Welcome to our weekly program "Path towards Enlightenment" in which we present you a fluent and easy-to-understand explanation of the ayahs of the holy Qur’an.

Today we start with Surah Saba, the 34^th surah of the holy Qur’an. It was revealed in Mecca to Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny). It contains fifty-four ayahs. It focuses on the account of the people of Saba in Yemen, who had reached a high degree civilization some three millennium years ago. Let us start with ayahs 1 and 2 of this Surah.

“All praise belongs to Allah to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. To Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.”

“He knows whatever enters into the earth and whatever emerges from it, and whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends into it, and He is the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving.”                                       

There are five Surahs in the holy Qur’an which begin with the Praise of Allah, the One and Only Creator of the entire universe, with its innumerable bounties, such as planets, stars, suns, moons, and the Earth on which mankind lives as the Best of creation, enjoying its beautiful landscapes, the majesty of the mountains, the lush green forests, the fresh flowing streams, the roaring seas, and a variety of birds and animals, in addition to fruits, flowers, vegetables and the like, of various colours and different tastes. It is thus obvious, as the All-Wise and All-Aware Creator, Whose handiwork is the entire universe, God Almighty is not just the Owner of all these bounties, but He precisely knows every minute movement of everything, including the thoughts that flash across our minds. At the same time, He is All-Merciful and All-Forgiving, responding to the call of the suppliants.

From these ayahs we learn that:

1. Real praise belongs to God Almighty and if any person endowed with merits is praised, it is actually the praise and glorification of the One and Only Creator. 
2. As the Creator, the All-Wise God is precisely aware of all and everything.

Now we listen to and read ayah 3 of Surah Saba:

“The faithless say, ‘The Hour will not overtake us.’ Say, ‘Yes indeed, by my Lord, it will surely come to you.’ —The Knower of the Unseen, not [even] an atom’s weight escapes Him in the heavens or in the earth, nor [is there] anything smaller than that nor bigger, but it is in a manifest Book,”

Those who deny God and have become blind to the realities of creation, fail to comprehend resurrection and the raising to life of the dead, to the extent that they say Doomsday will not overtake them. Here God commands the Prophet to tell such persons in clear terms that the end of the world will surely occur, after which there will be the Day of Resurrection, and the judgment for reward and retribution, depending on the deeds committed during lifetime. As the Knower of the Unseen, nothing is hidden from God Who is fully aware of even an atom’s weight of everything in the heavens and the Earth, since everything, however minute is recorded in the Manifest Book. This means, God the Just is All-Merciful, and whatever He does is based on fairness.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. When persons become blind to realities, failing to notice the wonders of creation and the handiwork of the All-Wise Creator in existence of things, including their own selves, they begin to deny God and Resurrection.
2. Nothing is hidden from Him Who created everything and is fully aware of each minute detail.
3. What is important is the quality of any word or deed, rather their quantity, and it is on this basis, reward and retribution will be meted out the Day of Resurrection.

Now we listen to and read ayahs 4 and 5 of Surah Saba:

“That He may reward those who have faith and do righteous deeds. For such there will be forgiveness and a noble provision.”

“But those who contend with Our signs seeking to thwart [their purpose], for such is a painful punishment due to defilement.”

These ayahs refer to the rewards reserved for the faithful who do righteous deeds, and as a result, they will be given a worthy provision in afterlife, with all their faults and shortcomings forgiven.

The next ayah means to say that as for the disbelievers Who deny the manifest signs of God that are present all around us and even in our own selves, on the assumption of belittling the ayahs of the holy Qur’an, will be swiftly overtaken by divine wrath and will end up in hell.

From these ayahs we learn that:

1. It is faith and good deeds that bring divine rewards on the Day of Resurrection.
2. Only He Who is fully aware of each and everything, is capable of granting the fair and worthy reward.
3. Devilish elements always try to undermine the beliefs of the faithful by raising suspicions regarding Islam and the holy Qur’an.

AS/ME