This chapter is the twin of Al-Kahf before. It is about the rejuvenation of the zakariya stage. Zakariya, the symbol of a nation, is afflicted by old age and he is given solutions by Allah to breathe new life into it. The entirety of the solution can be summed up by the attainment of ‘yahya’ (literally, constant life). With the coming of yahya, we find the third party declaration of peace (salaamun 3alaihi – 19/15). Next comes the story of... Read more

This chapter shows the pathway to self-actualization in three stages – the people of the cave, the story of musa and the servant and dhul qarnayn. Before that, the chapter opens with the descent of the writ from Allah, messages of Allah which give instructions and not contain protuberances. The chapter then goes into the companions of the cave. This metaphor reflects the youth who retreat in order to prepare themselves to face oppression later. It is the first stage... Read more

This chapter is the twin of Ch 16 and focuses on the utilization of Quran in the Islamic project. Like Ch 16, it begins with tasabbuh (the manifesting of Allah) of Allah’s servant from the sanctified place of submission to the furthest point of submission (the centre and the frontier of the system). Musa is mentioned along with bani israil and nuh (17/2-3). These two personalities are key to the practical interpretation of Quran’s mission. This chapter also mentions the... Read more

After the relatively ‘soft’ chapters of the ALR series, we come to two more action-based chapters, An-Nahl and Al-Isra’. Chapter 16 (An-Nahl) gives the various practical aspects of life which all go back to tawheed. It begins with a bracketed set of verses about shirk/association. 16/1 begins with the coming of the command/affair of Allah. This leads to tasabbuh (bringing him to the foreground). 16/2 tells us of the coming of the angels with the ruh/spirit of God’s command. They... Read more

The final chapter in the ALR series, Ch 15 (Al-Hijr) starts and ends with Quran. From this, we come to understand that it is about the process of finding and applying Quran. This chapter starts with the ‘qur’anun mubeen’, (15/1) which is a book showing textuality. This book is about becoming whole (by being muslim) which those who reject it will wish for (15/2). Instead, they consume uncontrollably and in the process, the destroy their systems (15/3-5). From 15/6-9, we... Read more

Ch 14 (Ibrahim) is the twin of Ch 13. It begins with the descent of God’s eternal system (kitab) which is meant to bring humankind into the light of civilization. This is considered to be the path of Allah (14/3) and the message of the messengers in their respective languages (14/4) Next, we see musa being mentioned. He also brings his people from darknesses into the light and fertilises the days of Allah (14/5). He tells his people to be... Read more

Ch 13 (Ar-Ra’d) along with its twin, Ch 14 (Ibrahim) are two of the shortest chapters in the ALR series. They could be twin formulation of the previous three chapters (Yunus, Hud and Yusuf) but from different angles. Ch 13 sees it more from a natural and truth angle. It also is unique in the sense that its letters are ALMR , the M showing the realization or action or the taking place of ALR. 13/13-14 mentions the sending of... Read more

After the first chapters on messengership (Ch 10 and 11), Ch 12 (Yusuf) largely focuses on the personal journey of yusuf. His journey from the expulsion from his home, to finding a home with the aziz to being seduced by the aziz’s wife, to being imprisoned to finally being raised to office by king is perhaps the most detailed archetype in Quran. Quran declares that the essence of the  story of yusuf and his brothers (it is important to remember... Read more

Chapter 11(Hud) is the second chapter in the ALR series. It is very much like Ch 7 (just like Ch 6 is very much like Ch 10). The similarities are in that both Ch 7 and 11 start out with the notion of God’s eternal system, called ‘kitaab’ and they both have sequential narratives of Quranic personalities. Ch 11 is unique in the sense that the ‘kitaab’ actually speaks and articulates its intent and purpose. It also declares a challenge... Read more