Theme of Juz Thirty –The Afterlife

The final Juz of the Qur’an contains the most Surahs, which are also the shortest Surahs in the Qur’an, and most of them are Makkan. The theme of this Juz is similar to that of the 29th Juz, as it focuses on matters of Aqeedah with a special emphasis on the Afterlife. In the end, it is the Afterlife that really matters and our lives in this world are simply a preparation for the Afterlife, and so the Qur’an emphasizes this topic over and over again.

The first six Surahs in this Juz are all Makkan Surahs describing the Last Day and the final destinations of the believers and disbelievers.These are Surah An-Naba, An-Naazi’aat, Abasa, At-Takweer, Al-Infitaar, Al-Mutaffifeen and Al-Inshiqaaq. These Surahs include vivid descriptions of the end of the world, signified the temporary nature of the Dunya.

The next Surah is Surah Al-Burooj, a Makkan Surah revolving around a story mentioned in an authentic Hadith in Saheeh Muslim. It is known as the story of the boy and the king, and is unique in that the story ends with all of the believers massacred, yet we are taught “Those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are in Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and that is the greatest success.” (85:11) We learn from this that true success is not based on what we achieve in this world, but rather what we achieve in the Afterlife.

The next group of Surahs focus on the signs of Allah in the creation around us. Surah At-Taariq reminds us, “Mankind should look at what he was created from.” (86:5) Surah Al-A’laa reminds us that Allah is the one who created us, so we should purify our souls and focus on his pleasure. Surah Al-Ghaashiya teaches us to look at how the heavens, earth and animals were created, as in that are signs of the Creator and His Greatness.

The next four Surahs focus on the qualities needed to succeed in this and the next life. Surah Al-Fajr reminds us that greed for wealth destroys people, while purifying the soul leads to Allah’s pleasure and eternal bliss. Surah Al-Balad reminds us to focus on being good to Allah’s creation by taking care of the orphans, the poor and the weak. Surah Ash-Shams teaches us that it is the purification of the heart that leads to success, and the corruption of the heart that leads to evil. Surah Al-Layl teaches us that following Islam leads to ease in both worlds, while disobeying Allah leads to problems in both worlds.

The next group of Surahs focus on optimism and having hope. Surah Ad-Duhaa was one of the earliest Makkan Surahs and it focuses on remembering the good that Allah has blessed us with in the past, and that good things will come in the future as well. Surah Al-Inshiraa emphasizes this by reminding us that with difficulty always comes ease, and Surah At-Teen reminds us that humans who obey Allah are the best of creation.

These are followed by three Surahs focusing on revelation. Surah Al-Alaq includes the first verses ever to be revealed, including the command to read and recite, and a warning to Abu Jahl and anybody who follows in his footsteps. Surah Al-Qadar reminds us of the importance of the night of Qadar as it was the night on which the revelation first descended. Surah Al-Bayyinah teaches us that it is following the revelation that distinguishes between the best of Creation and the worst.

The next six Surahs focus on the Last Day, and the importance of avoiding materialism. Surah Zilzaal, Al-Qaari’ah and Al-Humaza all offer vivid descriptions of the Last Day. Surah Al-Aadiyaat, Surah At-Takaathur, Surah Al-Asr and Surah Al-Humaza all remind us that greed for this world leads to the destruction of mankind.

Surah Al-Feel and Surah Al-Quraysh are reminders to the Quryash of Allah’s blessings upon them, for which they should be grateful to Him and follow His messenger. Surah Al-Ma’oon is a reminder that Islam emphasizes caring for the orphans and the poor, just as it emphasizes praying Salah properly. Surah Al-Kauthar is a reminder of the high status of the prophet Muhammad , and Surah Al-Kaafiroon is a reminder never to comprise on the principles of our religion to please people of other religions.

Surah An-Nasr was the last Surah to be revealed in Madinah, and is a reminder that victory in this world comes from Allah, and we should focus on worshipping Allah, even after attaining victory. Surah Al-Lahab (Al-Masad) was an early Makkan Surah predicting that Abu Lahab would die a disbeliever, a prophecy which came true almost a decade later.

The Qur’an ends with the three Quls. Surah Al-Ikhlaas, also known as Surah At-Tawheed, is considered one third of the Qur’an as it summarizes the message of Tawheed in four lines, and Tawheed is the theme of one third of the Qur’an.

Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Naas, also known as Al-Muawwadatayn, are two protection Surahs which should be recited every morning and evening. Surah Al-Falaq is for protection from worldly evils like jealousy, magic and the harms of people, while Surah An-Naas is for protection from the spiritual evil and misguidance caused by the devils among humans and Jinn.


Source: Themes of the Qur'an by Abu Muawiyah Ismail Kamdar