Surah Al-Qadr
القدر
Surah Al-Qadr is a 5-verse surah about Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Decree on which the Quran was sent down, described as better than a thousand months.
- Meaning
- The Power
- Surah
- 97 of 114
- Verses
- 5
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-Qadr is about
Surah Al-Qadr, "The Power", is entirely about one night. Verse 1 states that Allah sent the Quran down on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr). Verse 2 asks what will make you understand what that night is, and verse 3 answers: it is better than a thousand months, which is more than eighty years.
Verse 4 says that on that night the angels and the Spirit, understood as Gabriel (Jibril), descend by their Lord's permission with every matter. Verse 5 describes the whole night as peace until dawn breaks.
The Quran says elsewhere (2:185) that it was revealed in Ramadan, so Laylat al-Qadr falls in that month. Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari direct Muslims to seek it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and the exact night was not fixed. The surah is usually listed as Meccan, though scholars differ and some consider it Medinan.
Main themes
The night the Quran came down
The surah ties the Night of Decree directly to the revelation of the Quran. Its importance comes from what was sent down in it.
Verses 1–2Better than a thousand months
A single night is described as worth more than a lifetime of months. This is why Muslims put special effort into worship in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Verse 3Angels and peace until dawn
The surah ends with angels descending and the night described as peace until morning. It gives the night a calm, protected feeling rather than one of fear.
Verses 4–5
Verses to know
لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡرٖ ﴿٣﴾
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
The famous statement that the Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. It is the main reason Muslims seek this night so earnestly each Ramadan.
سَلَٰمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ ﴿٥﴾
Peace it is; until the rise of dawn.
Describes the entire night as peace until the break of dawn, a short and gentle close.
When Surah Al-Qadr is recited
The surah is recited widely during Ramadan, especially in the last ten nights. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that whoever stands in prayer on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and hoping for reward will have their past sins forgiven, and Sunan at-Tirmidhi records the short supplication the Prophet ﷺ taught Aisha for that night, asking Allah, who loves to forgive, to forgive her.
Surah Al-Qadr in Arabic and English
All 5 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
Inna anzalnahu fee laylati alqadri
We sent it down on the Night of Decree.
- 2
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ
Wama adraka ma laylatu alqadri
But what will convey to you what the Night of Decree is?
- 3
لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَهۡرٖ
Laylatu alqadri khayrun min alfi shahrin
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
- 4
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمۡرٖ
Tanazzalu almalaikatu waalrroohu feeha biithni rabbihim min kulli amrin
In it descend the angels and the Spirit, by the leave of their Lord, with every command.
- 5
سَلَٰمٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ
Salamun hiya hatta matlaAAi alfajri
Peace it is; until the rise of dawn.
Surah Al-Qadr PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Qadr
When is Laylat al-Qadr?
It falls in Ramadan, and hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari tell Muslims to seek it in the odd nights of the last ten nights. The exact night is not fixed; many Muslims give extra attention to the 27th night, but scholars hold that it can fall on other nights.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Qadr?
Surah Al-Qadr has 5 verses. It is the 97th surah.
Is Surah Al-Qadr Meccan or Medinan?
It is generally listed as Meccan, though some scholars considered it Medinan.
What does 'better than a thousand months' mean?
Verse 3 says worship and the blessing of this one night are better than a thousand months, which is over eighty-three years. Commentators understand it as better than a thousand months that do not contain this night.