Sura Qaf

Qaf is the 50th sura of the Qur’an, deriving its title ‘Qaf’ from the 1st verse, which reads: ‘Qaf, by the Glorious Qur’an’. The sura belongs to the Meccan period and comprises 45 verses, 375 words, 1,474 letters, and 3 segments. It is the 34th sura in chronological order, revealed after Sura al-Mursalat. Many scholars consider this sura to mark the beginning of the separated chapters, known as ‘Mufassalat’. It begins by referring to the Holy Qur’an, addressing the rejectors of the Prophets (peace be upon them) and deniers of the Day of Resurrection and calling them to reflect upon the wonders of God Almighty’s creation. The sura proceeds to relate the accounts of the people of Prophet Nuh (Noah [peace be upon him]), the inhabitants of al-Rass, Thamud, ‘Ad, Pharaoh, the kinfolk of Lut (Lot [peace be upon him]), the residents of the Forest and the people of Tubba‘, all of whom rejected God Almighty’s Messengers (peace be upon them). The sura describes God Almighty’s power to create and resurrect after death, and differentiates the misled from the rightly guided by announcing that Hell awaits the evildoers and Paradise the virtuous. Finally, this sura contains the famous statement of the Islamic faith that ‘God is nearer to humans than their jugular vein.’