Part of The Gentle Commentary (series completed)
· Lesson 14 of 117
The nice comment on the book of cards identifying the surahs of the Holy Qur’an | D. Muhammad Nassif | Surat Al-Qaraa
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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A Gentle Commentary on the Book "Bi-taqat al-Ta'rif
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bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif" (Introductory Cards to the Surahs of the Noble Mushaf),
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by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif,
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may Allah preserve him.
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Surah al-Qari'ah.
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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 his family and all his Companions.
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We continue our gentle commentary on the introductory cards,
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and we have arrived at Surah al-Qari'ah.
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I have three reflections upon it.
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The first reflection:
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Although the Surah speaks about the Day of Resurrection,
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as is the case in Surat al-Zalzalah and others,
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nevertheless,
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this Surah is uniquely distinguished
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by intense intimidation and fright.
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This is noticed—first and foremost—
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in the very name of the Surah, "al-Qari'ah" (The Striking Calamity),
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meaning that which strikes the hearts with its terrors.
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Thus, the intense intimidation is very apparent in the Surah;
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so reflect upon that.
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The second reflection
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is
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that the Surah,
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even though it is centered around intense intimidation,
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is not devoid
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of glad tidings and reassurance,
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perfectly harmonized with the context.
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He said: "Then as for him whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],
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he will be in a pleasant life."
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Notice:
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"he will be in a pleasant life."
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The context is one of severe intimidation,
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and the Striking Calamity knocks violently upon the hearts.
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Yet these people—
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they were not merely described
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(I mean those with heavy scales)
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as being pleased;
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rather, their very living is described as being pleasant and pleasing!
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This is even more indicative of
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their absolute security and tranquility.
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Thus, the description was exceptionally fitting.
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The third reflection
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pertains to these same two verses:
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“Then, as for him whose scales are heavy (with good works),” (101:6)
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"he will be in a pleasant life."
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And it is
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that
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this glad tiding
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that came in this Surah
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was also proportionate
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to the Surah in terms of quantity and length.
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"The Striking Calamity!
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What is the Striking Calamity?
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“Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Calamity is!” (101:3)
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These are three verses...
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“A day wherein mankind will be as thickly-scattered moths” (101:4)
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"And the mountains will be like fluffed wool."
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That completes five verses of intimidation.
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Then He said at the end of the Surah:
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“But as for him whose scales are light,” (101:8)
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"his mother [i.e., home] will be an abyss...
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“Ah, what will convey unto thee what she is! -” (101:10)
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A Fire, intensely hot."
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The total number of verses now
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is nine verses of intimidation,
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alongside two verses
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“Then, as for him whose scales are heavy (with good works),” (101:6)
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of "a pleasant life,"
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dedicated to glad tidings
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and reassurance.
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Since the Surah is founded primarily on intimidation,
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the proportion of intimidation within it was greater
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in quantity
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than
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that of reassurance.
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Notice also—
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and with this I conclude—
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that
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the Surah,
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despite being built around intimidation,
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hastened
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to
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mention those with heavy scales before mentioning
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those whose scales are light.
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And since the Surah's theme is intimidation,
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its placement was fitting right in the middle of the Surah,
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so that the Surah concludes
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with that which matches its opening.
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For its beginning is intimidation,
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and its conclusion is intimidation,
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because its overarching subject is intimidation.
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This resembles the rhetorical device of connecting the conclusion
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back to the beginning,
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and bringing the end of speech
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back to its opening.
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Its beginning strikes the hearts,
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and its ending strikes the hearts,
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yet there had to be a measure of reassurance
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for the believers.
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Thus, the Surah was completed in the most sublime form.
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I ask Allah
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to grant us understanding of His Book,
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to bestow upon us
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the ability to act upon it,
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and to make it a proof for us
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and not against us.
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And may Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad
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and upon his family and all his Companions.
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All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.