Which was revealed in Makkah

The Beginning of the Mufassal Section of the Qur'an

This Surah is the first Surah in the Mufassal section of the Qur'an, according to the correct view. It is said that the Mufassal starts with Surat Al-Hujurat. Some common people say that the Mufassal starts with Surah `Amma An-Naba, (chapter 78), however, this is not true because none of the respected scholars ever supported this opinion. Aws (bin Hudhayfah) said; "I asked the Companions of Allah's Messenger ﷺ how they divided the Qur'an. They said; `Three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, and the Mufassal section as one.' " This was recorded by Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad. If one counts forty-eight Surahs, the next Surah will be Surah Qaf. The details are as follows: The first three Surahs are Al-Baqarah (chapter 2), Al `Imran (3), then An-Nisa' (4). The five are Al-Ma'idah (5), Al-An`am (6), Al-A`raf (7), Al-Anfal (8) and Bara'ah (or At-Tawbah) (9). The seven next Surahs are Surah Yunus (10), Hud (11), Yusuf (12), Ar-Ra`d (13), Ibrahim (14), Al-Hijr (15) and An-Nahl (16). The nine next Surahs are, Subhan (or Al-Isra' (17), Al-Kahf (18), Maryam (19), Ta Ha (20), Al-Anbiya' (21), Al-Hajj (22), Al-Mu`minun (23), An-Nur (24) and Al-Furqan (25). The next eleven Surahs are Surat Ash-Shu`ara (26), An-Naml (27), Al-Qasas (28), Al-`Ankabut (29), Ar-Rum (30), Luqman (31), Alif Lam Mim As-Sajdah (32), Al-Ahzab (33), Saba' (34), Fatir (35) and Ya Sin (36). The next thirteen are Surat As-Saffat (37), Sad (38), Az-Zumar (39), Ghafir (40), Ha Mim As-Sajdah (or Fussilat) (41), Ash-Shura (42), Az-Zukhruf (43), Ad-Dukhan (44), Al-Jathiyah (45), Al-Ahqaf (46), Al-Qital (or Muhammad) (47), Al-Fath (48) and Al-Hujurat (49). After that comes the Mufassal section, according to the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. Therefore, Surah Qaf (chapter 50) is the first of the Mufassal, just as we stated, and all praise is due to Allah and all favors are from Him.

Removal of a Doubt relating to Resurrection

قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنقُصُ الْأَرْ‌ضُ مِنْهُمْ (We know very well how much of them is diminished by the earth,... 50:4). The disbelievers wondered at the idea that when they are dead and reduced to broken bones and particles of dust and scattered all over the world, whether it is possible that, on the Day of Resurrection, they will be raised up again. They thought that it was impossible when they are dead, disintegrated, with their organs torn apart that they will be brought back to their original shape and bodies. The verse refutes the disbelievers' objection: Allah says that He knows that which the earth takes of them, meaning He knows what the earth consumes of their dead bodies; where and how the bodies disintegrated, what they turned into and how they have become. Man's knowledge is limited and narrow in scope which should not be compared to Allah's vast, unlimited and encompassing knowledge - even the particles of objects which the earth disintegrates are well preserved in Allah's infinite knowledge. And a little reflection may reveal that even the body of a living person is composed of innumerable particles that have been joined together by Allah from different places. Whatever a person intakes in the form of food or medicine is derived from different parts of the earth, and all this forms part of his body. Then why should it be difficult for Him if He recollects all these parts after they are disintegrated? Not only this, he had a perfect and full knowledge of every man's destiny even before creating him as to what transformation will come about in every moment of his life and what phases he will go through after his death. All this is precisely recorded in the Preserved Tablet.