Surah Al-Quraysh is one of the shortest chapters of Islam. It is but a short extract, and yet it holds a great deal of wisdom on the providence of God, thankfulness, and human duty. As the 106th chapter of the Quran, it has only 4 verses that revolutionized the whole Arabian society. It makes them remember all the blessings Allah has poured on their community. The surah shows how they were helped by the divine protection, which influenced their prosperity, safety, and spiritual fate.
Who Were the Quraysh?
The Quraysh is a strong tribe in Mecca. They are called so because of the word qarsh, translated to shark, since they are very strong and superior. They had a hold over trade routes, and they made money by shrewd business transactions. The combination of these factors made Mecca more powerful, since this city was the center of trade routes, and the Kaaba existed.
Universal Applications
Contemporary Ethics of Business
The Quraysh model is one that contemporary entrepreneurs can learn a lot from. There is more to aggressive competition in achieving business success. Executing interaction through the trust-based cooperation and maintenance of relations, the mutual gain seeking, in many cases, is a much longer-term and sustainable solution when compared to the selfish one.
The Quraysh won because they developed a win-win situation with their neighbors. Their trading partners enjoyed the fruits of goods, services, as well as economic opportunities. This brings together initiatives gavegiven rise to sustainable prosperity for all resorting to it.
Gratitude Practices
The recognition of blessings that people take lightly is stressed in the surah. Food security, physical safety, and economic opportunity are exceptional privileges denied to most of humanity in previous history.
Constant contemplation on these benefits encourages modesty, empathy, and kindness. The presence of divine providence should be an incentive to give charity, perform social work, and defend the rights of those in need not have the same opportunities.
Community Development
Thriving societies exist where material cultures are equal to spiritual growth. The Quraysh had all the good things the world had to offer, but they had to use them correctly with the help of a spiritual guide. The challenges of modern societies concerning the allocation of wealth, the concern of the stewardship of the environment, as well as the social cohesion are similar.
Verse-by-Verse Analysis
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem
شروع کرتا ہوں اللہ تعالیٰ کے نام سے جو بڑا مہربان نہایت رحم واﻻ ہے
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Arabic
لِإِيلَٰفِ قُرَيۡشٍ
Transliteration
Li-eelaafi quraish
English & Urdu Translation
For the accustomed security of the Quraysh –
قریش کو رغبت دلانے کے سبب سے،
Arabic
إِۦلَٰفِهِمۡ رِحۡلَةَ ٱلشِّتَآءِ وَٱلصَّيۡفِ
Transliteration
Eelaafihim rihlatash shitaaa’i wassaif
English & Urdu Translation
Their accustomed security [in] the caravan of winter and summer –
انہیں سردیوں اور گرمیوں کے (تجارتی) سفر سے مانوس کر دیا،
Arabic
فَلۡيَعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّ هَٰذَا ٱلۡبَيۡتِ
Transliteration
Faly’abudoo rabba haazal-bait
English & Urdu Translation
Let them worship the Lord of this House,
پس انہیں چاہئے کہ اس گھر (خانہ کعبہ) کے رب کی عبادت کریں (تاکہ اس کی شکر گزاری ہو)،
Arabic
ٱلَّذِيٓ أَطۡعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٖ وَءَامَنَهُم مِّنۡ خَوۡفِ
Transliteration
Allazeee at’amahum min joo’inw-wa-aamanahum min khawf
English & Urdu Translation
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.
جس نے انہیں بھوک (یعنی فقر و فاقہ کے حالات) میں کھانا دیا (یعنی رِزق فراہم کیا) اور (دشمنوں کے) خوف سے امن بخشا (یعaنی محفوظ و مامون زندگی سے نوازا)،
What Does the Surah Teach?
Allah’s Protection
Quraysh was granted safety and security by Allah. This security enabled them to transport and trade without any fear. It is also related to the account in Surah Al-Fil in which Allah had spared the Kaaba from the army of Abraha.
Prosperous Trade Trips,
The Quraysh held two manufacturing journeys yearly- one in the winter to Yemen, and one in the summer to Syria. The expeditions signified riches and prosperity. Allah reminds them that this was a blessing of Allah.
Exercise Allah Worship
Allah summons the people of Quraysh to worship him who is the lord of the Kaaba. He reminds them that all their good, especially blessings, come through him, and they ought to express gratitude by worship.
Food and safety
Allah gave the Quraysh food in a desolate desert, and it preserved them against evil. These are the basic needs that most people do not have, but Allah blessed Quraysh with a lot of them.
Lessons for the Present-day
- Gratitude: Appreciate what you have, such as food, safety, and opportunities.
- Responsibility: Duty, utilise your privileges to serve others, and remain modest.
- Harmony: Being wealthy is not the only measure of success; spiritual connection and doing good are paramount.
According to Surah Al-Quraysh, blessings come with responsibilities. It teaches us gratitude, the praise of Alla, and to use our gifts well. These universal teachings do not differ now in relevance to the Quraysh of long ago.
