SURAH 107 – AL-MA'OON

THE SIMPLE ASSISTANCE

&

SURAH 108 – AL-KAUTHAR

KAUTHAR

Quran Study Sessions – Session 16

Feb 16, 2020

Overview – Al-Ma'oon

❑ This Surah is Makki.

❑This Surah mentions evil qualities of those people who do not believe they will be held to account for their actions.

❑In the previous Surah, Allah talked about the blessings given to the people of Quraish, and in this Surah Allah mentions the abuse of those blessings and sins committed instead of worshiping Allah.

❑This abuse of blessings applies both to the Quraish and people after them from the Muslims who are hypocritical.

Introduction

❑ It is possible it refers to specific person. Some said Al-Aas ibn Wail and others said Abu Sufyan.

❑ It is also general and refers to anyone who has these qualities including Muslims who are hypocritical.

❑ Deen here means judgement like in Surah Fatiha. It is also plausible that Deen refers to the religion of Islam.

❑ Allah is referring to a person who denies the judgement either verbally or he doesn't truly believe it inside himself, which allows the person to do the evil things mentioned.

First Verse

❑ Because of the denial of Judgement, a person is able to do two things as Allah mentions.

❑ The first is driving away the orphan.

❑ This refers to pushing an orphan away from his inheritance, not consoling orphans, physically beating them, and or humiliating them. All these are included in this meaning.

❑ All these mistreatment of the orphan come because of disbelief in Judgement

Second Verse

❑ This person discourages himself and other people from feeding the poor.

❑ Allah in his exact words says "He does not encourage the food of the poor," I.e. giving ownership of the food to the poor.

❑ This is to emphasize what these people try to deny: the food is a right of the poor, and denying it is denying the poor their right.

❑ They discourage others because they think there is no good nor any reward in feeding the poor. This is a direct consequence of their denial of Judgement day.

Third Verse

❑ Allah curses "people who pray." It is phrased like this to grab the reader's attention.

❑ The reason is that Allah already mentioned how this type of person is bad to his fellow humans, then the logical question is why isn't his prayer helping him be good.

❑ To answer this, Allah curses them and their praying because their mentioned actions prove that their prayer itself is insincere and useless.

Fourth Verse

❑ How can the Salah help him be good when the the Salah itself is insincere and is done unmindfully? And it is done only for show?

❑ Allah is informing us that if a person is evil to other people and denies them food and water, his prayer is useless and is worthy of being cursed by Allah, because it is not a sincere prayer.

❑ "Sahoon" means neglectful. "Yoraoon" means showing off.

Fifth and Sixth Verse

❑ Maoon means something very small and insignificant.

❑ This refers to something that cannot be denied because of its amount because its amount is insignificant. It refers to the small amount a beggar would ask for or a poor person needs.

❑ Yet people refuse to give this small amount.

❑ Zakah is also known as Maoon because it is the smallest minimum amount from someone's wealth.

Seventh Verse

❑This Surah is describing some of the qualities of evil people.

❑They do not treat the orphan well and refuse to give and discourage other from giving the poor their rights. Their prayers are neglectful and their deeds are done to show off to people. And they refuse to give even the smallest assistance.

❑We should pray to Allah to not have any of these qualities, and do the opposite of what this person does.

❑After mentioning this evil person, Allah mentions the best person in the next Surah, Muhammad (SAW).

Overall Explanation

Overview – Kauthar

❑ This Surah is Makki.

❑It was revealed after the Prophet's son Abdullah passed away as a child. The Kafiroon of Makkah starting with Al-Aas ibn Wail started saying that the Prophet (SAW) was "Abtar" meaning cut-off. This is what the Arabs used to call people who had no sons.

❑They also said that after his death, no one would remember him because of this.

❑Allah defends the Prophet (SAW) in this Surah.

❑This Surah is also in contrast to the Surah before it in qualities mentioned.

Introduction

❑ Kauthar means abundance and increase in this world and in the Hereafter. This is a promise Allah gave the messenger when he fulfills his mission.

❑ All this came true: the Prophet became victorious and he is the most remembered person in this world and he will be the most honoured in the next world.

❑ Kauthar is also known as a river in paradise which Allah gifted the Prophet (SAW).

First Verse

❑ In the previous Surah, Allah mentioned the quality of the evil person that he is stingy.

❑ With this verse Allah is telling the Prophet that Allah will give him increase, and he should not be stingy.

❑ Instead he has abundance so he should give to the people in need a lot.

First Verse

❑ Allah mentions that as a result of this gift from Allah, he should pray and sacrifice.

❑ In the previous Surah, Allah mentioned a person who was neglectful with his prayer and only did it to show off. Here Allah tells the Prophet "Pray for Your Lord" meaning pray for no one else.

❑ And in the previous Surah, Allah mentioned a person who denied the smallest thing, and here the Prophet is told to sacrifice animals to feed the poor.

Second Verse

❑ They used to say the Prophet was cut off because he had no son, but in fact, Allah informs us that that enemy is the one cut off even if he had sons.

❑ He is cut off in the Day of Judgement, and he is even cut off in this world because no one is here to praise and remember him. Even his son Amr ibn Al-Aas joined Islam.

❑ It is also a reference to the previous Surah, and Allah mentions that the person who does not pray and give charity is the one who will be cut off during Judgement even if he used to deny its existence.

Third Verse

❑In this Surah, Allah defends the Prophet (SAW) and gives an example to contrast with the example given in the previous Surah.

❑The Prophet was given abundance, thus he was told to give more in charity unlike the other person.

❑The Prophet (SAW) prayed to Allah, and he did not pray to show off like the other person.

❑The Prophet (SAW) sacrificed animals for charity while the other person denied the smallest good.

Overall Explanation

❑http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=105&verse=1&to=5

❑https://archive.org/stream/TafseerIbnKathirenglish114SurahsComplete

❑Arabic: https://furqan.co/alrazi/108/1

References