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 Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:04 The concise commentary

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

0:34 *bi-Suwar al-Mushaf al-Sharif*

0:38 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar al-Nusayf,

0:41 may Allah preserve him.

0:44 Surah al-Nazi'at.

0:46 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah,

0:47 and may peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

0:50 We continue with our concise commentary on *Bitaqat al-Ta'rif*,

0:53 and we have arrived at Surah al-Nazi'at,

0:55 with which I have three points to highlight.

0:57 The first point

0:59 concerns

1:01 the reasons for the revelation (asbab al-nuzul) of the surah.

1:03 Of course, only one reason has been narrated for it,

1:05 regarding the questioning of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about the Hour.

1:07 It has been noted that objections have been raised

1:10 against both its chain of narration and its text.

1:12 The reason for citing it in the first place

1:14 is that the book

1:16 which was adopted

1:18 as a reference for reasons of revelation

1:20 established it and considered it strong.

1:22 Otherwise, it has been contested,

1:25 and indeed the objection carries weight.

1:27 For example,

1:29 the narrations suggest

1:31 that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was asking

1:33 about the Hour

1:35 or continually mentioning it, or as stated

1:37 in the hadith; whereas the verse reads:

1:40 "They ask you about the Hour," confirming

1:42 an individual asking about the Hour,

1:44 or people asking

1:46 about the Hour. Therefore, it was

1:48 subject to scrutiny from this

1:50 aspect, alongside other aspects

1:52 found in the book *Al-Muharrar*

1:54 *fi Asbab al-Nuzul*.

1:56 As for the second point, it concerns the order of revelation

1:58 of the surah, where it is stated

2:00 that it is counted as the eightieth, revealed after Surah al-Naba'

2:02 and before Surah al-Infitar.

2:04 The reason for revelation of its concluding verses,

2:06 despite the critical remarks concerning it, gives an impression

2:08 of its being relatively late in revelation.

2:11 Here, you will observe

2:13 that

2:15 pointing to the reason for revelation while it contains

2:17 weakness—if it indeed has weakness

2:19 and is contested—how can it

2:21 be cited as evidence here?

2:23 The issue has two aspects.

2:25 The first aspect is the absence

2:27 of strong narrations

2:29 that define the exact time

2:31 of the revelation of this surah

2:33 or the dating of its revelation.

2:35 And perhaps I have pointed out

2:37 repeatedly that it is more fitting here

2:39 to say "the dating of the revelation,"

2:41 and I clarify this:

2:43 it is truly about the dating of its revelation.

2:45 Thus, in the absence

2:47 of strong narrations, one may draw supporting evidence

2:49 from these reports. The first is

2:51 its being counted as the eightieth according to the well-known narration

2:53 from Jabir ibn Zayd,

2:55 which I have discussed extensively before.

2:58 Another is the existence of this narration,

3:00 which may suggest a somewhat late period of revelation,

3:02 as the questioning about the Hour did not occur

3:04 at the very beginning. This is merely

3:06 circumstantial evidence, even if weak.

3:08 So its being counted as the eightieth

3:10 indicates its lateness,

3:12 and this reason for revelation also suggests its lateness.

3:14 The convergence of both

3:16 may support the view that it was

3:18 indeed revealed late,

3:20 towards the end of the Meccan period.

3:22 Of course, I mean

3:24 its lateness within the Meccan period,

3:26 because the surahs revealed in the Meccan period

3:28 are slightly more than eighty.

3:30 Thus, its being

3:32 the eightieth means it belongs to the end

3:34 of the Meccan period,

3:36 and Allah knows best.

3:39 As for the third and final point,

3:41 it concerns the story

3:44 of the Prophet of Allah, Musa, mentioned

3:46 in the passages of the surah.

3:48 In the first passage...

3:50 Surah al-Naba' before it

3:52 spoke about the Resurrection from beginning to end,

3:54 along with the proofs of the Resurrection.

3:56 Here, the Resurrection is mentioned

3:58 from the beginning of the surah to its end,

4:00 and then comes this passage

4:02 that speaks of the story of Musa

4:04 with Pharaoh.

4:06 So what is the relationship between this story

4:08 and the Resurrection?

4:10 And what is its connection to the verses before and after it?

4:12 This draws attention:

4:14 when a single story appears

4:16 in a surah rather than a collection of stories,

4:18 and it comes right in the middle of the surah

4:20 or even in

4:22 other placements,

4:24 as will come in Surah al-Shams,

4:26 this is indeed noteworthy.

4:28 The scholars have paused at this

4:30 and considered it a parenthetical remark—

4:32 this is an inserted clause

4:34 or inserted sentences

4:36 within the discourse on the Resurrection,

4:38 serving as a solace

4:40 for the Master of the Messengers,

4:42 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

4:44 and for the believers with him,

4:46 and as a warning to the disbelievers who deny

4:48 the Day of Recompense.

4:50 Nevertheless,

4:52 if you consult the Tafsir *Nazm al-Durar*,

4:54 you will find that he elaborated at length

4:56 on the suitability of this specific story,

4:58 to the exclusion of other stories,

5:00 for the theme of the Resurrection.

5:02 The destruction of Pharaoh,

5:04 what befell him and his people

5:07 until they were eradicated,

5:09 is deeply fitting with the theme of the Resurrection.

5:11 You will find this explained in detail there;

5:13 I do not wish to prolong it here,

5:15 at this juncture, upon His saying,

5:17 Exalted is He: "Has there reached you the story of Musa?"

5:19 Among the observations to note,

5:21 which al-Biqa'i also pointed out

5:23 in his Tafsir at this point,

5:25 is that Quraysh and the Arabs

5:27 in general did not possess the power

5:29 that Pharaoh possessed.

5:31 Yet, their power availed neither Pharaoh

5:33 nor those with him:

5:35 “How many were the gardens and the watersprings that they left behind,” (44:25)

5:37 "and crops and noble sites,"

5:39 “And pleasant things wherein they took delight!” (44:27)

5:41 "Thus. And We caused to inherit it another people."

5:43 “And the heaven and the earth wept not for them, nor were they reprieved.” (44:29)

5:45 So what then of those who are

5:47 in a far weaker state than them,

5:49 namely the disbelievers in Mecca

5:51 and the Arabs in general?

5:53 Eradicating them

5:55 is the easiest and most trivial matter for Allah.

5:57 It is as though anyone who acts tyrannically,

5:59 even if

6:01 his capabilities are limited,

6:03 resembles Pharaoh.

6:05 For this reason, Abu Jahl was described as

6:07 the Pharaoh of this Ummah,

6:09 even though he did not possess a kingdom.

6:12 Thus, the character of Pharaoh is not

6:14 restricted to someone who possesses a vast realm,

6:16 but applies to whoever walks

6:18 in his path

6:20 of tyranny—

6:23 we seek refuge in Allah.

6:25 This much is sufficient,

6:27 and I ask Allah to make this surah

6:29 a light for me and for you.

6:31 May Allah send peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad,

6:33 and upon all his family and Companions,

6:35 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 An-Nazi'at

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