Sūrat al-Insān
Observations on the structure, organization, and coherence of Sūrat al-Insān
Sūrat al-Insān (The Human Being), also commonly known as Sūrat al-Dahr (Time), is a sūrah the Messenger ﷺ was known to recite during Fajr prayer on Fridays. The sūrah highlights mankind’s true position in this world and helps to guide him towards his ultimate choice; be grateful and choose guidance, or be ungrateful and choose misguidance.
When viewed in whole, this sūrah, believed to be Makkan, appears to be organized in a ring structure.
CONNECTIONS
[A]/[A’] - Allah ﷻ begins and ends the sūrah with reference to the humble beginnings of the human. Allah ﷻ reminds us that there was a time when we were non-existent, not even mentioned (madhkūrah). This is in contrast to that what we are commanded to mention (wadhkur), Allah ﷻ. And the best way to mention Him is through the Quran, described as a reminder (tadhkirā).
Allah ﷻ is the One who created us (khalaqnā) from a simple sperm-drop, and we are reminder that it is only through Him that we were created (khalaqnā) and given strength. We are weak without Him, and had He willed, He could replace us with another creation completely.
Allah ﷻ guides us to the Path (as-Sabīlā), from which we may choose to be grateful or ungrateful (kafūrā). Allah ﷻ explains in the second half that He sent us the Quran to guide us, and that we should be weary of following those who sin or are ungrateful (kafūrā). Ultimately, the choice is ours. Whoever wills may take a path (sabīlā) towards his Master.
Finally, Allah ﷻ ends the first section describing the punishment of the disbelievers. They have “chains and shackles and a blaze” prepared for them. Aptly, Allah ﷻ ends the sūrah saying that “He admits whom He wills into His mercy; but the wrongdoers – He has prepared for them a painful punishment.”
[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 is said of these drinks is that they will be a mixed beverage gushing forth from a spring. Later, Allah ﷻ details that the cups themselves are valuable and we also learn the name of the spring, “Salsabīl.” 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!
[C] - At the center lies the criteria that separates those described in Section A from those found in Section B. “They [are those who] fulfill [their] vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread. And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [Saying], ‘We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude. Indeed, We fear from our Lord a Day austere and distressful.’” It seems that 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.
CONNECTIONS
[B1]/[B1’] – Allah ﷻ says of the believers that He will “reward them (jazā-hum) because of what they patiently endured.” The ending similarly says that Paradise is “a reward (jazā’ā) for you, and your effort has been appreciated.”
[B2]/[B2’] – The rewards of Paradise are first described with the beautified clothing of the inhabitants, adorned couches, temperate climate, shade, and fruit trees lowered in compliance to the ones picking them. Similarly, Allah ﷻ describes Paradise in the latter section as pleasure and great dominion, the inhabitants in green garments of fine silk and brocade, adorned in bracelets of silver, and with purified drinks being served to them.
[B3]/[B3’] – The center speaks of beautiful, clear glasses made of silver being “circulated amongst (yuṭāfu ʿalay-him)” the denizens of Paradise. In the same vein, young, eternal servants as magnificent as pearls are said to “circulate amongst them (yuṭūfu ʿalay-him).”
Additionally, Sections [B] through [B’] can be shown to be broken down into a more detailed ring structure.1
It has also been proposed that Sūrat al-Insān can be organized in a slightly different ring structure to show parallels throughout.2
Broken down into its parallels, the sūrah looks as so:
The one parallel that may need further clarification is between [I3] and [I3’]. In [I3] the shade is said to be brought near (‘alay-hi) just as the Quran was revealed and brought near (‘alay-ka) to the Messenger ﷺ in [I3’]. Similarly, the fruits are humbled and brought down to the inhabitants of Paradise in [I3]. Likewise, in [I3’], the Messenger ﷺ is told to humble himself in prayer and to bow down in doing so.
Another proposed structure sees the sūrah as a short parallel.3
But breaking it down into its detailed components, we find a parallel between the first sections, and a ring structure between the latter sections.
Finally, when one studies Sūrat al-Insān, we see that there is an emphasis on freedom of choice, so it is interesting that most of the topics mentioned in this sūrah are in pairs, as if to emphasize the options we have while we are still alive.4
And Allah ﷻ knows best.
The following observations are from personal correspondence with Nouman Ali Khan.
The following observations are thanks to Ammar Ljevaković.
This structure is again thanks to Nouman Ali Khan.
I would like to again thank Ammar Ljevaković for sharing his observations.