Bismillaahirrahmaanirrahiim
The revelation of the Qur'an began in the Laylat al-qadr of Ramadan (the 27th night or one of the odd nights after the 21st) after the Prophet Muhammad had passed the fortieth year of his life (that is around the year 610), during his seclusion in the cave of Hira' on a mountain near Makkah. As reported by Bukharis:
Narrated Aisha the mother of the faithful believers: "The commencement of the divine inspiration to Allah's apostle was in the form of good dreams which came like bright daylight (i.e. true) and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the Cave of Hira', where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family".
"He used to take with him food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Kha&ja to take his food likewise again, till sud-denly the truth descended upon him while he was in the
Cave of Hira'".
"The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied 'I do not know how to read'.The Prophet added, 'The angel caught me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, "I do not know how to read". Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again
asked me to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read" (or what shall I read?). Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said: "Read, in the name of Your Lord, who created, created man from a clot. Read! And Your Lord is the most bountiful" (Bukhary)
The narration goes on to tell us that the Prophet went back to his wife Khadija and recounted to her his dreadful experi-ence. She comforted him and both of them consulted Waraqa,Khadlja's relative and a learned Christian, about it. Waraqa
told Muhammad that he had encountered the one 'whom Allah had sent to Moses' and that he would be driven out by his people.
Therefore, the date of 27 Ramadan for this festival is a traditional date, for it is believed that the actual night is kept secret by Allah. However Muslims believe that the Prophet told them they could seek it in the last 10 days of the month of fasting.
Some will spend Laylat-ul-qadr in prayer or in reciting the Qur’an. Anticipating the moment when the first revelation was sent is a highlight for those who fast during the month of Ramadhan; Muslims anticipate the Nuzulul Qur’an—the “coming down” of the Qur’an—with the same devotion that Christians prepare for Christmas.
Let's remind ourselves again how the Prophet Muhammad SAW received the wahy (revelation) from Allah SWT through a special messenger sent by God for this purpose: the Angel Gabriel, who recited to him God's words exactly.
According to Suyuti' (14) on the basis of three reports from 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas, in Hakim, Baihaqi and Nasa'i, the Qur'an descended in two stages:
- From the lauh al-mahfuz, the 'well-preserved tablet', to the lowest of the heavens (bait al-'izza) of the world, all together, in the laila al-qadr.
- From the heavens to earth in stages throughout the twenty-three years of Muhammad's prophethood, and first in the laila al-qadr of Ramadan, through the Angel
Gabriel.
This second descent from the heaven to the heart of the Prophet is referred to in Sura al-isra' (17) and Sura al-furqan (25).
Wassalam
