mean “with every decree that Allah, mighty and majestic, ordains on the Night of Decree for the year until the Night of Decree of the following year.” On this interpretation, the statement is complete at “for every matter,” and it is appropriate to pause there and begin anew with:

“Peace it is until daybreak” [al-Qadr: 5].

That is, it is a night of safety: nothing occurs during it that does not occur on other nights, nor can any devil do anything during it. This is to be understood as generally the case, and Allah knows best. It has also been interpreted as “It is goodness until daybreak,” or “It is mercy until daybreak.”

It has also been said that the statement is complete at:

“The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord” [al-Qadr: 4].

The next statement would then mean: “From every matter it is safe until daybreak.” That is, the Night of Decree is safeguarded against every illness and every devil until dawn.

Another view is that the statement is complete at “From every matter, safety.” A new clause then begins: “It is until daybreak”—that is, the Night of Decree lasts until daybreak. The words “From every matter, safety it is” would mean that it is safeguarded against every illness and devil.

It has also been said that “for every matter, peace” means that the angels greet Allah’s believing servants with peace throughout that night until dawn. Those who adopted this view cited in support the reading related from Ibn Abbās:

“For every matter” [al-Qadr: 4], “Peace it is until daybreak” [al-Qadr: 5].

Success comes only from Allah.