At "Islam: My Ultimate Decision" it has been our endeavour to introduce Al Qur'an in as much ways as possible so that our viewers can understand Al Qur'an and follow it as easily as possible. We have already presented the Overview, the Tafseer/Exegesis of all 114 Surahs / Chapters of Al Qur'an. In addition to that we have also embarked upon us to present some of the important and selected verses from each Surah for easy understanding.
In our continuing series of selected verses from selected Surahs of Al Qur'an, today we share the bird eye view of Surah 35 Fatir, meaning the Originator and some of the selected verses. We have already shared a brief overview and Tafseer / Exegesis of the Surah which can be read from links given below:
Herein under we will only present a condensed overview of the entire Sūrah, for the scope of this post is to only to introduce the Sūrah and provide links to some of the selected verses from this Sūrah for selective reading / references. The following bird eye view includes the context, major themes and subjects and lessons that we can learn from this Sūrah, followed by references to some of the selected verses already published.
About the Surah:
Surah Fāṭir (Arabic: فاطر, fāṭir; meaning: The Originator / The Creator), is also known as Al-Mala’ikah (ﺍﻟملائكة, ’al-malā’ikah; meaning: "The Angels"). It has 45 ayats / verses part of the Juzʼ 22 with five rukūʿ (Arabic: رُكوع) - that is a group of thematically related verses in a given Surah. The Surah Fatir is classified as the Makkan Surah, for it was revealed before the migration of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to Medinah, called as Hijrah.
Main Audience: Since it was revealed in Makkah, its audience were the early Meccan disbelievers, idolaters, and those doubting the Prophet ﷺ.
Context of Revelation: Sūrah Fāṭir was revealed:
- It was revealed in a period when: (1) The Quraysh were resisting the message, (2) Mocking the Prophet ﷺ, (3) Arguing about resurrection, (4) Taking idols as “closer intercessors,” (5) Being overly impressed with worldly life, (6) Rejecting the idea of accountability.
- The surah comes as a powerful reminder of: (1) Who Allah is (the Creator, Provider, Originator), (2) Why humans are accountable, (3) The purpose of life, (4) The reality of the Hereafter - It is a surah that awakens the conscience and breaks arrogance.
Core Theme: The central theme of Sūrah Fāṭir is: “Recognizing Allah’s absolute creative power leads to guidance; ignoring His signs leads to ruin. It contrasts: (1) Creator vs. creation, (2) Truth vs. falsehood, (3) Guidance vs. misguidance, (4) Gratitude vs. ingratitude, and (5) The fleeting dunya vs. eternal Akhirah.
Key Subjects and Structure: Following are some of the key subjects discussed in the Surah under the overall theme of Allah being the Originator and the Creator of the entire universe:
- Allah as al-Fāṭir — The Originator (verses 1–3) - Allah introduces Himself as: (1) Creator of the heavens and the earth, (2) Maker of angels as messengers, (3) Provider of all sustenance. This sets the foundation: He alone deserves worship.
- No one can withhold what Allah gives (verse 2) - This reinforces Tawḥīd and breaks reliance on idols.
- Creation signs & natural phenomena (verses 5–14) - Allah uses: (1) life & death, (2) day & night, (3) rain, (4) plants, (5) winds to show that all power belongs to Him alone.
- Warning against being deceived by worldly life (verse 5) - The surah strongly warns: (1) “Don’t be deceived by dunya.” (2) “Don’t be deceived by Shayṭān.”
- Human ingratitude vs. gratitude (verses 15–18) - A major theme: People need Allah; Allah does not need anyone and that every soul carries its own burden.
- Parable of the good and bad people (verse 19–22) - Powerful analogy: (1) The blind vs. the seeing, (2) Darkness vs. light, (3) Shade vs. heat, and (4) The living vs. the dead. These metaphors symbolize faith vs. disbelief.
- Prophets brought the same message (verses 23–25) - Reassurance to the Prophet ﷺ that rejection is not new.
- The reward of the righteous (verses 32–35) - The verses mention description of Paradise, Peace, Removal of sorrow, True success.
- The Fate of previous nations (verse 45) - If Allah punished people immediately, nothing would remain — but He gives time. This is the idea of Divine patience (imhal) and warning.
Why is the Surah Important Today?
No verse or surah of Qur'an has been irrelevant throughout the history since revelation more than fourteen centuries ago. Let us view the relevance of Surah Fatir in modern times:
- It addresses materialism - People today, like Quraysh, are dazzled by wealth and status.
- It teaches gratitude - In an age of entitlement, it reminds that everything is from Allah.
- It strengthens faith in God’s power - When people feel helpless or overwhelmed.
- It explains why evil exists - Allah gives time for repentance, not immediate punishment.
- It helps overcome doubts - By pointing to the natural world as signs of Allah’s existence.
- It teaches personal accountability - Everyone carries their own burden — no blame-shifting.
Lessons for Us Today
- Do not be deceived by worldly life.
- Stay grateful — ingratitude is spiritually deadly.
- Do not rely on intermediaries between you and Allah.
- Reflect on nature to strengthen iman.
- Be patient in calling others to Islam (like Prophet ﷺ).
- Prepare for the Hereafter — the only lasting success.
- Do not confuse temporary prosperity with Divine approval.
- Allah delays punishment out of pure mercy.
Selected verses from Sürah Fāṭir
Now let us share herein some of the selected ayat / verses from this surah already shared:
- Verse 18: No one can share burden of sin committed by another - even though he be a near of kin
- Verse 43: An evil scheme [ultimately] besieges the person who contrives it
- Verse 45:
In time we will add more verses from Sürah (35) Fāṭir that reinforce its themes.
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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