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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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"The Graceful Commentary on the Introductory Profile Cards

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for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an,"

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by Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abdulaziz Ibn Omar Naseef,

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may Allah preserve him.

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Surah al-Kawthar.

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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds,

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and may peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers,

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and upon all his family and Companions.

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We continue with our graceful commentary on the introductory profile cards,

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and we have reached Surah al-Kawthar.

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I would like to make three reflective points regarding it.

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The first point

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relates to what is mentioned concerning it—as is the case with several surahs—

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where you find it designated as Madinan,

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yet

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when you examine the order of revelation of the surah,

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it is indicated to be Makkan.

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This is not a contradiction;

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rather, its Makkan classification is according to the well-known

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chronological order of revelation,

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which designated it as Makkan.

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We have pointed out this well-known order several times

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in this commentary and throughout the book.

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As for what is recorded at the top of the page—

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stating whether it is Madinan or Makkan according to the weightier view—

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this relies on the two scholarly research references

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mentioned in several places.

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Thus, it is Madinan according to the preferred view,

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but according to the well-known chronological order

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of revelation,

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it is

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Makkan, and Allah knows best.

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The second reflection,

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or the second point,

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is

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that this surah,

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despite its brevity,

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encompasses three distinct themes:

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an honoring at its beginning,

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an obligation at its middle,

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and reassurance

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at its end.

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Despite its conciseness, it encompasses

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these

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three themes.

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This is part of its eloquence

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and its inimitability.

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Scholars have given great attention to this surah;

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just as they attended to Surah al-'Asr, which is also short,

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their attention to al-Kawthar—as far as I have observed—is even greater.

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Multiple works have been authored on it

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demonstrating

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the inimitability of this surah

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and its sublime eloquence.

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Nonetheless,

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and this is the third point,

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it also contains

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another dimension of inimitability.

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When we speak of inimitability, it generally refers to rhetorical inimitability,

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that of literary expression,

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as that is the most prominent scholarly opinion

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regarding the secret of the Qur'an's inimitability.

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The studies I have examined on the

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Tafsir of Surah al-Kawthar focused on this matter

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primarily—

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on the eloquence

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of the structural arrangement

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of the Qur'an

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in Surah al-Kawthar.

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However,

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within this miracle

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that is Surah al-Kawthar,

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within this miracle lies

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another miracle:

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namely,

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the foretelling of the unseen.

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Allah said:

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“Lo! it is thy insulter (and not thou) who is without posterity.” (108:3)

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Whether this was

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among what was revealed in Makkah

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before the Hijrah,

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when the Muslims were in a state of weakness,

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or after the Hijrah, it remains a living miracle

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to this very day,

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plainly visible to us.

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For anyone who has ever hated the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

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and made his hatred manifest,

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his ultimate fate has inevitably been

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severance, ruin,

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the obliteration of his remembrance,

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and the loss of all honor,

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even if only after

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a short while.

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Notice, conversely,

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that his own remembrance (peace be upon him)

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continues to be elevated ever higher.

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His name

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is proclaimed in every call to prayer:

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"I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah;

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I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,"

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across all corners of the earth.

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Hardly a minute goes by

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without a caller making the adhan somewhere on earth

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when the time for prayer arrives.

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And invariably,

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every prayer is preceded by the adhan

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and the iqamah.

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Thus, his station remains exalted,

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while his enemy—

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that is, the one who hates him—

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is completely cut off,

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in fulfillment of this verse,

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which stands

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as enduring proof

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of his truthfulness,

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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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and that this Qur'an is indeed

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from the Knower of the unseen,

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Glorified and Exalted is He.

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I will conclude with this much,

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and I send 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.