What happened on The Night of Power?
On this night, in the year 610 CE, the Qur’an was first revealed to the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the angel Jibreel (Gabriel).
At the age of 40 years old, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who had been born into the Quraysh tribe and lived in Mecca, present day Saudi Arabia, was living with his beloved wife Khadijah (ra). The Prophet (peace be upon him) would often travel to the Cave of Hira in Mecca to be in seclusion and meditate on the creation of the world, as he had rejected the worship of idols as was custom within the Quraysh tribe.
In the lead up to the revelation, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was troubled with the state of the society he was living in and resolved himself to seeking true religion within his heart.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) meeting Angel Jibreel (ra)
During the month of Ramadan in the year 610 CE, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was meditating in the Cave of Hira, when the Angel Jibreel suddenly revealed himself to him by the order of Allah, commanding him to read, “Iqra!”.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate, and his inability to read prevented him from reading the words before him, he said, “I am not a reader”. The Messenger of Allah relayed that Jibreel (as) then took hold of him and squeezed him until he could not bear it any more, then he released the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “Read!“.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said again, “I am not a reader”.
The first revelation of the Qur’an
Jibreel (as) took hold of him and squeezed him a second time until he could not bear it any more, then Jibreel released him and said, “Read!“. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I am not a reader”. Jibreel took hold of him (peace be upon him) and squeezed him a third time until he could not bear it any more, then Jibreel (as) released him and said:
Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists).
He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).
Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.
Who has taught (the writing) by the pen.
He has taught man that which he knew not.
(Qur’an, 96:1-5)
These were the first verses of the Qur’an to be revealed.
Laylatul Qadr Rewards
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah The Most Merciful describes The Night of Power.
“Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.”
(Qur’an 97: 1-5)