Al-Qamar is the 54th chapter or Surah of the blessed Quran. Positioned in juz number 27, it includes 3 rukus and has a total of 55 verses. Al-Qamar literally translates to "the moon." This surah was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Makkah, and thus, it is a Makki/Meccan surah that discusses the splitting of the moon. The surah was revealed when the disbelievers would purposefully hurt the Prophet and the cause of Islam by casting incorrect and baseless doubts over the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).
The surah details the events of the day of judgment when the moon would be split into parts in front of the eyes of mankind and how the disbelievers who pride themselves and refuse to believe in the message of Allah will then be held accountable. However, when they realize the weight of their signs and accusations, they will regret their actions, but it will be to no avail. The surah also discusses Allah almighty's help during the battle of Badr, which led the Muslims to victory. It discusses how Allah had provided His help and assistance to the previous nations, just as He had provided to Muslims in the battle of Badr. Furthermore, the surah promises paradise as a reward for pious people.
٥٤ - ٱلْقَمَر
54 - Al-Qamar
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Surah Al-Qamar (also remembered as Surah “Iqtarabat As-Sa`ah") was revealed in Mecca, around five years before the Prophet's migration to Medina. The context of the revelation of this Surah is closely related to the historical event of "splitting of the moon", which is seen as a sign and proof of the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. This happened in Mina, Mecca, while the Prophet was there with a large gathering of people, including both the believers and disbelievers. It was the time when Quraysh were rejecting the Prophethood and the Message of Islam preached by the Prophet. They often demanded that the Prophet must show signs of his Prophethood in the shape of a miracle. On that particular day in Mina, the Prophet pointed towards the moon, which split in two parts over the mountain for a while and then rejoined. This historical phenomenon was observed by everyone present on the site.
This event is mentioned in Hadith 4864 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
Translation - During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), the moon was split into two parts; one part remained over the mountain, and the other part went beyond the mountain. On that, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Witness this miracle."
Hadith 4867 of Sahih Al-Bukhari narrates it as a sign (miracle) for which disbelievers were insisting.
Translation - The people of Mecca asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to show them a sign (miracle). So he showed them (the miracle) of the cleaving of the moon.
Moreover, the disbelievers were also denying and rejecting the concept of resurrection and accountability on the Day of Judgement. With that background, this Surah was sent down to reaffirm the occurrence of the Day of Judgement and establish the truth of the Prophethood and the certainty of accountability on the Day of Resurrection.
With that specific purpose, the Surah starts, referring to the splitting of the moon as a sign of the truth of the Prophethood. Immediately after that, Surah clearly declares that the Day of Judgement is just around the corner and can occur anytime. To strengthen the concept of accountability, specific stories of previous nations are also narrated, who denied their Prophets in the same manner as Quraysh did at that stage. The punishment given to the people of the Prophets Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, and Musa عَلَيْهِمَا ٱلسَّلَامُ is mentioned. By reminding them of these stories, it was established that if the disbelievers of previous Prophets were punished, how can the disbelievers of Mecca be pardoned? A major part of this Surah pertains to these stories (verses 9 to 42). At the end of each story, the Surah invites people to reflect on the clear words of the Quran. The last part of the Surah narrates the proximity of the Day of Judgement, establishing that it can occur with just a Command by Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, as He does not need to make prior preparations for that.
In short, the historical background of Surah Al-Qamar can be summarized as follows:
Surah Al-Qamar is a Makki Surah. It was revealed in Mecca, around five years before the migration of the Prophet to Medina, after the occurrence of the event of the "splitting of the moon".
Surah Al-Qamar is the 54th Surah of the Quran and is placed in the 27th Juzz (Para). It comes after Surah An-Najm and before Surah Ar-Rahman. It is the 37th Surah in the order of revelation, whereas it falls at number 54 in the sequence of recitation.
Surah Al-Qamar holds great spiritual significance and virtues in Islam, which are summarized below:
The Surah refers to the historic event of "Splitting of Moon", which happened in Mecca and was witnessed by a large number of people, both the believers and non-believers. It was a sign of the truth of the Prophethood, as was being demanded by the Quraysh. Although they did not believe it, saying that it was just a magical trick, it actually establishes that Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ holds absolute Powers, hence it is not difficult for Him to resurrect mankind on the Day of Judgement. Reflecting on this strengthens our Iman (Faith) in Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ.
The Surah not only reminds us of the certainty of the Day of Judgement, but it also warns us of the accountability on that Day. It repeatedly reminds and warns the disbelievers that they will have to face the consequences of their disbelief. In this context, stories of previous nations are also mentioned to establish that if they were punished for their disbelief, how the disbelievers of Mecca will avoid it, warning them that they will be facing similar punishment as the disbelievers of previous nations faced.
In the context of the certainty of the Day of Judgement, this Surah also establishes the Ultimate Authority of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, declaring that it needs just a Command by Him and the Day will occur.
The verse وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْاٰنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَہَلْ مِنْ مُّدَّكِرٍ (Easy have We made the Qur'an to understand: So, is there anyone who will be warned?) repeatedly occurs in this Surah. It is a sort of encouragement or invitation for mankind to reflect on the Quran, declaring that it has been made easy to understand for guidance. The repetition of this verse in the Surah encourages us not only to recite and memorize the Quran, but also to understand its Message and implement it in our lives.
The surah admonishes the people of Makkah/Mecca about their arrogance and stubbornness in mending their ways and accepting the message of Islam the Prophet (ﷺ) bought forth for them. The splitting of the moon – an extraordinary wonder was a sign and warning about the day of judgment and how it would draw near. The moon – originally a sphere- had been split into two parts in front of them and then immediately rejoined into one.
This extraordinary phenomenon was to make the nonbelievers realize how Allah has the power to disrupt the flow of the universe they know. He has made the moon in the form we see it, and He has the power to break it or mold it in any way He sees fit. Be it the stars or the planets – they could split, disintegrate, and even collide with one another, along with everything else the blessed Quran contains in reference to the day of judgment.
The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) invited the people to witness the wondrous phenomena. Although they had all witnessed it with their bare eyes, they blamed it on some magical illusion and refused to believe in the power of Allah due to their stubborn and arrogant attitude. The surah was revealed to address their behavior towards the incident.
Surah Al-Qamar also mentions the stories of the people of Noah, the people of Ad, Thamud, Lut, and Pharaoh to remind the disbelievers of the punishments nations before them had encountered if they behaved similarly with stubbornness and arrogance. And Allah continues to warn the people of Makkah that they will also not be spared from accountability and punishment if they do not mend their ways. Allah also warns the disbelievers that the day of judgment can come forth as soon as Allah wills it – Allah does not need to make lengthy preparations for it as He is the most supreme.
It is Sunnah to recite Surah Al-Qamar on the blessed day of Eid.
Ubaidullah bin' Abdullah narrated: "Umar went out on the day of 'Eid and sent word to Abu Waqid Al-Laithi asking what the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite on this day.
He said:
‘Qaf [Qaf (50)] and ‘Iqtarabat’.” [Al-Qamar (54)] - Sunan Ibn Majah 1282.
In Majma' al-Bayan – book of tafsir by the 12th century Imam scholar Shaykh Tabarsi, it has been mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) had said that whoever recites Surah Qamar every other day will enter the Day of Resurrection with a shining face, resembling the radiance of the full moon on the fourteenth night.
Surah Al-Qamar is an important surah that contains several lessons for those who wish to learn about their faith. It encompasses several warnings for humanity. Firstly, the surah warns those who refuse to open their hearts to the message of Islam and engage in disobedience of Allah. The surah teaches them how even those nations before them had followed in their footsteps in arrogance and were held accountable. So, no matter how wealthy or powerful they may be – they can also not avoid the accountability of Allah. Surah Qamar also calls upon everyone to read the words of the Quran so they can turn to the right path and avoid hellfire.
By listening to the recitation of the Quranic Surahs by an authentic Qari (reciter), we can learn the correct pronunciation of its words, which may be quite difficult for many, especially non-Arabic-speaking people. Reciting the Quran with correct pronunciation is quite a sensitive matter because even a slight mistake may entirely alter its meanings. At times, it becomes quite difficult to follow the correct pronunciation, especially for a non-Arabic-speaking person. Additionally, sometimes one may just want to listen to the Quran instead of reading it on one's own. To overcome all these difficulties and requirements, listening to the recitation by a renowned reciter (Qari) can be highly beneficial.
The website and mobile application of the Muslim and Quran provide the best solution to this sensitive matter. The recitation of the Quran by the most authentic Qaris is available on our website and mobile application, which you can listen to on your mobile devices or laptops quite easily. You can select a Qari of your preference to listen to and learn the correct recitation of the Quran. You only need to download the Mobile Application of the Muslim and the Quran to listen to any Surah of the Quran, including Surah Al-Qamar.
The mobile application of the Muslim and Quran is available for both Android and iOS, which can be downloaded from Google Play and App Store, respectively, by clicking the links given below:
The website and mobile application of Muslim and Quran provide the facility of reading the Quran online, but if you prefer to read it offline, you can also download it in PDF for reading it at your convenience.
You can download Surah Al-Qamar in PDF by following these simple steps:
Al-Qamar translates to "moon". In the context of Surah Al-Qamar, it refers to the event of the splitting of the moon, which was a sign (miracle) proving the truth of the Prophethood.
Surah Al-Qamar has 55 verses.
Although there are no specific benefits of reciting Surah Al-Qamar, it holds great rewards, just like other Surahs of the Quran. However, repeated recitation of this Surah encourages us to reflect on the Quran to get guidance in every walk of our lives.
Surah Al-Qamar can be recited per your convenience at any time during the night or the day. No specific time is associated with or recommended for its recitations. However, the Prophet used to recite it on Eid days. Hence, following that Sunnah may also bring extra benefits.
Yes, all the Surahs of the Quran, including Surah Al-Qamar, are uploaded on the Mobile Application and website of the Muslim and Quran. You can easily listen to it online on any of your mobile devices.
Reading any of the Surahs of the Quran, including Surah Al-Qamar, brings unlimited rewards. Hence, reading this Surah on a daily basis may bring rewards, although not specifically recommended by any scholar. You can read it whenever you may like, not necessarily on a daily basis.
The Quran, including Surah Al-Qamar, is for everyone irrespective of their nationality or language. Everyone can get the same benefits from reciting it. So, a non-Arabic speaker will get the equal benefits on recitation of Surah Al-Qamar, as an Arabic-speaking individual may get.
Yes, Hadith 4864 of Sahih Al-Bukhari narrates the event of the splitting of the moon. Hadith 891a and 891b of Sahih Muslim narrate that the Prophet used to recite Surah Al-Qamar and Surah Qaf on the day of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.