The Reality of Oneness of God never changed: All apostles testified to God’s unity

The Oneness of God has always been the basic essential element in every divine faith, ever since God sent His first messenger to mankind. Nothing has changed in that. God, the Creator who must be worshipped is One, without partners. The truth of Godhead and Lordship over the universe is a single issue that cannot be separated. God has no partners, whether in the sphere of Godhead or in that of worship. This fact ranks alongside the basic essential laws of the universe and is classified with them. Like them, its truth is unassailable.

In fact, the message sent to mankind through apostles of God has been the same. As has been mentioned in Surah Al Anbiya, while God addressing the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم: “Before your time We never sent a messenger without having revealed to him that there is no deity other than Me. Therefore, you shall worship Me alone.” 

This has been mentioned in the 25th ayat / verse of Surah 21. Al Anbiya (“The Prophets”) given herein under:

The Verse

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

"And We did not send any Messenger before you except that We revealed to him: 'There is no deity except Me, so worship Me alone.'" (21:25)

Context in Surah Al-Anbiya

Surah Al-Anbiya  emphasizes:

• The unity of the message across all prophets.
• The falsehood of associating partners with Allah.
• The accountability of humankind to the one true God.

Here, Allah is directly telling the Prophet ﷺ that his mission is not new or unique in essence — all prophets before him, whether to the Israelites, Arabs, or other nations, brought the exact same core message: Tawheed (pure monotheism).

This was also a rebuttal to the Quraysh’s claim that Muhammad ﷺ had brought something strange or unprecedented (cf. 38:4–7).

Reference to Other Qur’anic Verses

This theme repeats throughout the Qur’an:

• Surah An-Nahl (16:36): 
• “We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [proclaiming]: ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taghut (false gods).’”
• Shows the universality of the core message — no nation was left without a prophet teaching monotheism.
• Surah Al-A’raf (7:59–65, 7:73, 7:85)
• Every prophet — Nuh, Hud, Salih, Shu‘ayb — began their message with: 
• "O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him."
• Surah Az-Zukhruf (43:45): “And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful?”
• Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:1–4) Summarizes the essence of all prophetic messages: Allah is One, unique, eternal, without partners.

Reference from Hadith

• Hadith Qudsi (Sahih Muslim 2577) — Allah says:
• “I created My servants upon the natural disposition (fitrah), but the devils came to them and deviated them from their religion, and forbade them what I had permitted for them, and commanded them to associate partners with Me…”
• Confirms that Tawheed is the original and universal religion of humanity.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 4497 — The Prophet ﷺ said:
• “The Prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.”
• Meaning: details of Shari‘ah differed, but the essence — Tawheed — was always the same.

Core Lessons

• Unity of Prophetic Message — All prophets taught one creed: “La ilaha illa Allah.” Differences were only in laws suited for their people.
• Tawheed is the foundation — Without it, other acts of worship are meaningless (cf. 39:65).
• Shirk is the common enemy — Whether in ancient idolatry or modern-day false authorities (Taghut), it always destroys the essence of faith.
• Continuity, not novelty — Islam is not a new invention; it is a restoration of the original faith of all prophets.
• Basis for interfaith understanding — This verse is a reminder that true guidance in all revealed religions originally came from the same divine source.

You may now refer to some of the Selected verses from Sūrah 21 Al-Anbiyā (The Prophets) already published.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .

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.

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Al-Qurʾān: Selected Verses from Sūrah 21 Al-Anbiyā (The Prophets)

Sūrah Al-Anbiyaʼ الأنبياء, ’al-’anbiyā’; "The Prophets" is the 21st Sūrah (chapter) of the Al-Qurʾān with 112 āyāt / verses. The Sūrah is said to have been revealed in Makkah, around 2–3 years before Hijrah. The name of this Surah has not been taken from any verse but it has been called Al-Anbiyaa because it contains a continuous account of many Anbiyaa (Prophets). Its principal subject matter is prophets of the past, who also preached the same faith as Muhammad. Thus, the Sūrah is a powerful reminder of Tawḥīd (Oneness of Allah), the reality of the Hereafter, and the continuity of prophethood.

We have already published an overview and detailed Tafsir / Exegesis of the Sūrah which can be accessed from the links given below:

| Overview | Exegesis: Part I | Part II | Part III

Herein under we only share the salient of the Sūrah as a refresher and for general information. At the end of this overview, we have shared links to some of the selected verses from the Sūrah, which in fact is the main purpose of this publication.

Brief Overview

• Makkan Period: Revealed when the Prophet ﷺ faced intense opposition in Makkah.
• Purpose: To show that the Prophet ﷺ’s message is not new, but part of a long chain of guidance sent through earlier prophets.
• Style: Short, impactful verses with historical examples, moral warnings, and comforting assurances.

Prophets Mentioned in Surah al-Anbiyāʾ

In verses 48-91, instances have been cited from the important events of the life stories of the Prophets to show that all the Prophets, who were sent by God, were human beings and had all the characteristics of a man except those which were exclusive to Prophethood. They had no share in Godhead and they had to implore Allah to fulfill each and every necessity of theirs.

A number of prophets are mentioned in this Sūrah:

• Prophet Nuh (Noah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Lut (Lot) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Mūsā (Moses) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Hārūn (Aaron) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Lūṭ (Lot) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Isḥāq (Isaac) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Yaʿqūb (Jacob) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Nūḥ (Noah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Dāwūd (David) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Ayyūb (Job) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Ismāʿīl (Ishmael) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Idrīs (Enoch) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Dhū al-Kifl عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Yūnus (Jonah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ
• Prophet ʿĪsā ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ

Main Theme

• All prophets delivered the same message: worship Allah alone, live righteously, prepare for the Day of Judgment.
• The surah rebukes disbelief and arrogance, showing that those who reject guidance face destruction, while those who remain patient are saved.

Structure & Flow

This Surah discusses the conflict between the Holy Prophet and the chiefs of Makkah, which was rampant at the time of its Revelation and answers those objections and doubts which were being put forward concerning his Prophethood and the Doctrines of Tauhid and the Hereafter. The chiefs of Makkah have also been rebuked for their machinations against the Holy Prophet and warned of the evil consequences of their wicked activities. They have been admonished to give up their indifference and heedlessness that they were showing about the Message. At the end of the Surah, they have been told that the person whom they considered to be a "distress and affliction" had in reality come to them as a blessing.

Verses 1–15: Urgent warning that the Day of Judgment is near; mockery of messengers by disbelievers.

Verses 16–29: The universe is created with truth; Allah is free from partners; angels serve Allah.

Verses 30–50: Signs in creation; lessons from Nūḥ, Mūsā, and Hārūn.

Verses 51–70: Story of Ibrāhīm and his stand against idol worship.

Verses 71–88: A chain of prophets — each facing trials but helped by Allah.

Verses 89–112: Consolation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; final warning to disbelievers.

Important Subjects

• Unity of Divine Message — All prophets called to the same truth (21:25).
• Signs in Creation — The heavens and earth once joined, then separated (21:30).
• Trials of Prophets — Patience, faith, and divine help.
• The Hereafter — Accountability is certain; worldly power cannot save.
• Allah’s Mercy — Relief comes after hardship for the patient and faithful.

Key Lessons

• Continuity of Guidance — Truth has one source; rejecting one prophet means rejecting them all.
• Patience in Dawah — Prophets endured ridicule but persisted.
• Reliance on Allah — Deliverance comes from Him alone.
• World is a Test — Material blessings are temporary; real success is eternal.
• Unity in Faith — Believers are part of one brotherhood across time.

Selected verses from Sūrah Al-Anbiyā

You may now refer to some of the selected verses from Surah Ta Ha already published:

• Verse 1:   The time of people's reckoning is near: Yet they remain stubbornly heedless
• Verse 21: Theory of Big Bang and formation of every living being with water 
• Verse 24: Most of the people do not know the Truth, and turn away 
• Verse 35: Every living being shall taste death - and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back
• Verse 47: The Ultimate Divine Justice 
• Verse 87: A powerful prophetic supplication attributed to Prophet Yunus (Jonah, sws) 
• Verse 87: Ayat e Kareema: There is no god but Thou. Glory be to You! I was indeed wrong."
• Verse 89: Lord! Leave me not solitary - You are the Best Inheritor (Supplication Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)

In time we will add more verses from Sūrah Al-Anbiyā.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .

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

Most of the people do not know the Truth, and turn away

It is very difficult to know and face the truth. Even if many know the truth, they tend to turn away fearing the consequences for siding with the truth. While this phenomenon is applicable to every facet of our lives, it is more pronounced when it comes to know the Divine Truth and accept it for fear of retribution from own people and faith, they have been observing for years without ever pondering over the falsehood that has crept into the faith they follow and continue to abide by it even when challenged to know the Divine Truth.

This is specially so when it comes to Islam. Most of the non-Muslims turn away from the all to know Islam for they do not know what Islam really is. In fact, their mindset is plagued with islamophobia that has been deliberately infused in their minds so that they even care listening to someone talking about Islam. This is the case since ages when people of one faith refused to follow a new Divine path or that followed by their predecessors. 

Even today, there are lot of people or most of the people, who without reading Qur'an or understanding the religion of Islam, hate Islam merely by hearing it from others. And even if someone tries to talk to them on Islam, they turn their face and go away. But the interesting thing is that many who tried to know what Qur'an and Islam is, fall in love with Islam and come under its fold. There have been many instances and revert experiences wherein people confess that they read the Qur'an to find faults with it, but instead finding it the best medium to know the truth that their religion of faith failed to help them do so.

It is in this context that we share the 24th verse of Surah 21. Al-Anbiyaa:

اَمِ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً ​ ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَكُمۡ​ ۚ هٰذَا ذِكۡرُ مَنۡ مَّعِىَ وَذِكۡرُ مَنۡ قَبۡلِىۡ​ ؕ بَلۡ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۙ الۡحَـقَّ​ فَهُمۡ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ‏ 

(21:24) Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it.

The first two were rational arguments and this is a historical one. This means that the study of all the former Scriptures shows that the Creator of the universe is One Allah and He alone is worthy of service and worship, while "Your religion is neither supported by rational arguments nor by historical evidence."

It is their lack of knowledge of Reality which has created this indifference towards the Message of the Prophet, and the same has made them heedless of the Message.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

That is most people's obstinate refusal to consider a reasonable proposition on its merits is often due to no more than the simple fact that it is not familiar to them.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

In this verse, we are warned against a third danger, the worship of false gods of any sort. Pagan man is prolific of creating abstract images for worship, including Self or abstract Intelligence or Power. In verse 26 below is mentioned a fourth kind of false worship, which imagines that Allah begets sons or daughters.

This verse should be read with the next ((21:25) Never did We send any Messenger before you to whom We did not reveal: "There is no god but Me. So, serve Me alone."). All reason revolts against the idea of conflicting gods, and points to Unity in Creation and Unity in Godhead. This is not only the Message of Islam ("those with me") but the message of all prophets who came before the holy Prophet Muhammad ("those before me"), and the line of prophets was closed with him. The Message given to every prophet in all ages was that of Unity as the fundamental basis of Order and Design in the world, material, moral, and spiritual.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that the Qur’ān which was revealed as a reminder for the followers of Muhammad (sws) is present before them as well as the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms and other scriptures of the prophets. They should see that none of these books teaches polytheism; all of them bear witness to monotheism.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Having provided this irrefutable evidence based on the nature of the universe, the sūrah asks them whether they can support their claims about multiple deities with any evidence derived from their scriptures.

Here is the Qur’ān which incorporates the message given to the Prophet’s contemporaries, and there are the scriptures containing the messages delivered by earlier messengers. In none of these is there any mention of partners with God. All divine faiths are based on the true concept of God’s oneness. Where, then, did those unbelievers get this false concept of multiple deities when it cannot be supported by logical or religious argument? “But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they stubbornly turn away.”

Let us then brothers and sisters in Islam know more about Qur'an and present its clear evidence that is based on monotheism as against polytheism. Remember the concept of Trinity also falls in the domain of polytheism, a concept which is tangent to Bible itself. And it is this fact alone that more and more Christians are reverting to Islam, leaving most of the people to their unjustified beliefs.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

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

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

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

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

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

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

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

The time of people's reckoning is near: Yet they remain stubbornly heedless

Blessed are those who listen to the Divine Call and shape their lives according to the Divine Commandments and Lawas. But how utterly heedless are many who despite knowing the truth, follow a life shaped by their desires and worldly love. They do not know how close to the day they are when this life will terminate into another life that will be permanent and painful. Every minute of theirs takes them nearer to their doom, and yet they are sadly heedless, and even actively turn away from the Message that would save them.

We share the opening verse of Surah 21. Al Anbiyaa (The Prophets) which warns such heedless people of the wrath that they are not aware of which awaits them. And that day is very near, if they had the iota of wisdom to find it out:

اِقۡتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ فِىۡ غَفۡلَةٍ مُّعۡرِضُوۡنَ​ۚ‏

(21:1) The time of people's reckoning has drawn near, and yet they turn aside in heedlessness.

The time.... near": the time of Resurrection. This is to warn the people that the time of Resurrection when they will have to appear before their Lord to render their accounts is not far. This was because the coming of the Holy Prophet was a sign and clear evidence of the fact that mankind had entered the last stage of its history. The Holy Prophet himself explained it by holding out two of his adjoining fingers and said, "I have been sent at a time which joins to the time of Resurrection just as these two fingers adjoin". By this he meant to say, "No other Prophet is coming between me and the Resurrection. Therefore, mend your ways now, for after me no guide is coming with good news and warning."

"They do not pay heed to any warning nor reflect on their end nor listen to the admonition of the Messenger." 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Hour is at hand but People are heedless.

This is a warning from Allah of the approach of the Hour, and that people are heedless of it, i.e., they are not working for it or preparing for it. 

An-Nasa'i recorded that Abu Sa`id reported from the Prophet: (فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ while they turn away in heedlessness), he said, (in this world.)

Allah says: 

(The Event ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it)

(The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder. And if they see a sign, they turn away.) [54:1,2] 

Then Allah states that they do not listen to the revelation (Wahy) that He sends down to His Messenger , which is addressed to the Quraysh and all disbelievers like them.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

 Ie., for the Idolaters of Arabia who after conclusive communication of the truth from the Prophet (sws) could face torment any time. This was in accordance with God’s established practice. Earlier, at the end of Sūrah Ṭāhā, they were told to wait for it. Here these words mention its proximity. The sūrah starts with these words without any formal beginning. Since these people had shown aversion to God’s reminders, the Almighty has mentioned them by the general word النَّاس by actually turning His face away from them.

Two words are used in the verse: negligence and evasion. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... Negligence, which means showing indifference to the realities of life, shows a person’s misfortune and is a very grave wrong. However, this wrong becomes much graver when a servant of God is trying his best to jolt them and awaken them from their slumber but people are so deep in their negligence that they are not prepared to listen to him. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 122)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This is a picture of hearts that know no seriousness, jesting when the situation is most serious, and trifling with what is sacred. The reminder given to them here originates with ‘their Lord’, yet they are playful as they listen to it, showing no respect whatsoever. A soul that knows no seriousness, respect or sacredness ends up in a condition of barren triviality which makes it unsuitable for the fulfilment of any task of merit. Its life seems devoid of respect, cheap. A spirit which cares little or nothing for what is held as sacred is sick. Carelessness is the opposite of endurance. The latter is a serious effort indicating strength, while the former indicates insensitivity.

It is the Sūrah that starts with, “Closer to people draw their reckoning, yet they continue to blithely turn away.’” This is the marked difference between a living heart which interacts with what it receives and a dead one which covers its lifelessness in a shroud of jest and play. The latter type does not respond to reminders because it is devoid of the elements of life.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

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

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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.

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A powerful prophetic supplication attributed to Prophet Yunus (Jonah, sws)

To err is human, you mean that it is natural for human beings to make mistakes, but to forgive is divine. This expression is always made when one makes a mistakes and errs, yet merely accepting a mistake is not enough for its occurrence may have hurt someone or even many and may have ruined their lives even. So when one errs, he must not only ask for forgiveness from those who may have been hurt and then also repent one's action and ask forgiveness from God, for hurting someone is least like by Allah.

But when it comes to prophets, the chosen few by none other than Allah, making mistakes or not implementing Allah's directive can have serious ramification. However, prophets are made to realize their mistakes much too early and they immediately return to Allah in repentance and asking for forgiveness. And sometimes saying less is good enough for Allah understands and forgives.

We today share the 87th verse of Surah 21 Al Anbiya in which Prophet Yunus or Zun-nun. "the man of the Fish or the Whale", as mentioned in the Qur'an (Jonah, may peace be upon him) is quoted to have just prayed to Allah when in distress and accepted his mistake. And that was enough for him to be forgiven by Allah.

Here is the background of mentioning of supplication Propeht Yunus (Jonah):

Zun-nun. "the man of the Fish or the Whale", is the title of Jonah (Yunus), because he was swallowed by a large Fish or Whale. He was the prophet raised to warn the Assyrian capital Nineveh. For Nineveh see n. 1478 to x. 98. His story is told in xxxvii. 139-149. When his first warning was unheeded by the people, he denounced Allah's wrath on them. But they repented and Allah forgave them for the time being. Jonah, meanwhile, departed in wrath, discouraged at the apparent failure of his mission. He should have remained in the most discouraging circumstances, and relied on the power of Allah; for Allah had power both over Nineveh and over the Messenger He had sent to Nineveh. He went away to the sea and took a ship, but apparently the sailors threw him out as a man of bad omen in a storm. He was swallowed by a big Fish (or Whale), but in the depth of the darkness, he cried to Allah and confessed his weakness. The "darkness" may be interpreted both physically and spiritually; physically, as the darkness of the night and the storm and the Fish's body; spiritually as the darkness in his soul, his extreme distress in the situation which he had brought on himself. Allah Most Gracious forgave him. He was cast out ashore; he was given the shelter of a plant in his state of mental and physical lassitude. He was refreshed and strengthened, and the work of his mission prospered. Thus he overcame all his disappointment by repentance and Faith, and Allah accepted him.

Now let us share the complete verse with emphasis on the supplication Propeht Yunus (Jonah)made: 

وَ ذَا النُّوۡنِ اِذْ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ اَنۡ لَّنۡ نَّـقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادٰى فِى الظُّلُمٰتِ اَنۡ لَّاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡتَ سُبۡحٰنَكَ ​ۖ  اِنِّىۡ كُنۡتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ​ ۖ ​ۚ‏

(21:87) And We bestowed Our favour upon Dhu al-Nun. Recall, when he went forth enraged, thinking We have no power to take him to task. Eventually he cried out in the darkness:" There is no God but You, Glorified be You! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (There is no God but You, Glorified be You! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers)'' `Awf Al-A`rabi said: "When Yunus found himself in the belly of the fish, he thought that he had died. Then he moved his legs. When he moved his legs, he prostrated where he was, then he called out: `O Lord, I have taken a place of worship to You in a place which no other person has reached.'''

فَاسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهٗۙ وَنَجَّيۡنٰهُ مِنَ الۡـغَمِّ​ؕ وَكَذٰلِكَ نُـنْجِى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏  

(21:88) Thereupon We accepted his prayer, and rescued him from grief. Thus do We rescue the believers.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: This supplication is also mentioned in the Book of Jonah and a detailed supplication of similar contents is cited in it. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... In this supplication, Jonah (sws) has not expressed any desire or demand; he only expressed and confessed his mistake. After this, he left the matter to his Lord accepting that His verdict would be the best and have wisdom and mercy in it because God is absolved of all defects. First of all, he expressed that only God is worthy of worship and obedience and all matters turn to Him. After that, he regarded God to be above and beyond all faults. Then he confessed his mistake that whatever has happened is the consequence of his blemish; he was unjust to his soul and God was never unjust to him. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 183)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: There are in Jonah’s story some significant points we need to reflect upon. First, Jonah did not initially show enough patience and willingness to endure the difficulties of delivering God’s message. He quickly became fed up, abandoned his people and moved on, angry and frustrated. He felt his situation to be very tight. But God exposed him to a much tighter and harder distress as compared with the opposition of unbelievers. Had Jonah not turned to his Lord in repentance and admitted that he had wronged himself by leaving his position of duty, he would not have been relieved of his distress. It was God’s care that saved him.

The advocates of a message must be ready to bear the burden involved in such advocacy, remain patient in the face of rejection and vicious opposition. When a person is certain of the truth of the message he advocates, he finds the opposition of people who accuse him of false inventions and deliberate lying difficult to handle. Yet to remain patient in the face of such adversity is only part of the duties of such advocacy. Those who are entrusted with delivering a message and advocate the truth must remain patient, face the difficulties and persevere with their advocacy. They must continue to present their message to people and call on them to believe in it, time after time.

Such advocates cannot give in to despair. They cannot give up on people, believing that they will never respond to the truth, no matter how much opposition they face, and how often they are rejected and accused of falsehood. If their hundred attempts to touch people’s hearts meet with failure, their next attempt may have a positive result. Indeed, such a result may come only after one thousand and one attempts. Hence, if they have already tried a thousand times and failed, they should try once more in the hope that, with God’s grace, their next attempt will be more successful.

The way a message must follow in order to touch people’s hearts is neither easy nor comfortable. Positive responses may not be forthcoming. A great heap of false beliefs, erring practices, customs, traditions and situations weigh heavily on people’s hearts and minds. This heap must be removed, and hearts must be revived in every possible way. A touch on every sensitive receptor must be made to try to find the effective nerve. With determination and diligence the right touch will inevitably be made, and a complete transformation of the addressee is achieved. We are often surprised that a thousand attempts may be made with one particular person, but without success. Then a casual gesture, coming at the right time, touches the right cord, and the person concerned goes through a complete transformation without any difficulty. 

You may like to listen to Tafseer of verses 87-88 Surah Al-Anbiya by Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us not to err, and if we do, then bestow upon us the sagacity to immediately repent and ask for forgiveness. Aameen.

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

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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

Every living being shall taste death - and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back

If we look around, and even an appraisal of ourselves, it seems no one is worried about one's death - the final call for our worldly life. In fact we are so engrossed into the worldly affairs and our families that hardly anyone takes a time off and ponder over one's life and its ultimate cessation in this world and the life hereafter. In fact it is the Hereafter that is more important and we should always be prepared for it - every minute and every second of our lives for no one knows how lone one has to live.

And if we really ponder over our life and its uncertainties, we should start seeing it as a test and trial   - those who who would pass these tests and trial by following the path of Allah, will be the successful in the end. Allah warns us at many  a places in the Quran so that we ae well prepared when the angel of death knocks at our door - remember No One has been granted Immortality in this World !!

كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الۡمَوۡتِ​ؕ وَنَبۡلُوۡكُمۡ بِالشَّرِّ وَالۡخَيۡرِ فِتۡنَةً​  ؕ وَاِلَيۡنَا تُرۡجَعُوۡنَ‏ 

Every living being shall taste death and We shall subject you to ill and good by way of trial, and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back. (Surah 21 Al-Anbiyaa:35) 

This verse is similar to an earlier mention of the same theme in the verse 185 of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:

كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الۡمَوۡتِ​ؕ وَاِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوۡنَ اُجُوۡرَكُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ​ؕ فَمَنۡ زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَاُدۡخِلَ الۡجَـنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَ ​ؕ وَمَا الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَاۤ اِلَّا مَتَاعُ الۡغُرُوۡرِ‏ 

(3:185) Everyone is bound to taste death and you shall receive your full reward on the Day of Resurrection. Then, whoever is spared the Fire and is admitted to Paradise has indeed been successful. The life of this world is merely an illusory enjoyment.

There is no doubt about the culmination of one's earthly life. No matter how wealthy is a person, he cannot prevent his life coming to an end. And the end state is a mere two meter rectangular grave where one would be left all alone despite the palaces and hefty bank balances he may have owned. Thus man is reminded time and again to do good and earn something for the life that is yet to come before one dies.

The death of the body will give a taste of death to the soul when the soul separates from the body. The soul will then know that this life was but a probation. And seeming inequalities will be adjusted finally on the Day of Judgment. Cf. Longfellow's Psalm of Life: "All this world's a fleeting show. For man's illusion given". The only reality will be when we have attained our final goal. [Explanation of verse 3:185 by Yusuf Ali]

" and We shall subject you to ill and good by way of trial " That is, Allah is always putting human beings to test and trial both through adversity and affluence. This is to judge whether prosperity makes them proud, cruel and slaves of their lusts or they become grateful to Allah. On the other hand, He inflicts adversity upon them in order to see whether they remain within the prescribed and lawful limits or become low-spirited and down-hearted. A sensible person therefore should not be deluded by prosperity and adversity, but should keep their trial element in view and try to pass through it gracefully.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: Every Soul Shall Taste Death (Explanation of verse 3:185) - Allah issues a general and encompassing statement that every living soul shall taste death. In another statement, Allah said:

(" كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ - وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلْـلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ " Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of majesty and honor will remain forever) [55:26,27].

Therefore, Allah Alone is the Ever-Living Who never dies, while the Jinn, mankind and angels, including those who carry Allah's Throne, shall die. The Irresistible One and Only, will alone remain for ever and ever, remaining Last, as He was the First. This Ayah comforts all creation, since every soul that exists on the earth shall die. When the term of this life comes to an end and the sons of Adam no longer have any new generations, and thus this world ends, Allah will command that the Day of Resurrection commence. Allah will then recompense the creation for their deeds, whether minor or major, many or few, big or small. Surely, Allah will not deal unjustly with anyone, even the weight of an atom.  

Quran Wiki:

This is the law that governs life. It has no exceptions or exemptions. The living, then, must take this into account and prepare themselves for it. This short journey on earth is bound to come to an end, and its end is the death of every living thing. All shall return to God. But whatever happens to us during this trip through life, whether good or bad, is meant as a test: “We test you all with evil and good by way of trial". When we speak of being tested by something evil or hard, we can all easily understand this notion. It is a test to show the endurance and patience of the one who is being tested. It is the means to determine how unshakeable his trust in God, his Lord, is, and how much trust he places in God’s mercy. But a test with good things needs to be explained. To be tested with good things is more difficult than hardship, even though it may appear easier. For the fact is that many people can endure being tested by evil, but few can endure a test with the good. When the test takes the form of sickness and weakness, many are able to endure and withstand the hardship, but when its form is that of good health, strength and ability, then few are those who pass through successfully.

People may be able to withstand poverty and deprivation, maintaining their dignity in such situations, but few are those who succeed in a test with comfort and affluence. For the latter tempts us to satisfy all our desires. Equally there are many who cannot be deterred by torture or physical harm. They are not overawed by such threats and actualities. By contrast, however, only a few can resist the temptations posited by wealth, position, comfort and desire. It is not difficult to tolerate the hardships of struggle and the injuries that one sustains in such a struggle. But it is extremely hard to experience comfort and a carefree life without becoming so keen to maintain it even at the expense of one’s dignity. Indeed such an experience could easily lead to accepting humiliation in order not to lose it.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: Cf. iii. 185. The soul does not die, but when it separates from the body at the death of the body, the soul gets a taste of death. In our life of probation on this earth, our virtue and faith are tested by many things: some are tested by calamities, and some by the good things of this life. If we prove our true mettle, we pass our probation with success. In any case all must return to Allah, and then will our life be appraised at its true value.

Please listen to the tafsir / exegesis of verses 34-35 of Surah 21. Al Anbiya by by Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda:

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 | 

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 plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• 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 by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• 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

Lord! Leave me not solitary - You are the Best Inheritor.

Today we share a wonderful invocation which is attributed to Prophet Zechariah (may peace be upon him) which he prayed to invoke the many blessings of Allah to grant him a son who should be his successor to carry on the Divine mission assigned to him. 

This prayer is for the information of those believers of weak faith who try to find intermediaries for forwarding their requests to Allah. In the selected 89th verse of Surah 21. Al Anbiyaa, one of the most pious and revered servant of Allah has been quoted in the Quran, praying in all his earnest to grant him a son. And after listening to his servant invoking His countless blessing, Allah grants him his wish and grants him  a son despite the fact the both the revered prophet and his wife has well past the fertility age and there was no hope of his wife conceiving a child.  Therefore we must always invoke Allah's blessing directly for it is Only He who can grant us our wishes and needs.

وَزَكَرِيَّاۤ اِذۡ نَادٰى رَبَّهٗ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرۡنِىۡ فَرۡدًا وَّاَنۡتَ خَيۡرُ الۡوٰرِثِيۡنَ​ ۖ​ۚ‏ 

(21:89) And We bestowed favour upon Zechariah, when he cried to his Lord: "Lord! Leave me not solitary (without any issue). You are the Best Inheritor."

It will be worthwhile to reiterate the reasons why the stories of the Prophets have been cited in this Surah.

(1) The story of Prophet Zacharias has been cited to impress on the minds that all the Prophets were human beings and servants of Allah and had no tinge of Godhead in them. They had no power to bestow children upon others because they themselves had to pray to Allah for children for themselves.

(2) The story of Prophet Jonah has been cited to show that even a great Prophet like him did not go unnoticed when he committed an error in regard to Allah’s message. But when he repented, Allah, by His grace, delivered him alive from the belly of the fish.

(3) The mention of Prophet Job has been made to show that even Prophets were put to hard trials and afflictions and even they had to beg Allah to restore them to health, not to speak of curing others of diseases.

Along with these, the other important thing which is meant to be impressed is that all the Prophets believed in the doctrine of Tauhid. That is why they begged and prayed to One Allah alone to fulfill their needs and requirements. Though they met with trials, Allah helped them and granted their prayers in supernatural and miraculous ways.

Yousaf Ali explains:

See xix. 2-15, and iii. 38-41. Zakariya was a priest; both he and his wife were devout and punctilious in their duties. They were old, and they had no son. He was troubled in mind, not so much by the vulgar desire to have a son to carry on his line, but because he felt that his people were not unselfishly devout, and there would be no sincere work for Allah unless he could train up someone himself. He was given a son Yahya (John the Baptist), who added to the devout reputation of the family, for he is called "noble, chaste, and a prophet," (iii. 39). All three, father, mother, and son, were made worthy of each other, and they repelled evil by their devout emulation in virtue.

'It is not that I crave a personal heir to myself: all things go back to Thee, and Thou art the best of inheritors: but I see no one around me sincere enough to carry on my work for Thee; wilt Thou give me one whom I can train?'

Muhammad Asad explains:

Lit., "Thou art the best of inheritors" as explained in 15:23, reproduced herein under:

"We are [or "shall be"] the inheritors (al-warithun)": an idiomatic metaphor based, according to the consensus of all classical commentators, on the use of the term "inheritor" or "heir" in the sense of "one who remains after his predecessor has passed away" - in this case, after all creation has perished. (Cf. the expression "the heritage of the heavens and of the earth" used, with reference to God, in 3:180 and 57:10 .)

Allah listened to the prayer of His chosen prophet and said:

(21:90) "So We allowed him, and We bestowed on him John and We fixed for him his wife." 

After Zechariah as prayed and praised Allah swt in accordance with the request made, He granted Zechariah's prayer that Allah swt bestowed on Zechariah as a son named Yahya as. He improved the condition of Zakaria's wife who was barren so that she could conceive and give birth to a child for him. Such is the blessing of the prayers of Zakaria as He is a pious life partner, then his wife gets his goodness as well.

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 Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 |  2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

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 / verses (ayat) of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• 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. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

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

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

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