In the Holy Book, we read a Surah (chapter) called by the Exalted Allah Al Fajr (the Dawn), in which He said: "By the Break of Day, By the Nights twice five, By the Even and Odd {contrasted}, And by the Night when it passes away, Is there {not} in these an adjuration {or evidence} for those who understand? Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the Ad {people}, Of the {city of} Iram, with lofty pillars, The like of which were not produced in {all} the land? And with the Thamud {people}, who cut out {huge} rocks in the valley? And with Pharaoh, Lord of Stakes? {All} these transgressed beyond bounds in the lands. And heaped therein mischief {on mischief}. Therefore did your Lord Pour on them a scourge of diverse chastisements; For your Lord is {as a Guardian} on a watch tower. Now, as for man, when his Lord tries him, giving him honor and gifts, then says he, {puffed up}, My Lord has honored me. But when he tries him, restricting his subsisTence for him, then says he (in despair}, My Lord has humiliated me! Nay, nay! But you honor not the orphans! Nor do you encourage one another to feed the poor! And you devour Inheritance all with greed, And you love wealth with inordinate love! Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder, And your Lord comes, and His angels, rank upon rank, And Hell, that Day, is brought {face to face}, on that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance profit him? He will say: Ah! Would that I had sent forth {Good Deeds} for my {Future} Life! For, on that Day, His Chastisement will be such as none {else} can inflict, And His bonds will be such as none (other) can bind. To the righteous soul will be said: Oh {you} soul, in {complete} rest and satisfaction! Come back you to your Lord, well pleased and well pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among my Devotees! Yea, enter you My Heaven" (Al Fajr, 1-30).

It is one of the Meccan Suwar (plural of Surah) in which we notice that the Exalted Allah swears by an oath to draw the attention to the fact that this oath necessitates some meditation, that is, when He said: "Is there {not} in these an adjuration {or evidence} for those who understand?" In Arabic, Al 'Hijr' means 'mind'. Is there reflection in this oath for the people of reflection, and meditation for the people of meditation? And will this oath be understood?
Our Lord, Exalted He is, swears in His Blessed Book by the forenoon, by the afternoon, and in this Surah, He swears by the Dawn.
But what draws our attention in this Surah is that He calls us to meditate upon its meaning, when He said: "Is there {not} in these an adjuration {or evidence} for those who understand?" He, Exalted He is, invites us to use our intellect, and go deeper than the shallow meaning of the words.
When one reads this Surah from beginning to end with meditation, he finds that it makes the fact of belief steadfast in man, and plants trust in Allah in the heart of the believer. It makes one sure of Allah's promise, and that He, Exalted He is, will definitely make His will come true.
However severe the hardships are, the Exalted Allah will make His affairs predominant. This Surah was sent in Mecca when the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions were suffering a lot. They were living in a milieu where their enemies did a lot of harm to them and pressed them severely. They were not free to declare their identity, nor were they able to practice worship in a way consistent with their servitude to Allah only.
This Surah was revealed when the believers' tribulation was severe. Consequently, the beginning of the oath inspires hope. The believers were living in the darkness of the ordeal, so the Exalted Allah swears an oath for them to make them steadfast. The expressions used in this Surah remind the reader of time cycles. Moreover, when the Exalted Allah said: "Is there {not} in these an adjuration {or evidence} for those who understand?", He aims at making us learn a lesson.
In other words, the Exalted Allah wants to say to them that if they see the Dawn, they have to remember that after night, the light of the day will definitely follow to remove darkness. Consequently, when man learns a lesson from the apparent phenomena in the universe created by the Exalted Allah, he makes use of this lesson consistent with his task, with his calling to Allah and with his travelling to Allah. When the one who suffers mischief, trial and hardships hears the Exalted Allah's words: "By the Break of Day", he becomes hopeful at hearing about the Dawn that should, by necessity, be followed by daylight.
Hasn't the Exalted Allah said: "Is not the morning nigh?" (Hud, 81)? The Exalted Allah makes 'morning' the appointed time for salvation. Similarly, He makes 'morning' the time of safety for the believers.
The Exalted Allah said: "By the Break of Day". He swears by the Dawn, but the connotative meaning of this oath is that the Dawn of truth will rise however long the night of tribulation and hardship has been; however much the conspirators plan against the religion of Allah; however hard the people of dissipation, of dissoluteness and of oppressors besiege truth and its followers. One day, the Dawn will definitely remove the darkness of falsehood.
This is the wisdom learnt from the connotative meaning of the oath. The believer who undergoes tribulation in the night of the trial and feels pain in his heart would learn a lesson from this oath to plant confidence and certainty in his heart.
Then in between the Exalted Allah's oaths come: "By the Break of Day", and, "And by the Night when it passes away". There are two oaths: one by the Ten Nights, and another, by the even and the odd.
The "Dawn" and "the night when it 'Yasri' (passes away)" are opposites. In between, there is the Exalted Allah's statement: "By the Nights twice five, By the Even and Odd {contrasted}. The Arabs use the word "Yasri" (pass away) only to refer to walking in the darkness. This use of the word 'Yasri' is an astonishing marvel I aim at drawing attention to after I have searched for its interpretation in the books of exegesis.


Consequently, 'Yasri' means 'to walk in the night'. Most exegetes believe that the Exalted Allah's statement: "And by the Night when it passes away" means: 'The night in which it is walked', an expression different from the statement, 'the place walks'.
Arabic is an accurate language, and the Exalted Allah said: "And by the Night when it 'Yasri' (passes away), i.e., the night walks in the night. This is an equivocal expression to the meditative in which there is reference to the hard state the people of belief pass through.
Hasn't the Exalted Allah in another place referred to a similar meaning when He said: Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covers him a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness" (An Nur, 40)?
Hasn't the Exalted Allah depicts accumulation of darkness that overwhelms the earth, and all slaves as well as countries?
Thus, in this verse, the Exalted Allah depicts a night that walks in the night. It is a statement that refers to the intensity of tribulation, and the hardship people on this earth suffer from. Those who walk on this earth are like pieces of night, as informed by the Holy Qur'an, and their confused reality constitutes another night.
When the night walks in the night, it means there is accumulated darkness. In other words, man has been changed into night, and that the reality that surrounds him is also night. Thus, the night walks in the night, a reality which is the most intense ordeal that mind can imagine.
But the Exalted Allah swears by the Dawn and by the two opposites, the Dawn and the night when it passes away, and in between, He swears by other two oaths, namely, by the Ten Nights, and by 'the even' and 'the odd'. The 'odd' refers to the creatures. He said: "And all things We have created by pairs" (Ahdariyat, 49).
Thus, the even refers to the creatures, because the created is described as even, and he cannot get out of this description, but the odd refers to Allah Who is: there is no Allah but He. Consequently, in mentioning the created and the Creator, the Exalted Allah wants to draw our attention to the relationship that the created needs.
When the Exalted Allah mentions the even with the odd, He draws our attention to the creatures and their need for Allah, and to the fact that this creature needs Allah at the time of Dawn, and in the night when it passes away. When the even dispenses with the odd, he will fall into the darkness of the night when it passes away. But when the even appeals to the odd, he will necessarily witness, together with the coming generation, the Dawn.
Consequently, the 'even' and the 'odd' refer to the creatures and their Creator. No one is allowed to swear by the creatures but the Creator. The created can swear by the Creator, but the Creator can swear by whatever He likes.
Then the Exalted Allah mentioned the 'Ten Nights' in whose interpretation the exegetes differed. Some said that they are the last Ten days of Ramadan. Others said that they are the Ten days we are living in now, namely the first Ten days of Dhil Hijjah that precedes pilgrimage. Others said that they are the first Ten days in the year whose last day is the Day of 'Ashura'.
As we read this surah, we find that it indicates generalization more than specification, because the Exalted Allah does not talk about Ad only, about Thamud only, or about Pharaoh only. He rather presents common description for all the presented samples.
Consequently, the 'Ten Nights' are the Ten days of Dhil Hijjah, and the last Ten Nights of Ramadan, as well as the first Ten days of Muharram.
As the Ten mentioned Nights might be in three different occasions (so that man may appeal to Allah, ask His support, and be devoted to Him only), so does the Holy Qur'an present to us different samples in order that we move from specification into generalization referred to in the description: "{All} these transgressed beyond bounds in the lands".

At Tirmidhi related from the Prophet (PBUH), concerning these Ten days we are living in now, who said: "No good deeds done on other days are more loved by Allah to those done on these (first Ten days of Dhul Hijja)".
In the Hadith transmitted by Al Bukhari (MBUH) in his Sahih, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first Ten days of Dhul Hijja)." Some said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things".
Frankly speaking, the Prophet (PBUH) also talked about the other Ten Nights. But I wonder: Are these Ten days of Dhil Hijjah specific to the pilgrims only, or are they common to all people?
I say: Allah and His Messenger know best. The 'Ten Nights' might be specific to the pilgrim because in these Nights he lives a state of manifest sincerity and honesty in turning to Allah, while other than the pilgrim is occupied with worldly objects.
In these Ten Nights, the pilgrim has nothing to do but standing before the Ancient House, engrossed in the presence of the One, Exalted He is, and such a state cannot be attained by those who are occupied with the objects, those who say: "Our possessions and our households occupied us" (Al Fath, 11).
It seems as if there were insinuation in the mentioned Ahadith that these days are specific to the pilgrim, but the Exalted Allah bestows on the Ummah a privilege that is not given to the pilgrim, namely, fasting of Arafa Day, for the pilgrim is disliked to fast on this day, while it is a privilege to the one who is not destined to perform pilgrimage.
In the sound Hadith, transmitted by Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn Habban in his Sahih, from Abi Qutadah, from the Prophet (PBUH) who said concerning fasting the Day of Arafa: "I anticipate Allah's forgiveness for the year before and the year after it".
The pilgrim returns from pilgrimage as when he was born, i.e., his sins are forgiven. On the other hand, by the Exalted Allah's generosity, favor and bounty, the Ummah of our Master, Muhammad (PBUH) are distinguished by a great favor specific to the non-pilgrim, and is disliked to be done by the pilgrim, namely, fasting the day of Arafah. On the day of Arafah, the Prophet (PBUH) was presented a drink to see if he was fasting or not, and he drank it to teach the Ummah that it is better for the pilgrim to be occupied with what the Exalted Allah orders him to do, while the worship of fasting is left to the others who are not ordained by the Exalted Allah to perform pilgrimage in this year.
Let us return to the oath of the Exalted Allah when he swore by the Dawn, then followed it by the Ten Nights.
The story of the Ten Nights is repeated in the Holy Qur'an. The Exalted Allah said: "And when We did appoint for Moses thirty Nights {of solitude}, and added to them Ten" (Al A'raf, 142). It seems that however much man studies legal knowledge, and however much good action he performs, he still needs solitude; he needs a time of outlet, in which he would make his heart void of all worldly ties, and before it, he would have acted according to what the Exalted Allah orders him to do, but in these Ten Nights he cuts all worldly relationships and be devoted wholly to Allah.
How can our Islamic world live the 'Dawn' without the 'Ten Nights'?
How can our Islamic Ummah that lives in dispersion, division, discord, and with the enemy's hegemony over it,…how can it live the 'Dawn' without the 'Ten Nights'?
The reality of pilgrimage has even changed. In the past, the aspect of pilgrimage was that of unity and equality, but today, this aspect is about to vanish. Nowadays, pilgrimage has many types: two stars, five stars, seven stars. Palaces are erected beside Tents. Consequently, the unity of the Islamic Ummah and the scientific knowledgeable meeting that used to take place in the past have disappeared.

In the past, there was a leader for pilgrimage, but today, there is no leader, and even if he exists, he is mere outside aspect without real significance. He represents the present state of the Islamic Ummah, from east to west.
This Ummah needs the real meaning of the Ten Nights, not their number. This Ummah needs asking Allah's support. It needs devotion to Allah, and the feeling that the Exalted Allah is far better than any other object: "Allah is better and more lasting" (Taha, 73). Sorrowfully, we say this statement only by our tongues, but in practical application, we say something different. We rather say: 'This worldly life is better and more lasting'. 'Wealth is better and more lasting', 'Children are better and more lasting", "Spouses are better and more lasting'… .
We cannot say "Allah is better and more lasting" inwardly and outwardly unless we prove its veracity in practice and turn to Allah sincerely.
The token of these Ten Nights is complete devotion to Allah. Pharaoh, Ad, Thamud and the like cannot be defeated unless the reality of the Ten Nights exists in our Ummah. Only when this fact exists, we shall see:
"Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the Ad {people}, Of the {city of} Iram, with lofty pillars, The like of which were not produced in {all} the land? And with the Thamud {people}, who cut out {huge} rocks in the valley? And with Pharaoh, Lord of Stakes? {All} these transgressed beyond bounds in the lands. And heaped therein mischief {on mischief}. Therefore did your Lord Pour on them a scourge of diverse chastisements; For your Lord is {as a Guardian} on a watch tower".
The trial that man passes through is that he is occupied with the objects. When the Exalted Allah gives him transient favors, he becomes engrossed in them and gets away from his Lord: "Now, as for man, when his Lord tries him, giving him honor and gifts, then said he, {puffed up}, My Lord has honored me".
Consequently, he imagines that he is honored by this material favors he possesses: "But when he tries him, restricting his subsistence for him, then says he (in despair}, My Lord has humiliated me". Man imagines that when he loses worldly luxury, he is humiliated.
Thus, the Exalted Allah answers him saying, 'Oh believer, correct your equation', "Nay, nay! But you honor not the orphans". Your catastrophe is that mercy has vanished from your hearts, for if mercy existed in your hearts, you would have honored the orphans.
Nowadays, there is no care nor guardianship for the orphan in our Islamic Ummah. It is one of the inactivated laws. What is called Orphanage is only getting away from responsibility and it is a failure. It is only a pit of corruption.
If anyone wants to be acquainted with the reality our orphans live today, let him do social research to find that sodomy, deception, swindling, and cheating spread among them. He will find all types of abnormalities. The Exalted Allah wants the orphan to be raised in a family, but we are arrogant, proud of our personal affairs, and heedless of our servitude to Allah.
The woman refuses to raise a child other than her own child in her house, and the man refuses to allow a small child to be raised in his house unless he is his own, because both live the state of the 'ego'. Mercy has been extracted from our hearts, and after all, we still pride ourselves on Islam!!
What kind of Islam is this that we pride ourselves on, while we formally apply it? Such an Islam is not accepted by Allah?
Where is the support of the orphan?
Where are the families that accept taking care of the orphans?
There are thousands, and thousands of orphans in a city whose population is millions!!
I have frequently said: "Exchange these projects for other ones and support some poor families if you insist on casteism.


When the wealthy prides himself on his wealth and refuses to lodge an orphan in his house, then let the poor enter this house greedy for the rich man's wealth.
Be generous with the educated poor families, I do not say the poor uneducated ones. Do that to the poor educated families that have knowledge and politeness, but lack wealth. Do support such families so that they raise an orphan. Taking care of an orphan by a poor family will be the cause of making this family rich. In such a case, two matters will be realized: enriching the poor, and guardianship of an orphan who will find a mother and a father in this family.
The miserable state we witness today in orphanages and Old-Age Hospitals is the result of the materialistic Western culture that spits upon us, and we take this spitting and make it makeup, powder for our eyes, and perfume for our bodies, while it is the spit of the materialism that is remote from humanity, from morality, and from all sublimity.
We are valuable only when we adhere to our principles, to our human culture, to our morality, to our Islam and to our faith.
This is your reality, so how can 'Dawn' rise upon you?
You are unworthy of witnessing the 'Dawn'. You had better stay in the 'night that walks', you have to stay in the night that walks in the night. You do not honor the orphan, and there is no mercy in your hearts. You are arrogant, deceivers, and your Islam is mere sham,
"Nor do you encourage one another to feed the poor"!.
Nowadays, the materialistic world insolently announces that one fifth of the world population are hungry. A conference on hunger is held, and statistics decide that one fifth of the world population suffer from hunger.
This could not happen in the society of belief, in the society of mutual compassion, in the society of Islam.
"And you devour Inheritance all with greed, And you love wealth with inordinate love"!. Your goals have deviated from the right way because you are changed into worshippers of wealth.

This is your reality, and after that, you are waiting for the 'Dawn' to rise!!
"Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder". One day, all that you possess will be destroyed and will change into powder. Remember this fact so that you go back to your principles, to your morality, to your culture, and to your Lord… .
"And your Lord comes, and His angels, rank upon rank, And Hell, that Day, is brought {face to face}, on that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance profit him? He will say: Ah! Would that I had sent forth {Good Deeds} for my {Future} Life"!. Oh man, present good deeds in your present life before you say: "Ah! Would that I had sent forth {Good Deeds} for my {Future} Life"!.
"For, on that Day, His Chastisement will be such as none {else} can inflict, And His bonds will be such as none (other) can bind." Why does the Exalted Allah say that?
It is because today when we say to people: "Change", everyone would say: "Shall I make the change alone? The problem is not caused by me. It is caused by the others. It is caused by so and so. It is caused by Zaid, by Amrou… . The Exalted Allah said: "For, that Day, His Chastisement will be such as none {else} can inflict, And His bonds will be such as none (other) can bind". What is required is that you make the change.
Change yourself; change your behavior. What is required is change. Enough justification, and excusing yourself by laying the blame on the others.
Everyone will be called to account for what he has done. His justification will not be accepted when he excuses himself by laying the blame on the others. But those who have passed the trial successfully, with servitude to the Exalted Allah only, will be said to them: "Oh {you} soul, in {complete} rest and satisfaction! Come back you to your Lord", for you have turned to your Lord in your worldly life, so turn to your Lord in the Hereafter as you did in your worldly life.

"well pleased and well pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among my Devotees! Yea, enter you My Heaven". This is Surat Al Fajr which was revealed in Mecca, as is mentioned previously. It is an constructing Surah, for it was revealed before pilgrimage was decreed. Pilgrimage legislation was decreed in Medina.
Man should adhere to the specialty of the Ten Nights, and turn away from the general notion that the Surah presents, for it aims at radical changes. In fact, the Surah does not aim at temporary changes, for today we are the worshipper of Ramadan, the worshippers of Arafat, and the worshippers of place, time and persons. If we turn away from our goals, we live in a state of loss and preoccupation.
The passing preceding days during which the Islamic world witnessed youth preoccupation with football, and the concern of millions and milliards with this matter, are nothing but distracting the youth from the direction that our Lord, Exalted He is, wants them to turn to. It is a matter that has changed into debates and discords, and the one who wins in the football game becomes superior to the inventor, to the manufacturer, to the makers of civilization, to the conquests… It seems that the one who is able to make the ball get into the goal of his comrade would be as if he opened the countries of the world, spread the banner of the right, and set justice everywhere … .
It is a state that calls us to reconsider our attitude. Our identity is about to vanish. We have to correct our behavior according to the Islamic Shari'a.
We have to restore the light of our interior honestly; we have to turn to the Exalted Allah…
We have to balance between our material occupation and the turning of our hearts to Allah, and be interested in constructing our hearts with faith…
When we do that, 'Dawn' might rise upon us.
Oh Allah, guide us to You favorably, and make us from those who listen to wisdom and follow the best of it.
I say my words and ask Allah's forgiveness.