About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

       Alif-Lam-Mim-Ra (Only Allah knows their meanings). These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran) and that which has been sent down to you [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] from your Creator is the (absolute) truth. (The people should believe in the truth) but most of the people don’t believe in it.

       (Major purpose of the Quran is to prove the Oneness of Allah. Some of the proofs are as follows). Allah has raised the skies without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose above the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). And He has put the sun and the moon under His control, each running (on its orbit) for a fixed term. He plans and conducts all the affairs (in the universe). He explains the proofs in detail so that you might firmly believe in the meeting with your Creator (on the Day of Judgement). (Also Surah Al-Araf:54)

       And He spread out the earth and placed mountains and rivers on it. He created pairs of each fruit (e.g. sweet and bitter, small and big etc). He covers the day with the darkness of the night. Indeed, in these things, there are proofs (of the Oneness of Allah) for the people who reflect.

       And there are adjacent pieces of land (but they are different from each other, one is fertile and the other is not), and there are gardens of vines, and (different) green crops. And there are palm trees; some have many stems and branches (e.g. fig tree) and others have only one stem. Although all of them receive the same water but We make the quality of the fruit of some of them superior to others. In these things there are proofs (of the Oneness of Allah) for the sensible people.

       And [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] if you are surprised (by their denial of the Day of Judgement), then their following statement is more surprising: “When we (die) and become dust, shall we then be raised as a new creation?” They are those who have disbelieved in their Creator. They will have yokes in their necks and they will be residents of Hell-Fire and they will be there forever.

       And they demand from you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] to hasten the evil (i.e. punishment) before the good, while many exemplary (punishments) have been inflicted before them. And, indeed, your Creator is full of Forgiveness for mankind in spite of their (inten-tional) wrong-doings. And, indeed, your Creator is also Severe in punishment. (Also Surah Fatir:45)

       And the disbelievers [who deny the Prophethood of Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] say: “Why was (our de-manded) miracle not sent down from his Creator?” (you are not the owner of miracles) You are only a warner (i.e. a Prophet). (You are not any new Prophet) and to every community there has been a guide (or a Prophet).

       Allah knows what every female bears, and the period of delivery which increases and decreases. And everything with Him is in (due) proportion (e.g. Allah knows how long is his life and how much provisions he will receive etc.) 

       All-Knower of the Unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Highly Exalted.

       It is the same (for Allah) wheth-er you speak quietly or loudly and whether you hide yourself at night or walk around during the day.

       (Just as He Knows, similarly He guards you too). He has appointed security guards (i.e. angels), coming one after the other, in front of a person and behind him, to protect him, by the Command of Allah. Allah does not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they don’t change their state themselves (by committing sins). And when Allah intends to punish a people, it cannot be turned away, and they will not find any protector besides Allah.

       He shows you the lightning which you fear (to strike you) and hope from it (for rain), and He creates the heavy clouds (which are full of water).

       And thunder glorifies Allah and angels too, due to His fear. And He sends thunderbolts (towards the land) and He strikes with it whom He wills and yet (the disbelievers) dispute about (the Oneness of) Allah. And He is Very Powerful and Severe in punishment. (Also Surah Al-Isra:44)

       Calling Him (Alone) is the Truth (since He listens and accepts the supplication). And those who call others besides Allah, they don’t answer them more than one who stretches his two palms towards water hoping that water will reach his mouth, but it will never reach his mouth. (Similarly) the calling of the disbelievers (to their false deities) is total ignorance (and useless).

       And to Allah (Alone) falls in prostration, willingly or unwillingly, whoever is in the heavens and the earth and their shadows (of the inhabitants of earth) in the mornings and in the afternoon. (Also Surah An-Nahl:48)

       [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth?” (since its answer is well established, hence) Say: “(It is) Allah.” Say: “(After listening to such proofs of the Oneness of Allah) have you made others your protectors besides Allah which have no power to benefit or harm even themselves?” Say: “Is a blind person equal to one who sees? Or, is darkness equal to light? Or do they ascribe to Allah partners who have created similar to Allah’s Creation so that both creations seemed alike to them?” Say: “Allah is the Creator of all things and He is the One, the Supreme.”

       He sends down rain water from the sky and (the streams flow) through a valley according to its capacity (i.e. the Quran is like rain and heart is like a valley. The Quran benefits the heart according to its capacity). So the stream brings with it the foam floating on the surface of water (this is one kind of dirt). Similar dirt rises on the surface of the (ores) which they heat in the fire to make ornaments or utensils. Thus Allah explains the truth and falsehood. (i.e. water and ornaments are useful like the truth, and foam is useless like falsehood). And the foam (as scum) is thrown away and what is useful for the people is retained for the use of the people in the land. Hence, Allah gives example (for the truth and falsehood, or, Belief and disbelief).

       For those who obeyed the Command of their Creator, there is a good reward for them (i.e. Paradise). And those who dis-obeyed their Creator, if they had all that is in the earth and additional equal to it, and they offer it to save themselves from the torment, it will not be accepted. They will have ter-rible accountability, and their abode will be Hell which is a bad place (to live).

       Shall he who knows that what has been sent down to you [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] from your Creator is the truth, be like him, who is blind (about this knowledge)? (i.e. a believer and a disbeliever cannot be equal). But it is only the people of understanding that learn a lesson from it.

       Those who fulfil the promise of Allah and don’t break the treaty.

       And those who keep up those relations (i.e. bonds of kinship) which Allah has commanded to keep established, and fear their Creator, and are scared of the severity of the accountability.

       And those who are steadfast while seeking the Pleasure of their Creator, perform Salat, and spend secretly and openly from what We have given them, and return the evil with good behaviour, for such there is a good residence (in the Hereafter). (Also Surah Fussilat:34)

       They shall enter the everlasting Gardens and also those who had righteous deeds from among their fathers, and their wives, and their children. And angels shall enter to them from every gate (saying) (Also Surah At-Tur:21)

       “Peace is upon you since you were steadfast! What an excellent reward is this residence of  the Hereafter!”

       And those who break the promise of Allah, after making the treaty, and sever those relations (i.e. kinship bond etc) which Allah has Commanded to keep established, and spread mischief in the land, they will be far away from Allah’s Mercy and for them is an evil residence (i.e. Hell).

       Allah increases the provisions for whom He wills and limits (it for whom He wills). And they rejoice in the life of the world although the life of this world is only a trivial enjoyment as compared with the Hereafter.

       And the disbelievers say: “Why (one of our demanded) miracle is not sent down to him [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] from his Creator?” Say: “Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides to Himself the one who turns to Him in repentance.”

       Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah), they find comfort in their hearts with the remembrance of Allah (the Quran being the best remembrance of Allah). Bear in mind that the remembrance of Allah does comfort the hearts.

       Those who believe and do righteous deeds, there is (an enviable) bliss for them in this world and a fantastic place of (final) return.

       Thus We have sent you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] to a community before which many communities have passed away, so that you might recite to them what We have revealed to you, and they disbelieve in the Most Gracious (Allah). Say: “He is my Creator. None has the right to be worshipped except Him. I trust in Him and I turn to Him in repentance.”

       And if there was a Quran with which mountains could be moved (from their locations) or earth could be broken into pieces or the dead could be made to speak (even then they would not have believed). In fact, authority and decision of all affairs rest with Allah Alone. Have the believers not yet understood that if Allah willed He could have guided all mankind? And the disbelievers will keep receiving severe punishment time to time due to their wrong doings or at least some disaster will always take place near their community until the Day of Judgement arrives. Indeed, Allah does not break His promise.

       And, indeed, many other mes-sengers were mocked at before you, so I delayed my action against the disbelievers and, finally, I seized them. Then how (awful) My punish-ment was!

       Is then He (Allah) who guards every person and knows his deeds (is like their false deities who have no power)? (In spite of this) they ascribe partners in worship with Allah. Say: “Just tell their names.” Or do you wish to inform Allah of something which He does not know in the earth or are you talking from your guess-work? In fact, the strategy of the disbelievers is made attractive to them and (consequently) they are hindered from the Right Path, and whom Allah sends astray, there is no guide for him.

       There is a torment for them in this world, and the torment of the Hereafter is much more severe. And they have no protector against Allah.

       The characteristics of the Paradise which is promised to the pious people are: Beneath it rivers flow, its provision is eternal and so is its shade. This is the final residence of the pious and the final residence of the disbelievers is Fire.

       And those, whom We have given the Book, rejoice at what has been sent down to you (e.g. Abdullah bin Salam) but other groups reject some parts of the Quran. [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “I am commanded to worship Allah (Alone) and not to join partners with Him. To Him (Alone) I invite you and to Him is my return.”

       And thus We have sent down the commands of the Quran in Arabic. And if you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after the knowledge has come to you, then you will not have any protector or defender against Allah.

       And, indeed, We sent many messengers before you and they had wives and children. And it was not for a messenger to bring a sign (or miracle) except with Allah’s Permission. For every matter, there is a Decree (from Allah).

       Allah cancels (any command) what He wills and retains (any command) what He wills. And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz).

       And whether We show you [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] part of (the punishment for the disbelievers) what We have promised, or cause you to die, your duty is only to convey (the message) and it is Our responsibility to have their accountability.

       Don’t they see that We gradu-ally reduce the land (of the disbe-lievers transferring to the believers through victories in wars) from all borders? (This is a punishment for the disbelievers). Allah commands everything and none has the power to reject His commands. And Allah is very Swift in taking account.

       People did plot before these disbelievers, but all planning is Allah’s. He knows what every person does, and the disbelievers will soon know who gets good end (even in this worldly life).

       And the disbelievers say: “[O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] You are not a messenger.” Say: “Allah is suffi-cient as a witness between me and you and also those who have the knowledge of the Scriptures (e.g. Abdullah bin Salaam).”