'Ha-meem' is known as ‘Solemn Verse' (Ayat-e-Muqatta'at - آیتِ مقطعات).

Fourteen Arabic alphabets have been used, in varied combinations, in 14 ‘Solemn Verses' (Ayaat-e-Muqatta'at - آیاتِ مقطعات) in the form of initials of 29 Chapters (سورة) of holy Quran. Ha-meem ( حم ) is one of them.

Since Quran is 'Mubeen' (الْمُبِينِ); its description is clear and manifest. The meanings of all the verses of Quran, including 'Solemn Verses' (آیاتِ مقطعات) are surely known to its principle addressee, ie., Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم). It is also likely that Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) has informed the meanings of these Verses to some of his Sahabah and Awliya Allah.

We believe in whatever is meant by the 'Solemn Verses' (آیاتِ مقطعات) by Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) and His Apostle Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).

Since we have been commanded to read the Quran carefully and try to understand the significance of every verse of the Quran, we do ponder over these verses. And when we think, by focusing our attention towards Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) and His Apostle Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) for guidance, it comes to our mind that the 'Solemn Verses' (آیاتِ مقطعات) are actually the 'Solemn Titles of Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) given by Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) throughout the Quran. Our understanding is based on the fact that Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) has addressed Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) in the Quran by specific names, like Muzzammil (مزمل - O' beloved who covers self in a coverlet), Muddassir (مدثر - O' beloved, who covers self in a bed sheet). With this understanding, it is most likely that Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) other names / titles have been mentioned in Quran by denoting certain initials/alphabets.

The are two nights mentioned in the Quran, as follows:

THE BLESSED NIGHT

(1) It is in Quran إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ - فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ [ Indeed, We revealed it on a blessed night - Indeed, We are ever warning (to mankind). On that night every wise command is made clear.] (Ad-Dukhan - 3-4).

THE NIGHT OF QADR

(2) It is in Quran - إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ - وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ - لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ [ Surely We revealed it on the Night of Power/Decree. And What will convey to you what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than thousand months. ] (Al-Qadr - 1-3)

We have briefly discussed below about these nights.

(a) There is no clear and categorical evidence in Quran and Ahadith that tells us that both these nights are one and the same.

(b)There are many authentic Ahadith identifying a blessed night falling in the middle of Sha'ban and the other falling in the end of Ramadhan.

(c) When we read the above verses of Quran, it looks that the 'Blessed Night' (لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ) falling in mid-Sha'aban is the night when Allah's (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) commands are made clear (in the sublime world - عالمِ عُلوي). Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) is warning the mankind that decisions are taken about them for the following year and they need to be careful and supplicate for pardon for the sins committed by them in the previous years.

(d)The Night of Qadr (لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ) is a glad tiding / good news to the human beings that this Night is better than one thousand months (more than 33 years) and it is an opportunity for mankind to make sure that they are benefited from it.

(e) The significance of both these nights is different from each other and both are important nights in Islamic Calendar. The Common feature of both these nights is, the descent of Quran.

It is important to note that Quran's descent was gradual, in stages. To understand this issue, read the following Quranic verse one more time.

Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) says - فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ [ On this night every wise command is made clear.] (Ad-Dukhan - 4).

This verse clarifies that on the night (which falls on mid-Sha'baan), every divine command intended for the following year is made clear (to the Sublime World - عالمِ عُلوي). This shows that on the 'Blessed Night' (ليلة البراءة) the command for the descent of Quran was given and made known to the Sublime World. This fact is described in this verse - إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنْذِرِينَ [ Indeed, We revealed it on a blessed night. Indeed, We are ever warning (to mankind).] (Ad-Dukhan - 3).

Thus, the divine command was the beginning of the descent of Quran. It was the first stage of the descent of Quran.

(f) Then Quran was descended from the Preserved Tablet (لوحِ محفوظ) to the first sky on the 'Night of Power/Decree' (ليلة القدر) in the month of Ramadhan. This was the second stage of the descent of Quran.

(g) Then, from the first sky, Quran was revealed, gradually, in stages, to Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) over a period of 23 years. This was the third and final stage of Quran's descent.

The blessed night' (لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ) mentioned in the above verses (Ad-Dukhaan 3&4) is the night which falls on mid-Sha'aban (لَيْلَةِ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ). This is also known as 'Night of Salvation' (ليلة البراءة) because, on this night every wise command of Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) is made clear and he looks upon His servants with mercy; listens to their supplications and forgives them. This night is proved from continuous narrations (احادیثِ متواتر) from many Sahaba and Taba'een in authentic books of Ahadith. We have provided below some of these Ahadith.

(i) Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Ibn Maja established Chapters in their Ahadith books, titled بَاب مَا جَاءَ فِي لَيْلَةِ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ [ What was known about the Middle Night of Sha'aban]. Many Ahadith have been mentioned under these chapters.

حدثنا أحمد بن منيع حدثنا يزيد بن هارون أخبرنا الحجاج بن أرطاة عن يحيى بن أبي كثير عن عروة عن عائشة قالت فقدت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة فخرجت فإذا هو بالبقيع فقال أكنت تخافين أن يحيف الله عليك ورسوله قلت يا رسول الله إني ظننت أنك أتيت بعض نسائك فقال إن الله عز وجل ينزل ليلة النصف من شعبان إلى السماء الدنيا فيغفر لأكثر من عدد شعر غنم كلب

Ummul Momineen Aisha (رضئ الله تعالی عنها) said - 'One night, I did not find the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) in his bed, so I went out searching for him and found him at al-Baqi (Muslim Graveyard in Madina) with his head raised towards the sky. (When he realized that I followed him to Baqi), He said : 'O Aisha (رضئ الله تعالی عنها) were you afraid that Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) and His Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) would treat you unfairly?' I said, 'No, I thought you had gone to spend the night with one of your (other) wives' He said : 'Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) descends to the lowest heaven on the night of mid-Sha'ban and forgives more people than the number of hairs on the hides of the sheep of Bani Kalb." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmed)

(ii) It is in Hadith Ummul Momineen Aisha (رضئ الله تعالی عنها) reports, 'the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) stood up in prayer during part of the night and made his prostration so lengthy that I thought his soul had been taken back. When I saw this I got up and went to move his big toe, whereupon he moved, so I drew back. When he raised his head from prostration and finished praying, he said : 'O A'isha (رضئ الله تعالی عنها), O strikingly beautiful (حُميرا)! Did you think that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) had broken his agreement with you?' She replied : 'No, by Allah, O'Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), but I thought that your soul had been taken back because you stayed in prostration for so long.' He said : 'Do you know what night is this?' She said : 'Allah and His Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) know best.' He said : 'This is the night of mid-Sha`ban! Verily Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) looks at His servants on the night of mid-Sha`ban, and forgives those who ask forgiveness, and He bestows mercy on those who ask mercy' (Thirmidhi, Ahmed, Bazzar, Baihaqi)

(iii) عن أبي بكر الصديق عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قال : « ينزل الله إلى السماء الدنيا ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر لكل شيء إلا رجل مشرك أو في قلبه شحناء [ Abu Bakr Siddique (رضئ الله تعالی عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said, Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) looks upon His creatures on the night of mid-Sha'ban and forgives everyone except the polytheist and the one who is jealous about others in his heart.] (Baihaqi, Bazzar, Daylami, Al-Haitami, Majmua Zawaid, etc. )

(iv) عن أبي هريرة قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا كان ليلة النصف من شعبان يغفر الله لعباده إلا لمشرك أو مشاحن [ Abu Huraira (رضئ الله تعالی عنه) reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said, Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) looks upon His servants on the night of mid-Sha'ban and forgives everyone except the polytheist and the Wrangler.] (Musnad al-Bazzar, Al-Haitami, Majmua Zawaid, etc. )

It is important that we stay awake during the nights (Lailatul Bara'a and Lailatul Qadr) and spend time in Salah, Zikr and repentance. It is expected that we will receive a lot of bounties from Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) as an offering (sadaqa) of the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).

Similarly, it is important to stay awake on the night of Me'raj-un-Nabi (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and spend time in the remembrance of Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) and His Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) as a gratitude for making us the Ummati of the the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم).

It is in Hadith - Abu Huraira (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) narrated that Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said, "Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards then all his past sins will be forgiven.' (Bukhari, Book 2, Hadith # 28)

It is in Hadith - Abdullah (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) narrated that 5 things have passed, (i) the smoke, (ii) the defeat of the Romans, (iii) the splitting of the moon, (iv) the defeat of the infidels in the battle of Badr (الْبَطْشَةُ), and (v) the punishment (اللِّزَامُ‏). (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Bk 65, Hadith # 342)

It is in Hadith - Abdullah (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) narrated that the ‘smoke’ was because, when the Quraish refused to obey the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), he asked Allah to afflict them with years of famine like those of Yusuf (عليه السلام). So, they were stricken with famine and fatigue, so much so that they ate even bones. A man would look towards the sky and imagine seeing something like smoke between him and the sky because of extreme fatigue. So, Allah revealed – [So watch out for the Day when the sky will bring visible smoke, enveloping all people; 'this is a painful punishment.'] (Ad-Dukhaan:10-11) Then someone (Abu Sufyan) came to Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) and said, ‘O Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم), invoke Allah to send rain for the tribes of Mudar for they are on the verge of destruction.’ On that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) said (astonishingly), ‘shall I invoke Allah for the tribes of Mudar? Verily, you are a brave man!’ But the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) prayed for rain, and it rained for them. Then the verse was revealed – [ Indeed, We will remove (that) punishment (famine) for a while, but you (Makkans) will return (to disbelief again). (Ad-Dukhaan - 15). When the famine was over and they restored prosperity and welfare, they reverted to their ways of heathenism whereupon Allah revealed – [(Then) on the Day We will deal (with you) severely (and) you will be subjected to a harsh retribution.] (Ad-Dukhaan - 16). The narrator said, ‘that was the day of the Battle of Badr.’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Bk 65, Hadith # 343)

The above verses clarify that Pharaoh and his people plotted to kill Musa (عليه السلام) and they were about the execute their plan.

The people of Tubba were a branch of the Sabaeans, who ruled Saba around 300 AD. They were well known people of Southern Arabia for their prosperity and riches.

Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ) is saying that many people/nations were destroyed earlier in spite of their worldly prowess and prosperity because they were transgressors. The Makkan Pagans are nowhere near them in prosperity. If they think that they will not be destroyed because of their material wealth, they should look at what happened to the previous nations when they transgressed.