1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,759 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:32,149 A gentle commentary 3 00:00:32,329 --> 00:00:35,030 on the book "Identification Cards 4 00:00:35,710 --> 00:00:37,530 for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an" 5 00:00:38,590 --> 00:00:41,630 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar Nasif, 6 00:00:42,369 --> 00:00:43,670 may Allah preserve him. 7 00:00:44,590 --> 00:00:45,969 Surah al-Qiyamah. 8 00:00:46,450 --> 00:00:50,270 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. 9 00:00:50,649 --> 00:00:53,509 Returning now to this gentle commentary 10 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:55,390 on the identification cards, 11 00:00:55,390 --> 00:00:58,390 the last surah we covered was Surah al-Muddaththir, 12 00:00:58,390 --> 00:01:01,390 and today we take up Surah al-Qiyamah. 13 00:01:01,390 --> 00:01:03,390 I have three points of reflection upon it. 14 00:01:03,390 --> 00:01:05,480 The first point pertains to the opening of the surah. 15 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,480 The author stated that it begins with an oath, 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,480 which is the fifth type of opening among those mentioned in *Al-Itqan*. 17 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,549 Furthermore, 18 00:01:12,549 --> 00:01:14,549 it and Surah al-Balad— 19 00:01:14,549 --> 00:01:17,549 though written as feminine dual, the phrasing should indicate singular concord— 20 00:01:17,549 --> 00:01:19,549 meaning Surah al-Qiyamah along with Surah al-Balad, 21 00:01:19,549 --> 00:01:22,549 are uniquely characterized by a distinctive style of oath, 22 00:01:22,549 --> 00:01:24,549 the signification of which is debated, 23 00:01:24,549 --> 00:01:26,549 because some scholars regard it as an oath, 24 00:01:26,549 --> 00:01:29,549 while others do not consider it an oath. 25 00:01:29,549 --> 00:01:31,549 Therefore, 26 00:01:31,549 --> 00:01:34,549 he noted that it could be classified under the fourth category, 27 00:01:34,549 --> 00:01:36,549 which is opening with an informative statement, 28 00:01:36,549 --> 00:01:38,549 meaning the fourth of the various types of openings. 29 00:01:38,549 --> 00:01:40,549 The fifth type is the oath. 30 00:01:40,549 --> 00:01:42,549 Indeed, al-Suyuti himself, 31 00:01:42,549 --> 00:01:44,549 upon whom the author relied in this book regarding surah openings, 32 00:01:44,549 --> 00:01:46,549 classified it 33 00:01:46,549 --> 00:01:48,549 among the openings 34 00:01:48,549 --> 00:01:50,549 by informative statements 35 00:01:50,549 --> 00:01:52,549 and did not count it among the oaths. 36 00:01:52,549 --> 00:01:54,549 The apparent reason for this is the scholarly difference: 37 00:01:54,549 --> 00:01:56,549 is this an oath, 38 00:01:56,549 --> 00:01:58,680 or is it a negation of an oath? 39 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,680 Moreover, both surahs, 40 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,680 by virtue of sharing this opening, 41 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,680 merit deep reflection and comparison. 42 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,680 It is also observed that in both of these surahs, 43 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,680 there occurs 44 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:10,680 the phrase "Does man think...?" twice 45 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,840 in each surah. 46 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,840 Thus, the two surahs beginning with "Nay, I swear" 47 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:16,840 resemble each other 48 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,930 in the fact that 49 00:02:18,930 --> 00:02:20,930 both contain this specific expression. 50 00:02:20,930 --> 00:02:22,930 And this phrase, "Does man think...?", 51 00:02:22,930 --> 00:02:24,930 is a recurring motif 52 00:02:24,930 --> 00:02:27,120 throughout the Qur'an, 53 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,120 expressing denunciation 54 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,120 against anyone who harbors a false assumption, 55 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,120 as though it delivers him from the darkness 56 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,120 in which he resides into the light, 57 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,120 should he be guided by the words 58 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,409 of the Subtle, the All-Aware. 59 00:02:39,409 --> 00:02:41,409 As for the second point of reflection, it concerns the occasion of revelation. 60 00:02:41,409 --> 00:02:43,409 The author mentioned a single occasion of revelation, 61 00:02:43,409 --> 00:02:45,409 which relates to an issue 62 00:02:45,409 --> 00:02:47,409 connected to the science of textual correlations (*'ilm al-munasabat*). 63 00:02:47,409 --> 00:02:49,409 There is an important principle in the science of textual correlations 64 00:02:49,409 --> 00:02:51,479 that al-Tahir ibn 'Ashur pointed out 65 00:02:51,479 --> 00:02:53,479 frequently. 66 00:02:53,479 --> 00:02:55,479 Sometimes an exegete attempts 67 00:02:55,479 --> 00:02:57,539 to 68 00:02:57,539 --> 00:02:59,669 forge a link between verses, 69 00:02:59,669 --> 00:03:01,669 and this endeavor in itself 70 00:03:01,669 --> 00:03:03,669 is good and accepted by the vast majority of scholars, 71 00:03:03,669 --> 00:03:05,669 save for a few who hesitated regarding this matter 72 00:03:05,669 --> 00:03:07,669 and objected to the study of textual correlations. 73 00:03:07,669 --> 00:03:09,669 But the problem arises 74 00:03:09,669 --> 00:03:11,669 when speaking of textual correlations 75 00:03:11,669 --> 00:03:13,669 without taking into account the occasions of revelation. 76 00:03:13,669 --> 00:03:15,669 Thus, you find someone interpreting a verse 77 00:03:15,669 --> 00:03:17,669 incorrectly merely 78 00:03:17,669 --> 00:03:19,669 to make it cohere neatly 79 00:03:19,669 --> 00:03:21,669 with what precedes it and what follows it, 80 00:03:21,669 --> 00:03:23,699 completely disregarding the occasion of revelation. 81 00:03:23,699 --> 00:03:25,830 Here, 82 00:03:25,830 --> 00:03:27,830 the occasion of revelation for Allah's words, "Do not move your tongue therewith 83 00:03:27,830 --> 00:03:29,830 to make haste with it," 84 00:03:29,830 --> 00:03:31,830 is that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to endure 85 00:03:31,830 --> 00:03:33,830 great hardship during revelation 86 00:03:33,830 --> 00:03:35,830 and would frequently move his lips— 87 00:03:35,830 --> 00:03:37,919 to the end of the narration. 88 00:03:37,919 --> 00:03:39,919 Thus, it is evident 89 00:03:39,919 --> 00:03:42,050 that this occasion has no thematic link 90 00:03:42,050 --> 00:03:44,050 to the verses preceding it or following it. 91 00:03:44,050 --> 00:03:46,050 And we said that this relates back to the science of textual correlations, 92 00:03:46,050 --> 00:03:48,050 in the sense that 93 00:03:48,050 --> 00:03:50,050 verses may be revealed for a specific reason, 94 00:03:50,050 --> 00:03:52,050 and their descent happens to coincide with 95 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:54,050 the revelation of verses 96 00:03:54,050 --> 00:03:56,050 treating an entirely different topic. 97 00:03:56,050 --> 00:03:58,050 Thus we understand the rationale for their mention alongside them: 98 00:03:58,050 --> 00:04:00,050 namely, that they coincided 99 00:04:00,050 --> 00:04:02,050 in the time of revelation, not that there is an intrinsic 100 00:04:02,050 --> 00:04:04,050 correlation between them—a point emphasized by al-Tahir ibn 'Ashur. 101 00:04:04,050 --> 00:04:06,050 By keeping this in mind, the scholar treating 102 00:04:06,050 --> 00:04:08,050 this subject is spared from forced contrivance 103 00:04:08,050 --> 00:04:10,050 regarding certain verses. 104 00:04:10,050 --> 00:04:12,210 The third and final point of reflection 105 00:04:12,210 --> 00:04:14,210 concerns the thematic sections. 106 00:04:14,210 --> 00:04:16,209 Under the single section, it says: "And in it [fem.]..." 107 00:04:16,209 --> 00:04:18,209 We should assume it means: "And in it [masc.]..." 108 00:04:18,209 --> 00:04:20,209 "The opening with a denunciatory interrogative, 109 00:04:20,209 --> 00:04:22,209 and the denunciation of those who deny 110 00:04:22,209 --> 00:04:24,209 the gathering of bones..." It would be better phrased as: 111 00:04:24,209 --> 00:04:26,209 "and the denunciation of him who assumes 112 00:04:26,209 --> 00:04:28,209 that Allah will not assemble his bones," 113 00:04:28,209 --> 00:04:30,209 and the like, 114 00:04:30,209 --> 00:04:32,209 because this aligns 115 00:04:32,209 --> 00:04:34,209 with the statement in the last two lines: "and the refutation of 116 00:04:34,209 --> 00:04:36,209 whoever assumes that he will be left neglected," 117 00:04:36,209 --> 00:04:38,209 in reference to "Does man think 118 00:04:38,209 --> 00:04:40,209 that We will not assemble his bones?" at the beginning of the surah, 119 00:04:40,209 --> 00:04:42,209 and "Does man think that he will be left neglected?" 120 00:04:42,209 --> 00:04:44,209 at the end of the surah. 121 00:04:44,209 --> 00:04:46,209 So it is preferable for the wording 122 00:04:46,209 --> 00:04:48,279 to point to this parallelism. 123 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,279 Furthermore, it is noteworthy 124 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,279 that there are parenthetical verses 125 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,279 mentioned in the occasions of revelation a moment ago, 126 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,279 and they are noted here in the third line 127 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,279 of the single thematic section. 128 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,279 He stated: "Parenthetical verses discussing 129 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,279 the manner required of the Prophet, 130 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,279 peace be upon him, in his reception of the Qur'an." 131 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,279 It is clear that these verses 132 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,279 are not directly 133 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,279 connected to the verse preceding them. 134 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,279 I spoke about this a moment ago, 135 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,279 but I wish to add here 136 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,279 that such parenthetical insertions 137 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,279 remind anyone who reads the Qur'an 138 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,279 and listens to these verses 139 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,279 that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 140 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,279 holds a sublime status with Allah, 141 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,279 and that he, peace be upon him, 142 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,279 is the one upon whom 143 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,279 the revelation descended. 144 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,279 This reminds me 145 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,279 that the Prophet, peace be upon him, received the revelation, 146 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,279 conveyed it to us, 147 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,279 and was then taken by Allah, Exalted is He; 148 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,279 so it must remain ever-present in our hearts 149 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,279 that he is the one who received the revelation, 150 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,279 who conveyed it, 151 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,279 and who will be a witness 152 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:48,279 over his Ummah: "So how will it be when We bring from every nation a witness 153 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,279 “But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against these?” (4:41) 154 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,279 and We bring you as a witness over these?" 155 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,279 Thus, such verses that appear 156 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,279 parenthetically speaking about the Messenger of Allah 157 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,279 ought to draw our attention 158 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,279 to this reality and to other insights that emerge 159 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,279 through deep contemplation. 160 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,279 I content myself with this, and I invoke blessings upon the best of Messengers, 161 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,279 and upon his family and Companions.