سورة النور   

Surah Name: An-Noor Meaning: The Light

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • Its basic theme is the guarding of one's shame. The violation of chastity and modesty has been declared as heinous and a punishable crime.

    • Islam authorizes a Qadhi (judge) to adjudge after carefully evaluating eye witness accounts. The circumstantial evidence, the plea of guilty or not guilty by the accused must be duly taken into account. Punishment aims at reforming the society, as well as the criminal, and when awarded by a Qadhi is termed as T'azir. However, there are four aspects in which a Qadhi cannot alter the punishment prescribed by Shari'ah. He can only evaluate the available evidence and decide whether the crime was committed or not. Allah-SWT Himself has prescribed the punishment, termed as Hudud. These crimes are; (1) theft (2) accusing chaste women (3) drinking alcohol and (4) adultery.

    All these crimes are so heinous that wherever committed, the society is divested of peace and tranquillity. It fails to flourish even in the worldly sense, and is ruined from the religious point of view as it loses the very belief in Allah-SWT ’s Greatness. The use of inebriating drinks and adultery in the Western society present great lessons of admonition, including complete deterioration of the sanctity of relationships. There remains no importance of lineage, nor any concept of modesty and honour. The children of Adam are living a life below the moral standards of animals while the very fibre of relationships, both worldly and religious, has frayed. A society stripped of modesty, chastity and sanctity of relationships can, by no stretch of imagination, be termed as a human society. It is only an outward facade of superiority which the West puts up for the world; otherwise they are hollow and feeble inside. Despite employing all its military power, America returned from Vietnam in humiliation. Russia invaded and occupied Afghanistan but was destroyed in her war with the Mujahidin. Forty countries jointly attacked Iraq but could not cause it harm equal to what America, Britain and France incurred in turn. They only use threats and deceit to control the world. If only the Muslim of today would waken and take to Jihad, with Allah-SWT's Grace, these nations would soon realise their worth. They are societies plagued by alcohol and adultery, and are a loathsome burden on the earth. So Islam has enjoined preventive measures to fight these evil forces.

  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 9
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 64
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 24
  • Rukū / Section 6 contains Āyāt / Parts 10
  • Siparah/ Volume 18

bismillah

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ

Alam tara anna Allaha yusabbihu lahu man fee a(l)ssamawati wa(a)lardi wa(al)ttayru saffatin kullun qad AAalima salatahu watasbeehahu wa(A)llahu AAaleemun bima yafAAaloon(a)

Do you not see that Allah-SWT ; hallow Him-SWT whoever is in the heavens and the earth and the birds with wings out-spread? Surely everyone knows his prayer and his hallowing, and Allah-SWT is the Knower of what they do.

(24:41)

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

Walillahi mulku a(l)ssamawati wa(a)lardi waila Allahi almaseer(u)

Allah-SWT's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and to Allah-SWT is the return.

(24:42)

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُزْجِي سَحَابًا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ رُكَامًا فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَالِهِ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء مِن جِبَالٍ فِيهَا مِن بَرَدٍ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَصْرِفُهُ عَن مَّن يَشَاء يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرْقِهِ يَذْهَبُ بِالْأَبْصَارِ

Alam tara anna Allaha yuzjee sahaban thumma yuallifu baynahu thumma yajAAaluhu rukaman fatara alwadqa yakhruju min khilalihi wayunazzilu mina a(l)ssamai min jibalin feeha min baradin fayuseebu bihi man yashao wayasrifuhu AAan man yashao yakadu sana barqihi yathhabu bi(a)labsar(i)

Do you not see that Allah-SWT drives a cloud along, then compresses it, and then makes it a mass, and you then see fine water come forth from between them. And He-SWT sends down from the sky mountains in which is hail, then smites with it whom He-SWT will and spares whom He-SWT Will. The flash of His-SWT lightning almost takes away the sights.

(24:43)

يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُوْلِي الْأَبْصَارِ

Yuqallibu Allahu allayla wa(al)nnahara inna fee thalika laAAibratan liolee alabsar(i)

Allah-SWT turns away the night and the day over and over, verily in this is a lesson for men of insight

(24:44)

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِن مَّاء فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاء إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Wa(A)llahu khalaqa kulla dabbatin min main faminhum man yamshee AAala batnihi waminhum man yamshee AAala rijlayni waminhum man yamshee AAala arbaAAin yakhluqu Allahu ma yashao inna Allaha AAala kulli shayin qadeer(un)

Every moving thing Allah-SWT has created of water, of them is one that walks upon its belly, and of them is one that walks upon its two feet, and of them is one that walks upon its four. Allah-SWT creates whatever He-SWT wishes; Allah-SWT is Potent over everything.

(24:45)

لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ مُّبَيِّنَاتٍ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

Laqad anzalna ayatin mubayyinatin wa(A)llahu yahdee man yashao ila siratin mustaqeem(in)

Assuredly We-SWT have sent down revelations illuminating: And Allah-SWT guides whom He-SWT wishes to a straight path.

(24:46)

وَيَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالرَّسُولِ وَأَطَعْنَا ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّى فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَمَا أُوْلَئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Wayaqooloona amanna bi(A)llahi wabi(al)rrasooli waataAAna thumma yatawalla fareequn minhum min baAAdi thalika wama olaika bi(a)lmumineen(a)

And they say: We have believed in Allah-SWT and the Messenger, and we obeyed, then a party of them backslides thereafter, and believers they are not.

(24:47)

وَإِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Waitha duAAoo ila Allahi warasoolihi liyahkuma baynahum itha fareequn minhum muAAridoon(a)

And when they are called to Allah-SWT and His-SWT Messenger that he may adjudge between them, lo! a party of them turns aside

(24:48)

وَإِن يَكُن لَّهُمُ الْحَقُّ يَأْتُوا إِلَيْهِ مُذْعِنِينَ

Wain yakun lahumu alhaqqu yatoo ilayhi muthAAineen(a)

And if they had a just cause, they would have come to him readily.

(24:49)

أَفِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَمِ ارْتَابُوا أَمْ يَخَافُونَ أَن يَحِيفَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَرَسُولُهُ بَلْ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Afee quloobihim maradun ami irtaboo am yakhafoona an yaheefa Allahu AAalayhim warasooluhu bal olaika humu a(l)ththalimoon(a)

Is in their hearts a disease? Or do they doubt? Or do they fear that Allah-SWT shall misjudge them, as also His-SWT Messenger? Aye! These are the very wrong-doers.

(24:50)
In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Everything Practises Allah-SWT's Zikr

How clear and manifest are the Signs of Allah-SWT's Greatness and Omnipotence! O' reader! Don't you see how everything and every being of the earth and the heavens praise and glorify Him-SWT . The flocks of birds extol Him-SWT in flight. According to the Commentators everything practises two types of Zikr. Whatever Allah-SWT has created in the universe and assigned it a task, does not waver in its duty to the slightest. Rather everything is serving the purpose assigned by Him-SWT to the utmost by virtue of its creation, without ever slackening in the performance of its duty. Apart from this practical remembrance, everything also practises Allah-SWT’s Zikr verbally, in its own way. Allah-SWT reveals here that everything is acquainted with its mode of worship and Zikr.

 

It is proven by Quran and the Sunnah that everything has a certain level of understanding as well as a mode of communicating. And Allah-SWT is well Aware of the works of each and every creation. Indeed the sovereignty over the earth and the heavens befits Him-SWT Alone, for everything will eventually return to Him-SWT . Just look at His-SWT Absolute Omnipotence, how He-SWT brings forth the clouds and gathers them where He-SWT wants, in layers and in volume, and there comes the downpour. Although human knowledge discusses the causes of this process yet the question is, Who-SWT creates these causes? Whose-SWT Omnipotence is manifested by the heat and light of the sun, and the scudding of the winds? We very often observe that the weather is clear and sunny when suddenly the clouds appear and it rains heavily. While at times we also see that the weather remains cloudy for many days but not a drop descends down. Whose Absolute Powers are manifested in all this? He-SWT makes mountain like clouds to pour hailstorms and destroys or saves the filth of whoever He-SWT may choose. From this cluster of clouds thunder roars and lightning flashes as if it would blind the sight of every onlooker. And He-SWT alternates the nights and the days and maintains the entire system of life on a set pattern. Herein is ample evidence for those who enjoy insight.

 

These are all wonders of His-SWT Absolute Omnipotence, and it is He-SWT Who has created each and every living being from various forms of matter. He-SWT gathers the particles of clay, moulds them into matter and procreates the bodies from a watery fluid. Of these are reptiles that crawl on their bellies, or animals that walk on two feet or on four, and some even on more. It is Allah-SWT Who makes it easy for whoever He-SWT pleases to tread the straight path. Man has, however, been given the option to choose and if someone seeks the path of piety and guidance. He-SWT facilitates it for him. The same is true for other matters of natural life; it was for the guidance of mankind that Allah-SWT revealed clear Signs and deputed Prophets-AS with Scriptures. Yet if a person is devoid of any desire to seek guidance, how can he attain anything.

 

Hearts Devoid Of Desire To Seek

Some people with hearts devoid of seeking, sometimes as a compromise or for some worldly gain or in copying others declare that they are Muslims who believe in Allah-SWT and His-SWT Prophet-SW and also pledge to obey him. Yet when a situation demands obedience, in spite of all their claims and pledges, a group amongst them turns away. The poor do not find the courage to refuse, even if they want to, but the influential and the affluent step aside, like the so called wise pseudo intellectuals of today, who claim to be Muslims but find Islam outdated and impracticable.

 

Allah-SWT declares that such people are not believers at all. If they pick up a dispute with someone and are invited to come to settlement in accordance with Shari’ah, they do not opt for it. In case they have a rightful claim, however, they rush towards seeking Allah-SWT and His-SWT Prophet-SW verdict. In other words, their loyalty to Islam is contingent upon mundane gains. So 0' reader! Have a look at the state of their ailing hearts and the intensity of their disease! Sometimes they even become sceptical over the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet-SW, while at others they harbour suspicions that Shari'ah may deal with them unjustly. Indeed it is they who are transgressors and evil doers.

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