from your (prophet) Lord with the truth. So, do not be with the doubters.
[7:52] And certainly, we had brought to them of a scripture we have detailed out it with knowledge as guidance and mercy for a people to 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 before of it and a detailed explanation of the scripture, there is no doubt in it, is from Lord of the worlds.
Inspiration of the Quran all at once into prophet’s soul in a Night of the Power
The journey of the prophet to the high 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.
Surah al Najm (The Star): Revelation Order 23 (Surah # 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 had inspired what was to be inspired 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) is Mighty in the power.
[53:6] Possessor of authority that He has established (Himself).
[53:7] And He has been in the Horizon, the High.
[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 of it is Garden of the Eternal Abode (jannatu al-mawaa).
[53:16] When the Lote Tree is covering what it covers.
[53:17] The vision has not swerved, nor has it gone blind.
[53:18] Certainly, he had seen the great of signs of his Lord.
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.
Surah al-Qadr (The Power): Revelation Order 25 (Surah # 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 sent down 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] The angels and the Spirit descend in it (a night of the Power) by their Lord’s permission 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.
Surah Bani Israel (Children of Israel): Revelation Order 50 (Surah # 17)
The verse below confirms that the prophet was taken to the highest place farthest from the earth to place the whole Quran into his heart.
[17:1] Glory to the One who took His servant (Muhammad) by night from the Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of prostration, which we have blessed its surroundings that we may show him of our signs. Indeed, 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 appraising the distance 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 the 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).
Surah al Dukhaan (The Smoke): Revelation Order 64 (Surah # 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 clarified scripture.
[44:3] Indeed, we have sent down it (Quran) in a night of blessing; indeed, we have been 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 sent down in a night of blessing. The masculine object pronoun (hu) in 44:3 refers to the Quran, while the female object pronoun (haa) in 44:4 refers to a night of blessing. This gender difference helps us to eliminate any confusion from our heart to avoid any misinterpretation between the Quran and a night of blessing. The above verses have confirmed the night to be a blessed one while the night and the process have been detailed out in the surah 97.
Surah al Baqarah (The Heifer) : Revelation Order 87 (Surah # 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 sent down 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 entire 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 following the message as our guidance sent down in the night through which He has guided us.
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 surahs covering its different aspects. There is a short surah which has addressed the details of the process including its significance and completion while a part of some surahs 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 surahs in the Quran that cover this awesome event. The total of the relevant surah and verse numbers associated with the event is a multiple of 19, which is a Quran’s code and common denominator of the numerical figures derived from the Quran.
Note: Out of 5 surahs, al Qadr is the only surah that the entire surah has participated in the mathematical confirmation of sending down of the Quran all at once. There is also another verse that tells us that he saw him at the high horizon in 81:23, is not taken into account or is not included in the mathematical confirmation to be a separate event, and an indirect proof that the messenger of covenant may have experience of the high horizon.
Conclusion
The Quran is honorable and so is the night in which it was sent down being a special just like a thousand months because of the completion of the process on the night of 27th Ramadan in 13 B.H. Muhammad participated in the God-driven process involving the Gabriel and the angels, while He Himself established at the Horizon of the High inspired the entire Quran into his soul moving down to the ultimate point, and upon completion of the inspiration process the Quran was down on the earth but in the soul of the prophet.
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 prayer 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)