جُزْءُ عَمَّ

The Qur'an is divided into thirty parts of roughly equal length, each called a juz'. The last one is called "Juz' 'Amma", after the first word of Surah An-Naba' (78): "'Amma", "About what…?". It runs from Surah 78 to Surah 114: thirty-seven surahs, often short, which many Muslims recite every day in prayer.

Surahs of Makkah Almost all of these surahs were revealed in Makkah, before the Hijra, when the Muslims were few and persecuted. A few are Madinan (An-Naṣr, for example), and for some the scholars differ (Az-Zalzala, Al-Qadr) [À VÉRIFIER]. They carry the great themes of the Makkan period: • the oneness of Allah and His signs in creation; • the Resurrection, the Judgement, Paradise and Hell; • the truth of the Revelation and of the Prophet's ﷺ mission; • conduct: justice towards the weak, generosity, purification of the soul.

What this course adds The children's courses "My first surahs" and "My surahs: level 2" teach Al-Faatiḥa and eleven short surahs (103, 105 to 114) by heart. This adult course does not repeat them. It studies thirteen other surahs of Juz' 'Amma, to understand their meaning, the context of their revelation, their themes and their lessons: • Unit 1, the Last Day: An-Naba' (78), At-Takwiir (81), Az-Zalzala (99) and Al-Qaari'a (101). • Unit 2, the human being before his Lord: 'Abasa (80), Al-A'laa (87), Ash-Shams (91), Al-'Aadiyaat (100) and At-Takaathur (102). • Unit 3, revelation, consolation and hope: Al-'Alaq (96), Al-Qadr (97), Aḍ-Ḍuḥaa (93) and Ash-Sharḥ (94). This selection covers the main themes of the juz' with surahs of different lengths; the others (Al-Ghaashiya, Al-Fajr, Al-Balad, Al-Layl, At-Tiin…) can be studied afterwards with the same method (lesson 12).

The sources The explanations draw on three recognised commentaries: Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Qur'an (Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies), whose English version is on the Qur'an page of the website; the tafsir of Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH); and that of As-Sa'di (d. 1376 AH). The verses are explained by their meaning: a translation is never the Qur'an itself. The Arabic text comes only from the Tanzil file, reproduced without any change.

The method: read, listen, understand, act Allah says: "(This is) a blessed Book which We have sent down to you, so that they may reflect on its verses and that people of understanding may take heed" (meaning of verse 38:29). For each surah: 1. Read the Arabic text, even slowly, or follow it while listening to the recitation block. 2. Read the meaning, passage by passage. 3. Write down a question: "What is this surah telling me, today?" 4. Choose one concrete action for the week. 5. Recite the surah in prayer, thinking of its meaning.

Exercise: in a notebook, list the surahs of Juz' 'Amma you already know by heart. Next to each one, write in one sentence what you know of its meaning.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation Many Muslims have recited the surahs of Juz' 'Amma since childhood without knowing their meaning. Yet the Qur'an was revealed to be understood and lived: Allah reproaches those who do not reflect on it: "Do they not then reflect on the Qur'an? Or are there locks upon their hearts?" (meaning of verse 47:24). These surahs shaped the first Muslims. They were revealed one by one, as events unfolded, during the difficult years in Makkah: they answer the doubts of the idolaters, console the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, and describe the Hereafter in powerful images to awaken hearts. Understanding is not reserved for scholars. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it" (Bukhari 5027), and: "The one who recites the Qur'an fluently will be with the noble scribe angels, and the one who recites it with difficulty, stumbling over it, will have two rewards" (Bukhari 4937, Muslim 798). Reflection (tadabbur) begins with a simple question, asked sincerely. One precaution: we do not give the Qur'an a personal meaning that contradicts the explanation of the scholars. Recognised commentaries are there to guide us; our personal reflections concern how to live the meaning, not the invention of a new meaning.

Lessons to draw from it • Reciting is only a beginning: seek to understand what you recite. • Rely on recognised commentaries, and ask the imam your questions. • Move forward in small steps: one surah, one meaning, one action. • Make prayer the place where you live what you have understood.

Key points to remember • Juz' 'Amma: surahs 78 to 114, almost all Makkan. • Main themes: oneness of Allah, the Hereafter, Revelation, conduct. • Sources: Al-Mukhtasar, Ibn Kathir, As-Sa'di; Arabic text from Tanzil. • Reflection: 38:29 and 47:24.

The main message Juz' 'Amma is the part of the Qur'an we recite most often: understanding it turns familiar words into a real dialogue with Allah.