Ash-Shūrā (, ''al-shūrā'', "Council, Consultation") is the 42nd chapter (

sūrah A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into ayah, verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; the shortest ''surah'' (al-Kawthar) has only three verses, while ...

) of the

Qur'an The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God ('' Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which consist of individual verses ('). Besides ...

(Q42) with 53 verses ( āyāt). Its title derives from the question of "shūrā" (''consultation'') referred to in Verse 38. The term appears only once in the Quranic text (at Q42:38). It has no pre-Quranic antecedent. Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is traditionally believed to be a Meccan surah, from the second Meccan period (615-619).

Summary

*1-3 The Almighty reveals his will to

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

Angels An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

intercede with God on behalf of sinful man *5 Muhammad not a steward over the idolaters *6 The Quran revealed in the Arabic language to warn Makkah *7-10 God the only helper, creator, and preserver, the all-knowing *11-13 Islam the religion of all the former prophets *14 Muhammad commanded to declare his faith in the Bible and Torah *15 Disputers with God shall be severely punished *16-17 God only knows the hour of the judgment *18-19 The Almighty will reward the righteous and the

wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...

according to their deeds *20 Sinners only spared through God's forbearance *21-22 Rewards of the just and of the unjust * 23 Muhammad charged with imposture *24-27 The sovereign God forgives and blesses whom he will *28-33 God's power manifested in his works *34-41 A true believer's character decided *42-45 The miserable fate of those whom God causes to err *46 Sinners exhorted to repent before it is too late *47-48 Muhammad only a preacher *49 God controls all things *50-51 Why God reveals himself by inspiration and through

apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...

*52-53 Prophet Muhammad did not know of ˹this˺ Book and faith ˹before˺.

Q42:23 Verse of affection

Q42:51 Revelation in Islam

Islamic tradition The term Islamic tradition may refer to: * Islamic Traditionalist theology, Islamic scholarly movement, originating in the late 8th century CE *''Ahl al-Hadith'', "The adherents of the tradition" * Traditional Islamic schools and branches * Islami ...

, Quran 42:51 serves as the basis of understanding for '' Revelation in Islam (waḥy)''. :وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِن وَرَآئِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًۭا فَيُوحِىَ بِإِذْنِهِۦ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِىٌّ حَكِيمٌۭ :"''It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills''".

Abdullah Yusuf Ali Abdullah Yusuf Ali (; 14 April 1872 – 10 December 1953) was an Indian-British barrister who wrote a number of books about Islam, including an exegesis of the Qur'an. A supporter of the British war effort during World War I, Ali received the C ...

translation Based on this verse, Islamic scholars have described three ways in which

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

's revelation can reach His chosen individuals, especially

prophets In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the ...

.Muhammad Shafi Usmani, '' Maariful Quran'', see commentary on 42:51 *An inspired message – not a word but an idea – can enter the heart of the chosen individuals either in the state of consciousness or in dream. *The second mode, it is said, is the word heard by the person spoken to, as from behind a veil. *In the third mode, the revelation is sent from God through archangels like

Gabriel In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), Gabriel ( ) is an archangel with the power to announce God's will to mankind, as the messenger of God. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran. Many Chris ...

and is delivered to the prophets. It is the highest form of revelation, and

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

s believe the whole Quran was revealed in this mode.

References

External links

Quran 42

Clear Quran translation Mustafa Khattab is a Canadian–Egyptian Muslim scholar, imam, and university chaplain. He holds a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation. He is known for his translation of the Quran in "The Clear Quran" series. Career He ...

Q42:1
50+ translations, islamawakened.com

Shura Shura () is the term for collective decision-making in Islam. It can, for example, take the form of a council or a referendum. The Quran encourages Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with each other. Shura is mentioned as a praise ...

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