Chapter 45
The First Period
Eighteen Sūrahs, consisting of short rhapsodies, may have been composed by Muḥammad before he conceived the idea of a divine mission, none of which are in the form of a message from the Deity.
Chapter CIII.
Sūratu ʾl-ʿAṣr.
The Chapter of the Afternoon.
A short chapter of one verse as follows:—
“By the afternoon! Verily, man is in loss! Save those who believe and do right and bid each other be true, and bid each other be patient.”
Chapter C.
Sūratu ʾl-ʿĀdiyāt.
The Chapter of the Chargers.
Oath by the charging of war-horses.
Man is ungrateful.
Certainty of the Judgment.
Chapter XCIX.
Sūratu ʾz-Zalzalah.
The Chapter of the Earthquake.
The earthquake preceding the Judgment Day.
Chapter XCI.
Sūratu ʾsh-Shams.
The Chapter of the Sun.
Purity of the soul brings happiness.
Example of S̤amūd.
(The latter verses are clearly of a later date than the first ten.)
Chapter CVI.
Sūratu ʾl-Quraish.
The Chapter of the Quraish.
The Quraish are bidden to give thanks to God for the trade of their two yearly caravans.
Chapter I.
Sūratu ʾl-Fātiḥah.
The Opening Chapter.
A prayer for guidance.
(This short chapter, which is the opening chapter of the Qurʾān, is recited in the liturgy.)
“Praise be to God, Lord of all the worlds!
The compassionate, the merciful!
King of the day of reckoning!
Thee only do we worship, and to Thee only do we cry for help.
Guide Thou us in the straight path,
The path of those to whom Thou hast been gracious;
With whom Thou art not angry,
And who go not astray.”
Chapter CI.
Sūratu ʾl-Qāriʿah.
The Chapter of the Smiting.
The terrors of the last day and of hell-fire (al-Hāwiyah).
Chapter XCV.
Sūratu ʾt-Tīn.
The Chapter of the Fig.
The degradation of man.
Future reward and punishment.
Chapter CII.
Sūratu ʾt-Takās̤ur.
The Chapter of the Contention about Numbers.
Two families of the Arabs rebuked for contending which was the more numerous.
Warning of the punishment of hell.
Chapter CIV.
Sūratu ʾl-Humazah.
The Chapter of the Backbiter.
Backbiters shall be cast into hell.
Chapter LXXXII.
Sūratu ʾl-Infit̤ār.
The Chapter of the Cleaving Asunder.
Signs of the Judgment Day.
Guardian angels.
Chapter XCII.
Sūratu ʾl-Lail.
The Chapter of the Night.
Promise of reward to those who give alms and fear God and “believe in the best.”
Chapter CV.
Sūratu ʾl-Fīl.
The Chapter of the Elephant.
The miraculous destruction of the Abyssinian army under Abrahatu ʾl-Ashram by birds when invading Makkah with elephants, in the year that Muḥammad was born.
Chapter LXXXIX.
Sūratu ʾl-Fajr.
The Chapter of the Dawn.
Fate of previous nations who rejected their teachers.
Admonition to those who rely too much on their prosperity.
Chapter XC.
Sūratu ʾl-Balad.
The Chapter of the City.
Exhortation to practise charity.
Chapter XCIII.
Sūratu ʾẓ-Ẓuḥā.
The Chapter of the Forenoon.
Muḥammad encouraged and bidden to remember how God has cared for him hitherto; he is to be charitable in return, and to publish God’s goodness.
Chapter XCIV.
Sūratu ʾl-Inshirāḥ.
The Chapter of “Have we not Expanded?”
God has made Muḥammad’s mission easier to him.
Chapter CVIII.
Sūratu ʾl-Kaus̤ar.
The Chapter of al-Kaus̤ar.
Muḥammad is commanded to offer the sacrifices out of his abundance.
Threat that his enemies shall be childless.