WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:03.299 --> 00:00:08.099 The concise commentary on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif* 00:00:08.099 --> 00:00:10.220 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif* (Profile Cards of the Chapters of the Noble Qur'an), 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:15.080 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif, 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:16.440 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:19.339 Surah al-Qadr. 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, 00:00:22.890 --> 00:00:25.589 and may peace and blessings be upon our brothers, the prophets and messengers, 00:00:25.589 --> 00:00:27.769 and upon all his family and Companions. 00:00:28.250 --> 00:00:31.230 We continue our concise commentary on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*, 00:00:31.230 --> 00:00:33.109 and we have arrived at Surah al-Qadr. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:37.000 I have three points of reflection concerning it. 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:38.340 The first point of reflection 00:00:39.460 --> 00:00:42.600 is that this surah is among the short chapters 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:45.799 that focus entirely on a single topic 00:00:45.939 --> 00:00:48.280 with a clarity that requires no deep contemplation. 00:00:48.619 --> 00:00:51.420 For the surah, from its beginning to its end, 00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:54.380 is about the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) and what pertains to it. 00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:56.100 And this 00:00:56.380 --> 00:00:58.100 leads us to reflect: 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:01.100 how could a surah be dedicated entirely to this subject 00:01:01.100 --> 00:01:04.200 unless this subject is of utmost 00:01:04.579 --> 00:01:05.680 importance? 00:01:06.769 --> 00:01:10.269 Every surah dedicated to a single theme 00:01:10.590 --> 00:01:13.930 highlights for us the profound significance of that theme. 00:01:14.670 --> 00:01:18.170 This significance may be plainly obvious, or it may require deep reflection. 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:22.879 Moving to the second point, which is closely connected: 00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:25.280 the very name of the surah 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:28.280 points to that blessed night 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.370 in which the Qur'an was revealed. 00:01:31.370 --> 00:01:33.370 Try to imagine with me 00:01:33.370 --> 00:01:36.400 that a single night in the entire year 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:41.200 is singled out for discussion in a complete surah, 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:46.489 just as there is one day in the week 00:01:46.489 --> 00:01:48.489 singled out with a dedicated surah, 00:01:48.489 --> 00:01:51.620 even though that surah is not exclusively devoted 00:01:51.620 --> 00:01:54.620 to the events of that day, namely Surah al-Jumu'ah. 00:01:54.620 --> 00:01:58.030 Yet here, Surah al-Qadr is uniquely focused in this manner. 00:01:58.030 --> 00:02:01.030 It is as though a Muslim completing the Qur'an every month— 00:02:01.030 --> 00:02:04.420 which is what should ideally happen, or at least 00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:06.420 up to every forty days— 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:11.580 in every complete reading of the Qur'an outside Ramadan, 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:13.580 is reminded of this night. 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:16.580 In every completion, he is reminded of Friday and the Night of Decree. 00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:20.150 Friday recurs weekly, 00:02:20.150 --> 00:02:22.150 so remembering it is already a regular occurrence 00:02:22.150 --> 00:02:24.150 because it passes by you every week. 00:02:24.150 --> 00:02:28.569 But this night, which comes to you only once a year, 00:02:28.569 --> 00:02:31.919 remains in your consciousness throughout the entire year, starting from Shawwal, 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.919 as you recite and remember this night. 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:40.240 From Shawwal, you begin to yearn for this night; 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:45.139 Allah fills your heart with longing for it 00:02:45.139 --> 00:02:47.139 by keeping it in your memory throughout the year. 00:02:47.139 --> 00:02:49.139 The imams of mosques may be keen, 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:53.680 when the last ten nights approach, to recite it, for instance, in the Maghrib prayer 00:02:53.969 --> 00:02:56.539 or even during Isha. 00:02:56.539 --> 00:02:58.539 But when you recite it throughout the year, 00:02:58.539 --> 00:03:02.539 it tells us: do not forget that a great night lies ahead of you; 00:03:02.539 --> 00:03:04.610 be eager to attain it, 00:03:04.610 --> 00:03:07.610 prepare for it, and do not be distracted from it. 00:03:07.610 --> 00:03:10.180 Do not let yourselves be distracted; 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:14.180 finish your worldly tasks before the arrival 00:03:14.180 --> 00:03:16.180 of that promised night. 00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:18.280 The third point of reflection 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:20.280 concerns the theme of the surah. 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. 00:03:24.699 --> 00:03:27.699 That is, although the surah speaks of the Night of Decree, 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:32.080 it binds it inherently to the Magnificent Qur'an, 00:03:32.110 --> 00:03:38.270 which is referenced by the pronoun in ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾. 00:03:38.270 --> 00:03:42.340 This use of the pronoun carries great benefits here: 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:45.909 it highlights the supreme value of the Qur'an, 00:03:45.909 --> 00:03:48.909 for it did not say, "Indeed, We sent down the Qur'an," 00:03:48.909 --> 00:03:51.909 but rather said, ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾. 00:03:51.909 --> 00:03:55.069 This, as scholars have noted, indicates 00:03:55.069 --> 00:03:59.069 that the Qur'an is ever-present in the believers' hearts, 00:03:59.069 --> 00:04:04.139 so the mind immediately turns to it upon hearing the pronoun, 00:04:04.139 --> 00:04:08.259 without needing to mention it explicitly, for hearts are already attached to it. 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! 00:04:13.259 --> 00:04:16.259 This is what is indicated regarding the surah's placement in the Mushaf. 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:18.259 I ask Allah to grant success to me 00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:22.259 and to you in reaching the Night of Decree, and to grant us acceptance therein. 00:04:22.259 --> 00:04:25.259 Allah knows best, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, 00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:27.259 and upon all his family and Companions, 00:04:27.259 --> 00:04:28.259 and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.