Surah An Nur 24:35 (Verse of Light): One of the Qur’an’s most intellectually rich passages expressed in the form of a parable

There are many a parable and metaphor mentioned in Al Qur'an to make it easier for the readers the core wisdom behind some of the important verses. We have shared some of these parables and metaphors in our earlier posts which can be accessed from our reference page: Most profound Metaphors and Parables in Al Qur'an 

We now share another parable from Surah An Nur, known as Ayat an-Nūr - The verse of Light, which is considered as one of the Qur’an’s most beautiful and intellectually rich passages. It is also a verse where Muslim scholars have deliberately warned against reducing the imagery to a single simplistic interpretation. Care must be taken to understand the concept given in this verse for it is intellectually very demanding and reflective.

Something about the uniqueness of this verse:

It is an amazing historical phenomenon that no ayah (verse/sign) of the Qur'an has been commented on more than ayat An-Nūr (The verse of light), as noted by eminent scholar Yasir Qadri (listen to him explaining this verse at the end of this post). In fact, it would be true to say that the vast majority of booklets that have been written on the Tafsir (exegesis) of the Qur'an are based on the exposition of ayat An-Nūr. Over the past 14 centuries of Islamic Scholarship, more than a hundred treatises alone have been written on this one verse of the Qur'an by Scholars from every era.

What is the verse? Ayat an-Nūr (The verse of Light) — Surah An Nur 24:35

• The Arabic begins: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.”
• Then comes the extraordinary parable: مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ “The example of His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp…”

The lamp is inside glass; the glass shines like a brilliant star; the lamp is fueled by blessed olive oil whose purity is such that it almost seems to glow even before the fire touches it.

• And then:  نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ  “Light upon light.”
• The verse concludes: يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ “Allah guides to His light whom He wills.”

This is Qur’an 24:35, in Sūrah an-Nūr (“The Light”). 

Scholarly Explanation

1.    First important point: Is Allah literally “light”?

This is where we need to be careful. The verse says Allah is Nūr, but classical Muslim scholarship does not mean that Allah is a physical object made of electromagnetic light. The Qur'an is speaking about Allah in a way that human beings can understand, while Allah Himself is beyond comparison with creation.

One major classical interpretation is that Allah is the One who illuminates, guides and brings creation from darkness into truth. For example, al-Ṭabarī reports the interpretation of Ibn ʿAbbās that: “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” - That means essentially Allah is their Guide—He guides those in the heavens and earth to the truth. 

So “light” here can convey things such as:

• guidance
• truth
• knowledge
• clarity
• faith
• revelation
• spiritual illumination
• the removal of confusion and darkness

But there is an important nuance: “Allah is Light” and “Allah's guidance is light” are related but not necessarily identical statements.

Classical theologians and exegetes discussed the divine name an-Nūr in considerably richer ways than simply saying “light = guidance.”

2. What exactly is the parable describing?

• Imagine an ancient lamp. There is a niche in a wall. Inside the niche is a lamp. The lamp is enclosed in glass. The glass is extraordinarily clear and brilliant. The lamp is fueled by extraordinarily pure olive oil. The oil itself is so pure that it seems almost ready to shine even before fire touches it.
• Then the Qur'an says: “Light upon light.” - And finally: “Allah guides to His light whoever He wills.”

This isn't merely an explanation of how an ancient lamp works. It is a parable (mathal). And the Qur'an itself tells us that Allah presents parables for people. 

The point isn't necessarily: “The niche equals X, the lamp equals Y, the glass equals Z, and therefore we have decoded the entire verse.” Rather, the imagery progressively builds an experience of extraordinary illumination.

3. How did the classical scholars understand it?

This is where the verse becomes particularly fascinating.

• Ibn Kathīr records more than one interpretation.
• One interpretation is that the pronoun in “His light” refers to Allah's guidance placed within the heart of the believer.
• Another interpretation connects the imagery to the light of the believer's heart itself.
• He describes the believer's heart as something like the niche, with faith and guidance illuminated within it, and compares the Qur'an and divine revelation to the pure fuel feeding that illumination. 
• So, in very simplified terms: Allah → guidance → revelation → faith → illuminated heart → illuminated life.
• But this is a chain of meaning, not a physical chain.
• Al-Ṭabarī is especially useful because he shows us that the early scholars did not all reduce the verse to exactly one interpretation. He gives out different interpretations of the niche, lamp and glass. 
• He records interpretations including: (1) Allah as the Guide of the heavens and earth. (2) Allah's guidance being represented by the parable. (3) The “light” being associated with obedience and guidance.

This is an important lesson: The verse is profound partly because its metaphor has layers. We should be cautious about saying: “Islam teaches that the niche definitely means X, the lamp definitely means Y, and the glass definitely means Z.” 

So what does the “niche, lamp, glass and oil” mean?

One beautiful way of understanding the imagery—consistent with major classical interpretations—is to think of it as describing how guidance becomes brilliantly alive within the human being.

• The niche A niche is a protected place where a lamp can shine. It can evoke the human interior—the heart/chest as the place where faith and awareness of God reside.
• The lamp represents illumination. In the believer, this can be understood as faith (īmān), guidance and spiritual awareness.
• The glass 
• Glass protects and intensifies the lamp's brilliance.
• It also has a remarkable quality: clarity.
• A spiritually purified heart becomes capable of receiving and transmitting guidance rather than obscuring it.
• The olive oil 
• The Qur'an chooses extraordinarily pure oil. The imagery suggests a source of illumination that is itself exceptionally pure and receptive to ignition.
• This is a powerful image for the readiness of the human heart to recognize truth.
• “Neither of the east nor the west” - The olive tree is described as: لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ “neither eastern nor western.”
• Commentators offered different explanations for this unusual description.

It contributes to the image of a tree receiving abundant, balanced light rather than being confined to one particular orientation. The overall imagery is one of purity, balance and maximum illumination.

This may be the most beautiful phrase in the verse: “Light upon light (Nūr ʿalā nūr)” It can evoke layers of illumination:

• natural human recognition of truth
• revelation
• faith
• knowledge
• remembrance
• spiritual insight
• righteous action
• Rather than one light replacing another, one illuminative reality reinforces another.

Correlation with other verses

There is an extremely important context: look at the verses immediately after it. This is something I would strongly recommend when studying Ayat an-Nur.

Don't stop at 24:35.  The next verses say that these “niches” are associated with places where God's name is remembered, and then describe people who are not distracted from remembering Allah by commerce or worldly activity. 

So the Qur'an moves from: LIGHT → PLACE OF REMEMBRANCE → PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER GOD → THEIR ACTIONS.

That is tremendously important. The verse isn't merely telling us something abstract about metaphysical light. It asks: What happens when divine guidance actually illuminates a human life?

The answer in the following verses is: They remember God.

• They pray.
• They give charity.
• They are not consumed by worldly distraction.
• Their spirituality produces character and action. 

The opposite image

A few verses later, the Qur'an gives an astonishing contrast. After the imagery of light, it describes the condition of those who reject truth using the imagery of darkness upon darkness.

So there is a deliberate Qur'anic contrast: Light upon light versus darkness upon darkness.

 

This gives us an important insight: 

• Islam isn't merely asking: “Do you possess information?”
• It is asking something deeper: What kind of reality are you living in?
• Does reality become increasingly intelligible, meaningful and morally illuminated—or increasingly confused, fragmented and dark?

How can you discuss this verse with non-Muslims?

This is where it is recommended not beginning with theology.

• Don't start with: “Allah is Light. Therefore…”
• For a non-Muslim may immediately ask: “What does that even mean?”

Instead, start with the human experience of light and darkness.

• Ask: “Why do human beings universally use light as a metaphor for knowledge and darkness as a metaphor for ignorance?”
• A person says: 
• “I finally saw the truth.”
• “That clarified things.”
• “I was in the dark.”
• “The situation became clear.”
• “She opened my eyes.”
• “I found my way.”

Notice something fascinating? Human beings naturally experience truth as illumination.

• Then say: “The Qur'an takes that very deep human metaphor and applies it to our relationship with God.”
• That makes the conversation much more accessible.

You can ask a non-Muslim a beautiful question. 

• Instead of trying to prove the verse to them, ask: “What do you think it means for a human being to be spiritually illuminated?” Then listen.
• They may say: knowledge. love, conscience, wisdom, truth, meaning, compassion or inner peace.
• Then you can say: “Interestingly, the Qur'an puts many of these ideas into one image: light.”
• That creates a conversation, rather than a debate.

Don't use it as a “scientific miracle” argument This is important. You may encounter claims that the verse is describing:

• photons,
• the speed of light,
• quantum physics,
• electromagnetic radiation,
• the structure of the universe,
• some hidden scientific discovery.

It is recommended not make that the main interpretation. The verse is explicitly presented as a parable. Its primary subject is divine light/guidance and its effect—not a physics lesson.

The classical Tafsīr tradition overwhelmingly treats the passage in theological, spiritual and metaphorical terms. And actually, the verse becomes more profound, not less, when we don't force modern physics into it.

How can we benefit from the verse?

Now coming over to us - in the present days. How can we benefit from this verse. This, to me, is the most important part.

• The question shouldn't merely be: “What does the lamp symbolize?”
• It should become: “Is my heart becoming a place where light can live?”

Think about the metaphor: A lamp can exist, but if it is covered in dirt, its light is obscured. Likewise a heart can have knowledge, but still become clouded by:

• arrogance
• hatred
• envy
• greed
• constant distraction
• dishonesty
• resentment
• excessive attachment to worldly things.

So the verse invites inner purification.

A practical way to live Ayat an-Nur

We could turn the verse into a daily spiritual exercise.

• In the morning, 
• Ask: “What truth do I need to see more clearly today?”
• Read a small portion of Qur'an—not merely for information, but asking: “What is Allah illuminating for me?”
• During difficulty, ask “What would it mean to walk by light rather than by fear?”
• Before making a major decision Bask “Am I looking for what is true, or merely for what I want to be true?”
• That's a profound distinction.

• In relationships, ask 
• Does my presence make things clearer or darker for the people around me?”
• Do I bring: honesty? mercy? wisdom? patience? reconciliation?
• Or do I bring confusion, anger and harm?
• At night Ask:
• “Where did I receive light today, and where did I turn away from it?”
• That turns the verse from an intellectual object into a spiritual practice.

The deepest lesson: guidance isn't merely information

This is something worth emphasizing. You can know a great deal and still be spiritually lost. A person can know:

• philosophy,
• theology,
• science,
• history,
• Qur'anic vocabulary,
• and still have an unilluminated character.

The Qur'anic concept of light is therefore not simply: That's why the verses following 24:35 are so important: the illuminated person is described through remembrance, prayer, charity and integrity, not merely intellectual knowledge. 

Verse of Light explained in one para

If you were speaking to a Christian, atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, agnostic or simply someone unfamiliar with Islam, I might put it this way:

“The Qur'an has a remarkable passage called the Verse of Light. It says that God is the Light of the heavens and the earth, and then gives a parable of a lamp inside a crystal, fueled by extraordinarily pure oil, producing light upon light. Muslims have understood this as an image of God's guidance and the way that guidance illuminates the human heart. I don't think the point is that God is literally a physical light. Rather, think about how we all use ‘light’ as a metaphor for truth, understanding and hope. The Qur'an takes that universal human metaphor and says that ultimately the deepest light by which we find our way is from God. And then the Qur'an immediately describes people whose lives are illuminated by that light—people who remember God, pray, give and aren't enslaved by worldly distraction. So the question isn't simply ‘What does the metaphor mean?’ It's also ‘What is illuminating my life—and what kind of person is that light making me?’”

I think that is much more powerful than turning the verse into an argument.

And there's one more beautiful insight

Before we end the rather intricate nature of this verse, we must know that verse doesn't say: “Allah gives everyone a complete explanation.” Rather it says: “Allah guides to His light whom He wills.”

The verse therefore combines divine transcendence, human receptivity and divine guidance.

• We seek.
• We listen.
• We purify ourselves.
• We reflect.
• We act.

But ultimately, guidance is a gift from God. That produces humility. A Muslim shouldn't read this verse and think: “I possess the light and everyone else is in darkness.” Rather: “O Allah, illuminate me. Remove the darkness from me. Make me capable of recognizing truth, loving it, and living by it.”

That, I think, is one of the most beautiful ways to approach Ayat an-Nur.

Before we end the explanation and interpretation of the verse, there is a particularly profound next step here: the relationship between this verse and the famous hadith, “Allah has veils of light,” as well as the interpretations of al-Ghazālī in Mishkāt al-Anwār (“The Niche of Lights”). Al-Ghazālī takes this verse into an extraordinarily deep discussion of levels of light—sensory light, intellectual light, Qur'anic/revelatory light, and ultimately divine reality. His treatment is one of the great works of Islamic spiritual philosophy, but it needs to be distinguished carefully from the earlier Tafsīr tradition.

Why is this verse so special that it is the most oft-commented verse in our Islamic heritage? In the following short video Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi sheds light on the meaning and profundity of this one verse that is famously known as ayat An-Nūr (The verse of light).

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Surah 24. An Nur (The Light), already published

You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages: 

• Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
• Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | 

Resource Reference: 

| 1 | Ibn Kathir Surah An-Nur 24:35 Tafsir Ibn Kathir

| 2 | Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an

| 3 | Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

| 4 | Qur'an Wiki

| 5 | ChatGPT

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken. 

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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One of the greatest verses of Hope "āyāt al-rajāʾ " for servants of Allah (Al Qur'an)

A sin is an act of disobedience to our Creator Who has strictly prohibited all forms of evil and usurping rights of others. Sin is also a violation of our moral limits, and a living conscience may naturally feel guilt and inner unrest after committing it. Islam, however, does not want a sinner to remain imprisoned in guilt: the way out is sincere tawbah—stop the wrongdoing, regret it, seek Allah’s forgiveness, resolve not to return to it, and, if another person’s rights were harmed, restore those rights. 

Allah assures even those who have greatly wronged themselves: “Do not despair of the mercy of Allah” (39:53). Thus, remorse should lead not to despair but to reform; once sincerely repented, a sin can become the beginning of humility, spiritual renewal, and peace with Allah.

We now share the 53rd verse from Surah Az Zumar mentioned above and find out how can we cleanse our soul from the blackened heart of our hearts.

The Verse 

Surah Az-Zumar 39:53 is one of the Qur’an’s greatest declarations of hope, repentance and Allah’s limitless mercy:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Surely Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He alone is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” — 39:53

What makes the verse extraordinary is who Allah is addressing. He does not say, “O My perfectly righteous servants.” Instead He says:

الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ “Those who have exceeded all limits against themselves.”

Even after serious sin, Allah still calls them “My servants.”

Context of the verse

Surah Az-Zumar is a Makkan Surah emphasizing Tawḥīd, sincerity in worship, accountability and the Hereafter. Verse 53 comes at a point where, after repeated warnings, Allah suddenly opens an enormous door of hope.

A report from Ibn ʿAbbās, cited by al-Bukhārī and recorded by Ibn Kathīr, says that some people who had committed many murders and many acts of zina approached the Prophet ﷺ. They found his message beautiful but wondered whether people with such terrible pasts could possibly be forgiven. This verse was revealed as reassurance that the way back to Allah remained open.

Thus the verse addresses precisely the person who thinks: “I have gone too far.” Allah answers: “Do not despair.”

Why does Allah say they wronged “themselves”?

This is spiritually significant. Sin certainly may hurt other people, but the sinner ultimately damages his own soul. When we lie, cheat, commit adultery, steal, oppress, neglect prayer or disobey Allah, we do not diminish Allah in any way. We damage our own character, conscience and ultimate future.

So Allah says: أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ You have committed excess against yourselves. It is almost compassionate language: you have harmed yourselves—but you can still return.

Scholarly Interpretation

1.    Ibn Kathīr: no sin is too great for sincere repentance

Ibn Kathīr calls 39:53 an invitation to all sinners, including unbelievers, to repent and return to Allah. He explicitly says that however great or numerous the sins—even if they were like the foam of the sea—Allah can forgive them when the person genuinely repents.

But Ibn Kathīr adds a crucial qualification: “Allah forgives all sins” does not mean that one may deliberately persist in every sin without repentance.

For example, the Qur’an elsewhere states that dying upon un-repented shirk is not forgiven (4:48). So 39:53 must be read with 39:54, which immediately says:

وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ “Turn back to your Lord and submit yourselves to Him…”

The sequence therefore is: Do not despair → return to Allah → submit to Him → change your life.

2.    Maududi: the verse removes despair, not responsibility

Maududi strongly emphasizes the same point. He interprets the verse as a universal invitation, particularly comforting those who had committed major crimes during the age of ignorance and thought there could no longer be forgiveness for them.

But forgiveness requires turning sincerely toward Allah and obedience to His guidance. The verse does not create permission to continue knowingly in wrongdoing while merely relying upon divine mercy.

This distinction is vital: Hope in Allah is faith. Presuming upon Allah while refusing to change is complacency.

3.    Maʿārif al-Qurʾān: one of the Qur’an’s greatest verses of hope

Maʿārif al-Qurʾān records that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar regarded this as among the Qur’an's strongest verses of hope for sinners. It explains that sincere repentance made before death can erase even extremely serious sins, including disbelief and shirk when a person truly returns to Allah.

This is why Muslim scholars have often treated 39:53 as one of the great āyāt al-rajāʾ — verses of hope.

But does “Allah forgives all sins” include violations of other people's rights?

Here an important distinction must be made. If the sin was purely between a person and Allah, sincere tawbah involves: stopping the sin, regretting it, and sincerely resolving not to return to it.

But if the sin involved another person's rights, repentance also requires rectifying that injustice where possible.

For example:

• If I stole money, repentance requires returning it.
• If I unlawfully took inheritance, I must restore the rightful share.
• If I usurped someone's property, I cannot simply say Astaghfirullah and continue possessing it.
• If I owe someone money, I should repay it.
• If I have wrongfully damaged someone's reputation, some form of rectification may be required depending on the circumstances.

This is particularly important in light of what we have been discussing about halal and haram: Allah's mercy is immense, but repentance does not convert another person's property into ours. Mercy therefore does not abolish justice.

Therefore, this verse should never be understood as: “Do whatever you want because Allah forgives everything.”

The very next verses prevent that misunderstanding:

Connecting this verse with thefollowing verses that complete the loope:

• 39:53 — Do not despair.
• 39:54 — Return and submit to Allah.
• 39:55 — Follow what Allah has revealed.
• 39:56–59 — Do not wait until regret comes too late.
• So Allah's mercy produces transformation, not indifference.

Why this verse is profoundly relevant today

Many people today live between two unhealthy extremes.

• One extreme is: “I have sinned so much that Allah will never forgive me.”
• The other is: “Allah is Merciful, so my sins do not really matter.”

39:53–55 rejects both

• To the first person it says: Never despair.
• To the second it says: Return, submit and change before it becomes too late.

Let us elaborate it for better understanding:

1. For someone carrying a sinful past

• A person may have spent years neglecting prayer.
• Another may have committed adultery.
• Another may have been dishonest in business.
• Someone may have abused alcohol or drugs.
• Another may have lived far from religion for decades.

The verse says: Do not allow your past to become a barrier between you and Allah. Remember, Your worst chapter does not have to be your final chapter.'

2. For people who repeatedly fall into the same weakness

• Sometimes a person repents, falls again, repents again and begins thinking: “Allah must be tired of forgiving me.”
• That is projecting human limitations onto Allah.
• The proper response is not to become comfortable with sin but to keep returning sincerely while fighting the weakness.
• Failure should produce renewed tawbah—not despair.

3. For older people who think it is too late

This verse is particularly powerful late in life.

• Someone may think: “I wasted forty years.”
• The Qur’an does not say: “You should have come earlier, therefore the door is closed.”
• It says: لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ “Do not despair of Allah’s mercy.”

As long as genuine repentance remains possible, the believer should return.

4. For a society obsessed with permanent condemnation

Modern culture can sometimes declare a person permanently defined by the worst thing he ever did.

The Qur’anic worldview is different. 

• Wrongdoing must be acknowledged.
• Victims' rights must be protected.
• Justice must be done.

But human beings can morally transform. Islam leaves room for repentance because without the possibility of moral rehabilitation there would be little incentive for the wrongdoer to change.

5. For those trapped by shame

There is an important difference between guilt and despair.

• Healthy guilt says: “I did something wrong; I must return to Allah.”
• Despair says: “I am beyond Allah’s mercy.”

The first can lead to repentance - The second can push someone further into sin.

That is precisely why Satan may benefit from both the original sin and the despair that follows it.

39:53 breaks that cycle.  The astonishing tenderness of “O My servants” Perhaps the most moving feature of the verse is that Allah does not say: “O criminals.” - Instead He says: يَا عِبَادِي “O My servants.”

We must understand that after: sin, disobedience, neglect, and excess, the relationship has not been closed. It is almost as though the verse says: You may have moved far away from Me, but you have not moved beyond My mercy.

How should we act upon 39:53?

The verse should lead not merely to emotional comfort but to tawbah. A practical repentance involves:

• Recognize the wrong — stop justifying it.
• Regret it sincerely — allow conscience to awaken.
• Stop the sin.
• Ask Allah for forgiveness.
• Resolve sincerely not to return.
• If another person's rights were violated, restore them.
• Thereafter, Follow the wrong with good deeds.

This connects beautifully with 25:70, where Allah says that for those who repent, believe and do righteous deeds, He can even replace their evil deeds with good deeds. That is more than forgiveness. It is transformation.

Why despair itself is spiritually dangerous

When one has sinned, one may generally get into depression and a state of despair that whether his repentance will work or not. In that state:

• Despair says: “My sin is greater than Allah's mercy.”
• But 39:53 tells us that this is fundamentally wrong.
• No matter how large the sin appears from the human side, Allah's forgiveness is greater.

But the verse does not tell us to underestimate sin. It tells us never to underestimate Allah.

The central lesson

Surah Az-Zumar 39:53 does not teach: “Your sins do not matter.” - rather it teaches something far more powerful: “Your sins matter—but they are never greater than Allah’s mercy when you sincerely return to Him.”

And when read together with verses 54–55, the complete message becomes:

Never despair of your past, but never become complacent about your future. Return to Allah now, repair what you have wronged, follow His guidance, and let repentance become the beginning of a changed life.

That is why 39:53 remains one of the Qur’an’s most hopeful verses for every generation—especially for anyone who has ever wondered: “After everything I have done, can I still come back to Allah?” The Qur’anic answer is unequivocally: Yes—come back.

The verse is telling servants of Allah that they should not seek the support of others while losing hope in God. If they repent after confessing their sin, He will forgive even the greatest of sins.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs) already published

You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages: 

• Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
• Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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What is the broader concept of Halāl (lawful) and Harām (forbidden) in Islam

Muslims usually take few eatables as Harām (forbidden), like eating flesh of pork, dead animal or drinking wine. But that is just a small part of what is Halāl (lawful) and Harām (forbidden) in Islam. In fact the Qur’anic concept of Halāl and Harām is a complete moral framework, not simply a list of foods that may or may not be eaten. Dietary prohibitions are important, but Islam is equally concerned—sometimes with even more severe warnings—with how wealth is acquired, whether other people’s rights are protected, whether contracts are honest, whether inheritance is distributed correctly, whether the weak are exploited, and whether life, honour and property are violated.

Halal and haram concern the whole person

Surah Al-Mā’idah 5:3 tells us which foods are prohibited, but elsewhere the Qur’an identifies much broader categories of prohibited conduct. Al-Aʿrāf 7:33, for example, condemns indecencies, sin, wrongful aggression, shirk and speaking about Allah without knowledge.

So Harām may concern:

• what enters our stomach — forbidden food and drink;
• what enters our pocket — theft, bribery, fraud, usurpation and unlawful earnings;
• what comes from our tongue — lies, slander, false testimony and backbiting;
• what we do with power — oppression and denial of rights;
• what we do sexually — zina and prohibited sexual conduct;
• what we do with property entrusted to us — particularly the wealth of orphans;
• what we do in courts and contracts — deception, false claims and corruption.

Therefore, someone can eat completely halal food while sustaining himself from haram money. That is a distinction of enormous importance.

Scholarly Viewpoint

Al Qur'an at different places lays down guideline prohibitions of what is lawful and what is not lawful (forbidden). Herein under are some of the excerpts of the writings of some of the eminent Muslim scholars giving out the boarder concept of Halāl (lawful) and Harām (forbidden) in Islam:

1.    Ibn Kathīr

• Taking another person's wealth remains haram even if you win the case.
• Consider Al-Baqarah 2:188: “Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly, nor offer it to authorities in order knowingly to consume a portion of other people’s wealth sinfully.”

Ibn Kathīr records the explanation of Ibn ʿAbbās that this includes a person who knows another person has a rightful financial claim against him but denies it because the claimant cannot prove it in court. The offender may even obtain a legal judgment in his favour, but that does not transform another person's property into halal property.

The Prophet ﷺ made this principle exceptionally clear. He warned litigants that one person might present his argument more eloquently than another and receive a judgment in his favour; but if what he receives actually belongs to his brother, he is receiving “a piece of Fire.” This is authentically reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 7181.

That means there are two different questions:

• “Can I legally get this?” and
• “Does it rightfully belong to me before Allah?”

They are not always the same. A clever lawyer, forged document, political connection or technical loophole may secure property legally. But a court order cannot make moral theft halal.

2.    Maududi notes that “unlawfully consuming wealth” is an enormous category. He quotes Surah An-Nisāʾ 4:29 that says: “Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly, except through trade by mutual consent.”

Maududi explains that bil-bāṭil—wrongfully—covers transactions that violate righteousness either legally or morally. He further explains that genuine mutual consent must be free from deception, coercion and manipulation. A transaction may appear consensual, but if consent was obtained through fraud or unfair pressure, its moral legitimacy is compromised.

This makes the Qur’anic principle extraordinarily modern. It encompasses the moral logic behind prohibitions against things such as:

Embezzlement, property grabbing, bribery, fraudulent contracts, deceptive selling, withholding another person's lawful share, manipulating accounts, cheating employees, and exploiting someone's desperation.

The common element is: I am benefiting from wealth to which I have no morally legitimate right.

The orphan's property: one of the strongest Qur’anic warnings Perhaps nowhere is the broader meaning of haram wealth clearer than Surah An-Nisāʾ 4:10:

“Indeed, those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies, and they will burn in a blazing Fire.”

Notice the imagery. The Qur’an uses the verb يَأْكُلُونَ — “they eat”, even though the offender might not literally buy food with the orphan’s property. The meaning is to appropriate, use, absorb or benefit from it unlawfully.

Commentaries point out that this prohibition includes misusing an orphan's assets in any form, not merely spending them on food. The surrounding verses command guardians to protect the property and eventually return it properly to the orphan.

The severity is significant because an orphan is especially vulnerable. A powerful adult exploiting someone who cannot defend his own interests is precisely the sort of injustice the Qur’an treats most seriously.

3.    Mufti Muhammad Shafi / Maʿārif al-Qurʾān notes that: “eating wealth” means every form of wrongful use

In explaining 2:188, Maʿārif al-Qurʾān points out that the Qur’anic expression “do not eat one another's wealth” is not confined to literal eating. It encompasses using another person's property wrongfully in any way, and includes theft, robbery, usurpation, bribery, gambling and defective transactions. This linguistic point is extremely important.

When the Qur’an says: “Do not eat one another's wealth unjustly,” it effectively means: Do not enrich yourself through another person's violated rights.

3.    Ghamidi: economic prohibitions grow out of justice and protection of rights

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi similarly treats 4:29 as a foundational principle of economic ethics. He explains that unlawfully consuming wealth includes taking money through means opposed to justice, honesty and fairness, and specifically includes theft, usurpation, lying, embezzlement and misappropriation. He sees deceptive or damaging transactions as extensions of the same principle.

In his broader discussion of halal and haram, Ghamidi emphasizes that violation of another person's life, wealth or honour belongs to the category of wrongful aggression.

Whatever differences may exist among scholars on particular legal details, there is broad agreement on this fundamental Qur’anic principle: Other people's rights are sacred.

The Prophet ﷺ elevated property rights alongside the sanctity of life

In the Farewell Sermon, the Prophet ﷺ declared people's blood and property sacred and inviolable, comparing their sanctity to the sacredness of the day, month and place in which he addressed them. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim 1218a.

This gives us a very important hierarchy of thinking: Islam does not say: “Do not eat pork, but financial exploitation is a secondary matter.” Rather, the Sunnah places people's life and wealth under sacred protection.

What about inheritance?

Inheritance provides another striking example. A person may pray, fast, avoid alcohol and eat only halal meat—yet deliberately deprive a sister, daughter, widow or other rightful heir of the share Allah has assigned. That property does not become halal simply because: 

• “This is our family custom.”
• Nor because: “The land should remain with the sons.”
• Nor because: “She agreed not to take it,”

If that agreement resulted from intimidation, emotional pressure or social coercion.

The Qur’anic inheritance shares in Surah An-Nisāʾ are described as obligations established by Allah. Therefore deliberately taking someone's share amounts to taking another person's property.

The same principle applies to grabbing land belonging to a weaker relative or exploiting someone's lack of documentation.

What about bribery and corruption?

This is exactly where 2:188 becomes exceptionally important. The Qur’an specifically connects wrongful consumption of wealth with approaching authorities in order to acquire someone else's property unjustly. So bribing an official to obtain:

• a government contract unfairly,
• someone else's property, 
• a favourable judicial outcome, 
• an undeserved license, 
• or an advantage denied to others

Is not merely “how the system works.” It falls into the Qur’anic category of consuming wealth through bāṭil—false and wrongful means. Maududi expressly connects the verse with bribery and manipulating judicial processes.

Halal food purchased with haram income creates a moral contradiction

This deserves reflection. Imagine a man carefully checks whether restaurant meat is halal. He refuses anything containing alcohol. But the money in his wallet came from: a bribe, a fraudulent property transaction, an orphan's inheritance, an employee whose wages he withheld, or land he illegally occupied.

This explains that He has understood only one dimension of halal. The food may itself be halal - but the money purchasing it may not be.

Islam seeks purity of both: what we consume and how we obtained the means to consume it.

Rights of Allah and rights of people

Islamic scholarship often distinguishes between obligations principally concerning ḥuqūq Allāh—rights owed to Allah and ḥuqūq al-ʿibād—rights of human beings.

If someone misses an obligation toward Allah and sincerely repents, Allah may forgive him.

But when another person's property or rights are involved, one cannot simply say Astaghfirullah while continuing to possess what belongs to someone else. The repentance ordinarily also requires rectification: (1) return the property, (2) repay the debt, (3) restore the inheritance, (4) compensate the victim, (5) or seek forgiveness where appropriate.

A broader way of asking “Is it halal?”

Perhaps Muslims should expand the questions we normally ask:

• We commonly ask: “Is this chicken halal?”
• We should equally ask:
• “Is my salary halal?”
• “Is this property really mine?”
• “Have all heirs received their shares?”
• “Did I obtain this contract fairly?”
• “Did the employee receive the wages owed to him?”
• “Am I using someone's weakness to gain financial advantage?”
• “Did I deceive the buyer?”
• “Did I bribe someone to obtain what was not rightfully mine?”

These questions take us much closer to the Qur’an’s complete concept of halal and haram.

The deeper Islamic principle

The Qur’an is not primarily attempting to create a believer who is ritually meticulous but morally careless. It seeks a person whose worship produces integrity.

Therefore the believer should be concerned about: halal food, halal income, halal ownership, halal business, lawful relationships, truthful speech, fulfilled contracts and protected human rights.

A useful summary

Halal and haram do not stop at the mouth; they extend to the hands that earn, the contracts we sign, the property we possess, the rights we owe, the words we speak and the power we exercise over others.

Indeed, one of the most disturbing possibilities the Qur’an warns against is that a person may apparently be eating ordinary food while, in the sight of Allah, he is “eating fire” because the wealth by which he lives belongs unjustly to someone else (4:10). That is why protecting the rights of people is not a peripheral social virtue in Islam—it is an essential part of living a genuinely halal life.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | references: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A. You may also refer to our refference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on important issue related to Islam to know more about Islam.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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O' Ye who believe! Do not set up another god with Allah - Worship Him alone, the beginning and the end of all wisdom

Surah Al-Isrāʾ (Passage 17:23–39) is a compact Qur’anic charter for a complete moral life: it begins with Tawḥīd, then translates faith into kindness to parents, care for relatives and the poor, balanced spending, protection of children and human life, chastity, safeguarding orphan property, keeping promises, honesty in trade, intellectual responsibility, and humility. It ends by returning to Tawḥīd, showing that all these duties are parts of one divine wisdom. In fact this passage presents Ten Divine Commandments for the guidance of believers who truly believe in One True God - Allah.

The passage teaches that true religion is not confined to worship alone; it must shape family life, economics, justice, speech, knowledge and character, so that belief in Allah becomes visible in the way we live with others. We have already shared each verse of the passage in our exclusive page: Al Qur'an spells out a comprehensive charter of personal morality, family responsibility, justice, economic ethics and intellectual integrity.

Today we share the 39th verse of Surah Al-Isrāʾ 17:39 which is the concluding verse of the great moral passage 17:23–39:

ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّا أَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا

“That is from the wisdom your Lord has revealed to you. And do not set up another god with Allah, or you will be cast into Hell, blamed and rejected.”

Context

Verse 39 does not introduce a new subject; it summarizes everything taught in 17:23–38. The passage had commanded worship of Allah alone, kindness to parents, assistance to relatives and the needy, moderation in spending, protection of children and human life, chastity, protection of orphan property, fulfilment of promises, honesty in trade, intellectual responsibility and humility.

Then Allah says: 

ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا

“That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muhammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.”

So these commandments are not disconnected rules. Together they form a Qur’anic philosophy of life.

Notice something especially beautiful: the passage begins in 17:23 with Tawḥīd— “Do not worship except Him.” —and ends in 17:39 with Tawḥīd— “Do not set up another god with Allah.” Thus Tawḥīd surrounds the entire moral code.

What does “wisdom” mean here?

The word is: الْحِكْمَة — al-ḥikmah. Here it refers to revealed wisdom that teaches human beings how to live rightly. 

Wisdom in the Qur’anic sense is not simply knowing many facts. It is knowing what is right, understanding why it matters, and acting accordingly.

Therefore: (1) kindness to parents is wisdom; (2) economic moderation is wisdom; (3) sexual restraint is wisdom; (4) protection of life is wisdom; (5) keeping contracts is wisdom; (6) intellectual honesty is wisdom; (7) humility is wisdom.

Religion therefore does not separate faith from ethical behaviour.

Scholarly interpretation

1.    Ibn Kathīr understands 17:39 as Allah telling the Prophet ﷺ that all the preceding commands and prohibitions are part of the wisdom revealed by Allah. He particularly emphasizes that the passage returns again to the prohibition of shirk, showing that Tawḥīd is the greatest foundation upon which all these teachings rest. 

In other words: good character without recognizing Allah is incomplete, and claiming faith in Allah while ignoring moral responsibility is also incomplete.

2.    Al-Ṭabarī similarly explains “that is from the wisdom your Lord has revealed” as referring back to the entire body of commandments just given. The closing prohibition against associating partners with Allah reinforces the central theological principle from which the ethical system derives.

For al-Ṭabarī, revelation is not merely information about the unseen; it provides practical wisdom for human conduct.

3.    Maududi gives this passage particular importance. He regards 17:23–39 almost as a moral and social charter revealed near the end of the Makkan period, shortly before the Muslim community would acquire a social and political existence in Madinah.

The principles listed here therefore became foundations for Islamic civilization: family responsibility, protection of life, economic honesty, social welfare, sexual morality, contracts, knowledge and humility.

Verse 39 then labels this whole system ḥikmah—wisdom from Allah. This is crucial: Islam does not build society merely through punishment or legislation. It first builds a moral human being.

4.     Ghamidi mentions that at the end the Qur’ān has made it evident that morals are a corollary of beliefs and according to the categorization of the Qur’ān, all moral directives will be subsumed under al-ḥikmah. They will come under al-kitāb when some law is stated about them.   

Why does the verse return to shirk?

Because the Qur’an wants us to understand where morality ultimately comes from. If Allah alone is the Creator and Lord, then our responsibilities toward: parents, money, sexuality, human life, contracts, knowledge, and other people are not merely social conventions. They are matters for which we answer before Allah. Thus Tawḥīd creates accountability.

The believer does not remain honest only because the police are watching. He remains honest because: Allah is watching.

Its relevance today

This verse is highly relevant because modern societies often separate different areas of life. Someone may be considered successful because he is wealthy, professionally accomplished or influential, while his family relationships, business ethics and treatment of others are considered separate matters.

17:23–39 followed by 17:39 gives a different definition.

• A complete human life requires integrity across all dimensions.
• A person cannot claim morality while exploiting employees.
• He cannot claim religiosity while humiliating parents.
• He cannot speak about justice while cheating in business.
• He cannot demand truth from others while spreading rumours himself.
• He cannot speak proudly of faith while behaving arrogantly.

Therefore Verse 39 says: all of these things belong to one system of wisdom.

A lesson for religious life today

Sometimes religion itself can be reduced to visible rituals. Prayer and fasting are essential, but this passage reminds us that revelation also demands: honest measurement, responsible speech, protection of life, fulfilment of promises and humility.

So one cannot divide Islam into: “religious matters” and “ordinary life.”

• Business is religious when honesty is involved.
• Family life is religious when parents' rights are involved.
• Social media becomes a religious matter when truth and slander are involved.
• Government becomes a religious matter when justice and trust are involved.
• Every sphere can become part of worship through obedience to Allah.

How can we apply 17:39?

The most practical way is to treat the preceding passage as a personal moral audit. Ask yourself:

• Am I maintaining Tawḥīd sincerely?
• How do I treat my parents?
• Do I help relatives and the needy?
• Am I wasteful or miserly?
• Do I respect human life and dignity?
• Do I guard moral boundaries?
• Do I keep promises?
• Are my business dealings honest?
• Do I repeat things without knowledge?
• Has success made me arrogant?

Then 17:39 asks one final question: What is the foundation beneath all these choices? The answer is: my relationship with Allah.

The deeper structure of 17:23–39

There is an elegant progression:

17:23 — Tawḥīd - family ethics - social responsibility - economic responsibility - protection of life - sexual morality - property and contracts - commercial honesty - intellectual integrity - humility - 17:39 — Tawḥīd again. Thus the passage begins and ends with Allah because moral life begins and ends with accountability to Him.

The essence of 17:39

Perhaps the verse can be summarized in one sentence:

The Qur’an teaches that true wisdom is not merely knowing what is right, but organizing every part of life around Allah’s guidance—from worship and family to money, justice, knowledge and character.

The gist of Surah Al-Isrāʾ 17:39 is that all the moral commands given before it—kindness to parents, care for the weak, moderation, protection of life, chastity, honesty, keeping promises, responsible knowledge and humility—are not isolated rules but part of the divine wisdom revealed by Allah. The verse then returns to Tawḥīd, reminding us that the whole moral system rests on worshipping Allah alone. In short, true wisdom is to organize every part of life around Allah’s guidance, so that faith is reflected in character, justice, responsibility and humility.

And that is why 17:39 is such a fitting conclusion to this extraordinary passage: it gathers all these seemingly different rules into one unified way of life rooted in Tawḥīd, wisdom and accountability before Allah.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 17. Al-Isra'ʾ (The Night Journey) already published from Sürah 17. Al-Isra'ʾ.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages: 

• Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
• Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More