As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 57, Al-Hadeed or the Iron, verses 1-19. This selection begins with a devotional to God, the almighty and wise. It praises those spend of their wealth in charity. It speaks of the Day of Judgment when believers and hypocrites will get their just rewards, respectively, and closes with more praise for those who spent out of their substance in charity.
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Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful.All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies God, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.[1] To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; it is He Who gives life and causes death; and He has power over all things.[2] He is the First (nothing is before Him) and the Last (nothing is after Him), the Most High (above Whom there is nothing) and the Intimate (nothing is nearer than Him), and He has the knowledge of all things.[3] It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six Yaums (days, time periods or stages), then established Himself on the throne in a manner that suits His majesty. He knows all that enters the earth and all that emerges from it, all that comes down from Heaven and all that ascends to it; and He is with you (observing and witnessing) wherever you are. God is watching all your actions.[4] To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all affairs go back to God for decision.[5] He causes the night to pass into the day and the day to pass into the night, and He has knowledge of the inmost secrets of your hearts.[6] 57:[1-6]
Believe in God and His Messenger and spend in charity out of what He has entrusted you with, for those of you who believe and spend in charity shall be richly rewarded.[7] What is the matter with you that you do not believe in Allah, whereas the Messenger is inviting you to believe in your Lord, Who has indeed taken your covenant, if you are true men of faith?[8] It is He Who sends clear revelations to His servant, so that He may lead you from the depths of darkness into the light. Surely, God is Most Kind and Most Merciful to you.[9] What is the matter with you that you do not spend in the Way of God, whereas to God belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent and fought in the cause of Allah before the conquest of Makkah, shall receive higher ranks of honor than the others who spent and fought thereafter. But to all, God has promised a good reward, and God is aware of all your actions.[10] 57:[7-10]
Who is the one that will give to God a goodly loan, so that He may increase it manifold to his credit and give him a liberal reward besides it.[11] On the Day of Judgment you shall see the believing men and the believing women, with their light shining before them and on their right hands, it will be said to them: “Rejoice today, you shall enter the gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which you shall live forever, and that is the highest achievement.”[12] On that Day the hypocrites – both men and women – will say to the true believers: “Wait for us, that we may borrow some of your light.” But they will be told: “Go away! Seek your light elsewhere.” So a wall with a gate shall be set up between them. Inside, there shall be mercy, and outside all along there shall be punishment of hell.[13] They will call to the believers, saying: “Were we not on your side?” “Yes,” they will reply, “but you led yourselves into temptation, you looked forward for our destruction, you doubted in faith, and you were deceived by your vain desires until God’s command came, while the arch-deceiver (shaitân or satan) deceived you concerning God till the last moment.”[14] They will be told, “Today no ransom shall be accepted from you, or from the unbelievers. Your abode is the fire: which you have justly earned, and it is an evil refuge.”[15] 57:[11-15]
Has not the time arrived for the believers to submit with submissive hearts to the remembrance of God and to the truth He has revealed, so that they may not become like those who were given the Book before this, even though their term was prolonged for them but their hearts became hardened? And most among them were transgressors.[16] You should know that God restores the earth to life after its death, similarly you shall be brought back to life after your death. We have spelled out Our revelations for you, so that you may understand.[17] Surely, the charitable men and the charitable women, and those who give a goodly loan to God, shall be repaid manifold, and also be given a liberal reward besides it.[18] Those who believe in God and His Messengers, they are the truthful and the true witnesses in the sight of their Lord; they shall have their reward and their light. But those who disbelieve and reject Our revelations; they shall be the inmates of hellfire.[19] 57:[16-19]
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.