But those who believe are indeed just a few

Standing alone or with the few is one of the most difficult things to do. By doing so, one not gets isolated but also has to listen to the others in large numbers. Such a bunch of a few is always subjected to criticism, and even sarcasm for not siding with the majority. This generally happens in democracy and one's faith. Whenever a prophet or a messenger called upon its people to follow the Divine Truth, none but a few paid heeds to them. Rather the majority subjected them to intense physical and mental torture for leaving the faith of their forefathers and listening to lunatic, sorcerers, magicians and poets, that is what the named the prophets. However, the few always have been right and flourished despite all odds against them. 

Recently, we have taken upon ourselves to share the same theme based on verses from Qur'an that Only a few are grateful. In doing so, we first listed and wrote about who are the Most. we come to the main theme of Being among the few. Thus, we share the 40the verse from Surah 11. Hud, in which mention is made of Prophet Nuh (Noah, may peace be upon him) who had but a few by his side while the majority abandoned and cursed him. They did not know that whosoever curses or abandons a prophet is untimely himself cursed and condemned by the Lord of the universe. The explanation given in the verse below is only given to put the readers in the right perspective by providing them with just the immediate background when the great deluge started to happen and only the few who believed Prophet Noah survived. even the son of Prophet Noah perished in the water right in front of the eyes of his father.

Note: For our previous posts, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful. Also read the premise to better understand why we shared a number of posts to be of the few.

Thus, this verse is about the beginning of the Flood and Nuh loading Every Creature in Pairs upon the Ship. This was the promise of Allah to Nuh, when the command of Allah came, the rain was continuous and there was a severe storm which did not slacken or subside.

حَتّٰۤى اِذَا جَآءَ اَمۡرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّوۡرُۙ قُلۡنَا احۡمِلۡ فِيۡهَا مِنۡ كُلٍّ زَوۡجَيۡنِ اثۡنَيۡنِ وَاَهۡلَكَ اِلَّا مَنۡ سَبَقَ عَلَيۡهِ الۡقَوۡلُ وَمَنۡ اٰمَنَ​ؕ وَمَاۤ اٰمَنَ مَعَهٗۤ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلٌ‏ 

(11:40) Thus it was until Our command came to pass and the oven boiled over. We said: 'Take into the Ark a pair of every species; and take your own family except those who have already been declared (as unworthy); and also take everyone who believes. But those who, along with him, had believed were indeed just a few.

Different interpretations have been given of this, but we are of the opinion that the correct one is the one that is based on the plain words of the Text. The Deluge started from At-Tannur, a particular oven from under which water began to boil up. At the same time heavy rain began to fall and springs began to gush up water from many places in the earth. This is given in detail in vv. 11-12 of Surah AI-Qamar: "We opened the gates of the sky from which it began to rain heavily and constantly, and We tore open the earth and springs began to gush forth water from every side: Thus, the two kinds of water gathered together to fulfill the destined doom."

In this connection, it should also be noted that the prefix (al) (the) before (tannurالتَّنُّوۡرُۙ ), oven, shows that a particular oven had been specifically marked by God for the purpose of starting the Deluge. This began to boil up water as soon as it was commanded to do so, and afterwards it began to be called (The Oven). It has been explicitly stated in v. 7 of XXIII that the said Tannur was specified beforehand. 

(We said: 'Take into the Ark a pair of every species; and take your own family except those who have already been declared (as unworthy)) That is, "Don't embark in the Ark those who had specifically been marked as unbelievers from your household, for they do not deserve to be shown Our Compassion. Most probably there were two people. One was his son who drowned (v. 43), and the other was his wife: (LXVI: 10). And if there were any others, they have not been mentioned in the Qur'an. 

(And also take everyone who believes) Incidentally, this refutes the theory of the historians and genealogists who trace the genealogy of the whole human race to the three sons of Prophet Noah. This wrong theory became prevalent because of the stories in the Bible that none other than Prophet Noah, his three sons and his wife were rescued from the deluge. (Genesis 6: 18, 7: 7, 9, and 9: 19). But the Qur'an contradicts this in many places, saying that besides the people of his own household, sane other people of his community, though small in number, were also rescued along with him. Moreover, the Qur'an declares that the generations which came after Prophet Noah were his descendants and of all those people who were rescued in the Ark: "You are the descendants of those whom We bore in the Ark with Noah-- (XVII: 3) ". . . . they were from the descendants of Adam, and from the seed of those whom we carried in the Ark with Noah...." (XIX: 58). 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir notes that (And none believed with him, except a few) means that only a very small number believed, even after the long period of time that he (Nuh) was among them -- nine hundred and fifty years. It is reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "They were eighty people including their women.'' 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This sentence expresses yearning and sorrow: a vast majority of people continued to evade the truth in spite of several hundred years of warnings delivered to them by Noah (sws) and were finally drowned in the sea. There is also an indirect message of assurance in these words for the Prophet (sws) and his companions: if the arrogant majority of the Quraysh also reaches a similar fate, then this should not be any cause of wonder. Many nations before them have encountered such a fate.

In nutshell, only a few people side with someone who is talking sense and leading people to the truth and trusted path: The path of the blessed ones. Such people endure hardships and backlash from the majority. Yet still they cling to the truth and continue to call others to the truth and to One True God, without any associates. So let us be of the few and stand tall, for our salvation lies in siding with those who truly believe, and let us not be overwhelmed by those who do not believe.

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.

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.

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

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.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: 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 | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Qur'an contains the Divine Truth - though most people do not believe

In our series of posts on pointers towards Most People, who have disbelief despite the clear signs of existence of One True God, the sole creator of the Universe, we share the 17th verse of Surah 11. Hud, which is about Most people Who do not believe in Oneness of Allah and the last of the Divine scriptures, The Qur'an.

The verse shared herein under gives out a premise of people who did not believe in prophets right from day of Divine revelations to selected prophets and messengers so as to convey to them the truth that has been hidden from them from their tainted mindset based on following their ancestors. Even many people of the Books deny what the following prophets brought to them. This verse refers to the previous prophets and finally culminates saying that Qur'an contains the divine truth, yet many people do not believe it. However, there are many who have are finding the divine truth in Qur'an and embracing Islam in thousands across the globe.

اَفَمَنۡ کَانَ عَلٰی بَیِّنَۃٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّہٖ وَ یَتۡلُوۡہُ شَاہِدٌ مِّنۡہُ وَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہٖ کِتٰبُ مُوۡسٰۤی اِمَامًا وَّ رَحۡمَۃً ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِہٖ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّکۡفُرۡ بِہٖ مِنَ الۡاَحۡزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوۡعِدُہٗ ۚ فَلَا تَکُ فِیۡ مِرۡیَۃٍ مِّنۡہُ ٭ اِنَّہُ الۡحَقُّ مِنۡ رَّبِّکَ وَ لٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ

(11:17) Can it happen that he who takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord, subsequently followed by a witness from Him (in his support), and prior to that the Book of Moses was revealed as a guide and a mercy, (would even he deny the truth in the manner of those who adore the life of this world)? Rather, such men are bound to believe in it. The Fire shall be the promised resort of the groups that disbelieve. So be in no doubt about it for this indeed is the truth from your Lord although most people do not believe.

(Can it happen that he who takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord) This shows that even apart from revelation, there is ample evidence in man's own self, in the structure of the heavens and the earth, and in the order that prevails in the universe to prove that God is the only creator, master, lord and sovereign of the universe. The evidence referred to above also inclines man to believe that the present life will be followed by another one in which man will be required to render an account of his deeds and wherein he might be requited.

(Subsequently followed by a witness from Him (in his support)) The 'witness from Him' is the Qur'an. The testimony of the natural phenomena combined with that provided by man's own self had already created in man the disposition to affirm the truths mentioned earlier. All that was further reinforced by the Qur'an which came as reassurance that what he was predisposed to believe in was indeed true.

(And prior to that the Book of Moses was revealed as a guide and a mercy, (would even he deny the truth in the manner of those who adore the life of this world)? Rather, such men are bound to believe in it.) In the present context the verse means that those who are overly infatuated with the allurements of a worldly life will be inclined to reject the message of the Qur'an. Distinguishable from these are those who take full note of the testimony furnished by their own beings and by the structure and order prevailing in the universe in support of God's unity. This testimony was further reinforced by the heavenly books revealed before the Qur'an. How could such people close their eyes to such overwhelming testimony as this and join their voice with those of the unbelievers?

This verse clearly indicates that even before the Qur'an was revealed, the Prophet (peace be on him) had reached the stage of belief in the Unseen. We have seen in al-An'am (see 6: 75 ff.) the case of Abraham. Before being appointed a Prophet, Abraham (peace be on him) was led by a careful observation of the natural phenomena to knowledge of God's unity. Likewise, the present verse makes it clear that by his reflection, the Prophet (peace be on him), had been led to believe in the Unseen even before the Qur'an was revealed. Subsequently, when the Qur'an was revealed it not only confirmed what he had already become inclined to accept, but also provided definite knowledge about it.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The One Who believes in the Qur'an is upon Clear Proof from His Lord:

Allah, the Exalted, informs of the condition of the believers who are upon the natural religion of Allah, which He made inherent in His creatures. This is based upon their confession to Him that there is no one worthy of worship except He. This is similar to Allah's statement, (So set you your face towards the religion, Hanifan. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind.) [30:30], 

In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Every child is born upon the Fitrah, but his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian. This is just like the calf that is born whole. Have you noticed any calves that are born mutilated) 

In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that `Iyad bin Himar said that the Messenger of Allah said, (Allah, the Exalted, says, `Verily, I created my servants Hunafa', but the devils came to them and distracted them from their religion. They made it unlawful for them that I had made lawful for them and they commanded them to associate partners with Me, concerning which no authority has been revealed.) Therefore, the believer is one who remains upon this Fitrah. 

Concerning Allah's statement, (وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ and whom a witness from Him recites (follows) it;) This means that a witness comes to him from Allah. That witness is the pure, perfect and magnificent legislation that Allah revealed to the Prophets. These legislations were finalized with the legislation (Shari`ah) of Muhammad. The believer has the natural disposition that bears witness to (the truth of) the general legislation, and accepts that specific laws are taken from the general legislation. The Fitrah accepts the Shari`ah and believes in it. 

For this reason, Allah, the Exalted, says, (Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites (follows) it;) This clear proof which is recited is the Qur'an, which Jibril conveyed to the Prophet and the Prophet Muhammad conveyed it to his Ummah. 

Then Allah says, (وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَ and before it, came the Book of Musa,) This means that before the Qur'an, there was the Book of Musa, the Tawrah.

(إَمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً a guidance and a mercy) This means that Allah, the Exalted, revealed it to that Ummah as a leader for them and a guide for them to follow, as a mercy from Allah upon them. Therefore, whoever believed in it with true faith, then it would lead him to believe in the Qur'an as well. 

For this reason, Allah said, (أُوْلَـئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ they believe therein) 

Then Allah, the Exalted, threatens those who reject the Qur'an, or any part of it, by saying, (وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) This is directed towards everyone on the face of the earth who disbelieves in the Qur'an, whether they are idolators, disbelievers, People of the Scripture, or other sects from the descendants of Adam. This applies to all whom the Qur'an reaches, regardless of their differences in color, appearance, or nationality. 

As Allah says, (لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. ) [6:19] 

Allah, the Exalted, said, (قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.') Allah says, (وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 

In Sahih Muslim it is recorded that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said, (By He in Whose Hand is my soul! there is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hell- fire.)

Every Hadith is confirmed by the Qur'an: Ayyub As-Sakhtiyani reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said, "I did not hear any Hadith of the Prophet, substantiated as he stated it, except that I found its confirmation in the Qur'an. (The narrator said, "Or he said, `I found its verification in the Qur'an.''') 

Thus, it reached me that the Prophet said, (There is no one of this Ummah, whether he be a Jew or Christian, who hears of me and does not believe in me, except that he will enter the Hellfire.) Therefore, I said, `Where is its verification in the Book of Allah Most of what I have heard reported from the Messenger of Allah, I have found its verification in the Qur'an.' 

Then I found this verse, (but those of the sects that reject it (the Qur`an), the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) And this means from all religions.''

Then Allah says, (فَلاَ تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْهُ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ So be not in doubt about it. Verily, it is the truth from your Lord,) This means that the Qur'an is the truth from Allah and there is no doubt or suspicion concerning it. 

This is as Allah says, (Alif Lam Mim. The revelations of the Book, in which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of all that exists!) [32:1-2]

Allah, the Exalted, says, (الم ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ Alif Lam Mim. This is the Book in which there is no doubt.) [2:1-2] 

The Ayah; (وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ but most of mankind believe not.) is similar to Allah's statement, (وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ and most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.)[12:103] 

Likewise, Allah says, (وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّ and if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path.) 

Allah also says, (وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلاَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ and indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them: and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.) [34:20]

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: (Testimony in Support of Clear Evidence)

The Qur’ān cannot be truly appreciated except by those who fight the same battle as the early believers and look to the Qur’ān for guidance and instruction. Those who try to understand the meaning of the Qur’ān in a cold and detached academic manner cannot appreciate its true nature as long as they remain away from its battle. The Qur’ān never reveals its secrets to those who opt for safety and comfort even if their choice requires them to submit to some authority other than God’s.

“Have you considered him who takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord, followed by a testimony from Him, which is preceded by the Book of Moses [revealed as] a guide and a mercy [to people]? These believe in it. As for those, of any group, who deny its truth, the fire is their appointed place. So, be not in doubt concerning it; it is the truth from your Lord, even though most people do not believe.” (Verse 17) Qur’ānic commentators express different views about the meaning of this verse, depending upon their understanding of the referent of each of the third person pronouns used: ‘him who takes his stand on a clear evidence from his Lord,’ ‘a testimony from him,’ and [it is] followed by’.17 To my mind, the weightier view is to say that the one ‘who takes his stand on a clear evidence from his Lord’ is the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him), and, by extension, everyone who believes in his message. The next phrase, ‘followed by a testimony from Him,’ means that the Prophet is followed by a witness giving a testimony to the truth of his message and prophethood. This witness is the Qur’ān which is, by itself, proof of its being revealed from God, as no one can produce anything similar to it. ‘Which is preceded by,’ again refers to the Qur’ān as a witness, while ‘the Book of Moses’ also testifies to the truthfulness of the Prophet as it contains clear references to him as the final prophet, and also by the fact that in its original form, the Torah, which is the Book of Moses, is in full agreement with the Qur’ān.

Thus, the overall meaning of this verse is as follows: consider this Prophet to whose honesty and truthfulness all evidence points. He takes his stand on clear evidence which he finds in his innermost soul, granted to him by his Lord. This clear evidence is followed by a testimony from God, which is the Qur’ān, a book with clear characteristics confirming its divine source. He is further supported by another testimony which was given long before him, that is, the Torah, the book revealed to Moses to be a constitution for the Children of Israel and a mercy bestowed on them from on high. The Torah gives evidence to the truthfulness of the Prophet, God’s Messenger, in two ways: it tells plainly of his message and prophethood, and it includes the same ideological principles of the universal religion acceptable to God. Is it right, then, that such a prophet should face hostility, stubborn rejection, a denial of his message and accusations of forgery? This is singularly odd, considering all the evidence confirming and endorsing his message.

It then portrays the attitude of believers in the Qur’ān and those, of all races, colours and communities, who deny it, and shows the punishment awaiting them in the hereafter. It reassures the Prophet and the believers that what they have is the truth. They should not, therefore, be disturbed by the unbelievers’ attitude despite the fact that they formed the majority at that time.

“These believe in it. As for those, of any group, who deny its truth, the fire is their appointed place. So, be not in doubt concerning it; it is the truth from your Lord, even though most people do not believe.” (Verse 17) Some commentators find the first sentence in this section of the verse problematic. If the one who takes his stand on clear evidence from his Lord,’ is the Prophet in person, as we have explained, then the pronoun ‘these’ is problematic because it is plural referring to a group who believe in God’s revelations and the proof it contains. But there is no problem really. The pronoun it’ in this sentence, ‘These believe in it,’ refers to the ‘testimony’ which is the Qur’ān. Thus, there is nothing unusual in saying, ‘These believe in it,’ meaning that they believe in the Qur’ān. Indeed, the Prophet was the first to believe in what was revealed to him, followed by those who accepted his message:

“The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him by his Lord, and so do all the believers. Each one of them believes in God, His angels, His books and His messengers.” (2:285) The present verse refers to him and includes with him those who have accepted his message and believed in the faith which he conveyed to them. This is a method of expression often used in the Qur’ān.

“As for those, of any group, who deny its truth, the fire is their appointed place.” (Verse 17) The appointment will not fail, for God [limitless is He in His glory] is the One who has appointed it.

Unshakeable Belief in the Truth: “So, be not in doubt concerning it; it is the truth from your Lord, even though most people do not believe.” (Verse 17) The Prophet never entertained any doubt about the truthfulness of the revelations he was receiving. How could he have doubted when he had taken his stand on clear evidence from his Lord? However, this divine instruction, coming immediately after all the pointers and evidence made in this verse, suggests that the Prophet was concerned that his call had not made any real headway in Makkah and that it faced determined opposition from many quarters. He therefore needed some reassurance, as did the small group of his followers. Such reassurance is granted here by God, the Merciful.

The advocates of Islamic revival face a similar situation wherever they happen to be. They have to confront all sorts of rejection, hostility, ridicule, persecution as well as physical and moral repression. All forces of jāhiliyyah, local and international, are marshaled against them. They are subjected to the most ghastly and wicked forms of repression. Conversely, those who conduct such persecution are treated as heroes. In their present difficulty, the advocates of Islam will be well advised to understand this verse fully, with all that it states and imarshaledey are in urgent need of the reassurance provided by God’s appropriate affirmation: “Be not in doubt concerning it; it is the truth from your Lord, even though most people do not believe.” (Verse 17)

Advocates of Islam need to find within themselves a share of the clear, divine evidence God’s messengers had in their hearts. They need to feel His mercy which God’s messengers never doubted for a moment and through which they confirmed their commitment regardless of the great difficulties they faced: “Think, my people! If I take my stand on clear evidence from my Lord who has bestowed on me His grace, who will save me from God were I to disobey Him? You are, in such a case, only aggravating my ruin.” (Verse 63)

Advocates of Islam nowadays face a situation that is not dissimilar to the situations faced by God’s messengers (peace be upon them). In fact, our situation today is similar to that which prevailed when the Prophet conveyed his message to all of humanity. He faced the jāhiliyyah into which humanity had sunk after it was put on the path of Islam [i.e., submission to God] by Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, John, Jesus and the rest of the prophets.

Jāhiliyyah may or may not recognize the existence of God. In either form it appoints for people deities who rule over them in a way that is different from that revealed by God. It establishes for mankind values, traditions and legislations which make them submit to these deities, and not to God. The Islamic message to all of humanity is to renounce these false deities in order to return to God. We should believe in Him as our only Lord, submit ourselves to Him, follow only His legislation and obey only His commandments. This is indeed what starts the grinding battle between monotheism and polytheism, Islam and jāhiliyyah, the advocates of Islamic revival and the tyrants who rule the world in the name of their false deities.

Hence, it is necessary for advocates of Islam to refer to the Qur’ān where they may find a picture of their own situation and the battle they are fighting. This is what we mean when we say that this Qur’ān can only be appreciated by those who fight its battle, and who face situations similar to those that existed at the time of its revelation and for which it provided guidance and instruction.

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, and all those non-Muslims reading the post, read Qur'an in detail and grasp the message it contains, which leads to the Divine Truth and better understanding of the past days of ignorance and setting up a knowledge base to know what Lord of the worlds wants us to know, that is unflinching belief in One True God, without assistants and associates. 

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.

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.

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

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.

For our previous posts about Most of the People, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: 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 | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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

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

Supplication Attributed to Prophet Noah (Nuh علي السلام) in Qur'an

Man can never fathom the wisdom behind Divine actions, not even the prophets. We more often than not are momentarily awe stricken when something very unusual happens to us and we lament as if we have been unnecessarily wronged. But when the Divine Wisdom starts to unfold in time, we begin to understand the many WHYs we earlier had.

There are many examples given in this context in the Qur'an which are to stress upon the servants of their Lord to bow to the Divine Will and be rest assured that Divine wisdom is far above the ordinary mindset of humans who cannot fathom the depth of Divine Wisdom.

Today we share the 47th verse of Surah 11. Hud, of one such incident wherein even Prophet Noah (Nuh علي السلام) could not understand the Divine Wisdom when God did not allow him to save his son by taking him onboard the ark before ethe great flood. The Qur'an has cited the story of the drowning of the son of Prophet Noah in the verses earlier to the selected verse, a summary of which is given in explanation of the verse. The purpose of this Godly action is to bring home to the people that Allah's decrees are absolutely just and final.

Noah, in his natural affection and respect for ties of relationship, was overcome with human weakness in wishing to reverse the Decree of Allah. It was not sin but ignorance. His ignorance was corrected by divine inspiration, and he immediately saw the full Truth, acknowledged his error, and asked for Allah's forgiveness and mercy. This is the standard set for us all.

Those who have watched the movie Noah's Ark, may find this incident ill reported as the unfaithful son was taken onboard and created mischief on the ark. It was shown later that the unfaithful son walked away after the ark had settled when the flood water subsided.

Thus, for correcting the misinformation, we share the actual story as narrated in the Qur'an.

قَالَ رَبِّ اِنِّىۡۤ اَعُوۡذُ بِكَ اَنۡ اَسۡـئَلَكَ مَا لَـيۡسَ لِىۡ بِهٖ عِلۡمٌ​ؕ وَاِلَّا تَغۡفِرۡ لِىۡ وَتَرۡحَمۡنِىۡۤ اَكُنۡ مِّنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ‏ 

(11:47) Noah said: 'My Lord! I take refuge with You that I should ask you for that concerning which I have no knowledge. And if You do not forgive me and do not show mercy to me, I shall be among the losers.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The admonition is needed lest Noah become one of those who are ignorant of the real ties and relationships, or unaware of God’s promise and its interpretation. For God’s promise has been done and Noah’s true family has been saved. Noah, a true believer and God’s humble servant, trembles with fear that he may have erred in what he said to his Lord. He, therefore, appeals to Him, praying for His forgiveness.

Now that the storm has subsided and the ark has come to rest, the paternal love of a distressed father is once again felt by Noah. He makes this appeal to God: “Noah called out to his Lord, saying: ‘Lord, my son is of my family. Surely Your promise always comes true, and You are the most just of judges.’” (Verse 45) Noah makes clear that he has absolutely no doubt that God is just and wise. Nothing He does is without reason. Yet he has been promised that his family will be safe and now he requests that God fulfil the promise He made to spare his family. God’s answer states the fact which Noah has overlooked. By God’s standards and according to His principles, one’s family are not necessarily one’s blood relations. The true relationship is that of faith. This son was not a believer, and as such he was not a member of the family of Noah, the Prophet.

The answer is firm and emphatic. Indeed, there is an element of reproach and warning in the answer: “‘Noah,’ He answered, ‘he was not of your family; his was unrighteous conduct. Do not question Me about matters of which you have no knowledge. I admonish you lest you become one of the ignorant.” (Verse 46) A great principle of this religion states that the paramount relationship that exists between individuals is not one based on family affinity: “He was not of your family; his was an unrighteous conduct.” Your relationship with him is thus severe despite the fact that he was your own son. Since the basic tie between the two of you does not exist, no other tie has any significance.

Since Noah’s prayer requested the fulfilment of a promise which he felt had not happened, the answer includes an implicit reproach and warning: “Do not question Me about matters of which you have no knowledge. I admonish you lest you become one of the ignorant.” (Verse 46) The admonition is needed lest Noah become one of those who are ignorant of the real ties and relationships, or unaware of God’s promise and its interpretation. For God’s promise has been done and Noah’s true family has been saved. Noah, a true believer and God’s humble servant, trembles with fear that he may have erred in what he said to his Lord. He, therefore, appeals to Him, praying for His forgiveness: “My Lord, I do indeed seek refuge with You from ever questioning You about anything of which I have no knowledge. Unless You grant me, forgiveness and have mercy on me, I shall be among the losers.” (Verse 47)

One of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi notes that this also served as a warning to the Quraish who considered themselves to be immune from the torment of Allah simply because they were the descendants of Prophet Abraham, and had several gods and goddesses as their interceders. Likewise, it was a warning to the Jews and the Christians who cherished, and still cherish, such beliefs, nay, even to those Muslims, who foolishly believe that their saintly ancestors and holy people will guard them against the consequences of the justice of Allah. For the tragic scene depicted here categorically refutes such false expectations and beliefs, saying, "O foolish people! Why do you cherish such false hopes? When Our Prophet Noah could not save his son who was drowned before his very eyes, and his prayer for the son was not only rejected but he was rebuked for making such a prayer, how can you then expect that anyone much less than a Prophet can deliver you from the justice of 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 have unflinching faith and trust in Divine Wisdom and decisions and should never lament for we do not know that something better has been planned for us by our most caring Lord. 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.

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.

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

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.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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

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

Believers !! Do Not Scoff or revile one another by nicknames (Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur’an )

The man as individual and as part of a community has generally failed to establish an environ wherein everyone is respected with honour and dignity. We more often than not find people pointing fingers at others, even when their own character is blackened with sins and wrongdoings. Calling others with derogatory nicknames, scoffing others and using dirty slanders is but the norm. Even in lighter mood or in fun times, our tongues often slip and we use words that are usually fall under the downgraded categories.

Surah 49. Al Hujurat (The Private Apartments) is an exclusive chapter of Qur'an which deals with the social behaviour of the Muslims in a society with respect to other members of the community, even if not from Islam. The instructions contained in this chapter if adopted whole heartedly by the mankind, the very complexion of our outlook towards others would change and in the process the entire society would be reformed.

In our series of posts on Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an, we share the 11th verse / ayat of  Surah 49. Al Hujurat (The Private Apartments) which commands believers (and even others from other religions, if they like to be reformed) which points towards two ills of the society: Scoffing and derogatory nicknames. In fact the preceding two verses after giving necessary instructions about the Muslim people's mutual fighting, the believers were made to realize that by virtue of the most sacred relationship of the faith they were brothers one to another, and they should fear God and try to keep their mutual relations right. Now, in the following two verses, they are being enjoined to avoid and shun those major evils which generally spoil the mutual relationships of the people in a society.  

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا يَسۡخَرۡ قَوۡمٌ مِّنۡ قَوۡمٍ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّكُوۡنُوۡا خَيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا نِسَآءٌ مِّنۡ نِّسَآءٍ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّكُنَّ خَيۡرًا مِّنۡهُنَّ​ۚ وَلَا تَلۡمِزُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَكُمۡ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوۡا بِالۡاَلۡقَابِ​ؕ بِئۡسَ الِاسۡمُ الۡفُسُوۡقُ بَعۡدَ الۡاِيۡمَانِ​ ۚ وَمَنۡ لَّمۡ يَتُبۡ فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ‏

(49:11) Believers, let not a group (of men) scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter (at whom they scoff) are better than they; nor let a group of women scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter are better than they. And do not taunt one another, nor revile one another by nicknames. It is an evil thing to gain notoriety for ungodliness after belief. Those who do not repent are indeed the wrong-doers.

Slandering and taunting the people and harboring suspicions and spying on others are, in fact, the evils that cause mutual enmities and then lead to grave mischief. In this connection, from the commandments that are being given in the following verses and the explanations of these found in the Hadith a detailed law of libel can be compiled. The western law pertaining to libel in this regard is so defective that a person who sues another under this law may well cause some loss to his own honor. The Islamic law, on the contrary,, recognizes a basic honor for every person and gives nobody the right to attack it, no matter whether the attack is based on reality or not, and whether the person who has been attacked has a `reputation" of his own or not. Only the fact that a person has debased and humiliated the other person is enough to declare him a criminal unless, of course, it is proved. that the humiliation caused had a legal ground for it. 

Mocking does not only imply mocking with the tongue but it also includes mimicking somebody, making pointed references to him, laughing at his words, or his works, or his appearance, or his dress, or calling the people's attention to some defect or blemish in him so that others also may laugh at him. All this is included in mocking. What is actually forbidden is that one should make fun of and ridicule another, for under such ridiculing there always lie feelings of one's own superiority and the other's abasement and contempt, which are morally unworthy of a gentleman. Moreover, it hurts the other person, which causes mischief to spread in society. That is why it has been forbidden,

To make mention of the men and the women separately does not mean that it is lawful for the men to mock the women or the women to mock the men. The actual reason for making a separate mention of the two sexes is that Islam does not at all believe in mixed society. Ridiculing each other generally takes place in mixed gatherings and Islam does not permit that non-mahram males and females should meet in such gatherings and make fun of each other. Therefore, in a Muslim society it is inconceivable that the men would mock a woman, or the women would mock a man in an assembly.

The word lamz as used in the original is very comprehensive and applies to ridiculing, reviling, deriding, jeering, charging somebody or finding fault with him, and making him the target of reproach and blame by open or tacit references. As all such things also spoil mutual relationships and create bad blood in society, they have been forbidden. Instead of saying, “Do not taunt one another", it has been said "Do not taunt yourselves", which by itself shows that the one who uses taunting words for others, in fact, taunts his own self. Obviously, a person does not use invectives against others unless he himself is filled with evil feelings and is almost in a state of bursting like a volcano. Thus, tire one who nourishes such feelings has made his own self a nest of evils before he makes others a target, Then, when he taunts others, it means that he is inviting others to taunt him. It is a different matter that the other person may evade his attacks because of a gentle nature, but he himself has opened the door to mischief so that the other may treat him likewise.

" nor revile one another by nicknames " This Command requires that a person should not be called by a name or a title which may cause him humiliation, e.g. calling somebody a sinner or a hypocrite, or calling someone a lame or blind one, or one-eyed, or giving him a nickname containing a reference to some defect or blemish in him, or in his parents, or in his family, or calling a person a Jew or a Christian even after his conversion to Islam, or giving such a nickname to a person, or a family, or a community, or a group, which may bring condemnation or disgrace on it. Only those nicknames have been made an exception from this Command, which though apparently offensive, are not intended to condemn the persons concerned, but they rather serve as a mark of recognition for them. That is why the traditionists have allowed as permissible names like Suleman al-A`mash (the weak-eyed Suleman) and Wasil' al-Ahdab (the hunch-backed Wasil) among the reporters of the Hadith. If there are several men of the same name and a particular man among them may be recognized only by a particular title or nickname of his, the title or nickname can be used, even though the title by itself may be offensive. For instance, if there are several men called `Abdullah, and one of them is blind, he may be called Abdullah the blind, for his recognition. Likewise, those titles also are excluded from this Command, which though apparently offensive, are in fact, given out of love and the people who are called by those titles themselves approve them, like Abu Hurairah (father of the kitten) and Abu Turab (father of the dust). 

"It is very shameful for a believer that in spite of being a believer he should earn a name for using abusive language and for immodest behavior. If a disbeliever earns reputation for himself for mocking the people, or taunting them, or for proposing evil and offensive titles for others, it may not be a good reputation from the point of view of humanity, but it at least goes well with his disbelief. But if a person after affirming the Faith in Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter earns reputation on account of these base qualities, it is simply regrettable.

What is forbidden is not conjecture as such but excessive conjecture and following every kind of conjecture, and the reason given is that some conjectures are sins. In order to understand this Command we should analyze and see what are the kinds of conjecture and what is the moral position of each.

One kind of conjecture is that which is morally approved and laudable, and desirable and praiseworthy from religious point of view, e.g. a good conjecture in respect of Allah and His Messenger and the believers and those people with whom one comes in common contact daily and concerning whom there may be no rational ground for having an evil conjecture.

The second kind of conjecture is that which one cannot do without in practical life, e.g. in a law court a judge has to consider the evidence placed before him and give his decision on the basis of the most probable conjecture, for he cannot have direct knowledge of the facts of the matter, and the opinion that is based on evidence is mostly based on the most probable conjecture and not on certainty. Likewise, in most cases when one or the other decision has to be taken, and the knowledge of the reality cannot possibly be attained, there is no way oat for men but to form an opinion on the basis of a conjecture.

The third kind of conjecture, which is although a suspicion, is permissible in nature, and it cannot be regarded as a sin. For instance, if there are clear signs and pointers in the character of a person (or persons), or in his dealings and conduct, on the basis of which he may not deserve to enjoy one's good conjecture, and there are rational grounds for having suspicions against him, the Shari `ah does not demand that one should behave like a simpleton and continue to have a good conjecture about him. The last limit of this lawful conjecture, however, is that one should conduct oneself cautiously in order to ward off any possible mischief from him; it is not right to take an action against him only on the basis of a conjecture.

The fourth kind of conjecture which is, in fact, a sin is that one should entertain a suspicion in respect of a person without any ground, or should start with suspicion in forming an opinion about others, or should entertain a suspicion about the people whose apparent conditions show that they are good and noble. Likewise, this also is a sin that when there is an equal chance of the evil and goodness in the word or deed of a person, one should regard it as only evil out of suspicion. For instance, if a gentleman while leaving a place of assembly picks up another one's shoes, instead of his own, and we form the opinion that he has done so with the intention of stealing the shoes, whereas this could be possible because of oversight as well, there is no reason for adopting the evil opinion instead of the good opinion except the suspicion.

This analysis makes it plain that conjecture by itself is not anything forbidden; rather in some cases and situations it is commendable, in some situations inevitable, in some permissible up to a certain extent and un-permissible beyond it, and in some cases absolutely unlawful. That is why it has not been enjoined that one should refrain from conjecture or suspicion altogether but what is enjoined is that one should refrain from much suspicion. Then, to make the intention of the Command explicit, it has been said that some conjectures are sinful. From this warning it follows automatically that whenever a person is forming an opinion on the basis of conjecture, or is about to take an action, he should examine the case and see whether the conjecture he is entertaining is not a sin, whether the conjecture is really necessary, whether there arc sound reasons for the conjecture, and whether the conduct one is adopting on the basis of the conjecture is permissible. Everyone who fears God will certainly take these precautions. To make one's conjecture free and independent of every such care and consideration is the pastime of only those people who are fearless of God and thoughtless of the accountability -of the Hereafter.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Mutual ridicule ceases to be fun when there is arrogance or selfishness or malice behind it. We may laugh with people, to share in the happiness of life: we must never laugh at people in contempt or ridicule. In many things they may be better than ourselves!

Defamation may consist in speaking ill of others by the spoken or written word, or in acting in such a way as to suggest a charge against some person whom we are not in a position to judge. A cutting, biting remark or taunt of sarcasm is included in the word lamaza. An offensive nickname may amount to defamation, but in any case there is no point in using offensive nicknames, or names that suggest some real or fancied defect. They ill accord with the serious purpose which Muslims should have in life. For example, even if a man is lame, it is wrong to address him as "O lame one!" It causes him pain, and it is bad manners. So in the case of the rude remark, "the black man".

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

( Believers! [It is the requisite of this brotherhood that] neither [your] men make fun of other men; it may well be that they are better than them ) Ie., better with regard to faith and deeds whose true weight will become evident from the scale of justice that will be set up on the Day of Judgement. This scale will tell if any deed has a speck of weight or that of a mountain. Things which they regarded as important will not have any weight on that scale. Thus their claim to racial and tribal superiority will prove absolutely weightless on it.

( nor should your women make fun of other women; )  Though the words لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّنْ قَوْمٍ were sufficient, yet the Qur’ān has mentioned women too alongside men. What was the reason for this? 

Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes: … In the mention of both morality and immorality, the Qur’ān has specially mentioned women where they are emphatically urged to strive to gain high reward or to save them from some trial. Here it is this second case. The evil from which men are stopped here is found if not more in women then certainly not less than in men. Women who are conceited because they regard their family, lineage, financial situation or apparent looks to be superior, speak in very humiliating tones to women whom they regard inferior to themselves. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 7, 505)

( t may well be that they are better than them. And neither defame your own people )  The actual word used is لَمْز which means to blame someone and mock someone while gesturing with the eyes. Such poisonous sentences portray the jealousy and arrogance of the speaker. They are meant to discourage people and dent their mutual relationships to such an extent that they end up hating one another and becoming enemies of each other. Through this word, the Almighty has directed attention of people to the fact that those who blame any of their brothers in the words of Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī aim their arrows at their own chests and thereby wound them (Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 7, 507).

( nor give bad names to one another )  Calling people by bad names is not a trivial wrongdoing. This attitude is generally adopted to humiliate someone or some nation to the ultimate extent. The reason for this is that such names are easily memorized and produce very permanent and far-reaching results.The bad taste created by them continues for generations, the essential consequence of which is that people seldom remain well-wishers of one another and national unity is torn apart.

( [All these are wrongdoings and] after faith even the name of wrongdoing is evil. )  This style signifies exaggeration. 

Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes: ... It is like saying: الشريركأسمه (even the word naughty is bad, let alone the badness of being naughty). Even in our language we say: “Sir! Even the name of it stinks.” (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 7, 508)

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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 cordial and respectful to others and let at no time others feel hurt by the bad use of our tongues, and that we should never deride one another. May we be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life 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 to make 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.

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.

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

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.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages: Understanding Al Qur'an and Important DOs and DON'Ts from Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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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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Seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance - Surely Allah is Ever Merciful, Most Loving

We have published a number of verses from Qur'an in which asking for forgiveness and seeking repentance of Allah has been stressed. The 90th verse of Surah 11. Hud selected today is no different. But here stress is more on the Mercy and Love of Allah for His servants. This verse is basically attributed to Prophet Shuaib / Shu`ayb (peace be upon him) who tried his utmost to motivate his people to leave the life full of sin, ask forgiveness of their past sins and seek repentance from the Creator of the Universe. He reassured them that the mercy and love of Allah will wash away their sins provided they are sincere. But his people did not listen to him.

We should not be like people of Prophet Shu`ayb and must invoke mercy and love of Allah for it is His mercy and Love that can iron out our sins as if we are freshly born.

وَاسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡا رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَيۡهِ​ؕ اِنَّ رَبِّىۡ رَحِيۡمٌ وَّدُوۡدٌ‏ 

(11:90) Seek the forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance. Surely my Lord is Ever Merciful, Most Loving.

Prophet Shuaib (peace be upon him) brought the attribute of love of Allah for His creation specially to the notice of his people in order to induce them to give up despair and turn to Allah for forgiveness for their evil deeds, so as to say: Allah is not hard hearted and cruel, and cherishes no feelings of enmity towards His creatures. He does not desire to punish them anyhow as if He were to derive pleasure from their torture. As a matter of fact, He inflicts punishment on you only when you transgress all limits and that, too, for the good of mankind. Therefore if you feel ashamed of your sins and repent of these, you will find Him Forbearing, for He loves His creation very much.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) has explained the same thing by citing a parable. He said: Suppose one of you was traveling in a waterless desert and lost his camel on whom he had laden all his provisions for the journey. He made a thorough search for the missing camel, but in vain. Then, in despair of his life, he lay down under a tree. Then, all of a sudden, the camel with all the provisions intact on it appeared before him. Just imagine his happiness. Allah is more pleased than that man, when a sinful servant returns to Him in penitence. There is another incident even more effective than this related by Umar: Once some prisoners of war were brought before the Prophet (peace be upon him). One of them was a mother whose infant child had been lost. This had made her so restless and uneasy that she would hold any child she came across close to her breasts and suckle it. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw this, he put this question to the bystanders: Can you imagine that this mother would ever throw her own child into the fire? We replied, never; not to speak of throwing it into the fire, she would do her utmost in every possible way to prevent it from falling into the fire. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah is much more merciful to His servants than this mother is to her child.

Let us consider the same thing from another point of view. It is Allah Who has created love in the hearts of the mother and the father for their child, and without this parental love, they would never have shown the care and the sacrifice they shower on their child; nay, they would have even become its enemies because of the trouble and inconvenience they have to bear for it. From this, it is quite evident that the love of the Creator of this parental affection for His own Creation must be far greater than this parental love.

Qur'an Wiki:

Shu`ayb uses the kindest and gentlest terms in order to assure them of God’s mercy and compassion. Thus He tries all methods of admonition and remonstration in the hope that his people’s hearts will open up and respond to the truth. They, however, are so hardened in their erring ways and in their misconceptions of values and motives that their response remains negative. We have seen an example of their response in their mocking at Shu`ayb and his prayer.

For detail meaning of the two attributes of Allah mentioned in this verse, please vsit our links below that are part of 99 Attributes of Allah:

• Ar Rahim (الرحيم) -  The Most Merciful
• Al-Wadud (الودود) - The Most Affectionate

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 

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.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān 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 order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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

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