Makkan surah, recited regularly by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Fajr salah on Jummah.

Themes

• Journey of life from birth to Day of Judgement.
• Qualities of believers.
• Punishments for the disbelievers.
• Submitting to Allah SWT.

Selected Verses

2: The Quran has been revealed by the Lord of all the worlds. It is beyond doubt, not a fabrication, but a warning to people who have not previously been guided.

4-5: Creation of heavens and earth in six stages, six periods of time. Allah SWT governs every affair from the heavens to the earth, that is, He decides what happens throughout the universe. Everything will all then return to Him, on a day that lasts one thousand years.

7-9: Allah SWT has perfected everything He created. Mankind was created from clay, then from an extract of humble fluid, then fashioned and a soul blown into them. We have been given hearing, sight and intellect.

There is a distinction between the creation of Adam AS and the rest of mankind which is at odds with evolution. That is, Adam AS did not evolve from another biological creature.

11-14: The Angel of Death will take our soul and we will return to Allah SWT. The mujrimun (criminals) will ask for another chance, but it will be too late. They neglected their meeting with their Lord, so He will neglect them and they will taste the torment of punishment for eternity.

Everyone is given only one chance in this world. The one who does not contemplate their existence and acknowledge their creator will be the loser in the Akhira.

15-17: The true believers are those who fall in prostration when the revelation is recited to them, glorifying Allah SWT. They force themselves to pray at night, do good deeds and donate from what Allah SWT has provided for them. No one can imagine what delights are in store for them as a reward.

18: Are the righteous and the evil equivalent?

21-22: The disbelievers will suffer minor torments in this world in order to give them the chance to return to Allah SWT. Whoever turns away after being reminded of Allah SWT’s revelations will be severely punished.

Communal punishments (for example, covid) are sent when too many people are doing too much wrong for too much time. These are a wakeup call to return to the Straight Path. The worldly punishment does not mean everyone is to blame. Punishment in this world is nothing compared to the Akhira, we need to save ourselves from the real punishment. When Allah intends to punish a people, the punishment afflicts everyone among them. Then, they are resurrected according to their deeds [Bukhari].