1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,640 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:03,299 --> 00:00:08,099 The concise commentary on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif* 3 00:00:08,099 --> 00:00:10,220 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif* (Profile Cards of the Chapters of the Noble Qur'an), 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:15,080 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif, 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:16,440 may Allah preserve him. 6 00:00:16,899 --> 00:00:19,339 Surah al-Qadr. 7 00:00:19,829 --> 00:00:22,890 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, 8 00:00:22,890 --> 00:00:25,589 and may peace and blessings be upon our brothers, the prophets and messengers, 9 00:00:25,589 --> 00:00:27,769 and upon all his family and Companions. 10 00:00:28,250 --> 00:00:31,230 We continue our concise commentary on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*, 11 00:00:31,230 --> 00:00:33,109 and we have arrived at Surah al-Qadr. 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,000 I have three points of reflection concerning it. 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,340 The first point of reflection 14 00:00:39,460 --> 00:00:42,600 is that this surah is among the short chapters 15 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,799 that focus entirely on a single topic 16 00:00:45,939 --> 00:00:48,280 with a clarity that requires no deep contemplation. 17 00:00:48,619 --> 00:00:51,420 For the surah, from its beginning to its end, 18 00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:54,380 is about the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) and what pertains to it. 19 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,100 And this 20 00:00:56,380 --> 00:00:58,100 leads us to reflect: 21 00:00:58,100 --> 00:01:01,100 how could a surah be dedicated entirely to this subject 22 00:01:01,100 --> 00:01:04,200 unless this subject is of utmost 23 00:01:04,579 --> 00:01:05,680 importance? 24 00:01:06,769 --> 00:01:10,269 Every surah dedicated to a single theme 25 00:01:10,590 --> 00:01:13,930 highlights for us the profound significance of that theme. 26 00:01:14,670 --> 00:01:18,170 This significance may be plainly obvious, or it may require deep reflection. 27 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,879 Moving to the second point, which is closely connected: 28 00:01:23,180 --> 00:01:25,280 the very name of the surah 29 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,280 points to that blessed night 30 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,370 in which the Qur'an was revealed. 31 00:01:31,370 --> 00:01:33,370 Try to imagine with me 32 00:01:33,370 --> 00:01:36,400 that a single night in the entire year 33 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:41,200 is singled out for discussion in a complete surah, 34 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,489 just as there is one day in the week 35 00:01:46,489 --> 00:01:48,489 singled out with a dedicated surah, 36 00:01:48,489 --> 00:01:51,620 even though that surah is not exclusively devoted 37 00:01:51,620 --> 00:01:54,620 to the events of that day, namely Surah al-Jumu'ah. 38 00:01:54,620 --> 00:01:58,030 Yet here, Surah al-Qadr is uniquely focused in this manner. 39 00:01:58,030 --> 00:02:01,030 It is as though a Muslim completing the Qur'an every month— 40 00:02:01,030 --> 00:02:04,420 which is what should ideally happen, or at least 41 00:02:04,420 --> 00:02:06,420 up to every forty days— 42 00:02:06,420 --> 00:02:11,580 in every complete reading of the Qur'an outside Ramadan, 43 00:02:11,580 --> 00:02:13,580 is reminded of this night. 44 00:02:13,580 --> 00:02:16,580 In every completion, he is reminded of Friday and the Night of Decree. 45 00:02:16,580 --> 00:02:20,150 Friday recurs weekly, 46 00:02:20,150 --> 00:02:22,150 so remembering it is already a regular occurrence 47 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:24,150 because it passes by you every week. 48 00:02:24,150 --> 00:02:28,569 But this night, which comes to you only once a year, 49 00:02:28,569 --> 00:02:31,919 remains in your consciousness throughout the entire year, starting from Shawwal, 50 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,919 as you recite and remember this night. 51 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:40,240 From Shawwal, you begin to yearn for this night; 52 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:45,139 Allah fills your heart with longing for it 53 00:02:45,139 --> 00:02:47,139 by keeping it in your memory throughout the year. 54 00:02:47,139 --> 00:02:49,139 The imams of mosques may be keen, 55 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,680 when the last ten nights approach, to recite it, for instance, in the Maghrib prayer 56 00:02:53,969 --> 00:02:56,539 or even during Isha. 57 00:02:56,539 --> 00:02:58,539 But when you recite it throughout the year, 58 00:02:58,539 --> 00:03:02,539 it tells us: do not forget that a great night lies ahead of you; 59 00:03:02,539 --> 00:03:04,610 be eager to attain it, 60 00:03:04,610 --> 00:03:07,610 prepare for it, and do not be distracted from it. 61 00:03:07,610 --> 00:03:10,180 Do not let yourselves be distracted; 62 00:03:10,180 --> 00:03:14,180 finish your worldly tasks before the arrival 63 00:03:14,180 --> 00:03:16,180 of that promised night. 64 00:03:16,180 --> 00:03:18,280 The third point of reflection 65 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,280 concerns the theme of the surah. 66 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,699 It is noted as: drawing attention to the virtue of the Qur'an and the night in which it was revealed. 67 00:03:24,699 --> 00:03:27,699 That is, although the surah speaks of the Night of Decree, 68 00:03:27,699 --> 00:03:32,080 it binds it inherently to the Magnificent Qur'an, 69 00:03:32,110 --> 00:03:38,270 which is referenced by the pronoun in ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾. 70 00:03:38,270 --> 00:03:42,340 This use of the pronoun carries great benefits here: 71 00:03:42,340 --> 00:03:45,909 it highlights the supreme value of the Qur'an, 72 00:03:45,909 --> 00:03:48,909 for it did not say, "Indeed, We sent down the Qur'an," 73 00:03:48,909 --> 00:03:51,909 but rather said, ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾. 74 00:03:51,909 --> 00:03:55,069 This, as scholars have noted, indicates 75 00:03:55,069 --> 00:03:59,069 that the Qur'an is ever-present in the believers' hearts, 76 00:03:59,069 --> 00:04:04,139 so the mind immediately turns to it upon hearing the pronoun, 77 00:04:04,139 --> 00:04:08,259 without needing to mention it explicitly, for hearts are already attached to it. 78 00:04:08,259 --> 00:04:13,259 And how subtle and profound that is, coming right after Surah al-Alaq, which was revealed first! 79 00:04:13,259 --> 00:04:16,259 This is what is indicated regarding the surah's placement in the Mushaf. 80 00:04:16,259 --> 00:04:18,259 I ask Allah to grant success to me 81 00:04:18,259 --> 00:04:22,259 and to you in reaching the Night of Decree, and to grant us acceptance therein. 82 00:04:22,259 --> 00:04:25,259 Allah knows best, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, 83 00:04:25,259 --> 00:04:27,259 and upon all his family and Companions, 84 00:04:27,259 --> 00:04:28,259 and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.