Good Deed: #206 Glorify Allah, Reflect on Surah Al Anam – The Cattle
Surah 6. Al-An’am (Cattle, Livestock)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
1. Praise be Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light. Yet those who reject Faith hold (others) as equal, with their Guardian-Lord.
2. He it is created you from clay, and then decreed a stated term (for you). And there is in His presence another determined term; yet ye doubt within yourselves!
3. And He is Allah in the heavens and on earth. He knoweth what ye hide, and what ye reveal, and He knoweth the (recompense) which ye earn (by your deeds).
4. But never did a single one of the signs of their Lord reach them, but they turned away therefrom.
5. And now they reject the truth when it reaches them: but soon shall they learn the reality of what they used to mock at.
6. See they not how many of those before them We did destroy?- generations We had established on the earth, in strength such as We have not given to you – for whom We poured out rain from the skies in abundance, and gave (fertile) streams flowing beneath their (feet): yet for their sins We destroyed them, and raised in their wake fresh generations (to succeed them).
Ibn `Abbas said, “All of Surat Al-An`am was revealed in Makkah at night, accompanied by seventy thousand angels, raising their voices in glorification of Allah'(Tabarani)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, ‘The Quran was revealed in one fifth part, whoever memorized it in one fifth parts would not forget it. Except for Surah al Anam, which was revealed in it’s entirety, seen off by seventy angels from each heaven until they delivered it to the Prophet. Never has it been recited over a sick person, without Allah granting him a cure (Baihaqi & Khatib)
Action Plan
Surat Al-An’am is a Makkan surah. It is the first Makkan surah in the Qur’anic order (since all the surahs from surat Al-Baqara until surat Al- Ma’idah are Madinan surahs). It was revealed after surat Al-Hijr and it consists of 165 ayahs.
Surat Al-An’am begins with what can be translated as, “Praise be to Allah Who created the heavens and the earth” (6:1). This ayah is enough to make any Muslim feel the main objective as well as the core idea of the surah from the very beginning. It is to profess belief in the unity of Allah (SWT), to reject polytheism, and to fill your heart with His love and nothing but His love, that this surah was revealed for. This idea of monotheism is repeated 49 times in 49 different ayahs, which is about 30% of the surah. Hence, the reason behind its magnificent revelation and why it is accompanied by 70 thousand angels becomes quite clear. Moreover, the significance of the time of its revelation (night), which is the most appropriate time for such a spiritual atmosphere, becomes manifest.
Surat Al-An’am comes amidst the different ideologies, methodologies, and ethnicities in the world as a refutation of such fallacies. Whether they were the worship of idols or the forces of nature, as was the case in the age of the Prophet (SAWS), or atheism and denial of Allah’s existence in our modern age. Through displaying the universal proofs of Allah’s omnipotence and greatness, the surah proves the falseness of such ideas. Thus, it addresses you, believers, in the first place to strengthen your faith, your love for Allah and your sincerity in worshiping Him.
Surat Al-An’am explains that faith is indivisible and that it has to be felt in the heart and expressed through actions at the same time. One part without the other will not do.
1. Reflect on the tafseer of Surah Al Anam
3. Love Allah
5. Say Alhamdulillah – Tahmeed