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Surah Al-Qadr: Arabic, Transliteration and English
Surah Al-Qadr (97:1–5)
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ
innā anzalnāhu fī laylati l-qadri
Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down during the Night of Decree. (97:1)
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ
wamā adrāka mā laylatu l-qadri
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? (97:2)
لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
laylatu l-qadri khayrun min alfi shahrin
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. (97:3)
تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
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. (97:4)
سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ
salāmun hiya ḥattā maṭlaʿi l-fajri
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn. (97:5)
Quran 97:1–5 Saheeh International
Key takeaways
- Surah Al-Qadr is the 97th surah of the Quran: five verses about Laylatul Qadr, the night the Quran was sent down.
- It says that night is better than a thousand months, and that the angels and Jibril descend in it.
- We haven't found a graded hadith about a reward for reciting Surah Al-Qadr itself, including the claims about reciting it 7 or 11 times.
- The whole surah takes 36 seconds to recite at Mishari al-Afasy's pace, so you can learn it in one sitting.
Surah Al-Qadr, often searched as Surah Qadr, is the 97th surah of the Quran. Its five verses are about Laylatul Qadr, the night the Quran was sent down.
The whole surah is at the top of this page in Arabic, transliteration and English. Below: what each verse means, the facts about the surah, what the hadith say, and how to learn it in one sitting.
What is Surah Qadr about?
It’s about one night: when the Quran was sent down, what that night is worth, and what happens in it. These notes follow Ibn Kathir’s tafsir.
Verse 1: the Quran was sent down on this night. Ibn Kathir links it to 44:3, “We sent it down on a blessed night”, and to 2:185, which places it in Ramadan. He cites Ibn ‘Abbas that the Quran came down all at once to the lowest heaven, then to the Prophet ﷺ in parts over 23 years.
Verses 2–3: better than a thousand months. Ibn Kathir says Allah magnifies the night with the question in verse 2 and the answer in verse 3: it is better than a thousand months. Ibn Kathir explains that worship on it is equal to worship over a thousand months.
Verse 4: the angels descend. The angels come down in great numbers that night, with blessing and mercy. Ibn Kathir notes it is said that “the Spirit” here means Jibril. On “for every matter”, he cites Qatadah that the year’s matters, including deaths and provisions, are measured out on it.
Verse 5: peace until dawn. Mujahid said it is a night of security in which Shaytan can do no harm. Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said all of it is good, with no evil in it, until Fajr.
Surah Al-Qadr at a glance
| Detail | Surah Al-Qadr |
|---|---|
| Number | 97 |
| Verses | 5 |
| Revealed in | Makkah (as listed on Quran.com) |
| Order of revelation | 25th |
| Juz | 30 |
| Page in the Madani mushaf | 598 |
| Comes after | Al-‘Alaq (96) |
| Comes before | Al-Bayyinah (98) |
| Recitation time | 36 seconds (Mishari al-Afasy) |
Are there benefits of reciting Surah Qadr?
We haven’t found a graded hadith that promises a reward for reciting Surah Al-Qadr itself. That includes the claims about reciting it 7 or 11 times that circulate in posts and videos.
The authentic hadith are about the night the surah describes. The best known is in Sahih al-Bukhari:
The Prophet ﷺ also said when to look for it:
For what to say on that night, see the Laylatul Qadr dua, which ‘A’ishah asked the Prophet ﷺ about directly.
How to memorize Surah Qadr
The surah takes 36 seconds to recite, which is short enough to learn in one sitting. Split it in two:
| Step | Verses | Recitation time | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–3 | 20 sec | Recite verses 1–3 from memory |
| 2 | 4–5 | 16 sec | Recite verses 4–5 from memory |
| 3 | 1–5 | 36 sec | Recite the whole surah twice without looking |
The words for “the Night of Decree” end verses 1 and 2 and begin verse 3, so the first half repeats itself. Verse 4 is the longest at 11 seconds, so give it a few extra repeats.
Recite it again the next day, then once a day for a week to keep it. It’s short enough to recite in any prayer.
For more short surahs to learn next, see the 4 Quls and which surahs to memorize first. For the general method, see how to memorize the Quran.
Frequently asked questions
What is Surah Qadr?
Surah Al-Qadr is the 97th surah of the Quran, with five verses. It begins "Indeed, We sent it [i.e., the Qur'an] down during the Night of Decree" and describes that night, Laylatul Qadr. Quran.com lists it as revealed in Makkah.
What is Surah Al-Qadr about?
It's about the night the Quran was sent down. It says the night is better than a thousand months, that the angels and the Spirit (Jibril, according to Ibn Kathir) descend in it, and that it is peace until dawn.
What are the benefits of reciting Surah Qadr?
We haven't found a graded hadith that promises a reward for reciting Surah Al-Qadr itself, or for reciting it 7 or 11 times. The authentic hadith are about the night it describes: whoever stands in prayer on Laylatul Qadr with faith, hoping for reward, has his previous sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 1901).
What surah comes before Surah Al-Qadr?
Surah Al-'Alaq (96) comes before it and Surah Al-Bayyinah (98) comes after it. All three are in Juz 30, and Al-Qadr fits on a single page of the standard Madani mushaf, page 598.
How long does it take to memorize Surah Qadr?
It takes 36 seconds to recite at Mishari al-Afasy's pace, and its longest verse, verse 4, is 11 seconds. That's short enough to learn in one sitting: loop verses 1–3, then 4–5, then the whole surah.