Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
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1
١
innā anzalnāhu fī laylati l-qadri
Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down during the Night of Decree.
2
٢
wamā adrāka mā laylatu l-qadri
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
3
٣
laylatu l-qadri khayrun min alfi shahrin
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
4
٤
tanazzalu l-malāikatu wal-rūḥu fīhā bi-idh'ni rabbihim min kulli amrin
The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
5
٥
salāmun hiya ḥattā maṭlaʿi l-fajri
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.
Surah Al-Qadr (The Power) — Full Text
Ayah 1
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ
Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down during the Night of Decree.
This is where it all started. The Quran was sent down on a single extraordinary night during Ramadan called Laylat al-Qadr, which means the Night of Power or Decree. The entire Quran was brought from a heavenly preserved record to the lowest heaven all at once on this night, and from there it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) piece by piece over 23 years. The fact that Allah chose one specific night for this tells you just how special this night is — it's the moment the ultimate guidance for humanity began its journey to us.
Ayah 2
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
Allah then builds suspense by asking: do you even know what the Night of Power is? This rhetorical question is meant to blow your mind, because the answer is something no human could fully grasp on their own. The name itself carries two meanings — "Qadr" means both greatness and destiny. It's a night of immense honor and dignity, and it's also the night when Allah assigns the angels their tasks for the entire coming year — every person's provision, lifespan, and major life events get handed down to the angels on this one night.
Ayah 3
لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
Here's the jaw-dropping part: this single night is better than a thousand months of worship, which is over 83 years — basically an entire lifetime. This was actually a gift to the Muslim community because earlier nations used to live for centuries and had more time to stack up good deeds. So Allah gave us this one night where sincere worship counts for more than a thousand months without it. Anyone who prays during this night with genuine faith and hope for Allah's reward gets their past sins forgiven — that's not a drill, that's a real promise.
The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.1
On this night, the angels pour down to Earth in massive numbers — more than the number of pebbles on the ground — along with Jibril (Gabriel), the chief angel himself. They descend with Allah's permission, carrying every decree and command for the year ahead. They also go around greeting and praying for every believer they find worshipping. Basically the Earth gets flooded with angels bringing blessings, mercy, and goodness from every direction, and evil has absolutely no room to operate.
Ayah 5
سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
Peace it is1 until the emergence of dawn.
The entire night, from sunset to the break of dawn, is pure peace and safety. There's no evil, no harm, no negativity — just complete tranquility and spiritual goodness from start to finish. The blessings don't pause for even a moment; they keep flowing the whole night through. This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) would spend the last ten nights of Ramadan in deep worship searching for it, and he taught that the best thing to ask for on this night is simply: "O Allah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me."