Introduction
There are 114 surahs in the Quran and each surah is unique based on its different aspects but deals with specific matter(s) even having overlapping matters as a reminder for us as well, while we can focus on its content to use it as a source of divine laws and teachings interpreting the message of each verse in the context. However, surah fussilat, the Arabic word, which is its name in passive perfect verb and its English counterpart is “detailed” may give us a hint what we should look for in the Quran to find the straight path to our Lord based on better understanding of its essence. However, here are details of the verses of the surah:
Oath of God
There are 114 surahs in the Quran and each surah is unique based on its different aspects but deals with specific matter(s) even having overlapping matters as a reminder for us as well, while we can focus on its content to use it as a source of divine laws and teachings interpreting the message of each verse in the context. However, surah fussilat, the Arabic word, which is its name in passive perfect verb and its English counterpart is “detailed” may give us a hint what we should look for in the Quran to find the straight path to our Lord based on better understanding of its essence. However, here are details of the verses of the surah:
- (I swear by) Ha. Meem. (41:1).
Note: The statement in 41:1 is an oath of God referring to a set of Quranic initials consisting of Arabic letters ‘Ha’ and ‘Meem’. In addition to the elements of God’s oath being at the very beginning of the surahs, the quranic initials also play other important roles in the guidance such as (1) gateway between specific words and the words of guidance, (2) the sum of their gematrical values indicates the survival of the Quran for 1709 lunar years being a hint to predict the end of the world on 1710 A.H. (2280 A.D.), and (3) are the lower level physical proofs of the numerical structure of Quran being the frequencies of the occurrences of these letters in the respective surah while the initials, ‘Ha’ and ‘Meem’ in the Arabic text of 7 surahs from surah 40 through surah 46 is a multiple of 19 => 292 (Ha) + 1855 (Meem) = 2147 = 19 x 113 as detailed in the table below:.
Source: Ha.Meem. count obtained from https://www.masjidtucson.org/publications/books/vp/fact31.pdf- A revelation from the Gracious, the Merciful (41:2). A scripture of Arabic Quran has been detailed its verses for a people who know (41:3). A giver of good news and a warner, but has turned away most of them as they do not hear (41:4). And they said, “Our hearts are in coverings of what you call us to it, and in our ears there is deafness, and between us and you (prophet) there is a barrier. So do (for yourself), indeed, we are doing (for ourselves).” (41:5).
Note: By taking oath referring to a set of Quranic initials God has affirmed that He has given an Arabic Quran to the Arabs as a giver of good news and a warner detailing its verses, but most of them have turned away from it, not listening to it making coverings on their hearts, deafness in their ears and a barrier between them and the prophet, while there has also been found in the Quran that the Arabs are worse in disbelief and hypocrisy (9:97) and consider spending to be a loss (9:98) are are persistent on hypocrisy (9:101).
- Say, “I am just a human being like yourselves; it is inspired to me that your god is One god. So you shall be straight to Him and shall ask His forgiveness.” And woe to the idol worshipers (41:6). Those who do not give the zakat and with regard to the Hereafter, they are disbelievers (41:7). Indeed, those who have believed and have done the righteous deeds, for them there is a limitless reward (41:8).
Note: while the prophet let them know that he is only a human being like themselves has been inspired to worship one god to be on a straight path, and those who have paid zakat and have done righteous deeds believing in the Hereafter, for them there is limitless reward, while those who do not give zakat are disbelievers in the Hereafter.
- Say, “Do you indeed, surely disbelieve in the One who has created the earth in two days and set up competitors for Him? That is Lord of the worlds.” (41:9). And He placed on it mountains, and He blessed therein and calculated its provisions in four days for those who ask (41:10). Then He turned to the heaven when it was still gas, then He said to it and to the earth, “Come both of you in willingness or unwillingness.” They both said, “We have come being willing.” (41:11). Thus, He completed seven heavens in two days and inspired to each heaven its matters. And we adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and guard. That is a design of the Almighty, the Knower (41:12).
Note: God has created seven heavens and the earth in two days while He has calculated the provisions for all on the earth in four days. Thus, He has completed the greater universe including all matters of each heaven in six days.
- Thus, if they have turned away, then say, “I have warned you a disaster like a disaster of Aad and Thamud.” (41:13). When there had come to them the messengers before of them and after of them that you do not worship except God. They said, “If our Lord had willed, surely, He would have sent down angels. So indeed, we are disbelievers of what you have been sent with it.” (41:14). Then as for Ad, they had been arrogant in the earth without having the truth, and said, “Who is mightier than us in strength?” Did they not realize that God, the One who has created them, is mightier than them in strength? And they have done to deny in our revelations (41:15). So, we had sent upon them a violent wind in days of misfortune that we made them taste a punishment of the disgrace in the life of the world while certainly, a punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped (41:16). And as for Thamud, we had guided them while they preferred the blindness over the guidance. So, a thunderbolt, the humiliating punishment seized them of what they had done to earn (41:17). And we saved those who had believed and had done to fear (God) (41:18).
Note: There is warning in the Quran for the community to whom it has been revealed referring to a disaster of the wicked people of Aad and Thamud that they would not be blind to the truth to fall into the consequences that occurred to Aad and Thamud.
- A day God’s enemies will be gathered to the Fire, when they are lined up in rows (41:19). Until when that they have come to it, has borne witness their hearing, and their sight, and their skins against them of what they had done to accomplish (41:20). And they said to their skins, “Why have you borne witness against us?” They said, “God has made us speak; He is the One who has made everything speak, and He has created you the first time and to Him you will be returned.” (41:21). And you had not done to cover yourselves lest bear witness against you your hearing, nor your vision, nor your skins, but you had thought that God does not know much of what you do (41:22). And that was your thought which you had thought of your Lord ruined you and you had become the losers (41:23). Then if they go on, so the Fire is an abode for them, and even they ask for favor, then they will not be with the favored ones (41:24).
Note: God has warned us that our sensory organs that we used in disbelieving Him and His revelations as well as to do the evil works will testify against us on a Day of the Judgment.
- Thus, we assigned for them companions that made fair seeming for them what was their before and what was their behind, and has justified the word (punishment) against them in the nations passed away of the jinn and the human of their before; certainly, they had been losers (41:25). And those who have disbelieved said: “You are not to listen to this Quran and make a noise therein that you may win.” (41:26). Thus, we will surely make taste those who have disbelieved a severe punishment, and we will surely recompense them a worse of what they have done to accomplish (41:27). That is a recompense of God’s enemies, the Fire which is a home of the eternity for them as a recompense of what they had done to deny of our revelations (41:28). And said those who disbelieved: “Our Lord, show us those who have misled us of the jinn and the human we can trample them under our feet that they may be with the lowliest.” (41:29).
Note: God has warned us that we are surrounded by invisible and visible enemies that dictate us not to listen to the Quran to make us losers while it has been made us fair seeming that we are doing right, which will be confirmed when we see the recompense, the Fire as a home of eternity from Him as His enemies and would wish to trample them under our feet for the miserable consequences.
- Indeed, those who have said: “Our Lord is God”, then they have been straight, the angels descend upon them that you do not fear, nor do you grieve, and you shall have a good news of the Paradise, which you are promised (41:30). We are your protectors in the life of the world as well as in the Hereafter and for you therein whatever you desire and for you therein whatever you ask for (41:31). An honorable reward from a Forgiving, a Merciful (41:32).
Note: If we can trust God that He is our Lord and can stay in His established path, He will protect us both in the life of the world and in the life of the Hereafter as well as He will grant us an honorable reward being forgiving and merciful on us while none of us can claim that we did not make any mistake nor did we do any sins.
- And who is better in utterance than whoever has invited to God, and has done as righteous and has said: “Indeed, I am one of the submitters.” (41:33). And he does not equal the good and the evil. You shall repel with that which is good. Thus, once the one, there was enmity between you and him, as if he was your best friend (41:34). And it is not granted except to those who are patient nor is it granted except to the owner of great fortune (41:35). And if the Satan whispers any evil to you, then you shall seek refuge in God. Indeed, He is the Hearer, the Knower (41:36).
Note: Anyone who invites to God being a submitter can make friendship with his enemies if he is blessed and is made fortunate while anyone can protect him if he seeks refuge in Him when the Satan whispers any evil to him.
- And of His signs are the night and the day as well as the sun and the moon. You should not prostrate to the sun, nor should the moon but you shall prostrate to God, the One who created them if you worship Him alone (41:37). But if they become arrogant, then those who are near your Lord glorify Him by the night and the day while they do not tire (41:38). And of His signs that you see is the barren earth, then when we have sent down the water upon it, it has stirred and grown. Indeed, Who has given life to it, is surely a Giver of life to the dead. Indeed, He has power over everything (41:39).
Note: God has made it easy for us to be the believers upon reflecting to the visual signs in the nature like the sun, the moon, the night, the day, even the barren land made suitable for plant growth after sending down water from the sky.
- Indeed, those who misrepresent about our revelations cannot hide from us. So, is he whoever is thrown into Hell better or is he whoever comes secure on a day of the Resurrection? Do whatever you wish. Indeed, He is Seer of what you do (41:40). Indeed, those who have disbelieved in the reminder when it has come to them, and indeed, it is surely a powerful scripture (41:41). The falsehood cannot not come to it before of it, nor after of it, a revelation from Wise, Praiseworthy (41:42).
Note: Those who have made misrepresentation of divine revelations are not hidden from God as He is Seer of everything, while the reminder that has come to them is a powerful scripture and there is no falsehood in it as it is a revelation from Wise, Praiseworthy.
- It is not said to you (prophet) except what had been said to the messengers before yourself (prophet). Indeed, your Lord is surely Possessor of forgiveness as well as Possessor of painful retribution (41:43). And if we had made it a non-Arabic Quran, surely, they would have said, “Why has not been detailed its verses?” Is it non-Arabic or Arabic? Say, “It is for those who have believed, is a guidance and a healing but those who do not believe, there is deafness in their ears and it is for them is blindness. Those are being addressed from faraway.” (41:44). And we had given Moses the scripture, then there had been disputed in it. And if it had not been a predetermined promise from your Lord, surely, it would have been settled between themselves. Indeed, they are surely in doubt from it being uneasiness (41:45). Whoever has done as righteous, then it is for his soul and whoever has done evil, then it is against it, while your Lord is not in unjust to the servants (41:46).
Note: God has revealed Arabic Quran, which is so detailed as a guidance and a healing that none should have any issues to understand it to find right things for them except the deaf and the blind, while whoever does righteous deeds, he does for himself and whoever does evil deeds, he does for himself as well.
- To Him is referred knowledge of the Hour. And no fruits emerge from their sheaths, nor does any female conceive or give birth without of His knowledge. A day He will call them: “Where are My partners?” They have said, “We have proclaimed to You – there is no witness among us.” (41:47). And it has lost from them what they had done to invoke before, and they have ascertained for them not any place of escape (41:48).
Note: what is happening around us or what would be happened – all are according to God’s will or His given system but still we associate partners with Him without justification to make us losers, and we will not find them at our meeting with Him.
- The human being does not get tired of imploring the good once the adversity touches him, as he is in hopelessness being distress! (41:49). And certainly when we let him taste a mercy from us after an adversity had touched him, he will say: “This is for me, and I do not think that the Hour will be established even when I am returned to my Lord, there will indeed be the best for me with Him.” Thus, we will surely inform those who disbelieved of what they had done, and we will surely make them taste of a severe retribution (41:50). And when we bestowed favor upon the human being, he turns away and goes far at his distance, but when the adversity touches him, then there is lengthy invocation (41:51).
Note: The human beings by nature are unappreciative to their Lord and He will make them taste a severe retribution if anyone of us is not able to avoid this evil behavior.
- Say: “Have you seen if it had been from God, then you have disbelieved in it, who is more astray than whoever he is in far opposing?” (41:52). We will show them our signs in the horizons and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth. Does it not suffice with your Lord that He is Witness over everything? (41:53). There is no question, they are indeed, in doubt of meeting their Lord. There is no question, He is encompassing of all things (41:54).
Note: The disbelievers being in far astray fail to see the truth because of their doubt about the meeting with their Lord even He has made it so clear that none should miss it.
Summary
Sura 41: fussilat (Detailed) is a short surah consisting of 54 verses has appropriate details to reflect to the truth explained in Arabic making it clear not to be doubtful about our meeting with Him:
- Sura starts with God’s oath referring to initials, ‘Ha’ and ‘Meem’ to affirm subsequent statements.
- Those who denied the Quran have coverings of their hearts, deafness in their ears and a barrier between them and the preacher even though they know Arabic well.
- The believers never fail to do the righteous works to receive limitless reward from God.
- Inviting to God as a submitter is the best thing to make friendship with his enemies being blessed.
- God has made it easy for us to be the believers upon reflecting to the visual signs in the nature.
- God created the greater universe having 7 heavens in 2 days while He calculated the provisions for all on the earth in 4 days, thus completing it assigning all matters to each heaven in 6 days.
- There is a warning in the Quran for the community to whom it has been revealed, i.e., the last guidance period of humanity referring to a disaster of the wicked people of Ad and Thamud that they would not be blind to the truth to fall into their situation.
- We cannot hide anything from God as our sensory organs will testify against us on that Day.
- We are surrounded by invisible and visible enemies that dictate us not to listen to the Quran to make us losers while it has been made us fair seeming that we are doing right to be in the Fire.
- Those who distorted divine revelations are not hidden from God and there is no falsehood in it.
- God has revealed an Arabic Quran detailing its verses as a guidance and healing for the believers.
- What is happening around us is happening according to God’s will or His given system.
- By nature the human beings are unappreciative will make them taste a severe retribution.
- The disbelievers being in far astray would fail to see the truth for their doubt in meeting with God.
In conclusion, surah fussilat has detailed enough for us to be on a straight path being careful of the companions who dictate us not to listen to the Quran to be in the Fire, a home of eternity for God’s enemies.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/11/2019).