سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ
Holy Qur'an
Al-Qur'an
Kids Qur'an
Or: "of Almightiness" or "of Majesty" - thus describing the night on which the Prophet received his first revelation (see introductory note to the preceding surah). On the basis of several Traditions it may be assumed that it was one of the last ten nights - probably the twenty-seventh of the month of Ramadan, thirteen years before the Prophet's emigration to Medina.
Sc., "in which there was no similar night" (Razi).
The grammatical form tanazzalu implies repetition, frequency or multitude; hence - as suggested by Ibn Kathir - "descending in hosts".
Lit., "and [divine] inspiration". For this rendering of rain, see first sentence of 16:2 and the corresponding note [2]. The present instance is undoubtedly the earliest example of the Qur'anic use of this term in the sense of "divine inspiration".
Lit., "it is salvation (salam, see surah {5}, note [29]) - i.e., it makes the believer secure from all spiritual evil: thus Mujahid (as quoted by Ibn Kathir), evidently implying that a conscious realization of the sanctity of this night acts as a shield against unworthy thoughts and inclinations.