The nice comment on the book of cards identifying the surahs of the Holy Qur’an | D. Muhammad Nassif

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:03 The concise commentary on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*

0:08 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif* (Profile Cards of the Chapters of the Noble Qur'an),

0:11 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif,

0:15 may Allah preserve him.

0:16 Surah al-Qadr.

0:19 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds,

0:22 and may peace and blessings be upon our brothers, the prophets and messengers,

0:25 and upon all his family and Companions.

0:28 We continue our concise commentary on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*,

0:31 and we have arrived at Surah al-Qadr.

0:34 I have three points of reflection concerning it.

0:37 The first point of reflection

0:39 is that this surah is among the short chapters

0:42 that focus entirely on a single topic

0:45 with a clarity that requires no deep contemplation.

0:48 For the surah, from its beginning to its end,

0:51 is about the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr) and what pertains to it.

0:54 And this

0:56 leads us to reflect:

0:58 how could a surah be dedicated entirely to this subject

1:01 unless this subject is of utmost

1:04 importance?

1:06 Every surah dedicated to a single theme

1:10 highlights for us the profound significance of that theme.

1:14 This significance may be plainly obvious, or it may require deep reflection.

1:19 Moving to the second point, which is closely connected:

1:23 the very name of the surah

1:25 points to that blessed night

1:28 in which the Qur'an was revealed.

1:31 Try to imagine with me

1:33 that a single night in the entire year

1:36 is singled out for discussion in a complete surah,

1:41 just as there is one day in the week

1:46 singled out with a dedicated surah,

1:48 even though that surah is not exclusively devoted

1:51 to the events of that day, namely Surah al-Jumu'ah.

1:54 Yet here, Surah al-Qadr is uniquely focused in this manner.

1:58 It is as though a Muslim completing the Qur'an every month—

2:01 which is what should ideally happen, or at least

2:04 up to every forty days—

2:06 in every complete reading of the Qur'an outside Ramadan,

2:11 is reminded of this night.

2:13 In every completion, he is reminded of Friday and the Night of Decree.

2:16 Friday recurs weekly,

2:20 so remembering it is already a regular occurrence

2:22 because it passes by you every week.

2:24 But this night, which comes to you only once a year,

2:28 remains in your consciousness throughout the entire year, starting from Shawwal,

2:31 as you recite and remember this night.

2:34 From Shawwal, you begin to yearn for this night;

2:40 Allah fills your heart with longing for it

2:45 by keeping it in your memory throughout the year.

2:47 The imams of mosques may be keen,

2:49 when the last ten nights approach, to recite it, for instance, in the Maghrib prayer

2:53 or even during Isha.

2:56 But when you recite it throughout the year,

2:58 it tells us: do not forget that a great night lies ahead of you;

3:02 be eager to attain it,

3:04 prepare for it, and do not be distracted from it.

3:07 Do not let yourselves be distracted;

3:10 finish your worldly tasks before the arrival

3:14 of that promised night.

3:16 The third point of reflection

3:18 concerns the theme of the surah.

3:20 It is noted as: drawing attention to the virtue of the Qur'an and the night in which it was revealed.

3:24 That is, although the surah speaks of the Night of Decree,

3:27 it binds it inherently to the Magnificent Qur'an,

3:32 which is referenced by the pronoun in ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾.

3:38 This use of the pronoun carries great benefits here:

3:42 it highlights the supreme value of the Qur'an,

3:45 for it did not say, "Indeed, We sent down the Qur'an,"

3:48 but rather said, ﴿Indeed, We sent it down﴾.

3:51 This, as scholars have noted, indicates

3:55 that the Qur'an is ever-present in the believers' hearts,

3:59 so the mind immediately turns to it upon hearing the pronoun,

4:04 without needing to mention it explicitly, for hearts are already attached to it.

4:08 And how subtle and profound that is, coming right after Surah al-Alaq, which was revealed first!

4:13 This is what is indicated regarding the surah's placement in the Mushaf.

4:16 I ask Allah to grant success to me

4:18 and to you in reaching the Night of Decree, and to grant us acceptance therein.

4:22 Allah knows best, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

4:25 and upon all his family and Companions,

4:27 and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

The nice comment on the book of cards identifying the surahs of the Holy Qur’an | D. Muhammad Nassif | Surah Al-Qadr

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