Indexed OCR Text

The Meanings of the
NOBLE QUR'AN
with explanatory notes
By
Mufti Muhammad
Tagi Usmani
Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran
(Quranic Studies Publishers)
Karachi - Pakistan
AhleSunnah Library [ nmusba. wordpress.com

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Isioemmos rol baouby
Hsoilduq aid!
Jisdailduq adi lo noisaremoHurw
The meanings of the
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NOBLE QUR'AN
with explanatory notes
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Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
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Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran
(Quranic Studies Publishers)
19mimo0 101
Karachi - Pakistan
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القُرآنُ الْكِ

All rights reserved Copyright C Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran. No part of
this publication may be published or reporduced for commercial
purposes without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ИА
Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran-Karachi
(Quranic Studies Publishers)
Compound Jamia Darul-uloom Karachi.
Korangi Industrial Area, Post Code-75180,
Karachi - Pakistan.
Tel: +92-21-35031565-66
OMI
E-mail : info@quranicpublishers.com
mm.q@live.com
Web site : www.maktabamaarifulquran.com
ONLINE
SHARIAH
.com
Foundation Scl
00
www.
Hira
Accession No.10
Date ..................
Volume ......................
Library Girls Campus
Edition:
July 2010
Printed in Pakistan at:
Kifayat Printers Karachi.
Also Available at:
Idratul Ma'arif Darul Uloom Karachi - 75180
Darul Ishaat, Urdu Bazar, Karachi.
Idara-e-Islamiat Lahore / Karachi.
Baitul Quran, Urdu Bazar Karachi.
Azhar Academy Ltd.
London E12 5QA UK
Tel: +44-20-8911-9797
For comments and suggestions: NobleQuran@hganny.com
ISBN-978-969-9306-03-07

Contents
1
Page No.
Preface
.V
Transliteration and typographical policies
.vii
Introduction
.X
Read this first!
xvi
1.
Sūrah Al-Fatihah
.(The Opening)
1
2.
Sūrah Al-Baqarah
(The Cow)
5
3.
Sūrah 'Al-‘Imran
.(The Progeny of 'Imran)
.94
4.
Sūrah An-Nisa'
.(The Women)
141
5.
Sūrah Al-Mā'idah
(The Repast)
191
6.
Sūrah Al-An'ām
.(The Cattle)
.233
7.
Sūrah Al-A'raf
(The Heights)
273
8.
Sūrah Al-Anfal
.(The Spoils)
318
9.
Sūrah At-Taubah
.(Repentance)
343
10.
Sūrah Yunus
(Jonah)
.381
11.
Sūrah Hud
.404
12.
Sūrah Yusuf
.(Joseph)
429
13. Sūrah Ar-Ra'd
.(The Thunder)
451
14. Sūrah Ibrahim
(Abraham)
.464
15. Sūrah Al-Hijr
476
16. Sūrah An-Nahl
(The Honey Bee)
488
17.
Sūrah Bani Isrā'il
.(Children of Israel)
.513
18.
Sūrah Al-Kahf
.(The Cave)
.537
19.
Sūrah Maryam
(Mary)
560
20. Sūrah Ța-Hā
.574
21. Sūrah Al-Anbiya'
(The Prophets)
594
22. Sūrah Al-Hajj
.(The Pilgrimage)
.612
23. Sūrah Al-Mu'minun
(The Believers)
629

11
apres
24. Sūrah An-Nur
.(The Light)
.643
25. Sūrah Al-Furqan
.(The Criterion)
661
26. Sūrah Ash-Shu'ara'
.(The Poets)
673
27. Sūrah An-Naml
(The Ant)
691
28. Sūrah Al-Qaşaş
(The Stories)
706
29. Sūrah Al-‘Ankabūt
(The Spider)
725
30. Sūrah Ar-Rum
(The Romans)
739
31. Sūrah Luqman
752
32. Sūrah As-Sajdah
(The Prostration)
760
33. Sūrah Al-Aḥzāb
.(The Coalition Forces)
767
34.
Sūrah Saba'
.(Sheba)
789
35. Sūrah Fāțir
.(Originator)
801
36. Sūrah Ya-Sin
.811
37. Sūrah As-Saffat
(Those Standing in Rows)
823
38. Sūrah Șād
837
39. Sūrah Az-Zumar
.(The Groups)
850
40. Sūrah Al-Mu'min
(The Believer)
.865
41. Sūrah Hāmīm As-Sajdah
.880
42. Sūrah Ash-Shūrā
(The Consultation)
.891
43. Sūrah Az-Zukhruf
.(The Gold)
.901
44. Sūrah Ad-Dukhan
.(The Smoke)
915
45. Sūrah Al-Jāthiyah
.(The Kneeling)
922
46. Sūrah Al-Ahqaf
.(The Sand Dunes)
929
47. Sūrah Muhammad
938
48. Sūrah Al-Fath
(The Victory)
948
49. Sūrah Al-Hujurāt
(The Chambers)
959
50. Sūrah Qaf
966
51. Sūrah Adh-Dhāriyat
(The Winds Scattering Dust)
972
52. Sūrah At-Tur
(The Mount of Țur)
978
53. Sūrah An-Najm
(The Star)
984

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54. Surah Al-Qamar
.(The Moon)
.991
55. Sūrah Ar-Rahman
.(The All-Merciful)
997
56. Sūrah Al-Waqi'ah
(The Event)
1004
57. Sūrah Al-Hadid
(The Iron)
1011
58. Sūrah Al-Mujadalah
(The Debate)
1022
59. Sūrah Al-Hashr
.(The Gathering)
1030
60. Sūrah Al-Mumtahinah
(The Examiner)
1038
61. Sūrah Aş-Şaff
.(The Row)
1045
62. Sūrah Al-Jumu'ah
.(Friday)
.1049
63. Sūrah Al-Munafiqun
.(The Hypocrites)
1053
64. Sūrah At-Taghabun
.(The Loss and Gain)
.1057
65. Sūrah At-Talaq
.(The Divorce)
1061
66. Sūrah At-Tahrim
.(The Prohibiting)
1066
67. Sūrah Al-Mulk
(The Kingdom)
1071
68. Surah Al-Qalam
.(The Pen)
1076
69. Surah Al-Haqqah
(The Imminent Happening)
1082
70. Sūrah Al-Ma'ārij
.(The Stairways)
1087
71. Sūrah Nuh
.(Noah)
.1 092
72. Sūrah Al-Jinn
(The Jinns)
1096
73. Sūrah Al-Muzzammil
.(The Wrapped Up One)
1101
74. Sūrah Al-Muddaththir
.(The Enveloped One)
1105
75. Sūrah Al-Qiyamah
.(The Day of Judgement/The Resurrection) .1110
76. Sūrah Ad-Dahr
.(The Time)
1114
77. Sūrah Al-Mursalat
.(Those Sent)
1118
78. Sūrah An-Naba'
(The Great Event)
1122
79. Sūrah An-Nazi'āt
.(Those Who Pull Out)
1126
80. Sūrah 'Abas
.(Frowning)
1130
81. Sūrah At-Takwir
.(The Folding)
1134
82. Sūrah Al-Infițār
.(The Cleaving)
1138
83. Sūrah At-Tatfif
.(Curtailing the Rights)
1141
84. Sūrah Al-Inshiqaq
.(The Splitting)
1145
85. Sūrah Al-Burūj
(Stellar Formations)
1149

iv
86. Sūrah At-Tariq
(The Night-Comer)
1153
87.
Sūrah Al-A'lā
.(The Most Exalted)
1155
88. Sūrah Al-Ghashiyah
.(The Overwhelming Event)
1158
89. Sūrah Al-Fajr
(The Dawn)
1161
90. Sūrah Al-Balad
(The City)
1165
91. Sūrah Ash-Shams
(The Sun)
1168
92. Sūrah Al-Lail
(The Night)
1170
93. Sūrah A-Duņā
(The Forenoon)
1173
94. Sūrah Al-Inshirah
.(Peace of Heart)
1175.
95. Sūrah At-Tin
.(The Fig)
1178
96. Sūrah Al-'Alaq
(The Clot)
1180
97. Sūrah Al-Qadr
.(The Qadr)
1183
98. Sūrah Al-Bayyinah
.(The Clear Proof)
1185
99. Sūrah Az-Zilzāl
.(The Quake)
1188
100. Sūrah Al-‘Ādiyāt
.(The Running Horses)
1190
101. Sūrah Al-Qāri'ah
.(The Striking Event)
1192
102. Sūrah At-Takāthur
.(Competition in Amassing)
1194
103. Sūrah Al-'Aşr
.(The Time)
1196
104. Sūrah Al-Humazah
(The Backbiter)
1198
105. Sūrah Al-Fil
.(The Elephant)
1200
106. Sūrah Al-Quraish
.(The Quraish)
1203
107. Sūrah Al-Mā'un
(The Small Gifts)
.1205
108. Sūrah Al-Kauthar
(The Kauthar)
1207
109. Sūrah Al-Kāfirun
(The Disbelievers)
1209
110. Sūrah An-Nasr
.(The Help)
1211
111. Sūrah Al-Lahab
.(The Flame)
1213
112. Sūrah Al-Ikhlāș
(The Sincerity)
1215
113. Sūrah Al-Falaq
(The Break of Dawn)
1217
114. Sūrah An-Nās
.(The Mankind)
1219
Index
1221
Names and Biblical Equivalents
1250

AbleSunnan but
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١
،١
7
خَ الِتِئة والتفقرة وزُؤمن بوتركل عملية
orati
وتعوٌبالتد من شُرُ رَانفتا وبِن يَأْتِ أعمالِناً
مُ تَدَة اله قاصِكَكَةٍ ومُبيِ فلا هادِي ك
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الته جمسن الشهية
ونشهد أن سيدنا ومولّ محمدًاعبده ورسوله
صلى الشهر تعالى عليهوعلى آله وصحادي بشين

V
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AbleSunnah Ld
Preface
While translating Ma'ariful-Qur'an - the detailed Urdu commentary on the
Holy Qur'an written by my late father Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi'
we decided for certain reasons that instead of adopting any one of the existing
translations of the text of Holy Qur'an, we should give a fresh translation to the
holy text as well. Almost half of the Holy Qur'an was thus translated by me in
collaboration with late Professor Muhammad Shamim us and my elder brother
Maulānā Muhammad Wali Razī, while the second half was translated by myself
alone. With the grace of Allah, the translation of Ma'ariful-Qur'an was
completed and published by Maktabah Darul-Uloom Karachi in eight volumes,
which has secured wide acceptance throughout the Muslim world, and a large
number of readers is benefiting from it.
Since the translation of the Holy Qur'an, that appeared in Ma'ariful Qur'an
was entirely a new translation of the holy text, I deemed it appropriate to
publish it separately with brief explanatory notes wherever necessary, so that it
may serve the need of those who, instead of consulting the detailed
commentary, wish to understand the basic message of the Holy Book in brief.
The present work accomplishes this objective. While doing so, I thoroughly
reviewed the original translation appearing in Ma'āriful-Qur'an and brought
enormous changes in it to make it easier, simpler, and closer to the text
conveying its message. In this way, it is now a totally new translation of the
meanings of the Holy Qur'an - different in many respects from the one that
appeared in Ma'āriful-Qur'an. Additionally, I have added a brief introduction to
every Surah wherever necessary, and many explanatory notes to facilitate
understanding of the text for a common reader. This book is thus meant for
those who wish to have the basic knowledge of the contents of the Holy Qur'an
in shortest possible time without entering into the detailed discussions, which
may be found in other comprehensive commentaries like Ma'āriful-Qur'an.
I am indebted to all of those who helped me in compilation of this book and
making it presentable to the readers. Acknowledgments are especially due to my
beloved friend Yusuf DeLorenzo of USA, who very kindly accepted to review
the translation of the first seven Surahs and suggested necessary changes to
make the translation closer to the contemporary trends of English usage and
enabled me to follow a similar pattern in the rest of the book. I am extremely

vi
grateful to my brother Muhammad Yousuf Ghani, who supervised the process
of page-making and proof-reading, and prepared the index of the book, and to
Mr. Shahbaz Bashir, who undertook the process of page-making. Both of them
accomplished their job, not only with competence and due care but also with
their zeal to serve the Holy Qur'an. I extend my gratitude also to my secretary
Mr. Rafat Saghir Faruqi who spared no effort to assist me in all respects
throughout this endeavour. May Allah bless all of them with His approval and
the best rewards for their sincere efforts, and make this work beneficial for all
the readers and a source of His pleasure for this humble writer in the Hereafter.
'Āmin!
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Karachi, 4 Shawwal 1426, AH
7th of November 2005
in
non rinmaskpu )
od darw ylonegot vidailduy
rogbylwond prend adt spett of duw orty gandhi
mis stepsog hanoda ni

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AnteSunnahy
Transliteration and Typographical Policies
1. The below given tabulation provides the basics of transliteration scheme
followed in this book:
Arabic Letter
Name of Letter
English Transliteration
1
الف
-- Alif
a
ب
باء
-- bā
b
ت
تاء
-- tā
t
ث
6
ثاء
-- thã
th
ج
جـم
-- jīm
j
ح
حاء
-- hã
h
خ
خاء
-- khā
kh
د
دال
-- dāl
d
ذ
ذال
-- dhāl
dh
1
راء
-- rā
r
ز
زاى
-- zā
Z
س
بين
-- sẵn
S
ش
شين
-- shin
sh
ص
صاد
-- sād
S
ض
ضاد
-- dād
d
ط
طاء
tā
t
-9
ظاء
-- zā
N·
ع
غ
غين
-- ghayn
gh
ف
فاء
-- fã
f
-- qāf
q
ك
کا ف
-- kāf
k
ل
لام
-- lām
1
م
ميم
-- mỉm
m
ن
نون
-- nun
n
و
واؤ
-- waw
W
٥
ماء
-- hã
h
ء
همزه
-- Hamzah
ى
يا
-- yā
y
عين
-- 'ayn
C
ق
قاف

Ahlesi
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Short Vowels
: Fathah
a
: Kasrah
i
: Dammah
u
Long Vowels
-
: Shortened Alif
a
1-
: Maddah Alif
ā
ى
: Maddah Ya
i
و
di
: Maddah Waw
ū
Dipthongs
ای
: Alif and Ya
ai
اؤ
او
: Alif and Waw
aw
2. All Arabic words and phrases have been transliterated following rules of
Arabic grammar and as per their phonetically correct pronunciation in Arabic
and not according to the old transliteration scheme in which the Arabic article
'al is joined even with 'sun letters'. Therefore, for example, instead of: Al-
Shams the word is spelt as: As-Shams, which phonetically is the correct
pronunciation of the word.
3. Where a word starts with letter Alif having a short vowel sign, which then
grammatically becomes Hamzah, transliterating it has been excepted at certain
places due to ease in typography and composition.
4. All non-English language words and phrases have been italicised in general,
except where they are a part of a title or subtitle. If they are from among
proper nouns, the first letter has been made to appear in big caps. Exceptions
are those words which stand now included in Standard English dictionaries,
such as words: Imam or Ramadan. They have neither been transliterated nor
italicised.
5. The word: Ta'ala (meaning: the Exalted) written often after the word: Allah
has also been excepted from being italicized.
6. Names of real persons (human beings) places and books in Arabic Language
have though been transliterated but have not been italicised.
7. The word: Sayyiduna, literally meaning: 'our leader' in Arabic, appears as a
prefix of respect before the names of certain respected and revered
personalities.

Ahles
8. Titles of reverence and respect: Following table explains about certain
words and pharases, appearing in miniaturized Arabic script, as suffix to the
names of respected and revered personalities:
Arabic
Word
Transliteration
English
Translation
Usage / Occurrence
Şallallāluut 'Alaihi
Wa Sallam
May Allah's
blessing and peace
be upon him
Written after the name of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad
‘Alaihis-Salam
May peace be
upon him
Written after the name of a Prophet of
Allah other than the Holy Prophet
and after the name of high ranking
angel of Allah like: Jibra'il (Gabriel).
‘Alaihas-Salām
May peace be
upon her.
Written after the name of a believing
lady of the house of Prophets of Allah
other than the Holy Prophet .
‘Alaihimas-Salam
May peace be
upon both of
them
Written after the consecutively
mentioned names of two Prophets of
Allah other than the Holy Prophet .
'Alaihimus-Salāmı
May peace be
upon all of them
Written after the consecutively
mentioned names of more than two
Prophets of Allah other than the Holy
Prophet .
Radiallāhu Anhu
May Allah be
pleased with him
Written after the name of a revered
Sahabi 1 of the Holy Prophet
Radiallahu 'Anhã
May Allah be
pleased with her
Written after the name of a revered
Şahabiyah 2of the Holy Prophet 5.
Radiallahu 'Anhum
Ajma'in
May Allah be
pleased with all
of them.
Written after the consecutively
mentioned names of more than two
revered Șahabah (plural of Sahābi) of
the Holy Prophet g.
1
رحِى نحن
Radiallalu 'Anhunna
May Allah be
pleased with all
of them
Written after the consecutively
mentioned names of more than two
revered Sahābiyāt (plural of Sahābiyah)
of the Holy Prophet .
محمد ◌َ عَليّة
Rahmatullahi 'Aalih
May Allah have
mercy upon him
Written after the name of any respected
and venerable Islamic personality other
than a Prophet or a Sahabi.
1X
1 A believing man who had the honor of physically seeing the Holy Prophet , or the Holy Prophet & saw him in his
lifetime, and that person died in the state of being a believer.
2 A believing woman who had the honor of physically secing the Holy Prophet &, or the Holy Prophet # saw her in his
lifetime, and she died in the state of being a believer.

X
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Ahle Sunnah
X1
Introduction
This brief introduction intends to give basic information about the Holy
Qur'an, which is necessary or at least helpful, to understand the meanings of the
Holy Text in its true perspective.
Wahy Or Revelation
Since the Holy Qur'an was sent down to the Holy Prophet _ through wahy,
which is normally translated in English as 'revelation', it is imperative to know
what it means and why it is necessary for humankind to receive it.
Allah Almighty has sent man to this world to test him as to how he lives in this
world and how he makes use of all the divine bounties spread all over the
universe. The foremost requisite for a man to pass this test is to have the
correct 'knowledge'. He must know the nature and traits of the things he needs,
the method of their use to his benefit and the way he can please his Creator to
pass the test of his life. In order to equip him with this knowledge, Allah
Almighty has provided him with three sources through which he may acquire it.
Firstly, Allah Almighty has given us five senses: eyes to see, ears to listen, nose
to smell, tongue to taste and limbs to touch and feel. Each one of these senses
gives us knowledge in its peculiar sphere of work. We know many things by
seeing them with our eyes, many others by touching them with our limbs, and
still others by smelling or tasting them or listening to their sounds.
There are numerous things, however, that cannot be known merely through
these senses. We can neither see them with our eyes, nor touch them with our
limbs, or hear their voice or feel them through their smell or taste. In order to
acquire knowledge of such things Allah Almighty has blessed us with another
source of knowledge, that is, our reason and intellect. It is our intellect that
leads us to the realities that are beyond the reach of our physical senses.
But, just as our senses can work only within their peculiar domain, beyond
which they are unable to provide any information to us, our intellect too has its
own limits beyond which it can either not work or may lead to confusing
information. It is this area in which Allah Almighty has granted to us a third
source of knowledge which is called wahy or revelation.
Let us take a practical example. If I have a gun in my hand, I can acquire the
knowledge of its size, design and its color as soon as I see it with my eyes. By
touching it, I may know that it is made of a solid stuff, that is, iron. By triggering

xi
Introduction
it with my finger, I may know that it throws a bullet forcefully to a certain
distance. By feeling the smell of the bullet, I may know that it contains
ammunition. All this information is given to me by my senses. But If I try to
know how this gun came into existence, my outer senses will not be able to give
me any answer about it, because I did not see the process of its manufacturing.
Here, my reason will come forward and tell me that this sophisticated weapon
cannot come into existence on its own or only by chance. There was certainly
a skillful person who has designed and produced it. Although the person is not
before my eyes, nor can I hear his voice, I still know for sure that he really exists
or existed some time before. This information is given to me by my reason.
Now, there comes another question. Which use of this weapon is allowed by
Allah, the Almighty, the Creator of the entire universe? Here again, my reason
can help me to a certain extent. Since Allah dislikes injustice, my reason can tell
me that killing an innocent person with this gun should not be allowed. But
who is really innocent and who is really guilty? And which kind of guilt may
justify the killing of a guilty person? These are the questions in which my reason
leaves me confused. For example, if a person has murdered an innocent person,
there may be two arguments in two different directions. The first argument may
contend that the murderer has committed a heinous offence; he has deprived
the deceased of his life without any just reason, and has brought immeasurable
misery to his family, therefore, he deserves to be subjected to the same fate, so
that it may deter others from committing the same offence. The opposite
argument, however, may be that if we kill the murderer, it will neither bring the
deceased back, nor will it remove the misery of his family; rather it will bring
another misery to the family of the murderer who was by no means a party to
the offence. Both arguments are based on pure reason, which is unable to
produce an absolute answer acceptable to all. It is such questions in which we
need decisive guidance from our Creator, and He provides it through the third
source of knowledge, that is wahy.
In order to bless humankind with the guidance of wahy, Allah Almighty selects
some pious persons as prophets, sends down His guidance to them and directs
them to convey it to others. All the prophets , right from 'Adam up to
the last prophet Sayyiduna Muhammad were sent to this world for this
purpose. The wahy revealed to Sayyiduna Muhammad # as a book is called the
Holy Qur'an, which is the last divine book revealed for the benefit of the
mankind for all times to come.
How did the Holy Prophet # receive Wahy?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ( received the first revelation when he was forty

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Introduction
years old and was sitting in seclusion in the cave of Hira', a part of a mount in
Makkah, known today as Jabal-un-Nur, (The Mount of Light). Averse from
idolatry that prevailed in the entire Arabia in those days, he used to seclude
himself in this cave for worshipping Allah Almighty alone. It was a night of the
month of Ramadan in the state of such seclusion that the angel Jibra'll came
to him in the cave, and revealed the first five verses of Surah Al-‘ Alaq (Surah 96
as per the present compilation). This was the beginning of the gradual revelation
of the Holy Qur'an that continued for twenty three years after that.
Once Harith Ibn Hisham de, a noble Sahabi1 of the Holy Prophet g asked
him how the revelation came to him. He answered, "At times it comes to me
like the chiming of a bell, and this mode of revelation is the hardest on me.
Then it comes to an end when I fully comprehend the words of the angel,
committing them to my memory. And at other times, the angel comes to me in
the form of a man who talks to me, and I comprehend and memorize what he
says." Sayıdah 'Aishah , who has reported this saying of the Holy Prophet
ilk, tells us that even in the coldest days of winter, when he received the divine
revelation, his forehead used to be full of sweat due to the stress he felt during
the experience. (Bukhari) Sayyiduna Zaid Ibn Thabit % narrates that once the
Holy Prophet # was putting his head on Zaid's thigh when wahy started
descending on him. He felt such a pressure on his thigh that it seemed almost
to be crushed by the pressure. (Bukhari)
When the angel came to the Holy Prophet : in human form, he usually took
a form resembling Sayyiduna Dihyah Al-Kalbi
¿ who wasfamous for his
,
masculine beauty and handsomeness. (Musnad ofAhmad 2:107)
Makki And Madanī Sūrahs
Sūrah is the name of every chapter of the Holy Qur'an. Each one of them has
a title, which is usually taken from a word used in that Surah. The Holy Prophet
lived in Makkah for thirteen years after the first wahy was revealed to him.
Then he migrated to Madinah, where he lived for ten years. The verses revealed
before Hijrah (migration) are called Makki and those revealed after migration
are termed as Madani. It is not necessary that the Makki verses are revealed in
the city of Makkah. Instead, all the verses revealed before Hijrah (migration) are
called Makki, even though they are revealed somewhere out of the city of
Makk th. Similarly, all the verses revealed after Hijrah (migration) are called
Madani, even though they are revealed when the Holy Prophet traveled
outside Madinah. So much so, that some verses like 4:58 and 48:1 were revealed

xiii
Introduction
when he was in Makkah or in its environs during the conquest of Makkah or
the expedition of Hudaibiyah; still they are categorized as Madani, because they
were revealed after Hijrah.
The Surahs of the Holy Qur'an that mostly comprise Makki verses are called
Makki, and those comprising mostly Madani verses are termed as Madani. Most
of the Surahs are either totally Makki or totally Madani. For instance, Surah Al-
Muddaththir is totally Makki, and Surah 'Al-'Imran is totally Madani. But there
are some Makki Surahs in which some Madani verses have found place.
Conversely, there are some Madani Surahs that have a few Makki verses. Every
Surah is thus called Makki or Madani according to the majority of its verses.
The subjects discussed in Makki Surahs are mostly the basic articles of faith and
their proofs spread all over the universe, refutation of idolatry, its wrong beliefs
and rituals, the objections raised by the pagans against the Holy Prophet # and
the Holy Qur'an, narration of the stories of earlier prophets , description of
the horrible events of the Qiyamah (Day of Judgment), the pleasures and bounties
in Jannah (Paradise) and horrors of Jahannam (Hell). Since in the Makkan period,
the Holy Prophet # and the Muslims were passing through merciless persecution
at the hands of the pagans of Makkah, the Makki Surahs have a good number of
verses that were originally meant for consoling them on such hardships,
nevertheless containing messages of universal application for all times to come.
Madani verses, on the contrary, were revealed at a time when the Holy Prophet
had established an Islamic state in Madinah. The subjects discussed in these
Surahs are therefore mostly related to the issues arising in Madani period, like
argumentation with Jews and Christians, armed struggles against enemies of
Islam for which detailed rules of Jihad are laid down. Moreover, detailed laws of
social, economic and political life are mostly found in Madani Surahs, while
Makki Surahs contain very few of such laws.
Asbāb-un-Nuzul Or Causes of Revelation
Many verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed in the background of certain
events. In the terminology of the exegesis of the Holy Qur'an, these events are
called Asbab-un-Nuzul or 'Causes of revelation'. In Urdu commentaries of the
Holy Qur'an, these are named as 'Shan-e-Nuzul'. The details of Asbab-un-Nuzul
are reported by the Sahabah2
خين
of the Holy Prophet in narrations, some of
which are reliable and some others are weak. Hence, the scholars have critically
appraised their authenticity in a meticulous manner. The authentic reports of
2 Plural of Șaļābi. Similarly, Sahabiyat is the plural of Sahābiyah:

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Introduction
Asbab-un-Nuzul are very helpful for the study of the relevant verses in their true
perspective; rather it is very difficult to understand many of them correctly
without the help of their Asbab-un-Nuzul. Nevertheless, all exegetes and jurists
are unanimous on the point that if the words of a verse are general, the precept
established in the relevant verse is not restricted to the particular event reported
as its cause of revelation. For example, the verse لا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِن (Do
not marry polytheist women unless they embrace faith. 2:221) was revealed
when a pagan woman offered herself for marriage to Marthad 4%, a Sahabi of
the Holy Prophet . The verse prohibited for him to marry her. Although it
was revealed in that particular event, its general words extend the prohibition
to all Muslims and thus the principle laid down by the verse has universal
application. Therefore, authentic Asbab-un-Nuzul should be taken as a source of
correct interpretation of a verse, but the principle established by it should never
be restricted to any particular event, if the words of the verse are general.
How the Holy Qur'an was preserved
As stated earlier, the Holy Qur'an was not revealed in the form of a book sent
down in a single transaction. It was rather revealed in a gradual process that
continued for twenty three years. Whenever a verse or a package of verses was
revealed to the Holy Prophet , he committed it to his memory. Since he was
unlettered, he could not write the verses himself, therefore, he had appointed
a number of his Sahabah g as scribes of the Holy Quran. As soon as he
received a revelation, he would call one of them and dictate the verses he
received in the fresh revelation. Once they wrote them, he would order them to
read whatever they had just written, so that any shortcoming might be corrected
instantly. Due to shortage of paper, the verses were mostly written on pieces of
palm-leaves, bones, skins of animals and on stones. The Holy Prophet used
to direct the scribes where to place the new verses in a particular Surah. Once
they were dictated by the Holy Prophet in this way, the other Sahabah
used to read and learn them by heart, and prepare their copies for their own
benefit. A large number of the noble Sahabah of the Holy Prophet we had
thus memorized the Holy Qur'an and committed it to writing as well. The Holy
Prophet a used to teach them how to recite the verses, and how to pronounce
its words. On the basis of this education an independent science was developed
by the scholars, which is called the Science of Tajwid and Qira'at. He He also
taught them the correct interpretation of the Holy Qur'an, on the basis of
which the 'Science of Tafsir (exegesis)' has been developed as a separate branch
of knowledge.
Although the Holy Qur'an was memorized and written by a large number of the
Sahabah of the Holy Prophet , it was generally in the form of verses and

XV
Introduction
Surahs written on aforementioned objects, and was not compiled in a standard
book form. However, soon after the demise of the Holy Prophet , his first
noble Caliph Abu Bakr 4% appointed a committee, headed by the noble Sahabi
Zaid Ibn Thabit que, to compile the Holy Qur'an in a complete book form. Zaid
Ibn Thabit 4% was already one of the scribes of the Holy Prophet the who used
to write the verses of the Holy Qur'an when they were revealed, and was also
one of those who had learnt the Qur'an by heart. He invited all the Muslims
who had the Holy Qur'an or some of its parts with them in written form. After
consulting all such material and confirming it with his own memory coupled
with the testimony of many witnesses, he compiled the first standard script of
the Holy Qur'an in a book form.
When Persia and Syria were conquered by the Muslims, and Islam spread
outside Arabia, Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan 4%, the third Caliph of the Holy
Prophet once again appointed Zaid Ibn Thabit for preparing seven
standard copies of the Holy Qur'an. Zaid Ibn Thabit de repeated the same
procedure as he had adopted for the first time when compiling the first
standard script. Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan de also arranged the Surahs of
the Holy Qur'an in their present order. These seven standard copies were sent
to seven main cities of the Muslim world, so that they might be a point of
reference whenever needed. The script adopted in these seven copies is called
Rasm-u- Uthman (the script of 'Uthman) which, by the consensus of the 'Ummah,
is held as the recognized script of the Holy Book, and it is not permissible to
write the Arabic text of the Holy Qur'an in any other script.
Recitation of the Holy Qur'an and Different Readings
Although the Holy Qur'an is a divine book of guidance for the whole mankind,
and its true benefit can be drawn by understanding its message and following
its directives, yet mere recitation of its verses is an act of worship in its own
force. So much so, that the Holy Prophet ¿ has declared that the recitation of
one letter from the Holy Qur'an carries the reward of ten virtuous acts. That is
why the recitation of its verses has been mentioned by the Holy Qur'an, at a
number of places, as an independent function of the Holy Prophet as
separate from its explanation and education. (see 2:129, 2: 151, 3:164 and 62:2).
Since the Holy Qur'an has to be preserved in its exact form for all times to
come, its recitation and memorization - even without understanding its
meaning - has been an important subject of learning in educational institutes
throughout the Muslim history. As mentioned earlier, the Holy Prophet
himself used to teach the Sahabah how to recite it. As the Arabic language
in which the Holy Qur'an was revealed had many dialects prevalent in different
tribes of Arabia, it was allowed to recite it in different dialects, so that every
tribe might feel at ease when reciting the Holy Qur'an. These different ways of

xvi
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Introduction
reading it are termed as qira'at. The script adopted by Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ibn
'Affan 4% for the copies prepared by him accommodates all these qira at within
the scope of its way of writing. The scholars of the 'Ummah (Islamic Nation)
have not only preserved the text of the Holy Qur'an and its meanings, but also
all the qira at allowed by the Holy Prophet . A special science of qira'at is
developed for that purpose. The way of pronunciation of each and every letter
of the Holy Qur'an has been standardized, and its rules are explained in the
books of a separate science, known as Tajwid, in such details that even a non-
Arab may understand how to pronounce correctly a particular letter or word.
Since the recitation of some verses of the Holy Qur'an is one of the compulsory
component of every Salah (prayer), it is incumbent upon every Muslim man and.
woman to learn the basic rules of Tajwid at least to the extent necessary for
correct pronunciation of the letters as well as the words of the Holy Qur'an, so
that they may recite the required verses in Salah according to their correct
pronunciation. Even a slight mistake in pronouncing a particular word may
change the connotation of a verse altogether.
Certain Divisions in the Holy Qur'an
The Holy Qur'an is divided today into thirty parts that are almost equal in size,
which are called Ajza' (plural of: Juz) in Arabic and paray in Urdu and Persian.
This division is not based on subjects or meanings of the Holy Qur'an. That is
why some parts end with an unfinished statement. Some contemporary scholars
are of the view that Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan > had prepared the copies
of the Holy Qur'an in thirty equal parts, but I could not find any authentic
report to that effect. It seems that this division was made at a later stage to
facilitate gradual teaching of its text to the children.
Another division found in many editions of the Holy Qur'an in a number of
Muslim countries, especially in the subcontinent of India and Pakistan is that
of: Ruku', translated in English as 'sections'. These are marked on the margins
of every passage with the Arabic letter ¿. The basic purpose of these signs - as
is clear from the term of ruku' which means 'to bow' and which is one of the
obligatory acts in every Salah - is to mark an average portion of a Sūrah that may
be recited in one rak 'ah of Salah, after which one can bow in ruku'. This division
is based on the meanings of the text, identifying a certain passage that can
reasonably be separated from the previous and subsequent passages. It has been
the practice of the 'Ummah to recite the entire Qur'an in the nights of the month
of Ramadan during the Salah of Tarawih that consists of twenty rak'at every
night. The total number of ruku'āt in the Holy Qur'an is 540. If one ruku' is
recited in every rak'ah of Tarawih, recitation of the entire Qur'an may be
completed on the twenty seventh night of Ramadan. (Al-Fatawa-Al-