25.1 – Blessed (be) the One who sent down the Deliverance on His servant
“Deliverance” translates the Arabic termfurqān, which gives this sūra its name. In most of its seven occurrences in the Quran,furqānappears to indicate a scripture sent from Allah, for example to Moses at 2.53 and 21.48 (cf. 3.4). In 25.1, the Quran claims that Allah also sends down thefurqānto the messenger (“His servant”).
The term itself is difficult to translate. Arthur Jeffery tracedfurqānthrough Syriac to the Aramaic word for “salvation” or “deliverance” – which seems to match its use in 8.29, 41. Muslim commentators, however, often related the term to the Arabic verbfaraqa, which means “to discriminate.” This meaning may suit its use at 2.185. See Jeffery’sForeign Vocabulary of the Qur’ān.

Sūra 25 jumps quickly into the middle of an encounter between the messenger and an audience that resists him. The audience finds fault with both the message and the messenger. They accuse the recitation of being a lie or a fable. The listeners resist bowing down to the Merciful. They ask why the entire recitation ( qur ’ ān ) is not sent down all at once. Why should they accept a message from one who simply eats and walks in the markets rather than from one who is recommended by the help of an angel or – better! – receives a treasure? The listeners fear that the messenger will lead them astray from their gods.

In response, the messenger on the one hand warns of future punishments for disbelievers and on the other appeals to the signs of the presence and power of the Creator. At one point, the messenger complains to his Lord about the rejection of his message. The Quran reassures the messenger and promises punishment to the unresponsive audience.

The last part of the sūra offers a striking description of the “servants of the Merciful.”