Ramadhan Day 24 - Quran, Chapter 24

Surah 39, Az-Zumar (The Groups), Verses 32-75 & 

Surah 40, Al-Ghaafir (The Forgiver), 85 Verses & 

Surah 41, Fussilat (Explained in detail), Verses 1-46

Continuing with Surah 39 and a further 5 sections.

Surah 39, Az-Zumar (The Groups)

Section 4: Those who bring the truth and testify it, verses 32-41

"And who doth greater wrong than he who telleth a lie against Allah, and denieth the truth when it reacheth him? Will not the home of disbelievers be in hell? And whoso bringeth the truth and he who testifieth it - Such are the dutiful. They shall have what they will of their Lord's bounty. That is the reward of the good: That Allah will remit from them the worst of what they did, and will pay them for reward the best they used to do." (Verses 32-35)

"And verily, if thou shouldst ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth? they will say: Allah. Say: Bethink you then of those ye worship beside Allah, if Allah willed some hurt for me, could they remove from me His hurt; or if He willed some mercy for me, could they restrain His mercy? Say: Allah is my all. In Him do (all) the trusting put their trust." (Verse 39)

"Lo! We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture for mankind with truth. Then whosoever goeth right it is for his soul, and whosoever strayeth, strayeth only to its hurt. And thou art not a warder over them." (Verse 41)

"And whoso bringeth the truth and he who testifieth it," (verse 33) refers to the Holy Prophet and Imam Ali (as). Allah confirms in verse 39 that none can guide the one who has been allowed to stray and none can remove any harm that has been afflicted by God's command.

Section 5: Consequences of the evil wrought, shall not be averted, verses 42-52

"Or choose they intercessors other than Allah? Say: What! Even though they have power over nothing and have no intelligence? Say: Unto Allah belongeth all intercession. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. And afterward unto Him ye will be brought back." (Verses 43-44)

"And though those who do wrong possess all that is in the earth, and therewith as much again, they verily will seek to ransom themselves therewith on the Day of Resurrection from the awful doom; and there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned. And the evils that they earned will appear unto them, and that whereat they used to scoff will surround them. Now when hurt toucheth a man he crieth unto Us, and afterward when We have granted him a boon from Us, he saith: Only by force of knowledge I obtained it. Nay, but it is a test. But most of them know not." (Verses 47-49)

"Know they not that Allah enlargeth providence for whom He will, and straiteneth it (for whom He will). Lo! herein verily are portents for people who believe." (Verse 52)

In verses 43-44 the announcement that there is no intercessors other than Allah refers to the idols and gods the disbelievers used to follow. It is not a rejection of the belief of intercession as that has been permitted in several other verses. However only a special few have been granted permission for us to invoke their intercession - the Holy Prophet and the Ahlul-Bayt. The chastisement that lies in wait for the evil-doers shall not be averted even if they manage to offer the Universe and more in ransom.

Section 6: God's mercy, verses 53-63

"Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Turn unto your Lord repentant, and surrender unto Him, before there come unto you the doom, when ye cannot be helped." (Verses 53-54)

"Lest any soul should say: Alas, my grief that I was unmindful of Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers! Or should say: If Allah had but guided me I should have been among the dutiful! Or should say, when it seeth the doom: Oh, that I had but a second chance that I might be among the righteous! (But now the answer will be): Nay, for My revelations came unto thee, but thou didst deny them and wast scornful and wast among the disbelievers." (Verses 56-59)

"And on the Day of Resurrection thou (Muhammad) seest those who lied concerning Allah with their faces blackened. Is not the home of the scorners in hell? And Allah delivereth those who ward off (evil) because of their deserts. Evil toucheth them not, nor do they grieve." (Verses 60-61)

Verses 53-54 are a great reassurance for us all. Our sins will be forgiven as long as we continue to strive in the way of Allah and turn repentant. All disbelievers, sinners and hypocrites who not only belie the signs of Allah but mock at them will be screaming with regrets and woes but all will be in vain (verses 56-59). On the Day of Judgement the Holy Prophet will see the disbelievers standing out from the rest with "their faces blackened," (verse 60).

Section 7: The Judgement, verse 64-70

"And they esteem not Allah as He hath the right to be esteemed, when the whole earth is His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens are rolled in His right hand. Glorified is He and High Exalted from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)." (Verse 67)

"And the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth swoon away, save him whom Allah willeth. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting! And the earth shineth with the light of her Lord, and the Book is set up, and the prophets and the witnesses are brought, and it is judged between them with truth, and they are not wronged. And each soul is paid in full for what it did. And He is Best Aware of what they do." (Verses 68-70)

The authority of Allah is not like unto any device made by man. If man fails to see beyond his own devices, he will never understand the omnipotent power of Allah. Figuratively speaking, the whole earth will be no more to Him than a thing that will be crushed in the hallow of His hand, nor will the heavens with their vast expanse be more than a rolled up scroll in His right hand, the hand of power and will (verse 67).

With the first trumpet in verse 68, the living on the earth will die, and the souls of the dead will become unconscious. The exception, according to Ahlul-Bayt, refers to the martyrs. With the second trumpet they will stand in the new world before Allah, then the judgement will begin.

Section 8: The just recompense, verses 71-75

"And those who disbelieve are driven unto hell in troops till, when they reach it and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto them: Came there not unto you messengers of your own, reciting unto you the revelations of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this your Day? they say: Yea, verily. But the word of doom of disbelievers is fulfilled. It is said (unto them): Enter ye the gates of hell to dwell therein. Thus hapless is the journey's end of the scorners." (Verses 71-72)

"And those who keep their duty to their Lord are driven unto the Garden in troops till, when they reach it, and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto them: Peace be unto you! Ye are good, so enter ye (the Garden of delight), to dwell therein; They say: Praise be to Allah, Who hath fulfilled His promise unto us and hath made us inherit the land, sojourning in the Garden where we will! So bounteous is the wage of workers." (Verses 73-74)

That concludes Surah 39 and we move onto Surah 40, Al-Ghaafir (The Forgiver).  This Surah was revealed at Mecca and contains 85 verses in 9 sections.

Surah 40, Al-Ghaafir (The Forgiver)

Section 1: The revelation of the Quran, verses 1-9

"The revelation of the Scripture is from Allah, the Mighty, the Knower, The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, the Stern in punishment, the Bountiful. There is no Allah save Him. Unto Him is the journeying." (Verses 2-3)

"Those who bear the Throne, and all who are round about it, hymn the praises of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying): Our Lord! Thou comprehendest all things in mercy and knowledge, therefor forgive those who repent and follow Thy way. Ward off from them the punishment of hell. Our Lord! And make them enter the Gardens of Eden which thou hast promised them, with such of their fathers and their wives and their descendants as do right. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, the Wise. And ward off from them ill-deeds; and he from whom Thou wardest off ill-deeds that day, him verily hast Thou taken into mercy. That is the supreme triumph." (Verses 7-9)

This first section of Surah 40 lists some of the attributes of Allah. He has hundreds of names showing the grandeur of his mercy and love. Verses 7-9 contain the prayers of the angels who surround the throne of Allah. The pray and seek forgiveness for the believers.

Section 2: The Day of Judgement shall be the day wholly of the Lord, verses 10-20

"Lo! (on that day) those who disbelieve are informed by proclamation: Verily Allah's abhorrence is more terrible than your abhorrence one of another, when ye were called unto the faith but did refuse. They say: Our Lord! Twice hast Thou made us die, and twice hast Thou made us live. Now we confess our sins. Is there any way to go out? (It is said unto them): This is (your plight) because, when Allah only was invoked, ye disbelieved, but when some partner was ascribed to Him ye were believing. But the command belongeth only to Allah, the Sublime, the Majestic." (Verses 10-12)

"Therefor (O believers) pray unto Allah, making religion pure for Him (only), however much the disbelievers be averse - The Exalter of Ranks, the Lord of the Throne. He causeth the Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves, that He may warn of the Day of Meeting, The day when they come forth, nothing of them being hidden from Allah. Whose is the Sovereignty this day? It is Allah's, the One, the Almighty." (Verses 14-16)

"Warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of the approaching (doom), when the hearts will be choking the throats, (when) there will be no friend for the wrong-doers, nor any intercessor who will be heard. He knoweth the traitor of the eyes, and that which the bosoms hide. Allah judgeth with truth, while those to whom they cry instead of Him judge not at all. Lo! Allah, He is the Hearer, the Seer." (Verses 18-20)

In verse 11, the first death refers to non-existence and the second death refers to the end of physical life. The first life is on this world, the second in the hereafter. In verse 18, the unjust shall not have any friend nor an intercessor, but for those who are not unjust there will be intercessors.

Sections 3 & 4: The disbeliever in Moses & The believer in God among Pharaoh's people, verses 21-37

"And verily We sent Moses with Our revelations and a clear warrant Unto Pharaoh and Haman and Korah, but they said: A lying sorcerer!" (Verses 23-24)

"And Pharaoh said: Suffer me to kill Moses, and let him cry unto his Lord. Lo! I fear that he will alter your religion or that he will cause confusion in the land. Moses said: Lo! I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every scorner who believeth not in a Day of Reckoning."  (Verses 26-27)

"And a believing man of Pharaoh's family, who hid his faith, said: Would ye kill a man because he saith: My Lord is Allah, and hath brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie is upon him; and if he is truthful, then some of that wherewith he threateneth you will strike you. Lo! Allah guideth not one who is a prodigal, a liar." (Verse 28)

"And verily Joseph brought you of old clear proofs, yet ye ceased not to be in doubt concerning what he brought you till, when he died, ye said: Allah will not send any messenger after him. Thus Allah deceiveth him who is a prodigal, a doubter. Those who wrangle concerning the revelations of Allah without any warrant that hath come unto them, it is greatly hateful in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus doth Allah print on every arrogant, disdainful heart." (Verses 34-35)

"And Pharaoh said: O Haman! Build for me a tower that haply I may reach the roads, The roads of the heavens, and may look upon the god of Moses, though verily I think him a liar. Thus was the evil that he did made fairseeming unto Pharaoh, and he was debarred from the (right) way. The plot of Pharaoh ended but in ruin." (Verses 36-37)

The story of Prophet Musa has been discussed in previous chapters, but verse 28 refers to a believer in the camp of the Pharaoh who was hiding his faith. He then announced his true faith and openly challenged the Pharaoh to accept the truth of Prophet Musa's message and reminded them of the people of Prophet Yusuf (verses 34-35) who tried to claim that there would be no further messenger after Prophet Yusuf's death.

The Pharaoh continued to belie Prophet Musa's message, so much so that he even asked his servant, Haman to build a tower up to the skies so he could see if God truly existed (verses 36-37).

Sections 5: The false leaders and their followers shall contend each other, verses 38-50

"Whoso doeth an ill-deed, he will be repaid the like thereof, while whoso doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, (all) such will enter the Garden, where they will be nourished without stint." (Verse 40)

"And ye will remember what I say unto you. I confide my cause unto Allah. Lo! Allah is Seer of (His) slaves. So Allah warded off from him the evils which they plotted, while a dreadful doom encompassed Pharaoh's folk, The Fire; they are exposed to it morning and evening; and on the day when the Hour upriseth (it is said): Cause Pharaoh's folk to enter the most awful doom." (Verses 44-46)

"And those in the Fire say unto the guards of hell: Entreat your Lord that He relieve us of a day of the torment. They say: Came not your messengers unto you with clear proofs? They say: Yea, verily. They say: Then do ye pray, although the prayer of disbelievers is in vain." (Verses 49-50)

The Pharaoh may have met an awful end in this world but it is nothing in comparison to the torment and suffering he (along with his followers) are suffering in the grave at the moment. Verse 46 refers to this torment that they will suffer till the Day of Judgement. These same disbelievers will try to obtain release from Hell but by then it will be too late (verse 50).

Section 6: God assists the apostles and the believers, verses 51-60

"Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And ask forgiveness of thy sin (of your followers), and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours." (Verse 55)

"And the blind man and the seer are not equal, neither are those who believe and do good works (equal with) the evil-doer. Little do ye reflect! Lo! the Hour is surely coming, there is no doubt thereof; yet most of mankind believe not. And your Lord hath said: Pray unto Me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced." (Verses 58-60)

Verse 55 has been taken by some to mean that the Holy Prophet was fallible and needed to ask for forgiveness of any sins. This is not true, in this verse he is asking for forgiveness for all his followers throughout the history of mankind, to this very day. 

Every Prophet of Allah had a natural inclination to seek goodness from Allah for his followers. He felt that their welfare was his responsibility. He treated their happiness or salvation as his own. So he always sought pardon and forgiveness for his people as he would do for his own self, and therefore he was addressed in person at many places in the Quran instead of his followers; and commandments intended for the people were addressed to the Prophet.

From verse 60, Allah has given man permission to invoke Him. In all duas request is made to Allah alone, but through the intercession of the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt. The duas we recite written by the Ahlul-Bayt are blessed. Firstly they provide for us the most suitable words and proper form to approach and beseech the merciful Allah. Secondly, if the meanings are understood they leave a profound impression of the oneness of Allah and His attributes on our minds and souls.

Section 7: Glorification of God, verses 61-68

"Allah it is Who appointed for you the earth for a dwelling-place and the sky for a canopy, and fashioned you and perfected your shapes, and hath provided you with good things. Such is Allah, your Lord. Then blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds! He is the Living One. There is no Allah save Him. So pray unto Him, making religion pure for Him (only). Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!" (Verses 64-65)

"He it is Who created you from dust, then from a drop (of seed) then from a clot, then bringeth you forth as a child, then (ordaineth) that ye attain full strength and afterward that ye become old men - though some among you die before - and that ye reach an appointed term, that haply ye may understand. He it is Who quickeneth and giveth death. When He ordaineth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is." (Verses 67-68)

Section 8: The fate of the disbelievers in the Book and the apostles, verses 69-78

"Those who deny the Scripture and that wherewith We send Our messengers. But they will come to know, When carcans are about their necks and chains. They are dragged Through boiling waters; then they are thrust into the Fire. Then it is said unto them: Where are (all) that ye used to make partners (in the Sovereignty) Beside Allah? They say: They have failed us; but we used not to pray to anything before. Thus doth Allah send astray the disbelievers (in His guidance)." (Verses 70-74)

"Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And whether we let thee see a part of that which We promise them, or (whether) We cause thee to die, still unto Us they will be brought back. Verily We sent messengers before thee, among them those of whom We have told thee, and some of whom We have not told thee; and it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a portent save by Allah's leave, but when Allah's commandment cometh (the cause) is judged aright, and the followers of vanity will then be lost." (Verses 77-78)

Only some of the Prophets of God are mentioned in the Holy Quran and to the Holy Propher. All came preaching the same message of belief in one true God. All the disbelievers amongst their followers were lost and punished by destruction. They await further recompense for what they did on the Day of Judgement.

Section 9: The lesson from the fate of disbelievers in the past, verses 79-85

"Have they not travelled in the land to see the nature of the consequence for those before them? They were more numerous than these, and mightier in power and (in the) traces (which they left behind them) in the earth. But all that they used to earn availed them not. And when their messengers brought them clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) they exulted in the knowledge they (themselves) possessed. And that which they were wont to mock befell them." (Verses 82-83)

"Then, when they saw Our doom, they said: We believe in Allah only and reject (all) that we used to associate (with Him). But their faith could not avail them when they saw Our doom. This is Allah's law which hath ever taken course for His bondmen. And then the disbelievers will be ruined." (Verses 84-85)

Many a disbeliever tried to claim superiority over the Prophets of God. They may have possessed a little knowledge about the world and tried to claim it as better than the knowledge of the Prophets that were sent to warn them. For them and all disbelievers, by the time they realise their folly and mistakes in the hereafter it will be too late.

We now move on to Surah 41 of the Holy Quran. Surah Fussilat (Explained in detail) was revealed at Mecca and has 54 verses in 6 sections.

Surah 41, Fussilat (Explained in detail)

Section 1: Quran, the book with verses fully expounded, verses 1-8

"A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful, A Scripture whereof the verses are expounded, a Lecture in Arabic for people who have knowledge, Good tidings and a warning. But most of them turn away so that they hear not." (Verses 2-4)

"Say (unto them O Muhammad): I am only a mortal like you. It is inspired in me that your Allah is One Allah, therefor take the straight path unto Him and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe unto the idolaters, Who give not the poor-due, and who are disbelievers in the Hereafter." (Verses 6-8)

The Holy Quran has been sent down by Allah as a bearer of "Good tidings and a warning." The Holy Prophet was human just like everyone else, therefore, there was no barrier between him and everyone else. He was blessed with revelation from Allah which made him superior to all other human beings.

Section 2: The creation of the Earth and the heavens, verses 9-18

"Say (O Muhammad, unto the idolaters): Disbelieve ye verily in Him Who created the earth in two Days, and ascribe ye unto Him rivals? He (and none else) is the Lord of the Worlds. He placed therein firm hills rising above it, and blessed it and measured therein its sustenance in four Days, alike for (all) who ask.

Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. But if they turn away, then say: I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt (which fell of old upon the tribes) of A'ad and Thamud."  (Verses 9-13)

The Earth was created in two phases, the physical and the spiritual. The four days in verse 10, refers to the several stages in which the creation of the heavens and the earth took place, and the sequence of the order in which the various components of the universe were brought into existence. Those who reject God's creation will be punished as the people of Aad and Thamud were punished (see previous chapters).

Sections 3 & 4: One's own eyes, ear etc shall bear witness against one's self & The disbelievers plan to suppress Quran, verses 19-32

"And (make mention of) the day when the enemies of Allah are gathered unto the Fire, they are driven on Till, when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins testify against them as to what they used to do. And they say unto their skins: Why testify ye against us? They say: Allah hath given us speech Who giveth speech to all things, and Who created you at the first, and unto Whom ye are returned. Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears and your eyes and your skins should testify against you, but ye deemed that Allah knew not much of what ye did." (Verses 19-22)

"Those who disbelieve say: Heed not this Qur'an, and drown the hearing of it; haply ye may conquer. But verily We shall cause those who disbelieve to taste an awful doom, and verily We shall requite them the worst of what they used to do. That is the reward of Allah's enemies: the Fire. Therein is their immortal home, payment forasmuch as they denied Our revelations." (Verses 26-28)

"Lo! those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and afterward are upright, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not nor grieve, but hear good tidings of the paradise which ye are promised. We are your protecting friends in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. There ye will have (all) that your souls desire, and there ye will have (all) for which ye pray. A gift of welcome from One Forgiving, Merciful." (Verses 30-32)

The disbelievers think that if they conceal their evil deeds from the rest of the world, nothing will happen to them, but they do not know that their limbs and faculties they use for evil will be used against them on the Day of judgement. Allah knows everything and the punishment will be great. The disbelievers will be gathered with more disbelievers. However, for those who believe, the angels will descend upon them and bring glad tidings in this world and the hereafter.

Section 5: Good can not be equal to evil, verses 33-44

"The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend." (Verse 34)

"And if a whisper from the devil reach thee (O Muhammad) then seek refuge in Allah. Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower." (Verse 37)

"Lo! those who distort Our revelations are not hid from Us. Is he who is hurled into the Fire better, or he who cometh secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do what ye will. Lo! He is Seer of what ye do. Lo! those who disbelieve in the Reminder when it cometh unto them (are guilty), for lo! it is an unassailable Scripture." (Verses 40-41)

"Naught is said unto thee (Muhammad) save what was said unto the messengers before thee. Lo! thy Lord is owner of forgiveness, and owner (also) of dire punishment. And if We had appointed it a Lecture in a foreign tongue they would assuredly have said: If only its verses were expounded (so that we might understand)? What! A foreign tongue and an Arab? - Say unto them (O Muhammad): For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. Such are called to from afar." (Verses 43-44)

In verse 37, we are reminded via the Holy Prophet, to seek refuge in Allah from the whispering of Shaitan. Only he can protect us from such evil. The Holy Quran contains mercy for those who believe in any language. It was revealed in Arabic for the Holy Prophet and his followers but its message is universal.

Section 6: Everyone's good and evil is for or against the individual themselves, verses 45-54

"Whoso doeth right it is for his soul, and whoso doeth wrong it is against it. And thy Lord is not at all a tyrant to His slaves. Unto Him is referred (all) knowledge of the Hour. And no fruits burst forth from their sheaths, and no female carrieth or bringeth forth but with His knowledge. And on the day when He calleth unto them: Where are now My partners? they will say: We confess unto Thee, not one of us is a witness (for them)." (Verses 46-47)

"When We show favour unto man, he withdraweth and turneth aside, but when ill toucheth him then he aboundeth in prayer. Bethink you: If it is from Allah and ye reject it - Who is further astray than one who is at open feud (with Allah)?We shall show them Our portents on the horizons and within themselves until it will be manifest unto them that it is the Truth. Doth not thy Lord suffice, since He is Witness over all things? How! Are they still in doubt about the meeting with their Lord? Lo! Is not He surrounding all things?" (Verses 51-54)

Surah 41 ends with a clear pronouncement of the truth of Allah and his Holy Prophet and yet people still dispute it. Man turns easily to Allah at time of strife and trouble, but when he has been granted Allah's mercy he soon turns away and forgets. The Holy Quran questions their weak logic and faith "Is not He surrounding all things?"

With that, we conclude Chapter 24, finished nice and early for a change today, subahnallah. Tomorrow we move on to Chapter 25 and cover Surahs 42, 43, 44 & 45.

Thank you for reading.