The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5)

The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 423

General Remarks CHAPTER 81 AT-TAKWIR (Revealed before Hijrah) The Surah takes its title from the word (is folded up), occurring in the opening verse. It was revealed early at Mecca, very probably in the 6th year of the Call or even earlier. The preceding Surahs had dealt with the subject of Final Resurrection and with the great and marvellous revolution which was brought about by the Holy Prophet and which has been called "resurrection" in the Quran. This resurrection was to take place twice, first by the advent of the Holy Prophet himself and the revelation of the Quran, and second by his Second Coming in the person of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi to which a clear reference is made in 62:4. It is this second renaissance of Islam at the hands of the Promised Messiah, and the great changes which were to take place in his time in the world, which this Surah speaks of. The Surah opens with a description of those changes, and follows it up with a fleeting reference to the moral degeneration of Muslims at that time and to the causes thereof, and ends with striking a note of optimism and cheerfulness to the Muslims, holding out the promise that eventually the night of degradation of Muslims will give place to the dawn of success, because Islam, being God's last Message for the whole of mankind, has come to stay. 3319