“And do not bestow favor to acquire more”
[Part/ Juz 29 — From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah Al-Mursalat]

By: Mufti Jaseemuddin Qasmi
Coordinator Online Darul Ifta & Lecturer at MMERC, Mumbai

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Surah Al-Mulk
Part- 29 of the Qur’an begins with Surah Al-Mulk. This is a Makki Surah and consists of 30 ayahs. From here until the end of the Qur’an, most of the Surahs are Makki. The main theme of almost all these Surahs is to establish the fundamental beliefs of Islam—Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), Risalah (Prophethood), and Aakhirah (the Hereafter)—to describe the conditions of Paradise and Hell, and to provide the Prophet Muhammad (saws) with guidance and consolation in his mission of conveying the message of Islam.

This Surah possesses great virtue. The Messenger of Allah (saws) says that it protects its reciter from the punishment of the grave. (Al-Hakim) It is also reported that he (saws) said that this Surah would intercede for its reciter until his sins are forgiven. (Abu Dawud)

In the first and second ayahs, Allah Almighty says: “Blessed is He in whose hand is entire kingship, and He is over all things competent. He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.”

Ayahs 7 and 8 mention situations of Hell and sinful people of the Hell stating, “When they are thrown into it, they hear from it a dreadful inhaling while it boils up. It almost bursts with rage. Every time a group is thrown into it, its keepers ask them, “Did there not come to you a warner?”

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Surah Al-Qalam
Too Many Oaths Cause Distrust
Surah Al-Qalam begins here. This is a Makki Surah and consists of 52 ayahs. The disbelievers of Makkah used to call the Prophet Muhammad (saws)—God forbid—insane. To refute this allegation, Allah swore by the pen. Thus, He says: “Noon. By the pen and what they (the angels) write. By the grace of your Lord, you are not insane.”

The “pen” refers to the Pen of Divine Decree. In other words, Allah swears by the Pen of Destiny and by the decrees of destiny that the angels write that the Prophet (saws) is not insane.

In ayah 4, Allah speaks about the Prophet (saws), saying: “And indeed you possess an exemplary character.”

In ayahs 10–14, all of humanity is advised, through the Prophet (saws), “And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer. (Such as Akhnas ibn Shariq, Walidibn al-Mughirah, etc.). Mocker, going about with slandering. A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful, cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender. Merely because he is a possessor of wealth and children.”

Wealthy are tested by wealth

After this, Allah says that We test the wealthy by granting them wealth, just as We tested the owner of a garden. The story of the garden owner is then mentioned. There was a righteous man who possessed a large and abundant garden. It was his practice to give a substantial portion of the produce of his garden and farmland to the poor.

When he passed away, his sons thought that their father had been foolish to give away so much of his produce to the poor and thereby reduce his wealth. So, they resolved that when they harvested the garden, they would make sure that no poor person would be allowed to come there.

As a result, when they went to the garden to harvest its produce, Allah sent a calamity upon it, and the entire garden was completely destroyed.

This incident teaches a spiritual lesson that wealth and blessings are a trust (Amanah) from God, and attempting to deny the needy their rightful share leads to loss and destruction.

In ayah 42, it is stated: “On the Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able.”

Allah Almighty’s shin is not like the shin of human beings. Rather, it is one of Allah Almighty’s particular attributes, the true nature of which is known only to Allah Himself.

In any case, the meaning is that Allah Almighty will show this His attribute, and people will be called to prostrate before Him. However, these disbelievers will not be able to prostrate at that time, because when they had the ability to do so in the world, they refused to prostrate.

Ayah 48 says, “(O prophet) Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, and do not like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed.”

In other words, O Prophet (saws), do not become distressed or impatient because of the disobedience of your people, as they did. This refers to Prophet Yunus (as).

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Surah Al-Haqqah
Those of the Right Hand and Those of the Left Hand
Surah Al-Haqqah begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 52 ayahs. This Surah describes the horrors of the Day of Judgment and mentions the painful punishments that befell the people of Pharaoh, Thamud, and ‘Ad. It then gives a detailed account of those who will be successful and those who will be unsuccessful in the Hereafter—the people of the right hand and the people of the left hand.

Allah Almighty says: “So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, “Here, read my record! Indeed, I knew that I should come to my reckoning’

It is further stated: “But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I had not been given my record, and I had not known what is my account. I wish my death had had ended it all. My wealth did not in the least benefit me.”

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Surah Al-Ma‘arij
Man Was Created Impatient
Surah Al-Ma‘arij begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 44 ayahs. This Surah describes the horrors of the Day of Judgment and mentions how, on the Day of Resurrection, the disobedient will regret their actions and admit their mistakes. It also mentions the qualities of those who will attain success in the Hereafter.

Ayah 4 states that one day of the Day of Judgment will be as long as fifty thousand years. Because of the severity of the reckoning and accountability, this one day will seem like fifty thousand years to the disbelievers.

In ayahs 19, 20, and 21, Allah Almighty says: “Indeed, mankind was created impatient. He is very nervous when touched by adversity. And when prosperity touches him, he becomes miserly.”

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Surah Nuh
Surah Nuh begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 28 ayahs. In this Surah, it is mentioned that Prophet Nuh (as) invited his people to the faith by reminding them of the power and greatness of Allah and assuring them of the reward for believing. However, whenever they were called to the faith, the people would put their fingers into their ears and cover their faces.

Eventually, when Prophet Nuh (as) became deeply distressed by his people’s persistent rejection, he prayed against them. Thus, ayahs 26 and 27 state:

“And Noah said, ‘My Lord, do not leave any of the disbelievers dwelling on the earth. Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and will not beget any but immoral, ungrateful ones.’”

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Surah Al-Jinn
A Group of Jinn Embraces Islam after Hearing the Qur’an
Surah Al-Jinn begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 28 ayahs. This Surah mentions how a group of jinn embraced Islam after listening to the Prophet’s(saws)recitation of the Qur’an. The jinn described their circumstances in detail. From ayah 16 onward, Allah Almighty gives them certain instructions and admonitions.

Just as the Prophet (saws) was sent as a messenger to human beings, he was also sent as a messenger to the jinn. The preaching of Islam to the jinn began in the following manner: Before the prophethood of the Prophet (saws), the jinn were allowed to approach the heavens and listen to what was taking place there. However, after the Prophet (saws) was sent, they were prevented from approaching the heavens. Whenever a jinn or a devil tried to approach the heavens, it was driven away by a flaming fire.

When the jinn noticed this change in circumstances, they became curious about its cause: Why were they now being prevented from even approaching the heavens? In order to discover the reason, a group of them set out to travel around the earth. This happened when the Prophet (saws) was returning from Ta’if and had stopped at a place called Nakhlah. There, when he began reciting the Qur’an during the Fajr prayer, this group of jinn happened to be passing by. When they heard the recitation, they stopped and listened attentively. The words of Allah had such a profound effect on their hearts that they embraced Islam. Then they returned to their people as preachers of Islam and conveyed to them what they had heard and learned. This incident is mentioned in this Surah.

After this, several delegations of jinn came to the Prophet (saws), and he gave them guidance regarding the propagation and teaching of Islam.

Ayah 11 states that the jinn said: “And some of us are the righteous, and some others are not so; we follow different ways.”

Ayah 19 mentions the hostility of the disbelievers. When the Prophet (saws) recited the Qur’an during his worship, a large number of human beings and jinn would gather around him to listen to the Qur’an—some out of genuine interest and others out of hostility.

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Surah Al-Muzzammil
Responsibility of Prophethood and Obligation of Tahajjud
Surah Al-Muzzammil begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 20 ayahs. In this surah, prophet (saws)is commanded to perform Tahajjud prayer, and he (saws) is instructed to remain patient in the face of the abusive language and ill-mannered behavior of the disbelievers.

In the first ayah of this Surah, Allah Almighty addresses the Prophet (saws) in a loving and affectionate manner. When Jibril (as) first came to him with revelation in the Cave of Hira, the responsibility of prophethood weighed so heavily upon the Prophet (saws) that he began to feel cold. When he returned to his wife, Sayyidah Khadijah (ra), he repeatedly said, “Cover me with a cloak, cover me with a cloak.” Referring to this incident, Allah Almighty addressed His beloved Prophet (saws) affectionately as “O you wrapped in a cloak.”

Allah Almighty says in ayahs 1 and 2: “O you who wraps himself in cloak. Stand up for worship during the night, except for some part of it.”

This ayah commands the Prophet (sass) to perform the Tahajjud prayer. Tahajjud was obligatory upon the Prophet (saws). In the beginning, it was made obligatory not only upon the Prophet (saws) but also upon all the Companions, and they were required to spend at least one-third of the night in prayer. According to some narrations, this obligation continued for about a year. Later, ayah 20 of the same Surah was revealed, which abrogated the obligation of Tahajjud. This ayah was revealed approximately one year after the initial ayahs of the Surah.

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Al-Muddaththir
The Qur’an Is neither Poetry Nor the Speech of Soothsayers
Surah Al-Muddaththir begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 56 ayahs. In its opening ayahs, the Prophet (saws) is given various instructions and admonitions, while the situations of Hell and its inhabitants are also described.

The first ayah says: “O you wrapped in a cloak!”

It is established through authentic Hadith that the very first revelation received by the Prophet (saws) was the first five ayahs of Surah Al-‘Alaq. After that, revelation stopped for a period of time. Then these ayayhs of Surah Al-Muddaththir were revealed. Ayahs 4 and 5 command him (saws) to keep his clothing pure and to stay away from all impurity.

Ayah 6 says: “And do not bestow favor to acquire more.”

The ayah teaches that a person should help others sincerely for Allah’s sake, without expecting greater favors, payment, praise, or worldly benefits in return. He should not remind others of his favors but remain humble, seeking Allah’s pleasure and mercy.

Ayah 11 says: “Leave Me (to deal) with him whom I created alone.”

This ayah and few ayahs about this talk about Walidibn al-Mughirah, one of the wealthy and influential leaders of Makkah. His wealth and possessions extended from Makkah all the way to Ta’if. On one occasion, after listening to the Qur’an, he acknowledged that it was an unparalleled form of speech and could not possibly be the words of a human being.

Abu Jahl became afraid that Walid might embrace Islam. He therefore went to Walid ibn al-Mughirah, appealed to his pride, and tried to influence him against the Qur’an. Walid was provoked by this. Abu Jahl told him that the people would not be satisfied unless he said something against the Qur’an.

Walid replied that he could not describe it as poetry, nor could he call it the speech of soothsayers, nor could he call Muhammad (saws) insane. After thinking for a while, he finally said that it could be called magic.

Ayahs from 11 to 29,refer to this incident. Ayah 30 states that nineteen angels will be appointed over Hell.

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Surah Al-Qiyamah
Three Types of Nafs: Ammarah, Lawwamah and Mutma’innah

Surah Al-Qiyamah begins here. It is a Makki Surah and consists of 40 ayahs. This Surah describes scenes of the Day of Resurrection and death, and also mentions the circumstances of the people of Paradise and the people of Hell.

Allah Almighty says from ayah 1 to 4: “I swear by the Day of Resurrection. And I swear by the reproaching soul (Nafs). Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Why not, We are able even to reshape his fingertips perfectly.”

The nafs refers to the inner state of a human being in which desires and intentions arise. The Qur’an mentions three types of nafs. The first is Nafs al-Ammarah, the soul that incites a person towards evil. The second is Nafs al-Lawwamah, which is mentioned in this ayah. It inclines towards goodness and reproaches a person for doing evil. The third is Nafs al-Mutma’innah, meaning the soul that, through constant obedience to Allah, becomes content and settled in righteousness. The desires towards evil either do not arise in such a soul at all, or become very weak.

The Scene of Death

Allah Almighty from ayah 26 to 31says:  “No! When the soul has reached the throat. And it is said, ‘Who will cure (him)?’ And the dying one is certain that it is the time of separation. And one leg will be joined with another. On that day, the procession will be only towards your Lord. And the disbeliever had not believed, nor had he prayed. ”

At the time of death, because of the intense pain and distress experienced during the final moments, a patient may sometimes draw both legs together. This ayah refers to this condition of death time.

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Surah Ad-Dahr
Creation of Man from a Mixed Drop of Fluid
Surah Ad-Dahr begins here. This is a Makki Surah and consists of 31 ayahs. At the beginning of the Surah, referring to the origin of man, Allah says:

“Has there not come upon man a period of time when he was nothing even to be mentioned? Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture, in order to test him, and We made him hearing and seeing. Indeed, We guided him to the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.”

After this, the rewards and punishments of both the grateful and the ungrateful are mentioned. Further on, some qualities of Allah’s grateful servants are described. For example: “They are those who fulfill vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread. And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive. (Saying), We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We seek neither compensation nor gratitude from you.”

In ayahs 25 and 26, Allah says: “And (o prophet) mention the name of your Lord in the morning and evening. And during the night, prostrate to Him and exalt Him for a long part of the night.”

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Surah Al-Mursalat

Here begins Surah Al-Mursalat. This is a Makki Surah and consists of 50 ayahs. In the few initial ayahs, Allah swears by different kinds of winds and declares that the Day of Judgment will certainly come. The Surah describes the scenes of the Day of Judgment and repeatedly reminds people of Allah’s power, saying: “Woe, on that Day, to those who are deniers.”

From ayah 7 to 11, Allah says: “Indeed, what you are promised is to occur. So when the stars are extinguished. And when the heaven is split apart. And when the mountains are blown away. And when the messengers are gathered at their appointed time.”

These ayahs emphasize the certainty of the Day of Judgment. They describe the great changes that will occur in the universe before the Resurrection.