Sūrah Az-Zumar The Groups
الزمر
75 verses, Makkī (with some Madanī verses). Sincerity of worship for Allah alone the entire surah is a call to ikhlaṣ. The groups driven to Hell in groups and the groups led to Paradise in groups. The most consoling verse of the entire Qurʾān: "Do not despair of the mercy of Allah Allah forgives all sins."
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Ibn Kathīr
"Do not despair of the mercy of Allah" (39:53): "Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah forgives all sins. Indeed He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." Ibn Kathīr cites the narration that this is the most hopeful verse for the sinners of the ummah it was revealed in response to polytheists who had killed and committed zinā and asked if there was repentance for them.
The groups to Hell and Paradise (39:71–73): The disbelievers will be driven to Hell in groups until when they reach it, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say: "Did not messengers come to you from among yourselves?" They will say yes. Then the groups of the righteous are led to Paradise its gates opened, welcomed with peace. "This is your reward you used to work."
- Allah created you from one soul (39:6): Then He made from it its mate and He produced for you eight pairs of livestock. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers creation after creation in three layers of darkness. Ibn Kathīr: three layers the abdomen wall, the uterine wall, and the amniotic sac.
- The parable of the partners (39:29): Allah presents an example a man with many quarrelling owners, and a man belonging entirely to one are they equal? Ibn Kathīr: the polytheist serves multiple forces with conflicting demands; the Muslim serves only Allah clarity and peace vs. confusion and anxiety.
- Sleep as a minor death (39:42): "Allah takes the souls at the time of their death and those that have not died, during their sleep. He keeps those for whom He has decreed death and sends back the others for a specified term." Ibn Kathīr: sleep is the minor death some souls are kept, others returned. Morning is a gift of life renewed.
- Tawbah before death (39:54–55): "And return to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you then you will not be helped. And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive."
- The earth recreated (39:67–69): "They have not appraised Allah with His true appraisal the whole earth will be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him." Ibn Kathīr: the vastness of the universe folded like a piece of paper in the divine hand.