Glimpses From Surah Adh-Dhariat:
An Invitation to the Hereafter

Allah SWT revealed Qur’an on our beloved Prophet SAW over a period of twenty three years.During this time the verses were revealed according to the situations that arose; these verses were later compiled into surahs (chapters) and these surahs were then organized in a certain order—all under the guidance of Jibreel AS according to the will of Allah SWT.

About 2/3 of the Qur’an was revealed in Makkah and it mostly deals with two major issues--faith and sacrifice. 1/3 of the Qur’an that was revealed in Medina deals with laws and rules/regulations according to the needs of the developing Muslim society at the time.

However, the compilation of Qur’an is vastly different from its order of revelation. Majority of the longer surahs at the beginning were revealed in Medina and deal with laws and rules of the deen; middle of the Qur’an contains stories of the Messengers and Prophets which deal with the development of faith; but as we get closer to the end of the Qur’an the verses become shorter and more precise, and surahs deal with the issues of hereafter, with the description of heaven and hellfire, and warnings against disobedience and rejection of the message of Allah SWT.

Qur’an has its own unique continuum with each chapter’s ending introducing the beginning of the following chapter. Being the word of Allah SWT, Qur'an is an ocean of knowledge and wisdom—every believer can find answers to his questions and quench his thirst of knowledge in this ocean. The key of this is humbleness and humility as the pious scholars have mentioned that Qur’an reads you before you read it (meaning you will receive messages according to your intention, humbleness and state of your heart.)

	This requires complete emotional commitment, sincerity, humbleness, and honesty. Once these traits are intact, Allah SWT will become the greatest in the heart and sacrifice will be easy. If these traits are not inculcated deeply in the heart, meaning the person is not ready yet and has to continue fighting against Shaytaan and his nafs (desires, temptations and negative personality traits).

In this article, we will look at surah Adh-Dhariyat and the general messages that we can derive from it, bi-idhnillah. Surah Adh-Dhariyat was revealed in Makkah and is located towards the end of the Qur’an so its theme is hereafter. As I mentioned earlier, the ending of a surah is the introduction of the following one. Surah Qaf is located before Surah Adh-Dhariyat and introduces it to us with the following verses:

And listen on the Day when the Caller will call out from a place that is near -The Day they will hear the blast [of the Horn] in truth. That is the Day of Emergence [from the graves]. Indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and to Us is the destination. On the Day the earth breaks away from them [and they emerge] rapidly; that is a gathering easy for Us. We are most knowing of what they say, and you are not over them a tyrant. But remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My threat. (Qaf 50: 41-45)

Allah SWT started Surah Adh-Dhariyat with the mention of His qudra (power) and He swore by it. In the Arabic language, swearing is done to bring attention to an important matter as well as a final ultimatum towards it, and this is what Allah SWT has done here:

By those [winds] scattering [dust] dispersing
And those [clouds] carrying a load [of water]
And those [ships] sailing with ease
And those [angels] apportioning [each] matter,
Indeed, what you are promised is true.
And indeed, the recompense is to occur. (51:1—6)

Allah SWT swore by His qudra (power) to emphasize the reality and importance of the hereafter, and He SWT continues to do that for the next few verses until all of a sudden the message changes and the story of Ibrahim AS is mentioned. Allah SWT mentions the miraculous birth of Ishaq AS who was born to Sarah and Ibrahim AS at a very old age—another display of the power of Allah showing that nothing is impossible for Him SWT and that His Will encompasses all odds and impossibilities.

The message that we can derive from this story is that Allah fulfills His promise to His slaves who sacrifice all that they have for the love of their Lord SWT. Ibrahim AS was given the gift of Ishaq—referred to as 'the knowledgeable boy' in the Qur’an—after he showed willingness to sacrifice Ismail, his first born son for the pleasure of Allah SWT. Allah SWT first granted him and his son the honor of rebuilding the Ka'bah and then went on to grant Ibrahim AS another son from whom many more Prophets came.

Allah SWT tells us:

And he felt from them apprehension. They said, "Fear not," and gave him good tidings of a learned boy.
And his wife approached with a cry [of alarm] and struck her face and said, "[I am] a barren old woman!"
They said, "Thus has said your Lord; indeed, He is the Wise, the Knowing."
(51: 28—30)

Allah SWT continues this message of His power and strength by mentioning the destroyed nations of the past who didn’t heed the call of the Prophets sent to them and were arrogant over the signs of Allah SWT. Nations like those of Lut, Pharaoh, “Aad, Nuh and Thamud who mocked the signs of Allah SWT were ruined and turned into signs for the future generations.

[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals
To send down upon them stones of clay,
Marked in the presence of your Lord for the transgressors."
So We brought out whoever was in the cities of the believers.
And We found not within them other than a [single] house of Muslims.
And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment.
And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority.
But he turned away with his supporters and said," A magician or a madman."
So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.
And in 'Aad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind.
It left nothing of what it came upon but that it made it like disintegrated ruins.
And in Thamud, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time."
But they were insolent toward the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on.
And they were unable to arise, nor could they defend themselves.
And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient. (51: 31—46)

Notice the precise message of the verses: act of disobedience by the people and Allah’s punishment on them. There are no excuses or details involved anymore.

At the time this surah was revealed, the believers were severely tortured in Makkah and no door seemed to be open for them to escape from these atrocities. At a time like this, Allah SWT is strengthening their faith by reminding them of what happened to arrogant nations before them and also emphasizing His power and the truth of His promises so as to reaffirm their faith and encourage their patience. Allah SWT is telling us that we need Him and that He SWT doesn't need us.

Allah SWT reminds us of His existence in everything around us, including our own selves and then gives us the following advise/command:

So flee to Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner. (51:50)

He SWT is the one who created us and He knows our weaknesses--one of which is anxiety about provision. He SWT doesn’t want us to be distracted from His message so He assures us that He is the provider and He will provide for us. If we work for Allah, Allah promises to provide for us; at this point, worry for future, disability, lack of education or strength all become meaningless and only the Qudra of Allah SWT remains.

Allah SWT relieves the worry of provision from His slaves in the following words:

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.
Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength. (51: 56—58)

This takes us back to the beginning of the surah where Allah SWT proclaimed that He is the All-Powerful and His promises will come to pass. In Surah Adh-Dhariyat Allah SWT invites humanity to His oneness, declares His unlimited and unimaginable abilities, reassures of His sustenance to His slaves and leaves the door of akhirah (hereafter) open to whoever wants to walk through it. And it is among the choicest blessings of Allah on a person to be able to reject duniya (world, this transitory life) with all its temptations and choose akhirah. May Allah allow us to be among these chosen ones and open our hearts and souls to receive the message of Qur’an. Ameen.

Note: This article is designed to give us hints and glimpses about some of the signs and methodology of reading the Qur'an and extracting messages and wisdoms to benefit us as individuals, societies and mankind.

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