Surat Al-Muddaththir
‫رثدملا ةروس‬
Story of Revelation – Muddathhir Means Covered in Bed
After the initial revelation of Quran (Iqra in Surat Al-Qalam), prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stayed in the
cave of Hira for a month. Then when he (PBUH) came down to the valley, he heard his name being
called. He (PBUH) looked around him and he saw nothing. Then he (PBUH) raised his head to the sky and
saw the angel Gabriel sitting on a throne in the air. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) felt terrified and went
home and asked to be covered.
Allah then revealed this Surat talking to His beloved prophet (PBUH).
O you who covers himself [with a garment],
Arise and warn [people from the danger of not worshipping only Allah]
This is the main task of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is to spend his life
inviting people to Islam and warning them about disobeying Allah.
And your Lord and only your Lord glorify
And your clothing purify
This also means purify your intentions, deeds and heart from all bad.
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When it comes to clothing, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized that no
filth can be on the body or close when performing Salat.
And worshipping idles avoid
It also means to avoid all sins that lead to punishment from Allah.
And do not do favors to others wanting them to do even bigger favors for you
in return.
One’s intentions of doing good deeds should be to please Allah SWT and to
attain Jannah. When doing favors to others, one must totally forget that fact
and not expect anything in return.
But for your Lord be patient.
It is difficult to carry one’s life to the well of Allah: one has to make Salat,
Sawm, Zakat, Hajj. One has to be honest and truthful; one has to be kind and
loving; one has to spend time educating himself/herself about Islam and
educating others. All this requires a lot of patience.
Also one must be patient in facing difficult things and sad situations.
The Story of Day of Judgment
The Prophet (PBUH) tell us of major signs leading to Day of Judgment [Yawm Al-Qiyamah] including
[teacher must elaborate on these signs]:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The appearance of Masih Al-Dajjal
The appearance of Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj (Gog and Magog)
The appearance of the Dabbat Al-Ard (the talking beast marking non-believers)
The return of Isa (Jesus) from heaven to restore true belief in Allah and that Islam is the final
religion
5. The rise of the sun from the west
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explains:
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“A gentle wind will blow taking the lives of all believers and only non-believers shall remain. Generations
go by and they totally forget the name of Allah. The Day of Judgment will take place on the worst people
on earth”.
And when the trumpet [for the Day of Judgment] is blown,
That Day will be a difficult day
For the disbelievers - not easy.
The Story of Al-Walid Ibn Al-Mughirah
In the next few Ayat, Allah SWT tells us the story of a very rich man in Mecca.
His land stretched from Mecca to Taif (a neighboring city).
He became one of the leaders and most respected members of Quraish. He got
so arrogant that he called himself “One of a kind, unique, unmatched”.
One time prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recited few verses of the Quran to the
Al-Walid. He sat impressed by what he heard and when prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) finished, al-Walid said:
“I have heard words that did not come from a human being or Jinn. The words
have sweetness and beauty; they are fruitful and flowing; they reach heights
no one can top. These are not the words of a human being”.
When Quraish heard his words they thought he accepted Islam. Abo Jahl (the
most hated enemy of Islam) said to them: “I will take care of him for you”.
Abo Jahl went to Al-Walid and acted sad. Al-Walid asked him why he was sad
and Abo Jahl said: “your people are gathering donations to give you because
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they heard you became poor. So poor, that you go to Muhammad (PBUH) and
Abo Bakker to eat their leftovers”.
Al-Walid got arrogant and angry and he said that he was the richest man of
Quraish. Abo Jahl told him that he has to say bad words about Muhammad
(PBUH) for Quarish to accept him again. Al-Walid thought hard and said:
“I have heard poetry and the Quran is not; I heard the sorcerers and the Quran
is not. It must be the words of magic”.
Leave Me with the one I created alone
And to whom I granted extensive wealth
And children present [with him]
And spread [everything] before him, easing [his life].
Then he desires that I should add more.
No! Indeed, he has been toward Our verses obstinate.
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I will cover him with arduous torment.
Indeed, he thought and deliberated.
So may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated.
Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated.
Then he considered [again];
Then he frowned and scowled;
Then he turned back and was arrogant
And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others]”.
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This is not but the word of a human being."
I will burn him into Saqar [the hell fire].
And what can make you know what Saqar [hell fire] is?
It destroys everything and leaves nothing [unburned],
Blackening the skins.
The story of the 19 Angels
Allah SWT said in the Quran that the hell fire is managed by nineteen angels. The non-believers mocked
the count as too few and suggested that they could defeat such a low number. They did not know that
one angle is more than sufficient to destroy the entire earth.
Allah SWT indicated two reasons for such a number:
1- It is a test to the non-believer to see if they would believe
2- It is a number known by the people of the book (Jews and Christians) and such they will know
that the Quran is surely the words of Allah.
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Over it are nineteen [angels].
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not
made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who
were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will
increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will
not doubt and that those in whose hearts is hypocrisy and the disbelievers will
say, "What does Allah intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allah leave
astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers
of your Lord except Him. And mention of the Fire is not but a reminder to
humanity.
Allah Swearing by His Creations
Allah often swears by His marvelous creation such as the sun and the moon to bring attention to that
mind that such creations cannot be the work of a random accident. They are indeed created by Allah.
Also Allah mentions the night and day and different narration of how the night moves and the explosion
of the daylight through the sky. They are all indication that the earth is round. A fact that was not known
till the sixteenth century.
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No! By the moon
And [by] the night when it departs
And [by] the morning when it brightens,
Indeed, the Fire is of the greatest [afflictions]
As a warning to humanity -
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To whoever wills among you to proceed or stay behind.
The Concept of Sin and Absolution
Allah SWT repeats in many places in the Quran that no one shall be punished for the sins of another.
This is only just. Allah SWT may forgive relatives of the “Shaheed(martar)” and the one who memorizes
the Quran but Allah SWT will never punish anyone for the sins of others.
Christians wrongly believe that Jesus Christ asked Allah SWT to punish Him rather than punish the
sinners who believe in Him. Allah SWT negates that theory here.
Every soul, for what it has earned, will be retained [and judged by]
The Concept of Right Hand and Left Hand in Islam
The Quran and the words of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasizes that all good things must be done
with the right hand or right foot (eating, drinking, entering Masjid) and all bad things (going to
bathroom, washing self after using the bathroom) must be done with the left.
The Quran states that the good believers will receive their book of deeds in their right hand; the nonbelievers in their left; and the absolute worse of people will receive their books behind their back.
Do People in Jannah Talk to People in Hell Fire?
The Quran established that the people of Jannah can see and talk to the people of the hell fire when
they want to. This adds to their sense of gratitude to Allah having saved them for such fate.
Except the companions of the right,
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[Who will be] in gardens, questioning each other
About the criminals,
[And asking them], "What put you into Saqar (hell fire)?"
They will say, "We were not of those who prayed,
Please note that the first sin mentioned for being in the hell fire is not doing Salat
Nor did we used to feed the poor.
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And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged [in it],
This means joking about religious things and facts and talking badly about the great believers and
companions of prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This Ayah means all bad talk.
And we used to deny the Day of Recompense (Judgment)
Until there came to us the certainty (death)
When one dies then he/she will know the truth about Allah and they will know their destination (good
or bad)
So there will not benefit them the intercession of [any] intercessors.
Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning
away
This implies those that are constantly reminded of Salat but they don’t or any good deeds as such
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As if they were alarmed donkeys (or zebras)
Fleeing from a [ferocious] lion?
Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures
(books from Allah) spread about.
No! But they do not fear the Hereafter.
No! Indeed, the Qur'an is a reminder
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Then whoever wills will remember it.
And they will not remember except that Allah wills. He is worthy of fear and
adequate for [granting] forgiveness.
Note:
The Arabic portion and a good part of the translation (not stories and elaborations) were copied from
http://www.quran.com/74/
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