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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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.