Surah 31 of the Quran (1) Introduction

Introduction

In this Surah, the Quran addresses human nature with its own logic.

Allah who revealed the Quran is the One who created human nature.

Allah knows what suits human nature and brings the best out of it.

He also knows how to address it and what affects its inner thoughts and feelings.

 

The Quran explains to human nature the truth that is deeply ingrained in it,

The Quran explains to human nature the fact that is deeply-rooted in it,

The Quran explains to human nature the truth that is deeply embedded in it,

Such truth is built in inside every human nature which it knew long before it was addressed by the Quran, because it was initially created with it.

This is the truth of acknowledging the Creator, the One, the Supreme, and offering worship to Him alone.

 

Similarly, every creature in the entire universe glorifies and praises Him at all times.

The problem is that certain aspects of life on earth, some physical impulses, desires, whims and cravings may cloud human nature’s vision or force its deviation from the right path.

That is why; the Quran addresses our nature with the logic it knows, presenting to it the truth that it has overlooked.

In this way, the Quran structures human nature on the basis of its right code for living, leading it to earn the pleasure of Allah, the Supreme Creator who controls everything.

 

Surah 31 provides an example of how the Quran addresses the human hearts.

It tackles the question of faith among the idolaters who had deviated from the truth.

The faith is indeed the leading issue of Surah 31

The Quran tackles this important issue in a variety of ways and from different angles.

That the Quran uses such different means is an essential part of its method to keep our hearts on the alert.

 

The central issue of faith focuses in Surah 31 on the Creator’s oneness.

Surah 31 demonstrates how we:

1)    Should address worship to Him alone,

2)    Express gratitude for His blessings,

3)    Establish firm belief in the hereafter and what this involves of careful reckoning and just reward. The hereafter or the Afterlife is but one of two either hell or Paradise.

Therefore, Believers should also follow what Allah has revealed and abandon all notions that are at inconsistency with this.

Surah 31 presents this whole issue in a way that invites reflection on the astonishing approach of the Quran. It addresses our natures and our hearts.

All who advocate faith should study this Quranic approach carefully.

This is Allah (1) they asked 1400 years ago: who is Allah?

The unbelievers of Mecca asked the Prophet Muhammad: Who is Allah?

1)    Is Allah made of gold copper or silver?

2)    To which species does Allah belong?

3)    Does Allah Eat and Drink?

4)    What is the lineage of Allah?

 

The linguistic meanings of the Arabic word Al-Samad

The Quran says that Allah is Al-Samad. The Arabic word Al-Samad has many meanings.

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Today, many people do not know who Allah is. 

The same happened more that 1400 years ago when a group of unbelievers of Mecca asked: who is Allah? Is he made of gold, copper or silver?  Who inherited him? 

Allah revealed that He is the one; He has no son or partner.  He neither begot, nor was begotten. He does not have an opposite, an equal or any co-equal who would compete with Him about dominion and sovereignty.

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A group of unbelievers of Mecca went to the Prophet Muhammad and said to him:

‘Describe to us your Lord. Tell us: what is He made of? And to which species does He belong? Is He made of gold, copper or silver? Does He eat and drink? Who did He inherit this world from? And to whom will He bequeath it? And what is the lineage of your Lord?”

 

And so Allah, gloried and exalted is He, revealed this very short Surah (a chapter of the Quran); that is composed of four short verses.

The Surah (112) says:

Say: He is Allah, the One!

Allah is the eternally besought of all. He begetteth not nor was he begotten.

And there is none comparable unto Him,

He does not have anyone who resembles Him or is like Him

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Verse 112:1 says

Say to them, O Muhammad: He is Allah, the One, He has no son or partner.

 

Verse 112:2

Allah, is Al-Samad, in Arabic

Al-Samad is one of Allah names

The Arabic word Al-Samad has many meanings.

Al-Samad means the Self-Sufficient,

the eternally Besought of all!

It also means

the Master whose glory is at its peak and for Whom all created beings are in need;

He Who does not eat or drink;

He Who does not have an interior;

He is the Everlasting;

He is the Self-Sufficient,

the One Who is always sought at times of need,

The eternally Besought of all is Him,

 

Verse 112:3

He neither begot, for no likeness of Him can exist, nor was begotten, since createdness is precluded in His case.

And Al-Samad means:

He begetteth not nor was begotten

This means that He did not inherit His dominion; for anyone who is begotten will certainly die and whoever dies will be inherited. Allah does not die nor is He inherited.

 

Verse 112:4

And there is none comparable unto Him

He does not have an opposite, peer, or equal or anyone who may resemble or begin to resemble Him;

And it is also said this means: He does not have any co-equal who would compete with Him about dominion and sovereignty’.

Nor is there anyone equal to Him’, neither match nor comparison.

This is Allah, your Creator!

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Surah 112 in different English translations

 

Verse 112:1

 

QARIB:

1) Say: ‘he is Allah, the one,

2) The called upon.

3) Who has not given birth, and has not been born,

4) And there is none equal to him. ‘

 

SHAKIR:

1) Say: he, Allah, is one

2) Allah is he on whom all depend

3) He begets not, nor is he begotten

4) And none is like him

 

PICKTHAL:

1) Say: he is Allah, the one!

2) Allah, the eternally besought of all!

3) He begetteth not nor was begotten.

4) And there is none comparable unto him.

 

YUSUFALI:

1) Say: he is Allah, the one and only;

2) Allah, the eternal, absolute;

3) He begetteth not, nor is he begotten;

4) And there is none like unto him.