WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.600 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:32.140 The concise commentary 00:00:32.140 --> 00:00:35.140 on the book *Identification Cards* 00:00:35.140 --> 00:00:37.640 *for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an* 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:42.140 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar Nassif, 00:00:42.140 --> 00:00:43.640 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:46.299 Surah Al 'Imran. 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:50.799 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:54.600 We are in the concise commentary on Surah Al 'Imran, 00:00:54.700 --> 00:00:56.820 and I have three points to make regarding it. 00:00:56.820 --> 00:00:58.820 The first point 00:00:58.820 --> 00:01:00.820 concerns the chronological order of the Surah's revelation. 00:01:00.820 --> 00:01:02.820 Here the same mistake occurred, 00:01:02.820 --> 00:01:05.819 but I will elaborate in commenting on it. 00:01:05.819 --> 00:01:09.049 If you look at the page containing the diagram, 00:01:09.049 --> 00:01:12.400 which is also attached to the lesson, 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:15.819 you will find that its order of revelation according to what is written 00:01:15.819 --> 00:01:19.819 is numbered eighty-seventh, revealed after Al-Baqarah and before Al-Anfal. 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:22.819 This is called the order of revelation. 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.920 However, the order of revelation is not among the headings present 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:29.040 in the pages preceding the diagram, 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:31.040 as you will notice. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:34.430 Then he wrote its date; 00:01:34.430 --> 00:01:36.430 after the thematic sections, he wrote its date: 00:01:36.430 --> 00:01:38.430 "Medinan by consensus," 00:01:38.430 --> 00:01:40.430 and he did not intend to make an exception of any part of it at all. 00:01:40.430 --> 00:01:43.430 And we have noted that the correct heading for this 00:01:43.430 --> 00:01:45.430 is its period/era, not its date. 00:01:45.430 --> 00:01:47.430 The matter will become clearer 00:01:47.430 --> 00:01:49.430 by reading what comes before that 00:01:49.430 --> 00:01:51.430 on page twenty-seven. 00:01:51.530 --> 00:01:53.590 What he wrote regarding the order of the Surah's revelation, 00:01:53.590 --> 00:01:55.590 he said: "Numbered eighty-seventh, 00:01:55.590 --> 00:01:57.590 after Al-Baqarah and before Al-Anfal." 00:01:57.590 --> 00:01:59.879 Up to this point, 00:01:59.879 --> 00:02:01.879 this is the order of revelation. 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:03.879 Then the discussion begins 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:05.879 about the dating. 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:07.879 What is mentioned here is the dating, 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:09.939 and it is not present in the diagram 00:02:09.939 --> 00:02:11.939 because the diagram is built upon brevity, 00:02:11.939 --> 00:02:14.939 so there is no harm in omitting it from the diagram. 00:02:14.939 --> 00:02:16.939 However, the word "date" should not be placed there, 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:18.939 because its dating 00:02:18.939 --> 00:02:20.939 pertains to what I am about to read now, 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:23.039 and it contains an error that must be highlighted. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:25.039 He said: "It is linked to two events in the Seerah: 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:27.039 the arrival of the delegation of the Christians of Najran," 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.039 then he wrote: "in the ninth 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:31.039 or tenth year of the Hijrah." And this is an error; 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.139 it is not correct. 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:35.139 The arrival of the delegation of Najran occurred 00:02:35.139 --> 00:02:37.139 early, close to the Battle of Uhud, 00:02:37.139 --> 00:02:39.199 as clarified by al-Tahir Ibn 'Ashur, 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:41.199 and as is evident in *Sirat Ibn Hisham*. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.199 That is, dating it to the ninth 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.270 or tenth year of the Hijrah is an error. 00:02:45.270 --> 00:02:47.270 Then he said: "and that was before the Year of Delegations." 00:02:47.270 --> 00:02:49.270 Yes, it was before the Year of Delegations; 00:02:49.370 --> 00:02:51.370 the delegation of Najran arrived years before it. 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:53.370 Therefore, it would have been more accurate to write: 00:02:53.370 --> 00:02:55.370 "and that was years before the Year of Delegations." 00:02:55.370 --> 00:02:57.370 This Year of Delegations 00:02:57.370 --> 00:02:59.370 was in the ninth year, 00:02:59.370 --> 00:03:02.009 as stated in *Sirat Ibn Hisham*. 00:03:02.009 --> 00:03:04.099 So this was the cause of the error. 00:03:04.099 --> 00:03:06.099 The arrival of the delegation of Najran was not during the Year of Delegations; 00:03:06.099 --> 00:03:08.099 rather, it was before that 00:03:08.099 --> 00:03:10.229 by a number of years. 00:03:10.229 --> 00:03:12.229 Thus, the Year of Delegations was in the ninth year, 00:03:12.229 --> 00:03:14.229 whereas the delegation of Najran 00:03:14.229 --> 00:03:16.229 arrived years prior to that, 00:03:16.229 --> 00:03:18.229 and it is connected to the Battle of Uhud— 00:03:18.330 --> 00:03:20.330 I mean, to Surah Al 'Imran. 00:03:20.330 --> 00:03:22.330 For there is no mention in Surah Al 'Imran 00:03:22.330 --> 00:03:24.330 of the delegations in general; 00:03:24.330 --> 00:03:26.330 rather, it contains mention of the dialogue with 00:03:26.330 --> 00:03:28.330 the Christians of Najran. 00:03:28.330 --> 00:03:30.330 As for the Year of Delegations, it is connected to certain other Surahs, 00:03:30.330 --> 00:03:32.460 such as Surah Al-Hujurat, which comes to mind now. 00:03:32.460 --> 00:03:34.460 Then he said: "and the Battle of Uhud, which took place in Shawwal," 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:36.460 meaning the arrival of the delegation of Najran 00:03:36.460 --> 00:03:38.460 and the Battle of Uhud, which took place in Shawwal 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:40.460 of the third year of the Hijrah. 00:03:40.460 --> 00:03:42.810 This supports— 00:03:42.810 --> 00:03:44.810 that is, its connection to the delegation of Najran 00:03:44.810 --> 00:03:46.810 and the Battle of Uhud— 00:03:46.889 --> 00:03:48.889 it supports that it was revealed relatively early, 00:03:50.530 --> 00:03:52.789 because it is linked to early events. 00:03:55.289 --> 00:03:57.289 Had the delegation of Najran been in the ninth year, 00:03:57.289 --> 00:03:59.610 it would not be correct to say that its revelation was relatively early, 00:03:59.930 --> 00:04:01.930 but rather that only some of its verses were. 00:04:01.930 --> 00:04:04.569 Indeed, consensus has been reported 00:04:04.569 --> 00:04:06.569 that it is among the earliest Medinan Surahs. 00:04:06.569 --> 00:04:08.569 This is an addition from me, quoting al-Tahir Ibn 'Ashur: 00:04:08.569 --> 00:04:10.569 a consensus was reported that it is among the earliest Medinan Surahs. 00:04:10.569 --> 00:04:12.569 As a further point of verification, 00:04:12.569 --> 00:04:15.370 he then said: "which supports 00:04:15.370 --> 00:04:17.370 that its revelation was relatively early, 00:04:17.370 --> 00:04:21.189 and that in the well-known narration mentioned at the beginning of the discussion," 00:04:21.189 --> 00:04:23.490 which places its revelation as eighty-seventh, 00:04:23.490 --> 00:04:26.649 "which places it before Al-Anfal, there is room for reconsideration." 00:04:26.649 --> 00:04:29.740 And the well-known narration that is transmitted— 00:04:29.740 --> 00:04:31.399 we said it is the narration of Jabir ibn Zayd— 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:35.579 which places Surah Al 'Imran before Al-Anfal, 00:04:35.579 --> 00:04:38.759 stating that it was revealed after Al-Baqarah 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:40.379 and before Al-Anfal, 00:04:40.379 --> 00:04:42.139 according to the narration of Jabir ibn Zayd, 00:04:42.139 --> 00:04:45.139 placing it before Al-Anfal is debatable. 00:04:45.139 --> 00:04:48.439 Where does this doubt come from? 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:51.439 It comes from the fact that Al-Anfal was in the second year, 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.439 linked to the Battle of Badr, as will follow, 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:57.540 whereas Surah Al 'Imran is linked to the Battle of Uhud 00:04:57.540 --> 00:04:59.629 in a large portion of it. 00:04:59.629 --> 00:05:02.629 Therefore, there is question regarding it being earlier; 00:05:02.629 --> 00:05:05.629 even the verses at the beginning of the Surah have occasions of revelation 00:05:05.629 --> 00:05:09.240 indicating that they occurred after the Battle of Badr. 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:13.240 So the most accurate view, and Allah knows best, is that Surah Al 'Imran was revealed early, 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:17.240 but it does not precede Surah Al-Anfal. 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:20.240 This concludes the first point, 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:22.240 on which I have dwelt for a bit. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:23.779 As for the second point, 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:25.779 it is connected to the first point. 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:27.779 For I mentioned in the first point that 00:05:27.779 --> 00:05:29.779 two events are connected to the Surah: 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:31.779 the delegation of the Christians of Najran 00:05:31.779 --> 00:05:33.779 and the Battle of Uhud. 00:05:33.779 --> 00:05:35.779 Does this help in understanding the Surah? Yes. 00:05:35.779 --> 00:05:39.100 Knowing the events connected to a Surah— 00:05:39.100 --> 00:05:40.100 and this applies to every Surah— 00:05:40.100 --> 00:05:43.100 whichever Surah it is, if you can identify any event connected to it, 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:45.100 it will aid you in understanding the Surah. 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:47.100 This varies from one Surah to another; 00:05:47.100 --> 00:05:50.300 Surah Al-Anfal, which will follow, 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:52.300 is entirely connected to the Battle of Badr, 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:54.300 and this helps you understand the entire Surah. 00:05:54.300 --> 00:05:57.420 Therefore, dating the revelation is very important, 00:05:57.420 --> 00:05:59.420 as are the events associated with that date. 00:05:59.420 --> 00:06:03.000 A research paper available in al-Maktaba al-Shamila has been written, 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:07.000 entitled *The Prophetic Biography (Seerah) Through the Most Important Books of Tafsir*, 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.000 by Dr. 'Isam al-Humaydan, 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.000 and it is extremely beneficial. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.000 This is what I mentioned earlier at the beginning of the lessons: 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.610 when you read the Tafsir of a single verse, you understand it, 00:06:19.610 --> 00:06:23.610 but when you know the events associated 00:06:23.610 --> 00:06:26.610 with the Surah, you do not merely understand one verse; 00:06:26.610 --> 00:06:29.959 it aids you in understanding all of its verses. 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.959 Dating the revelation is important for the Surah, 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:35.959 and books of Tafsir vary in their attention to it. 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:37.959 Among the works of Tafsir that pay the greatest attention to it 00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:39.959 is the Tafsir of al-Tahir Ibn 'Ashur; 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:41.959 in the introduction to each Surah, 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:42.959 he attempts to determine the date of revelation, 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.600 and then draws upon that during his discussion of the Surah. 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:48.600 The third and final point 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:51.949 concerns the placement of the Surah. 00:06:51.949 --> 00:06:54.139 Here is a note 00:06:54.139 --> 00:06:56.399 that applies throughout the entire book: 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:59.500 the "placement of the Surah" 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:03.939 is the very same as its order in the Mus-haf. 00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:08.300 In the diagrams, he always writes "its order in the Mus-haf," 00:07:08.300 --> 00:07:10.300 whereas within the text of the book, 00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:12.300 in the non-diagram pages, he writes 00:07:12.300 --> 00:07:15.300 "the placement of the Surah," though the meaning is one and the same. 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:19.300 Unifying the terminology would have been clearer and more appropriate. 00:07:19.300 --> 00:07:22.189 If we look at the placement of the Surah 00:07:22.189 --> 00:07:24.189 and its order in the Mus-haf, 00:07:24.189 --> 00:07:26.189 we find that it comes after Al-Baqarah. 00:07:26.189 --> 00:07:29.540 The thematic correspondences between the two Surahs are numerous; 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:31.670 among the most significant of these is 00:07:31.670 --> 00:07:33.670 that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 00:07:33.670 --> 00:07:35.670 paired them together when he said: 00:07:35.670 --> 00:07:40.800 "Recite the two radiant ones: Al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran," 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.660 or as he (peace be upon him) said. 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:47.180 A man among the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), 00:07:47.180 --> 00:07:49.180 whenever he recited these two Surahs— 00:07:49.180 --> 00:07:51.269 and I do not say merely "memorized," 00:07:51.269 --> 00:07:55.300 for recitation (*qira'ah*) is broader than mere memorization, 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:59.300 nor is it simply reciting them once; 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:03.689 rather, recitation according to them encompassed comprehension and practice— 00:08:03.689 --> 00:08:08.009 whenever a man recited Al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran, 00:08:08.009 --> 00:08:10.009 he was held in great esteem among them. 00:08:10.009 --> 00:08:13.420 Among the relationships between the two Surahs is also 00:08:13.420 --> 00:08:16.709 that they share the exact same opening: 00:08:16.709 --> 00:08:19.709 both begin with *Alif-Lam-Mim*. 00:08:19.709 --> 00:08:24.160 It is noticeable that the Surahs opening with *Alif-Lam-Mim* 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.160 are scattered and do not appear consecutively, 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:29.160 unlike the Surahs beginning with *Ha-Mim* 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:32.610 or the Surahs beginning with *Alif-Lam-Ra*, 00:08:32.610 --> 00:08:36.740 which appear consecutively, with one Surah beginning with *Alif-Lam-Mim-Ra* among them. 00:08:36.740 --> 00:08:39.059 The *Alif-Lam-Mim* Surahs we are speaking of are 00:08:39.059 --> 00:08:41.059 Al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran, 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:45.059 along with Al-'Ankabut, Al-Rum, Luqman, and Al-Sajdah; 00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:48.059 these are called the *Lawamim*. 00:08:48.059 --> 00:08:51.149 Few scholars have given detailed attention to them, 00:08:51.149 --> 00:08:55.220 and the scholarly remarks 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:58.220 that have been made regarding the *Lawamim* 00:08:58.220 --> 00:09:00.220 truly deserve and require compilation and study. 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:03.250 I have not seen anyone address this 00:09:03.250 --> 00:09:06.250 except al-Biqa'i in his Tafsir 00:09:06.250 --> 00:09:09.250 and Shaykh Mustafa al-Bahyaoui— 00:09:09.250 --> 00:09:10.250 may Allah preserve him and grant benefit through him— 00:09:10.250 --> 00:09:14.440 for he has subtle insights concerning the *Alif-Lam-Mim* surahs. 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:18.500 A concise study could indeed be conducted on these surahs: 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:21.500 why they appear separated throughout the Qur'an, 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.500 and likewise the dispersion in their revelation. 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:25.629 For al-Baqarah and Al 'Imran 00:09:25.629 --> 00:09:28.629 are both Madinan, unlike the remaining surahs, 00:09:28.629 --> 00:09:31.629 whereas generally, surahs opening with disjointed letters 00:09:31.629 --> 00:09:34.629 are Meccan. 00:09:34.629 --> 00:09:39.789 This inquiry is by no means an intellectual luxury; 00:09:39.789 --> 00:09:41.789 rather, it has a basis in the Sunnah, 00:09:41.789 --> 00:09:44.049 as in the hadith cited in the book 00:09:44.049 --> 00:09:46.049 regarding Surah Yunus, 00:09:46.049 --> 00:09:48.049 wherein the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drew attention 00:09:48.049 --> 00:09:53.049 to studying surahs that share similar openings. 00:09:53.049 --> 00:09:56.049 Here, another thematic correlation is also mentioned, 00:09:56.049 --> 00:09:59.049 which al-Suyuti pointed out in his book 00:09:59.049 --> 00:10:00.049 *Tanasuq al-Durar*, 00:10:00.049 --> 00:10:05.080 namely that Surah Al 'Imran elaborates upon some of 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:09.080 what was mentioned concisely in Surah al-Baqarah. 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.179 For instance, I note here 00:10:11.179 --> 00:10:12.269 the words of Allah the Exalted; 00:10:12.269 --> 00:10:16.269 “Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;” (2:26) 00:10:16.269 --> 00:10:18.460 compare them with His saying: 00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:22.460 “He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations - they are the substance of the Book - and others (which are) allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed.” (3:7) 00:10:22.460 --> 00:10:25.590 These two verses complement one another, 00:10:25.590 --> 00:10:30.590 along with a third verse in a later surah with a different opening, 00:10:30.590 --> 00:10:33.590 which is Surah al-Muddaththir: 00:10:33.590 --> 00:10:36.690 the verse, "And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels..." 00:10:36.690 --> 00:10:38.690 The varying stances toward divine revelation 00:10:38.690 --> 00:10:39.690 can be observed across these surahs, 00:10:39.690 --> 00:10:42.690 each fitting perfectly within its specific context, 00:10:42.690 --> 00:10:44.690 which truly warrants deep reflection. 00:10:44.690 --> 00:10:48.690 “Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;” (2:26) 00:10:48.690 --> 00:10:51.690 It was reported to be concerning the Jews, 00:10:51.690 --> 00:10:56.690 whereas the verse in Al 'Imran occurs in close proximity to the mention of the Christians, 00:10:56.690 --> 00:11:00.690 and the verse in Surah al-Muddaththir addresses the polytheists of Mecca. 00:11:00.690 --> 00:11:03.690 Does this context influence the composition of each verse 00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:07.690 and the description of how different people responded to it? 00:11:07.690 --> 00:11:11.820 That may very well be the case, and it warrants further research. 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:14.820 I will conclude with this much for this reflection. 00:11:14.820 --> 00:11:17.820 May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and Companions, 00:11:17.820 --> 00:11:19.820 and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.