الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله

This talk is continuation of last week talk whose title was “The 4th Element of Islam
The Pre-Hour Signs (علامات الساعة)”.  I started last week talk by reference to well known the Hadeath in which the Prophet (PBUH) answered 4 questions that was given to him by the Archangel Gibreal and these were: what is Islam, what is Eman, what is Ehsan and what are the signs of the hour.  And the Prophet told the companions that these are the basics of our religion.

These 4 elements address all aspect of our life, current and future.  

The definition of Islam provides the physical rituals that involve our personal relationship with Allah. 

The definition of Eman provides the articles of belief that are settled in our heart.  

The definition of Ehsan provides the control that we must consider in our relationship with all creations and this control is that we are under continuous monitoring by Allah. 

The fourth element of religion is signs of the day judgment and these represent future events that we, as Muslims, need to know to be prepared for them, particularly since most of these signs represent tribulation and challenges.  

I stated that there are two main reasons for studying the signs of the hour:

1. Develop technologies that protect humanity in face of these expected calamities
2. Allow for better understanding certain Surat in the Quran that seems unclear without taking these signs into account.

And I’ll add a 3rd reason and this is to realize that these signs are given as warning that unless mankind follows the commands of Allah, they will be destroyed as Allah have destroyed nations before them. Unfortunately, when we look at the world today, we note that we are committing a combination of the violations that each one of them caused previous nations to be destroyed. Therefore, we should expect that our punishment will be a combination of all past punishments.  All you need to do is to study the violation committed by the people of Prophets Nuh, Saleh, Shoaib, Lot, and Moses and their form of punishments to know what will be falling us when we engage on all the violations.

In this talk, I plan to, inshallah, to focus on the 2^nd objective and this is how to provide better understanding of some Suarts in the Quran in light of these signs.  I’ll focus on Surat Al-Tariq to present new possible understanding.  This does not mean that other tafseers that you have read are wrong.  They are correct and provide valuable interpretations and I am just making another addition.   One of the miracles of the Quran is that its verses allow for multiple lessons to be drawn are as long as each lesson does not violate the rules of the Arabic language and does not create contradiction with other verses in the Quran. 

To set the stage of the understanding of Surat Al-Tariq in light of the signs of the hour.  Let me remind you of few verses in the Quran that provide justification for the explanation I plan to offer.

The Prophet (PBUH) threatened the disbelievers with a cosmic event that will befall them if they continue to reject his message.  They said to him that they will not believe until he brings the punishment on them as he claimed.  As Allah revealed in suart Al-Isra, they said that they will not believe until:

تُسۡقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفًا (٩٢)

“you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you claimed,.” (Al-Isra 17:90-92)

The same threat was confirmed in Surat Al-Shuara (الشُّعَرَاء) with some details that whatever will fall on them from the sky will cause them to stand with their necks stretched so their eyes will continue focusing on it:

إِن نَّشَأۡ نُنَزِّلۡ عَلَيۡہِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً۬ فَظَلَّتۡ أَعۡنَـٰقُهُمۡ لَهَا خَـٰضِعِينَ (الشُّعَرَاء)

“If We will, We can send down on them from a sign from the sky on which their necks will stay in submission.” (Al-Shuara 26:3-4)

As long as there are people who continue to reject the Prophet (PBUH), this threat of something falling form the sky as punishment will remain.  In Surat Saba, the warning was repeated and was expanded to include sink holes to swallow them.

إِن نَّشَأۡ نَخۡسِفۡ بِهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ أَوۡ نُسۡقِطۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ كِسَفً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لِّكُلِّ عَبۡدٍ۬ مُّنِيبٍ۬ (٩)

“If We so will, We would make the earth swallow them up, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely, in this there is a sign for every continuously repenting servant. “(Saba 34:9)

Then we find more details on the form of expected punishment in Surat Al-Dukhan and this involves a visible smoke that will engulf the earth:

بَلۡ هُمۡ فِى شَكٍّ۬ يَلۡعَبُونَ (٩) فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ يَوۡمَ تَأۡتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ (١٠) يَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ‌ۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ (١١)

“But they, being in doubt, are playing around. (9) So, wait for a day when the sky will produce visible smoke (10) That will envelop people. This will be a painful punishment.” (Al-Dukhan 44:9-11)

In Surat Al-Nijm, Allah gives the warning that this punishment is imminent:

أَزِفَتِ ٱلۡأَزِفَةُ (٥٧) لَيۡسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ (٥٨)

“The Imminent (event) has approached. (57) There is no one, beside Allah, can disclose it (can remove it).” (Al-Najm 53:57-58)

This punishment will be very expansive that every town will see it as we can infer from Surat Al-Isra:

وَإِن مِّن قَرۡيَةٍ إِلَّا نَحۡنُ مُهۡلِڪُوهَا قَبۡلَ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُوهَا عَذَابً۬ا شَدِيدً۬ا‌ۚ كَانَ ذَٲلِكَ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مَسۡطُورً۬ا (٥٨)

“There is no town but We are to destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with severe punishment. That is set forth in the Book.” (Al-Isra 17:58)

The implementation of the threat to have the sky falling on the disbelievers

Based on these verses as well as others, we understand that mankind are subjected to a threat that will come to them from the sky above and this will create major smoke that will engulf the earth and results in major damages that will involve floods, earthquakes, fires, etc.   The verses in the Quran also suggest that this punishment is imminent and will come suddenly when people think that their technological advances have made them in control and thus encouraged them to transgress beyond the bounds.  This punishment will be so severe that will erase every advancement man has done.  Allah says in Surat Yunus:

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَخَذَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ زُخۡرُفَهَا وَٱزَّيَّنَتۡ وَظَنَّ أَهۡلُهَآ أَنَّہُمۡ قَـٰدِرُونَ عَلَيۡہَآ أَتَٮٰهَآ أَمۡرُنَا لَيۡلاً أَوۡ نَہَارً۬ا فَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا حَصِيدً۬ا كَأَن لَّمۡ تَغۡنَ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَڪَّرُونَ (٢٤)

“Until when the earth took on its ornament and was fully embellished, and its people thought that they had control over it, Our command comes to it at night or by day, and We turned it into a clean-mown harvest, as if it had not flourished a day earlier. This is how We elaborate the revelations for people who reflect.” (Yunus 10:24)

If you examine the different verses in the Quran that discuss the punishments of the past nations, it was always because of dominant violation that make them prosecute the believers and the weak.    If you examine our situation now, you note that we are committing their combined sins and the believers are prosecuted all over the world including in the so-called Muslim countries. 

So, we should not be surprised that Allah’s punishment is ready to be released upon us and this punishment will not befall specific nation as in the past but the whole earth because the whole earth are guilty either by directly committing the atrocities or by fully aware of it and doing nothing to prevent it. Allah makes it clear that being passive is a crime as He said in Surat Al-Maeda:

لُعِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُ ۥدَ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّڪَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ (٧٨) ڪَانُواْ لَا يَتَنَاهَوۡنَ عَن مُّنڪَرٍ۬ فَعَلُوهُ‌ۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَ (٧٩)

“A curse by the tongue of Dawud and ‘Isa, Son of Maryam was pronounced on those who disbelieve from among the children of Israeli because they disobeyed and used to transgress. (78) They did not restrain one another from any evil they committed. Evil indeed is what they have been doing.!” (Al-Maeda 5:79)

So, the curse will not only be on the transgressors but also upon those who are watching it and doing nothing to prevent it.

But, as in the past, there will always be people, though small in number, who remain to be true believers and stand against the injustice and they are the one who have been prosecuted by the transgressors.   And, as in the past, those righteous people will be saved, though they will witness the total annihilation of the earth around them.  Those were the people who restarted a new righteous society. 

Because of the small number of those believers among the massive number of the transgressors, verse in the Quran suggest that Allah will send angels with commands to comb the earth to pick them one by one.   The process will be as we comb the wheat from the chaff. This picture can be drawn from verse 2 in Surat An-Naziat (النَّازعَات) (79) in which Allah describes the roles of certain the angels by saying: (وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ نَشۡطً۬ا) “By those who gently draw out (the believers).”

But how would the angels know those few who are truly righteous, obviously Allah knows the inward of everyone and what we hide in our chests as He says in verse 9 of  Surat Al-Tariq (86) (يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى ٱلسَّرَآٮِٕرُ) “On the day in which all that is hidden thoughts will be searched out”.

Referring to the begging of Surat Al-Dukhan, we read

حمٓ (١) وَٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ (٢) إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةٍ۬ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ (٣) فِيہَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِيمٍ (٤) أَمۡرً۬ا مِّنۡ عِندِنَآ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِينَ (٥)

Ha Mim . (1) By the manifest Book, (2) We have sent it down in a blessed night, (because) We had to warn (people). (3) In that (night), every wise matter is allocated (4) As a command from Us – Indeed we are sending. (Al-Dukhan 44:1-5)

We can connect this command to the oath in the beginning of Surat Al-Naziat:

فَٱلۡمُدَبِّرَٲتِ أَمۡرً۬ا (٥) يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ (٦)

By those who manage the command (of Allah).  (5) On the day of the violent shock with bursting sound. (An-Naziat 79:5-6)

One can connect Allah’s command that will be managed by the angels and will be in the form of violent shock with bursting sound (ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ) with verses 10 and 11 of Surat Al-Dukhan in which Allah describes the form of punishment associated with the command. By saying:

فَٱرۡتَقِبۡ يَوۡمَ تَأۡتِى ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ (١٠) يَغۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ‌ۖ هَـٰذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ (١١)

“Wait for a day when the sky will produce visible smoke (10) That will envelop people. This will be a painful punishment.” (Al-Dukhan 44:10-11)

With this background we can move to provide reflection on Suart Al-Tariq in light of these signs of the hour that I briefly mentioned, let me set the possible scenario and see if it fits the verses of Surat Al-Tariq.

Our earth is surrounded with protective cover to protect it from many cosmic events that can cause major destruction to the earth and some of these events have occurred in the past.  One can speculate on two scenarios that will come from the sky above us that makes all people freeze looking at it as it approaches and whatever comes from the sky will create violent shock, bursting sound, major fire that will engulf the earth with smoke and will cause massive death and destructions to our civilization by rendering all our communication technology and electrical systems useless.

The two possible scenarios are massive asteroid or huge solar flare that will be able to pass thru the upper atmosphere that protects the earth from such events that occur frequently but rarely reach the earth.

But on one day, Allah will allow one of these events, asteroid or solar flare, to pierce thru the earth protective layer and it will come knocking on the surface penetrating it, resulting in major destruction and massive death.   According to researchers in earth and planetary sciences such event can wipe out an entire continent or even cause civilization to collapse.   This will not be the end of life on earth, but the beginning of new civilization form those righteous people whom Allah will save similar to what happed in the past.  Allah destroyed many past nations and only saved the Prophet and the few believers and they were the catalysts to form new society.  As example, the destruction that happened to the people of Prophets Nuh, Lut, Saleh, Shoaib and others.

The similitude of this image is like when many sperms tries to penetrate the egg in the mother womb but only one of them will be able to reach the egg and penetrate it to start the creation of a new life for a new human being and the rest will be destroyed. 

This scenario should not be unrealistic since Allah who created the first creation, can allow the recreation of another one. 

When this massive event happens, it will not wipe out all people, the lives of the righteous ones will be protected and they will be saved.  But the evils ones will have no one at that time to support and protect them. 

You may ask whether this means that Muslims will be saved, the answer is that only those who are truly righteous will be saved.  Those who are righteous are those whom Allah identifies based on exposing what is in their hearts and not based on what they claim.  

As I stated such major cosmic event has happened in the past causing major destructions and wiping civilization to have new ones start.  The sky sent before asteroids or solar flares and as a result the earth has been subjected to many faults and fractures.  So, what is planned in the futures is a repeat to what happened in the past, thought it will be on a far massive scale.

The Quran informs us of future events and it is up to us to take heed.  As in the past, though it was on limited scale, people plot to prosecute and get rid of the righteous and true servants of Allah.  You can see this happening in front of everyone in many countries including the so-called Muslim countries.   Do you think Allah is not aware of this, obviously He is but Allah has His Own plan that will be executed on His time.  He wants to give those transgressors time, so when He destroys them, they will have no excuse.  Allah says in Surat Al-Qamar:

كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا كُلِّهَا فَأَخَذۡنَـٰهُمۡ أَخۡذَ عَزِيزٍ۬ مُّقۡتَدِرٍ (٤٢) أَكُفَّارُكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكُمۡ أَمۡ لَكُم بَرَآءَةٌ۬ فِى ٱلزُّبُرِ (٤٣)

“They rejected all Our signs; so We seized them a seizure by One Mighty, Powerful. (42) Are the disbelievers among you in a better position than all of the aforesaid (punished people), or do you have immunity (recorded) in the sacred books?” (Al-Qamar 54:42)

Let us now focus on Surat Al-Tariq.  The traditional tafseer considers that Surat Al-Tariq discusses 5 topics: 1) astrophysics, 2) embryology, 3) exposing man’s secrets,  4) geography and nature, and 5) the plots of man  and the plans of Allah.  

But Keeping this scenario that I suggested in your mind, we will see, inshallah,   that Surat Al-Tariq presents one topic that is related to cosmic events and that the surat ending is connected to its beginning.

(Al-Tariq 86:1-17)

In reflecting on this surat as we presented it, we can say that every human being on this earth has a choice to make. Either to accept the final message of Allah and follow its commands and be saved to enjoy the renewal of earth and its new just and merciful civilization, or stay on the path that is contradicting Allah’s message thru disbelief and atrocities and face the consequences. 

In light of the signs that will precede the hour, as we presented the possible understanding of Surat Al-Tariq, we can also draw additional insight from Surat An-Naziat  (النَّازعَات) (79) considering that the oath in the start of the Surat is by the angels that Allah will send to execute His order to destroy at come with violent shock with bursting sound and the angels will come rushing extracting the souls of the disbelievers and saving  the few believers.  

وَٱلنَّـٰزِعَـٰتِ غَرۡقً۬ا (١) وَٱلنَّـٰشِطَـٰتِ نَشۡطً۬ا (٢) وَٱلسَّـٰبِحَـٰتِ سَبۡحً۬ا (٣) فَٱلسَّـٰبِقَـٰتِ سَبۡقً۬ا (٤) فَٱلۡمُدَبِّرَٲتِ أَمۡرً۬ا (٥) يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ ٱلرَّاجِفَةُ (٦) تَتۡبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ (٧) قُلُوبٌ۬ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ وَاجِفَةٌ (٨) أَبۡصَـٰرُهَا خَـٰشِعَةٌ۬ (٩)

I’ll leave this Surat to you to reflect on and compare your new reflections with the tafseers that you will read.

My advice to myself first and to you is to examine our heart, Allah will expose our secrets and only those whose heart is clean will be saved. 

 The sign I discussed today is the first of the major signs, but there are many other signs that are classified as minor that have already materialized. I discussed few last time and in the next few minutes let me highlight another one to ensure that we don’t fail in facing it.  The Prophet (PBUH) said that before the Hour there will be proliferation of writing and spread of lying.

With the spread of social media, everyone now writes and many of what is written is false.  Unfortunately, people spread the false information without any verification.  You must have received from your contacts ahadeath and when you verify their authenticity you discover that they are fabricated. In this case, not only the person who wrote them is sinful but everyone who shared them is sinful and claiming that the Prophet (PBUH) said something that he did not say is not a small sin, it is a major sin.

عن المغيرة بن شعبة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (إن كذبا عليَّ ليس ككذب على أحد، من كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار) رواه البخاري، ورواه مسلم

“”Whoever (intentionally) ascribes to me what I have not said then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.”

So, please don’t forward any information you receive until you verify it.  Keep in mind that it takes the truth about six times as long as falsehood to reach 1,500 people. And it is real people who spread the falsehood.

Allah programmed us to be trust others and we internally presume that what is presented to us is true, but with the warning of the Prophet (PBUH) that lies will be wide spread, we should be careful.  (END)

عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إن بين يدي الساعة: ظهور القلم» (رواه أحمد).

“A sign of the hour is the proliferation of writing.”  (Ahmad)

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ أَمَامَ الدَّجَّالِ سِنِينَ خَدَّاعَةً يُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الْأَمِينُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيَتَكَلَّمُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قِيلَ وَمَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قَالَ الْفُوَيْسِقُ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي أَمْرِ الْعَامَّةِ)  مسند أحمد بن حنبل(

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Verily, preceding the False Messiah will be years of deception, in which the truthful are belied, the liars are believed, the trustworthy are discredited, the treacherous are trusted, and the disgraceful speak.” It was said, “Who are the disgraceful?” The Prophet said, “Little wicked men who speak about the affairs of common people.” (Musnad Aḥmad)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ سَنَوَاتٌ خَدَّاعَاتُ يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الْأَمِينُ وَيَنْطِقُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قِيلَ وَمَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ التَّافِهُ فِي أَمْرِ الْعَامَّةِ)  سنن ابن ماجه (

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “The end of time, years of treachery will come over people in which liars are believed and the truthful are denied, the deceitful are trusted and the trustworthy are considered traitors, and the disgraceful will deliver speeches.” It was said, “Who are the disgraceful?” The Prophet said, “Petty men with authority over the common people.”  (Sunan Ibn Mājah)  

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