Para 23 | Juz 23 - Complete: Surah Al-Ya-Sin | As-Saffat | As-Sad | Az-Zumar (28-31)

Surat Yasin

Juz 23 begins with Surat Yasin, it’s an early Makkan Surah. The Prophet ﷺ called it “The Heart of the Quran”. Its central themes are proofs for the doctrines of Tawhid, Risalah and Akhirah. It opens by reassuring the Messenger ﷺ of the importance of his role in guiding humanity and laments the history of human disobedience. The chief reason identified for disbelief is arrogance reflected in human stubbornness. The story of three messengers, who were rejected by the people of their town, is told to warn the disbelievers. The brave supporter in the story, who stands up for the messengers, symbolises the small band of Muslims in Makkah, thereby reassuring them of Divine Help.

The second section of the Surah describes Allah’s amazing creative power and invites the reader to reflect on creation: a marvel of incredible complexity and beauty. Attention is drawn to the lifeless earth and how it comes to life after rain, concluding that this is how Allah will bring the dead to life.

.

Surat As-Saffat – Arranged in Rows

Juz 23 continues with Surat as-Saffat. Its central theme is also proving the truthfulness of the Islamic doctrines: Tawhid, Risalah, and Akhirah. It opens with three attention-grabbing oaths that describe the perennial heavenly battles between the angels and Satan comparing them with the earthly battles between the Prophets and their communities. Six stories of the Prophets describe their courageous efforts to guide humanity. The dream of Ibrahim and his willingness to sacrifice points to the inner battle between the love of children versus the love of Allah.

Two scenes from Judgement Day are described: leaders and their followers at loggerheads, blaming each other for their dreadful fate. A pious person finds his friend in hell and reminds him of how he tried to misguide him, but failed in doing so. Zaqqum, the food of the people of Hell is a tree that resembles the desert cactus and has a poisonous sap with a foul smell which causes blisters and death. The Surah returns to the angels and how they are organized in Paradise

Surat Saad

Juz 23 continues with Surat Ṣaad, an early-Makkan Surah. It opens by describing the role of the Quran as a reminder, creating awareness and consciousness of a greater reality. This is developed by relating the stories of previous communities and the tireless efforts of the Prophets, starting with an account of the excellent qualities of Dawud and his son Sulayman. They were rulers and pious servants of Allah.

The heartbreaking story of the suffering of Prophet Ayyub concludes the Surah. According to Tabari, Satan surmised that Ayyub would not remain faithful if he encountered difficulties. Allah allowed Satan to test him. So, disaster struck Ayyub: his house subsided, his livestock was killed, his family members died in an accident and he became ill with an infectious disease so that people abandoned him. Satan also attempted to shake Ayyub’s faith through his wife, when she put forward the idea that he must sacrifice a baby goat for Satan if he wanted to recover. Ayyub refused to do this.

Surat al-Zumar – the Crowds

Juz 23 continues with Surat al-Zumar. It reinforces belief in the Oneness of Allah and the dreadful consequences of denying Him. Professor Sells eloquently captures the mood of that early time, he says: What gives the early Makkan Suras their depth, psychological subtlety, texture and tone is the way the future is collapsed into the present; the way the day of reckoning is transferred from the fear and hope of a moment in the future to a sense of reckoning in the present moment. The centrality of the day of reckoning to the early revelations is based on a prophetic impulse to remind humanity of the moment of truth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.