The Glorious Qur`an

54: the Moon (qamar)

This chapter was revealed after The nightcorner 86 and before (The Letter) Sad 38. It consists of three sections of 55 early Meccan verses, except for VV.

40-46 in section III which date from Madnia. A prevailing rhyme uses -r as a final consonant. The chapter moreover bears the haunting refraln which is first stated in vv. 16-17: "How were My torment and My warnings!"

This refrain underlines how prophets like Noah, Hud (I), Salih and Lot (II) were rejected by their own people in times past, Hud by Ad, and Salih by Tharnud.

Thus Muhammad should take comfort for himself. The fate of Pharaoh is also mentioned in the final section (III), which ends in an apocalyptic description of the final Hour which is intended to shock disbelievers and associators into meditating on their errors.