The nice comment on the book of cards identifying the surahs of the Holy Qur’an | D. Muhammad Nassif

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

0:03 The commentary entitled *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif*

0:32 on the book *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*

0:35 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif*,

0:38 by Dr. Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz Ibn 'Umar Nasif,

0:42 may Allah preserve him.

0:44 Surah Sad.

0:46 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

0:50 We continue with our commentary *Al-Ta'liq al-Latif*

0:52 on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*,

0:54 specifically with Surah Sad.

0:56 I have three observations concerning it.

0:58 The first observation pertains to an error

1:00 that occurred in the book.

1:02 If you look at the diagram

1:04 regarding the order of the surah,

1:06 specifically its chronological order of revelation,

1:08 and naturally it concerns the dating of Surah Sad,

1:10 it states that it is counted as the thirty-seventh,

1:12 revealed after Surah al-Qamar and before Surah al-A'raf.

1:14 This statement is correct.

1:16 However, in the main body of the book,

1:18 it says that it is widely considered the forty-second, revealed after Surah al-Furqan,

1:20 and so forth.

1:22 That is incorrect.

1:24 That applies to Surah Fatir;

1:26 this text was taken from the entry on Surah Fatir,

1:28 as you would see if you compared them, and erroneously placed here.

1:30 It is a sheer mistake.

1:32 The correct position is what was established in the diagram:

1:34 it is counted as the thirty-seventh, after al-Qamar and before al-A'raf.

1:36 To this should be added

1:38 that some of its verses suggest a later revelation,

1:40 namely the verses mentioned

1:42 in the contexts of revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul).

1:44 There is disagreement

1:46 regarding their authenticity, as it was narrated that they were revealed

1:48 upon the death of Abu Talib,

1:50 or during Abu Talib's illness,

1:52 which was explained as his terminal illness,

1:54 as mentioned by Ibn 'Atiyyah.

1:56 Thus, the first pause is to correct this error.

1:58 The second pause

2:01 concerns a methodology

2:03 outlined for us by this surah

2:05 when denial, turning away,

2:07 and obstinacy intensify

2:09 on the part of opponents.

2:11 What is required of a person?

2:13 We learn the answer from this surah.

2:15 For Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, after the first page filled

2:17 with the deniers' disbelief, said:

2:19 "Be patient."

2:21 Patience.

2:23 Some people might take this word lightly;

2:25 when someone says

2:27 to another that

2:29 people have turned away from obedience

2:31 and immersed themselves in sins,

2:33 and the response given is, "Be patient,"

2:35 he might think that this word

2:37 is out of place,

2:39 or that it is merely a sedative

2:41 for emotional comfort, as they say.

2:43 But this is entirely untrue.

2:45 Patience is indispensable

2:47 in the face of harm, denial, and rejection.

2:49 If it comes from a disbeliever

2:51 who has turned away completely,

2:53 then without a doubt patience is required.

2:55 And if it comes from a fellow Muslim

2:57 who has fallen into many violations

2:59 and indulged in sins, you equally require,

3:01 while calling him to righteousness, to exercise patience.

3:03 Patience, lest you be seduced and become

3:05 like him, and so that you can persevere in calling him.

3:07 Patience is therefore essential.

3:10 Moreover, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He,

3:12 has mentioned,

3:14 and explicitly cited in this surah what aids one in patience.

3:16 Clearly, He said: "Be patient over what they say,"

3:18 and then He mentioned—

3:20 and He began mentioning—

3:22 and began recounting the stories:

3:24 "and remember Our servant David," and then He said,

3:26 mentioning Solomon along with him, then He said,

3:28 "and remember Our servant Job," then He said,

3:30 "and remember Our servants,

3:32 Abraham and Isaac,"

3:34 and then He said, "and remember Ishmael."

3:36 Thus, among the things that foster patience

3:38 is remembering the Prophets

3:40 and the righteous—

3:42 here, specifically the Prophets.

3:44 Recalling the stories of the Prophets

3:46 aids in maintaining patience.

3:48 Then He said,

3:50 Glorified and Exalted be He: "This is

3:52 a reminder, and indeed, for the righteous

3:54 is a good place of return," and then He said,

3:56 "This—and indeed, for the transgressors

3:58 is an evil place of return."

4:00 So, mentioning Paradise and Hellfire

4:02 is also among the things that aid

4:04 in this momentous matter:

4:06 patience.

4:09 Proceeding from this point,

4:11 the third observation—

4:13 which is closely connected to it

4:15 and built upon it—

4:17 is that when examining the theme of the surah,

4:19 as known from its sections

4:21 and contents,

4:23 it speaks about the sheer intensity

4:25 of the disbelievers' turning away,

4:27 and the corresponding attitude

4:29 required toward them.

4:31 Then the author wrote: "to console the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."

4:33 No, it is not quite phrased like that.

4:35 Regarding "the corresponding attitude required toward them,"

4:37 that phrase falls short;

4:39 the required attitude is patience itself,

4:41 not merely being consoled.

4:43 He should have said: "patience,

4:45 recalling the stories of the Prophets,

4:47 and the Hereafter."

4:49 For patience is what is demanded

4:51 in the face of the disbelievers' rejection,

4:53 and what aids in cultivating patience

4:55 are the stories of the Prophets and the Hereafter.

4:57 The accounts of these specific Prophets

4:59 especially foster patience.

5:01 Reflect upon them.

5:03 We also observe—

5:05 and this is an observation of

5:07 subtle insight (lata'if)—

5:09 that since the context

5:11 was one of patience,

5:13 when He described Paradise, He said:

5:15 "Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors

5:17 will be opened for them."

5:20 It is as though a person—

5:22 and the general principle is that the reward corresponds to the nature of the deed—

5:24 when obeying Allah,

5:26 shuts many of the doors

5:28 that might otherwise bring him

5:30 deceptive worldly

5:32 pleasures,

5:34 by which he would compromise his religion.

5:36 I do not claim that this is the formal Tafsir of the verse,

5:38 but rather I say:

5:40 the reward corresponds to the nature of the deed.

5:42 Whoever desires the doors to be wide open for him

5:44 on the Day of Resurrection

5:46 in Paradise,

5:48 must exercise patience

5:50 here in this life. For patience entails a sense of

5:52 constriction, whereas having doors opened

5:54 offers expansive spaciousness.

5:56 If a place is pleasant,

5:58 it might suffice you even if the door is closed;

6:00 yet opening the door adds further spaciousness

6:02 and freedom.

6:04 Thus, it was most fitting,

6:06 when urging towards patience,

6:08 to remind the believer of this

6:10 reward,

6:12 which stands in direct contrast

6:14 to the constriction of patience—just as He stated in Surah

6:16 al-Insan, where

6:18 He explicitly mentioned patience, saying:

6:20 “And hath awarded them for all that they endured, a Garden and silk attire;” (76:12)

6:22 "and silk garments." For Paradise

6:24 is vast, whereas this world

6:26 and patience entail hardship and constriction;

6:28 Paradise offers soft silk,

6:30 whereas patience involves

6:33 a degree of roughness,

6:35 a psychological hardship.

6:37 So, whenever a person keeps this reward in mind,

6:39 he will endure this

6:41 trial with patience.

6:43 All praise is due to Allah, first and last,

6:45 outwardly and inwardly.

6:47 May Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.

6:49 And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

The nice comment on the book of cards identifying the surahs of the Holy Qur’an | D. Muhammad Nassif | Surah p

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