Sura Fussilat: Difference between revisions

'''Sura Fuṣṣilat''' (Arabic: {{ia|سوره فُصِّلَت‌ْ}}) is the 41st [[sura]] of the [[Qur'an]]. It is a [[Makki]] sura and has an [[Sujud#Obligatory Sajda of the Qur'an|obligatory prostration]]. It is located in [[juz']]s 24 and 25. The word "fussilat" meaning "elaborated" is mentioned in [[verse]] 3 of this sura and that is why this sura was named and known for it. Sura Fussilat is mostly about [[disbeliever]]s turning from the Qur'an. [[Unity of God]], the [[prophethood]] of the Prophet of Islam (s), the [[Judgement Day]] and mentioning the destinies of the [[people of 'Ad]] and [[people of Thamud|Thamud]] are among other topics mentioned in this sura.

One of the famous verses in this sura is verse 34 which invited the [[Prophet (s)]] to have the best of manner against ill treatments of disbelievers. Also, verses 41 and 42 which [[exegete]]s have considered as evidences for [[integrity of the Qur'an]] are among the famous verses of this sura. About the merits of the [[recitation]] of this sura, it is transmitted from the Prophet (s) that whoever recites Sura Fussilat, will be given [[reward]]s ten times more than the number of the letters in this sura.

==Naming==

This sura was named "Fussilat" meaning "elaborated" is mentioned about the Qur'an in verse 3.{{enote|[this is] a Book whose signs have been elaborated for a people who have knowledge, an Arabic Quran}} Sura Fussilat has also been called the sura of [[Sajda]] (prostration) and Masābih (stars) as well; because, it is among the four [['Aza'im suras]] (suras which have obligatory prostration) and that the word "masābih" is mentioned in verse 12 of this sura.<ref>Khurramshāhī, ''Dānishnāma-yi Qurʾān'', vol. 2, p. 1249.</ref>{{enote|We have adorned the lowest heaven with stars, and guarded them.}}

== Place and Order of Revelation ==

Sura Fussilat is a [[Makki sura]]; and in the order of [[revelation]], it was 61st sura revealed to the Prophet (s). This sura is now 41st sura of the Qur'an<ref>Maʿrifat, Āmūzish-i ʿulūm-i Qurʾān, vol. 2, p. 166.</ref> and is located in juz's 24 and 25.

== Number of Verses and Other Features ==

This sura has 54 verses, 796 words and 3364 letters; and regarding volume, it is among [[Mathani suras]] and is little more than one [[hizb]] (one-fourth of a juz'). Sura Fussilat is also among [[Hawamim]], which are the suras beginning with [[disjoined letters]] (Muqatta'a letters) of Ham-Mim.<ref>Khurramshāhī, ''Dānishnāma-yi Qurʾān'', vol. 2, p. 1249.</ref> Verse 37 of this sura has an obligatory prostration, {{enote|prostrate to Allah who created them, if it is Him that you worship.}} meaning that its recitation or hearing requires the person to perform a prostration.<ref>''Tawḍīḥ al-masāʾil'', vol. 1, p. 615-617.</ref> Recitation of the suras which have obligatory prostration is not permissible in [[obligatory prayers]].<ref>Najafī, ''Jawāhir al-kalām'', vol. 9, p. 343.</ref>

Sura Fussilat mostly speaks about disbelievers turning away from the Qur'an and it repeats it in three places of this sura. Toward the end of this sura, it speaks about the divine origin of the Qur'an. Other topics mentioned in this sura are: [[Unity of God]], [[prophethood]] of the [[Finality of Prophethood|Last of Prophets (s)]], revelation, attributes and characteristics of the Qur'an, the [[hereafter]] and the description of the Judgment Day, testimonies of the eyes, ears, skin and all the limbs of the dwellers of the [[hell]] against them and the destinies of the [[people of 'Ad]] and [[Thamud]].<ref>Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 17, p. 358.</ref>

=== Goodness against ill treatments ===

In this verse, a moral and social advice is mentioned. Therefore, this verse has been discussed in the discussions of ethics by exegetes and teachers of [[ethics]]. Although the two words of "hasana" (goodness) and "sayyi'a" (offence) have broad meanings and include every goodness and badness, in this verse, they refer to goodness and badness in preaching [[religion]]. This verse advises the Prophet (s) to answer badness with goodness and does not take revenge, so that he (a) becomes successful.<ref>Makārim Shīrāzī, ''Barguzīda-yi tafsīr-i nimūna'', vol. 4, p. 304.</ref>

=== Integrity of the Holy Qur'an ===

Immutability of the Qur'an is among the beliefs of most Muslims, according to which they believe that the Qur'an available now to Muslims is exactly the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet (s) and nothing has been added to it or omitted from it. [[Exegete]]s and [[theology|theologians]] refer to some verses and [[hadith]]s to reject any alteration in the Qur'an. Verse 41 and 42 of Sura Fussilat are among these verses.<ref>Ṭūsī, ''al-Tibyān'', vol. 9, p. 131-132; Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, ''al-Tafsīr al-kabīr'', vol. 9, p. 568.</ref>

=== Returning the Consequence of Actions to the Person ===

The [[Reward and punishment|punishment]] of the [[people of 'Ad]] and [[Thamud]], the Prophets' (s) invitations, rejecting the Prophets' (a) invitations by their people, arrogance of the people of 'Ad, coming of the tornado and perishing the people of 'Ad, inviting Thamud toward guidance, coming of the lightening of punishment is mentioned in verses 13 to 17.{{enote|But if they turn away, say, ‘I warn you of a thunderbolt, like the thunderbolt of ‘Ad and Thamud. (13) When the apostles came to them, before them and in their own time, saying, ‘Worship no one except Allah!’ They said, ‘Had our Lord wished, He would have sent down angels [to us]. We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with. (14) As for [the people of] ‘Ad, they acted arrogantly in the earth unduly, and they said, ‘Who is more powerful than us?’ Did they not see that Allah, who created them, is more powerful than them? They used to impugn Our signs; (15) so We unleashed upon them an icy gale during ill-fated days, in order that We might make them taste a humiliating punishment in the life of the world. Yet the punishment of the Hereafter will be surely more disgraceful, and they will not be helped. (16) As for [the people of] Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness to guidance. So the bolt of a humiliating punishment seized them because of what they used to earn. (17)}}

In the Tafsir [[al-Burhan]], different benefits are mentioned for the recitation of this sura such as healing the illnesses of the heart, eyes and stomachache.<ref>Baḥrānī, ''al-Burhān'', vol. 4, p. 775.</ref>