Makkan surah, different in wording and syntax to Madinan. Umar RA described it as one of the glories of the Quran.

Themes

• Allah’s SWT power.
• Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ mission.
• Belief and principles of Islam, monotheism and practice.
• Challenges the pagans on their belief and refusal to accept truth.
• Goals:
  • Tawheed: belief in one God – Allah SWT is Rabb.
  • Rasallah: belief in all messengers and that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is only a messenger.
  • Akhira: belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgement.

Selected Verses

1-3: Affirmation of tawheed and Allah’s SWT power. He created the heavens and the earth, darkness and light and mankind from clay. We each have an appointed time on this earth and we will be resurrected at the appointed time known only to Him.

6: The fate of previous disbelieving nations is clear to see as one travels through the land.

7-9: The disbelievers wanted a written revelation and wanted to see an angel. They would not have believed even if a book was sent. If an angel had been sent, they would have been destroyed immediately due to their disbelief. Allah SWT does not play games. His miracles and signs are all around us. When it comes to faith, you either believe or are destroyed, as was the example of previous nations.

12-13: To Allah SWT belongs everything in the heavens and the earth, whatever exists in the day and night. He will gather us all on the Day of Judgement and He is All Hearing and All Knowing.

14: Why would I take anyone other than Allah SWT as my guardian, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the One who provides and is not in need of provision.

16: Whoever is spared the torment of the Day of Judgement will certainly have been shown Allah SWT’s mercy. And that is the absolute triumph.

17-18: If Allah SWT touches us with harm, none can undo it except Him and if He blesses us then He is the Most Capable. He reigns supreme over His creation, the Most Wise, All Aware.

25-31: Disbelievers will never believe. Veils have been cast over their hearts. They deny the hereafter and the resurrection but when confronted with the Fire they will cry out to go back claiming they will believe. But if this were to happen, they would not believe.

32: The life of this world is nothing but a game and distraction, play and amusement. Far better is the eternal Home of the Hereafter for those mindful of Allah SWT.

33-34: Allah SWT consoled the Prophet ﷺ when he was persecuted and accused of lying and being crazy. It is not your honesty they question but Allah’s SWT signs that they deny. Other messengers were also rejected but endured patiently until Allah SWT’s help came. All prophets had to endure mockery and rejection, be patient and put in the effort.

38: All animals are communities. They are all in the Record (Preserved Tablet) and will all be gathered on the Day of Judgement.

39: Allah SWT leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills to the Straight Way.

40: Who else do you call when in distress? Your soul realises there is a God. It is Allah SWT Who responds, so why worship others? Allah SWT never criticises when one calls at times of distress, but only if one neglects Him after His relief has come.

43: Why do they not humble themselves when they suffer and call upon Allah SWT? Instead their hearts harden.

46: Who other than Allah SWT can relieve any affliction?

48: Messengers were sent only as deliverers of good news and as warners. There will be no fear or grief for those who believe and do good.

50: Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is no more than one who follows the revelation revealed to him. He has none of Allah SWT’s powers. He does not know the unseen and is not an angel. Like all prophets, he cannot do anything without the Will of Allah SWT.

51: The Quran is a warning for those who are awed by the thought of being gathered before their Lord, when they will have no protector or intercessor besides Him.

52: Do not dismiss those who invoke their Lord morning and evening seeking His pleasure. You are not accountable for them. This ayah was revealed in response to a group of senior Quraysh who approached Abu Talib suggesting they would consider Islam if the Prophet ﷺ would stop associating with the poor, low class and slaves and honour only the Quraysh. The ayah explains not to drive away the righteous, or compromise ones principles for the arrogant, bigots and racists.

59: Allah SWT’s infinite knowledge. Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge or the presence of a grain in the darkness of the earth, except it is written in the Perfect Record. To Him belongs the keys of the unseen (see 31:34).

60: Allah SWT causes you to sleep. He calls your souls and then revives you until your appointed time. He knows of all that you do during the day. To Him is our ultimate return.

71-73: Beauty and power in trusting and worshiping Allah SWT. Why would one turn away once he knows the truth?

75-83: Story of Ibrahim AS. He rejected the stars, moon and sun as God and turned towards Allah SWT, the One who originated the heavens and the earth. He debated and argued the truth with his people.

84-87: Ibrahim AS was guided as was Nuh AS before him; blessed with many rightly guided prophets from his progeny: Dawud AS, Suleiman AS, Ayub AS, Yusuf AS, Musa AS, Haroon AS, Zachariah AS, Yahya AS, Isa AS, Ilyas AS, Ismael AS, Alyasa AS, Yunus AS, Lut AS. This ayah lists the most number of prophets mentioned together in one place in the Quran.

90: The Prophets were rightly guided so follow their guidance. Say (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ), “I ask no reward of you for this Quran – it is a reminder to the whole world.”

95-99: Allah SWT’s power of creation. He brings forth:

• The living from the dead (plants/seeds).
• The day and night, the night for rest.
• The sun, moon and stars for navigation.
• Mankind from a single soul.
• The rain from above, causing many varieties of plants and fruits to grow.

Everything around us is proof of Allah SWT, even us. So look around, acknowledge God, His creation and His power and worship Him alone.

100-101: People falsely attribute children to Allah SWT, claiming Isa AS is a son and the angels are daughters. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. He created all things. He has no mate.

102-103: That is Allah – your Lord! There is no god worthy of worship but Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him alone. And He is the Maintainer of everything. No vision can encompass Him but He encompasses all vision. He is the Most Subtle, All Aware.

108: Do not curse their gods lest they curse Allah out of spite. That is, debate in good faith but do not resort to smears and curses out of anger.

111: Even if We had sent them the angels, made the dead speak to them and given them every sign they demanded, they would still not have believed – unless Allah so willed.

116: Most people follow nothing but speculation, do nothing but lie and will lead others away from Allah SWT. The collective view vs the individual. Majority vote does not make something ethical or moral.

118-121: Only eat animals over which Allah’s name has been mentioned (the God of Abraham). The purity of food depends upon the purity of wealth to purchase the food nd the purity of the animal. That is, to ensure it been slaughtered properly in accordance with Allah SWT’s laws. Taking care of ones physical ingestion will take care of ones spiritual growth.

125: Whoever Allah SWT wills to guide, He opens their hearts to Islam. Whoever He wills to leave astray, He makes their chest tight and constricted.  

130-131: Prophets were sent to warn jinn and humans who were seduced by the life of this world. Your Lord would never destroy a society for wrongdoing while its people were unaware of the truth. To deny the Prophets is to deny Allah SWT’s wisdom. Why would Allah create mankind and then not guide him through His Prophets?

132: Everyone is a rank according to their deeds, their actions and intentions.

140: Banning the killing of infants, a common practice at the time of revelation, due to fear of poverty or having a female child rather than a male.

145: Forbidden meat: Carrion, flowing blood, swine, animals killed in the name of any other than Allah SWT.

151-153: Allah SWT’s Commandments

• Do not associate partners with Allah SWT.
• Honour your parents.
• Do not kill anyone illegally.
• Do not kill children for fear of poverty.
• Do not commit shameful deeds.
• Do not touch an orphans wealth.
• Give full measure.
• Speak justly.
• Fulfil agreements.
• Follow the Straight Path.

155-157: Follow the Quran and be mindful of Allah SWT. Now you cannot say that no revelation came to you. Who does more wrong than the one who denies and turns away from Allah SWT’s revelations once revealed to them? They will face a dreadful punishment.

158: On the Day your Lord’s signs arrive, belief will benefit no-one who did not believe before or did not do good through their faith, that is the disobedient believers.

160: Good deeds are rewarded tenfold. Bad deeds are punished as one.

162-163: The motto of the believer: Surely my prayer, my worship, my life and my death are all for Allah – Lord of all worlds. He has no partner. So I am commanded and so I am first to submit.

165: He has elevated some of you in ranks over others so He may test you with what He has given you. All of us are tested through different means such as poverty, wealth, sickness and so forth.