Tafsir Sura Al-Alaq - Verse 1-9

 

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
(96:1) Recite *1 in the name of your Lord *2 Who created, *3

*1) As we have explained in the Introduction, when the Angel said to the Holy Prophet, "Read", the latter replied, "I cannot read!"" This indicates that the Angel had presented these words of the Revelation before him in the written form and had asked him to read them. For if the Angel had meant that he should repeat what he recited, he should not have replied, saying "I cannot read!" 

*2) "Read in the name of your Lord": Bismillah and read. This shows that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) even before the coming down of this Revelation regarded and acknowledged Allah alone as his Lord. That is why there was no need to ask who his Lord was, but it was said: "Read in the name of your Lord." 

*3) Only the word khalaqa (created) 'has been used absolutely, and the object of creation has not been mentioned, This automatically gives the meaning: "Read in the name of the Lord, Who is the Creator, Who created the whole universe and everything in it."

خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ
(96:2) created man from a clot of congealed blood. *4

*4) After making mention generally of the creation of the universe, mention has been made of man in particular, saying how Allah made him a perfect tnan starting his creation from an insignificant and humble state. 'Alaq is plural of 'alaqah, which means congealed blood. This is the primary state of the embryo which appears a few days after conception. Then it assumes the form of a lump of flesh, then afterwards it gradually takes human shape. (For details, see AI-Hajj: 5 and the corresponding E.N.'s 5 to 7).

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ
(96:3) Recite: and your Lord is Most Generous,

الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ
(96:4) Who taught by the pen, *5

*5) That is, "It is a great favour of Allah that starting man's creation from a most insignificant state He made him possessor of knowledge which is the noblest attribute of creation, and He made him not only possessor of knowledge but also taught him the art of writing by the use of pen, which became the means of propagation, progress, dissemination and preservation of knowledge on a large scale. Had He not given tnan the knowledge of the art of pen and writing (by inspiration) his intellectual faculty would have stagnated, and it would have had no opportunity to develop, expand and become a means of transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next and make future progress.

عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
(96:5) taught man what he did not know. *6

*6) That is, Man originally was absolutely illiterate. Whatever of knowledge he obtained, he obtained it as a gift from Allah. Whatever doors of knowledge at any stage did Allah will to open for man, they went on opining up before him. This same thing has been expressed in the verse of the Throne, thus: "And the people cannot comprehend anything of His knowledge save what He Himself may please to reveal." (Al-Baqarah: 255). Whatever man looks upon as his own scientific discovery was, in fact, unknown to him before. Allah gave him its knowledge whenever He willed without his realizing that Allah by His grace had blessed him with the knowledge of it. 

These verses were the very first to be revealed to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), as is stated in the Hadith reported by Hadrat `A'ishah. This first experience was so intense and tremendous that the Holy Prophet could not bear it any more. Therefore, at that time he was only made aware that the Being Whom he already knew and acknowledged as his Lord and Sustainer was in direct communion with him, had started sending down Revelations to him, and had appointed him as His Prophet. Then after an intermission the opening verses of Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed in which he was told what mission he had to perform after his appointment to Prophethood. (For explanation, see Introduction to Al-Muddaththir)

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ
(96:6) Nay, *7 surely man transgresses;

*7) That is, man should never adopt an attitude of ignorance and rebellion against the Bountiful God Who has been so generous to him

أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ
(96:7) for he believes himself to be self-sufficient. *8

*8) That is, when the man has attained wealth, honour and rank and whatever else he desired to attain in the world, he becomes rebellious instead of being grateful and transgresses the boundaries of servitude to Allah.

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ
(96:8) Surely to your Lord is your return. *9

*9) That is, "Whatever he might have attained in the world, which makes ,him behave arrogantly and rebelliously, in the end he has to return to your Lord. Then he will realize what fate awaits him in consequence of his such attitude and behaviour."

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ
(96:9) Did you see him who forbids