Period of Revelation
This too is one of the earliest suras to be revealed at Makkah. Its subject matter shows
that it was sent down at the time when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be
peace) had started but had not yet become tyrannical. Musnad Ahmad contains a
tradition from Hadrat Umar
saying: "Before embracing Islam one day I came out of my house with a view to
causing trouble to the Holy Prophet
but he had entered the Masjid al-Haram before me. When I arrived I found that he was
reciting sura Al-Haaqqah in the Prayer. I stood behind him and listened. As he recited
the Qur'an I wondered at its literary charm and beauty. Then suddenly an idea came to
my mind that he must be a poet as the Quraishalleged. Just at that moment he recited
the words: "This is the Word of an honour- able Messenger: it is not the word of a poet."
I said to myself: Then
he must be a soothsayer
if not a poet. Thereupon be recited the words:"Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little it
is that you reflect. It is a Revelation from the Lord and Sustainer of the worlds. On
hearing this Islam entered deep into my heart." This tradition of Hadrat Umar shows
that this sura had been sent down long before his acceptance of Islam
for even after this event he did not believe for a long time
and he continued to be influenced in favour of Islam by different incidents from time to
time
till at last in the house of his own sister he came by the experience that made him
surrender?and submit to the Faith completely. (For details
see introduction to sura Maryamand Introduction to sura Al- Waqiah).
Theme and Subject Matter
The first section (vv. 1-37) is about the Hereafter and the second (vv. 38-52) about the
Qur'an's being a revelation from Allah and the Holy Prophet's being a true Messenger
of Allah. The first section opens with the assertion that the coming of the Resurrection
and the occurrence of the Hereafter is a truth which has to take place inevitably. Then
in vv. 4-12
it has been stated that the communities that denied the Hereafter in the past became
worthy of Allah's scourge ultimately. In vv. 13-17 the occurrence of Resurrection has
heen depicted. In vv. 18-37 the real object for which Allah has destined a second life for
mankind after the present worldly life has been enunciated. In it we are told that on that
Day all men shall appear in the Court of their Lord
where no secret of theirs shall remain hidden each man's record will be placed in his
hand. Those who had spent lives in the world with the realization that one day they
would have to render an account of their deeds before their Lord
and who had worked righteously in the world and provided beforehand for their well
being in the Hereafter
will rejoice when they see that they have been acquitted and blessed with the eternal
bliss of Paradise. On the contrary
those who neither recognized the rights of Allah
nor discharged the rights of men
will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah
and they will be cast into Hell. In the second section (vv. 38-52) the disbelievers of
Makkah have been addressed and told: "You think this Qur'an is the word of a poet or
soothsayer
whereas it is a Revelation sent dawn by Allah
which is being presented by the noble Messengers. The Messenger by himself had no
power to increase or decrease a word in it. If he forges something of his own
composition into it
We will cut off his neck-vein (or heart- vein). For this is the Truth absolute and pure: and
those who give it a lie
will have ultimately to regret and repent.
