96:1 Read in the name of your Lord, Who created.
96:2 He created man from a clot.
The scholars unanimously agree that the first ayat of surah al-‘Alaq were the first ayat of the Quran that were revealed to Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him]. It was narrated that Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘The commencement of the Divine revelation to Messenger Muhammad was in the form of a truthful dream that came true like the bright daylight. Then, seclusion became desirable to him. Therefore, he used to go to the cave of Hira and remained there in seclusion worshipping Allah there for many days, and then he would return to his family. Then, he would take food and return to seclusion. Then, the truth came to him suddenly and said, ‘O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah.’ Messenger Muhammad said, ‘I knelt on my knees while I was standing. Then, I returned to my family and my trapeziuses were trembling. I came to Khadijah and said, ‘Zamilooni, Zamiloon, namely, cover me! Cover me!’ Then, the fear subsided.’ Then, the same thing came again and said, ‘O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah.’ Then, he said, ‘O Muhammad, I am Gabriel and you are the Messenger of Allah.’ Then, he said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Then, the angel caught me forcefully and pressed me three times until I could not bear it anymore. Then, he said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord, Who created.’ Then, I read. Thereafter, I went to Khadijah and said, ‘I feared that something bad might happen to me and told her what happened to me.’ Khadijah said, ‘Be glad! Allah will never disgrace you. By Allah, you keep good relations with your kith and kin, speak the truth, honestly give back the trust, help the weak, honor the guest, and assist to alleviate the calamities of the distressed [Tafsir At-Tabari].’’
96:1 Read in the name of your Lord, Who created.
96:2 He created man from a clot.
Surah al-‘Alaq begins by asking Messenger Muhammad to read though he was illiterate to prepare his mind for what was going to be revealed to him.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, read what We are going to reveal to you of the noble Quran. Read by mentioning the name of your Lord, Who created the creatures. Your Lord is Able and nothing can stand before His will and ability. Your Lord created man from a clot and made him able to understand, see, and hear.
It is as if Allah says that the One, Who created this wonderful universe and man from a sticky lump of blood, is able to teach you reading even if you did not learn it in the past.
Man is specially mentioned because he is the best of Allah’s creatures and his creation in the best form indicates Allah’s perfect ability.
96:3 Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
96:4 Who taught by the pen.
96:5 He taught man what he knew not.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, read! Your Lord is the Most Generous. He can make you able to read. Your Lord taught man to write by the pen though he did not know it before. By learning to write, man can communicate with other people, learn what he does not know, and have knowledge of things that happened in the past.
The commandment to read is repeated because it can only be mastered by repetition.
Reflecting on these ayat, one finds that they include the principles of Godhood, such as Oneness, existence, ability, knowledge, and generosity.
Imam Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘The first ayat of surah al-‘Alaq were the first ayat of the Quran that were revealed. They were the first mercy that Allah bestowed on His slaves and the first blessings He granted them. They mention that man was initially created from a clot and that Allah honored him by teaching him what he did not know. Thus, Allah honored him by making him knowledgeable, which made Prophet Adam, the father of human beings, enjoy a distinguished rank over the angels. Knowledge can be expressed by the tongue, or by writing. It can also be intellectual, spoken, and written, which requires them both and not vice-versa [Tafsir Ibn Kathir].’
‘[…Who taught by the pen.] Allah taught man writing by which he knows what he did not know. This indicates the high rank of writing because it has great benefits. Sciences and philosophies are recorded by writing. Besides, news, conditions, and biographies of the former nations are known by writing. If writing had not existed, matters of religion and this world would not operate properly. Qatada, said, ‘Writing with a pen is a great blessing. If it did not exist, no religion will exist, nor will life be lived rightly. A person was asked about the uttered speed. He said, ‘It is like a wind that will disappear.’ Then, he was asked, ‘How can it remain?’ He said, ‘By writing it down because writing can substitute the uttered speech, but the latter cannot substitute the former [Tafsir Hada’q ar-Ruh wa-ar-Rayhan fi Rawaby Uloum al-Quran].’
Therefore, the Islamic message began by inviting to learn reading and writing and emphasizing that they are some of Allah’s signs and mercy for His creatures. The everlasting miracle of Messenger Muhammad, who was illiterate, is the Quran, which will always be recited and written. By revealing the Quran to Messenger Muhammad, his nation has moved from the darkness of ignorance to the high horizon of knowledge and insight.
96:6 No! Indeed, man transgresses all bounds
96:7 for he considers himself self-sufficient.
The ayah mentions some causes of man’s transgression and going beyond all right bounds.
No! Indeed, man transgresses all right bounds, becomes arrogant, and rebels against the truth when he considers himself self-sufficient and in no need of anyone. He acts in such a manner when Allah, the Generous, bestows on him some of His blessings. Instead of thanking Allah, the Giver of all blessings, for His bounties by using these blessings to obey Allah, man becomes haughty and conceited.
96:8 Surely, to your Lord is the return.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, do not be sad because of the statements of the transgressor. Surely, to your Lord is the return on the Day of Judgment. On that day, Allah will punish the evil-doers for their sins and they will know that their wealth will not avail them against Allah’s punishment.
It was narrated, ‘Two people will never be satisfied: a person seeking knowledge and a person seeking wealth. They will also not be equal. The seeker of knowledge will please the Most Merciful, Allah, and the seeker of wealth will be more transgressor. Allah says, interpretation of the meaning, [96:6 No! Indeed, man transgresses all bounds 96:7 for he considers himself self-sufficient. 96:8 Surely, to your Lord is the return.]’ [Musnad ad-Darami]
96:9 Have you seen him who forbids
96:10 a slave when he prays?
The interrogation is for astonishment at the attitude of the disbeliever, who forbids the believer from performing righteous deeds. Indeed, such a person is ignorant and cannot distinguish righteous deeds from evil deeds.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, have you seen who forbids you from worshipping Allah and performing the prayer?
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated, ‘Abu Jahl said, ‘Does Muhammad put his head on the ground before you, namely, he prays?’ It was said, ‘Yes.’ Then, he said, ‘By al-Lat wa-al-Azza, if I were to see him doing so, I would trample his neck, or smear his face with dust.’ Then, he came to Messenger Muhammad when he was praying and thought of trampling his neck. He came near him, but he suddenly turned on his heels while trying to push away something with his hands. He was asked, ‘What is the matter with you?’ He said, ‘There is a ditch of fire, terror, and wings between me and him.’ Thereupon, Messenger Muhammad said, ‘If he were to come near me, the angels would have torn him to pieces.’ Then, Allah, Exalted be He, revealed, 96:6 No! Indeed, man transgresses all bounds 96:7 for he considers himself self-sufficient. 96:8 Surely, to your Lord is the return. 96:9 Have you seen him who forbids 96:10 a slave when he prays? [Sahih Muslim].
96:11 Have you considered if he were on the right way,
96:12 or he enjoins to be God-fearing?
O noble Messenger Muhammad, have you considered the conduct of this disbeliever, who forbids you from praying? Has he followed the right path, or been enjoined to be God-fearing when he acted in such a manner?
It would be better for him if he followed the right path and enjoined people to be God-fearing instead of forbidding the believer from worshipping Allah.
96:13 Have you considered if he denies and turns away?
96:14 Does he not know that Allah sees?
O noble Messenger, have you considered the condition of this disbeliever? If he denies the message of worshipping Allah that you have brought and turned away from following the right path, will not his reason guide him to the undeniable truth that Allah is the only Creator of this universe and all that is in it? Will not he consider his attitude and know that Allah sees him and all his wrongdoings and that He will recompense him according to his deeds on the Day of Judgment?
In other words, Allah, Exalted be He, consoles His Messenger Muhammad for the abuse and suffering he underwent at the hands of the disbelievers. Besides, the attitude of the disbeliever, who insisted on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness and favored following the path of misguidance over the right path, is denounced, and he is threatened that he will suffer severe punishment on the Day of Judgment.
The scholars of Tafsir say that though the previous ayat were revealed about Abu Jahl, any person, who forbids people from doing righteous deeds and obeying Allah, is included.
96:15 No! If he does not desist, We shall seize him by the forelock,
96:16 a lying, sinful forelock.
The ayah is a severe condemnation and censure to the disbeliever, who forbids people from obeying Allah and performing righteous deeds.
No! The right conduct is not as the disbeliever does. If he does desist from disbelieving in Allah’s Oneness and transgression, We shall seize him by the forelock. He will be humiliated, pulled by his forelock, and thrown into Hell in the Hereafter as he used to disbelieve and sin.
The forelock is described as lying and sinful to emphasize the extreme insistence of the disbeliever on disbelieving in Allah’s Oneness. He is also used to intentionally committing sins and arrogantly following the path of misguidance.
96:17 Then, let him call his associates!
96:18 We shall call the guards of Hell.
Then, let the disbeliever, who is conceited by having wealth and a strong clan, call his associates to help him abuse, harm, and prevent Messenger Muhammad from praying. We shall call the guards of Hell. They are strong angels, who are responsible for punishing this conceited disbeliever and his counterparts.
The command to call his associates in the ayah is to confirm the inability of the disbeliever to harm Messenger Muhammad.
It was narrated that when Abu Jahl forbade Messenger Muhammad to pray before the Kaaba, Messenger Muhammad spoke to him harshly. Thus, Abu Jahl said, ‘Why has Muhammad threatened me? Has he not known that I have the greatest number of associates in this city? Thus, it was revealed, [96:17 Then, let him call his associates! 96:18 We shall call the guards of Hell.] [Tafsir At-Tabari]
The intended meaning is to condemn and censure the deceitful and arrogant disbeliever, who prevented Messenger Muhammad from obeying Allah and performing the prayer. The ayat invalidate his claim that his associates will support and help him to harm Messenger Muhammad. Rather, Allah will defend His Messenger and he cannot prevent him from performing the prayer. O noble Messenger Muhammad, keep on performing the prayer, as Allah will protect you from whatsoever harm that may happen to you.
96:19 No! Do not obey him. Prostrate yourself and draw near.
O noble Messenger, keep on praying and worshipping Allah wherever you want. Do not obey this disbeliever. Indeed, he is ignorant and arrogant. Prostrate yourself to your Lord and draw near Him.
In other words, the ayah urges Messenger Muhammad to pray before the Kaaba, and not concern himself about the disbelievers and their abuse for Allah will protect him from their evil and harm.
Learned Lessons from Surah al-‘Alaq
• Establishing Allah’s perfect ability by referring to creating man in the best form, and mentioning that man was created from a clot.
• Allah taught man what he did not know.
• Man is commanded to learn how to read and write as they are tools for acquiring knowledge without which man’s life will be chaos.
• Allah has honored man by giving him the ability to learn and acquire knowledge.
• Man usually becomes arrogant and transgresses when he becomes rich. He also feels that he is in no need of anyone, which makes him act wrongfully.
• If man does not stop being arrogant and transgressing, he will be punished and suffer the evil consequences of his wrongdoings.
• The disbelievers like Abu Jahl do their best to prevent the believers from worshipping Allah and performing righteous deeds. They refuse to follow the path of guidance and favor it over following the path of guidance.
• Allah, Exalted be He, has threatened the disbelievers with severe punishment on the Day of Judgment. He sees their evil deeds and hears their wicked statements, and He will justly recompense them for their evildoings and wickedness.
• No one can support and help the disbelievers against Allah’s punishment. They are powerless before His power and perfect ability.
• Whenever the believer obeys Allah and performs righteous deeds for Allah’s sake, he will draw closer and closer to Allah.
• Performing the prayer is great worship that brings the believers near to Allah.
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