This is an early Makkan surat; its central theme is resurrection. The story of Pharaoh highlights why some people don't believe, because of pride, selfishness and love of the world (15). The surat opens with five oaths - five descriptive, active participles that are enigmatic and unclear, making them difficult to translate. However, commentators have variously interpreted them as referring to warhorses, different winds, various stars, the souls of the righteous and the angels. The evidence...

One day, the Messenger ﷺ was preaching to the leaders of Makkah, hopeful they would accept his message. He was extremely concerned to bringing them into the fold of Islam, and saving them from the Hellfire. However, Abdullah ibn Umm-al Maktum, a blind Muslim, came unexpectedly and wanted the attention of the Prophet ﷺ, saying: "Messenger! Teach me what Allah has taught you." The Messenger ﷺ did not like this interruption and frowned at him, turning away from him and towards the Makkans...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al Takwir. The central theme of this early Makkan surat is the truthfulness of the Majestic Quran and the validity of its teachings. It opens with twelve oaths, each signifying one of the cataclysmic events prior to the Day of Resurrection. In the second section, another set of oaths about the time of celestial bodies is presented. The Quran is keen to stress the truthfulness of the Messenger ﷺ and the source of his...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al Infitar. This is an early Makkan surat. Its central theme is self-deception that turns a person away from Allah. After taking the oaths of the events leading to Judgement Day, a question is gently asked: “people, what deceived and misled you from your generous Lord?” (6). The qualities of the Lord Who created are recalled to prick the conscience. Humanity is warned: you are monitored by the Angels who record your...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Mutaffifin. This is a late Makkan surat, condemning cheating traders and shopkeepers who were dishonest in their dealings with others. This picture of a dishonest person isn’t limited to commercial transactions but is also relevant to people who are dishonest in other aspects of life, both in seventh-century Arabia and today. The surat, interestingly, doesn’t mention the rope makers, tanners and perfume sellers...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Inshiqaq. This is a late Makkan surat, of which the central theme is the connection between actions and consequences. It opens by stressing the instinctive obedience of the inanimate; the Sky and the Earth. An indirect disapproval of the Makkans, who refused to obey their Lord despite having intelligence. Working hard for one’s livelihood is a universal human value. However, to limit life to this is folly; the...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Buruj. This Makkan surat marks the beginning of the second phase of the mission of the Prophet ﷺ, around the third year; the start of tensions. Its central theme is the support of the faithful. The surat opens with a series of oaths, “By the sky full of constellations.” A constellation is a recognisable group of stars which appear to be located close together in the sky, and form a picture of imaginary lines that...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain share his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Tariq. This is a Makkan surat a with the central theme about the truthfulness of Judgement Day. After taking the oath of the shining stars, people are reminded, "There is a keeper over you" (4). Those who denied the Judgement Day are invited to reflect on their humble beginnings. Where do you come from? The evidence from the shooting stars, the spurted semen and the blooming plants and flowers are perfect illustrations...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-A’la. This is an early Makkan surat, its central theme is the role of the Majestic Quran and the Messenger ﷺ as reminders. By referring to the early Scriptures of Musa and Ibrahim, the Quran makes it clear that this is a continuation of the same mission of past prophets. What blinds humanity to this reality? The answer is the love of worldly life. These verses express contempt for love of the material world since it...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Ghashiyah. This surat was revealed in the middle Makkan period. The three fundamental doctrines of Islam are emphasised. The Day of Judgement is introduced in an unusual manner: "Has the news of the Overwhelming Event reached you?" This is followed by a harrowing account of what will happen to the disbeliever who toiled, struggled and worked hard in his life but ignored Allah, and never thought about the Hereafter....

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Fajr. The surat begins by taking four oaths to draw our attention: the dawn, the time when the first light appears, the ten sacred nights of the twelfth lunar month of Dhu’l-Hijja, the month of pilgrimage, and the mystery of odd and even numbers. The odd may hint to Allah, who is the One, the Unique and cannot be compared with anything. In contrast, the even reminds how creation is not singular or one, only Allah is...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Balad. The mountain is a permanent feature of our landscape, an effective metaphor for the smallness of humans. The Majestic Quran uses the mountains to provide a dramatic setting: “Had We revealed this Quran on a mountain, you would have seen it humble itself and turn to dust out of fear of Allah” (Surat Al-Hashr: 21). The Prophet ﷺ lived in a city surrounded by black rugged mountains, so here is an oath of a city...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Shams. This early Makkan surat opens with ten oaths. The first four relate to the sun and the last six to the sky, the earth and the human soul. The purpose of these oaths is to support the claim, “Then He inspired it to follow either its vice or virtue” (8). The central theme is developing human potential, either to be conscious of Allah or remain unaware of Him. “He inspired” means that the human conscience has...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Shams. This early Makkan surat opens with ten oaths. The first four relate to the sun and the last six to the sky, the earth and the human soul. The purpose of these oaths is to support the claim, “Then He inspired it to follow either its vice or virtue” (8). The central theme is developing human potential, either to be conscious of Allah or remain unaware of Him. “He inspired” means that the human conscience has...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Layl. This is an early Makkan surat with the central theme of diversity in human endeavours, enterprises and efforts. However, the primary choice confronting people is between good or evil and practising moral values.

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Layl. This is an early Makkan surat with the central theme of diversity in human endeavours, enterprises and efforts. However, the primary choice confronting people is between good or evil and practising moral values. The surat identifies righteous people as those who have three outstanding qualities: Generosity Mindfulness of Allah Appreciation for good The three inner dimensions of human life are mentioned:...

Watch Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Inshirah. This Makkan surat builds on the previous surat’s consolation of the Messenger ﷺ in a tone that displays friendship and love. The opening or expansion of the chest of the Prophet ﷺ occurred twice: once in his childhood and again at the start of the Night Journey (The Ascension). The Angel Jibreel عليه السلام carried out a remarkable procedure, in which the heart of the Prophet ﷺ was taken out, purified, filled...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Duha. This is an early Makkan surat. According to Imam Suyuti, there was a short period when the revelation stopped and the Messenger ﷺ did not preach, prompting the Makkans to say mockingly, "Your Satan has deserted you." The Messenger ﷺ was upset and the surat was revealed to reassure him. To cope with this stressful personal experience, he is given a four-point strategy to overcome stress and sorrow: Get rid of...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Duha. This is an early Makkan surat. According to Imam Suyuti, there was a short period when the revelation stopped and the Messenger ﷺ did not preach, prompting the Makkans to say mockingly, "Your Satan has deserted you." The Messenger ﷺ was upset and the surat was revealed to reassure him. To cope with this stressful personal experience, he is given a four-point strategy to overcome stress and sorrow: Get rid of...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Tin. This Makkan surat opens with four oaths: two of the valuable trees and two of sacred places. These splendid symbols are used as a testimony to the truthfulness of its theme, the 'inherent goodness' of human nature, and how this is ruined. This vivid description of the splendour of Allah's creation and the nobility of humanity is an elegant piece of rhetoric. The reference to human nature being as the "most...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Qadr. This early Makkan surat praises the splendour of the night on which the Majestic Quran was revealed, a night in the blessed month of Ramadan. On this night of power, glory and splendour, the Majestic Quran was transferred from the Protected Tablet in the upper Heaven to the lower Heaven, from which it was gradually and in piecemeal fashion revealed to the Messenger ﷺ over a period of twenty-three years. This...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Zilzal. This is an early Madinan surat, its central theme is accountability on the Day of Resurrection. The surat opens with the advent of the Day of Resurrection, marked by a devastating Earthquake that will flatten the Earth; mountains will turn into rubble, and the seas will surge and merge as described elsewhere. However, the focus in this surat is Earth and what it will reveal of its history. The mindless human...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-‘Adiyat. This is a late Makkan surat that concisely describes the human condition of thanklessness. The Arabic is Kufr, a key theme in the Quran, as it often warns people of the dreadful consequences of human ingratitude. A kafir is an unthankful person, the one who fails to acknowledge the gifts of the Generous Lord. The kafir, the disbeliever, is condemned for this ingratitude. Hell is the only place that will...

Listen to Dr Musharraf Hussain sharing his thoughts and analysis of Surat Al-Qari'ah. This is a Makkan surat that starts with a question about Judgement Day in order to open our eyes to the reality of it. It describes the momentous events of that Day and then points out the root of a successful life: good deeds, a guarantee for success. Those who lack good deeds will have "a blazing fire" prepared for them.