![Structural Cohesion In The Quran [A Series]: Surah Abasa](https://islamicneekah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/swt.png)
Structural Cohesion In The Quran [A Series]: Surah Abasa
This is a continuation of a series on the structure and organization of the Quran. The goal is to help the reader appreciate the amazing coherence of Allah’s 
word and dismantle the myth of the “random” and “unorganized” Quran.
سُورَة عَبَسَ
Sūrat ʿAbasā
Sūrat Abasa (He Frowned) is probably best known for the opening account which admonishes the Messenger ﷺ for giving his attention to the elite of Quraysh – whom he hoped to guide to Islam – and for “frowning and turning away” from a blind Muslim who came seeking religious counsel.1 The story surrounding its revelation indicates that this was a very early Makkan sūrah.
When the contents of this relatively short sūrah are analyzed, they appear to form a mirror structure as shown below.
| A – The Prophet frowned and turned away (1) Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting]. (2) But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified (3) Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? (4) As for he who thinks himself without need, (5) To him you give attention. (6) And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. (7) But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] (8) While he fears [Allah], (9) From him you are distracted. (10) |
| B – No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder; (11) So whoever wills may remember it. (12) [It is recorded] in honored sheets, (13) Exalted and purified, (14) [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels, (15) Noble and dutiful. (16) |
| C – Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he. (17) From what substance did He create him? (18) From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; (19) Then He eased the way for him; (20) Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him. (21) Then when He wills, He will resurrect him. (22) No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him. (23) |
| C’ – Then let mankind look at his food – (24) How We poured down water in torrents, (25) Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], (26) And caused to grow within it grain (27) And grapes and herbage (28) And olive and palm trees (29) And gardens of dense shrubbery (30) And fruit and grass – (31) [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock. (32) |
| B’ – But when there comes the Deafening Blast (33) On the Day a man will flee from his brother (34) And his mother and his father (35) And his wife and his children, (36) For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him. (37) |
| A’ – [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright – (38) Laughing, rejoicing at good news. (39) And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust. (40) Blackness will cover them. (41) Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones. (42) |
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Or summarized more simply:
| A – Two categories of people (1-10) |
| B – Time for our Records (11-16) |
| C – Journey of the human being (17-23) |
| C’ – Journey of our sustenance (24-32) |
| B’ – Time for our accounting (33-37) |
| A’ – Two categories of people (38-42) |
Connections
[A]/[A’] – The sūrah begins and ends by describing two categories of people. In [A], Allah ﷻ mentions one group looking to be “purified”, and He mentions another group who will “not be purified,” seeing as they perceive themselves to be “free of need.” The ending of the sūrah mentions presumably these same two groups, but on the Day of Judgment. Those who followed the Messenger ﷺ and purified themselves will be “rejoicing at good news.” The other group, the disbelievers, will be covered in doom and gloom as a consequence of their choices.
Another parallel is in the attention to facial expressions. The sūrah begins by mentioning the frown of the Messenger ﷺ and the blindness of the companion can be argued to be included in this as blindness is typically apparent by looking at someone’s face. The ending mentions faces that are “bright” and “laughing” and others that have “dust upon them” and “darkness covering them.”
[B]/[B’] – The sūrah then transitions to speaking of how our deeds are recorded in this life. There is consideration given to both the record of our deeds, as well as the ones who record those deeds. The corresponding section describes the chaos on the Day we will be made to stand for accounting. Everyone will be “preoccupied” with thoughts of what is to come. The pairing of these sections may suggest that we should preoccupy ourselves with our recording of deeds in this life to avoid being as preoccupied with our accounting in the next life.
[C]/[C’] – The center of the sūrah is arguably the most noteworthy as it contains within it a section which some orientalists, Montgomery Watt for example, claim has no place in the structure or cohesion of the sūrah. They would argue that Section [C’], The Journey of Our Sustenance, is an erroneous insertion by “the compilers of the Quran” (i.e., not Allah ﷻ). But, when one reflects on its placement in the sūrah, one will find an amazing parallel to the subject matter preceding it.2
| C1 – Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he. (17) From what substance did He create him? (18) |
| C2 – From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him; (19) Then He eased the way for him; (20) |
| C3 – Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him. (21) Then when He wills, He will resurrect him. (22) No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him. (23) |
| C1’ – Then let mankind look at his food – (24) |
| C2’ – How We poured down water in torrents, (25) Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts], (26) And caused to grow within it grain (27) And grapes and herbage (28) And olive and palm trees (29) And gardens of dense shrubbery (30) And fruit and grass – (31) |
| C3’ – [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock. (32) |
Connections
[C1]/[C1’] – Both sections implore the listener to reflect on what is about to come. How were we created? Where does our food come from?
[C2]/[C2’] – Mankind was made from a drop of sperm which Allah ﷻ facilitated the growth of. And when that baby was fully formed, Allah ﷻ “eased the way” out of his mother for him. In a similar fashion, our food comes from drops of water which causes the plants to grow. The seeds are able to sprout through the earth by means of Allah’s guidance.
[C3]/[C3’] – Finally, we die and are returned to the earth awaiting our eventual resurrection. In the same vein, the plants are enjoyed by animals and humans, which eventually release those seeds back into the earth where the cycle will renew again, with new plants growing from the earth.
Through this incredible parallel, Allah ﷻ is possibly indicating to us that when we see our food, we should reflect on our life and eventual resurrection. This lesson may have been lost had Section [C’] not been placed right after Section [C].
Other Mini Structures Within
Interestingly, Section [A] seems to form its own independent mirror structure.
| A1 – The Prophet frowned and turned away (1) Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting]. (2) |
| A2 – But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified (3) Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? (4) |
| A2’ – As for he who thinks himself without need, (5) To him you give attention. (6) And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. (7) |
| A1’ – But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] (8) While he fears [Allah], (9) From him you are distracted. (10) |
Connections
[A1]/[A1’] – The outsides of this mirror structure address the issue of the blind man and the Messenger ﷺ turning away from him.
[A2]/[A2’] – The center juxtaposes the two groups. One group came hoping to be “purified” while the other thought himself without need and “will not be purified.”
Additionally, the contents of Section [B] seem to form their own ring structure.
| B1 – No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder; (11) So whoever wills may remember it. (12) [It is recorded] in honored sheets, (13) |
| B2 – Exalted and purified, (14) |
| B1’ – [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels, (15) Noble and dutiful. (16) |
Connections
[B1]/[B1’] – Both are described as karīm (honor/noble). Both our record and the recorders are held in high esteem.
[B2] – The center beautifully describes the two outer portions; the “exalted” records held in the highest level of Paradise, and the “purified” scribes who record our deeds.
An Alternative Overall Structure
There is a proposed alternative structure to Sūrat Abasa that is worth exploring.3 The first two sections match with my demarcations, but they diverge from Section [C] onwards. It also changes from a mirror structure to a ring structure. I have reproduced it below with slight modifications.
| A – The Messenger frowns and is distracted (1-10) |
| B – This is a reminder for those who listen (11-16) |
| C – May the human perish! How ungrateful of him! (17) |
| D – From what did He create him? (18) |
| E – From a drop! He created him, and determined him, (19) |
| F – Then He made the way easy for him, (20) |
| E’ – Then He caused him to die and buried him, (21) |
| D – Then, when He pleases, He will raise him (22) |
| C’ – By no means! He has not accomplished what He commanded him (23) |
| B’ – Water is sent down and food is provided (24-32) |
| A’ – The faces of the dead, the damned preoccupied (33-42) |
Connections
[A]/[A’] – Both sections speak of people’s facial expressions and preoccupations.
[B]/[B’] – This juxtaposition compares the reminder sent down from the heavens with the nourishment of the world provided by the descent of water.
[C]/[C’] – Both sections condemn the inactions and ingratitude of the human.
[D]/[D’] – A contrast between creation and resurrection (i.e., the second creation).
[E]/[E’] – Birth versus death.
[F] – The sūrah circles around the call to an easy path.
And Allah ﷻ knows best.
*If the study of the Quran’s structure interests you, please check out Heavenly Order for many more examples of the Quran’s amazing organization and coherence.
Related:
– Structural Cohesion In The Quran: Heavenly Order
– Structural Cohesion In The Quran [A Series]: Surah An-Nasr
