What the Meaning of 'A Thousand Months' Is, Compared with Lailatul Qadar

As cited from the book Durratun Nasihin, in the time of the Children of Israel there lived a Prophet of Allah named Syam’un al-Ghozi, who is often referred to as the Prophet Samson. The epithet al-Ghozi attached to his name signified his distinction as a formidable warrior in the path of jihad. He could wage war against the armies of Allah’s enemies for a thousand months. Moreover, he fought with only a camel’s jawbone—some accounts say a donkey’s jawbone—as his weapon. With a single strike, he could slay his foe. From the gap between the teeth of his weapon, clear water would issue forth, which he could drink whenever the Prophet was thirsty. From the same point, fresh flesh would sprout that he could eat to relieve his hunger. The might of Prophet Syam’un provoked the jealousy of the king of Israel. The ruler then announced a contest: anyone who could capture and kill Prophet Syam’un would be rewarded with a large sum of wealth. The king’s advisers also devised a crafty plot, offering wealth and abundant jewellery to the wife of Nabi Syam’un. Without her husband’s knowledge, the woman agreed to join in the wicked scheme. One night, they laid out their plan. ‘We will give you a very strong rope. Tie your husband’s hands and feet when he is asleep. Once that is done, let us deal with killing him ourselves,’ said one of the king’s soldiers to Nabi Syam’un’s wife. At first, Nabi Syam’un’s wife failed to execute the plan because she fell asleep. Not surprising; the Prophet loved to perform late-night prayers, so the crafty woman could not resist waking until dawn approached. Because she repeatedly failed, some days later the woman reported to the king of Isra’il’s courtiers. Nevertheless, they condoned it and advised tying Nabi Syam’un while he slept in the afternoon. The following afternoon, the plan was carried out and succeeded. Nabi Syam’un’s two legs and hands were bound tightly as he slept. When he woke and sought to perform prayers, Syam’un was startled to find his legs bound. ‘O my wife, who tied me with this rope?’ the Prophet asked his wife. ‘I bound you because I merely wished to test how strong you are,’ replied the wife.