Bayan ul Quran - English, by Dr. Israr Ahmed (رحمه الله)

100 - Al-'adiyat ( Those That Run ) - سورة العاديات Themes and purpose: This surah opens with oaths to affirm the profound ingratitude and excessive love of wealth inherent in humankind. Its purpose is to warn the ungrateful of the Day of Judgment, when the contents of the graves will be brought forth and the secrets of the hearts will be revealed and judged. Context of Revelation: Era: The co...

Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is primarily dedicated to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and divine recompense. Its purpose is to describe the terrifying signs of the Hour, particularly the earth’s confession, and to establish the principle of absolute, meticulous accountability for deeds, even those the size of an atom. 099 - Az-Zalzalah ( The Earthquake ) - سورة الزلزلة Context...

098 - Al-Bayyinah ( The Clear Evidence ) - سورة البينة Themes and purpose: This Madinan surah primarily seeks to rebuke the People of the Book and the polytheists for rejecting the Prophet (ﷺ) despite the clear evidence of his genuineness. Its purpose is to affirm that the core of all divine messages is sincere Monotheism and to establish the eternal division between the rejecters (the worst of cr...

097 - Al-Qadr ( The Night of Decree ) - سورة القدر Themes and purpose: This surah is dedicated to affirming the immense dignity and power of the Quran. Its purpose is to elevate the status of the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), confirming that the descent of the revelation and the angels during this single night is a grace greater than an entire lifetime of worship. Context of Revelation: Era: Th...

096 - Al-'alaq ( The Clot ) - سورة العلق Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is the first revealed. Its purpose is to command the Prophet (ﷺ) to read and convey the message, establishing the dignity of knowledge and the Pen. It affirms Allah as the sole Creator and warns the arrogant human who denies his Lord and attempts to prevent others from prayer and guidance. Context of Revelation: Era...

095 - At-Tin ( The Fig ) - سورة التين Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah affirms that humanity was created in the best of forms, endowed with a pure natural disposition. Its purpose is to prove the necessity of divine recompense by citing the perfection of creation and by reminding people that their descent into corruption is reversible through faith and righteous deeds, which leads to an etern...

094 - As-Sharh ( The Opening Forth) - سورة الشرح Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is an affirmation and consolation to the Prophet (ﷺ) during his persecution. Its purpose is to assure him of the divine favor granted through the purification of his heart and the elevation of his honor. It establishes the pivotal principle that ease inevitably accompanies every hardship, and it commands persist...

093 - Ad-Dhuha ( The Forenoon ) - سورة الضحى Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is entirely dedicated to consoling and assuring the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah’s unwavering care during the pause in revelation. It refutes the polytheists’ claims that Allah had abandoned him. The surah promises a greater reward in the Hereafter and commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to show gratitude by treating the orphan and th...

092 - Al-Layl ( The Night ) - سورة الليل Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah opens with cosmic oaths to affirm that human efforts are divided into two contrary types, leading to two distinct fates. Its purpose is to contrast the virtues and easy path of the charitable, God-fearing believer with the vices and difficult path of the miserly disbeliever, affirming that the ultimate guidance belongs...

091 - Ash-Shams ( The Sun ) - سورة الشمس Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah opens with nine cosmic oaths to affirm the pivotal importance of the purification of the soul. Its purpose is to contrast the eternal success of the purified soul with the failure of the corrupted one, warning the polytheists by citing the destruction of the arrogant nation of Thamūd. Context of Revelation: Era: Makkan...

090 - Al-Balad ( The City ) - سورة البلد Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah opens with an oath by that City to affirm the Prophet's suffering and the universal truth that humanity was created for struggle. Its purpose is to condemn the arrogance of the wealthy who denied the Resurrection and failed to practice charity, defining the true path to salvation as overcoming the spiritual steep pa...

089 - Al-Fajr ( The Dawn ) - سورة الفجر Themes and purpose: This Meccan surah affirms the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. Its primary purpose is to refute the false assumption that worldly wealth or poverty is a sign of divine honor or degradation. It achieves this by citing the historical destruction of powerful nations and concludes with a vivid depiction of the Day of Judgment and t...

088 - Al-Ghashiya ( The Overwhelming ) - سورة الغاشية Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is primarily dedicated to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. It achieves this by contrasting the terror and toil of the wicked in Hell with the eternal bliss of the righteous. It commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to warn the people and use the wonders of creation as proofs of Allah’s sole divini...

087 - Al-A'la ( The Most High ) - سورة الأعلى Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah opens with the command to glorify Allah, establishing His unique singularity through the ordered system of creation. Its primary purpose is to console and strengthen the Prophet (ﷺ) with the promise of effortless retention of the Quran and to affirm that the final message is the enduring, core truth found in al...

086 - At-Tariq ( The Night-Comer ) - سورة الطارق Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is dedicated to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and divine recompense. It establishes this reality through powerful oaths sworn by the cosmos and through the precise stages of human creation. The surah affirms Allah’s comprehensive knowledge over deeds and promises the Prophet (ﷺ) swift victory and div...

085 - Al-Burooj ( The Big Stars ) - سورة البروج Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is dedicated to strengthening the early believers against persecution. It achieves this by presenting the historical precedent of the People of the Ditch to warn the polytheists of their fate. The surah affirms Allah’s power, promises victory and eternal reward to the patient, and confirms that the Quran is the p...

084 - Al-Inshiqaq (The Splitting Asunder) - سورة الانشقاق Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is dedicated to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. It achieves this by describing the dramatic cosmic dissolution that precedes the Hour, questioning humanity's failure to prepare for the meeting with their Lord, and vividly contrasting the ease of the rewarded believer with the...

083 - Al-Mutaffifin (Those Who Deal in Fraud) - سورة المطففين Themes and purpose: This surah is primarily dedicated to condemning fraud in commerce and proving the absolute certainty of the Resurrection. It reveals that cheating in weights is rooted in the denial of accountability. The surah contrasts the doom of the dishonest with the eternal honor and status of the righteous, whose records are k...

082 - Al-Infitar ( The Cleaving ) - سورة الانفطار Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is dedicated entirely to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. It achieves this by describing the cosmic collapse that precedes the Hour, questioning humanity's ingratitude, and confirming that all deeds are recorded by angels for the inevitable day of recompense. Context of Revelation: Er...

081 - At-Takwir ( The Overthrowing ) - سورة التكوير Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is dedicated to proving the reality of the Resurrection and divine recompense. It achieves this by detailing the catastrophic cosmic collapse that precedes the Hour. It affirms the truthfulness of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the divine origin of the Quran, countering the polytheists’ claims of madness or demonic infl...

080 - Abasa ( He frowned ) - سورة عبس Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah opens with a core lesson in prophetic ethics, correcting the Prophet (ﷺ) for turning away briefly from a sincere, blind believer. Its purpose is to affirm that spiritual sincerity is the only true measure of worth, prove the certainty of the Resurrection through the creation of man and vegetation, and warn the arrogant wea...

079 - An-Nazi'at ( Those who Pull Out ) - سورة النازعات Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is primarily dedicated to proving the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. It achieves this by contrasting the historical arrogance and destruction of Pharaoh with the certainty of the cosmic upheaval. The surah affirms Allah’s power to recreate life and warns the Prophet (ﷺ) to focus on his ro...

078 - An-Naba' ( The Great News ) - سورة النبأ Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah is entirely focused on proving the certainty of the Resurrection and Judgment. It achieves this by challenging the polytheists’ denial and mockery, presenting overwhelming natural proofs of Allah’s creative power, and vividly contrasting the eternal reward of the righteous with the severe punishment awaiting t...

077 - Al-Mursalat ( Those sent forth ) - سورة المرسلات Themes and purpose: This Makkan surah focuses relentlessly on proving the certainty of the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment. It employs powerful oaths and cosmic imagery to assert this truth. It warns the polytheists of the impending punishment and contrasts the eternal torment awaiting them with the sublime reward prepared for the pious....

076 - Al-Insan ( Man ) - سورة الإنسان Themes and purpose: This surah addresses the creation of humanity and the necessity of the Resurrection. Its primary purpose is to distinguish between the two paths (grateful and ungrateful), focusing heavily on describing the eternal rewards and spiritual stature of the righteous. It commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to be steadfast, patient, and to persevere in conve...