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.

0:30 The Graceful Commentary

0:32 on the book "Identification Cards

0:35 for the Surahs of the Noble Qur'an"

0:38 by Dr. Muhammad ibn Abdul-Aziz ibn Umar Nassif,

0:42 may Allah preserve him.

0:44 Surah Al-Mulk.

0:45 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

0:47 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds,

0:49 and peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers,

0:52 and upon all his family and Companions.

0:55 We are still proceeding with "The Graceful Commentary

0:57 on the Identification Cards,"

0:59 and we have arrived at Surah Al-Mulk.

1:01 I have three points of reflection concerning it.

1:03 The first point concerns the surah's placement.

1:06 He stated that it is the sixty-seventh surah.

1:08 Perhaps one of the reasons for its contextual placement

1:10 is that At-Tahrim and At-Talaq

1:12 contained legal rulings,

1:14 so it was fitting to provide a reminder

1:16 in this surah

1:18 that all sovereignty belongs to Allah.

1:20 This is similar to how earlier surahs outside the Mufassal concluded,

1:24 such as Al-Ma'idah and An-Nur.

1:26 It was mentioned in the book

1:28 and in the extended audio lessons—

1:30 and it may be pointed out here as well—

1:32 that after Al-Ma'idah,

1:34 with all the legal rulings it contains,

1:36 came Surah Al-An'am,

1:38 which establishes creed

1:40 and strengthens faith.

1:42 And after An-Nur,

1:44 which likewise centers on legal rulings,

1:46 came Surah Al-Furqan,

1:48 which is a surah on creed.

1:50 Thus, it is fitting,

1:53 following these legal rulings, to have a reminder

1:55 of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.

1:57 This sequential arrangement of the surahs,

1:59 which was not

2:01 based on the order of revelation,

2:03 is considered by many scholars

2:05 to be divinely ordained (tawqifi),

2:07 containing profound wisdom.

2:09 That is why we discuss the surah's placement.

2:11 For if a person were to occupy himself

2:13 solely with legal rulings

2:15 without renewing his faith, this would be problematic.

2:17 Rather, there must be this

2:19 harmonious blend achieved by

2:22 the arrangement of the surahs,

2:24 which is a beautiful matter

2:26 truly worthy of contemplation.

2:28 This is true even though the verses of legal rulings themselves

2:30 contain admonitions

2:32 and reminders of Allah

2:34 and of being conscious of Him (taqwa).

2:36 Within the very verse of a legal ruling—

2:38 in a single verse—you will often find at its conclusion

2:40 two of Allah's names,

2:42 as well as a reminder of taqwa,

2:44 among other elements that are readily observable

2:46 and evident.

2:48 Likewise, you find at the conclusion of those surahs

2:51 that encompass numerous legal rulings

2:53 a reminder of Allah's sovereignty

2:55 over all creation

2:57 and similar profound meanings.

2:59 This is clearly present in what

3:01 was pointed out regarding Surah Al-Ma'idah

3:03 and Surah An-Nur:

3:05 alongside the verses of legal rulings, there is a reminder of Allah;

3:07 at the end of the surah,

3:09 there is a reminder of Allah;

3:11 and in the surah that follows,

3:13 there is even greater elaboration

3:15 in reminding of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.

3:17 Such is also the case

3:19 with Surah At-Tahrim

3:21 and At-Talaq before it,

3:23 in relation to Surah Al-Mulk.

3:25 As for the second point of reflection,

3:27 it concerns the names of the surah.

3:29 He stated: "Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty), because it opens

3:31 with sanctifying and glorifying Allah Himself,

3:33 in Whose hand is all sovereignty."

3:35 "Al-Mulk, because it opens

3:37 with the fact that He, Glorified be He,

3:39 is the One in Whose hand is all sovereignty."

3:41 Under this same heading,

3:43 he said: "Al-Mani'ah (The Preventer); it was named thus

3:45 because it protects its companion from the punishment of the grave."

3:47 The word "as" should be added: "As

3:49 authentically reported from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him),"

3:51 and the statement ends there.

3:53 As for mentioning that "it protects

3:55 from the punishment of the grave" in parentheses,

3:57 adding "[meaning] it is the preventer," there is no need for that.

3:59 Rather, it was named so

4:01 because it protects its companion

4:03 from the punishment of the grave, as authentically reported

4:05 from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).

4:07 The third point of reflection,

4:09 which is the final one for this surah,

4:11 deals with

4:13 what was mentioned regarding its overarching theme and its thematic sections.

4:15 Regarding its theme, he said:

4:17 "Reflecting upon many of its verses guides..."

4:19 It would be better to state:

4:21 "By contemplating

4:23 and looking into this..."

4:25 in defining the theme based on

4:27 this division.

4:29 So we say: By contemplating

4:31 its two sections, it becomes apparent

4:33 that its central theme is the introduction

4:35 to Allah and His absolute sovereignty

4:37 over all creation.

4:39 Then the word "generally" should be omitted—

4:41 an introduction pertaining to Him,

4:43 Glorified and Exalted be He.

4:45 Here ends the theme of the surah,

4:47 which is closely tied to its sections;

4:49 thus I included it with them in the very same point of reflection.

4:51 Regarding its thematic sections,

4:53 he stated: "It can be divided into two sections:

4:55 the first is an introduction [to Allah's majesty],

4:57 and the second is a warning and admonition."

4:59 As for the first section,

5:01 it is written: "the eulogistic opening" (al-matla' ath-thana'i).

5:03 It is more precise to say:

5:05 "It contains a eulogistic opening,"

5:07 without the definite article "al-",

5:09 because no prior opening was mentioned

5:11 to warrant adding "al-".

5:14 Then he wrote regarding the second section:

5:16 "the expository opening"—no,

5:18 in the second section there is also a eulogistic opening.

5:20 This is a matter of terminology:

5:22 the finalized definition,

5:24 which has been settled upon and

5:26 will be incorporated into the second edition, by Allah's will,

5:28 is that every verse

5:30 that begins with the mention of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He,

5:32 or opens with the mention of

5:34 a name of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He—

5:36 and this includes

5:38 cases where it is preceded by an emphatic particle,

5:40 such as "Indeed, Allah..."—

5:42 is considered among the eulogistic

5:44 openings.

5:46 This also encompasses instances where a pronoun occurs,

5:48 such as "He" (Huwa), as found in this surah.

5:50 “He it is Who hath made the earth subservient unto you, so Walk in the paths thereof and eat of His providence. And unto Him will be the resurrection (of the dead).” (67:15)

5:52 The first verse, and this

5:54 is likewise praise, because it refers back

5:56 to Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.

5:58 Likewise, anything containing praise—for the beginning of the surah is

6:00 "Blessed is He in Whose hand is dominion"—

6:02 is a eulogistic opening.

6:04 Praise is accomplished through a word expressing

6:06 praise, or through mentioning Him,

6:08 for nothing is attributed to Him

6:10 except that which conveys praise,

6:12 and He is transcendent above all deficiency,

6:14 Exalted and Glorified in His loftiness.

6:16 Likewise, when a pronoun refers back to Him,

6:18 it directly conveys

6:20 praise as well.

6:22 I will conclude with this.

6:24 May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and Companions

6:26 all together, and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

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

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