“Windows To Spirituality”
43. Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold) Consisting of 89 verses, this sūrah was revealed in Makkah toward the closing years of the Makkan period, when the polytheists were concocting plots to assassinate the Messenger of God, upon him be peace and blessings. It takes its name from verse 35, where the...
42. Ash-Shura (Consultation) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 53 verses derives its name from the word Ash-Shura or Ash-Shooraa “consultation” in verse 38. Consultation is one of the most important principles of Islamic social life. This sūrah concentrates on Revelation and the fact that all the Messengers came with...
41. Fussilat (Distinctly Spelled Out) This sūrah of 54 verses was revealed in Makkah after the conversion of Hamzah, the Prophet’s uncle, and before the conversion of ‘Umar, may God be pleased with them both. It derives its name from the word fussilat in the third verse, which means, “arranged...
47. Muhammad (Muhammad) One of the earliest Revelations in Madīnah, this sūrah of 38 verses is named after Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who is mentioned in the second verse. It deals with such matters as fighting, the treatment of prisoners of war, the distribution of the spoils...
50. Qaf (Qaf) Revealed in Makkah, most probably in the fourth or fifth year of the Makkan period, this sūrah of 45 verses takes its name after the letter Qāf (Qaf) in the first verse. It mentions many phenomena in the universe that indicate God, and then concentrates on the...
53. An-Najm (The Star) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 62 verses derives its name from the word An-Najm (The Star) in the first verse. God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, recited it in its entirety to both the believers and the Makkan polytheists at the Ka‘bah. It...
51. Adh-Dhariyat (The Scatterers) Revealed in Makkah when the Quraysh’s persecutions of the believers began, this sūrah of 60 verses derives its name from the word Adh-Dhariyat or Adh-Dhaariyaat (The Scatterers, Those That Scatter or The Wind That Scatter) in the first verse. It concentrates on the afterlife and God’s...
52. At-Tur (The Mount) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 49 verses derives its name from the word At–Tur or At-Toor (The Mount or The Mountain) in the first verse. It deals with the confused reactions of the Makkan polytheists to the revelation of the Qur’ān and how they made...
57. Al-Hadid (The Iron) Revealed in Madīnah, most probably four or five years after the Hijrah, this sūrah has 29 verses and takes its name from the word Al-Hadid (The Iron) in verse 25. It deals with God’s absolute sovereignty, the necessity of sacrifice in God’s cause, and the passing...
54. Al-Qamar (The Moon) This sūrah of 55 verses, revealed five years before the Hijrah, derives its name from the word Al-Qamar (The Moon) in the first verse. It mentions the splitting of the moon by a gesture of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and contains, in...
55. Ar-Rahman (The Beneficent) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 78 verses derives its name from Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful or The Beneficent), which constitutes the first verse. Throughout, it is mentioned that the manifestations of God are a result of His being the All-Merciful. As explained in note 4 on...
59. Al-Hashr (The Banishment) Revealed in Madīnah, most probably in the fourth year after the Hijrah, this sūrah consists of 24 verses. It takes its name from the word hashr in verse 2, which means gathering people to dispatch them somewhere. Al-Hashr (The Banishment or The Gathering) deals with the Muslims’...
60. Al-Mumtahana (The Examined One) Revealed in Madīnah between the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the conquest of Makkah, this sūrah has 13 verses. It derives its name from the tenth verse, which commands that women who have declared their conversion to Islam and emigrated to Madīnah should be tested as...
62. Al-Jumu’ah (The Congregation) This sūrah of 11 verses takes its name from verse 9, in which the Jumu‘ah Congregational Prayer is made obligatory. Al-Jumu’ah was revealed in the early part of the Madīnan period of the mission of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. It orders the...
65. At-Talaq (The Divorce) This sūrah of 12 verses was revealed in Madīnah. At-Talaq or At-Talaaq takes its name from its subject matter as well as from the first verse, where the verb TalLaQa (“to divorce”) occurs. It contains rules additional to those mentioned in Sūrat al-Baqarah concerning divorce, the...
64. At-Taghabun (The Mutual Deceit) This sūrah of 18 verses was revealed in Madīnah. At-Taghabun takes its name from the phrase in verse 9, yawm at-taghābun (the day of loss for some and gain for some or The Mutual Deceit). The sūrah concentrates on faith in God and the Hereafter;...
68. Al-Qalam (The Pen) This sūrah of 52 verses is one of the earliest Revelations in Makkah. It takes its name from the word Al-Qalam (the Pen), in the opening verse. It categorically refutes some allegations of the polytheists against God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and proves the...
67. Al-Mulk (The Kingdom) This sūrah of 30 verses was revealed in Makkah. It derives its name from the first verse where the word Al-Mulk (The Kingdom or The Sovereignty) occurs. The basic points the sūrah deals with are the testimony of the universe to God’s Oneness, the end of...
66. At-Tahrim (The Prohibition) Revealed in Madīnah seven or eight years after the Hijrah, this sūrah (At-Tahrim) of 12 verses takes its name from the infinitive form of the verb HarRaMa (forbid, make something unlawful) that occurs in the first verse. It warns against any disrespect toward God’s Messenger, upon...
61. As-Saff (The Ranks) The name of this sūrah is derived from verse 4 where the word saff (ranks) is used in praise of the Muslims who fought in ranks, coming together as though they were a firm and solid building. As-Saff (The Ranks) consists of 14 verses. It was revealed...
