Surah Fajr: Learnings & rewards

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 ungrateful and a promise to the righteous on the Day of Reckoning. Abdullah Yusuf Ali in his introduction to the surah says: “ Its mystic meaning is suggested by contrasts—Contrasts in nature and in man’s long history”. He further writes, “ Man is easily coveted by contrasts in his own fortunes, and yet he does not learn the lesson of forbearance and kindness to others, and the final elevation of goodness in the Hereafter “.The initial verses point towards four striking contrasts. The first and foremost is the glorious mystery of the ‘ Day Break’ — how the darkness of night is outstripped by the light of the