Transcription

1 Al-Ankaboot The first ten verses were revealed in Medina and the remainder of the Surah was revealed in Makkah right before some of the Muslims emigrated to Abyssinia This was a period of extreme physical persecution of the Muslims and the Surah was sent down to encourage and strengthen the Muslims as well and threaten the Disbelievers by showing them what happened to previous Disbelievers. Parents were urging their children to abandon the Prophet (PBUH) and return to their ancestral religions, by pointing out that in Islam, the rights of parents are of the uppermost importance. This surah answers this statement in verse 8 by stating that if your parents want you to associate other partners with Allah, then you do not have to listen to them. Also some disbelievers were asking the new converts to return to their previous faiths and the Disbelievers would stand up for them if Allah asked why he converted back. The Disbelievers claimed that they would intercede on behalf of the converted and say it was our fault for forcing him to convert back, so blame us. Allah responds by saying everyone will have to carry their own burdens on the Day of Judgement. Then the Surah gives examples of the Prophets of the past and how they had to face tremendous hardships, but in the end they were helped by Allah (SWT). Therefore-take heart. Allah s help will surely come after a period of trial and tribulation. The surah ends by stating, If the persecution has become unbearable, you should give up your homes rather than give up your faith. Allah s earth is vast, seek a place where you can worship Allah in peace.

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5 Ar-Rum Sent down when the Romans were vanquished from Syria, Jordan, and Palestine by the Zoroastrian in the year 615 AD which was around the time of the migration of Muslims to Abyssinia. The reason this fact is important is that Allah uses it in this Surah to provide one of the most outstanding evidences of the Quran being the Word of Allah. The history of the conflict between the Zoroastrian empire and the Roman Empire can be read in history books, but for our purposes today, it is enough to know that at the time of this Revelation, the Zoroastrians were defeating the Romans left and right and claiming all their territories. Back in Makkah, the Disbelievers were rejoicing at the opportunity to point out to the Prophet (PBUH) that the fire worshippers of Iran were winning victories over the Christian believers in Revelation and Prophethood. They exclaimed that likewise, they would also defeat the Prophet (PBUH) and his message. Allah (SWT) responds in the Quran by stating, the Romans have been vanquished in the neighboring lands and within a few years after their defeat, they shall be victorious. And it will be a day when the Believers will rejoice in the victory granted by Allah. Two predictions both of which came true: 1) the Romans regained their territories, 2) the Muslims also gained victories at the same time. Both predictions didn t have even a remote chance of coming true. The Romans were losing territory left and right even eight years after the prediction. The condition of the Muslims was also very grave as they were being beaten and tortured in Makkah and even eight years after this surah was revealed, there was no chance that the Muslims would turn the tables.

6 As the Prophet (PBUH) migrated to Medina, Emperor Heracles of the Roman Empire began his efforts to reclaim Roman territory from the Zoroastrians. As the Muslims had their victories at Badr, and the Ditch, the Roman Empire moved deeper into Zoroastrian territory. When the Zoroastrian emperor was killed, the Muslims were concluding the signing of the Treaty of Hudaibiya which the Qur an terms as the Supreme Victory. When the Prophet (PBUH) entered Makkah for the first time after the Hijrah, no one could have any doubt about the Truth of the Prophecy made in the Qur an, with the result that most of the Arab polytheists accepted Islam. The lesson of the Surah is that man is accustomed to seeing what is apparent and superficial. That what is behind the apparent and superficial he does not know. How erroneous a life would be if all decisions were made by placing reliance upon only what is visible and apparent. After verse 28, the surah shifts to point out that the concept of shirk is opposed to nature of the Universe and the Nature of man. Whenever man has adopted this deviation, chaos has resulted. The surah ends by informing the people that just as dead earth comes to life, all of a sudden, by a shower of rain, and swells with vegetation, so is the case with dead humanity. When God sends a shower of Mercy in the form of Revelation and Prophethood, it also gives new life to mankind, and causes it to grow, develop, and flourish.

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11 Luqman Revealed before severe persecutions were common. Again people are told to accept the reasonableness of Tauhid and to give up the absurdity of shirk. It is pointed out that this is not a new Message for the land of Arabia. The learned and wise people of the past said and taught the same thing that the Prophet (PBUH) is teaching today. It is as if to say, O people:in your own country there has lived a wise man, named Luqman, whose wisdom has been well known among you, whose proverbs and wise sayings are cited in your daily conversation and who is often quoted by your poets and orators. Now you should see for yourselves what creed and what morals he used to teach."

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18 As-Sajdah Revealed in the middle Makkan period The Disbelievers are being taught new things such as, 1) life after death, 2) the concept of one God, 3) the Message being the word of God, not of Muhammad (PBUH). The Surah answers these concerns and instructs the Disbelievers to use their own intellect to realize the Truth. For example, isn t is likely that if you were created, then after you die, wouldn t Allah be able to recreate you? Then it is said: "This is not the first and novel event of its kind that a Book has been sent down upon a man from God. Before this the Book had been sent upon Moses also, which you all know. There is nothing strange in this at which you should marvel. Be assured that this Book has come down from God, and note it well that the same will happen now as has already happened in the time of Moses. Leadership now will be bestowed only on those who will accept this Divine Book. Those who reject it shall be doomed to failure." In conclusion, the Holy Prophet has been addressed to the effect: "These people mock at what you say and ask as to when you will attain this decisive victory. Tell them: when the time comes for the final judgment regarding you and us, believing then will not profit you at all. If you have to believe, believe now. But if you intend to await the final judgment, then await it as you please."

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20 Al-Ahzab Revelation occurred the 5th year after Hijrah as the surah discusses three important events: 1) the Battle of the Ditch, 2) the raid on Bani Quraizah, and 3) the Prophet s (PBUH) marriage to Hadrat Zainab (R). In the aftermath of the Battle of Uhud, the Arab pagans, Jews, and hypocrites began entertaining the possibility that they could exterminate Islam. Many tribes were preparing to attack Medina and the Prophet (PBUH) had to dispatch expeditions to counteract them. The tribes would also ask Prophet (PBUH) to send a delegation to teach them about Islam, but when the Muslims arrived, they would all be killed. Some of the Jewish tribes of Medina began breaching their treaties with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). After the setback of Uhud, the Muslims went on encountering the repercussion of that loss for seven to eight months. There were many events that occurred preceding the Battle of the Trench that showed the disbelievers that no single tribe or the Quraish for that matter, could take on the Muslim forces alone.

21 At the Battle of the Trench, many Arab tribes combined in an effort to crush the power of Medinah. Their combined forces stood at 10 to 12,000 men. A sudden attack would have been devastating to the Muslims, but the Prophet (PBUH) was aware of the impending attack. So he prepared digging a trench on the northwest side, the only side by which an army could attack the city of Medina. The Disbelievers were not prepared for this defensive strategy of the Prophet (PBUH). They had not come prepared for the long siege they would have to uphold. The details of the battle and how the Muslims overcame the external and internal conflicts are available in sirah and history books. For our purposes, after 25 days and food and water shortages in the Disbeliever camp, along with suspicions that emerged between the allied forces of the Disbelievers, and finally, severe windstorm that put the enemy camp in disarray, the Disbelievers left the battleground and went home. The Prophet (PBUH) announced, "The Quraish will never be able to attack you after this: now you will take the offensive."

22 Many events took place after this and the Surah was revealed to address these events. 1) Verses 1-8 deal with the need for abolishment of the Arab practice of giving the same rights to adopted children as is given to one s own birth children. The reason behind the abolishment of this practice was based on moral grounds. The Prophet (PBUH) made a very strong statement by marrying the divorced wife of his adopted son Zaid, despite knowing that the response from the mushriks, hypocrites, and the Jews would be very strong. 2) Verses 9-27: review the Battle of the Trench and the raid against the Bani Quraizah 3) Verses 28-35: has two parts. 1) the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) are instructed to choose between the path of this world or the path of Allah and HIS Prophet (PBUH). If you wish to be of the latter, you must bear patiently, the restrictions placed upon you. 2) social reform beginning with the wives of the Prophet (PBUH). They are instructed to avoid behaving in the ways of the pre Islamic days.

23 1) Verses 36-48: Deal with the Prophet s (PBUH) marriage with Hadrat Zainab (R). 2) Verse 49: a clause of the law of divorce has been laid down 3) Verse 50-52: a special regulation of marriage is given to the Prophet (PBUH) which excuse him from some of the restrictions imposed on other Muslims. 4) Verse 53-55: Islamic etiquette concerning visits and invitations, especially concerning the wives of the Prophet (PBUH). 5) Verse 56-57: warning is given to stop criticizing the Holy Prophet s marriage and domestic life. Instead of trying to find fault like the Disbelievers, the Muslims are instructed to invoke the blessings of Allah (SWT) for their Prophet. 6) Verse 59: women are instructed to cover themselves with an outer garment 7) The rest of the Surah contains admonishment for hypocrites and other Disbelievers who were carrying on against Muslims and Islam.

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