Why is Lailatul-Qadr better than a thousand months? Why not better than ten or a hundred thousands?! Al-Qummi indicates on page 432, Vol. 2, of his Tafsir, that the Messenger of Allah (S) once saw in a vision monkeys climbing over his pulpit, and he felt very distressed; thereupon, the chapter of Qadr was revealed to remove his distress. The period of Banu Umayyad’s government lasted roughly a thousand months: from 661 to 750 A.D., with the first ruler being Abu Sufyan and the last Mu’awiyah al-Himar.

Both al-Kulayni in his Al-Kafi and al-Majlisi in his Bihar al-Anwar , quoting Ali ibn ‘Eisa al-Qammat quoting his uncle quoting Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) saying, “The Messenger of Allah (S) was shown in a vision how Banu Umayyah climbed over his pulpit (like monkeys climb over trees), so he felt very unhappy, whereupon Gabriel (as) descended upon him and asked him why he was so forlorn.

He (S) said, ‘I have seen (in a vision) tonight Banu Umayya ascending my pulpit after having misled people from the Straight Path.’ Gabriel (as) said,

“I swear by the One Who has sent me (as a messenger) with the truth, this is something with which I am not familiar.’ Having said so, he ascended to the heavens. After a short while, he brought him one verse to remove thereby his grief; it said: ‘Have you considered if We would let them enjoy themselves for (a few) years, then that with which they are threatened comes to them, so much so that whatever they were permitted to enjoy shall not avail them (in the least)?”
(Holy Qur’an, Surah Shu’ara 26:205-207)

And he also brought him: ‘We revealed it in Lailatul-Qadr, and what will make you comprehend what Lailatul-Qadr is? Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months…, etc.'”

Lailatul-Qadr is a blessed night also because the Almighty brings down during it goodness, bliss, and forgiveness for His servants. One tradition of the greatest of all prophets Muhammad ibn Abdullah (S) states that when Lailatul-Qadr approaches, the Almighty orders Gabriel (as) to descend accompanied by a crowd of angels to the earth with a green banner.

He would mount the banner atop the Ka’ba while having six hundred wings one of which is not spread except on Lailatul-Qadr; so, he would spread them during that night, and he and all other angels would greet everyone who is standing for his prayers, sitting, adoring, or reciting the Holy Qur’an. They would shake hands with them and pray the Almighty to accept their pleas, and they would continue doing so till daybreak.

It is then that they would ask Gabriel: “What has the Almighty Allah done with the wishes of the believers among the nation of Muhammad (S)?” He would answer, “The Almighty Allah has looked upon them on this night and forgiven them, all of them, except the following: one who is addicted to drinking, one who severs his ties with his kin, and one who is a trouble-maker.”

The Almighty has said, “Lailatul-Qadr is better than a thousand months,” meaning, mathematically, that this night, which is comprised of a few hours, is honored by Allah the Exalted and Praised over about eighty-three years which is the equivalent of a thousand months.