Tafsir

The remaining Sūrahs of the Quran are very brief yet packed with meaning. Sūrah al-Qadr is one such Sūrah. The scholars differ regarding whether it is a Makkan or Madinan Sūrah, with the majority leaning towards Makkan due to its size and theological theme. This Sūrah contains only five verses, but in these five verses are many layers of meaning and many important lessons.

The theme of Sūrah al-Qadr is obvious. It is about the blessed night of al-Qadr. Allah has gifted this nation with one night near the end of Ramadan in which worship has more value than eighty three years. This is an amazing gift that every believer should enjoy and benefit from. In these five short verses, five major virtues of the night of al-Qadr are listed.

The Revelation of the Quran

The first blessing mentioned is that it is the night on which the Quran was revealed. The Quran was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) gradually over twenty three years. Because of this, scholars have differed over what is meant by the Quran being revealed on the night of al-Qadr.

The first opinion is that the first revelation (verses 1-5 of Sūrah al-ʿAlaq) were revealed on this night. This opinion makes the position of this Sūrah immediately after Sūrah al-ʿAlaq make sense. The second opinion is that the Quran was revealed to the lowest Heaven from the Preserved Tablet in its entirety on its night. Some scholars have reconciled these two opinions and said it could refer to both, as these two events do not contradict each other. Allah knows best.

This verse reminds us of the powerful link between the Quran and Ramadan. In the very beginning of the Quran (2:185) Allah informs us that He revealed the Quran in Ramadan. And now at the very end of the Quran, He reminds us of the same. The Quran both begins and ends, in a way, with reminders that the Quran was revealed in Ramadan.

This should inspire us to devote more time to the Quran in Ramadan. We should work on nurturing a strong relationship with the Quran throughout the year, but in Ramadan especially we should spend even more time reciting it, reflecting on it and studying it.

Better than a thousand months

The second virtue mentioned in this Sūrah is that the night of al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. This virtue is also mentioned in several narrations from the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Anas ibn Mālik reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said when the month of Ramadan began, “Verily, this month has presented itself to you. There is a night within it that is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of it has been deprived of all good. None is deprived of its good but that he is truly deprived.”

Sunan Ibn Mājah 1644

In this narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) warns that anyone who does not benefit from this night is deprived of all good. This means that any person who knows that such a night exists, yet makes no effort to worship Allah on these nights has deficiency in his faith or understanding of Islam. No true believer will let such an opportunity pass to earn the reward of more than a thousand months of worship.

The Presence of the Angels

The next virtue mentioned in this Sūrah is the presence of the angels. Allah informs us that the angels descend on this night to our realm, including the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel). This makes it a very important night because the angel Jibrīl usually only descends to bring revelation or when there is an important event. The descent of the angels, and the singling out of Jibrīl among them, should make us realize that even the angels consider this a blessed and important night.

Knowing that the angels descend on this night should cause us to increase in our dua on the night of al-Qadr. The angels ask Allah to answer our duas, so when we make dua during these nights, there is even stronger chance that it will be answered. Dua is one of the acts of worship that is very strongly associated with this night. This is why ʿĀʾisha (RA) asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) what dua she should make on this night.

ʿĀʾisha reported; I said, “O Messenger of Allah, if I know which night is the Night of Decree, what should I say during it?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Say: O Allah, you are pardoning and generous. You love to forgive, so forgive me.”

Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3513

The Destiny of man is decreed on this night

There are several opinions regarding why it is called the night of al-Qadr. The strongest, in my opinion, is because it is the night in which the Qadr of man for the next year is decreed to the angels. The concept of Qadr (destiny) is a deep theological issue with many layers. I will only discuss here the aspects of it related to the night of al-Qadr.

Qadr is generally divided into two categories. The first is the infinite knowledge of Allah i.e. Allah knows everything that will ever happen, and nothing can happen except what He knows and wills. The second is the Qadr that is revealed to the angels. Every year on the night of al-Qadr Allah reveals to the angels the Qadr for that year i.e. who will die, who will be born, who will face calamities, etc.

This second type of Qadr is the one that is decreed on this night. It is also the type that can be changed through dua.

Salmān reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Nothing repels the divine decree but supplication, and nothing increases life span but righteousness.”

Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2139

This gives us further motivation to make dua during the night of al-Qadr. It is the night when the angels receive their instructions for the following year. So we should spend it asking Allah to make that decree favorable to us.

The Night of Peace

The final virtue listed is that it is a night of peace. There is peace until the rising of the dawn. This means that the believers experience a surreal sense of peace on the night of al-Qadr. This is also considered one of the signs to seek for the night of al-Qadr. If someone spends the last ten nights of Ramadan in worship and experiences an overwhelming sense of peace on one of those nights, then he could consider that night to be the night of al-Qadr.

Ibn ʿAbbās reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding the Night of Decree, “It is a calm night, neither hot nor cold, and the sun arises on it red and feeble.”

Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah 2049

The wisdom behind not knowing

The above five virtues are the ones listed in this Sūrah. The Sūrah, however, does not tell us when the night of al-Qadr is. In fact, Allah has purposely kept that knowledge secret from the believers, leaving only a few clue and signs. There are several opinions regarding when the night of al-Qadr is. My opinion is that it occurs during the last ten nights of Ramadan and changes every year, and Allah knows best.

One of the possible reasons for keeping this a secret is so that we worship Allah more. If people knew exactly which night was al-Qadr, the majority of Muslims would engage in extra worship on that night only and feel it sufficient for the rest of the year. This could lead to laziness and laxity in worshipping Allah.

Since we do not know which night it is, Muslims across the globe spend all ten nights during the last ten nights of Ramadan engaged in extra acts of worship. Had they known the night, many would only have done one-tenth of that worship during Ramadan. Allah knows us best, and knowing our weaknesses, He kept this night a secret so that we can be blessed by worshipping Him more.

Another possible wisdom is so that nobody feels secure that they got the night of al-Qadr. For many people, such a feeling of security would make them lazy to worship Allah on other nights. Praise be to Allah, who reveals and withholds what He wills, He is Al-Ḥakīm (All-Wise), Al- ʿAlīm (All-Knowing).

The first five verses of Sūrah al-ʿAlaq were the very first verses of the Quran to be revealed. The remainder of the Sūrah was revealed a few months or years later during the Makkan era. The scholars differ on exactly when the remaining verses were revealed but the story of its revelation makes it very clear that these are Makkan verses. As a result, this Sūrah is a Makkan Sūrah by consensus. It consists of 19 verses, the first five of which were the first revelation.

Reasons for Revelation

The reason for revelation of both sets of verses are clearly narrated in authentic hadiths. Regarding the first five verses, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī includes a lengthy narration about its revelation. The narration is as follows.

ʿĀʾisha, the mother of the faithful believers, narrates; the commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hīra where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family.

He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadīja to take his food likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hīra. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “I do not know how to read.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) added, “The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, ‘I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?’

Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.” (96:1, 96:2, 96:3)

Then Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadīja bint al-Khuwaylid and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and after that, he told her everything that had happened and said, “I fear that something may happen to me.”

Khadīja replied, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.”

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1:3

Regarding the second set of verses, the following has been narrated as its reason for revelation.

Abū Huraira reported that Abū Jahl asked (people) whether Muhammad placed his face (on the ground) in their presence. It was said to him: Yes. He said: By Lāt and ʿUzza. If I were to see him do that, I would trample his neck, or I would smear his face with dust.

He came to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as he was engaged in prayer and thought of trampling his neck (and the people say) that he came near him but turned upon his heels and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him: What is the matter with you?

He said: There is between me and him a ditch of fire and terror and wings. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: If he were to come near me the angels would have torn him to pieces.

Then Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed these verses; “In fact, man oversteps all bounds, because he looks upon himself as self-sufficient. Surely to your Lord is the return. Have you seen him who forbids a servant when he prays? Do you see if he is on the right way, or enjoins the observance of piety?

Do you see if he [Abū Jahl] disbelieves and turns away? Does he not know that Allah sees? Nay, if he desists not, We will seize him by the forelock, a lying, sinful forelock. Then let him summon his council. We will summon the guards of Hell. Nay! Obey not thou him, but kneel down, and come near.” (96:6-19).

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 52:41

These two narrations give us a clear picture of the events surrounding the revelation of this Sūrah.

The Call to Knowledge

The first revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him) called on him and his followers to recite in the name of the Lord. There are two commands included in this verse, the first is to recite the Quran, and the second is to begin our recitation with the Basmala.

The first revelation was a call to recite, study, ponder over and reflect on the Quran. Doing so should lead to increase in faith and practice of Islam. A major problem in our times is that the majority of people have abandoned reciting the Quran with understanding. This has created a barrier between us and piety. The way back begins going back to the Quran.

Allah then reminds us of some of His Favors. He created us in a miraculous way, and gifted us with language and the ability to learn. These two skills, complex languages and the ability to study, are unique to the human race. They are two of the qualities that make humans the best of creation, and give us an advantage over other creatures.

In reminding us of these favors, Allah is calling us to use them in ways that are beneficial. Reading, writing, talking, and learning should all lead a person closer to Allah. A believer should immerse himself in books and classes that increase his faith and piety. The foundation of our faith is knowledge, and it begins with the Quran. These verses remain a reminder to all of us to never stop reciting the Quran and reflecting over its meanings.

The Arrogance of Abū Jahl

The remainder of the Surah was revealed regarding Abū Jahl and his arrogant attitude towards Islam. Abū Jahl had seen clear signs that Islam is the truth, yet openly rejected it and opposed it all his life. He dedicated his life to fighting the truth, despite seen obvious proof that it was the truth.

In these verses, Allah condemns Abū Jahl for his arrogance and lies, for trying to prevent people from worshipping their Creator, and for thinking that he is self-sufficient. Many of the early revelations condemned self-sufficiency due to its prevalence among the elite of the Quraysh.

The leaders of the Quraysh were wealthy and powerful people. They attributed all of their success to their own intellects and skills. They denied that Allah had anything to do with it, and that He is the true provider. In their delusion, they grew arrogant and began to look down upon the poor. This mindset was one of the primary reasons why they rejected Islam. They couldn’t stomach the idea of a religion that attributed sustenance to God, and treated the wealth and the poor as equal.

Modern Capitalistic societies suffer from this same delusion. Many billionaires boast about being self-made. They attribute all their success to themselves, and remove God from the equation altogether. They look down upon the poor as lazy and unworthy of wealth. In doing so, they repeat the mistakes of Abū Jahl and risk following in his footsteps.

Islam calls on us to maintain humility in all situations. A believer works hard and does his best. But the believer also knows that all sustenance is from Allah. So he is grateful to Allah, content and generous. He does not look down upon people due to their poverty or circumstances. He knows that the only criterion for superiority is piety and only Allah knows who is truly pious.

This Sūrah offers us a duel message of the right and wrong way. The way of reciting the Quran, studying, and seeking authentic knowledge leads to Paradise. The qualities of Abū Jahl lead to the Hellfire. It is the duty of every person to choose their path in life, “So prostrate and come close (to your Lord).” (96:19)

To learn more Tafsir of the Quran, check out my ebook Themes of the Quran, available here.

Sūrah at-Tīn is a beautiful short Sūrah at-Tīn focused on reminding mankind of their potential for great piety and great evil. It is an early Makkan Sūrah comprised of just eight short verses. The first three verses are an oath of various aspects of creation. The middle three verses represent the core message of the Sūrah regarding the potential of mankind. The final two verses are a warning to those who reject this message.

The core theme of this Sūrah is humanity and our potential. Allah created humans with a sound pure nature, and gave it the potential for piety. Those who choose the opposite path end up the worst of creation due to their sin, rebelliousness and lack of purpose. It is this core theme that Allah calls upon us to reflect upon in this Sūrah.

A Symbolic Oath

There is a lot of discussion in the books of Tafsīr regarding the oath at the beginning of this Sūrah. It begins with an oath on the fig and the olive tree, followed by an oath on Mount Sinai and “this blessed city” i.e. Makkah. Scholars have discussed at length what these four things have in common.

The strongest opinion seems to be the opinion of the great companion ʿAbdullah Ibn ʿAbbās (RA). He stated that these four oaths represent four great messengers and their messages. The fig represents Prophet Nūḥ (AS) as he built his Masjid on a Mountain abundant in figs. The olive tree represent Jerusalem and message that Prophet Ibrāhīm (AS) brought to that land. Mount Sinai represents Prophet Mūsā (AS) as it is where he spoke to Allah. Finally, Makkah represents the final message of Islam that was revealed to Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) in Makkah.

These oaths serve as a reminder that the message of Islam is not a new message. It is a continuation and conclusion of a series of messages sent to various messengers across the globe. Each of these prophets represented the same message from the same Creator. They called on their people to worship Allah alone and to obey the messenger. None of the prophets came with any other message. Islam represents the perfect finalized global edition of this Divine Message, one that is applicable and practical in every time and place.

The best and the lowest

After taking these oaths, Allah then draws our attention to the fact that He created mankind in the best of forms. He then warns that humanity also has the potential to fall to the lowest of lows, unless they follow the message of Islam. The purpose of revelation is to guide us towards the best of lives that helps us live up to our potential and serve our purpose in life as worshippers of Allah.

There are several interpretations of these verses. These verses can be understood as referring to either the physical or spiritual components of mankind. Both interpretations are found in the classical works of Tafsīr.

The first interpretation is that humans were created with the best of bodies, reaching their full physical potential in their thirties, before their bodies begin to decline. By the time, they reach old age, their bodies have become a shell of their former selves, and they reach the lowest of the low in their physical capabilities.

The second interpretation seems stronger and focuses on the spiritual component instead. Mankind was created on a sound nature (fitrah). This fitrah can be nurtured and preserved through following the revelation. However, when people choose to go against their fitrah, they fall into all kinds of immorality and sin, reaching the lowest of the low spiritually.

The fitrah represents humanity’s inner potential for piety. Allah has blessed every human being with an inner conscious, a moral compass deep within our souls. This conscious feels uneasy when we sin, and experiences inner peace when we worship Allah. It is our natural navigator to help discover truth and avoid the paths of falsehood.

Success then lies in nurturing this fitrah by seeking the truth and submitting to it. It is only through embracing Islam and choosing to a live a life of faith and righteous deeds that we can reach our full potential. The human potential for piety lies within every human. Accessing is as simple as devoting one’s life to Islam and avoiding the paths of falsehood.

Reaching the lowest of the low morally has become a norm in our times. Humanity seems to be on a race to the bottom, with each generation inventing new methods of sin and new lifestyles of immorality. In the pursuit of lust, humanity loses its purity, drowns out its fitrah, and becomes the lowest of low. The end result of this is a life of anxiety, depression and restlessness in this world, and even worse to come in the next world. The way back is simple, repent and submit to the Creator. That is the only way to achieve inner peace in this world, and eternal peace in the next.

A Divine Warning

The primary audience of this Sūrah were the pagans of Makkah. So it is fitting that the Sūrah ends with a warning to them about rejecting the truth and facing Allah’s Judgment on the Last day. The disbelievers of Makkah scoffed at the idea of revelation, prophethood and an Afterlife.

They believed in Allah, but did not believe in resurrection or Judgment. These verses call them to question their position. “Is Allah not the best of judges?” Why would Allah create humans, leave them to cause havoc on earth, and not hold them to account for their life choices when they die?

This verse calls on the disbelievers to question their position towards the Day of Judgment. If someone believes in a Just Creator, then belief in the Last day is a natural consequence of that belief. To believe in Allah but reject resurrection and judgment is nonsensical. Allah ends the Sūrah with this question, leaving it to the minds of the readers to answer it for themselves.