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.

0:30 A Gentle 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 Nasif,

0:42 may Allah preserve him.

0:44 Surah al-Waqi'ah.

0:46 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:48 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds,

0:50 and may peace and blessings be upon His brothers among the prophets and messengers,

0:53 and upon his family and all his Companions.

0:55 We continue with our gentle commentary on the "Identification Cards,"

0:58 and we have arrived at Surah al-Waqi'ah.

1:02 I have three points to make regarding it.

1:04 The first point concerns the reasons for the revelation of the surah.

1:07 He stated: "One reason for revelation was reported depicting the beliefs of the disbelievers."

1:12 And that reason, as mentioned in the adopted book,

1:16 is what was narrated by Muslim and others

1:20 on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him),

1:22 who said: "Rain fell upon the people during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

1:26 and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

1:28 'Some of the people became grateful this morning, while others became disbelievers.'

1:31 They said, 'This is a mercy that Allah Almighty has bestowed.'

1:34 While some of them said, 'Such and such a star was right.'

1:38 So the verses were revealed."

1:40 I have pointed out in the book

1:42 the disagreement regarding accepting this reason of revelation,

1:45 by my statement: "And concerning it being the reason of revelation, there is dispute."

1:48 The detailed examination of this dispute is to be found in

1:50 the book "Al-Muharrar fi Asbab al-Nuzul"

1:53 by Dr. Khalid al-Muzayni,

1:55 where he elaborated and spoke at length.

1:58 Among the points he made

2:01 is that what was mentioned was not a specific single event

2:05 on account of which the verses were revealed.

2:07 He also observed that some exegetes

2:09 who were attentive to hadiths,

2:11 such as al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir,

2:13 did not mention this narration,

2:16 nor did they consider it a reason for revelation.

2:19 Furthermore, there are other hadiths

2:23 narrated from some of the Companions,

2:25 some of which are more authentic than this hadith,

2:28 that describe the situation

2:31 and what people did when rain fell,

2:34 without mentioning it as a reason for revelation.

2:37 In addition, I note that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father)

2:40 was not present during this event,

2:43 because the surah is Meccan,

2:46 and according to this, Ibn Abbas

2:48 did not witness the time when these verses were revealed.

2:52 For all of these reasons,

2:55 and perhaps he alluded to others in his discussion,

2:58 this reason of revelation was not deemed acceptable by

3:01 Dr. Khalid al-Muzayni,

3:03 whereas Dr. Isam al-Humaydan accepted it.

3:05 The second point concerns the opening of the surah.

3:07 He stated: "It opened with a conditional clause."

3:09 If you refer back to page fifteen,

3:12 you will find that the surahs opened with a conditional clause

3:15 are seven surahs.

3:17 Al-Waqi'ah is the first—or rather the second—surah

3:19 opening with a conditional clause according to the arrangement of the Mus-haf,

3:22 followed by al-Munafiqun, al-Takwir, al-Infitar,

3:25 al-Inshiqaq, al-Zalzalah, and an-Nasr.

3:28 These are seven surahs.

3:30 Had they been mentioned here,

3:32 it would have been more appropriate, for many who read the book

3:35 might not refer back to the introduction at all,

3:38 or they might consult it initially and then forget about it;

3:41 remembering similar openings

3:44 aids in contemplation.

3:46 It is noticeable that most of these surahs

3:49 speak about the Day of Resurrection:

3:51 al-Waqi'ah, al-Takwir, al-Infitar, al-Inshiqaq, and al-Zalzalah.

3:55 It is clear that these are surahs speaking about the Day of Resurrection,

3:58 and there is no need to contrive that all these surahs

4:02 share a single theme.

4:04 If such a connection appears without contrivance, that is well and good;

4:07 otherwise, there is nothing obliging the reflective person

4:10 and reader of the Qur'an to find a relationship

4:13 between every two similar surahs,

4:16 or to force and contrive one.

4:20 Thus, most of these surahs, without doubt,

4:23 speak about the Day of Resurrection,

4:25 and it begins with the conditional particle "idha" (when),

4:28 which signifies the certainty of the condition being fulfilled in the future.

4:31 It is a definite matter, and it is followed

4:34 by the past tense verb "waqa'at" (befalls),

4:36 which also confirms its definite occurrence,

4:39 because the past tense is used to express an absolute future certainty.

4:42 As for the third and final point,

4:44 it concerns the placement of the surah.

4:46 He stated: "It is the fifty-sixth surah,

4:48 and among its correlations with ar-Rahman

4:50 is its comprehensive discourse on the Day of Resurrection."

4:54 Indeed, the complementarity between the two surahs,

4:57 along with their similarities and differences,

5:01 is wondrous and worthy of contemplation.

5:04 For you are able, meaning if you state

5:07 the theme of the surah by contemplating its name

5:10 and its sections—

5:12 and it is more precise to say "its passages,"

5:14 to align with what was mentioned regarding the passages of the surah—

5:17 by reflecting upon its name and passages,

5:20 it becomes evident that the Resurrection, by way of evidence, encouragement, and warning,

5:23 is among its most prominent themes.

5:25 The same can be said of Surah ar-Rahman

5:28 due to the strong resemblance between the two surahs.

5:30 Yet, along with this, there are differences and complementarity.

5:33 Among the similarities, for instance,

5:36 is the mention of two categories of saved believers

5:41 in each of the two surahs:

5:43 “But for him who feareth the standing before his Lord there are two gardens.” (55:46)

5:46 "And besides them there are two other gardens,"

5:48 and in al-Waqi'ah: "And the foremost ones, the foremost,"

5:50 and "the companions of the right hand—what are the companions of the right hand?"

5:53 Meanwhile, in both surahs,

5:55 only one category of disbelievers is mentioned:

5:58 "the companions of the left hand" in al-Waqi'ah,

6:01 and in ar-Rahman, the criminals.

6:02 “This is hell which the guilty deny.” (55:43)

6:06 Furthermore, you find no repetition between the two surahs

6:09 in describing the bliss of the former

6:12 or the punishment of the other group;

6:16 rather, you find in each surah what is not in the other.

6:19 Moreover, you find that Surah ar-Rahman

6:22 begins with His name, Exalted and Glorified is He, "ar-Rahman" (The Most Gracious),

6:27 thereby presenting encouragement and hope;

6:30 whereas Surah al-Waqi'ah begins with: "When the Inevitable Event befalls,

6:32 there is no denial of its occurrence,

6:34 bringing low, raising high;

6:36 when the earth is shaken with a violent convulsion..."

6:38 up to the end of the verses.

6:41 You find that awe and warning are what Surah al-Waqi'ah begins with.

6:45 Hope and encouragement are fitting for the name of Surah ar-Rahman,

6:48 while awe and warning are likewise fitting for the name of Surah al-Waqi'ah.

6:52 Furthermore, you find in both surahs

6:54 proofs from reality for the oneness and greatness of Allah,

6:58 alongside an allusion to the Resurrection or an argument for it,

7:02 yet you find them in both surahs

7:04 presented in distinct manners:

7:06 you find them in Surah al-Waqi'ah in the middle of the surah,

7:09 and you find them in Surah ar-Rahman

7:11 at the beginning of the surah, namely the enumeration of favors.

7:14 The angles of reflection on these two surahs

7:18 and their complementarity are very numerous.

7:20 One of us can study both surahs together

7:24 and memorize them—

7:26 and they are usually memorized consecutively

7:28 because they are in the same Juz'—

7:30 and one can learn their Tafsir together,

7:32 contemplate both of them together, and compare them,

7:35 for that truly opens vast horizons.

7:38 I ask Allah to grant me and you understanding of His Book,

7:41 and to make it a light for us in our lives

7:44 and after our deaths,

7:46 and to make it a proof in our favor,

7:48 not a proof against us.

7:50 May Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad,

7:52 and upon his family and all his Companions,

7:54 and praise be 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 | Surat Al-Waqi'ah

Transcript