My Thoughts on Surah Al-Naml — Part IV
The Role of the Recitation
The word Qur’an is mentioned three times in the Surah.
1. Beginning
The first time the Qur’an is mentioned — The word “Ladunna | لَّدُنْ ” is used alongside the two Names of Allah. The word “Ladunna | لَّدُنْ ” includes the meaning of closeness in the Arabic language. The two Names of Allah used here also are used in a positive sense.
This is due to the fact that the first section of this Surah has to do with the Prophets — who are chosen ones from Allah.
— Prophets and Names of Allah
2. Middle
The second time the Qur’an is mentioned — their disagreement is mentioned. And to their disagreement, Allah asks questions and answers them to resolve their disagreements.
— Disagreements and Questions and Answers
3. End
The third time the Qur’an is mentioned — it is mentioned after Allah has talked extensively about the hereafter, and thus Allah finally declares a warning to whoever wants to be guided and whoever wants to be astray.
— Hereafter and Warnings
Notice the names of Allah when the Qur’an is mentioned in the beginning. Al-Hakeem (The Wisest) — and Aleem (The All-Knowing)
Now look at the last Ayah of this Surah
The recitation of each section of the same Surah — serves a different purpose.
Pivot of the Surah
When this Qur’an came to the prophet — there was no writing of it. The Prophet could not read or write yet still what he recited was so profound in its substance, so beautiful and complex in its style. How can one imagine that a speech can be so organized when one cannot even remember what he said after 10 or 15 seconds of continuous speech?
After the end of the Section of Questions, — which is the middle section — Allah says
Only He — Allah — is the knower of the unseen. Only he can truly know what's before and what's coming after.
