Day 25: Sūrah Muḥammad to Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt
The Qur'ān reading for Day 25 spans from Sūrah Muḥammad to Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt, concluding the chapters of third greatest length and beginning the last section of the Qur'ān — the Mufaṣṣal, the most detailed shorter chapters, most of which were revealed in Makkah.
Juz' 26
5 Sūrahs
Mufaṣṣal Begins
Chapter Overview
The Five Sūrahs of Day 25
01
Exhorting believers to fight those who obstruct Allah's path; exposing the hypocrites.
02
Divine promise of victory; glad tidings after the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah.
03
Correct manners of speech; purifying the community from division and vile morals.
04
Admonishing hearts with the spectacles of death and judgment in the Hereafter.
05
The Sustaining Provider is the only one who deserves worship; centered on the three main subjects of the Qur'ān.
Sūrah Muḥammad · Chapter 47
Sūrah Muḥammad: Fighting Those Who Obstruct Allah's Path
Main Theme: Exhorting the believers to fight those who obstruct Allah's path, with Allah's promise to reward believers, rectify their condition, and lead them to Paradise.
Objectives of Sūrah Muḥammad
Encouragement to Combat Transgressors
Allah promises victory and stability in battle for those who support His religion and honor His law, rewarding believers for their deeds and leading them to Paradise.
Reality of Belief vs. Disbelief
Illustrating the characteristics of both paths — comparing believers and disbelievers in their goals, conditions, and outcomes — and detailing the bliss of Paradise and the torment of Hell.
Exposing the Hypocrites
Revealing the schemes and morals of the Munāfiqūn, their connection with the Jews, their alliance with polytheists, and warning Muslims not to be deceived by their duplicity.
Sūrah Muḥammad: Verse Guide
1
Verses 1–2
The futility of disbelievers' efforts and the reward of the believers.
2
Verses 3–15
The reward of the believers and the exhortation to fight the oppressors.
3
Verses 16–31
Exposing the Munāfiqūn in detail.
4
Verses 32–38
The final abode of the believers and of the disbelievers.
Sūrah al-Fatḥ · Chapter 48
Sūrah al-Fatḥ: The Great Opening
Said to be one of the very last in order of revelation, revealed in year 6 after the peace treaty of al-Ḥudaybiyyah. Main Theme: The divine promise to grant victory and strength to the Prophet ﷺ and the true believers, calming their hearts after the disbelievers barred them from entering Makkah and the Munāfiqīn attacked their morale.
Objectives of Sūrah al-Fatḥ
Glad Tidings of the Treaty
Victory and conquest from the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah brought tranquility to believers' hearts, with adversity promised for the polytheists and hypocrites.
Allah's Protection of His Allies
Protecting sincere believers who pledged allegiance for battle, and showing kindness to the oppressed Muslims in Mecca by preventing premature fighting.
Denouncing Those Who Stayed Behind
Exposing those who thought the Prophet ﷺ would not return, then promising them a near victory over the Jews of Khaybar.
Praising the True Believers
Honoring those who followed the Prophet ﷺ through hardship and ease, outlining their characteristics and rewarding them with forgiveness and a great reward.
"There was no victory in Islām greater than the peace treaty at al-Ḥudaybiyah prior to it... No one with the slightest sense was spoken to about Islam except that they entered into it. In those two years there entered the equivalent of or more than the number of those who entered beforehand."— Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī
This celebrated statement captures the profound strategic and spiritual significance of the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah — what appeared as a setback was in truth the greatest opening for Islam.
Sūrah al-Fatḥ: Verse Guide
Verses 1–9
Glad tidings to the believers after their disappointment at the events surrounding the peace treaty at al-Ḥudaybiyah.
Verses 10–26
The Bay'ah of Riḍwān; exposing those who broke their word; the Prophet's ﷺ dream of safely entering Makkah.
Verses 26–29
The prerequisites of victory and the description of the Ṣaḥābah.
Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt · Chapter 49
Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt: Cultivating Correct Conduct
Revealed in year nine after the Hijrah during the visit of the delegation of Banū Tamīm. Main Theme: Cultivating within the believers the correct manners of speaking to achieve the ideal level of faith and strengthen the bond of brotherhood — revealed at a time when many new peoples of different comportments were entering Islam.
Objectives of Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt
1
Honoring Allah and His Messenger ﷺ
Teaching proper etiquette in dealing with and addressing the Prophet ﷺ as a requirement of faith.
2
Purifying the Community
Removing vile morals that lead to division and hatred: mockery, name-calling, suspicion, spying, and backbiting.
3
Wisdom of Human Diversity
Explaining the wisdom behind creating diverse nations and tribes, affirming that superiority with Allah is through piety alone.
4
The Reality of Faith
Faith is not merely a claim but something that settles in the heart, affirmed by words, actions, and striving in the cause of Allah.
Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt: Verse Guide
1
Verses 1–5
Good conduct with Allah and His Messenger ﷺ
2
Verses 6–13
Good dealings between the Muslims.
3
Verses 14–18
Encouragement for new Muslims to work toward the mandatory level of faith that guarantees success in both worlds.
Sūrah Qāf · Chapter 50
Sūrah Qāf: Admonishing Hearts with the Hereafter
Said to be around the 34th Sūrah revealed. Main Theme: Admonishing the hearts with the spectacles of death and judgment in the Hereafter. Named Qāf for its opening with this disconnected letter, indicative of the Qur'ān's inimitability.
Objectives of Sūrah Qāf
Affirming Resurrection
Arguing the affirmation of resurrection with tangible evidence: the creation of the heavens and earth, reviving the earth after death with rain, and the sprouting of trees and fruits.
Allah's Encompassing Knowledge
Demonstrating Allah's knowledge of the hidden aspects of things and thoughts of souls — every individual is under Allah's watchfulness from birth until death.
Warning from Past Nations
Reminding disbelievers of the mightier nations before them who were destroyed, alerting them to Allah's power, and consoling the Prophet ﷺ for their denial.
Sūrah Qāf: Verse Guide
Verses 1–5
Those who disbelieve in the Hereafter and Judgment Day.
Verses 6–11
Evidences from the universe to substantiate belief in the Hereafter.
Verses 12–14
The final abode of those who disbelieve in Allah, the Messenger ﷺ, and the Hereafter.
Verses 15–25
Some frightening events of Judgment Day.
Verses 26–45
A final admonition about the fates of past nations and that which awaits all who disbelieve.
Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt · Chapter 51
Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt: The Scattering Winds
Said to be the 66th Sūrah revealed, before Sūrah al-Ghāshiyah. Main Theme: Acquainting people with the truth that the Sustaining Provider is the only one who deserves to be fled to and worshipped. Centered around the three main subjects of the Qur'ān. Named for its unique opening oath by the scattering winds.
Objectives of Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt
Affirming Resurrection and Recompense
Refuting the deniers of prophethood and the afterlife, threatening them with punishment on the Day of Judgment, and contrasting it with the promise of bliss for the believers.
Fate of Tyrannical Nations
Stating the fate of nations that denied Allah's messengers — destroyed with various punishments — as a warning to the polytheists and consolation to the Prophet ﷺ.
Oneness of Allah
Arguing Tawḥīd with observable evidence of Allah's power in constructing the heavens and leveling the earth, explaining that the wisdom behind creation is to devote worship exclusively to Allah.
Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt: Verse Guide
1
Verses 1–23
Five oaths affirming the truth of reward and punishment. Signs of truth in the world and within ourselves; descriptions of the believers; the Day of Judgment.
2
Verses 24–46
The destruction of six nations who rejected Allah's Messengers.
3
Verses 47–60
Emphasis upon the evidences of Tawḥīd and the final result of disbelief.
Contemplate · Comprehend · Apply
Contemplation Insights: Pages 507–510
Key reflections from Sūrah Muḥammad (Pages 507–510):
Page 507 · Verses 1–11
- Harming the enemy through subjugation as an optimal means.
- Alms, ransom, killing, and enslavement are options for dealing with captive disbelievers at the discretion of legal authorities.
- The immense virtue of martyrdom in the cause of Allah.
- Allah's support for believers is conditional upon their support for His religion.
Page 508 · Verses 12–19
- The disbeliever's sole concern is fleeting worldly pleasures.
- The contrast between believers' and disbelievers' rewards guides the wise to choose faith.
- Highlighting the bad manners of the hypocrites towards the Messenger ﷺ.
- Knowledge precedes speech and action.
Page 509 · Verses 20–29
- Jihad distinguishes the hypocrites from the ranks of the believers.
- The importance of contemplating the Book of Allah and the danger of turning away from it.
- Corruption on earth and severing kinship ties are reasons for distance from Allah's mercy.
Page 510 · Verses 30–38
- The inner malice of the hypocrites is apparent on their faces and in their speech.
- Testing is a divine tradition to distinguish believers from hypocrites.
- From Allah's kindness: He does not ask servants to spend all their wealth in His cause.
Contemplate · Comprehend · Apply
Contemplation Insights: Pages 511–515
Key reflections from Sūrah al-Fatḥ (Pages 511–515):
Page 511 · Al-Fatḥ 1–9
The Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah as the beginning of a great opening for Islam. Tranquility is a result of faith. The danger of harboring ill thoughts about Allah. The obligation to honor and revere the Messenger ﷺ.
Page 512 · Al-Fatḥ 10–15
The great status of the Pledge of Riḍwān — its participants are among the best people on earth. Harboring ill thoughts about Allah can lead to sin and potentially disbelief. The weak in faith are few in times of fear and many in times of greed.
Page 513 · Al-Fatḥ 16–23
The Qur'ān's foretelling of future events — such as the Islamic conquests — is undeniable proof of its divine origin. The rulings of Sharia are based on kindness and ease. The triumph of truth over falsehood is a divine tradition.
Page 514 · Al-Fatḥ 24–28
Preventing people from Allah's way is a crime deserving severe punishment. Allah's planning surpasses servants' limited knowledge. Warning against replacing the bond of religion with tribal loyalties.
Page 515 · Al-Fatḥ 29
Mercy is prescribed with the believers; harshness with the warring disbelievers. Cohesion and cooperation characterize the Prophet's companions. Harboring hatred towards the noble companions is feared to lead to disbelief.
Contemplate · Comprehend · Apply
Contemplation Insights: Pages 515–517
Key reflections from Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt:
Page 515 · Al-Ḥujurāt 1–4
- Muslims should not place their opinions above the Qur'ān and Sunnah. If a text becomes apparent after ijtihād, one must immediately return to it.
- Since the Prophet's death, we must lower our voices when his hadith is mentioned and behave respectfully, as was the guidance of the Salaf.
- Intellect is found alongside good manners. It is obligatory to show respect to the Messenger ﷺ, his Sunnah, and his successors (the scholars).
Page 516 · Al-Ḥujurāt 5–11
- Verifying the accuracy of news, especially from unknown or immoral sources.
- The obligation to reconcile between fighting Muslims and the legitimacy of disciplining the aggressing group.
- The essentiality of Islamic brotherhood in word and deed. Rights of brotherhood: reconciling disputants and avoiding mockery, defamation, and name-calling.
Page 517 · Al-Ḥujurāt 12–18
- Avoid all suspicion without strong evidence. Harboring ill-suspicion of good people is a sin.
- The prohibition of spying and backbiting. Slander is relating injurious speech to those about whom it was said to ruin relations.
- The unity of human origin necessitates rejecting boasting about lineages. Superiority is based only on piety. Faith is belief in the heart, affirmation by the tongue, and action by the limbs.
Contemplate · Comprehend · Apply
Contemplation Insights: Pages 518–520
Key reflections from Sūrah Qāf:
Page 518 · Qāf 1–15
- The polytheists deem prophecy too significant for humans yet attribute divinity to stones.
- The creation of the heavens, earth, descent of rain, revival of arid earth, and first creation: all are proofs of resurrection.
- Denying the messengers is a tradition of previous nations, and their punishment is a divine tradition.
Page 519 · Qāf 16–35
- Allah's knowledge of what occurs in the souls of good and evil.
- The danger of neglecting the Hereafter.
- The attribute of justice is affirmed for Allah Almighty.
Page 520 · Qāf 36–45 & al-Dhāriyāt 1–6
- Taking lessons from historical events is the concern of those with conscious hearts.
- Allah created the universe in six days for reasons known to Him, possibly demonstrating the principle of progression.
- The Jews' claim that Allah grew tired after creating the heavens and earth is disbelief in Allah.
Contemplate · Comprehend · Apply
Contemplation Insights: Pages 521–523
Key reflections from Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt:
Page 521 · Al-Dhāriyāt 7–30
Good deeds and sincerity towards Allah lead to entering Paradise. The virtue of night prayer as among the best acts of devotion. Etiquettes of hosting: returning greetings beautifully, preparing the meal secretly, hastening it, and addressing guests gently.
Page 522 · Al-Dhāriyāt 31–51
Faith is a higher degree than Islam. Allah's destruction of the denying nations serves as a lesson for all people. Fearing Allah entails rushing towards Him with good deeds, not running away from Him.
Page 523 · Al-Dhāriyāt 52–60
Disbelief is one nation even if its means and the diversity of its people, places, and times differ. Allah's testimony to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ for delivering the message. The wisdom behind creating jinn and humans is to realize the worship of Allah in all its forms.
Key Themes Across Day 25
From the battlefield ethics of Sūrah Muḥammad to the cosmic proofs of Tawḥīd in al-Dhāriyāt, Day 25 weaves together a comprehensive vision of faith, conduct, community, and the ultimate return to Allah.