Quran: Surah Nasr & Nas – SS3 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Surah An-Nasr and Surah An-Nas are two short chapters of the Quran. Surah An-Nasr is a Madinah surah that promises help and victory from Allah and tells the Prophet to glorify Allah and seek His forgiveness. Surah An-Nas teaches Muslims to seek refuge with Allah, the Lord, King and God of mankind, from the whisperer of evil.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. recite Surah An-Nasr and Surah An-Nas from their transliteration;
2. give the meaning of each verse of the two surahs;
3. state where Surah An-Nasr was revealed and its place in the order of revelation;
4. state what Allah promised the Prophet and his followers in Surah An-Nasr;
5. explain who Muslims seek refuge from, and with whom, in Surah An-Nas.

What is Surah An-Nasr?

Surah An-Nasr is the 110th chapter of the Quran, with three verses, and it speaks of Allah’s help and victory.

• Name: An-Nasr means “the help” or “the victory”, taken from the first verse.
• Chapter number: it is chapter 110 of the Quran.
• Number of verses: it has three verses.
• Place of revelation: it is a Madinah surah, revealed after the Hijrah.

Transliteration of Surah An-Nasr

1. Idha ja a nasrul-lahi wal-fatah.
2. Wara aytan-nasa yadkhuluna fidinil-lahi afwaja.
3. Fasabbih bihamdi Rabbika wastaghfirhu. Innahu kana tawwaba.

Translation of Surah An-Nasr

1. When Allah’s help and victory come.
2. And you see people entering Allah’s religion (Islam) in crowds.
3. Glorify the praises of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness. Certainly, He is ever ready to forgive.

What are the key words in Surah An-Nasr?

What are the lessons from Surah An-Nasr?

1. It is a Madinah surah.
2. It was the last chapter that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad as a whole.
3. Allah promised the Prophet and his followers that He would help and give them victory over their enemies.

Help and victory come from Allah.

What else does Surah An-Nasr teach Muslims?

• Thankfulness: success should lead a Muslim to praise and glorify Allah.
• Humility: victory is not a reason for pride, so we still ask for forgiveness.
• Mercy of Allah: Allah is Tawwab, always ready to forgive those who repent.
• Spread of Islam: people accepted Islam in large numbers when the help of Allah came.

What is Surah An-Nas?

Surah An-Nas is the 114th and last chapter of the Quran, with six verses, in which a Muslim seeks refuge with Allah from evil whispering.

• Name: An-Nas means “mankind”, a word that appears in almost every verse.
• Chapter number: it is chapter 114, the last chapter in the Quran.
• Number of verses: it has six verses.
• Link with Surah Al-Falaq: the two are called the surahs of seeking refuge (Al-Mu’awwidhatayn).

Transliteration of Surah An-Nas

1. Qul A’udhu biRabbin-nas.
2. Malikin-nas.
3. Ilahin-nas.
4. Min-sharril-waswasil-khannas.
5. Alladhi yuwaswisu fi sudurin-nas.
6. Minal-jinnati wan-nas.

Translation of Surah An-Nas

1. Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind.
2. The king of mankind.
3. The God of mankind.
4. From the mischief of the whisperer (of evil), who withdraws (after his whisper).
5. (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind.
6. Among jinns and among men.

What are the key words in Surah An-Nas?

What are the lessons from Surah An-Nas?

• Refuge in Allah: a Muslim seeks protection from evil only with Allah.
• Three names of Allah: He is Lord, King and God of mankind, so He alone can protect.
• Source of evil whispers: the whisperer may be among the jinn or among men.
• Where whispers act: they enter the hearts and thoughts of people.
• Remembering Allah: the whisperer withdraws when a person remembers Allah.
• Daily use: Muslims recite the surah for protection, for example before sleeping.

What is the difference between Surah An-Nasr and Surah An-Nas?

Surah An-Nasr is about Allah’s help, victory and forgiveness. Surah An-Nas is about seeking Allah’s protection from evil whispering.

Evaluation

1. Recite Surah An-Nasr and give its meaning.
2. Where was Surah An-Nasr revealed, and what is special about its place in the order of revelation?
3. What did Allah promise the Prophet and his followers in Surah An-Nasr?
4. In Surah An-Nas, with whom do we seek refuge, and from whom?
5. Name the three attributes of Allah mentioned in the first three verses of Surah An-Nas.

Assignment

Write out the transliteration and translation of Surah An-Nas. Then list the three lessons taught in Surah An-Nasr.