Surah Al-Alaq
Chapter 96 · Verse 12 · Revealed in Makkah
“Or enjoins righteousness?”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The Threat against Man's Transgression for the sake of Wealth
Allah informs that man is very pleased, most evil, scornful and transgressive when he considers himself self-sufficient and having an abundance of wealth. Then Allah threatens, warns and admonishes him in His saying,
إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Verses [ 9-10] أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ (Have you seen him who forbids a slave of Allah when he prays?) From here to the end of the Surah, the verses allude to an incident. When the Holy Prophet was enjoined to perform the salah, he started performing it at first privately, later in public in the Sacred Mosque. Abu Jahl stopped him from performing salah and threatened him that if he were to perform salah and prostrate, he would [ God forbid!] trample his neck. Verse [ 14] أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَرَىٰ (Does he not know that Allah is watching?) is in response to the threat made by Abu Jahl, and the verse does not mention whom He is watching. It is of general application - He is watching the pious personality who is performing the salah, as well as the wretched, miserable person who is obstructing the performance of the salah. Here the statement merely asserts that Allah is watching everything and everyone. It does not specify what will happen at Resurrection, because the horrible, terrible and dreadful scenes of that are unimaginable.
What does this verse bring up for you today?