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Contemplating the Qur'ān: Day 14
Journey through Sūrah al-Nahl and Sūrah al-Isrā', exploring Allah's blessings and the path to guidance
Day 14
The Common Thread
The Qur'ān reading for day 14 encompasses Sūrah al-Nahl and Sūrah al-Isrā'. These chapters share a profound theme: Allah reminding humanity of His general blessings to invite them to the special blessing of guidance and faith, so they may enjoy His gracious reward in both worlds. This method summarizes the entire da'wah of the Qur'ān.
General Blessings
Allah enumerates His countless favors upon creation
Special Guidance
Leading to faith and divine direction
Eternal Reward
Gracious recompense in this life and the hereafter
Sūrah al-Nahl: The Chapter of Blessings
Named after its 68th verse about the honey bee, this Meccan Sūrah is also called Sūrah al-Ni'am (The Blessings) for enumerating Allah's countless favors. The relation of the name to the main theme is profound: bees are among Allah's amazing creations, endowed with wondrous abilities, producing various blessings for His servants including honey and pollen.
Al-Baqā'ī explained: "The purpose of the Sūrah is to demonstrate that Allah is perfect in power and knowledge, acting by choice, exalted above any imperfection. The clearest evidence is the command to the bees, for their remarkable understanding in arranging their hives in hexagonal shapes—a configuration not achieved by the greatest engineers without significant advancement."
Main Themes of Sūrah al-Nahl
Affirming Allah's Divinity
Establishing His exclusive right to be worshipped and His lordship over all creation
Enumerating Blessings
Reminding of the countless favors that point to their Bestower
Obliging Gratitude
Warning against denying His blessings and commanding loving servitude
The 23 Tremendous Blessings
Sūrah al-Nahl details 23 magnificent blessings: twelve in the beginning, seven in the middle, and four thereafter. These encompass everything from revelation and creation to sustenance and intellect.
First Twelve Blessings
  • Revelation of Tawḥid
  • Creation with purpose
  • Human creation from fluids
  • Livestock and riding animals
  • Intellect to discern benefit
  • Rain for all creation
  • Day, night, celestial bodies
  • Earth's produce
  • Ocean's goodness
  • Stabilizing mountains
  • Natural landmarks
  • Pure water
Remaining Blessings
  • Milk from livestock
  • Dates and grapes
  • Honey and its process
  • Life and death
  • Varying degrees of wealth
  • Marriage and reproduction
  • Physical senses and sound mind
  • Sky and birds
  • Home and furnishings
  • Shelter and clothing
Recognizing Blessings with Gratitude
Recognizing Allah's blessings with humble gratitude necessitates three essential responses from every believer. These form the foundation of a life lived in accordance with divine guidance.
01
Single Out Allah in Worship
So that His blessings can be enjoyed forever in the next life
02
Enjoy What is Lawful
Freely partake while abstaining from the limited prohibited things
03
Treat Others with Justice
Practice kindness and good character as elaborated in verses 90-92
The Most Comprehensive Verses
Verses 90-92 are said to be some of the most comprehensive verses in the Qur'ān. They instruct people to be just and gracious, just as they would like to be treated with justice and graciousness, and to avoid every type of evil.
Verse 96 reminds us that worldly blessings are temporary and Allah's reward is eternal, so we must be patient alongside being grateful. The Sūrah concludes with verse 125, the most concise and comprehensive verse in the Qur'ān about da'wah, perfectly tying together all these themes.
Justice
Treat all with fairness
Kindness
Show graciousness to others
Avoid Evil
Abstain from all wrongdoing
Key Contemplation Insights
From pages 267-281, profound insights emerge for the contemplative reader. These reflections guide us toward deeper understanding and practical application.
Glorification as Remedy
Glorifying Allah and prayer are remedies for worries, sadness, and a way out of crises and troubles
Continuous Worship
Muslims are obligated to worship continuously until death unless overcome by unconsciousness or memory loss
Revelation as Spirit
Allah called revelation a "spirit" because it is with it that souls are enlivened
Practical Wisdom from the Verses
On Gratitude
You will not be able to thank all of Allah's blessings, but be among those who are constantly grateful. If you ponder how milk is processed from clover in the field to a delicious drink on your table, you would not fulfill Allah's right of gratitude.
Avoid envy; Allah has apportioned provisions and intelligence among people as He wills. Everything pure is lawful, and everything impure is forbidden.
On Consequences
Beware of carrying others' sins on the Day of Judgment by leading them to sin or reminding them of it. Evil plots only backfire on their originators.
Beware of mocking or ridiculing the callers to Allah and the reforming scholars. The evil consequences of what people do will strike them.
Night Journey
Sūrah al-Isrā': The Night Journey
The Prophet ﷺ would not go to bed without reciting Sūrah al-Isrā' and Sūrah al-Zumar. Revealed in the tenth year of prophethood after the deaths of Khadījah and Abū Ṭālib—the year of sadness—when loss of support left Muslims extremely vulnerable in Makkah.
After mentioning the night journey, the Sūrah addresses the transfer of trust for the message from Banu Isrā'īl to this most excellent nation. The reasons for that transfer were the failings of the Israelites, detailed beginning with verse 4.
1
Year of Sadness
Deaths of Khadījah and Abū Ṭālib
2
Divine Honor
The miraculous night journey
3
Transfer of Trust
Message passes to new nation
Main Themes of Sūrah al-Isrā'
Lofty Status
The Prophet's status (verse 1), message perfection (verse 9), and beautiful outcome (verse 79)
Divine Blessing
Continuous blessing and honor for those who hold fast to truth
Gratitude's Increase
Gratitude brings perpetual increase and Divine Honor, exemplified by Isra' and revelation
Connection Between the Sūrahs
The relevance of Sūrah al-Isrā' to Sūrah al-Nahl manifests in several profound ways, demonstrating the Qur'ān's intricate coherence.
Torah Connection
As al-Nahl mentioned the Jews' Sabbath dispute, al-Isrā' mentions the Sabbath law prescribed in the Torah. Ibn Abbas said, "The entire Torah is in fifteen verses from Sūrah Bani Israel."
Divine Protection
After commanding patience in al-Nahl, al-Isrā' mentions the Prophet's honor and high status with his Lord, showing Allah's protection.
Healing Properties
Al-Nahl mentions honey as healing for people; al-Isrā' states, "And We send down from the Qur'an what is a healing and a mercy to the believers."
The Fourteen Divine Commands
In the span of 17 verses (23-39), Allah issues around 14 commandments and prohibitions. All commands of the Holy Qur'ān are consistent with human nature, demonstrating divine wisdom.
Moral Foundations
  • Honoring parents
  • Kindness to relatives and orphans
  • Prohibiting wastefulness and stinginess
  • Sanctity of life
  • Prohibiting fornication
  • Protecting orphans' wealth
  • Keeping promises
Social Justice
  • Equity in weight and measure
  • Humility in conduct
  • Justice in all dealings
  • Avoiding arrogance
  • Speaking truth
  • Fulfilling covenants
  • Respecting others' rights
The Qur'ān's Unmatchable Value
The Sūrah demonstrates the magnificence and majesty of the Qur'ān through multiple dimensions, establishing it as the eternal miracle of the Prophet ﷺ.
Healing and Mercy
The Qur'ān is healing for hearts from doubts, ignorance, and corrupt opinions (verse 82)
Divine Magnificence
Its magnificence and majesty are unmatched (verses 88, 89)
Perfect Guidance
It guides to that which is most upright (verse 9)
Clear Purpose
Revealed with specific purpose and wisdom (verses 105, 106)
Contemplation Insights: Pages 283-285
1
Take Allah as Guardian
In all your affairs, "Do not take besides Me any protector"
2
Divine Promises Fulfilled
What Allah has decreed will happen, and what He has promised will come to pass
3
Follow the Messengers
Gratitude is among the attributes of the messengers; follow their guidance
4
Guard Your Prayers
Be careful when angry not to pray for evil upon yourself, children, or wealth
On Parents and Provisions
The verses establish profound principles regarding family relationships and divine sustenance, demonstrating Allah's perfect wisdom and mercy.
Merely desiring the Hereafter is not enough; faith and action must accompany that desire. Allah grants the worldly life to those He loves and those He does not love, and His giving revolves around honor, testing, and delusion.
Parental Rights
Being kind to parents is mandatory. Allah associated gratitude to them with gratitude to Him due to their immense favor.
Divine Mercy
Allah is more merciful to children than their parents; hence, He forbade parents from killing their children out of fear of poverty.
Wealth Accountability
Remember that you are accountable for wealth. Islam prohibits wastefulness—spending money in ways other than its rightful use.
Protection from Satan's Influence
Allah tested the servants with Satan, who invites them to disobey Allah through his whispers and actions. Understanding Satan's methods is crucial for spiritual protection.
Satan's Share
Among the ways Satan shares with humans in their wealth and children: neglecting to mention Allah's name over food, drink, and during sexual intercourse, and not disciplining the children.
Whoever does not care about observing the rulings of Sharia in their wealth, children, and food, then Satan shares in them.
Divine Protection
Seek out the qualities of those whom Satan has no authority over, and strive to be among them. "Indeed, My servants, you have no authority over them."
Faith and reliance on Allah are protections from the evils of Satan and his whispers.
The Path to Steadfastness
The verses indicate the great need of the servant for Allah to make him steadfast, and he should constantly beseech his Lord for firmness in faith.
Read Qur'ān
Persistently reading is a means of steadfastness
Contemplate
Deliberate reading aids in contemplation
Prostrate
Fall in prostration and supplication
Weep
Humility and weeping increase faith

When the truth appears, falsehood vanishes, and falsehood only prevails in times and places where the people of truth become lazy.
The Art of Calling to Allah
The Sūrah concludes with comprehensive guidance on da'wah, demonstrating the method of inviting to Allah with wisdom and excellence.
1
Wisdom
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom, understanding context and audience
2
Good Instruction
Use beautiful admonition that touches hearts and minds
3
Best Argument
Argue in a way that is best, with respect and clear evidence
Learn the art of dialogue and debate, and practice it. The hostility of criminals towards messengers is due to the truth they carry, not their personal selves. Allah diversified the admonitions and examples in the Qur'ān to achieve the intended purposes.
Stages of Elevation Through the Qur'ān
The final contemplation reveals the progressive journey of spiritual elevation through engagement with divine revelation.
Deliberate Recitation
Read slowly and carefully, giving each word its due
Deep Contemplation
Reflect on meanings and implications
Prostration and Supplication
Submit physically and spiritually
Humility and Weeping
Let the Qur'ān transform your heart
"And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility."