Sura Al Kawthar
Quran Tafsir by Dr Wasim Ahmed
March 5, 2011

Notes by Jaihoon

Intro

• This Sura has only three verses. It is another case of Jawamiul Kalim.

• It was revealed at a time when Prophet was attacked from all quarters. They accused him of all failures including the end of his lineage.

• This is also a foretelling a future event in PAST tense. But this was mentioned when he was in the most adverse situation.

Verse 1

• Al Kawthar, traditionally referring to a fountain or river in paradise from which the Holy Prophet will serve the believers, means abundance. It could also mean Prophethood, paradise, wisdom etc.

• The methodology of Quran in education is not spoon-feeding. It fascinates and stimulates without killing the scope of the topic.

• Hamiduddin Farahi (1863–1930), celebrated Indian Islamic scholar known for his groundbreaking work on the concept Coherence in Quran, opines that Man’s quest for truth can be best expressed as thirst. And thirst could be quenched with water.

• No one except Allah can say with such force that HE has GIVEN a possession FOREVER to someone.

Verse 2

• “Therefore, turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice”

• The first verse above is conditional to the second verse. It is duty asked to fulfill in return.

• A believer has dual responsibility: vertically to ALLAH and horizontally to the human beings.

• Al Kawthar is very closely related to Prayer and Sacrifice.

• Prayer is directly related to Allah. By sacrifice of animals, though done in Allah’s name, the flesh is distributed to fellow beings as a means of charity.

• The dua recited in the Salah : Salatee (my Prayer) wa Nusukee (my sacrifices) and Mahyaa (Life) wa Mamatee (Death). Salat is related to Life. Sacrifice with Death.

• Salah is also the death of our evil desires. In Masjids, Mihrab literally means the place of fight, referring to the battle between good and evil.

Verse 3

• If anyone leaves the House of Allah (Kaaba), he would be cut off from honor and prestige.

Reflections (by Jaihoon)

• Al Kawthar mean the fountain whose water is sweetened by all the good things like wisdom, light, Prophethood and Islam. This encompasses both the traditional and derived meanings of the word Al Kawthar.

• In line with the coherent approach of Farahi, it is also noteworthy that Paradise also has ‘rivers flowing’ which may.

• The Usage of ‘to enliven nights with Prayer’ especially in the month of Ramadan is another way saying Salah I sclosely related to Life.

• Salah, since closely related to Life, could also mean awakening for the individual and the community. It is a means of spiritual progress which makes the whole life blessed.

• A believer always looks for the best interpretation of an event or discussion. He perceives beauty in every moment of life. Hair-splitting controversies is of no interest to his faith.

• It was Prophet who taught humanity how to pray and sacrifice in the way of Allah. Therefore the last verse is referring to the love of Holy Prophet. Whoever hates the Prophet shall have his lineage and his honor cut off. Alternatively, whoever LOVES him will live on. His immediate Companions and later believers, even of the present, who hold him dear, are remembered and will be celebrated for all times to come. Hadith literature lives till this day, for the very reason that it was compiled and reported with the love of Prophet.

• All humans are not the same. There are those who are intellectually superior and those who are not. Quran respects the diversity in its audience by not superimposing a minimum intellectual standard on its readers. The commoner can taste the sweetness of its verses from the surface while those who are critically inclined can dive further deep into its meanings.

• The parables, be it scientific, historic or philosophical, mentioned in Quran are free of subjective elements and is focused at the objective morals. The details in the stories such as year of occurrence and others maybe omitted for the same reason. Thus Quran befits all ages, places and minds.