Brief Info
Sūrat al-Fajr, No. 89. Revealed in Makkah, 30 verses. This sūra is known as the sūra of Imam Husayn bin Ali ‘alayhis-salām. This could be because the Imam is a true manifestation of the soul at rest mentioned in verse 27. The connection of the sūra with the Imam is also mentioned in hadith (see below).
Merits of reciting the Sūra.
Imam al-Sādiq (a) has said: Recite Sūrat al-Fajr in your obligatory and recommended prayers for it is the sūra of Husayn bin Ali (a), and whoever recites it will be with al-Husayn bin Ali (a) on the Day of Judgment.
Note: The companionship of the Imam (a) on the Day of Judgment will be for those who have passed their trial in this world through absorbing the message of the sūra.
Synopsis of contents
1) Oaths on the truth of the message in the sūra (verses 1-5)
2) Mention of peoples in the past who rejected and rebelled against God (verses 6-13)
3) Different trials for the human being (verses 14-16)
4) Deeds that take the human being away from Allah (verses 17-20)
5) Reward and punishment in the Hereafter (verses 21-30)
Some Lessons from the Sūra
1) History has many stories of people who thought they were immensely powerful, but they were destroyed due to their actions.
2) Both ease and difficulty in life are tests from Allah ‘azza wajall.
3) Love of wealth and miserliness is one of the main reasons for turning away from Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā.
4) The Nafs al-Mutma’inna is the highest stage that a believer can reach.
Suggested verses for memorization in Arabic and English
1) 89:14 – Most surely your Lord is watching.
2) 89:23 – That Day man will remember, but what good to him will be the remembrance?
3) 89:24 – He will say, ‘Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good deeds] for my life’.
4) 89:27-30 – O reassured soul! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], And enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise.
Activities for self-study
Tests for the human being.
a) Human beings are tested in many ways in the world. Read verses 15 and 16 of the
sūra. Why is the response different although each is a test?
b) Check the following verses for different tests in this world; 2:155, 8:28, 64:15.
c) What should the response to tests be? Check verses 2:153, 2:156, 2:250.
Sources
Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirazi (Ed.) Tafsīr Namūne; M. H. Shakir, Holy Qur’an Translation; Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’an With a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation.
Past lessons of Sūra Familiarization available at:
www.academyofislam.com/
Please send your feedback to [email protected]