in the following surah, He mentioned its recitation to those being warned, saying:

“Reciting purified scriptures”
“containing upright writings.”

These three surahs thus form a connected treatment of the Quran: the command to recite it, the account of its revelation, and the Messenger’s recitation of it to those being warned. Then Sūrat al-Zalzalah (“The Earthquake”), al-‘Ādiyāt (“The Chargers”), al-Qāri‘ah (“The Striking Calamity”), and al-Takāthur (“Rivalry in Worldly Increase”) speak of the Last Day and its rewards and punishments. Both the Quran and the Last Day have been identified as “the great news.”

Then Sūrat al-‘Asr (“Time”), al-Humazah (“The Slanderer”), al-Fīl (“The Elephant”), Li-Īlāf (“For the Familiar Security”), Ara’ayt (“Have You Seen?”), al-Kawthar (“Abundance”), al-Kāfirūn (“The Disbelievers”), al-Nasr (“Victory”), and Tabbat (“May They Perish”) speak of deeds, both good and evil, although each surah has its own distinctive focus.

As for Sūrat al-Ikhlās (“Sincerity”) and the two surahs of refuge, al-Ikhlās contains praise of Allah, while the two surahs of refuge contain the servant’s supplication to his Lord to grant him refuge. Praise is coupled with supplication, just as Allah brought them together in the Mother of the Quran, which is divided between the Lord and the servant: half is praise of the Lord, and half is supplication on the servant’s part.

The connection here is clear. Belief in the Messenger begins with belief in the message he brought, namely the Quran. Then comes belief in its purpose and ultimate end: the bliss and punishment to which matters ultimately lead—that is, recompense. Then comes knowledge of the path to that end and the means of reaching it, namely deeds: good deeds, so that one may perform them, and evil deeds, so that one may avoid them.