Oath of God
- Alif.Laam.Meem (30:1).
Note: This is an oath of God referring to a set of Quranic initials, Alif.Laam.Meem consisting of three Arabic letters. In addition, this set of Initials is found prefixed to 6 surahs and their total count in the Arabic text in 6 suras is a multiple of 19 => 19874 (19x1046) as shown in the table below, which is a factual that the Quran is from God to eliminate any doubt from our hearts and what has been stated in it is nothing but absolute truth:
Note: The updated count of Quranic initial, Alif.Laam.Meem obtained from https://submission.org while we know that the Quranic initials serve as guards to continue the pure Quran until the end of the world preventing from any distortion.
Victory comes from God
- Has been defeated the Romans (30:2), in near of the land; while they will overcome after their defeat (30:3), in a few years; the decision (of the winners) belongs to God before and after; while the believers will rejoice that day (a day of the Judgment) (30:4); by help of God. He helps whomever He wills. And He is the Almighty, the Merciful (30:5). A promise of God – God does not break His promise, but most of the people do not know (30:6)
Note: By taking oath God has affirmed a prophecy that the believers will defeat the Romans first time but the Romans will defeat the believers second time. Thus, the decision of victory or defeat comes from God and He helps whomever He wills, and He never breaks His promise.
People care about the life of the world but not about the life of the Hereafter
- They know being apparent from the life of the world, while they are heedless about the Hereafter (30:7). Do they not reflect within themselves that God has created the heavens and the earth, and what is between themselves except with the truth and for an appointed term? And indeed, most of the people are surely disbelievers in meeting of their Lord (30:8). And do they not travel in the land to see how has been an end of those who were before of them? They had been mightier than them in power and they had dug the earth and had built in it more than what they have built in it. And there had come to them their messengers with the clear proofs, then God has not done to wrong them but they had done to wrong themselves (30:9). Then it has been an end of those who had done the evil that they had denied in God’s revelations, and they had done to mock with them (God’s revelations) (30:10).
Note: Most people have concern about the life of the world being disbelievers in the meeting of their Lord even disregarding the consequences of the people who had denied God’s revelations in the past, who had been mightier than them, even not reflecting that God has created the heavens and the earth for an appointed term.
The world will come to an end to compensate us based on our deeds
- God initiates the creation, then He repeats it. Then to Him you will be returned (30:11). And a day establishes the Hour, the criminals will be despair (30:12). And there would not be any intercessors among their partners, and they have been disbelievers in their partners (30:13). And a day establishes the Hour, that day they will get separated (from their partners) (30:14). Then as for those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds that they will be delighted in Paradise (30:15). And as for those who have disbelieved, and have denied our revelations and meeting of the Hereafter, then those will be brought forth in the punishment (30:16). So, you shall glorify God when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning (30:17). And to Him belongs all praise in the heavens and the earth, and at night and when you enter noon (30:18).
Note: The people will be compensated based on their deeds followed by the end of the world. The criminals who had denied God’s revelations will despair and there will be no intercessors among their partners, even they will disbelievers in their partners. On the other hand the righteous will be delighted in the Paradise. So, He has ordered us to glorify Him in the evening and morning but to observe salat prayer at night and noon are two prayer times of the five times salat prayers God has scheduled for us a day.
There are many signs around us to reflect to God
- He brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and He gives life to the earth after its death; and thus that you will be brought forth (30:19). And of His signs is that He has created you from dust, then you are human beings dispersing out (30:20). And of His signs is that He has created for you spouses from among yourselves that you may have tranquility in them and He has placed love and mercy between yourselves. In that there are surely signs for a people to reflect (30:21). And of His signs is a creation of the heavens and the earth, and variation of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that there are surely signs for a people of the world (30:22). And of His signs is your sleeping in the night, and the day while is your seeking of His bounty. In that there are surely signs for a people who listen (30:23). And of His signs He shows you are the lightning as fear and hope, while He sends down water from the sky, then He gives life to the earth with it after its death. Indeed, in that there are surely signs for a people to reflect (30:24). And of His signs is that there stands the heaven and the earth by His command. Then when He has called you a call out of the earth, when you will come forth (30:25).
Note: God has given us many signs including our life and death, our creation and reproduction, within ourselves as spouses having tranquility and love, lightning and sending down water from the sky, and standing of the heaven and the earth by His command while a day He will resurrect us all to reflect to believe in Him and we cannot escape from His punishment.
Worshiping of God without associating partners with Him
- And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him (30:26). And He is the One who initiates the creation, then He repeats it, and it is easier for Him. And to Him belongs the example of the High in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Almighty, the Wise (30:27). He has mentioned an example for you from among yourselves. Is there any partners for you from your servants in what we have provided you that you are equal in it, you fear them as your fear of yourselves? Thus that we explain the revelations for a people who understand (30:28). Nay, has followed those who have done wrong for their own desires without knowledge. So who can guide whomever God has let go astray? And there are no helpers for them (30:29).
Note: God Himself is His example of the High in the heavens and the earth being the Almighty and the Wise, and there is nothing like Him in the heavens and the earth. He has also given us an example with our servants that we do not give them status equal to us, then how could we associate partners with Him if we apply this simple logic for God? Thus, those who associate partners with God have done wrong and He lets them go astray, and there are no helpers for them.
Humans are born with a religion of Monotheism having an instinct of God
- So, you shall establish yourself to the religion of Monotheism – an instinct of God, which on it He has created mankind. There is no change of God’s creation. That is the established religion, but most of the people do not know (30:30). Being turned to Him, while you shall fear Him and shall establish the salat prayer, and do not be with the idol worshipers (30:31). Of those who have divided their religion and have made sects, each party is in happiness with what they have (30:32). And when adversity had afflicted the people, they called their Lord being turned to Him. Then when He has made them to taste mercy from Him, when a party of them associate partners with their Lord (30:33). That they deny in what we have given them. So you shall enjoy; then you will know (30:34). Or have we sent an authority to them that it speaks of what they have done to associate with Him? (30:35). And when we have made the people to taste mercy, they have rejoiced with it. And if an evil afflicts them for what has sent forth their hands, then they despair (30:36).
Note: Followed by confirming His worshiping without associating partners God has commanded us to establish the religion of monotheism, which He has given us as faith with our birth but we have divided it into sects and we are rejoicing with it even associating partners with Him denying His revelations, but when an evil afflicts the disbelievers they despair for what they had sent forth with their own hands.
Zakat is one of the righteous deeds for the believers
- And do they not see that God extends the provision whomever He wills and He straitens? Indeed, in that there are surely signs for a people who believe (30:37). So, you shall give his right to the close relative, and the poor, and the traveling alien. That is better for those who desire God’s pleasure; those – they are the successful ones (30:38). What you have given for usury to increase in wealth of the people that it does not increase with God. And what you have given for Obligatory Charity (zakah) desiring God’s pleasure, then those – they are the receivers of manifold (30:39).
Note: God has given us provision and has commanded us to give Zakah from it to the specified recipients desiring His pleasure as well as to increase our wealth manyfold with Him to be successful in the Hereafter instead of practicing of usury desiring to increase our wealth, which does not increase anything with God. Thus, we must increase our wealth in manyfold with God that we can get it back at our meeting with Him.
God has given an example to avoid association of partners with Him
- God is the One who has created you, then He has provided for you, then He will cause you death, then He will give you life. Is there any of your partners who does anything of that? Glory is His, and He has exalted high above what they associate (30:40).
Note: God has cited a crucial example that He controls our lives from birth to resurrection to avoid association of partners with Him if we can reflect.
There is a reminder from the adversity in the earth to turn to God
- There has appeared the corruption in the land and the sea, for what has earned the people themselves that He may let them taste a part of that which they have done so that they may return (30:41). Say, “Travel in the land that you shall see how has been an end of those who were before.” There has been their majority were idol worshipers (30:42). So, you shall establish yourself for the established religion, before that a day comes there is no reversion of it from God. That day they will become separated (30:43). Whoever has disbelieved, then his disbelief is against him. And whoever has done as righteous, then for themselves they prepare (30:44). That He may reword those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds from His bounty. Indeed, He does not love the disbelievers (30:45).
Note: God has destroyed those for what they have done. The disaster in the land and the sea may be a reminder for the people to turn to God that they may become righteous through believing in God and doing the righteous deeds to prepare them for a reward from Him while we may see an end of the idol worshipers and the disbelievers if we travel the land.
Presence of God and His mercy
- And of His signs is that He sends the winds as a good news, and that He lets you taste of His mercy, and that it may sail the ships by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may appreciate (30:46). And certainly, we have sent messengers before yourself (Muhammad) to their people that they had come to them with the clear proofs; then we had taken retribution of those who had committed crimes, while it has been duty upon us to help the believers (30:47). God is the One who sends the winds that they raise clouds, then spreads them in the sky, how He wills, and He makes it fragments that you see the rain coming forth from its midst. Then when He has caused to fall with it whomever He wills of His servants, when they rejoice (30:48). And if they have been before that it was sent down on them of its before, surely are the despaired ones (30:49). So you shall look at outcome of God’s mercy, how He gives life to the earth after its death. Indeed, that is surely a Giver of life to the dead. And He has power over everything (30:50). And surely, if we had sent a wind, then they would have seen it turning to yellow, surely, they would have continued to disbelieve after it (30:51).
Note: God has given many signs as good news being merciful on us including sending of the winds, sailing of the ships by His command to seek provision from His bounty, of sending messengers, and giving life to the land after its death that we can reflect to that to appreciate Him and to worship Him without associating partners with Him.
Submitters respond to God’s revelations to guide them to a straight path
- So you cannot make the dead to hear, nor can you make the deaf to hear the call when they have turned back as retreaters (30:52). Nor can you be of a guide for the blind from their straying, nor can you make hear except whoever believes in our revelations that they are submitters (30:53).
Note: Neither the dead nor the deaf hear the call, and the blind cannot guide them from their staying. Thus, those who are submitters respond the call to God’s revelations being hearer to guide them to a straight path.
From our birth to death is a reverse process
- God is the One who has created you from weakness, then has made strength after weakness, then has made weakness and gray hair after strength. He creates whatever He wills, and He is the Knower, the Supreme (30:54).
Note: God has created us and has defined a process for us to return to Him that we can reflect to appreciate Him. We are weak at our childhood but we are strong at our adulthood, then again we are weak at our old age before leaving this world.
The knowledgeable know how long they have been in the earth
- And a day establishes the Hour, the criminals will swear that they had not remained except an hour. Thus that they have been to be deluded (30:55). And those who have given the knowledge and the faith said, “Certainly you had remained in according to God’s decree, until a day of the Resurrection that this is a day of the Resurrection, but you have not done to know.” (30:56). So, that day their excuses will not benefit those who have wronged nor will they be allowed to amend (30:57).
Note: On a day of the Resurrection the knowledgeable who had faith are aware that how long they had been in the earth. On that day excuses from the disbelievers will not benefit them for their wrongdoing nor will they be allowed to amend their wrongdoing even they will claim that their staying in the earth was not enough for them to do the righteous deeds.
Whatever sign is brought to the disbelievers they will not believe
- And certainly, we have cited for the people of every example in this – the Quran. And surely, if you had come to them with a sign; surely, those who have disbelieved would say, “You are not except of falsifiers.” (30:58). Thus that God seals on hearts of those who do not know (30:59). So, you (Muhammad) shall be patient; God’s promise is truth, and it is not for you to accept view of those who do not ascertain (30:60).
Note: God has placed every example in the Quran for the people to believe in Him and His revelations, but the disbelievers will not believe whatever sign is brought to them as He seals their hearts for their disbelief.
Surah al-ruum (Surah 30: The Romans) can be reviewed reflecting that we have been created with a religion of monotheism, which is an instinct of God for all of us to worship Him without associating partners with Him, a disaster in the earth due to our wrongdoing may be a reminder for us to become righteous, He has given us many signs that we can believe in Him and His revelations, and people have more concern about the life of the world for not reflecting that God has created the heavens and the earth for an appointed term and that a day they will meet their Lord for the judgment.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (12/24/2021).