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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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The concise commentary

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on the book "Introductory Cards

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to the Surahs of the Noble Mus-haf"

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by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Umar Nasif,

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may Allah preserve him.

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Surah al-Infitar.

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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

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We continue with our concise commentary on the introductory cards,

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and we have arrived at Surah al-Infitar.

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I have three reflections regarding it.

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The first reflection concerns what has been narrated regarding its virtues,

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which is the exact same virtue mentioned for Surah at-Takwir:

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"Whoever would be pleased to look at the Day of Resurrection as if seeing it with his own eyes..."

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This invites us to compare the two surahs

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and reflect more deeply on their differences and points of agreement.

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They share common elements, the most apparent of which is:

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"When" (idha),

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which denotes absolute certainty of occurrence.

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Another point of agreement between them is:

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"A soul will know..."

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Among the contrasting elements between them is:

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"A soul will know what it has put forth and kept back" here,

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and "what it has brought" there in at-Takwir.

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All of this calls for careful comparison

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and contemplation.

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As for the second reflection,

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it pertains to the chronological order of the surah's revelation.

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In reality, we do not possess any definitive evidence,

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as far as I know,

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regarding the precise time of this surah's revelation,

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except

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the report used merely for corroboration,

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though not with certainty,

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which is the narration of Jabir ibn Zayd,

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may Allah have mercy on him,

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in which he placed it as the eighty-first surah,

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whereas at-Takwir, which preceded it,

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was revealed early, as we noted,

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being the sixth.

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One can infer a subtle point from this:

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that this admonition

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is needed by Muslims at the beginning of the da'wah—

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like that surah—

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and is also needed by Muslims

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in the middle phase of the da'wah,

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toward the end of the Meccan period,

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which is midway in relation to the total span

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of his life, peace and blessings be upon him,

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and the descent of revelation upon him.

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Thus, admonition is not exclusively for

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new Muslims,

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nor is the reminder of the Hereafter reserved only

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for the recently practicing;

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rather, it is something we constantly need to remember.

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So one surah came in the early Meccan period

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and another surah came in the late Meccan period,

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and we will also come across some surahs

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from the Medinan period

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that address this same theme.

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For it is a matter from which

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no need can ever be detached

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by any Muslim.

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A third and final reflection

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concerns the main theme of the surah: he stated,

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"Urging to work for the Day of Judgment."

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Notice, my brothers,

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that our remembrance of the Day of Resurrection

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is not an invitation to mere fear;

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fear is only a means to action.

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The reality is that remembering

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the Hereafter

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and actively visualizing Paradise and Hellfire

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should serve

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to fuel a positive,

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proactive drive toward righteous deeds

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for the Day of Judgment.

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If you realize that when

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these cataclysmic events occur,

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a soul will know what it has put forth and kept back,

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then put forth goodness right now

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and be eager for it, so that you may rejoice

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on that Day:

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"Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure." O Allah,

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make us among them.

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I will suffice with this, and send peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah,

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and upon his family and Companions,

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and whoever follows his guidance.

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Praise be to Allah, first and last,

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outwardly and inwardly.