1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,700 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:03,399 --> 00:00:08,099 The gentle commentary on the book "Identification Cards 3 00:00:08,099 --> 00:00:11,099 of the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an" 4 00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:15,099 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif, 5 00:00:15,099 --> 00:00:16,500 may Allah preserve him. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,870 Surah Quraysh. 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,179 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 8 00:00:22,179 --> 00:00:24,179 Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, 9 00:00:24,379 --> 00:00:29,179 and peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and the Messengers, 10 00:00:29,179 --> 00:00:31,480 and upon all his family and Companions. 11 00:00:32,109 --> 00:00:35,710 We are still with the gentle commentary on the identification cards, 12 00:00:35,710 --> 00:00:37,710 and we have arrived at Surah Quraysh. 13 00:00:38,369 --> 00:00:39,869 Regarding it, we have three reflections. 14 00:00:39,869 --> 00:00:41,570 The first reflection 15 00:00:42,549 --> 00:00:46,250 concerns the subtle grace of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, 16 00:00:46,750 --> 00:00:50,049 toward the tribe of His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: 17 00:00:50,579 --> 00:00:51,579 Quraysh. 18 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,840 Note that the majority of Quraysh were upon disbelief; 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,159 yet Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, in this Surah, 20 00:01:01,460 --> 00:01:03,490 commanded them to worship, 21 00:01:04,049 --> 00:01:07,870 without explicitly stating their disbelief 22 00:01:07,870 --> 00:01:09,370 and misguidance, 23 00:01:09,370 --> 00:01:12,760 even though He mentioned that in many other Surahs, 24 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,260 but without citing the name of the tribe. 25 00:01:14,260 --> 00:01:16,260 When He mentioned this tribe, 26 00:01:16,260 --> 00:01:18,900 He did not explicitly state its misguidance; 27 00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:22,400 rather, He called them to worship by reminding them of His favor. 28 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,280 He is the Creator, Glorified and Exalted be He, 29 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:27,569 and He is the Owner of all things, 30 00:01:27,569 --> 00:01:29,569 and He is not questioned about what He does. 31 00:01:29,569 --> 00:01:31,640 Thus, we, 32 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,299 the community of Muslims across every time and place, 33 00:01:35,299 --> 00:01:38,799 ought to be extremely careful when we speak 34 00:01:38,799 --> 00:01:42,340 about the tribe of the Messenger of Allah, 35 00:01:42,340 --> 00:01:44,340 or about the household of the Messenger of Allah, 36 00:01:44,340 --> 00:01:46,480 and even more so 37 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,480 when we speak about the Messenger of Allah himself. 38 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,590 We might sometimes fail to watch our tongues 39 00:01:51,590 --> 00:01:53,090 as we speak, 40 00:01:53,090 --> 00:01:56,590 or we might describe events in the Seerah or various matters 41 00:01:56,590 --> 00:01:59,549 without observing proper decorum, 42 00:01:59,549 --> 00:02:01,049 whereas the Qur'an teaches us decorum. 43 00:02:01,049 --> 00:02:03,159 This tribe 44 00:02:03,659 --> 00:02:07,159 was mentioned by its explicit name in this Surah only, 45 00:02:07,159 --> 00:02:09,189 and the Surah was named after it. 46 00:02:09,189 --> 00:02:14,189 The discourse about them was framed with such gentleness, directing them toward what is required, 47 00:02:14,189 --> 00:02:18,689 without detracting in any way from the honor of this tribe, 48 00:02:18,689 --> 00:02:21,689 which is the noblest of all tribes unconditionally. 49 00:02:21,689 --> 00:02:23,189 And the Prophet, peace be upon him, 50 00:02:23,189 --> 00:02:25,189 was the elite of the elite of the elite. 51 00:02:25,189 --> 00:02:28,629 The second matter, 52 00:02:28,629 --> 00:02:31,009 or the second reflection, 53 00:02:31,009 --> 00:02:33,009 concerns the causative particle with which the Surah opens. 54 00:02:33,009 --> 00:02:35,009 It begins with causation: "For the accustomed security..." 55 00:02:35,009 --> 00:02:37,199 This is the only Surah 56 00:02:37,199 --> 00:02:39,199 that begins with a causative clause; 57 00:02:39,199 --> 00:02:42,199 no other Surah begins in this manner. 58 00:02:42,199 --> 00:02:44,199 For this reason, it is said that 59 00:02:44,199 --> 00:02:46,939 it opened with causation, 60 00:02:46,939 --> 00:02:48,939 which is the tenth type of opening, 61 00:02:48,939 --> 00:02:51,939 and no other Surah shares this opening with it. 62 00:02:51,939 --> 00:02:55,069 Thus, it is the only Surah that begins with such an opening. 63 00:02:55,069 --> 00:02:57,159 That is to say, for every Surah 64 00:02:57,159 --> 00:02:59,159 you find a counterpart; 65 00:02:59,159 --> 00:03:01,159 those that open with disjointed letters 66 00:03:01,159 --> 00:03:03,159 have counterparts, and so forth. 67 00:03:03,159 --> 00:03:06,159 But this Surah has no counterpart, 68 00:03:06,159 --> 00:03:09,319 which makes its opening striking. 69 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:11,319 This is termed 70 00:03:11,319 --> 00:03:14,030 excellence of opening (husn al-ibtida'). 71 00:03:14,030 --> 00:03:16,030 That is, part of an excellent opening 72 00:03:16,030 --> 00:03:18,030 is to begin the speech in a way that makes you eager to hear what follows. 73 00:03:18,030 --> 00:03:20,030 "For the accustomed security of Quraysh..." 74 00:03:20,030 --> 00:03:22,219 is a causative phrase with a preposition 75 00:03:22,219 --> 00:03:24,219 that requires an attachment 76 00:03:24,219 --> 00:03:26,219 and a connection, 77 00:03:26,219 --> 00:03:28,219 so the listener waits eagerly 78 00:03:28,219 --> 00:03:30,409 to know the completion of the sentence. 79 00:03:30,409 --> 00:03:32,409 This is among the fine rhetorical styles 80 00:03:33,409 --> 00:03:35,860 evident in the Qur'an. 81 00:03:35,860 --> 00:03:38,240 As for the third reflection, 82 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,240 it concerns universalizing the meaning of the Surah. 83 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,530 Undoubtedly, the theme of the Surah 84 00:03:43,530 --> 00:03:45,530 is the command to worship 85 00:03:45,530 --> 00:03:47,530 out of gratitude to Allah for familiar blessings. 86 00:03:47,530 --> 00:03:49,789 This is within the Surah: 87 00:03:49,789 --> 00:03:51,789 when we look at it, 88 00:03:51,789 --> 00:03:53,789 it mentions a specific blessing 89 00:03:53,789 --> 00:03:55,789 that was bestowed upon Quraysh. 90 00:03:55,789 --> 00:03:57,789 However, we wish to universalize this matter, 91 00:03:57,789 --> 00:03:59,879 so that everyone remembers 92 00:03:59,879 --> 00:04:02,080 the familiar blessings, 93 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,080 and the bounties that 94 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,199 one is accustomed to and takes for granted, 95 00:04:06,199 --> 00:04:08,199 and makes them a reason 96 00:04:08,199 --> 00:04:10,199 to worship Allah out of love 97 00:04:10,199 --> 00:04:12,490 and humility. 98 00:04:12,490 --> 00:04:14,490 In this way, the Qur'an becomes 99 00:04:14,490 --> 00:04:16,839 a clarification of all things. 100 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:18,839 This contrasts with restricting it 101 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:20,839 to the specific blessing 102 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:22,839 upon Quraysh, 103 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:24,839 or to these two blessings alone, 104 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:26,839 for doing so narrows 105 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:28,839 the meaning 106 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,389 and leaves us without a practical lesson from it. 107 00:04:31,389 --> 00:04:33,389 Reflect upon the blessings you possess 108 00:04:33,389 --> 00:04:35,480 to which you have grown accustomed: 109 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,480 "For the accustomed security of Quraysh" — 110 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,579 for being accustomed to familiar blessings, 111 00:04:39,579 --> 00:04:41,579 the blessings you have grown used to, 112 00:04:41,579 --> 00:04:43,579 and see whether you show 113 00:04:43,579 --> 00:04:45,579 gratitude for them. Make them a reason 114 00:04:45,579 --> 00:04:47,579 for the heart to be filled with love and humility before Allah, 115 00:04:47,579 --> 00:04:49,579 and worship Him alone, 116 00:04:49,579 --> 00:04:51,579 without associating any partner with Allah. 117 00:04:51,579 --> 00:04:53,579 And Allah knows best. 118 00:04:53,579 --> 00:04:55,579 May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and Companions.