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Continuing with my chronological read through the Qur’an, today I read the following chapters:\u00a087, 92, 89, 93, 94, 103 and 100.<\/p>\n
Surah 87: “The most high” (Al-Ala<\/a>) Allah promises to lead Muhammad and his followers to true religion, but the wretched to the fires of Hell.<\/p>\n Questions<\/span><\/p>\n Q1. The text says “…the Hereafter is better and more enduring. Indeed, this is in the former scriptures. The scriptures of Abraham and Moses”<\/span>. Where does the Pentateuch teach about the afterlife?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Surah <\/strong>92: “The night” (Al-Lail<\/a>) Surah <\/strong>89: “The dawn” (Al-Fajr<\/a>) Questions<\/span><\/p>\n Q1. Many of the chapters of the Qur’an begin in a similar manner: “By the dawn, by the ten nights…”<\/span>. Is Allah swearing an oath here?<\/em><\/p>\n Q2. What does “Pharaoh, owner of the stakes”<\/span> mean? My commentary says that\u00a0Pharaoh tortured people with stakes. Do you have any more details about this?<\/em><\/p>\n Surah <\/strong>93: “The morning hours” (Ad-Dhuha<\/a>) The next portion of the text is probably my favourite passage thus far. Allah reminds Muhammad that he was an orphan, lost and poor and that God blessed him. Therefore, says Allah, you should not oppress\u00a0the orphan or repel the petitioner and should instead praise Him\u00a0for all His blessings.<\/p>\n Surah <\/strong>94: “Consolation” (Al-Inshirah<\/a>) Questions<\/span><\/p>\n Q1. What does “With hardship [will be] ease”<\/span> mean? That hardships will end? That difficult things will be made easy?…<\/em><\/p>\n Surah <\/strong>103: “The declining” (Al-Asr<\/a>)
\n<\/strong>Allah tells Muhammad that he will make him recite the Qur’an and remember it…unless God wants him to forget it. This relates to the rather troublesome subject of abrogation in the Qur’an where, even within the lifetime of Muhammad, some chapters were\u00a0overridden or replaced.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Another poem\u00a0comparing the righteous and the wretched, how the former “belongs the Hereafter and the first life”<\/span> and the latter will go\u00a0to “a Fire which is blazing”<\/span>. Towards the end it talks about how charitable giving without expectation of repayment purifies the giver.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0hearer is reminded of various evil people, such as Pharaoh, whom God punished. Humanity is reminded of its\u00a0sins (not caring for\u00a0orphans, feeding the poor and loving wealth) and the day of judgment is then recounted.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Allah reassures Muhammed that He has not deserted him and He promises his prophet\u00a0a wonderful afterlife.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>This is a very short surah where Allah tells Muhammad that he gladdened his heart, removed his burdens and raised him high.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Consisting of\u00a0only three verses, in this chapter the listener is reminded that “mankind is in loss”<\/span> except those who believe, do righteous deeds and who advise each other to truth.<\/p>\n