As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 35, Fãtir or the Originator, verses 15-37. These verses assert that mankind is in need of God, not the other way around. The living and the dead are not alike; you cannot make those who are buried in the grave hear you. Finally those who recite the Qur’an, establish prayer and give charity may hope for God’s blessings and rewards whereas those who disbelieve shall have the painful punishment of everlasting hell-fire.
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Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah, and it is Allah Who is Free of all wants, Worthy of all praise.[15] If He wants, He can destroy you and replace you with a new creation;[16] and this is not at all difficult for Allah.[17] No bearer of a burden will bear another’s burden, and if a heavy laden person cries out for help, none will come forward to share the least of his burden, even though he be a close relative. O Prophet! You can only admonish those who fear their Lord – though they cannot see Him – and establish Salah. He that purifies himself does so for his own good. To Allah is the destination of all.[18] 35:[15-18]
The blind and the seeing are not alike;[19] nor the darkness and the Light;[20] nor the shade and the heat;[21] nor the living and the dead. Certainly Allah can make anyone hear if He so wills; but, O Prophet, you cannot make those who are in the graves hear you.[22] You are nothing but a Warner.[23] Certainly We have sent you (O Muhammad) with the Truth as a bearer of good news and as a Warner, for there has not been a nation which has not had a Warner.[24] If they disbelieve you, know that their predecessors also disbelieved their Messengers who came to them with clear signs, scriptures and the light-giving Book.[25] But in the end I seized the disbelievers, and behold, how terrible was My disapproval![26] 35:[19-26]
Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky with which We bring forth fruits of various colors? Similarly, in the mountains there are streaks of various shades including white, red, jet-black rocks.[27] Likewise men, beasts and cattle have their different colors. In fact, only those among His servants who possess knowledge fear Allah; surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Forgiving.[28] Surely those who recite the Book of Allah, establish Salah, spend out of what We have given them, secretly and openly, may hope for imperishable gain.[29] That He may pay them back their full reward and give them even more out of His grace; surely He is Forgiving and Appreciative of His devotees.[30] O Prophet, what We have revealed to you of the Book is the Truth, which confirms the previous scriptures. Surely, with respect to His servants, Allah is well Aware and fully Observant.[31] We have given the Book as an inheritance to those of Our servants (Muslims) whom We have chosen, among them there are some who wrong their own souls, some follow a middle course and some, by Allah’s leave, excel in good deeds; which is the supreme virtue.[32] They shall enter the gardens of Eden, where they shall be decked with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their dress therein will be of silk.[33] They will say: “Praise be to Allah Who has removed all sorrow from us; Our Lord is indeed Forgiving and appreciative of His devotees;[34] He has admitted us to this Eternal Home out of His bounty, wherein we neither experience any toil nor sense of any weariness.”[35] As for the disbelievers, there shall be the fire of hell, no term shall be determined for them so that they could die nor shall its punishment be ever lightened for them. Thus shall We reward every disbeliever.[36] Therein they shall cry for help: “Our Lord! Get us out, from now on we shall do good deeds and shall not repeat the ones we used to do”. The response will be: “Did we not give you lives long enough so that he who would, could take a warning? Besides, someone did come to warn you. Now taste the fruit of your deeds, here there is no helper for the wrongdoers.”[37] 35:[27-37]
Ameen.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.