Al-Qadr Translation

6217 Cf. 44:3 and n. 4690. The 23rd, 25th or 27th night of Ramadan, as well as other nights, have been suggested as the Night of Power. See, however, the Introduction to this Surah. It is best to take this in the mystic sense, which also accords with verse 3 below, which says that the Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. It transcends Time: for it is Allah's Power dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, by His Revelation, in every kind of affair . (R) .  

6218 "A thousand" must be taken in an indefinite sense, as denoting a very long period of time. Cf. notes 3632 and 3634 to 32:4-5, and n. 5678 to 70:4. This does not refer to our ideas of time, but to "timeless Time". One moment of enlightenment under Allah's Light is better than thousands of months or years of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of darkness into a period of spiritual glory.  

6219 The Spirit: usually understood to be the angel Gabriel, the Spirit of Inspiration. (R).  

6220 When the Night of spiritual darkness is dissipated by the glory of Allah, a wonderful Peace and a sense of Security arise in the soul. And this lasts on until this life closes, and the glorious Day of the new spiritual world dawns, when everything will be on a different plane, and the chequered nights and days of this world will be even less than a dream.