Surah 96. Al Alaq.
Translated by Safi Kaskas .
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, Compassionate.
Recite in the name of your Lord who created, created the human being from Alaq (web of relations).
Recite, and your Lord is the most generous, who taught by the pen.
He taught the human being that which he knew not.
No! [But] indeed, the human being transgresses because he sees himself as self-sufficient.
Indeed, to your Lord is the return. Have you seen the one who forbids a servant from praying?
Have you seen if he is on [the road of] guidance? Or enjoins righteousness? Have you seen if he rejects and turns away?
Does he not know that God sees?
No! If he doesn’t stop,
We will surely drag him by the forelock, a lying, sinning forelock.
Then let him call his associates; We will call the angels of Hell.
No! Do not obey him. But prostrate yourselves and draw near [to God].
Translated by Mohammad Shafi.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, Compassionate .
Read in the name of your Lord who creates — creates man from a clinging substance.
Read, and your Lord is most liberal who taught by the pen — taught mankind what it knew not.
Man, on the other hand, is certainly indeed prone to transgression as he sees himself independent of any divine help.
Indeed, to your Lord is the return.
Have you seen him who forbids a devotee when he prays?
Do you see if he [the devotee] is on the right guidance or enjoins piety.
[And] do you see if he [who forbids the devotee from praying] denies [Guidance] and turns away [from it]?
Does he not know that Allah does indeed see [his wickedness]?
Nay! If he does not desist, We will drag him by the forelock — a lying, sinning forelock.
Then let him call those who would help him, We will call the guardians of Hell.
Nay! Obey him not, but prostrate and get near (to Allah).
Speech/Voice and Teacher Precedes Writing and Pen. "Recite" or "Say" captures and Person + Reference text (not merely a reference less book on the past, without any certainty of its authenticity. The Book might be a DEAD man's phantasy Transcribed.). There is age old conflict between written tradition (Written Torah) and Oral Tradition (oral Torah, the majority of Jewish Traditional Teaching), this RECITE solves the BOTH in one Strike.
1-5: God to Man Direct and Original Teaching. 6-8: But Man (the Lower Self) always fails to see those teaching of 1-5, and thinks he is totally independent and hence crosses the confinement of Right Guidance. 9-14- Example of Such Transgressors 15-18: What will happens to them, then God's Power is shown to them. 19: Conclusion: Don't get distracted to those transgressor, rather focus on 1-5 and Prostate and Come back home.
Kacher Manush Dure Thuiya, Mori Ami Dorphoraiya (Status of Man who Ignores 1-5, and suffer from Transgression 6:14). You need to Face this Transgression Face to Face (Forelock to Forelock, 15-8) and Come back home to the Source (as in 1-5) and this can only be done by Prostration as prescribed in 19. (Ref. When you realize... your Alaq... always adherent to the source Or in poetic term... Amar moner Nongor poira royshe vaira, shareng barir ghora)
Adherent / Clinging Substance : This is no ordinary Adhesive. This Adhesive means Perpetual Affinity, no separation ever possible. Can you separate Yourself From The Life Force (Ruh) or Soul. Even at death, Soul return to its destination (as in 8)
Alaq (adhesion, affinity to the Proximity) with also attrack you, if you do your honest homework so god can favor you with wisdom to understand 1-5. But Same Alaq will not work (actually repulse you or make you Envious like Quraish felt envy and hatred against prophet) if your deed is not good and hence heart not guided by real Kalam.
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Re-Cite (but for him, Reading is like a Riddle) >> Not to Invent but to Discover as Documented authentically by the Ancient (Moses)
Isolated Arabic Bedouin tribes is all based on oral traditions vulnerable for distortion and forgetting, typical for illiterate community. But if you know how to read and write, you invent new writings and stories based on your own desire and liking and biased. On top, you become arrogant and think you alone is self sufficient.
Man still have the mark, who was created from the Clinging Substance (Substance that have affinity and still have the Affinity to the the original source). Remember who taught you with a PEN (Pen of Moses or Idris) in the lower world and Tablet of Israfil's forehead in the upper world.
Pen / stylus - that makes a visible mark, or shape out of Jumbled background. Pen/Stylus creates a distinctive style.
Only by the Pen, a message can outlive a person and the person who did not know, comes to know.
But after you learn (Beni Israel or Abu Jahal (formerly Abu Hakam), you become arrogant and thinks you alone is self-sufficient, forgetting to God you will return.
Now some of you even prevent who actually Got the true inspiration to prostate, with out even checking if they are legit or authentic or not
In this Stalemate with the stubborn - you have to assert yourself and display your courage to defend yourself to the END but you cannot just become coward and hide. You cannot just obey your unjust oppressor.
So Pray, because only by praying, you can come close.
> deXer:
Recite - remind yourself what is your origin and destination (roadmap). Pray: come close to home so that you can reach your destination, God willing.
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Other Tafseers.
Surah 96: Al Alaq.
Verses 1-5 are known to be the first ever revealed from the Quran. The Prophet was retreating in a cave on the outskirts of Mecca when the angel Gabriel appeared to him, squeezing him tightly and ordering him to read. Since the Prophet was unlettered, he responded, “I cannot read.” Ultimately, Gabriel taught him: “Read in the name of your Lord…” Some scholars believe that this encounter fulfills Isaiah 29:12, which states, “Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, ‘Read this.’ And he will say, ‘I cannot read.’” The rest of the surah was later revealed to deter Abu Jahl, a Meccan pagan elite, from abusing the Prophet.
Translation of Surah Al Alaq, as in Clear Quran.
In the name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the name of your Lord Who created—
created humans from a clinging clot.
Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen—
taught humanity what they knew not. Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds once they think they are self-sufficient.
˹But˺ surely to your Lord is the return ˹of all˺.
Have you seen the man who prevents a servant ˹of Ours˺ from praying? What if this ˹servant˺ is ˹rightly˺ guided or encourages righteousness? What if that ˹man˺ persists in denial and turns away? Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺?
But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock—a lying, sinful forelock. So let him call his associates. We will call the wardens of Hell.
Again, no! Never obey him! Rather, ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺.
Tafseer of Ayat 19.
Prostrate yourself and draw near. The servant is closest to the Exalted Presence and the mercy of God in prostration. When the servant prostrates, they become a banner of light from their head to the world's ends. Light extends from their head to the highest, and mercy pours down from above. Mustafā said, "There is no pride with prostration." Prostration removes pride and brings humility at God's threshold. In prostration, the Real bestows favor and proximity. "Prostrate yourself and draw near," signifies closeness in prostration. In prostration, the servant has togetherness, unlike other states. Standing and bowing are near people's gaze, but prostration distances one from it. The farther from people, the closer to the Real. Less weight in people's eyes means more weight with the Real. When God commanded angels to prostrate before Adam, Seraphiel was first. Upon raising his head, the divine books appeared on his forehead. Remarkably, God's books appeared on the forehead of one prostrating to Adam by command. When a believer prostrates to God for seventy years, they are exempt from punishment. Seraphiel prostrated to Adam by command, and speech appeared on his forehead. He wrote faith in the believer's heart, as He says: "He wrote faith in their hearts" [58:22]. By command, prostration to someone beneath God makes unwritten speech appear on the forehead. Prostration to God for seventy years cannot erase the faith written in the heart. The Prophet said, "Magnify God when bowing, and strive in supplication when prostrating, for He will respond."
“Then, (the Prophet continued), 'the next revelation that came down after Iqra was Surah 68, The Pen, Ayat 1-5: “Nun. By the pen and by what they write down. You are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad. Indeed, for you is a reward unfailing. Indeed, you have a great character. So you shall see (what happens) and they shall also see.”'
And then came down Surah 74, The Cloaked One, Ayat 1-2: ‘O one wrapping himself, rise and warn.’ And then, ‘By the bright morning, and by the night when it is still’.
The First Revelation.
It is universally agreed that the opening of this surah was the first Quranic revelation. The accounts stating that other verses were revealed first are not authentic. Imam Ahmad transmits the following hadith on the authority of Aisha, the Prophet's wife:
The first aspect of revelation to God's Messenger was that his dreams came true. Whatever vision he might have in his sleep would occur exactly as he had seen. Then, he began to enjoy seclusion. He used to retreat alone into the cave of Hira where he would spend several days in devotion before returning to his family. He would take some food with him, and when he came back, he would take a fresh supply for another period. He continued to do so until he received the truth while in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and said, "Read." He replied, "I am not a reader." The Prophet says, "He held me and pressed hard until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, 'Read,' and I replied, 'I am not a reader.' So, he held me and pressed me hard a second time until I was exhausted, then he released me and said, 'Read.' I replied, 'I am not a reader.' He then held me and pressed me hard for the third time. Then he said, 'Read in the name of your Lord who has created—created man out of a germ-cell. Read—for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.'"
The Prophet returned home to Khadija trembling and said, "Wrap me! Wrap me!" They wrapped him, and his fear subsided. He turned to Khadija and exclaimed, "What has happened to me?" and related to her what had happened and said, "I fear for myself." Khadija replied, "Fear not, be calm and relax. God will not let you suffer any humiliation because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guests, and you help in every just cause." Then she took him to Waraka ibn Nawfal, her paternal cousin, who was a Christian convert and a scholar with a good knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew, and the Bible. He had lost his eyesight and had grown very old. Khadija said to Waraka, "Cousin, would you like to hear what your nephew has to say?" Waraka said, "Well, nephew, what have you seen?" The Prophet related to him what he had seen. When he finished, Waraka said, "It is the same revelation that was sent down to Moses. I wish I were a young man so that I might be alive when your people turn you away from this city." The Prophet exclaimed, "Would they turn me away?" Waraka answered, "Yes! No man has ever preached a message like yours but was met with enmity. If I live till that day, I will certainly give you all my support." But Waraka died shortly after that. This hadith is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim in both of the most authentic books of the Prophet's traditions. Al-Tabari also relates the following hadith on the authority of Abdullah ibn al-Zubair:
The Prophet said, "While I was asleep, he came to me carrying a case made of very rich material in which there was a book. He said, 'Read.' I replied, 'I am not a reader.' He pressed me so hard that I felt I was about to die. Then he released me and said, 'Read.' I asked, 'What shall I read?' (I said this only out of fear that he might repeat what he had already done to me.) He said, 'Read in the name of your Lord who has created—created man out of a germ-cell. Read—for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know.' I read it. He stopped, then left me and went away. I woke up feeling that it was actually written in my heart." The Prophet went on to say, "No man was ever more loathsome to me than poets or the deranged. I could not bear even looking at either. I thought, 'The man (meaning himself) is undoubtedly a poet or deranged. This shall not be said about me among the Quraysh. Let me climb high up in the mountain and throw myself down and get rid of it.' I went to carry out this intention. When I was halfway up the mountain, I heard a voice coming from the heavens saying, 'Muhammad, you are God's Messenger and I am Gabriel.' I raised my head up to the sky and saw Gabriel in the image of a man with his feet side by side, standing on the horizon. He said again, 'Muhammad, you are God's Messenger and I am Gabriel.' I stood in my place looking up at him. This distracted me from my intention. I was standing there unable to move. I tried to turn my face away from him and look up at the sky, but wherever I looked, I saw him in front of me. I stood still, moving neither forward nor backward. Khadija sent her messengers looking for me, and I remained standing in my place all the while until they went back to her. He then left me, and I went back to my family." This tradition is related in these details by Ibn Ishaq on the authority of Wahb ibn Kaysan.
A Momentous Event.
I reflected for a while upon this event. We have all read it many times in books—either those of the Prophet's biography or those that explain the meaning of the Quran. But we either read it casually or give it little thought and go on with our reading.
Yet this is an event with immense significance. It has an important bearing on the life of humanity; but much as we try today to perceive its great value, many of its aspects remain beyond our perception. It is no exaggeration to describe this event as the greatest in the long history of human existence.
The true nature of this event is that God, the Great, the Compeller, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Sovereign of the whole universe, out of His benevolence, has turned to that creation of His called man, which takes its abode in a hardly visible corner of the universe, which is the earth. He has honored this species of His creation by choosing one of its numbers to be the recipient of His divine light and the guardian of His wisdom.
This is something infinitely great. Some aspects of its greatness become apparent when man tries, as best as he can, to perceive the essential qualities of God: absolute power, freedom from all limitations, and everlastingness; and when he reflects, in comparison, on the basic qualities of God's servants who are subject to certain limitations in power and life duration. One may then perceive the significance of this divine care for man. He may realize the sweetness of this feeling and manifest his appreciation with thanksgiving, prayer, and devotion. He feels that the whole universe shares in the general happiness spread by the revelation of divine words to man in his obscure corner of the universe.
What is the significance of this event? With reference to God, it signifies that He is the source of all great bounties and unfailing compassion. He is the Benevolent, the Loving, who bestows His mercy and benefactions for no reason except that benevolence is one of His divine attributes. As for man, this event signifies that God has bestowed upon him an honor the greatness of which he can hardly ever appreciate and for which he can never show enough gratitude, not even if he spends all his life in devotion and prostration. This honor is that God has taken notice and care of him, established contact with him, and chosen one of the human race as His Messenger to reveal to him His words; that the earth, man's abode, has become the recipient of these divine words, which the whole universe echoes with submission and devotion.
This great event began to bear on the life of humanity as a whole right from the first moment. It marked a change in the course of history, following the change it brought about in the course followed by human conscience. It specified the source man should look up to in order to derive his ideals, values, and criteria. The source is heaven and divine revelations, not this world and man's own desires. When this great event took place, the people who recognized its true nature and adapted their lives accordingly enjoyed God's protection and manifest care. They looked up to Him directly for guidance in all their affairs, large and small. They lived and moved under His supervision. They expected that He would guide them along the road, step by step, stopping them from error and leading them to the right way. Every night they expected to receive some divine revelation concerning what they had on their minds, providing solutions for their problems and saying to them, "Do this and leave that."
The period that followed the event was certainly remarkable: 23 years of direct contact between the human race and Supreme Society. The true nature of this cannot be recognized except by those who lived during this period and experienced it: witnessed its start and end, relished the sweet flavor of that contact, and felt the divine hand guiding them along the road. The distance that separates us from that reality is too great to be defined by any measure of length this world has known. It is a distance in the world of conscience incomparable to any distance in the material world, not even when we think of the gaps separating stars and galaxies. It is a gap that separates earth and heaven; a gap between human desires and Divine revelation as sources from which concepts and values are derived; a gap between jahiliyyah and Islam, the human and the divine.
The people who lived at the time were fully aware of its uniqueness, recognized its special place in history, and felt a deep loss when the Prophet passed away to be in God's company. This marked the end of that unique period.
Anas related that Abu Bakr said to Umar after the Prophet had passed away: "Let us go to visit Umm Ayman as the Prophet used to do." When they went to her, she burst into tears. They said, "What are you crying for? Don’t you realize that God's company is far better for the Prophet?" She replied, "That is true, I am sure. I am only crying because revelation has ceased with his death." This made tears spring to their eyes, and the three of them cried together.
The impact of that period has been in evidence in the life of humanity ever since its beginning up to this moment, and it will remain in evidence until the day when God inherits the earth and all that walks on it. Man was reborn when he started to derive his values from heaven rather than earth and his laws from divine revelation instead of his own desires. The course of history underwent a change the like of which has never been experienced before or since. That event, the commencement of revelation, was the point at which the roads crossed. Clear and permanent guidelines were established that cannot be changed by the passage of time or effaced by events. Human conscience developed a concept of existence, and human life and its values became unsurpassed in comprehensiveness, clarity, and purity of all worldly considerations. The foundations of this divine code were firmly established in the world, and its various aspects and essential standards were made clear, "so that anyone who was destined to perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth and anyone destined to live might live in clear evidence of the truth." There would no longer be any excuse of lack of clarity. Error and deviation would be upheld deliberately, in the face of clear guidance.
The beginning of revelation was a unique event at a unique moment marking the end of one era and the start of another. It was the demarcation line in the history of mankind, not merely in the history of a certain nation or a particular generation. It was recorded by the universe and echoed in all its corners. It was also recorded in man's conscience, which today needs to be guided by what God has revealed and never lose sight of it. Man needs to remember that this event was a rebirth of humanity that can take place only once in history.
A Special Type of Education.
It is self-evident that the rest of the surah was not revealed at the same time as its opening but at a later date. It refers to a certain situation and later events in the Prophet's life, after he was instructed to convey his message and offer his worship in public, and after he was met with opposition by the unbelievers. This is indicated in the part of the surah which begins: "Look at the one who tries to prevent a servant of God from praying!" Yet there is perfect harmony between all parts of the surah. The facts it relates after the opening part are also arranged in perfect order. These two factors make the surah one perfectly harmonious unit.
"Read in the name of your Lord who has created—created man out of a germ-cell. Read—for your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know."
This is the first surah of the Quran, so it starts with the name of God. It instructs God's Messenger right at the very first moment of his blessed contact with the Supreme Society and before taking his very first step along the way of the message he was chosen to deliver, to read in the name of God, "Read in the name of your Lord." The first attribute of God's that it mentions is that of creation and initiation: "... your Lord who has created." Then it speaks in particular of the creation of man and his origin: "created man out of a germ-cell." He is created from a dried drop of blood which is implanted in the womb: a humble and unsophisticated substance. This reflects the grace and mercy of the Creator as much as it reflects His power. It is out of His grace that He has elevated this germ-cell to the rank of man who can be taught and who can learn: "Read! For your Lord is the most Bountiful One, who has taught the use of the pen, taught man what he did not know." The gulf between the origin and the outcome is very wide indeed. But God is limitless in His ability and generosity; hence this extremely wonderful change.
Here also emerges the fact of man's teaching by the Creator. The pen has always been the most widespread means of learning, and it has always had the most far-reaching impact on man's life. This fact was not as clear at the time of revelation as it is now. But God knows the value of the pen; hence this reference to the pen at the beginning of His final message to humanity, in the first surah of the Quran. Yet God's Messenger, charged with the delivery of this message, could not write. Had the Quran been his own composition, he would not have stressed this fact at the first moment. But the Quran is a message God has revealed. The surah then states the source of learning, which is God. From Him, man receives all his knowledge, past, present, and future. From Him, man learns any secret revealed to him about this universe, life, and himself.
This single paragraph revealed at the very first moment of the Islamic message states the comprehensive basis of faith and its concepts. Everything starts, works, and moves in His name. He is the One who creates, originates, and teaches. Whatever man learns and whatever experience and knowledge he acquires comes originally from God. He has taught man what he did not know. The Prophet recognized this basic Quranic fact. It governed his feelings, teachings, and practices for the rest of his life because it is the principal fact of faith.
Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah summarizes the Prophet's teaching concerning the remembrance of God:
The Prophet was the most perfect man regarding his remembrance of God. Indeed, whatever he spoke was in the line of such remembrance. His commands, prohibitions, legislation, what he taught about the Lord and His attributes, judgments, actions, promises, and threats were all part of this remembrance. So were his praises and glorifications of God, prayers, his feelings of fear and hope, and even his silence. He was conscious of God at all times and in every state. His praise of God was part of his very nature, as if he praised Him with every breath. Indeed, he praised Him whether he stood up, sat, or reclined, and when walking, riding, moving, at home, or traveling.
When he woke up, he used to say, "Praise be to God who has given us life after He caused us to die. To Him, we shall be resurrected."
Aisha said that the Prophet used to say when he woke up at night, "God is Supreme," and would repeat it ten times. Then he would repeat ten times the statement, "There is no deity but God," and pray, "My Lord, I seek refuge with You against constraint in this life and on the Day of Resurrection," repeating it also ten times. Then he would start his formal prayers. Aisha also said that when the Prophet woke up at night for his devotion, he would say, "There is no God but You, my Lord. Praise be to You. I beseech You to forgive my sins and appeal to You for mercy. My Lord, enrich my knowledge and cause not my heart to go astray after You have granted me Your guidance. Grant me Your mercy, for You are the most Bountiful One."
The Prophet has also taught us that whoever gets up at night and says, "There is no deity other than God alone; He has no partner; to Him belongs all dominion, and to Him is due all praise; He is able to do everything; praised is God who is limitless in His glory; there is no deity but God; God is great; no power can operate without His permission; He is the Great, the Supreme," and after this says, "My Lord, forgive me," or any other prayer, his prayers will be answered. Should he make ablution and offer prayers, these will be accepted.
God's Messenger once stayed overnight at Ibn Abbas's home, who later reported that when the Prophet woke up, he raised his hands to the sky and read the last ten verses of surah Aal Imran before going on to say, "My Lord, to You belongs all praise; You are the light of heaven and earth and all therein; praise be to You, the true Lord; Your promise is true; whatever You say is true; the meeting with You is true; heaven is true; hell is true; the Prophets are true; and the Hour is true. I submit myself to You, I believe in You, and depend on You. To You, I shall return. Any dispute I may enter into is for You. To You, I turn for judgment. Forgive me all my sins, past and future, public and secret. You are my Lord, and there is no God but You. No power can operate without God's permission; He is the Great, the Supreme."
Aisha related that when the Prophet woke up at night to worship, he used to say, "My God, the Lord of Gabriel, Mikail, and Israfil, the Creator of heaven and earth, who knows what is concealed and what is made public. You judge between Your servants in their disputes. Guide me, with Your own will, to the truth over which people argue and dispute, for You guide whom You will to the straight path." She might have also said that he used to say this at the start of his prayers.
After offering the witr prayer, the Prophet used to repeat three times, "Glorified be God, the Holy One." When he went out of his house, he would say, "In the name of God. I place my trust in God. My Lord, I appeal to You to guard me against going astray or causing anyone to go astray, and against making a slip or causing anyone to slip, and being unjust to anyone or being a victim of any injustice by others, and against acting ignorantly, or being done by ignorantly."
The Prophet said, "Whoever says as he leaves his home: 'In the name of God. I place my trust in God. No power is operative without God's leave,' will be answered: 'You are rightly guided and well-protected,' and the devil will be made to turn away from him."
Referring to the night when he was hosted by God's Messenger, Ibn Abbas said that when the Prophet left for the dawn prayers at the mosque, he said, "My Lord, give me light in my heart, tongue, ears, and eyes; give me light in front of me, above me, and below me, and make the light You give me abundant."
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri relates that the Prophet said: "When a man goes out to the mosque for prayers and says, 'My Lord, I appeal to You by the right of those who pray to You, and the right of my journey to You. I have not come out with any feeling of self-sufficiency, nor in hypocrisy or conceit, nor to seek reputation. I have come out with the hope of avoiding Your anger and earning Your pleasure. I pray to You to save me from hell and to forgive me my sins; You are the only One who forgives sins;' seventy thousand angels will be charged with praying for his forgiveness, and God will receive and welcome him until he finishes his prayers."
Abu Dawood related that the Prophet used to say when he entered the mosque, "I seek refuge with God, the Great, and His Holy face, and His old power against Satan, the outcast." When a man says this, the Devil says, "He is now protected against me for the rest of the day."
The Prophet said: "Whenever any of you comes to the mosque, let him pray and ask peace for the Prophet and say, 'My Lord, open to me the doors of Your mercy.' When he leaves the mosque, let him say, 'My Lord, I pray to You to give me out of Your grace.'"
It is also related that when the Prophet entered the mosque, he would ask peace for Muhammad (himself) and his household, then he would say, "My Lord, forgive me my sins and open the doors of Your mercy to me." When he left, he would again ask peace for Muhammad and his household and say, "My Lord, forgive me my sins and lay open to me the doors of Your grace."
After offering the dawn prayers, God's Messenger used to stay in his praying place until sunrise, utilizing his time in remembrance of God.
In the morning, he would say, "Our Lord, we have lived till this morning by Your will, and we also live till evening by Your will. We live and die by Your will. To You, we will return."
He also used to say, "The morning has appeared. This morning all dominion belongs to God, praised be He. There is no deity but God alone. He has no partner; to Him belongs all the universe and to Him is all praise due. He is able to do what He wills. My Lord, I pray to You to give me of the best of this day and the best of the days to follow. I seek refuge with You against the evil of this day and the days to follow. My Lord, I seek Your refuge against laziness and the evils of old age, against suffering in hell and suffering in the grave." In the evening, he would repeat the same prayer, substituting "evening" for "morning."
Abu Bakr, the Prophet's Companion, once said to him, "Teach me some prayers to say in the morning and in the evening." God's Messenger taught him the following prayer, "My Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, who knows the visible and the unseen, the perceptible and the imperceptible, the Lord and Possessor of all, I declare that there is no deity but You. I appeal to You to protect me against my own evil and the evil of Satan; I seek Your refuge against doing myself any harm or causing harm to any Muslim." The Prophet told Abu Bakr to say this prayer in the morning, evening, and before going to bed.
When God's Messenger had a new garment, he would mention it by name (for example, a shirt, gown, or turban) and say, "My Lord, praise be to You. You have given me this. I pray to You to give me its goodness and the goodness for which it was made; and to guard me against its evil and the evil for which it was made."
The Prophet was in the habit of saying the following prayer when he returned home, "Praise be to God who has given me this shelter and what is sufficient for me; and praise be to God who has given me food and drink, and praise be to God who has given me abundance out of His generosity. I pray to You to extend Your protection to me against hell."
It is confirmed in the two most authentic hadith anthologies by al-Bukhari and Muslim that, as the Prophet was about to enter the toilet, he used to say, "My Lord, I pray to You to rid me of evil things."
When he finished his toilet, he used to say, "I seek Your forgiveness, my Lord." It is also reported that he would say, "Praise be to God who has rid me of harm and given me good health."
It is also confirmed that he once put his hand in a water container and said to his Companions, "Make ablutions in the name of God."
When he saw the new moon, he used to say, "My Lord, let it come to us with security, faith, safety, and submission to You. New moon, God is my Lord and Your Lord."
When he started eating, he used to say, "In the name of God." He also said, "When any of you eats, let him mention the name of God. If he forgets to do so, let him say [when he remembers], in the name of God at the beginning and at the end."
Thus was the life of God's Messenger. It was conditioned, down to every single detail, by the divine instruction that he received at the very first moment of his message. This instruction helped his faith to be established on a genuine basis.
Arrogance and Ingratitude.
It is God, then, who creates, teaches, and bestows His abundant bounties on man. This implies that man should acknowledge God's benevolence and be grateful for it. But what actually happens is something different.
The second part of the surah deals with man's transgression: "Indeed, man becomes grossly overweening, once he thinks himself self-sufficient. Surely to your Lord all must return." It is God who gives to man in abundance and makes him independent. He also creates and teaches him and extends to him His generous treatment. But men in general—except for those guarded by faith—are not thankful for their independence made possible by what they are given. They do not recognize the source of this grace, which is the same as the source of their creation, knowledge, and livelihood. They behave arrogantly and transgress all limits instead of being dutiful and thankful.
The image of the transgressing, conceited person who has forgotten his origin is followed by a comment charged with an implicit warning: "Surely to your Lord all must return." Where can this proud and overweening person then turn? At the same time, a fundamental rule of the Islamic faith is emphasized. That is, all must refer to God in every matter, thought, or action. He is the only resort and refuge. The good and the bad, the obedient and the sinner, the righteous and the wrongdoer, the rich and the poor will all return to Him. Even the man who tyrannizes when he thinks himself independent will come to Him eventually.
Thus, the first two sections of the surah lay down the essential components of the Islamic ideological concept: creation, education, and honor come from God alone, and to Him all will return: "Surely to your Lord all must return."
The third section of this short surah tackles a particularly appalling form of tyranny. Its description in the inimitable Quranic style fills us with wonder and dismay that it should take place at all: "Look at the one who tries to prevent a servant of God from praying! Think: does he follow the right guidance and enjoin [others to be] God-fearing? Think: if he denies the truth and turns his back, does he not realize that God sees all?"
Our dismay is enhanced by the manner of expression, which takes the form of address and conversation, using short sentences that follow in rapid succession. The effect can hardly ever be produced by ordinary written language. "Look at this ghastly business actually taking place! Look at the one who tries to prevent a servant of God from praying." Have you seen this repulsive sight? Have you realized how repugnance is doubled by the fact that the person being prevented from his prayers is, in fact, following divine guidance? He merely enjoins righteousness and piety, yet he is discouraged and told to desist!
Yet the transgressor outdoes himself by taking a still more abhorrent stand: "Think: if he denies the truth and turns his back." The closing note is one of implicit warning, similar to that of the previous paragraph: "Does he not realize that God sees all?" He sees everything: the denial of truth, the turning away from it, as well as the prevention of believers from offering their prayers. Since God sees all, something must be done based on what He sees. This is the implicit warning.
Thus, we have a scene of tyranny attempting to suppress the call of faith and obedience to God. This is immediately followed by a stern warning, explicitly stated this time: "Nay, if he does not desist, We will most certainly drag him by his forelock, his lying, sinful forelock. Then let him call his henchmen. We will call the guards of hell." The term "lanasfan," used for 'drag,' carries a marked sense of violence. The dragging is by the forelock—the part of the head raised high by every conceited tyrant. It undoubtedly deserves to be struck violently: "His lying, sinful forelock!" The tyrant may think of calling his clan and supporters to come to his aid: "Then let him call his henchmen." On the other side, "We will call the guards of hell," who are powerful and ruthless. The outcome of the battle is never in doubt.
In light of this frightening destiny for the unbelievers, the surah concludes with an instruction to God's obedient servants to persevere and follow the path of faith: "No, pay no heed to him, but prostrate yourself and draw closer to God." Do not obey this tyrant who attempts to stop you from offering your devotion and conveying your message. Prostrate yourself before your Lord and bring yourself closer to Him through worship and obedience. As for the tyrant, leave him to the guards of hell, who are sure to mete out to him what he deserves.
Some authentic reports suggest that the surah, with the exception of the first part, refers to Abu Jahl, who once passed by the Prophet while he was praying at Maqam Ibrahim, close to the Ka'bah. He turned to him and said, "Muhammad, have I not ordered you to stop these practices?" He also issued a warning to the Prophet, who gave him a stern reply. This may have been the time when the Prophet seized Abu Jahl by the collar and warned him of his impending doom. Abu Jahl retorted, "Muhammad, what do you threaten me with? I am sure I have the largest following in this valley." Hence, the revelation: "Let him call his henchmen." Ibn Abbas, the Prophet's learned Companion, commented: "Had he called them, the angels charged with meting out punishment would have taken him away there and then."
The surah, however, has a general significance. It refers to every obedient believer calling others to follow the path of God and to every tyrant who forbids prayer, threatens the believers, and acts arrogantly. The concluding divine instruction is therefore: "No, pay no heed to him, but prostrate yourself and draw closer to God."
O mankind! If you are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, [remember] We created you from dust, then from a drop, then from a blood clot, then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed, that We may make clear for you. And We cause what We will to remain in the wombs for a term appointed (22:5)
“Recite, for thy Lord is most generous,” for He blesses human beings with the greatest of blessings (Aj), creation and revelation.
taught man that which he knew not.
4–5 That God teaches human beings and brings them out of darkness into light (14:1, 5; 33:43; 57:9; cf. Isaiah 42:16; 1 Peter 2:9) is the extension and continuation of His unbounded generosity. Some say that pens are of three principal types: the first, corresponding to the Logos or Intellect, is the one that God commanded to write all that would be until the Day of Resurrection; the second are those with which the angels record the deeds of human beings (see commentary on 18:49; 82:10–12); and the third are those with which human beings write (Q). According to some, man indicates Adam, of whom 2:31 says, and He taught Adam the names, all of them (Q). Others say that it indicates the Prophet Muhammad, as in 4:113: God has sent down unto thee the Book and Wisdom, and has taught thee what thou knewest not; God’s Bounty toward thee is great indeed (Q). But here most commentators take taught man to mean that this verse refers to the manner in which God teaches all human beings, not only prophets. God’s teaching by the Pen can also be seen as an allusion to the Divine Intellect inscribing knowledge upon the tablet of the human soul. For more on the symbolism of the pen, see 68:1c.
Abū Jahl
His epithet was Abū l-Ḥakam (أبو الحكم) (literally "father of wise judgments") as he was considered a man of deep wisdom by the pagans, cunning and understanding by the elders of Quraysh for which they trusted his opinion and relied on him as an elite member of their assembly. Even at the age of thirty, he used to attend the special assemblies held at Dār’ an-Nadwa, the residence owned by Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām, although the rule of age of entry to these private assemblies was at least forty.
‘Amr ibn Hishām opposed Muhammad and rejected his teachings. Muhammad, in that context, referred him as Abū Jahl (أبو جهل) (literally "father of ignorance")
55:41: The guilty shall be known by their marks; and they shall be seized by the forelocks and by the feet. From a Quranic perspective, there is no creature that crawls, but that He holds it by its forelock (11:56).
According to Ibn ʿAbbās, the Prophet was praying when Abū Jahl came to him and said, “Did we not warn you about this?” The Prophet went to him and reproached him. Abū Jahl retaliated by saying, “Indeed, you know very well that there is no one in Makkah who has more guards than me,” and as a response God revealed vv. 17–18. Ibn ʿAbbās is said to have commented, “By God, had he called, God would have sent the guards of Hell against him”
According to a ḥadīth, “The closest that a servant can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating”
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Abū Jahl.
Biography.
Amr ibn Hishām was renowned among the pagans for his wisdom, earning him the honorific title, Abū al-Ḥakam ("father of wise judgments"). Highly regarded by the elders of the Quraysh tribe, he was often consulted for his insight and judgment. At the age of thirty, he was allowed to attend the exclusive assemblies at Dār an-Nadwa, a privilege typically reserved for those who were forty and older. [citation needed] However, Amr ibn Hishām's stance against Muhammad and his teachings earned him the moniker Abū Jahl ("father of ignorance") from Muhammad himself. Muhammad once stated, "He who calls Abu Jahl 'Abu Hakam' has made a serious mistake. He should seek forgiveness from Allah for this." [6] Known also as Asad al-Ahlaf, Amr was recognized as a lion among the adversaries who pledged to combat Islam and its followers. [7] His distinct scar on the knee allowed 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd to identify him among the casualties at the Battle of Badr. Similar in age to Muhammad, an encounter in their youth at 'Abdullah ibn Jud'ān's table led to a conflict where Muhammad left a permanent scar on Amr.[8]
Hostility Towards Islam.
According to Islamic tradition, Amr was a staunch opponent of Muhammad, as indicated by Bukhari, who describes Amr's persistent hostility toward Muslims. Various reasons, including a power struggle between the Banū Makhzūm and Banū 'Abd Manāf tribes, fueled this enmity. Amr, alongside others, secretly listened to Muhammad praying, but rejected his message, motivated by tribal rivalry rather than belief. Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu'bah narrated an incident where despite confessing Muhammad's truth to his companion, Amr admitted, "We competed with Banū 'Abd Manāf in everything to attain status and nobility... By Allah, we will never believe in him and we will never accept his message!" .
Persecution of Muslims.
Amr ibn Hishām was notorious for instigating the Meccans against Muslims. Muslims from low social standings, especially slaves, bore the brunt of his persecution. Amr's actions resulted in severe punishments for many converts. He inflicted blindness on Ḥarīthah bint al-Mu'ammil and was responsible for the martyrdom of Sumayya, the mother of 'Ammār ibn Yasir. Amr also persecuted Yasir ibn Amir and his family to death.
The Banu Irah Incident .
Amr's aggressive tendencies extended to outsiders. An incident involves a man from the Banu Irāsh tribe who was denied payment by Amr. When Muhammad intervened, Amr, intimidated by a mystic vision, complied immediately.
Boycott of the Banu Hashim .
The Quraysh imposed an economic and social boycott on Banū Hāshim to deter Muhammad. Hishām ibn 'Amr clandestinely provided aid to Banu Hashim, and later, along with others, facilitated the end of the boycott.
Assassination Plot and Hijrah.
Amr formulated a plan to assassinate Muhammad by involving different clans to share the responsibility of his blood. When Muhammad successfully fled Mecca, Amr attempted to extract information from Asma, Abu Bakr's daughter, and in a fit of rage, injured her. Despite this, Muhammad escaped, and Amr declared a bounty on him.
Death.
Amr's final confrontation came during the Battle of Badr, where he met his demise. Despite attempts by some Quraysh leaders to avoid battle, Amr insisted on confrontation. In the battle, he was initially wounded by Muawwaz ibn 'Afrā' and Mu'ādh ibn 'Amr and ultimately killed by 'Abdallah ibn Mas'ud. Upon his death, the Quraysh mourned him as a noble and generous leader, and several Quranic verses are believed to address Amr's actions and demise.