Ayahs 15:87–93Commentary
Surah Al-Fatihah is the Text and Summary of the Whole Qur'an
That Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening) has been called the Glorious Qur’ an in this verse (87) indicates that Surah Al-Fatihah is, in a way, the whole Qur’ an - because the basic principles of Islam have been merged in it.l
1. In order to understand this, one must keep in mind that the words: اَلسَبعَ المثانِی واَلقُرآن (the seven oft repeated verses and the glorious Qur'an) in verse (87) are interpreted by the commentators in different ways. Most of them are of the view that 'seven oft-repeated verses' refer to Surah al-Fatihah which consists of seven verses. Since these seven verses are repeated in every Salah, they have been referred to in the verse 87 as 'oft-repeated verses'. Then, the words 'and the glorious Qur'an' occurring after it are of explanatory nature which refer to the same 'seven oft repeated verses'. Therefore, the name of the 'glorious Qur'an' has been given here to the Surah al-Fatihah itself. The comment of the author is based on this interpretation.
On Being Questioned in Al-Mal} shar : About what will it be?
In verse 92, swearing by His Own sacred Being, Allah Ta’ ala has declared that all such people who came earlier or later shall definitely be questioned.
The Sahabah ؓ asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ as to what it will be about. He said that it will be about saying: لا إله إلا اللہ (la ilaha illallah: there is no god worthy of worship but Allah). Al-Qurtubi, after reporting this narration in his Tafsir, has said: It means the fulfilling of this pledge practically as signified by the Kalimah Tayyibah: La ilaha illallah. A simple verbal statement is not what is desired here because, as for verbal attestation, that was done by the hypocrites (munafiqin) too. Hazrat al-Hasan al-Basri (رح) said: 'Iman (faith) does not become a living reality by taking on a particular style and form, and Din (religion) does not prosper by simply having the best of wishes for it. 'Iman is the name of that certitude which has been poured into the heart and which has been proved true by deeds. This is well illustrated by a Hadith from Sayyidna Zayd ibn Arqam in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: A person who says: لا إله إلا اللہ (la ilaha illallah : there is no god worthy of worship but Allah) with ikhlas (totally unalloyed sincerity) will definitely go to Jannah. People asked: Ya Rasul Allah, how is 'ikhlas' related to this Kalimah? He said: When this Kalimah stops a person from what has been prohibited by Allah as unlawful and impermissible, then, it is with 'ikhlas' (with sincerity in the absolute sense). (Qurtubi)
Ayah 15:94On Spreading the Religious Message Stage by Stage as Convenient
Before the revelation of the verse (94): فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ (Now, proclaim what you are commanded to), the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his noble Sahabah ؓ used to make Salah and recite Qur'an secretly (lest they are seen and harmed). The process of passing on the religious message to others and the mission of teaching and training was also kept secret being limited to a counted few. The reason was that doing so openly would have given the disbelievers the opportunity to bring harm to them. In this verse (95), Allah Ta` ala has Himself taken the responsibility of seeing that they stay safe against those who deride their faith and bring harm to them. Therefore, from that time onwards, the mission was pursued openly and publicly in all its aspects, recitation of the Qur'an, acts of worship, the call, the propagation, everything.
Ayahs 15:95–96The people who have been referred to in the verse: إِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ إِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ (Surely, We are sufficient for you against those who deride - 95) their ring leaders were five in number: (1) Al-` As ibn Wa’ il (2) Aswad ibn al-Muttalib (3) Aswad ibn ` Abd Yaghuth (4) Walid ibn Mughirah (5) Harith ibn Talhah. They were killed simultaneously and miraculously when signalled by Sayyidna Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) .
This event provides a guideline in matters of Tabligh and Da'wah. In places and under circumstances where a worker in the way of Allah sees no good coming out of saying what is true and right openly, rather apprehends harm coming to him in doing so, then, under such conditions, doing so secretly is also correct and permissible. However, when there is the option and ability to proclaim things openly, then, no delay should be made in taking a public stance.
Ayahs 15:97–99The Spiritual Defence Against Enemy Hostility
From verses 97 and 98, we learn that should one face heart-rending sayings and doings of enemies the anxiety from which bothers him, then, there is a spiritual cure for that condition: Let him or her get busy with Tasbih and ` Ibadah, praising Allah Ta’ ala and praying before Him. Allah Taala will Himself remove this pain and anxiety.