Prophet Younis (Jonah) and Allah's Displeasure

Man has always been ungrateful and resistive to the Divine commandments and Allah has been sending prophets and messengers to guide the wronged to the righteous path. But sometimes it so happens that the stubbornness and resistance of nonbelievers makes even the prophets lose heart and abandon the mission assigned to them by Allah. And the story of Prophet Younis (peace be upon him), known and mentioned in earlier scriptures as Jonah is one such episode where a prophet abandoned his people in disgust and prayed for the wrath of Allah to befell on them.

The mention of the episode of Prophet Younis is made in Surah Yunus [10], Surah Al-Anbya [21] and Surah As-Saffat [37] of the Holy Qur'an and Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament). Prophet Younis was a direct descendant of Prophet Yaqub (peace be upon him), also known as Jacob, has also referred to in the Qur’an by the name of Dhan-Nun (meaning The One of the Fish).

He was sent to people of Nineveh, a town in the area of Mosul in northern Iraq, for they have had turned down all earlier Divine messages and continued to be idolaters. According to the Qur’an, it had a population of around 100,000 people: And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more [(Qur’an 37:147)]. It is said that despite his years long efforts to turn the shrouded hearts and minds of people of Nineveh in idolatry to the Divine path of righteousness, the people remained oblivious to his efforts and did not budge even a bit from their age old  beliefs and faith.

Despite his best efforts when the Prophet Younis found him failing to convince his people to leave idolatry and bring faith on monotheism and One true Allah. As all prophets and messengers are granted one supplication of their choice which Allah will fulfill, one day in deep despair prayed to Allah to bring Divine wrath on people of Nineveh. But before seeing the fulfillment of his prayer he left the city and boarded a ship out in the open seas.   

While a layman may understand Prophet Younis' departure in despair, it was not taken easily by Allah for he left a mission assigned to him half way and unfilled and leaving calling for the Divine wrath. This definitely drew extreme Divine displeasure and had severe consequences on him. The ship while sailing smoothly suddenly came under a heavy sea storm and it seemed difficult for the captain of the ship to save it from a disaster. As was then the practice in vogue of throwing someone off board to please the angry gods, everyone looked for a sinner on board. 

When they could not find any such person, Prophet Younis volunteered to be thrown off the ship for he had realized by then that he had committed a great sin by leaving the mission assigned to him half way.  Uncertain of his request, others agreed to draw lots to decide the matter. The first round resulted against Prophet Yunus, but seeing his rather elderly figure, they decided to draw the lot twice and even third time - but each time the lot drew against him. Being a prophet, he understood that this was the decree of Allah. “And indeed, Yunus was among the messengers. [Mention] when he ran away to the laden ship. And he drew lots and was among the losers.” [(Qur’an 37:139-141)].

Thus, Prophet Younis was thrown off board in the raging sea and he understood that he was to face the wrath of Allah himself for abandonment of the Divine mission. But prophet he still was and Allah would never hurt His prophets or revenge them for their humanly errors and decisions. So there came a big fish, whale as we know it today, which swallowed the prophet as a whole and he went inside its belly unhurt and alive. “Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.” (Surah As-Saffat 37:142)

Miraculously, Prophet Younis was not pulverized, but remained whole, for the whale was not allowed by Allah to scratch his flesh or even break his bones. When he came to, he realized that he was still intact and alive. He fell in prostration and said “Oh my Lord! I have made a place of prayer where nobody else has even worshiped you.” [1]

There in the complete darkness, the Prophet of Allah begged for forgiveness and repented his actions. He repeated this humble supplication countless times over the course of the next three days and nights, and repented for his disobedience. In Holy Qur'an the prayer that Prophet Younis offered repeatedly is mentioned in Surah Al-Anbya (21:87): “And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” 

The lesson thus been taught to His prophet, Allah accepted his prayer and the fish came ashore and vomited him out alive and unhurt. “So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness.)” (Surah Al-Anbya 21:88)

In the meantime, a miracle had happened to the people of Nineveh who had repented their attitude to Prophet Younis who had left in despair and begged for Divine forgiveness and pledged to leave idolatry and accept the righteous path as was propagated by Prophet Younis. Allah accepted their pledge and took them under His fold as believers.

The entire episode is a unique one in which a prophet had left his assigned mission half way, abandoned his people and efforts to bring them to the righteous path and even prayed for the wrath of Allah to befell on them. But Allah clearly demonstrated that even if prophets do their utmost to mould the hearts of people sent upon, a prophet can only make an endeavorer and no more. It is up to Allah alone Who can mould the hearts of nonbelievers  and guide them to the truth and worship of one true Allah.

This episode also shows that prophet do faulter but their true repentance is acknowledged by Allah and they are forgiven. The same goes to all those who have firm faith and belief in monotheism, and live their lives as commanded by Allah, their earnest prayers too are answered and are saved from the wrongs been done to them. 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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The Most Comprehensive Prayer for All Times

The Holy Qur'an is replete with prayers / duas for the believers to recite to plead for forgiveness of one's sins and ask blessings for self, family and even the entire ummah. However, the last verse of the first chapter Surah Al Baqarah is is said to be the most comprehensive prayer for the believers to recite whenever they find time for forgiveness and quashing of their sins and asking for a sinless life for the rest of their lives.

it is said, related to Ibn Abbas,  that the Messenger of Allah was given three things during his miraculous journey to the Heavens (Mairaj - The details have already been given in one of our earlier posts - The Miraculous Journey of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Jerusalem (Israa) and Heavens (Mairaj)) from Allah through Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) when on the sixth floor of the Heavens: [1]

• The five prayers, 
• The last two verses of Surat Al-Baqarah (285-286), and 
• Forgiveness for whoever did not associate anything or anyone with Allah from his Ummah.

The translation of the verse 285:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers.” And they say: “We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.”

Verse 285 outlines what one is required to believe in and what should be the distinguishing characteristics of one's conduct. They consist of the following: belief in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in all His Messengers (instead of some rather than others), and in the fact that ultimately one will have to stand before Allah's judgment. These are the five fundamental articles of faith in Islam. Having accepted them, the only proper attitude for a Muslim is to cheerfully accept and follow whatever directives he receives from Allah. Instead of exulting in his moral excellence he should be humble and should constantly seek Allah's forgiveness and mercy.

Here is the last verse of Surah Al Baqarah, verse 286:

Translation:

On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) “Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith.”

As can be seen from the above verse, the believer is seen pleading Allah for sins he had committed and then looking for the His countless bounties to be forgiven and not taken to task when he appears before his Lord on the Day of Judgement. And while praying one seeks His mercy for not burdening one with load (of responsibilities) one cannot lift. In fact Allah does not ask a soul what is beyond its ability. This demonstrates Allah’s extreme generosity and compassion towards those who believe in Him and have strong unwavering faith.

Man's answerability to Allah is limited by the extent of his ability. If a man does not have the ability to do a certain thing, Allah will not take him to task for not having performed it. In the same way, if it is really beyond a man's ability to abstain from something, Allah will not blame him for having failed to abstain from it. It should be noted here that man will not be the final judge as to whether he had the ability to do something or not. Such judgment will be made by Allah alone.

Every man will be rewarded for the services he has rendered, none will be rewarded for services rendered by others. The same applies to punishment. It is the one who is guilty who will be punished. It is possible, however, that if a man has initiated either good or bad practices, they will continue to affect people's lives. The resulting good and bad deeds of people will be reckoned either to their credit or against them, since they are clearly related to their efforts and actions. It is impossible, however, that a map should be either rewarded for an act of goodness or punished for an act of evil in which he has had no share - neither by intent nor practical action. The requital of acts is not transferable.

The prayer made here is that Allah should not subject them to the severe tests and the terrible persecutions and hardships undergone by their predecessors. It is God's law that those who commit themselves to follow Truth and righteousness are subjected to severe tests and tribulations, and it is a believer's duty to meet them with patience and fortitude. At the same time, the believer should always pray that God may make it easy for him to follow the path of Truth and righteousness.

Believers pray to Allah not to place upon them a burden beyond their capacity of endurance, and to subject them only to those tests from which they may emerge triumphant. May it not happen that the hardships are too much for them to bear, and that their feet falter and are turned away from the path of righteousness,

In order to appreciate fully the spirit of this prayer, one should remember that these verses were revealed on the occasion of the ascension of the Prophet, a year before his migration to Madina. At that time the struggle between Islam and unbelief had reached its climax. Not only in Makka, but throughout the Arabian peninsula, there was no place where the lives of those who wished to follow the religion of God had not been made extremely difficult. In these circumstances the Muslims were told in what manner they ought to pray to their Lord. It is obvious that if the bestower himself tells one how to present one's request, the granting of the request becomes virtually assured. Hence, this prayer greatly strengthened the hearts of the Muslims. Moreover, this prayer implicitly taught the Muslims not to allow their feelings to flow along undesirable channels. They should instead mould them into a prayer to their Lord. 

Think of the heart-rending cruelties to which the Muslims were subjected merely because of their devotion to Truth, and then turn to the contents of this prayer, where there is no trace of bitterness against the enemies. Consider the physical afflictions and material losses which the Muslims suffered, then note how this prayer does not contain the slightest hint of worldly ambition. Compare the wretchedness and misery of these devotees of Truth with the pure, exalted feelings with which this prayer is overflowing. This comparison will enable us to appreciate the nature of the spiritual and moral training provided to men of faith.

Please listen to explanation of the above said two verses by eminent Muslim scholar, exegete and linguist Nouman Ali Khan:

Though a Muslim should endeavour to remember these two verses by heart, it is the verse 286 which is a comprehensive prayer for all times to pray.  It is in fact a supplication to Allah and be read with total belief and In Sha Allah, by reciting these verses regularly, our prayer will also be accepted.

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 | Photo Surah Baqarah | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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Surah Al-Mutaffifin - The Defrauders (Summary of 83rd Chapter of Holy Quran)

Each chapter of Holy Qur'an has been revealed with specific purpose and clear message for those who transgress, cheat, defraud or are unjust in their dealing with a view to profit themselves at the cost of others. 

Thus Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn is also one of these chapters of Qur'an which has a specific message for those in business who weight less and cheat their customers. Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn has 36 verses and is divided into three parts. There is a dispute whether this chapter was revealed in Makkah or Medina, but Ibn Abbas, who is the narrator of many instances when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had conveyed a divine message to the people in his company, has been quoted as saying:

"When the Prophet Muhammad came to the city of Medina, he found people not keeping the weights and measures honestly. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) recited the opening verses of this surah: "Woe to the Muṭaffifīn (those who give less in measure and weight)". Listening to these divine commandments, most of the people became fair in weights and measures.

The theme of this Surah too is the Hereafter. In the first six verses the people have been taken to task for the prevalent evil practice in their commercial dealings. When they had to receive their due from others, they demanded that it be given in full, but when they had to measure or weigh for others, they would give less than what was due. Taking this one evil as an example out of countless evils prevalent in society, it has been said that it is an inevitable result of the heedlessness of the Hereafter. Unless the people realized that one day they would have to appear before God and account for each single act they performed in the world, it was not possible that they would adopt piety and righteousness in their daily affairs. Even if a person might practice honesty in some of his less important dealings in view of "honesty is the best policy," he would never practice honesty on occasions when dishonesty would seem to be "the best policy". Man can develop true and enduring honesty only when he fears God and sincerely believes in the Hereafter, for then he would regard honesty not merely as "a policy" but as "a duty" and obligation, and his being constant in it, or otherwise, would not be dependent on its being useful or useless in the world.

Thus, after making explicit the relation between morality and the doctrine of the Hereafter in an effective and impressive way, in vv. 7-17, it has been said: The deeds of the wicked are already being recorded in the black list of the culprits, and in the Hereafter they will meet with utter ruin. Then in vv. 18-28, the best end of the virtuous has been described and it has been laid that their deeds are being recorded in the list of the exalted people, on which are appointed the angels nearest to Allah.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

(1) Woe to those who give less [than due], (2) Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full. (3) But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss. (4) Do they not think that they will be resurrected (5) For a tremendous Day - (6) The Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the worlds?

The message in the opening verses to cheaters and defrauders is clear in the fourth verse: "Do they not think that they will be resurrected (5) For a tremendous Day." This one verse alone sums up the message that life in this world is very short and temporary and a day is about to come when every man will be resurrected and will be asked for the wrongdoings committed for mere wordily gains and pleasures.On that day wealth accumulated due to cheating and hoodwinking others will be of no use and would save him from the hellfire. 

The above seven verses stand applicable even today for those cheating their customers by weighing less, even if they are believers, for there is no disparity between believers and nonbelievers when it comes to fraud and cheating others.

Verses 7-17 then talk of the punishment for those who deceived others by not maintaing weights and measures straight:

(7) Day! Surely the record of the wicked is (preserved) in Sijjin.(8) And what will explain to thee what Sijjin is? (9) (There is) a Register (fully) inscribed. (10) Woe, that Day, to those that deny (11) Those that deny the Day of Judgment. (12) And none can deny it but the Transgressor beyond bounds the Sinner! (13) When Our Signs are rehearsed to him, he says, "Tales of the ancients!" (14) By no means! but on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do! (15) Verily, from (the Light of) their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled.(16) Further, they will enter the Fire of Hell. (17) Further, it will be said to them: "This is the (reality) which ye rejected as false!

It has been said in clear and plain words for those who mocked the prophets and the divine messages sent earlier and then: The deeds of the wicked are already being recorded in the black list of the culprits, and in the Hereafter they will meet with utter ruin. [1]

However, those who chose the path shown by the prophets based on the divine commandments and directions have been assured of rewards for being virtuous and fearing Allah and having faith on the End Day and the Day of Resurrection. Please read verses 18-28:

(18) Day, verily the record of the Righteous is (preserved) in 'Illiyin. (19) And what will explain to thee what 'Illiyun is? (20) (There is) a Register (fully) inscribed, (21) To which bear witness those Nearest (to Allah) (22) Truly the Righteous will be in Bliss: (23) On Thrones (of Dignity) will they command a sight (of all things): (24) Thou wilt recognize in their faces the beaming brightness of Bliss. (25) Their thirst will be slaked with Pure Wine sealed: (26) The seal thereof will be Musk: And for this let those aspire, who have aspirations: (27) With it will be (given) a mixture of Tasnim: (28) A spring, from (the waters) whereof drink those Nearest to Allah.

Verses 29-36 is a summary and reminder to the nonbelievers who mocked the believers when they spoke of their faith and of a day of rewards for those who feared Allah and remained steadfast despite mocking by the nonbelievers and those who had went astray:

(29) Those in sin used to laugh at those who believed, (30) And whenever they passed by them, used to wink at each other (in mockery); (31) And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting; (32) And whenever they saw them, they would say, "Behold! These are the people truly astray!" (33) But they had not been sent as keepers over them! (34) But on this Day the Believers will laugh at the Unbelievers: (35) On Thrones (of Dignity) they will command (a sight) (of all things). (36) Will not the Unbelievers have been paid back for what they did?

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, a revered Muslim scholar of Pakistan sums up the last verses: [1]

In conclusion, the believers have been consoled, and the disbelievers warned, as if to say: "The people who are disgracing and humiliating the believers today, are culprits who, on the Resurrection Day, will meet with a most evil end in consequence of their conduct, and these very believers will feel comforted when they see their fate."

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Inshiqāq 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 |

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

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

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Surah Al-Inshiqaq - The Bursting Asunder (Summary of 84th Chapter of Holy Quran)

Sūrat al-Inshiqāq, the 84th Chapter / surah of 30th Part / Juz of the Holy Qur'an contains 25 verses. It is said to be the last of the chapters that were reveled in Makkah. This chapter explicitly explains the scenario of the End Day and the following period of Resurrection. The Bursting Open in fact means the destruction of the Universe and commencement of the process of reward and punishment.

The first five verses paint the picture of the day when on the commandment of Allah, the Heavens will burst asunder (Inshiqāq) and the earth will split open to throw away what all it contained and empty its bosom. A similar reference is given in the 101st chapter / Surah Al Qariah, wherein it is said that It is a Day whereon mankind will be like moths scattered about, And the mountains will be like carded wool (verses 4-5). The emptying of itself means throwing away all the dead and their deeds for which they would be judged, rewarded and punished accordingly. Read the translation of the first five verses and we will continue to explain the remaining verses thereafter:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

1. When the heaven is split asunder,
2. And listens and obeys its Lord, and it must do so;
3. And when the earth is stretched forth,
4. And has cast out all that was in it and became empty,
5. And listens and obeys its Lord, and it must do so;

As is plainly clear from the verses 2 and 5 above, the heavens and earth will listen to their master for they had been created by a single command of Allah and will come to an end again with just command. This gives a message to all those who deny the oneness and absolute authority of Allah over everything that exits in the universe - and we now know with the coverage of the Hubble Space Telescope the vastness of the Universe.

The verses 6-15 explain the process of segregating the good from the faulted and those who erred. In verse six, the man is addressed directly that perhaps he thought he would never ever embark upon a journey where his deeds , good or bad, would be weighed and rewarded or punished accordingly. 

6. O man! Verily, you are returning towards your Lord with your deeds and actions (good or bad), a sure returning, so you will meet (i.e. the results of your deeds which you did).
7. Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand,
8. He surely will receive an easy reckoning,
9. And will return to his family in joy!
10. But whosoever is given his Record behind his back,
11. He will invoke (his) destruction,
12. And shall enter a blazing Fire, and made to taste its burning.
13. Verily, he was among his people in joy!
14. Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!
15. Yes! Verily, his Lord has been ever beholding him!

Thus the men whose deeds would be handed over in their right hand, would be the most happiest for they would receive the reward of their firm faith in Allah and Day of Judgment, that kept them away from the wordily desires and lust. And this is done in just three verses (7-9). But for those who did not believe in Allah and mocked His prophets, have been addressed in detail.

These are the men who would receive their record on their backs - sins are always heavier, painful and loaded which cannot be lifted except the on the backs. Though such men would lament and ask for forgiveness, but then the time would have been long run over and would be told that wasn't he in a sheer misunderstanding when he was cautioned by the prophets that this wordily joy would soon be over and a day would come when he would go back to his creator and be thrown in the blazing fire of hell. Now just compare this promise of Allah with the same message given in the last four verses of Surah Al Qariah: 

• But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light,
• He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell).
• And what will make you know what it is?
• (It is) a hot blazing Fire!

In the verses 16-18, Allah takes a solemn pledge of the afterglow of the sunset, the darkness of the night which is breached by the the fullness of moon t to negate the Godly commandments, brought to them by the prophets, specially the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to tell the nonbelievers and the sinners that whatever they might do, they would have to come back to their Creator one day, when all door of repentance shall be closed. And then Allah asks: What is the matter with these people who despite having received the guidance, do not believe in it, and when Qur'an is read over to them they do not prostate? 

16. So I swear by the afterglow of sunset;
17. And by the night and whatever it gathers in its darkness;
18. And by the moon when it is at the full,
19. You shall certainly travel from stage to stage (in this life and in the Hereafter).
20. What is the matter with them, that they believe not?
21. And when the Qur'an is recited to them, they fall not prostrate,*

* There are 15 places in the Holy Qur'an where the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) would prostate. So it is advisable for all those reading the Qur'an to prostate when they come across such places where word Al-Sajada is written.[1]

and finally in the last four verses, such men are once again cautioned who shirk from listening the commandments of Allah brought to them by His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that Allah is in knowledge of what they are accumulating which would one day haunt them and Allah asks His Prophet to give them tidings of a painful torment that awaits them in the Hell. However, those who listened to Allah's Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and followed him would have a reward in the Paradise.  

22. Nay, (on the contrary), those who disbelieve, belie (Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and whatever he brought, i.e. this Qur'an and Islamic Monotheism, etc.).
23. And Allah knows best what they gather (of good and bad deeds),
24. So announce to them a painful torment.
25. Save those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them is a reward that will never come to an end (i.e. Paradise).

The Divine message is thus very clear about the End Day and the Day of Resurrection when everyone would stand accounted for one's deeds, good or bad, and rewarded and punished accordingly. Time is now that we set our sails right on course and do not let the winds of evil takes us off course.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Inshiqāq 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 |

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 order to augment and add more explanation, additional input has been interjected from following sources:

• Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi  Usmani
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation

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.

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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 85 Sūrat al-Burūj (The Great Constellations)

Sūrat al-Burūj, the 85th chapter of 30th Part of the Holy Qur'an was revealed in Makkah and like many of the succeeding chapters, its theme is to warn the pagans of Makkah of painful denouncement for prosecuting and torturing the newly converted Makkans to Islam. The divine message that follows comes as a great solace to the Muslims subjected to extreme form of tyranny at the hands of the nonbelievers and gives them tiding of eternal rewards if they stood firm on their faith, reassuring them that Allah is the best avenger of prosecutors (by giving the fate of people of Ditch).

Burj in Arabic means a pillar or a tower supporting some structure or room. Buruj is plural of Burj, meaning by many pillars or towers. That is how Allah takes a vow in the very first verse of the Heavens or the Skies which are held from below by many pillars, referring to the stars and the constellations and the galaxies supporting the heavens:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

1. By the heaven with its impregnable castles;
2. by the Promised Day,
3. and by the witness and what is witnessed

Some interpreters refer to the buruj as the Zodiac signs, but most agree that here Allah takes a solemn pledge of the constellations, stars and galaxies that support the heavens and the skies - the wonderful world of astronomy that Allah has created for us to wonder how vast is His empire, unshared by none whatsoever. Then Allah also takes a solemn pledge of the Promised Day, the Day of Judgement, a day when everyone will be made accountable to one's deeds, good or bad, and will be rewarded and punished accordingly.

The third solemn pledge "by the witness (the seer) and what is witnessed (the seen)" needs some elaboration. Some interpreters are of the view that every living being will witness the Promised Day, and the Day itself will be what is being witnessed.

The next four verses relate to the People of Ditch (Ashaab al Akhdood):

• the people of the pit were destroyed
• with fire abounding in fuel,
• while they sat around it,
• and were witnessing what they did to the believers

Akhdood is a historical place located 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Najran city in Saudi Arabia. The event of Al-Akhdood occurred in 520 or 523 ACE, in the time of Dhu Nuwas, the last Himyarite King. There are many interpretations of the event related to people of AKhdood. One of the most common and accepted versions is as under: [3]

According to Christian sources, this event took place around 523 C.E. Dhu Nuwas converted to Judaism and chose Joseph as his new name. He went to Najran to force the Christian people there to convert to Judaism. When they refused, the King threw them alive into one or more burning ditches. It is said that about 20,000 or even more Christians perished into the fires of ditches.

In the next two verses, Allah mentions that those whoa re victims of oppression are the ones who belongs the dominion of heavens and earth and that Allah watches who are the transgressors:

• Against these they had no grudge except that they believed in Allah, the Most Mighty, the Most Praiseworthy,
• to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Allah witnesses everything.

The Akhdood later witnessed the wrath of Allah and the whole city was thrown upside down. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to see the remains of the city of Akhdood many years ago when I was posted in Najran, Saudi Arabia. The place is otherwise not allowed to be visited for it had been cursed by Allah for torturing the believers.

The revelation of this surah is timed when pagans of Makkah and the non believers were leaving no stone unturned to torture and humiliate the newly reverted Muslims and the narration of People of the Ditch meant as a caution to the Makkans, lest they faced a similar fate. And for those who stood fast and held their faith in Allah, there are tidings of rewards and bounties:

• As for those who believed and acted righteously, theirs shall be Gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great triumph.
• Stern indeed is your Lord's punishment.
• He it is Who creates for the first time and He it is Who will create again,
• and He is the Ever Forgiving, the Most Loving

Then yet again Allah reminds the nonbelievers about the fate of Pharaoh and Thamud:

• Has the story of the armies reached you,
• the armies of Pharaoh and Thamud?
• The unbelievers are indeed engaged in denying it, calling it a lie,
• Although Allah surrounds them.

People of Thamud are the same upon him Prophet Saleh (peace be upon him) was sent to show them the path of Allah and who refused and killed the she camel the prophet had forbade them not to harm and faced the wrath of Allah (we will deliberate on the incident when we present summary of Qur'an, Surah 7 Al-A'raf). The ruins of Petra in Jordan are said have been the abode of people of Thamud.

And of course the Pharaoh who refused to accept divine message brought to him by Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) and drowned along with his mighty army when people of Israel had reached safety across the sea. We will discuss in detail about Prophet Musa and fate of Pharaoh later.

The last two verses of the Surah are attributed to the glory of Holy Qur'an, which remains unpolluted since its revelation for its protection has been pledge none other than Allah Himself:

• Nay; but this is a glorious Qur'an,
• inscribed on a well-guarded Tablet.

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an (The Meaning of the Qur'an)" explains these two verses as:

That is, "The writ of the Qur'an is unchangeable and imperishable. It is inscribed in the Preserved Tablet of God. which cannot he corrupted in any way Whatever is written in it, has to be fulfilled: even the whole world together cannot avert its fulfillment. 

Meaning by no matter how hard the nonbelievers try or make an effort they would never be able to alter the final words and commandments of Allah which are to stay unchanged till the Day of Judgement. Those who underscore the finality of Allah's commandments are the one to be the end losers, here in this world and in the hereafter.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Al-Balad 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 |

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.

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What is the Significance of First 10 Days of Dhu'l-Hijjah

Dhu'l-Hijjah as in Arabic and Zil-Hajj in non Arabic speaking countries  is the most sacred month of Islamic calender for its is in this month "Hajj", the fifth pillar of Islam, is performed in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Each year millions of pilgrims from around the world reach Makkah during this month before 8th of Dhu'l-Hijjah, when the Hajj rituals actually commence.

The first two verses of Surah Al-Fajr "By the Dawn; By the Ten Nights” are interpreted by many a scholar as the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah, for these ten days are considered to very favourite of Allah, the Most High and Exalted. This oath, a very significant and extraordinary, can only be understood by the wise and scholarly.

In Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 36 Allah proclaims four months holier than the rest eight months of Islamic calander: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred.” The 4 sacred months are: Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. [5]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been reported by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (r.a.) as saying: "There are no days more loved to Allah for you to worship Him therein than the (first) ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Fasting any day during it is equivalent to fasting one year and to offer salatul tahajjud (late-night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the late night prayer on the night of Qadr, Laylat Al Qadr (the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan). [1]

Dhu'l-Hijjah is the 12th and last month of the Islamic calander and it has just commenced. "Dhu'l-Hijjah" means "Possessor of the Pilgrimage" or the Month of Great Pilgrimage. The Hajj is performed on the eighth, ninth and the tenth of Dhu'l-Hijjah. The "Day of Arafah" takes place on the ninth of the month. 

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” (Surah Al Maidah, Verse 3). This day was the day of ‘Arafah which falls on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. [5]

As reported by by Ibn Majah, the Prophet (s) is reported to have said: “Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is an expiation (of sins) for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it." [5]

Eid al-Adha, the "Festival of Sacrifice", begins on the tenth day and ends at sunset on the 13th. "It honors the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Abraham sacrificed his son, God provided a male goat to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this, an animal is sacrificed and divided into three parts: one third of the share is given to the poor and needy; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the remaining third is retained by the family."[6]

The sacrificing of an animal of the eve of Eid al Adha (or the 10-13th of Dhu'l-Hijjah) is in fact the commemoration of great sacrifice Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) showed when asked by Allah to sacrifice his most beloved thing. Since the Prophet loved his son Ismail (Ishmael) the most, he asked his son what he had been commanded by Allah. Prophet Ismail readily agreed and asked his father to go ahead to fulfill his obedience to God’s command. However, before Prophet Ibrahim could placed knife on his son's neck, Allah accepted his sacrifice and replaced his son with a lamb. 

It is incumbent on all those sacrificing an animal on Eid ul Adha to make three portions of the meat of which one third is to be given to the poor and needy; one third to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the remaining one third for self and family. Thus, by doing so, the poor and needy are helped who otherwise cannot afford meat, and so are the needy relatives and known acquaintances. 

While those performing Hajj during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah will be granted immense rewards for observing the fifth pillar of Islam, those who cannot make it due to health or financial constraints, should preferably keep fasts on the first nine days, spend in charity, and do good as much as they can and try to slaughter as sacrificial animal on 10-13th days of the holy month. They are also to keep repeating the following as is obligatory for the pilgrims actually performing Hajj during the first ten days:

الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله إلا الله والله أكبر الله أكبر ولله الحمد

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd (Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no god but Allah, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, and to Allah belongs praise).

During these ten days, thus, an earnest effort be made to seek forgiveness of one's past sins and misdeeds from Allah by extensively engaging in prayers. However, during these ten days one must also take a solemn pledge to stay away from all sorts of sins, disobedience of Allah's commandments and a firm resolve to be good Muslim and help those who need our help.

You may like to listen to Zakir A Naik, an eminent Muslim scholar and preachers of present times highlighting the importance of first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah:

Please refer to our page: Dhu al-Hijja (ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة): The month of Pilgrimage - The Hajj to know more about Dhu'l-Hijjah and Hajj.

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

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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 86 Sūrat aṭ-Ṭāriq (The Night Comer / The Night Star)

The 85th chapter of Qur'an, Sūrat al-Burūj commenced with the Divine vow "By the sky containing great stars," and this succeeding Sūrat aṭ-Ṭāriq also commences with a similar vow by the Allah Almighty: "By the heaven and by the night visitor." Although the word "Samma" is used which means the sky, but it could also mean all the seven layers of the sky upon which throne of Allah rests.

Sūrat aṭ-Ṭāriq discuses two themes: first that man has to appear before God after death; second, that the Qur'an is a decisive Word which no plan or device of the disbelievers can defeat or frustrate. [1]

First of all, the stars of the heavens have been cited as an evidence that there is nothing in the universe which may continue to exist and survive without guardian over it. Then man has been asked to consider his own self as to how he has been brought into existence from a mere sperm drop and shaped into a living human being. Then it has been said that the God, Who has so brought him into existence, has certainly the power to create him once again, and this resurrection will be for the purpose to subject to scrutiny all the secrets of man which remained hidden in the world. At that time, man will neither be able to escape the consequences of his deeds by his own power, nor will anyone else come to his rescue.

In conclusion, it has been pointed out that just as the falling of rain from the sky and the sprouting of plants and crops from the earth is no child's play but a serious task, so also the truths expressed in the Qur'an are no jest but a firm and unchangeable reality. The disbelievers are involved in the misunderstanding that their plans and devices will defeat the invitation of the Qur'an, but they do not know that Allah too is devising a plan which will bring to naught all their scheming and planning. Than in one sentence the discourse has been summed up, with a word of consolation to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) and a tacit warning to the disbelievers, saying: "Have patience for a while: let the disbelievers do their worst. Before long they will themselves realize whether they have been able to defeat the Qur'an by their scheming or the Qur'an has dominated them in the very place where they are exerting their utmost to defeat it."

Like the previous Sūrah, Allah takes a solemn pledge of the sky and At Tariq. And then in the second verse asks Do you know what At Tariq is? Naturally man cannot answer something unknown to him, thus Allah replies Himself that At Tariq is in fact A Bright Star:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• By the sky and the night comer
• And what can make you know what is the night comer?
• It is the piercing star
• There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.

Why Allah has taken a solemn pledge of the sky and a piercing star? Many commentators believe that since most of the travelers in Arabia traveled at night to evade the scorching sun of the desert during the day time, all they had in sight was the starry sky up and some landmark stars, like the North Pole or other constellations, which served as navigation aids to the travelers. So giving an example of something with something that the Arabs were accustomed to, Allah not only shows His glory and greatness for its is He alone who has created such facilities that brighten up the desert at night even in the absence of the moon and bright stars that serve as navigation aids. And then in the fourth verse, Allah tells the man that there is no soul in this world that does not have a protector, and who best other than Allah can be the protector of man who makes it easy for him to obve about even in darkness.

The next three verses are an eye opener for those who claim that the Holy Qur'an is merely a book written by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

• So let man observe from what he was created
• He is created from gushing water,
• Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.

This is how Allah tells the man how he was born - a knowledge which has only been recently dawned on man in the last two or three centuries and medical science has proved this now when it was told more than fourteen hundred years ago. Although man can attain high status in this world, with wealth, authority and might, he forgets his pathetic beginnings from a dirty fluid that people wash off their clothes. The second and third verse describe that the water is not stale but fresh and gushes out from between the backbone of man and the ribs to impregnate a female. This is tell the man that how he has been created from an otherwise dirty water and forgets about his very humble origin when he attains a status and wealth.

And in verses 8-10, Allah, having told the man how he was created and how he disobeyed His commandments when he became a man of substance, warns that the day shall come soon (The Day of Judgement) when he will be made answerable to his misdeeds and punished, for on that day man would not find any helper or support from what he has left behind in his wordily life:

• Indeed, Allah, to return him [to life], is Able.
• The Day when secrets will be put on trial,
• Then man will have no power or any helper.

In verses 11-17, Allah then takes another oath on the heaven (rain, which brings life to every living thing on earth) and cracks open the earth (to put out shoots), a proof of reality which no one has power to do except Allah alone and that whatever being said here is word of Allah and must be taken very seriously:

• By the sky which returns [rain]
• And [by] the earth which cracks open,
• Indeed, the Qur'an is a decisive statement,
• And it is not amusement.
• Indeed, they are planning a plan,
• But I am planning a plan.
• So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.

In the last three verses of the chapter, Allah says warns that those plotting a scheme against Allah's words and commandments will face a serious setback as Allah has taken upon Himself as how to counter their plans and whatever Allah wills and plans has no counter. So Allah advises the Prophet (s) to be patient with the disbelievers and let them take their time, for when wrath of Allah would befell, all their plans will crumble with a bitter end in waiting. 

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat aṭ-Ṭāriq 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.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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