Qaaf (The letter Qaaf)
Verse 1 - 2
Table of Contents
Section (juz’ 26)
Number of Verses: 45
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Chapter has forty four Verses and it was revealed in Mecca. The title of the Chapter derives from the opening detached letter qaf. Similar to other Meccan Chapters, the Chapter in question treats of resurrection and an exposition of the destinies of former nations as well as those of the good and the vicious.
The Chapter opens with the opponents’ denial of resurrection and proceeds with making mention of the examples of resurrection in nature and creation.
Merits of Recitation of the Chapter
According to Islamic traditions, the Noble Prophet (S) accorded great significance to the Chapter in question such that he recited it every Friday at the sermon of the congregation prayer.1
It is narrated from the Noble Prophet (S):
“Whoever recites the Chapter Qaf, Allah shall alleviate the difficulties and throes of death for him.”2
According to a tradition narrated from Imam Baqir (as):
“One who recites the Chapter Qaf in obligatory and supererogatory prayers at all times, Allah shall increase his means of subsistence, shall give him the letter of his deeds to his right hand, and shall make facilitate his account on the Day of Judgment.”3
It is worthy of note that so many glories and merits may not be accrued through mere recitation of the words, but it may open a path toward awakening of thought as a means of doing righteous good deeds consistent with the contextual meaning of the Chapter.
Surah Qaf - Verses 1-2
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ ق وَ الْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ (1) بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَنْ جاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقالَ الْكافِرُونَ هذا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ (2)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
1. Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an [your Prophethood and Resurrection are true].
2. Nay, they wonder that there has come to them a warner from amongst themselves. Therefore, the disbelievers said [regarding the news of Resurrection]: “This is a strange thing!
Taking an oath to the Holy Qur’an is of significance, since it is Glorious. Thus, if you seek glory, turn to the Glorious Qur’an. A number of Qur’anic Chapters open with detached letters and the Chapter in question opens with the detached letter Qaf.
As mentioned above, of one the significant interpretations for detached letters is that the Most Glorious Qur’an consists of letters of alphabet reflecting the truth that God Almighty Who revealed the Holy Qur’an is Omnipotent and Omniscient such that He created such exquisite system out of such simple means. However, there are other interpretations for detached letters regarding which one may refer to the openings of Chapters 2, 3, 7, and HM Chapters.
Some Qur’anic exegets maintain that Qaf alludes to a number of Allah’s Most Beauteous Names, e.g. the Omnipotent (Qadir) and the Self-Existing (Qayyum).
From amongst the evidence alluding to the point that the detached letter indicates the Glory of the Holy Qur’an is that an oath is taken to the Glorious Qur’an immediately following the letter:
“Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an.” The Arabic word majid (“glorious, illustrious, exalted”) derives from m-j-d (“to be glorious, illustrious, exalted”). The titled majid is applied to the Holy Qur’an since it possesses glory without bounds and it wholly deserves the title in terms of contents, beauteous form, exquisite Injunctions, and invigorating and didactic plans.
Numerous possibilities have occurred to Qur’anic exegets as to mentioning the oath and its object. Taking into account the following Qur’anic Verses, it seems that the object is the question of the Noble Prophet’s (S) Prophethood or Resurrection.
Taking an oath in the following Verse;
(“Nay, they wonder that there has come to them a warner from amongst themselves. Therefore, the disbelievers said [regarding the news of Resurrection]: ‘This is a strange thing!’”)
may reflect disbelievers’ wonder as to the Noble Prophet’s (S) chiefship and leadership as someone who was raised amongst them. The blessed Verse is saying that God Almighty revealed the Holy Qur’an to substantiate his Prophethood and remove their wonder.
It is saying that Qur’anic Verses are inimitable, namely no one is able to produce the like of the blessed Verses. Such inimitability suffices to substantiate his Prophethood and there remains no room for wondering since the Holy Qur’an is the Word of God Almighty rather than the Noble Prophet’s (S) words and it serves as warning to people.
Footnotes
Tafsir Qurtubi, vol. 9, p. 6171. ↩