Sūrat al-Jāthiyah is the forty fifth surah with 37 ayahs with four rukus, part of the 25th Juzʼ of the Holy Qur'an. The surah It is derived from the sentence wa tartt kullu ummat- in jathiyat-unجَاثِيَةً of verse 28.
Sūrat al-Jāthiyah is one of the seven consecutive surahs of the Holy Quran which are affixed the Letters Ha-Meem " حٰمٓ ". Chronologically they all belong to the same Makkan Period, and they immediately follow the last Sürah in time. These seven surahs that begin with same dis-joined words are:
Chapter. 46 Surah Al Ahqaf (The Wind Curved Sand Dunes
The Surah answers the doubts and objections of the disbelievers of Makkah about Tawhid and the Hereafter and warns them for their attitude that they had adopted against the message of the Qur'an. Herein under is a brief description of the subject matter being discussed in the surah:
The discourse begins with the arguments for Tawhid. In this connection, reference has been made to the count- less Signs that are found in the world, from man's own body to the earth and heavens, and it is pointed out that everywhere around him man finds things which testify to Tawhid which he refuses to acknowledge.
Then it has been reiterated that the things man is exploiting in the world, and the countless forces that are serving his interests in the universe, did not come into being just accidentally, nor have they been provided by the gods and goddesses, but it is One God alone, Who has supplied and subjected these to him from Himself. If only a person uses his mind properly and rightly, his own intellect will proclaim that God alone is man's real Benefactor and He alone deserves that man should pay obeisance to Him.
Thereafter the disbelievers of Makkah have been taken to task and reproved for their stubbornness, arrogance, mockery and insistence on disbelief with which they were resisting the invitation of the Qur'an they have been warned that this Qur'an has brought the same blessing which had been granted to the children of Israel before, by virtue of which they became distinguished above all the people of the world. Then, when they failed to recognize the true worth of this blessing and disputed their religion and lost it, this blessing now has been sent to them. This is such a code of guidance which shows the clear highway of Religion to man. The people who would turn it down by their own folly, would only prepare for their own doom, and only such people would become worthy of God's succor and mercy who would adopt obedience to it and lead a life of piety and righteousness.
In this connection, the followers of the Holy Prophet have been instructed that they should forbear and pardon the absurd and foolish behavior towards them of the people fearless of God, for if they showed patience God Himself would deal with their opponents and would reward them for their fortitude.
Then, there is a criticism of the erroneous ideas that the disbelievers hold about the Hereafter. They said that life was only this worldly life there was no life hereafter. Man dies in the course of time just as a watch stops functioning suddenly. The body is not survived by any soul, which might be seized and then breathed again into the human body some time in the future. In this regard, they challenged the Holy Prophet, saying: "If you lay a claim to this, then raise our dead forefathers back to life."
It has also been stressed upon that it is utterly against reason and justice that the good and the bad, the obedient and the disobedient, the oppressor and the oppressed, should be made equal ultimately. Neither a good act should bear a good result nor an evil act an evil result; neither the grievances of the oppressed be redressed nor the oppressor be punished, but everyone should meet with the same fate ultimately.
That the creed of the denial of the Hereafter is highly destructive of morals. This is adopted only by such people as are the slaves of their lusts, and for the reason that they should have full freedom to serve their lusts. Then, when they have adopted this creed, it goes on making them more and more perverse till at last their moral sense becomes dead and all avenues of guidance are closed against them.
After giving these arguments Allah says most emphatically: "Just as you did not become living of your own accord, but became living by Our power, so you do not die of your own accord, but die when We send death on you. And a time is certainly coming when you will all be gathered together. If you do not believe in this because of your ignorance and folly today, you may not; when the time arrives, you will see for yourself that you are present before your God and your whole book of conduct is ready accurately, which bears evidence against each of your misdeeds. Then you will come to know how dearly has your denial of the Hereafter and your mockery of it cost you." The tafseer / exegesis is being shared separately.
You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Jāthiyah with English subtitles:
Please refer to our Reference Page "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, explanation and exegesis of all other chapters of the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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 and explanation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
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. [2]
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources (links to Reference Pages given below):
Tafsir Ibn Khatir
Muhammad Asad Translation
Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
Qur'an Wiki
Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
Tafsir Nouman Ali Khan
Towards Understanding the Quran
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given below. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites:
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Sūrat ad-Dukhān is the forty fourth surah with 59 ayahs with 3 rukus, part of the 25th Juzʼ of the Holy Qur'an. The word "dukhan", meaning 'smoke', is mentioned in verse 10.
Sūrat ad-Dukhān is one of the seven consecutive surahs of the Holy Quran which are affixed the Letters Ha-Meem " حٰمٓ ". Chronologically they all belong to the same Makkan Period, and they immediately follow the last Sürah in time. These seven surahs that begin with same dis-joined words are:
Chapter. 46 Surah Al Ahqaf (The Wind Curved Sand Dunes
The theme of this surah is "How wordily pride and power are humbled in the dust if they resist spiritual and Divine forces, and how Evil and Good find their true setting in the Hereafter." The Surah was revealed in a period when the disbelievers of Makkah became more and more antagonistic in their attitude and conduct, the Holy Prophet prayed: O Allah, help me with a famine like the famine of Joseph. He thought that when the people would be afflicted with a calamity, they would remember God, their hearts would soften and they would accept the admonition. Allah granted his prayer, and the whole land was overtaken by such a terrible famine that the people were sorely distressed. At last, some of the Quraish chiefs among whom Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud has particularly mentioned the name of Abu Sufyan came to the Holy Prophet and requested him to pray to Allah to deliver his people from the calamity. On this occasion Allah sent down this Surah. Let us now read the translation and exegesis in English of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter. For Arabic Text, please refer to the references given at the end and may also listen to its recitation in Arabic with English subtitles:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"
( 1 ) " حٰمٓ ". Ha, Meem.
[These disjoined letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings - see our earlier post for details: Understanding the Holy Quran: Huroof Muqatta’at - Disjoined Letters]. 2-16 Allah revealed this Quran in the Blessed Night (Layla-tul-Qadr) in which all matters are decided wisely by His command:
( 2 ) By the clear Book, ( 3 ) Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].
The meaning of taking an oath by the lucid Scripture is similar to the explanation of surah 2-3 of the Surah Az-Zukhruf. Here also what has been sworn by is that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the author of this Book but We are the author, and this Book by itself is enough to provide a proof of that. Furthermore, it has been said that the night in which it was revealed was full of blessings.
The blessed night implies the same night which has been called lailat-ul-qadr in (Surah Al-Qadr, Ayat 1), There it has been said: We sent it down in a night of glory, and here: We sent it down in a blessed night. It was the night of the month of Ramadan, as it is said in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 185: Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed.
فِيۡهَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ اَمۡرٍ حَكِيۡمٍۙ
( 4 ) (We revealed it on the Night) wherein every matter is wisely determined
The word amr-in-hakim as used in the text may have two meanings: (1) That the command is entirely based on wisdom: there is no likelihood of any error or weakness in it. (2) That it is a firm and stable decision: it lies in no one’s power to change it.
( 5 ) [Every] matter [proceeding] from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger]
Verse 5 needs to be understood properly as it has been misinterpreted by some scholars and many Muslims follow their interpretation which is based on a weak / indirect Hadith of the Prophet of Allah.
In Surah Al-Qadr, this same thing has been expressed thus: The angels and the Spirit (Angel Gabriel) descend in it with every decree, by the leave of their Lord. This shows that it is such a night in the divine administration of Allah in which He decides the destinies of the individuals and nations and countries and entrusts His decisions to His angels, who then implement them accordingly.
Some commentators have been involved in the misunderstanding that this is the 15th night of Shaban, for in some traditions it has been said that the destinies of people are decided during that night.
But Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Mujahid, Qatadah, Hasan Basri, Saeed bin Jubair, Ibn Zaid, Abu Malik, Dahhak and many other commentators agree that this is the same night of Ramadan, which has been called lailat-ul-qadr, for the Quran itself has stated this, and where any Quranic statement exists, no other view can be formed on the basis of random reports.
Ibn Kathir says: The traditions that Imam Zuhri has related from Uthman bin Muhammad that destinies are decided from one Shaban to the next Shaban is an indirect tradition and such traditions cannot be cited as against the clear texts of the Quran. Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi says: No Hadith in respect of the 15th of Shaban is reliable, either in respect of its merit, or about this that decisions with regard to the destinies are taken in it; therefore, they do not merit attention,
( 6 ) As mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
The object of mentioning these two attributes of Allah here is to warn the people of the truth that He alone can give correct knowledge for He alone knows all the realities. Not to speak of one man, even if all men join to determine a way of life for themselves, there can be no guaranty of its being the right way, for even the entire mankind together cannot become all-hearing and all-knowing. It does not lie in its power to comprehend all those realities whose knowledge is essential for determining a correct way of life. This knowledge is only with Allah. He alone is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Therefore, He alone can tell what is guidance for man and what is falsehood, what is the truth and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil.
( 7 ) Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them, if you would be certain.
The Arabs of the times admitted that Allah alone is the Lord (Master and Provider) of the Universe and of everything in it. Therefore, it has been said to them: If you are not admitting only verbally but are really conscious of His being the Provider and are convinced of His being the Master, you should admit that: (1) It is the very demand of His Mercy and Providence that He should send a Book and a Messenger for the guidance of man. (2) It is His right as the Master and your duty as His servants that you should obey every guidance and submit to every command that comes from Him.
( 8 ) There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death. [He is] your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers.
That is, there is no god other than Allah, nor can there be. Therefore, it is against reason that you should disdain the worship of Him Who breathed life into dead matter and made you a living man. And Who possesses full powers to keep you alive as long as He likes and bring your life to an end whenever He likes. So, it is against reason that you serve any other than Him, or start worshiping others besides Him.
There is a subtle allusion in it to this: He is also Lord of those of your ancestors who took other gods besides Allah; they had not done the right thing by giving up their real Lord and serving others that you should be justified in imitating them and regard their conduct as an argument for the soundness of your creed. They ought to have served only Him, because He alone is their Lord.
( 9 ) But they are in doubt, amusing themselves.
The verse 9 and its explanation is very important to understand, specially by atheists or polytheists.
In this brief verse an allusion has been made to an important truth. Even atheists or polytheists do come across occasions when their being from within says: There is somewhere some weakness in the creed that we have adopted. The atheist may apparently be very firm in his denial of God, his heart at one or the other time does bear the testimony that this wonderful and wise system which extends from the particle of dust to the galaxies and from a blade of grass to the creation of man, could not come into existence without an All-Wise Designer. Likewise, a polytheist may be deeply submerged in his polytheism, his heart also sometimes cries out: Those whom you have adopted as deities cannot be God. But this testimony of the heart neither leads the atheist nor the polytheist to the conviction about the existence and Oneness of God, nor to conviction and satisfaction about their creed of atheism and polytheism itself. Instead, their religion, in fact, is based on doubt, no matter how convinced they might appear to be of its truth.
As for the question: Why doesn’t this doubt make them restless and why don’t they seek the truth seriously so as to obtain a satisfactory ground for their convictions? The answer is: they lack seriousness in religious matters. What they really regard as important are the worldly earnings and acquisitions and their enjoyment, in search of which they expend all their powers and abilities of the heart and mind and body. As for the religious matters, they are in fact no more than fun, a mere pastime, amusement, or a mental diversion for them, for which they cannot spare even a few moments of serious study. Religious rites are being performed as an entertainment; discussions about denial and atheism are being engaged in as an amusement. No one can spare a few moments from his worldly pursuits to consider whether he has turned away from the truth, and if so, what would be its consequences.
( 10 ) Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke.
The word Dukhan means smoke or mist, and may refer to drought or famine. as mentioned in the introduction, the Prophet of Allah had invoked Allah Allah's wrath to teach the pagans of Makkah a bitter lesson for they were not only not listening to the message he was trying to convey to them but were also teasing, torturing and even threatening his life.
and so the famine came in Makkah, so severe that the Makkans had never seen before. The men were so pinched with hunger that they saw mist before their eyes when they looked at the sky. As per some records, the famine last for years and men were forced to eat bones and carrion. It is then that Abu Sufyan, the chiftien of Quraish tribe came and requested Prophet of Allah to intercede and pray for removal of the Divine curse on them. At that time, the Prophet of Allah recited the Holy verses of Surah Ad-Dukhan: 'Then watch you For the day that The sky will Bring forth a kind Of smoke Plainly visible.' However, the disbelievers never learnt a lesson and after the curse was lifted, they once again wore the same cloak of deceit and disrespect towards the Prophet of Allah and the Divine message.
( 11 ) Covering the people; this is a painful torment.( 12 ) [They will say], "Our Lord, remove from us the torment; indeed, we are believers."
( 13 ) How will there be for them a reminder [at that time]? And there had come to them a clear Messenger.
Here, Rasul-i-mubin has two meanings: (1) His being a Messenger is quite evident from his character, his morals and his works. (2) He has made every effort to make the truth plain and clear.
( 14 ) Then they turned away from him and said, "[He was] taught [and is] a madman."
What they meant was: this was a simple man, some others have incited and deceived him. They secretly forge and teach him verses of the Quran, and he comes and recites them before the people. They sit back in peace and leave him alone to receive the abuses and be pelted with stones. They would make a mockery of all the arguments, the admonitions and the serious teachings which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been presenting since several years and was growing weary. Neither they paid any attention to the rational things being expressed in the Quran nor recognized the extraordinary character of the man who was presenting them, nor took any trouble to think what nonsense they were uttering when they imputed such things to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Obviously, if there had been another person who gave secret instruction to the Prophet (peace be upon him), he could not have remained hidden from Khadijah and Abu Bakr, Ali and Zaid bin Harithah and other early Muslims, who were the closest and constant companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Then, how it is that these very people only became his most devoted and dedicated followers, whereas if the business of prophet-hood had depended on the secret instruction of some other person, these very people would have been in the forefront to oppose him (For further explanation, see (Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 103) and (Surah Al-Furqan, Ayats 4-6).
( 15 ) Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little. Indeed, you [disbelievers] will return [to disbelief].
The following verse has been under lot of discussions between various interpreters of Quran. While a detailed commentary can be read at references [1] while giving explanation of the vers, a brief is being presented here:
( 16 ) The Day We will strike with the greatest assault, indeed, We will take retribution.
A study of the verses under consideration can remove the disparity between the two commentaries:
As for the commentary of Abdullah bin Masud, it is a fact that a severe famine had hit Makkah resulting from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayer and it had unnerved the disbelievers considerably and they had requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pray for its removal, as referred to at several places in the Quran. (See (Surah Al- Anaam, Ayat 43); (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats 94-95); (Surah Younus, Ayat 21); (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayats 75-77). In these verses also there is a clear pointer to the same conditions. The disbeliever are saying: Our Lord, remove this torment from us, we will believe. Allah is saying: How can they rid themselves of their heedlessness? Even when a manifest Messenger came to them, they paid no heed to him, and said: He is a madman taught by others. Then Allah is saying: Were We to remove the torment a little, you would revert to the same that you were doing before. All this can be relevant only if it refers to the conditions of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) time. To apply them to what will happen near the time of Resurrection, is not correct.
Therefore, in view of this, Abdullah bin Masud’s commentary seems to be correct, but it is the part that “the smoke” also had appeared in that very time, in that when the people in their extreme state of hunger looked up to the sky, they could see nothing but smoke, does not seem to be correct. It also does not conform to the apparent words of the Quran and is against the traditions as well. The Quran does not say: The sky brought forth the smoke and it spread over the people; but it says: Wait for the day when the sky will appear with a visible smoke, and it will envelop mankind.
A study of the subsequent verses clearly points to this meaning: When you do not believe even after the Messenger’s admonition, nor take heed from the warning given in the shape of the famine, then you should wait for Resurrection. At that time when you see your doom confronting you, you will fully realize what was the truth and what was falsehood. Therefore, as for the smoke, the correct view is that it has nothing to do with the time of the famine, but it is a sign of Resurrection and the same is also confirmed by the Hadith.
17-29 Lessons to be learned from the story of Prophet Musa and the people of Fir'on
( 17 ) And We had already tried before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble messenger,( 18 ) [Saying], "Render to me the servants of Allah. Indeed, I am to you a trustworthy messenger,"
It should be noted that the sayings of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) being cited here, are not parts of a continuous address delivered by him at any one time, but they are a summary in a few sentences of what he said to Pharaoh and his courtiers on different occasions during many years. (For the details, see (Surah Al-Aaraf, Ayats 103-136); (Surah Younus, Ayats 75-92); (Surah TaHa, Ayats 45-76); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 10-68); (Surah An-Naml, Ayats 7-14); (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayats 32-42); (Surah Al-Mumin, Ayats 23-46); (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayats 46-56).
"Leave the children of Israel to go with me" demand is synonymous with the demand made in (Surah Al- Aaraf, Ayat 105); (Surah TaHa, Ayat 47 )and (Surah Ash- Shurra, Ayat 17). Another translation that has been reported from Abdullah ibn Abbas is: Servants of Allah, fulfill my right, i.e. accept what I say, believe in me, follow my guidance. This is my right on you from Allah. The following sentence: I am a trustworthy Messenger to you is more in keeping with the second meaning.
( 19 ) and do not exalt yourselves in defiance of Allah. I have come to you with a clear authority (as a Messenger).
The verse 19 means: Your rebellion against me is in fact rebellion against Allah, for what annoys you is not what I say but what Allah says, and I only present those things as His Messenger. If you doubt whether I have really been sent by Hun or not, I present before you a clear authority of my appointment from Allah. This authority does not imply any one miracle but a long series of the miracles which the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) continued to show to Pharaoh and his people for years since the time he came in the court of Pharaoh till his last days in Egypt. Whatever sign they denied, was followed up by a greater sign of authority by him.
( 20 ) And indeed, I have sought refuge in my Lord and your Lord, lest you stone me.
( 21 ) But if you do not believe me, then leave me alone."
This was said at the time when, as against all the signs presented by the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), Pharaoh was still showing stubbornness, but was feeling upset and confounded at the realization that all classes of the Egyptian society were rapidly being influenced by those signs. In that period, first of all he made the speech before his packed court as mentioned in (verses 51-53 of Surah Az- Zukhruf), then, when he felt the ground slipping from under his feet, he made up his mind to kill Allah’s Messenger. At that time the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the words as mentioned in (Surah Al-Mumin, Ayat 27) to the effect: I have taken refuge in my Lord and your Lord against every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning. Here, the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) is referring to that same thing and telling Pharaoh and his chiefs: Look, I have sought Allah’s refuge against all sorts of violence from you, now you cannot harm me. But if you wish yourselves well, do not harm me. If you do not want to believe what I say, you may not, but you should never lay your hands on me, otherwise you will meet with catastrophic consequences.
( 22 ) And [finally] he called to his Lord that these were a criminal people.
( 23 ) [Allah said], "Then set out with My servants by night. Indeed, you are to be pursued.
This was the initial command given to the prophet Moses (peace be upon him) for the migration. (For explanation, see (Surah TaHa, Ayat 77); (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 52-68).
With my servants: With all those people who have believed, including both the Israelites and the Egyptian Copts who had become Muslims since the time of the Prophet Joseph till that of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon them), and those also who had been influenced by the signs shown by Moses (peace be upon him) and His preaching and accepted Islam from among the Egyptians.
( 24 ) And leave the sea in stillness. Indeed, they are an army to be drowned."
This command was given when the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had crossed the sea along with his caravan and wanted that he should restore the sea to its former state by smiting it with the staff so that Pharaoh and his hosts should not pursue them on the dry path created by the miracle. At that times it was said: Leave the sea divided as it is, so that Pharaoh and his armies should descend into it. Then the sea will be restored and they will be drowned all together.
( 25 ) How much they left behind of gardens and springs( 26 ) And crops and noble sites( 27 ) And comfort wherein they were amused.
( 28 ) Thus. And We caused to inherit it another people.
Here “other people” mean the children of Israel, whom Allah made heirs of the land of Egypt after Pharaoh’s people, and Qatadah says it implies the other people who inherited Egypt after the people of Pharaoh, for the history does not make any mention that the Israelites ever returned to Egypt after the exodus and inherited it. This same point has been disputed by the later commentators also. (For a detailed discussion, see (Surah Ash Shuara, Ayats 57-59).
( 29 ) And the heaven and earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved.
That is, when they were the rulers, they were known for their glory and grandeur. But when they fell, there was none to shed a tear on their fall, rather the world felt relieved that a cause of distress had been removed. Obviously, they had neither done any good to the people that the dwellers of the earth might weep on them, nor anything for the sake of Allah’s pleasure that the dwellers of the heavens might grieve over their ruin. As long as Allah continued to give them respite by His will, they enjoyed life as they pleased; but when they transgressed all limits in their crimes, they were cast aside like rubbish.
Verses 30-42 dwell on how and why Allah delivered the Children of Israel and chose them over the nations of the world in spite of their weaknesses and Day of Sorting Out is the time appointed for resurrection
( 30 ) And We certainly saved the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment
( 31 ) from Pharaoh who was most prominent among the prodigals.
That is, Pharaoh by himself was an abasing torment for them and all other torments were indeed offshoots of the same great torment.
There is a subtle satire in it on the chiefs of the disbelieving Quraish. It means to say this: You do not enjoy any place of distinction among the transgressors against Allah. Pharaoh indeed was a rebel of the highest order who was ruling on the throne of the largest kingdom of the time as a god. When he was swept away like straw, how can you prevent the divine wrath?
( 32 ) We knowingly exalted them (i.e., the Children of Israel) above other peoples of the world
That is, Allah was well aware both of the qualities and of the weaknesses of the children of Israel. He had not chosen them blindly. For when he chose them from among the contemporary nations to become the standard bearers of His message and His Tauhid, they were the most suitable people in His knowledge for the purpose.
( 33 ) And We gave them of signs that in which there was a clear trial.( 34 ) Indeed, these [disbelievers] are saying,( 35 ) "There is not but our first death, and we will not be resurrected.
( 36 ) Then bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
This was their reasoning: We have never seen a dead person resurrected to life. Therefore, we believe that there will be no other life after death. If you claim that there will be another life, then resurrect our forefathers from their graves, so that we are convinced of the life after death. If you do not do this, we would think that your claim is false. This was, as they thought, a very strong argument for the refutation of life after death, whereas it was absurd. Nobody had told them that the dead would return to this very world after being raised back to life, nor the Prophet (peace be upon him), nor any Muslim had ever claimed that he could raise the dead back to life.
( 37 ) Are they better or the people of Tubba' and those before them? We destroyed them, [for] indeed, they were criminals.
Tubba was the title of the kings of the Himyarites, like the titles of Khosroes, Caesar, Pharaoh etc. which have been associated with the kings of different countries. They were a branch of the Sabaeans, who attained domination over Saba in 115 B.C. and ruled it until 300 A.D. They have been a well known people of Arabia for centuries.
This is the first answer to the disbelievers’ objection; it means: Any individual group or nation which denies the Hereafter becomes criminal. Perversion of the morals is its inevitable result, and human history bears evidence that whichever nation adopted this view of life ultimately perished. As for the question: Are they better or the people of Tubba or the people before them? It means this: The disbelievers of Makkah have not been able to attain to the prosperity and splendor that became the lot of the people of Tubba and of the people of Saba and of the people of Pharaoh and others before them. But this material prosperity and worldly splendor could not save them from the consequences of their moral degeneration. How will then the chiefs of the Quraish be saved from destruction on the strength of their puny resources and wealth?
(For details, see Surah Saba).
(38) And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play.
(39) We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know
This is the second answer to their objection; it means: Whoever denies life after death and the rewards and punishments of the hereafter, in fact, regards this world as a plaything. This is why he has formed the view that man, after raising all sorts of the storms in the world, will end up in the dust one day and none of his good or bad acts will bear any fruit. The fact, however, is that this universe is the creation of an All-Wise Creator and not of a frivolous being, and it cannot be expected from an All-Wise Creator that he would perform a useless and vain act. (For a detailed explanation, see (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 73); (Surah Younus, Ayats 5-6); (Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayats 16-18); (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayat 115); (Surah Ar-Room, Ayats 8-9).
.( 40 ) Indeed, the Day of Judgement is the appointed time for them all
This is the answer to their demand: Bring back our forefathers if you are truthful. It means: Life-after-death is not a trivial matter, it cannot be that whenever somebody denies it, a dead person may he raised immediately from the graveyard and presented before him. For it a time has been fixed by the Lord of the worlds, when He will resurrect to life all the former and the latter generations, gather them together in His court and will decide their cases. You may believe in it or may not, but this will in any case happen on its own pre-ordained time. If you believe in it, it will be to your own advantage, for, being forewarned, you will make preparations to fare well in that court. If you do not believe in it, you will incur loss for yourselves, for you will spend your whole life in the misunderstanding that good and evil are confined only to this worldly life; after death there is going to be no court where our good or bad deeds might have to be judged for any permanent results.
( 41 ) The Day when no relation will avail a relation at all, nor will they be helped
The Arabic word maula is used for a person who supports another person either because of kinship, or friendship, or some other relationship.
( 42 ) Except those [believers] on whom Allah has mercy. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.
These verse portrays the nature of the court that will be established on the Day of Decision. It will be a court where nobody’s help or support will help rescue any culprit nor have his sentence reduced. All powers will rest with the real Sovereign Whose decisions cannot be withheld from being enforced nor influenced by any power. It will entirely depend on His own discretion whether He forgives somebody mercifully, or awards him a lesser punishment. It indeed behooves Him to exercise justice mercifully and not mercilessly, but whatever decision He gives in any case, will be enforced entirely and completely. After this portrayal of the nature of the divine court, in the following few sentences it has been stated what will be the fate of those who will be found guilty in that court, and what will be conferred on those about whom it will be established that they had been refraining from Allah’s disobedience in the world out of fear of Him.
Verses 43-50 bring bad news for the disbelievers and tell them in return of their disbelieving act, the food and drink for the sinners in hell will be more tortuous than the fire of hell:
( 43 ) Indeed, the tree of zaqqum
Zaqqum is a tree of the cactus species found in Tihamah. It is bitter in taste, obnoxious in smell and sheds a milk like juice when cut or broken.
( 44 ) Is food for the sinful.
كَالۡمُهۡلِ ۛۚ يَغۡلِىۡ فِى الۡبُطُوۡنِۙ
( 45 ) Like dregs of oil, it will boil in their bellies
The word al-muhl in the original has several meanings: molten metal, pus-blood, molten tar, lava, dregs of oil. These are the different meanings given by the lexicographers and commentators, but if this word is understood with reference to zaqqum (cactus), it may mean its juice which will probably be like the dregs of oil.
( 46 ) Like the boiling of scalding water. ( 47 ) [It will be commanded], "Seize him and drag him into the midst of the Hellfire,( 48 ) Then pour over his head from the torment of scalding water."( 49 ) [It will be said], "Taste! Indeed, you are the honored, the noble!( 50 ) Indeed, this is what you used to dispute."
And finallly verses 51-59 bring good tidings for the believers and the righteous and the food and entertainment they will be served in the paradise
( 51 ) Indeed, the righteous will be in a secure place;( 52 ) Within gardens and springs,
A secure place: A place safe from every kind of fear, grief, worry and danger, hardship and trouble. According to a Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: It will be proclaimed to the dwellers of Paradise: You will remain in good health, will never fall ill, will live forever, will never die, will ever remain happy and prosperous and will never meet with a misfortune, will ever remain youthful, will never become old. (Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurairah and Abu Saeed Khudri).
( 53 ) Wearing [garments of] fine silk and brocade, facing each other.
Sundus and istabraq in the original are fine silk cloth and thick silk cloth respectively.
( 54 ) Thus. And We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes.
( 55 ) They will call therein for every [kind of] fruit - safe and secure.
That is, they will order the attendants in Paradise to bring anything they would like in any measure they would demand, and it will be presented before them. In this world, a man cannot ask for a thing in an inn, or even his own things in his own house, with the freedom and satisfaction as he will ask for these in Paradise. For, in the world nothing is found anywhere in unlimited measure, whatever man uses here, he has to pay for it. In Paradise, things will belong to Allah, and the servants will enjoy full freedom to use them. Neither will there be the danger of the failure of the supply, nor the necessity of a bill to pay.
In verse 56 below, two things are worthy of notice:
( 56 ) They will not taste death therein except the first death, and He will have protected them from the punishment of Hellfire
First, after mentioning the blessings of Paradise, special mention has been made of being secure from Hell separately whereas a person’s entry into Paradise by itself amounts to his being safe from Hell. This is because man can feel the worth of the reward of obedience fully only when he is informed what end the disobedient people have met and from what evil end he himself has ban saved.
Secondly, Allah is mentioning those people’s safety from Hell and their entry into Paradise as a result of His own grace. This is meant to warn man of the truth that this success cannot be achieved by any person unless he is blessed by Allah’s grace. Although man will be rewarded for his own good deeds, in the first place he cannot do good unless favored by Allah’s succor; then even the best deed that man is able to perform, cannot be absolutely perfect and none can claim that it is flawless and faultless. It is only Allah’s bounty that He should overlook the servant’s weaknesses and defects in his actions and accept his services and bless him with rewards; otherwise if He resorts to minute accountability, no one can dare claim to win Paradise only on the strength of his own deeds. The same thing has been said by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a Hadith to the effect: Act and try to act as righteously as you possibly can, but know that the action of a person alone will not make him enter Paradise. It was asked: What about your own action, O Messenger of Allah? He replied: Yes, even I won’t enter Paradise on the strength of my actions, unless of course, my Lord covers me up in His mercy.
( 57 ) As bounty from your Lord. That is what is the great attainment.( 58 ) And indeed, We have eased the Qur'an in your tongue that they might be reminded.
The final verse is intended to bring solace and comfort to the Prophet of Allah:
( 59 ) So watch, [O Muhammad]; indeed, they are watching [for your end].
That is, if they do not accept the admonition even now, you should wait to see how they are visited by their doom; and they are also waiting to see what becomes of the message that you are giving them.
You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat ad-Dukhān with English subtitles:
You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th 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 / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, the exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran are basically based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.
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The month of Ramadan is just about the corner - in fact a days away. But do we really know enough about this month of which Allah makes a mention ONLY Once in the Holy Qur'an?For most of the Muslims, the first thought that comes to their minds is fasting. But did Allah talk of fasting while mentioning the month of Ramadan in the Holy Qur'an? Read this post and you may start viewing Ramadan from a different perspective !! Well you may be amazed to know that when Allah makes a mention of month of Ramadan, He attributes having revealed the Qur'an in this month. Isn't it something incredible and amazing that Allah Himself is talking of His best reveled Book for which He chose the month of Ramadan. Which means that is the month that we should try to establish a very closer relationship with Allah and start knowing Him better than before by reading the Holy Qur'an for it is the only key to getting closer to Allah. In Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 185 of the Quran Allah says:
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down : this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of clear teachings which show the right way and are a criterion of Truth and falsehood. Therefore from now on whoever witnesses it, it is obligatory on hire to fast the whole month, but if one be ill or on a journey, he should make up for the same number by fasting on other days. Allah desires to show leniency to you and does not desire to show any hardship. "therefore this method is being shown to you so that you may complete the number of Fast days and glorify Allah for the Guidance He has shown to you and be grateful to Him.
( Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down : this Book is a perfect guidance for mankind and consists of clear teachings which show the right way and are a criterion of Truth and falsehood. Therefore from now on whoever witnesses it, it is obligatory on hire to fast the whole month, but if one be ill or on a journey, he should make up for the same number by fasting on other days.)
It has been left to the option of the individual to observe or not to observe fasts during a journey. Some of the Companions of the Holy Prophet observed fasts and some did not when they were on a journey with him and neither raised any objection against the other. The Holy Prophet himself sometimes observed fasts on a journey and sometimes did not. Once he saw people gathered round a man who had fallen to the ground and asked what was the matter with him. He was told that he had become too weak to stand on account of observing fasts; he remarked that it was no virtue to observe fasts in such a condition.
During war time, he used to issue orders for postponing the fasts. Hadrat 'Umar has related that they did not observe fasts twice during the month of Ramadan when they went to war under the command of the Holy Prophet: on the occasion of the battle of Badr and at the conquest of Makkah. Ibn 'Umar says that on the eve of the conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet declared, "As we are going to tight our enemy you should postpone your fasts so that you may conserve your strength to tight." 'there is no clear injunction from the Holy Prophet for the prescription of a minimum standard of distance for postponing the fasts. His Companions also differed in practice with regard to the standard. But it is obvious that the fast may be postponed for that distance which is commonly understood to be a journey and in which one begins to feel being on a journey.
There is a difference of opinion as to whether the people of a city, which is attacked by an enemy, can postpone the fast for the sake of Jihad, inspite of being the residents. Some scholars do not allow this. But Imam Ibn Taimiyyah has maintained with strong arguments that postponement of the fast under such circumstances is permissible.
(Allah desires to show leniency to you and does not desire to show any hardship. "therefore this method is being shown to you so that you may complete the number of Fast days and glorify Allah for the Guidance He has shown to you and be grateful to Him.)
Allah is so bountiful that He does not want to deprive His servants of the blessings of fasting. Therefore He has not confined it to the month of Ramadan but has opened another way for its completion for those who fail to complete it during this month for genuin reasons. They should make up the deficiency by observing fast on other days in order to show their gratitude for the revelation of the Qur'an during the month of Ramadan.
It is clear from this verse that fasting in Ramadan has been prescribed not only as a form of worship and a training for piety, but also to show gratitude for the great blessing of the Revelation of the Qur'an during the month of Ramadan. And the best way to show gratitude for a favour is to fulfil the object for which it was bestowed and to prepare oneself for its completion as best as one can. The object for which Allah has bestowed the Qur'an upon us is to reveal His Will so that we may fulfil it ourselves and persuade others to do the same. Fasting provides the best training for the fulfilment of this object and is both a devotion and a sign of gratitude for the favour shown in the form of the Qur'an.
Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Virtue of Ramadan and the Revelation of the Qur'an in it - Allah praised the month of Ramadan out of the other months by choosing it to send down the Glorious Qur'an, just as He did for all of the Divine Books He revealed to the Prophets.
Imam Ahmad reported Wathilah bin Al-Asqa` that Allah's Messenger said: (The Suhuf (Pages) of Ibrahim were revealed during the first night of Ramadan. The Torah was revealed during the sixth night of Ramadan. The Injil was revealed during the thirteenth night of Ramadan. Allah revealed the Qur'an on the twenty-fourth night of Ramadan.)
The Obligation of Fasting Ramadan - Allah said:
(فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e., is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasting) that month.)
This Ayah requires the healthy persons who witness the beginning of the month, while residing in their land, to fast the month. This Ayah abrogated the Ayah that allows a choice of fasting or paying the Fidyah.
When Allah ordered fasting, He again mentioned the permission for the ill person and the traveler to break the fast and to fast other days instead as compensation. Allah said:
(وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ...and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number ﴿of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasting) must be made up ( from other days.)
This Ayah indicates that ill persons who are unable to fast or fear harm by fasting, and the traveler, are all allowed to break the fast.
When one does not fast in this case, he is obliged to fast other days instead. Allah said:
(يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.)
This Ayah indicates that Allah allowed such persons, out of His mercy and to make matters easy for them, to break the fast when they are ill or traveling, while the fast is still obligatory on the healthy persons who are not traveling.
FASTING (rules) - Question comes: "What are some rulings concerning fasting? For instance, while traveling or on a journey or while under extreme conditions?"
The authentic Sunnah states that Allah's Messenger traveled during the month of Ramadan for the battle for Makkah. The Prophet marched until he reached the area of Kadid and then broke his fast and ordered those who were with him to do likewise. This was recorded in the Two Sahihs. Breaking the fast mentioned in this Hadith was not required, for the Companions used to go out with Allah's Messenger during the month of Ramadan, then, some of them would fast while some of them would not fast and neither category would criticize the others. If the command mentioned in the Hadith required breaking the fast, the Prophet would have criticized those who fasted. Allah's Messenger himself sometimes fasted while traveling. For instance, it is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Ad-Darda' said, "We once went with Allah's Messenger during Ramadan while the heat was intense. One of us would place his hand on his head because of the intense heat. Only Allah's Messenger and `Abdullah bin Rawahah were fasting at that time.''
We should state that observing the permission to break the fast while traveling is better, as Allah's Messenger said about fasting while traveling: (Those who did not fast have done good, and there is no harm for those who fasted.)
In another Hadith, the Prophet said: (Hold to Allah's permission that He has granted you.)
Some scholars say that the two actions are the same, as `A'ishah narrated that Hamzah bin `Amr Al-Aslami said, "O Messenger of Allah! I fast a lot, should I fast while traveling'' The Prophet said: (Fast if you wish or do not fast if you wish.)
This Hadith is in the Two Sahihs. It was reported that if the fast becomes difficult (while traveling), then breaking the fast is better. Jabir said that Allah's Messenger saw a man who was being shaded (by other people while traveling). The Prophet asked about him and he was told that man was fasting. The Prophet said: (It is not a part of Birr (piety) to fast while traveling.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
As for those who ignore the Sunnah and believe in their hearts that breaking the fast while traveling is disliked, they are required to break the fast and are not allowed to fast.
As for making up for missed fasting days, it is not required to be consecutive. One may do so consecutively or not consecutively. There are ample proofs to this fact. We should mention that fasting consecutive days is only required exclusively during Ramadan. After the month of Ramadan, what is required then is to merely make up for missed days.
This is why Allah said: ( فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ . ..the same number (should be made up) from other days.)
Ramadan - Ease and not Hardship
Allah then said: (Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.)
Imam Ahmad recorded Anas bin Malik saying that Allah's Messenger said: (Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion.)
This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs. It is reported in the Sahihayn that Allah's Messenger said to Mu`adh and Abu Musa when he sent them to Yemen: (Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ.)
The Sunan and the Musnad compilers recorded that Allah's Messenger said: (I was sent with the easy Hanifiyyah (Islamic Monotheism).)
Allah's statement: (يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days)) means: You were allowed to break the fast while ill, while traveling, and so forth, because Allah wanted to make matters easy for you. He only commanded you to make up for missed days so that you complete the days of one month.
Remembering Allah upon performing the Acts of Worship
Allah's statement: (وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ ...and that you must magnify Allah ﴿i.e., to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar: Allah is the Most Great)﴾ for having guided you) means: So that you remember Allah upon finishing the act of worship.
This is similar to Allah's statement:
(So when you have accomplished your Manasik, (rituals) remember Allah as you remember your forefathers or with far more remembrance.) (2:200) and:
(...Then when the (Jumu`ah) Salah (prayer) is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the bounty of Allah (by working), and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.) (62:10) and:
(...and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting. And during a part of the night, glorify His praises, and after the prayers.) (50:39, 40)
This is why the Sunnah encouraged Tasbih (saying Subhan Allah, i.e., all praise is due to Allah), Tahmid (saying Al-Hamdu Lillah, i.e., all the thanks are due to Allah) and Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, i.e., Allah is the Most Great) after the compulsory prayers. Ibn `Abbas said, "We used to know that Allah's Messenger has finished the prayer by the Takbir.''
Similarly, several scholars have stated that reciting Takbir the during `Id-ul-Fitr was specified by the Ayah that states: ((He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah ﴿i.e., to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar: Allah is the Most Great)﴾ for having guided you...)
Allah's statement: (وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ...so that you may be grateful to Him.) means: If you adhere to what Allah commanded you, obeying Him by performing the obligations, abandoning the prohibitions and abiding by the set limits, then perhaps you will be among the grateful.
Yusuf Ali Explanation: The regulations are again and again coupled with an insistence on two things: (a) the facilities and concessions given, and (b) the spiritual significance of the fast, without which it is like an empty shell without a kernel. If we relise this, we shall look upon Ramadhan, not as a burden, but as a blessing, and shall be duly grateful for the lead given to us in this matter.
Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs:
(The month of Ramadan is) the month in (which was revealed the Qur'an) whereupon Gabriel brought down the entire Qur'an to the first heaven, dictated it to the scribes among the angels (al-safarah) and then took it down to Muhammad (pbuh) day after day, sometimes revealing to him just one, two or three verses and sometimes an entire surah, (a guidance for mankind) the Qur'an elucidates error to people, (and clear proofs of the guidance) in the matter of Religion, (and the Criterion (of right and wrong)) the lawful and the unlawful, the legal rulings, legal punishments and the steering away from doubtful matters. (And whoever of you is present) in settled areas and not travelling, (let him fast the month. And whoever of you is sick) during the month of Ramadan (or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of days) at another time. (Allah desireth for your ease) He desires for you the dispensation of breaking the fast while on a journey; it is also said that this means: Allah wants you to break the fast when travelling; (He desireth not hardship for you) He does not desire for you the hardship of fasting while travelling; (and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period) that you should fast when you are back in your settlement the same number of days of fast you broke during your travel, (and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you) as He guided you to His religion and legal dispensation, (and that peradventure ye may be thankful) so that you be thankful for His giving you this dispensation.
Tafsir Al-Qushairi:
The month of RamaḌān in which the QurÌān was revealed a guidance for the people and as clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion; So let those of you who are present [at his home] at the month fast it and if any of you be sick or if he be on a journey then a number of other days. RamaḌān burns yurmiḌu the sins dhunūb of some people and burns the outward characteristics rusūm of other people. What a difference between those whose sins are burned by His mercy and those whose outward characteristics are burned by His reality!
The month of RamaḌān is the month of the opening of the [divine] speech khiṬāb the month of the revelation of the Book kitāb the month of obtaining the reward thawāb the month of drawing near and [gaining God's] approval ījāb the month of the lightening of burdens takhfīf al-kulfa the month of achieving intimacy taḥqīq al-zulfa the month of descending mercy nuzūl al-raḥma the month of granting blessing wufūr al-niʿma the month of salvation najāt and the month of intimate conversation munājāt. God desires ease for you and desires not hardship for you Part of His desiring ease for you is knowing that He desires ease for you. Among the signs that He desires ease for His servant is that He has brought about the search for ease for if [God] had not desired ease for [His servant] He would not have placed a desire for it in him. The one who spoke for them said: If You had not wanted me to obtain that for which I hope and seek from Your generosity You would not have taught me to seek. [God] made hope [for ease] appropriate and confirmed the longing [for it]. He enjoined this inasmuch as He said “and He desires not hardship for you.” This was to negate the possibilities of other ways of thinking leaving the true sense clearly spelled out. and that you fulfill the number According to the language of scholars lisān al-ʿilm [it is] that you fulfill the number [of days] of the fast. According to the language of allusion lisān al-ishāra [it is] “that in the happiness of the present moment ṣafāÌ al-ḥāl you should be aware of the fulfillment of the end wafāÌ al-maÌāl.” and magnify God for having guided you and that you might be thankful [Thankful] in the final breath and that you might leave the numbered [days] of your life in the security salāma of your faith. [God's] granting of success tawfīq in completing the fast of the month is immensely important but it is even greater to have your life sealed with felicity.
So when the month of Ramadan comes, we should think of and in fact start getting ready to knowing Allah better for it is that scared month in which Allah revealed His Divine scripture in the form of the Holy Qur'an to the last of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Remember Qur'an is the key to the guidance, and guidance for the entire humanity, not only Muslims. So whoever seeks guidance from the Holy Qur'an shall be blessed, In Sha Allah (Allah willing).
So this Ramadan, let us recite the Holy Qur'an as if we are doing it for the first time in our lives. Let us read and understand it better than before for it is better understanding of what is contained in the Qur'an that Allah wants us to know so that we start to know Him better than before. And when we start knowing Allah better, the many secrets of life will start to unfold on to us - and then we would know that fasting is something that Allah desires us to observe "in this month" for it is one of the tools knowing Allah better than anything else. The self deprivation of many bounties and blessings of Allah only to please Allah should be our aim and not to show to the world that we are fasting. In fact there should come no change in our daily routine which should exhibit to others that we are fasting, for we observe fast or saum as it is called in Arabic to please Allah and no one else.
To know more about fasting and importance of month of Ramadan, please consult our reference page: Ramadan - A month of fasting and Blessings. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān. You may like to listen to eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan on "Why Fast":
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.
The Holy Quran is the most revered and sacred Divine scripture of the Muslims around the globe. No Muslim house is without it and there is no Muslim heart which doesn't have it. While many around the world have memorized it in complete, a tradition that is carried forward unbroken right the days of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), each Muslim has some part of it memorized - that makes every Muslim heart to be blessed with whole or part of the Holy Qur'an always residing within him.
And how blessed are all Muslims for having words that came straight from Allah, in His language, not only preserved in their heart, but almost everyone recite it for the love of Allah and His prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), because it was through him that the words and commandments of Allah reached the ordinary. Unlike all other earlier holy scriptures which were literally "written" by religious men an d scholars, the Holy Qur'an was "compiled" from those who remembered it by heart, specially some who had memorized it right from the person of the Prophet of Allah, and written verses on camel and goat skins as there were no papers then. The third caliph of Islam, Caliph Othman has had the distinct honour to have the Qur'an compiled as we see it today and it has since then been preserved and not a dot extra has been added since. Since the Holy Qur'an is so sacred and important in lives of Muslims, the Muslims certainly have some responsibility towards it to help carry forward its message and get spiritually cleansed by it. To my mind a Muslim has following responsibilities towards the word of Allah, the Holy Qur'an:
Faith: Each Muslim should have an unswerving faith and belief that the Holy Qur'an is the word of Allah which has remained unpolluted despite passage of a period of more than fourteen centuries since it was revealed over a period of 23 years from Allah direct to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the most revered angels Jibraeel (Gabriel). It is only with this kind of unshakable belief that a Muslim can revere it, respect it and act upon it, because no one can then deny accepting what is contained therein for it is direct from the Master of the entire Universe, none other than Allah Himself.
Regular Reciting: Having had an unswerving faith in its absoluteness, correctness and its being a Divine Book, it should be the duty of each Muslim to recite a part of it every day for it would be soul satisfying and spiritually cleansing one's heart and soul for if Allah's words are read, one can be rest assured of being spiritually blessed and cleansed of all worries and feel lighter and happy. Allah will surely bless the person who remembers reading His words. An endeavour must be made to learn Arabic and recite the Qur'an in the pure Divine language. Although reading translations for those who cannot read Arabic is OK, but an effort must be made to learn Arabic and see how Allah conversed with His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The best time to recite the Holy Qur'an is right after the pre-dawn prayer (the Fajr salah) when one has time and rather quietness which makes reciting more meaningful and understandable. While reciting, care should be taken to recite the Quran with a nice voice and tajwid (proper pronunciation). The Prophet of Allah has been quoted as saying: “Adorn and beautify the Quran with your voice.” However, do not recite the Quran like a song, contrary to tajwid. Reciting it by changing the words and distorting the meaning is least liked by Allah. The Prophet of Allah has also been quoted in saying: “Increase reading the Quran in your houses. If the Quran is not read in a house, the goodness of that house decreases and the evil of it increases."
Understanding:While one must recite the Qur'an every day, without understanding its meaning or the message and commandments of Allah, one shouldn't be doing justice to the spirit behind its recitation. In fact understanding the Qur'an by understanding the reference to the context in which each verse was sent down, one cannot grasp the true meaning of the Qur'an. And if one does understands it, his living will automatically be steered towards a living as desired by Allah. Therefore, every source and resource should be explored to read plain translation first and then going deeper by reading the tafseer / exegesis written by some of the best scholars from around the world.
Memorizing Part or Whole: Blessed are those who have memorized the whole of Qur'an by heart for a hear which is filled with the Divine words is the most blessed and lucky. While it takes a man's heart to embark upon memorizing the whole of the Holy Qur'an, one must start memorizing it bit by bit. The best way to learn the Qur'an is start from the end for the chapters / surahs in the end are are smaller and easier to understand and memorize. However, care must be taken that one must not forget what he has memorized once. Those who have memorized part or whole of it have the added advantage of keep reciting the Quran in their hearts without being dependent or in need of the hard copy. Now most of the smartphones have applications available of the Holy Qur'an from which one read or even listen to the recitation using headphones.
Forwarding the knowledge of Qur'an to others: The last and most important responsibility of ever Muslim is to forward what knowledge one has obtained through reading to other Muslims who cannot read or write. This is the spirit through which the Qur'an which was memorized by the companions of Allah spread throughout the world. However, care must be taken that whatever is being forwarded is authentic and not polluted, for there are many sources which create misunderstanding of the verses and created dissection and division among the Muslims. Likewise, reading the Quran, making others read the Quran and to teach people how to read the Quran are all virtuous (rewarding) deeds.
We at Islam: My Ultimate Decision, have embarked upon the mission of spreading the word of Allah through providing exegesis of each chapter / surah of the Holy Qur'an, and Alhamdolillah, we have so far completed the exegesis of almost two third of the Holy Qur'an. The exegesis and translation that we present is through authentic sources, a reference to which is given at the end of each post, so that one may check for oneself about the authenticity of our sources.
For our part, the exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran are basically 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. However, sometimes videos of prominent scholars like Nouman Ali Khan are also shared in addition to the written text to substantiate the exegesis written decades ago to conform to the modern day research and techniques.
So try your best as a Muslim to fulfill your obligations and responsibilities towards the Holy Qur'an - rest assured your reward by Allah will be unimaginable. In sha Allah !!
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