Surah Al Kautsar is the 108th letter in the Qur’an. This letter is included in the letter that was revealed in Makkah and consists of only 3 verses. This small number of verses makes the letter of Al Kautsar becomes the shortest letter in the Qur’an.
Al Kautsar itself has many favor meaning and based on the first verse of this letter al Kautsar means the gift of Allah SWT in the form of al Kautsar lake for the people of heaven.
The essence of this letter al Kautsar itself, based on Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir Al Azhar, is an order to perform prayers and sacrifices because God gives a lot of pleasure to those who believe while in the disbelievers hate the Prophet Muhammad SAW who said descendants of the Prophet cut off because all his sons died then they are the only ones who are cut off. (Read also: Importance of Safar Month)
The following is the reading of al Kautsar’s letter in the Indonesian alphabet:
- Inna a’thaina kalkautsar,
- Fasholli li rabbika wanhar,
- Inna syaniakahu wal abtar.
Meanwhile, the meaning of the verses in Surat al-Kauthar itself is, “Verily We have given you a river in heaven. So establish your prayer for your Lord and sacrifice. Verily those who hate you are the one who is cut off “.
If taken literally, the letter al Kautsar only contains the command to pray and sacrifice. However, behind it all, there is a deeper meaning that we can take and make lessons. The following will be discussed 10 meanings of Surah al Kautsar :
1. Al Kautsar is a river in heaven
Allah SWT has prepared for the Prophet Muhammad saw a river in heaven. Based on Al Imam Ibn Kathir, there is a narration from Anas bin Malik raadhiyallahu ‘anhu, he said, “One day the Prophet sallallaahu’ alaihi wa sallam had time to sleep.
Suddenly the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam lifted his head while smiling, then the Companions asked him,’ why are you smiling O Messenger of Allah? ‘The Prophet replied,’ Verily have just come down to me a letter ‘. Then he read, ‘Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Inna a’thaina kal kaustar .
‘until the end of the letter. Then he said, ‘Do you know what it is al Kautsar?’, The Companions replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger alone knows better’. So the Messenger of Allah replied, ‘He is a river that is in al Jannah (heaven) that Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala give to me and there is a lot of goodness. “(Narrated by Al Imam Ahmad 3/102).
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2. Al Kautsar has a very good sense of goodness
Not only does it mean the river in heaven, al Kautsar also means a great deal of goodness because the goodness that God gives to the Prophet Muhammad very much.
It is mentioned in many letters in the Quran. Among these were the Prophet Muhammad who was allowed to intercede ‘uzhma in the mahsyar field, the first person permitted by God to open the gates of heaven, and many other virtues that can not be counted. All this good can also be referred to as al Kautsar. (Also read: Benefit of Tahajjud Prayer in Islam) [AdSense-B]
This is the meaning narrated by Imam al Bukhari rahimahullah from the companions of Abdullah bin Abbad ra, that he said about the meaning of al Kautsar, “He (Al Kautsar) is the goodness that Allah has given him shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam”( Shahih al Bukhari no 4966).
3. Explain Intention because Allah in doing worship
In the second verse of the letter al Kautsar mentioned, “So establish prayer for your Rabb and do qurban“. From this verse there are two worship that are specifically commanded, ie prayer and qurban.
[AdSense-A] Thus, it can be concluded that in this verse we are commanded to pray and do qurban solely for Allah, with sincere intentions.
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4. The virtue of worship and sacrifice
According to Asy-Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Nasir as Sa’dy ra, “It is especially mentioned that two worship in this verse, because both (prayer and sacrifice) is the most important and most noble worship to get closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’aalaa.
In prayer is contained submission of heart and deeds for Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa and in sacrifice is a form of getting closer to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa with something best from what is owned by a servant in the form of qurban animals. “This meaning is based on the interpretation as Sa’diy p. 936.
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5. The number of blessings granted by Allah SWT
Surah Al Kautsar also describes the many blessings given by God. So, we should be able to share this blessings with others, always do charity, be diligent in doing prayer. This can be a form of our gratitude to God for all the blessings He has given.
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6. Guidance to always be grateful
If connected between the first and second verses, then we can learn to always be grateful for the blessings that God gave. In the first and second verses of this surah are explained how a servant should be grateful for the favors of not only speech but also with real deeds.
The form of gratitude of a human being is the visible influence of the favors of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa to his servant, through his verbal which always praises and confesses it, through the heart with his belief and through his limbs who always obey and obey his orders.
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7. The law of sacrifice after prayer
In the second verse of the letter al Kautsar, there is an important proposition explaining the law and ordinances in qurban worship.
The verse means, “Then establish the prayer because of your Rabb and sacrifice“. Here it is mentioned the command of prayer first and after that just slaughter the qurban animal. This is the sequence we must follow because if the qurban worship is done before the prayer, then the animal is not punished as a qurban meat but as ordinary charity flesh.
In the time of Rasulullah saw, a friend, Abu Burdah ra, had slaughtered his qurban animal before the Eid al-Adha prayer. The Prophet also said, “Your goat is the goat for (taken) the meat alone.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari 5556 from al Bara ‘bin’ Azib ra.).
Not only that, Rasulullah saw also once said in the sermon of Eid al-Adha prayer, “Whoever does the prayer like our prayer and slaughter the sacrificial animal like us, then it is true sacrifice. And whoever slaughters before the prayer (Eid al-Adha) then let him replace it with another. “(Narrated by al-Bukhari 5563 and Muslim 1553)
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8. Haters of the Prophet Muhammad broke his charity
In the third verse, it says, “inna syaaniaka hu wal abtar“, which means “Those who hate you are the one who is cut off“. According to Imam Ibnu Katsir wa., One of the ahlul books named Ka’ab bin al-Ashraf when he came to the city of Mecca and met the Quraysh, then they told Ka’ab bin al-Ashraf,
“What do you think Ka’ab about people who does not have any offspring anymore, disconnects with his people (ie Muhammad) and considers himself better than us, whereas we are a people who always have a pilgrimage, are willing to keep the Ka’ba and serve and give drink to the pilgrims? “Then Ka ‘ Ab bin al-Ashraf says, “You are more noble than he (Rasulullah SAW).”
After that statement, the third verse of this letter of Al Kautsar came down, which means, “The one who hates you is the one who is cut off.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 2/295). (Also read: The Law of Woman Leading Prayer in Islam)
Based on Tafsir as Sa’di p. 936, interrupted in that verse means to be cut off from every goodness, practice, and flattery. In the commentary it is also mentioned that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam became the most perfect human and has a position on the side of all beings, in the form of high praise to him, the number of defenders and followers of Rasulullah shallallahi’ alaihi wa sallam.
9. Prophet Muhammad is the most perfect man
Still related to the previous point, if haters or people who are hostile to the Prophet Muhammad disconnected his practice, then we can know that the Prophet Muhammad is the person we must respect and love as a Muslim. In fact, we are commanded to always be pure and say hello to the Prophet Muhammad. [AdSense-C]
10. Al Kautsar is the science and the Quran
Word of the Prophet Muhammad, “Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off “(Surah Al Kautsar: 1-3).
Then he said, “Do you know what Al Kautsar is?” His people replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better“. Then the Prophet Muhammad said, “Al Kautsar is the river promised by my Rabb ‘azza wa jalla. The river has a lot of goodness. That is a lake that will be visited by my people on the Day of Judgment later.
The vessel (glass) in the lake is a number of stars in the sky. But there are some servants who can not drink from the lake. Allah says: Do not you know that they have acted bid’ah after you? “(Narrated by Muslim No. 400).
Thus, from the above hadith, that as the people of the Prophet Muhammad we must follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad based on science and the Quran, rather than making up and making heresy. (Read also: Fraternity in Islam)
In addition to the meanings mentioned above, there is still another meaning of Surat Al Kautsar. Some other meanings of Al Kautsar’s letters, one of which is expressed by Ibnu Jauzi, are as follows:
- Based on the opinion of ‘Ikrimah, Al Kautsar is nubuwwah or prophetic.
- Al Kautsar is the lake of the Prophet who is visited by many people.
- According to Abu Bakr bin ‘Iyasy, Al Kautsar means so many followers and people (Zaadul Masiir, 9: 247-249).
- Prophet Muhammad will have many followers until the Day of Judgment and will have a good name in the world to the Hereafter.
- Al Kautsar as the consolation of the heart of the Prophet Muhammad.
Such is the Meaning of Surat Al Kautsar. May we all belong to a group of people who can drink from Al Kautsar lake, yes!