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.

0:02 The gentle commentary

0:32 on the book *Identification Cards*

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

0:37 by Dr. Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar Nassif,

0:42 may Allah preserve him.

0:44 Surah al-Haqqah.

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

0:49 and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

0:52 We continue our gentle commentary on the identification cards,

0:56 focusing now on Surah al-Haqqah.

0:59 In the book, commenting on the name of the surah in the footnote,

1:03 it states: "Al-Haqqah is one of the names of the Resurrection."

1:06 Here, it is preferable to modify the phrasing as I will now mention,

1:13 because what is written there does not quite express the intended meaning.

1:19 He says: "Al-Haqqah is one of the names of the Resurrection;

1:22 it is called so because in it the promise of Allah is realized,

1:25 or because it realizes and manifests that promise."

1:29 These are two possible interpretations

1:32 mentioned in *Tafsir al-Jalalayn*.

1:35 And the meaning is subtle, brothers:

1:38 "Al-Haqqah" is the Resurrection.

1:40 The Resurrection itself does not actively realize anything,

1:43 nor does it manifest anything by itself;

1:45 rather, what takes place within it

1:47 is the promise—Allah's promise—

1:50 as well as the resurrection, the reckoning, and the recompense.

1:53 This is one possibility,

1:55 and it falls under the linguistic principle of

1:57 "a standing night," as rhetoricians say.

1:59 "A standing night":

2:01 the night itself does not stand in prayer,

2:03 and likewise the Resurrection does not actively realize the promise;

2:05 rather, the promise is realized within it.

2:07 The other meaning,

2:09 which is indicated by the words of al-Jalalayn

2:13 and which I pointed out in the phrasing I dictated to you,

2:16 is because I said: "Al-Haqqah is one of the names of the Resurrection;

2:18 in it the promise of Allah comes true,"

2:20 or—this being the second possibility—

2:22 "because it realizes and manifests that promise."

2:25 That is to say, it is as though the Resurrection itself

2:27 is what actively fulfills the promise.

2:29 This is similar to the expression

2:31 "a pleasant life" (literally: a pleased life).

2:33 A life itself does not experience pleasure,

2:36 and the Resurrection does not actively realize anything;

2:38 thus, the style is metaphorical.

2:40 Whoever understands Arabic rhetoric

2:42 will understand what I mean.

2:44 It indicates

2:46 that the realization on the Day of Resurrection will be complete,

2:49 and the promise of Allah will surely come to pass,

2:51 just as Allah Almighty has stated;

2:53 so the action was attributed to the time itself for hyperbole and emphasis.

2:56 The second pause:

2:58 He said: "It opens with a declarative sentence."

3:01 This is regarding the discussion

3:03 on the opening of the surah.

3:05 He said: "It opens with a declarative sentence,"

3:07 and we should add here:

3:09 "in which nothing is explicitly stated

3:11 except a single word."

3:13 Because notice:

3:16 "Al-Haqqah" is a declarative sentence,

3:18 yet it constitutes an independent verse

3:21 consisting of just one word.

3:23 This occurs in the Qur'an,

3:25 such as *Al-Haqqah* and likewise *Al-Qari'ah*,

3:28 but despite its existence, it is rare.

3:30 It signifies

3:32 the immense importance of the word mentioned;

3:34 thus it was stated on its own

3:36 in this manner as a complete verse,

3:38 so that we give it due attention

3:40 in contemplating it,

3:42 and to show that it alone

3:44 is sufficient to constitute

3:46 a verse in the Mighty Book.

3:48 Of course, this discussion

3:51 is based on the Kufan verse-counting method,

3:53 which we follow in the transmission of

3:55 Hafs that we recite;

3:57 otherwise, the majority of verse-counters

3:59 of the Qur'an

4:01 consider *Al-Haqqah*

4:03 and *Mal-Haqqah* to be a single verse.

4:05 In either of the two methods

4:07 of counting—whether

4:09 we say "Al-Haqqah" and stop,

4:11 and then "Mal-Haqqah",

4:14 or combine them into a single verse:

4:16 "Al-Haqqah, Mal-Haqqah"—

4:18 the fact remains that *Mal-Haqqah*

4:20 is a sentence that serves

4:22 as the predicate (*khabar*) for the initial *Al-Haqqah*.

4:24 Thus, pausing

4:26 at *Al-Haqqah* according to the verse-count

4:28 that we recite

4:30 creates suspense for what follows

4:32 and emphasizes its significance.

4:34 And Allah knows best.

4:38 There remains the third pause,

4:40 regarding the central theme of the surah

4:42 and its thematic sections.

4:44 By contemplating its two sections—

4:47 and if we look at the sections of the surah—

4:49 he said: "It is divided into two parts,"

4:52 and that is correct;

4:54 but it is more precise to say: "By contemplating

4:56 its two sections,"

4:58 for it is divided into two parts:

5:00 the first is about the Resurrection,

5:02 and the second is about the Qur'an.

5:04 Regarding the second section, he said:

5:07 "And in the second section,

5:09 the oath opening..."

5:11 He means by this

5:13 the words of the Almighty: "So I swear by what you see."

5:16 He said:

5:18 "...preceded by *la*."

5:20 It is better to omit this phrase,

5:22 because there is a scholarly difference of opinion here:

5:24 is it for emphasizing the oath,

5:26 or is it a refutation of a previous claim,

5:28 among other views that are not suitable

5:30 to mention in this introductory book.

5:32 Therefore, it is simply said: "In the second section,

5:34 the oath opening..."

5:36 Now, here is a point of reflection:

5:39 a discourse on the Resurrection, followed by a discourse on the Qur'an.

5:41 This resembles Surah at-Takwir:

5:43 "When the sun is wrapped up, and when the stars fall dispersing,"

5:45 until He said:

5:47 "A soul will know what it has brought."

5:49 This is a discourse on the Resurrection, and then He said:

5:51 "So I swear by the retreating stars, those that run and disappear, and the night

5:53 as it closes in, and the morning as it breathes:

5:55 Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger."

5:57 And thus the discourse on the Qur'an began.

5:59 There is a similarity between al-Haqqah

6:01 and at-Takwir that warrants contemplation:

6:03 it is as though a person's remembrance

6:05 of the Day of Resurrection

6:07 softens their heart

6:09 and urges them to search

6:11 for what will save them,

6:13 so there comes the mention of

6:15 the Qur'an, through which salvation is attained,

6:17 as well as the mention of

6:19 people's attitudes toward the Qur'an.

6:21 He said:

6:23 "And indeed, it is a reminder for the righteous,

6:25 and indeed, We know that among you

6:27 are deniers,

6:29 “And lo! it is indeed an anguish for the disbelievers.” (69:50)

6:31 and indeed, it is the truth of certainty.

6:33 So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great."

6:35 May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad,

6:37 and upon his family and all his Companions.

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

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