1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,500 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 2 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:37,539 "The Graceful Commentary on the Book of Introductory Profiles of the Noble Qur'an's Surahs" 3 00:00:37,539 --> 00:00:43,539 By Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Aziz Ibn Umar Nasif, may Allah preserve him. 4 00:00:43,539 --> 00:00:46,039 Surah As-Sajdah. 5 00:00:46,039 --> 00:00:50,039 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 6 00:00:50,890 --> 00:00:53,890 We continue with our graceful commentary on the introductory profiles, 7 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:56,390 and we are now with Surah As-Sajdah. 8 00:00:56,390 --> 00:00:57,890 I have three points to pause and reflect upon regarding it. 9 00:00:57,890 --> 00:01:02,640 The first pause is to highlight several matters. 10 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:10,870 In fact, I committed myself in the book to including only what I deemed established as authentic (sahih) or acceptable (hasan). 11 00:01:10,870 --> 00:01:14,870 Even though weak reports concerning many of the issues presented in this book 12 00:01:14,870 --> 00:01:18,870 are considered acceptable to cite by many scholars, 13 00:01:18,870 --> 00:01:21,959 I nevertheless preferred that the book adhere strictly to this standard. 14 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,959 Therefore, you find among the names of the Surah a narration from some of the Tabi'un; 15 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:28,959 in truth, I did not intend to include it, 16 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,959 yet it appears here. 17 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:33,959 The fact is, it ought to be deleted. 18 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,959 An oversight simply occurred in this regard. 19 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:42,030 I should only have noted that Al-Munjiyah was given this name because 20 00:01:42,030 --> 00:01:44,030 it was described as such by some of the Tabi'un. 21 00:01:44,030 --> 00:01:47,280 I said "it was reported" (wurida), and using this word was deliberate, 22 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,280 so that it is understood that it requires further verification. 23 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,640 Therefore, while still on this same point, 24 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,640 I point out that among the Surah's virtues is what was reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. 25 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,640 In fact, it is definitively established from Abu Hurayrah, as it is in Sahih al-Bukhari. 26 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,829 Thus, the appropriate word here is "it is established" (thabata). 27 00:02:03,829 --> 00:02:06,829 Likewise, concerning what follows: "and it was reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 28 00:02:06,829 --> 00:02:08,830 would not sleep until he recited 29 00:02:08,830 --> 00:02:10,830 Alif-Lam-Mim Tanzil al-Sajdah." 30 00:02:10,830 --> 00:02:12,830 All of these should use the expression "it is established." 31 00:02:12,830 --> 00:02:16,960 An oversight occurred at times due to a lack of focus; 32 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,960 with a lapse in concentration, the word "established" sometimes gets replaced by "reported" or the like. 33 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,960 So this will be corrected, and I ask Allah to make that easy in the second edition. 34 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,960 Furthermore, among the virtues of the Surah, as is evident 35 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,960 and well known, is that it is recited during the Fajr prayer 36 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,050 on Friday, along with Surah Al-Insan. 37 00:02:34,050 --> 00:02:39,050 This is even more well known than reciting it every night along with Surah Al-Mulk. 38 00:02:39,050 --> 00:02:42,280 The Prophet, peace be upon him, would not sleep until he recited 39 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,280 As-Sajdah and Al-Mulk. 40 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,280 This encourages us to give it great care and attention. 41 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,280 Here, I would like to highlight something: 42 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,280 whenever it is established in the Sunnah to recite something at a specific time or place, 43 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,280 be eager to observe it, for it possesses a spiritual light 44 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,280 recognized by whoever strives to follow the Sunnah in such matters. 45 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:01,280 There is no need for me to turn to what is merely permissible, 46 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,280 such as reciting another surah, 47 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,280 when this particular surah exists, which the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited. 48 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,280 Why should I abandon the Sunnah for something else? 49 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,469 Am I claiming it is prohibited? No, I am not saying that, 50 00:03:12,469 --> 00:03:15,469 nor am I anyone of authority to say so, nor does fiqh rule that doing so is forbidden 51 00:03:15,469 --> 00:03:17,469 or disliked. 52 00:03:17,469 --> 00:03:19,469 But why should a person abandon what is superior? 53 00:03:19,469 --> 00:03:21,469 The superior choice is always to follow the Sunnah. 54 00:03:21,469 --> 00:03:23,469 Occasionally, it may be for educational purposes 55 00:03:23,469 --> 00:03:25,469 that one deviates from the Sunnah on rare occasions. 56 00:03:25,469 --> 00:03:27,469 But as for deliberately seeking variation 57 00:03:27,469 --> 00:03:29,469 in a matter where the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited 58 00:03:29,469 --> 00:03:31,469 something established, 59 00:03:31,469 --> 00:03:33,469 there is no doubt that adhering to it is best. 60 00:03:33,469 --> 00:03:35,469 It contains a light known only to those who have experienced it. 61 00:03:35,469 --> 00:03:38,469 Strive to follow the Sunnah in your recitation, 62 00:03:38,469 --> 00:03:40,469 and in the designated places where 63 00:03:40,469 --> 00:03:42,469 specific surahs are recited, and the like, 64 00:03:42,469 --> 00:03:44,469 for in that lies immense good. 65 00:03:44,469 --> 00:03:46,469 I recall someone mentioning: 66 00:03:46,469 --> 00:03:48,469 "I used to recite Surah Al-A'la every night 67 00:03:48,469 --> 00:03:50,560 in the Witr prayer, 68 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,599 in the two rak'ahs before the Witr. 69 00:03:52,599 --> 00:03:54,599 Sometimes I would become lazy about it, 70 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:56,599 or I would want to recite 71 00:03:56,599 --> 00:03:58,599 from where I had reached in my regular Qur'anic portion (wird). 72 00:03:58,599 --> 00:04:00,599 Yet when I recited, I did not feel the presence of my heart, 73 00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:02,599 whereas whenever I recited this particular surah, 74 00:04:02,599 --> 00:04:04,599 I sensed its profound awe and reverence in this prayer." 75 00:04:04,599 --> 00:04:06,599 Indeed, there is wisdom and profound secrets behind it; 76 00:04:06,599 --> 00:04:08,599 we comprehend some, while much remains hidden from us. 77 00:04:08,599 --> 00:04:10,599 It is sufficient for us that the Bringer of Glad Tidings, 78 00:04:10,599 --> 00:04:12,599 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 79 00:04:12,599 --> 00:04:14,599 recited it on this occasion. 80 00:04:14,599 --> 00:04:17,009 Then I move on, 81 00:04:17,009 --> 00:04:19,009 in my third pause, 82 00:04:19,009 --> 00:04:21,009 to the chronology of the Surah's revelation. 83 00:04:21,009 --> 00:04:23,009 It is counted as the seventy-second surah 84 00:04:23,009 --> 00:04:25,009 according to the well-known view, revealed after Surah An-Nahl 85 00:04:25,009 --> 00:04:27,009 and before Surah Nuh. 86 00:04:27,009 --> 00:04:29,009 A report has been narrated that may indicate it was— 87 00:04:29,009 --> 00:04:31,009 the more precise 88 00:04:31,009 --> 00:04:33,009 phrasing to write 89 00:04:33,009 --> 00:04:35,009 is: "A report has been narrated that may indicate 90 00:04:35,009 --> 00:04:37,009 that part of it..." 91 00:04:37,009 --> 00:04:39,009 A report has been narrated that may indicate it was 92 00:04:39,009 --> 00:04:41,839 prior to the incident of the Night Journey (al-Isra). 93 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,839 This is a subtle scholarly issue. 94 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:45,839 Some of the salaf (early generations) 95 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,839 interpreted the words of Allah the Exalted: 96 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,839 "And We certainly gave Moses the Scripture..." 97 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:51,839 “We verily gave Moses the Scripture; so be not ye in doubt of his receiving it; and We appointed it a guidance for the Children of Israel.” (32:23) 98 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,839 as referring to the Night of al-Isra, 99 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:55,839 so it served as a promise to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 100 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,839 that he would meet Moses 101 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,939 on the Night of al-Isra, 102 00:04:59,939 --> 00:05:02,290 and indeed, he met him, peace be upon him. 103 00:05:02,290 --> 00:05:04,290 From this, I transition 104 00:05:04,290 --> 00:05:06,290 to another matter, which is that 105 00:05:06,290 --> 00:05:08,290 a comprehensive survey of all the reports 106 00:05:08,290 --> 00:05:10,290 and traditions 107 00:05:10,290 --> 00:05:12,290 found in the Prophetic biography (Seerah), 108 00:05:12,290 --> 00:05:14,290 in the books of Tafsir, 109 00:05:14,290 --> 00:05:16,290 and in other sources wherein 110 00:05:16,290 --> 00:05:18,290 a verse is cited as evidence, 111 00:05:18,290 --> 00:05:20,290 could unveil many critical insights for us 112 00:05:20,290 --> 00:05:22,290 regarding the chronology of revelation. 113 00:05:22,290 --> 00:05:24,389 Thus, this matter requires an extensive, meticulous survey 114 00:05:24,389 --> 00:05:26,389 and demands a major 115 00:05:26,389 --> 00:05:28,389 academic project sponsored by a university, for instance. 116 00:05:28,389 --> 00:05:30,480 I would suggest 117 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,480 that this be carried out 118 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:34,480 by starting with the book 119 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,480 *Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir* 120 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,480 by Ibn Ashur, for he 121 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,480 pays an unmatched degree of attention to this subject, unlike 122 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,480 any other exegete within the scope of my reading. 123 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,480 He gives exceptional attention to the chronology 124 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,550 of revelation, and scrutinizes 125 00:05:46,550 --> 00:05:48,550 many verses 126 00:05:48,550 --> 00:05:50,800 with invaluable, precise analyses. 127 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,800 If these detailed remarks were compiled—and they are numerous— 128 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,800 a single doctoral dissertation would not suffice for them; 129 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,189 rather, even studying just 130 00:05:57,189 --> 00:05:59,189 some of the long surahs, such as Al-Baqarah, might well suffice 131 00:05:59,189 --> 00:06:01,189 for a master's thesis. 132 00:06:01,189 --> 00:06:03,189 The meticulous care of Ibn Ashur 133 00:06:03,189 --> 00:06:05,189 is truly immense. 134 00:06:05,189 --> 00:06:07,189 These discussions need compilation 135 00:06:07,189 --> 00:06:09,480 and thorough, deliberate study. 136 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,480 One should not merely settle 137 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,480 for what he mentions, may Allah have mercy on him, at the beginning 138 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,480 of each surah, for there he offers only a summary; 139 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,480 rather, when examining the individual verses, he scrutinizes them deeply, 140 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,480 remarking: "Perhaps it was revealed concerning such-and-such," 141 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,480 or "Perhaps it was revealed prior to such-and-such, because it contains 142 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,569 this and that." 143 00:06:23,569 --> 00:06:25,569 I believe that if his work were thoroughly studied, 144 00:06:25,569 --> 00:06:27,569 we would also derive a comprehensive methodology 145 00:06:27,569 --> 00:06:29,569 for determining the chronology of revelation. 146 00:06:29,569 --> 00:06:31,569 Even though the chronology of revelation 147 00:06:31,569 --> 00:06:33,569 has been treated in a fine, dedicated book, 148 00:06:33,569 --> 00:06:35,569 it remains primarily theoretical 149 00:06:35,569 --> 00:06:37,569 and concise; it is entitled 150 00:06:37,569 --> 00:06:39,569 *Ilm Tarikh Nuzul* 151 00:06:39,569 --> 00:06:41,600 *Ayat al-Qur'an al-Karim wa Suwarih* (The Science of the Chronology of the Revelation of the Qur'an's Verses and Surahs), 152 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,600 co-authored by Dr. Ahmad 153 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,600 Khalid Shukri and Mr. 154 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,600 Imran Samih Nazzal, 155 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,019 if my pronunciation of the name is correct, 156 00:06:50,019 --> 00:06:52,019 and published in Jordan. 157 00:06:52,019 --> 00:06:54,759 This book provides a sound theoretical framework, 158 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:56,759 but Ibn Ashur 159 00:06:56,759 --> 00:06:58,759 applied this methodology extensively throughout his work. 160 00:06:58,759 --> 00:07:00,759 Therefore, it truly deserves, 161 00:07:00,759 --> 00:07:02,759 as I mentioned, to be adopted as an academic project 162 00:07:02,759 --> 00:07:04,759 spanning several theses, 163 00:07:04,759 --> 00:07:06,759 to comprehensively survey everything written by 164 00:07:06,759 --> 00:07:08,759 the erudite scholar, may Allah have mercy on him, 165 00:07:08,759 --> 00:07:10,759 on this subject. 166 00:07:10,759 --> 00:07:12,759 I shall limit myself to this amount. 167 00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:14,759 May Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions. 168 00:07:14,759 --> 00:07:16,759 And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.