B i s m i l l a a h i r R a h m a a n i r R a h e e m
Teachings of the Qur'aan
Al-Kowthar
Soorah 108:1-3
Name and Background
Teachings and Commentary
Ayub A. Hamid
Name and Background
This Soorah was uniquely identified by the word Al-Kowthar
from its first verse.
As indicated by the previous two Soowar, the status and
prosperity that the Makkans enjoyed was due to the Holy Ka'bah. However, they
were not fulfilling the purposes for which the Holy Ka'bah was built. They had
abandoned Towheed -- properly and exclusively submitting to Allaah Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala in worship -- as they abandoned helping the poor and needy. Their
chiefs had become so greedy and miserly that they would not even do small
favours to their neighbours.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala sent the Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam to bring them back to Islam and to reform their behaviour so
that the purpose of building the Holy Ka'bah was fulfilled, which, of course,
was also the purpose of human creation. Instead of responding to his call, they
opposed him. They would go too far in their opposition to him. They would call
him names, taunt him and say very mean things about him. When his sons died one
after the other, they taunted him that he was now "cut off" -- that is, without
any descendants or any roots and that no one would even mention his name after
he died. They also thought that since he only had a few followers, he would
fail completely, and no one would ever talk about him in the future. They also
realized that their own status was due to the Holy Ka'bah and they thought that
because the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was cut off from them, and
thus, cut off from the Holy Ka'bah as well, thereby having no root in Arabia.
In short, they regarded him as a person completely cut off: cut off from the
Holy Ka'bah, cut-off from his kith and kin, cut-off because he had no hope to
succeed and cut-off because he did not have any son to talk about him or
mention his name. This was how they talked about him in public and it was how
they taunted him.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala revealed this Soorah to respond
to their taunts and to console the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam with
the prediction of his success and the utter failure of his opponents. He was
told that he had been given goodness in abundance. It was his taunters who
would be cut off in all the senses that they were taunting him about. And
history is a witness of the truth of this prediction. The mission of the
Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam grew and succeeded completely, he
conquered his enemies, won the hearts of all Arabs, restored the Holy Ka'bah to
its original purpose and glory, and billions of people continue to love him and
respect him throughout the world. The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's
opponents lost in every way and there is no one in the world who would even
associate with them in any respect. They are indeed those who have been
completely cut-off.
Al-Kowthar is a superlative expression to denote utmost
abundance and plenty. The Soorah does not specify exactly what that abundance
and plenty is. Thus as a general term it covers all goodness that Allaah
Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala has bestowed on the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam in plentiful abundance including the following:
§ The Deen of Islam that is the source of all virtues
and blessings and that is the only way to establish, justice to peace and to
promote human excellence for the benefit of all mankind.
§ The Qur-aan which is the living miracle whose
wonders keep on revealing themselves to people of knowledge of all times and
ages.
§ The Holy Ka'bah which has been source of limitless
blessings and peace since the day it was constructed by Ibraaheem and Ismaa'eel
'alayhimussalaam.
§ The respect and love that billions of people have
for the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam since his prophethood and more
and more of them will continue to have until the end of the world.
§ The success of his mission he saw in his life,
unparalleled people of excellence that his mission produced and the goodness
and blessings they brought to the whole world.
§ The huge pond he will have that will be available
to satisfy the thirst of his followers on the Day of Judgment when people will
feel extreme thirst but will find nothing that will quench it. Those who will
drink from the Al-Kowthar pond will never feel thirst again.
§ The river Al-Kowthar that will be flowing in Jannah
(the Garden) for the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and terminating in
the above-mentioned Pond.
The "water" of the river and the pond will beyond one's
imagination, which is described as better than milk, ice and honey in
appearance, sweetness, coolness and fragrance. Their bed will be of precious
stones, not dirt.
Teachings
In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
1 Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kowthar. 2 So perform
worship and sacrifice for your Lord alone. 3 Your adversary is definitely the
one cut off.
Commentary
After giving the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam the
good news of his success in this world and in the Hereafter, Allaah Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala has commanded him to "perform worship and sacrifice for your Lord
alone". Usually the Qur-aan mentions Salaah with Zakaah, but here it is
mentioned with sacrifice because the Holy Ka'bah was and is the centre to
perform Salaah and sacrifice for Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala and because the
Millah of Ibraaheem 'alayhissalaam is described in the Qur-aan as:
"My rites of worship and sacrifice and my life and earth are
for Allaah, the Lord of the universe." Al-An'aam (6:162)
The Makkans had transgressed from Islam, the religion of
Ibraaheem 'alayhissalaam, and defeated the purposes for which the Holy Ka'bah
was constructed by including entities other than Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala
in their worship and sacrifice. It is now the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam's mission to restore the sanctity of the Holy Ka'bah and to ensure that
all rites of worship and sacrifice are performed for Allaah Alone. Thus the
second verse of this Soorah states that his success is conditional on the
success of this mission. If he continues to keep this goal the sole mission of
his life, his adversaries and opponents will be the ones who will be cut-off
despite the glory, respect, connections, popularity and status they currently
enjoy.
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Copyright © 2008 Ayub A. Hamid
All rights reserved
This document may be used, only with this copyright notice
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attributed to the author Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid. Contact the author for all
other rights, which are reserved.
Note: This series is providing the teachings of the Qur'aan,
not a literal translation. Instead of literal translation, it gives
interpretive meanings of the verses, along with their contextual details.
Please remember that any translation of the Holy Qur'aan is in fact only an
expression of the translator's understanding of the Word of Allaah Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala, and hence cannot be equated with the Qur'aan itself. Only the
original Arabic text can be called the Holy Qur'aan.
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Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid is a visionary and strategic Islamic
thinker residing in Canada for the last 33 years. His recently published books
are:
1. Islam - Does It Make Sense?
2. Unveiling the Commands-The Truth about Hijaab, Khimaar
and Jilbaab.
3. Finding A Soulmate - A Guide for Parents and Youth.
4. A Book Unlike Any Other.
5. Islam - Adopting Its Paradigms.
6. Exploring the Islamic Beliefs.
http://soundvisioncanada.com/shop/pbrowse.asp?Pg=3&Cat=10004
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The following soowar 'Teachings of the Qur'aan' series by
Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid, are available on request:-
Al Faatihah
Al Baqarah
Aali 'Imraan
A Nisaa'
Al Maaidah
Al An`aam
Al A`raaf
Al Anfaal
At Teen
Al`Alaq
Al Qadr
Al Bayyinah
Al Zilzaal
Al Aadiyatt
Al Qaari`ah
At Takaathur
Al`Asr
Al-Humazah
Al-Feel
Al-Quraish
Al-Maa`oon
K a r i m a
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