Recitation, full surah, Shaykh Mishari Rashid al-Afasy
WHEN DEBATING WITH THE UNBELIEVERS two different approaches have been adopted in this surah. In one approach the unbelievers are warned and threatened with a fate similar to that of the rebellious communities who preceded them, such as the Pharaohs, Aad, Thamud, among others. In this vein the surah recalls the destruction of Lot's people, saying: "And indeed they have passed by the township [ city of Sodom ]whereon was rained the fatal rain. Can it be that they have not seen it? Nay, but they hope for no resurrection "(40).
The second approach, which is even more effective , resorts to reasoned argument, addressing man's intellect and presenting facts and evidence as a means of persuasion. This is particularly evident in this surah. It points man's attention to the amazing natural phenomena existing in the vast cosmos, the heavens and the earth, and intriguingly begins by referring to the existence of shadows:
Hast thou not seen how thy Lord hath spread the shade - And if He willed He could have made it still - then We have made the sun its pilot; (45) Then We withdraw it unto Us, a gradual withdrawal? (46)
Light and shadows are indeed extraordinary phenomena. Everything has its own shadow and shades come in all shapes and sizes, but nothing is more magical and fascinating than the shadows formed by the eclipse of the stars and the planets. Not only are these amazing marvels a source of great pleasure and beauty but they are also vital for the development and continuation of life on this earth.
Consider the phenomena of night and day and their role in the sustenance and preservation of life. What controls their precise and carefully regulated cycle? Take the function of sleep and its importance in revitalizing the body, assisting growth and promoting sanity and good health. It is amazing, how, during such state of unconsciousness, some metabolic activities, such as breathing and digestion, continue to function while others come to a complete stop. These and other manifestations, both within ourselves and in the world around us, should serve to spur us to seek God, and praise and thank Him constantly.
One can go on and look at the perpetual movement of the wind, the development of clouds and the resulting rain which forms lakes and rivers serving to fertilize the soil, causing in turn the growth and development of all kinds of living matter. A beautiful cycle of nature generating and permeating life far and wide. The surah puts it beautifully when it says:
And He it is Who sendeth the winds, glad tidings heralding His mercy, and We send down purifying water from the sky, (48) That We may give life thereby to a dead land, and We give many beasts and men that We have created to drink thereof. (49)
The manifestations that encourages faith and support it are many and close at hand. Wherever we care to look there is evidence pointing towards God.
Having pointed out some of these manifestations, God says: " Blessed be He Who hath placed in the heaven mansions of the stars, and hath placed therein a great lamp and a moon giving light! (61) And He it is Who hath appointed night and day in succession, for him who desireth to remember, or desireth thankfulness " (62).
From these verses it is possible to infer that galaxies and universes, other than our own, do indeed , exist. Modern astronomy and physics have shown that the cosmos contains millions of galaxies and star formations, and that our solar system occupies but a tiny fraction in this vast, limitless space.
Relative to this, man becomes an increasingly insignificant creature. This reinforces the fact that we are here to be tested and that our deeds and activities are assessed against certain well-defined principles and criteria. Will we take notice and heed God's instructions or will we neglect and rebel against them? As the surah points out, we are also being tested in our relationships with one another:
....And We have appointed some of you a test for others: Will ye be steadfast? And thy Lord is ever Seer. (20)
This never ending trial is crucial, and success or failure determines our position in the hereafter.
" A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali
....We back track to ayat 26 to ayat 31, listen to Ustaz Nouman Ali Khan. He addresses the youth especially in the age range below 25 in this tafsir of his, but the message in these ayat is equally applicable those beyond 52.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE4XM7Evt0A
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