This is a Meccan surah which mainly deals with the coming Day of Resurrection, when God will bodily raise everyone who has died, and re-fashion their corpses in preparation for the Final Judgment. This surah expresses anger/frustration that so many people do not believe in this final resurrection. To be fair to the unbelievers, it’s a pretty fantastical idea (in my opinion).
The surah says that those who don’t believe will regret it on the Day of Resurrection. There is an interesting quote which seems to sum up the conflict people feel between religious belief and the practical reality of this life: “Truly you people love this fleeing world and neglect the life to come.” As someone who also loves this “fleeting world,” I sympathize with the unbelievers.
Another unique element of this surah is a short paragraph describing the actual process of divine revelation, and giving the prophet instructions on how to receive the word of the Lord: “Prophet, do not rush your tongue in an attempt to hasten the Revelation: It is for Us to make sure of its safe collection and recitation. When we have recited it, repeat the recitation and it is up to Us to make it clear." Apparently, the prophet was feeling some (understandable) anxiety about getting the revelations exactly correct, and God seems to be telling Muhammad to relax a bit.
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| Muhammad receiving revelation from the angel Gabriel. |
