25. Al-Furqan
25.1 Narrated ‘Abdullah
“I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) which sin is the worst.’ He said: ‘That you make an equal to Allah while it is He who created you, that you kill your child so that he not eat with you – or because of your food, that you commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.'” He said: “And he recited this Ayah:
والذين لا يدعون مع الله إلها آخر ولا يقتلون النفس التي حرم الله إلا بالحق ولا يزنون ﴿
﴾ ومن يفعل ذلك يلق أثاما
‘And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for what is required, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse – and whoever does that shall receive punishment.
﴾ يضاعف له العذاب يوم القيامة ويخلد فيه مهانا ﴿
The torment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace (25:68-69).'”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3183
25.2 Jubayr ibn Nufayr said
“One day we were sitting when al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad when a man passed us. The man said, ‘Blessing be to those two eyes which saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. By Allah, I wish that I had seen what you have seen and witnessed what you have witnessed!’ This angered al-Miqdad and that surprised me as the man had said nothing but good things. Then he turned to them and said, ‘What made the man desire to summon back what Allah has taken away? Does he not realise what his situation would be if he had seen him? By Allah, if certain people had been with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Allah would have thrown them on their faces into Hellfire since they would neither have answered nor confirmed him? Do you not praise Allah Almighty since He brought you forth and you only know your Lord and confirm what your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought? You see enough affliction in other people. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sent in the harshest state in which any Prophet was ever sent – in a gap (in the line of prophethood) and the time of Ignorance. They did not believe that the deen was better than worshipping idols. He brought the Discrimination by which it is possible to discriminate between the true and false, and which can part a father from his child. Then a man will think of his father, child or brother as an unbeliever. Allah has loosened the locks of his heart by faith and he knows that the other person will be destroyed in the Fire. Therefore his eye is not cool since he knows that the one he loves will be in the Fire. It is what Allah says,
﴾ والذين يقولون ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين ﴿
“Those who say, ‘Our Lord, give us joy in our wives and children.” (25:74)'”
25.3 Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair:
`AbdurRahman bin Abza said, “Ask Ibn `Abbas about these two Qur’anic Verses: ‘Nor kill such life as Allah has made sacred, Except for just cause.’ (25.168) “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell. (4.93) So I asked Ibn `Abbas who said, “When the Verse that is in Sura-al-Furqan was revealed, the pagans of Mecca said, ‘But we have slain such life as Allah has made sacred, and we have invoked other gods along with Allah, and we have also committed fornication.’ So Allah revealed:– ‘Except those who repent, believe, and do good– (25.70) So this Verse was concerned with those people. As for the Verse in Surat-an-Nisa (4-93), it means that if a man, after understanding Islam and its laws and obligations, murders somebody, then his punishment is to dwell in the (Hell) Fire forever.” Then I mentioned this to Mujahid who said, “Except the one who regrets (one’s crime) . ”
25.4 Sa’id b. Jubair reported:
I said to Ibn Abbas: Will the repentance of that person be accepted who kills a believer intentionally? He said: No. I recited to him this verse of Sura al-Furqan (xix.):” And those who call not upon another god with Allah and slay not the soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice” to the end of the verse. He said: This is a Meccan verse which has been abrogated by a verse revealed at Medina:” He who slays a believer intentionally, for him is the requital of Hell-Fire where he would abide for ever,” and in the narration of Ibn Hisham (the words are): I recited to him this verse of Sura al-Furqan:” Except one who made repentance.”
25.5 ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab said:
I heard Hisham bin Al-Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several different ways which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) had not taught me. So I was about to jump over him during his Salat (prayer) but I waited till he finished his Salat (prayer) whereupon I put, either his upper garment or my upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and asked him, “Who has taught you this Surah?” He replied: “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has taught it to me.” I said (to him), “You have told a lie! By Allah, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) has taught me this Surah which I have heard you reciting.” So I dragged him to the Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). I said: “O Allah’s Messenger I have heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way in which you have not taught me, and you did teach me Surah Al-Furqan.” On that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “O ‘Umar, release him! Recite, O Hisham”. So Hisham recited before him in the way as I heard him reciting. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “It has been revealed like this.” Then Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Recite, O ‘Umar” So recited it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “It has been revealed like this.” And then he added, “This Qur’an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite it whichever way is easier for you.”
25.6 It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas
That some persons amongst the polytheist had committed a large number of murders and had excessively indulged in fornication. Then they came to Muhammad (ﷺ) and said:
Whatever you assert and whatever you call to is indeed good. But if you inform us that there is atonement of our past deeds (then we would embrace Islam). Then it was revealed: And those who call not unto another god along with Allah and slay not any soul which Allah has forbidden except in the cause of justice, nor commit fornication; and he who does this shall meet the requital of sin. Multiplied for him shall be the torment on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall therein abide disgraced, except him who repents a believes and does good deeds. Then these! for the Allah shall change their vices into virtues. Verily Allah is Ever Forgiving, Merciful (xxv. 68-70). Say thou: O my bondsmen woo have committed extravagance against themselves despair not of the Mercy of Allah I Verily Allah will forgive the sins altogether. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful (xxxix. 53).
25.7 Ibn Kathir recorded
That `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, “The Messenger of Allah was asked which sin is the most serious” He said: “That you appoint a rival to Allah when He has created you.” He asked, “Then what” He said: “That you kill your child for fear that he may eat with you.” He said, “Then what” He said: “That you commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.” `Abdullah said, “Then Allah revealed, confirming that:
﴾ والذين لا يدعون مع الله إلها آخر ولا يقتلون النفس التي حرم الله إلا بالحق ولا يزنون ومن يفعل ذلك يلق أثاما ﴿
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (25:68)
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
25.8 Ibn Kathir related about the ayah
﴾ إلا من تاب وآمن وعمل عملا صالحا فأولئك يبدل الله سيئاتهم حسنات وكان الله غفورا رحيما ﴿
Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (25:70)
That Ibn Abi Hatim said Abu Jabir heard Makhul say, “A very old man with sunken eyes came and said, `O Messenger of Allah, a man betrayed others and did immoral deeds, and there was no evil deed which he did not do. If (his sins) were to be distributed among the whole of mankind, they would all be doomed. Is there any repentance for him” The Messenger of Allah said:
“Have you become Muslim.” He said, “As for me, I bear witness that there is no God but Allah Alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” The Prophet said:
“Allah will forgive you for whatever you have done like that, and will replace your evil deeds with good merits.) The man said: “O Messenger of Allah, even my betrayals and immoral actions” The Prophet said:
“Even your betrayals and immoral actions.”
The man went away saying `La ilaha illallah’ and `Allahu Akbar.”’
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah said:
I know the last person who will be brought forth from Hell, and the last person who will enter Paradise. A man will be brought and it will be said, “Take away his major sins and ask him about his minor sins.” So it will be said to him: “On such and such a day, you did such and such, and on such and such a day, you did such and such.” He will say, “Yes, and he will not be able to deny anything.”
Then it will be said to him: “For every evil deed you now have one good merit.” He will say: “O Lord, I did things that I do not see here.”
He (Abu Dharr) said: “And the Messenger of Allah smiled so broadly that his molars could be seen.”
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
25.9 Al-Wahidi records
(Blessed is He Who, if He will, will assign thee better than (all) that…) [25:10]. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Muqri’ informed us> Ahmad ibn Abi al-Furat> ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ya’qub Bukhari> Muhammad ibn Humayd ibn Farqad> Ishaq ibn Bishr> Juwaybir> al-Dahhak> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “When the idolaters ridiculed the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, for his poverty, saying [as reported by Allah’s words in 25:7] (What aileth this messenger (of Allah) that he eateth food and walketh in the markets?), the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, felt sad. Gabriel, peace be upon him, came from his Lord to console him, saying: ‘Peace be with you, O Messenger of Allah. The Lord of might greets you with the greeting of peace and says to you (We never sent before thee any messengers but lo! They ate food and walked in the markets…) [25:20]’, i.e. they seek their livelihood in this world”. He said: “As Gabriel, peace be upon him, and the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, were talking, Gabriel, peace be upon him, started melting until he shrunk to the size of a lentil. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, asked: ‘What happened that made you shrink to the size of a lentil?’ He said: ‘O Muhammad, a gate of heaven which has never been opened before has opened just now, and I fear that your people will be chastised for ridiculing you regarding your poverty’. The Prophet and Gabriel, peace be upon them, started crying. Then Gabriel returned to his initial state and said: ‘Good news for you, O Muhammad! Here is Ridwan, the keeper of the Garden who brings you contentment from your Lord’. Ridwan came along holding a bundle of shining light, greeted them with the greeting of peace, and then said: ‘O Muhammad, the Lord of might greets you with the greeting of peace and says to you: here are the keys to the stores of this world which are like the wing of gnat compared with what you have with Me in the Afterlife, which will remain undiminished’. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, looked at Gabriel, peace be upon him, as if seeking his counsel, upon which Gabriel struck the ground with his hand and said: ‘Humble yourself to Allah!’ And so he said: ‘O Ridwan, I have no need for them; poverty is much beloved to me. I would rather be a patient, grateful slave’. Ridwan answered: ‘You are right, may Allah make things right through you’. Then a call came from heaven, Gabriel raised his head and saw all the gates of heaven, up to the Throne, opened. Allah, exalted is He, inspired the Garden of Eden to lower one of its branches which had a bunch on which there was a room made of green chrysolite and had seventy thousand doors made of rubies. Gabriel, peace be upon him said: ‘O Muhammad, look up!’ When he looked up, he saw the stations and rooms of all the prophets, and saw his station above that of all other prophets, as a special merit to him. A crier cried: ‘O Muhammad, are you pleased?’ The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, answered: ‘I am pleased; and please keep in store with You that which You wanted to give me in this world in exchange for intercession on Day of Judgement’ ”. It is also reported that this verse was brought down by Ridwan (Blessed is He Who, if He will, will assign thee better than (all) that – Gardens underneath which rivers flow – and will assign thee mansions).
(Asbab Al-Nuzul)
25.10 Al-Wahidi records
(On the day when the wrong-doer gnaweth his hands…) [25:27]. ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Ubayy ibn Khalaf used to go to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, keep his company and listen to his speech without believing in him. ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt, then, rebuked him for doing so, and so this verse was revealed about it”. Said al-Sha‘bi: “ ‘Uqbah [ibn Abi Mu‘ayt] was a friend of Umayyah ibn Khalaf. When ‘Uqbah embraced Islam, Umayyah said to him: ‘I do not want to ever see you if you follow Muhammad’. ‘Uqbah disbelieved again and renounced Islam to please his friend, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”. Other commentators of the Qur’an said: “Ubayy ibn Khalaf and ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt were allies. It was the habit of ‘Uqbah, upon returning from a travel, to invite the nobles of his people to eat with him. ‘Uqbah also used to keep the company of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. He returned one day from one of his travels, made some food and invited people and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, to eat. When the food was placed before the invitees, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to him: ‘I will not eat your food until you bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah’. ‘Uqbah said: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’, upon which the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, ate from his food. Ubayy was absent on that occasion. But when he was informed of what had happened, he said to ‘Uqbah: ‘You have renounced the religion of your forefathers?’ ‘Uqbah said: ‘By Allah, I did not. I had a man in my house who refused to eat my food unless I bore witness to him and I was ashamed to let him leave my house without him eating, and so I bore witness to him and he ate my food’. Ubayy said to him: ‘I will never be happy with you until you go to him, spit on his face and step on his neck’. ‘Uqbah did just that, and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to him: ‘If I ever meet out of Mecca, I will behead you’. ‘Uqbah was later killed while in captivity at Badr. As for Ubayy ibn Khalaf, the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, killed him in a duel at Uhud. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about ‘Uqbah and Ubayy this verse”. Said al-Dahhak: “When ‘Uqbah spat on the face of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, his spit split into two and flew back on ‘Uqbah’s face. This caused both his cheeks to burn and the scars resulting from this burning remained visible until he died”.
(Asbab Al-Nuzul)
25.11 Al-Wahidi records
(And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah…) [25:68-70]. Abu Ishaq al-Tha‘alibi informed us> al-Hasan ibn Ahmad al-Makhladi> al-Mu’ammil ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Isa> al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah al-Za‘farani> Hajjaj> Ibn Jurayj> Ya‘la ibn Muslim> Sa‘id ibn Jubayr> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “Some idolaters who had committed many murders and fornicated numerous times went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: ‘What you say and call for is good, if only you could inform us whether there is any expiation for the things we have committed’. As a response, this verse was revealed (And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah) up to His words (Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful) [25:70]”. This was narrated by Muslim> Ibrahim ibn Dinar> Hajjaj. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Yahya al-Muzakki informed us> his father> Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Thaqafi> Ibrahim al-Hanzali and Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah> Jarir> Mansur and al-A‘mash> Abu Wa’il> ‘Amr ibn Shurahbil> Abu Maysarah> ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud who said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace: ‘What is the greatest sin?’ He said: ‘It is to ascribe an equal to Allah when it is Him Who has created you’. I asked: ‘What comes after that?’ he said: ‘It is to kill your child for fear that he might compete with you over food’. I asked: ‘What comes after that?’ he said: ‘It is to commit adultery with the wife of your neighbour’. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed these verses to confirm his answers (And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah, nor take the life which Allah hath forbidden save in (course of) justice, nor commit adultery…)”. This was narrated by Bukhari> Musaddid> Yahya and also by Muslim> ‘Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah> Jarir. Abu Bakr ibn al-Harith informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ja‘far> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim> Isma‘il ibn Ishaq> al-Haruth ibn al-Zubayr> Abu Rashid, the client of al-Lahibiyyin> Sa‘id ibn Salim al-Qaddah> Ibn Jurayh> ‘Ata’> Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “Wahshiyy went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: ‘I came to you seeking sanctuary; so grant me sanctuary in order that I can hear the speech of Allah’. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to him: ‘I had wished to see you without sanctuary, but since you have asked me for sanctuary, you are in my sanctuary until you hear the speech of Allah’. Wahshiyy said: ‘I have associated others with Allah, killed souls which Allah, exalted is He, has made forbidden and committed adultery. Does Allah accept my repentance?’ The Messenger of Allah, exalted is He, did not answer him and then the verse (And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah, nor take the life which Allah hath forbidden save in (course of) justice, nor commit adultery…) was revealed. The Prophet recited it to Wahshiyy but the latter said: ‘I see here a condition; it is possible that I may not do any righteous works. I will stay in your sanctuary so that I can hear the speech of Allah, exalted is He’. The verse: (Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will) [4:48] was then revealed. Wahshiyy was summoned and the verse was recited to him. He said: ‘I could be among (save that to whom He will). I will remain in your sanctuary so that I can hear the speech of Allah’. The verse (Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah…) [39:53] was then revealed, upon which Wahshiyy said: ‘Yes, now I do not see any conditions’, and so he embraced Islam”.
(Asbab Al-Nuzul)
25.12 ‘Ishaq-ibn-‘Ammar reported from from Imam Ja’far
Do not abandon reading Sura Tabaraka (Al-Furqan) since if any (believer) reads it every night, Allah will not punish him at all and He will not reckon him and his abode will be in the Exalted Firdaus (Paradise).
(Thawab-ul-’A‘mal)
25.13 Duas
﴾ ربنا اصرف عنا عذاب جهنم إن عذابها كان غراما ﴿
﴾ إنها ساءت مستقرّا ومقاما ﴿
Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering. Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence. (25:65-66)
﴾ ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين واجعلنا للمتقين إماما ﴿
Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. (25:74)
﴾ بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ﴿ 
One thought on “Benefits and Virtues of Surah 25 Al-Furqan”