Overview - Surah 39: az-Zumar (The Groups)
The Surah talks about the true religion. It is to serve Allah sincerely and to avoid Shirk. Tawhid brings the blessings of Allah, while Shirk has terrible consequences. The Believers are told not to despair and lose heart. If it is difficult for them to practice their religion in one place, they can migrate from that land. The unbelievers are told that they can do whatever they wish, but they cannot turn the Believers away from the path of faith.
Sections:
- To Allah belongs the pure and sincere religion. The principle of Tawhid and its benefits. The evil of Shirk and its consequences.
- The reward of those who are steadfast in their faith.
- The perfect guidance of the Qur'an. It is straight without any crookedness.
- Allah is sufficient for the Prophet. The rejecters will be abased.
- The futility of Shirk and its evil consequences.
- Allah's mercy is available for all.
- You ignorant people, do you invite me to worship someone other than Allah? The Judgment of Allah.
- The reward of Believers and the punishment of the unbelievers.
The Surah takes its name from the mention of 'az-Zumar' in (39:71) and (39:73). These are the only mention of the words zumar in the whole Qur'an.
There are 88 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 75 |
| Total Words * | 1172 |
| Root Words * | 253 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 59th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | 9th year of Prophethood |
| Events during/before this Surah*
Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2, Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1, 2nd Migration to Abyssinia, Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia, Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda., Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam , Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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| Events during/after still to occur*
Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey,1st Pledge of Aqabah,2nd Pledge of Aqabah,,Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah,Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr,Battle of Uhud,,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
Adversity (not burdened with another’s burden) , Adversity (patience during) , God (knows that beyond comprehension) , Angels, Astronomy (celestial mechanics) (solar and lunar orbits), Botany, Cattle, Death, Disbelievers, Disbelievers (God’s promise to) , Earth, Earth (condition of at the time of resurrection) , Earth (creation and recreation of) , Earth (rotation of) , Hell, Humankind (creation of) , Hydrology, Judgement (Day) , Knowledge, Knowledge (obligation upon man to obtain and impart) , Prayer (prostration) , Prayer (standing) , Pregnancy, Prophet (people who are false prophets are wicked) , Qur’an, Qur’an (revealed in Arabic) , Religion, Resurrection (Day) , Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation, Sin, Weather (rain)
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Theme 1: Tawhid al-Khalis [Pure Monotheism]
- With Truth بِالْحَقِّ - In the beginning, it is mentioned that the Qur'an was revealed with Truth and the last Ayat it will be said that people will have been judged with Truth
- إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ الدِّينَ "Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muhammad], in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion." (39:2)
وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ "...And it will be judged between them in truth, and it will be said, "[All] praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds." (39:75)
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
- In the end of Surat Sad, Allah says: "It is but a reminder to the worlds." (37:87). In the beginning of Surat Az-Zumar He says: "The revelation of the Qur'an is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (39:1). It is as if it is being said: 'this reminder is a revelation', such is the connection that if the 'Basmallah' in Surat Az-Zumar was removed, the ending of Sad with seemlessly connect to the beginning of Az-Zumar. (Ref: Asraar Tarteeb al Qur'aan, Al Suyuti 16/1).
- Aishah [ra] reports قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ يَنَامُ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ حَتَّى يَقْرَأَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَالزُّمَرَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ . "The Prophet (ﷺ) would not sleep until he recited Surat Bani Isra'il and Az-Zumar." [Tirmidhee no. 2920]
- The people of Hell will be under layers ontop of layers of Hell (39:16), whilst the people of Paradise will be in lofty mansions built one storey ontop of another (39:20).
- Zumar - This word only occurs in this Surah. It appears twice - (39:71) and (39:73).
- Ya Ibad -'O My Servants....' (39:10) (39:53) - Expression of sympathy with the creation.
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = * | ||
In Ayat 10 (…and the earth of God is spacious…) there is abundant evidence that this Surah was sent down before the migration to Abyssinia. Some hadith provide the explanation that this verse was sent down in respect of Ja’far bin Abi Talib and his companions when they made up their mind to emigrate to Abyssinia.
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هَـٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ ۗ وَأَرْضُ اللَّـهِ وَاسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ "Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account." (39:10)
In Surah al-Ankabut (29) - there is a similar Ayat, يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ "O My servants who have believed, indeed My earth is spacious, so worship only Me." (29:56)
The entire Surah is a most eloquent and effective address which was given some time before the emigration to Abyssinia, in an environment filled with tyranny and persecution, ill-will and antagonism, at Makkah. It is a sermon whose addresses mainly are the unbelieving Quraysh, although here and there the believers also have been addressed. In it the real aim of the invitation of Muhammad is this: Man should adopt God’s servitude sincerely, and should not pollute his worship with the service of any other. Presenting this cardinal principle in different ways over and over again, the truth of Monotheism (Tawhid) and the excellent results of accepting it, and the falsehood of polytheism (shirk) and the evil consequences of following it, have been explained in a most forceful way, and the people exhorted to give up their wrong way of life and return to the mercy of their Lord. In this very connection, the believers have been instructed, as if to say: “If a place has become narrow for the worship and service of God, His earth is vast: you may emigrate to some other place in order to save your faith: God will reward you for your patience.” On the other hand, the Prophet has been encouraged, so as to say: “Tell the disbelievers plainly that they may do whatever they like, but their persecutions and tyrannies will never deter you from the way of Islam; that they may go on doing their utmost to obstruct your way, but you will continue to perform your mission in spite of the adverse conditions and circumstances.”
- The mushrikin try to justify their worship of saints saying: "It brings us closer to Allah."
- On the Day of Judgement no one shall bear the burden of others.
- Believers who cannot practice their faith should migrate to other place where they can.
- The real losers are those who lose their souls and families on the Day of Judgement.
- No one can rescue the one against whom the sentence of punishment has been decreed.
- Al-Qur'an is consistent yet it repeats the teachings in different ways.
- Allah has cited every kind of example in Al-Qur'an so that people may learn a lesson.
- Who can be more wicked than the one who invents a lie against Allah.
- Those who have transgressed against their souls should not despair of Allah's mercy, they should repent while they can.
- On the Day of Judgement everyone's Book of Deeds shall be laid open and justice shall be done with all fairness.
Tafsir Zone
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Overview (Verses 22 - 23) Two Types of Heart How about one whose heart God has opened to Islam, and thus receives light from his Lord? Woe, then, betide those whose hearts harden at the mention of God. These are most obviously in error. God has bestowed from on high the best of all teachings: a book that is consistent within itself repeating its statements [of the truth] in manifold forms. It causes the skins of those who stand in awe of their Lord to shiver, but then their skins and hearts soften at the mention of God. Such is God’s guidance: He guides with it him that wills, whereas the one whom God lets go astray can never find any guide. (Verses 22-23) Just like He sends water from the skies to cause vegetation of various colours and forms to grow, God bestows from on high a reminder which is received by hearts that are alive, and that open up and react to such life. By contrast, hardened hearts receive it like a rock that cannot embrace life. God opens to Islam those hearts that He knows to be good. These hearts receive the light of Islam and they shine and radiate. The gulf between these hearts and the ones that are hardened is wide indeed: “Woe, then, betide those whose hearts harden at the mention of God. These are most obviously in error.” (Verse 22) This verse depicts the nature of the hearts that receive Islam and warm to it, becoming full of life-. It describes how they blossom, becoming fresh and radiant. It also describes the other type of hearts which are hard, dark and lifeless. Needless to say, the hearts that open up to Islam, receive and reflect its light are totally different from those which are hardened at the mention of God’s name. The gap between the two is enormous. The next verse describes how the believers receive the Qur’ān, a book that is fully coherent in nature, direction, message and characteristics. Thus, it is ‘consistent within itself’ and it ‘repeats its statements of the truth in manifold forms,’ giving consistent directives and varying the ways it presents its images and stories without causing any contradiction. They are repeated at different places for a purpose that can be best served through such repetition. Such repetition does not detract from the harmony and consistency of the basic truth stated throughout the Qur’ān. Those who stand in awe of God maintain an attitude that mixes fear of God with hope of His mercy. They are the ones who are very strongly influenced when they receive God’s word to the extent that their skins shiver. They later soften and their hearts find reassurance as they listen to God’s words. This is a very vivid image giving in words a description that is full of movement and action. “Such is God’s guidance: He guides with it him that wills.” (Verse 23) Hearts do not shiver in this way unless God’s guidance prompts them to respond. God knows the true feelings of these hearts and rewards them with either His guidance or by letting them go astray: “whereas the one whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.” (Verse 23) He allows such people to go astray because He knows that they have gone so far into error that they will never respond to guidance. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 22 - 23) Two Types of Heart How about one whose heart God has opened to Islam, and thus receives light from his Lord? Woe, then, betide those whose hearts harden at the mention of God. These are most obviously in error. God has bestowed from on high the best of all teachings: a book that is consistent within itself repeating its statements [of the truth] in manifold forms. It causes the skins of those who stand in awe of their Lord to shiver, but then their skins and hearts soften at the mention of God. Such is God’s guidance: He guides with it him that wills, whereas the one whom God lets go astray can never find any guide. (Verses 22-23) Just like He sends water from the skies to cause vegetation of various colours and forms to grow, God bestows from on high a reminder which is received by hearts that are alive, and that open up and react to such life. By contrast, hardened hearts receive it like a rock that cannot embrace life. God opens to Islam those hearts that He knows to be good. These hearts receive the light of Islam and they shine and radiate. The gulf between these hearts and the ones that are hardened is wide indeed: “Woe, then, betide those whose hearts harden at the mention of God. These are most obviously in error.” (Verse 22) This verse depicts the nature of the hearts that receive Islam and warm to it, becoming full of life-. It describes how they blossom, becoming fresh and radiant. It also describes the other type of hearts which are hard, dark and lifeless. Needless to say, the hearts that open up to Islam, receive and reflect its light are totally different from those which are hardened at the mention of God’s name. The gap between the two is enormous. The next verse describes how the believers receive the Qur’ān, a book that is fully coherent in nature, direction, message and characteristics. Thus, it is ‘consistent within itself’ and it ‘repeats its statements of the truth in manifold forms,’ giving consistent directives and varying the ways it presents its images and stories without causing any contradiction. They are repeated at different places for a purpose that can be best served through such repetition. Such repetition does not detract from the harmony and consistency of the basic truth stated throughout the Qur’ān. Those who stand in awe of God maintain an attitude that mixes fear of God with hope of His mercy. They are the ones who are very strongly influenced when they receive God’s word to the extent that their skins shiver. They later soften and their hearts find reassurance as they listen to God’s words. This is a very vivid image giving in words a description that is full of movement and action. “Such is God’s guidance: He guides with it him that wills.” (Verse 23) Hearts do not shiver in this way unless God’s guidance prompts them to respond. God knows the true feelings of these hearts and rewards them with either His guidance or by letting them go astray: “whereas the one whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.” (Verse 23) He allows such people to go astray because He knows that they have gone so far into error that they will never respond to guidance. |
Scientific References
يُكَوِّرُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى النَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّهَارَ عَلَى اللَّيْلِ "...He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night..." (39:5)
The Arabic word for “wrap” is “yukowir” The word is used to depict the act of wrapping a turban around someone’s head. This word was also used in the sense of overlapping of the night and day and vice versa. The reason for the day’s turning into night and the night’s turning into day is due to the spheroid form of the earth.
God also says, وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا “And after that He spread the earth.” (79:30) The Arabic word “dahw” means to ‘spread’ or ‘spread out giving something a round shape’, i.e. like that of the ostrich’s egg. Many ancient cultures, including the Greek, Indian and Chinese, held the belief that the Earth is flat. The Europeans did not alter their view until the Middle ages.
- Surah 39. Az-Zumar - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eht1S7reonw&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=39
- Surah 39. Az-Zumar Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAtztYUwsKE&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=39
- Surah 39. Az-Zumar Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngdVbLTm2eo&index=39&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe
- Idris Akbar Surah Az-Zumar http://Idris Akbar Surah Zumar
- Surah 39. Az-Zumar muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9_MEe1isxo&index=39&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG
- Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Al-Zumur to Surah Al-M'umin (1-46)1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnWQdD1aXFw&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=87
- Surah Al-Zumur to Surah Al-M'umin (1-46)2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LPfBkMisWQ&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=88
