Surat Al-A’la (الاٴعلی) (The Most-High) (87:1-19)

The main theme of Surah Al-A‘la (سورة الأعلى) is the glorification of Allah for His perfect creation and guidance, and the reminder that true success lies in self-purification and remembrance of Allah.

The Surah begins with a call to glorify Allah, the One who created, perfected, and guided all things:

سَبِّحِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَى (١) ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ (٢) وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ (٣)

“Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most-High (1) Who created and perfected. (2) And who determined a measure for everything and then guided them.” (87:1-3)

Tasbih (تسبيح) means glorifying Allah by declaring His absolute perfection and denying any flaw or deficiency. Derived from the root s-b-ḥ (سبح), meaning “to swim” or “move swiftly,” it implies continuous glorification through devotion in word, action, and thought.

The Surah then stresses the value of reminding others of Allah’s message and highlights the different responses and contrasts the outcome of each response:

فَذَكِّرۡ إِن نَّفَعَتِ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ (٩) سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخۡشَىٰ (١٠) وَيَتَجَنَّبُہَا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى (١١) ٱلَّذِى يَصۡلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ (١٢) ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيہَا وَلَا يَحۡيَىٰ (١٣) قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ (١٤) وَذَكَرَ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ (١٥)

“So, remind, if the reminder benefits. (9) It will remind those who stand in awe of Allah, (10) but it will be ignored by the most wicked (11) who will enter the Great Fire, (12) where they will neither die nor live. (13) Successful are those who purify themselves, (14) who remember the name of their Lord and pray.” (87:9-15)

The Surah ends by warning against preferring worldly life over the Hereafter and affirms that this message is consistent with earlier scriptures:

بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُونَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا (١٦) وَٱلۡأَخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ۬ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ (١٧) إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَفِى ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ (١٨) صُحُفِ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ (١٩)

“Yet you [people] prefer the life of this world, (16) even though the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (17) All this is in the earlier scriptures, (18) the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.” (87:16-19)

 These final verses affirm that the core message of the Qur’an aligns with earlier revelations, including those given to Prophets Ibrahim and Musa, and thus, parallels with the Torah are to be expected.

Extra:

Seven surahs in the Qur’an are known as Al-Musabbihaat—those that begin by declaring the perfection of Allah. They open with different forms of Tasbih, each conveying a unique nuance:

سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ (Sabbaha lillahi) – Past tense: all creation has declared Allah’s perfection (e.g., Al-Hadid, Al-Hashr, As-Saff).

سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ

“Whatever is in the heavens and earth has glorified Allah…”

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ (Yusabbihu lillahi) – Present/future tense: all creation is and will continue to declare His perfection (e.g., Al-Jumu‘ah, At-Taghabun).

يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ

“Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah…”

سُبْحَانَ (Subhana) – Infinitive noun: a timeless declaration of Allah’s absolute perfection (e.g., Al-Isra’).

سُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسۡرَىٰ بِعَبۡدِهِۦ لَيۡلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡأَقۡصَا

“Glorious is He who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa.”

سَبِّحِ (Sabbih) – Command form: a direct call to glorify Allah (e.g., Al-A‘la).

سَبِّحِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَى

“Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most- High.”

Among the seven Musabbihaat, (المسبحات) Surah Al-A‘la was especially beloved to the Prophet ﷺ. He frequently recited it in Jumu‘ah, both Eid prayers, and often in Witr, as recorded in the Sunnah.

Surat Al-Ghashiya (الغَاشِیَة) (The Overwhelming Event) (88:1-26)

Surat Al-Ghashiya emphasizes the reality of the Hereafter by drawing a clear distinction between two groups: those who are doomed and those who are blessed. The Surah invites readers to reflect, to hold themselves accountable, and to remember the signs of Allah.  The Surah opens with a rhetorical question:

هَلۡ أَتَٮٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلۡغَـٰشِيَةِ (١)

Have you heard the information about the Overwhelming Event?  (88:1)

This question does not require an answer; rather, it serves as a reminder of a profound truth that is often neglected or forgotten. The Surah then vividly describes the fate of those who deny the truth:

وُجُوهٌ۬ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ خَـٰشِعَةٌ (٢) عَامِلَةٌ۬ نَّاصِبَةٌ۬ (٣) تَصۡلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً۬ (٤) تُسۡقَىٰ مِنۡ عَيۡنٍ ءَانِيَةٍ۬ (٥) لَّيۡسَ لَهُمۡ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِن ضَرِيعٍ۬ (٦) لَّا يُسۡمِنُ وَلَا يُغۡنِى مِن جُوعٍ۬ (٧)

“(On that Day), there will be downcast faces, (2) laboring and weary, (3) as they enter the blazing Fire (4) and drink from a boiling spring, (5) with no food for them except bitter thorns (6) that neither nourish nor satisfy hunger.” (88:2-7)

In contrast, the Surah presents a scene of peace and reward for the righteous:

وُجُوهٌ۬ يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ نَّاعِمَةٌ۬ (٨) لِّسَعۡيِہَا رَاضِيَةٌ۬ (٩) فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ۬ (١٠) لَّا تَسۡمَعُ فِيہَا لَـٰغِيَةً۬ (١١) فِيہَا عَيۡنٌ۬ جَارِيَةٌ۬ (١٢) فِيہَا سُرُرٌ۬ مَّرۡفُوعَةٌ۬ (١٣) وَأَكۡوَابٌ۬ مَّوۡضُوعَةٌ۬ (١٤) وَنَمَارِقُ مَصۡفُوفَةٌ۬ (١٥) وَزَرَابِىُّ مَبۡثُوثَةٌ (١٦)

“On that Day there will be faces radiant with bliss, (8) well pleased with their labor, (9) in a lofty garden, (10) where they will hear no idle talk, (11) surrounded by   flowing spring, (12) raised couches, (13) cups set at hand, (14) arranged cushions, (15) and carpets spread out.” (88:1816)

 To inspire reflection, the Surah calls attention to the wonders of Allah’s creation:

أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡإِبِلِ ڪَيۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ (١٧) وَإِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ڪَيۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ (١٨) وَإِلَى ٱلۡجِبَالِ كَيۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ (١٩) وَإِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَيۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ (٢٠)

“Do they not look at the camels (clouds), how they are created? (17) And the sky, how it is raised? (18) And at the mountains, how they are set firm? (19) And at the earth, how it is spread out!?” (88:17-20)

 The Surah concludes by clarifying the Prophet’s role and in turn his followers:

فَذَكِّرۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَڪِّرٌ۬ (٢١) لَّسۡتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِمُصَيۡطِرٍ (٢٢) إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ (٢٣) فَيُعَذِّبُهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرَ (٢٤) إِنَّ إِلَيۡنَآ إِيَابَہُمۡ (٢٥) ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا حِسَابَہُم (٢٦)

“So, remind them: you are only a warner, (21) you are not controller over them. (22) As for those who turn away and disbelieve, (23) Allah will punish them with the greatest torment. (24) To Us is their return, (25) and it is for Us to call them to account.” (88:21-26)

In essence, Surat Al-Ghashiya is a powerful call to prepare for the Hereafter by reflecting on divine signs, choosing belief, and living righteously.

Surah Al-Fajr (الفَجر) (The Dawn) (89:1-30)

The main theme of Surat Al-Fajr is that material wealth and worldly status do not determine one’s true standing with Allah. What matters is faith, righteous action, and how we respond to life’s tests, which will be judged in the Hereafter. Allah rejects the idea that wealth equals divine favor:

فَأَمَّا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَٮٰهُ رَبُّهُ ۥ فَأَكۡرَمَهُ ۥ وَنَعَّمَهُ ۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكۡرَمَنِ (١٥) وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَٮٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيۡهِ رِزۡقَهُ ۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَـٰنَنِ (١٦) كَلَّا‌ۖ…

“As for man, when his Lord tests him by honoring him and blessing him, he says, ‘My Lord has honored me.’ (15) But when He tests him by restricting his provision, he says, ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’ (16) No indeed!…” (89:15-17)

True honor or disgrace will only be revealed on the Day of Judgment. Those who failed their test of wealth or privilege will face real humiliation.

يَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَتَذَڪَّرُ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ (٢٣) يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى قَدَّمۡتُ لِحَيَاتِى (٢٤) فَيَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ لَّا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ ۥۤ أَحَدٌ۬ (٢٥) وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ ۥۤ أَحَدٌ۬ (٢٦(

“On that Day, man will remember—but what good will that remembrance be then? (23) He will say, ‘Oh, I wish I had sent forth [good deeds] for my life [to come]!’ (24) On that Day, none can punish as He (Allah) will punish, (25) and none can shackle as He (Allah) will shackle.” (89:23-26)

 On the other hand, those who remained faithful, regardless of their worldly circumstances, will be honored:

يَـٰٓأَيَّتُہَا ٱلنَّفۡسُ ٱلۡمُطۡمَٮِٕنَّةُ (٢٧) ٱرۡجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً۬ مَّرۡضِيَّةً۬ (٢٨) فَٱدۡخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى (٢٩) وَٱدۡخُلِى جَنَّتِى (٣٠)”

“O tranquil soul, (27) return to your Lord well pleased and well pleasing; (28) enter among My servants, (29) and enter My Paradise.” (89:27-30)

Allah may also humble the powerful in this world if they use their status to oppress others. The surah cites ʿĀd, Thamūd, and Pharaoh as examples:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ (٦) إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ (٧) ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (٨) وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ (٩) وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ (١٠)

“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with [the people] of ‘Ad (6) of Iram, [the city] of lofty pillars, (7) whose like has never been made in any land, (8) and (how He dealt) with Thamud, who had carved out the rocks in the valley, (9) and with Foraun (Pharaoh), the main of mighty power? (89:6-10)

Surat Al-Fajr started with four profound oaths:

وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ (١) وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٍ۬ (٢) وَٱلشَّفۡعِ وَٱلۡوَتۡرِ (٣) وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَسۡرِ (٤

“By the dawn, (1) by the ten nights, (2) by the even and the odd, (3) by the night as it departs. (89:1-4)

These oaths of this Surah as well as the oaths at the beginning of any Surah are significant because they serve as divine tools for intellectual reflection, spiritual insight, and moral teaching.  Allah only swears by what is meaningful. The oaths serve as evidence for the truthfulness of the theme of the Surah and thus after them, Allah asked anyone who rejects the message with a rhetorical question:

هَلۡ فِى ذَٲلِكَ قَسَمٌ۬ لِّذِى حِجۡرٍ (٥)

“Is there not in these oaths a [sufficient] evidence of truth for one of reason?”  (89:5)

Because of the importance of the oaths, they require deep reflection (tadabbur) to derive their true meanings that support the main message of the surah. Therefore, we should explore different interpretations of the oaths—beyond classical tafsir—provided they remain true to the language and core beliefs and strengthen the Surah’s main message.

The following are different interpretations of these four oaths:

Classical Tafsir of the Four Oaths

 “By the Dawn” (وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ): Symbolizes renewal, awakening, and the emergence of light after darkness; possibly the dawn of truth or resurrection.

“By the Ten Nights” (وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٍ۬): Often interpreted as the first ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah or the last ten nights of Ramadan—periods of great spiritual significance

“By the Even and the Odd” (وَٱلشَّفۡعِ وَٱلۡوَتۡرِ) Represents the duality in creation (pairs like night/day, male/female) and the uniqueness of Allah, who is One.

“By the Night as it departs” (وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَسۡرِ): Signifies the passing of time, the transition from darkness to light, and the unfolding of Allah’s decree.

Tadabbur Oaths

Let us now reflect on these oaths with tadabbur and try to identify deeper meanings for them beyond the classical Tafsir.  One interpretation of to consider whether the four oaths point to the divine power behind creation and the beginning of humanity’s mission on earth, offering deeper support for the surah’s themes.

“By the Dawn” (وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ): The dawn symbolizes the emergence of conscious beings.

“By the Ten Nights” (وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٍ۬): Possibly the ten stages of universal creation, from the Big Bang to the emergence of humans. (If you are studying this Surah with your children or grandchildren, you can encourage them to search for these cosmological stages and why they are nights and not days: Regarding why nights, the reason is that the universe beyond our earth’s atmosphere is in darkness). The ten nights can be these ten stages:

1. The Big Bang: The universe began from a singularity—a point of infinite density and temperature—about 13.8 billion years ago.
2. Cosmic Inflation: A rapid expansion that smoothed and flattened the universe
3. Quark-Gluon Plasma: The universe was a hot, dense soup of elementary particles
4. Formation of Protons/Neutrons: As the universe cooled, quarks combined to form protons and neutrons
5. Nucleosynthesis: Light elements like hydrogen, helium, and traces of lithium were formed
6. Photon Decoupling (CMB): Electrons combined with protons to form atoms.
7. Star and Galaxy Formation: Gravity pulled matter together to form the first stars, that are grouped into galaxies.
8. Planetary System Formation: Stars created heavier elements through fusion and supernovae; debris formed planets around stars
9. Emergence of Life: On Earth, life began approximately 3.5–4 billion years ago, though how life began is still under study.
10. Emergence of Humans: Anatomically modern humans appeared.

“By the Even and the Odd” (وَٱلشَّفۡعِ وَٱلۡوَتۡرِ): Highlights universal dualities (e.g., matter/antimatter) and Allah’s singularity.

“By the Night as it departs” (وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَسۡرِ): Symbolizes the end of this world and the coming of the Hereafter.

A second dimension of the oaths is their historical connection to the destruction of ʿĀd, Thamūd, and Pharaoh

“By the Dawn” (وَٱلۡفَجۡرِ): Symbolizes the dawn of destroying oppression

“By the Ten Nights” (وَلَيَالٍ عَشۡرٍ۬): represents the total period of the punishment of Ād, Thamūd, and Pharaoh

• Thamūd – Warned of destruction in three days, i.e., two nights (Hud 11:65).
• Ād – Destroyed by a violent wind for seven nights (Al-Haqqah 69:7).
• Pharaoh (Fir‘awn): Drowned in a decisive final night.

Total: 2 (Thamūd) + 7 (ʿĀd) + 1 (Pharaoh) = 10 nights, which aligns with the oath: “By the ten nights.”

This suggests the oaths subtly remind us of the divine justice that befell these arrogant nations when their time ended.

“By the Night as it departs” (وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَسۡرِ): Signifies the end of tyranny by divine justice.

A third dimension of the oaths is perhaps alluding to the sacred stages of human creation and mission:

 By the Dawn: Symbolizes the dawn of humanity’s mission on Earth, beginning with Adam’s descent.

By the Ten Nights: Could symbolize ten key stages in the creation of humanity:

1. Divine Will to Create Man: Allah declared His intention: “I am placing a khalifah on Earth…” (Al-Baqarah 2:30)
2. Clay gathered: “He created man from clay.( سُلَـٰلَةٍ۬ مِّن طِينٍ۬) ..” ( Al-Mumenoon 23:12)
3. Salsal stage: Dry clay like pottery (صَلۡصَـٰلٍ۬ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬) (Al-Hijr 15:26)
4. Shaped into human form: “…and formed you and perfected your forms…”  (وَصَوَّرَكُمۡ فَأَحۡسَنَ صُوَرَكُمۡ‌ۖ) (At-Taghabun 64:3)
5. Spirit breathed into him: “…and blew into him of My Spirit…” (سَوَّيۡتُهُ ۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى) (Al-Hijr 15:29)
6. Taught names and knowledge: “…and He taught Adam the names of all things…” (Al-Baqarah 2:31)
7. Angels commanded to Prostrate: All angels bowed except Iblis (Al-Hijr 15:30–31)
8. Test and fall in Paradise due to the deception by Shaytan: They eat from the tree, fall from their original state
9. Repentance and divine forgiveness: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves…” (رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا) (Al-Araf 7:23) and Allah’s acceptance of Tawbah: Allah forgives and prepares humanity’s earthly mission
10. Descent to Earth – the night before the dawn (فجر) of earthly life

“The Even and the Odd“: May refer to the male and female as creation in pairs—while Allah remains the singular, unmatched Creator. Or they could refer to the female as the even since she has a pair of XX chromosomes and the man as the odd since he has the unmatched X and Y chromosomes.

“By the Night as it departs”: Symbolizes the exit from the darkness of ignorance or the womb into the light of life and accountability.

 A fourth dimension of the oaths perhaps refers to deep spiritual (تأويل روحي) related to the soul’s journey through spiritual refinement.

وَالْفَجْرِ – By the Dawn symbolizes spiritual awakening — the emergence of light after darkness.

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ – And the Ten Nights symbolize the ten stages of the soul’s purification

1. Tawbah (توبة) – Repentance
2. Zuhd (زهد) – Detachment of the heart from obsession with material things,
3. Sabr (صبر) – Patience and steadfastness through hardships,
4. Shukr (شكر) – Gratitude by recognizing every good as from Allah.
5. Ikhlas (إخلاص) – Sincerity by doing everything purely for Allah’s pleasure.
6. Khawf & Raja’ (خوف و رجاء) – Fear and Hope by balancing fear of divine justice with hope in divine mercy.
7. Mahabbah (محبة) –Love of Allah becomes the dominant desire that shapes all intentions.
8. Tawakkul (توكل) – Trust in Allah by deep reliance on Him with full acceptance of His will.
9. Rida (رضا) – Contentment by being fully at peace with whatever Allah decrees — hardship or ease.
10. Ma‘rifah & Yaqin (معرفة و يقين) – Deep knowledge of Allah (ma‘rifah) and unshakable certainty.

“The Even and the Odd“: Even is the duality of creation such as day and night, male and female, life and death, self and world. Witr (Odd) is the symbol of Divine Unity (Tawhid).

“By the Night as it departs”: Symbolizes the movement of the soul from confusion to clarity, or from heedlessness to wakefulness).

The oaths at the beginning of Surat Al-Fajr are powerful reminders of Allah’s wisdom, the fleeting nature of worldly status, and the importance of faith and righteous deeds. By reflecting deeply on these oaths, we prepare our hearts for the surah’s lessons and strengthen our understanding and connection to Allah.