The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 95 Sūrat at-Tīn ( The Fig )

Being a layman, sometimes it becomes very difficult to understand a chapter of the Holy Qur'an which seemingly gives one simple meaning, but in itself hides meanings that stretch one's imagination to greater lengths. And Sūrat at-Tīn (The Fig) is one such Sūrah of Holy Qur'an. It is one my favourite chapters of Holy Qur'an for I learnt it by heart by listening to my morning prayers' Imam who would recite this Sūrah in the first cycle of the Fajar  (The pre dawn) prayer.

Please read the simple translation of Sūrat at-Tīn to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• By the fig and the olive;
• and by the Mount Sinai,
• and by this city (of Makkah), a haven of peace:
• surely We created man in the best mould;
• then We reverted him to the lowest of the low,
• except those who have faith and do righteous deeds. Theirs is a never ending reward.
• Who, then, can give the lie to you, (O Prophet), about the Reward and the Punishment?
• Is not Allah the Greatest of all sovereigns?

Going by the plain textual meanings, this chapter is very easy to understand for here Allah has taken vows of four things: The fig (considered to be a fruit of paradise), Olives (a healthy oil), the Mount Sinai, where the Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) spoke to Allah and the peaceful city of Makkah. And then explains how best He created man who due to his wrong doings went down to the lowest of esteem, barring those who believed in Allah and His messengers/prophets and Books. And those who did not believe in oneness of Allah and got astray, there will be severe punishment in waiting.

But then I came across some very enlightened tafsirs and explanations which are really mind boggling and that which provide true understanding of this small yet very complicated and hard to understand chapter.

According to many scholars, Allah does not take a vow that is not interconnected to the remaining text of a chapter.  Thus they believe the mention of four different things has to be interconnected to understand the remaining text of the chapter. The base their translation on the fact that: [1]

"There was a practice among the people of Arabia that they generally named a land where a certain fruit was produced in plenty after the name of the fruit itself. Accordingly, the meaning of teen (fig) and zaytun (olives) can be the land where these fruits are grown, and it is the land of Syria and Palestine, for among the Arabs of that period this very land was well known for the production of fig and olive."

Another explanation is based on the fact that "teen implies Damascus and zaytun Bait al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). 

Another view of Ibn Abbas is quoted as saying "Teen implies the mosque of the Prophet Noah, which he built on Mt. Judi, and zaytun implies Bait al-Maqdis, but hearing the words wat-tin waz-zaytun, no ordinary Arab could think of these meanings, nor was it well known among the Arabs, who were the first addressees of the Quran that teen and zaytun were names of the places."

And we all know that the indirect mention of the four places is attributed to favourite prophets of Allah: "The land of Syria and Palestine is the land where a large number of Prophets, from the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) to the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), were raised. Mt. Toor is the place where the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was blessed with prophet-hood. As for Makkah, it was founded by the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) themselves. 

Now this correlation makes sense and based on it, Allah created man in the best mould, that is referring to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for he was born and raised in Makkah and it was here that he received his prophet-hood.

Allah made man in perfect balance, as have all prophets been and all righteous people who follow Allah's path and seek His guidance. But when an imbalance is created and man digresses from the true path and prefers wordily pleasures, he goes down to the lowest ebb, "Except those who have faith and do righteous deeds. Theirs is a never ending reward. Who, then, can give the lie to you, (O Prophet), about the Reward and the Punishment? Is not Allah the Greatest of all sovereigns?"

I have tried to summaries this rather complex explanation of Sūrat at-Tīn based on my reading of various references. Please refer to these reference given below to read further details and be better educated. However, the end message by Allah remains uncaged: Those who do good and choose the righteous path as enunciated in the Holy Qur'an will be rewarded which will never end, and those who did not believe or disobeyed, made alterations in earlier scriptures sent down by Allah or got disarrayed, their end will be extreme miserable in the blazing fire of hell.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat at-Tīn with English subtitles:

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 

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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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 94 Sūrat al-Inshirāḥ ( The Relief / Solace )

Sūrat al-Inshirāḥ or Sūrat al-Sharḥ as it is also called so is the 94th chapter contained in the 30th part of the Holy Qur'an. As the text and meaning suggest, this chapter was revealed in Makkah during the early days of prophet-hood of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The main theme revolves around the concept "with each difficulty there is ease."

The aim and object of this Surah too is to console and encourage the Holy Messenger (upon whom be Allah's peace). Before his call he never had to encounter the conditions which he suddenly had to encounter after it when he embarked on his mission of inviting the people to Islam. This was by itself a great revolution in his own life of which he had no idea in his life before Prophethood. No sooner had he started preaching the message of Islam than the same society which had esteemed him with unique honor, turned hostile to him. The same relatives and friends, the same clansmen and neighbors, who used to treat him with the highest respect, began to shower him with abuse and invective. No one in Makkah was prepared to listen to him; he began to be ridiculed and mocked in the street and on the road; and at every step he had to face new difficulties. Although gradually he became accustomed to the hardships, even much severer ones, yet the initial stage was very discouraging for him. That is why first Surah Ad-Duha was sent down to console him, and then this Surah.

In it, at the outset, Allah says: "We have favored you, O Prophet, with three great blessings; therefore you have no cause to be disheartened. The first is the blessing of Sharh Sadr (opening up of the breast), the second of removing from you the heavy burden that was weighing down your back before the call, and the third of exalting your renown the like of which has never been granted to any man before. Further below in the notes we have explained what is implied by each of these blessings and how great and unique these blessings indeed are!

After this, the Lord and Sustainer of the universe has reassured His Servant and Messenger (upon whom be peace) that the period of hardships which he is passing through, is not very long, but following close behind it there is also a period of ease. This same thing has been described in Surah Ad-Duha, saying: "Every later period is better for you than the former period, and soon your Lord will give you so much that you will be well pleased."

In conclusion, the Holy Prophet has been instructed, so as to say, "You can develop the power to bear and resist the hardships of the initial stage only by one means, and it is this: `When you are free from your occupations, you should devote yourself to the labor and toil of worship, and turn all your attention exclusively to your Lord'." This same instruction has been given him in much greater detail in Surah Al-Muzzammil 1-9.

Before commenting on the circumstance under which of Sūrat al-Inshirāḥ was revealed, please read the English translation of the Sūrat al-Inshirāḥ to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
• And We removed from you your burden
• Which had weighed upon your back
• And raised high for you your repute.
• Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
• So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].
• And to your Lord direct [your] longing.

Since proclamation of Islam, the Prophet of Allah (s) was in great distress as everyone seemed to have turned against Him. Most pf his friends, clansmen, relatives and acquaintances who respected and honoured him as a just and truthful person before his proclamation of Islam, turned bitterly against Him and their animosity pained Him.

Under such trying days, Sūrat al-Inshirāḥ was revealed to console the Prophet of Allah and assure Him of the full divine support and help against those who had been the cause of his distress and sufferings. 

The word “Sharh” is also mentioned in Surah al-Anaam Ayah 125 which means “to cut something, to open up, enlarge, expand or uncover.” This word also appears in Surah Ta-Ha Ayah 25, when Prophet  Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) said, “My Lord, expand for me my chest.” In the context, it means opening up of the heart so that Divine wisdoms and mysteries could be comprehended and accepted. Comprehension and acceptance both are essential because sometimes we understand something but are unable to accept it. [3]

In fact in this chapter, Allah had mentioned three of His blessings to ease Prophet's discomfort: The first is opening up of the breast, the second of removing from the heavy burden that was weighing down on His back before the call, and the third of exalting His renown the like of which has never been granted to any man before. 

And then in fifth verse, Allah says it all: "Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." This in fact is a reassurance from Allah the period of hardships which the Prophet of Allah (s) was passing through at that time, shall too pass soon and He would find solace and comfort very soon. A similar reassurance was given to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā: "Every later period is better for you than the former period, and soon your Lord will give you so much that you will be well pleased."

And then as usual, Allah asks His prophet to turn to Him and thank Him for the bounties He has bestowed upon the Prophet (s) and seek Him alone and let nothing whatsoever distract him. This is the lesson for everyone for us: After whatever we do, our daily chores and work, we should never forget to bow in front of Allah to thank Him for the life He had given to us, though with many ups and down. For these ups and downs are the tests that Allah takes of us to see how steadfast we are and how grateful. And for those who are grateful, there is solace and relief here in this world and thereafter too.

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

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 93 Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā ( The Morning Brightness )

The Chapter 93, Sūrah Aḍ-Ḍuḥā, of the Holy Qur'an commences with a vow by the Almighty Allah to dispel a notion of many non believers when the divine revelations to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had a pause of considerable days. The absence of revelations provided an excuse to the non believers and pagans of Makkah to mock the Prophet of Allah by saying that the 'false' fountainhead has dried up. And this really saddened the Prophet (s) for He thought that the continuation of divine messages has finally ended.

Its subject matter clearly indicates that it belongs to the earliest period at Makkah. Traditions also show that the revelations were suspended for a time, which caused the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) to be deeply distressed and grieved. On this account he felt very anxious that perhaps he had committed some error because of which his Lord had become angry with him and had forsaken him. Thereupon he was given the consolation that revelation had not been stopped because of some displeasure but this was necessitated by the same expediency as underlies the peace and stillness of the night after the bright day, as if to say: "If you had continuously been exposed to the intensely bright light of Revelation (Wahi) your nerves could not have endured it. Therefore, an interval was given in order to afford you peace and tranquility." This state was experienced by the Holy Prophet in the initial stage of the Prophethood when he was not yet accustomed to hear the intensity of Revelation. On this basis, observance of a pause in between was necessary. This we have already explained in the introduction to Surah Al Muddaththir; Surah Al-Muzzammil also we have explained what great burden of the coming down of Revelation he had to bear. Later, when the Holy Prophet developed the power to bear this burden, there was no longer any need for long gaps.

Its theme is to console the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) and its object to remove his anxiety and distress, which he had been caused by the suspension of Revelation. First of all, swearing an oath by the bright morning and the stillness of night, he has been reassured, so as to say: "Your Lord has not at all forsaken you, nor is he displeased with you." Then, he has been given the good news that the hardships that he was experiencing in the initial stage of his mission, would not last long, for every later period of life for him would be better than the former period, and before long Allah would bless him so abundantly that he would be well pleased. This is one of the express prophecies of the Quran, which proved literally true, afterwards, whereas when this prophecy was made there seemed not to be the remotest chance that the helpless and powerless man who had come out to wage a war against the ignorance and paganism of the entire nation, would ever achieve such wonderful success.

Then, addressing His Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) Allah says:"O My dear Prophet, what has caused you the anxiety and distress that your Lord has forsaken you, and that We are displeased with you? Whereas the fact is that We have been good to you with kindness after kindness ever since the day of your birth. You were born an orphan, We made the best arrangement for your upbringing and care: you were unaware of the Way, We showed you the Way; you were indigent, We made you rich. All this shows that you have been favored by Us from the very beginning and Our grace and bounty has been constantly focused on you." Here, one should also keep in view vv. 37-42 of Surah Ta Ha, where Allah, while sending the Prophet Moses to confront a tyrant like Pharaoh, encouraged and consoled him, saying: "We have been looking after you with kindness ever since your birth; therefore, you should be satisfied that you will not be left alone in this dreadful mission. Our bounty will constantly be with you."

In conclusion, Allah has instructed His Prophet (upon whom be peace) telling him how he should treat the creatures of God to repay for the favors He has done him and how he should render thanks for the blessings He has bestowed on him.

Before commenting on the text of Sūrah Aḍ-Ḍuḥā, please read the English translation of the Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• By the bright forenoon
• and by the night when it covers the world with peace
• (O Prophet), your Lord has neither forsaken you, nor is He displeased
• Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by
• Verily your Lord will soon give you so amply that you will be well-pleased
• Did He not find you an orphan and then gave you shelter?
• Did He not find you unaware of the Right Way, and then directed you to it?
• And did He not find you in want, and then enriched you?
• Therefore, be not harsh with the orphan;
• and chide not him who asks,
• and proclaim the bounty of your Lord.

وَالضُّحٰىۙ‏: By the morning brightness, when the earth covered by the darkness of night, brings life to the world and everyone goes about doing one's daily chores. This vow of morning brightness followed by the darkness of the night has been taken by Allah to reassure His beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that Allah has neither been displeased nor forsaken him. 

These initial verses of the Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā were revealed when the divine messages had stopped coming, some say for 15 days while say it was 40 days. Naturally this perturbed the Prophet of Allah and was in a state of extreme grief and anguish which was augmented by the taunts, jeers and mocking by the pagans and non believers. As per some sources, it is quoted that "Umm Jamil, wife of Abu Lahab, who was an aunt of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and whose house adjoined his, said to him: It appears your Satan has forsaken you." [1]

In the verses 4-5 Allah promises His Prophet that "Soon would follow what is better for you and that you shall be rewarded and given so much that you will be well pleased." This promise was fulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and all Arabia, from the southern coasts to the Syrian frontiers of the Byzantine empire and the Iraqi frontiers of the Persian empire in the north, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Red Sea in the west, came under his control.  And the slogan La-ilaha-illallah-u Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah reverberated throughout the lands where the polytheists and the followers of the earlier scriptures had tried their utmost to keep their false creeds and slogans aloft till the last. [1]

Allah then reminds the Prophet that He was taken under divine protection even he was born orphan, even when His mother passed away when He was six, and by eighth year His grandfather too passed away and was then taken over by His uncle Abu Talib for as long as the latter lived and He was able to stand on His own feet and become a successful merchant.

A similar encouragement was given to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) when he was found hesitant to confront a tyrant like Pharaoh: "We have been looking after you with kindness ever since your birth; therefore, you should be satisfied that you will not be left alone in this dreadful mission. Our bounty will constantly be with you." [Chapter 20, Surah Ta Ha, verses 37-42]

Since Allah had protected the orphan boy from very early days of His birth till being a prosperous merchant, Allah commands his Prophet to take care of orphans and the poor for he once was too. And should not refuse anyone who is in need and asks for assistance.

And then at the end, Allah asks His Prophet "and proclaim the bounty of your Lord" by thanking Allah for the countless bounties blessed upon Him and openly announcing prophet-hood, the blessings of Holy Qur'an publicly so that all around should know how Allah takes care of His prophets, rears them from rags and takes them to pinnacles of success, and never leaves them to be mocked and jeered at. 

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā with English subtitles:

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 98 Sūrat al-Bayyinah ( The Clear Evidence )

Sūrat al-Bayyinah, the 98th Chapter, flanked by the Surahs Al-Alaq (97th Chapter) and Al-Qadr (the 99th Chapter) in the Holy Qur'an is for a reason:  Surah Al-Alaq contains the very first revelation of the Holy Qur'an, while Surah Al-Qadr shows as to when the Holy Qur'an was revealed, and Sūrat al-Bayyinah, the middle chapter, explains why it was necessary to send a Messenger gifted with the last of holy scripture, the Holy Qur'an.

Its having been placed after Surahs Al-Alaq and Al-Qadr in the arrangement of the Quran is very meaningful. Surah Al-Alaq contains the very first revelation, while Surah Al-Qadr shows as to when it was revealed, and in this Surah it has been explained why it was necessary to send a Messenger along with this Holy Book.

First of all the need of sending a Messenger has been explained, saying: The people of the world, be they from among the followers of the earlier scriptures or from among the idolaters, could not possibly be freed from their state of unbelief, until a Messenger was sent whose appearance by itself should be a clear proof of his apostleship, and he should present the Book of God before the people in its original, pristine form, which should be free from every mixture of falsehood corrupting the earlier Divine Books; and which should comprise sound teachings.

Then, about the errors of the followers of the earlier Books it has been said that the cause of their straying into different creeds was not that Allah had not provided any guidance to them, but they strayed only after a clear statement of the Right Creed had come to them. From this it automatically follows that they themselves were responsible for their error and deviation. Now, if even after the coming of the clear statement through this Messenger, they continued to stray, their responsibility would further increase.

In this very connection, it has been stated that the Prophets who came from Allah and the, Books sent down by Him, did not enjoin anything but that the way of sincere and true service to Allah be adopted, apart from all other ways, no one else's worship, service or obedience be mixed with His, the salat be established and the zakat be paid. This same has been the true religion since ever. From this also it automatically follows that the followers of the earlier scriptures, straying from this true religion, have added extraneous things to it, which are false, and Allah's this Messenger has come to invite them back to, the same original faith.

In conclusion, it has been pointed out clearly that the followers of the earlier Books and the idolaters who would refuse to acknowledge this Messenger are the worst of creatures: their punishment is an everlasting Hell; and the people who would believe and act righteously, and would spend life in the world in awe of God, are the best of creatures: their reward is eternal Paradise wherein they will live for ever. Allah became well pleased with them and they became well pleased with Allah.

Before commenting on the text of Sūrat al-Bayyinah, please read the English translation of the Sūrat al-Bayyinah to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not to be parted [from mis-belief] until there came to them clear evidence 
• A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
• Within which are correct writings.
• Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence.
• And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.
• Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
• Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds - those are the best of creatures.
• Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.

Sūrat al-Bayyinah by its meaning seems to have three parts: the opener which explains who are addressed in the chapter and why, the central idea or the chiasm and the reward for the believers and punishment of those who do not heed to the commandments of Allah. 

As is very self explanatory, the people to who this chapter is addressed to are the polytheists (of Makkah) and the People of the early Scriptures who have equated the One True God with many man made idols or sharing the other gods with One God, like the concept of Trinity. In fact the People of the Books have turned away from their earlier belief to mis-belief and made changes as per their own wishes. 

And such are the people both non believers and mis-believers who even when find a messenger among them who has brought the clear evidence of the final word of Allah contained in the last of the holy scriptures, the Holy Qur'an, do not accept the truth and continue to cling to their mis-belief and turn away from the clear proof when presented to them.

The comes the central chiasm of the chapter: And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion. In fact all earlier religions have always taught man to worship one true God and give alms, charity or Zakat as in Arabic. This chapter thus tells the polytheists and the people of earlier scriptures that they have in fact either never understood the divine message or have been derailed from the message of truth they earlier had faith in.

And then comes the good news and the bad news in the last three verses: 

• Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures, for these people rejected the truth in spite of having reason and authority to believe.
• Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds - those are the best of creatures. And why they are superior to all creatures of Allah, even to the angels? For the angels do not have the power to disobey, and these people adopt Allah’s obedience in spite of having the power to disobey Him.
• Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord. Meaning by the people who did not live in the world fearlessly and independent of God, but feared Him at every step lest they should do something which might entail Allah's wrath and punishment, will have this reward reserved for them with Allah.

This chapter is not the only chapter of the Holy Qur'an which warns the polytheists and the mis believers to come back to the right path, the path that has been shown with clear proof, lest the time runs out when there shall be no repentance but burning fire of hell.

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

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook
Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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The Holy Qur'an (Summary): Chapter 96 Sūrat al-ʻAlaq ( The Clinging Clot )

Sūrat al-ʻAlaq is one of the most important chapters of the Holy Qur'an, for its initial five verses are the first ever revelation

Before commenting on the text of Sūrat al-ʻAlaq, please read the English translation of the Sūrat al-ʻAlaq to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

1. Recite in the name of your Lord Who created
2. Created man from a clot of congealed blood
3. Recite: and your Lord is Most Generous
4. Who taught by the pen
5. Taught man what he did not know
6. Nay, surely man transgresses,
7. For he believes himself to be self-sufficient
8. Surely to your Lord is your return
9. Did you see him who forbids
10. A servant (of Allah) when he prays?
11. Did you consider: what if he is on the Right Way,
12. and enjoins piety?
13. Did you consider: what if he gives the lie (to the Truth) and turns away (from it)?
14. Does he not know that Allah sees everything?
15. No indeed; if he does not desist, We shall drag him by the forelock;
16. by the lying forelock steeped in sin.
17. So let him summon his helpmates;
18. We too shall summon the guards of Hell.
19. No, not at all. Never obey him. But prostrate yourself and become nigh (to your Lord).*

*  The translated words ‘prostrate’ in verse 19 comes from the word ‘Sujud’ which refers to the position in Muslim prayer where the head, hands, knees, and toes are on the ground. [2] Therefore anyone reading this Surah, should prostrate after reading the 19th verse.

The revelation of first five verses of Sūrat al-ʻAlaq is the first ever revelation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to mark the begging of his prophet hood. A detail on this has already been covered in one of our earlier posts "The dawn of prophet-hood." These verses were revealed through Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the cave of Hira, outside the city of Makkah, where the latter used to go and pray to a divine power he thought created the universe.

Thus the first five verses were an introduction of Allah to a prophet in making as to who your Lord is: Who created the universe, and created man from the congealed blood. The same gracious Lord who taught the man by the pen and taught him what he did not know. 

Here a point to be noted is that more than 1,400 years ago, the knowledge of science then did not know how a fetus is developed inside the womb. This knowledge came many centralities later. So those who criticize Islam and allege that Qur'an is written by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) makes them chew their own words as here in the very second verse of the earliest revelation by Allah, man is told that he was Created man from a clot of congealed blood and says that it is Allah who taught him what he did not know.

The second portion of verses from 6-19 were revealed sometimes later and indicate towards an incident attributed to animosity of Abu Jahl, a leading pagan of Makkah, whose outburst was phenomenal when he came to know that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was preaching a new religion claiming monotheism instead of polytheism. He therefore threatened th Prophet of dire consequences if he did not stop praying to his One God. But the Prophet of Allah persisted and when one day he saw the Prophet of Allah praying openly in the precinct of Ka,bah, he got infuriated and gathered a crowd and asked: “Is Muhammad setting his face on the ground in front of you (praying)?” When they replied in affirmative he said: “by the gods Al-Lat and Al-Uzza, if I ever catch him in that act of worship (salah), I will set my foot on his neck and rub his face in the dust.” [3]

The verses 9-18 thus amply highlight Allah's reaction to Abu Jahl's vow and warn him of severe consequences: Did you see him who forbids servant (of Allah) when he prays? Did you consider: what if he is on the Right Way,and enjoins piety? Did you consider: what if he gives the lie (to the Truth) and turns away (from it)? Does he not know that Allah sees everything? No indeed; if he does not desist, We shall drag him by the forelock; by the lying forelock steeped in sin. So let him summon his helpmates; We too shall summon the guards of Hell.

One day Abu Jahl when he saw Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he stepped forward, motioned to put his foot on his neck, but then became frightened and left. When asked about it later, he said that he had seen a vision of a ditch right in front of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), filled with fire and a monster with fiery wings. After Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) heard about the remark, he said: “if he would have come near me, the angels would have struck him down and torn him into pieces.” [3]

سَنَدۡعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ ۙ‏ (We too shall summon the guards of Hell.)


As per one of the explanation of the 18th verse of the Surah, the word zabaniyah is used for the police in Arabic idiom, and zaban actually means to push away. The kings too kept armed attendants who would push out the one with whom the king was annoyed and angry. Therefore, what Allah means is: Let him call his supporters; We too shall summon Our Police, i.e. the angels of torment, to deal with him and his supporters. [2]

For all the affection shown by Allah to His beloved Prophet (s), in the last verse Allah thus asks the Prophet (s) to pray and prostrate in front of Allah for a believer is nearest to Allah when he is in the state of "Sajdah" (prostration). It has been attributed to Abu Hurairah who said that that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited this verse, he performed a Sajdah of recital.

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

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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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: Chapter 101 Sūrat al-Qāriʻah - The Striking Calamity (Summary)

Allah Almighty has warned the disobedient and obedient alike in many chapters of the Holy Qur'an about a day when this world will come to a violent end - a day when there will be massive earthquakes and earth shaking violently and everything coming to a standstill. That will be End Day, the Day of Resurrection to take stock of the deeds of the good and bad. Like our previous post ( Sūrat az-Zalzalah ( The End day Earthquake )), 101 Sūrat al-Qāriʻah also encompass the same warning and paints the grim picture of the Doomsday.

Before commenting on the text of Sūrat al-Qāriʻah, please read the English translation of the Sūrat al-Qāriʻah to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• Al-Qari'ah (the striking Hour i.e. the Day of Resurrection),
• What is the striking (Hour)?
• And what will make you know what the striking (Hour) is?
• It is a Day whereon mankind will be like moths scattered about,
• And the mountains will be like carded wool,
• Then as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be heavy,
• He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise).
• But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light,
• He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell).
• And what will make you know what it is?
• (It is) a hot blazing Fire!

The opening three verses of surah almost coincide or reciprocate the opening three verses of Surah al-Haqqa (Chapter 69):

الْحَاقَّةُ
The Inevitable [Day]!
مَا الْحَاقَّةُ
What an Inevitable Day it is.
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحَاقَّةُ
And what will make you know what the Inevitable is?

As explained before, Allah has warned the man many a times in the Holy Qur'an of the inevitable that will happen and the day when the wrongdoers will repent and the those who did good and put their trust in Allah would rejoice. Now see the similarity of the warning contained in Chapter 69 above and Chapter 101 below

الْقَارِعَةُ 
The striking Hour,
مَا الْقَارِعَةُ 
What is the striking (Hour)?
وَوَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ
And what will make you know what the striking (Hour) is?

Qariah literally means the striking one. Qar is to strike one thing upon another so severely as to produce a noise. In view of this literal meaning, the word qariah is used for a dreadful disaster and a great calamity. [1]

Having described what is Qariah, the following verses explain how dreadful will be day when  mankind will be like moths scattered about and the mountains will be like carded wool. This is how the day of doomsday would be so like. Imagine the mountains turned like the carded wool - the strongest features on earth whithering away, then you may imagine what would be state of affairs of the man made structures.

And the the process of reward and punishment would commence. Those with heavier ,load of good deeds will land up in the much promised paradise. But those with a heavier load of bad deeds will be thrown into a pit - a pit of hot blazing fire. 

Such examples and warnings are given to man off and on in the Holy Qur'an for man may chose the righteous path, the path Islam shows promises for the good believers. But for those believers and non believers who choose a path of wordily pleasures, status and wealth while slandering others will have a tragic and painful ending, forever.

Here are some references from the Holy Qur'an which convey similar warnings to the man of their dreadful ending if they do not act upon the commandments of Allah:

On that Day the weight will be identical with the truth: accordingly, those whose scales, will be heavy will alone come out successful; and those whose scales are light will be the ones who will have incurred loss upon themselves. (Surah Al-Aaraf verses 8-9).

O Prophet, say to them: Should we tell you who are the most unsuccessful people and miserable failures in regard to their deeds? They are those whose all endeavors in the worldly life had gone astray from the right way, but they were under the delusion that everything they were doing, was rightly directed. These are the people who rejected the revelations of their Lord and did not believe that they would ever go before Him. Therefore, all their deeds were lost, for We will assign no weight to them on the Day of Resurrection. (Surah Al-Kahf verses 103-105).

If you have read this with the real intent of being blessed, you shall be so blessed if you continue to find truth, the path to salvation and eternal pleasures of paradise, IF you sacrifice the wordily pleasures for the pleasures that await in the hereafter. The choice is wide open.

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

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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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Sūrat az-Zalzalah ( The End day Earthquake ) - Summary 99th Chapter of Quran

The ending chapters of the Holy Qur'an carry almost the same message: Warnings and cautions from Allah for those who did bad deeds and disobeyed commandants of Allah and reward for those who followed the path shown in various chapters of the Holy Qur'an. And this chapter is no exception.

Whether or not it was revealed, at Makkah or Madinah, is disputed. Ibn Masud, Ata, Jabir, and Mjahid say that it is a Makki Surah and a statement of Ibn Abbas also supports this view. On the contrary, Qatadah and Muqatil say that it is Madani and another statement of Ibn Abbas also has been cited in support of this view. That it is a Madani Surah is reasoned from a tradition from Hadrat Abu Said Khudri, which Ibn Abi Hatim has related from him. He says: "When the verse Fa-man ya mal mithqala dharratin khairan yarah, wa man ya mal mithqala dharratin sharran yarah, was revealed, I said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I really see my deeds? The Holy Messenger replied in the affirmative. I submitted: And every major sin? He replied yes. I said: And the minor sins too? He replied yes. Thereupon I exclaimed that I would then be ruined. The Holy Prophet said: Rejoice, O Abu Sa'id, for each good act will be equal to ten good acts like it." The basis of the argument for this Surah's being Madani is that Hadrat Abu Sa'ld Khudri was an inhabitant of Madinah and reached maturity after the Battle of Uhud. Therefore, if this Surah was revealed in his presence, as is apparent from his statement, it must be a Madani Surah. However, the practice that the Companions and their immediate successors followed in respect of the occasion of the revelation of the verses and Surahs, has already been explained in the Introduction to Surah Ad-Dahr above. Therefore, a Companion's saying that a verse was sent down on this or that particular occasion is no proof that it was sent down on that very occasion. It may well be that after coming of age when Hadrat Abu Sa'id heard this Surah for the first time from the Holy Prophet, terrified by its last portion he might have asked the Holy Prophet the questions which we have cited above, and he might have narrated the incident saying that when this verse was revealed he put this and this question to the Holy Prophet. In the absence of this tradition every reader who reads the Qur'an with understandings will feel that it is a Makki Surah. More than that: from its theme and style he would feel that it must have been sent down in the earliest stage at Makkah when the fundamental principles and beliefs of Islam were being presented before the people in a concise but highly effective way.

This chapter warns the wrongdoers of a huge earthquake that would bring the world to an end, destroying everything over it and throwing out what is contained under the earth, even the dead long since.

The surah begins by describing how on the Day of Judgment, the Earth will give off a terrible earthquake and "throw up her burdens". Through the inspiration of God, the Earth will bear witness to the actions of men it has witnessed. According to Michael Sells, the earth opening up and bearing forth her secrets in this sura is indicative of a birth metaphor. The earth al-'Ard in the feminine gender bears forth of how her lord revealed the final secret to her. Human beings will then realize that the moment of accountability has arrived. This meticulous accountability will reflect good and evil deeds that might have seemed insignificant at the time.

Verses 1-3  Terror on the Day of Judgment

This is the beginning of the end; the Final Day.  God is telling us quite clearly how the Day of Judgment will begin.  There will be a violent earthquake the like of which has not been seen before.   The whole earth will shake; one huge convulsion after the other.  It will shake, pause and then shake again, over and over until mountains fall and buildings crumble.   The earth will then be reduced to a flat surface. 

The violent shaking and convulsing will cause the earth to expel its burdens.  Islamic scholars have given this verse more than one meaning.  The first is that the bodies of the dead will be thrown out of their graves, resurrected.  Secondly the treasures of this world will be laid out exposing their insignificance.  What use are expensive cars and jewellery, for instance, when the earth and all that is in it has been shaken and flattened.  Thirdly the earth will cast out, as if it were a video recording, a record of all the deeds and actions that have taken place throughout its history.

All of humankind will look around afraid and transfixed.  Each person will be amazed and terrified at the same time and each person will ask himself or nobody in particular, what is happening!? What is wrong with this earth!? Slowly the fear will be replaced by the realization that this is the Day of Judgment and the terror will take on a new dimension.  This is the day that was promised, the Day of Resurrection, the Day of Judgement.

Verses 4 and 5  The earth bears witness:

The earth itself will bear witness as to what has happened on it.  Every single thing and every single person’s deeds and actions will be laid bare.  Humankind individually and as a whole will be bewildered.   Nothing has been hidden; the earth has recorded and remembered each and every action and reaction and now at the command of God it will reveal its long kept confidences.  And the forgetful will be reminded of the deeds and actions they have somehow dispelled from their consciousness.

God will cause the earth to speak or in some way reveal the events that have taken place; long kept secrets, true version of events lost in the midst of time, great deeds, and seemingly insignificant ones that were never acknowledged will now be clearly identifiable.  The earth will report its news; describe its condition and what has happened on it.  The earth obeys the orders of God in true and complete submission.  

Verses 6-8  The Results:

Many scholars believe that this is describing the people separated into categories depending on what their position will be in the Hereafter.  It is a scene indescribable in any human language.  The people are both terrified and amazed as they go to where they will be confronted with their deeds, both the good and the bad.  For many this will be more distressing than any earthly punishment because humankind is very good at hiding their crimes even from themselves.

In the seventh verse the use of the word ‘so’ denotes a conclusion.  So now you will see all the bad deeds and all of the good deeds you have ever done.  Nothing will be left out, even things as small as you could imagine; a speck of dust, or even an atom.  Having a good deed as small as an atom could mean a favorable outcome, likewise a bad deed, as tiny as an atom, may cast you into the abyss.

Before commenting on the text of Sūrat az-Zalzalah, please read the English translation of the Sūrat az-Zalzalah to understand its plain meaning / translation :

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

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

• When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake (Az Zalzalah).
• And when the earth throws out its burdens,
• And man will say: “What is the matter with it?”
• That Day it will declare its information (about all what happened over it of good or evil).
• Because your Lord has inspired it.
• That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.
• So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.
• And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.

This chapter in fact paints the doomsday scenario when massive and violent earthquakes will jolt and shake the entire earth, though it is known whether this would include the entire universe or our earth alone, which is certainly the case. All mighty structures that architects and countries boast today will fall like a pack of cards and there will be fires all over.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been quoted as informing: "The closer we get to the end of time, the more frequent earthquakes will become." And this is indeed reflected by the reality; just checking their increased occurrence over the past 2 decades bears this out. [3]

The mention of such massive life ending quakes have been mentioned in many parts of the Holy Qur'an:

“When the sky splits, the stars fall, the oceans boil, when graves are overturned.” (Quran 82: 1-4)

“Do not forget the End Day when the sun is folded and will lose its light. When the stars fall down and cease to exist. When the mountains are made to fly about. When the pregnant camels are abandoned by their owners (people will have no interest in their valuables). When even the wild beasts are gathered. When the oceans are set alight to boil. When souls are joined.” (Quran 81:1-7)

And then the graves would be split open and the dead would come to life and would ask what has happened and why they had been waken up from their slumber. This would include all dead, whether they were buried or drowned or frozen on the mountains.

According to Michael Sells, the earth opening up and bearing forth her secrets in this surah is indicative of a birth metaphor. The earth al-'Ard in the feminine gender bears forth of how her lord revealed the final secret to her. Human beings will then realize that the moment of accountability has arrived. This meticulous accountability will reflect good and evil deeds that might have seemed insignificant at the time. [2]

In an other explanation of the verse 2, it is opined that the word ‘akhraja’ used here is a strong word – it often refers to something being pushed or forced out. The burdens being thrown off are all the deeds, corruption and pollution of humans over the millennium of time.  The image created here is one of the Earth unable to digest the corruption of humanity, and finally in a state of sickness vomiting the unnatural, unwanted deeds of its inhabitants. [3]

This chapter started with something big and ends with the smallest of things.  Even a very ordinary small good has its own value and likewise even the most ordinary evil will also be considered and taken into account.  Thus, no good act, however small, should be left undone.   It may be that many such good deeds can collect and add up to be heavy on the Scale.  Likewise, even the most commonplace evil should also not be committed, because tiny sins done repeatedly can harden the heart and make it blind to the seriousness of greater offences.

The last two verses spell out very clearly who will be pardoned and who will be thrown into the burning hell forever. Such are the ways Allah forewarns the wrongdoers to still repent and come back to the path of truth, lest that day that will be anytime catches them unguarded and unprepared. That day there would be no going back, no forgiveness and no pardons, though Alla is all forgiving and merciful. And He may pardon someone with mountain loads of sins but one small act of kindness or good deed, or He may punish someone with mountain loads of good deed but one small act of bad deed. So before counting on Allah's mercy, do good now for Allah's wrath is unbearable.

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat az-Zalzalah with English subtitles:

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

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

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

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

Read More