037 As-Saaffat

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037 As-Saaffat

This is a middle Makki Surah and its name refers to the rows of angels, the different kinds of whom are mentioned at the beginning of this surah.
The jinns who can fly up to the heavens have been prevented from eavesdropping on the conversations of the angels, and are hit by meteors to repel them.

Nuha (AS) invited his people to the truth, but they rejected and so were drowned by Allaah (SWT). Nuh (AS) and his family were saved, and he was given an honorable mention in the coming generations.

Ibraheem (AS) tried to reason with his people, especially his father, the futility of worshipping idols, but they would not listen. So he destroyed all their statues and blamed it on the biggest idol, they realized their error but their stubbornness overtook their rationality. The resolved to punish Ibraheem (AS) by throwing him into a huge fire, but Allaah (SWT) saved him and he escaped from his people. He was blessed with Ismail (AS) through his wife Hajira (AS), but he dreamt of slaughtering him as a sacrifice to Allaah(SWT). He told Ismail (AS) of his dream, who told him to do as he was commanded. But when Ibraheem (AS) was about to slaughter him, Allaah (SWT) told him that he had fulfilled the dream and to slaughter a ram instead. So their willingness to sacrifice has been enshrined in the ritual of slaughtering every year during the days of Eid ul Adha.

Another son of Ibraheem (AS) was Ishaaq (AS), through his wife Sara (AS). Ishaaq (AS) and his children were blessed as prophets, and Musa (AS) and Harun (AS) were his descendants as well. They were the Children of Israel, as Israel was the title of Yaqub (AS), the son of Ishaaq (AS).

Similarly, prophets Elias (AS) and Lot (AS) were from those who were rejected by their people but Allaah (SWT) rewarded them for their dedication to His Way.

Yunus (AS) invited his people to Tawheed, but when they persisted on disbelief, he fled from them but without the permission of Allaah (SWT). He boarded a ship and it was rocked by stormy waves. Those aboard the ship decided that one must jump off so the ship can get light enough to sail, and drew lots to choose the person. Thrice they drew lots, and each time the name of Yunus (AS) came up, who knew this was the Divine decree and he must jump into the sea. When he jumped, a big whale found him and swallowed him. Inside the belly of the whale, Yunus (AS) repented and glorified Allaah (SWT), Who forgave him. Allaah (SWT) ordered the whale to throw him ashore and Yunus (AS) recovered under the shade of a gourd vine. He returned to his people, who repented from their disbelief and forgave them all.

The surah concludes with invoking peace upon the messengers of Allaah (SWT), and that all praise belongs to Allaah (SWT), the Lords of the Universe.