Al-Alaq

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

See ayat 5 for tafseer.

As was indicated in the explanation of the contents of this sūrah, according to the view of the majority of exegetes this is the first sūrah revealed to the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny. Indeed, according to some opinions, the first five verses were unanimously revealed at the very beginning of revelation, and their subject matter itself strongly supports this conclusion. It is related in the narrations that the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny was on Mount Ḥirāʾ when Jibrīl came to him and said: “O Muḥammad, read.” The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny replied: “I am not one who reads.” Jibrīl then embraced him and pressed him firmly, then said again: “Read.” The Prophet repeated the same reply. Jibrīl again did the same, and the same answer was given. Then on the third occasion he said: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ … until the end of the five verses. After uttering these words, Jibrīl disappeared from the sight of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny. The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny, who had become exhausted after receiving the first rays of revelation, went to Khadījah and said: “زَمِّلُونِي وَدَثِّرُونِي”—“Cover me, wrap me up,” so that he might rest. It is reported (with slight abbreviation) by Abū al‑Fatḥ al‑Rāzī (vol. 12, p. 96), and similar accounts—sometimes embellished with additional details, some of which are clearly unacceptable—have been transmitted by many Sunni and Shiʿi exegetes. Ṭabrisī, in Majmaʿ al‑Bayān, also relates that the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny said to Khadījah: “When I am alone, I hear a voice and become unsettled.” Khadījah replied: “By God, He will only grant you goodness, for you fulfill trusts, uphold family ties, and speak the truth.” Khadījah states that after this event they went to Waraqah ibn Nawfal—her cousin and one of the learned men among the Arabs. The Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny described to Waraqah what he had seen. Waraqah said: “When the caller comes to you again, listen carefully to what he says, and then inform me.” The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny later heard in his place of solitude the voice saying: “O Muḥammad, say: *بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ—and say: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّه.” The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny then went to Waraqah and informed him. Waraqah replied: “Glad tidings to you—again, glad tidings to you. I bear witness that you are the one whose coming ʿĪsā ibn Maryam announced. You are, like Mūsā, the bearer of a divine law, and you are the Messenger sent by God. Soon you will be commanded to strive in the path of God, and if I remain alive until that time, I will fight alongside you.” When Waraqah later passed away, the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny said: “I have seen that spiritual man in the intermediate Paradise, wearing garments of silk, for he believed in me and affirmed my truthfulness.” (Reported in Tafsīr Majmaʿ al‑Bayān, vol. 10, p. 514) It is certain that in some exegetical works and historical writings, there appear improper and unacceptable accounts concerning this phase of the Prophet’s life—accounts that are undoubtedly fabrications, forgeries, or Isra’iliyyat. Such claims include that the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny was severely distressed and frightened after the first revelation, suspecting satanic influences, or that he repeatedly resolved to cast himself from a mountain. These baseless and absurd accounts are incompatible with the lofty station of prophethood and with the remarkable intellect, wisdom, composure, patience, self‑mastery, and confidence of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny as firmly established in history. It appears that such weak and incoherent reports were fabricated by enemies of Islam, with the aim of casting doubt upon Islam itself and upon the noble personality of the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny. Taking all of this into account, the interpretation of the verses must be approached with careful discernment and sound judgment.

In the first verse, addressing the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny, it says: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ) (Explanatory note: al‑Rāghib, in al‑Mufradāt, states that qirāʾah means the joining and combining of letters and words; for this reason, a single letter by itself is not said to be “read”.) Some have said that in the above phrase the object is omitted, and that the original meaning is “Read the Qur’an in the name of your Lord.” On this basis, some scholars have used this verse as evidence that bismillāh is part of the Qur’anic sūrahs. (Explanatory note: in this case, the preposition bāʾ denotes accompaniment.) Others have considered the bāʾ to be extraneous and have understood the phrase as “read the name of your Lord,” but this interpretation appears far‑fetched, since the more appropriate expression would be “remember the name of your Lord.” It is noteworthy that at the very outset the verse emphasizes the issue of divine lordship (rubūbiyyah). We know that rabb means “the master who owns and nurtures,” that is, the One who both possesses a thing and brings it to perfection through care and cultivation. Thereafter, to establish this lordship, the verse draws attention to the act of creation itself, because the best proof of His lordship is His creatorship; only the One who has created the world can truly administer and govern it. This is, in effect, a response to the Arab polytheists, who accepted God’s creatorship but attributed lordship and governance to idols. Moreover, divine administration of the universe and its order is among the strongest proofs of the existence of God’s sacred essence. Next, among all created beings, the verse focuses on the most important and central creature in the realm of existence—the human being—and mentions his creation, saying: “He created the human being from ʿalaq.” (خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ) The term ʿalaq originally means something that clings or adheres. For this reason, it is applied to clotted blood, and also to the leech that attaches itself to the body to suck blood. Since, after its first stages, the embryo assumes the form of a clinging clot of blood—apparently insignificant and of little value—the verse refers to this humble origin, in order to highlight the manifest power of God, who has brought forth so noble and precious a creature from such a seemingly worthless substance. Some have said that ʿalaq here refers to the clay of Adam عليه السلام, which also possessed an adhesive quality. It is self‑evident that the God who created this wondrous being from a piece of “clinging clay” alone deserves all praise and glorification. Others have interpreted ʿalaq as referring to a being characterized by attachment and relationship, an allusion to the social nature of humanity and the interconnectedness of human life—an essential foundation for human perfection and the advancement of civilizations. Some have also interpreted ʿalaq as an allusion to the male sperm, which bears a strong resemblance to a leech: a microscopic entity that swims in seminal fluid, moves toward the female ovum in the womb, attaches itself to it, and through their union forms the complete human embryo. Although such realities were not scientifically known at the time, the Qur’an has unveiled them in a miraculous manner. Among these interpretations, the first appears the most explicit, though there is no obstacle to reconciling all of them. From what has been said, it becomes clear that according to one interpretation al‑insān refers to Adam عليه السلام, while according to the other three it refers to humanity in general. To further emphasize the command, the verse continues: “Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous.” (اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ) (Explanatory note: the phrase وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ is an independent nominal sentence composed of a subject and a predicate.) Some have held that this second اقْرَأْ is merely an emphatic repetition of the earlier command. Others have claimed that it differs: the first referring to reading for oneself, and the second to reading for others. However, repetition for emphasis appears more appropriate, as there is no textual evidence for that distinction. In any case, this expression is effectively a response to the Prophet’s statement to Jibrīl—“I do not read”—meaning that through the blessing of your Lord, who is supremely generous and noble, you are fully capable of reading and reciting. The verse then describes this most generous of all beings: “The One who taught by the pen.” (الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ) “He taught the human being what he did not know.” (عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ) These verses, too, respond to the Prophet’s earlier statement that he did not read. That is, the God who taught humanity through the pen and taught it all that it did not know is fully capable of teaching this servant—who has not studied under any teacher—the ability to read and recite. The phrase الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ admits two interpretations. One is that God taught humanity the art of writing and endowed it with this immense capacity—an achievement that marks the beginning of recorded history and stands at the source of all sciences, arts, and civilizations. The second is that God taught humanity knowledge and sciences through the instrument of writing itself. In short, according to one interpretation, the verse refers to teaching the act of writing; according to the other, it refers to the body of knowledge transmitted through writing. In either case, it is a profoundly meaningful expression, revealed at those critical and momentous moments of the descent of revelation, and reflected in these sublime and deeply significant verses.

As we have explained, according to the view of most—or even all—exegetes, these verses are the very first verses that were revealed upon the pure heart of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny. With the illumination of the earliest rays of revelation, a new chapter opened in human history, mankind became the recipient of one of the greatest divine graces, and the most complete divine religion—marking the culmination of all previous religions—began to descend. After the gradual revelation of all commandments and teachings of Islam, the divine declaration الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا (al‑Māʾidah: 3) was realized: the divine religion was perfected, God’s favor reached its fullest completion, and Islam was accepted as God’s chosen faith. Here a remarkably profound point emerges: despite the fact that the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny was ummi, having learned from no human teacher, and despite the fact that the environment of the Hijaz was immersed in ignorance, the very first verses of revelation spoke explicitly about knowledge (ʿilm) and the pen (qalam)—immediately following the mention of the immense blessing of creation itself. In reality, these verses first describe the physical development and elevation of the human being from an insignificant, seemingly worthless substance—ʿalaqah—and then turn to the spiritual perfection of the human soul through education and learning, particularly through the instrument of the pen. On the day these verses were revealed, not only was the Hijazi society steeped in ignorance, but even the so‑called civilized world of that era scarcely recognized the true value of the pen. Yet today it is evident that all civilizations, sciences, arts, and advancements achieved by humanity revolve around the axis of the pen. In truth, the ink of scholars has surpassed the blood of martyrs, because the intellectual foundation and guidance that give meaning and direction to sacrifice arise from the scholars’ pens. Indeed, the destiny of human societies has fundamentally been written by the tip of the pen. The forces of reform within societies are articulated by faithful and committed pens, just as corruption and destruction are produced by poisoned and corrupt pens. It is therefore no coincidence that the Noble Qur’an swears an oath by the pen and what it writes, declaring: ن وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ (al‑Qalam: 1). That is, an oath is taken both by the instrument and by the outcome produced through it. We know that human history is divided into two primary eras: the prehistoric age and the historical age. The historical age is the era in which writing began—when human beings acquired the ability to record aspects of their lives through the pen and preserve them for future generations. In this sense, human history is essentially the history of writing. A detailed discussion of the impact of the pen on human civilization has already been presented in Tafsīr‑e Nemūneh, volume 14, at the beginning of Sūrat al‑Qalam. Accordingly, from its very inception Islam was founded upon knowledge and the pen, and it is by no accident that such a people—once backward—advanced so remarkably in the sciences and arts that, by the admission of both friends and enemies, they spread knowledge throughout the world. European historians themselves acknowledge that it was the light of Muslim scholarship that shone upon medieval Europe and ushered it into the age of civilization. Numerous works written by Western scholars testify to this fact under titles such as The History of Islamic Civilization and The Legacy of Islam. How profoundly inappropriate it is, then, that such a nation and such a religion should lag behind in the realm of knowledge, become dependent on others, and even be subordinated to them.

The call of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny began with the remembrance of God’s name: اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ. What is especially worth reflecting upon is that the Prophet’s entire, fully realized life was inseparably woven together with the remembrance of God. Every breath he took was connected to divine remembrance. Whether he was standing or sitting, sleeping or walking, riding or travelling on foot, or even pausing, all was accompanied by remembrance of God and by invoking the name of Allah. When he awoke from sleep, he would say: الحمد للّه الّذي أحیانا بعد ما أماتنا وإلیه النشور — “All praise belongs to God, who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the return.” Ibn ʿAbbās narrates that one night he slept at the Prophet’s dwelling. When the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny awoke, he raised his head toward the sky and recited the final ten verses of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ…. Then he supplicated: اللّهم لك الحمد، أنت نور السموات والأرض ومن فيهن… اللّهم لك أسلمت، وبك آمنت، وعليك توكلت، وإليك أنبت… — “O God, all praise is Yours; You are the light of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them… O God, to You I submit, in You I believe, upon You I rely, and to You I return.” Whenever he left his home, he would say: بسم الله، توكلت على الله، اللّهم إني أعوذ بك أن أضل أو أُضل، أو أزل أو أُزل، أو أظلم أو أُظلم، أو أجهل أو يُجهل عليّ — “In the name of God; I place my trust in God. O God, I seek refuge with You lest I go astray or lead another astray, lest I slip or cause another to slip, lest I commit injustice or be wronged, lest I act in ignorance or be treated with ignorance.” When he entered the mosque, he would say: أعوذ بالله العظيم، وبوجهه الكريم، وسلطانه القديم، من الشيطان الرجيم — “I seek refuge in God the Magnificent, in His noble countenance, and in His eternal authority, from the accursed Satan.” When he put on new clothing, he would say: اللّهم لك الحمد، أنت كسوتنيه، أسألك خيره وخير ما صنع له، وأعوذ بك من شره وشر ما صنع له — “O God, all praise is Yours; You clothed me with this. I ask You for its good and the good for which it was made, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil for which it was made.” And when he returned home, he would say: الحمد لله الذي كفاني وآواني، والحمد لله الذي أطعمني وسقاني — “Praise be to God who sufficed me and sheltered me, and praise be to God who fed me and gave me drink.” Thus, the entire life of the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny was thoroughly permeated and intertwined with the remembrance of God, the invocation of His name, and living in accordance with the demands of His grace and blessings.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

See ayat 14 for tafseer.

After the preceding verses, which pointed to the material and spiritual blessings bestowed by the Lord upon human beings—and given that such expansive blessings naturally call for gratitude and submission before God—the verses under discussion state that divine favors do not always awaken a spirit of thankfulness in the human being. Rather, the human being certainly transgresses and becomes rebellious: كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ. (Explanatory note: as mentioned earlier, كَلَّا here serves to negate what might be inferred from the preceding verses; some have also taken it in the sense of “indeed” for emphasis.) The reason for this is given as follows: “because he sees himself as self‑sufficient” (أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ). (Explanatory note: the phrase أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ may function as a causal object, with an implied لِـ (“because”), and seeing here means knowing; another possibility is that seeing is sensory, with استغنى functioning as a circumstantial qualifier.) This is a common trait among those who have not been nurtured in the school of reason and revelation: when they imagine themselves self‑sufficient, they begin to rebel and transgress. They neither serve God, nor accept His commands, nor heed the call of conscience, nor care for truth and justice. In reality, neither the human being nor any other creature can ever be truly independent. All contingent beings are perpetually in need of God’s grace and bounty; if His beneficence were to cease for even a moment, all would instantly perish. Yet the human being sometimes mistakenly imagines himself to be self‑sufficient. The subtle wording of the verse points precisely to this misconception—it says that he sees himself as self‑sufficient, not that he actually is. Some have held that the term الْإِنسَانَ in this verse refers specifically to Abū Jahl, who stood in opposition from the very beginning of the Prophet’s mission. However, it is clear that the term here is general, and figures like Abū Jahl are merely among its manifestations. In any case, the apparent aim of the verse is to remind the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny not to expect people to accept his call immediately, but rather to be prepared for rejection and opposition from arrogant transgressors, and to recognize that the path ahead will be filled with trials and obstacles. The verse then warns these arrogant rebels, declaring: “Surely the return of all is to your Lord” (إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى). It is He who will bring the transgressors to account for their deeds. Just as everything ultimately returns to Him, and all will perish leaving the inheritance of the heavens and the earth to God alone—وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ (Āl ʿImrān: 180)—so too all things originated from Him. There is thus no room for a human being to imagine self‑sufficiency and fall into arrogant rebellion. The verses then highlight one of the acts of these arrogant rebels—preventing others from walking the path of truth and guidance—by asking: “Have you seen the one who forbids…” (أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ), “…a servant when he prays?” (عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ). Is such a person not deserving of divine punishment? Reports mention that Abū Jahl once asked those around him whether Muḥammad PBUH & His Pure Progeny prostrated upon the ground in prayer before them. When they said yes, he swore that if he ever saw him in that state, he would crush his neck under his foot. Later, when he attempted to approach the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny while he was praying, he suddenly recoiled, appearing to fend something off with his hands. When questioned, he said that he had seen a trench of fire, a terrifying sight, and winged beings between himself and the Prophet. At this point, the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny said that had Abū Jahl come closer, the angels would have torn him apart limb by limb. It was on this occasion that these verses were revealed. These reports indicate that the verses were revealed at the beginning of the mission, or at least after the public proclamation of Islam. Accordingly, some maintain that only the first five verses of the sūrah were revealed at the very beginning, while the rest were revealed later. Nevertheless, the particular occasion of revelation does not limit the general meaning of the verses. Further emphasis is added with the words: “Have you considered if he is upon guidance” (أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ), “or if he commands piety?” (أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ). Is it fitting to prevent such a person, and could any outcome await the one who does so other than the fire of Hell? Then it asks: “Have you considered if he denies and turns away?” (أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ). (Explanatory note: many exegetes hold that أَرَأَيْتَ here means “tell me,” and that the responses to these conditional statements are omitted, the meaning being: what will be his state, his recompense, and his punishment?) Finally, it asks: “Does he not know that God sees?” (أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ)—that God observes all actions and records them for reckoning and reward or punishment. The conditional phrasing of these verses suggests that even if the arrogant transgressor were to entertain the mere possibility that the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny was upon guidance and calling to piety, that alone should have sufficed to restrain his rebellion. Therefore, the intent of these verses is not to cast doubt upon the Prophet’s guidance or call to piety, but rather to expose the irrationality and culpability of the one who obstructs them. Some exegetes have returned the pronouns in كَانَ and أَمَرَ to the forbidding individual himself (such as Abū Jahl), yielding the meaning: if he were to accept guidance and call to piety instead of preventing prayer, how beneficial that would be for him. However, the first interpretation appears more appropriate.

Paying attention to the reality that every action a human being performs is in the presence of God, and that, in truth, the entire cosmos exists within the divine presence, and that none of a person’s deeds—even intentions—are hidden from God, can exert a profound influence on one’s manner of life and can restrain one from wrongdoing. This, however, is conditional upon the person genuinely believing in this reality and allowing it to take the form of firm and certain conviction. In a narration it is stated: “اعبد الله كأنك تراه، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك.” “Worship God as though you see Him; and if you do not see Him, then surely He sees you.” It is related that a spiritually awakened individual repented after committing a sin, yet he continued to weep incessantly. People said to him: Why do you weep so much? Do you not know that God is Forgiving? He replied: Yes, it is possible that He may forgive me—but how am I to rid myself of the shame and embarrassment of knowing that He saw me while I was committing that sin? Granted that You may pardon me for my sin, But what am I to do with the shame of knowing that You witnessed what I did?

See ayat 19 for tafseer.

See ayat 19 for tafseer.

See ayat 19 for tafseer.

See ayat 19 for tafseer.

After the previous discussion, which described the resistance and hostility of arrogant disbelievers toward the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny and those who prayed with him, these verses shower them with stern threats and declare: “No indeed! It is not as he imagines” (كَلَّا)—that is, contrary to his delusion that he can place his foot upon the neck of the Prophet during prostration and prevent him from worshipping God. “If he does not desist, We will surely seize him by the forelock and drag him” (لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ), “the forelock of the lying, sinful one” (نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ). The verb لَنَسْفَعًا, from the root سفع, has been explained by exegetes as meaning to seize, drag forcibly, strike on the face, blacken the face, or brand with humiliation. The most fitting meaning here is forcefully seizing and dragging, though the other meanings are not entirely excluded. This threat may refer to what will occur in the Hereafter—where individuals like Abū Jahl will be dragged into Hell by their forelocks—or it may refer to events that occurred in this world, or to both. It is not far‑fetched that both meanings are intended, as supported by historical reports. It is narrated that when Sūrat al‑Raḥmān was revealed, the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny asked who among the Companions would go and recite it before the leaders of Quraysh. All remained silent out of fear of their persecution, until ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd stood up and volunteered. He was slight in build and physically weak, yet he went to the leaders of Quraysh who were gathered near the Kaʿbah and began reciting the sūrah aloud. Abū Jahl rose and struck him so violently on the face that his ear was torn and blood flowed. Ibn Masʿūd returned to the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny weeping. The Prophet lowered his head in sorrow. At that moment, Jibrīl descended, smiling, and said that soon the reason for this would become clear. When the Muslims were victorious at Badr, Ibn Masʿūd came upon Abū Jahl among the slain, still drawing his last breaths. Ibn Masʿūd placed his foot on his chest; Abū Jahl sneered, mocking him. Ibn Masʿūd replied: “الإسلام يعلو ولا يُعلى عليه”—Islam rises above all, and nothing rises above it. When Abū Jahl’s head was severed, Ibn Masʿūd dragged it by the forelock to the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny, thus realizing in this world the very meaning expressed by the verse. The term نَاصِيَة refers to the hair at the front of the head. Seizing someone by the forelock symbolizes utter humiliation and the removal of all power to resist. The phrase نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ points to the person who possessed that forelock—one who was both a liar and a sinner, exemplified by Abū Jahl. It is also narrated that Abū Jahl once confronted the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny while he was praying near Maqām Ibrāhīm and arrogantly boasted of the strength of his clan. In response to such arrogance, the verse was revealed: “Let him call his assembly” (فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ); “We will call the guards (of Hell)” (سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ)—meaning that his worldly supporters are powerless against the divine agents of punishment. The sūrah concludes with the verse of prostration, commanding the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny: “No indeed! Do not obey him; prostrate, and draw near” (لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ). The tyrants of every age are far too insignificant to prevent one from worshipping God or hinder the progress of religion. The path forward is reliance on God, steadfast worship, and sincere prostration—through which one draws ever closer to the Divine. This verse clearly indicates that prostration is a means of nearness to God, as confirmed by the Prophetic hadith: “أقرب ما يكون العبد من الله إذا كان ساجدًا”—the closest a servant comes to God is while in prostration. It is also well known, according to the narrations of the Ahl al‑Bayt, that the Qur’an contains four obligatory prostrations—in Sūrat al‑Sajdah, Ḥā Mīm al‑Sajdah, Sūrat al‑Najm, and here in Sūrat al‑ʿAlaq—while the remaining prostrations in the Qur’an are recommended rather than obligatory.

Most of the corruption and disorder in the world derives its strength from affluent and arrogant elites, and it has consistently been these groups who stood at the forefront of opposition to the prophets. They are the very people whom the Qur’an at times refers to as “al‑malāʾ” (the elite whose outward appearance is impressive but whose inner substance is empty) (al‑Aʿrāf 60); at other times as “al‑mutrafīn” (those who live in luxury, become intoxicated with comfort and pride, and remain oblivious to the suffering of others) (Sabaʾ 34); and elsewhere as “al‑mustakbirīn” (the arrogant who ride the mount of pride and thereby distance themselves from God and from humanity) (al‑Muʾminūn 67). The common source of all these traits is a false sense of self‑sufficiency and independence, a feature characteristic of small‑minded individuals. When such people attain wealth, blessings, status, or authority, they become so intoxicated by advantage and security that they even forget God Himself. Yet it is well known that a mere gust of wind can overturn the record of one’s days, that an entire fortune can be wiped out in less than an hour, and that flood, earthquake, or lightning can reduce everything to ruin. Even human safety itself becomes precarious when a single sip of water catches in the throat and death suddenly comes into view. What kind of heedlessness overtakes some individuals that they come to imagine themselves self‑sufficient, mount the reckless steed of arrogance, and turn the arena of society into a field for their own domination? Refuge is sought in God from such ignorance, heedlessness, and blind rebellion. To escape this state, it is sufficient for a person to reflect briefly upon his own countless weaknesses and upon the immense power of the Lord, and to leaf through the pages of history, contemplating the fate of nations far more powerful and formidable than himself—so that he may dismount from the steed of arrogance. O God, protect us from pride and arrogance, which are the primary causes of distance from You. Our Lord, do not entrust us to ourselves for even a single moment, in this world or the Hereafter. O God, grant us the strength to crush the noses of those arrogant tyrants who stand as obstacles before You and to nullify all of their schemes. Āmīn, O Lord of all the worlds.