Understanding the Arabic words mentioned above:
- "Tawḥīd" (Arabic: التَوحيد) is the fundamental Islamic doctrine of the indivisible oneness of God (Allah). It is the central concept upon which a Muslim's faith is built, affirming that God is one and has no partners, associates, or equals. The concept of Tawḥīd encompasses the belief in God's unique essence, attributes, and actions, and it forms the basis of a Muslim's worship and submission solely to Allah.
- "Risālah" (Arabic: رِسالة) means the 'message', and the belief that Allah chose special people to communicate his word to humanity. It refers to 'prophethood' and represents the various ways Allah communicates with humanity to reveal his messages.
- "Ākhirah" (Arabic: الآخرة) is an Arabic term meaning "the Hereafter" or "the Last Day," referring to the concept of life after death in Islam, including resurrection, Judgment Day, and eternal life in either Heaven or Hell. It is a fundamental pillar of Islamic belief, emphasizing that this worldly life is a temporary phase and that one's actions have eternal consequences.
Context (Asbāb al-Nuzūl)
The Sūrah was revealed at a time when the pagans of Makkah and the influential and dominating tribe of the Quraysh were ridiculing the Prophet ﷺ and the Qur’an. They objected to:
- Why was the Qur’an not revealed to a wealthy or influential man? (25:7–8)
- Why does the Prophet eat food and walk in markets like ordinary men? (25:20)
- Why no visible angels or treasures? (25:21)
The Sūrah thus responds by reaffirming:
- The Qur’an’s divine origin.
- The universality of the prophetic message.
- The fate of those who reject divine guidance.
Overall Theme
The Qur’an as the ultimate criterion to judge belief and actions, contrasted with the qualities and fate of believers vs. disbelievers. It teaches that success is for those who accept the Qur’an and follow the Prophet ﷺ, while those who reject it face certain ruin.
The Sūrah emphasizes (verses 68–70) that there is no sin, however great, that cannot be forgiven if sincerely repented, showing faith and working with righteous deeds.
Major Subjects
- The Qur’an’s Divine Status
- Begins with: "Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion to His servant, that he may be a warner to the worlds" (25:1).
- Qur’an is described as the clear standard for truth and guidance.
- Refutation of Polytheism
- Allah has no partner in creation (25:2–3).
- False gods cannot benefit or harm.
- The Prophet’s Humanity: Rejection of the argument that a prophet must be supernatural (25:7–9, 25:20).
- Historical Lessons: Stories of past nations destroyed for denying prophets (25:35–40).
- Scenes from the Day of Judgment
- Regret of disbelievers for not following the Prophet (25:27–29).
- The Prophet’s complaint: “My people have abandoned this Qur’an.” (25:30)
- The Qualities of ‘Ibād al-Raḥmān (Servants of the Most Merciful)
- Humility, patience, night prayers, moderation, avoidance of shirk, murder, and immorality (25:63–68).
- They turn away from ignorance, ponder Allah’s signs, and seek protection from Hell.
Lessons & Relevance for Today
- Qur’an is the Criterion: In an age of conflicting ideologies, Qur’an remains the final measure for truth and morality.
- Success is Not in Wealth or Status: Leadership in faith is about piety and truth, not worldly rank (25:7–8).
- Human Nature of the Prophet: Teaches us to respect him as Allah’s Messenger while acknowledging his humanity — avoiding extremes.
- History Repeats: Nations that rejected divine guidance fell, just as modern societies risk collapse if they abandon moral principles.
- Accountability: On Judgment Day, excuses won’t work — following false influences will lead to regret (25:27–29).
- Becoming ‘Ibād al-Raḥmān: A life goal: embody humility, moderation, patience, and sincerity in worship. Night prayer and constant remembrance keep the heart alive.
Surah Al-Furqān confronts arrogance, upholds the Qur’an as the ultimate measure of truth, and paints a vivid contrast between the arrogance of disbelievers and the humility of Allah’s true servants. For today’s world, it’s a reminder that truth is not decided by majority or power — but by revelation.
We have already published detailed exegesis of the Surah which can be accessed from links Sürah 25. Al Furqan (The Criterion).
We now share some of the verses from Sūrah Al-Furqān which have already been published covering some important messages:
- Verse 01: Qur'ān - The Al Furqan (The Criterion): Warner for the entire Mankind
- Verse 02: One of the most comprehensive verses of the Quran on doctrine of Tawhid
- Verse 44: Who are merely like cattle; nay, even worse than them
- Verse 58:
- Trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not - And the All-Knower of the sins of His servants
- Put your trust in the Ever Living One Who dies not
- Verse 63: Who are the true servants of Allah
- Verse 65: Our Lord! Ward off from us the chastisement of Hell, for its chastisement is one that clings
- Verses 65-66: Our Lord! Ward off from us the chastisement of Hell - Verily it is a wretched abode
- Verse 70: The Divine promise of Hope and Redemption in Qur'an
- Verse 73: Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an: Walk on earth Gently
- Verse 74:
In time we will continue to add more selected verses from Surah .7 Al-A'raf for information of our readers.
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 also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
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.
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1 comments:
Great Article. It will be un justified not to admire you. Your efforts to make us wise on selected verses is always welcome. Article refreshed me.
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