وَإِنَّهُۥ لَقَسَمٌ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ 76
Translations
And indeed, it is an oath - if you could know - [most] great.
Transliteration
Wa-innahu laqasamun law ta'lamoon 'azeem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms a great oath regarding the Quran itself, with Allah swearing by the locations where the Quran is written and preserved. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as Allah emphasizing the magnitude and sacredness of the Quranic text, stressing that if people truly comprehended the greatness of this oath, they would recognize the tremendous value and divine origin of the Quran. The oath reinforces the importance of the written revelation and its preservation as a miracle of the Islamic faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Waqi'ah, a Meccan chapter that describes the Day of Judgment and the categorization of souls. Within this context, the ayah emphasizes the Quran's authority and the certainty of divine judgment, strengthening the message that the Quran is a trustworthy guide revealed by Allah and therefore demands serious reflection and adherence.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said regarding the Quran: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027). Additionally, in Surah Al-Waqi'ah 77-79, a hadith in Sahih Muslim emphasizes that only the purified can touch the Quran, highlighting its sanctity.
Themes
Key Lesson
Recognizing the Quran's immense value and divine origin should inspire Muslims to approach it with reverence, dedicate themselves to its study and implementation, and reflect deeply upon its meanings as a guidance for all aspects of life. This ayah invites believers to move beyond casual familiarity with the Quran to genuine comprehension of its sacred significance.