Parts of this sūrah were revealed in Makkah and other parts in Madīnah, as is evident from the topics addressed. We note in particular that verses 38-41, which give the Muslim community permission to fight, and verse 60, which speaks about meting out the same punishment that is inflicted on Muslims by others, were revealed in Madīnah. Muslims were only allowed to fight or to exact similar punishment after the Prophet’s migration to Madīnah and the establishment of the Muslim state there. Prior to that, the Prophet stated that he had not received any directives allowing such action. He was replying to an offer made by the people of Madīnah who pledged their support to him. They stated that they were ready to kill all the unbelievers in Minā. In response, he said: “I have not been told to do such a thing.” But when Madīnah became the land of the Muslim state, God permitted fighting to repel the unbelievers’ aggression and to defend the freedom of belief and worship.

In its subject matter and its general ambiance, the sūrah appears closer to the Qur’ānic sūrahs revealed in Makkah. Issues like God’s oneness, the warning to be watchful for the Last Hour, evidence for the inevitable resurrection of all mankind, the fallacy of pagan beliefs based on associating partners with God, the scenes of the Day of Judgement, and drawing attention to universal signs pointing to God’s existence and power, are all very prominent in the sūrah. Yet equally prominent are the many issues normally addressed in sūrahs revealed in Madīnah. Apart from giving permission to the Muslim community to fight for God’s cause, the sūrah addresses freedom of worship, the promises of God’s support to those who fight to repel aggression, and the order to fight for God’s cause.

A Starting Jolt The impressions the sūrah generates in its various scenes and cited examples are those of power, strength, toughness and awe. It delivers clear warnings and alerts our sense of God consciousness, of fearing Him and submitting to His will.

The scene of resurrection at the outset is one of power, striking fear in people’s hearts: “Mankind! Have fear of your Lord. The violent convulsion at the Last Hour will be awesome indeed. On the day when it comes, every suckling mother will utterly forget her nursling, and every woman heavy with child will cast her burden; and it will seem to you that all mankind are drunk, although they are not drunk. But severe indeed will be God’s punishment.” (Verses 1-2)

The same may be said of the scene describing punishment in the hereafter: “For the unbelievers garments of fire shall be cut out; and scalding water will be poured over their heads, melting all that is in their bellies and their skin. In addition, there will be grips of iron for them. Whenever, in their anguish, they try to get out, they are returned there, and will be told: ‘Taste the torment of fire.’” (Verses 19-22)

A very vivid image is drawn showing the status of one who associates partners with God: “He who associates partners with God is like one who is hurling down from the skies; whereupon he is snatched by the birds, or blown away by the wind to a far-off place.” (Verse 31) Equally vivid is the description of the one who has lost hope of ever being granted God’s support: “If anyone thinks that God will not succour him in this world and in the life to come, let him stretch out a rope to the sky and then cut himself off and then let him see whether his scheme will remove that which has enraged him.” (Verse 15)

The scene depicting the townships destroyed on account of their wrongdoing also emits power: “How many a township have We destroyed because it had been immersed in evildoing. Now they lie in desolate ruin. How many a well lies abandoned, and how many a proud palace lies empty.” (Verse 45)

Such images of power and awe are coupled with serious orders and assigned tasks in addition to the justification given for the use of power to repel aggression and the firm promise to grant victory and power. This is re-emphasized in reference to God’s might and the weakness of His alleged partners. Belonging to the first group is the following example: “Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is waged, because they have been wronged. Most certainly, God has the power to grant them victory. These are the ones who have been driven from their homelands against all right for no other reason than their saying, ‘Our Lord is God!’ Were it not that God repels some people y means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques - all of which God’s name is abundantly extolled – would surely have been destroyed. God will most certainly succour him who succours God’s cause. God is certainly Most Powerful, Almighty. They are those who, if We firmly establish them on earth, attend regularly to their prayers, give in charity, enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong. With God rests the final outcome of all events.” (Verses 39-41)

An example of the second type is: “Mankind! An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it. Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end. If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him! Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought! No true understanding of God have they. God is certainly Most Powerful, Almighty.” (Verses 73-74)

Beyond all this we discern the repeated call to remain God-fearing and to stand in awe of God. The sūrah starts with this call in its first verse, and repeats it time and again:

“Mankind! Have fear of your Lord. The violent convulsion at the Last Hour will be awesome indeed.” (Verse 1) “Anyone who honours the symbols set up by God [shows evidence of] God-consciousness in people’s hearts.” (Verse 32) “Your God is the One and Only God.

Hence, surrender yourselves to Him. Give good news to those who are humble, whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned.” (Verses 34-35) “Never does their meat or their blood reach God; it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Verse 37)

The sūrah is also replete with scenes of the universe, the Day of Judgement, the fate of earlier communities, cited cases, images, reflections and lessons drawn. All aim to alert our feelings of faith, piety, and surrender to God. This is what characterizes the entire sūrah and gives it its distinctive mark.

When we read the sūrah in full, we find that it consists of four main parts. It begins with a general address to all mankind, calling on them to be God-fearing. They are warned against the violent convulsion which announces the arrival of the Day of Judgement. We also have a description of the horrific scenes accompanying it and a denunciation of disputing without knowledge about God and following every devil who inevitably leads his followers astray. It then highlights indications of the resurrection based on the stages of life a human embryo goes through, and the development of plant life, making a clear link between all types of life. These stages which follow well established and never failing laws God has set in operation are shown to be closely linked to a number of truisms: namely, that God is the truth; that He brings the dead to life; that He has power over all things; that the Last Hour will inevitably come, and that God will resurrect all those buried in their graves. All these are natural laws and facts closely related to the law that governs the life of the universe.

A second denunciation of ignorant disputes about God follows, since such disputes are devoid of guidance and follow no enlightening book or revelation. As this is made clear, a negative example is given showing the repugnant attitude of those who look at faith from a profit and loss point of view. When misfortune befalls such people, they are quick to seek help from sources other than God, in effect despairing of His help. This part of the sūrah concludes with a definitive statement that guidance and error are achieved by God’s will. He will certainly judge, on the Day of Reckoning, between the followers of different faiths. It finally paints a horrific scene of the punishment suffered by unbelievers, contrasted with the perfect bliss enjoyed by believers.

The second part is clearly related to the first as it opens with a comment on the unbelievers who turn people away from God’s path and from the Sacred Mosque in Makkah. Their action is strongly denounced since God has made the Sacred Mosque a place for all mankind, where those who live close by it and those who come from remote parts have the same rights and position. It then relates part of the history of building the Ka`bah, often referred to in the Qur’ān as the House, and the task assigned by God to Abraham to build it on the basis of His oneness, purifying it of all traces of idolatry. It goes on to mention some of the rituals of pilgrimage and how they strengthen people’s piety, which is the aim of this great act of worship. This part of the sūrah concludes with giving permission to believers to fight in order to protect places and rites of worship against any aggression that seeks to turn them away from their belief in God alone The third part provides examples of past communities’ denials of faith, the destruction of hardened unbelievers, and images of cities destroyed over the heads of wrongdoers. The purpose here is to explain God’s law with regard to the messages He sends to mankind, to comfort the Prophet who was facing a determined campaign of rejection and opposition, and to reassure the believers as to their inevitable destiny. This part also includes certain aspects of Satan’s scheming against prophets and messengers, and how God reasserts His message, setting His revelations on a solid basis. Thus, believers are reassured and unbelievers, whether weaklings or the arrogant and powerful, turn away, having been misled by Satan.

The final part of the sūrah states God’s promise of support to anyone who is oppressed as he tries to repel such aggression. This promise is followed by highlighting some aspects of God’s infinite power. Next to it we have a miserable image of the helplessness of the deities worshipped by those who associate partners with God. The sūrah concludes with an address to the believers to worship their Lord and strive for His cause, and to hold fast to His rope as they fulfil the duties required by their faith which goes back to the time of Abraham (peace be upon him).