The Tafsir of Sura Qaf was written for seekers who wish to learn the meanings of the Book of Allah and deepen their connection to the Messenger of Allah s.w.t by the Syrian gnostic (‘arifbillah) and lover of the Prophet ﷺ, Shaykh ‘Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni r.a. The blessings of the Quran are infused into the wisdom of its meanings. Sura Qaf comprises timeless messages focusing the reader on the hereafter, transporting him to the time of his own death (sakrat al-mawt), removing the veil from the Recording Angels (raqibun ‘arid) on his shoulders, and placing him squarely in the middle of the Day of Judgement. Yet, despite this sura’s heavy focus on the akhira, it is Shaykh ‘Abdullah Sirajuddin’s love of the Prophet s.a.w that surfaces throughout this work.
Shaykh ‘Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni r.a. was a descendant of Imam Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Abu Talib a.s. from his father’s side. Shaykh ‘Abdullah was born into an honourable and pious family just prior to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. During his childhood, the Shaykh was surrounded by the love and care of his father, Shaykh Muhammad Najib Sirajuddin, who was also a leading scholar of tafsir, fiqh, hadith and tasawwuf. Shaykh ‘Abdullah Sirajuddin was known to see the Prophet ﷺ frequently in his dreams and whilst awake. In one such vision, the Prophet s.a.w told him: “you are our dedicated servant” after which the Shaykh would say: “The Prophet is pleased to have me as his servant.” He passed in 2002 in Syria.
