WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:31.539 A brief commentary 00:00:31.539 --> 00:00:34.539 on the book *Identification Cards 00:00:34.539 --> 00:00:37.539 for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an* 00:00:37.539 --> 00:00:40.539 by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abdul-Aziz ibn Umar Nasif, 00:00:40.539 --> 00:00:43.539 may Allah preserve him. 00:00:43.539 --> 00:00:46.859 Surah Ibrahim. 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:49.859 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, 00:00:49.859 --> 00:00:52.859 and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 00:00:52.859 --> 00:00:55.859 Continuing with the identification cards, we are now with Surah Ibrahim, 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:58.859 and I have three points of reflection concerning it. 00:00:58.859 --> 00:01:02.020 The first point of reflection: 00:01:02.020 --> 00:01:05.019 The opening of the surah, in fact, 00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:08.019 is among those openings that begin with disjointed letters. 00:01:08.019 --> 00:01:11.019 One ought to reflect carefully upon what immediately follows these disjointed letters, 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:14.019 for through it, 00:01:14.019 --> 00:01:17.299 the surah's central theme is largely unveiled. 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:20.909 The theme of the surah here is bringing mankind out of darknesses into light. 00:01:20.909 --> 00:01:23.909 “Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto thee (Muhammad) that thereby thou mayst bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise,” (14:1) 00:01:23.909 --> 00:01:26.909 The entire Qur'an, 00:01:26.909 --> 00:01:29.909 indeed, was revealed to bring mankind out of darknesses into the light, 00:01:29.909 --> 00:01:32.909 but this matter is exceptionally explicit in this surah, 00:01:32.909 --> 00:01:35.909 evident from this opening verse 00:01:35.909 --> 00:01:39.069 as well as other verses throughout the surah; 00:01:39.069 --> 00:01:42.489 many of them point directly to this reality, 00:01:42.489 --> 00:01:45.549 to the extent that some scholars 00:01:45.549 --> 00:01:48.549 considered this entire surah an exposition of the verse of Allah: "Allah is the ally of those who believe; He brings them out of darknesses into the light." 00:01:49.549 --> 00:01:52.900 Then, the second point of reflection 00:01:52.900 --> 00:01:56.799 concerns the structural divisions of the surah. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.799 Here are a few observations. First, there is an error 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.599 in the verse numbering. 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:06.629 If you read the page: as for the first section— 00:02:06.629 --> 00:02:10.340 of course, sections are mentioned without numbering 00:02:10.340 --> 00:02:13.500 in the diagrammatic tree, but on the preceding page— 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:16.500 we find that the first section 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:19.590 spans from verse one to verse eight, 00:02:19.590 --> 00:02:23.069 not verse five; 00:02:23.069 --> 00:02:26.740 that was a typographical printing error. 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:30.289 The second section spans from verse nine 00:02:30.289 --> 00:02:33.289 to verse forty-one, 00:02:33.289 --> 00:02:36.580 and likewise within the passages of the second section: verse nine, 00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:39.580 then verse nineteen, and so on. 00:02:39.580 --> 00:02:42.699 This becomes obvious upon reflecting on the text written 00:02:42.699 --> 00:02:46.180 regarding the first section, for near its end it states 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:49.180 that the theme is an explanation that this deliverance is achieved through the messenger, 00:02:49.180 --> 00:02:52.219 summarizing the mission of Moses, peace and blessings be upon him; 00:02:52.219 --> 00:02:55.629 and his call—Moses's call—continues through the eighth 00:02:55.629 --> 00:02:58.629 verse in a summarized fashion. 00:02:58.629 --> 00:03:01.629 Then comes the saying of the Exalted: "Has there not reached you...", 00:03:01.629 --> 00:03:04.629 which will be discussed shortly. 00:03:04.629 --> 00:03:07.759 Thus, the second section begins at verse nine. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:10.759 We also note in the second section that the author wrote: 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:13.759 "an interrogative opening conveying denial," whereas in reality it is 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.759 affirmative/confirmatory, not denouncing. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.759 However, it seems through 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:23.759 looking at numerous passages 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.949 throughout his book that he intends 00:03:26.949 --> 00:03:29.949 the functional outcome of the speech rather than technical rhetorical terminology. 00:03:29.949 --> 00:03:33.180 To distinguish between the types of interrogation: 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:36.500 an affirmative interrogation serves to establish confirmation, 00:03:36.500 --> 00:03:39.500 while a denouncing interrogation serves to convey negation. 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:42.500 This is the summary of the matter, although the issue is open to scholarly examination 00:03:42.500 --> 00:03:46.330 and warrants further investigation. 00:03:46.330 --> 00:03:49.490 "Has there not reached you," meaning "there has indeed reached you," 00:03:49.490 --> 00:03:52.969 and this is affirmative interrogation; 00:03:52.969 --> 00:03:55.969 this is explicitly stated in *Tafsir al-Jalalayn* 00:03:55.969 --> 00:03:59.030 as well as *Al-Bahr al-Muhit*: that it is affirmative. 00:03:59.030 --> 00:04:02.770 Furthermore, we observe 00:04:02.770 --> 00:04:05.770 that this second section, which contains 00:04:05.770 --> 00:04:09.629 this affirmative interrogation, 00:04:09.629 --> 00:04:12.629 is composed of passages that all begin 00:04:12.629 --> 00:04:15.629 with an interrogation in the very same manner: 00:04:15.629 --> 00:04:19.079 "Has there not reached you the news of...", 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:22.269 and this is from the speech of Moses according to what al-Tabari preferred 00:04:22.269 --> 00:04:25.269 and what I endorse here; 00:04:25.269 --> 00:04:28.269 Moses is still speaking—his words were initially concise, 00:04:28.269 --> 00:04:31.269 and then he elaborated here: "Has there not reached you the news of those before you— 00:04:31.269 --> 00:04:34.269 the people of Noah, and 'Aad, and Thamud, and those after them?" 00:04:34.269 --> 00:04:37.269 “Hath not the history of those before you reached you: the folk of Noah, and (the tribes of) A'ad and Thamud, and those after them? None save Allah knoweth them. Their messengers came unto them with clear proofs, but they thrust their hands into their mouths, and said: Lo! we disbelieve in that wherewith ye have been sent, and lo! we are in grave doubt concerning that to which ye call us.” (14:9) 00:04:37.269 --> 00:04:40.560 Then: "Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:43.560 If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation." 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:46.560 And: "Have you not seen those who exchanged the favor of Allah for disbelief?" 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.560 Why have I focused on this? 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.850 We noted that the theme of the surah is journeying from darknesses into light, 00:04:52.850 --> 00:04:55.850 and we observe that all these verses open with: 00:04:55.850 --> 00:04:59.300 "Have you not...", "Has there not...", "Have you not...", "Do you not..." 00:04:59.300 --> 00:05:02.300 This style is typically employed 00:05:02.300 --> 00:05:05.300 to alert the listener, especially when phrased as "Do you not see...", 00:05:05.300 --> 00:05:08.300 to bring attention to an illuminating truth that a person has overlooked. 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:11.360 And we notice that in Surah al-Baqarah, 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:14.360 the verse containing "Allah is the ally of those who believe"— 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.360 which we noted this surah serves to expound— 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:20.620 was immediately followed by: "Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham?" 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:24.220 And here too: "Do you not see...", 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:27.290 "Has there not reached you...", "Do you not see...", 00:05:27.290 --> 00:05:30.290 repeated several times; all of them 00:05:30.290 --> 00:05:33.290 direct attention to an illuminating truth that remains obscured to the person. 00:05:33.290 --> 00:05:37.220 Moving to the third point, 00:05:37.220 --> 00:05:40.379 or the third point of reflection, regarding the third section: 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:43.500 we find it takes the opposite approach: 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:44.500 "So never think...", 00:05:44.500 --> 00:05:48.050 and before it: "And never think..." 00:05:48.050 --> 00:05:51.050 We notice that the third section has a non-declarative, prohibitive opening. 00:05:51.050 --> 00:05:54.180 In reality, an interrogative opening is non-declarative as well, 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:57.300 but due to the significance of interrogation, it was specifically designated, 00:05:57.300 --> 00:06:00.300 and because using the term "prohibition" might not seem 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:04.139 fitting to describe it simply as a prohibitive opening. 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:07.139 Nevertheless, both interrogation and prohibition 00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:10.139 are forms of demand-based non-declarative discourse (*insha' talabi*), 00:06:10.139 --> 00:06:13.139 to which rhetoricians pay immense attention, 00:06:13.139 --> 00:06:16.139 and with which numerous openings and sections 00:06:16.139 --> 00:06:17.139 in the Qur'an begin. 00:06:17.139 --> 00:06:20.139 This demonstrates that this pedagogical style is highly effective 00:06:20.139 --> 00:06:21.139 in calling people to Allah (*da'wah*), 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:22.139 and indeed it is, 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:24.139 because it fosters active engagement. 00:06:24.139 --> 00:06:26.139 A declarative statement is merely informing someone, 00:06:26.139 --> 00:06:28.459 whereas non-declarative discourse— 00:06:28.459 --> 00:06:31.459 and forgive me for delving slightly into rhetorical theory, 00:06:31.459 --> 00:06:34.550 but this is crucial for understanding the Qur'an— 00:06:34.550 --> 00:06:37.550 demand-based non-declarative speech involves active participation, 00:06:37.550 --> 00:06:40.550 because it prompts the listener to answer 00:06:40.550 --> 00:06:42.550 a question, or comply with 00:06:42.550 --> 00:06:44.550 a command, and so on. 00:06:44.550 --> 00:06:47.899 Thus, this non-declarative, prohibitive opening is... 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:50.899 “Deem not that Allah is unaware of what the wicked do. He but giveth them a respite till a day when eyes will stare (in terror),” (14:42) 00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:52.939 And we observe that here there are two passages; 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:54.939 previously there were four passages beginning with "Has not...", "Have you not...", 00:06:54.939 --> 00:06:57.509 whereas here there are two passages: 00:06:57.509 --> 00:06:59.509 "And never think..." and "So never think..." 00:06:59.509 --> 00:07:02.769 And if we say that those interrogations were an alerting to the light, 00:07:02.769 --> 00:07:06.180 then these prohibitions are a warning against the darkness. 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:07.180 Through this, 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:10.220 the entire surah comes together 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:12.250 around the theme of darknesses and light: 00:07:12.250 --> 00:07:15.250 The first section, which we may regard as an introduction, 00:07:15.250 --> 00:07:18.540 clarifies that the Qur'an was revealed to bring mankind 00:07:18.540 --> 00:07:19.540 out of darknesses into the light, 00:07:19.540 --> 00:07:21.540 and that Moses was sent to bring mankind 00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:22.540 out of darknesses into the light; 00:07:22.540 --> 00:07:25.540 then the illuminating truths are presented to us in the second section, 00:07:25.540 --> 00:07:27.540 followed by warnings against the darknesses in the third section. 00:07:27.540 --> 00:07:29.540 Thus, the entire surah is permeated 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:32.540 with the theme of bringing mankind out of darknesses into light. 00:07:32.540 --> 00:07:34.540 An entire specialized study could be written on this, 00:07:34.540 --> 00:07:36.540 delineating the guiding milestones 00:07:36.540 --> 00:07:38.540 for delivering mankind from darknesses into light. 00:07:38.540 --> 00:07:41.259 This is a matter of profound importance for anyone calling to Allah 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:42.779 or seeking within their own soul 00:07:42.779 --> 00:07:44.779 to transition from darknesses into the light. 00:07:44.779 --> 00:07:46.779 May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions, 00:07:46.779 --> 00:07:48.779 and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation.