Saturday, 1 October 2011
Qur'anic Treasures Hidden in Surah Ikhlas (Purity) (Holy Qur'an 112:1-4)
Surah Fatiha (The Opening Chapter) of the Holy Qur'an is the important Surah of the Holy Qur'an and no Muslim prayer is complete without it. It is therefore the most repeated Surah of the Holy Qur'an. After the Surah Fatiha, Surah Ikhlas is the most important and most often repeated Surah of the Holy Qur'an. The importance of this Surah has been described in the following hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)1:
The translation2 of Surah Ikhlas (Holy Qur'an 112:1-4) is:
Surah Ikhlas is a very important Surah from the Holy Qur'an because it proclaims the Oneness (Tawhid) and Absolute nature of Divine Essence. This concept is presented in the first ayat. The second ayat declares that Allah is Eternal, i.e., He is beyond the bounds of time and space. The third ayat describes that Allah does not give birth nor is He is given birth and the last ayat declares that Allah is beyond comparison. Surah Ikhlas directly supports the first declaration (shahadah) of Islam: "There is no god but Allah". In this context, Islam is based on belief in one God (monotheism).
In his memoirs, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, also known as Aga Khan III, has defined the principle of Islam as follows3:
This insight into Islam's basic principle sheds a new light into the interpretation of Surah Ikhlas. In the first ayat, Allah commands the Holy Prophet to declare that Allah is One. From the above quotation, the Islamic principle of Oneness is not limited to the the declaration that there is but one God but extends to all realities. In other words, all realities merge into One Reality. This absolute reality is called Monoreality. Therefore, Allah is Monoreal.
The second ayat declares that the Monoreal is Eternal. This means that the Monoreal is above time and space because, in human terms, time is related to the movement of stars and planets. This implies that the Monoreal is not affected by the past, present and future.
The third ayat declares that the Monoreal does not give birth or take birth because it is Eternal and the only reality. The Monoreal is immortal and it does not need to give birth or take birth.
The last ayat declares that there is none equal to the Monoreal because the Monoreal is unique. Human beings live in the world of duality where each object or concept has an opposite. Some examples of duality are good and evil, male and female, small and large, and so on. In contrast to this, the Monoreal is absolutely unique because it consists of all realities and there is nothing left except Itself. Therefore, the Monoreal is beyond comparison.
Surah Ikhlas is a short surah with a powerful message. The Holy Prophet has encouraged Muslims to recite this surah to purify their faith. In addition to this, recitation of this prayer for an extended period results in the forgiveness of sins according to the following hadith4:
Let us now recite this prayer with humility, courage and conviction.
| "He (Abud Darda) reported God's messenger as saying, "Is any of you capable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" On being asked how they could recite a third of the Qur'an he replied, " 'Say, He is God, One' is equivalent to a third of the Qur'an." Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari transmitted it from Abu Sa'id." |
| Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. |
In his memoirs, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, also known as Aga Khan III, has defined the principle of Islam as follows3:
| "Once man has thus comprehended the essence of existence there remains for him the duty, since he knows the value of his own soul, of making for himself a direct path which will constantly lead his individual soul to and bind it with the universal Soul of which the Universe, as much of it we perceive with our limited vision, is one of the infinite manifestations. Thus Islam's basic principle can only be defined as monorealism and not as monotheism." |
The second ayat declares that the Monoreal is Eternal. This means that the Monoreal is above time and space because, in human terms, time is related to the movement of stars and planets. This implies that the Monoreal is not affected by the past, present and future.
The third ayat declares that the Monoreal does not give birth or take birth because it is Eternal and the only reality. The Monoreal is immortal and it does not need to give birth or take birth.
The last ayat declares that there is none equal to the Monoreal because the Monoreal is unique. Human beings live in the world of duality where each object or concept has an opposite. Some examples of duality are good and evil, male and female, small and large, and so on. In contrast to this, the Monoreal is absolutely unique because it consists of all realities and there is nothing left except Itself. Therefore, the Monoreal is beyond comparison.
Surah Ikhlas is a short surah with a powerful message. The Holy Prophet has encouraged Muslims to recite this surah to purify their faith. In addition to this, recitation of this prayer for an extended period results in the forgiveness of sins according to the following hadith4:
| "Anas reported the Prophet saying, "if anyone recites two hundred times daily, 'Say, He is God, One', the sins of fifty years will be wiped out, unless he is in debt." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it. The latter's version has "fifty times" and he did not mention "unless he is in debt." |
| A'uzu billahi minashaitanir rajim | I seek refuge in Allah from the outcast Satan |
| Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim | In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful |
| Qul Hu-walaahu 'Ahad | Say: He is Allah, the Monoreal! |
| 'Allahus-Samad; | Allah (the Monoreal) is Eternal. |
| Lam yalid, wa lam yuulad; | The Monoreal does not take or give birth. |
| Walam yakul-la-Huu kufuwan 'ahad. | And there is none comparable to the Monoreal. |
Qur'anic Treasures Hidden in Surah Ikhlas (Purity) (Holy Qur'an 112:1-4)
Surah Fatiha (The Opening Chapter) of the Holy Qur'an is the important Surah of the Holy Qur'an and no Muslim prayer is complete without it. It is therefore the most repeated Surah of the Holy Qur'an. After the Surah Fatiha, Surah Ikhlas is the most important and most often repeated Surah of the Holy Qur'an. The importance of this Surah has been described in the following hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)1:
The translation2 of Surah Ikhlas (Holy Qur'an 112:1-4) is:
Surah Ikhlas is a very important Surah from the Holy Qur'an because it proclaims the Oneness (Tawhid) and Absolute nature of Divine Essence. This concept is presented in the first ayat. The second ayat declares that Allah is Eternal, i.e., He is beyond the bounds of time and space. The third ayat describes that Allah does not give birth nor is He is given birth and the last ayat declares that Allah is beyond comparison. Surah Ikhlas directly supports the first declaration (shahadah) of Islam: "There is no god but Allah". In this context, Islam is based on belief in one God (monotheism).
In his memoirs, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, also known as Aga Khan III, has defined the principle of Islam as follows3:
This insight into Islam's basic principle sheds a new light into the interpretation of Surah Ikhlas. In the first ayat, Allah commands the Holy Prophet to declare that Allah is One. From the above quotation, the Islamic principle of Oneness is not limited to the the declaration that there is but one God but extends to all realities. In other words, all realities merge into One Reality. This absolute reality is called Monoreality. Therefore, Allah is Monoreal.
The second ayat declares that the Monoreal is Eternal. This means that the Monoreal is above time and space because, in human terms, time is related to the movement of stars and planets. This implies that the Monoreal is not affected by the past, present and future.
The third ayat declares that the Monoreal does not give birth or take birth because it is Eternal and the only reality. The Monoreal is immortal and it does not need to give birth or take birth.
The last ayat declares that there is none equal to the Monoreal because the Monoreal is unique. Human beings live in the world of duality where each object or concept has an opposite. Some examples of duality are good and evil, male and female, small and large, and so on. In contrast to this, the Monoreal is absolutely unique because it consists of all realities and there is nothing left except Itself. Therefore, the Monoreal is beyond comparison.
Surah Ikhlas is a short surah with a powerful message. The Holy Prophet has encouraged Muslims to recite this surah to purify their faith. In addition to this, recitation of this prayer for an extended period results in the forgiveness of sins according to the following hadith4:
Let us now recite this prayer with humility, courage and conviction.
| "He (Abud Darda) reported God's messenger as saying, "Is any of you capable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" On being asked how they could recite a third of the Qur'an he replied, " 'Say, He is God, One' is equivalent to a third of the Qur'an." Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari transmitted it from Abu Sa'id." |
| Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. |
In his memoirs, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, also known as Aga Khan III, has defined the principle of Islam as follows3:
| "Once man has thus comprehended the essence of existence there remains for him the duty, since he knows the value of his own soul, of making for himself a direct path which will constantly lead his individual soul to and bind it with the universal Soul of which the Universe, as much of it we perceive with our limited vision, is one of the infinite manifestations. Thus Islam's basic principle can only be defined as monorealism and not as monotheism." |
The second ayat declares that the Monoreal is Eternal. This means that the Monoreal is above time and space because, in human terms, time is related to the movement of stars and planets. This implies that the Monoreal is not affected by the past, present and future.
The third ayat declares that the Monoreal does not give birth or take birth because it is Eternal and the only reality. The Monoreal is immortal and it does not need to give birth or take birth.
The last ayat declares that there is none equal to the Monoreal because the Monoreal is unique. Human beings live in the world of duality where each object or concept has an opposite. Some examples of duality are good and evil, male and female, small and large, and so on. In contrast to this, the Monoreal is absolutely unique because it consists of all realities and there is nothing left except Itself. Therefore, the Monoreal is beyond comparison.
Surah Ikhlas is a short surah with a powerful message. The Holy Prophet has encouraged Muslims to recite this surah to purify their faith. In addition to this, recitation of this prayer for an extended period results in the forgiveness of sins according to the following hadith4:
| "Anas reported the Prophet saying, "if anyone recites two hundred times daily, 'Say, He is God, One', the sins of fifty years will be wiped out, unless he is in debt." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it. The latter's version has "fifty times" and he did not mention "unless he is in debt." |
| A'uzu billahi minashaitanir rajim | I seek refuge in Allah from the outcast Satan |
| Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim | In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful |
| Qul Hu-walaahu 'Ahad | Say: He is Allah, the Monoreal! |
| 'Allahus-Samad; | Allah (the Monoreal) is Eternal. |
| Lam yalid, wa lam yuulad; | The Monoreal does not take or give birth. |
| Walam yakul-la-Huu kufuwan 'ahad. | And there is none comparable to the Monoreal. |
surah al-Ikhlâs - The Purity
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him.
- translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him.
- translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Al-Ikhlâs is sûrah (chapter) 112 of the Qur'ân, and is said to be one of the earliest revelations that the Prophet Muhammad received from archangel Gabriel.
The Arabic root of the word ikhlâs is kh-l-s which means to be purified, refined, or to express loyal. The very concept of refining and purifying signifies the burning away of all impurities, leaving nothing but the very essence of that which was sought, Allah, the ultimate recipient of our utmost loyalty and sincerity.
Such a purification is the burning away of all of the worldly misunderstandings, concerns and desires that separate us from the One; the One and Only upon whom we depend, the One and Only who is our foundation rock, the Eternal One and Only.
As a further testimony to the unity of the One who has created all of mankind, note the striking similarity in the Bhagavad-Gita written in India a thousand years earlier:
A deeper look into al-Ikhlâs:You are the One Creator of all the worlds,
and of that which moves and that which does not move,
You alone are fit for worship, You are the highest Teacher,
In all the worlds there is none equal to You.
- Bhagavad-Gita 11:43
The following is al-Ikhlâs, line-by-line in Arabic, followed by a simple transliteration, and four well-known English translations.
(Pronunciation guide: i as in sit, a as in bat, u as in put, â as the a in father, î as the ee in reel, û as the oo in moot.)
bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
Yusuf Ali: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Pickthall: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Shakir: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Muhammed Ali: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Qul huwa Allâhu ahad
Yusuf Ali: Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
Pickthal: Say: He is Allah, the One!
Shakir: Say: He, Allah, is One. Muhammed Ali: Say: He, Allah, is One.
Allâh s-samad
Yusuf Ali: Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
Pickthal: Allah, the eternally Besought of all!
Shakir: Allah is He on Whom all depend. Muhammed Ali: Allah is He on whom all depend.
Lam yalid wa lam yûlad
Yusuf Ali: He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
Pickthal: He begetteth not nor was begotten.
Shakir: He begets not, nor is He begotten. Muhammed Ali: He begets not, nor is He begotten;
wa lam yakul-la-hû kufu-wan ahad
Yusuf Ali: And there is none like unto Him.
Pickthal: And there is none comparable unto Him.
Shakir: And none is like Him. Muhammed Ali: And none is like Him.
Going even deeper into al-Ikhlâs:
No simple literal translation can capture the magnificence or the delicate nuances of these Arabic verses. Every word has multiple levels of meaning, and each line brings new insights and inspirations with every reading. To begin to discover the deeper meanings of these verses, let's look at the deeper meanings of the words, line by line:
(Pronunciation guide: i as in sit, a as in bat, u as in put, â as the a in father, î as the ee in reel, û as the oo in moot. )
Qul huwa Allâhu ahad
qul = say, teach, tell
root q-w-l ... to speak, say, inspire, point out, tell, relate, teach, assert
huwa = he
pronoun, 3rd person, masc, nominative
Allahu = Allah
the u at the end indicates that Allah is the subject
ahad = the one, the only one, one without any partner, one without a second
Allâh s-samad
Allah = Allah
s-samad = eternal, absolute, one whom all need, one who is the foundation of all, solid, independent
Lam yalid wa lam yûlad
lam = (particle) did not, was not
yalid = give birth to, generate, produce, sire, beget
ya is an imperfect prefix, the root is w-l-d
wa = and, and also
lam = (particle) not, did not, was not
yulad = birthed, born, generated, produced, sired, begotten
yu is imperfect prefix, the root is w-l-d
wa lam yaku llahû kufuwan ahad
wa = and, and also
lam = (particle) was not, did not
yaku(n) = is, was
ya is an imperfect prefix, root k-w-n, ( note: the n is not pronounced in this phrase)
llahu = unto Him, with Him
kufuwan = equal, like, comparable, matching, corresponding
root k-f- ' meaning to be comparable, like, similar to
ahad = the One, the only One, the One without any partner, the One without a second
Interpretation:
Armed with these definitions and your own inner guidance, you can create your own poetic rendering of al-Ikhlâs... just go through al-Ikhlâs word-by-word, inserting the definition of each word that seems to speak to you. For example, here is a poetic rendering that I enjoy:
Recitation:For the glory of Allah, the Merciful One Who is endlessly Beneficent, and Who Graciously rewards those who live in Divine harmony,
1) (Muhammad,) teach them: He, Allah, is the Only One;
2) Allah is the Eternal One upon Whom all depend
3) He Who creates without a partner, and Who was not created
4) and there is none comparable to the One.
- a rendering by wahiduddin
Click this link to hear al-Ikhlas recited by the renowned Saudi qari Shaykh Saad al-Ghamdi.
Hadith relating to the importance of al-Ikhlâs:
According to al-Bukhari, Abu Sa`id narrated that the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions:
Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur'an in a single night?
This was something that was difficult for them and they said, "Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah?''
To which he replied,
Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur'an in a single night?
This was something that was difficult for them and they said, "Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah?''
To which he replied,
Allah al-Wahid as-Samad is a third of the Qur'an.
surah al-Ikhlâs - The Purity
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him.
- translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him.
- translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Al-Ikhlâs is sûrah (chapter) 112 of the Qur'ân, and is said to be one of the earliest revelations that the Prophet Muhammad received from archangel Gabriel.
The Arabic root of the word ikhlâs is kh-l-s which means to be purified, refined, or to express loyal. The very concept of refining and purifying signifies the burning away of all impurities, leaving nothing but the very essence of that which was sought, Allah, the ultimate recipient of our utmost loyalty and sincerity.
Such a purification is the burning away of all of the worldly misunderstandings, concerns and desires that separate us from the One; the One and Only upon whom we depend, the One and Only who is our foundation rock, the Eternal One and Only.
As a further testimony to the unity of the One who has created all of mankind, note the striking similarity in the Bhagavad-Gita written in India a thousand years earlier:
A deeper look into al-Ikhlâs:You are the One Creator of all the worlds,
and of that which moves and that which does not move,
You alone are fit for worship, You are the highest Teacher,
In all the worlds there is none equal to You.
- Bhagavad-Gita 11:43
The following is al-Ikhlâs, line-by-line in Arabic, followed by a simple transliteration, and four well-known English translations.
(Pronunciation guide: i as in sit, a as in bat, u as in put, â as the a in father, î as the ee in reel, û as the oo in moot.)
bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
Yusuf Ali: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Pickthall: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Shakir: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Muhammed Ali: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Qul huwa Allâhu ahad
Yusuf Ali: Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
Pickthal: Say: He is Allah, the One!
Shakir: Say: He, Allah, is One. Muhammed Ali: Say: He, Allah, is One.
Allâh s-samad
Yusuf Ali: Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
Pickthal: Allah, the eternally Besought of all!
Shakir: Allah is He on Whom all depend. Muhammed Ali: Allah is He on whom all depend.
Lam yalid wa lam yûlad
Yusuf Ali: He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
Pickthal: He begetteth not nor was begotten.
Shakir: He begets not, nor is He begotten. Muhammed Ali: He begets not, nor is He begotten;
wa lam yakul-la-hû kufu-wan ahad
Yusuf Ali: And there is none like unto Him.
Pickthal: And there is none comparable unto Him.
Shakir: And none is like Him. Muhammed Ali: And none is like Him.
Going even deeper into al-Ikhlâs:
No simple literal translation can capture the magnificence or the delicate nuances of these Arabic verses. Every word has multiple levels of meaning, and each line brings new insights and inspirations with every reading. To begin to discover the deeper meanings of these verses, let's look at the deeper meanings of the words, line by line:
(Pronunciation guide: i as in sit, a as in bat, u as in put, â as the a in father, î as the ee in reel, û as the oo in moot. )
Qul huwa Allâhu ahad
qul = say, teach, tell
root q-w-l ... to speak, say, inspire, point out, tell, relate, teach, assert
huwa = he
pronoun, 3rd person, masc, nominative
Allahu = Allah
the u at the end indicates that Allah is the subject
ahad = the one, the only one, one without any partner, one without a second
Allâh s-samad
Allah = Allah
s-samad = eternal, absolute, one whom all need, one who is the foundation of all, solid, independent
Lam yalid wa lam yûlad
lam = (particle) did not, was not
yalid = give birth to, generate, produce, sire, beget
ya is an imperfect prefix, the root is w-l-d
wa = and, and also
lam = (particle) not, did not, was not
yulad = birthed, born, generated, produced, sired, begotten
yu is imperfect prefix, the root is w-l-d
wa lam yaku llahû kufuwan ahad
wa = and, and also
lam = (particle) was not, did not
yaku(n) = is, was
ya is an imperfect prefix, root k-w-n, ( note: the n is not pronounced in this phrase)
llahu = unto Him, with Him
kufuwan = equal, like, comparable, matching, corresponding
root k-f- ' meaning to be comparable, like, similar to
ahad = the One, the only One, the One without any partner, the One without a second
Interpretation:
Armed with these definitions and your own inner guidance, you can create your own poetic rendering of al-Ikhlâs... just go through al-Ikhlâs word-by-word, inserting the definition of each word that seems to speak to you. For example, here is a poetic rendering that I enjoy:
Recitation:For the glory of Allah, the Merciful One Who is endlessly Beneficent, and Who Graciously rewards those who live in Divine harmony,
1) (Muhammad,) teach them: He, Allah, is the Only One;
2) Allah is the Eternal One upon Whom all depend
3) He Who creates without a partner, and Who was not created
4) and there is none comparable to the One.
- a rendering by wahiduddin
Click this link to hear al-Ikhlas recited by the renowned Saudi qari Shaykh Saad al-Ghamdi.
Hadith relating to the importance of al-Ikhlâs:
According to al-Bukhari, Abu Sa`id narrated that the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions:
Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur'an in a single night?
This was something that was difficult for them and they said, "Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah?''
To which he replied,
Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur'an in a single night?
This was something that was difficult for them and they said, "Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah?''
To which he replied,
Allah al-Wahid as-Samad is a third of the Qur'an.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Surah al-Fatiha
Surah al-Fatiha, “The Opening”, is the first chapter of the Holy Quran. Its seven verses are a prayer for God’s guidance, and stress Its lordship and mercy of God. This chapter has an essential role in daily prayers; being recited at least seventeen times a day, at the start of each unit of prayer (rakah).
The surah is described in various Hadith as “the mother of the Book” (Umm al-Kitab), and said to be the seven verses alluded to in Surah Al-Hijr (15:87); “We have given thee seven of the opt-repeated (verses) and the great Quran.”
Bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm
1:1 In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy!
Al ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l-’ālamīn
1:2 Praise belongs to God, Lord of the Worlds,
Ar raḥmāni r-raḥīm
1:3 the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy,
Māliki yawmi d-dīn
1:4 Master of the Day of Judgement.
Iyyāka na’budu wa iyyāka nasta’īn
1:5 It is You we worship; it is You we ask for help.
Ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm
1:6 Guide us to the straight path:
Ṣirāṭ al-laḏīna an’amta ‘alayhim ġayril maġḍūbi ‘alayhim walāḍ ḍāllīn
1:7 the path of those You have blessed, those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray.
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