Al-Zumar
From the verses of this chapter, it appears that the polytheists from the Prophet’s people demanded that he give up his monotheistic stance, stop summoning people to believe in divine unity, and turn instead towards their deities, with whom they threatened him. This chapter was revealed in response to these circumstances, and it is in some ways a companion chapter to Sūrah Ṣād (Chapter 38). In it, God emphasizes His instructions to the Prophet to dedicate his faith exclusively to Him, pay no attention to the false gods of the idol worshippers, and tell them that he has been commanded to be a monotheist and dedicate his faith to God alone—a stance that has been supported by a succession of signs both in the form of revelation and in the form of rational argumentation.
Time and again throughout the chapter, God calls on His audience to dedicate their faith to Him. For example, in the opening verses, He says: …so worship Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him. Look! Only exclusive faith is for Allah… (). Then, He returns to the topic again and says: Say, ‘Indeed I have been commanded to worship Allah with exclusive faith in Him…’ (), until the verse: Say, ‘Only Allah do I worship, putting my exclusive faith in Him’ ().
Then He says: You will surely die, and they will surely die too (), followed by: Does not Allah suffice His servant? They would frighten you of others than Him… (), followed by: Say, ‘O my people! Act according to your ability. I too am acting…’ (), followed by: Say, ‘Will you, then, bid me to worship other than Allah, O you who have no sense?’ (). And there are other reminders besides the ones mentioned here.
God presents arguments in this chapter that demonstrate His unity in lordship and divinity, both by way of revelation and rational argumentation. He draws subtle comparisons between the believers and the disbelievers, time and again describing the believers with the most beautiful qualities and giving them glad tidings of the rewards that await them in the Hereafter. At the same time, He admonishes the idolaters and warns them of the loss and punishment they will suffer in the Hereafter as well as the afflictions that will befall them in this world, telling them that they will share the same fate as those past nations who denied God’s messengers—a humiliating punishment in this world and an even greater punishment in the next.
After this, the chapter turns to describing the Day of Resurrection, especially its outcomes, in the clearest and most complete detail.
Based on the tone and context of its verses, this chapter was revealed in Mecca, and it appears to have been revealed all at once because of the close relationship that exists between its verses.
The first ten verses we will examine comprise the summons to monotheism by way of revelation and rational arguments, which begin by addressing the Prophet directly.
This is the ʿAllāmah's introduction to the sūrah, from the opening of the commentary.