how to memorise the

As usual, let’s begin with answering last week’s question. Why does Allaah refer to the East and the West in singular, dual and plural form in the following aayaat:

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلًا

(He Alone is) the Lord of the east and the west, Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). So take Him Alone as Wakîl (Disposer of your affairs). (Al-Muzzammil 73:9)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

(He is) the Lord of the two easts (places of sunrise during early summer and early winter) and the Lord of the two wests (places of sunset during early summer and early winter). (Ar-Rahmaan 55:17)

فَلَاأُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَارِقِ وَالْمَغَارِبِ إِنَّا لَقَادِرُونَ

So I swear by the Lord of all [the three hundred and sixty (360)] points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are Able (Al-Ma’arij 70:40)

To answer this question, each aayah must be considered on its own. The first aayah from Soorat al-Muzzammil, the singular form is used because the topic of discussion is Tawheed ( The Oneness of Allaah and Monotheism). Therefore using the singular form coincides with and affirms the topic. The second aayah is from Soorat ar-Rahmaan throughout which Allaah repeats the following verse:

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاء رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?

Allaah is speaking directly to two of His creation; the Jinn and Mankind. So He uses in this soorat, the dual form to coincide with the duality of those being addressed.

In the final aayah, from soorat Ma’aarij, the plural form is used. Again, this is in agreement with the topic being discussed. If we read a few verses back, Allaah speaks about the straying of the disbelieving groups, and as we know there are many misguided groups amongst them, so He chose the plural form in this context.

This week’s question

Today. We’ve chosen an easier question for you to think about. Many of you may have heard of the term ulul-‘azmi minar-rusul (The Messengers of Strong Will). This refers to the Messengers; Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, ‘Eesaa and Muhammad, may Allaah’s peace and blessings be on them all. There are two places in the Qur’aan where these five Messengers have been mentioned together by name:

شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ

He (Allâh) has ordained for you the same religion (Islâm) which He ordained for Nûh (Noah), and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad SAW), and that which We ordained for Ibrahîm (Abraham), Mûsa (Moses‎) and ‘Iesa (Jesus) saying you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. various sects in religion). Intolerable for the Mushrikûn , is that to which you (O Muhammad SAW) call them. Allâh chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides unto Himself who turns to Him in repentance and in obedience. (Ash-Shooraa 42:13)

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا

And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad SAW), and from Nûh (Noah), Ibrâhim (Abraham), Mûsa (Moses), and ‘Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). We took from them a strong covenant. (Al-Ahzaab 33:7)

The question is; Why is Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) mentioned first in the latter aayah and not in the former?

Over the last few weeks, we’ve introduced to you some of the miracles of Qur’aanic Arabic, particularly in soorat Yoosuf. Last week, we posed an easier question to you that focused on the miracles of the Qur’aan, focusing on its pronunciation. The question was regarding the following two aayaat:

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ

And if Allaah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature… (An-Nahl 16:61)

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ

And if Allaah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth… (Faatir 35:45)

Why is this wording more superior and eloquent than the following wording:

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا

The answer simply is that combining the highlighted pairs in the example given above would be more difficult to articulate on the tongue in the second aayah due to the repetition of the letter dhaa (ظ) in the words bidhulmihim (بِظُلْمِهِم) and dhahrihaa (ظَهْرِهَا).  This would go against the style of the Qur’aan and the Arabs during the time of its revelation. The great poets and linguists of that time measured eloquency not just by simplicity of wording and fewer words used, but also by fluency in articulation. So these two aayaat show the perfection in the Qur’aan and its superiority above all other Arabic poems and texts.

This week’s question

In the Qur’aan, Allaah has made reference to Himself as The Lord of the East and the West. He has also referred to Himself as The Lord of the Two Easts and the Two Wests. Furthermore, He has also referred to Himself as The Lord of the Easts and Wests. The aayaat in which these references are made are:

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلًا

(He Alone is) the Lord of the east and the west, Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). So take Him Alone as Wakîl (Disposer of your affairs). (Al-Muzzammil 73:9)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

(He is) the Lord of the two easts (places of sunrise during early summer and early winter) and the Lord of the two wests (places of sunset during early summer and early winter). (Ar-Rahmaan 55:17)

فَلَاأُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَارِقِ وَالْمَغَارِبِ إِنَّا لَقَادِرُونَ

So I swear by the Lord of all [the three hundred and sixty (360)] points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are Able (Al-Ma’arij 70:40)

The question is; why does Allaah use the singular, dual and plural form? Is it because there is more than one East and West or is there another reason behind this?

Clue: Read the verses that come before each of the three verses above and think why the form used is appropriate for that context.

Last week we briefly introduced you to some of the ways emphasis is applied in the Qur’aan. The question posed was regarding two verses from Soorat Yoosuf, both taken from the speech of the wife of al-‘Azeez. Let us begin answering this question by looking at the second aayah first:

وَاسُتَبَقَا الْبَابَ وَقَدَّتْ قَمِيصَهُ مِن دُبُرٍ وَأَلْفَيَا سَيِّدَهَا لَدَى الْبَابِ قَالَتْ مَا جَزَاء مَنْ أَرَادَ بِأَهْلِكَ سُوَءًا إِلاَّ أَن يُسْجَنَ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: “What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?” (Yoosuf 12:25)

This aayah is referring to the incident when the wife of al-‘Azeez tried to seduce Yoosuf by closing the door in the room where they were in and trying to tempt him towards her. As Yoosuf tried to run for the door and escape, her husband was standing on the other side. The wife of al-‘Azeez lied at this moment and blamed Yoosuf, saying that it was he, not her, who tried to force himself on her. What is the state of the wife of al-‘Azeez with regards to her feelings for Yoosuf here? Obviously she was at the height of her desire for him and so when she suggested he be imprisoned, she did not use any means of emphasis when making this suggestion because she was so in love with him and didn’t want him to be imprisoned at all. Rather, she was only saying this to appear innocent and not bring shame upon herself.

As for the first aayah:

قَالَتْ فَذَلِكُنَّ الَّذِي لُمْتُنَّنِي فِيهِ وَلَقَدْ رَاوَدتُّهُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَاسَتَعْصَمَ وَلَئِن لَّمْ يَفْعَلْ مَا آمُرُهُ لَيُسْجَنَنَّ وَلَيَكُونًا مِّنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ

She said: “This is he (the young man) about whom you did blame me (for his love), and I did seek to seduce him, but he refused. And now if he refuses to obey my order, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and will be one of those who are disgraced.” (Yoosuf 12:32)

This is at the dinner party where she invited the women who were gossiping about her after hearing what happened with her and Yoosuf in the room. She invited them to her home and called Yoosuf out into the room so they could see for themselves the beauty of Yoosuf that drove her to do such a drastic act. At this point, she still desires Yoosuf and wants to try to seduce him again but as a woman of beauty and power herself, her pride does not allow her to accept that Yoosuf would turn her down. Therefore, she says if he were to refuse her yet again, she will surely get him imprisoned and she uses two means of emphasising this to show her determination in this promise and this is due to her pride and anger at the thought of being rejected by Yoosuf again. Yet even if she does get him imprisoned, she will not cease to love him, and so she cannot think of him in a lowly manner and therefore she used the lesser form of emphasis when saying he will be of those disgraced.

Subhaanallaah! Allaahu akbar! This is from one of the greatest examples of the accuracy and precision of the Qur’aan. Even its letters on their own are a sign to its miracle.

This week’s question

Today’s question is somewhat easier than many of those we have posed before. Read the following two aayaat and focus on the highlighted parts:

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

And if Allaah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). (An-Nahl 16:61)

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا

And if Allaah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allaah is Ever All­Seer of His slaves. (Faatir 35:45)

Both these aayaat are very similar but we want you to focus just on the two parts highlighted in each aayah. We often mention how every word, indeed every letter, is carefully and precisely placed in the Qur’aan the way it is for a reason. If we try to swap the first highlighted parts in both aayaat, we would have the following:

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا

Read the above two out loud and think why Allaah did not combine the two highlighted parts in this manner.