Name and Background
This Soorah was uniquely identified by the word Al-Kowthar from its first verse.
As indicated by the previous two Soorahs, the status and prosperity that the Makkans
enjoyed was due to the Holy Ka‘bah. However, they were not fulfilling the purposes
for which the Holy Ka‘bah was built: they had abandoned Towĥeed, failing to properly
and exclusively submit to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala in worship; and, they had
also abandoned helping the poor and needy, becoming so greedy and miserly that they
would not even do small favours for their neighbours.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala sent the Prophet ŝall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to
bring them back to Islam and to reform their behaviour so that the purpose of building
the Holy Ka‘bah was fulfilled, which, of course, was also the purpose of human creation.
Instead of responding to his call, they opposed him. They would breach all limits
in their opposition to him. They would call him names, taunt him when he would face
a tragedy and slander him viciously. When his sons died one after the other, they
taunted him that he was now “cut off” -- that is, without any descendants or any
roots and that no one would even mention his name after he died. They also thought
that since he only had a few followers, he would fail completely, and no one would
ever talk about him in the future. Knowing that the Quraish’s respect and influence
among Arabs was due to the Holy Ka‘bah, they thought that because the Prophet’s
Islamic mission had cut him off from them, he was essentially cut off from the Holy
Ka‘bah, thereby losing all respect and honour in Arabia. In short, they regarded
him as a person completely cut off: cut off from the Holy Ka‘bah, cut-off from his
kith and kin, cut-off because he had no hope to succeed and cut-off because he did
not have any son to succeed him,talk about him or carry his name. This was how they
talked about him in public and it was how they taunted him.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala revealed this Soorah to respond to their taunts and
to console the Prophet ŝall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam with the prediction of his
success and the utter failure of his opponents. He was told that he had been given
goodness in abundance. It was his tormentors who would be cut off in all the senses
that they were taunting him about. And history is a witness of the truth of this
prediction. The mission of the Prophet ŝall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam grew and succeeded
completely, he conquered his enemies, won the hearts of all Arabs, restored the
Holy Ka‘bah to its original purpose and glory, and billions of people continue to
love him and respect him throughout the world. The Prophet ŝall Allaahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam’s opponents lost in every way and there is no one in the world who would
even associate with them in any respect. They are indeed those who have been completely
cut-off.
Al-Kowthar is a superlative expression to denote utmost abundance and plenty. The
Soorah does not specify exactly what that abundance and plenty is. Thus as a general
term it covers all goodness that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala has bestowed on the
Prophet ŝall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in plentiful abundance including the following:
The Deen of Islam, which is the source of all virtues and blessings and the only
way to establish justice and peace and to promote human excellence for the benefit
of all mankind.
The Qur-aan, which is the living miracle whose wonders keep on revealing themselves
to people of knowledge of all times and ages.
The Holy Ka‘bah, which has been a source of limitless blessings and peace since
the day it was constructed by Ibraaheem and Ismaa‘eel ‘alayhissmusalaam.
The respect and love that billions of Muslims have had for him since his advent
and more and more of them will continue to have until the end of the world.
The success of his mission, which he was able to witness in his life, including
the people of unparalleled excellence that his mission produced and the goodness
and blessings they brought to the whole world.
The Pond of Al-Kowthar, the huge pond he will own and make it available to his followers
to satisfy their thirst on the Day of Judgment when people will feel extreme thirst
but will find nothing else that will quench it. Those who will drink from the Al-Kowthar
pond will never feel thirst again.
The river Al-Kowthar, which will be flowing in Jannah (the Garden) for the Prophet
and terminating in the above-mentioned Pond.
The “water” of the river and the pond will be beyond one’s imagination, which is
described as better than milk, ice and honey in appearance, sweetness, coolness
and fragrance. Their bed will be of precious stones, not dirt which can affect its
purity and quality.
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