“Windows To Spirituality”
88. Al-Ghaashiyah (The Overwhelming Calamity) Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah of 26 verses derives its name from the word al-ghāshiyah or Al-Ghaashiyah (the overwhelming, meaning the Resurrection Day) in the first verse. It draws attention to the hardships and punishment the unbelievers will suffer in the Hereafter, and the bliss...
89. Al-Fajr (The Daybreak) This sūrah, revealed in Makkah, has 30 verses. It takes its name from the word al-fajr (The Daybreak or dawn) in the first verse. It draws attention to the painful end that befell some ancient peoples who denied God’s Messengers and the Message they brought. It...
93. Ad-Duha (The Brightness) This sūrah of 11 verses was revealed in Makkah following a relatively long period in which Revelation did not come. It takes its name from the word Ad-Duha (The Brightness, the forenoon) in the first verse. It consoles the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, and...
91. Ash-Shams (The Sun) This sūrah of 15 verses was revealed in Makkah. It takes its name from the word ash-shams (the sun) in the first verse. It brings to our attention a basic feature of humankind, namely its being created with a disposition or capacity to do both good...
90. Al-Balad (The City) This sūrah, which was revealed in Makkah, has 20 verses. It derives its name from the word al-balad (the city) in the first verse. Most interpreters hold that the city the verse is referring to is Makkah. Reminding us of God’s favors upon humankind and of...
94. Ash-Sharh (The Expansion) This sūrah of eight verses, Ash-Sharh (The Expansion), was revealed in Makkah after the previous sūrah. It takes its name from the verb nashrah (from the root, SHaRaHa, which means to expand) in the first verse. The sūrah mentions some of God’s favors upon the Messenger,...
95. At-Tin (The Fig) This sūrah of eight verses was revealed in Makkah. It takes its name from the noun, At-Tin or at-teen (the fig), in the first verse. It stresses the common ground for all the Divine religions and the fact that dignity and salvation for humankind lie in belief...
96. Al-Alaq The Cloth) This sūrah of 19 verses derives its name from the word Al-Alaq (The Cloth or Clinging Clot – the fertilized female ovum or zygote) that occurs in the second verse. Its initial five verses are the first part of the Qur’ān that was revealed to God’s...
97. Al-Qadr (The Grandeur) This sūrah of five verses takes its name from the word al-qadr (The Grandeur, power, destiny, measure, worth) in the first verse. It is about the Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Destiny, Power, and Measure), which occurs in the third part of the holy month of...
98. Al-Baiyyinah (The Clear Evidence) Revealed in Madīnah and consisting of eight verses, the sūrah takes its name from the word, Al-Baiyyinah or al-bayyinah (the clear evidence), in the first verse. It draws attention to the fact that God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, is the clear evidence...
99. Az-Zalzalah (The Quaking) This sūrah (Az-Zalzalah; The Quaking) of eight verses was revealed in Madīnah. It takes its name from the word zilzāl (violent earthquake) in the first verse. It is concerned with some important events that will take place on the Day of Resurrection. In the Name of God,...
100. Al-‘Aadiyaat (The Chargers) This sūrah of 11 verses was probably revealed in Madīnah. It gets its name from the word Al-‘Aadiyaat or al-ādiyāt (chargers) in the first verse. After it praises the vanguards of Islam, it draws attention to some negative attitudes that exist in human beings, particularly in...
102. At-Takaathur (Vying in Abundance) This sūrah of eight verses was revealed in Makkah. It is named after the word At-Takaathur or at-takāthur (rivalry in worldly increase) in its first verse. It warns against competition in, and boasting about, the possession of ever more worldly things. In the Name of...
103. Al-‘Asr (The Age) This sūrah of three verses, revealed in Makkah, takes its name from the word al-‘asr (The Age or time heavy with events) in the first verse. As pointed out by all interpreters of the Qur’ān and linguists, this short sūrah contains the basic teachings of the...
105. Al-Fil (The Elephant) The five verses of this sūrah were revealed in Makkah. The sūrah takes its name from the word al-fil or al-feel (the elephant) that occurs in its first verse. Describing what befell the Abyssinian army of Abrahah, which attacked Makkah in order to destroy the Ka‘bah,...
106. Al-Quraish (The Quraysh) This sūrah of four verses was revealed in Makkah. It takes its name from the word al-Quraysh or Al-Quraish (the name of the tribe living then in Makkah) in its first verse. It mentions God’s important favors upon them. As God defended and protected them against foreign...
33. Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) This sūrah of 73 verses was revealed in the 5th year of the Madīnan period, and derives its name from verse 20, where the word Ahzāb or Al-Ahzab (The Confederates or The Clans) occurs, referring to the allied enemy forces that besieged Madīnah. The sūrah concentrates...
34. Saba (The Sheba) Revealed in Makkah in the initial years of the revelation of Islam, this sūrah of 54 verses derives its name from verse 15, in which the civilization of Saba (Sheba) is mentioned. That civilization was founded in Yemen and was famous for its cities. rich in greenery,...
36. Ya-Sin (Yasin) This sūrah, which consists of 83 verses, was revealed in the mid-Makkan period. Ya-Sin, Ya Sin or Yaseen takes its name from the first verse, the shortest in the Qur’ān, and which, according to some, implicitly means a human being. It deals, using diverse arguments, with three...
56. Al-Waqi’ah (The Event) This sūrah of 96 verses was revealed in Makkah and takes its name from the word Al-Waqi’ah or Al-Waqi’a (The Event, The Inevitable, or The Event Inevitable) in the first verse. It mentions some events that will take place during the destruction of the world, and the...
