No authentic hadith attributes a specific virtue to it; Surah Al-Qadr belongs to the Mufassal by which the Prophet ﷺ was favoured over the other prophets. It exalts the Qur’an, shows the merit of the night in which it was revealed, the Night of Decree, and urges believers to spend that night in worship and obedience.
It belongs to the Mufassal given to the Prophet ﷺ, by which he was favoured over the other prophets, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “… and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
In “We sent it down”, the pronoun refers to the Qur’an although it has not been named: this underlines its greatness and renown, and answers those who claimed it was tales of the ancients.
The surah sets out the merit of the night in which the Qur’an was revealed and urges Muslims to spend it in worship: a Book of great worth came down in it, through an angel of great worth, upon a Messenger of great worth, for a nation of great worth.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أعطيت مكان التوراة السبع الطوال، ومكان الزبور المئين، ومكان الإنجيل المثاني، وفضلت بالمفصل
I was given the seven long surahs in place of the Torah, the Mi’in in place of the Psalms, the Mathani in place of the Gospel, and I was favoured with the Mufassal.
Main purpose: To set out the merit of the Night of Decree.
Al-Qadr is Meccan according to most exegetes: the 25th in order of revelation, it came after ’Abasa and before Ash-Shams; some consider it Medinan, the first surah revealed in Medina. It has five verses. “Al-Qadr” here means nobility and greatness. Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas and others that Allah sent the Qur’an down all at once from the Preserved Tablet to the House of Might in the lowest heaven, after which it was revealed in parts according to events.
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
