Makkan surah referring to the successive groups of believers and non believers on the Day of Judgement who will come together to be entered into Jannah or Jahannam.

Themes

• Allah SWT’s Power and Oneness.
• Returning back to Allah SWT and facing Judgement.
• Advice to repent and save oneself from the torment of Hell.
• Scenes of Day of Judgement.

Selected Verses

1-3: The Quran is revealed from Allah SWT, the Almighty, All Wise. Worship Him alone with sincere devotion, which is due only to Allah SWT. He does not guide those who persist in lying and disbelief.

4-6: The Power of Allah SWT’s creation. If He willed for offspring, He could have chosen whatever of His creation. He created the heavens and the earth, wrapped the night around the day and subjugated the sun and the moon in their orbits. He created mankind from a single soul, then from that, his mate. Four pairs of cattle were created for mankind – sheep, goats, camels, oxen. We are created within the wombs of our mothers, in stages, in three layers of darkness (abdominal cavity, womb, amniotic sac).

That is Allah – your Lord! All authority belongs to Him. There is no god worthy of worship except Him. How can you then be turned away?

7: Allah SWT appreciates us being grateful to Him. If we believe or disbelieve it is for us alone, it does not benefit or harm Allah SWT. No soul is burdened with another’s sin. We will all return to Allah SWT and then be informed of our deeds.

8: Criticising people for turning to Allah SWT only in times of adversity, or applauding themselves for getting out of a calamity (also 49: being saved from a calamity is a test in itself – how one reacts to being saved).

9: Importance of knowledge, knowing why we are here and where we will be going. Are those who know, the same as those who do not know?

15-16: The losers are those who have lost themselves and their families on the Day of Judgement. They will have layers of fire above and below them.

18: The righteous are those who listen to Allah SWT and follow Him to the best of their abilities.

20: Palaces and mansions built upon each other for those mindful of their Lord (the higher levels of Jannah).

22: The one whose chest is open to Islam has the light of Allah SWT, the true comfort of the soul comes from Islam:

• light vs darkness:
  • one who is guided vs wandering/astray.
• soft hearted vs hard hearted:
  • humble, gentle, fear/awe of Allah SWT vs ignorant/arrogant.

23: The Quran is the best of all speech, the guidance of Allah SWT (it is the most recited scripture). It causes the skin and hearts to tremble for those who fear Allah SWT and to soften at the mention of His Mercy. Fear and hope of Allah SWT need to be balanced, ie do not simply expect to be forgiven and not punished.

29: The parable of a slave owned by multiple quarrelsome masters vs one master – are they equal in condition? One who worships multiple gods will never be at peace as each god would try to covet its creation.

42: Sleep is the brother of death. Allah SWT takes the souls of the people who die and of those who are asleep, returning those souls as He wills, until their appointed time.

44: All intercession belongs to Allah SWT alone.

47: If the wrongdoers were to possess everything in the world twice over, they would ransom it to save themselves from the horrible punishment on Judgement Day.

53-59: Never give up hope of the mercy of Allah SWT, He forgives all sins – the most optimistic verse in the Quran (53). Turn back to Allah SWT and repent before it is too late and death overtakes one. Follow the Quran, the best of what has been revealed to mankind.

67-70: Scene of Day of Judgement:

• The earth will be in His Grip, the heavens will be rolled up.
• The trumpet will sound and all will die, then sound again and all will be resurrected.
• The earth will shine with the light of its Lord, the record of deeds laid open and judgement and justice meted out. None will be wronged and every soul will be paid in full for its deeds.

71-72: Disbelievers admitted to Hell in successive groups where they will be told, “Enter the gates of Hell to stay there forever.” What an evil home for the arrogant!

73: The righteous will be admitted to Jannah in successive groups. The gates will open to the praise and salaam of the angels, “Peace be upon you! You have done well, so come in, to stay forever.”

75: The angels will be seen all around the Throne, glorifying their Lord for judgement will have been passed on all, “Praise be to Allah – Lord of all worlds!”