JUZ TWENTY-THREE
The twenty-third juz of the Qur’an begins at verse twenty-eight of Surah Yasin. It contains all of Surah al-Saffat and Surah Sad and ends at verse thirty-one of Surah Zumar. These are all Makkan surahs focused on our primary beliefs. The core themes that flow through this juz are faith, repentance, and preparing for the afterlife.
The theme of the afterlife is strongly emphasized throughout this juz. Surah Yasin contains several passages about the afterlife and Surah al-Saffat and Surah Sad both describe the afterlife in detail. Surah al-Zumar ends with a powerful series of verses describing how people will enter Paradise and Hell. A unique feature found in all four surahs are narrations of the conversations of people in Paradise and Hell.
In Surah Yasin, we learn about the man whose people refused to believe him and killed him instead. Even in Paradise, he thinks about them and wishes they could see his reward so that they would believe. The next surah shows us the regret of the disbelievers for following their leaders. Their excuse will not hold up as each of us have been gifted with free will and a conscience. Choosing to blindly follow leaders down the wrong path is a
choice that people will be held responsible for.
They will come to one another, questioning one another. They will say, “You used to come at us from the right.” They will say, “You yourselves were not believers. We had no authority over you. You yourselves were rebellious people. The Word of our Lord has been realized against us. We are tasting it. We seduced you. We were seducers.” On that Day, they will share in the punishment. Thus, we deal with the sinners.
The same theme continues in Surah Sad. The followers who end up in the fire will curse their leaders and ask Allah to increase their punishment. They will say, “Our Lord, whoever brought this upon us, give him double torment in the Fire.”
In Surah al-Zumar we see the excuses that people will make for not following the truth, excuses that do not hold up in the afterlife.
So that a soul may not say, “How sorry I am, for having neglected my duty to God, and for having been of the scoffers.” Or say, “Had God guided me; I would have been of the pious.” Or say, when it sees the penalty, “If only I had another chance, I would be of the virtuous.”
The regret of the people of the Hellfire is a common theme that appears throughout the juz, but Allah does not leave us without hope. In the middle of all of this lies the verse of hope, the most optimistic verse in the Qur’an.
Say, “O My devotees who have believed, keep your duty to your Lord. For those who do good in this world, is goodness. And God’s earth is vast. The steadfast will be paid their wages in full, without reckoning.”
This verse is a firm reminder that as long as we are alive, we have an opportunity to repent and work towards Paradise. The conversations of the people of Hell should serve as a deterrent against sin and should push us towards repentance and righteousness. As long as we live, the door of repentance remains open.
These surahs discuss Paradise as well. The flow of the Qur’an creates a balance between hope and fear. We require this balance to try and avoid sin, while not losing hope in Allah’s Mercy. As humans with weaknesses, we cannot function optimally without a balance between hope and fear. To build this balance, these surahs contain beautiful descriptions of Paradise and the people of Paradise as well.
This is a reminder. The devout will have a good place of return. The Gardens of Eden, with their doors wide open for them. Relaxing therein and calling for abundant fruit and beverage. With them will be attendants with modest gaze, of the same age. This is what you are promised for the Day of Account. Such is Our bounty, inexhaustible.
By Dr. Omar Suleiman & Sh. Ismail Kamdar
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