Nuzulul Quran: A Blessed Night in Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan is the most noble month in the Hijri calendar because Allah grants abundant mercy, rewards, and forgiveness. Ramadan becomes even more special due to the occurrence of Nuzulul Quran. But what is it?

Nuzulul Quran night marks the first revelation of the Quran to the world. Linguistically, “nuzulul” means “descent” or “coming down,” while “Quran” refers to the holy scripture.

At that time, the Prophet Muhammad was deeply troubled by the worsening moral decay of Arab society. Seeking solace, he retreated to the Cave of Hira for tahannuth (meditation and reflection), contemplating how to guide the Arab people out of darkness.

One night, the Angel Jibril appeared before him in the cave and commanded, “Iqra” (Read!). However, Muhammad replied, “I cannot read.” Jibril repeated the command multiple times, causing Muhammad to tremble in fear.

This event marked the first revelation to the Prophet Muhammad, which was Surah Al-Alaq (verses 1–5):

اِقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَۚ ۝١ خَلَقَ الْاِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍۚ ۝٢ اِقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْاَكْرَمُۙ ۝٣

الَّذِيْ عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِۙ ۝٤ عَلَّمَ الْاِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْۗ ۝٥

Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created, created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught humanity what they knew not.

Nuzulul Quran is observed every year on the 17th of Ramadan. This year, Muslims will commemorate Nuzulul Quran on Monday, March 17, 2025.

Dartim, S.Pd., M.Pd., a lecturer in Islamic Education at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), stated that the revelation of Al-Quran is a significant historical event in Islam.

Although there are no special rituals or specific prayers for Nuzulul Quran, Dartim encouraged Muslims to continuously deepen their understanding of Al-Quran.

This can be done by studying Islamic knowledge, reciting Al-Quran, improving Quranic recitation, reflecting on its verses, and applying its teachings in daily life.

“To study Al-Quran properly, one must reflect on its verses (tadabbur). Most importantly, Al-Quran should be implemented in daily life,” Dartim stated on Wednesday (12/3/2025).

The first verse revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was ‘Read’. Dartim emphasized that this word carries profound meaning for Muslims.

The wisdom behind Nuzulul Quran, which was revealed during the dark era of Arab society, is that it illuminates the world through literacy. Dartim interprets this verse as a call to literacy, which eventually develops into education.

“Education is the solution to liberate society from ignorance,” he added.

Dartim explained that the word iqra signifies the importance of education in society. Moreover, since iqra is an imperative verb, it means that it must be carried out.

“When society falls back into ignorance (jahiliyyah), reflecting on the concept of iqra and the meaning of Nuzulul Quran serves as a reminder of the importance of an educated society, one that is protected from ignorance,” Dartim concluded.

Writer: Gede Arga Adrian

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva