108- Surat Alkawthar/Tafseer
3 Verses Meccan (revealed in Mecca)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Bismi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Inna a'tyinaka al-Kawthar (1).
Indeed, We have given you Al-Kawthar.
Fa salli le-Rabbeka wa-nhar (2).
So Pray to your Lord, and Sacrifice.
Inna shani'aka huwa al-Abtar (3).
Indeed, Your enemy is the one cut off.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Alkawthar was revealed in a specific situation, where one of the disbelievers of Quraish said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is cut off after the last male of the Prophet's sons passed away, and thus His remembrance will cut off after His death.
Allah Almighty says in the first two verses (1,2) "Indeed, We have given you Al-Kawthar, so Pray to your Lord, and Sacrifice", that is, Allah has bestowed upon Muhammad (PBUH) Al-Kawthar which is a river in Paradise, and as narrated by Anas bin Malik: "One day, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting amongst us that He dozed off, He then raised His head smilingly, we said What makes You smile Messenger of Allah?, He said a Surah has just been revealed to Me, and then recited In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful {Indeed, We have given you Al-Kawthar, so Pray to your Lord, and Sacrifice, Indeed, Your enemy is the one cut off}, then He said Do you know what Al-Kawthar is?, we said Allah and His Messenger know best, He said it is a river which My Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, has promised Me, and there is an abundance of good in it, it is a cistern and My Ummah would come to it on the day of resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the numbers of stars. A servant would be turned away from among the people gathered there, upon this, I would say My Lord! He is of My Ummah, He would say You do not know that he has innovated news things after You" Sahih Muslim 400).
And in another narration of Abu Hurayra, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Indeed, My cistern has its dimensions wider than the distance between Aila and Aden, and its water is whiter than ice, and sweeter than honey diluted with milk, and its cups are more numerous than the numbers of the stars. Indeed, I shall prevent the people therefrom just as a man prevents the camels of the people from his fountain, they said Messenger of Allah! Will you recognize us on that day?, He said yes, you will have distinctive marks which nobody among the peoples will have, you would come to me with blazing forehead and bright hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution" (Sahih Muslim 247). After the glad tiding of the river of Al-Kawthar, Allah commanded His Messenger to perform prayers and to make sacrifice to Him alone.
Allah Almighty says in the last verse (3) "Indeed, Your enemy is the one cut off" that is, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a father of three males, as Al-Qasem and Abdullah were born to Him from Khadija, May Allah be pleased with her, and both died before reaching puberty, and Ibrahim was born to Him from Maria Alqebteyyah, May Allah be pleased with her, and He also died while he was an infant. When the Messenger of Allah adopted Zaid Bin Harithah, the people used to call him Zaid Bin Muhammad, then Allah revealed in Surat Alahzab Aya (40) {Muhammad is not a father of anyone of your men, but He is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets}.The state of adopted sons was existed at the beginning of Islam, but Allah Almighty forbade it after that where He said in Surat Alahzab Aya 5 {Call them by their fathers, it is more just in the sight of Allah}.
The Arabs used to call the person who has no male sons as cut off "Abtar", and they imagine that the prophet (PBUH) will be that person, but Allah repelled those who disbelieved in their rage and said to His Messenger "Indeed, Your enemy is the one cut off".
There is a difference between the scholars about identifying that enemy, it has been said that he is Abu Lahab, and it has been said that he might be Ka'b Bin Al-Ashraf, or Uqba, or As Bin Wa'il.
Allah, Almighty not only made that enemy the one cut off, but He has honored the prophet (PBUH) by mentioning His name in the Holy Quran, where "Muhammad" the name was mentioned 4 times and will be recited till the day of resurrection. Also the prophet's name is an essential part of the Adhan, and is uttered till now five times every day. Thus his remembrance will remain immortal in all times and places.