Al-Qurʾān: Selected Verses from Sūrah 22. Al Hajj “The Pilgrimage”

Sūrah Al-Ḥajj الحج, meaning: "The Pilgrimage",  is the 22nd chapter (sūrah) of Al-Qurʾān with 78 verses (āyāt). with 10 rukūʿ, it is part of the Juzʼ 17 of Al-Qurʾān. The Sūrah draws its title from the 27th verse.

 وَاَذِّنۡ فِى النَّاسِ بِالۡحَجِّ يَاۡتُوۡكَ رِجَالًا وَّعَلٰى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَّاۡتِيۡنَ مِنۡ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيۡقٍ ۙ‏ 

(22:27) and publicly proclaim Pilgrimage for all mankind so that they come to you on foot and mounted on lean46 camels from every distant point

Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation, it is part Meccan and part Medinan, as this Surah contains the characteristics of both the Makki and the Madani Surahs. The commentators have differed as to its period of revelation, but in the light of its style and themes it is generally agreed that a part of it (verses 1-24) was sent down in the last stage of the Makki life of the Holy Prophet a little before migration and the rest (verses 25-78) during the first stage of his Madani life. 

We have already shared the Overview and the Tafseer / Exegesis of the Surah which can be read from links given below:

| Overview | Exegesis: Part I | Part II|

Though a detailed overview has been given separately, link given above, we will only present a condensed overview of the entire Sūrah, major themes and subjects and lessons that we can learn from this Sūrah. At the end of the overview, we have shared explanation of some of the selected verses already published.

Central Theme

Submission to Allah and readiness for sacrifice — both in worship (like Hajj) and in life’s trials.

Main Themes

• The Reality of the Day of Judgment
• Begins with a vivid description of the earthquake of the Last Day (22:1–2).
• Warns humanity to prepare for accountability.
• Signs of Allah in Creation: The creation of life from dust, the stages of human development, the alternation of day and night, and rain bringing life to the earth (22:5–7).
• Refutation of False Beliefs: Denounces idol worship and reliance on powerless beings (22:12–13).
• Permission for Fighting (First Mention): First verse allowing Muslims to defend themselves (22:39–41), revealed after years of persecution.
• The Institution of Hajj:
• Origin from Prophet Ibrahim’s call to mankind (22:26–27).
• Purpose: Remember Allah, strengthen unity, and sacrifice for His sake.
• Sacrifice and Obedience: Animals of sacrifice are not about meat or blood, but about piety (22:37).
• Unity of Religion: All prophets had the same message of Tawḥīd and submission to Allah (22:67–69).
• Call to Strive for Allah: Believers are commanded to strive with sincerity, be steadfast, and represent the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (22:77–78).

Structure Overview

      Verses Main Subject

1 1–2         Earthquake of the Hour – warning to humanity

2 3–24 Signs of creation, refutation of disbelief

3 25–37 Hajj rituals, Ibrahim’s mission, purpose of sacrifice

4 39–41 Permission for self-defense, lessons from past nations

5 49–78 Prophet’s mission, unity of message, striving in Allah’s cause

Key Lessons

• Prepare for the Hereafter — the Day of Judgment is certain.
• Worship Allah Alone — no creation has power except by His will.
• Sacrifice is about sincerity, not form — actions are judged by intention.
• Defend justice, but without aggression — Islam permits fighting only in self-defense.
• Unity of humanity’s divine message — from Adam to Muhammad ﷺ, Tawḥīd was always the same.
• Hajj is a reminder of Ibrahim’s legacy — total submission and trust in Allah.
• True honor is in serving Allah — not in wealth, tribe, or worldly status.
• The Ummah must represent truth and justice — as the "chosen community" for humanity.

You may now refer to some of the Selected verses from Sūrah Al Hajj already published:

• Verse 34: The Essence of Ritual of (Animal) Sacrifice
• Verse 35: Traits of the Righteous
• Verse 37: Neither their flesh reaches Allah nor their blood; it is your piety that reaches Him
• Verse 41: Whom will Allah bestow Authority on Land
• Verse 46: Not their eyes but hearts that are blinded 
• Verse 50: Man laments: I don't have much - Allah replies: There is generous provision for the believers and righteous
• Verse 78: Allah is your Protector - What an excellent Protector; what an Excellent Helper!

Please refer to our page: Dhu al-Hijja (ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة): The month of Pilgrimage - The Hajj to know more about Dhu al-Hijja and details of Hajj rituals and how to perform Hajj.

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.

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.

Read More

A parable in the Qur’an which teaches absurdity of idolatry and worshiping beings other than Allah

Man has always been in competition with his very own Creator and the sole master of the entire universe. Many make hand made idols to represnt their worldly gods as did idolaters did in times of Prophet Ibrahim(Abraha, may peace be upon him) or the people of Israel when the made a cow to represent god and wanted to worship till Prophet Musa (Moses, may peace be upon him) came and destroyed the cow made of gold. 

Many still worship the idols even in present times while others assocate partners with one true God, we Muslims call Allah. Even many a women take human deities as friends of Allah, calling them Wali Allah, and prefer them more than the Allah. Many Muslims worship graves of the dead saints, while many others bow in front of living psudo saints for the redressal of their grievances and woes. It seems not much has changed since the advent of Islam. To caution these misguided, derailed and loose faith people, who commit the great unpardonable sin of shirk (associating / worshipping beings other than Allah, many a ayah / verses in Qur'an talk on the subject of shirk and helplessness of those whom people assocaite with Allah or worship idols.

Today, we share the 73rd verse from Surah Al Hajj, in which Allah explains the sin of shirk and inabaility of those whom people take their deities other than Allah in the shape of a parable as mentioned below.

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسۡتَمِعُوۡا لَهٗ ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ لَنۡ يَّخۡلُقُوۡا ذُبَابًا وَّلَوِ اجۡتَمَعُوۡا لَهٗ​ ؕ وَاِنۡ يَّسۡلُبۡهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيۡـئًـا لَّا يَسۡتَـنۡـقِذُوۡهُ مِنۡهُ​ ؕ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالۡمَطۡلُوۡبُ‏ 

(22:73) "O people! A parable is presented, so listen to it carefully: Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah can never create [even] a fly, even if they all gathered for that purpose. And if the fly were to snatch away anything from them, they could not retrieve it from it. Weak are the pursuer and the pursued!"

The sūrah makes a powerful, universal declaration that all deities people associate with God, including the ones to which the wrongdoers appeal for help, are weak and powerless. Their weakness is shown in a bustling and captivating scene. The address is universal, it includes everyone anywhere in the world, and the declaration is loud and clear: “Mankind!” When people have been gathered to listen, they are told that they are about to be given a statement of a general principle, not a particular case applicable on a certain occasion. “An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it.” It is a statement of fact that applies in all situations: “Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end.” All false deities, whether they be idols and statues, human beings, traditions and values, to whom you appeal for support and with whom you seek to achieve victory and high esteem, are incapable of creating a fly, even if they muster all their forces, utilize all their knowledge and channel all their resources into one supreme effort. Indeed, the creation of a mere fly, that small and abject creature, defies all the harnessed powers of such false gods.

Let us expand the meaning of the verse in detail:

Key Points from the Verse:

• Universal Call to Attention
• "O people! A parable is presented, so listen to it carefully..."
• Allah calls upon all people, not just Muslims, to reflect.
• The use of a parable (مثل) indicates a deep lesson wrapped in a simple example.
• Creating a fly is just as impossible, for anyone or thing other than God, as creating a camel or an elephant, because the fly also demonstrates the great secret of life. Hence, it is placed on the same level as camels and elephants, with regard to its miraculous creation. The Qur’ānic aphorism, however, cites the case of a little, insignificant fly in order to generate a more profound feeling of powerlessness, without compromising the underlying principle.
• Helplessness of False gods: The sūrah adds another dimension in describing their powerlessness: “If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him!” False deities, be they idols or humans, cannot retrieve anything from a fly when it robs them of it. Flies can rob people of that which is precious indeed. At the same time, a fly carries agents of some very serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery and conjunctivitis. It can deprive a person of his eyes or other organs, or indeed deprive him of his life. A weak and contemptible fly can rob a human being of what he can never retrieve. Summarising, we now know:
• "Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah can never create [even] a fly..."
• The idols or false deities people pray to cannot create even the smallest creature.
• The fly, one of the weakest and most insignificant creatures, is used to show how powerless these so-called gods are.
• Even More Powerless When Challenged
• "...even if they all gathered for that purpose..."
• Even if all the false gods and their followers united, they still couldn’t create a fly — not even a copy, let alone bring it to life.
• This is a clear argument for Allah’s exclusive power as the Creator.
• Powerlessness Exposed by a Fly
• "And if the fly were to snatch away anything from them, they could not retrieve it from it..."
• Flies are known to take tiny bits of food, yet even that cannot be taken back by these idols.
• Scientifically, once a fly takes something, it partially digests or absorbs it through its enzymes — even modern humans can’t “take it back” in the same form, let alone idols.
• A Final Blow to Idolatry
• "Weak are the pursuer and the pursued."
• The worshipper (طالب) is weak because they are seeking help from a powerless being.
• The idol (مطلوب) is also weak because it cannot even help itself.
• Both are in a relationship of mutual weakness, and futility.

Deeper Reflection:

• This verse is a rational argument against shirk (associating partners with Allah).
• It invites people to use their reason, not just emotion or tradition, when it comes to matters of worship.
• It also reveals the humiliating contrast between the might of Allah and the powerlessness of false gods.
• We nowe how the Qur’ānic style uses facts in the most effective way. Had the text referred to lions and similar wild animals adding that men cannot rescue anything such animals rob them of, it would have generated an air of strength and force, rather than weakness. Besides, the most powerful animals cannot rob man of anything greater than what a fly can rob him of.
• This powerful image stating a clear aphorism concludes with a simple comment: “Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought!”

Foregoing explanation in view, Surah Al-Hajj (22:73) delivers a powerful, logical, and vivid argument: those who are worshiped besides Allah are so powerless that they can’t even match a fly in creation or defense. The parable ends by highlighting the weakness of both the worshippers and the idols — urging people to return to the worship of the One True God who is All-Powerful and Self-Sufficient.

Let us understand the Qur'an through simple explanation, followed by detailed tafseer to know what Qur'an wants us to know and beleive. With such parables and indications, Allah forbids us to follow beings other than He for the worldy deities cannot even make a fly or even the thin covering on the seed of the date. If that be so, then how can they redress our grievances? Let us not act as blinds when Qur'an shows us the light and the way to none but Allah, the Creator and redressal of grievances and provider of the means of sustenances.

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.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Understanding Shirk - Grave sin of Associating Partners with Allah (Reference Page)

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. .

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 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses 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 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. 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

Not their eyes but hearts that are blinded (selected verses from Qur'an)

Accepting and bowing to the truth has always been contested since time immemorial. No one wants to deviate what one knows or what one's ancestors have passed down to the coming generations. The arrogance of being superior has always tried to overshadowed the humility which one attains when truth dawns upon them. 

And this has been so when it comes to accepting the Divine truth that has been revealed to the messengers and prophets. The history is replete with such denials of truth right from the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to all the following prophets including Ibraheem (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Eesa (Jesus) and the last of the prophets Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is why it is said in Qur'an: O Muhammad, "you are not the only one being denied, all Prophets were denied before you."

When it comes to believing, one can see the truth from one's naked eye, like all the Divine creations all around us, proving to us that such creations are even beyond the comprehension of a human being, for how can a creation can create something. Yet their hearts do not accept the truth and the remain oblivious and blinded of the truth that prophets and messengers of Allah have tried to bring home to them.

This is the very theme of the 46th verse of Surah 22. Al Hajj that we share today and see how eminent Muslim scholars have explained this very thought provoking verse:

اَفَلَمۡ يَسِيۡرُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَتَكُوۡنَ لَهُمۡ قُلُوۡبٌ يَّعۡقِلُوۡنَ بِهَاۤ اَوۡ اٰذَانٌ يَّسۡمَعُوۡنَ بِهَا​ ۚ فَاِنَّهَا لَا تَعۡمَى الۡاَبۡصَارُ وَلٰـكِنۡ تَعۡمَى الۡـقُلُوۡبُ الَّتِىۡ فِى الصُّدُوۡرِ‏ 

(22:46) So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.

The words “blinded are the hearts” have been used in the metaphorical and not in the literal sense. Since the heart is regarded as the center of emotions, feelings and of mental and moral qualities, these words have been used to imply that their obduracy has inhibited them from feeling and acting rationally.

The word for "heart" in Arabic speech imports both the seat of intelligent faculties and understanding as well as the seat of affections and emotions. Those who reject Allah's Message may have their physical eyes and ears, but their hearts are blind and deaf. If their faculties of understanding were active, would they not see the Signs of Allah's Providence and Allah's Wrath in nature around them and in the cities and ruins if they travel intelligently?

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ Have they not traveled through the land,) means, have they not traveled in the physical sense and also used their minds to ponder? 

That is sufficient, as Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya said in his book At-Tafakkur wal-I'tibar, "Some of the wise people said, 'Give life to your heart with lessons, illuminate it with thought, kill it with asceticism, strengthen it with certain faith, remind it of its mortality, make it aware of the calamities of this world, warn it of the disasters that life may bring, show it how things may suddenly change with the passing of days, tell it the stories of the people of the past, and remind it what happened to those who came before.'" 

Walk through their ruins, see what they did and what became of them, meaning, look at the punishments and divine wrath that struck the nations of the past who belied,

(فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear) meaning, let them learn a lesson from that.

(فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.) means, the blind person is not the one whose eyes cannot see, but rather the one who has no insight. Even if the physical eyes are sound, they still cannot learn the lesson.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Since the hearts are qualified by blindness, it shows that the eyes are qualified by words to the effect: “of the face.” It has been expressed in the translation. The Qur’ān is couched in literary Arabic; its language is not that of science. In literary Arabic, most actions of the mind are ascribed to the heart. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

Here since people who lack insight are being described, it was essential that the heart be portrayed with respect to its locus: real blindness is the blindness of the heart and the rejecters of the messenger are inflicted by this blindness. People should not think that they can see if the eyes on their face are open because the radiance of insight in the eyes comes from the heart and the eyes of their hearts are totally blind. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 265)

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

Here, Allah poses yet another rhetorical question about their effects on unbelievers: Have they never journeyed through the lands, letting their hearts gain wisdom, and their ears hear? It is not eyes that go blind; but blind indeed become the hearts that are in people’s breasts. (Verse 46) Emphasis is here placed on the location of hearts in people’s bodies, which serves to amplify the blindness of those hearts in particular. Had those hearts been able to reflect on the scenes portrayed, they would have remembered and people’s eyes would have been tearful. They would have moved towards faith, at least as a result of fearing an end like the ones that befell other communities.

My readers may ask why I  have selected this verse today? Well, it is a message for all those, specially atheists, who see the truth and creations which are simple mind blogging, yet their hearts fail to acknowledge the truth and they remain adamant to respond to the truth they see, and thus remain ignorant forever.

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.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: The Utter Losers (in worldly life and the Hereafter) in the light of Qur'an

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.

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

Man laments: I don't have much - Allah replies: There is generous provision for the believers and righteous

Man is always lamenting of short of means of sustenance. While it is generally true for the poor whose life hinges on a few morsels of bread, the others who though have enough, yet yearn for more. And this is the reality. Man's appetite for more continues to multiply as he gets more and yearns for more.

Although, Allah blesses His unfathomable bounties on man, yet man quest for more never diminishes. It is then when the Almighty reminds them that His bounties are limitless for those who have complete faith in him and do the righteous deeds. And it is these blessed people who continue to seek forgiveness from Allah, despite being righteous and content with what they have been blessed with. It is they who will be rewarded not only in this world but in the world where life is endless. 

Here it should be remembered that whosoever longs for bounties of this world will be given one day. But those who live a life that pleases Allah so that they are rewarded in the life that is to come after this worldly life. Now lets us understand the selected verse which is for those who lament for having nothing:

فَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَهُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَةٌ وَّرِزۡقٌ كَرِيۡمٌ‏ 

(22:50) So those who believe and act righteously shall be granted forgiveness and an honourable sustenance.

The believers shall have forgiveness’ means that Allah will overlook their faults, weaknesses, and acts of omission and commission. They will have honorable provisions, which means that they will have excellent supplies which will be given to them in an honorable way.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

As also said in the fourth verse of Surah 8. Anfal:

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَّهُمْ دَرَجَـٰتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

It is they, they who are truly believers! Theirs shall be great dignity in their Sustainer's sight, and forgiveness of sins, and a most excellent sustenance.

According to Razi, however, the "most excellent sustenance" is a metonym for "the spiritual raptures arising from the knowledge of God, the love of Him, and the self-immersion (istighraq) in worshipping Him". In Razi's interpretation, this expression refers to the spiritual reward of faith in this world. Some commentators (cf. Manar IX, 597) regards the above definition of true believers as the most important passage of this surah. - The phrase rendered by me as "theirs shall be great dignity" reads, literally, "they shall have degrees", namely, of excellence and dignity.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

 The "sustenance" must be construed in the widest sense, spiritual as well as intellectual and physical. The reward of righteousness is far more generous than any merit there may be in the creature following the Will of his Creator. 

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The final destiny is clearly stated. Those who believe and put their faith into practice, so as to ‘do righteous deeds’ will have their reward which consists of forgiveness by their Lord of all sins that they may have committed or duties they may have omitted to do. Such forgiveness is coupled with ‘a most excellent sustenance’ that they receive with dignity.

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help

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 |

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

Traits of the Righteous

Qur'an is a book of guidance for those who seek guidance from it and have faith in Allah. The guidance is only available for those who not only have faith, walk on the straight path, Sirat e Mustaqeem, but also possess certain character traits. These traits have been spelt out at many places in the Qur'an and we have been sharing the relevant verses so that believers are reminded time and again and follow these traits.

The post today also spells out traits of the righteous as mentioned in the 35th verse of Surah 22, Al Hajj, shared herein under:

الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّٰهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ وَالصّٰبِرِيۡنَ عَلٰى مَاۤ اَصَابَهُمۡ وَالۡمُقِيۡمِى الصَّلٰوةِ ۙ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰهُمۡ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ‏  

Whose hearts shiver whenever Allah is mentioned, who patiently bear whatever affliction comes to them, who establish Prayer, and who spend (for good purposes) out of what We have provided them

Here fear of Allah means that the righteous always are on the look out of deviating from the guidelines provided to them in the Qur'an and are fearful of anger of Allah if they do so for this is tantamount to displeasing Allah by going against His commandments. Here instead of being fearful, the word "awe" should have been used as this combines a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.

Yusuf Ali explains that in this verse some qualities of Allah's devotees are mentioned here, in ascending order: 

• (1) Humility before Allah makes them receptive, and prepares them to listen to Allah's Message;
• (2) fear of Allah, which is akin to love, touches their heart, and penetrates through their inmost being; 
• (3) they are not afraid of anything in mortal life; they take their trials patiently, and they go on in a course of righteousness with constancy; 
• (4) their prayer now is not a matter of form, but a real communion with Allah, with a sense of confidence such as a faithful servant feels in the presence of a kind and loving master; and 
• (5) gratitude to Allah, as shown by practical acts of charity to all fellow-creatures.

Ibn-Kathir describes the good provision (and who spend out of what We have provided for them.) which Allah has given them. They spend on their families and servants, and on the poor and needy; they treat people kindly while remaining within the limits set by Allah. This is in contrast to the hypocrites, who are the opposite of all this, as we have discussed in the Tafsir of Surah Bara'ah; to Allah be praise and blessings.

Muhammad Asad notes that Ar-rizq ("provision of sustenance") applies to all that may be of benefit to man, whether it be concrete (like food, property, offspring, etc.) or abstract (like knowledge, piety, etc.). The "spending on others" is mentioned here in one breath with God-consciousness and prayer because it is precisely in such selfless acts that true piety comes to its full fruition. It should be borne in mind that the verb anfaqa (lit., "he spent") is always used in the Qur'an to denote spending freely on, or as a gift to, others, whatever the motive may be.

Javed Ahmed Ghamidi notes that this style meant to urge and exhort should be kept in mind and so should be the relationship between the prayer and charity as without it the wisdom of religion cannot be understood.

Explanation Qur'an Wiki: The mere mention of God’s name stirs in them a feeling of awe that manifests itself in their actions. “Who patiently bear whatever befalls them.” They do not object to whatever happens to them by God’s will. They also “attend regularly to their prayer,” showing thus that they worship God as He wishes to be worshipped. Moreover, they do not grudgingly hold on to what they have. Rather, they “spend in charity out of what We provide for them.” Thus a close link is established between faith and worship rituals. The latter derive from faith and are manifestations of it. Hence, they are described as symbols set up by God. What is important in all this is that life itself derives its colour from faith, ensuring unity between beliefs and actions.

You may also read our previous posts which are interconnected to our present post:

• Traits of a True Muslim
• Who are recipient of glad tidings of Allah  (Surah 9. At-Tawba: 112)
• Responsibility of a Man towards His Actions vs Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement (Surah 6. Al-An'am:164)
• Who are the true servants of Allah (Surah 25. Al-Furqan: 63-65)
• Believers ! Fear Allah and speak the truth (Surah 33. Al-Ahzab:70)
• Believers !! be not like those who forget Allah (Surah 59 Al Hashr:19)
• Reward for those who fear Allah (Surah 65. At-Talaq:2-3)
• He who purified himself shall prosper (Surah 87. Al A'la:14)

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to 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. 

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.

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.

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 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

Allah is your Protector - What an excellent Protector; what an Excellent Helper!

Today, in our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an, we share a very important verse, the 78th verse from Surah 22. Al Hajj, that explains the true faith so explicitly that if one only adheres to the Divine commandment contained herein, he can be a true practical Muslim and faithful to Allah. and it is for those believers Allah promises to be their Protector - and what an excellent Protector and Excellent Helper He is:

وَجَاهِدُوۡا فِى اللّٰهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهٖ​ؕ هُوَ اجۡتَبٰٮكُمۡ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِى الدِّيۡنِ مِنۡ حَرَجٍ​ؕ مِلَّةَ اَبِيۡكُمۡ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ​ؕ هُوَ سَمّٰٮكُمُ الۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ ۙ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ وَفِىۡ هٰذَا لِيَكُوۡنَ الرَّسُوۡلُ شَهِيۡدًا عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَتَكُوۡنُوۡا شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ​ ​ۖۚ فَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاعۡتَصِمُوۡا بِاللّٰهِؕ هُوَ مَوۡلٰٮكُمۡ​ۚ فَنِعۡمَ الۡمَوۡلٰى وَنِعۡمَ النَّصِيۡرُ

(22:78) Strive in the cause of Allah in a manner worthy of that striving. He has chosen you (for His task), and He has not laid upon you any hardship in religion. Keep to the faith of your father Abraham. Allah named you Muslims earlier and even in this (Book), that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over all mankind. So establish Prayer, and pay Zakah, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector. What an excellent Protector; what an excellent Helper!

" Strive in the cause of Allah in a manner worthy of that striving " The Arabic word jihad is very comprehensive. It includes every kind of effort, exertion, conflict and war. Jihad for the cause of Allah means that it should be performed for His service and for His approval against those who prevent others from following His Way. The performance of jihad also requires that one should first of all fight against his own self in order to subdue it. For there can be no true jihad unless one fights against his evil self and subdues his desires and lusts to the obedience of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself has emphasized the need for this jihad. Once when the warriors for the cause of Allah returned from jihad, he said: You have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad. They asked: What is that greater Jihad. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: It is the jihad against his own desires and lusts.

Moreover, the battlefield for jihad is, in fact, the whole world, and Islam demands that one should exert his utmost against all the rebels of Allah and the wicked powers with all of his heart and mind and body and wealth.

" He has chosen you "The direct addressees of this were the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), for they were the first who had the honor to be chosen for this service; others have been addressed only indirectly being their followers. This thing has been mentioned in the Quran in other ways as well. For reference, see (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 143) and (Surah Aal-Imran, Ayat 110).

" (for His task), and He has not laid upon you any hardship in religion."  “(Allah) has not placed upon you in religion any hardship”. That is, the creed you have been given is very simple and straightforward and the laws and regulations you have to obey are practicable. You are free within its bounds to make as much progress as you can. This was to impress that the lives of the Muslims were free from all those useless and unnatural restrictions which had been imposed upon the former communities by their priests and law givers. The negative aspect of the same thing has been mentioned in (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayat 157): He enjoins them to follow virtue and forbids them from evil: He makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful. He relieves them of their burdens and frees them from the shackles that bound them.

"  Keep to the faith of your father Abraham. " Though Islam may be called the religion of Prophets Noah, Moses, Jesus, etc. yet the Quran emphasizes over and over again that it is the religion of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon them all). Therefore, you should follow it. This is for three reasons.

(1) The first addressees of the Quran were the Arabs who were more familiar with Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) than with any other Prophet and acknowledged him to be a holy personage and their leader.

(2) Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) alone was the person whom the Jews, the Christians, the Muslims and the mushriks of Arabia and of the adjoining countries unanimously acknowledged as a great Prophet.

(3) When the Quran invites all these communities to follow the way of Abraham, it in fact, admonishes them that all their religions had been invented long after Prophet Abraham and, therefore, were not trustworthy because they contradicted many things taught by him. As for the mushriks of Arabia, they also acknowledged that idol worship among them had been started by Amr bin Luhayy, who was a leader of Bani Khuzaah, and had brought an idol, called Hubal, from Moab in about 600 B.C. So the religion to which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) invited them was the same pure, un-adulterated religion which was taught by Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him).

For further details, see explanation of (verses 134, 135 of Surah 2. Al-Baqarah)and (verses 65, 96 of Surah 3. Aal-Imran) and (verses 120, 123 of Surah 16. An-Nahal).

" Allah named you Muslims earlier and even in this (Book), " Here the word “you” has not been addressed exclusively to those believers who lived at the time of the revelation of this verse, or those who believed after its revelation. It includes all those human beings, who, from the beginning of human history, believed in Tauhid, the Hereafter, Prophethood and the divine Books. They were not Jews, Christians, etc. but Muslims in the sense that they had surrendered themselves to Allah. Likewise the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are not Muhammadans but Muslims.

" that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over all mankind "  For explanation see ( verse 143 of Surah Al-Baqarah).

" So establish Prayer, and pay Zakah, and hold fast to Allah. " “Hold fast to Allah”: Follow exclusively the guidance and the law of Allah: obey Him alone: fear Him and have all your hopes and expectations in Him: invoke Him alone for help: trust in Him and pray to Him for all your needs.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

"And [moreover, to discharge the responsibilities of your status,] strive in the way of God in the most befitting way." A governing noun is suppressed in the verse. The expression فِي اللّٰهِ is actually فِي سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ. This directive has been given in deference to the status for which they have been selected, as mentioned in the succeeding verses. The implication is that they should try to convey God’s message in a conclusive way to whole mankind and leave no stone unturned in this task. Moreover, if they face any hindrance in this cause, they should try to overcome it by using all the powers of their heart and mind, body and soul and also expend all their wealth and resources.

" He has selected you " Ie., chosen them just as He selects certain individuals among the progeny of Adam for prophethood and messenger-hood. Earlier, the Israelites were also similarly selected but because of their defiance and rebelliousness, they earned God’s wrath and were cursed.  

" and not placed any constraint on you in [the] sharī‘ah [He has given you]." This is stated here because this sharī‘ah does not have the same severity as that of the Israelites. The reason for this reduction probably being that the Israelites remained in the direct rule of God’s government but this was not the case with the Ishmaelites. About them, the directive of God is that they will carry out this duty under their rulers. 

" He has chosen the community of your father – Abraham – for you." Ie., in the real Islam in which there is no trace of Judaism or Christianity and which is the community of Abraham (sws), their father. God has made it their religion and sharī‘ah after some revival, reformation and addition. The reference of the father is given to urge the Ishmaelites: this is not something strange for them: it is the religion of their father and what more religion and community than the religion and community of the father can be dearer to the children. Moreover, also evident from this is that it is primarily the Ishmaelites who have been chosen for this responsibility. All those who convert into Islam by accepting this message become secondarily included in this responsibility. It is precisely for this reason that in Sūrah al-Baqarah the Ishmaelites are referred to as the “middle community” (اُمَّةً وَّسَطًا). On one side of them are God and His Messenger, and on the other are all the nations of the world (النَّاس). In verse 33 of Sūrah Āl-i ‘Imrān, the words آل ابراهيم are used for this purpose. When the Israelites were carrying out this obligation, the centre of their religious communication was the Bayt al-Maqdis. After the advent of Muḥammad (sws), it lost this status and it too was entrusted to the Ishmaelites. Thus, now until the Day of Judgement, the centre of the true message of God is the ancient House which Abraham (sws) and Ishmael (sws) built with their sacred hands in Makkah and which is called بَيْتُ اللّٰهِ,   البَيْت, الْبَيْتُ العَتِيْقِ and الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَراَم. 

" It was he who had earlier named you Muslim " This is a reference to the prayer of Abraham (sws) cited in these words in Sūrah al-Baqarah: رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ اُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ (Our Lord! And make us obedient to you and institute from our progney a nation that is obedient to you) The words اُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً are used for the ummah that is under discussion here.

" and in this [Qur’ān] also [your name is Muslim]; chosen you so that the messenger bears witness [to this religion] before you and you bear witness [to it] before all the people of the world." This is an explanation of the selection mentioned earlier: it was done to bear witness to the religion of truth. This bearing witness is not mere preaching and persuasion; besides this, it is also the manifestation of the worldly retribution of God according to which if the Muslim ummah adheres to the truth and keeps communicating it to all the nations of the world while being faithful to its contents and with full certainty, then it will be granted dominance over those who do not accept faith and if it deviates from it, then it will be subjected to the punishment of disgrace and subservience through these very nations. Thus its very existence becomes a witness to what it says with its pen and tongue. It is because of this that the word “bearing witness” (شهاده) is used instead of preaching. This in fact is conclusive communication of truth which when happens becomes a basis of God’s judgement both in this world and in the next. After Muḥammad (sws), this arrangement has been made by the Almighty for this conclusive communication at the global level. 

" So, be diligent in the prayer and pay zakāh and hold strongly to God." Ie., they should strongly adhere to the guidance He has bestowed upon them and trust His help in all circumstances. At another instance (3:102), what is stated here is mentioned by the words: اِعْتَصِمُوْا بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ (hold strongly to the rope of God).

He only is your Guardian. So, what a good guardian and what a good helper!

Qur'an Wiki:

When the Muslim community has such a proper relation with God and an appropriate lifestyle, it can discharge its awesome responsibility: “And strive hard in God’s cause as you ought to strive.” This is a veracious and comprehensive description, indicating a massive responsibility that requires adequate preparation and the mustering of equipment and resources.

“And strive hard in God’s cause as you ought to strive.” This includes striving against one’s enemies, laziness, evil and corruption. All these must be equally resisted. It is God who has assigned to you this massive responsibility and chosen you to fulfil it: “It is He who has chosen you.” This choice adds to the seriousness of the responsibility, which means that it cannot be shrugged off or abandoned. Indeed it is an honour God has bestowed on the Muslim community for which it should be infinitely grateful.

Moreover, the assigned task is entwined with God’s grace: He “has laid no hardship on you in [anything that pertains to] religion.” Indeed, the religion of Islam, with all its duties, worship and laws always observes man’s nature and abilities. It aims to satisfy human nature and release man’s abilities so that they are used constructively. Human nature must neither be suppressed nor left without control.

Moreover, the Islamic way of life has a long history in human life, linking the past with the present. It is “the creed of your forefather Abraham.” It is the system that has continued on earth since the time of Abraham, without any long gap that allows the divine faith to be totally distorted, as happened in some periods prior to Abraham’s time.

God has given the name ‘Muslim’ to the community that believes in His oneness, and this name remained the same whether in olden days or in the Qur’ān: “It is He who has named you Muslims, in bygone times and in this [book].”

Islam means surrendering oneself totally to God, attributing no share of Godhead to anyone else. Thus, the Muslim community has enjoyed the same system across successive generations, and with successive messages and messengers, up to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was then that the divine message was entrusted to the Muslim community. Thus, the past, present and future are interlinked as God wants. Thus, “the Messenger might bear witness for you and that you might bear witness for all mankind.” The Prophet is, thus, a witness defining the way the Muslim community should follow, pointing out right and wrong, and the Muslim community fulfils the same task with regard to humanity at large. It occupies the position of trustee by virtue of the standards established by its laws, education and concepts relating to life and to the universe. Needless to say, the Muslim community cannot fulfil this role unless it implements God’s message fully in life. When the Muslim community abandoned this role and deviated from the divine code of living, God removed it from this leadership, leaving it trailing well behind. It will continue to be in this humiliating position until it resumes its role chosen for it by God.

To ensure such a return, it must be fully prepared for it. Hence the order: “Attend regularly to your prayer, and pay out your zakāt, and hold fast to God. He is your Guardian: the best of guardians and the best to give support.” Prayer provides a link between the weak and mortal individual and the source of power, while zakāt provides a strong link between members of the community, ensuring security for all. Holding fast to God is the strong tie that is never severed.

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

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 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 

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