THE

 of the Bāb

IN PROGRESS 2009-10

Stephen Lambden

The five verse Meccan Surat al-Qadr or Surah of the Night of Power /  Destiny  (Q. 97) in the  Arabic text along with the A.J. Arberry (d.1969)  translation reads as follows:

Islamic Tafsir

It has been observed that the Surah of the Night of Power  [or `Destiny', `the Decree']  Laylat al-qadr   (Q. 97) is made up of five verses, comprising thirty words and one hundred and twelve letters (112) letters. The  Laylat al-qadr  mentioned in its third verse is traditionally, historically  identified with the evening of the 26th and / or 27th of the month of Ramadān believed to have been the night on which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (d. 632 CE). This night is said to have been "greater than 1,000 months" (Q.97:3).

IN PROGRESS 2009-10

Trans. Stephen Lambden

[I]

        [1] Praise be to God Who, through His Command, originated whatsoever is in the heavens and in the earth as well as such as believe in God and in His signs [verses]  (ayāt): those, that is, who are being assembled [for judgment] before God. [2] And praise be to God Who originated the essential realities (jawhariyyāt) which nothing preceded, by means of the causality of their own Logos-Self (nafs). [3] He made their station that of the theophanic manifestations of His Power  (zuhūrāt qudratihi) in the Kingdom of Names and Attributes lest anyone perceive a single thing therein other than the theophany of his Creator (bari`) wherein is the appearance of "all things" (kulli shay').

        [4] And in "all things" (kulli shay') he witnesses the garments (qumus) of the Countenance of the Beauty of the Beloved One. [5] This inasmuch as he doth not perceive a single light (nūr ^an) except it is a Light of His Beauty (nūr jamālihi) nor discern any cry (sawt) save that of a Melody of His Beauty-Splendor (sawt bahā'ihi). [6] So praise be unto Him and exalted be He Who, in the sublimity of His Essential Reality (dhātiyyatihi), transcendeth "all things" (kulli shay'). [7] This such that he who perceives the existing thing sees it in the station (maqām) of the theophany of his Lord seating Himself upon the Throne of Beneficence (`arsh al-`aṭa') above all that beareth a name designating an existing thing (shay'. [8] Then what is more transcendent (a`lā) than His praise (thanā')? What greater (a`zam) than His glory (jalāl)? And what more splendid (abhā') than His eulogium (thanā')? And what is more glorious (ajall) than His accomplishment (imḍā') for everything is encompassed by His knowledge.

        [1] And I am One established in my position (mawqifā) , this the Day of Gathering (yawm al-jum`ah = Friday ), in the midst of the mountains (was al-jibāl). [2] I testify that there is none other God except Thee alone; for Thee there is no associate. [3] Still Thou dost not cease to exist even when Thou art without any existing thing besides Thee. [4] Thou remaineth One Who ceaseth not for Thou art Being Itself (kā'in) without any existing thing on Thy level. [5] If I should say `Thou art God' [hypocritically] Thou Thyself calleth me a liar (takadhdhibunā) inasmuch as that divinity (ulūhiyya) which is known within thyself [the liar] is an inappropriate description of Thy Lord. [6] And if I should say, `Thou, verily, art a Lord,' mine own self would call me a liar inasmuch as that Lordship (rubūbiyya ) which is of thy Lord (rabb) is incapable of being truly known by anyone other than He [the Lord God].

[III]