What a few months of study looks like

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.

Why it is under Guidance: Worship and reliance as the posture guidance is asked from. — Friday circle, week 3

• Al-Baqara 2:255 — The verse states who He is; al-Fatiha responds by addressing Him.
• Al-Faatiha 1:6 — Declaration of worship leading directly into the request for guidance.

ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Guide us along the Straight Path,

Why it is under Guidance: The central request of the surah. — Personal study

• Ar-Rahmaan 55:2 — Teaching given, and guidance requested.
• Al-Faatiha 1:7 — The path requested, then the path described.
• Al-Faatiha 1:5 — Declaration of worship leading directly into the request for guidance.

صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

the Path of those You have blessed—not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray.

Why it is under Guidance: Guidance defined by the path of those already favoured. — Friday circle, week 3

Question: Who are 'those who have earned anger' and 'those who have gone astray' — and why are they described by state rather than named?

• Al-Faatiha 1:6 — The path requested, then the path described.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient.

Why it is under Guidance: Allah is with the patient — companionship as the reward. — Weekend tafsir class

• Ash-Sharh 94:6 — Ease promised, and the means of reaching it named.
• Al-Asr 103:3 — Patience as personal practice and as mutual counsel.
• Al-Baqara 2:286 — Burden limited, and support provided.

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of the day and the night; the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity; the rain sent down by Allah from the skies, reviving the earth after its death; the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout; the shifting of the winds; and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth—˹in all of this˺ are surely signs for people of understanding.

Why it is under Guidance: Signs for a people who use reason. — Friday circle, week 3

Question: Are the eight signs in this verse ordered by anything — scale, immediacy, familiarity — or is the sequence rhetorical?

• Aal-i-Imraan 3:190 — The same argument from creation, made twice with different signs.
• Luqman 31:20 — Overlapping inventories of what has been placed at our disposal.
• Ar-Rahmaan 55:3 — Natural signs and the creation of humanity as parallel evidence.

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission? He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills ˹to reveal˺. His Seat

Why it is under Guidance: Knowledge given only as He wills. — Weekend tafsir class

Question: Ayat al-Kursi mentions the Throne explicitly. How have the major tafsir traditions handled this without either literalising it or emptying it of meaning?

• Al-Hashr 59:22 — Both passages establish divine sovereignty through an accumulation of attributes.
• Al-Hashr 59:23 — Al-Qayyum here and Al-Malik there describe sustaining and sovereignty as one theme.
• Aal-i-Imraan 3:190 — Sovereignty asserted directly, then argued for from creation.
• Al-Ikhlaas 112:1 — The long form and the compressed form of the same declaration of oneness.
• Al-Faatiha 1:5 — The verse states who He is; al-Fatiha responds by addressing Him.

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be to its own loss. ˹The believers pray,˺ “Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our ˹only˺ Guardian. So grant us victory over the disbelieving people.”

Why it is under Guidance: The closing supplication of the surah. — Personal study

Question: The verse ends with three requests. Is the progression between them deliberate?

• Al-A'raaf 7:156 — Mercy stated in principle, then applied as a limit on obligation.
• Al-Baqara 2:153 — Burden limited, and support provided.

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night there are signs for people of reason.

Why it is under Guidance: Signs specifically for those possessed of understanding. — Friday circle, week 3

• Al-Baqara 2:255 — Sovereignty asserted directly, then argued for from creation.
• Al-Hashr 59:24 — Creation named as an act, then creation offered as evidence.
• Aal-i-Imraan 3:191 — The sign and the required response, in consecutive verses.
• Al-Baqara 2:164 — The same argument from creation, made twice with different signs.
• Luqman 31:20 — Creation as evidence, then creation as favour.

ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

˹They are˺ those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.

Why it is under Guidance: Understanding described as continuous remembrance. — Friday circle, week 3

Question: Does 'those of understanding' describe a category of people or a state anyone can enter?

• Aal-i-Imraan 3:190 — The sign and the required response, in consecutive verses.
• Al-Faatiha 1:2 — Reflection completing itself in praise.

۞ وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ ۖ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۚ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Ordain for us what is good in this life and the next. Indeed, we have turned to You ˹in repentance˺.” Allah replied, “I will inflict My torment on whoever I will. But My mercy encompasses everything. I will ordain mercy for those who shun evil, pay alms-tax, and believe in Our revelations.

Why it is under Guidance: Mercy prescribed for those who follow. — Study circle notes

Question: If mercy encompasses all things without qualification, what precise work is the conditional clause that follows doing?

• Ar-Rahmaan 55:1 — The attribute named, and the attribute described in scope.
• Al-Baqara 2:286 — Mercy stated in principle, then applied as a limit on obligation.
• Ash-Sharh 94:6 — Encompassing mercy and guaranteed ease as the same promise.

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.

Why it is under Guidance: The verse described as admonition that you may be reminded. — Personal study

• Al-Israa 17:23 — Two commands joining worship with social obligation.
• Al-Hujuraat 49:13 — Justice commanded, and the false basis for ranking removed.

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍ مُّنِيرٍ

Have you not seen that Allah has subjected for you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and has lavished His favours upon you, both seen and unseen? ˹Still˺ there are some who dispute about Allah without knowledge, or guidance, or an enlightening scripture.

Why it is under Guidance: Favours given to those who follow without knowledge or a book. — Friday circle, week 3

Question: What is the distinction the verse draws between outward and inward favours, and do the commentators agree on it?

• Aal-i-Imraan 3:190 — Creation as evidence, then creation as favour.
• Al-Baqara 2:164 — Overlapping inventories of what has been placed at our disposal.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Why it is under Guidance: Taqwa as the only measure that guides. — Weekend tafsir class

Question: How did the earliest community actually apply this verse in practice, given the tribal structures it was addressing?

• An-Nahl 16:90 — Justice commanded, and the false basis for ranking removed.
• Al-Israa 17:23 — Honour redefined, and the first relationship it applies to.

عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ

taught the Quran,

Why it is under Guidance: Teaching the Quran named as the first act of mercy. — Friday circle, week 3

• Al-Faatiha 1:6 — Teaching given, and guidance requested.

عَلَّمَهُ ٱلْبَيَانَ

˹and˺ taught them speech.

Why it is under Guidance: Bayan — the capacity for clear expression. — Study circle notes

Question: Bayan is usually translated as 'eloquence' or 'clear expression'. Does it mean the capacity for speech, or something closer to the capacity for meaning?

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

He is Allah—there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him: Knower of the seen and unseen. He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

Why it is under Guidance: Knowledge of the unseen as the ground of all guidance. — Personal study

• Al-Baqara 2:255 — Both passages establish divine sovereignty through an accumulation of attributes.
• Al-Hashr 59:23 — A continuous cascade of names across consecutive verses.
• Al-Ikhlaas 112:1 — Both open by identifying Allah before predicating anything of Him.

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ

except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.

Why it is under Guidance: The exception clause that defines who escapes loss. — Weekend tafsir class

• Al-Baqara 2:153 — Patience as personal practice and as mutual counsel.