Sūrat Yā Sīn is one of the most prominent surahs of the Quran in terms of its familiarity among Muslims and their frequent recitation of it on different occasions. It is observed that some cultures recite it in their marriages, funerals, opening ceremonies, and other occasions, seeking blessings of God through its recitation. This is due to the abundant narrated merits of its recitation.
It is the thirty-sixth chapter of the Quran; it starts with the theme of prophethood and ends with the themes of resurrection and the oneness of God. Throughout the surah, various points, arguments, and examples related to these three themes, which are the main principles of religion, can be observed. The importance given to resurrection in this surah may be the reason many recite it besides a dying person, in commemorations of the deceased, or when visiting a cemetery.
It is named the Heart of the Quran in many narrations reported from Shia and Sunni scholars. Such a description could be because it includes all topics related to the basic tenets of faith, which are considered the heart of Islam.
Besides the themes of resurrection and divine justice, the surah contains in-depth proofs and arguments that revolve around the signs from God’s creation, which could trigger the intellect and consciousness of any person, thereby leading to an increased awareness of God. Those signs include creation of various kinds of foods, plants, animals, the creation of pairs, the revolving of day and night, and the cyclic movement of the sun and the moon, all of which form a perfect argument from design regarding the existence of God. The surah ends by reminding people that God has sovereignty over everything, everything belongs to Him, and every human will return to Him, and if God wants something to happen it happens instantly by His direct command.
Verses 1-11 discuss the struggles of the Prophet with the Meccans and how the faithful and the rejecters of faith respond to the message of the Prophet and his warnings.
Verses 12-32 tell the story of the people of a village and the challenges faced by the three messengers who were sent to them, calling them to acknowledge the lordship of God.
Verses 33-46 elaborate the argument from design for the existence of God, including the cycle of the earth between death and revival, the mysteries of life, pairs and genders, the alternation of day and night, and the movements of the sun and moon that follow their orbits in order and harmony.
Verses 47-54 describe the blowing of the trumpet as a prelude to the resurrection and the Day of Judgement.
Verses 55-58 mention the state of the blessed people of paradise, who will attain salvation, joy, satisfaction, and peace by the nearness to God.
Verses 59-68 mention the state of the people of hell, who deliberately followed evil, whose own nature and actions will speak against them, which will cause them to be in severe discomfort.
Verses 69-83 describe the ills of ingratitude in the face of God’s bounties and seeking help from others instead of turning to Him.
The closing verse of the surah glorifies God in whose hand is the absolute sovereignty over everything.
[1] Bahmanpour, https://www.al-islam.org/media/tafsir-surah-yaseen-36-18.
[2] Mizan, 17/62.
[3] Syed Muhammad Hashim Dastghaib, Heart of the Qur'an: A Commentary to Sura al Yasin, pp. 3-13.
[4] Mizan, 17/62.