Surah al-Baqarah - The Cow: Chapter 2 of Quran - Part 1 (Summary)

Surah al Baqarah is the longest surah of the Quran revealed in Medina. Because of its length it is not possible to cover its details and the Divine messages and commandments contained therein in one post. Therefore we have segmented it and will cover the surah in a number of posts for better and easy understanding.

Here in this post, we are presenting a summary of the entire surah. The summary is being published here as it is contained in the Islamic site Al Mawrid with their exclusive permission. The summary has been Translated from Islahi's "Tadabbur-i-Quran" into English by Shehzad Saleem:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

Quranic Exegesis

A subject-wise analysis of Surah Baqarah, the longest of the Quranic surahs, reveals that the surah can be distinctly divided into an introduction, a main body comprising four sections, and a conclusion. A study of this analysis shall not only be helpful in understanding the relationship of its various sections with its central theme, but also give the reader a general idea about the surah itself. We take up these sections in order.

Introduction

This section extends over the first thirty-nine verses of the surah. It begins with the mention of those among its addressees who shall accept faith and those who would reject it. A reference is then made to the mental perplexity and confusion of the latter after the Quran had begun to be revealed. In this regard, the Bani Ismael have been warned that this Book of Allah has revealed the truth in its ultimate form upon them. It would be extremely unfortunate for them if they are still led astray by the mischievous machinations of the Jews and thus deprive themselves of this great blessing---the Quran.

The introduction ends on the tale of Satan's malicious rivalry and the khilaafat of man. This tale is actually a mirror which reflects the whole scene which was created when the Prophet (pbuh) had started disseminating the Message of Allah, and it clearly brings out the supporters and the adversaries of the new religion. The criticism of the angels on the khilaafat of man and their subsequent satisfaction over it is actually the example of those people who initially kept away from Islam because they had some doubts about it, but, later on, as soon as the truth of this religion became evident to them, they became its supporters and allies. This was because they were true seekers of the truth and were not jealous and obstinate like others who had rejected Islam merely on these bases.

On the contrary, the opposition offered by Satan is actually the example of those who were opposing the Prophet (pbuh) due to sheer pride and vanity about their creed and status. The Jews and the leaders of the Quraish are perfect representatives of this category. Such hostile factions do not end their rivalry once they are aware of the truth, instead they get more hostile. Consequently, the more they were convinced of the truth of the Prophet's mission, the more they increased their aggression.

In the light of this tale, the Jews and their supporters have been explained that their malice and jealousy for the Prophet (pbuh) and his mission is exactly the same as was shown by Satan towards the khilaafat of man. It has been emphatically stated, simultaneously, that just as the khilaafat of man was constituted against the wishes of Satan, the Prophet hood of Mohammad (pbuh) shall be established against their wishes as well.

MAIN BODY

Section I

This section ranges from verse 40 to verse 121 and can be further divided into three subsections. In the first of these which ends with verse 46, the Bani Israel have been specifically addressed and urged to profess faith in the Prophet hood of Mohammad (pbuh) to which their own scriptures so clearly testify. They have then been reminded of the covenant they had pledged in supporting and helping this mission and in fact outdoing each other in this cause, as has been mentioned in the Torah. They have been cautioned that they must not forget this promise merely on the bases of malice and envy and have been further advised to refrain from the mean tactics they had adopted of mingling the true with the false. They have been urged to persevere in the cause of truth and pray regularly as both these would bring them Allah's help.

In the next subsection (verses 47-63), it has been explained, first of all, that a person shall be rewarded in the Hereafter on account of his faith and deeds and not on the basis of his association with a particular family or clan. It must be borne in mind that the Jews had fallen prey to the misconception that the position of power and respect they possess is due to the fact they they were the progeny of the prophets Abraham and Jacob. They, therefore, thought that this association would grant them salvation as well in the Hereafter. In fact, this arrogance proved the biggest obstacle for them in their acceptance of the Prophet hood of Mohammad (pbuh). It has consequently been made clear to them in the subsequent verses that whatever position and strength they possess and reckon to possess later are and would be a sheer blessing from the Almighty. They must not forget that if He has showered His favours and blessings upon them, He has also punished them whenever they have been ungrateful to Him. Therefore, they must turn to Him instead of depending on the false bases of race and creed; they must face the reality and give up their superstitious beliefs.

The last subsection (verses 64-121) is actually a history of the breach of promises and the traitor-ship of the Jews as to how they disobeyed the commandments of Allah and how this criminal mentality had been nurtured in them since the very beginning. A mention has also been made of their superstitions and of other activities which were instrumental in debasing the Shariah and the Book of Allah in their eyes.

All these details have been stated to make it clear upon the Jews that though they claim to be the recipients of a Divine Book, yet they have shown total indifference to it, and have broken all their promises with Allah. Therefore, it is necessary that the Almighty should depose them from their position of leadership, and grant this position of trust to those who are worthy of it.

Section II

In this section, which starts at verse 122 and ends with verse 163, the part of Abraham's life which relates to the building of the Baitullah is covered. It must be borne in mind that when Abraham had started to build the Baitullah, he had prayed to the Almighty to raise a Muslim Ummah among his progeny and a Prophet among them as well. Initially, it has been made clear in this section that the religion of Abraham and his descendants was Islam and not Judaism or Christianity. The Almighty created an Ummat-i-wast for the propagation of Islam. In accordance with Abraham's prayer, this Ummah's qiblah was the Baitullah and not the Bait-ul-Muqaddas. The Bait-ul-Muqaddas was only a temporary qiblah and therefore it was soon changed.

A subtle indication is then made that since at that time the Baitullah was under the control of the isolators of Makkah, it would have to be liberated and taken under control. This would require a lot of sacrifice---both of life and wealth---and success in this undertaking would depend on the Almighty's help. The only sources through which this help can be sought are praying to Him and showing perseverance in this cause.

Since the real purpose of narrating this tale is to highlight the fact that Abraham's prayer was answered in the Prophet hood of Mohammad (pbuh) and that he was the true inheritor of Abraham's mission, therefore, all distortions and tampering which the Jews were guilty of committing with their own scriptures in this regard have been brought to light. The Jews, it must be kept in mind, wanted to hide every evidence which related to Abraham and the Baitullah and the alter of Marwah.

Section III

This section, which ranges from verse 164 to verse 242 mainly consists of the laws and directives of the Shariah revealed to the Muslim Ummah. Since the Jews and the idolaters had distorted and twisted many of these and were also responsible for many religious innovations, all these adulteration have been exposed. These laws and directives have not been stated in any juristic order, instead, their order is according to the circumstances which arose. The order aims at the the general education and reformation of the Muslims. Briefly stated these directives are:

(1) Tauheed (163-172),

(2) prayers and zakat (177),

(3) Qisaas and deeyat (178-79),

(4) legacies and wills (180-82),

(5) fasts (183-87),

(6) Prohibition of bribery and wealth obtained through ill-means (188),

(7) Haj and then jehad and infaaq on account of the relationship of the latter two with the former because at that time the Baitullah was under the control of the idolaters (189-218),

(8) Prohibition of intoxicants and gambling, permission of incorporating the affairs of the orphans with their guardians and prohibition of marriage among idolaters (219-21),

(9) Marriage ,divorce, eela, khula`, radaa`at, naan-u-nafqah of the deceased among the spouses and other issues of marital life (222-42).

Section IV

In this section (243-83), the Muslims have been induced to wage jihad against the unbelievers to liberate the Baitullah from their hold. They have also been motivated to spend in the way Allah for this cause. A reference is then made to the battle fought by Bani Israel, which has many similarities with the battle of Badr, to set free their qiblah from the Palestinians. Then after a parenthetical sentence infaaq is further stressed. In this regard, various examples have been cited to elucidate what type of people does the Almighty guide from the gloom of darkness to the radiance of light and who among the people are left by Him to rove in the darkness. A mention is next made of the blessings of infaaq, its conditions and characteristics and of some important sections of the society which should be its recipients. Simultaneously, a prohibition of riba, the very antithesis of infaaq, is made. The section ends with a directive which pertains to precautionary measures that should be undertaken in lending and borrowing.

Conclusion


This section (284-86) is the conclusion of the surah. It has been first of all explained that everything in this Universe is under the control of the Almighty; He shall take account of everything whether hidden or visible and punish and bless according to His law whomsoever He wills. It has subsequently been elaborated that whether anyone else believes or not, the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers firmly believe that this Book has been revealed by the Almighty. The surah ends with a prayer in which every word speaks of the tremendous responsibilities of this Book which the Jews and the Christians were unable to fulfill and which now have been passed on to the followers of this new religion.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Surah al-Baqarah 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: Why Surah named after Cow | Āyat al-Kursī |

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. [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:

• 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.

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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 103 Surah Al-'Asr - The Time

Surah Al-'Asr is a unique surah  of the Holy Qur'an in which the Allah Almighty reminds the mankind about the importance of time. We have been listening to the advice from our elders to not to waste time as it flies and never returns. And that one can never make good of the lost time for Time and Tide wait for none.

Therefore in this surah Allah cautions that Mankind is in loss except for those who chose to believe in the oneness of Allah and then do good deeds as demanded of them after accepting the will of Allah and guide others to be on the righteous path.Thus those who did not believe in the last of the commandments of Allah sent down onto Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are really at loss for they have missed the bus.

Herein under is the English translation of this short but very meaningful chapter of the Holy Qur'an:

“Time is witness that,

indeed, Mankind is in loss, 

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” 

Thus making good of one's time and dividing it for one's wordily needs and preparation for the life in the hereafter is very important. And this surah also emphasizes the need to not only believe in Allah and his apostle, but also spread the message to others who may not be able to read or not in access of the right knowledge. This will thus ensure that word of Allah is spread so as to provide an opportunity to others to make good  of their time by following Allah's chosen path for them.

While looking for better explanation of Surah Al 'Asr, I came across an excellent Research Paper on Surat 103 Al-Asr (SUMMARY OF QURAN) By Abu Bakr Karolia of which am sharing a few excerpts herein under. But I would suggest my readers to read the paper in full for it is an excellent paper to read to really understand the timings of revelation of this surah and its detailed explanation:

This surah opens to an admonition to humankind by God. God takes an oath by “time” and declares that humankind is in a state of loss (khusr) if it does not secure four conditions/principles  of this oath: First, to have faith (iman); second, to do righteous deeds and act ethically (̀amal-al-salihat); third, to encourage the truth (watawasaw-bil-haqq) and finally, to urge each other to have fortitude/steadfastness/patience (watawasaw-bis-sabr).

The Shafi-Ash’arite theologian, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi(d. 1209) states that he understood the meaning of Surat-al-Asr  from an ice seller who was appealing to people in the bazaar to pity him and buy his ice before it melted away (Al-Razi, 2010). The analogy of melting ice to time instantly gives a feeling of life withering away and the urgency to do something to stop the loss. The surah effectively appeals to believers to learn about the consequence of time before the age limit that humankind is allotted with, which will pass away as the melting of ice. 

Herein under are the commentary of some of the prominent Muslim scholars about Surah Al 'Asr:

Abul Ala Maududi, prominent Muslim scholar from Pakistan opines that: This Surah is a matchless specimen of comprehensiveness and brevity. A whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words, which is too vast in content to be fully expressed even in a book. In it, in a clear and plain way it has been stated what is the way to true success for man and what is the way to ruin and destruction for him. Imam Shaafi has very rightly said that if the people only considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their guidance.

Mufti Muhammad Shafi, an well known South Asian Islamic scholar comments: the Struggle of the human being is like the one who is trying to sell ice. It is melting away and he needs to sell it quickly and make as much sales before the end of the day comes. Otherwise - all his valuables' and efforts will go to waste. [In the past - there were no Freezers, so your ice would melt into water by the end of the day.]

Al-Zamakhshari, Persian scholar has this to say about this surah: People are in tremendous loss because of that which they buy and sell in life (of good and bad), except for the Saaliheen (righteous). O Allah, make us of the Saliheen (righteous), Aameen. Because the Saliheen buy for the next life instead of for the pleasures of this life. And then they were profitable and happy on Judgment Day, and whoever was an enemy to their buying - then he was in loss and despair.

Now you may like to listen to the recitation of Surah al 'Asr along with its English translation (Each verse will be repeated thrice for those who wish to memo rise the surah):

Calligraphy by Shahid Rana | References: |1|2|3|

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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 108 Sūrah al-Kawthar (The Abundance)

Each and every surah of the Holy Qur'an has been revealed under peculiar circumstances and with some lesson or purpose behind its revelation. Unless one understands these circumstances, one cannot really understand the true meaning of the surah or the philosophy behind its revelation. and Sūrat al-Kawthar is no exception.

This Surah was revealed in difficult times in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), when the Muslims were few in numbers and weak compared to the enemies of Islam, which really made the Prophet felt low. and then he also lost his only two male sons one after the other. This gave an excuse to the pagans of Makkah to ridicule him and used to call him "Abtar" which mean the one cut off. 

In such trying times, this surah was revealed:

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar.
So, pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.

The central theme behind this surah was to lighten up and boost the spirits of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by giving him the tidings of Kawthar.

When the surah was shared by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with his companions, they instantly asked: "What is Al Kawthar?". To which, the Prophet replied, "Al Kawthar is a river in Paradise, which has water whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.". Since Kawthar means abundance in Arabic, it literally meant a river that never goes dry. The Prophet also added that Allah had granted him the Al Kawthar as a gift from which the righteous of his Ummat will drink to their fullest on the day of Resurrection.

Since this has been a great gift to the Prophet and his Ummat, Allah therefore commanded "to offer prayer and sacrifice to your Lord" as a gesture of gratitude.

The third verse " Indeed your enemy is the one cut off" is very meaningful. While the pagans of Makkah taunted the prophet of being "Abtar (cut off or having no following lineage)", Allah replies in this regard to the pagans that it was no Muhammad who had been cut off, in fact it would be the pagan who would soon have no one in their lineage to take their name. Meaning by that that the pagans should see the limited number of people who had embraced Islam and feel happy about it for in time their number would swell to such a great number that the pagans themselves would fell cut off.

And how true is the Allah's promise as today Islam is one of the dominating religions of the world and the number of non-Muslims embracing Islam is ever increasing. As for this surah, its shortness has enabled a large number Muslims to remember it by heart.

Many Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) are on record regarding the al-Kawthar in the later compilations of Hadith by prominent Muslim scholars based on the authentic sources of some of the close companions of the Prophet:

Narrated Anas bin Malik: One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was sitting among us when he dozed off. He then raised his head smilingly. We said: What makes you smile. Messenger of Allah? He said: A Sura has just been revealed to me, and then recited: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Verily We have given the Kawthar (fount of abundance). Therefore, turn to thy Lord for prayer and offer sacrifice, and surely thy enemy is cut off (from the good). Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what Kawthar is? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: It (Kawthar) is a canal which my Lord, the Exalted and Glorious has promised me, and there is an abundance of good in it. It is a cistern and my people would come to it on the Day of Resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the number of stars. A servant would be turned away from (among the people gathered there). Upon this I would say: My Lord, he is one of my people, and He (the Lord) would say: You do not know that he innovated new things (in Islam) after you. Ibn Hujr made this addition in the hadith:" He (the Holy Prophet) was sitting among us in the mosque, and He (Allah) said: (You don't know) what he innovated after you"

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said: "While I was walking in Paradise (on the night of Mi'raj), I saw a river, on the two banks of which there were tents made of hollow pearls. I asked, "What is this, O Gabriel?' He said, 'That is the Kawthar which Your Lord has given to you.' Behold! Its scent or its mud was sharp smelling musk!" (The sub-narrator, Hudba is in doubt as to the correct expression.)

Narrated Abu ʿUbaidah : I asked 'Aisha 'regarding the verse: --'Verily we have granted you the Kawthar.' She replied, "The Kawthar is a river which has been given to your Prophet on the banks of which there are (tents of) hollow pearls and its utensils are as numberless as the stars."

You may now like to listen to the recitation of Sūrah al-Kawthar in Arabic with English translation by Mishary Al Afasy:

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calligraphy by Shahid Rana | References: |1|2|3

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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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 2 Sūrah al-Baqarah (The Cow) - Why the Surah is so named

Alif, Lam, Meem.

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah,

Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,

And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].

Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.

Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an, which more essentially a prayer that a faithful recites in the beginning of each cycle of five daily prayers. And surely Sūrah al-Fātiḥah sums up the whole message of Allah contained in the holy book. Thereafter, then the message and commandments unfold in much details for the mankind to read, ponder and then act upon in totality and in complete submission to the only true creator of us all, Allah the Almighty.

From the second chapter on, the main text and elaboration of Allah's commandments begin covering all subjects of one's way of life so that every Muslim seeks guidance from these commandments and chose the righteous path that would lead to one's salvation and forgiveness by Allah on the Day of Judgment.

The five opening verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah, as translated above, give away the simple reason about the Holy Qur'an being a book of which there is no doubt and that it is for the guidance of those who are conscious of an unseen Allah, and pray to Him and spend from whatever has been provided to them. This also makes it very clear to have a belief in whatever has been revealed before this Holy scripture, like the three holy scriptures of Psalms, Torah and Bible, because only then one can be on the right path and will ultimately be successful, herein and hereafter.

Before the summary of the Sūrah al-Baqarah is presented, it would be better to explain as to why this surah has been named after a cow - and this is very important too as the incident narrated in the surah explains how those with shallow faith or a half hearted acceptance of Allah's commandments make excuses to an extent of getting away with a given task. This incident is mentioned in the verses 67-71 of the surah:

It so happened that a very wealthy man was mysteriously murdered and his body was found lying on the doorstep of a certain man. A dispute therefore arose with fingers pointing to one another. Before the swords could be drawn, the wise among them opined that the matter be taken to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) for an amicable solution. The Prophet listened to them and Allah commanded him to ask the people to slaughter a cow and place a piece of cow's meat on the dead man's body and the dead man will speak up the name of the murderer. The conversation between the Prophet and the Israelites that ensued is as narrated in the Qur'an:

Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.'' They said, "Do you make fun of us'' He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish)
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!'' He said, "He says, `Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young, but (it is) between the two conditions', so do what you are commanded.''
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour.'' He said, "He says, `It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing the beholders.
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is. Verily, to us all cows are alike. And surely, if Allah wills, we will be guided.
He (Musa) said, "He says, `It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no blemish in it.' '' They said, "Now you have brought the truth.'' So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it.

When the piece of cow's flesh was placed on the dead man's body, he woke up, pointed towards his murderer and went back to his eternal sleep. 

The purpose of explaining the reference to the context has simply been to show how a faulted faith can lead to arguing with prophets of Allah in order not to do a given commandment or a solution that apparently may not seem workable. But it is Allah alone who has the absolute knowledge and has His own ways of explaining and providing solutions. Therefore when one assumes faith in Allah, it should be held without an hesitation, doubt or halfheartedness. It is only then we shall be blessed and be faithful to our Creator.

The complete narration of the story also includes the will of a wealthy pious man who had a calf and asked his wife to wander it of in the wilderness. His wife hesitated and asked as to why she shroud wander off the only livestock they had for the future. The man told her to be patient and do what is the willed for Allah has His own way of rewarding those who do not hesitate for Allah commands them. After the man died and many years later when their son grew up, his mother told him about the calf and asked him to go to the jungle and find it. And the son, as pious as his father, went to jungle and prayed to Allah to return the animal. And he saw a well built, spotless young cow coming to him. The boy brought back the cow and started earning from its milk. 

And then the above incident happened and this was the only cow that looked exactly like as the Prophet Musa had asked the Israelites to slaughter. When the Israelites came to buy the cow, the boy refused for the price they were offering. The price was raised many times till the boy said he would not sell his cow even its skin if filled with gold. And when they even agreed, the boy said he would ask his mother and his mother readily agreed. This also explains how the farsightedness of the the old man which had the will of Allah contained in it brought wealth and prosperity to the boy and his mother.

The incident appears at many sites with some variations and can be read for detailed information.

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
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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Surah Al Ikhlas - Oneness of Allah: 112th Chapter of The Holy Quran

Surah Al Ikhlas, the 112th chapter of the Holy Qur'an comprise of four verses and is part of the 30th Juz.  Al-Ikhlas is not merely the name of this Surah but also the title of its contents, for it deals exclusively with Tawhid. The other Surahs of the Quran generally have been designated after a word occurring in them, but in this Surah the word Ikhlas has occurred nowhere. It has been given this name in view of its meaning and subject matter. Whoever understands it and believes in its teaching, will get rid of shirk (polytheism) completely. It is a short declaration of Tawhid, Allah's absolute oneness. Al-Ikhlas means "the purity" or "the refining".

The basic theme of Islam revolves around the Oneness of Allah and this has been highlighted at many a places in the Holy Qur'an. However, if there is one single chapter or surah which sums up the oneness of Allah is Sūra al-Ikhlāṣ. Although one of the very short surahs / chapters of the Holy Qur'an, it embodies in itself the clear message of monotheism for there being none equal or comparable to Allah.

This short but meaningful surah was revealed unto Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the early days of Islam when a group of infidels of Makkah came to him and asked about the "genealogy of Allah." And to answer the query raised by the non believers, Allah revealed Sūra al-Ikhlāṣ as an answer to the question of the people of Makkah.

This surah is placed after Surah Lahab. This is an indication of the fact that after the destruction of the biggest foe of Islam (as depicted in Surah Lahab), time is ripe for the proclamation of the essence of Tawhid once again in this land, for which Abraham (peace be upon hims) had built the House of Allah. Hence, in this surah, the basic Islamic teaching of Tawhid is forcefully asserted. Prior to Surah Lahab, the glad tidings of the victory of the Islamic forces are already given in Surah Nasr.

It may be added for interest and information fo the readers that the overall arrangement of the Qur'an is such that the beginning and the end are very similar. The end of the Qur'an converges to the topic with which it commences -- Tawhid and Ikhlas. Surah Fatihah and Surah Ikhlas, the beginning and the end of the Qur'an distinctly bring out the reality that the concept of Tawhid encompasses all our beliefs. It is mentioned in Surah Fatihah that God is the sole Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds and Master of the Day of Judgement, and as such we all must always express our gratitude to Him. Here, in this surah, the attributes that wipe out any trace of polytheism are explained positively as well as negatively, which actually forms the basis of the study of Tawhid. Moreover, it should also be kept in mind that the surahs which constitute this last group are fundamental to the study of Islam.

Herein under is the English translation / exegesis of Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ - You may also like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ with English subtitles at the end of the post:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

قُلۡ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ​ ۚ‏ 

1. Say (O'Muhammad), “He is Allah, (the) One (Ahad - In Arabic Ahad means One).   

The first addressee of this command is the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself for it was he who was asked by the disbelievers and pagans of Makkah: Who is your Lord and what is He like. Thus the Prophet of Allah was commanded to answer the question in the following words. But after him every believer is its addressee. He too should say what the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been commanded to say. Thus the opening word "  قُلۡ - qul" is a command that means "to proclaim", "to declare", "to openly announce something" so that every person becomes fully aware of it and there remains no ambiguity about it, leaving no room for further arguments. The word is used in this very sense in the opening verse of Surah Kafirun as well.

So the first verse clearly states My Lord to Whom you want to be introduced is none but Allah. This is the first answer to the questions, and it means: I have not introduced a new lord who I want you to worship beside all other gods, but it is the same Being you know by the name of Allah. Allah was not an unfamiliar word for the Arabs. They had been using this very word for the Creator of the universe since the earliest times, and they did not apply this word to any of their other gods. For the other gods they used the word ilah. Then their beliefs about Allah had become fully manifest at the time Abraha invaded Makkah. At that time there existed 360 idols of gods (ilahs) in and around the Kabah, but the polytheists forsaking all of them had invoked only Allah for protection. In other words, they knew in their hearts that no ilah could help them on that critical occasion except Allah. The Kabah was also called Bait-Allah by them and not Baitilahs after their self-made gods.

At many places in the Quran the polytheistic Arabian belief about Allah has been expressed, and the answer to questions of the disbeliever many verse reply back as to Who Allah is:

• In Surah Az-Zukhruf it has been said: If you ask them who created them, they will surely say, Allah. (verse 87).
• In Surah Al-Ankabuut: If you ask them, who has created the earth and the heavens and who has subjected the moon and the sun. They will surely say: Allah. And if you ask them, who sent down rainwater from the sky and thereby raised the dead earth back to life. They will surely say: Allah. (verses 61-63).
• In Surah Al-Muminun: Say to them, tell me, if you know, whose is the earth and all who dwell in it. They will say, Allah’s. Say to them: To whom do the seven heavens and the Glorious Throne belong. They will say: To Allah. Say to them: Tell me, if you know, whose is the sovereignty over everything. And who is that Being who gives protection while none else can give protection against Him. They will surely reply: This power belongs to Allah. (verses 84-89).
• In Surah Younus: Ask them: Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth. Who has power over the faculties of hearing and sight. Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living. Who directs the system of the universe. They will surely reply: Allah. (verse 31).
• Again in Surah Younus at another place: When you set sails in ships, rejoicing over a fair breeze, then all of a sudden a strong wind begins to rage against the passengers and waves begin to surge upon them from every side and they realize that they have been encircled by the tempest. At that time they pray to Allah with sincere faith, saying: If you deliver us from this peril, we will become Your grateful servants. But when He delivers them, the same people begin to rebel on the earth against the truth. (verses 22-23).
• The same thing has been reiterated in Surah Bani Israeel, thus: When a misfortune befalls you on the sea, all of those whom you invoke for help fail you but He (is there to help you), yet when He brings you safe to land, you turn away from Him. (verse 67).

This verse thus clearly sends down the concept of absolute monotheism and dispels any notion of there being any equal or comparable to Allah and amply clarifies there is only Allah, like the God of Jews. But not like the God of Christians which also shares the title with two other. This, however, does not mean that the three leading religions of Jews, Christians and Muslims worship a different God , because all religions believe in One True God, though with passage of time the term has assumed different meanings due to distortions and man made beliefs and interpretations. We Muslims thus believe that there is no plurality of gods, as the polytheist society of Makkah believed.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: The nature of Allah is here indicated to us in a few words, such as we can understand. The qualities of Allah are described in numerous places elsewhere, e.g., in lix. 22-24, lxii. 1, and ii. 255. Here we are specially taught to avoid the pitfalls into which men and nations have fallen at various times in trying to understand Allah. The first thing we have to note is that His nature is so sublime, so far beyond our limited conceptions, that the best way in which we can realize Him is to feel that He is a Personality, "He", and not a mere abstract conception of philosophy. He is near us; He cares for us; we owe our existence to Him. Secondly, He is the One and Only God, the Only One to Whom worship is due; all other things or beings that we can think of are His creatures and in no way comparable to Him. Thirdly, He is Eternal, without beginning or end, Absolute, not limited by time or place or circumstance, the Reality. Fourthly, we must not think of Him as having a son or a father, for that would be to import animal qualities into our conception of Him. Fifthly, He is not like any other person or thing that we know or can imagine: His qualities and nature are unique.

This is to negative the idea of Polytheism, a system in which people believe in gods many and lords many. Such a system is opposed to our truest and profoundest conceptions of life. For Unity in Design, Unity in the fundamental facts of existence, proclaim the Unity of the Maker.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: The actual word is: قُلۡ. It is used in the same meaning as in verse 1 of Surah al-Kafirun, ie. declare openly in such a clear manner that no doubt remains about it and everyone clearly understands it. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

The need for such a declaration only arises when after a long period of dialogue and debate, it becomes clear that the truth has been fully disclosed, and people are now indulging in debate only to prolong and complicate matters. In such cases, it is better to say whatever one has to in a stern and decisive manner so that the addressees become aware that everything about the subject has been said; no more time will now be wasted upon the issue and it is equally unlikely that any change in stance shall occur. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 9, 648). 

The actual words are: ہُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدٌ. The word ہُوَ is the pronoun of the fact (dhami al-sha’n) and in the opinion of the grammarians is ambiguous in nature. It can be translated as “the fact is,” “the reality is”, “the matter is” and other similar expressions. The purpose is to provide an opening to the next sentence that prepares the addressees for what is going to be said subsequently.

اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ​ ۚ‏ 

2. Allah, the Absolute.   

The verse means: Allah, Who is in need of none and of Whom all are in need. The word used in the original is samad of which the root is smd. A look at the derivatives in Arabic from this root will show how comprehensive and vast this word is in meaning.On the basis of these lexical meanings the explanations of the word as-Samad in the verse Allah-us-Samad, which have been reported from the companions, their immediate successors and the later scholars are given below:

• Abu Hurairah: He who is independent of all and all others are dependent upon him.
• Ali, Ikrimah and Kab Ahbar: Samad is he who has no superior.
• Abu Bakr al-Anbari: There is no difference of opinion among the lexicographers that samad is the chief who has no superior and to whom the people turn for fulfillment of their desires and needs and in connection with other affairs. Similar to this is the view of Az-Zajjaj, who says Samad is he in whom leadership has been perfected, and to whom one turns for fulfillment of his needs and desires.

Here it will be worthwhile to compare the verse 1 and 2, as why Allahu-Ahad has been said in the first sentence and why Allah-us-Samad in this sentence. About the word ahad there is no dispute that it is exclusively used for Allah, and for none else. That is why it has been used as ahad, in the indefinite sense. But since the word samad is used for creatures also, Allall-us-Samad has been said instead of Allah Samad, which signifies that real and true Samad is Allah alone. If a creature is samad in one sense, it may not be samad in some other sense, for it is mortal, not immortal; it is analyzable and divisible, is compound, its parts can scatter away any time; some creatures are dependent upon it, and upon others it is dependent; its chieftaincy is relative and not absolute; it is superior to certain things and certain other things are superior to it; it can fulfill some desires of some creatures but it is not in the power of any creature to fulfill all the desires of all the creatures, On the contrary, Allah is perfect in His attributes of Samad in every respect; the whole world is dependent upon Him in its needs, but He is not dependent upon anyone; everything in the world turns to Him, consciously or unconsciously, for its survival and for fulfillment of the needs of everyone; He is Immortal and Ever-living; He sustains others and is not sustained by anyone; He is Single and Unique, not compound so as to be analyzable and divisible; His sovereignty prevails over entire universe and He is Supreme in every sense. Therefore, He is not only Samad but As-Samad, i.e. the Only and One Being Who is wholly and perfectly qualified with the attribute of samad in the true sense.

Then, since He is As-Samad, it is necessary that He should be Unique, One and Only, for such a being can only be One, which is not dependent upon anyone and upon whom everyone else may be dependent; two or more beings cannot be self-sufficient and fulfiller of the needs of all. Furthermore, His being As-samad also requires that He alone should be the Deity, none else, for no sensible person would worship and serve the one who had no power and authority to fulfill the needs of others.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (As-Samad) is One Who does not give birth, nor was He born, because there is nothing that is born except that it will die, and there is nothing that dies except that it leaves behind inheritance, and indeed Allah does not die and He does not leave behind any inheritance.  

Yusuf Ali Explanation: Samad is difficult to translate by one word. I have used two, "Eternal" and "Absolute". The latter implies: (1) that absolute existence can only be predicated of Him; all other existence is temporal or conditional; (2) that He is dependent on no person or things, but all persons or things are dependent on Him, thus negativing the idea of gods and goddesses who ate and drank, wrangled and plotted, depended on the gifts of worshippers, etc.

Muhammad Asad Explanation: This rendering gives no more than an approximate meaning of the term as-samad, which occurs in the Qur'an only once, and is applied to God alone. It comprises the concepts of Primary Cause and eternal, independent Being, combined with the idea that everything existing or conceivable goes back to Him as its source and is, therefore, dependent on Him for its beginning as well as for its continued existence.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: The word اللّٰہ is a personal noun for God and is made after affixing alif lam to the word الٰہ. Before the revelation of the Qur’an, in the era of jahiliyyah also, this name was reserved for the Lord Who is the Creator of all that is between the heavens and the earth. In spite of being polytheists, Arabs would not regard any of their deities to be His equal. The Qur’an adopted this very name and made it the fountainhead of all worthy attributes. The word اَحَد refers to someone who is one and alone and unique in all respects. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

Linguists clearly differentiate between اَحَد (Ahad) and وَاحِد (Wahid). اَحَد (Ahad) means someone in whose being none can be associated, and وَاحِد (Wahid) means someone in whose attributes none can be associated. Probably this is the reason why the word اَحَد (Ahad) has never been used as an attribute other than that of God. This attribute also necessitates that He have no kin or relations, and at the same time it warrants that He be beyond and peerless in every sense. It also follows from this that God is uncreated and has always existed, and that everything else has been created and brought into existence. Naturally, someone who is the foremost out of His own accord should always exist because if at one time He never was, then it cannot be said of Him that He always existed. Summing up the discussion, two things must necessarily be accepted: Firstly, God has always existed, and secondly, everything except Him is His creation. These are the two necessary outcomes of His uniqueness and to deny both of these would be against sense and reason. In other words, if it is said that God is اَحَدٌ, then this means that He has always existed and He is the Creator of everything. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 9, 650)

The word صَمَد actually means a large rock behind which refuge is sought from an enemy attack. In many holy scriptures particularly in the Psalms of David, God has been called the “Rock” and the “Rock of Help.” The word occurs right after اَحَد as a guardian just as the attribute غَنِيّ is mentioned with حَمِيْد. In other words, God is indeed beyond and remote, yet at the same time, He is the rock of refuge and helper and protector of all. When His people turn to Him, He listens to their invocations and responds to them. The fact that He is sole and peerless should not lead people to believe that He is merely a silent first cause who is not concerned with His creatures.

What is negated here was already found in the word اَحَد but since the addressees of the Qur’an had ascribed sons and daughters to God, the negation is expressly stated so that the peerlessness and remoteness of God become so evident that neither any doubt nor anything else remains that can lead people astray.

لَمۡ يَلِدۡ   ۙ وَلَمۡ يُوۡلَدۡ ۙ‏ 

3. He begets not, nor was He begotten;

This verse is very important and must be understood clearly for in it lies a stern and absolute answer to the poking questions of the disbelievers to the Prophet of Allah. The Arabs had a mythology of their own which was very similar in detail to the Greek and Hindu mythologies. The idolaters regarded the angels to be the daughters of God. Although the Jews were the recipients of Torah, yet they regarded 'Uzayr as the son of God. The Christians had established the Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Their prejudice for Trinity took them so far that at one time their priests, at whose hands people accepted Christianity, made their converts curse the God whose attributes are spelled out in this surah. Indeed, the anger and the venom they had for this surah was because the concept of Tawhid expressed in it had made a direct hit upon their beliefs. Considering it, Allah could be regarded neither as a father nor a son, nor could anyone be regarded as His mother.

It also negates the claims of the pagans of Makkah that angels are the off springs of Allah. The surah clearly states that Allah is far above being the progeny of anybody or having any offspring. Thus He has no son or father. He is eternal ,without beginning or end. He is such a unique being that there is nobody like Him or equal to Him in any manner whatsoever.

This verse clearly send a message right from Allah Himself telling the disbelievers that Neither has He an offspring nor is He the offspring of another. After this there remains no room for any ambiguity in this regard. Then, since these concepts are the most potent factors of polytheism with regard to Divine Being, Allah has refuted them clearly and absolutely not only in Surah Al-Ikhlas but has also reiterated this theme at different places in different ways so that the people may understand the truth fully. 

• Allah is only One Deity: He is far too exalted that He should have a son: whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth belongs to Him. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 171).
• Note it well: they, in fact, invent a falsehood when they say, Allah has children. They are utter liars. (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayats 151-152).
• They have invented a blood-relationship between Allah and the angels, whereas the angels know well that these people will be brought up (as culprits). (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayat 158).
• These people have made some of His servants to be part of Him. The fact is that man is manifestly ungrateful. (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayat l5).
• Yet the people have set up the Jinn as partners with Allah, whereas He is their Creator; they have also invented for Him sons and daughters without having any knowledge, whereas He is absolutely free from and exalted far above the things they say. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth: how should He have a son, when He has no consort? He has created each and every thing. (Surah AlAnaam, Ayats 100-101).
• They say: the Merciful has offspring. Glory be to Allah! They (whom they describe as His offspring) are His mere servants who have been honored. (Surah Al-Anbiya, Ayat 26).
• They remarked: Allah has taken a son to himself. Allah is All-pure: He is Self Sufficient. He is the Owner of everything that is in the heavens and the earth. Have you any authority for what you say? What, do you ascribe to Allah that of which you have no knowledge. (Surah Younus, Ayat 68). 
• And (O Prophet) say: Praise is for Allah who has begotten no son nor has any partner in His Kingdom nor is helpless to need any supporter. (Surah Bani Israil, Ayat 111). 
• Allah has no offspring, and there is no other deity as a partner with Him. (Surah Al-Muminun, Ayat 91).

In these verses the belief of the people who ascribe real as adopted children to Allah, has been refuted from every aspect, and its being a false belief has also been proved by argument. These and many other Quranic verses of the same theme further explain Surah Al-Ikhlas.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: This is to negative the Christian idea of the godhead, "the Father", "the only-begotten Son" etc.

وَلَمۡ يَكُنۡ لَّهٗ كُفُوًا اَحَدٌ

4. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”

In the last verse, "Kufuwun"means `equal, like, peer, match, similar'. This verse means that Allah has no parallel or equal. He is the Creator and all other things are His creation. Everyone has needs while He has none. All need Him while He needs none. Everyone is mortal while He is the only immortal.

It is Allah alone to whom we turn to, depend upon and will return to on the Day of Judgment. He has the absolute power and doe not need anyone else to be dependent upon. Even when the entire universe comes to an end on the Day of Judgment and all living things will cease to exist, Allah will still remain forever. This verse clarifies the question "Who created the creator?" The answer is simple: one of the characteristics of the creator itself is that he is not created. If the creator was created it automatically means it’s not the creator. Allah is therefore eternal, without beginning or end.

Therefore associating any humanly creation with limited attributes to be like Allah who created the fathomless and endless universe, which is yet to be scaled or measured even with the most advanced means like the Hubble Telescope and other scientific discoveries. This fact has also been emphasized in the Āyat al-Kursī, the summary of which has already been posted earlier in this blog. Allah is not confined by space and time and He alone without assistance of anyone controls all what He has created and sustains it through His absolute and unmatchable powers.

Summarizing this surah, one must acknowledge the message of the surah which lies in the concept of Tawhid and which brings out by mention of certain complementary pairs of attributes of Allah. The essence of which is that Allah has always existed and shall always exist; He was when there was nothing and shall remain when everything ceases to be; He is complete and entire in His being and is above all needs; everyone needs Him while He needs none; He is a refuge for all and on Him everyone depends; He brings everything into existence, and by His orders everything is destroyed; He is father to none nor has He a father; He is the Creator and the Cherisher of all and fashions and sustains everything; nothing is from His substance and being; He has no peer or equal and indeed all are His servants and slaves.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: This sums up the whole argument and warns us specially against Anthropomorphism, the tendency to conceive of Allah after our own pattern, an insidious tendency that creeps in at all times and among all peoples.

Muhammad Asad Explanation: Cf. 89:3 , as well as surah {19;92}. The fact that God is one and unique in every respect, without beginning and without end, has its logical correlate in the statement that "there is nothing that could be compared with Him - thus precluding any possibility of describing or defining Him (see note [88] on the last sentence of 6:100 ). Consequently, the quality of His Being is beyond the range of human comprehension or imagination: which also explains why any attempt at "depicting" God by means of figurative representations or even abstract symbols must be qualified as a blasphemous denial of the truth.

[Explanation surah {19;92}] The idea that God might have a "son" - either in the real or in the metaphorical sense of this term - would presuppose a degree of innate likeness between "the father" and "the son": but God is in every respect unique, so that "there is nothing like unto Him" ({42: 11}) and "nothing that could be compared with Him" ({112: 4}). Moreover, the concept of "progeny" implies an organic continuation of the progenitor, or of part of him, in another being and, therefore, presupposes a degree of incompleteness before the act of procreation (or incarnation, if the term "sonship" is used metaphorically): and the idea of incompleteness, in whatever sense, negates the very concept of God. But even if the idea of "sonship" is meant to express no more than one of the different "aspects" of the One Deity (as is claimed in the Christian dogma of the "Trinity"), it is described in the Qur'an as blasphemous inasmuch as it amounts to an attempt at defining Him who is "sublimely exalted above anything that men may devise by way of definition" (see last sentence of 6:100 ).

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation: The actual word is: کُفُوًا. It means “parallel,” “similar” and “equal”. The implication is that there is no one in the Universe who by any connotation of the word is similar to God. He is totally matchless and peerless with regard to His status, attributes, deeds and authority. The most important issue pertaining to faith and beliefs is that of the being and attributes of God. This surah explains this issue in a conclusive manner. Hence, it occupies extra-ordinary importance. 

For this very reason, Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has summarized its contents at the end of its exegesis. He writes: The concept of God that comes to mind in view of His positive and negative attributes mentioned in this surah is that God has always existed and shall always exist; He was when there was nothing and shall remain when everything ceases to be; He is complete and perfect in His being and is above all needs; everyone needs Him while He needs none; He is a support and refuge to everyone; He brings everything into existence, and by His orders everything is destroyed; He is father to none nor has He a father; in fact, He is the Creator and the Cherisher of all and fashions and sustains everything; nothing is from His substance and being; everything is His creation and He has no peer or equal and indeed all are His servants and slaves. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 9, 652)

A Hadith on its Virtues [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]

Al-Bukhari reported from `Amrah bint `Abdur-Rahman, who used to stay in the apartment of `A'ishah, the wife of the Prophet , that `A'ishah said, "The Prophet sent a man as the commander of a war expedition and he used to lead his companions in prayer with recitation (of the Qur'an). And he would complete his recitation with the recitation of `Say: He is Allah, One.' So when they returned they mentioned that to the Prophet and he said, (Ask him why does he do that.) So they asked him and he said, `Because it is the description of Ar-Rahman and I love to recite it. 

So the Prophet said,  (Inform him that Allah the Most High loves him.)'' This is how Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in his Book of Tawhid. Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded it. In his Book of Salah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said, "A man from the Ansar used to lead the people in prayer in the Masjid of Quba'. Whenever he began a Surah in the recitation of the prayer that he was leading them, he would start by reciting `Say: He is Allah, One' until he completed the entire Surah. Then he would recite another Surah along with it (after it). And used to do this in every Rak`ah. So his companions spoke to him about this saying; `Verily, you begin the prayer with this Surah. Then you think that it is not sufficient for you unless you recite another Surah as well. So you should either recite it or leave it and recite another Surah instead.' The man replied, `I will not leave it off. If you want me to continue leading you (in prayer), I will do this; and if you all do not like it, I will leave you (i.e., I will stop leading you).' They used to consider him to be of the best of them to lead them in prayer and they did not want anyone else to lead them other than him. 

So, when the Prophet came they informed him of this information and he said, (O so-and-so! What prevents you from doing what your companions are commanding you to do, and what makes you adhere to the recitation of this Surah in every Rak`ah) The man said, `Verily, I love it.' The Prophet replied, (Your love of it will cause you to enter Paradise.) This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, with a disconnected chain, but in a manner indicating his approval. 

Now you may like to listen to the recitation of Sūra al-Ikhlāṣ along with its Englsih translation:

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):  

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

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:

Photo | References: | 1 |  2 | 3 |  4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

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Most powerful Ayat of the Quran: Āyat al-Kursī (The Throne Verse)

The Holy Qur'an encloses in itself the complete Deen or creed of Islam for those who care to listen to Allah and His commandments. Allah, God as per Jews and "partly" as per Christians as their concept of God also includes Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is the omnipotent, the only one that is to be revered and prayed to.

There are many mentions of oneness of Allah, but the most powerful ayat of Holy Qur'an that stresses on the oneness of Allah is Āyat al-Kursī (Surah 2:255), in the second chapter of Holy Qur'an in Surah Al Baqarah (The Cow). In fact this ayat is the most comprehensive statement of the belief in one God. "A believer declares his conviction that the Almighty is the sole owner of all the power and sovereignty and declares that he is pure of any attributes, which do not match his mighty place."

The ayat is so powerful that on a number of occasions the Prophet has stressed the importance of its recitation. 

Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (radi Allahu anhu) has been quoted as saying: The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ): said: “Whoever recites Āyat al-Kursī  immediately after each prescribed Prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” [an-Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban, ibn Sunni, at-Tabarani, ibn Hibban – Sahih]

The Prophet (S) also said: ‘When you are about to sleep recite Āyat al-Kursī  till the end of the verse for there will remain over you a protection from Allah and no devil will draw near to you until morning.’ (Hisnul Muslim)

Herein under is the Arabic text of Āyat al-Kursī  and its English translation:

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful:

"Āyat al-Kursī is considered to be the widely memorized ayat by the Muslims. And is often seen displayed in Muslim households, masjids and even the place of business to bring prosperity to family and business.." Beside the above two references, there are many attributes attached to the recitation of this most powerful ayat of the Holy Qur'an. Some of these are listed:

• Reciting  Āyat al-Kursī  and then blowing it upon food and drink brings blessings and abundance.
• Whosoever reads  Āyat al-Kursī  upon entering the home, Satan runs away from there.
• The reciter, his children, home, wealth, property and the homes of his neighbours are safe.
• Whosoever reads  Āyat al-Kursī  together with the last ayats of Surah Baqarah, Devil (s) "Shaitaan" do not enter his home for three days.
• The Jinn cannot open any utensil upon which  Āyat al-Kursī is read.
• The thief does not come near it’s reciter.
• When reciting it whilst retiring to one’s sleeping place, one is protected until the morning. Two angels are deputed to protect him.
• When recited with the last ayat of Surah Baqarah then the plea of the reciter will not go unattended.

Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maulâ (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Baqarah 2:286)

Now listen to a beautiful recitation of   Āyat al-Kursī  along with its English translation:

Calligraphy by Shahid Rana | Arabic and English Text | 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.

You may also refer to our following sites for knowing more about Islam and Quran:

• 114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of all Sūrahs / chapters of the Quran
• 99 Attributes of Allah" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.
• Understanding Islam - Frequently Asked Q&A for knowing more about Islam.
• Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

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