IN the very single digit year of my life my beloved father planted a seed in my mind, unbeknownst to me, that he was hopeful will germinate. This was achieved not by compulsions of parental instructions but more by observation of his daily habit of Recitation of the Holy Quran in the wee hours of the morning. I learnt from his routine that the way to begin the day is to recite the Holy Quran. He asked me or merely indicated, I cannot recall, to recite every single day, Surah Fajr (Day-Break). This surah is a compendium of ‘ Guidance’ that invites by illustration the human attitude towards wealth and trails, it narrates the end of those who were arrogant and also offers assurance of Divine Justice.

This Surah (chapter- 89) is one of the earliest revelations; considered by many as being within the first ten surahs, in chronological order. The Surah was meant to be a warning for the Quraysh of Mecca, who like other belligerent nations/tribes/civilizations in rejection of the ‘ Eternal and Final Message ‘ was persecuting our Beloved Prophet (PBUH) and his (PBUH) then a small band of Companions. Surah Fajr comprises five interrelated themes: a Divine Oath and call to reflection (1–5); the fate of arrogant nations (6–14); the test of wealth and poverty (15–20); the reality of the Hereafter (21–26); and the tranquil soul (27–30). It is both a warning to the........

© Pakistan Observer