Surah Al-Kafirun

And it is called Al-Ikhlas and Al-Muqashqasha.

Its purpose is to affirm the purpose of Al-Kawthar with the evidential proof of its complete knowledge and comprehensive power, for He is the One who is unique in His oneness. Therefore, no one can oppose Him. And when it was revealed, he recited it ﷺ [to them -] in the mosque, all of them. This is the intended meaning of all its names. As for Al-Kafirun, it is from two perspectives: one looking at affirmation and the other looking at denial. The affirmative aspect is that it indicates reflection on the entirety of the Surah by applying some to the whole. As for the denying aspect, it is from the standpoint that they only disbelieved by denying what is its purpose, either explicitly, like oneness and the completeness of power, or implicitly, which is the generality, for it necessitates that whoever has a deficiency in power has a deficiency in it. As for Al-Ikhlas, it is because whoever believes that is [a believer -] sincere and free from all polytheism and all disbelief. And as for Al-Muqashqasha, it is because it has cleared away all hypocrisy and disbelief, from their saying: 'Tadaqashqashat Quruhuhu' - when it is peeled away for healing. And in my view, it is from the gathering taken from the peeling, which is the seeking of food from here and there, for it has gathered (all) the roots of the religion, affirming them in the most complete manner. Thus, it follows that it has gathered all types of disbelief and has removed and denied them. And the completeness of the direction of that has been previously mentioned in Al-Bara'a. Therefore, their matter revolves around Al-Ikhlas. And it is known that whoever is sincere for Allah is truly from the people of His guardianship. Thus, it is rightful for him what the guardian does with his ward. And for this reason - and Allah knows best - it is established to recite it along with 'Say, He is Allah, One' [Al-Ikhlas: 1] in the two units of the Fajr prayer, so that the doer of that may be free from polytheism and characterized by oneness at the beginning of the day, the fruit of what has been reported that whoever prays the morning prayer is in the protection of Allah. And whoever is like that is worthy of attaining what the two Surahs, which are between the Surah of Al-Ikhlas, have indicated regarding the opening for him, victory, disappointment for his enemy, loss, and regret: 'In the name of Allah,' encompassing in knowledge and power, for He is the One whom no one can estimate His worth. 'The Most Gracious,' who has encompassed with the mercy of the statement those who are obliged to thank Him. 'The Most Merciful,' who has specifically favored the people of His affection, so they adhered to His prohibitions and commands.

For what he informed him about in Al-Kawthar, that the root of enmity towards him is nonexistence, it is necessary that he turn away from it and fully accept from the One who has bestowed upon him that. So he said, informing him of what he should say and do: ﴿Say﴾. And when his adversary is the most rooted of creation in misguidance and distance from good, he called out to him with a tool of distance, even though he is present, expressing with the description of the one who is firmly established: ﴿O disbelievers﴾, meaning those who have judged by their steadfastness in disbelief. There is no escape for them from it, for they have concealed what their minds indicate of the true belief if they were to strip it of the filth of desire. They are specific disbelievers, and they are those who have judged by their death upon disbelief, in accordance with what aligns with reality, and by what is indicated by the expression with the description rather than the action. The 'lam' encompasses everyone who is in this description at every place and every time. He expressed it in the plural, which is originally for the few but can be borrowed for the many, indicating the good news of the few who are imprinted upon their hearts from the Arabs addressed by this during his life, blessings and peace be upon him. It also indicates the insignificance of the disbeliever and his humiliation, even if he is many - as he indicates by making each word of it with a letter from Al-Kawthar, as will come. In calling them by this description, which they despise in their land and place of honor and their zeal, it is a sign that he is protected from them, a sign among the signs of prophethood.

And [Imam] Abu Ja'far ibn al-Zubayr said: When the mention of the two groups concluded, their mention in the Noble Book from its beginning to its end, according to the differing conditions of each group and their various ranks, and I mean by the two groups those referred to in His saying, glorified and exalted is He: ﴿Guide us to the Straight Path﴾ [Al-Fatiha: 6] ﴿The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor﴾ [Al-Fatiha: 7] This is the path of one of the two groups. In His saying: ﴿Not the path of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray﴾ [Al-Fatiha: 7] is an indication of the path of those who are on the other side of the condition of those groups, as there is only the path of safety or the path of destruction ﴿A group [of them] in Paradise and a group [of them] in the Blaze﴾ [Ash-Shura: 7] ﴿So among you is a disbeliever and among you is a believer﴾ [At-Taghabun: 2]. And those who walk the path of safety, their highest ranks are the stations of the messengers and the prophets, blessings and peace be upon them. Then follows them their followers from the righteous servants and their scholars who act, and their worshippers and the people of distinction among them, and those who are close in the states of those who are devoted among them. Their ranks are different, even if they are gathered by a commonality, which is His saying: ﴿A group [of them] in Paradise﴾ [Ash-Shura: 7]. As for the people who turn away from this path, and they are the doomed, they are also on levels. All of them are included in one path. However, as the paths diverge, they return to what was mentioned of the two paths. By the differing ways of all, you have recognized which book and detailed it, all of it being a detailed mention that leaves no doubt for whoever is guided. When all of that concluded regarding what pertains to it, and the verses began to elaborate from His saying after the Mother of the Quran ﴿A guidance for the righteous﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 2] to His saying: ﴿Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off﴾ [Al-Kawthar: 3], He followed that with details and records, and He said, exalted is He: ﴿Say, O disbelievers﴾. He clarified, glorified is He, that whoever is decreed upon with disbelief and death upon him, there is no way for him to exit from that, nor will faith ever occur from him.

And if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered upon them everything face to face, they would not have believed except that Allah wills. And if they were to be after the torment of the Hereafter and witnessing the torment and resurrection, and the greatness of those horrors, and their asking to return to the world, and their saying: 'Our Lord, send us back so that we may do righteous deeds other than what we used to do,' then if they were answered to this and returned, they would return to their original state. And if they were returned, they would return to what they were prohibited from. This is in confirmation of the word of Allah and the enforcement of His previous decree. 'So is he upon whom the word of punishment has come true, is it you who can save one in the Fire?' And He said to them: 'I do not worship what you worship,' and 'Nor are you worshippers of what I worship,' to the end of it. Thus the matter of the two groups became clear, and the confusion was lifted, and each continued on his path. 'So let not your soul be in anguish for them,' and 'Upon you is only the message.' So reflect on the position of this Surah and that it is the conclusion of what was intended in the Book; it becomes clear to you the reason for its delay - and Allah knows best - it has ended.