Sad ص The letter Ṣād

Holy Quran

Sad (Arabic: ص, Ṣād; "The Letter Sad") is the 38th chapter of the Qur'an with 88 verses and 1 sajdah ۩ (38:24). Sad (ص) is the name of the eighteenth letter in the Arabic alphabet

According to the traditional Islamic narrative, Saad was sent to Muhammad by Allah while he was coping with rejection from his tribe, the Quraysh. It recounts stories of previous prophets, describes the splendors of heaven, and warns of the monstrosities of hell.

Regarding the timing and contextual background of the believed revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is an earlier "Meccan surah", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Mecca, rather than later in Medina. The sura dates to the 2nd Meccan Period, meaning it was revealed only five or six years into the development of Islam.

Summary

1-11 comments made by nonbelievers

8 the nonbelievers do not try to understand warnings: they blatantly “doubt” (Q38:8)

12-64 Transition to the Day of Judgment and hell

17 Patience

17-26 Story of David and the Two Litigants

30-40: Story of Solomon

55-64: The Day of Judgment

Other Biblical characters

This Sura also references Noah, Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, and Elijah. Of these only the story of Job is elaborated on, providing a third major example of overcoming “adversity” (Q 38:44) to become a noteworthy messenger of the past

63 Day of Reckoning

66-88 The holiness and validity of the Qur’an

71-85: Story of Iblis and Hell

Humility is key to acceptance in heaven. God recounts the story of Iblis’ rejection from heaven and God’s generous compromise with him, giving him “respite till the Appointed Day”, when God will then “fill Hell with you and all those that follow you” (Q38.80-85)

Forgiveness

God is "Oft-Forgiving"; He is also Just, punishing those who have done wrong. In Sura 38, God speaks of entire civilizations wiped out because they did not believe (e.g. Q:38 10-17). However, the Sura suggests that God will forgive a believer if his faith is strong and true and he repents for his misdeeds. We, too, can be saved by God and given a place in heaven on the Day of Judgment