Overview of Surah Al Qasas - The Story: 28th Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ "The Story" is the 28th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an with 88 verses (āyāts) and nine rukus, part of the 20th Juz'. The Surah takes its name from verse 25 in which the word Al-Qasas occurs. Lexically, qasas means to relate events in their proper sequence. Thus, from the view- point of the meaning too, this word can be a suitable title for this Surah, for in it the detailed story of the Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) has been related.

The Sūrah is also known as the (The) History, The Narrations, or the Narrative. The language, the style and the theme of three surahs, namely Surahs Surahs Ash-Shu`araa', An-Naml and Al- Qasas (chapters 26-28 respectively) show that these were sent down one after the other. One important and common feature of these surahs is that the story of Prophet Moses has been mentioned in parts in these surahs, which together makes up a complete story, in that: 

• In Surah Ash Shu`araa', excusing himself for not accepting the office of Prophethood the Prophet Moses submits, "The people of Pharaoh have the charge of a crime against me; therefore, I fear that they will put me to death." Then, when lie goes before Pharaoh, the latter says, "Did we not bring you up as a child in our house? You lived quite a few years of your life among us, and then you did what you did." 
• Nothing more of this has been mentioned there, but in this Surah the other details have been given. 
• Similarly, in Surah An-Naml the story starts abruptly from the time when the Prophet Moses was journeying with his family and suddenly saw a fire at a distance. In that Surah nothing has been said about the nature of his journey, or the place he was coming from, or his destination, but this Surah gives out all the necessary details. 

Thus, the three Surahs read together complete the story of the Prophet Moses (Allah's peace be upon him).

The main theme of Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ is to remove the doubts and objections that were being raised against the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) and to invalidate the excuses which were being offered for not believing in him.

For this purpose, first the story of the Prophet Moses has been related, which, by analogy with the period of revelation, impresses the following points in the listeners mind automatically:

• First, Allah provides the means and motives of whatever He wills to do, in imperceptible ways. Thus, Allah so arranged things that the child through whom Pharaoh had to be removed from power, was bred and brought up in his own house, and he could not know whom he was fostering. Who can then fight God and frustrate Him by his machinations.
• Secondly, Prophethood is not granted to a person amid festivities by issuing a proclamation from the earth and heavens. You wonder how Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) has been blessed with Prophethood unexpectedly, all of a sudden, but Moses whom you yourselves acknowledge as a Prophet (v. 48) had also become a Prophet unexpectedly, while on a journey, and nobody had known what event had occurred in the desolation at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Even Moses himself did not know a moment before what he was going to be blessed with. He, in fact, had gone to bring a piece of the fire but had returned with the gift of Prophethood.
• Thirdly, the person from whom Allah wants to take some service comes out without any army and armor and without an apparent helper or force at his back, yet he puts to rout much stronger and better equipped opponents. The contrast that existed between the strengths of Moses (peace be upon him) and Pharaoh was much more prominent and glaring than that which existed between Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Quraish; yet the world knows who had come out victorious in the end and who had been routed.
• Fourthly, you refer to Moses again and again and say, "Why has Muhammad not been given the same which was given to Moses? i. e. miracles of the staff, the shining hand, etc. as if to suggest that you would readily believe only if you were shown the kind of the miracles that were shown by Moses to Pharaoh. But do you know what sort of response was made by those who were shown those miracles? They had not believed even after seeing the miracles, and had only said, "This is magic", for they were involved in stubbornness and hostility to the Truth. The same malady afflicts you today. Will you believe only when you are slowly the same kind of miracles?Then, do you know what fate the disbelievers had met even after seeing the miracles? They were annihilated by Allah. Do you now wish to meet the same doom by asking for the miracles in your obstinacy?

These were the things which were automatically impressed in the mind of every listener who heard this story in the pagan environment of Makkah, for a similar conflict was going on at that time between the Holy Prophet and disbelievers of Makkah as had already taken place between the Prophet Moses and Pharaoh before. This was the background against which the story of the Prophet Moses was narrated so that a perfect analogy was established automatically in every detail between the conditions prevailing then in Makkah and those existing in the time of the Prophet Moses. Then, from verse 43 onward the discourse turns to the real theme.

• In the first place, the narration of a two thousand year old historical event by the Holy Prophet with such accuracy and detail, is presented as a proof of his Prophethood although he was un-lettered and the people of his city and clan knew full well that he had no access to any source of such information as they could point out.
• Then the disbelievers of Makkah have been warned and put to shame for an event that occurred in those very days. Some Christians had come to Makkah and embraced Islam when they heard the Qur'an from the Holy Prophet. Instead of learning any lesson from this the Makkans were so upset at this that their leader, Abu Jahl, disgraced those people publicly.

In conclusion, the excuse that the disbelievers put forward for not believing in the Holy Prophet has been dealt with. What they feared was this:"If we give up the polytheistic creed of the Arabs and accept the doctrine of Tauhid instead, this will put an end to our supremacy in the religious, political and economic fields, which, in turn, will destroy our position of the most influential tribe of Arabia and we shall be left with no refuge anywhere in the land." As this was the real motive of the chiefs of the Quraish for their antagonism towards the Truth, and their doubts and objections were only the pretenses, which they invented to deceive the common people, Allah has dealt with these fully till the end of the Surah, considered each aspect of these in a wise manner and offered the remedy for their basic ailment due to which those people judged the Truth and falsehood only from the viewpoint of their worldly interests.

Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ can conveniently be broken down in two parts, owing to the subject matter, and there its exegesis / tafseer is being given in following two parts separately:

• Part I:  The remaining part of story of Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) that is spanned on three surahs as mentioned above.
• Part II: Polytheism is condemned, and Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) is reminded that he cannot make the people believe but nevertheless he must remain steadfast in his mission.

You may now listen to learned Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan who in the video below gives an overview of the Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Juzʼ / Part backwards for chapters in 30th Juzʼ / Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Reading the Holy Quran 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 Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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 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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Understanding Islam: Why Man is in Loss? Allah Cautions in Surah Al Asr [Chapter 103]

Sūrah Al-‘Aṣr, the 103rd chapter of the Holy Qur'an, has only three verses - but many of us just read it out as if it does not carry any significance to our lives. But those few who take a time out and ponder over the three verses of the surah come to know that Allah has summed up four attributes of a true believer in this surah which if really understood can change our lives, otherwise man is truly in loss, both in this world and the Hereafter. 

Let us now for once, read this surah giving due attention to each word of it, to start with:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

1.وَالْعَصْرِ‌

By Time.

2. إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ‌

Indeed man is in loss,

3. إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ‌‌

except those:

• who have faith, 
• and do righteous deeds, 
• and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and 
• enjoin one another to patience.

As is evident, here Allah, while taking a vow of the time, has cautioned that 'man' not men is in loss and surely we as individuals are at loss unless we fulfill four preconditions that have been spelt out in the verse 3.

For the most powerful message summed in the surah, this surah is considered the summary of whole Quran by almost all notable classical and modern Islamic scholars including Imam Shafi, Ibn Kathir, and even lately Dr. Israr Ahmed.

These four conditions or pre-requisites are so eloquently explained by Nouman Ali Khan, an emerging Muslim scholar, a Pakistani living in the USA, who has mastered the Arabic language and explained the Holy Qur'an in very easy to understand language, giving examples from our daily lives and stressing home the real message contained in the Holy Qur'an. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

Please listen to Nouman Ali Khan explaining the Surah Al Asr and the four preconditions that guarantee a man to not be in loss and be blessed:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Juzʼ / Part backwards for chapters in 30th Juzʼ / Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 |  2 |
Reading the Holy Quran 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.

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Surah Al Qalam - The Pen: Summary of 68th Chapter of Holy Quran

Sūrat al-Qalam is the 68th surah with 52 ayats with two rukus, part of the 29th Juzʼ  of the Holy Qur'an. This Surah is called Nun as it begins with the letter Nun.

Like many surahs of the Holy Qur'an, Sūrat al-Qalam too is one of the earliest surahs to be revealed at Makkah, for its subject matter shows that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) had grown very harsh and tyrannical.

The surah consists of three themes: (1) Replies to the opponents objections, (2) administration of warning and (3) admonition to them, and exhortation to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) to patience and constancy. 

Before proceeding to exegesis / tafsir of Sūrat al-Qalam, let us see a brief co-reference / relevance of subject matter of of Sūrat al-Qalam to that of the preceding and proceeding surahs of the Holy Qur'an: [1]

Surah Al-Mulk, the 67th chapter/surah and Sūrat al-Qalam form a pair with regard to their subject matter. Although there is no principal difference between the central themes and topics of the two, the difference lies in the style, nature of arguments and the tone adopted. In Surah Al Mulk, the Quraysh are warned of the Day of Judgement, while in Surah Qalam they are warned of the punishment which a people necessarily face if they deny their punishment of the Day of Judgement, similar is the warning sounded in this sūrah. However, this sūrah is more stern in its tone. Surah Al Mulk focused on believing in Allah, this Surah Al Qalam focuses on believing in His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Surah Al-Haaqah (69) also deeply resembles Surah Al Qalam for both having same the central theme: substantiation of the Day of Judgement. As per Professor Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, exegete, and educationist, the nature of arguments differ. Just as the greatness and truth of the Qur'an are explained in the Surah Al Qalam and people are warned of the consequences of rejecting the Qur'an, similarly, in the next surah (Surah al Haaqah) this subject is discussed. The difference is that in Surah Al Qalam, it is discussed in the opening part while in Surah Al Haaqah it is in the concluding part. Near the end of surah Qalam, Allah says: “Then leave Me (to deal) with the one who rejects this Hadeeth/Statement.“ and in the beginning of surah Al-Haaqah, Allah tells how He dealt with previous nations (ʿĀd and Thamud) who rejected and oppressed the Messenger of Allah who came to them. Allah mentioned two groups of people briefly in Surah Al Qalam; i.e. in Ayah 38 He mentions the people of Paradise, and in ayah 42 He mentions people who will not be able to prostrate/sajdah to Allah. Allah talks about two groups of people who receive their books on Judgment Day, good and bad.

Let us now read explanation of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

نٓ​ وَالۡقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسۡطُرُوۡنَۙ‏

1. Nun. By the pen and what the scribes write.

[These letters (Nun, etc.) are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. Such words are known as Muqaṭṭaʿāt (Arabic: حُرُوف مُقَطَّعَات‎ ḥurūf muqaṭṭaʿāt, "disjointed letters" or "disconnected letters"; also "mysterious letters") which are combinations of between one and five Arabic letters figuring at the beginning of 29 out of the 114 chapters (surahs) of the Quran just after the Bismillah. The letters are also known as fawātiḥ (فَوَاتِح) or "openers" as they form the opening verse of their respective surahs. The original significance of the letters is unknown. Tafsir (exegesis) has interpreted them as abbreviations for either names or qualities of God or for the names or content of the respective surahs. 

The great commentator Mujahid says that by pen here is meant the Pen with which the Qur'an was being written down. From this it automatically follows that that which was being written implies the Holy Qur'an itself. There are other opinions about the pen as well. 

• One opinion is that it refers to the Pen of decree through which destinies of every creation has been written down till the end of times. 
• Another opinion is that it refers to the pen of angels through which they record the deeds of the servants. 
• One more opinion is that this refers to the pen that we use to write with. Elaborating this opinion, Ibn Katheer writes Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is alerting His creatures to what He has favored them with by teaching them the skill of writing through which knowledge is attained.

At the outset (verses 2-16), the Holy Prophet has been addressed, to the effect: "The disbelievers call you a madman whereas the Book that you are presenting and the sublime conduct that you practice, are by themselves sufficient to refute their false accusations. Soon they will see as to who was mad and who was sane; therefore, do not at all yield to the din of opposition being kicked up against you, for all this is actually meant to cow you and make you resort to a compromise with them."

Then, in order to enlighten the common people the character of a prominent man from among the opponents, whom the people of Makkah fully well recognized, has been presented, without naming him:At that time, the Holy Prophet's pure and sublime conduct was before them, and every discerning eye could also see what sort of character and morals were possessed by the chiefs of Makkah, who were leading the opposition against him.

2. You (O Muhammad ) are not, by the Grace of your Lord, a madman. 3. And verily, for you (O Muhammad ) will be an endless reward. 4. And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are on an exalted standard of character. 5. You will see, and they will see, 6. Which of you is afflicted with madness. 7. Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided. 8. So (O Muhammad ) obey not the deniers [(of Islamic Monotheism those who belie the Verses of Allah), the Oneness of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad ), etc.] 9. They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you. 10. And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, 11. A slanderer, going about with calumnies, 

In the verse 12, word Khayr is used which in Arabic is used both for wealth and for good. If it is taken in the meaning of wealth, the meaning would be that he is miserly and stingy; he would not even spend a farthing on anyone. And if khayr is taken in the meaning of goodness and virtue, it would mean that he creates a hindrance in every good work as well as that he is very active in hindering the people from accepting Islam.

12. Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful, 13. Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), 14. (He was so) because he had wealth and children. 15. When Our Verses (of the Qur'an) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!" 16. We shall brand him over the nose!

In verses 17-33, the parable of the owners of a garden has been presented, who after having been blessed by Allah turned ungrateful to Him, and did not heed the admonition of the best man among them when it was given them. Consequently, they were deprived of the blessing and they realized this, when all they had lay devastated. With this parable the people of Makkah have been warned to the effect:"With the appointment of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) to Prophethood, you, O people of Makkah, too, have been put to a test similar to the one to which the owners of the garden had been put. If you do not listen to him, you too will be afflicted with a punishment in the world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is far greater."

17. Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, 18. Without saying: Insha' Allah (If Allah will). 19. Then there passed by on the (garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep. 20. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). 21. Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke, 22. Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." 23. So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), 24. No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today. 25. And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). 26. But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray," 27. (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" 28. The best among them said: "Did I not tell you: why do you not say: Insha' Allah (If Allah will)." 29. They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.)." 30. Then they turned, one against another, in blaming. 31. They said: "Woe to us! Verily, we were Taghun (transgressors and disobedient, etc.) 32. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the Hereafter)." 33. Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew.

Then, in verses 34-47 continuously, the disbelievers have been admonished, in which the address sometimes turns to them directly and sometimes they are warned through the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace). A summary of what has been said in this regard, is this: Well being in the Hereafter inevitably belongs to those who spend their lives in the world in full consciousness of God. It is utterly against reason that the obedient servants should meet in the Hereafter the same fate as the guilty. There is absolutely no basis of the disbelievers misunderstanding that God will treat them in the manner they choose for themselves, whereas they have no guarantee for this. Those who are being called upon to bow before God in the world and they refuse to do so, would be unable to prostrate themselves on the Day of Resurrection even if they wanted to do so, and thus would stand disgraced and condemned. Having denied the Qur'an they cannot escape Divine punishment. The rein they are being given, has deluded them. They think that since they are not being punished in spite of their denial, they must be on the right path, whereas they are following the path of ruin. They have no reasonable ground for opposing the Messenger, for he is a preacher without any vested interest: he is not asking any reward of them for himself, and they cannot either make the claim that they know with certainty that he is not a true Messenger, nor that what he says is false.

34. Verily, for the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons - see V.2:2) are Gardens of delight (Paradise) with their Lord. 35. Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)? 36. What is the matter with you? How judge you? 37. Or have you a Book through which you learn. 38. That you shall have all that you choose? 39. Or you have oaths from Us, reaching to the Day of Resurrection that yours will be what you judge. 40. Ask them, which of them will stand surety for that! 41. Or have they "partners"? Then let them bring their "partners" if they are truthful! 42. (Remember) the Day when the Shin shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate (to Allah), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so, 43. Their eyes will be cast down, ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not). 44. Then leave Me Alone with such as belie this Qur'an. We shall punish them gradually from directions they perceive not. 45. And I will grant them a respite. Verily, My Plan is strong. 46. Or is it that you (O Muhammad ) ask them a wage, so that they are heavily burdened with debt? 47. Or that the Ghaib (unseen here in this Verse it means Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

In conclusion, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been exhorted to the effect:"Bear with patience the hardships that you may have to face in the way of preaching the Faith till Allah's judgment arrives, and avoid the impatience which caused suffering and affliction to the Prophet Jonah (peace be on him)."

48. So wait with patience for the Decision of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, when he cried out (to Us) while he was in deep sorrow. (See the Qur'an, Verse 21:87). 49. Had not a Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been (left in the stomach of the fish, but We forgave him), so he was cast off on the naked shore, while he was to be blamed. 50. But his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous. 51. And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes through hatredness when they hear the Reminder (the Qur'an), and they say: "Verily, he (Muhammad ) is a madman!" 52. But it is nothing else than a Reminder to all the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Qalam with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The Holy Qur'an: Chapter 104 Sūrat al-Humazah (The Traducer / The Scorner)

There are many subjects that come repeatedly in various chapters of the Holy Qur'an to stress upon the subject matter and caution man to abstain from such acts as these make draw upon them the wrath of Allah not only in this world  but hereafter too.

In this Surah some of the evils prevalent among the materialistic hoarders of wealth in the pre-Islamic days have been condemned. Every Arab knew that they actually existed in their society; they regarded them as evils and nobody thought they were good. After calling attention to this kind of ugly character, the ultimate end in the Hereafter of the people having this kind of character has been stated. Both these things (i.e. the character and his fate in the Hereafter) have been depicted in a way which makes the listener automatically reach the conclusion that such a man fitly deserves to meet such an end. And since in the world, people of such character do not suffer any punishment, but seem to be thriving instead, the occurrence of the Hereafter becomes absolutely inevitable.

Just yesterday we shared Chapter 102 Sūrat at-Takāthur which cautioned those who have greed for more and enter into rivalry for worldly increase with others till they reach their graves empty handed and for such people the blazing fire of hell awaits. Sūrat al-Humazah also augments what Allah has already mentioned in the 104th chapter.

Before commenting on the text of this very important chapter of the Holy Qur'an, please read the English translation of the Sūrat al-Humazah to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

• Woe to every scorner and mocker
• Who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.
• He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.
• No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.
• And what can make you know what is the Crusher?
• It is the fire of Allah, [eternally] fueled,
• Which mounts directed at the hearts.
• Indeed, Hellfire will be closed down upon them
• In extended columns.

Sūrat al-Humazah begins with two words “Humazat il- Lumazah” which together mean the same: The slanderers. While the first word means slanderers who hurt others by word of mouth, the second word means slanderers who hurt others by action. These are Traducers, the Backbiters, the Mockers and many such similar qualities of man which ultimately result into his destruction and have him taken to the fire of hell where he is "crushed" forever. [2]

It is for those people Allah has shown His remorse and sadness who while boasting of their edge over others in the community, take pride by defaming character or mocking the low social status of others, or even calling them with bad names to show their scorn tell lies about others to hurt their feelings and lowering them in eyes of others.

And such are the people who think that their reserves, wealth, properties and social status will enhance their lives and perhaps death would never beget them. And it is for these people Allah warns of them to be thrown into the Crusher - the blazing intense fire of hell, prepared for those who amassed wealth, scorned others due to their wealth and forgot commandments of Allah to spend in the name of Allah rather than keeping their wealth in secure vaults which is no use to the community with no circulation ability.

“Do you construct on every elevation a sign, amusing yourselves? And take for yourselves palaces and fortresses that you might abide eternally?” [Quran, 26: 128-129]

It is for them that a "fire which leapeth over the hearts" is promised. Some scholars like Ibn Kathir, Muhammad bin Ka`b interpret this verse believe that the Fire will devour every part of his body until it reaches his heart and comes to the level of his throat, then it will return to his body." [3]

So be warned, cautioned and watchful for what you do lest wrath of Allah falls both in this world and hereafter. 

You may now listen to the recitation of  Sūrat al-Humazah in Arabic with English subtitles

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand)
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

A Night Better Than a Thousand Months

The month of Ramadan is the blessed gift of Allah to the Muslims for those who fast and pray and give charity during this month are one of the most blessed. Any worship or prayers in this month have far greater reward than the same effort during the remaining eleven months of the year.

However still more, there is a night in the odd days of the last ten days of month of Ramadan, which the Allah Almighty says it is "The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months." (Al Qur'an 30: 97-3). Thus anyone who finds himself in the month of Ramadan and is lucky to find this night of utmost blessings, honour and destiny will find oneself among the most blessed of the subjects.

This blessed night in the 30th chapter of Quran is called "Laylat Al Qadr" - that is the night of Honour (Qadr) or the night of Destiny, Power, Decree,  or Measure. Thus it is the night when angels descend to the earth and convey the prayers of worshipers which are are answered by the Allah and all their sins are quashed and them included in the blessed of the blessed.

This blessed night or the night of decree is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an (30: 97 1-5) as under:

Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.

And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had stressed the importance of this night in many of his advice to his companions and said: "Anyone who finds this night in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan is sure to have been blessed and forgiven of his sins provided he prays as hard as he could to ask forgiveness of his sins."

As per various sources, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would not only himself remain awake the entire odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan but would also urge his family to do so lest they miss the chances of being forgiven of their sins.

So each Muslim must endeavour to pray as much as one can and ask for forgiveness of one's sins during the odd nights of last ten days of the Ramadan. May be he is lucky to be praying when The Night of Decree or the Laylat Al Qadr falls. It may be mentioned that the exact day of the night is not mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. Thus the worshipers should not let go of this life time opportunity by praying constantly in the odd days. Who knows one may not live to find this night the next year or not !!

An Imam of Haram Makkah gives some very practical advice  Ideas for the last ten days of Ramadan   (1). Give one Riyal in charity every night of last ten days of Ramadan, so if it falls on lailatul qadar it's as if you gave charity everyday for 84 years.  (2). Pray two ra'kaat every night, so if it falls on lailatul qadar it's as if u prayed everyday for 84 years.  (3). Read Surah ikhlaas three times a night, so if it falls on lailatul qadar it's as if u read the whole Quran everyday for 84 years.  He then says spread this as you may find it on your account of good deeds  Allah make us of the victorious. In sha Allah Ameen. 

To know more about fasting and importance of month of Ramadan, please consult our reference page: Ramadan - A month of fasting and Blessings. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Now you may listen to heart warming commentary of the surah by learned scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

Photo
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 Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More