WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.759 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:32.149 A Gentle Commentary 00:00:32.149 --> 00:00:35.229 on the book "Identification Cards 00:00:35.229 --> 00:00:37.670 for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an" 00:00:37.670 --> 00:00:42.189 by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Umar Nasif, 00:00:42.189 --> 00:00:44.350 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:44.350 --> 00:00:46.350 Surah al-Isra'. 00:00:46.350 --> 00:00:48.380 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:52.979 All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 00:00:54.009 --> 00:00:56.929 We continue with our gentle commentary on the identification cards, 00:00:56.929 --> 00:00:58.450 and we are now with Surah al-Isra'. 00:00:58.450 --> 00:01:00.250 I have three points of reflection concerning it. 00:01:00.250 --> 00:01:03.380 The first reflection pertains to the virtues of the Surah, 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:05.579 and it entails two matters. First, 00:01:05.579 --> 00:01:08.340 the hadith mentioned at the beginning of its virtues 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:10.420 has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:12.260 that he would not sleep 00:01:12.260 --> 00:01:16.109 until he recited Bani Isra'il and al-Zumar. 00:01:16.109 --> 00:01:19.780 The truth is that I cited this hadith as established 00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:25.540 based on its authentication by some contemporary scholars, 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:30.459 but it has become clear to me that establishing it requires further investigation; 00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:33.459 the documentation (takhrij) here is deficient. 00:01:33.459 --> 00:01:37.980 I hope to rectify this and examine the hadith more thoroughly 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:40.260 in the forthcoming edition, if Allah wills, 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:43.140 and I ask Allah to forgive any shortcoming. 00:01:43.140 --> 00:01:45.260 The second matter concerning its virtues 00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:49.829 is that this Surah is among "the first vintage" (al-'Itaq al-Uwal). 00:01:49.829 --> 00:01:51.390 We have the well-known fourfold division: 00:01:51.390 --> 00:01:55.310 we have already encountered the Seven Long Surahs, the Mi'un, the Mathani, 00:01:55.349 --> 00:02:01.150 and the Mufassal. There are also groups of Surahs that share common features, 00:02:01.150 --> 00:02:06.469 such as the Hawamim, those beginning with Alif-Lam-Ra, 00:02:06.469 --> 00:02:11.949 as well as the Al-Hamim and the Tawasin. 00:02:11.949 --> 00:02:13.819 These are thematic clusters. 00:02:13.819 --> 00:02:15.500 Most typically, these clusters— 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:19.300 or many of them—share a common opening. 00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:22.780 As for this group, "the first vintage" (al-'Itaq al-Uwal), 00:02:22.819 --> 00:02:27.030 it is taken from the statement of Ibn Mas'ud mentioned in the book, 00:02:27.030 --> 00:02:29.229 in which he refers to Bani Isra'il— 00:02:29.229 --> 00:02:31.069 which is al-Isra'— 00:02:31.069 --> 00:02:34.310 al-Kahf, Maryam, Taha, and al-Anbiya'. 00:02:34.310 --> 00:02:38.259 He says, "They are among the first vintage," 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:41.740 and the word *'atiq* denotes something ancient, 00:02:41.740 --> 00:02:44.099 while it also carries another meaning: something 00:02:44.099 --> 00:02:46.550 of exquisite quality. 00:02:46.550 --> 00:02:50.229 This meaning—the meaning of antiquity—opens up an avenue for research: 00:02:50.229 --> 00:02:54.909 what did Ibn Mas'ud mean by these Surahs being ancient? 00:02:54.909 --> 00:02:57.349 Did he mean that they were revealed in Makkah, 00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:00.990 or did he mean that they were revealed in the earliest phase of the Makkan period? 00:03:00.990 --> 00:03:03.110 This warrants careful study. 00:03:03.110 --> 00:03:05.310 Furthermore, why were these specific Surahs grouped together? 00:03:05.310 --> 00:03:07.349 What is the link between them, 00:03:07.349 --> 00:03:09.590 given that, as you may notice, 00:03:09.590 --> 00:03:13.060 they are also consecutive in the arrangement of the Mus-haf? 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:17.300 In truth, "the first vintage" requires specialized study. 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:21.060 I have seen passing remarks by some commentators in Tafsir, 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:24.900 but they are brief observations within the limits of what I have reviewed; 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:27.300 hence, this is something truly worthy of investigation. 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:29.139 This concludes the first point of reflection. 00:03:29.139 --> 00:03:31.000 As for the second reflection, 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:34.520 it concerns the chronological order of the Surah's revelation, 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:39.039 which I have agreed with you to term the "dating of the Surah's revelation," 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:40.539 as that is more precise. 00:03:40.539 --> 00:03:44.740 Here you find it counted as the forty-ninth Surah, 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:48.090 revealed after al-Qasas and before Yunus. 00:03:48.090 --> 00:03:51.740 I have told you that this is the precise count, 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:54.219 whereas you may find in some books 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:57.039 discrepancies in the numbering. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:00.759 You can find this precise enumeration documented with this accuracy 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:04.000 in the work of Imam Abu 'Amr al-Dani 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:06.740 on counting the verses of the Qur'an, 00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:09.740 entitled *Al-Bayan fi 'Add Ay al-Qur'an*. 00:04:09.740 --> 00:04:11.680 He mentioned therein the transmission 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:16.649 by which the Surahs and their sequence are counted. 00:04:16.689 --> 00:04:19.930 Then it is noted here in the text of the book: 00:04:19.930 --> 00:04:23.529 "and the mention of consecutive rulings therein." 00:04:23.529 --> 00:04:28.370 It is well known that Makkan Surahs do not typically contain many rulings, 00:04:28.370 --> 00:04:31.370 yet here consecutive legal rulings are mentioned: 00:04:31.370 --> 00:04:33.850 "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, 00:04:33.850 --> 00:04:35.850 and that you be dutiful to parents," and so forth. 00:04:35.850 --> 00:04:37.759 Several legal rulings are stated, 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.079 and this mention of rulings aids in dating the revelation. 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:44.120 Then I noted: "and the incident of the Night Journey (al-Isra')," 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:46.439 meaning the mention of the event of al-Isra', 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:47.959 which took place late. 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.959 Mentioning rulings helps in dating the revelation; 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:55.839 the incident of al-Isra'—which occurred late, towards the end of the Makkan period— 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:58.120 is another factor that helps in dating the revelation; 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:00.480 along with its being among the first vintage, 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:05.240 which suggests, as we mentioned, that its revelation may have begun very early; 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:08.480 and the fact that parts of it were revealed while the Prophet was in hiding in Makkah. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:13.420 This fourth factor becomes evident upon examining the reasons for revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul): 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:14.819 the Prophet was in hiding in Makkah, 00:05:14.860 --> 00:05:17.660 which may indicate that they are early— 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:20.939 specifically those verses revealed on that occasion. 00:05:20.939 --> 00:05:25.740 It suggests that its revelation was dispersed over a long span of time. 00:05:25.740 --> 00:05:28.740 Thus, there are four factors that indicate— 00:05:28.740 --> 00:05:33.019 the conclusion being that they indicate the Surah was revealed intermittently over an extended period: 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:34.660 the mention of consecutive legal rulings, 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:36.540 the mention of the incident of al-Isra', 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:38.459 its being from the first vintage, 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:41.829 and the revelation of parts of it while the Prophet, peace be upon him, was in hiding in Makkah. 00:05:41.829 --> 00:05:44.990 These four factors lead us to say: 00:05:44.990 --> 00:05:52.100 they give the sense that it was revealed intermittently over a long period during the Makkan era, 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:56.160 while noting the repeated revelation of one of its verses during the Madinan era, 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:00.279 which is: "And they ask you about the soul." 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:05.480 Thus, the revelation of the Surah spanned a long time, as these evidences suggest. 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:06.949 And Allah knows best. 00:06:06.949 --> 00:06:10.509 As for the third and final reflection, 00:06:10.509 --> 00:06:14.350 when you look at the central theme of the Surah 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:16.779 or its thematic passages, 00:06:16.779 --> 00:06:21.019 you will find that the word *ni'am* (blessings) or *ni'mah* (blessing) 00:06:21.019 --> 00:06:23.800 recurs throughout this Surah. 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:27.740 We have already mentioned that Surah al-Nahl is called the Surah of Blessings, 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:30.019 as it contains many blessings, 00:06:30.019 --> 00:06:36.579 but the blessings there were mostly tangible, worldly blessings 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:40.019 calling for submission to Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He. 00:06:40.019 --> 00:06:44.579 As for the blessing emphasized 00:06:44.620 --> 00:06:47.019 alongside other blessings in Surah al-Isra', 00:06:47.019 --> 00:06:52.339 it is an intangible, religious blessing, 00:06:52.339 --> 00:06:53.819 far greater than all those other blessings: 00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:56.779 it is the blessing of the Magnificent Qur'an. 00:06:56.779 --> 00:06:59.939 You find the Qur'an mentioned from the early parts of the Surah— 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:06.879 "Indeed, this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright"—all the way to its end. 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:10.920 “And (it is) a Qur'an that We have divided, that thou mayst recite it unto mankind at intervals, and We have revealed it by (successive) revelation.” (17:106) 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:15.639 The verses in the Surah that speak of the Qur'an are numerous. 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:20.800 This is a blessing that, as I mentioned, is the greatest of spiritual blessings. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:23.779 The Surah urges gratitude, 00:07:23.779 --> 00:07:30.180 and showing gratitude to Allah for the blessing of the Qur'an is accomplished by acting upon it; 00:07:30.180 --> 00:07:33.819 and there can be no acting upon it without recitation and comprehension. 00:07:33.819 --> 00:07:37.420 I ask Allah to grant me and you success in doing that which He loves and is pleased with. 00:07:37.420 --> 00:07:40.779 May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon all his family and Companions. 00:07:40.779 --> 00:07:42.579 All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation.