Day 20
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TWENTY-FIRST PÂRA

The important points of Sûrah Ankabût mentioned in the 21st pâra are as follows:

(1) In the first verse of the 21st pâra, which is the 45th verse of Sûrah Ankabût, a command has been given to make tilâwat of the book of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and to be punctual with salâh. The benefit of salâh mentioned, is that it prevents one from immorality and evil. (45) The reality is that which the Most wise and All-knowing Being has declared, that when salâh is performed keeping in mind all its conditions and etiquettes, then its benefits and rewards will definitely be attained. Then it becomes a barrier between the person performing salâh and sin. Imam Abul-Âliyah Rah states, “In salâh, three qualities are found : Ikhlâs (sincerity), fear of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and zikrullâh, which is the Qur’ân. This commands him to do good and prevents him from evil. That salâh in which any of these three qualities are not found, is not in reality salâh.” There is no harm if we pause for a while and take a stock of our salâh. By taking stock of this, it will become easy for us to understand why our salâhs are so lifeless and inspite of the masâjid being full of people performing salâh, floods of sin still engulf our houses and market places.

Is it not a reality that amongst us there are countless people who perform salâh but also speak lies, break promises, exploit and oppress others, and are involved in immorality, cast evil-glances and do not allow their wives to veil their faces from strange men? Looking at the lives of people in their homes, shops and market places, one will never know that they are performers of salâh or not. The reason is that they keep salâh and its effects confined to the masjid. They keep their individual, social, collective, economical, political and moral lives completely separate from salâh.

(2) One clear sign that has been mentioned, from amongst the many signs of the truthfulness of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم was that he was ummî (unlettered) i.e. he did not know how to read or write. If he (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) knew how to read or write, then the followers of falsehood would have fallen into doubt that perhaps he attained this knowledge from the other heavenly scriptures. Inspite of this clear and living miracle, the deniers object that why were miracles which they had asked for, not becoming apparent on the hands of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى asks, “Is the Qur’ân not a sufficient proof for them?” (51) The Qur’ân is the miracle of all miracles, for which their most eloquent people were completely helpless in bringing something similar to it. In the presence of the Qur’ân, to seek any other miracle is nothing but ignorance and obstinacy. Their foolishness had reached such a stage that at times they would ask for punishment to descend upon themselves. (53-54)

The Qur’ân was a miracle yesterday and is a miracle today. The scientific facts which the Qur’ân alluded to was difficult for the village dwellers of the Arabs and for the non-Arab intellectuals to understand. However, man can easily understand it today. Therefore, it is the opinion of this insignificant one that as man’s information and investigations increase, so much more will the miraculous nature of the Qur’ân become apparent. The purpose of mentioning this is to show that the Qur’ân being a miracle is more clearer today than before, and it can be easily understood. It is possible that the Arabs could easily understand the Qur’ân to be a miracle in past times, but the non-Arabs could have had some difficulties. However, in this age of the spreading of knowledge, every person, be it Arab or non-Arab, Indian or European, finds himself forced to confess its miraculousness. The only condition is that a person must read and ponder over it.

(3) After mentioning the condition of the antagonists, the pious people are mentioned. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى advises them to be patient in their hijrat (migration) and on difficulties coming in the path of dîn. (56-59) Those people who leave their homeland, will definitely have concerns over a means of survival. They fear how are they going to earn a livelihood in a foreign land. To console them, they are told that Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى who grants sustenance to weak animals, will also provide for them. Therefore, there is no need to fear poverty when migrating.

(4) It can be said that the crux of this entire sûrah has been mentioned in the last verse by Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, “We will definitely show Our avenues to those who exert themselves for our cause. Verily Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is certainly with those who do good.” Those people who strive against their nafs, Shaytân and the enemies of Islâm only for the pleasure of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى grants them the ability to reach the road of success in this world and the hereafter.

Sûrah Rûm

This is a Makkî sûrah. It has 60 verses and 6 rukûs. One of the major causes of the Qur’ân being miraculous is it’s foretelling of events. At the beginning of this sûrah one such prediction is made which took place exactly as the Qur’ân has stated. This prediction was regarding the Romans becoming victorious. It seemed very farfetched for this prediction to be fulfilled.

At the time when the Qur’ân gave this information, the Persians had fully subdued the Romans. At this time, the Roman empire was involved in a struggle for life and death. Besides the challenges faced on its borders, even the internal conditions were very bad. In the whole of Europe, there was treachery. The Roman king, Heraculis, in front of the violent winds of decline, had become helpless and had already signed a pact of disgrace and death. Since the Persians were mushrikîn and fire-worshippers whereas the Romans were believers in God, the mushrikîn of Makkah heard of the victory of those of their religion, and out of happiness began beating their drums. In these trying circumstances, the Qur’ân predicted that the Romans will overpower the Persians within a period of nine years. The mushrikîn mocked this announcement and notification of the Qur’ân. However, this great prediction of the Qur’ân was fulfilled within nine years. The Romans trampled the grandeur of the Persians under their feet, and laid the Roman flag in the heart of the Persian Empire.

Besides the above-mentioned prediction, other important points mentioned in Sûrah Rûm are as follows :
(1) Sûrah Rûm shows the reality of the conflict which has been running since time immemorial between Hizbur-Rahmân (the party of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and Hizbus-Shaytân (the party of Shaytân). This conflict of truth and falsehood, kufr and îmân will continue until the Day of Judgment. On this day, not only will the conflict come to an end, but both groups will be sent to their separate destinations. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states, “And on the day when Qiyâmah while take place, they will be divided into separate groups.” The people of îmân will be sent to Jannah will the people of kufr (disbelief) will be punished.

(2) Allâhسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has mentioned 7 proofs of His existence and greatness:
1- Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى creates one thing from it’s opposite. Life and death are opposites of each other. However, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى through His complete power creates a living human being from a drop of sperm, a chicken from an egg, a tree from a seed and vice versa. (19)
2- He has created man from lifeless soil. Man refers either to Âdam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام who was directly created from soil or every human because his bodily and dietary needs are created from the soil. (20)
3- He creates such love between husband and wife that one feels that they are part of each others bodies, whereas in some cases, they had not even been introduced to each other before marriage.
4- He has created the skies and the earth and whatever is in between them. He has created different languages and complexions. Someone speaks Arabic, someone speaks Persian or English, another speaks French, Urdu or Japanese. Some people’s complexions are dark, whilst some are red etc. (22)
5- Through sleep, He grants man rest during the day and night. Man’s body is one such machine that if it does not get time for rest during his busy schedule, then this machine will get damaged. (23)
6- The lightning strikes in the sky, due to which fear is created in the heart, as well as hope. Then the rain falls, giving life to dead land. (24)
7- The perfect system of the heavens and earth are a living proof of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s existence. The roof of the heavens stands without any pillars and the stars move around in their orbits. There are neither collisions nor any noises. The earth also is continuously moving, but those living on the face of the earth cannot even perceive it.

(3) This sûrah shows that in every era, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s sunnah (way) is that He grants victory to truth over falsehood. (47) If the people of truth are overpowered at any time, then they should take a stock of themselves. It should not be that they have adopted the ways of the people of falsehood and the people of falsehood have adopted some principles of truth.

(4) In this sûrah, there are numerous universal proofs and observances mentioned which testifies to Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s greatness and power. (19-27 and 46-50) At the end of the sûrah, mention is made of the people of Makkah who were like dead people. Neither would they listen, see or ponder over the signs of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, nor would they accept it. Allâhسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states, “And we have mentioned to the people every type of excellent subject in this Qur’ân. And if you bring to them a miracle, then definitely the disbeliever will say, ‘You are merely people of falsehood.’” (58)

Sûrah Luqmân

This is a Makkî sûrah. It has 34 verses and 4 rukûs. This sûrah begins with mention of the greatness of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم’s everlasting miracle i.e. the Qur’ân, which is the divine constitution of guidance. Regarding it, man is divided into two groups. One group is of the believers who accept every verse of this book of guidance. The second group is of the disbelievers who on hearing these verses, turn their faces away proudly as if they had not heard anything. (2-7) Thereafter Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى mentions four proofs of His power and oneness.
(1) He has created the heavens without any pillars whereas there are bright stars in it as well as the sun and moon, satellites and galaxies. The world in space is so vast, that this earth on which we are living, in relation to the universe, is like the size of an atom.

(2) Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has placed mountains to keep the equilibrium of the earth in place. If there were no mountains, then this earth would continuously shake, due to the water and winds.

(3) The third proof is the countless types of animals, livestock and insects. Besides them, in the atmosphere and ocean there are thousands of other living beings, whose colour, shape and characteristics are not known by anyone but Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Man’s weakness is such that he cannot even make something similar to an ant or fly, never mind a walking, talking and understanding person.

(4) He sends down rain from the skies through which every type of exquisite things grow. (10)

The rain coming down from the skies is one wonder from amongst the other wonders of the world and it is one great proof of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s power. However man does not ponder over it. All the water that fills the oceans, rivers and lakes come from the skies. Then, flowers, plants, grains, medicinal herbs and trees grow by means of this water. Thousands of pages will be too little to explain all of this in detail.

Besides this, the important points mentioned in Sûrah Luqmân are as follows:
(1) Hadhrat Luqmân was not a Nabî but Allâhسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى had granted him great wisdom and intelligence. His words were treasures of advice and lesson. His speech was eloquent, his silence was contemplation and his statements were advice.

Allâhسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى mentions the five advices he gave to his son. These are very valuable and comprehensive advices which concern beliefs, worship, behaviour and character.
• The first advice was, “O My beloved son! Do not ascribe partners with Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Verily shirk is a very great oppression.” The result of shirk is destructive. Thereafter Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى Himself commands good relations with one’s parents.
• The second advice is regarding the hereafter. The crux of it is that nothing is hidden from the knowledge of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى will bring forth on the Day of Judgment every sin, no matter how small and no matter in which hidden place it was committed.
• The third advice is regarding turning to Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. A few forms of turning towards Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى have been mentioned i.e. perform salâh in a perfect manner, inviting people to do good actions and preventing them from all evil actions, being patient over difficulties and tests.
• In the fourth advice to his son, he prohibited him from pride and ostentation.
• In the fifth advice, he turned his son’s attention to good character i.e. choose moderation in your walking and lower your voice when speaking. (12-19)

(2) There is a refutation of the mushrikîn, that inspite of witnessing the proofs of tawhîd, they persist on shirk, whereas if they are asked who created the heavens and the earth, they will also testify to Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى being the creator.

At the end of the sûrah, we are informed that the knowledge of five things is only by Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى :
1- When will Qiyâmah occur?
2- Where and how much rain will fall?
3- What qualities does the baby in the womb of the mother possess?
4- What will man do tomorrow?
5- Where and when will death come? None besides Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has knowledge of these five things. Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم has mentioned these five things to be the keys of the unseen.

Sûrah Sajdah

This is a Makkî sûrah. It has 30 verses and 3 rukûs. The important points mentioned in this sûrah are :
(1) In the beginning of the sûrah, mention is made of the truthfulness of the Qur’ân, whose miraculousness is clear. The proofs of its veracity are clear. Its manner of explanation is completely different from human speech. However inspite of this, the disbelievers of Makkah accused Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم that he had fabricated this speech. (1-3)

(2) This sûrah mentions the proofs of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s oneness and power i.e. He has created the heavens and the earth. He plans all matters. Do you not ponder over one despised drop of water i.e. sperm, how He has caused change from sand to sperm, from sperm to a blood-clot, from a blood-clot to a piece of flesh, from a piece of flesh to a bone and then how He makes an attractive human being in appropriate height and appearance.

(3) This sûrah shows the condition of both believers and sinners. The sinners on the Day of Judgment will stand up with their heads lowered in shame. Disgrace will encompass them. They will desire, “O, if only we were returned to the world, then we would do good actions.” On the other hand, the believers, in this world lowered themselves in front of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. At nights, their sides remained aloof from their beds. They feared Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s punishment and had hope in His mercy. Besides this, they spent the wealth which Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has bestowed them with for the pleasure of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states regarding them, “No soul knows what coolness of the eyes has been kept hidden for them (in the hereafter). This is a recompense for that which they used to do.” (16-19) Without ostentation, they quietly did good actions. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has hidden such bounties for them which has not even crossed the thoughts of any person’s mind. As it is, the true reality of the bounties of Jannah cannot be understood by anyone. There is only similarity in words between the bounties of this world and the bounties of the hereafter. In reality, the difference between them is greater than the sky and the earth.

At the end of the sûrah, mention is made that Hadhrat Mûsa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام had been granted the Tawrât, showing that there is similarity in the risâlat of Hadhrat Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم and Hadhrat Mûsa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام.

Sûrah Ahzâb

This is a Madanî sûrah. It has 73 verses and 9 rukûs. In this sûrah three subjects have been discussed :
1- Social etiquettes.
2- Shar’î laws.
3- Mention of some battles e.g. the Battle of Ahzâb, the Battle of Banû Qurayzah. In these 2 battles, mention is made of the hypocrites and their actions.

The important points of this sûrah are mentioned hereunder :
(1) In the first two verses, via Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, the ummah has been given four commands, which in reality are the elements of success and good fortune :
1- Continue fearing Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
2- Do not follow the opinions of the disbelievers and hypocrites.
3- Continue following divine revelation.
4- Have trust in Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.

A point worthy of consideration is that in the whole Qur’ân, Allâhسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has never addressed Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم by “O Muhammad”. Here also, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى addresses him by “O Nabî” whereas Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى addresses the other Ambiyâ by their names e.g. O Âdam, O Nûh, O Mûsa, O Îsâ , O Zakariyyâ.

(2) Some beliefs and habits from the days of ignorance have been refuted. Some are logically incorrect and some are evil according to the sharî’ah. Here, in verse 4, three ignorant thoughts and ideologies have been rejected.
a- The people of ignorance were under this notion that some people have two hearts in their chests. In refutation of this, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states, “Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has not placed two hearts within the chest of one man.” The heart is only one. Either there is îmân in it or there is disbelief in it. In one heart, îmân and kufr can never come together. This is also in refutation of the hypocrites who have stipulated a third rank of hypocrisy which is between îmân and kufr.
b- During the times of ignorance, if a man told his wife كظهر أمي أنت علي You are unto me like the back of my mother,” then due to saying these words, his wife would become prohibited for him forever. The Qur’ân showed that by giving kaffârah (expiation), one’s wife will become permissible for him.
c- Before Islâm, an adopted son was given the same treatment as a real son. The Qur’ân refutes this incorrect view. (4)

(3) When the concept of the adopted son had been refuted and it was shown that Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم does not hold the status of being the true father of Hadhrat Zayd Ibn Hârithah رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, then Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم being a father in general for the whole ummah and the noble wives of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم being their spiritual mothers was announced. Their honour and respect is compulsory and to marry them is impermissible.

(4) Thereafter, in 19 verses, the Battle of Ahzâb and Banû Qurayzah has been mentioned. The Battle of Ahzâb occured in Shawwâl 5 hijrî when 10000 to 15000 soldiers of the mushrikîn laid siege to Madînah. These warriors were related to different tribes. Two Jewish tribes, Banû Nadhîr and Banû Qurayzah, who had a peace treaty with the Muslims and had promised not to assist the enemies of the Muslims, went completely against this pact and assisted Abû Sufyân. The Muslims were only 3000. Acting on the opinion of Hadhrat Salmân Fârsî رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, a trench was dug in the north western side of Madînah where there was a fear of the enemy attacking. That is why it is also called the Battle of Khandaq (i.e. trench). It is called Ahzâb (groups) because there were people of different tribes and parties in the army which attacked Madînah.

These warriors laid siege to Madînah for approximately one month. Then through the efforts of Na’îm Ibn Mas’ûd Ghatfânî رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, differences arose between the Jewish, Qurayshî and Ghatfânî armies. From the side of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, a gale wind blew due to which their tents were uprooted, their animals began fleeing and their resolve was weakened. The Quraysh, Ghatfân and other tribes then began to flee without completing their evil objectives. After Abu Sufyân and his assistants left, the Muslims laid siege to the Banû Qurayzah and gave them an exemplary punishment, due to them breaking their pact. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, in these verses, mentions the conditions and scenes of both these battles and gives glad-tidings to the Muslims that very soon, they will attain more victories. Thus the Muslims conquered not only Persia and Rome but many other countries and thousands of cities. (Inshâ-Allâh, after making a strong connection with the Qur’ân and firmly establishing îmân, they will conquer the whole world).

Definitely this prediction of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى will come to pass that, “I have sent My final messenger so that his religion overpowers all other religions.” This victory is certain. No person of îmân should have any doubt in it. Outwardly, conditions are unfavourable. However, when the time comes for this prediction to be fulfilled, then the conditions will become suitable and those individuals will be created who will remind one of the Muslims of the first century with regard to their actions and character. There is no doubt that the present-day Muslims do not have the capability to be the “conquerors of the world” looking at their îmân, character, dealings and actions. However, does Islâm and the Qur’ân not have this ability? I take an oath by the Lord of the Kâ’bah! In it, there is complete ability to conquer the world and be the conquerors of the world. By the Owner of the universe! The world will soon see this spectacle.