Reflections On An Early Quranic Sura Al-Lail (92) – Very Relevant This Day - A Must Read For All
By Muhammad Yuns, New
Age Islam
28 January
2021
(co-author
(Jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed), Essential Message of Islam, Amana
Publications, USA, 2009.)
Summary:
The Surah
encapsulates many of the fundamental tenets of the Qur’an - Goodness, sharing
of what one owns, moral uprightness (Taqwa)
and selflessness (Zakah).
These
tenets are universal and designed to bring peace and happiness at personal,
family, community, national and global levels.
The Sura
does not list them in any structured or tabulated manner as such a listing
could hardly stir the emotions or penetrate the intellect of its audience.
As mark of
its uniqueness, and its indelible signature, the Qur’an places them in a
mystical frame, beginning with a terse universal proclamation or divine oath:
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ ﴿١﴾ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا
تَجَلَّىٰ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ ﴿٣﴾ إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ
لَشَتَّىٰ ﴿٤﴾
“By the Night as it
falls (92:1)!
By the Day as it
shines in glory
By the One who created
the male and the female
Your striving is
towards different ends! (92:4)
These short
verses are meditative. Understandably they are meant to stimulate the thoughts
of the reader and draw his attention to the greatness and almightiness of God.
One who shares (what he has) and is morally upright (given to taqwa*) (92:5)
And affirms goodness
(husna)
God will ease him to
what is easy .
But one who is miserly
and feels secure (by keeping to himself what he owns)
And denies goodness
God will ease him unto
hardship
And his wealth will
not save him from ruin (92:11).
The Divine voice then
goes on to warn
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْـهُدَىٰ ﴿١٢﴾ وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ ﴿١٣﴾ فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ ﴿١٤﴾ لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى ﴿١٥﴾ الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﴿١٦﴾ وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى ﴿١٧﴾ الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ ﴿١٨﴾ وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ ﴿١٩﴾ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿٢٠﴾ وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ ﴿٢١﴾
It is for Us to give
guidance (92:12)
And to Us belongs the
End and the Beginning.
And so I warn you of a
Blazing Fire
None will roast in it
except the wicked,
who denies and turns
away.
We will spare from
this (fire) the morally upright (one who is given to taqwa)
who shares what he
owns to attain spiritual purity (selflessness)
And not with anyone to
whom a favour is due,
Except to seek the
Grace of God the Exalted
And soon he will have
peace of mind (92:21)**.
This flat
translation - like any other translation can hardly capture the beauty and
grandeur of the original Arabic. However, all effort is made to extract the
essence of its guidance that stands out without much ambiguity. Therefore the
present day reader can also benefit from this reflection and put it in practice
in his day to day life- without having to read a great deal of supporting
materials which are plentiful in text books, the Internet, libraries and
archives.
------
Muhammad Yuns, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Indian Institute of
Technology, and a retired corporate executive has been engaged in an in-depth
study of the Qur’an since early 90’s, focusing on its core message. He has
co-authored the referred exegetic work, which received the approval of al-Aznar
al-Sharif, Cairo in 2002, and following restructuring and refinement was
endorsed and authenticated by Dr. Khalid about El Fad of UCLA, and published by
Amana Publications, Maryland, USA, 2009.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/reflections-early-quranic-sura-al/d/124169
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