The 17 Verses Podcast: Distilling the Qur'an One Day at a Time

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 3, Âli-‘Imrân or the Family of Imran, verses 92-101. These verses cover many topics including criteria of righteousness, lawful and unlawful food for the Children of Israel, the first House of Allah on Earth, the disbelief of Jews & Christians, and lastly, a warning not to obey the Jews or Christians. 

Tafseer for this selection concerns the "religion of Abraham" mentioned in verse 95.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 3, Âli-‘Imrân or the Family of Imrân, verses 72-91. These verses assert that among Jews & Christians, there are hypocrites, bad people and good people; also that some of them cheat in quoting their holy books and that Prophet Jesus never instructed them to worship him. It discusses the covenant of God with the other Prophets concerning the appearance of the Last Prophet (Muhammad) and ties them all together.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 19, Maryam or Mary, verses 83-98. These verses assert that no god other than Allah will be able to save you on the Day of Judgment and that the idea of Allah begetting a son is so false that even the Heaven would be rent asunder at the notion. Lastly, God has made the Qur'an easy for mankind to understand.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 19, Maryam or Mary, verses 66-82. These verses discuss the lives of believers and unbelievers in this world as contrasted with their lives in the Hereafter.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.

Today's selection is from Surah 19, Maryam or Mary, verses 41-65. These verses recount the stories of Prophets Abraham, Moses, Ishmael and Idrees and then discusses how all the Prophets of God were divinely chosen and guided by Allah.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection concludes Surah 57, Al-Hadeed or the Iron, with verses 20-29. This selection asserts that our earthly lives are just play and an illusion. We must not grieve for possessions lost, nor be overjoyed at what we gain. It links Prophets Noah, Abraham and Jesus and also speaks of monastic life.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.

Today's selection is from Surah 57, Al-Hadeed or the Iron, verses 1-19. This selection begins with a devotional to Allah, the almighty and wise. It praises those spend of their wealth in charity. It speaks of the Day of Judgment when believers and hypocrites will get their just rewards, respectively, and closes with more praise for those who spent out of their substance in charity.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is Surah 61, As-Saff or the Battle Array, which is 14 verses in total. It enjoins believers to keep your word or practise what you preach. It recounts Prophet Jesus' foretelling of a Prophet of God after him. That Prophet of course was Muhammad (pbuh). Lastly, it describes faith as a sort of bargain given the rewards which it produces.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is the entirety of Surah 60, Mumtahinah or That Which Examines, verses 1-13. This Surah deals with social relations with Unbelievers. A distinction is made between those who persecute you for your Faith and want to destroy you and your Faith and those who those who have no such rancour. For the latter, there is hope of mercy and forgiveness. The question of women and cross-marriages is also dealt with.

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters. 

Today's selection is from Surah 77, Al-Mursalãt or Those Sent Forth, verses 29-50. These verses speak of the Day of Judgement, when the disbelievers will be asked to walk towards the fires of hell and the righteous will be given all they desire. Finally, a warning is delivered to the disbelievers. 

Tafseer explains the double allegory of the "yellow sparks" contained in verse 32-33.