Quranic Reflections – Insights into the objectives of verses

QURANIC REFLECTIONS – book Sample

Contents – QURANIC REFLECTIONS

• Surat Yunus (Jonah)  3
• Surat Hud 12
• Surat Yusuf (Joseph)23
• Surat Ar-Ra’d (Thunder)28
• Surat Ibrahim (Abraham) 33
• Surat Al-Hijr (Thamood’s Habitation) 38
• Surat An-Nahl (The Bees)44
• Surat Al-Israa (The Night Journey) 55
• Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave)63
• Surat Maryam (AS) (Mary) 73
• Surat Ta-Ha79
• Surat Al-Anbiya (The Prophets)84
• Surat Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) 88
• Surat Al-Mu’minun (The Believers)91
• Surat An-Nur (The Light)94
• Surat Al-Furqan (The Criterion)104
• Surat Ash-Shu’ara (The Poets)109
• Surat An-Naml (The Ant) 113
• Surat Al-Qasas (The Narrative)121

Surat Yunus (Jonah)

Surat Yunus is a Makkan surah. It was revealed after Surat Al-Isra’ and is located in the Qur’an after Surat At-Tawbah. This Surah consists of 109 ayahs.

The objective of the Surah

The objective of this surah is the manifestation of the belief in the Divine decree. Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) narrated that “One day we were sitting in the company of Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Prophet (SAWS) He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam.

The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (Omar Ibnul-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil”¹. Thus, the surah deals with this last pillar of the pillars of faith.

Inquiries and doubtfulness:

Surat Yunus deals with a dilemma that many people face today and can be illustrated through the following queries:

• Is man impelled through life, or is he granted free will?
• Why does Allah (SWT) guide one man to the right path and not the other?
• Why does Allah (SWT) protect and saves a fellow and not the other?
• How is it that our Creator, who is well aware of what we do, makes us live through circumstances of His making and then judges us according to them on the Day of Judgment?
• If Allah (SWT) has already predestined some people to live a life of deviation, why then are we encouraged to worship?  To the same effect, some people always quite comfortably reply, “When Allah wants us to, we will” when asked why they do not pray.
• If Allah (SWT) has already predestined us to be dwellers of either Jannah (Paradise) or hellfire, why then do we have to work, since whatever we do will not change our prospective status!

This surah teaches the reader of the Qur’an how to refute the claims of such perplexed, hesitant people and to reassure his/her own self. For example, some people are so influenced by doubts that they imagine that Allah (SWT) is being unjust when He predestines one person or another to be a dweller of hell (we seek Allah’s refuge from being dwellers of hell).

Before we attempt to refute such suspicions and uncertainties, we should first provide an answer to the following question, “How do you describe one who forces another to do something and then punishes him for doing it?” Such a person is definitely unjust and mischievous. Allah (SWT), of course, is far from being that. This surah, then, comes to refute all those falsehoods in an unprecedented way.

The Wise does not budge

When we take into consideration the Attributes of Allah (SWT), it becomes quite clear that the question we asked above is most inappropriate, since the Wise cannot be unjust or ever intend frivolity.

The deeds of Allah (SWT), evident all around us in administrating the universe, testify his wisdom and compassion for his subjects, as they are strictly not the deeds of an unjust monarch who forces helpless people to commit deeds against their will.

Indeed, His deeds overflow with wisdom, Majesty, and insightful arrangement.

The surah reinforces this notion gracefully, as it stresses on the importance of meditation upon this universe and the wisdom of its creator, thus shedding light on His supreme knowledge and wise arrangement. This surah will also make it lucidly clear that everything in the universe is a direct outcome of this wisdom. Frivolity, therefore, can never be an attribute of Allah (SWT), so always put you trust in Him.

The wise Book

The notions referred to above are made clear from the very beginning of the surah. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “…Those are the ayat (Verses) of the Wise Book” (TMQ, 10:1). The Qur’an has many attributes, as we know, but “the Wise” here is used for a particular reason, just so we would realize the immense wisdom and masterly planning that stands behind Allah’s destiny and words.

In the second ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as “Was it a wonder to mankind that We revealed to a man from (among) them, (saying), “Warn mankind and give good tidings to the ones who have believed that they have a sure footing (Literally: a sincere footing) in the Providence of their Lord”? The disbelievers have said, “Surely this is indeed an evident sorcerer.” (TMQ, 10:2).

The ayah addresses those who marvel at the fact that the message of Allah (SWT) was revealed to Muhammad (SAWS) of all people. Allah (SWT) reveals His message to whomever He wills, and there is always a great insight behind every choice that Allah (SWT) makes. He chooses the deliverers of His message out of wisdom; “Allah knows best where He makes His Message” (TMQ 6:124).

“Conducting the Command” (TMQ, 10:2).

The ayahs move on to the dominance of Allah (SWT) over the universe in order to make us perceive His attributes in a way that disproves all false claims. In this respect, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days; thereafter He leveled Himself upon the Throne, (How He did do is beyond human understandings) conducting the Command. In no way is there any intercessor (ever) excepting ever after His

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