With Surah Qaf begins the sixth group of the Qur'an. The central themeof this group is the Hereafter.

Surah Qaf

In this particular surah,various arguments are cited to prove that the Day of Judgement is certainto come. The surah can be distinctly divided into the following seven sections: Verses (1-5) The grandeur and magnificence of theQur'an bear witness that itis the word of Allah. Those who are regarding it as the work of a poetor a soothsayer are merely doing so as an excuse to deny the Day of Judgement.They are actually confounded by the fact that someone from amongst themselvesis warning them that after they die and become dust they will be returnedto life again. This according to them is very unlikely. Actually prideand vanity have led them to reject the Qur'an and owing to this reason they are calling it a work of poetry and soothsaying.Their denial is baseless and since they have denied the truth, they arein an acute state of mental confusion and obvious contradiction. They shouldbe aware that even what the earth consumes of their bodies is in the knowledgeof Allah and with Him is a register which records all what they say anddo. Verses (6-11) A reference is made to the signs ofthe heavens and the earth which bear evidence to the Day of Judgement andto the reward and punishment that will be given to men on that Day as wellas to the belief of Tawhid (monotheism).These signs testify to the power and wisdom of the Almighty and to thevarious means of sustenance He has created for mankind. These signs aremeant to remind and caution man. Verses (12-14) The Quraysh are warned thatthey should not deny the truth because of pride and prejudice. Many nationsbefore them who were guilty of this crime were totally destroyed, and ifthey continue with this attitude, their fate will be no different. Verses (15-18) The Almighty's attributes of Knowledgeand Creativity which prove the certainty of the Day of Judgement are alludedto and a reference is also made to the arrangement He has made for thesecurity and protection of the records of all the deeds and utterancesof mankind. Verses (19-35) A vivid description of the Day ofJudgement is drawn: The details of the dreadful fate the disbelievers willencounter and the good fate the believers will meet are highlighted. Verses (36-37) The Quraysh are warned thatthey must not be overcome by the pride of the power they possess and mustnot vainly reckon that their glory and grandeur are eternal: Many othernations, who had much more power and splendour were destroyed at the veryheight of their dominance and authority; they could not even find any roomin the vastness of the earth to hide from the ruthless law of retribution.Indeed, in the account of these nations is a lesson for people who aresensitive and who earnestly give ear. Verses (38-45) The Prophet (sws) is urged to persevereand to persist in the cause of truth, and seek perseverance from Allahwith the help of prayers. He is told to defer the matter of the disbelieversto the Day of Judgement, which is certain to come; when the Almighty Himselfwill take account of their deeds. Furthermore, he is assured that his onlyresponsibility is to warn them of this Day; to make them accept faith isnot his responsibility. He should only admonish those who fear Allah throughthis Qur'an, and to leave the matter of those who make of fun it to theAlmighty.

Surah Zariyat

This surah is the dual counterpart of the previous surah:Qaf. It can be distinctly dividedinto the following six sections: Verses (1-14) By referring to the diverse manifestationsof the winds and the clouds, people who make fun of the Day of Reward andPunishment by mockingly questioning about its time of arrival are severelyreprimanded for their behaviour. They are warned that the doom that willdescend upon them if they deny the Prophet (sws) as well as the Day ofReckoning about which they are being warned; both are certain to come.Only those who have lost their senses are daring to doubt their certainty.Those who are seeking to hasten them will be told that those were preciselywhat they had sought to hasten. Verses (15-19) In contrast with the disbelievers,a mention is made of the reward the righteous will receive who had spenttheir lives while remaining fearful of the Day, who slept but little atnight and in the early hours of dawn sought their Lord's forgiveness andin whose wealth the deprived had a share. Verses (20-23) The signs in the heavens and the earth,as well as in the human soul, which testify to the Day of Judgement arealluded to. It is then claimed that creating mankind a second time is aseasy for the Almighty as is for a person to utter a word. Verses (24-37) Evidence from history which furthersubstantiates the imminence of the Day of Judgement is presented by referringto the tales of Abraham (sws) and Lot (sws). The same angels who had broughtglad tidings to Abraham (sws) about being blessed with a son had unleasheda storming wind and showered stones on the people who had denied the ProphetLot (sws), and had saved those who had professed faith in him. These eventsbear witness historically that the Creator of this Universe takes accountof what nations do: the people of Lot (sws) were punished in retributionof their own misdeeds. There is a lesson for those who are fearful of theAlmighty in this episode -- for the remains of their cities have been preservedby Him. Verses (38-46) A brief mention is made of the talesof the Pharaoh and the people of `Aad and Thamud, and folks ofNoah who were caught in the ruthless law of retribution of nationswhen they rejected the message of their respective prophets. They weretotally destroyed by the Almighty who just ordered the winds and the cloudsto unleash their terror on them. Verses (47-60) In this concluding section, the wholetheme of the surah is summedup: It is not difficult for the Almighty, who is the Creator of the heavensand the earth and who has created everything in pairs, to create this worlda second time: If the Day of Reckoning is certain to come, then peopleshould turn to the Almighty and seek His nearness. The Prophet (sws) isassured that all the other prophets before him received no different atreatment at the hands of their people. He is advised to leave these rebelliouspeople to themselves and to remind only those who are paying heed to theMessage of Allah. He is further consoled by the Almighty that men and jinnfolk have been created by Him, only to worship Him. He has not imposedany responsibility on them to feed others nor does He Himself seek sustenancefrom them. Indeed, He Himself is the Provider of all, Lord of Might andPower. He will sustain and provide all those who, irrespective of the circumstances,set out to befittingly worship Him. He will help them in their endeavoursas well and no one will be able to harm them. As far as the wrongdoersare concerned, they will get in this world what has been ordained for them.In spite of all their outcries to the Almighty to hasten the Day of Judgement,they will be given the respite needed so that the truth is unveiled tothem in its ultimate form after which they can have no excuse to deny.Finally, when this period is over, as deemed by the Almighty, they willencounter the Day about which they are being warned.

Surah Tur

The surah can be divided into the followingthree sections: Verses (1-16) This section forms the introductorypart of the surah. The headstrongand obstinate people of Quraysh are severely warned through certainhistorical and universal facts as evidence that the punishment about whichthey have been informed is certain to come. They should not hasten it andif they will not change their attitude, it will definitely alight and noone will be able to avert it. The next few verses draw a vivid pictureof the Day of Judgement, with a brief description of the dreadful fateof those who had denied it. Verses (17-28) A portrayal of the favours of thelife of bliss the believers will be blessed with in contrast with thatof the unbelievers is made. A special favour which is highlightedhere is that the Almighty will unite those who brought up their childrenaccording to the teachings of Islam with their children even if these childrenare not entitled to this high level as regards their own deeds. For thisunion, those who deserve a high rank and level will not be demoted; insteadpeople deserving a lower rank will be promoted to higher ones. Basically,the fate of a person will be decided according to his deeds; therefore,neither a reduction will take place in a person's deeds nor a faithlessperson will be able to enter Paradise; indeed, the Almighty's blessingswill be for the believers. Verses (29-49) In the concluding part of the surah,the Prophet (sws) is comforted that he should not pay any heed to the excusethe disbelievers are `inventing' to deny his Prophethood. Ignoring theirattitude, he should keep on discharging his duty of reminding people ofthe truth so that those who are mindful are able to adopt the right pathand those who insist on remaining on the wrong path have no excuse butdefiance to remain so. In the twelfth verse, the attitudeof the adversaries of indulging in pleasantries and toying with the truthwas referred to. Here they are dealt with in detail and silenced on thisbehaviour. Rebellious people are warned thatvery soon the time will come when all their schemes will be shattered,and before the torment of the Final Day they will encounter another tormentin this world also. The Prophet (sws) is comforted thathe should patiently await his Lord's decision, and should be aware thathe is under His direct protection. He should augment this patience throughprayers, especially the night and early morning ones.

Surah Najm

SurahNajm is the dual counterpart of SurahTur,the previous surah. It can be divided into the following five sections: Verses (1-18) In this introductory part, it is elaboratedthat the Qur'an is not the work of a soothsayer or a fortune-teller,as its disbelievers are alleging; the Almighty Himself has revealed iton the Prophet (sws) through his most trusted and dependable angel. Allits verses are based on truth and what is stated in them is inevitable;there is not the slightest element of falsehood in them. No one shouldhave the misconception that the observations and experiences the Prophet(sws) is presenting about revelation and Gabriel are mere illusions orhallucinations. These observations are absolutely true and it is in thewell-being of its opponents to profess faith in the Prophet (sws) insteadof showing malice and hostility. Verses (19-28) The idolaters of Makkah arewarned that their idols are nothing but a creation of their fancy and haveno reality. They are but names which they have invented; neither has theAlmighty ever sanctioned their existence nor can sense and reason, instinctand intellect accept them. These are merely vain conjectures that theyare following, even though there has come to them a manifest guidance fromtheir Lord; they must bear in mind that conjectures and suppositions cannottake the place of truth, and false wishes and desires have no basis. Theywill not encounter what they desire and will only encounter the facts aboutwhich they are being warned. Hence, they must prepare themselves to facethem. They must remember that all the matters of this world and the Hereafterare under the control of the Almighty and no one can interfere in them.There are many angels in the heavens but none whosoever can benefit fromtheir intercession. The Almighty alone will give permission to intercedeto whom He wants and for whom He chooses. Therefore, the myth of regardingthe angels as the daughters of Allah and seeking refuge from the law ofretribution and accountability in the Hereafter by baselessly supposingthat they will intercede for them is mere fanciful thinking on their partand will certainly not be of any benefit to them. Verses (29-32) The Prophet (sws) is solaced thathe should turn away from those who are showing indifference to the Messageof Allah and that he should leave them to themselves. This is the farthestlimit of their knowledge and they have no awareness of the Hereafter. Hebest knows those who have strayed from His path and those who are rightlyguided and He will give each person his due. Whatever is in the heavensand the earth is under the sole jurisdiction of Allah and no one whosoevercan save the evildoers from His punishment nor deprive the righteous oftheir reward. Only those will be rewarded who abstained from heinous sinsand open indecencies save those occasional but minor sins to which theywere induced, but they never became brave on them -- because indeed theAlmighty is vast in mercy; He will forgive them. As far as those proudand rebellious people are concerned who on the basis of their race andcreed and on the false pretext of intercession reckon that they will begranted a high place in the Hereafter, they must not be misled; the Almightyhas knowledge of all their stages of creation and is also aware of theirdeeds. Verses (33-55) People who do not even have the spiritto spend in the way of the Almighty or make sacrifices and who vainly reckonthat since they are the progeny of two great prophets -- Abraham and Moses-- they are by birth entitled to paradise are severely condemned on thisattitude. Their attention is directed to the teachings and sacrifices ofthese Prophets that their high rank and status are because of the unprecedentedsacrifices they gave in the way of Allah and nobecause of their race orcreed. A person's own deeds only will benefit him and they will be of nouse to others. In this regard, it is also emphaticallyexplained that Allah alone gives comfort and pain, life and death, daughterand son, wealth and opulence; therefore, one should always attach himselfto the Almighty. Nations who remain indifferent to the Message of Allahand get deeply involved in worldly pleasures, in spite of their wealthand grandeur, meet the fate similar to the one met by the Aad and the Thamud. Their remainsstill exist and everyone should learn a lesson from them. Verses (56-62) This concluding section of the surahrefers to what is stated in the beginning: the Qur'an is not the work of fortune-tellers or soothsayers but like previousheavenly scriptures is another Reminder. Now the threatened hour is nighand it is giving its opponents a timely warning. If they still do not takeheed, no one will be able to save them from Allah. They should not expresssurprise and wonder at the reality about which this Reminder is warningthem. They should not laugh at it; in fact, its consequences are so gravethat they should take it very seriously. They must pay heed and prostratethemselves in front of the Almighty.

Surah Qamar

The surah can be divided into the following three sections: Verses (1-8) The Prophet (sws) is comforted thathe should not pay any heed to the stubborn and obstinate people who aredemanding to see the doom they have been promised. The greatest of signswill not induce them to accept faith because they do not follow the normsof sense and reason; instead they are the followers of their whims anddesires. The tales of various nations should be a big lesson for them,but alas! they do not have the ability to learn from history. The Prophet(sws) is further consoled that they will not pay heed to his Message; heshould leave their matter to the summoner who, on the Day of Judgementwill be summoning them not to the Qur'an but to Hell. They will respond to his call, emerging from their graveslike locusts scattered about. Verses (9-42) The Quraysh are directed tolearn a lesson from the fate of the people of Noah, Aad,Thamud, Lot and Pharaoh. Thesepeople, like the Quraysh, rejected their respective prophets, andif the Quraysh also follow their footsteps, they will meet a similarfate. They must bear in mind that the Almighty has revealed the Qur'anto warn them of this danger beforehand by making it very appropriate foradmonition. Instead of acknowledging this favour of the Almighty and benefitingfrom it, alas! it is their extreme misfortune that they are asking forpunishment. Verses (43-55) The Quraysh are cautioned thatwhen in the past the Almighty has never spared the unbelievers, they should not consider themselves an exception to this rule. Do they reckonthat the Almighty has written a directive of acquittal for them in theHereafter in the heavenly scriptures, and do they think that they willbe able to defend themselves against Allah in the Hereafter? If they havesuch foolish ideas, they must remember that the Almighty will never treatthe unbelievers and the righteous equally. The unbelievers will encounterthe raging fire of Hell and the righteous will dwell in the eternal blissof paradise.

Surah Rahman

The nazmof this surah is very evident.It begins with the declaration that the Qur'an is a manifestation of the Graciousness of the Almighty. The Almightycreated man and specially blessed him with the power of speech and comprehension.These abilities require that man should be taught and educated with themost grand heavenly work -- the Qur'an -- and not through torment and punishment. It is the extreme misfortuneof the disbelievers who instead of seeking guidance from it are demandingto see the promised doom. After this, various signs in the heavensand in the earth and in the universal norms of human intellect are pointedat and two of the Almighty's creations -- men and jinn-folk -- are urgedand exhorted to reflect on them and rebuked upon denying so many signs. These signs are mentioned in the followingsequence: First and foremost are mentioned thosesigns and manifestations which point to the fact that the Almighty greatlycherishes justice and does not approve anything contrary to justice andequity at all in the world He has created. These are followed by those whichindicate that the tremendous and extremely vast system of sustenance whichthe Almighty has established on the earth strongly indicates that man willnot be left unaccountable; in fact, one day he will definitely be heldaccountable for the profound blessings he has been given. Those who deserveto be rewarded will be rewarded by Allah and those who deserve to be punishedwill be punished by Him. A reference is then made to the factthat it is the Almighty who has created men and jinn-folk from clay andfire and He can easily create them a second time. There is no difficultyfor Him in this regard. This whole Universe is under His control; He isthe Lord of the East and the West. Whatever rises, rises with His permissionand whatever sets, sets with His permission. After this, it is asserted that theconflicting elements in the Universe are in harmony with one another tofulfil a greater purpose which is over and above their creation. This bearswitness to the fact that a sovereign will is dominant over these elementswhich creates harmony between them and uses them for the collective welfareof the universe. If this were not so, the universe would have been destroyedby a clash between its conflicting elements. That it is surviving is anample testimony to the fact that a single supreme and omnipotent powercontrols it. A mention is then made of the factthat Allah alone is immortal and all the rest are mortal. Next it is expressed that all exceptthe Almighty are needy and He is the only one who fulfils their needs.The foolish who ask from others actually receive from Him as well. An affirmation is then made of thefact that the Day wherein accountability of deeds takes place is certainto come and on that Day no one -- men as well as the jinn-folk -- willbe able to run away from the Almighty's grasp. On that Day, no evidencewill be needed to convict a criminal as his forehead will bear witnessto his sins. He will then be grabbed by his forehead and feet and flunginto Hell. At the end, features and characteristicsof the paradise which the muqarrabin (the near ones) will receiveare delineated, followed by the features and characteristics of the paradisewhich the Ashabu'lYamin (Companions of the Right Hand)will be blessed with.

Surah Waqi`ah

The surah can be divided into the following six sections: Verses (1-10) The surah begins with the assertion that the Day of Judgement is certain to come.The Day will evaluate a person according to his faith and deeds; it willupgrade many a people and downgrade many of them. As a result of this assessment,people will be divided into three categories: the ashabu'lyamin, the ashabu'lshimal and the sabiqunu'lawwalun. Verses (11-26) Those nearest to the Almighty willbe the sabiqunu'lawwalun. The details of the giftsand favours of their Lord which they will receive in paradise are recountedtogether with the qualities of the sabiqunu'lawwalun which actually entitledthem to these favours. Verses (27-40) The second place will be occupiedby the ashabu'lyamin. A delineation is made ofthe bounties and rewards which they will be blessed with in paradise andof their personal high character which made them worthy of this life ofbliss. Verses (41-48) The horrible fate of the ashabu'lshimal is depicted and a referenceis made to a few of their grave sins which led them to this terrible punishment. Verses (49-74) The Quraysh are directly addressedand warned that they would end up with the same fate as that of the ashabu'lshimal if they persist in their attitude of denying the Prophet (sws).In this regard, a reference is made to certain self-evident arguments bearevidence to the Day of Reward and Punishment. Such is the nature of thesearguments that no excuse but stubbornness on their part can deny them. Verses (75-96) An indication is made to the exaltedstatus of the Qur'an and thefact that it is above and beyond the reach of Satan and his agents. TheQuraysh are again cautioned not to turn a deaf ear towards thissublime message and thus invite their doom. The fate which this Book isinforming them about is a reality. Fortunate are they who today striveto attain a place among the ashabu'l yamin and the sabiqunu'l awwalun;those who will not do so, will end up among the ashabu'l shimal and willface a grievous penalty.

Surah Hadid

The surahcan be distinctly divided into the following nine sections:

Verses (1-6) In the introductory part of the surah,a reference is made to the attributes of Wisdom, Power, Knowledge, Authority,Origination and Planning of the Almighty in order to highlight that someonepossessing these attributes is the one towards whom every one will turnon the Day of Judgement; therefore, it is befitting that only He shouldbe thanked and glorified. Everything within this Universe is glorifyingHim and this act of theirs invites men to worship Him only and not associateothers with Him.

Verses (7-10) A warning is sounded to the Muslimsin general and those among them having a weak faith in particular thatthey should fulfil the requisites of the covenant of `to listen and obey'they had pledged at the hands of the Prophet (sws) with all the spiritand determination they can muster. It is the requirement of their faithto respond positively to the Jihadand Infaq the Prophet (sws)is today calling them to. It is this attitude which will bring them towardslight from darkness. Those who spend and fight in the way of Allah willhave a higher status than those who will do so after the conquest of Makkah,though they too will be rewarded by the Almighty. Verses (11-15) Those who spend in the way of Allahwith purity of purpose will find that their spending has manifested itselfinto a radiant light which guides them to paradise. Those who do not spendin the way of Allah because of hypocrisy will be deprived of this light.These people will ask the believers to let them also benefit from its radiance.The believers will reply that they have lost the opportunity to do so bytheir behaviour in the previous world and they will not receive it nowwhatsoever. After this exchange of dialogue, a wall will be erected betweenthe two, on one side of which will be the blessings of Allah and on theother side will be His torment. Verses (16-17) The hypocrites are warned that evenafter seeing such manifest signs of the supremacy of Islam, if they showhesitation and refrain from spending in the way of Allah, they will becomehardhearted like the Jews before them and meet a similar fate. They arereminded that the Day of Reckoning is certain to come; neither should theybecome indifferent to its reward nor unafraid of its punishment.

Verses (18-19) Those who spend in the way of Allahand fight for His cause should rest assured that the Almighty will honourtheir sacrifices; in fact, they will be rewarded many times for each sacrificethey make. It is Infaq andJihad which entitles them tobecome shuhada and siddiqin and they will also be rewarded the radiant light of which the hypocriteswill remain deprived. Verses (20-21) Sorrow is expressed over the timidand unenterprising attitude of the people who have given their hearts tothe transitory pleasures of this world and have forgotten the mercy oftheir Lord as well as the paradise which is as vast as the vastness ofthe heavens and the earth. Verses (22-24) A reminder is sounded that a person'sopulence or poverty does not depend on his own schemes and plans but onthe fate which has been divinely ordained for him. The correct attitude,therefore, is that a person whether he is in ease or in difficulty, shouldsurrender to the will of the Almighty. If he has been blessed with wealth,he should not hesitate to spend it in the way of Allah. He should be awarethat just as the Almighty can bless a person with something, He can alsodeprive him of it whenever He wants. Verses (25-27) A refutation is made of the claimof the people who on the basis of the concept of Rahbavniyyah (ascetism)regard Jihad and Infaqas mundane activities and condemn the spirit of Jihad of the Muslims. Byreferring to history, it is shown that Jihadhas remained the Sunnah of the Prophets and Rahbaniyyah is a religious innovation of the Christians; it is the result of theirtransgressing the bounds of their religion. The Prophet Jesus (sws) nevertaught it. Verses (28-29) Muslims are urged to selflessly answerthe call of Jihad made by theProphet (sws) and spend magnanimously for this cause. They are told notto pay heed to the evil suggestions of the wicked among the People of theBook who regard Jihad as amundane undertaking. The Prophets have always undertaken Jihad to establish justice and equity and the Muslims must follow the pathof the Prophets. The Rahbaniyyahinvented by the Christians is something which the Prophet Jesus (sws) neverpreached. They are just showing their malice towards the Muslims -- butagainst their wishes, the Almighty will reward the Muslims according tothe fate He has destined for them.

Surah Mujadalah

The surahcan be divided into the following six sections: Verses (1-4) A reference is made to an incidentin which a pious woman had to face severe difficulty regarding a religiousissue; instead of becoming frustrated and showing distrust in the Almighty,she presented her case before Him and His Prophet (sws) with all the confidenceand purity of intention she could muster. The Almighty resolved her difficultyand set her forth as an example in the Qur'an:the example of a person who adopted the correct attitude when troublescame her way. This was in sharp contrast with the attitude of the Hypocriteswho would show hostility and raise a propaganda against the Almighty andHis Prophet (sws) when a particular directive of the Shari`ah provedadverse to their desires and wishes. Verses (5-8) Disgust is expressed at the attitudeof the people who instead of showing trust in the Almighty and His Prophet(sws) were busy whispering evil suggestions to others and maligning thecause of Islam. They were showing disrespect to the Prophet (sws) and werepresenting the lenience, the Almighty was showing them by not punishingthem, as proof of their correct attitude. They are warned that they willnot only be humiliated in this world as history testifies, but will alsoface a grievous torment in the Hereafter. Verses (9-10) Muslims are forbidden from whisperingevil suggestions and directed that their secret conversations should notbe against the Prophet (sws); their intimate discourses should be cleanand pious. They should ignore the assault of 'evil-whispering' which thehypocrites have launched against them, for such whispering cannot harmanyone unless the Almighty wants. It is befitting for them to trust theirLord and to be rest assured instead of worrying and being aggrieved bysuch insinuations. The Almighty will protect them from the evil of theevil-doers. Verses (11-12) The believers are directed to followcertain manners when they are in the company of the Prophet (sws), andforbidden to carry out clandestine conversation when they are gatheredaround him. Certain emergency directives are given to impede the campaignof evil-whispering launched by the Hypocrites.

Verse (13) After the achievement of the desiredresults, the emergency directives are repealed and the believers are directedto establish those forms of worship which will put an end to this maladyof evil-whispering; these forms are spelled out for them.

Verses (14-22) An indication is made of the factthat the Hypocrites are actually the agents of the Jews who have incurredthe wrath of the Almighty; their real allegiance rests with them. Theirglibness and their trait of during conversation effectively conceals theirreality and they are able to outwardly show themselves as Muslims. Theirallegiance is actually with the enemies of Islam; they are overwhelmedby the love of wealth. Satan has made them unmindful of Allah and theyhave joined his party to impair and obstruct the Prophet's mission; ultimatelytheir efforts will fizzle out, for it is the absolute judgement of theAlmighty that only He and His Prophets shall always prevail. True believersare those who sever their ties of relationship from the enemies of Allahand the Prophet (sws) even if they are their fathers, sons, brothers andtribesmen. The Almighty will only be happy with such people; they are thepeople of His party and only they shall attain salvation.

 

Surah Hashr

The surah can be divided into the following four sections:

Verses (1-4) A reference is made to the exile ofthe Jewish tribe of Banu Nudayr.They had been ordered to vacate their territory because they hadbroken their covenant and had plotted to kill the Prophet (sws). At first,they agreed to this punishment, but later on when some of their alliesoffered their assistance to them, they changed their minds. Ultimately,the Prophet (sws) had to launch an attack on them in the 4th year of Hijrah,after which they were forced to go to the land of Khaybar. Theywere given the permission to take as much as they could upon their camels.Consequently, they took away what they could and whatever remained cameinto the possession of the Muslims. By citing their example, the Hypocritesare admonished to seek a lesson from this event. It is pointed out to themthat they had wrongly thought that the BanuNudayr could not be banished from theirland, whereas, as time proved, they had to leave their land and that tooin a manner in which they had to ruin and ravage the houses they had builtby their own hands; the foes of the Prophet (sws) always meet this fate;if they seek the support of these Jews, they too will meet a similar fate. Verses (5-10) In a parenthetical sentence, certainobjections raised by the Jews and the Hypocrites are answered. These objectionspertained to the ruining of the orchards of BanuNudayr by the Muslims and to the distributionof fay. The attitude of contentment shown on this distribution by the `Ansar and theMuhajirin,in sharp contrast with that of the Hypocrites, is praised.

Verses (11-17) An indication is made to another mischievousdeed of the Hypocrites. After the exile of the BanuNudayr, they had started inducing the tribe of BanuQurayzah to break their covenant as well;they told them that they would also fight by their side if they were attackedand if they were exiled, they would also accompany them. It is pointedout to them that they are saying something which they can never do; neitherwill they offer their support nor will they accompany them. They are onlydoing what Satan does: after a person commits a sin on his incitement,he withdraws by proclaiming acquittal from him. The BanuQurayzah are warned that if they alsobreak the covenant due to the backing of the Hypocrites, their fate willbe no different from that of the BanuNudayr.

Section IV ( 18-24) In this concluding section of thesurah, the believers in generaland the Hypocrites in particular are warned to always keep in mind theDay of Judgement. They should not become like those who had forgotten theAlmighty and as a result forgot their purpose of existence and the fatethey would come across; there is a great difference between those who willdwell in paradise and those who will abide in Hell; this difference shouldnot be ignored by belittling it; only the dwellers of paradise will attainreal success. It should be kept in consideration that they have been revealedthe truth in its ultimate form after which no excuse but stubbornness ontheir part can deny it. Had the Qur'an been revealed on a mountain, it would have been shattered to piecesdue to the dread and awe of Allah. If their hearts are not being influencedby its message, then it is not the fault of the Qur'an;rather it is due to their own hardheartedness which is alienating themfrom this Divine Call. In the end, a reference is made tocertain attributes of the Almighty to inculcate the qualities of submissionand trust in the believers who have a strong faith and to cultivate thequalities of determination and confidence in those among them who havea weak faith, while in the Hypocrites they are meant to create a fear ofthe Almighty. The surah finallyends on the note it began with.