Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 78
78 Chapter 36 Y a S i n B % ٓ & (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context All scholarly opinion is agreed on this point that the S u rah was revealed at Mecca. Its style and contents support this view. On account of the importance of its subject-matter, the Holy Prophet called it the heart of the Qur’ a n. In the preceding S u rah it was stated that God, being the Maker of the heavens and the earth, has made full provision not only for the physical needs of man but also for his moral and spiritual requirements. This He did by revealing Himself to His chosen servants whom He raised among every people. To the Holy Prophet whom the present S u rah designates as "The Perfect Leader" or "The Leader par excellence," God revealed Himself in His completest manifestation and gave him the most perfect and infallible Book in the form of the Qur’ a n. Subject-Matter The S u rah opens with addressing the Holy Prophet as "The Perfect Leader," meaning that the system of Divine Messengers which began with Adam found its most perfect example in him. The Holy Prophet’s path is now the only right and straight path that leads to God. All other paths that formerly led to the Supreme Being have now been closed and shall remain closed till the end of time. God will now reveal Himself to the world through the Holy Prophet’s followers. In His infallible wisdom He has chosen the Arabs, among whom no Messenger had come for centuries, to preach to humanity the last Divine Message. The land of Arabia was dreary and dry. The water of Divine revelation descended upon it and it has now begun to blossom into a new and vigorous spiritual life. The S u rah then proceeds to tell in metaphorical language how God had been revealing Himself to mankind through His Messengers. It tells of Moses and Jesus and of the Holy Prophet, who were raised in the fulness of time to call men to God. Then it tells of a "certain man" whom God will raise from among the followers of the Holy Prophet in a land far away from the centre of Islam (36:21) in the Latter Days, when religion would be at its lowest ebb and the very idea of Divine revelation would be doubted and denied. This Divine Reformer will call mankind to Islam. But like the Prophets of yore, his will be a voice in the wilderness. The forces of evil will hold the whole world in their firm grip. Man will worship false gods and Divine punishment will descend upon the world. Next, the S u rah invites attention to a well-known law of nature, viz. that when all the earth becomes dry and parched, God sends down rain and the dead soil begins to vibrate with a new life; and herbage, vegetables and flowers and fruits of various kinds and colours grow up.