In The Name of Allah AL-Rahman and AL-Rahim (The Merciful)
This Surah was revealed at Madina following the emigration of the early Muslims. It emphasizes that the Quran is the fountain-head and indisputable source of guidance to Allah’s path of righteousness, to acknowledging His Oneness, Uniqueness, Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Ultimate Authority. The Surah impresses the fatal consequence of atheism, idolatry and incorporating other physical or spiritual deities with Allah.
Mankind has been divided into three categories: the faithful to Allah, the deniers of Allah and the hypocritical. Warning was issued to the hypocrites, joyful tidings were announced to the faithful whereas the chronic hypocrites and atheistic idolaters were warned of condemnation. The Surah recourses to the detailed narrative of Banu Isra‘il (Children of Israel) and reminded them of the days of Mussa (Moses) and their extraordinary history. It also reminded them of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma‘il (Ismael) and their effort in building the Ka’ba and establishing a common religion. Such a narrative was also used as advice to the Prophet Muhammad's followers in that they think before acting. In this Surah a discourse is found on piety and deeds influenced by wisdom and piety.
All Allah’s statutes have been clearly stated in order to guide mankind to an appropriate way of life in conducting affairs: fasting, will, fraud, retaliation, fighting, major and minor pilgrimage, intoxicants, gambling, sexual congress, divorce and the set period, suckling, spending, commercial transactions, usury, borrowing have all been clearly stated to guide mankind to the appropriate way of life and to the best means of conducting their affairs. The Surah also specified unlawful foods and mercifully relaxed enforcement only under compelling circumstances, and that forbidding or permitting is asserted as Allah’s own right.
It also calls attention to the best means of acquiring happiness of the soul here and Hereafter, the improper practice of advising people to do good while not following the same advice, prioritising good and rejecting evil, no compulsion in religion, and religion being based on ease. Allah does not burden a soul with what it cannot bear, no one is punished for the misdeed of another, virtues and ordinances to lead Muslims toward the path of liberty, equality, fraternity, justice, man's duty toward himself and toward others and his obligations to his Creator.
The Surah indicated clearly that religion is based on three primary provisions: unconditioned recognition of Allah and faithful belief in Him, acknowledgement of the truth of Resurrection and Judgement, and that deeds must be crowned with wisdom and piety and that all must go together.
This is the longest Surah and V.282 is the longest verse in the Quran. Its title has been derived from the Parable of the Heifer.
The creation of Adam:
30- For once Allah made a proclamation, to the angels of a great event; He said to them: «I am inducting a Vicegerent* on earth.» The angels said: «Will You assign the earth to someone who shall make mischief therein, create discord and shed blood, while we adore Your Eternal Name and to You we express our feelings of warm approbation and extoll Your glorious attributes!» «But I am,» said Allah, «AL-'Alim, Who knows what you do not know.»
* See V.29, C.15 and commentary
31- Then, He created Adam; Foreknowing that he would be destined to inhabit the earth, Allah imparted to him knowledge of all the names denoting members of all classes of beings and objects, the animate and the inanimate, the material and the immaterial. He then presented them to the angels, saying: «Give Me the designations of all that I imparted to Adam if you are declaring the truth.»
32- «Glory to Your Name,» the angels said, «but the sum of what we know lies only in the range of the information and knowledge You imparted to us. You are indeed AL-'Alim and AL-Hakim (the Source of wisdom).»
33- Then Allah said to Adam: «Tell them, Adam, of the designations and the destined purposes of all imparted to you.» and when Adam did , Allah said to the Angels: «Did I not tell you that I am AL-'Alim of all that is unknown in the heavens and on earth and of all you declare and of all you tried to conceal!» |
