Chapter al-Qadr (97) of the Holy Qu’ran is a short chapter containing five verses in which Allah (swt) promises a night during which the angels descend with God’s command. In this paper, we will discuss some aspects of this blessed night and the relationship of these verses to the Imam of our Time (A.S).
Chapter al-Qadr
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ تَنَزَّلُ
الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْر
In the Name of God, the All-Beneficent, the All- Merciful. Indeed we sent it down on the Night of Ordainment. What will show you what is the Night of Ordainment? The Night of Ordainment is better than a thousand months. In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every command. It is peace until the rising of the dawn.
Which night is the great night of Qadr?
A serious reading of this Chapter causes one to ponder about several questions whose answers are not literally available in the chapter itself. What is this great command? Which night is this night? Which night is the auspicious night during which God sent down the Qur’an? Which precious moments are the moments of the night that is better than a thousand months? Which night is the night of the descent of angels and the Spirit (Gabriel)?
Which night is the night where all commands and destinies are taken to earth and are set according to wisdom? Which night is the night that all its moments and seconds are greeting, peace, mercy, health, safety, happiness and auspiciousness? What is this significant event that has been expressed in Chapter al-Qadr using present tense showing its continuation: “The angels and the Spirit descend" over and over? Where to?
Every year, on the nightfall of qadr, the angels and Spirit descend continuously and bring down all the commands and destinies by God's permission. How does this happen? To whom do these angels go and to whom do they give these commands and destinies? Where is the place the Spirit descends to? Where is the holy place and the center of honor where all commands carried by angles, are brought down upon? Where and in which holy and purified site is the landing field of angels located?
It is the night of Qadr; the days of separation are over when does the night occur?
It is the night when we shall not complain about separation anymore and shall await the moment of meeting and joining while being joyful from the blessing of “peace” “until the rising of the dawn.” Hafiz, a famous Iranian poet, inspired by the verses of Qur’an, counts the night of Qadr as the night of joining God and an end to days of separation.
When does this occur? It occurs on the night when we have to prove our love to God, remain awake, help the ones in need, and seek knowledge. It is the night when all the good deeds will be rewarded without any exception. The night when we should invoke our absent Imam (A.S), keep awake, ask God to let us see him, help the poor and seek knowledge.1
سلام فيه حتی مطلع الفجر
شب وصل است وطی شد نامه
که در اين ره نباشد کار بی اجر
دلا در عاشقی ثابت قدم باش
که بس تاريک می بينم شب هجر
بر آی ای صبح روشن دل خدارا
فغان از اين تطاول آه از اين زجز
2
دلم رفت ونديدم روی دلدار
Hafiz uses Qur’anic words in some parts of this poem to point out some important points such as: the night of Qadr and its relation to the twelfth Imam (A.S) and his occultation, being firm on the direct path towards God despite all of the problems, including occultation of the twelfth Imam (A.S), wishing to meet the Imam (A.S) and finally complaining about the long days of separation.
It is important to note that although Hafiz complains about the separation and the difficulties it causes, he tries to encourage everyone to be firm on the path towards God and about their love towards the twelfth Imam (A.S).
In addition to this poem, Hafiz has other poems in which he talks about the twelfth Imam (A.S), illustrating some beautiful and accurate points:
کجاست صوفی دجال فعل ملحد شکل بگو بسوز که مهدی دين پناه رسيد3
.
از غم هجر مکن ناله و فرياد که دوش زده ام فالی و فرياد رسی می آيد 4
. ای پادشه خوبان
داد از غم تنهای
وقت است که باز آی
دل بی تو بجان آمد
دور از تو چنام کر
مشتاقی و مهجوری
پاياب شکيبای
کز دست بخواهد شد
اين نکته که در عالم
يا رب به که شايد گفت
آن شاهد هر جای
رخساره به کس ننمود
بی روی تو رنگی نيست
ساقی، چمن گل را
تا باغ بيار اى
شمشاد خرامان كن
در بستر ناكامى
اى درد توام درمان
درگوشه تنهائ
3
وى ياد توام مون
By: Mohammad Reza Hakimi
Source: imamreza.net
Notes:
1. Shaykh Saduq has said that “The best act in the night of Qadr is to seek knowledge.” Mafatih al-Jinan, chapter on A’maal of the night of Qadr.
2. Ghazal no. 251
3. Ghazal no. 235
