Exegesis of the first verses of Surat al-Alaq
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Q6: What is the exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-'Alaq 96:1-5] ?
A6: These verses were the first to be revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They were revealed to him in the Cave of Hira , and with them the revelation began to him (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted says: “Read, O Muhammad, beginning your reading with the mention of your Lord’s name, or seeking assistance in your reading by mentioning the name of your Lord and the Bestower of your blessings, who created everything. He created the offspring of Adam from a clot, from blood that had previously been a drop, then it becomes a lump, then bones, through the final stages of the creation of man. So He (Glorified and Exalted is He) generalized in His praise of Himself by stating that He is unique in creating everything. Then He specified man, in honor of him and as a preparation for mentioning the favor He bestowed upon him of the blessing of writing and knowledge. Then He commanded him to read again, to draw attention to the greatness of its status and to urge care for it. Then He (Glorified and Exalted is He) praised Himself as the Lord of everything
and its Master, and that He is unique in perfect generosity and bounty. Among this is what Allah granted Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) of prophethood and messengership, and what He specifically gave him of the miracle of the Qur'an, while he was the unlettered one who neither reads nor writes (peace and blessings be upon him). And from the perfection of His generosity and the abundance of His blessings is that He taught man writing with the pen, and that He taught him what he did not know, of things whose number cannot be counted and whose measure cannot be determined. He would not have had this had Allah not bestowed upon him and showered upon him His great blessings. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators, and His mercy encompasses everything, and He is the Most Wise of judges.
(1) Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (2) Created man from a clinging substance. (3) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (4) Who taught by the pen - (5) Taught man that which he knew not.
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (1) خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (2) اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الأَكْرَمُ (3) الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ (4) عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْA6: These verses were the first to be revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They were revealed to him in the Cave of Hira , and with them the revelation began to him (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted says: “Read, O Muhammad, beginning your reading with the mention of your Lord’s name, or seeking assistance in your reading by mentioning the name of your Lord and the Bestower of your blessings, who created everything. He created the offspring of Adam from a clot, from blood that had previously been a drop, then it becomes a lump, then bones, through the final stages of the creation of man. So He (Glorified and Exalted is He) generalized in His praise of Himself by stating that He is unique in creating everything. Then He specified man, in honor of him and as a preparation for mentioning the favor He bestowed upon him of the blessing of writing and knowledge. Then He commanded him to read again, to draw attention to the greatness of its status and to urge care for it. Then He (Glorified and Exalted is He) praised Himself as the Lord of everything
and its Master, and that He is unique in perfect generosity and bounty. Among this is what Allah granted Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) of prophethood and messengership, and what He specifically gave him of the miracle of the Qur'an, while he was the unlettered one who neither reads nor writes (peace and blessings be upon him). And from the perfection of His generosity and the abundance of His blessings is that He taught man writing with the pen, and that He taught him what he did not know, of things whose number cannot be counted and whose measure cannot be determined. He would not have had this had Allah not bestowed upon him and showered upon him His great blessings. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators, and His mercy encompasses everything, and He is the Most Wise of judges.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.