- December 7, 2023
- Kainat Shakeel
- 0
Al-Ikhlas is not only the Surah’s name; it also refers to the subject matter it covers, which is Tauhid alone. Though the word “Ikhlas” does not appear once in this Surah, the other Surahs of the Quran are usually named after words that appear in them. Because of its meaning and subject content, it has been given this name. This will eradicate shirk (polytheism) for everyone who comprehends and adheres to its teachings.
Why did Allah send or reveal Surah Ikhlas?
It is debated whether this Surah is Makki or Madani, and the disagreement stems from the many narratives surrounding the moment of its revelation. We provide them in the following order on this page:
- According to Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud, the Quraish challenged the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) by saying, “Tell us of the ancestry of your Lord.” This surah was then sent down. (Tabarani).
- According to Abul Aliyah, Hadrat Ubayy bin Kab said that the polytheists asked the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell them about his ancestry. Allah then revealed this surah. (Al-Munhir, Bukhari in At-Tarikh, Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Abi Harim, Ibn Jarir, Tirmidhi, Hakim, Baihaqi). Regarding the same issue, Tirmidhi has told a tale from Abul Aliyah that he claims to be more accurate; it includes no reference to Hadrat Ubayy bin Ka’b.
- The Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was told by a member of the Bedouin tribe (some people say by other sources) to “tell us of your Lord’s ancestry.” This is what Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah reported. Allah then revealed this surah. (Abu Nuaim in Al-Hilyah; Baihaqi; Abu Yala; Ibn Jarir; Ibn al-Mundhir; Tabarani in Al-Ausat).
- According to a heritage passed down from Ibn Abbas to Ikrimah, a group of Jews, comprising Huyayy bin Akhtab, Kab bin Ashraf, and others, came towards the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and prayed, saying, “O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon you), tell us of the attributes of your Lord, Who has sent you as a Prophet.” Allah then revealed this surah. (Al-Asma wa-Sifaat, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Adi, Baihaqi).
In addition to this, Ibn Taimiyyali mentioned the following additional practices in his remarks on Surah Al-Ikhlas.
These customs demonstrate that many people asked the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) various questions concerning the essence and nature of the God to Whose devotion and worship he invited the people. In response, he recited this identical Surah on each occasion at the command of Allah. This Surah was handed down in response to the question posed by the Quraish pagans in Makkah. Then, while he was in Madinah, he was frequently asked questions like this by Christians as well as by other Arabs. Each time, Allah gave him the strength to respond with a recitation of this exact surah. It has been reported in all these traditions that this Surah was revealed on this occasion or that one. One shouldn’t infer from this that such traditions are incompatible with each other. The truth is that wherever the Holy Prophet was given a verse or Surah that had already been revealed regarding a specific issue or question, and that identical problem was later brought up in front of him, Allah would inspire him to recite that same verse or Surah to the people because it answered their question.
The Hadith reporters all state the same thing: A verse or surah was revealed in response to a particular inquiry or matter that was brought before the Holy Prophet. This has also been referred to as a repetition of revelation, meaning that a verse or surah is revealed multiple times.
The fact that this Surah is Makki, rather by the nature of its subject matter, is that it was revealed during the early days of Makkah when the people were still inquiring about their Lord after hearing the Holy Prophet’s invitation to Allah. At that time, the Quran did not yet contain comprehensive verses addressing the essence and attributes of Allah Almighty, and they intended to know what kind of Lord Allah was. An additional indication that this Surah is among the first to be disclosed is the fact that Hadrat Bilal used to cry “Ahad, Ahad!” whenever his master, Umayyah bin Khalaf, in Makkah, forced him to lie down on hot sand with a large stone on his chest. This Surah is the source of this word.