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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
An-Nabaa
Name and Background
Teachings and Commentary
Soorah 78:1-20
Ayub A. Hamid
Name and Background
An-Nabaa means "the important news." It was picked up from the second
verse to be the name of the Soorah because the Soorah gives the news about the
Hereafter and provides glimpses of the nature of life in the Hereafter.
It is a twin Soorah of Al-Mursalaat, the previous Soorah, inviting the
Makkans to reflect on the signs in human nature and in the environment
surrounding them that indicate the inevitability of the Day of Judgment and the
life Hereafter. It then briefly describes the kind of life disbelievers and
believers will encounter respectively. It also belongs to the group of Soorahs
starting from Al-Qiyaamah that were revealed one after the other in the early
Makkan phase of the Islamic mission when the focus was on belief in the Day of
Judgment and the life Hereafter.
The reason there were so many Soorahs, one after the other, about the Day
of Judgment and the life Hereafter was that the Makkans had the greatest
difficulty with this article of faith. They already believed in Allaah, and
although their belief was defective and idolatrous, it nonetheless existed.
Accepting the Prophet sall Allaah`alayhi wa sallam as the Messenger of Allaah
was also not that big of a problem as they already held him in the highest
esteem and acknowledged him as the most excellent and honourable human being.
But believing that they would be raised again after being reduced to dust was
an idea they could not accept. In fact it was due to this belief that they had
started thinking that the Prophet had lost his mind (or had been possessed by a
Jinn).
Teachings and Commentary
In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The blitz of small Soorahs about the Day of Judgment and Hereafter
revealed one after the other had everyone in Makkah talking about these
matters. Discussions were occurring, arguments were taking place, and some
people were seriously thinking about this subject. Most people were making fun
of the idea or raising questions that, in their mind, were tough enough to
discredit the notion being presented by the Qur-aan. However, there was no
consensus. Some rejected the notion outright thinking that life and death were
just natural phenomenon continuing on their own, nothing to do with God. Some
rejected it because they could not fathom that people can be resurrected by
Allaah after they had become dust. Others thought it may happen and if it does,
they would still be the chosen people in the Hereafter as they were the chosen
ones in this world because they were the descendents of Ibraaheem (Abraham) and
custodians of the House of Allaah, the Holy Ka‘bah. Still others were content
that if and when it happens, their assumed gods will intercede on their behalf
with Allaah. Obviously, all of these were speculative opinions; none of them
were based on knowledge. The Soorah starts by referring to this chatter going
on in the society.
1 What are they questioning each other about? 2 About the Great News? 3
About which they are in disagreement? 4 They are all wrong, they will soon find
out! 5 Then again, they are all wrong, they will soon come to know!
"They" in all of these verses refers to those who are refusing to believe
in the Hereafter and were arguing about it among themselves and with the
Muslims. Because they are all speculating without knowledge, differing views
arise as a result.
After negating all their speculative notions, the next section presents
facts from their existing beliefs and knowledge to help them understand the
reality of the Hereafter (Aakhirah).
6 Did we not:
· Make the earth a cradle 7 and mountains pegs?
· 8 Create you as males and females?
· 9 Make your sleep a means of rest?
· 10 Make the night as a covering?
· 11 Make the day for livelihood?
· 12 Build over you seven strong ones?
· 13 Make a blazing lamp?
· 14 Send down abundant water from the rain clouds, 15 to produce
thereby grain, vegetation 16 and dense, luxuriant gardens?
One of the miracles of the Qur-aan is that the words it uses to make its
points are such that a person can relate to and understand the points fully and
equally well, regardless of his or her era, level of knowledge or degree of
sophistication. Even a 21st century person can relate to the rotating earth as
a cradle, as would a person more than 1,400 years ago. A layman can relate to
mountains being described as pegs as can a geologist with knowledge of the
depth of their roots underground and their role in stabilizing the mantle of
the earth.
The reality of living entities being divided into males and females
totally refutes the theory of random mutations and survival of the fittest
because a one-celled organism which was the fittest to reproduce and survive on
its own would never have developed into male and female which became
interdependent for the survival of their species and thus became less "fit". It
could not have happened on its own, without a planner making it happen that
way. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala made people males and females so that their
bonding to each other creates a family which, along with human interdependence,
leads to the creation of human society. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala divided
people into two genders and created them with a psychology of interdependence
so that people live together in society.
Even the solar system and alternation of day and night have been designed
to fulfil human needs. Just imagine human life if either the day or night was
missing.
The strong ones refer to different spheres or barriers that Allaah
Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala has created to keep harmful elements, space debris and
radiation out of the environment of the earth while letting in and keeping in
the elements and waves that are useful for human life and human purposes.
All these questions draw people's attention to how the earth, its
environment and all sub-systems working therein have been designed and
integrated to sustain and support human life in a consistent, harmonized and
coordinated manner. Every component of this life-sustaining system is playing a
purposeful role. Nothing is purposeless or random. Such a cohesive, useful and
life-sustaining system could not have come into existence on its own without an
intelligent designer making it happen. Also, the Intelligent Creator would not
have done it without purpose. He would not have created people with freedom to
choose without holding them responsible for the decisions they make and without
making them face the consequences of their actions. Thus the Day of Judgment is
inevitable, its advent is built into the system of nature and it is going to
occur at its scheduled time. Verses 18-20 give a glimpse of the destruction
that will end the world and bring on the Hereafter.
17 Indeed, the Day of Decision is scheduled for its specific time! 18 The
Day when:
· The trumpet will be blown and you will come in droves;
· 19 The heavens will be opened with multitude of openings; and
· 20 The mountains shall vanish like a mirage.
As discussed previously, the exact nature of the matters of the unseen
such as blowing of the trumpet is beyond full human comprehension. It may be a
way of describing the sound that will be produced by our collapsing solar
system.
Currently, when we look into the heavens, it seems to be smooth and
solid. When the destruction of cosmic components of the universe is occurring,
the empty space and openings in between the exploding/collapsing stars will be
discernable.
The mountains will become powdered and their dust scattered all over.
Thus the mountains will vanish just like a mirage vanishes when a person
reaches the place where it seemed to exist.
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Copyright © 2009 Ayub A. Hamid
All rights reserved
This document may be used, only with this copyright notice included.
Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to
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remain unchanged, in whole or in part; (3) Material must be attributed to the
author 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 34 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
Al-Kowthar
Al Kaafiroon
Al Nasr
Al Lahab
Al Ikhlaas
Al Falaq
An Naas
Al Mulk
Al Qalam
Al Haaqqah
Al Ma`aarij
Nooh
Al Jinn
Al Muzammil
Al Muddaththir
Al Qiyaamah
Ad-Dahr or Al-Insaan
Al Mursalaat
K a r i m a
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