Please open the link to listen to recitation with translation: https://youtu.be/67gs-vCBaYI?si=db_I3DOCKZQoRyC6

Translation and Summary of Surah Al-A’la (Chapter 87) from Tafheem-ul-Quran

1. Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,
2. Who created and proportioned,
3. And Who destined and guided,
4. And Who brings forth the green pasture,
5. Then makes it blackened stubble.
6. We will make you recite, so you will not forget,
7. Except what Allah wills; indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
8. And We will ease you toward ease.
9. So remind, if the reminder should benefit;
10. He who fears [Allah] will be reminded.
11. But the wretched one will avoid it,
12. Who will burn in the greatest Fire,
13. Wherein he will neither die nor live.
14. He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself,
15. And remembers the name of his Lord and prays.
16. But you prefer the worldly life,
17. While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
18. Indeed, this is in the former scriptures,
19. The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.

Summary (Based on Tafheem-ul-Quran Explanation):

Surah Al-A’la, revealed in Makkah, is a concise yet profound chapter emphasizing Allah’s supreme power, guidance, and the human responsibility to heed divine reminders. The surah opens with a command to glorify Allah, the Most High, who is the Creator, Shaper, and Guide of all existence (verses 1-3). It highlights Allah’s ability to bring forth life (green pastures) and reduce it to decay, illustrating His control over creation (verses 4-5).

The surah then addresses the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), assuring him that Allah will enable him to recite and retain the Quran, except what Allah wills, as He knows both the apparent and the hidden (verses 6-7). The Prophet is promised ease in his mission and encouraged to remind people of Allah’s message, which will benefit those who fear Him (verses 8-10). However, the wretched, who reject the reminder, will face the torment of Hell, where they will neither die nor live (verses 11-13).

The surah contrasts two paths: success lies in purifying oneself, remembering Allah, and praying, while failure comes from preferring the fleeting worldly life over the eternal Hereafter (verses 14-17). It concludes by affirming the universality of this message, noting its presence in earlier scriptures of Abraham and Moses (verses 18-19).

Key Themes:

• Divine Power and Creation: Allah’s ability to create, proportion, guide, and control life and death.
• Prophetic Mission: Assurance to the Prophet of divine support in conveying the Quran.
• Human Responsibility: The choice between heeding Allah’s reminder for success or rejecting it for ruin.
• Eternal Perspective: The Hereafter’s superiority over the temporary worldly life.
• Continuity of Revelation: The message aligns with earlier divine scriptures.