(1-9) “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Hā Mīm. ‘Ayn Sīn Qāf. Thus does Allah—the Almighty, the All-Wise—reveal to you and to those before you. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and He is the Most High, the Magnificent. The heavens nearly split apart above them, while the angels glorify their Lord with praise and seek forgiveness for those on earth. Truly, Allah is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. As for those who take protectors besides Him, Allah watches over them, and you are not a custodian over them. Thus We have revealed to you an Arabic Quran so that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it, and warn of the Day of Gathering, about which there is no doubt. One group will be in the Garden and another group in the Blaze. Had Allah willed, He could have made them one community, but He admits whomever He wills into His mercy. The wrongdoers shall have neither protector nor helper. Or have they taken protectors besides Him? Allah alone is the Protector. He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things.” ⦗753⦘

Allah Most High informs us that He revealed this magnificent Quran to the noble Prophet just as He had sent revelation to the prophets and messengers before him. This demonstrates His grace in sending down scriptures and dispatching messengers in former and later times. It also shows that Muhammad is not unprecedented among the messengers: his way is the way of those who preceded him, his circumstances resemble theirs, and what he brought resembles what they brought, for it is all truth and veracity. It is a revelation from the One characterized by divinity, supreme might, and consummate wisdom. The entire upper and lower worlds belong to Him and are governed by His creational decree and His religious law.

He is “the Most High” in His Essence, His rank, and His domination, and He is “the Magnificent,” of whose magnificence it is that “the heavens nearly split apart above them,” despite their vastness and inanimate nature. The noble angels brought near to Him submit before His magnificence, humble themselves before His might, and acknowledge His Lordship. “They glorify their Lord with praise”: they declare Him exalted above every imperfection and describe Him with every perfection. They also “seek forgiveness for those on earth” for the deeds that proceed from them which do not befit the magnificence and grandeur of their Lord—even though He, Exalted is He, is “the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful,” without whose forgiveness and mercy He would swiftly visit creation with an annihilating punishment.

After mentioning that He sent revelation to all the messengers generally and to Muhammad in particular—may Allah bless them all and grant them peace—Allah describes Himself with these attributes. This indicates that the noble Quran contains proofs, demonstrations, and signs attesting to the perfection of the Creator, Exalted is He, and describes Him by these magnificent names. These should fill hearts with knowledge and love of Him, with reverence, veneration, and honor for Him, and should lead people to devote every outward and inward form of worship to Him alone. It also indicates that among the gravest forms of wrongdoing and the most atrocious statements is to set up rivals besides Allah, although they possess no power to benefit or harm. Rather, they are created beings entirely dependent upon Allah in every circumstance. He therefore follows this by saying: “As for those who take protectors besides Him,” giving them their allegiance through worship and obedience just as they worship and obey Allah, they have adopted nothing but falsehood, and these are not true protectors. “Allah watches over them”: He records their deeds and will recompense them for their good and evil. “You are not a custodian over them,” such that you would be held to account for their deeds. You are only charged with conveying the message, and you have fulfilled your duty.

He then mentions His favor toward His Messenger and toward humanity, for Allah sent down “an Arabic Quran,” clear in both its wording and meaning, “so that you may warn the Mother of Cities,” namely honored Makkah, “and those around it” among the settlements of the Arabs. This warning would then extend to the rest of creation. You are also to “warn” people of “the Day of Gathering,” when Allah will gather the first and the last, and inform them that “there is no doubt” about it and that creation will then be divided into two groups: “One group will be in the Garden”—those who believed in Allah and affirmed the truthfulness of the messengers—“and another group in the Blaze,” comprising the various classes of unbelievers who rejected the truth.

Even so, “had Allah willed,” He could have made humanity—that is, all people—“one community” united upon guidance, for He is the All-Powerful, and nothing is beyond Him. However, He willed to admit into His mercy whomever He chose from among the elect of His creation.

As for the wrongdoers, who are unfit for righteousness, they are deprived of mercy. Thus, besides Allah, “they shall have neither protector” to care for them and secure what they desire “nor helper” to ward off what they fear.

Those who “take protectors besides Him,” giving them allegiance by worshipping them, have fallen into the gravest error. Allah alone is the Protector whom His servant takes as his protector through worship, obedience, and seeking nearness to Him by every means available. He cares for all His servants generally through His governance and through the operation of His decree among them. He cares for His believing servants in particular by bringing them out of darkness into light, nurturing them through His gentle care, and assisting them in all their affairs.

“He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things.” That is, He alone controls life and death, and His will and power unfailingly take effect. He alone, therefore, deserves to be worshipped, without any partner.