Exegesis of Verses (1 - 9) of Surat al-Rahman.
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The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the righteous, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows:
This is the eighty-eighth session after the one hundredth, of the sessions called: The Open Door Meeting, which takes place every Thursday of every week, and this Thursday is the eleventh of the month of Jumada al-Akhirah, year 1419 AH.
We begin this session with what we used to begin with first, which is speaking about the verses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and we ended last week at the end of Surat al-Qamar.
As for today, we begin with Surat al-Rahman, in which is the Basmala::
The Basmala is a standalone verse from the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), with which the surahs are opened, except for one surah, which is Surat al-Bara'ah, and it is not part of the surah before it or the one after it; this is the stronger position among the scholars' opinions, such that even in al-Fatihah, the Basmala is not a verse of it. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite the Basmala aloud in the prayers where recitation is loud, and if it had been a verse of al-Fatihah, he would have recited it aloud just as he recites the rest of its verses. Also, what indicates this is what is established in the Qudsi Hadith that Allah the Exalted said:Mishkat al-Masabih 823.
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[Ar-Rahman 55:2-4]: Al-Rahman: is the subject, and the phrase "taught the Qur'an" is the predicate, "created man" is a second predicate, "taught him eloquence" is a third predicate, meaning: that this great Lord who named Himself al-Rahman bestowed these blessings upon His servants.
And al-Rahman is: "the Possessor of the vast mercy that encompassed everything", as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:156].
And He began this surah with al-Rahman as a title indicating that everything after it is from the mercy of Allah the Exalted and from His blessings.
Taught him whom? Taught him Jibril, taught him Muhammad, taught him man?
The answer: He taught whom He willed of His servants, so He taught him Jibril first, then Jibril brought it down upon the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) second, then Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) conveyed it third to all people.
And the Qur'an is this noble book that Allah the Exalted revealed in the Arabic language, as Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zukhruf 43:3], and Allah the Exalted said: [Ash-Shu'ara 26:193-195].
And teaching the Qur'an includes teaching its wording, teaching its meaning, and teaching how to act upon it, so it includes three things.
: And the intended meaning is the species, which includes Adam and his offspring, meaning: He brought them into existence from non-existence, so man was non-existent before his existence, before his creation. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-Insan 76:1] meaning: a period of time passed over him before he was brought into existence, and he was not a thing mentioned, nor was he known. And Allah the Exalted began with teaching the Qur'an before the creation of man, as an indication that the blessing of Allah upon us with teaching the Qur'an is more severe and more eloquent than His blessing with the creation of man, otherwise it is known that the creation of man precedes the teaching of the Qur'an, but because teaching the Qur'an is a greater favor from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) upon the servant, He placed it before its creation.
Taught whom?
Taught man.
Al-Bayan means: that by which one clarifies what is in his heart, and He taught him al-Bayan also: that by which one becomes clear in conversation, so here there are two types of al-Bayan:
The first al-Bayan is from the speaker, and the second al-Bayan is from the one addressed, pay attention:
The al-Bayan of the speaker means: expressing what is in his heart is done by the tongue through speech, and by the fingers through writing, is that not so?
When there is something in your heart that you want to inform about, sometimes you inform by speech, and sometimes by writing, both are included in His saying:.
Also, He taught him al-Bayan how to make things clear, and that is with respect to the one addressed, that a person knows and understands what his companion says, and if Allah the Exalted had willed, He could have made the one addressed hear the voice without understanding the meaning, is that not so?
So al-Bayan, whether from the speaker or from the one addressed, both are a favor from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), how many blessings is this?
The questioner : Three.
The Shaykh : Taught the Qur'an, created man, taught him al-Bayan, three.
[Ar-Rahman 55:5]: When He spoke about the lower world, He clarified the upper world, the sun and the moon, bi-hisaban means: by a precise calculation, they run as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) commanded them, and the sun and the moon will not change since Allah (Mighty and Majestic) created them until He removes them, they travel on one line as Allah commanded them, and this is evidence of the perfection of the power of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) and the perfection of His dominion and the perfection of His knowledge, that these great bodies travel in an organized manner that does not change over long years, so bi-hisaban means: by a known, precise, and most organized calculation.
[Ar-Rahman 55:6]: An-najm: is a generic name, and the intended meaning is the stars, they prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), these upper stars that we observe in the sky prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in a true prostration, but we do not know its manner, because this is among the matters that minds cannot grasp, the trees prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in a true prostration, but we do not know how that is, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-Isra 17:44], so what is the intended meaning of an-najm?
The questioner : The stars.
The Shaykh : Meaning all the stars, all the stars prostrate, all the trees on earth prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hajj 22:18] Many people oppose: [Al-Hajj 22:18] so they do not prostrate, refuge with Allah from that, so an-najm means: the stars, ash-shajr means: the trees, do they prostrate in reality or metaphorically?
The questioner : In reality.
The Shaykh : In reality, do they prostrate to Allah in what manner?
Allah knows best, we do not know, and Allah is capable of all things, now look at the trees when the sun rises, their leaves turn toward the sun, you see it with your own eyes, and as it rises, the trees rise, and when it leans toward sunset, they also lean, this we observe, but this is not the prostration, rather the prostration is in reality and is not known.
meaning: and He raised the sky, and He did not specify in the Noble Qur'an the amount of this raising, but the Sunnah came with it, so it is high and great in a great, towering height.
meaning: He placed justice, and the evidence that the intended meaning of al-mizan here is justice is His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): [Al-Hadid 57:25] meaning: justice, and the intended meaning of al-mizan here is not the known two-pan scale, no, the intended meaning is the scale of justice.
And the meaning of placing the scale is: He established it for people so that they perform al-qist, meaning: justice.
[Ar-Rahman 55:8] meaning: do not transgress in justice, meaning: He placed justice so that you do not transgress in justice and become unjust, ruling for a person who does not deserve it, or against a person who does not deserve it.
[Ar-Rahman 55:9]: Establish the weight, meaning: the weight of man, the weight means your weighing of things, establish it, do not diminish, so He said: [Ar-Rahman 55:9] meaning: do not make the weighed thing lose, so the scale differs in its three places:
Placing the scale means?
The questioner : Justice.
The Shaykh : Do not transgress in the scale?
The questioner : Do not be unjust.
The Shaykh : Do not be unjust in the weighing,[Ar-Rahman 55:9]?
The questioner : The weighed thing.
The Shaykh : The weighed thing, then He said (Mighty and Majestic):[Ar-Rahman 55:10] to the end, and we will speak about it in the next lesson if Allah wills, so that we can devote time to the questions from the brother guests, and we begin with the right hand.
As for what follows:
This is the eighty-eighth session after the one hundredth, of the sessions called: The Open Door Meeting, which takes place every Thursday of every week, and this Thursday is the eleventh of the month of Jumada al-Akhirah, year 1419 AH.
We begin this session with what we used to begin with first, which is speaking about the verses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and we ended last week at the end of Surat al-Qamar.
As for today, we begin with Surat al-Rahman, in which is the Basmala:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمThe Basmala is a standalone verse from the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), with which the surahs are opened, except for one surah, which is Surat al-Bara'ah, and it is not part of the surah before it or the one after it; this is the stronger position among the scholars' opinions, such that even in al-Fatihah, the Basmala is not a verse of it. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not recite the Basmala aloud in the prayers where recitation is loud, and if it had been a verse of al-Fatihah, he would have recited it aloud just as he recites the rest of its verses. Also, what indicates this is what is established in the Qudsi Hadith that Allah the Exalted said:
I have divided the prayer into two halves between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” When the servant says, “Praise be to God the Lord of the universe,” God most high says, “My servant has praised me.” When he says, “The Compassionate the Merciful,” God most high says, “My servant has lauded me.” When he says, “Possessor of the day of judgment,” He says, “My servant has glorified me.” When he says, “Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help,” He says, “This is between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Then when he says, “Guide us in the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou art generous, not of those with whom Thou art angry nor of those who go astray,” He says. “This is for my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.”
قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين، فإذا قال: الحمد لله رب العالمين، قال الله تعالى: حمدني عبدي، وإذا قال: الرحمن الرحيم، قال: أثنى عليَّ عبدي، وإذا قال: مالك يوم الدين، قال: مجّدني عبدي، وإذا قال: إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين، قال: هذا بيني و بين عبدي نصفين ولعبدي ما سأل، فإذا قال: اهدنا الصّراط المستقيم صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضّالّين، قال الله: هذا لعبدي ولعبدي ما سألAllah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
(2) Taught the Qur'an, (3) Created man, (4) [And] taught him eloquence.
الرّحمن * علّم القرآن * خلق الإنسان * علّمه البيانAnd al-Rahman is: "the Possessor of the vast mercy that encompassed everything", as Allah the Exalted said:
but My mercy encompasses all things
ورحمتي وسعت كلّ شيءAnd He began this surah with al-Rahman as a title indicating that everything after it is from the mercy of Allah the Exalted and from His blessings.
He taught the Qur'an.
علّم القرآنThe answer: He taught whom He willed of His servants, so He taught him Jibril first, then Jibril brought it down upon the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) second, then Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) conveyed it third to all people.
And the Qur'an is this noble book that Allah the Exalted revealed in the Arabic language, as Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.
إنّا جعلنه قرآناً عربيّاً لعلّكم تعقلون(193) The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down (194) Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - (195) In a clear Arabic language.
نَزل به الرّوح الْأمينُ على قلبك لتكون من المنذرين بِلسان عربِيّ مبينAnd teaching the Qur'an includes teaching its wording, teaching its meaning, and teaching how to act upon it, so it includes three things.
He created man
خلق الإنسانHas there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?
هل أتى على الإنسان حين من الدّهر لم يكن شيئاً مذكوراًThe sun and the moon by precise calculation.
علّمه البيانTaught man.
Al-Bayan means: that by which one clarifies what is in his heart, and He taught him al-Bayan also: that by which one becomes clear in conversation, so here there are two types of al-Bayan:
The first al-Bayan is from the speaker, and the second al-Bayan is from the one addressed, pay attention:
The al-Bayan of the speaker means: expressing what is in his heart is done by the tongue through speech, and by the fingers through writing, is that not so?
When there is something in your heart that you want to inform about, sometimes you inform by speech, and sometimes by writing, both are included in His saying:
And the stars and the trees prostrate.
علّمه البيانAlso, He taught him al-Bayan how to make things clear, and that is with respect to the one addressed, that a person knows and understands what his companion says, and if Allah the Exalted had willed, He could have made the one addressed hear the voice without understanding the meaning, is that not so?
So al-Bayan, whether from the speaker or from the one addressed, both are a favor from Allah (Mighty and Majestic), how many blessings is this?
The questioner : Three.
The Shaykh : Taught the Qur'an, created man, taught him al-Bayan, three.
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation,
الشّمس والقمر بحسبانAnd the stars and trees prostrate.
والنّجم والشّجر يسجدانThe seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting
تسبّح له السّماوات السّبع والأرض ومن فيهنّ وإن من شيء إلاّ يسبّح بحمده ولكن لا تفقهون تسبيحهمThe questioner : The stars.
The Shaykh : Meaning all the stars, all the stars prostrate, all the trees on earth prostrate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), Allah the Exalted said:
Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people?
ألم ترَ أنّ الله يسجد له من في السَّماوات ومن في الْأرض والشّمس والقمر والنجوم والجبال والشّجر والدّوابّ وكثير من النّاسBut upon many the punishment has been justified
وكثير حق عليه العذابThe questioner : In reality.
The Shaykh : In reality, do they prostrate to Allah in what manner?
Allah knows best, we do not know, and Allah is capable of all things, now look at the trees when the sun rises, their leaves turn toward the sun, you see it with your own eyes, and as it rises, the trees rise, and when it leans toward sunset, they also lean, this we observe, but this is not the prostration, rather the prostration is in reality and is not known.
Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs and sent down with them the Book and the balance.
والسّماء رفعهاThat you not transgress in the balance.
ووضع الميزانWe have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance
لقد أرسلنا رسلنا بالبيّنات وأنزَلنا معهم الْكتاب والمِيزانAnd the meaning of placing the scale is: He established it for people so that they perform al-qist, meaning: justice.
That you not transgress within the balance.
ألّا تطغوا في المِيزانAnd establish weight in justice
وأقيموا الوزن بالقسطand do not make deficient the balance.
ولا تخسروا الميزانPlacing the scale means?
The questioner : Justice.
The Shaykh : Do not transgress in the scale?
The questioner : Do not be unjust.
The Shaykh : Do not be unjust in the weighing,
And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.
وأقيموا الوزن بالقسط ولا تخسروا الميزانThe questioner : The weighed thing.
The Shaykh : The weighed thing, then He said (Mighty and Majestic):