Surah 108
(Abundance)
(Makkan Period)
Title
Al-kawthar (abundance), a word in the opening verse came to be known as the Surah's title.
Period of Revelation
On the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbās, 'Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and 'A'ishah, Ibn Marduwayh asserts that this is a Makkan Surah. The same is affirmed by Muqatil and Kalbī, as also the consensus of Qur'ānic scholars. However, Hasan Basri, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah and Qatadah regard it as Madīnan. In his al- Itqan, Imām Suyuți endorses this view. In his Sharh Muslim, Imām Nawawi upholds the same position. Their stance stems from Anas ibn Malik's report cited by Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Nasa'i, Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Marduwayh, Bayhaqi and some other Hadith scholars. The report is as follows: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) was sitting in our midst when he felt drowsy. Smilingly, he then raised his head. On being asked as to why he was smiling, he himself explained: 'Just now a Surah has been sent down to me'. Then, after reciting basmalah, he read out Surah al-Kawthar. He then asked us the meaning of al-Kawthar. When we requested him to elucidate, as Allah and His Messenger know best, he said: 'It is a fountain in Paradise, granted to me by my Lord."" Since Anas is Madīnan, his report is adduced as proof of this being a Madīnan Surah.
However, the same Anas reports that al-Kawthar, a fountain in Paradise, had been shown to the Prophet (peace be upon him) during his Night Journey, which happened in Makkah, much before the Prophet's migration to Madīnah. This report from Anas is cited by Imam Ahmad, Bukhārī, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir. Moreover, as the divine bounty of al-Kawthar had been conveyed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) during his Night Journey, the same could not be informed through a Surah revealed in Madinah. Furthermore, had the Prophet (peace be upon him) conveyed the news about Surah al-Kawthar's revelation to a group of Companions, how could such well-informed Companions as 'A'ishah, Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn al-Zubayr speak of it as Makkan, and how could so many Qur'ānic scholars subscribe to their view?
On a little reflection, there appears to be a gap in Anas's above report whereby it does not specify the context in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed those present about the revelation of Surah al-Kawthar. It is likely that at the time it was revealed to him that the point under discussion be elucidated in the light of this Surah and at that point he stated how this Surah had been revealed to him. Such incidents recur in Sirah, which have led some Qur'ānic scholars to conclude that some verses were sent down to the Prophet (peace be upon him) twice. What this means is that Allah drew the Prophet's attention to an already revealed verse at a later date. In such instances, then, it is difficult to fix the exact date or period of its revelation.
Leaving aside Anas's report to the contrary, the contents of this Surah amply bear out its Makkan credentials. It must, then, have been sent down in Makkah when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was undergoing a very difficult time.
Circumstantial Setting
In the early phase of his mission, the Prophet (peace be upon him) encountered many hardships, a point reinforced by Surahs al-Duḥā and Alam Nashraḥ. The entire Makkan community was pitted against him, placing all sorts of obstacles in his way. He was vehemently opposed and he and his Companions could not even remotely think of any breakthrough, let alone success. Against that backdrop, Allah sent down to him several verses to boost his morale and console and comfort him:
Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by. Verily your Lord will soon give you so amply that you will be well-pleased. (al-Duḥā 93: 4-5)
And did We not exalt your fame? Indeed there is ease with hardship. Most certainly, there is ease with hardship. (Alam Nashrah 94: 4-6)
It was during this same period that Allah revealed this Surah to him in order to comfort him. Whilst the Quraysh considered the Prophet (peace be upon him) isolated and helpless, the destruction of his enemies is nonetheless predicted here. 'Ikrimah reports that as the Prophet (peace be upon him) invited the Quraysh to Islam, they taunted him as a loner, cut off from his roots. They thought he would soon be lost to oblivion. Muhammad ibn Ishaq relates that whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) was mentioned in the presence of the Makkan chief, 'Aṣ ibn Wa'il Sahmi, he remarked: "Forget about him. He is alone, cut off from the roots. He does not have a son. Once he dies, there will be no one even to carry his name on." According to Shimr ibn 'Atiyyah, another chief, 'Uqabah ibn Abi Mu'ayt, used to pass similar derogatory comments against the Prophet (peace be upon him) (Ibn Jarīr). Ibn 'Abbās narrates this report: "Once when Ka'b ibn Ashraf, the Jewish chief of Madinah, visited Makkah, the Quraysh chiefs told him: 'Look at this lad who is cut off from his community yet he considers himself superior to us, although we arrange for pilgrimage and provide water to pilgrims,"" (Bazzār). 'Ikrimah adds that the Quraysh had used the following words about the Prophet (peace be upon him) on that occasion: "A weak, lone person, without issue, who is cut off from his community," (Ibn Jarir). Ibn Sa'd and Ibn 'Asäkir quote Ibn 'Abbas's following version: "Qasim was the Prophet's eldest son; followed by Zaynab, 'Abd Allah and three daughters - Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and Ruqayyah. Of them, Qāsim died first and then 'Abd Allah. Upon this 'As ibn Wä'il remarked: "His root is cut off from the roots." Some reports contain these additional remarks by 'As: "Muhammad is cut off from the roots. He does not have a son to succeed him. When he dies, his name will vanish and you will get rid of him." Ibn 'Abbas's report, cited by 'Abd ibn Humayd, indicates that Abū Jahl had made similar remarks on the death of the Prophet's son, 'Abd Allah. Shimr ibn 'Atiyyah reports, as is quoted by Ibn Abi Ḥātim, that 'Uqabah ibn Abi Mu'ayt passed similar demeaning and callous comments on the Prophet's bereavement. 'Ata' informs us that when the Prophet's other son 'Abd Allāh died, Abū Lahab, the Prophet's uncle and next door neighbour, rushed to the Quraysh, giving them the 'good news' that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had lost his male heir and was now a person cut off from the roots."
It was against such adverse conditions that this Surah was sent down. The Quraysh opposed him for his call to worship the One True God and for his denunciation of their polytheism. He also lost the esteem in which he was held in his pre-Prophetic days and faced social boycott. His Companions were too weak, subject to torture and persecution. His troubles were compounded by the death of his two sons, one after the other. His own kith, kin and tribesmen, far from sharing his sorrow, celebrated his loss. They hurled such offensive taunts at him as are reserved for one's worst enemy. They behaved thus towards him while he had been so kind and affectionate towards them.
Allah, therefore, blesses him with the greatest glad tiding imaginable to man: "(O Prophet), We have surely bestowed upon you good in abundance," (Verse 1). He is also promised that his enemies will be cut off from their roots.