ONLY THREE SHORT VERSES, BUT THE IMPACT IS PROFIUND AND DEEP (Part 1)
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
“LOVE ALLAH. LOVE THE HOLY PROPHET, LOVE THE QURAN. LOVE YOUR PARENTS, LOVE AL KAUSAR”.
“WE WILL BE LOVED BY ALLAH”
ONLY THREE SHORT VERSES, BUT THE IMPACT IS PROFIUND AND DEEP !!! (Part 1)
SURAH AL KAUTHAR ( AL KAUSAR )
(CHAPTER NUMBER 108)
By
Abdul Wahap Bin Abdul Hamid
INTRODUCTION
Surah Al Kauthar is the
shortest surah in the entire Al Quran in term of the following characteristics:
1. The
number of verses
2. The
number of letters
3. The
number of words.
It consists of 3 short verses
only. There are another 2 surahs in the Al Quran, that also consists of 3 short
verses namely Surah Al Asr and Surah Surah An Nasr. When compared between these
3 surahs based on the above mentioned characteristics, then by far surah Al
Kauthar is the SHORTEST.
Surah Al Kauthar has 3 names:
1.
Surah Al Kauthar
2.
Surah Innaatoina Kal
Kauthar.
Narrated
by Ibn Abbas in an authentic narration he said Surah ‘Innaa a’taynaakal
kawthar’ was revealed in Mecca. Imam Bukhari used this name in his Sahih
Bukhari.
3.
Surah Al Nahar ( means
to slaughter or giving in abudance ).
This surah is also about Allah
SWT’s generosity towards Rasulullah SAW. The entire theme of the surah is the
abudant giving to Nabi SAW and his ummah – so it earned the name Al Nahar.
Just because this is a very
short surah consisting of only 3 short verses, we tend to take for granted the
significance or importance of this surah. This surah is easy to memorize, and
quite frequently we recite surah in our salah. Due to this fact, we tend to
take this surah very ‘lightly’.
However, the reality is, if we
fully understand this surah, we will realize that there is a very deep meaning
to it and will require a very in depth understanding. Only then will we realize
how ‘serious’ this surah is, and it is bound to change the ‘negative’
perception we had towards this surah to a very ‘positive’ approach.
A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF SURAH AL KAUTHAR
According to Ustadz Sheikh Abu
Bakr Zoud, an expert in Hadith Tafseer, the whole of this surah is related to
the generosity of Allah SWT to our beloved Prophet Rasulullah SAW at a time
when Rasulullah SAW was deep in sorrow due to a few incidents that took place in
the family. Due to the generosity of Allah SWT, this surah is also known as Al
Nahar which also means generosity, besides meaning to slaughter.
There was a debate among the
religious scholars as to where this surah was revealed! Was it in Mecca
(Makkiyyah) or in Madinah (Madaniyyah)? Surah Al Kauthar is the 15th
surah in the Al Quran to be revealed in Mecca.
HISTORY OF SURAH AL KAUTHAR
What was the important
incident that triggered Allah SWT to reveal this surah? According to Sheikh
Navaid Aziz, a freelance Islamic dakwah activist, all the religious scholars
concur that the main factor that caused Allah SWT to reveal this surah is
related to the death of Rasulullah SAW’s last male child by the name of
Abdullah, with his wife Siti Khatijah. The death of Abdullah really made
Rasulullah SAW very sad and depressed.
Before proceeding any further,
it has to be brought to everyone’s attention a very important point about the
Arab community during that time. The Arab community regarded male children very
highly in comparison to the female child. This was because, the male child
would continue the lineage of the family and also maintain the integrity of the
family. The issue of lineage was regarded various seriously by the Arab
community during that time.
When Siti Khadijah gave birth
to Abdullah, it brought joy to Rasulullah SAW, but great disappointment to
Quarisy community. They were very disappointed, sad and frustrated. This was
because Abdullah would be the heir and also the continuation of the legacy of
Rasulullah SAW. Besides this, it would also spread Islam. This was greatly
opposed by the idol worshipping Quarisy community.
It has to be mentioned too
that a female child was ‘valuless’ among the Quarisy community. As such, female
child would be thrown away or killed, at times female child were buried alive.
They consider that a female child has no social standing in their society, and
as such worthless.
The demise of Rasulullah SAW’s
beloved son was greeted with happiness, joy and festive like wild celebration
among the Quarisy community who hated and despised Rasulullah SAW very much,
because Rasulullah SAW brought the religion of ‘Tauhid’ i.e. Islam which was
totally against idol worshipping and other traditional religions and beliefs
practised by the Arabs.
According to Ustadz Dr Yasir
Qadhi, a renowned Islamic scholar and an expert in Hadith Tafseer, the death of
Abdullah became a point of ridicule for the Quarisy community who have borne a
deep grudge towards Rasulullah SAW from the day Rasulullah SAW started to
preach about Islam to them. Their celebration on receiving the news of the
death of Abdullah was overjoy, celebrating in the streets, screaming and
shouting with happiness and creating a festive like environment. They were
shouting “Khadbutira Muhammad, Khadbutira Muhammad” meaning the
lineage of Rasulullah has been cut. There is no more a male heir to carry on
Rasulullah SAW’s legacy and religion.
This ridiculing and swearing
by the Quarisy community was led by their chief by the name of Al Asr Ibn
Walid. They ridiculed Rasulullah SAW’s lineage was cut off by Allah SWT by
taking Abdullah, and Rasulullah SAW will be forgotten in history. This made
Rasulullah SAW very sad and depressed. As a human being, at a time of grief and
sorrow such as this, the society should show sympathy and give courage to the
grieving family, and give words of encouragement to give strength and courage
to the family.
REVELEATION OF SURAH AL KAUTHAR IN MECCA
However, this situation was
capitalised by Al Asr Ibn Walid to degrade and insult Rasullullah SAW. This
proves how heartless and inhumae they were towards Rasullullah SAW. This was
the most saddest and depressing phase of Rasulullah’s life. Rasulullah SAW
simply could not find an answer to all these insults and swearing hurled
towards him. This is when Allah SWT revealed surah Al Kauthar to comfort and
make Rasulullah SAW happy again, and get Rasulullah SAW over his sorrow and
depression. This is a very strong proof to show that this was a Makkiyyah (Mecca)
surah. This surah is the reply to all the abuses and insults as well as
swearing by the Quarisy.
REVELEATION OF SURAH AL KAUTHAR IN MADINAH
Below is an incident that took
place in Madinah which led to the revelation of the surah for the 2nd
time. (If readers could still recall, surah Al Ikhlas was also revealed
twice).
This hadith is narrated by
Anas ibn Malik R.A. According to his narration, one day Rasulullah SAW was
sitting with his companions at a place. Rasulullah SAW suddenly dozed off. In
the dozed off state, Rasulullah SAW lifted his head while still asleep and
smiled. When Rasulullah awoke from his sleep, the companions asked him why he
was smiling? To this Rasulullah SAW replied,” while I dozed off, a surah was
revealed to me”. Rasulullah SAW recited the surah. Rasulullah SAW recited the
surah as follows ”Bismillahyirrahman nir rahim. Innaa a’taynaakal
kawthar. Fasalli lirabbbika wanhar. Inna shaaniaka huwalabtar”.This
is another proof to show that this surah is also a Madaniyyah surah.
WHAT IS AL KAUTHAR?
Further, Rasullullah SAW asked
the companion if they knew what Al Kauthar meant.? To this the companions
replied,” Only Allah SWT and His Prophet Know best.!”. Rasulullah SAW replied ’It
is a river in Heaven that has been promised to me by Allah SWT. The river has
abundance of goodness in it.” Rasulullah SAW visualised it as a “Houth” meaning
a pond, or a tank or a reservoir. It is a huge pond where a lot of people will
gather on the Day of Judgement or Kiamah in Mahsyar. There are cups and jars
around the pond, equal to the number of stars in the sky. Rasulullah SAW also said
that there will be people who will be chased away or turned away from
approaching the pond by the Angels.
Rasulullah SAW will try to
protect them by saying that they are his followers and belong to his nation.
Than the Angels will reply that these people have introduced “Bida’ah” in the
religion, and they brought destruction to the religion. After listening to the
Angel’s explaination, Rasulullah SAW will ask the Angels to chase them away.
In a narration in Sahih
Bukhari, Rasulullah SAW says,” I am at the forefront of the ‘houth’, and
whoever comes through it, he will drink from it, and whoever drinks from it,
will NOT become thirsty forever!” Rasulullah SAW also said,” Some people will
come, I will know them, and they will know me.” In the hadith Rasulullah SAW
mentions,” I will know them from the marks and traces of ‘wudhu’. There will be
some brightness or ‘Nur’ from the ‘wudhu’. Rasulullah SAW said that he will be
able to recognise them from that. Than a barrier will be put between them and
Rasulullah SAW, and they would disappear from Rasulullah SAW’s sight.
NOTE: This concludes part 1 of surah
Al Kauthar. The writer hopes that the readers will find this article interesting to read. It is also
hoped that this article will at least improve the knowledge of the readers. Hope
you enjoy reading. Wait for the 2nd part. Please follow and
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To be continued…………….