Oaths in the Qur'an 3- (4/6/17)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

9-9-1438H

Surat al-Fajr

سورة الفجر

The Oaths

Oath #1 - والفجر

-> In Arabic, فجر means explode. الفجر is the end of night and the beginning of day; when the night explodes into day. It is the transition from darkness into light.

-> Similarly, Breakfast is called فطور, from فَطَرَ (Originate; Split)

-> Fajr is indicated by a line in the sky. There are two types of الفجر:

1) الفجر الكاذب - False Dawn

This is a white vertical light which disappears. This is not considered Fajr.

2) الفجر الصادق - True Dawn

This is a horizontal light which gradually increases. There is no darkness after this light; it increases in brightness.This is the Fajr Allah swore by.

-> Allah is the only One who can bring the Fajr.

-> There are many rulings related to Fajr; the beginning of the day. We begin our fast at the time of Fajr and we pray Salaat al-Fajr.

-> The Prophet ﷺ said:

لِيَبْشَرِ الْمَشَّاءُونَ فِي الظُّلَمِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ بِنُورٍ تَامٍّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Give glad tidings, to those who walk to the mosques in the dark, of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection. [Ibn Majah]

Oath #2 - و ليال عشر

-> This either refers to:

1) The last 10 nights of Ramadan

Laylat al-Qadar is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, wherein worshipping Allah is better than worshipping Him for a thousand months.

2) The first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah

The deeds you perform during these days are more beloved to Allah than performing them in other days, even the days of Ramadan.

In these days all the pillars of worship (أمهات العبادات) are combined.

Both of these 10 end in Eid.

-> Al-Fajr is a time in the Day, الليال العشر are ten important days during the year. Allah gave us the best times.

Oath #3 - و الشفع

Oath #4 - والوتر

-> الشفع = Even

-> الوتر = Odd

-> Some of the Scholars said that:

1) الشفع are المخلوقات (The Creation)

2) الوتر is Allah; الخالق (The Creator)

Allah swore by the creation and by Himself.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

إن الله وتر يحب الوتر

Allah is Witr and loves what is Witr. [At-Tirmithi]

-> Others said that they refer to العبادات (The acts of worship). Acts of worship are either even or odd.

1) الشفع are all the obligatory prayers except for Al-Maghreb, all the Sunan except for Al-Witr, the two Rak'ah of Tawaf, Mina and Muzdalifa, the Day of Nahr, etc.

2) الوتر are As-Sa'i between Safa and Marwa, Tawaaf, Al-Maghreb, Al-Witr, the Day of 'Arafah, etc.

Allah swore by the acts of worship themselves.

Oath #5 - واليل إذا يسر

-> The night begins from Maghreb until Fajr.

-> Allah swears by the night when it passes.

-> The night passes gently, with ease; like blood flowing through your veins.

-> سار، إسراء refer to walking in the night.

-> The best prayer is the night prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said:

أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ

The best prayer after the obligatory is the night prayer. [An-Nasaa'i]

-> People rest at night. And this is out of the mercy of Allah.

-> In Surat an-Naba [78:10]:

"And have made the night as a covering (through its darkness)"

The Subject of the Oaths

المقسم به هو المقسم عليه - What is sworn by is the same as what it is sworn for

-> Allah swore by the Fajr for the Fajr, the ten nights for the ten nights, etc.

-> Allah swore by timings and actions; the places for خضوع العبد لربه (submission and humility of the slave to his Lord). Submission is not in choosing your own timings, it is worshipping Allah in the timings He chose, which are the best of timings. And you do not just have one kind of worship, there are even and odd.

Verse 5:

"Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of perception?"

-> ذي = Owner of

-> حجر means stone. A stone breaks the flow of a gushing river.

ذي حجر is the one who has a mind which stops him from exceeding his boundaries like Pharoah, 'Ad, and Thamud. They used the times Allah gave them for transgression. In the next verses:

"Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with 'Aad"

"[With] Iram - who had lofty pillars,"

"The likes of whom had never been created in the land?"

"And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley?"

"And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?"

"[All of] whom oppressed within the lands"

"And increased therein the corruption."

"So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment."

"Indeed, your Lord is in observation."

We should use the best which Allah gave us to bring out the best in us. Do not be like the previous nations whom Allah mentioned, nor whom Allah said: