Sūrah al-Insān
Observations on how Sūrah al-Insān is structured in the Quran
Sūrah al-Insān (The Human Being) is a sūrah the Messenger ﷺ was known to recite during Fajr prayer on Fridays. It’s a relatively short sūrah that appears to be organized in a ring structure (the corresponding āyah numbers are shown in parentheses) :
Connections
The Arabic has been omitted from the following breakdown for the sake of brevity. Please refer to the Quran for the original text of this sūrah. Remember to click on images to zoom in.
Section A/A’
Allah ﷻ begins and ends the sūrah with reference to the humble beginnings of the human. We were once nothing more than a sperm-drop which Allah ﷻ had to create and strengthen for us to exist. Allah ﷻ tells us that He is the source of guidance. The Quran is there for our benefit, so whoever wills may take the path towards Him. The section also deals with the arrogant disbeliever. At one point, he wasn’t even mentioned in this world, which is contrast to Allah ﷻ and His revelation which are mentioned by the believers for all time.
Section B/B’
Allah ﷻ depicts the rewards of Paradise with lengthy descriptions of the clothing, climate, accommodations and food that will be served to the believers. There is also a particular focus on the drinks that will be served throughout Paradise. At first, all that’s said of these drinks is that they will be a mixed beverage gushing forth from a spring. Later, Allah ﷻ informs us that the cups themselves are valuable and we’re now told that the spring is called “Salsabeel.” But the greatest information comes at the end when the believer learns that the One serving the drinks is none other than Allah ﷻ Himself!
Section C
At the center lies the criteria that separates those described in Section A from those found in Section B. A focus on service to others - with sincerity - is the key to success.
Interestingly, the largest sub-section, [B’], appears to be made of a ring composition as well:
واللّهُ أَعلَم - And Allah knows best
Sources
Personal research and reflections