“I Have not Created Jinn and Mankind Except to Worship Me.”
[Part /Juz’-27 from Surah Adh-Dhariyat, ayah 31 to complete Surah Al-Hadid]

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

Purpose of Creation of Humans and Jinn
From the beginning of Part-27 up to ayah 37 of Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Allah mentions the visit of the angels to Prophet Ibrahim (as). The ayahs then describe how the angels proceeded to the people of Prophet Lut (as), who were destroyed by Allah’s punishment because of their persistent wrongdoing.

Ayahs 38 to 40 briefly mention the account of Prophet Musa (as) and Pharaoh. After that, up to ayah 46, stories of the people of ‘Ad, Thamud, and Nuh (as) are mentioned briefly.

In ayah 47, Allah says: “And We constructed the heaven with strength, and indeed, We are expander.”

This means that Allah Almighty sends down rain from the sky, by which He increased people’s sustenance.

Ayah 55 says, “And keep reminding, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.”

Allah says in ayah 56 of Surah Adh-Dhariyat, “I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”

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Surah At-Tur begins here. It is a Makkan surah consisting of 49 ayahs. At the beginning of the surah, Allah swears by five things and declares that His punishment will unavoidably befall the disobedient. Allah says:

“By the mount of Tur, and by a Book inscribed, in parchment spread open and by the Populated House (Al-Bait-ul-Ma=mur), and by the lofty the roof, and by the sea, flared up, the punishment of your Lord is sure to occur.”

The “Book” refers either to the Torah or to the Record of Deeds (Namah-e-A‘mal). ” Al-Bait-ul-Ma=mur ” is a house in the seventh heaven situated directly above the Ka’bah, similar to the Sacred House (Baytullah) on earth. It is a place of worship for the angels. The “Lofty Roof” refers to the sky.

As for when this punishment will occur, it is mentioned in ayahs 9 and 10:“The Day when the sky will tremble, a horrible trembling, and the mountains will move about, a terrible movement.” This refers to the Day of Resurrection.

Every Soul Is Held in Pledge

From ayah 19 to 21 the righteous people are mentioned whom Allah Almighty will bless with various kinds of delights in Paradise. For example, it is stated:

 “(It will be said to them,) Eat and drink pleasantly because of what you used to do, relaxing on lined up couches. And We will marry them with big-eyed houris. And those who believed and their children followed them in belief, We will join their children with them, and will not curtail (the reward of) any of their deeds at all. Every person will be pledged for what he earned.”

This means that if the children of righteous people are believers, but their deeds do not qualify them for the same high rank in Paradise that their parents have attained, Allah Almighty, by His grace and in order to please their parents, will raise the children to the same rank. This will not reduce their parents’ rank or reward in any way.

The last part of the ayah says that ever person’s soul is held in “pledge”. A pledge is something that a lender takes and keeps from a borrower as security for the repayment of a debt. Allah Almighty has granted every human being various abilities and talents, and these are like a debt entrusted to a person. This debt can only be repaid by using these abilities according to Allah’s commands. In this world, this is demonstrated through faith and righteous deeds.

Thus, every person’s soul is held in pledge for this debt. If a person repays it through faith and righteous deeds, his soul will be set free in the Hereafter, and he will live in Paradise in peace, comfort, and prosperity. But if he fails to repay this debt, he will remain imprisoned in Hell.

In ayahs 29 and 30, the Messenger of Allah (saws) is instructed to ignore the baseless objections of the disbelievers and to continue his blessed mission of preaching Islam. Thus, Allah says: “So keep reminding(O Prophet), for you are not, by the favor of your Lord, a soothsayer or a madman. Ordo they rather say, he is a poet for whom we are awaiting the accident of death?”

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Here begins Surah An-Najm. It is a Makki Surah consisting of 62 ayahs. According to some narrations, this was the first Surah that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) recited publicly before a large gathering that included not only Muslims but also a considerable number of the polytheists. It is also the first Surah in which anayah of prostration (Sajdah) was revealed.

When the Prophet (saws) recited the ayah of prostration before that gathering, a remarkable incident took place. After the Prophet (saws) and the Muslims prostrated, the polytheists who were present there they also fell into prostration.

The primary topic of this Surah is to establish the truth of the messenger-hood of the prophet Muhammad (saws). It also refutes the false beliefs of the polytheists of Makkah and exposes some of their absurd and baseless claims.

The Prophet (saws) Saw Angel Jibril (as) in His Original Form Twice

One of the objections raised by the disbelievers was that the angel who brought revelation to the Prophet (saws) appeared in human form. They therefore questioned how the Prophet (saws) could be certain that he was actually an angel. This Surah answers the objection by stating that the Prophet (saws) saw the angel at least twice in his original form. One of these occasions is mentioned here. On one occasion, the Prophet (saws) requested Jibril (saws) to appear before him in his original form. In response, Jibril (saws) appeared in his original form on the horizon, and the Prophet (saws) saw him.

Ayahs 13, 14, and 15 state: “And certainly he saw him descend a second time, At the Lote Tree beyond which none may pass, Near it is the Garden of Refuge.”

This is the second occasion on which the Prophet (saws) saw Jibril (as) in his original form. It took place during the journey of Mi‘raj, when the Prophet (saws) again saw him in his true form.

Sidrat al-Muntaha is a huge lote tree in the highest realm, and Paradise is located near it.

Ayah 16 states, “When the lote-tree was being covered, by whatever around it.”

The meaning is that whatever covered or surrounded this lote tree was beyond description. From the explanations given by the Prophet (saws) in the Hadith regarding this event, it is understood that, at that time, countless angels had gathered around the tree, appearing like golden moths, to see the Prophet (saws).

Big Idols of the Polytheists: Lat, ‘Uzza and Manat

Ayahs 19 and 20 state: “Have you seen Lât and Uzzâ? and Manat, the third one?”

Lat, ‘Uzza, and Manat were the names of three idols that had been set up by different Arab tribes in different places. They were worshipped as gods and believed to possess divine powers.

The Qur’an makes it clear that, in reality, these idols were nothing more than lifeless stones. How profound, then, was the ignorance of those who believe in such lifeless objects to be gods and worshipped them!

It is stated in ayahs 36 to 39:“Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses and of Ibrahim, who was the most obedient? That no one will bear the burden of another. And that there is not for man except that for which he strives.”

This means that a person has a right only to the reward of his own deeds; he has no right to have the reward of another person’s deeds. However, if Allah, out of His grace and mercy, bestows upon someone the reward of another person’s deed even though he has no right to it, this is purely His mercy and generosity, and no restriction can be imposed upon it. Accordingly, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah states that the reward of a deed may be conveyed to another person. Numerous hadiths also establish that, through His grace and generosity, Allah gives the reward of certain deeds to the deceased.

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Surah Al-Qamar

Here begins Surah Al-Qamar. It is a Makkan Surah comprising 55 ayahs. The Surah was revealed at the time when the Prophet (saws) has shown the miracle of the splitting of the moon into two halves, and it is therefore named Surah Al-Qamar (The Moon).

The main topic of this Surah is to invite the disbelievers of Arabia to believe in the Oneness of Allah, the Prophethood, and the Hereafter. In this context, the painful fate of the peoples of ‘Ad and Thamud, the people of Prophet Nuh (as) and Prophet Lut (as), and Pharaoh is briefly mentioned in a highly eloquent manner. The Surah repeatedly emphasizes that Allah has made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember as a means of taking heed and receiving admonition. It then asks: “So, is there anyone who will take heed?”

When the Moon Split at the Prophet’s (saws) Gesture

The first ayah of Surah Al-Qamar states: “The Hour has come near, and the moon has split.”

The splitting of the moon into two is one of the extraordinary signs of the Day of Judgment. This miraculous event took place at the hands of the Prophet (saws). Its details are as follows: On a moonlit night in Makkah, the disbelievers asked the Prophet (saws) to show them a miracle. In response, Allah Almighty manifested a clear and extraordinary miracle in a way that, at the Prophet’s (saws) gesture, the moon split into two parts. One part moved towards the eastern side of the mountain, while the other moved towards the western side, with the mountain appearing between the two halves. The Prophet (saws) said to the people, “Come, look!”

After everyone present had witnessed this astonishing sight, the two halves of the moon came together again. The disbelievers who had witnessed the event could not deny what they had seen, but instead claimed that it was magic. Later, caravans arriving from outside Makkah also confirmed that they had seen the moon split into two. A history book Tarikh-i Firishta also mentions that the king of Gwalior in India witnessed this remarkable event.

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Surah Ar-Rahman

Here begins Surah Ar-Rahman. It is a Madani Surah comprising 78 ayahs. The unique thing in this is that it is the only Surah in which both human beings and the jinn are explicitly addressed together. Both are reminded of the countless blessings of Allah that are spread throughout the universe, and the same sentence is repeated again and again: “So which of the favors of your Lord will you both deny?”

The Surah is also unique in its style, eloquence, and rhetorical beauty. Its profound effect and remarkable literary quality cannot be fully conveyed through translation into another language.

After mentioning various blessings and signs of Allah’s power, Allah says in ayahs 26 and 27:

 “Everyone upon the earth has to perish, and there will remain the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honor.”

In ayah 31, Allah says: “We will soon attend to you, O two heavy beings.”

The “two heavy beings” refers to human beings and the jinn, as these are the two creatures that have been endowed with intellect and understanding and have been given the capacity to bear religious responsibility and accountability.

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Surah Al-Waqi‘ah

Here begins Surah Al-Waqi‘ah. It is a Makkan Surah comprising 96 ayahs. It is one of the Surahs revealed during the early period of the Makkan life of the Prophet (saws). With its miraculous eloquence and rhetorical excellence, the Surah first describes the events of the Day of Judgment and explains that, in the Hereafter, all people will be divided into three distinct groups according to their ultimate fate.

The first group will consist of those who are closest to Allah who will have attained the highest ranks in terms of faith and righteous deeds. The second group will be the ordinary believers, whose records of deeds will be given to them in their right hands. The third group will consist of the disbelievers, whose records of deeds will be given to them in their left hands.

In the last Ruku of the Surah, while affirming the truth of the Qur’an, people are reminded of the moment of their death. No matter how powerful or important a person may consider himself, he can neither escape his own death nor save a beloved one from it. Therefore, the One who holds authority over life and death alone has the right to decide a person’s ultimate fate after death. The duty of human beings, therefore, is only to bow in submission before Him.

The opening 11 ayahs of Surah Al-Waqi‘ah state: “When the Imminent Event (of Doom) will occur, then none will be able to deny its occurrence. It will bring down (some) and raise up (others).When the earth is shaken with convulsion. And the mountains are broken down, crumbling. And they become scattered dust. And you will be divided into three groups. Then the people of the right hand – how lucky are the people of right hand? And the people of the left hand – how unlucky are the people of the left hand? And the forerunners, the forerunners –those are they brought near (to their Lord). It is they who are the close ones (to Allah).”

Further on, the blessings and delights of Paradise are mentioned. Ayah 35 describes the women of Paradise.

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Surah Al-Hadid

Here begins Surah Al-Hadid. It is a Madani Surah comprising 29 ayahs. In this Surah, Muslims are encouraged to focus more on adorning themselves with the qualities that their faith requires and to seek Allah’s forgiveness for their shortcomings. They are also urged to spend their wealth in the cause of Allah and to give preference to the life of the Hereafter over the wealth and riches of this world.

As a result, they will be granted a special light in the Hereafter that will guide them to Paradise, while the hypocrites will be deprived of this light.

Ayah 10 states that those who spent their wealth in the way of Allah before the Conquest of Makkah have a greater virtue and rank than those who spent after it. This indicates that the Surah was revealed after the Conquest of Makkah.

Ayah 21 encourages believers to compete with one another in hastening towards good deeds.

Ayah 23 states: “So that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given to you. And Allah does not love any self-admirer, boastful.”

Monasticism Was Not Ordained by Allah

Ayah 27 mentions two qualities of the Christians. One of them is kindness, which is praiseworthy, while the other is monasticism, which is blameworthy and an innovation of their own making.

Compassion and mercy have always been part of the teachings of all the Prophets. However, particular emphasis was placed on these qualities in the teachings of Prophet ‘Isa (as). His Shariah did not have the commands relating to jihad and armed combat either.

Monasticism means withdrawing from the pleasures and comforts of worldly life. A long time after Prophet ‘Isa (as) was raised to the heavens, the Christians developed a monastic system in which those who entered it,lived in seclusion from the world. They neither married nor took part in the pleasures of worldly life. This monastic system was known as monasticism (rahbāniyyah).

It began when the true followers of Prophet ‘Isa (as) were subjected to severe persecution by various rulers. In order to safeguard their faith, they began withdrawing from the cities and settling in remote places where the ordinary comforts and facilities of life were unavailable. Gradually, they began to regard this difficult way of life itself as an act of worship. Later generations continued to abandon worldly comforts even when such means became readily available.

Allah Almighty states that He had never commanded the followers of the prophet Isa (as) to adopt such a difficult way of life as an act of worship.