Surah Rahman Tafseer (01 Ruku)
Surah Rahman is the main Surah that serves as the guidelines for humans and jinn to spend their lives in this world. In Surah Rahman Tafseer of 1st Ruku Allah Taala describes His countless blessings which He bestowed on His creation. He explained how He created Humans, gave Him the power of speech, and how He balances the multiple things in the Universe. He created so many things for His creation so that they can eat them.
Surah Rahman Tafseer:
{The Most Beneficent; He taught the Quran} 55:01, 55:02
الرَّحْمَـٰنُ|1|55
عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ|2|55
The beneficent is the top attribute of Allah. We know that there are two types of Allah’s Graciousness, one is general and the other is specific. ‘‘The most Gracious’’ is the most encompassing word and it is a Divine Attribute while ‘‘Most Merciful’’ is specific, bestowed upon His mercy to His beloved and obedient people.
It is important to note that second to ‘Allah’s divine attribute
‘Most Gracious’
Is the most encompassing word in the beautiful names of Allah.
Imam Sadiq said that being most gracious is solely a divine attribute while merciful(Rahim) is specific.
‘The most gracious’ is only applied to Allah Almighty while ‘Merciful’ in its feeble form can be used to humans or other creatures.
It is noteworthy that before mentioning the creation of man and all other things Allah mentioned, he taught the Quran. It is His mercy that He taught us quran. The Quran is on top of all the knowledge.
Thus it’s obvious that the Quran is the main blessing to receive Allah’s Blessings.
Power of Speech
{He created the human being; He taught him speech} 55:03, 55:04
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ|3|55
عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ|4|55
The top creation in the world is the creation of man and the most important ability given to man is the ability of speech.
The creation of man in this world is first and foremost while imparting the knowledge of the Quran, which is mentioned first, comes after the creation of man. However, the Quranic knowledge is mentioned first because man has been created to worship Allah and to follow his described path which is mentioned in the Quran.
The blessing that specifically has been given to man is the Quranic knowledge first and then the expression of speech. Allah has given the power of speech to man so that he can understand the knowledge of the Quran and spread his message to others by using his speech power. We should not misuse it by lying about it or by backbiting it.
Balancing and Precise Calculation
{The sun and the moon have a precise calculation} 55:05
الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ|5|55
The sun and the moon rotated in their perfect orbit, they have exact calculations and no one takes the place of others. It also shows that Allah’s machinery and all the systems are perfect, it needs no repairing and no service of any type, while the human machinery is subject to breakdown and damage and needs repairing and service after some time.
Surah Rahman Tafseer
{Ana the vine and the tree both prostrate} 55:06
وَالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ|6|55
The najam is a plant that has no trunk while the tree has its branches and it has a trunk. Allah Taala is describing here that each plant which has a trunk or not is prostrating in front of Allah Ta’ala.
Sajdah or prostration is a true sign of showing respect humility and unconditional love for Allah. In this ayah, Allah Taala shows that he has assigned a specific duty to each plant, tree, and their branches and fruits for the benefit of mankind and they are obeying their duties without showing any deviation.
{He has raised the sky high and placed the scale} 55:07
وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ|7|55
The wada’a and rafa’a are antonyms. rafa’a means ‘to raise’ and wada’a meaning ‘to put down’. The first verse describes that Allah raised the sky high, if we see its physical meanings it shows its height from the earth but if we check its metaphorical meanings it means high status.
Normally the earth is treated as opposite to heaven and it is mentioned like this throughout the Quran. By describing the high sky Allah has set the balance but placing the scale vis-a-vis ‘raising the sky high’ does not seem to form a suitable place.
The verse describes the placement of the earth. It describes the opposition of Earth in comparison to Heaven, it describes justice and emphasizes fairness. They do not allow the practice of injustice. Without justice, the land will be filled with disaster and chaos.
The word meezan is interpreted differently by different scholars. Some interpret it as the meaning of justice while others take its obvious meaning as a measuring instrument to weigh. The ultimate meaning is to maintain rights and justice.
{So that you should not be wrongful in weighting} 55:08
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ|8|55
If we combine this verse and the previous verse, the scale has been created so that you may not transgress the balance and practice injustice. It shows that we should be fair in all matters. Should be fair in matters of Allah and in dealing with the people.
{And observe the correct weight with fairness and do not make weight deficient} 55:09
وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ|9|55
The meaning of this ayah is obvious it is not deficient in weighting. Do weighting for others as you wish to be weight for. We have examples from the Quran that some nations were destroyed because of a deficiency in weighting.
Placement of Earth
{And the earth is placed by Him for creature} 55:10
وَالْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ|10|55
Al- Anam means a creature that is of different types, shapes, and colors. Allah made the earth and firm it with mountains so that it may be stable for its residents.
{In which these are fruits and the date-palms having sheaths} 55:11
فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ|11|55
It means there is every type of fruit on earth has different tastes, colors, and fragrances. The word ‘fakiha’ refers to the fruit that is normally eaten after a meal. Here is specifically mentioned the date tree because of its benefits. The word ‘ akmam’ is the plural form and it refers to the covering that surrounds dates and other fruits in the beginning.
{And the grain having chaff and the fragrant flowers} 55:12
وَالْحَبُّ ذُو الْعَصْفِ وَالرَّيْحَانُ|12|55
The hub means grains such as wheat, rice, etc and the asf means its outer covering. Allah has made different types of food for humans and to protect it from others He made outer covering of each grain. This ayah clearly describes all those things which are necessary for the physical development of man.
The popular meaning of ‘raihan’ is fragrance. Allah has made different types of flowers having sweet and different fragrances.
{So which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?} 55:13
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|13|55
Allah has mentioned most of his blessings in the above ayahs. He created multiple things for its creature. In this ayah, Allah is saying how will you deny all these blessings?
Creation of Man and Jinn
{He has created the humans from dry clay, sounding like pottery clay} 55:14
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِن صَلْصَالٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ|14|55
Here ‘insan’ refers to the ‘Adams’ ‘salsal’ refers to the wet clay when it becomes dry and heavy and ‘fakhaar’ refers to the wet clay when it is baked.
{and created Jann from the smokeless flame of fire, So(O mankind and jinn) which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?} 55:15, 55:16
وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِن مَّارِجٍ مِّن نَّار|15|55
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|16|55
In this verse ‘jann’ refers to the beings called jinn. The major element in the creation of Jin is smokeless fire just as the major element in the creation of man is dry-sounding clay. Here also Allah mentions His blessing, he repeated this verse in many places as a reminder of His special blessing.
{Allah is the Lord of two points of sunrise and two points of sunset, So which of the blessings of your Lord will you deny?} 55:17, 55:18
رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ|17|55
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|18|55
There are two points in the East from where sunrise occurs in the summer and winter season, similarly, there are two points in the west where sunset occurs in the summer and winter seasons.
{He has set forth the two seas that meet together, while there is a barrier they do not transgress. Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?} 55:19, 55:20, 55:21
مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ|19|55
بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ لَّا يَبْغِيَانِ|20|55
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|21|55
The bahrain refers to the two types of water i.e.; sweet and salt water. Allah Taala explains in this ayah that these two types of water meet with each other and this can be seen almost in every region of the world.
The word barzakh refers to the barrier. So Allah placed a barrier between these two waters and they never mix. Some explain that barrier refers to the Land that can’t mix the seas so that it doesn’t transgress over mankind.
Surah Rahman Tafseer
{Both pearls and corals extracted out of them, Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?} 55:22, 55:23
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ|22|55
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|23|55
The word lu’lu’ refers to the pearl and the ‘marjan’ also refers to the precious jewel or gem. It is commonly said that these come out from the salty water while this ayah explains that pearls come out in both types of water. However, it may be possible that it is difficult to collect it from sweetwater and when this water drains into salty water then the pearls are collected from there.
{To Him belong the sailing ships that rise high in the sea like mountains, then which of the blessings of your Lord will you deny?} 55:24, 55:25
وَلَهُ الْجَوَارِ الْمُنشَآتُ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالْأَعْلَامِ|24|55
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ|25|55
The word jawari is the plural form of jariyah, which means ship. The word ‘munsa’at’ is derived from ‘nasha’a’ meaning ‘to rise’. This ayah explains that ships float on the seas and serve as transport. They take people and their belongings from one place to the other.
Also Read: Ruku (2)
Surah Rahman Tafseer
Surah Rahman Tafseer
