








By: Syed Abul A'la Mawdudi
Fathihah Baqara Al-i-Imran Nisaa Maida Al-An'am Araaf Al-Anfal Tauba Yunus Huud Yusuf Ra'd Ibrahim Hijr Nahl Bani Israel Al-Kahf Maryam Ta-ha Anbiyaa Hajj Mumineen Noor Al-Furqaan Al-Shuaraa Al-Naml Al-Qasas Al-Ankabut Ar-Rum Lukmaan As-Sajdah Al-Ahzab Sabaa Faatir Yaasin Saaffat Saad Zumar Mumin Ha-Mim Shura Zukhruuf Dukhaan Jaathiya Ahqaaf Muhammed Al-Fat-h Al-Hujurat Qaaf Zaariyaat At-Tur An-Najm Al-Qamar Ar-Rahman Al-Waqi'ah Al-Hadid Al-Mujadilah Al-Hashr Al-Mumtahana: As-Saff Al-Jamu'a Al-Munafiqun Tagabun At-Talaq At-Tahrim Al-Mulk Al-Qalam Al-Haqqa Al-Ma'arij Nuh Al-Jinn Al-Muzammil Al-Muddaththir Al-Qiyamat Al-Dahr Al-Mursalat An-Nabaa An-Nazi'at Abasa At-Takwir Al-Infitaar Al-Mutaffifin Al-Inshiqaq Al-Buruj At-Tariq Al-A'la Al-Gashiya Al-Fajr Al-Balad Al-Shams Al-Lail Adh-Dhuha Al-Sharh At-Tin Al-Alaq Qadr Al-Baiyina Al-Zalzalah Al-Adiyat Al-Qari'ya At-Takathur Al-Asr Al-Humaza Al-Fil Quraish Al-Ma'un Al-Kauthar Al-Kafirun An-Nasr Al-Lahab Al-Ikhlas Al-Falaq An-Nas

Islambasics Library: Chapter Introductions to the Qur'an

34. Sabaa

Name

The Sura takes its name from verse 15 in which the word Saba has occurred which implies that it is the Sura in which mention has been made of Saba (i. e. the Sabaeans).

Period of Revelation

The exact period of its revelation is not known from any reliable tradition. However the style shows that it is either the middle or the early Makkan period. If it is the middle period it was probably its initial stage when the persecution had not yet become tyrannical and the Islamic movement was being suppressed only by resort to derision and ridicule rumour mongering false allegations and casting of evil suggestions in the people's minds.

Theme and Subject Matter

The SJrah deals with those objections of the disbelievers which they were raising against the Holy Prophet's message of Tauhid and the Hereafter and about his Prophethood itself mostly in the form of absurd allegations and taunts and mockery. These objections have been answered sometimes by citing them and sometimes without citing them and the discourse itself shows which objection is being answered at a particular place. The answers mostly take the form of instruction and admonition and argument but at some places the disbelievers have been warned also of the evil consequences of their stubborness. In this connection the stories of the Sabaeans and the Prophets David and Solomon have been related to impress this lesson: "You have both these historical precedents before you. On the one hand there were the Prophets David and Solomon who had been blessed by Allah with great powers and such grandeur and glory as had been granted to hardly any people before them. In spite of this they were not proud and arrogant but remained grateful servants of their Lord. They were never rebellious. On the other hand there were the people of Saba who when blessed by Allah became proud and were consequently so thoroughly destroyed and dispersed as to be remembered only in myths and legends. With these precedents in view you may see and judge for yourselves as to which bind of the life is better: that which is built on belief in Tauhid and the Hereafter and the attitude of gratefulness to Allah or that which is based on disbelief and shirk and denial of the Hereafter and the worship of the world."