Project Iqraa: Surat Al Ikhlas
Asalam Aleykom everyone!
Let’s continue on our path of understanding and let’s discover the reason, meaning, and virtues behind Surat Al Ikhlas.
Imam Ahmad recorded from Ubayy bin Ka`b that the idolators said to the Prophet , “O Muhammad! Tell us the lineage of your Lord.” So Allah (SWT) revealed:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One,
Allah , the Eternal Refuge.
He neither begets nor is born,
Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (٤)
Tafseer:
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: “He is Allah, One.”) meaning, He is the One, the Singular, Who has no peer, no assistant, no rival, no equal and none comparable to Him. This word (Al-Ahad) cannot be used for anyone in affirmation except Allah the Mighty and Majestic, because He is perfect in all of His attributes and actions. Concerning His saying,
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
(As-Samad) is One Who does not give birth, nor was He born, because there is nothing that is born except that it will die, and there is nothing that dies except that it leaves behind inheritance, and indeed Allah does not die and He does not leave behind any inheritance.
(Allah As-Samad.) `Ikrimah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “This means the One Who all of the creation depends upon for their needs and their requests.” `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas, “He is the Master Who is perfect in His sovereignty, the Most Noble Who is perfect in His nobility, the Most Magnificent Who is perfect in His magnificence, the Most Forbearing Who is perfect in His forbearance, the All-Knowing Who is perfect in His knowledge, and the Most Wise Who is perfect in His wisdom. He is the One Who is perfect in all aspects of nobility and authority. He is Allah, glory be unto Him. These attributes are not befitting anyone other than Him. He has no coequal and nothing is like Him. Glory be to Allah, the One, the Irresistible.” Al-A`mash reported from Shaqiq, who said that Abu Wa’il said, (As-Samad.) is the Master Whose control is complete.”
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ - وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ
(He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.) meaning, He does not have any child, parent or spouse. Mujahid said, (And there is none comparable to Him.) “This means He does not have a spouse.” (And there is none comparable to Him.) This means that there is none similar to Him, none equal to Him and there is nothing at all like Him.”
Some Virtues of Surat Al Ikhlas:
1. Al-Bukhari reported from `Amrah bint `Abdur-Rahman, who used to stay in the apartment of `A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet , that `A’ishah said, “The Prophet sent a man as the commander of a war expedition and he used to lead his companions in prayer with recitation (of the Qur’an). And he would complete his recitation with the recitation of `Say: He is Allah, One.’ So when they returned they mentioned that to the Prophet and he said, (Ask him why does he do that.) So they asked him and he said, `Because it is the description of Ar-Rahman and I love to recite it. So the Prophet said, (Inform him that Allah the Most High loves him.)”
2. Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Sa`id that a man heard another man reciting (Say: “He is Allah, One.”) and he was repeating over and over. So when morning came, the man went to the Prophet and mentioned that to him, and it was as though he was belittling it. The Prophet said, (By He in Whose Hand is my soul, verily it is equivalent to a third of the Qur’an.)
3. Another Hadith Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions, (Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur’an in a single night) This was something that was difficult for them and they said, “Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah” So he replied, (“Allah is the One, As-Samad” is a third of the Qur’an.) Al-Bukhari was alone in recording this Hadith.
Take time to reflect:
Now that you understand the meaning of the wonderful surah and its importance, think of the words that you are saying when you recite it, think of what they mean, and reflect upon what they mean to you.
And Allah (SWT) knows best.
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Sources:
http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1053&Itemid=168
