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CH.33 AL-AHZAB
32. But whoever of you is obedientto Allah and His Messenger and doesgood works; We shall give her herreward twice over; and We haveprepared for her an honourable pro-vision. 3098
33. 0 wives of the Prophet! youare not like any other women if youare righteous. So be not soft inspeech, lest he in whose heart is adisease should feel tempted; and speaka decent speech.3099
34, And stay in your houses withdignity, and do not show off yourselveslike the showing off of the former daysof ignorance, and observe Prayer,and pay the Zakat, aand obey Allahand His Messenger. Surely. Allahdesires to remove from you all un-cleanness, 0 Members of the House-hold, and purify you completely. 3100
PT. 22
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,---------_._.
3098. Commentary:
The masculine gender of the verb .:;..;.jj~is usedbecause of the subject
0"" which is invariablyfoUowed by a verb in the masculine gender.
3099. Commentary:
The wives of the Holy Prophet are hereenjoined to preserve the dignity of their very
, exalted position and to conduct themselves with
due propriety and decorum while talking tomembers of the opposite sex.
By implication all Muslim women are included
in this injunction. They are expected to bekind and gentle in speech but their gentlenessshould not be misunderstood by any evilly-inclined person for pliancy and softness.
3100. Important Words:
If~) (uncleanness) is derived from ~J(rajasa) which means, it was or became dirty orfilthy or unclean or hated; he did a bad or evilaction. d~ J (rijsun) means, dirt or filth; a dirty
or filthy thing; a thing or action disliked for itsfilthiness; a sin; an action that leads to punish-
ment ; doubt; infidelity; suggestion of the devil(Lane & Aqrab). See also 5 : 91.
Commentary :
The words "stay in your houses" show thatthe principal sphere of the activities of a womanis her house-not that she is not allowed to leaveits four walls. She may go out as many times asshe may require for the performance of a legiti-mate errand or the satisfaction of a legitimate
2118
~~-
'-
AL-AHZABPT. 22
35. And remember what is rehears-ed in your houses of the Signs of Allahand of wisdom. Verily, Allah is theKnower of subtleties, AII-Aware.310!
_._~ ~~
need. But to move about in mixed society.and take part in all sorts of avocations andprofessions, shoulder to shoulder with man, andto do so to the neglect and detriment of herspecial domestic duties as the mistress of thehouse is not the Islamic conception of idealwomanhood. The Holy Prophet's wives wereparticularly required to "stay in their houses"
because the dignity of their exalted position as
"Mothers of the Faithful" demanded this andalso because Muslims often visited them to paytheir respects and sought necessary information
and guidance from them on all importantreligious matters.
The commandment seems to apply only tothe wives of the Holy Prophet but it equallyapplies to all Muslim women. It is the Quranicway of address that while it appears to be parti-
cularly addressing the Holy Prophet, the addressis meant equally for all Muslims. Similarly, a
CH.33
~~tlt'" ll~\: ~J(..,'j;~ I~?!.~ -:!(?t", ..~;W ~~~ ~~. ~y.)-,
t (' .-: ~ ""161 ~ I"
@~ ~ ~tC)1 ~I
commandment addressed to the wives of theHoly Prophet applies also to all Muslim women.
The expression ..:.;..~~JIJA>I applies principallyand primarily to the Holy Prophet's wives. Thisis quite clear from the context and also from vv.
11 : 74 and 28 : 13. In its wider sense, however,it includes all members of a family who form
one's household, even one's children and child-ren's children. The expression had also been usedby the Holy Prophet for some of his select Com-
panions. ..:.;..~~I Jib I l:.. .)l...l- i.e. "Salman ismember of our household" (?aghir), is a wel1-known saying of the Holy Prophet.3101 . Commentary:
The Holy Prophet's noble consorts were re-quired not only to serve as model of virtue,piety and righteousness for the Faithful but to
teach them the principles and precepts ofIslam which they had learnt direct from theProphet.
2119
CH.33 AL-AJ:IZAB PT. 22
~. 5 36. ('Surely, men who submit them-selves to God and women whosubmit themselves, to Him, and 'be-lieving men and believing women,and obedient men and obedientwomen, and truthful men and truthfulwomen, and men steadfast in their faithand steadfast women, and men whoare humble and women who are hum-ble, and men who give alms and wo-men who give alms, and men whofast and women who fast, and menwho guard their chastity and womenwho guard their chastity, and men whoremember Allah much and women whoremember Him-Allah has preparedfor .,allof them forgiveness and a greatreward.3102
..~ 'itl".n,'l' I" .,'\,?1\"", \", ~~Y>~~Y" .J~'-'~ ..,t\(.;>t"", .."I' " ", ..",,; J,
I \ , \',"" .." \ .. n" ",,-\ '~\\"...l'::.\ I"'~,:'A\ '"-,~~,--,~~,-,~).. ,
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'('~\ \~ I\~~:'l'~ .J ~~rv- aJj ~ 9~v.J J1$
@~
a9 : 112.
3102. Commentary:
This verse embodies a most effective repudia-tion of the charge that Christian missionariesand publicists arein the habit of1evelling at Islam,viz., that it accords a lower status to women. TheQur'an has repeatedly said that Muslim womenstand on the same level with Muslim men, and
that they can attain to all those spiritual heights
to which men can attain. Besides, Islam con-fers on women all the political and social rightswhich men enjoy. Only their spheres ofactivities being different, their duties are dif-frent. It is this difference in duties of both the
.sexes that has been mistakenly, or perhapsdeliberately, misunderstood by hostile critics ofIslam as implying a lower status for women.
The ten outstanding attributes of Muslim menand women mentioned in this verSe have beenappropriately described in an ascending order.
The first stage of the spiritual developmentof a believer i!' that of t"j_1 which in this verse
_._~~-
has been used in the sense 'of intellectual accept-ance of truth. The next stage is that of .)l40;I
which implies the giving of peace and safety to
others and testifying to the Div:nely-revea1edTeaching. At the stage of ~"j._\ a Muslim acceptstruth because reason and common sense demandof him this acceptance, while at the stage'of .)l..~Ihe combines emotions and feelings with reason;and becomes intellectually and emotionallya true believer. The third stage of spiritualdevelopment is that of u ,,;.iwhich signifies total
obedience to God's commandments. At thisstage the spiritual way-farer finds himselfirresistibly attracted towards his Creator, and hissubmission to Divine commandments proceedsfrom his love for the Supreme Being. The nextstage in the spiritual journey is reached when abeliever becomes J.>I which means that heidentifies himself conlpletely with truth, and facestrials and temptations with complete equanimity.His faith becomes pure and free from all dross ofhypocrisy and love of worldly things. The
2120
PT. 22 AL-AHZAB CH.33
37. And it behoves not a believingman or a believing woman, Itwhen Allahand His Messenger have decided amatter, that there should be a choicefor them in the matter concerningthem. And whoso disobeys Allah andHis Messenger, surely strays away inmanifest error.3103
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;:. ,,,,;,,,.1>,'1' ~;"".'I jj""'!p" ,'" ~f1'"
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J.\f:":~I / "'w/ , ~.
' 9" ..!~. ..~ \:...~'U ".~.'IC:J ..:.- ~ ~..) -' ~
a4 : 66.
fifth stage is that of .r.-P; when identification with
truth becomes a permanent feature of a believer'scharacter. The stage of I'-.J';:';'is a still higherI..-stage in spiritual progress. It indicates an
attitude of humility which the believer developsafter he has gained complete victory over trialsand tribulations consequent upon the growingconsciousness of his own weakness and that of theperfection. and completeness of the Divine Being.The next stage is that of J4:... At this stage
the believer becomes conscious that he is not tolive for himself alone but should share God-given blessings with other fellow-beings. At the
stage of ~ I"" which is the next high spiritual
stage the believer learns to sacrifice his own.1egiti-.mate needs and comforts for the benefit of others
and at the. ninth .stage of re-r::-J.;9 uJi;l hescrupulously guards all the avenues throughwhich sin can find access to his mind. At the. ,
tenth stage i.e. ..:ill If. J) liJ I , which is the last
stage and which forms the climax of spiritual
growth and devel,opment, the believer. is socompletely el)gr~ssed in God as to have become
JO.~t in. His remembrance.
3103. Commentary:
The verse under comment continues thegeneral theme of the preceding verses, viz., thatbelievers should try as far as possible, tosubordinate their own desires to the desire of theHoly Prophet and when he has given hisdecision regarding an affair, they should acceptit unhesitatingly without the least mental reser-vation. The immediate occasion for the revelationof this verse may have been Zainab's hesitationto comply with the Holy Prophet's greatlycherished wish that she should marry Zaid, hisfreed slave. It goes to Zainab's credit that indeference to the Prophet's wish she agreed toher marriage with Zaid, much against herpersonal inclination. Zainab's marriage withZaid and their subsequent separation has beendeal('\vith in some detail in the next verse. Itis, however, wrong to assume, as someCommentators have mistakenly assumed, thatthe Holy Prophet pressed and compelledZainab agai.nst her will to accept Zaid as herhusband. It being inconsistent with Islamicteaching, the Holy Prophet could not havedone this. Zainab only deferred to the wishof the Holy Prophet.
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CH.33 AL-AHZAB
' . "-----------------
38. And remember when thou didstsay to him on whom Allah had bes-towed favours and on whom thou alsohadst bestowed favours: 'Keep thywife to thyself; and fear Allah.' Andthou didst conceal in thy heart whatAllah was going to bring to light, andthou wast afraid of the people, whereasAllah has better right that thou shouldstfear Him. Then, when Zaid hadaccomplished his want of her so as tohave no further need of her, We joinedher in marriage to thee, so that theremay be no hindrance for the believerswith regard to marriage with the wivesof their adopted sons, when they haveaccomplished their want of them andhave divorced them. And Allah'sdecree must be fulfilled.3104
3104. Important Words:
1),-, (want) has no verb. It means, a want. a
need, an object of want or need; or that whichone proposes to accomplish or of which one isdesirous. They say.)" -' "'~....,s.;:..ii.e. he accom-plished or obtained his want from him (Lane &Aqrab).
Commentary :
As the verse deals with an incident of verygreat historical importance, it demands and
deserves a somewhat detailed explanation.Zaid bin J:larith, to whom the words "on whomAllah had bestowed favours and on whom thou
,also had bestowed favours" refer, belonged tothe tribe of Kalb. In his childhood he waskidnapped and sold as a slave in Mecca wherehe was bought by Khadijah's brother and givenover to her. On her marriage with the Holy
Prop!1~ Khadijah presented Zaid to him who at()~ ema.ncipated him. Zaid was so much
attached to the Prophet that when later his fatherand uncle begged of the Holy Prophet to let him
PT. 22
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9' ," "f7",J.I'~I"" <. '; i'-:'''''' t:'t~~~9JJ~ C)O-, yQ-'~Iya.' .)J.
-.---.---go with them as the grief of his separation from
home had almost kilk~d his mother, the Prophetreadily gave his permission. But Zaid himself
flatly refused to part company with the HolyProphet, exclaiming that he was dearer to himthan his father and mother. The Prophet wasso deeply touched by Zaid's fidelity and love forhim that he at once declared him (Zaid) to behis son and henceforward Zaid came to be known
as the Prophet's son. Zaid remained through-out his life a most beloved and faithful disciple
of the Holy Prophet and sealed his fidelityto Islam .and the Prophet with his blood on the
battle-field of MUta.
Zainab was the daughter of the Holy Prophet'saunt, hence a full-blooded Arab, intensely
proud of her ancestry and exalted social status.Islam had envisaged and given to the world acivilization and culture in which there were to
be no class divisions, no hereditary nobility, novested imerests. All men were to be free andequal in the sight of God. The Holy Prophetwanted to start \yith his own family the carrying
2122
PT. 22 AL-AHZAB~~-~ ~-~---~--
CH.33--~-~ ~-----_._------_._---------
into actual effect of this noble ideal of Islam.He wished to marry Zainab to Zaid, who inspite of having been liberated by the Prophetand called his son, unfortunately still carried thestigma of slavery in the minds of seme people.It was exactly this stigma of slavery, thisinvidious distinction between 'free' and 'slave'
which the Holy Prophet sought to remove byZainab's marriage with Zaid. In deference tothe Holy Prophet's wish Zainab agreed to theproposal. The purpose of the Holy Prophet
was achieved. The marriage levelled to theground all class distinctions and divisions. Itwas a practical demonstration of Islam's nobleideal. The marriage, however, ended in failure,not so much due to a difference in the socialstatus of Zainab and Zaid as to the incompati-bility of their dispositions and temperamentsand also due to a feel ing of inferiority from
which Zaid suffered. The failure of themarriage naturally grieved the Holy Prophet.But it also served a very useful purpose. Inpursuance of Divine command, as mentioned inthe latter part of the verse under comment, theProphet himself married Zainab, thus cutting
at the very root of another obnoxious and deep-seated Arab custom, viz., that it was a sacrilegeto marry the wife of one's adopted son. Thecustom of adoption was abolished and with itwent also thisJoolish notion. Thus Zainab'smarriage with Zaid served one lvery noble
object and its failure another highly usefulpurpose.
The words "fear Allah" signify that Zaidwanted to divorce Zainab, and as divorceaccording to Islam is very hateful in the sight
of God, the Holy Prophet exhorted him not
to do so.The clause, "And then thou shouldst
fear Him," may apply to both Zaid and the Holy
"'-"'"
Prophet. Applying to Zaid it would mean
that Zaid did not like that the cause of hisseparation from Zainab should come to light,perhaps because as the words "fear Allah,"indicate the fault lay more with him than withZainab. As, however, applying to the HoJyProphet, the words would signify that as themarriage between Zaid and Zainab was arrangedat his instance and wish, he naturally did notlike its breaking. The clause also shows that theProphet feared that the break-down of themarriage which was arranged by him and whichhad been entered intO in deference to hisspecial wish, but which resulted in an ostensiblefailure of the experiment in Islamic brother-hood, would cause some mental confusion anduneasiness among people whose faith was weak.This was the anxiety that lay heavy on theProphet's heart. The words, "thou didst fear
men," seem to point to this fear of his. But, asmentioned above, God had His own purpose inthe failure of this marriage. He wanted to showthat there was nothing in this failure to be afraidof. On the contrary, it was a blessing in disguiseand was intended to serve a great purpose andtherefore the Prophet's fear was unfounded.
Christian and other hostile critics of Islam
pretend to find in the Holy Prophet's marriage
with Zainab a basis for mean attacks on him.It is stated that the Prophet, having by chance
seen Zainab, became enamoured of her beautyand Zaid, having come to know of his desire tomarry her, sought divorce from her. The fact
that the HoJy Prophet's most inveterate enemies,
before whose eyes the whole affair had actuallytaken place, dared not attribute the base motivesascribed to him by these critics after so manycenturies, completely knocks the bottom fromunder this base and totally unfounded charge.
Zainab was the Prophet's own cousin and being
2123
CH.33 AL-AHZAB PT. 22
39. No blame can attach tothe Prophet with respect to that whichAllah. has made incumbent upon him.Such mdeed was the way of Allah withthose who have passed away before-and the command of Allah is a decreeordained-31°5
40. Those who delivered the mes-sages of Allah .tand feared Him, andfeared none bUt Allah. And sufficientis Allah as a Reckoner. :H05A
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so closely related to him he must have seen hermany times, for "Purdah" had not as yet beenenjoined. Besides, it was in deferenc::: to his ownpersistently expressed wish that Zainab hadreluctantly agreed to marry Zaid. It is onrecord that she and her brother had desiredbefore her marriage with Zaid that she should betaken in marriage by the Holy Prophet himself.What was it that prevented the Holy Prophetfrom marrying her when she was a virgin andwhen she herself ardently desired to get marriedto him? The whole story evidently seems to bea figment of the "fertile" imagination of theHoly Prophet's hostile critics and it is an
insult to human intellect to give the leastcredence to it. But while there are someChristian critics like Muir and Margolioth whofind fault with the Holy Prophet for havingmarried Zainab, there are others better informed
'and more honest like the good and noble Rev.Bosworth Smith who find nothing in thismarriage to cavil at. The Rev. gentlemansays:
It should be remembered, however, thatmost?f MUQammad's marriages may beexplamed, at least, as much by his pityfor the forlorn condition of the persons
concerned, as by other motives. Theywere almost all of them widows whowere not remarkable either for theirbeauty or their wealth, but quite thereverse. May not this fact, and hisundoubted faithfulness to Khadijah tillher dying day, and till he himself wasfifty years of age, give us additionalground to hope that calumny or miscon-ce~tion has been at work in the story ofZamab ("Mul)ammad and Muhammad-anism").
3105. Commentary:The reference in the words, "that which Allah
has made incumbent upon him," and "the com-mand of Allah is a decre~ ordained," is to theHoly Prophet's marriage with Zainab. The
words show that this marriage took place in
obedience to express Divine command.3105A. Commentary:
Though the Holy Prophet knew that Zainabbeing the divorced wife of Zaid known to
be his adopted son, his marriage with her wouldgive rise to much criticism among the Arabs,
he did not at all hesitate to marry her when
he found that it was God's command to doso. In the performance of his sacred missionthe Holy Prophet never cared for the feelingsand susceptibilities of anybody. In fact, God's
2124
PT. 22 AL-AHZAB
41. Mul;ammad is not the fatherof any of your men, but he is theMessenger of Allah, and the Seal ofthe Prophets; and Allah has full know-ledge of all things.3106
CH. 33
J'" 'J>-:;' ,((."',%r"".. ,.. """r(;/,
(j,o~
-'r~r"~~CtJ.J~~~~~I\.! ~dO~tf1'.?,,,,, ;.,~ "'J. j
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I@~ ~ ..<..p!.
.. t -: 161 -:':': ':\, /-:-.k""
...., ~ ,;.4.IJ <.:) )~~'OJ @!I ,
Prophets do not fear anyone in the dischargeof their duties. So, the words "tbou didst fearmen" in v. 38 should be taken as signifyingthat the Holy Prophet did not fear men but
he feared for them, lest by regarding Zainab'smarriage with Zaid a miscalcu]ation of theProphet, they might injure their own souls.
3106. Important Words:
u::~":,J I ~ I.;.. (Seal of the Prophets). (""j"l.;..
(Khatam) is derived from r;;'. They say ~::~J Ir;:;"oI.::l~~.;.. -,I i.e. he sealed, stamped, impressedor imprinted the thing or he put the seal on it.This is the primary signification of this word.Or the primary signification of r:';" (khatmun)is the act of covering over the thing. It alsosignifies the protecting of what is in a writing by
marking or stamping a piece of clay upon it, orby means of a seal of any kind. ~=;'J I~ alsomeans, he reached the end of the thing.01 }AJI r-=.;..means, he recited the whole of theQur'an. This is the secondary meaning of the
word. Thus rj"l.;..(khatam) means, a signet-ring;a seal or stamp and a mark; the end or last partor portion and result or issue of a thing; thehollow of the back of the neck. The words r:';"(khatmun) and ~j"l.;.. (khatim and khatam) arealmost synonymous and mean a signet. ~ l.;..
(khatam) also signifies, embellishment or
ornament, the best and most perfect (Lane,Aqrab, Mufradat. Fatb & Zurqani). So the
expression u~::":,~J1rot.;.. would mean, the Seal
of the Prophets; the best and most perfect of
the Prophets; the embellishment and ornament
of the Prof hets. S{condari]y, tI~e expressionmay also mean, the last of the Prophets.
Commentary:
Much confusion and misunderstanding seemsto prevail as to what is the real spiritualstatus and position of the Holy Prophet asindicated by the expression u~=":,:JIi'"j'l.;..i.e. theSeal of the Prophets. A careful study of the
context. however, removes the prevalent mis-conception. At Mecca when all the HolyProphet's male children died in their childhood,his enemies taunted him with being ;:, i(one who has no male issue), meaning that in
the absence of male heirs to succeed him hisMovement would sooner or later come to an end(Mubin. In answer to this taunt of disbelieversit was emphatically declared in Sura Kausar() J5J I) that not the Holy Prophet but his
enemies would remain issueless. After the revela-tion of Sura Kausar the idea naturally foundfavour with the early Muslims that the HolyProphet would be blessed with sons who wouldlive to an adult age. The verse under comment
removed that misconception inasmuch asit declared that the Prophet is not, neverwas, nor will ever be the father of any grown-up young men (Jt~) meaning grown-up young
men). The verse under comment whileappearing to be in conflict with Sura Kausar
in which not the Holy Prophet but his enemies
have been threatened with being issueless, inreal ity seeks to set at rest doubts and misgiv-ings to which this seeming contradicTiQn gives
2125
CH.33 AL-AHZAB
rise. It says that the Holy Prophet is ..uIJ>~J
i.e. the spiritual father of a whole Ummat andhe is also ~~I~l;. signifying that he is thespiritual father of all the past and futureProphets. So when he is the spiritual father ofall the believers and all Prophets, how can he besaid to be .J~,ii.e. issueless. But if the expression0~~~~}:f9JI~be taken to mean that the HolyProphet is the last of the Prophets and that noProphet will come after him, then the verseappears to be out of tune with the context andinstead of refuting the objection of disbelieversthat the Holy Prophet was issueless, supportsand reinforces it.
Briefly, according to the meaning .of the word~j'l;. , the expression 0:~I~JI~ can have four
possible meanings:
(I) That the Holy Prophet was the Seal of
the Prophets, i.e., no Prophet, past or future,can be regarded as true unless his prophethoodbears the seal of the Holy Prophet. The pro-phethood of every past Prophet must be confirmed
and testified to by the Holy Prophet and nobodycan attain to prophethood after him except bybeing his~::..i (follower). All claims to prophet-
hood must be judged and tested by reference tothe revelation received by the Holy Prophet andto his teachings.
(2) That the Holy Prophet was the best, the
noblest and the most perfect of all the Prophetsand that he was also a source of embellishmentfor them (Zurqani, Shara1,1 Mawahib al-Ladunniyya).
(3) That the Holy Prophet was the last of the
Law-bearing Prophets. This interpretation hasbeen accepted by many eminent Muslimtheologians, saints and savants such as Ibn
'Arabi, Shah Wali-AUah, Imam 'Ali Qan,Mujaddid Alf Thani, etc. According to thesegreat scholars and saints no Prophet can come
after the Holy Prophet who should abrogate his
PT. 22
Millat or should not be in his Ummat(FutUl).at, Tafhimat, Mukatabat & Yawaqit
wa'l Jawahir). 'A'ishah, the talented spouse ofthe Holy Prophet, has removed all ambiguity
about the meaning of the expression 0~~J 1~1l;..
She is reported to have said:0..\A;\5; 'j I>1~1 'j.J ~~:.J \ ('"'Jl;. "';I I}';i.e. Say that he (the Holy Prophet) is 0:~:J1 ~11~
but do not say that there will be no Prophetafter him (Manthur). This saying of 'A'ishahmakes it quite clear that the expression ~~~J I~; \~and oJ..., u~; 'j were considered by her to becontradictory to each other in meaning andsignificance.
(4) That the Holy Prophet was the last of theProphets, but only in this senSe that all the quali-ties and attributes of prophethood found theirmost perfect and complete consummation andexpression in him; ~il;. in the sense of being thelast word in excellence and perfection is ofcommon use.
Moreover, the Qur'an clearly speaks of theadvent of Prophets after the Holy Prophet.The following two verses leave no ambiguity onthis point:-
And whoso obeys Allah and thisMessenger of His shall be among those onwhom Allah has bestowed His blessings,namely, the Prophets, the Truthful,the Martyrs and the Righteous. Andexcellent companions are these (4 : 70).
0 children of Adam! if Messengerscome to you from among yourselves,rehearsing My Signs come unto you,then whoso shall fear God and do gooddeeds, on them shall come no fear norshaH they grieve (7: 36).
The Holy Prophet himself was clear in hismind as to the continuity of prophethood afterhim. He is reported to have said: "If Abraham(his son) had lived long, he would have been aProphet" (Maja, kitab al-Jantii'z), and, "AbuBakr is best of men after me, except that aProphet should appear" (Kanz al-'Ummal).
2126
PT. 22 AL-AJ:fZAB
6 42. 0 ye who believe! arememberAllah with much remembrance;3lo7
43: bAnd glorify Him morning andevenmg.
44. He it is Who sends blessingson you, as do His angels, Cthat Hemay bring you forth from all kindsof darkness into light. And He is Merci-ful to the believers.3107A
45. dTheir greeting on the daywhen they meet Him, will be 'Peace.'And He has prepared for them anhonourable reward.
46. 0 Prophet! truly eWe have sentthee as a Witness, and a Bearer of gladtidings, and a Warner,310S
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CH.33~ ~~
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a4 : 104; 8 : 46 ; 62 : ] I. 13 : 42 : ]9 : 12. c2 : 258; 14 : 6; 57 : 10; 65 : 12.d 10 : II; 36 : 59. "25 : 57; 35 : 25; 48 : 9.
3107. Commentary:
The verse means to say that the remembrance
of God will playa great part in the wonderful
revolution that the Holy Prophet will bringabout among his people by his noble example.
3107 A. Commentary:The Sura under comment primarily deals
with the domestic life of the Holy Prophet and
tells us, how it was not only pure and beyond
reproach but was an ideal and exemplary one.The present and the next ftw verses serve as aprelude to the real subject of marriage anddivorce in relation to the Prophet, which beginswith v. 50 below. The marriages of the HolyProphet have been subjected to much mean andvile criticism. To this a somewhat detailed
reference has already been made (33 : 38). Thepresent verse, however, means to say that that
great and noble Prophet who brought about such
a wonderful revolution in the lives of his people
and "brought them forth from darkness into
light" could not be the type of man his traducersvainly try to depict him.
The words r--<:"~1", J~ when used about Godmean, "He sends down blessings upon you," but
when used about the angels or the believers theymean, "they pray for you."
3108. Commentary:
In this and the next verse five prominent quali-ties of the Holy Prophet have been mentioned toshow that he possesses alllhe necessary qualifica-
tions which a spiritual Leader who is entrusted
with the Divine mission "to bring men out ofdarkness into light," should possess; (1) he is a
WitnesE. i.e. a promulgator of the Law and a
2127
CH.33 AL-AHZAB
47. And as a Summoner unto Allahby His Command, and as a Lampthat gives bright light.3lO8A
48. And announce to the believersthe glad tidings that they will havegreat bounty from Allah.
49. nAnd follow not the disbelieversand the hypocrites, and leave alonetheir annoyance, and put thy trustin Allah; for Allah is sufficient as aGuardian.3109
SO, 0 ye who believe! when youmarry believing women and thendivorce them bbefore you have touchedthem, then you have no right againstthem with regard to the period ofwaiting that you reckon. So makesome provision for them and send themaway in a handsome manner. 3110
al8 : 29; 25 : 53. b2: 237.
PT. 22
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model; (2) he is a Bearer of glad tidings, i.e. Godhas not lost interest in men and continues tosend His Messengers and Prophets to reclaimlost humanity when there is need for one; (3) heis a Warner telling men that if they did notbenefit by his teaching and persisted in theirevil ways, they will come to grief; (4) he is aSummoner unto Allah by His command, i.e. heis not a self-appointed Reformer but a Divinely-commissioned Teacher; and (5) he is a Lampthat gives light, i.e. now, he alone is "the lightand the way."
3108A. Commentary:
In this verse the Holy Prophet has beenlikened to the sun, thus indicating that as thesun is the central point in the physical universeso is the Holy Prophet the central point in thespiritual realm, i.e., he is like the sun in the fir-mament of Prophets who are like so many stars
and moons in comparison with him. He is alsolike the sun among his own Companions whomhe himself has likened to stars. He is reportedto have said: My Companions are like so manystars; whomsoever of them you follow you willbe rightly guided (~aghir).
3109. Commentary:The reference in the words "leave alone their
annoyance" might be to the vile attacks thatwere to be made by evil-minded critics uponthe spotless character of the Holy Prophet onaccount of some of the marriages he had toenter into in the latter part of his life.
3110. Commentary:The words "and send them away in a hand-
some manner" signify (1) that no reproach ordisgrace should be considered to be attached todivorce; (2) that the divorced woman shouldordinarily be paid more than her part of thestipulated dower, and (3) that after divorce her
2128
PT. 22 AL-AHZAB CH.33
51. 0 Prophet! We have made law-ful to thee thy wives whom thou hastpaid their dowries, and those whomthy right hand possesses from amongthose whom Allah has given thee asgains of war, and the daughters ofthy paternal uncle, and the daughtersof thy paternal aunts, and the daughtersof thy maternal uncle, and the daughtersof thy maternal aunts who have emi-grated w~th thee and any other believingwoman If she offers herself for marri-age to the Prophet provided the Pro-phet desires to marry her: this provisionis only for thee, as against odzer be-lievers-We have already made knownwhat We have enjoined on them con-cerning their wives and those whomtheir right hands possess-in order thatthere may be no difficulty for thee in thedischarge of thy work. And Allah isMost Forgiving, Mercifu1.3111
"~,., I -'
I """,,,,,, ";I~' ,,'/ ?" 9'~I Wt~6jt~tili:t~1~'~(S,. ....
"" 01 --" "~~I;~'~~~~" q?",n", "'..,," -' ~..J*t~""-:'\Ir-: I"",-;\..~ ,/"" 1
~ -' ~ I..>~ --'~ ~ @.:;;.~ "",.. "."..J ",,,.-'
1- '9""-,,.1 I
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1
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r" r~"I/ '~.b"" ::.Pit,y , , ,~~.
r-:L4~V;;~~ 9-'J~cl1~~
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6:':\~' ~ ,~'! --: 9~ , , (~l.(j
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freedom to act as she likes with regard toherself should not be interfered with.
3111. Commentary:
This verse should be read along with vv. 29and 30 above. In those verses the wives of theHoly Prophet were offered a choice betweenthe companionship of the Holy Prophet and
the material benefits and comforts of life but,they preferred the Prophet's company. Thepresent verse by implication refers to that reply
of the Prophet's consorts which is recorded in
the books of history but expressly nowhere inthe Qur'an. Till they gave their reply, the maritalrelations between them and the Holy Prophetremained, as it were, in a state of suspension.The verse shows that while the wives of the HolyProphet preferred his company to materialgoods and amenities of life, he too had great
consideration for their feelings. and though he
was given the choice to retain such of them ashe liked (v. 52) he did not exercise the choiceand in deference to his wishes God permittedhim in the present verse to retain all his wives.
The verse refers to three kinds of women
whom the Holy Prophet could marry in addi-tion to his already wedded wives: (1) Womenwho were taken prisoner in wars against Islam;(2) women who had migrated to Medina with the
Holy Prophet. and (3) a woman who shouldoffer herself for marriage to him. This showstllat the Holy Prophet's marriages were motivatedby considerations other than sensuous grati-
fication as his ignorant and mischievous criticstry to depict. Those who had left their hearths
and homes for the sake of Islam and those whose
husbands had been killed in wars fighting indefence of Islam had special claim on the HolyProphet's consideration. It is in view of these
2129
---~._~ ~------
AL-AHZABCH.33
considerations that he married most of his wives.
He married J:Iaf~ah whose husband was killed in
the Battle of Badr, Zainab bint Khuzaimahwhose,husband was killed in the Battle of UQad,
Umm Salmah whose husband died in 4 A.H., andUmm J:Iabibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, whobecame a widow in 5 or 6 A.H. (in exile in Abys-sinia). He married Juwairiyah and $afiyyah, bothwidows, in 5 A.H. and 7 A.H. respectively, seek-
ing a union with and pacification of their tribes.It is worthy of note that a hundred families
of the Bani Mu~~aliq were liberated by Muslimswhen the Holy Prophet married Juwairiyah.Maimunah, anothr widow, it is said, offeredherself to be taken in marriage by the HolyProphet which offer he condescended to accept
in the interest of the education and training ofMuslim women. He married Zainab, the di-vorced wife of Zaid in 5 A.H. in order to put astop to a foolish custom prevailing among the
Arabs and in order also to assuage her wounded
feelings as the respected lady had felt deeplyhumiliated at being divorced by Zaid. He
married Mariah in 7 A.H. and thus by raising afreed slave girl to the highly eminent spiritualstatus of the "Mother of the Faithful" he gave adeath blow to slavery. Such were the pious andrighteous motives of our noble Master in marry-ing widows and divorced women, by no means
noted for their youth or beauty, and yet hiscruel and mean traducers vainly try to depicthim as a person who was given to gratifying
his carnal desires. They deliberately ignorethe patent fact that up to the age of 25he lived the spotless life of a celibate. Then in
the prime of his youth he married a lady fifteenyears his senior and lived with her a most happy
life till he was an old man of fifty and she
PT. 22
about sixty-five. After her death he marriedSaudah, another lady of a very advanced
age. He married all his other wives, towhich exception has been taken by evil-
minded carpers, between 2 A.H. and 7 A.H., aperiod when he was constantly engaged in activefighting and hi life was perpetually in danger
and the fate of Islam itself hung in the balance.Could any sane person in such situation of dangerand uncertainty conceive of contracting marriageafter marriage from motives attributed to theHoly Prophet? After this he lived for about
three years as virtual ruler of the whole of Arabiawhen all the comforts and amenities of life wereat his disposal and yet he entered into no furthermarriage. Does not this fact alone establishthe honesty and sincerity of the Holy Prophet's
motives in marrying his wives?The words "if she entrusts herself to the
Prophet" have been taken as specially referringto Maimunah who is reported to have offeredherself to be taken into marriage by the HolyProphet. The clause, "This provisIOn is only for
thee as against other believers," means that itwas a special privilege of the Holy Prophet andwas due to the special nature of his dutiesas a Divine Prophet. In fact, marriages ofthe Holy Prophet were dictated by muchhigher and nobler considerations than merelypersonal. The clause may also refer to thespecial permission granted to the Holy Prophet,to retain all his wives, after the commandmentcontained in 4 : 4 was revealed, limiting to fourthe number of wives allowed to Muslims at onetime.
The words, "We have already made knownwhat We have enjoined on them concerning theirwives," refer to the commandment contained in4 : 4.
2130
PT. 22_.~-~-------.
AL-A~ZAB~--~---~ ~-~_.__._- -~-~~
~----
52. Thou mayest defer the marriageof any of them that thou pleasest, andreceive unto thyself whom thou pleasest;and if thou desirest to take back any?fthose whom thou hast put aside, thereISno blame on thee. That is more likelythat their eyes ~ay be cooled, and thatthey may not gneve, and that they mayall be pleased with that which thouhast given them. And Allah knowswhat is in your hearts; and Allah isAll-Knowing, Forbearing.3112
53. It is not allowed thee to marrywomen after that, nor to changethem for other wives even though theirgoodness please thee, except any thatthy right hand possesses. And Allahis Watchful over all things.3! l3
-~ ~~
3112. Important Words
~~)' (thou mayest defer) is derived from t.::-J.They say .J~)l1t.::-) i.e. he postponed, put off,deferred or delayed an affair. The Quranicexpressionj .;)j1.J"~0-,.::-).. (9 : 107) means, thoseabout whom decision has been deferred forthe decree of Allah (Lane &Aqrab).
Commentary:
Whereas on the one hand the wives of the HolyProphet were given the option to choose betweenhis company and the material comforts of life andworldly goods (33 : 29-30), on the other theHoly Prophet was also given the same choiceto retain, or part with, any of his wives. Allhis wives lost no time in indicating their pre-ference. They chose to cast in their lot with theHoly Prophet. The Holy Prophet, on his part,was equally considerate. He signified his in-tention to retain all of them. This decision ofthe Prophet greatly pleased them. This is the
CH.33
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~~~So 1~2~~~\Z.Jd~y..,
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~~~,
7'\-'>.y.; ~~~ ~,~'""'. ..L...
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;.~~..H:>~~--,~ ~Cllu..)t
-:~,,1.,~.~;zj ~;G'; 'L \
,,~J:t2~
9~.':: I~ .J~~ 7 ..41,)1) ~~\
'"
@~\.;. ~:.\:'~ t-"", ..""
aJJ
~.j:li~%~J;;r~~ flll t~ 9r-: ~",;. . '-''''''',; ~. 0
'''''~'''r'''~i t '''99'' .d"'''';''''''' """,~~~",~~I'tw?':1 'I?.. ~ -' \.:.1),)~
~t
r~'M'" JiJ''-: w? I 0' j," 9() ~.. ~ .. ~II" /"'t -: r~", :sl:"" 't@ ...).J ~ ~ t!:£;4.IJ<.:J0 -'~. &
'"-~---- ~-~-~
meaning of the words: That they may all be
pleased with that which thou hast given them.
The present and the previous verse containpermissive regulations for the Holy Prophet,but the Prophet did not take advantage of anyone of them, nor did he put aside or divorceany of his wives.
3113. Commentary:This verse was revealed in 7 A.H. after which
the Holy Prophet contracted no further marri-age. He was prohibited to do so. He was alsonot permitted to divorce any of the existing
wives. This was possibly in deference to theirdignity as "Mothers of the Faithful" andperhaps was also due to the fact that they
had preferred the rigour and austerity of theHoly Prophet's domestic life to worldly comforts.
God appreciated their sacrifice and forbade theHoly Prophet to marry any more wife or to
divorce anyone of the existing wives.
2131
-~-
AL-AHZABCH.33
R.7 54. 0 ye who believe! enter notthe houses of the Prophet unless leave isgranted to you for a meal,-notwaiting for its appointed time. Butenter when you are invited, and whenyou have finished eating disperse, with-out seeking to engage in talk. Thatcauses inconvenience to the Prophet,and he feels shy of asking youto leave, but Allah is not shy of say-ing what is true. And when you askthem-the wi lies of the Prophet-for anything, ask them from behind acurtain. That is purer for your heartsand their hearts. And it behoves younot to cause inconvenience to theMessenger of Allah, nor that youshould ever marry his wives afterhim. Indeed that would be, in thesight of Allah, an enormity.31l4
The words "Allah is Watchful over an things"may signify that God knew fun well the moralresponsibilities of the wives of the Holy
Prophet. Other women, although they mightbe superior to them in some respects, werenot to be as useful or fitted for the great andnoble task which the Prophet's wives had toperform.3114. Commentary:
The teaching of social ethics and domesticmorals and manners with special reference to
. the Holy Prophet's marriage with Zainab andthe calumnies and false charges of which the evil-minded "Hypocrites" accused him form the sub-ject of the present verse. Some of the socialmanners taught in this verse are: One shouldnot enter a house uninvited and when invitedone should be punctual. It is as bad to be beforetime as to be behind time. After meals oneshould depart. not wasting one's own and other
PT. 22
,,,""'~,"'--;" '" ", " '''' '" '9",
I'" ~ r~t17\:)1~Jy.~1~~.~J:j~~\ctlfJ\ ~~
~ "'~4.l,~' \.\ "'~ ~~ J ' /~~~1w... .J "'~~ ~ \~
,,»)J C).)~
,. ''''''f~'' "r-:: 9Y'f<,J . '""\T ..".
~ "';' - t~ \ .\j
,., I~~ .. ., 7
''\) ~~ ~ ~'"
~~~.) ),, , ~ I
'"j, ., , ,,
Y' ~~' . ~ , ~. \ ~ I ~' .r; '.a '\'lS,,!7-? ~ "'.)~" ~..~~ ;J
~~il ~ ,~'"'"
'.~.,"..i,'('~ ,~ .,,,~~"'-:It~ ~~..:JQ,.U-'~~~~, I 1"-
~~;r/~? ;'~~~~~~' ;~~'f'" -=1"~ .;//])J~0#!. ~ \.ow
b""~,y/, ~\S'~" j,:;.~lt~" ,r--
{liJ 9~~),1"':~~ (.:) J ~~-'~ ",~1~~(, 4.;(~; \
'"",:;9~~ ""
, '(1" J 'J""" \'?;! ,"~ .~) ~ 0 ~ -'9» ~) !',) jJ ~,
@~J\~ :'lS'~~ ~j,?;;;~
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peoples' time in the usual post-prandial idle
talk. These are some of the rules of socialconduct which need to be learnt and observed.
The commandment embodied in the words...and when you ask them for anything. ask
them from behind a curtain." is intended to
discourage too much familiarity between the
sexes. the pronoun u" (them) by implication.
applying to all women.
The clause, "That is purer for your heartsand their hearts," may mean; (a) that it may lead
to purity of thoughts. and (b) that such conductmay protect women from slanderous tongues.
Marriage with the widows of the HolyProphet has been declared a grievous sin in this
verse. Being the "Mothers of the Faithful" itwas inconsistent with their spiritual dignity tomarry any of their "spiritual sons." Moreover.
as wives of the Prophet they were entrusted with
2132
PT. 22 AL-AHZAB CH.33
55. (~Whether you reveal a thing orconceal it, Allah knows aU thingsfull well.
56. There is no blame on them in1his respect with regard to their fathersor their sons or their brothers, or thesons of their brothers or the sons oftheir sisters, or their womenfolk or thosewhom their right hands possess.And, fear Allah, 0 lvives of the Prophet,Verily, Allah is Witness over allthings.3115
57. Allah and His angels sendblessings on the Prophet. 0 ye who be-lieve, you too should invoke blessingson him and salute him with the saluta-tion of peace. 3 116
58. Verily, bthose who malign Allahand His Messenger-Allah has cursedthem in this world and in the Hereafter,and has prepared for them an abasingpunishment. 3117
y ~ ';, r"'. 7" " \.~ ,, y , 9~ .~ ~<r~"" '" \ : IJ " J. :.,~ ? t-..)""~~.)t~~ C>...~~--', ..!J . C)~
@ l~, '.t;.-...
0/;, ~ r-;;.;, (:,-;. ~ A;'\~ ""r-::'''''0 -'~~';J-'~~\~~L~~-:: ",/ 'f?,""-'l
", '1?:~ ,
~~'t~\~-,~6>t ~~'~b ~\~I""
".. ',7:J,
",.~
1
/ z;::;' .9~r"'" ~~ r" .;;
...-::: ~ ' ""....
~ --' ~~.' - \..o.)-,~~~--,1- / '/' J \ J. I
@ \~ ~ - 'I~ :"r~"1M t ~, ".. \.. -, ~ ... ~ 1.:.\0 a.1J C)j. 4IJ
~JI ~U'~IM-'--~I\l~ ~~ ~Lo..."l
\ ~ I" .. '!::" ~ \..:) .. J.:W ~;.....
e~;.\ ::q~ .. Q.~ r;t I'~""I--' ~ ~
',9' j 9;'//(/?9""""~ ""'}"..., '., -::.4:-41t~ dJ~.J) @\\:,»))~.~~\ c>!
8\t~ ~Ij;~ J:\; j.~~t;~11
.13 : 30; 40: 150. 1/9: 61.
the great task of the spiritual training of Muslimmen and women which required utmostreverence for them on their part.
3115. Commentary:This verse lays down exceptions to the
commandment given in verse 54 above. Womencan go before these relations inside the housewithout observing "Purdah" or can conversefreely with them.
3116. Commentary:The sending down of blessings by Allah and
His angels upon the Holy Prophet signifies that
those who seek to retard the progress of his causeby slandering him and bringing false accusationsagainst him live in a fool's paradise. By their
nefarious activities they can do him no harm.His cause will continue to progress and prosperbecause God and His angels bless it.
3117. Commentary:
By "maligning Allah" is meant "seeking toretard the cause of truth" and by "maligning HisMessenger," is meant "seeking to slander anddefame him."
2133
CH.33 AL-AI:1ZAB
59. RAnd those who malign believ-ing men and believing women for whatthey have not earned shall bear the Rui/tof a calumny and a manifest sin.m8
t 8 60. 0 Prophet! tell thy wives andthy daughters, and the women of thebelievers, that they should draw closeto them portions of their loose outercoverings. That is more likely that theymay thus be distinguished and notmolested. And Allah is Most Forgiving,Merciful. 3119
PT. 22
l:o~~l'(,,,~,. ~',,~'~~9 ~'~I",.. :.-' ."yttI .J~~ ~ ~~, .Jt
It.:': r~l.l" rf~ ,~""'" "" ;"~~rt~. "''I...J "'u" 'M I ... \ /..tI::Y... ,.~ . ~, ~.
~'. ~:r,-~;a1' ""~(~Vj; ~!q ~~~~ ~" ,. -' ~ ~j'"
~~ .. ..-"",; ~,,, ~H~ b~ '~, ~~~
~ \ U.),~.)~!. . ~. J" '.." .."'''~
~
;'0; ,\Jo'''' ' ''''-' i'"''\~~ ,""~'
III
""r~; ;I
.". "I":. ~. ..@ ~ .JJpd.-U\ \:)o~ \:i.)~~ ~~...#1 ...
a4 : 113; 24 : 24.
0:;J.~(drawclose)is aorist from ~j~1 which istransitive verI:)from 0j.) which means, he or itwas or became near. aU.)1means, he made himdraw near. lr!-'~' l~:Lc...:;..j.)jmeans, she let down
her garment upon her and veiled herself with it.J=_Jl-:;..:i.)i means, I let down the veil, or curtain,for the purpose of concealment (Lane & Aqrab)Commentary:
This verse contains the basic commandmentwith regard to "Purdah" as enjoined by Islam.For a full discussion, however, of this subject see24 : 32 where the present verse has also beendiscussed. Briefly, it may be stated here thatIslamic "Purda.h" is intended to serve a doublepurpose. It enjoins privacy and recommends
decorum and dignified behaviour . Women are
not allowed to meet men promiscuously and theyare expected to observe certain rules regardingdress when going out of their houses.
3118. Commentary:
The word lS)i which is infinitive noun from0J) j.~ means both annoying and maligning.
3119. Important Words:
<-:-:!-j..,,;(outer coverings) is the plural of ,-:-,l~,,;which is derived from <-:-1,,;.They say l!l~,,; "-7.'t,,;i.e. he put on himself a garment of the kind called
'-:-'~. This word has several meanings; (a) a
woman's outer wrapping garment; this is its pri-mary signification; (b) a shirt; (c) a ga~ment thatenvelops the whole body; (d) the kind of coveringcalled )1...;..; (e) a garment with which a womancovers her head and bosom; (f) a woman's head-covering; (g) a garment worn by a woman thatentirely envelops the body so that not even ahand is left uncovered; (h) a garment or otherthing that one uses as a covering (Lane).
--~----
2134
~ ~ ~-~--~._.-
AL-AHZAB
~~-
PT. 22
61. If the hypocrites, and those inwhose hearts is a disease, and those whocause agitation in the city, desist not,We shall surely make thee take actionagainst them; then they will not dwelltherein as thy neighbours, save for alittle while.3]2O
CH.33
(Q// 99.""
,J 1.9' ""'"-:.
'"/. .., ;'1:: ~ ~\:J\ '" ~ ~ ;...'.q~ '\ ~u&>f (f;~"/ c.r.."
) (.:)~, .. ~~
/,.J,~I~"".9"'..""'" ,J ,9"'""i( ~ ~~?~.~-}\~(.:)~;J'j
j;~~,r",,_. ~'9 (Z\!9
"'"~, ~/ ~..>~...
3120. Important Words:
.J~7.r (who cause agitation) is the plural of'
A7'-j" which is active participle from ~) which
is the transitive form of .";7) which means, itwas or became in a state of commotion oragitation, or in a state of violent agitation.
i -,AJ1 A7) means, the people prepared them-selves for war. J.~.;:.JI Ii 1-,.Q.~;1means, they saidwhat was false respecting the thing or they toldmany evil and false tales respecting the thingin order that the people might become in a stateof commotion, agitation or disturbance in conse-quence thereof. '''';'7'-;1 alone means, they said
what was false in relating tales of conflicts andfactions or discords and the like. They sayIj,) ~..I...J1J 1-'';'7'-;1i.e. they told in the town
and country of such a matter, in order thatthey might cause commotion or agitation, etc.,
without there being anything thereof true intheir estimation (Lane).
"'(;~j;';'J (We shall make thee take actionagainst them) is formed from Iji.f which is
derived from 1.;i-. They say.l..1 Dji. i.e. it
adhered to it; he became attached to it; he
loved it; he adhered, clung or clove to it.
~ 41.i.i means, he made him to become attachedto or fond of it, to adhere, cleave or cling toit; he incited, urged or instigated him to
do it. ...I.:.,.,.Jl1 ,-:-t::JI ~ji. f means, I incited, or
urged the dog against the game. ~rl 41.)dmeans, he set him upon them or over them; or
made him to have masterly dominion orauthority over them. The Quranic expression
°.JI..I J\ rr;~ o.)d means, He cast enmity bet-ween them as though he made it cleave to them(Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
As the present Sura deals with the vicissitudes
through which Islam had to pass during the firstfew years of its life at Medina, some referenceto the "Hypocrites" and Jews of Medina wascalled for, as they formed a substantial part of thepopulation of Medina. They sought to put all
sorts of obstacles and impediments in the wayof Islam, lest it should gain political power
and prestige. The main weapon in their armouryagainst Islam was the spreading of false news.
The verse under comment foretold the doom ofthese people at a time when they thought that
their plots and conspiracies against Islam wouldsucceed. After the Battle of the Ditch BanGQurai?,;ah, the last Jewish tribe living in Medina,
were severely punished and Medina becamecompletely rid of the Jews. The capacity of the
"Hypocrites" to create mischief also received asevere set-back, as the defeat and dispersionof the confederated armies added vastly to thepolitical power and prestige of Islam.
2135
CH.33 AL-AHZAB
62. Then they will be accursed.Wherever they are found, they will beseized, and cut into pieces.3121
63. RSuch has been the way of Allahin the case of those who passed awaybefore, and thou wilt never find achange in the way of Allah.3122
64. bMen ask thee concerning theHour. Say, 'The knowledge of it iswith Allah alone.' And what willmake thee know that the Hour maybe nigh ?3123
65. l'Allah has surely cursed thedisbelievers, and has prepared forthem a burning fire,
66. Wherein they will abide forever. They will find therein no friendnor helper.
67. On the day when their faces areturned over in the fire, they will say,d'O, would that we had obeyed Allahand obeyed the Messenger !'3124
PT. 22
~ ~'" '..',,, 9'" -!t:" ,9''''e~~~"\ ~It ,.." "I~~~.., ,,-'1' -, ~ .. ..
..'" ,,/,"'''' ''''' "'", "'- '/'"-1':"1 "'\ t,-\,:,It?I-' "",;i .
'" I"'"'~ ~~) ~ <.:J3 ~ I:./vv I, I) @ 'l:.-" "
;, ".." ~."~ I
@~~41~nil' . ,
~r"Ji ~1j;~WI,,~ J\i}\~.,,~ ,,'" ~CJI ..
e~)~~~t~~~~~)5&',,'"
~ "'''' Iy~,
"to "''''\''''''' " /__\"'U\~\@~ Jw )~"", 0- dJ,)
~"
r-'L:~, /,~~" "" ""
"L:~"'",l4:; ""~~@~~J., ,:,,-,~)~~ t~\ ..,,~;"'''''
T~-(., '\ I""
/, '.:" \i) . ~ 0 ')' ~ ""....~~~~~'llJ~~), ~~.
!
e~~'~\;~\~/&17 : 78; 35 : 44; 48 : 24. 117: 45. d25 : 28.b7 : 188; 79 : 43.
3121. Commentary:
It is an established fact of history that ignominyand humiliation have dogged the footstepsof the ill-fated Jewish people throughout the ages.Their return to Palestine and the establishmentof the Republic of Israel seems to be only a tem-
. porary phase.
3122. Commentary:
The verse purports to say that it is an invari-able Divine practice that the enemies of truthfail in their wicked designs against it and cometo grief in the long run. This has happened
in the time of every Divine Reformer andProphet.
3123. Commentary:In verse 25 the disbelievers and "Hypo-
crites" were warned that they would be punished.In the present verse they are told that the timeof their punishment has drawn very near. Thereference in "the Hour" may be to the Battle of
the Ditch.
3124. Important Words:A-'~-' (faces)is the plural of ~ J which means
face, direction; object and motive; deed oraction to which a person directs his atten tion;the thing itself; the desired way. .-'::"-' also
means kadel's; prominent persons. The wordseems to have been used in this sense in thepresent verSe. See also 2 : ] 13, 149.
2136
PT. 22 AL-AJ;tZAB CH.33
68. aAnd they will say, 'Our Lord,we obeyed our chiefs and our greatones and they led us astray from theway. 3125
69. 'Our Lord, give them doublepunishment and curse them with avery great curse.'
'19 70. 0 ye who believe! be not like
those who vexed and slandered Moses;but Allah cleared him of what theyspoke of him. bAnd he is honour-able in the sight of Allah.3126
71. 0 ye who believe! fear Allah,and say the straightforward word.3127
_._~ ~~ ~--
<17 : 39; 14 : 22; 28 : 64; 34 : 32-33; 40: 48-49.
~ ---
b !i ": "\'; ~;(" ~I ~"l:: ~;b~ tt" I!\\i"~ ~-'.}"
.J ~ j
" '"@~t".~
l~~;~~I-,~\~\~~~it~~ ,If';M"" \;'" .
t ,1;,,, ,\@~({..~ t)
~~ ~jl~~~~~ ~I~i ~~I ~~~r1i' " ~1 ~ ~~/\!t~.~ '~t'~Q~--'" ...~ )
'-" "o.u IS .
;J o'!; -11... j 9 /' J ~ 9' -:. ~9"
UI~.,
/'1'''''\'" "'''' II "" It "I"~' \ WI
G~~JI~&j')aJJ ~ ~ l.:t.~ .."
b19 : 52.-~~~-~ ~--
3125. Ct'mmentary:
In the preceding verse reference was made tothe leaders of disbelief. Here the rank and file
are mentioned. It i:; human nature that whenmischeif-makers are punished, they seek to
shift the blame for their evil deeds to oth~rs.The leaders blame their followers for followingthem blindly and the rank and file accuse theirleaders of deceiving them by superior intellect.
In the next verse the followers demand that doublepunishment be inflicted on their leaders fortheir own evil deeds and for having misled them.
3126. Commentary:
From the Bible (Num. 12: 1-10) and otherJewish literature it appears that Moses was made
the butt of serious calumnies, some of whichwere: (1) Korah induced a woman to bringagainst Moses a charge of illicit connection with
her.
(b) Having become jealous of Aaron's increasing
influence with his people, Moses sought to killhim. (3) Moses was a victim of leprosy andsyphilis; and (4) Samirl charged him withidolatry.
The Holy Prophet bore very close resemb-lance to Moses. Similar allegations werebound to be made against him. God, however,cleared both these noble Prophets of the wicked
~harges brought against them by their enemies
and thus nullified their nefarious designs.
3127. Commentary:
The Sara, as mentioned above, deals with someof the most important laws of the Shari'at.Quite appropriately it doses with a basic direc-
tion in this respect. The direction is to the effectthat believers should always be on their guard
against incurring the displeasure of God by un-seemly conduct and should be scrupulously
straightforward in dealings with other people.
2137
CH.33 AL-AHZAB
72. He will set right your actionsfor you and forgive you your sins.aAnd whoso obeys Allah and HisMessenger, shall surely attain a mightysuccess.
73. Verily, We offered the trustto the heavens and the earth and themountains, but they refused to bear itand were afraid of it. But man boreit. Indeed, he is capable of being un-just to, and neglectful of, him'ielf:.!2'i'-
PT. 22
?,,; ~j
? ;" ~Y..;.??'""~.~
~;
~9.
.
;
~?J..? ;
"? , ;, ':'\", ,
1
.,~ -' . y.J . v-:::-:.-' , -
f~~I.'"~; ,;
~,,,,, ( ,; , ,;'"
I
~ '.,t::\~ ,..,. . /, -. '~\' ~\~ -, '.)!}) I..W '\I>"",)) ",..
" "";;r;,;' ;';';f:~~jl~ 9~1 ~'dJ\.A~1\Sb~ \!>1
,;'" ' ~ ';/ .,
f-:1N"r~.' ~~.. :.,'''~ ,.. ~,~? ~JUt~-'~~ -' .,-\.:)~ ,':'-'j9,!1; r~1iI;' 'r~(" .b9r'~'"
E9~~\.A~ <.:)0'Gl~\.-)~I~~.~~-~-
a4: 14; 24 : 53; 48: 18.
3128. Important Words:l.rh-,.. (bore it). Ai.,.. means, he bore or carried
it, or carried it off or away; he gave him a beastupon which to ride. 0'-.J.!J.,.. means, he bore ortook upon himself the responsibitity for thepayment of debt. :lit. ~\ J.,.. means. he tookupon himself or accepted the trust, or he betrayed
the trust, he proved false to it (Lane & Aqrab).See also 7 : 177.
l...-,lJ; (unjust) is the intensive form of rHl;
which is active participle from rll; which means,he did wrong or acted unjustly, wrongfully ortyrannically; he put the thing in a wrong placeor in a place not its own. .\..11;means, heimposed upon him a thing that was beyond hispower or ability (Lane & Aqrab). See also
2 : 36 & 17 : 60.~>6-~ (neglectful) is the intensive form of
Job l~ which is active participle from J.g~ (jahila).
which means, he was ignorant. oI~l...J-&~ means,
he acted towards him in a silly and foolish
manner and wrongly. J>=JI J-&~ means, heneglected or ignored the truth. JiI> l~ means,ignorant, neglectful; foolish or silly and wrongin conduct (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:This verse has presented Commentators of
.~~ ,~--.
the Qur'an with some difficulty. In view ofdifferent significations of the words used, theverse seems to be susceptible of the followinginterpretations:
(I) Taking the word ,J.> as meaning to accept.
and :i.il...1as signifying the trust of man's love ofGod, the verse would mean that a great spiritualdestiny awaited man. He was made God'svicegerent on earth (2 : 31). He was gifted withthe great capacities and powers to assimilate andmanifest in his person Divine attributes and tobecome the image of his Creator. This wasindeed a great trust which man, alone of all theuniverse, was found capable of discharging, otherbeings and things--the angels, the heavens, theearth and the mountains-being quite unequalto the task. They refused, as it were, to bear it.Man accepted this responsibility because he alonecould discharge it, as he had been endowedwith great natural qualities. He was capable ofbeing i .s11;(unjust to himsef) and J.H~ (neglect-
ful of himself) i.e., he could be unjust to himselfin the sense that he could bear any hardship andundergo any sacrifice for the sake of his Creator,
and he was capable of being neglectful in thesense that in the discharge of his great and sacredtrust he could be neglectful of his own interestand destre for a life of ease and comfort.
2138
PT. 22 AL-AJ:lZAB,-~--~~~-_.'_.~~-
74. The result is that Allah willpunish hypocritical men and hypocriti-cal women, and idolatrous men andidolatrous women; aand Allah turns inmercy to believing men and believingwomen; and Allah is Most Forgiving,Merciful. 3129
CH.33-- '0"'--_'-'- ~-" '------
~v1JI; L.~;':9,h~ ~o .;~9JI,1'~~9J.. #fI1~"" '"
.J..,,, .@ ., ..;
b 1 ", ?0''''
),":.;I."~'...J./I I \~ ~'I'I "'''/~::i.''~~~~Y'" <.r'o.JJu~-' '-=J~..
'-'.. ".',;i1'
A~:; ,~'~ ~ 9~I~ r~" ~
\:!) .. ... ~ !)~ a..lI <.:)I:)-' ~
't
~-- ---".--..--.---a4 : 28; 9 : 104.
(2) Taking :i..;l..1(trust), however. in the sense of
the Law of the Qur"an and 0l-j)l\ signifying theperfect man, i.e. the Holy Prophet, the versewould mean that of all the denizens of heavens,and earth, and of all great men, and leaders ofthought, the HOlY Prophet alone was found tobe capable of being entrusted with the revelationof the most perfect and final Law-the Qur"an,because no other man, or being was endowedwith those great qualities which were indispen-sible for the full and adequate discharge of thisgreat responsibility.
(3) Taking J o. in the sense of betraying orproving false to a trust, the verse would mean thatthe trust of the Divine Law was imposedupon man and other terrestrial and celestial
beings. All of them with the exception of manrefused to betray this trust, i.e. they carried out
fully and faithfully all the laws to which they
were made subject. The whole nature was true
to its laws and the angels also carried out theirduties loyally and faithfully (16 : 51). It is manalone who having been endowed with discretionand volition defies and violates Divine command-
ments because he is unjust and neglects andignores his duties and responsibilities. This
meaning of the verse is supported by 41 : 12
wherein it is stated that the heavens and earthwere commanded to carry out the laws that wereimposed on them and they gave their wiIling andunconditional obedience to them.3129. Commentary:
The verse means to say that with the revela-tion of the Sharl'at the people became split upinto two classes: (l) Those acting upon it cameto be known as believers and received thefavours and grace of God. (2) Those whorejected and defied it got the unenviable appella-tion of hypocrites and idolaters and were visitedwith Divine punishment.
2139
CHAPTER 34A L - S A B A'
(Revealed before Bijra)
Date of Revelation, Title and Context
The Sura seems to owe its title to the fact that it contains a somewhat detailed reference to Saba',a people of Yemen who were destroyed by a great flood. It was revealed at Mecca. While it isdifficult to assign to it a definite date from the nature of its contents, it appears to belong to theearly Meccan period, though some scholars place it in the middle Meccan period, while some others
like Rodwell and Noldeke give it even a later date.
The preceding several Suras embodied prophecies about the rise, progress and the ultimate victoryof Islam over false Faiths, while in the immediately preceding Chapter, AI-Al)zab, the subject wasdealt with at some length as to how the combined forces of darkness utterly failed in their nefariousdesigns to destroy Islam and how Islam emerged from one of the severest ordeals with flying
colours, its power and prestige having been considerably enhanced. In the present Sura, however,the Muslims have been warned that they should be on their guard against falling into bad waysbecause when wealth and prosperity come to a people they are prone to give themselves up to alife of ease and luxury. Since God has no particular relation with any community for all time, if apeople in the hey-day of their glory and material prosperity lead a life of sin-as did the Israelites
after Solomon or the Sabeans -they too suffer the consequences of their sinful deeds.
The immediate connection, of this Sura with its predecessor consists in the fact that towardsthe close of that Sura it was stated that of the whole creation of God man alone wasendowed with such inborn qualities and capacities as enable him to fulfil the demands of the Shari'at
and to imbibe and demonstrate in his person Divine attributes. All other species of creation wereincapable of doing so. Therefore, when the great responsibility of conforming life to the DivineLaw was placed before man and other beings and things, they all refused to accept it except man
,because he alone was found capable of going to the utmost limit in sacrificing his comforts andinterests in the discharge of his great and grave responsibility.
The Sura opens with the celebration of praises of the Wise and All-Aware God, Whoknowing that of all creation man alone could bear the heavy burden of carrying out the grave res-ponsibility of fulfilling the demands of the Shari 'at , laid that burden on his shoulders, but havinglaid it, He did not leave him alone. He continued to help him in the performance of his nobletask to its completion.
2140
Subjt'Ct-MatterThe Sura has six sections and fifty-five verses. It opens with the celebration of the praises of
Allah "to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth," implying that asGod is Great and Almighty, a people who seek to defy His authority are sure to meet with failureand frustration. The disbelievers, it further says, try to delude themselves into the belief that theirrejection of the Message of Islam will go unpunished and th~t "the Hour will never come upon them"(v. 4). They accuse the Holy Prophet of being an impostor who seeks to impose his leadership on
them. But the Prophet is no liar or forger but a true Messenger of God and as such his cause will
grow and prosper and disbelievers will be punished for rejecting him. Their power will break andtheir glory depart and this fact will constitute a proof of the truth of the Holy Prophet's mission.
The Sura proceeds to make a somewhat detailed reference to the Prophets, David andSolomon, who made vast conquests and subdued rebellious tribes and in whose reigns theIsraelite power and glory rose to its zenith. The result was that in the pride of their powerand prosperity the Israelites fell into evil ways and began to lead a life of sin which resulted inDivine wrath descending upon them. The reference to David and Solomon is followed bya reference to the Sabeans who were a highly prosperous and cultured people, but who like
the Israelites defied and disobeyed Divine commandments and Iike them incurred the displeasureof God and were destroyed by a mighty flood. By referring to the might, glory andprosperity of the Israelites under David and Solomon, and to that of the Sabeans, and to their
subsequent destruction, the Sura gives a warning to Muslims that great wealth, power andprosperity will alw be bestowed on them, but if in the hey-day of their glory they, like the Israelites
and the Sabeans, gave themselves up to a life of luxury and ease. they will be punished like them.
The third section (ruku') deals with the main theme of the Siira, viz., the progressive rise of thecause of Islam and the sad fate that is in store for idol-worshippers and their false deities. Thedisbelievers are challenged to call upon their deities to obstruct the progress of Islam, and to arrestthe decline and downfall of their own false ideals and institutions. They are told that no power
on earth could stop this from happening. They are further warned that when the "Hour" of theirultimate defeat arrives, the sinners and the guilty will be punished. This process of decline anddecay of disbelief began with the BattIe of Badr and reached its culmination on the day whenMecca-1hen the great citadel of idol-worship in Arabia-fell. and the Ka'ba was cleared of idols.In order to make disbelievers realize that their cause was destined to perish and Islam was tosweep away everything before it, they are told to study the operation of the laws of nature,
which were all working in favour of Islam. In answer to the disbelievers' demand as to when
the prophecy about the rise and progress of Islam will be fulfilled, the Sura goes so far as to fix theactual date when palpable signs of the rise of Islam and decline and downfall of disbeliefwill begin to appear. These signs, it proceeds to add, will begin to take place about a year after
the flight of the Holy Prophet from Mecca, when the Quraishites, by expelling him from hisnative town, will render themselves deserving of Divine punishment.
Next, the Sura says that whenever a Divine Reformer makes his appearance it is alwaysthe vested interests and privileged classes that stand in his way. They feel and apprehend that
the rise of the new Movement will weaken their hold on the poor people who, by accepting the
2141
new Message, will refuse to be exploited or suppressed any more. So they fight it tooth and nailand try to nip it in the bud and the suppressed and exploited classes are, by threats and intimidation,
dragooned into accepting their lead and opposing the Divine Reformer. This has happened in thetime of every Prophet. But no amount of opposition from any direction has ever been able to stay
or retard the progress of truth. When, however, the time of reckoning for the disbelievers arrives,
both the exploitedl[and the exploiters begin to curse each other for having rejected the Divine
Message. But this mutual recrimination and condemnation proves of no avail.
Towards its close the Sura refers to a criterion by which it could be easily found out that the HolyProphet is neither an impostor nor a maniac. He is a true Prophet of God, b~cause an impostor
is never allowed to progre5s and prosper and eventually comes to a sad end, and a madman cannotbring about such a wonderful revolution in the life of a whole people as the Holy Prophet has
done. The SUra ends with the warning to disbelievers of Mecca to take a lesson from th~ fateof the opponents of Prophets of yore, who in pride of power and position, rejected the Divine
Reformers and were consequently destroyed. If the Meccan disbelievers rejected the Message
of Islam they, too, would meet with no better fate.
2142
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH.34
~DV6~ ~ ~\y '-, 9
".-' ~ . b'-->~Iet<:1. (tIn the name of Allah, the
Gracious, the Mercifu1.313O
2. All praise is due to Allah, toWhom belongs whatever is in thehea vens and whatever is in the earth.And His is all praise in the Hereafter;and He is the Wise, the All-Aware.3I31
3. bHe knows whatever goes intothe earth and whatever comes forthfrom it, and whatever descends fromthe heaven and whatever ascends intoit; and He is Merciful, Most For-giving. 3 132
aSee 1 : 1.
.<D~I
'~I'I.~'�~I~"."WY ~- - -y,;# ~ ~
"7 r.. ( ... I
'h~HJ~; o~'~~IJ e, dj ~J11aL
9,,,,,,,~ ,,) r.S... ~\
G)~'"(""~1;7".I>~,,,,,,~\,; ~'''t\~f''..:,. ~ ~--'...~ ~~''IJ)
~"4:~o '.'~"to".
.,~\ . !..\~~~-' ...~.. )~)~1~~. ..
"~\1"7"J.~..; ,""\;''' 1~~.JI" j.'....
~~ yb) M"r:\?'? ) ~ (:fi ~0,''''''eJpl
b57 : 5.
3130. Commentary:
See 1: 1.
3131. Commentary:
Five Chapters of the Qur'an i.e., Ist, 6th, 18th,35th and the present one, begin with the words
"All praise is due to Allah." All these Chapters,expressly or by implication, deal with the sub-ject of the Lordship, Almightiness and Majesty
of God. The preceding several Chapters embo-
died prophecies about the rise, progress and theultimate victory of Islam over false Faiths. Inthe present Sura, however, the Muslims are
warned that they should be on their guardagainst falling into bad ways. God being
the Lord of all the worlds, He has no relationwith any particular people and w if they
followed evil ways as did the Israelites in the timeof Solomon, all their power and glory will vanishand like the Israelites they will fall a victim tomisery, degradation and ruin.
The words "H is is prai: e in the Hereafter"
refer to the time when Islam again will be-come triumphant after its decline. A detailedreference to this has been made in 32 : 6.
3132. Commentary:This verse consists of four clauses. The first
clause, "whatever goes into the earth" corres-ponds to the third clause, viz., "whatever des-cends from the heaven;" and the second clause,
"and whatever comes forth from it," corres-ponds to the fourth clause, "whatever ascendsinto it." The allusion in this verse is to thesubject dealt with in 32 : 6. The verse signifiesthat it is God alone Who knows what kind ofteaching is needed in a particular age. Simi.larly, it is He Who knows when to take back to
heaven the teaching which had descended fromit, after it has been corrupted by the people,just as He takes water back to heaven in the formof vapours after it becomes corrupt, and sends itdown in a purified form in the shape of rain.
2143
CH.34
"
~----
4. And those who disbelieve say,'The Hour will never come upon us'.Say, 'Yea, by my Lord Who knowsthe unseen, it will surely come uponyou. aNot an atom's weight in theheavens or in the earth or anythingless than that or greater escapes Him,but all is recorded in a perspicuousBook 3133,
5. b'That He may reward those whobelieve and do good works. It isthese who will have forgiveness and anhonourable provision. '3134
6. CBut as to those who strive againstOur Signs, seeking to frustrate Ourplans, it is they for whom there will bethe suffering of a painful punishment.
UIO: 62. b10 : 5; 30 : 46. cn : 52; 34 : 39.
The words "whatever comes forth from it,and whatever descends from the heaven"may refer to the Word of God which is cast awayby the people and is corrupted by them and thenis taken up to heaven so that it may descend onearth in a purified state.
The words, "whatever goes into the earth andwhatever comes forth from it," may also signifythat whatever man shall sow, so shan he reap.Good actions produce good results and baddeeds lead to evil consequences.
The verse may also signify that God is aware'of every phenomenon and every event, in-cluding the rise and fan of nations and peoples.
3133. Commentary:
Tht reference in the word "Hour" is to thehour of the triumph of Islam and the defeat anddiscomfiture of disbelief.
AL-SABA' PT. 22
I' Il~ "I~ j,~I'r~'tr""J~ " ,n-r.n 'IIIJ"r::)1J'.u-' ~~ ~\Jj!,~ ~~, ~~
j("'~~,~y~j~~~~t:JU"'" .."";;
:J j".. ""
~ ,; .:J,,:J . ... .......I:.ri ~t ~-'~..>~\~~; 9~\ ~jj~
2;' ~ .".. -- I
0,.U .. ?I} ~'fl':.'L" t'""~H:\U 7"-~ ~ '"
~ :;)~ ~.J~..
~ :I~~~. J I l itt!\ ~" t'!",' ':" .", " . Nf""T~J ~ ~.J~ ~~I(S~
t;)\tJ? 1'~? ~It".~-::v::)~.t ~).J.J /)~
9Jk~~l::~ ~_A. 1,9~P'~ ,~:~ .~~{t.~rt" .j,~ ~.-:;;'''''''''' ;.. ~ ~.~,.....
t;j""'("
""?.
\J.I~~d~-~~ ~_._~----
The subject of the preceding verse is furtherelaborated and developed in the present one,
viz., that no action good or bad goes unrewarded.
The disbelievers are thus warned that theiropposition to Islam and their persecution ofMuslims win not go unpunished.
3134. Commentary:
This and the next verse constitute a furtherelaboration of the subject of the preceding verses,viz., the immutable law of cause and effect.
"Forgiveness" in the verse corresponds to theDivine attribute "Forgiving" and "honourableprovision" corrsponds to "Merciful" in v. 3.The words "forgiveness" and "honourable pro-vision" have been placed in order of precedence,for;; j.M (forgiveness) always precedes :i.'~"="')
(mercifulness).
2144
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH.34
7. ItAnd those who are givenknowledge see that whatever has beenrevealed to thee from thy Lord is thetruth, and that it guides unto the pathof the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
8. And those who disbelieve say,'Shall we show you a man who willtell you that when you are broken upinto pieces, you shall be raised as anew creation ?3I3~
9. 'Has he forged a lie againstAllah or is he afflicted with madness TNay, bbut those who believe not in theHereafter are already suffering from!he punishment and are too far goneIn error.
"" "":"
""" JJ/..
" '-" ;',?~ ~ l ~t...(~.
'''''-. \ 1'' t ~"~'rl "',..",-~ .. U-t'v
'"~ ~-' '-.:!~ ~~-'
.,.>~h b'''' .'1\"
, ~~"t~\r'J~(.::'
.}":1... ...~u.,,(S~-' ~ ~~J;'
0~;~'
~$~;tf~~~~~~,j~-,l: :? ." "'~ " '"
;' J'f:\ ' ":\~ ~. , "' , ""w;' J{ ' -"''''0JW~~ ~ u' - . I.,
~ ~ ." ,. -1-'..)-+0 ~ ~ .J",
.' ,,;' ~;t'"
r,,. , r~'.?' "',. ,;'7..-CJkS!.))~~I~j,~~/,1 ~~ ~,~ '-S"jUr
, I'" I~~I.II ~q""
"
n' ,~ir
'0""
, ' ~ -'y ~'J ~~JJ\J"
, -"" "
---
~ ~
/117:11:27:5.
3135. Important Words:
"13 :20:22 :55:35 :32:47 :3:56 :96.
r:i'j-4 (you are broken up) is derived from 0j--which means, he scattered or dispersed.y.}:J I 0).. means, he tore the cloth in many
places. .J.~.J" 0)-4 means. he rent or marred hishonour or reputation. Theysay 0:; I..f r~i j~i.e. he dispersed them to all parts of thecountry. He (God) destroyed them thoroughly
and completely (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:In verse 4 disbelievers were warned that
the time of the triumph of Islam and their own
destruction was fast approaching. The wordused in that verse to convey this warning was:i.~t_JI (the Hour). In the verse under comment
the disbelievers are shown as vainly seeking todivert the subject of their defeat by pretendingto take the word :i.d_J I (the Hour) in the sense
of the Day of Resurrection when they shall bebroken up into pieces and not in the sense inwhich it has been used in v. 4. riz., the day of theirdefeat and destruction inthis world. The versemay also mean that disbelievers accuse the HolyProphet of seek ing to create a community of hisown by causing discord and disharmony in theirranks, and implies the answer that these peoplewho brag so much of their unity were never aunited people. Their talk of unity is an emptytalk and their charge that the Holy Prophetseeks to create disunity among them is altogetherfalse and unfounded.
2145
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
10. Do they not see what is beforethem and what is behind them of theheaven and the earth? /tlf We please,We could cause the earth to sink withthem, or cause pieces of the sky to fallupon them. In that verily is a Sign forevery repentant servant of Allah. 3136
~. 2 11. And certainly, We bestowedgrace upon David from Us saying: b'Oyemountains, repeat the praises of Allahwith him, and 0 birds, ye also.' AndWe made the iron soft for him. 3137
~----
~~II ~~I~~\;/' ,~1~'''i; J'1 \';/ :\~...~~ ~ J~/.. ~. \0 ,,)J..?!~I
p ... ;,;' ,.; ,'"
/~ '1, ";~'~~8 !IJ. ",~.'".; .-' 0 .;~.; C)/~">J'J
,,, ...~9",,,; I . / L-r~/t"';~ ~d.J;J~)13. ~ I~(~~.II:'~ ~ ~'l:
~ . U,;'/ - .; ...\.:)"... ~'"
I"'W:-
t"0~\.!,;I ~..,.
;(;; "~r",! ~"...-'~ UjIJ~J.~~~~I;~I~"
':'''.;,- ,,':.J..
"y
""'
J" //"'" '"@~~I~~I-'~I
a6 : 66; 17 : 69; 67 : 17-18. b21 : 80; 38 :19-20.
3136. Commentary:
The verse under comment continues the themeof the pr.:ceding verses and purports to say thatthere are evident Signs in the heavens and theearth which constitute an unmistakable evidenceof the fast approaching triumph of Islam and thedownfall and disgrace of disbelievers. The
words "We will make the earth sink with them"
refer to the Signs of the earth; and the words' 'orcause to fall upon them a portion of the heaven"allude to Heavenly Signs. Undoubtedly, themanner in which the forces of darkness anddisbelief were put to rout in their combatagainst Islam showed that the victory of Islamwas due solely to Divine help and succour which
came to Muslims in the nick of time.
'3137. Important Words:
~i-,i (repeat the praises) is derived from yT
which means, he returned. ~I JI yT means,he returned to God from his sins, he repented.y -,i means, he repeated or echoed the praises ofGod (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:As the principal theme of this Sura is the
triumph of Islam and the great wealth, power
and dominion that were to b~ given to Muslims,and as the might and splendour of the Israelitesattained its zenith in the reigns of David and
Solomon, so a som~what detailed reference hasbeen made in this Sura to these two greatProphets and Kings in order, on the one hand,to tell Muslims that such great glory andsplendour will come to them also, and, on theother, to wam them that if they did not behaveproperly and if they defied and violated Divine
commandments and indulged in evil practkes,they too will come to grief, as did the Israelites
after Solomon's death, when all their powerand glory departed, and they became pariahsamong the nations.
For a detailed discussion of the subject as to
how the mountains and the birds repeated thepraises of God along with David see 21 : 80.
Briefly, the word "mountains" signifies those
mountain tribes which submitted to David,
while the use of the word "birds" implies thatDavid led large and powerful armies followedby flocks of birds which feasted upon the dead
2146
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH.34
12. And We said, 'Make thou full-length coats of mail, and make therings of a proper measure. And dorighteous deeds, surely I see all thatyou do.'3I38
13.(t And to Solomon We subjected
the wind; its morning course was amonth's journey, and its evening coursewas a month's journey too. And Wecaused a fount of molten copper toflow for him. And of the linn weresome who worked under him, by thecommand of his Lord. And We saidthat whosoever of them turned awayfrom Our command, We would makehim taste the punishment of burningfire.3139
9. ..",. \ '",,
1~~';\~1'"/<1\ 2-' J.;" ~ ~I ~\... ~I)...~ :) ~ -' ~ ,/. ,
'",
"tjj.\'",
~~\ ~::~ Ul~~ ~ ~ ~~
,rr,'1,\~'("'~ t1'-:'~~'~ '" 'wI\Q~(~"-'~V6»)-'~ ~~~~
. ., ,-'
,:'''' j~ :' ~ " ~ ",j,t?~\t ~,.- ~~I~ Md~ ~)~ c:i:f
" .Jr.~",' , j' ? -:: "'-.bj"'" '.r.A''''''''''A:.' 'IJ I...c
.,~ ~ \oJ""-,u:,,~W J.J v--~~~~.J "I) :.)';''-'' ..
" ." '-=" "
@;,:~.\I~'~~
a21 : 82; 27 : 18; 38 : 37.
bodies of his vanquished foes. The words
"birds" may also signify highly spiritual men orreal birds which David used for carryingme,;sages in time of war.
The expression "And We made the iron softfor him" shows that the art of making imple-ments of war from iron had very much develop-
ed under David and he freely made use of it formaking coats of mail as the next verse shows.
3138. Important Words:UlA! L (full length coats of mail) is the plural
of :i...<!l_. :i..i!l- p.),) means, a coat of mailthat is wide or 'ample and long or such thatone drags upon the ground by reason of itslength and ampleness. :i..i!l- :i ; means, acomplete or full boon (Lane & Aqrab).
,).;- (rings) is substantive noun from,) r(sarada) which means, he put the thing forward
from one stage to another in regular order anduninterruptedly; he made it consecutive,successive or uninterrupted. t)JJ I J ,)
J- means,he fabricated the coat of armour by inserting
the rings into one another. ~...\:>I:JI,).1-means,he related uninterruptedly and well the tradi-tion or narrative (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:The reference in this verse is again to David's
military might. The words "and do righteous
deeds" embodied an admonition to the people ofDavid that they were not to exult in theirmilitary conquests. Their main and principalobject should be to preach and practisegoodness. The implied admonition is meant forMuslims.
3139. Important Words:
c.'J) (evening course) is derived from C.I)which means, he went or journeyed or worked.They say r-g.~JI LI) i.e. he went to them or hewent to them in the evening; or did a thing inthe evening or in the afternoon; he went orjourneyed at any time. c.IJ)1 is the going orjourneying in the last or latter part of theday; or the going or journeying at any time of
the day or night. C~) means, the wind; a good
2147
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
or pure thing; merc)'; aid against an enemy;victory or conquest; predominance and power;
a turn of good fortune (Lane & Aqrab). See
also 8:47.
Commentary:
The verse speaks volumes for the vast extentof Solomon's dominions and the peace andprosperity which reigned in his empire.
Solomon's dominions extended from northernSyria along the coast of the eastern Mediter-
ranean down to the Red Sea, along the ArabianSea and up to the Persian Gulf. In fact, inSolomon's time, the Israelite empire had reachedits zenith in wealth, power and prestige asthe word ~) which, among other things, meanspower and conquests, used in the verse. shows.The verse also shows that Solomon possessed alarge mercantile navy:
And King Solomon made a navy of shipsin Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth.on the shore of the Red Sea, in the landof Edom. And Hiram sent in the navyhis servants, shipmen that had knowledgeof the sea, with the servants of Solomon.And they came to Ophir, and fetchedfrom thence gold. four hundred andtwenty tents and brought it to KingSolomon (l Kings, 9 : 26-28).
Solomon's foreign alliances formed thebasis for foreign commercial relations.From the Egyptians he bought chariotsand horses. which he sold to the Hittitesand other people of the north. Withthe Phoenicians he united in maritime
~ommerce, sending out a fleet once111three years from Ezion-geber. at thehead of the Gulf of Akaba, to Ophire,presumably on the eastern coast of theArabian Peninsula. From this distantport, and others on the way. he derivedfabulous amounts of gold and tropicalproducts. !h.ese revenues gave himalmost unlimIted means for increasingthe glory of his capital city and palace,and for the perfection of his civil andmilitary organizations (Jew. Enc. vol.xi, p. 437).
The words, "And We caused a fount of moltencopper to flow for him." signify the high stage towhich industry and craftsmanship had developedunder Solomon. He had erected factories
in which Copper was molted. I,n the Bihle wehave:
Moreover, he made an altar of brasstwenty cubits the length thereof, andtwenty cubits the breadth thereof andten cubits the height thereof. Also hemade a molten sea of ten cubits frombrim to brim, round in compass and theheight thereof was five cubits (IIChronicles 4 : 1-2).
The expression. "And of the Jinn were somewho worked under him" shows that Solomon
had conquered and pressed into service wildand rebellious mountain tribes who workt"dfor him day and night. Incidentally, the verseshows that Solomon's rule was firm and strong.A reference to this is also to be founu in theBible in II Chronicles. 2 : 18.
2148
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH.34
14. They made for him what hedesired, of palaces and statues, andbasins like reservoirs, and large cook-ing vessels fixed in their places. AndWe said: It'Work ye, 0 House ofDavid, gratefully;' ,but few of Myservants are grateful. .,140
15. And when We decreed his(Solomon's) death, nothing indicatedto them that he was dead save a wormof the earth that ate away his staff.So when he fen down, the Jinn plainlyrealized that if they had known theunseen, they would not have remainedin a state of degrading tormen t. 3141
3140. Important Words:
'-;-"'U~.. (palaces) is the plural of ,-:-,1j>:" whichamong other things means, a palace; a mosque(Lane & Aqrab). See also 3 : 38.
01.A~(basins) is the plural of :i.:..A.~which isinfinitive noun from uA~. They say :i.;[~j'c.i~i.e. he slaughtered the she-camel and gave theflesh for food to the people in bowls. ~~means, a large bowl or receptacle, particularlyused for food; a small well; a generousman. .1.}. :t:.A~means, a generous man whoentertains many guests and feeds many. Heis so called because people are fed by him inthe ~ (Lane & Aqrab).
,-:-,I"p'"(reservoirs) is the plural of:i.:: ~ whichis derived from I~. They say Clj;J II~~ i.e. hecollected the tribute. if yoJl"i .1,,]1 l~~ means, hecollected the water in the pond. yl"p'" is theplural of :i.~~ which means, a large watering-trough in which water is collected for camels,a water reservoir; a company of men (Lane &Aqrab).
/ / ;' - JI,.Ii>;' l':OW"" ~ ~; j~ \::,~~'l "~~~ ,~V';:'I" -' ,)J ~ J-.. ~~
",
;.,~ d ( J" t fA--!\ ~ 1 , J!. ' u\"-"i~).J) ~,,~..,,0~-'u..,) ~ ~
~/ ~
"/, ::1",~,\U~d@.) I..S"." ~ -'~I~~~ ;J;~ ~'/i\ d.~~\;;.~ r~1<0..",,,. ~,.. .. ~
~ "/" /~(ili
"/r,( --"G' jS' 9
\5'" "", JI"..-<.::.~~~ ~ ..''-\'" .. ~1\':1"1".. ' _r J.. ~,,)~ 1"'-',
j... .
L ,~ to c:J1 ::',"\'~ ;'f~}~ :"; ,
... ~ ... ~~!Yo ~I~I"".J. ,
",
@~'u,~!"'.', ~
a2l : 81.
wl~~I) (fixed) is the plural of :i.~_I) which is
derived from l~) which means, it \",as orbecame fixed, firm, stable. :i.~_I) ).J.9 means, acooking pot that will not be removed from itsplace on account of its large size and heaviness.
~-1) J~~ means, firm mountains (Lane &Aqrab). See also 16 : 16.
Commentary:
The verse shows that besides being a highlyprosperous, powerful and civilized monarch,Solomon was the prince of builders amongIsraelite rulers. He had a special taste forarchitecture which had greatly developed underhim. The Temple of Jerusalem bears an elo-quent testimony to his fine architectural taste.
3141. Important Words:
<it :... (staff) is derived from l_j. They sayJ.!UJlt_j i.e. he urged or drove the beast. <il_~
means, a staff or large stick, so called becausea beast is driven with it; a pastor's big staff(Lane & Aqrab).
2149
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22--~.-
16. aThere was indeed a Sign forSaba' in their home-land-two gardens,one on the right hand and one on theleft; and We said to them. 'Eat of theprovision of your Lord and be gratefulto Him. A good land and a MostForgiving Lord!,3142
1- -
,"'..
,,,, I",!? I
~~d~ !;'~I ~ ,'" ?; ("'~ :'~ '::''"
.. ~~'" ~10''''\.:) ~19". l>/,"("r ~ ' }!. "i~dJ' y..:.\'"
, : )U.W? If'IZ:J~ ~. ~ --' ... ,.I)J O"J ~ ~ '(j"", c,,,/ t" wl-Gt)~~..>J~ .....
al6 : 113.
Commentary:
The reference in the words "a worm of the
earth" is to Solomon's worthless son and succes-sor, Rehoboam, under whose weak rule the great
and mighty kingdom of Solomon fell to pieces.Besides leading a life of ease and luxury, hewas surrounded by foolish and selfish counsellorswhose bad advice led him to pursue a policy
which brought about the ruin and downfall ofthe kingdom which had been reared on firm andsound footing by his great father. The wildmountain tribes realizing that the strong handwhich had held them under subjection was nomore, rebelled and revolted, with the resultthat disorder and chaos followed and Solomon'smighty kingdom cracked and crumbled. See
I Kings, Chaps. ]2, 13, 14 & Jew. Ene. under"Rehoboam."
The expression "that ate away his staff,"signifies that the disruption and disintegrationof Solomon's kingdom set in in Rehoboam's time.
3142. Commentarr:
The preceding verses having made a mention
of the blessings and favours which God hadbestowed upon the Israelites and which foundtheir fullest expression in the highly prosperousreigns of David and Solomon, the presentverse proceeds to refer to another very pros-perous and happy people of their time-thepeople of Saba'. Saba', as is mentioned under
27: 23, was a city of Yemen situated about
three days' journey from ~an'a', also calledMa'arib.
This town finds frequent reference inthe Old Testament and in Greek, Romanand Arabic literature, especially in theSouth Arabian inscriptions. TheSabaeans were a highly civilized andprosperous people. The finds made inthe country itself are in harmony withthe various classical literary sources.which agree in showing that the Sabaensattained the greatest importance of allArab peoples of the pre-Muhammadanperiod, in particular of the four leadingpeoples of South Arabia whowereknowneven to the Greeks...these still extantmonuments of the once highly developedcivilization, to which Sabaea mainlyowed its historical importance... Agathar-chides's remarks on the splendid buildingsof the kings and private individualsin Saba' and the descriptions of Sabaeancastles by the Arabs are confirmed bythe testimony of the inscriptions, whichto a great extent commemorate thebuilding of houses (palaces) and forti-fications. Of public works built toassist agriculture like barriers and dams.the most celebrated was the dam ofMa'arib" (Ene. of1s1am, vo1. 4. p. 16).
Tirmidhi quotes a tradition on the authorityof Farwah bin Malik that when asked whether
Saba' was the name of a land or of awoman, the Holy Prophet is reported to have
said, 'It is neither the name of a land nor
that of a woman but the name of a manin Yemen who had ten sons. Six of them re-mained in Yemen while four of them went to
2150
PT. 22 AL-SABA'
17. But they turned awny; BSOWesent against them a fierce flood. AndWe gave them, in lieu of their gardens,two gardens bearing bitter fruit andtamarisk and a few lote-trees.3143
18. Thus We requited them be-cause of their ingratitude; and none doWe requite in this manner but theungrateful. 3144
CH.34--
\:~~~' ~ ~it~~1~. ~;'~ \~?:/~t.-',~ .. \"-Z:- ~ ~~J;'{'" ,1' "'" "", "~ .. {, \:'. t~~ \,(t?"i'
. . .. ':',
'-'~~~~ J~.J..: ~ I,,;'~)~~';- .~~ ~ ? ", ",,,,
,ti2\~
~ ,'"~ "?";~~~
eS~I~JJj~~t~~~~;; ~~, ...
aI6:113.
Syria. As for those who made Syria theirhome, they were loham, Ghassan and Amila;and as for those who stayed back in Yemen theywere Ash'ariyyun, Himyar, Kandah, Madhpihand 'Ammar. On b<:ing asked who were Ammar,
the Prophet replied "Of them are Khath'am andBajilah" (Taj).
The whole tenor of the verse shows t hat theSabaeans were a highly prosperous and culturedpeople whom God had blessed in great abun-
dance with all the comforts and amenities oflife. The whole country seems to have beenrendered very fertile by dams and other irriga-tion works and was full of gardens and streams.
According to Muir there were 70 stages or
stops from Haq.armaut to Aila on the road
from Yemen to Syria. These stages even existtoday. It was a very frequented and safe route,flanked on both sides by shady trees.3143. Important Words:
ryJ IJ~- (fierce flood). J.:~ is derived fromJl-which means, it (the water) flowed. J~- means,a torrent, a flow of water; much water or acollection of rain-water flowing in a valley orwater course. J:- .l.. means, flowing or running
water. i J~ is derived from i ~ ('arama or'aroma) which means, he was or became evilin disposition; he behaved insolently or he was
or becam<: corrupt. i ~ means, a dam or damsconstructed in valleys or torrent-beds; or atorrent of which the rush is not to b<:withst00d;or violent rain (Lane & Aqrab).Commentary:
Such is the irony of human circumstances thatwhenever man is blessed with material comfortsand amenities of life and leads a prosperous andsuccessful life, then instead of being grateful toGod for His blessings and favours, he becomesarrogant and begins to behave ungratefully andinsolently. The Sabaeans were no exception tothe common run of humanity. In the day ofprosperity they fell into evil ways and defiedand broke Divine laws. The inevitable neme-sis seized them. The same dam of Ma'arib towhich they owed all their wealth and prosperity
caused their destruction. As the result of amighty flood it burst and inundated the whole
area causing wide-spread ruin. A land full ofbeautiful gardens, streams and great works ofart was turned into a vast waste. The dam
was about two miles long and 120 ft. high. Itwas destroyed about the first or second century
A.D. (Palmer).3144. Commentary:
This is how the ungrateful and the wicked arepunished and the mighty are laid low. Theverse constitutes a standing warning to Muslims
2151
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
19. And We placed, between themand the towns which we had blessed,other towns that were prominentlyvisible, and We fixed easy stages bet-ween them and said: 'Travel in themby night and day in security. '314~
20. But they said, 'Our Lord.place longer distances between thestages of our journeys.' And theywronged themselves; so We made thembywords and We broke them intopieces, an utter breaking up. Inthat verily are Signs for every steadfastand grateful person.3146
21. And Iblis indeed found true hisjudgment concerning them. so theyfollowed him, all except a party ofbelievers.3147
to be on their guard against ingratitude anddefiance of Divine commandments.
3145. Commentary:
The words "the towns which we had blessed"refer to the towns of Palestine. the s.::at ofSolomon's government with which theSabaeans carried on prosperous trade.
;;~ U; ~.J meaning towns situated so near to
each other as to be easily visible; well knownor prominent towns; towns situated on highground, the verse shows that the route from
Yemen to Palestine and Syria was veryftequented, safe and prosperous and was densely
populated and the towns in the way weresituated so close to each other as to be easilyvisible.
3146. Commentary:
The words shown as spoken by the people of
Saba' in the verse were not actually spoken by
k.,: ~..., ,:r,'!f\ ~'/ ... ';""::''''d.;.;.'"~ ~ I$j i.5~ ~.-'~. . ,r",,,:t"J' :?~I,r""~\3'J:;~1:... ~~~!~ J~~~... ~ JlS~ ~
\'1--:'.'
I~Sf'" '"tc::J@~
- -'\,j...-
., , /jI"""~'J '" /"'r~ C /,... , 'r/-'::'"t;J
jlr:::~;", , ,
. u . ,~~ ~ 'w~~ ~ ~ -' .0,. ~ .J."~"'9"'il"~?,:",,,,~, f// I "~~"'/~<J C>' ",;...oiJ'~JA~I.,:;..,)~~ ~
'7,,~ ..-"
.,~-:."''''
..9.. ,I'" ~II'0.)~~~~ ~~ ~~
-? "
t&t "''''-:r-:-~~I:' , ~\ ~t ,Jk ~ -;... ~ '"0", tf~\:t ~~,,~UioNQ"'
tyj\~;'t l ~... rt:j~ ;~ ~~~
~---~
them but are used to describe their actual condi-tion when they ddied and disobeyed Divinecommandments and consequently fell on evildays. The prosperous and frequented routebecame deserted, and desolate. The words"place longer distances between the stages orour journey" signify that because many towns onthe route fell into ruin, the distance between onestage to the other became much longer and les5
safe.
The expression "and so We made them by-words" means that the Sabaeans were so utterlydestroyed that no sign or mark was left of them.They became only a subject for story-tellers.
3147. Commentary:
The verse means to say that by their evil
deeds the people of Saba' justified Satan'sestimate that he would be successful in leadingthem astray. The reference to this estimate of
Satan about the wicked people and their
2152
PT. 22 AL-SABA'~ ~ '-'
-~,------
-'-'--'--~ ~ '-
22. ,tAnd he had no power overthem, but it was so that We mightdistinguish those who believed in theHereafter from those who were indoubt about it. And thy Lord isWatchful over all things.3148
.3 23. Say, b'Call upon those whomyou assert to be gods beside Allah,They control not even the weight ofan atom in the heavens or in the earth,nor have they any share in either, nOfhas He any helper among them',3149
24. cNo intercession avails withHim, except for him about whom Hepermits it, until when their hearts arerelieved of fright they would say,'What is it that your Lord said T They
(the Messengers) will answer, 'The truth.'And He is the High, the Great.31SO
CH.34
9 ::~""" H""~,.j t
(II., "', _:r~~I"'r~r"',~~d ~ ~~~"'~O'-"'.J... ";,,, ;;:. - ,-
r)~ "",
"". 9 \'V? "" ~,;' j,L~l:,
J r~.' '" ;""- ~""'~L., . .J.J ~ ,.~ yb ~ ",'J7:'. ;,
t fj ,10"",
@~~~~~
~ ... I , ,9 ,,,'" ""-, If.,':"1' ''''"IZ,4LIC);.>~...i~ GJJI ~;I u,;'" ,;.. -:l,,, , ", :; .. iI'
..,
"~Ir"'... "~i l /~ "'''' i"~~~.II'; ~~j J"'r~.~"~'t..A.)~.J.;) ~.;J)~ ~?.J"
r;;;:..~_If;'" ~:..(\r"';- ~I' :',.'~r,'!~~~
'" 'U U.., 'f~""'", ~.-? ~ ;
'1 ",-' J'"
w'"
.b /'" "" '" ~" "' ,
(""., '" r"'.::"1J'" ,'" \I
"~4J "1';1. ;J ~~ ~~\ AA:,.; ..a-'"-I"" "',;""
L
'r~ .!~~';';' 'J",j
'9 ..,\,J(; j,~..>J(:; ')Lo~\; ~;b.~ti 1.5J
@)9' 1<, ~\~\t ~~ '" c~~i,~ (..:h .T".J ~
a15 : 43; 16 : 100. b17 : 57; 25 : 4. C2: 256; 20 : 110; 78 : 39.
evil deeds may be found in 17: 63 where he
is mentioned as saying that he will cause his(Adam's) progeny to perish except a few.
3148. Commentary:
The verse clearly and positively removes alldoubts or misgivings as to the extent of the autho-rity and control of Satan over men. According
to it Satan has definitely no authority over man.It is by his own wrong beliefs and evil deeds that
man brings about his spiritual ruin.
3149. Commentary: .
As stated above, the principal theme of thisSUrais the triumph of Islam.
.Instancesof David
and Solomon on the one hand and of the Sa-baeans on the other given in the preceding fewverses embodied a prophecy that Muslims
~---would also be blessed with power and wealth likethe Israelites in the reigns of David and Solo-
mon and the Sabaeans but if they did not be-
have and were ungrateful to God, they would be
punished like them. In the present verse, how-ever, disbelievers are challenged to call upon alltheir false gods to arrest or retard the progressand advance of Islam and are told that they
cannot do so; in fact, no power on earth canstop the new Faith from spreading.
3150. Important Words:
t.) (relieved of fear) is derived fromtY
(fazi'a) which means, he feared, or became
afraid of. J.."'j;(fazza'-hIT) means, he frightenedhim. J.;",J...$..)means, he removed fear or frightfrom him (Lane & Aqrab).
2153
CH .34 AL-SABA' PT. 22~ ~ ~---~-~
_.~-------._--
25. Say, a'Who gives you sustenancefrom the heavens and the earth?' Say,'Allah. Either We or you are on rightguidance or in manifest error.'3151
26. Say, 'Y ou will not be ques-tioned as to our sins, nor shall we bequestioned as to what you do.'
27. Say, 'Our Lord will bring us alltogether; then He will judge betweenus with truth: and He is the GreatJudge, the All-Knowing.'3152
)J I ~ ,,- ~ ./(!., ,J{&I~ ~jl;9~',~jl~;>Jjl~J;
fyO\.".. \I' '~'~ ~, '\"'-\ ,~prffl;~~~I.?~I~'..U~ ~\:?J.-'I \:)".:
t::\~A/{.:f~/~:~ ~ ,- fh""'''' \(:; ;' ~ -: "
~~\f-~.J--' ~~..
1.:)' J.' ¥ J;
/'/;.~df ~'~~/~':.f~!/~ J,-,;, if~)~~ ...~~~.J ...~~
@);;~ iItr=li I~-
alO : 32; 27 : 65; 35 : 4.
Commentary :
The verse signifies that when punishment isdecreed for a people on account of their evildeeds, no intercession can avail them.
The words "their hearts" may signify "thehearts of the intercessors" and the pronoun
"they" in the words "they would say" refers tothe sinful people who will be punished, andthe second "they" in the expression "they willanswer, 'the truth'" to the intercessors or tothe Messengers of God. Or the words "theirhearts" may refer to the hearts of disbelieversand the pronoun "they" to them in both thesentences. In such a case the verse would
mean that when the curtain will be lifted fromthe eyes of disbelievers and reality will dawnon them in its naked form, they will say tothemselves that what God had said through HisMessengers was true.
3151. Com mentary :
The fact that the Qur'an itself answers thequestion "Who gives you sustenance from the
heavens and the earth?" by saying that it is Allah
Who does so, shows that there could possibly
be no other answer to this question except theone here given by the Qur'an.
The words, "Either we or. you are on rightguidance or in manifest error," mean that as
surely we (the believers) are on the right. so surelyyou (the disbelievers) are in error.
3]52. Important Words:
c.bJI (the Great Judge) is derived from C:;,They say ~3~=: C:; i.e. he judged betwef n them.~I~I c...::i means, he opened the door. ,:1;:;
means, Judge. r 1;:,4)\ is an epithet applied to'-God meaning, the Great Judge; the Opener of the
gates of His Mercy and of sustenance to His
servants (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The verse is generally taken as referring to the
Fan of Mecca when it was decided beyond theshadow of doubt as to which of the two parties-Muslims and disbelievers-was "on right guid-
ance" and which "in manifest error." It wasafter that great victory that a union of heartswas brought about between Muslims and theiradversaries, the leitter having given up theirfalse beliefs and doctrines joined the fold of
Islam. The use of the expression I~=; C~ in
2154
PT. 22 AL-SABA'
28. Say, it'Show me those whom youhave joined with Him as partners. Nay!you cannot do so, for He is Allah, theMighty, the Wise.'3153
29. bAnd We have not sent theebut as a Bearer of glad tidings and aWarner for all mankind, but most menknow not.:;I54
.
30. l'And they say, 'When will thispromisebefuljilled, if you are truthful?'
31. Say,' For you is the promise of aday from which dyou cannot remainbehind a single moment nor can youget ahead of it.'3155
--'~ ~ ~-
a35 : 41; 46: 5. b21 : 108. 1:'21: 39; 36: 49; 67 : 26.
preference to the expression l.: ~ points to thisunion of the hearts. The verse thus constitutesa prophecy about the Fall of Mecca. It may alsorefer to the Battle of Badr when for the firsttime Muslims and the Quraishite army were
brought together.3153. Commentary:
The verse means to say that on the day of theFall of Mecca it will be decisively establishedthat the false gods of disbelievers were devoidof all power and wisdom and that Allah. the God
of Islam, was All-Powerful and Wise.3154. Commentary:
The Holy Prophet has been repeatedly
CH.34
~~~~~~~~(GJJt~jj\j;~
" -." II'
@~t~?'~," t1-",." t1-,.;, f;",~~~r;.J ,-:;'\~i;, "r,.~~~j~u;'~'UO ~!~jl\.4~
iYft\"~ V' tfJ (.:' ~ ~ (j';~C) ..fI~' ~I~
r:;;-.."'" I'~..~' 'I 9
';J"' t -:: I ~;'"' ;,' ,~,.
.'"\b<.:.N~ ~Jv.. I~ ~ t.,' ~ri\...#1,
"~ ""-' ~..J
~ 9 ' "" "~~ ~ -: ' '.
.('f:J,i ~'" '~ :;,'("'1 '!C)-'~ .;JI~" ..)~ J;
t""" : ~. "'.0;;; I"@ \:)...4~" -:?,.I~ -'ti'..7
" 1
~, ~
-- - -~----_._-----
li7 : 35; 10 : 50.
declared in the Qur'an.as having been sent as aMessenger to all mankind till the end of time.See also 21:108 & 25:2. The Message of Islam,is a universal message and the Qur'an is the lastrevealed Book for all mankind. No otherrevealed Book or religion has ever laid claimto finality.
3155. Commentary:
If v. 27 above is taken as referring to the
Battle of Badr, the word i J=(day) in the
present verse would signify 'a year'. The Battleof Badr was fought in about a year after theHijra.
2155
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
.4 32. And those who disbelieve say,'We will never believe in this Qur'an,nor in what is before it;' and couldstthou see awhen the wrongdoers willbe made to stand before their Lord,throwing back the blame one toanother. Those who were consideredweak will say to those who were proud,'Had it not been for you, we shouldsurely have been believers.'3156
33. bThose who were proud will~av to those who were considered weak,Was it we that kept you away from the
guidance, after it had come to you?Nay, it was you yourselves who wereguilty.'
'" I
"'"
~
~;~t~\t~~jj~~~g~tj~;- "'"
"';"!''''"",9Id' t I"';t b...l'"''-''''''' '.~tr~-".Y~~~ ~l~ji;'.J 7'!.~ ~(5If1't
't:U< ' -: \1 .'''' 1'1 " ~ ,'" 9 ,'"~, OJ '" '"
,~.:I~~...~~'Q.."!~...Y.. 't:~.) ~... ~;"",,,,,, ",
9'",~ "' ~ "" '"9 9,,,.,~;.t t"" ~." -: \.lIt t' Q.,.~?~t~'JJ\ J '.."r !J . cr.",..!)., ~,,~
" ~'~@~.,.o ..."''''
,!~."' , ,;'-! ~!." ",'
~~" '~~ I "~;1IJ"'r:::~- !.)O.lQu"C1:'.~ ~ - ~~ \i"
..,,,,.u""
~-'J. ' "~", , ",. ~(: "r", 0'
",'" ~" , "'~ ' '''''''v: ~o.) I,).,.:,Jf.S ,o~.,. \ -.,. ~ ~~
"'" "..@~~ ..
a7 : 39; 14: 22; 28 : 64 ; 33 : 68; 40: 48. b7 : 40; 14 : 22; 28 : 64; 40 : 49.
3156. Commentary:
The expression ,,~..I.~0~! literally meaning "bet-
ween his two hands" is used in the sense of"before him or it." It has been used in thissense in 5 : 47 and 46 : 22. But it is also used inthe sense of "in his presence" as in v. 13.Sometimes, however, this expression refers to athing which is yet to come. In this sense theexpression .~~ 0~ IS.).JI may mean' the revela-
tion which is yet to come."
It is human nature that when a guilty personis face to face witb the punishment of his guilt,he tries to excuse himself by seeking to shiftthe responsibility for his misdeeds to anotherperson. It is to this aspect of human naturethat reference has been made in this and the nexttwo verses. In these verses the deceivers and thedeceived are shown as engaging in mutual re-crimination when they see punishment overtak-ing them, seeking to throw the responsibilityof their disbelief one upon another.
2156
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH.34
34. aAnd those who were consideredweak will say to those who wereproud, 'Nay, but it was your schem-ing night and day, when you bade usdisbelieve in Allah and set up equalsunto Him.' bAnd they will concealtheir remorse when they see the punish-ment; and We shall put chains roundthe necks of those who disbelieved.They will not be requited but for whatthey did.3157
35. And We never sent a Warnerto any city but Cthewealthy ones there-of said, 'Surely, we disbelieve in whatyou have been sent with.'3ls8
36. And they say, 'We have morewealth and children; and we shan notbe punished.'3159
~ 'I~ I'~.'~ I "" ~~i l'~ ~!., ~.-:;;J""f::'"u-: !) . c:J1oNJ~''O'''''\ ~~I '"II
.."""""..
"..",
I
~-, ....
~~~~ 't'.L;,.'::; tr~~'''r~~, \~~H; I~'ft~.J~~ c> ~,",..ro\J );~~IJ ~ -~b~tj;ft~G c:J~t~iH !';":Gtl~ ~~,; 9 UJ.,j-:'f';' ~ rn;-;-: 'I 'I:~" (;.~~<.:))j;~,-,~~~t ~~\'J~j}' .
@~~;~~~~~t
!.-" .'."" r'"r... ....-~'."'?' J~,JI "': ~..~'~?~~~~/\~'~~ ..)~-!!.~ ~ ~..~ v ~ .J
~
(;{ "J'"" ....
tfj;I -:'~. ~ '~\ .'1 ~ r~.\!.7~) \ ';~.JI ~~J.
'" ",,; ,'JJh;~" ~ "'-r.~
,,, .9.r~~:,~~~jl)j,;I.;~~IJ/f ~ I.;\~~
a14: 22; 40 : 48; C6 : 124; 17 : 17.blO : 55 :
3157. Important Words:IJ,;...f (will conceal). ,;_f is one of those Arabic
words which have contrary meanings. ,,).J means,he concealed it; he manifested it, he made it
known (Lane). See also 10 : 55.Jl.:.~f (necks) is the plural of LP' ('unuqun)
which is substantive noun from J':'~ ('aniqa)which means, he was or became long and thickin the neck. J':'~ means, the neck; a companyof men or a numerous company of men; the
heads or chiefs of men or great ones. J~J I J~means, the trunks of palm-trees (Lane & Aqrab).
3158. Commentary:The Prophets of God come to raise depressed
and suppressed humanity to their rightful placein society and to restore to them the rights
which are denied to them by the vested interests.That is why in all ages it is the rich, the wealthy,
the men of power and influence-the vestedinterests-who range themselves against the newDivine Message. They feel that under itsinfluence the oppressed and the exploited peoplewill come to realize their true position and,therefore, will refuse to be exploited any more.Hence they fight their Prophet tooth and nailand put all sorts of obstacles and impedimentsin his way.
3159. Commentary:
All opposition to truth on the part of disbe-
lievers springs from pride and arrogance, basedon their wealth and power, their prestige,position and numbers.
2157
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
37. Say, 'Verily, amy Lord enlargesthe provision for whomsoever Hepleases, and straitens it for whomsoeverHe pleases; but most men do notknow.'3160
5 38. And it is not your we11th noryour children that will bring you nearUs in rank but bthose who believe anddo good works, will have a doublereward for what they did.
r,And inlofty mansions will they be secure.3161
39. dAnd as to those who strive tofrustrate the purpose of Our Signs, it isthey who will be brought face to facewith punishment.3162
~~'" !." '" W'-~'''.I ~?w'Ui~
,..", -::;t g
~).J~--"q~,-,.J~ -_U;?~..U't ; ~ v r-::.,'j c...:' (I
.@ C) .
.. 0 ~\:J I t!,.
G~?~~~~~;njJtS1~J1~~;"...'\~\ ~ 9r~ .r~tr",\ '" "'''' ,''''' -1.~1~!
~ ~-'u /~\.iQ~-,~ crO-"<.s""'J~ '" '" """, I In' -" " J;l+
2 ",r",. ,.. -"",@~~t~:.,,~ ~. t' ~ l~..~,~tt;~~,I' ~ /II',-- .;I ", ;,;" ..
- ,~I 'ii''' "', f~--f ,- ..?-- ~-"~~~rlj ':'''''''''':' -"..
~ ... ... iI' <.:J~ '=1.'.~1 ~
~ "'""',, ,,"',~~.J~ ~,<.tJ,
~
a13: 27; 29: 63; 39: 53; 42: 13. b3 :58; 6 :49; 18: 89; 19: 61; «'25: 76. d22: 52.
3160. Commentary:
The verse seems to hold oUt a promise tottibse who are looked down upon and are op-pressed and exploited. that by accepting the newMessage, they will become rich and powerful.In God's possession lie the treasures of theheavens and earth, and He has decreed that thepoor and the down-trodden will now inherit
the earth because they have accepted the DivineMessage.
3161. Commentary:
. The verse seeks to remove the assumptionby disbelievers of fancied and false superiority
based on wealth, power and position, referred toin v. 36 and means to say that these things
are not the means of achieving nearness to God.On the contrary, they tend to keep man awayfrom Him. It is right belief and good actionswhich are his real wealth and which can bringhim salvation and God's pleasure.
3162. Commentary:
The verse purports to say that God hasdecreed that the new Faith shall prosper andtriumph and aU the efforts and machinations ofdisbelievers to retard or arrest its onwardmarch will prove futile. The disbelievers willnot be able to frustrate God's purpose. Onthe contrary, their machinations will recoil ontheir own heads and they will be visited withDivine punishment.
2158
PT. 22 AL-SABA' CH. 34
40. Say, 'Surely, my Lord enlargesthe provision for such of His servantsas He pleases and straitens it for suchof them as He pleases. And whateveryou spend, He will replace it; and Heis the Best of providers.'3163
41. And remember athe day, whenHe will gather them all together;then He will say to the angels: 'Wasit you that they worshipped?'
42. They will say, b'Holy art Thou.Thou art our Protector against them.Nay, but they worshipped the linn;it was in them that most of them be-lieved. '3164
43. It will be said to disbelievers:'So, this day, you will have no powereither to profit or harm one another.'And We shall say to those who didwrong: C'Taste ye the punishment ofthe Fire that you denied.'
"~~~.?.A ;-~?"I j .'wlt~:..~!;" -:tJ;'!-' ,... ."~,,,s. ..~ ~~ ...v}C>...
, t::~ ...,-: ~'1. "w ,'..~~~...t j,~? ~"" ... ..~~~~t -' .J~
IZ:\~:... .j' IJ"""...9
6 v~..)w »_At..., ." .. ~
';"~"'~j'!""~':.~~,J ,':,,,'" "''''",~~~t'"
J,'"
~L.o-' ..",~~~~-,....
@~j~~~;r~l
t ~r~ I':., '?!J, r~9..,
'" "';>"'<I~'?? !;)9r-::
-"o~l:~-,.)~~-,~I ~ t' ~. ,-::' "-,; .
, ,,' .,~ .,9~-:""""'''0r;;:;.. . >"' ~' ~
.. t~."._t l '" '/.!''''\!!tc)~y. ~ C)~~.,#11'" ., . ..
~~ ~ ,(. ~(~..~. :..~"'I,~!,~ ,~II'''' ~ ",.,,"'fr;;~..;;-' ~;~~..;;~~b
'f~f~!;li1\~IJ;I:tJ (\~ G~J$:;r~' '.,. . :..;r.. ~ .. ,"
Q ;>, ": f1.: r~ .{!/c).}~ ~'Jft;i' ;,
G6 : 129; 10: 29; 17 : 98; 19 : 69. C8 : 15; 10 : 53; 22 : 23.b25 : 19.
3163. Commentary:The subject-matter of v. 37 is here
repeated to emphasize the fact that disbelieversshould not be misled by the present poverty andweakness of Muslims, as the latter are destinedto inherit the kingdom of the earth becausethey have believed in the Message of God Whois the Owner and Controller of all the sourcesof wealth.
3164. Commentary:
The reference in the word Jinn is to theproud, wicked and ungodly people who arenot the followers of any revealed religion andwho have been spoken of in vv. 32, 33 and .,4above. The word may also mean hidden forcesof evil, the root 0':'"(;anna) meaning, it veiled,concealed or covered (Lane).
2159
CH.34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
44. And when Our manifest Signsare recited to them, they say, a'Thisis but a man who seeks to turn youaway from that which your fathersworshipped.' And they say, 'This isbut a forged lie.' And those who dis-believe say about the truth when itcomes to them, 'This is nothing butclear magic.'3165
45. And We gave them no Bookswhich they studied nor did We send tothem any Warner before thee.3166
fj,J/" --:, 9 I'"
~ I ;! ,9~\jlt\ 1~ "\~~ ~ , ~l~ 1\ '~t'
.~",,~ ~ ~;:" .. ~t::::: '''~
" t. /(tE;,~~~~ "(J~ :"', " t:J ~ -' . ...~ ~I... C) cJ.:j~
~7q~' j~; ~ili &ilj!f~ to ~~r" '..r" -::; "'% I
"~'J. ;r> r-::':-,;.:'ft@~~j~h.~C)!,~J.~~~
~£}\r~\.:/t~"V-('" ~ Jt: * '~l'~i~;,r:,;:/ ~ -' \Iir~.J .. ~ ~ ~ -'
J.'"
...;'c;;:..
, ... , ":'II'~~..J!.w~~~"., ", .at7 : 95; 23 : 25;
3165. Commentary:
This verse sums up the subject-matter of thewhole Sura. The preceding verses deal withthe mission of the Holy Prophet and answerthe criticisms and objections of disbelieversagainst him. Their first objection was that theProphet had split up the people into groups
and parties and thus had sought to carve
out of this chaos a new community for him-self and to impose his leadership on them(v. 8), This objection was answered by a
reference'to the Divine practice that wheneverthere came a Prophet into the world, the peopleto whom he preached his Message naturallybecame split up into two hostile camps with
. the result that those who accepted it and followedthe Prophet's lead triumphed over their oppo-nents and became. a strong community. Tothis the disbelievers would retort that the Pro-phet could not succeed in the face of their greatresources, power and numbers (v. 36). Whenthis objection was also refuted by the argumentthat Power and wealth belonged to God and that
it was not these things but right beliefs and good
actions that led to the success and prosperityof a people and that Muslims being righteousand holding right beliefs were destined to triumphover them (vv. 37-40), the disbelievers pretendedto derive consolation from the false andflimsy plea that the Prophet could not succeedbecause three great factors worked towardshis failure, viz., that he acted against theold traditions of their forefathers, that he wasa liar and an impostor and that he employedunfair and deceitful means for the furtheranceof his cause and held out false promises. It isto these three objections of disbelievers thatthe verse under comment refers.
3166. Commentary :
The verse answers all the objections mentionedin the preceding verse. It purports to say thatdisbelievers accuse the Holy Prophet of havingdefied and flouted the time-honoured traditionsof their forefathers. This objection is answeredby the question: "do they possess any Bookwhich has come down to them from their fore-bears and which contains teachings opposed tothe teachings of the Prophet 1" It further says
2160
PT. 22 AL-SABA'
46. And those who were beforethem also rejected the truth-and thesehave not attained even to a tenth ofthat which We gave them, but theytreated My Messengers as liars. Sothf'Y shall see how terrible are theconsequences of denying Me 13167
.6 47. Say, 'I only exhort you to doonly one thing: that you stand up beforeAllah in twos and singly and then re-flect. You will then realize that athereis no insanity in your companion; he isonly a Warner to you of an impendingsevere punishment. '3168
CH.34
,;l':':.;." ,~~~
r,; ,; ~ ~~? ~' ~11 ;' ~~,I/' , . ~." \"'-';;0 ~ q:~ Y~.J
@~ &\S~1lJ! t~~ 'J~':lt I
","" .. ~.J '.7. ~ l
I , J ' ",,""
"" ~ ~ ''Po::: .,. :.' 4L.." : fr..~',; I'; , .
t ~I I::~ \y1~ ~ ~~!-':f ;' ,;~
b,
~ UJ;§$
;" ,;/ /J ,~,.., ~ro\'.9~ ;. ,(.,~';,~ ;," ;, ~ ~r.S)~-'
,;' <",;,,;;,,;,!~(j";'~
I ,;J,
@'f..~ ~I~ '-5u..:.~~~~ ~;'-~ 01
a7 : 185; 23 : 71.
that when no Prophet had come to their fore-fathers and they had received no revelation,then what value can their views and opinionspossess as compared with the teachings of theHoly Prophet who claims to have been com-
missioned by God and to have received revela-tion direct from Him?
3167. Important Words:
)I~ (a tenth) is derived from ~~$. ('ashara).
They say JI...J! ~~$. i.e. he took the tenth part
of the property. r>t>y';;"$.means, he took onefrom them, they being ten. .J~$. ('ushrun) and
.J~:"$.and )\.;;., all mean, a tenth; a tenth part;
one of ten parts. Some say }~ means, ahundredth part, yet according to some othersit means, a thousandth part (Lane).
Commentary :
This verse demolishes the second objectionof the disbelievers. It means to say that
if they are proud of their wealth, power andposition and are rejecting the Message of Islambecause of the weakness and poverty of the Holy
Prophet and his followers, then they should
know that peoples much more powerful than
they and possessing resources far in excess oftheirs were destroyed when they rejected theirProphets. How do they then expect to escape
Divine punishment by rejecting the HolyProphet? They should know that they will failagainst the Prophet, and their failure will prove
that he is a true Prophet of God.
3168. Commentary:
In this and the next few verses another kind ofargument has been suggested to test the truth of
the Holy Prophet. The present verse recommendsan objective and detached examination of hisclaim. The disbelievers are urged to ponder,dispassionately, without prejudice, and beinguninfluenced by crowd mentality, whether the
Holy Prophet suffers from insanity or unsound-
ness of mind. The Qur'an is convinced that if aperson were to deliberate seriously and in soli-tude over the claim of the Holy Prophet, hewould inevitably come to the conclusion that
he is neither an impostor, nor an insane person"because an irripostor is never allowed to progressand prosper, and sooner or later-sooner ratherthan later-he meets with a terrible end, while aninsane person can neither give such excellent
,216.1
CH. 34 AL-SABA' PT. 22
48. Say, a'Whatever reward I mighthave asked of you-let it be yours.My reward is only with Allah; and Heis Witness over all things. '3169
49. Say, 'Truly, My Lord hurls theTruth at falsehood and breaks it intopieces. He is bthe Great Knower ofthe unseen.'3170
50. Say, c'The Truth has come, andfalsehood could neither originate anygood nor reproduce it.'3I71
51. Say, 'If I err, I err only againstmyself; and if I am rightly guided, it isbecause of what my Lord has revealedto me. dVerily, He is Hearing, Nigh.'
52. Couldst thou but see when theywill be smitten with fear! Then therewill be no escape, and they will beseized from a place nearby.3172
a38: 87; 42 :24; 52: 41; 68: 47. b5 : 117.
teaching as does the Qur'an, nor can bring
about such wonderful revolution in the life ofa whole people, steeped in ignorance andimmorality as had been brought about by theHoly Prophet.3169. Commentary:
This verse answers the objection raised in(v. 8) VIZ., that, by his claim to prophethood,
the Holy Prophet seeks to impose his leadershipupon his people. It tells disbelievers that incalling men to God the Prophet is actuatedby no selfish motives. He calls God to bear
witness to the honesty and sincerity of his pur-pose. Besides this his whole life constitutes anunanswerable testimony to it.
3170. Commentary:
The verse means to say that a further proof,
j't" '1 ~1J,!~"j~ ,.., ?~,b..':r", r", i~..I..S~ (.:>,,;oNyO'# ~ ~ '""" '-0 ~
@5 ~~1.:~'1. rJ- I\~ "J "'1:41 'k"., ~~ U'" ~~... IJ*'
c;;;.. .' 5'H,,9j.. C:~df ~.''''',
." '"
.. , 9dlY~/4~ ~~ U~ I.JJ ': t I~
~ ~ ~ ~"~ ~~~
fA"\~ f"" 11 r"'? ~ " ~ '"'-..' -e;: "~ \..o-,~UI/'''''~ .~I."''' I~..",.. , . v",... ~~'J.. ( U
1', 1:-,... Y ~,"."'''''. , "" "II~ ~ "', V'f~ """
,"~\~ ,'--0} ~
. \...;J~,,:,II'. . \ \:,;"')~;;;- ,; , ~ ~"'u-
Q\. ", ~ 6,.. {' , 1;""j"",-; ,9 ~~~~~'U i.J
.. ,,... .. r L-" ,,:l ,,\W7;~.
"[jI~, ,'- '-- --," "J
.. , '-", '"~t>-O ~~~b I.::>~j;~.j ';l~~J;
"- "~ , M@~y
~ ,;
---
C17 : 82; 21 : 19. d2 : 187; 11 : 62.
if proofs are still needed. to establish the truth ofthe claim of the Holy Prophet, is that truth shantriumph over falsehood and the Prophet shansucceed in his mission.
3171. Commentary:The words J.~A.:!L (nor could reproduce it)
embody a mighty prophecy that idolatry willnever regain a foothold in Arabia. It willdisappear from that country for ever.
3172. Commentary:The words "from a place nearby" may either
refer to the battlefield of Badr or to the Fall ofMecca. The verse thus means that disbe-
lievers will realize that they were in the wrongwhen they would sustain a crushing defeat at
Badr or when their great citadel, Mecca, would
fall to Muslim arms.
2162
PT. 22 AL-SABN
53. And they will say, 'We nowbelieve therein.' But how can theattaining of faith be possible to themfrom a position so far-off, 3173
54. While they had disbelieved init before? And they are uttering con-jectures from a far off-place.3174
55. And a barrier has been placedbetween them and that which theylonged for, as was done with the.likesof them before. They too were in dis-quieting doubU175
CR. 34
( cj- ~ ,. Jr"'~, "I"~o...O 61 ~-,~~JI;~'~ l£:tWlij~u ,
'"@ 't..~:1 ',,:(r /,,~ . :1""'"
;;'" "~~~ ~~~ Z'l'=? d.J 1'.9-:"("":1-::~
"';; ,., ..-' 1.,,)ooIi1~ ,:-!JvAJ~-,
Q ,'"
~ fjo ~~~.~
~"'-" ~."l -~ r""t"""''''~'''r", """'''' :19""" ~'"~ ~ \:).~-:.'~_\ \.0
,.oJ., ~u ' '", .~. ~::~~ .."t "... '" 9 ,,-:. 9" ,'" 'I
e~~~ul"~ 'I~:"" ~L ti~", ~ '"l.Y ~
'". ~ ~ .. ;. Ir
3173. Commentary:
The words "from a position so far - off"may mean "after death." In this sense the
verse would mean that disbelievers will surely
realize after death that they were in the wrong.
3174. Commentary:
The verse means to say that disbelievers aremaking foolish conjectures about the failure of
the Prophet's mission. These conjectures being
far removed from the source of "the unseen"or from reality, reason and truth are quitefoolish and baseless.
3175. Important Words:
r-~-"i~~1(the likes of them). f- l~~1 is the plural'-..
of A =~ which means, followers or helpers orpartisans; any people that have combined inor for an affair. The Quranic expression
r-t""d:~~ Jd l...S- means, as was done with thelikes of them; of the same persuasion as they;of the people that have passed (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
There could be no greater frustration for manin life than that he should fail to achieve theobject of his desire, and it is exactly this frustra-
tion that has always been the lot of the rejectorsof God's Prophets in every age. The opponentsof Islam are here told that like the rejectors ofthe Prophets of yore they will also utterly fail
to realize their heart's desire-failure of themission of the Holy Prophet.
2163
C HAP T E R 35AL-FATIR
(Revealed before H(jra)
Title, Date of Revelation and Context
The Sura takes its title from the Divine attribute Fiitir, (Originator) mentioned in the second
verse. This attribute sheds some light on the subject-matter of the Sura, viz., that God has im-
planted in the human soul an irresistible hankering after Him, and that, being the Maker and
Originator of the heavens and the earth, He has made adequate provision, not only for man's
physical needs but for his moral and spiritual needs as well, and that this provision has been fully
made in the Qur'an. The Divine attribute 'Originator' may also imply a reference to the new orderthat was to come about through the teaching of the Qur'an and the example of the Holy Prophet.The Sura was revealed at Mecca, probably at the time at which its predecessor was revealed.
Towards the end ofthe preceding Sura it was stated that when Divine punishment overtakesdisbelievers and they find no way out of it, they begin to make loud professions of faith. But
in reality their hearts are devoid of all belief because they possess no mental affinity with it.They have rejected the Message of the Holy Prophet outright without giving it serious
consideration and now that punishment has descended upon them they have begun loudly to
proclaim their faith.
The present Sura begins with the subject that from time immemorial the Great and Wise
God has been sending Teachings for the guidance of man. He chooses angels as mediums for the
revelation of His will and for the conveyance of His Teachings. These Teachings differ in importanceand scope, and, therefore, the angels who bring them, also differ in their God-given powers and
attributes. Some of them have two wings, others have three and so on in an ascending order.
The wings of angels represent their inherent powers and qualities and also the Divine attributes
they manifest. The Qur'an is the last and the greatest and most important of an revealed
Scriptures, therefore, its revelation was naturally attended with angels having the largest number
of wings.
Further, in the preceding Sura, Muslims were told that like the Israelites they will be given
wealth, power, prosperity and prestige and that if in the heyday of their glory and greatness they
consigned God to oblivion and abandoned themselves to a life of luxury and ease they will draw
upon theit heads His wrath as did the Israelites before them. In the present Sura they are promised
honour and eminence through the Qur'an whose commandments they should not fail to observe.
2164
:Subject-Matter
The Sura opens with the declaration that all praise belongs to God Who is the Originator of the
heavens and the earth. The declaration implies that being the Creator of the universe God has not
only provided for the physical needs of man but also for his moral and spiritual needs, and that for
this purpose He has created angels through whose instrumentality He controls the physical universe
and conveys His will to men. The Sura further says that' since, the creation of man God has beensending Prophets and Messengers to convey His will and that now He has decreed to bestow
His mercy upon mankind in the form of the Qur'an. After this announceme ntof the bestowal
of Divine mercy upon man he has been warned not to reject it, as this will entail grave consequ-
ences. The subject further continues that whenever a Divine Messenger addresses his Message
to his people, they become split up into two camps-those that accept the Divine Message and
become heirs to God's blessings and mercy and those who reject His Prophet and incur His dis-
pleasure and come to grief. Further, the Holy Prophet is asked not to grieve over his being rejected
by disbelievers, since by rejecting him they only injure their own souls and cannot frustrate
God's purpose. The Sura proceeds to draw a moral lesson from the quite insignificant beginningsof man, viz., that Islam too will, from a humble start, grow into a mighty organisation. It
further compares Islam to a sea whose water is sweet and pleasant to drink and whose teachings
slake the thirst of spiritual wayfarers. Next, it observes that Islam is no novel phenomenon.Alternate periods of spiritual ligh' and darkness continue to come over the worJd as day follows
night and vice versa. After a long period of darkness and cessation of revelation, the sun of
Islam has risen to illumine the dark world and God has decreed to bring into being a new creation
and a new order of things through its teachings. Through the Qur'an God will give eyes to theblind and ears to the deaf and the dead will receive new life, but those who will deliberately shut
the avenues of their hearts and refuse to listen to the Divine Call will incur spiritual death and
will be like the dead in the graves. The Sura further develops the subject of the continuity of
revelation and says that rhe Holy Prophet is no new Messenger. There have been coming in theworld, from time immemorial, Divine Messengers who called men to God. "There is no people,"
the Sura says, "to whom a warner has not been sent."
The Sura then invites attention to the study of the physical phenomenon which bears a strik-
ing resemblance to a similar phenomenon in the spiritual realm. When rain falls on dry and
parched land, it begins to bloom, blossom and vibrate with new life, and mar.y kinds of crops,
flowers and fruits of varying colours, tastes, and forms, are brought forth. The water that comes
. down as rain is the same but the crops and fruits are different. Similarly, the same water of
Divine revelation produces different results among men of different natures and moral aptitudes.
While on the one hand it produces highly righteous and God-fearing men, on the other, a com-munity of vicious and wicked men also comes into being who carryon a relentless fight against
the cause of truth. This fight between the devotees of truth and the forces of darkness always
ends only in one inevitable result-the triumph of truth over falsehood.
'2165
Towards its close the Sura brings home to idolaters the untenability of their position. Itasks them, why do they worship false gods who create nothing, in preference to the AlmightyCreator of the universe, all parts of which work in perfect harmony? It is this Great GodWho has revealed the Qur"i'in and has sent the Holy Prophet. This is why the whole universe isworking to further the cause of Islam. If, in spite of the falsity and futility of their beliefs, andpractices, the disbelievers continued to stick to them, Divine punishment will overtake them.though God is very slow in punishing, and continues to grant respite to sinners till by theirperverse attitude they shut upon themselves the doors of His mercy.
2166
AL-FATIRPT. 22 CH.35~ ~
-------~ - ~-------'---~------------
Bf5I~~~r~~W, y- .; ,~'.'" - b' V-~~
1. aIn the name of Allah, theGracious, the Merciful.3l76
2. All praIse belongs to Allah, btheOriginator 0 f the heavens and the earth,Who employs the angels as messengers,havmg wings, two, three, and four.He adds to His creation whatever Hepleases; for Allah has power over allthings.3177
-.."_.--_.
b6 : ]5; 12 : 102; 14 : ] I ;42 : 12.aSee I : 1.
~-
,CD~ ~I~!@I~. ",. -" ", "'".;,
,-'
~..., I~~ ./"tt~...:\-::\, u~... 9~...,...... "'"
uj'.J;;...; '?~ ~'-' @ ,1.~lt- ""
."..,,~
b&j;jf~~~IJ;!~~t""" ",~
j,'''' iY t ,;' \""'
~ ?
trLP \\~4L!C)'b~l:Jto":\~~IJ~'/~ ~ "'.- ~ -" ..~
1.:\(? ~ ~
\!).>:'! ().,5...
--------.-----
3176. Commentary:
See I: 1.
3177. Important Words::i.>:::,,;,I (wings) is the plural ofc.l.~~which is derived
from e~::-which means, he or it inclined, leanedor propended. They say ;lk.Jle~~ i.e. the birdcontracted its wings to descend and approachedlike one falling and repairing to a place of refuge.
c.1~~means, wing; hand; upper arm; edge; side;wing of an army; protection; refuge; power;inclination; assistant; a part or power of a thing.
The Arabs say JA_J I C.L-:- ,,}... u>J i.e. we are onthe wings of journey, i.e. we are about to start onjourney (Lane & Aqrab). See also 17 : 25.
Commentary:
The reference in this verse may be to thecreation of two universes; the physical andthe spiritual. God, it says, is the Creatorof the heavens and the earth and of all that isbetween them. He has created the angels toexecute His will in the material universe. Theseangels are '.r1 c.I.)!..\..JI i.e. regulators of the
affairs of the world (79 : 6). To them is entrustedthe control, management and supervision ofaffairs of the physical world. This is one dutyand responsibility placed upon them. Theirother and heavier duty is to carry God's com-mandments and will to His Messengers whoare the bearers of the Divine revelation.
The verse may also indicate that a newspil itual Dispensation is being created through
the revelation that is being sent down to theHoly Prophet. The angels bearing this revela-
tion manifest two, three, four, attributes of
God at the same time, and there may be othersmanifesting an even larger number of Divineattributes.
The word .J1lj (Originator) has been used in theverse to draw attention to the fact that the Great
Maker Who has made full provision for thephysical needs of man could not have omitted
to provide for his spiritual sustenance anddevelopment, and just as He has entrusted the
control and management of the physical universeto the care of the angels, so has He entrusted
2167
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
3. aWhatever of mercy Allah grantsto men-there is none to withhold it;and whatever He withholds, there isnone who can release it after that; andHe is the Mighty, the Wise.3178
4. 0 ye men, remember the favourof Allah that He has bestowed uponyou. bIs thete any Creator otherthan Allah Who provides for you fromthe heaven and the earth? There isnone worthy of worship but He.Whither then are you turned away?
5. 0And if they reject thee, verily,God's Me ssengers have been rejectedbefore thee; and unto Allah all mattersare brought back for decision.3179
'r.",,,,,,,,""""";' ",' /-"lq) a;~j; %3 ~u::~~~ ~ (;.
J.:.::il"" ",.I.''''''; ~) 1 . '.9~~~l\ 7Jr'"
'"Y;r~-' ~~ ~ ~ I.J-;:/'y.»~.\..4-,
0;:~t
~ J./t"";1'"dt ~""-,,(~.
~, J \!J\ r~'*t'~., ~!J .) U" ~.
~g~.J;r/~Jt ~ ~ ,t't.~,,,, Jst ,,~~,~ ?,. ;;.0 ~ ~ J'-y'.., y:? u:. ~~
,~" ~f~i4""J" I,..;.0~~9J\i j ybj!~1j
""~!'" .~I'.' ~""':~,~:: ~,'.9:~, t'".J ". ~ IJ'Y'.J~ ~ I,)..,ij~ ~~. CI '"J~~ '...:I!. ~ tI!
@.)~~t~J~tJJ
all : 108; 39 : 39. blO : 32; 27 : 65; 34 : 25. 06 : 35; 22 : 43; 40 : 6; 54 : 10.
the regulation of the affairs of the spiritualworld to them. They are the instruments tocarry out God's will in both the universes.
As shown under "Important Words" above,the word :i.:..~1is a symbol of power and ability.In view of this significance of the word the ex-pression e' ~t J} showsthat angelspossesspowers and qualities in varying degrees andin accordance with the importance of the work~ntrusted to each one of them. Some of theangels are endowed with powers and qualitiesgreater than the others. The Arch-angel Gab-riel is the chief of all the angels and, therefore,the most important work of carrying Divinerevelation to God's Messengers is entrusted tohim and is done under his care and supervision.
3I78. Commentary:After having mentioned in the previous verse
that God has created the heavens, and the earthand that He has made full provision for man'sphysical and spiritual needs and has entrusted thecontrol and management of both the physicaland spiritual worlds to the care of the angels,the verse under comment proceeds to say thatGod has now decreed to bestow His mercy uponmankind in the form of the revelation of theQur'an, at the same time warning the would-be-enemies of truth that they will not be allowedto thwart God's plan and purpose as "He isthe Mighty, the Wise !"3179. Commentary:
After it has been mentioned in the precedingverses that a great Divine lrift is about to be
2168
PT. 22 AL-FATIR CR. 35
6. 0 ye men, assuredly the promiseof Allah is true, so let not fhe presentlife deceive you, nor let the Deceiverdeceive you with respect to Allah.318O
7. aSurely, Satan is an enemy to you;so take him for an enemy. He caJIs hisfollowers only thaf they may becomeinmates of the burning Fire.
8. For those who disbelieve there isa severe punishment. And for thosewho believe and do good works thereis forgiveness and a great reward.3181
J)'~ -:::~~,;~ t§~.; 1 /'" -::; Jr~'1 r 9..r7~.J-a' ~ ~a.ut ~-' ~\ L>"I.;J\~\.!J'" ", - ..
@ "9::11 aL~ :~~:'"4'~-'~JJ\~~'~..J~ .; ,~~ ;;..).. ..
,'9';r:~ j,~ 9" ~'\-'-;.~~~ ;~~;~, ~ \,~ \.t1b \Jw ~~ --' :...o>J .. <.:,)
"1> ,.; I
.,,; ,!J/~ I(,
""
,
0~::Jt ~t~~~,;~~
, '!" ,' ':t ,,,J,(j,.
\ ..".
1. (,1
-:' :~I I'J~(',;,::""~ qYJ~~~~Y ~~ ~~~~I
t","t'ro , t; ,,,D"" t 2
0~ ",:JI" "'"
\II":. ,...I \ "'-'It'\ ~ I..~ ~--'zs~~~ ~-' ~It"'
a2 : 169; 12 : 6; 18 : 51; 20 : 118.
bestowed on mankind in the form of the Qur'anand after the would-be rejectors have been warnedno1.:to hasten to reject it, the Holy Prophetis told in the present verse that he will be rejected ,-opposed and persecuted but this should notdiscourage or dismay him because his opposi-tion and persecution would be no new thing asall the Divine Messengers and Prophets beforehim were also rejected, opposed and persecuted,but the enemies of truth could never frustrateGod's plan but themselves always came togrief.
3180. Commentary:
It is really love of the world that leads man
to sin. This is why "the present life" has beenmentioned in the verse before the mention of"the Deceiver" who is Satan. This shows that itis man himself who first becomes mentallycorrupt and then Satan comes to deceive andlead him astray.3181. Commentary:
The verse points to an invariable Divine law,viz., that whenever a Prophet of God comes intothe world, the people to whom he preaches hisMessage become split up into two hostile camps:Those who accept God's Message and receiveHis blessings and those who having rejected andopposed him incur His displeasure and punish-ment.
2169
CH.35 AL-FATIR
R.2 9. Is he, then, to whom the evil ofahis deed is made to appear pleasing, sothat he looks upon it as good, like himwho believes and does good works?Surely, Allah adjudges astray whomHe will and guides whom He will. Solet not thy SOJl}W~e away in sighingfor them. gUt#IY, Allah knows whatthey do.:H82
10. And Allah is He Who sends thewinds which raise the clouds; then doWe drive them to a lifeless tract ofland, ~nd quicken therewith the earthafter its death. Likewise shall theResurrection be.:H 8:;
-~ ~--- "---~ ~'----' ~----.---.--.
al6 : 64; 27 : 25; 29 : 49.
PT. 22-~ ~ ~._~
-
".J ~ r~ h(~~-:"~
,'''-: -II"'"~ !)";'J ~ ! ""-:"",vwl \,;>u' zs 'J'~.s.-.I ~ ~.J~"" t." ...,,-- ,
') .. - , !), ..<,,\~7'G ?' :~, \~~..9Uj~; ~~~~, ,,~""'~J)- ..;..;;A ,..
C%')9~'''ec.~l~.i, -:,~ ,.., k~ l~ ';:;~""".:7'
...:.>.. ~~ ,,"
J~ ~~ ~.~~;~; e~\~~\ J~, :J,t;~It!.~r"-~'''''''' ')~'. ~7-;it d.J \~~~:~ '-~~~ ~~\JJ~~~ ~ \.P.J...;J
""~,. ~ .
9 '':.GJ.J :;.'lll
b22 : 7; 57 : 18.~ ~~
' "-----. -- .-- - ~--- -
' '._-
3182. Commentary:
The words, "so let not thy soul waste awaysighing for them," give an insight into the
noble soul of the Holy Prophet-how anxiousand eager he was to lead his people out of theirevil ways and save them from the wrath of God.
Another verse of the Qur'an, viz., "Haply thouwilt grieve thyself to death for sorrow after them
if they believe not in this discourse" (18:7), alsoconstitutes an eloquent commentary on the soli-
citude and concern of the Holy Prophet for the
spiritual well-being of his people and on his deepgrief for their opposition to truth. But such ishuman ingratitude that from the very people forwhom he felt and grieved so much he receivednothing but abuse, invect ive and ridicule.
3183. Important Words:
).J'::'j (Resurrection) is infinitive noun from rj.They say .r.~JI J'::'j i.e. he spread or spread out orpublished the news. ~):; I u f:-j means, the land,being rained upon, its herbage or pasturage
became green afler it had dried up. ,-33...11..i!1J'::"means, God raised the dead to life. );'::"j meamraising the dead; Resurrection. The word haalso been used in the sense of spiritual resurrection in this life (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
In the Qur'an the plural form C 4) (wind~is generally used in good sense as in the preserverse and in vv. 7 : 58; 25 : 49; etc., while thsingular has been used to denote Divine punislmentasin 17:70;33:10;41: 17;46:25;5142; 54 : 20 & 69 : 7. The word )-,'::"~JI(Resurreltion) if taken to mean the resurrection of a peopl
from a state of spiritual decline and degradatiOlthe verse would mean that just as dead andry land blossoms into new life when raifalls upon it, so will a people, morally anspirituall dead and steeped in sin and wicke(ness as the Arabs are, rise to a new life tmeans of the heavenly water of Divine revel;tion-the Qur'an.
2170
PT. 22 AL-FATIR------------
11. Whoso desires honour, lethim know that all honour belongsto Allah. Unto Him ascend goodwords, and as for righteous work Heexalts it, aAnd those who plot evils.-forthem is a severe punishment; and theplotting of such will perish.3184
12. bAnd Allah created you fromdust, then from a sperm-drop, thenHe made you pairs. And no femaleconceives, nor does she bring forth achild save with His knowledge. Andno one is granted long life who isgranted long life, nor is anything di-minished of his life, but it is recordedin a Book. That surely is easy forAlIah.:H85
bl8 : 38; 22 : 6; 23 : 14; 36 : 78; 40: 68.a27 : 51; 52; 35 : 44.
CH.35
A
l r~~ ?""" )"""" ~"~ b~ ~.':_tl4lli .. ':'-1\ ~ 9 .-:'r;:' :...., ". ,- ~ .",...,~~ u~-~o ~
b~~6tWJ'~')~~I~~~ ' rc;
""9
\
"~...
J;~~ G'~''.. t ~(~-:;jt ':'/ " -:~ ~ 'tt"".." . ~"'::'(.;,)J ..cr.~ -'
t.t\ J'J ""J (.(5'j
l~""~..>~.Yb ~
-"~ -'""
~~ ci~\1;:> ~9:. t"!.' ~ ~~<.""-: jl \ ....
~ .~ "..0 ...J ~\.J ~ @ ~.~1- ~ ~ ~~ ....
1:. 1 . ~ 9-:~~ 1.~)11 ' ~f "br~(~""
1~~j~ ..;J.-'~ ~ 1..0-,~~)
... ".,,;:>? ?c/""?r""
":H-- .J' 9, 7...'" '"
.. "', ?.A ~~.. ~ \..4 ""~ 1ZS~ ~~..;J.-'~ v r-:. .-'
"",~
~, ~1\~~1~,t4d\.V~ ~ ~" ,,~,,;;,or
3184. Important Words:
)5~ (will perish) is derived from )1 whichmeans, he perished; it (commodity) was orbecame difficult of sale. They say 0-,-JI.:;,,)< i.e.the market became dull. J, JI)1: means, thework became or proved vain. )13: meansperdition, destruction. The Arabs say},Q,5:.JIJ... JI-,-:ll d';; i.e. perdition overtook the
disbelievers (Lane & Aqrab). See also 25 : 19.
Commentary:
The present verse continues the theme of itspredecessor and proceeds to say that under theinfluence of the Holy Prophet, the Arabs will notonly shed their evil ways and become paragonsof piety and godliness but all honour and glorywill also be theirs, and nations that now lookdown upon them and consider them beneathnotice will bow down before them in humi-lity. Their honour and glory will be the result
of their true beliefs. noble ideals. and righteousconduct.
The pronoun 0 in the expression .1, 3~ may
refer to z::Jl""JIJ.uJI (righteous work). In thatcase the subject of the verb c!.;~ (exalts) isGod, as shown in the text. Or it may refer
to ,-:-:hJl r.l5:'JI(good words). In that case thesubject of the verb ~~~ will be ~JI,"""JIJ4 JI(the righteous work).
3185. Commentary:
By referring to the very humble and insigni-
ficant origin of man the verse draws attention to
the low Iy beginnings of Islam and the extremelypoor condition of the early Muslims and implies
a prophecy that just as out of an insignificant
sperm-drop there grows a well-proportionedand fully-developed human being, similarly thelowly and poor Muslims wiII one day grow into amighty community.
2171
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
13. And the two seas are not alike:1!hisone palatable, sweet and pleasant todrink, and this other salt, bitter.aAnd from each you eat fresh meat, andtake forth ornaments which you wear.And thou seest the ships thereinploughing the waves that you may seekof His boun~y, and that you maybe gratefuJ.3186
"'-------.-
al6 : 15; 45 : 13.
{o- /. ,,,, , \ ~ , ~.J r""" r" '! I
;. I' .""\
. u..' ~""" .~:.~.
..'" ~ ""t.t;.'-u~~~ ~ ~~ \Sr-:. J
/,'~r~ i.(, "..'9 f;"1zC. ~ I
"" ~~(1.C)you~~.J t~ ~I~.J':'~
"~"""';~(l;~ G'9 '.~ :-., ~ ~~-'~. ..,; ~~-'..~" ..\ ~:: ~ t:;;~~ "". ","" ~ @jJjltJ:1'.-'~ ~ . ~~JY' ""..;# '-T
/'~ 'LT"I@~-' ..~
The latter part of the verse relating to what afemale conceives and what she gives birth to, and
to the lengthening and diminishing of a man'slife implies another prophecy that the progenyof opponents of the Holy Prophet win one daybecome devoted followers of Islam.
3186. Important Words:
,-:-,.J.£.(palatable) is derived from ,-:-,.A~('adhiba)
which means, it was or became sweet; becameeasy and agreeable to be swallowed or drunk.,-:-,.A&..Lmeans, sweet water. They say ,-:-,~J ...; 1.jLUI i.e. verily he is sweet of tongue (Lane &Aqrab). See also 25 : 54.
"1...(salt) is noun-infinitive from er.. (ma/a~a).
Th~y say rl...kJ1e:1...i.e. he put salt in the food..l~ te:L means, the water became saltish. er..
(malo~a) it (a thing) was or became beautiful
.or pretty (Lane & Aqrab). See also 25 : 54.
l~ l- (pleasant) is derived from t l- which
means, it (beverage) was easy and agreeable toswallow (Lane). See also 16 : 67.
",;.1.".. (ploughing the waves) is derived from
~... They say :i.~~...J1 U J;"""i.e. the boat clovethe water with its stem and ran (Lane). See also16 : 15.
For ..:;.,\.} and ~l~i see 25 : 54.
Commentary:Metaphorically, the two seas spoken of i.n this
verse are true and false religions. The words ,-:-,.A~
and <:l~i may be taken as representing respect-ively true and false religions which cannot beequal. The one is like sweet water which is goodto drink and slakes the thirst and is also veryuseful for irrigation, while the other is likebitter water which is not only not fit to drinkbut is also unusable for purposes of irrigation.The verse continuing the metaphor purports
to say that though saltish water is not fitfor drinking and irrigation, it has other uses.
From the salt ish sea-water come out fresh meatand ornaments. Similarly, though the presentopponents of Islam are, like saltish water, bitter
and worthless, yet out of their loins there willbe born those who will be zealous and devoutbearers of its Message.
2172
PT. 22 AL-FATIR
14. aHe merges the night into theday, and He merges the day into thenight. bAnd He has pressed into ser-vice the sun and the moon; each oneruns its course to an appointed term.Such is Allah, your Lord; His is thekingdom, I!andthose whom you call up-on beside Allah own not even a whit. 3187
15. dIf you call on them, they willnot hear your call; and even if theyheard it, they could not answer you.And on the Day of Resurrection theywill deny your having associated themwith God. And none can inform theelike the One Who is All-Aware.:H88
~---'--~~---'-- '-~-~'--"-"---'---", ~,---,---,m -.- - -
-' "--' "---'---'--~-
"13 : 15; 40 : 21. d7 : 194
CH.35
---
~~t ~)(~11~;!,~-J~!t ~~t~1~ ~ ,
. , ' 'v.1 "-:. -'I1~~t\""1
::' \~"".., ,~o i..S~ IJ') .J~ ~-'
~~~~I;~t~~; ~I~~~d~,"~, "~r'...I,'9"~~~~ _\..o~-,.)~
f; ..1' ,or" 't:'{-";r;"t'
9~"",;. ~~, j,~ .1tI.o~ ~.J ~ ~~.) ~ ..;I~~Jj ~J.
~9(""~:. -:''.9'.~ c1~\'i;\t .1""""~~1
.19f1.. '.~
~-B~.J~~ ~~.J~ ~~It.
'''''
j~ :e"(~""
r~~.\:._-''''.~' r,0 ~.. ~ ~ ... ~ ~
~ ~ I~
b7 : 55; 13 : 3; 29 : 26; 31 : 20; 39 : 6.a22 : 62; 31 : 30; 57 : 7.~ "-' ~--_.-
3187. Important Words:
J~4.hj (whit) means, the cleft of a date-stone or
the integument that is upon it; the thin skinwhich is upon a date-stone between the stone andthe date itself or the white point in the back of
the date-stone from which the palm-tree growsforth. Hence a small, mean, paltry, contemptible
thing. The Arabs say t .J:..6.; oI.~ c~ i I... i.e. I
did not receive anything from him.
Commentary:
The metaphor of the preceding verse is con-tinued in this verse. The word ;lr:J1 (day) hererepresents prosperity and power and J~lJ I(night) signifies loss of these things combinedwith national decline and decadence. Takingthe two words in this sense the verse implies aprophecy that with the advent of the HolyProphet a new order will come into being. Thenations which have hitherto enjoyed temporal
and spiritual sovereignty will, if they rejected hisMessage, be debased and disgraced, and another
people which have till now been looked down
upon as dregs and scum of humanity because oftheir faith, will be raised to the highest pinnaclesof power and glory. All the forces of naturewiIl combine to work for the success of the neworder and the forces of darkness led by thosewhom the disbelievers call upon besides Allahwill utterly fail to impede or obstruct its progress,because the kingdom of the heavens and the earthis God's Who has revealed the new Teaching and
Who is its Protector and Guardian.
3 I88. Commentary:
The verse further dwells upon the completefailure of the forces of evil to arrest the progressof Islam. It says that the idols of idol-worshippers will prove entirely powerless anduseless against the onward march of Islam.
The reference in the words, "the One Whois All-Aware," as the translation of [he textshows, is to God. It may also be to the HolyProphet when the word would mean, well-aware.
2173
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
R. 3 16. 0 ye men, ait is you who aredependant upon Allah, but Allah isHe Who is Self-Sufficient, the Praise-worthy.3189
17. °If He please, He could. destroyyou, and bring a new crea~ion in-stead.3190
18. CAnd that is not difficult forAllah.
19. dAnd no burdened soul can bearthe burden of another; and if a heavilyladen soul call another to bear its load,naught of it shall be carried by theother, even though he be a kinsman.'Thou canst warn only those who feartheir Lord in secret and observePrayer. And whoso purifies himself,purifies himself only ~o his own good;and ~o Allah shall be the re~urn.3191
~ ~r'~t J" , ~ ~~l, '~~fj
\i}, r-'~t!.'
",iI ~ U'" ~ "
"":>.1,,,@~I~I
c ~ .. -i~"r /~ . ~'r~o{@~~~9~-'~~ ~6~
£.:\.,,, I~"" '" I
~ "':'.~~ ~, ;~H. r", ...
~.~" ~.) \.o.J
:,""~ , ,,, '" 1. 7j .. ~ (p
9 .. ... .
~t~~tJ~~t..>jj ;;j~~jj ~:,.... ... ...
bl,tl'" "r~ "..~:,~, , 'I;!' "r~,,,J~';ve)Jj~~~~~J!
, ...'-'
... .
.. ~~Ir "w"''''''':.~''' -" ~i \ 9 ." ~;
.J~\.J~J~~J~VW ...:-\;:"'.:- .. '..7- ": ..,)~
"", ,.b~J~.t~ij ~(.,?~"'b':'}~t'l n~:;
'.. '"r-:". ...U j.J..., -' ~. I
~'" I
, ,@~~"::It ". J"-t'"~;toU1 ~J
a47 : 39. b4 : 134; 6 : 134; 14 : 20. "14 : 21. d6 : 165; 39 : 8; 53 : 39. '36: 12.
3189. Commentary:
The verse points to man's utter helplessness.
He needs God's help every moment of his life.He needs it for his physical sustenance and he
needs it for his spiritual sustenance and God, out
of His unbounded grace and mercy. has madeprovision for both.
3190. Commentary:
The verse implies that God has decreed tobring into being a new creation, a new order
through the Holy Prophet and Hit is not at a)]
difficult for Him to do so."
3191. Important Words:
4..lA~(heavily laden soul) is derived from Jif
which means, it was or became heavy, weighty
or ponderous; it was or became heavy, weightyor preponderant idea)]y; he was or becameslow, lazy, wanting in activity or intelligence.;;iyoJ\ ..:;..lA~means, her pregnancy became
apparent. .uQ~fmeans, he overburdened him.
J~~ of which ~1~~.4is feminine gender means,heavily burdened or burdened beyond his power;overburdened; weighed down or oppressed by
disease, debt, etc. (Lane & Aqrab). See also 4:41.
Commentary :
The word )j, may here signify the burden ofduty or responsibility; or it may mean the remorse
or shame which a person feels when he commitsa sin or crime. Taking it in the first sense, theexpression l>.;>-f )j-, ;;)j'-, ):;'Y would meanthat the personal duty or responsibility of one
2174
PT. 22 AL-FATIR CH.35
20. aNot alike are the blind and theseeing; 3192
21. Nor the darkness and light,319J
22. Nor the shade and heat.
23. Nor alike are the living andthe dead. Surely, Allah causes himto hear whom He pleases; and thoucanst not make those to hear who arein the graves.3194
~9J_"'(" P'tl ~''''r'"~ -'~;; ($~:' .~ \..0-'
"y f}
"';"Q 9
'J.;I"~\
"
I .::.'..\II';'~ t"'"@.>~ jI,~ y,
@;;~,j;~I~;.. "I b""'~'" v~ "~..."'.~, .:(',\11'\.' 9~'lt -::'''r...",
~;:;-;. c:ti),\:)'"
I.:.)~.)I .;;~ J. .. .;J \S~ \..0-,..,
@ ~I, ~ :"' 79 -:71~ 'Z:.7'(13 :'.J. ~ ~ ~~... 'll..:..l"-"-' J- ..~
all : 25; 13 : 17; 40 : 59.
person cannot be shifted to, or discharged byanother. Everyone has to carry his own cross.Taking the word in the second sense the expres-
sion cuts at the root of the doctrine of Atonementon which the whole fabric of Christianity stands.The verse purports to say that no person canrelieve any other person of his grief or sorrow.
or can share with him the remorse or regret thatafflicts his conscience after he has committed acrime. Evidently as these feelings have their originin the heart of man, they cannot be transferredto or shared by another person. The punish-
ments of Hell are only the spiritual embodimentsof man's evil actions done in this life and theperson who committed the evil deeds quite
clearly will not share these spiritual embodi-
ments of his actions with another person who
had not committed those evil deeds.
3192. Commentary:
Whenever a Prophet comes into the worldthe people to whom he preaches his Messagebecome split up into two groups: (I) those whoaccept his Message and follow his lead; (2) thosewho reject and oppose him. These two groupsof men are likened in the present verse to "theseeing" i.e. those who having been endowed
with spiritual eyes see the heavenly light, and
"the blind" i.e. those who are afflicted withspiritual blindness as the result of their refusal tosee the light. These two classes of men have beenfurther likened to "the living" and "the dead"in verse 23 below. The believers have beencalled "the living" because by accepting the
truth they receive new life, and the disbelievers
are called "the dead" because by rejecting truthwhich is the elixir of life eternal they bringspiritual death upon themselves.
3193. Commentary:In this and the next verse truth and falsehood
have been respecltively compared to light andpleasantness of the cool shade, and to darkness
and scorching heat. There could be no betterdescription of truth and falsehood than this.
3194. Commentary:The words "who are in the graves" apply to
the spiritually dead disbelievers. The versemeans to say that ilt is not possible for a Prophetof God to make those who have deliberatelyshut their hearts and ears, to listen to and accept
the Divine Me~sage. Such people are spirituallyas dead and defunct as those buried in thegraves.
2175
CH.35 AL-F A TIR PT. 22
24. aThou art only a Warner.
25. bYerily, We have sent thee withthe truth, as a Bearer of glad tidingsand as a Warner; and IJthere is nopeople to whom a Warner has not beensent. 3195
26. dAnd if they treat thee as a liar,those who were before them also treatedtheir Messengers as liars. Their Messen-gers came to them with 'clear Signs,and with the Scriptures, and with theilluminating Book.3196
",."" ':1'"@~.~~l~t~' ,;'
~i~~~;bb!.~j~~~~~l
@~~~~'~'J
~? .A.1'~:1 .n.'~.'" .,.~,~':' -:'\'.1~ ,.;~~dwl~~~~~ .. ~\.J
"" "'..", . ." .. ""f , r 'J' r f ' "
.. -~,=,j ~~",~~",t~ ~'7T." ,.1~,r",, ... ~ ,.-'... ~""~~s.\:>~ ~ ~.
@~t..".."
27. Then I seized those who disbe-lieved, and how terrible were the con-sequences of denying Me!
all : 13; 13 : 8. b2 : 120; 5 : 20; I : 189; 11 : 3; 25 : 57; 48 : 9. clO: 48; 13 : 8:16 : 37. d6 : 35; 22 : 43; 40 : 6; 54 : 10. e]16: 45.
6~ ,;' r~~ t:J'~'("";';1 'J ~n;{~ cJ~1 .. !.'y.QJ~~'~uo.';'>
3195. Commentary:
After mentioning that the Holy Prophet hasbeen sent "as a Bearer of glad tindings and as aWarner" the verse proceeds to unfold a greattruth which had remained unknown to the worldtill the Qur'an revealed it. It says that it is notthe Holy Prophet Mu1;lammad alone who hasbeen sent as a Divine Messenger to call mento God but there had been sent to every people inthe past a Heavenly Messenger who preached tothem the same Message of truth and righteous-'ness. This great and noble principle leads tothe belief in the Divine origin of all religions,and in their Founders as Divine Messengers,and thus it becomes an article of faith with aMuslim to believe in and equally respect and
revere all of them. By giving to the world thissublime truth, Islam has sought to create an
atmosphere of amity and goodwill among
different creeds, and to remove and banish thatrancour and bitterness which has embitteredrelations between the fol1owers of these creedsall over the world. See also 10 : 48.
3196. Commentary:The verse continues the theme of the preced-
ing verses and consoles and comforts the HolyProphet by saying 1that it is a tragedy of human
affairs that the very people who are called toGod by their Prophets reject and persecute suchProphets, and that the Holy Prophet is not anexception to this rule. Like them he will receivemockery and abuse from his people.
2176
PT. 22 AL-FATJR~-~--
'--~ ~~---~--~"----------_._---
4 28. aDost thou not see that Allahsends down water from the sky, andWe bring forth therewith fruits ofdifferent colours; and among themountains are streaks, white and red,of diverse hues and others ravenblack ;:;J9:
--~---- ~~~-~---
CH.35
f-:""'''' t;t'- '"':'';,; ';"" I ,;,;,;,; "';t:I.J~ . . ~~ r'-:'II:.'.AJ .o1 """ \ :,\ .' -'1\1::- . ':.j> , ~ \.(\;J IJ
""ljJ 4.lI <.:)~ ~
&., (9;'l J f,; 1,
;, ,;r-:~
t;1;';r~ I';/~ ,;,..;
~'j~ ~ ~--,j,~ I~O~~...,. .",.;, ", -"'"
~:.;--
tj..J )'" v~;' f"'..f "';'Jr~tj..y~@)~~~--,~~I ,"~--,...
a14 : 33; 22 : 6; 30 : 51; 45 : 6.
3197. Important Words:
lrjl."JI (their colours) is the plural of 0.".1which is substantive noun from 0 ~ (lawwana).The y say ' ...:;.)1 0..J i.e, he coloured the thing.
U" ../
"'~9,-:--~~)10J) means, old age appeared in hishair. J~) I c.~lj' means, the man became fickle-
minded. 0.,,) means, colour, exterior; form,shape; kind, sort, species (Aqrab & Lane).
.)J~ (streaks) is the plural of ;;J~ which is
derived from ,..\~which means, it (a garment) wasor became new; ;;J~ (juddatufI) means. a beatenway or road; a road leading to water; a main
road; a sign; the bank or side of a river; thestripe or streak that is in the back of an assdiffering from his general colour, a streak inanything as in a mountain, differing in colour
from the rest of the mountain (Lane & Aqrab).
.).J- ...,...:!I,;i.(raven black). ,-:--,,;IJ is the pluralof ...,...~:.)i.which is derived from y J (ghariba)which means, he or it was or became black; orit was or became black on account of very hotwind. ,-:--~:.)i.means, intensely black; of which
the colour resembles the colour of a crow;
when applied to an old man it means one whosehair is intensely black or whose hair does notbecome white Or who blackens his white hairwith dye . ...,...~:,,;'').;-i means, intensely black.But if you say ~.J- '-:--<1I,i you make the latterword a substitute for the former; because aword corroborative of one signifying a colour
cannot precede, nor can the corroborativeof any word; one of the most excellentkinds of grapes; a variety of grapes growing at
Al- Ta'if; intensely black; of the most excellentand most delicatl~ and blackest of grapes..).;- ,-:--~!I)i. relating to mountains, may mean:;treaks having black rocks.
Commentary:
The present and next verse invite attentionto the study of a wonderful phenomenon ofnature which bears striking resemblance to asimilar phenomenon in the spiritual realm.The verse purports to say that when rain fallsupon dry and parched land it gives rise to avast variety of crops, flowers and fruits of differ-
ent colours, tastes, forms and kinds. The rain-water is the same, but the crops, flowers andfruits it produces are vastly different from oneanother. This difference is evidently due to thenature of the soil and the seed. Similarly, when
Divine revelation, which at many places in theQur'an has been likened to water, comes to apeople, it produces different effects upon
different men according to the soil of theirhearts and the way in which they receive it.
The same revelation which produced suchparagons cf righteousness and piety as AbuBakr and 'V mar, served only to increase AbuJahl, 'Utbah or Shaihah in wickedness andopposition to truth. The verse also signifies
2177
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
29. And of men and beasts andcattle, in like manner, there are variouscolours? Oniy those of His servantswho possess knowledge fear Allah.Verily, Allah is Mighty, Most Forgiv-ing.3198
30. Surely, only those who followthe Book of Allah and observe Prayeraand spend out of what We have pro-vided for them, secretly and openly,hope for a bargain which will neverfail;3199
31. bIn order that He may give themtheir full rewards, and even increasethem out of His bounty. He is surelyMost Forgiving, Most Appreciat-ing.32Oo
~~f~~~SJt-, ~JJ'j ~\1J'~j
0(~,~~~~i\~~t~!J",
r,,''''' r" """,'\@..>#~~aLt
"-;', ""~HI 9\-::-;"'"J t:J{t:~ ':' ~T.f t-,~~,~",,-,~ .,,- ..~~, CJ""
~""v:- """';'w;"". ","'" ~ .~ , 9! ~-:'""(~4 .'!.-:'~""
~~dJ>~.~~-'~~.J"> ,,~t:!i ,;'~9""
b1"{.;'..M ,
\!Jj~ .
djlb~~~~;.-,~;;;'~:J~Q:\(j~ tj,~~\!:!I..> j ~
~--
<12 : 175; 14 : 32; 16 : 76.
-'...-----.-----
, ~
- - ---~ ,--------
that the Faithful and the disbelievers arevariously graded in goodness and evil. Allbelievers were not like Abu Bakr and 'Vmar inrighteousness, nor all disbelievers as wicked as
Abu Jahl, 'Vtbah or Shaibah. The verse furthersays that the vast variety of colour and kind is
not to be found only in plants but also inmountains and rocks as well. All this wonder-
ful phenomenon points to an Intelligent andPowerful Mind behind it.
3198. Commentary:The verse means to say that the kaleidoscopic
variety in form, colour, and kind to v'hich re-
ference has ~een made in the preceding versedoes not only exist in flowers, fruits and rocks
but in men, beasts and cattle as well. The wordsV"l;J1 (men), ..,...IJ..dl (beasts) and il...;~1 (cattle)may also represent men of different capabilities,
dispositions and natural aptitudes. The words,
IJ3:58; 39:11.
"only those of His servants who possess know-ledge fear God," fllrther lend weight to the viewthat these three words stand for three classes ofmen from among whom only those endowed withright knowledge fear God. Knowledge, here,however, does not necessarily mean spiritualknowledge but also knowledge of the laws
of nature. A revlerent study of nature and itslaws inevitably le:ads one to realise the greatpowers of God and consequently makes himhold God in revenmtial awe.
3199. Commentary:The present verse gives a description of '~4.lAJ\
(those who possess knowledge) mentioned in thepreceding verse.
3200. Important Words:
).J).::' (Most Appreciating) is derived from;::'::. (shukr) which is noun inf. and means
thankfulness. ;::..z is of three kinds: (J) with the
2178
PT. 22 AL-FATIR CH.35
32. And the Book which We haverevealed to thee is the atruth itself, ful-filling that which is before it. Surely,Allah is All-Aware, All-Seeing withrespect to His servants.
33. Then We gave the Book forinheritance to those of Our servantswhom We chose. And of them aresome who suppress their desires,severely, and of them are some whotake the middle course, and of themare some who excel others in acts ofgoodness by Allah's leave. And thatindeed is the great distinction.no,
f'~,,""9;:; ",y ,((. , , --:,,,, , - ....b~~~~t~~t~"t "~I', ",,,,, ..' ..~I..S,-'
fj/', fj, -:" , ~ l
-:::Jt" ,,' r,t\"r~~f~ .,;-@k) ,..~~~
~r~ ..f, , r":"'~I' ' t",~. '(( f-:'!."""~\j~ ~ ~ ~ I.:YI..VI\,;..~;,~,n~,. t"-
.. ",., 0,", ~
"'; 't/9 ~?~" j' , C ",OMr; 0:' j',
~..J u..>a<AA~~ ~ '7tu; ~~~1 ~"", -- ."" .. ~~ ~
~, ~~.\ ~IQjL~~L /f.l:...,,, "",~".. ;,~;,
@~t.. ;,
a22 : 55; 47 : 3; 56 : 96.
heart Or mind; (2) with the tongue, and (3) withthe limbs. Man's love for God and hishumility towards Him and his acknowledg-
ment of Divine favours and eulogising andpraising God for having bestowed them upon
him and his not making use of those favoursin a manner not liked by God. constitutes~..::, (thankfulness) on the part of man. §"..::,
(thankfulness) on the part of God consists inforgiving a person or commending him or re-garding him with satisfaction, goodwill or
favour and hence recompensing or rewardinghim (Lane). See also 14 : 8.
3201. Commentary:
After mentioning in verse 25 above that DivineMessengers were sent to all the peoples, and afterexplaining in the immediately preceding verse(v. 32) that the Qur'an testifies to the Divine ori-
gin of all the Books that were given to those
Messengers and fulfils the prophecies that theformer Prophets and Divine Books had madeabout the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet, the verse
under comment proceeds to say that the sacredand onerous duty of preaching this last DivineMessage to mankind has been entrusted to men
whom God has specially selected for this purpose.They are not men of ordinary calibre. They
have fully fitted themselves for the dischargeof this great duty by passing through variousstages of rigorous spiritual discipline. Thefollowing are the three stages through which a
believer has to pass to attain a very high degree
of spiritual development. In the first stage hewages a veritable war against his low desires
and passions, and practises strict self-denial. Itis after he has learned to control his passions and
suppress his evil desires that he moves on tothe next stage of "taking the middle course."
At this stage he does not falter or fall but hisprogress towards his goal is but gradual. It is
at the third and last stage when he has attainedhis full moral stature that his progress towards
the realization of his great goal becomes rapidand uniform. This stage has been termedc>1.)~;"Jl~J! l- in this verse.
2179
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
34. Their reH'ard will be 4Gardensof Eternity. bThey will enter them.They will be adorned therein withbracelets of gold, and pearls; andtheir garments therein will be of silk.
35. And they will say, 'All praisebelongs to Allah Who has removedgrief from us. Surely, our LOId isMost Forgiving, Most Appreciating.3202
36. 'Who has, out of His bounty,settled us in the Abode of Eternity,cwhere no toil will touch us, nor anyweariness affect us therein.'3203
37. But as for those who disbelieve,for them is the fire of Hell. dDeath willnot be decreed for them so that theymay die; nor will the punishmentthereof be lightened for them. Thusdo We requite every ungratefulperson. 3204
'" r"'-".7 I~': "';1; ~ f-:~!t !':: 7-" >'1",)--'I I\~~c~~ "6-'~w ~~ ~
".. ..~
CAI}7-" ~:; ,J,t}
'" z,t~l;r ~,/ -: 7tJ:s)y~ ..,,~ ."'~ 'Y Y .J~) ~.
~~\S.;Jt~ ~~~ J~\J &:;j, !Jl;).')J
,9~ tj.7r-:;r;~'/@.) .J~ ~..>
~ ::.-; " :-.1 :~ ..'"
1.7 ",'/'" - ,
." ~~'?wO~(iJt "I W,;;.. .7.~Tt.. t ... ""'-",,/ .J .) ,cs ';tJ
~~
(p
~'~'~~r;~~~"',/ 19
"''' ~uU . .111"t..~ ".. .." ..J~. "/'
~;',/~~v:~,/'" Jli~j\' J~?'-:' ~ \'".. ...;J~ .J !.J~ t,;j~ -'"
..,~~k. (,/ ~,..,' 7.'"!:;;~,(. " (! "'/~
"~~~~ -..;i-'!.Y~
~ ,{,?""~, ,,/@...)~ (.P ~--*'~ -....
--,~-- -
--._-- -, ~--'-"-- --~-- ~'--" ~-' ' -- ----
a9 : 72; 13 : 24; 16 : 32; 61 : 13; 98 : 9. b18: 32; 22 : 24 76 : 22. C15: 49. d20: 75;87 : 14.~.-
-- -
,, ~
~--" '--~-
; 3202. Commentary:
When a believer has gone through the threestages of spiritual development mentioned inv. 33 above, all fear of faltering or falling dis-appears. His spiritual future becomes safe. Thisstate of mind of a true believer is describedelsewhere in the Qur'an in the words ~~l", J Y. ~0,,) y>.:!r-""~ J i.e. they wil1 not grieve over theirpast failures, if any, nor will they have fear,about any possible future failures.
3203. Important Words:
y."AJ (weariness) is infinitive-noun from ~.Jwhich means, he was tired or wearied to theutmost or he was languid in consequence offatigue or he was wearied in spirit or mind.y y.J means, extreme tiresomeness, weariness of
mind or spirit (Lane & Aqrab).
-,..~--
Commentary:
Complete freedom from every kind of fear andanxiety and perfect peace of mind and satisfac-
tion of heart coupled with the pleasure of Godis the highest stagc~ of Paradise that the Qur'an,as the verse under comment shows, promises
to believers in this and the next world.
3204. Commentary:
As contrasted with the Paradise promised to
believers and briefly but beautifulIy portrayedin the preceding verse, a description of the fireof Hell in which disbelievers will burn has beengiven in the present verse. That fire is theburning of the heart and the absence of peace ofmind. There could be no greater Hell in thisworld than loss of mental peace and poise.
2180
AL-FATJRPT. 22
5
38. And they will cry for help there-in, 'Our Lord, <ttake us out, we willdo righteous works other than thosewe used to do.' God will say to them,'Did We not give you a life long enoughso that he who would take heed couldtake heed therein? And there came untoyou a Warner too. So taste ye thepunishment; for wrong-doers have nohelper. '3205
39. bVerilY, Allah knows the secretsof the heavens and of the earth.Verily, He knows full well all that lieshidden in the breasts.
40. cHe it is Who made you vice-gerents in the earth. So he who dis-believes, will himself suffer the conse-quences of his disbelief. And. for thedisbelievers their disbetief wIll onlyincrease odium in the sight of theirLord, and ~heir disbelief will increasefor the disbelievers nothing bm loss.3206
CH.35
111r" Y~r~' ~"'I:I[?;/
zY" :'" ~ \'" -: , )1 ,.
v:.\.QU-W~~~.J ~~~~~-'/'('/.-:: r-:' 'f; ~ '1"/ttt:..;r;~, " t /'-:~~. \.A~ ~ />' -' \.:J(5~ ->:f
f"~ .'~,~ < .1,91~~i \\,)1(':T'/, :(::'~ ;" A':
~~--,~y"~~~~--,y~~~
t ",, ':, .'. n': H
(I'
@~~~&~ '1
~~t],' '~( ~~~~.lI~ 'I'~ "~t~t..,; ..~V--'" ;-.. ~ @ \.:J,
", ...-
@--'~~, ~kl~" ""';'
"""?'~/"'l> ";' 1 ';~"i\~ :(/,/ ,
:.1 \ ".1jwSU~~-->~ ~~~f..Sy;J ~
~; - ' 9 j?r--::,; .k t,{ ~.~ t\t' j,~,~~ ~ .w~~ y.QJ~.ttf:?V ~~..;; ~ J~; .~ ", ~~
' .X ".. /
(~=~~
~J~~d~t~~~-,z; ..,.~1~1:J
0> ~\~:'~
<17 : 54; 26 : 103; 32 : 13; 39 : 59. /'11 : 124; 16 : 78; 27 : 66.
3205. Important Words:
0y.. .;6 ~(cry for help) is derived from t~1which is synonymous with (.loP which means,he raised his voice; called out; cried or criedvehemently or for help (Lane).
3206. Commentary:
After the advent of the Holy Prophet has
been mentioned in v. 38 above, in the presentverse the people to whom he preached hisMessage are warned that God has selected themto be the recipients and bearers of His revela-tion. He has been very gracious and kind tothem for having selected them for the bestowalof His grace, but if they refused to accept HisMessenger, great indeed will also be their punish-ment.
2181
CH.35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
41. Say. a"Have you seen yourassociate-gods wlWIn you calLon besideAllah? Show me then what they havecreated of the earth. Or have they ashare in the creation of the heavens?Or have We given them a Book sothat they have an evidence therefrom?'Nay, the wrongdoers promise oneanother nothing but delusion.32(}7
42. bSurely, Allah holds the heavensand the earth lest they devIate from theirpositions. And if they did deviate, nonecan hold them after Him. Verily, Heis Forbearing, Most Forgiving. 32(}8
43. °And they swore by Allah theirstrongest oaths, that if a Warner cameto them, they would follow guidancebetter than any other people. Butwhen a Warner did come to them, itonly increased them in aversion, 3209
'~:1 :1)', ~ ...':1 {t~y. :r;,�~. "''''''''''' J'
'!.~-'.)~~~J.Jd~ ,0"- ~.s-\t~ 7 -~ J-~~~
(!t' :., 9'" ,... . '''''... ,'~I'-:'" r... ,."... 1.1~~~""p1 '-f!J~1 ~ ~tj \..0~~)~ ~\
....'1:-£I.
=,
1?w "~... ~'''' :19~ f~ I """,,,,,
' ''''''' ,
I 1 ,/ .'"\.wO~ ,-.c~ ~ . ...t ."." .wlt
~.., ~. " ~ "oj 9>- U".
~'"
r;;;-.. \1-"f~ t(~~:"~'''''''' ~''l
l9 <., '...
\0!)-,~y . .~~ . ~,.d l':... . f'-;" J-!
...<: ,9" ,"''''-'''''''... "'" ,~I ,9'...'",~~-,Y:; 1.:.11I..P)I~\-' o~\ ~ aL' 0\"" .", - "... L
~~
1"'1
" '''f,w ..'..., ",p"""'tr"'_", \",'4.j ~~~+>~~ 1~j,CJJJ0;J
r;:;::.t1''. "":~ "f~{rJJ)~ ~o
~ - ,9'~~"'~?.lt' .W' "'~" 4LL r'7'/~1""
..t", \" .1-. ~~", .. ~... ;.~-'
r~\ili~Y'~~l~~~'a~)J
~'"~~J.~t ~~'" \:' r;;;
(p .-:(f.V1>~ ...;IJ.~..) j) \..0~ if'
a34; 28; 46 : 5. C6 : 158.-._-.-- ~ ~.._--
b22 : 66.
3207. Commentary:
As the Arabs, who were the first addresseesof the Message of the Qur'an, were steeped inworst form of idolatry, God has exposed thefutility of their polytheistic betiefs again andagain in the Qur'an. In the present verse theidolaters are asked, why do they worship othergods besides Allah when these false gods have'neither created any earthly thing nor have theymade any contribution to the creation of thecelestial bodies? They are further askedwhether they have a revealed Book which givesthem the authority to preach and promulgatetheir false beliefs. They should at least possesssome reason or authority for their idolatrousbeliefs and practices.
3208. Commentary:
The present verse continues the argument inrepudiation of idolatry. It purports to say that
both the celestial and terrestrial systems continueto work in perfect harmony with and subject to
Divine laws. The fact that there exists completeharmony and order among different parts of
the universe, reveals the existence of an InteIIi-gent and AIl-Powerful Being behind it. ThatSupreme and Inh~lligent Being is God Who
deserves and demands our worship andadoration.
3209. Commentary:
The verse g~ves another ~ument to bringhome to disbelievers the sense of the guilt of
2182
---~-~._~ ~~---------
AL-FATIR-~~
~
PT. 22
44. aAnd in being arrogant in theearth and plotting evil. But the evilplot encompasses none but the authorsthereof. bDo they then look for any-thing but God's way of dealing with thepeoples of old? But thou wilt neverfind any change in the way of Allah;nor wilt thou ever find any alterationin the way of Allah. 3210
45. cRave they not travelled in heearth and seen how evil was the end ofthose who were before them? Andthey were stronger than these in power.And Allah is not such that anythingin the heavens or the earth shouldfrustrate His plans; verily, He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. 3211
CR. 35
~ ~~/~,~~ ~sr, ~~~ ~~l.-
"~~~t l ",
9tt~~'~...!.:. ~I '..1 .-:,~~ ~t\.~(-""f
~~"'~)~'~~ I ~ ~~1~'.At" '"
;'" '"~
'''''''L ......
. I ~ ~t ,~"I', \'~::AT,.~, \ ~. ~ \:''t:','? \'~f l~C1 ~~~'.,. ...~~ ~~;;
IC\~' ;" ~\ ..."~"{1J~~~ ~
t;(; ~~~"~ "~r,j"j' /. ~tN.-" ~ .. ~~ ..~..;; -, ~~~-,I
..."...y ", ""... --, r~ ' '"...
~"'J.",,"'T. .'":.\t"o"l.Al7.;:' O~tt.J ~~~~!Y ~~~CJ:,'-tJ
L~'" ~ ~I ~1it,; ~'1. ,?~ ~-::~.:9t ~t6~... -'.,.~ ~~...,... ~
~f~ ~(~.'~ ~~~Il.. '~fl\C? ~ ...,. \:) ...Uf);;
a27 : 51-52; 35: 13. b17: 78; 33: 63; 48 : 24. cl2: 110; 22: 47; 30: 10; 40: 22; 47: 11.
rejecting the Holy Prophet. It purports to say
to them that they used to taunt the Jews andthe Christians for rejecting their own Prophetsand revelations; and, by assuming an air ofsuperiority, used to say to the latter that if ever aProphet of God appeared among them they
would at once accept him. But now that thegreatest of the Prophets has been raised amongthem, they are opposing and persecuting him.
3210. Commentary:
The verse warns disbelievers that if theypersisted in their disbelief, they will be punishedlike disbelievers of the Prophets of yore. It isan established and invariable Divine lawthat opposition to Divine laws never goes
unpunished. This fact is writ large on thehistory of all revealed religions. This is God'sway and God's ways never change.
3211. Commentary:
The verse means to say that if disbelievershave any doubt that their rejection of and oppo-sition to the Holy Prophet will not be punished,
then let them "travel in the earth and see howevil was the end of those who were before them,"and who rejected God's Prophets in their owntime. Let them remember that it is God's
unalterable decree that all their plans and plotsto bring the Holy ]Prophet to naught will end infailure and the cause of Islam will triumph overdisbelief.
2183
CH. 35 AL-FATIR PT. 22
46. aAnd if Allah were to punishpeople for what they do, He wouldnot leave a living creature on the sur-face of the earth; but He grants themrespite until an appointed term; andl>whentheir appointed time comes, then;
. they find that Allah has all Hisservants well under His eyes.3212
~~"~ ~ G~~:r'~ ' \i},' ~\ l;.1~' ~t"~ . ;,IJI c:W ...~y.J
. i~' 'it. "'~~'~ ~(i'.~~... ? ~ ~~~ u~~~~~~.~~ ~B ~ ~~,,~ I ~~ ,J..!I'\ ;--~\'~~ t:~""I~."~~ @,~,..~ ,. . )... u--o
tf' "
t:@~~ ,
~~-----_._._-
al0 : 12; 18 : 59. b7: 35; 10 : 50; 16 : 62.~-
-------3212. Commentary:
The verse purports to say that though, by theirrejection of truth and iniquitous deeds, disbe-lievers have made themselves deserving of Divinepunishment, yet the Merciful God is slow inpunishing them. He grants respite and affordsopportunities to the wicked and the rebelliouspeople in order that they may mend their ways
and accept the truth. ] f God had meted outswift and quick punishment to sinners, they
, would have been destroyed in no time, and the
. world would have come to an end, and all life onearth would have become extinct, because therewould be no purpose left in the beasts, animals,birds, etc., remaining alive after man's destruc-
tion. Being created for man's use, they too wouldhave perished. But this respite and delay inpunishment should not be understood to signifythat disbelievers can indefinitely escape or avoidit. When the cup of their iniquities is full,says the verse, the decreed hour of retributionwill arrive and they will be allowed no furtherrespite.
The words ~\.) signifying "worm of the earth"may also apply to disbelievers because of theirdevoting all their labour and endeavour tothe acquirement of worldly comforts and riches.]n this sense of th(: word the verse would mean
that God will not hesitate to destroy theseabomina ble worms of the earth.
2184
CHAPTER 36
Y A sf N.(Revealed before Hijra)
Title, Date of Revelation and Context
This Sura takes its title from its second verse where the Holy Prophet is addressed as ~~l~i.e., 0 perfect leader! The Sura is decidedly of Meccan origin. All scholarly opinion is agreedon this point. Its style and contents also support this view. On account of the importance of its
subject-matter, the Holy Prophet called it the heart of the Qur'an.
In the preceding Sura it was stated that God, being the Maker of the heavens and the earth,has made full provision not only for the physical needs of man but also for his moral and spiritualrequirements. This He did by revealing Himself to His chosen servants, whom He raised amongevery people. The revelation of God to His servants found its most perfect manifestation in theHoly Prophet whom the present Sura designates as "perfect leader" or the leader par
excellence. To him God not only revealed Himself in His completest manifestation but alsogave him the most perfect and infallible Book in the form of the Qur'an, by which hispeople attained God's pleasure and achieved great success and eminence in life.
Summary of the Subject-Matter
The Sura opens with addressing the Holy Prophet as "perfect leader" or leader par excellence,meaning that the system of Divine Messengers which began with Adam found its most perfectexample in him. The Holy Prophet's path is now the only right and straight path that leads to God.All other paths that formerly led to the Supreme Being have now been closed and shall remainclosed till the end of time. God will now reveal Himself to the world through the Holy Prophet'sfollowers. In His infallible wisdom He has chosen the Arabs, among whom no Messenger hadcome for centuries, to preach to humanity the last Divine Message i.e. Islam. The land of Arabiawas dreary and dry. The water of Divine revelation descended upon it and it has now begun toblossom into a new and vigorous spiritual life.
The Sura then proceeds to tell in metaphorical language how God had been revealing Himselfto mankind through His Messengers. It tells of Moses and Jesus and of the Holy Prophet, who
were raised in the fulness of time to call men to God. Then it tells of a "certain man" whom Godwill raise from among the followers of the Holy Prophet in a land far from the centre of Islam, inthe Latter Days, when religion would be at its lowest ebb and the very idea of Divine revelation would
be doubted and denied. This Divine Reformer will call mankind to Islam. But like the Prophets
of yore, his will be a voice in the wilderness. The forces of evil will hold the whole world in their
2185
firm grip. Man will worship false gods and as a result of his SInS Divine wrath will be excitedand God's punishment will descend upon th_e world. This punishme:nt will be sudden and swiftlike a blast from heaven and wiII leave the earth scorched and singed and the guilty will be caIleoupon to render an account of their evil actions.
Next, the Sura invites attention to the study of a welI-k;1Own law of nature~ viz., that when
all earth becomes dry and parched, God sends down rain and the dead soil begins to vibi'ate wit~
a new life, and herbage, vegetables and flowers and fruits of various kinds grow up. Similarly, in fhespiritual realm when man's soul becomes corroded and contaminated and he is stuck fast in thequagmire of sin and iniquity, God, out of His infinite grace and mercy, causes spiritual water to
descend from heaven in the form of Divine revelation. The Sura then gives another simile toexplain the same subject. It points to the law of the alternation of day and night and from it drawsthe moral lesson that just as, in the physical world, day fonows night, similarly in the spiritualworld when darkness spreads, a Prophet is raised to dispel it. Divine Prophets are of two cate-gories: (a) Law-bearing Prophets who, like the sun, are an independent source of light; and(b) subordinate Prophets who, like the moon, derive and borrow their light from the Master-
Prophet. The Sura further points to a revealed truth that God has created an things in pairs; there
are pairs even in vegetables and inorganic matter. This simile points out that Divine revelationmust be accompanied by human reason and intelligence. An true !knowledge is the result of the
combination of Divine revelation and human reason.
Then, after recounting some Divine blessings, the Sura gives a brief but graphic description of
the conditions of believers and disbelievers in this and the next world. The believers, it says, willhave the good things of the world in this life and the pleasure and grace of God in the next, and dis-believers will completely fail in their designs and endeavours against the cause of truth in this life.They will be punished with ~""
(a blast) in this world and will burn in the fire of Hell in the next, and
when they wiII be made to stand before God's Judgment Seat, their mouths, hands, and feet will bearwitness against them.
Towards its close the Sura draws attention to the great and bright future of Islam. It says thatGod's decree, viz., that a people like the Arabs who had lain very low in the scale of humanity forlong centuries should now rise to the height of material power and spiritual glory, is not an idle
dream or poetic fancy. A Prophet of God, a Divine Messenger, has appeared among them and hewill lead them to the highest pinnacles of spiritual and material grande:ur. And this is not a difficultthing for the Almighty and All-Powerful God, Who creates man from a mere sperm-drop and then
develops him into a full-fledged, strong, vigorous and intelligent being. When it is the decree of the. Great Creator and Controller of the universe that a people grovelling in dust and dirt should be
made the rulers and teachers of mankind, who can stand in the way of His design or who canthwart or frustrate His purpose?
2186
PT. 22 YASIN CH.36---
-~-_., .. ~._--
B:1. aIn the name of Allah,
Gracious, the Merciful. 32 J3
2. Ya Sin.3213A
~ ~ ~:-:-. ~\)'.. "';> .9
": ...U-:. ts...>.>-'-"' ~R
the~"
I,,. 1
CD~ '..~~~I~;tI;&tML'-'
0~.3. By the Qur'an, full of wisdom.3214 lJ~ 'I"0''; ,.t';:I\", .. .., 9 J-M-J .)
~~?l
,;
;.J,,9'
\~,,; ,,;
~,,; ~
~~ . !..,\l:) .. ,"'''
4. Thou art indeed one of theMessengers,
5. On a right path.32J5 1:.'J0 :>..::" .. 1\,; . 'l~
~ ~ ~ fJ"", ~--~---
aSee 1 : 1.. -~,-,~-,,---' ~-'--~-
3213. Commentary: Qur'an. There could be no greater testimony to
See: ] : ]. the Holy Prophet's truth than the fact that
3213A C tbeing himself unlettered he gave to the world
. ommen ary : ..,.1 th b
.d bb
.d 1 l I
a Book whIch IS full of wIsdom and whIchn e com me a revIate etters J'~ J t le
d d.
Ib ' Abb - t "d- .. far excels all other revealed Scriptures in its
wor J:~ accor mg to . n as s an s lor .. ., .0l~; ':JI meaning, man or perfect man, or for J,"~ i.e. multlfanous and multltudmous beautIes and
chief or leader. Thus tile expression ~~l:! wouldexcellences and is a complete code of laws
mean, "0 Perfect Man!" or "0 Perfect Leader!" meant for the moral uplift and spiritual regene-
According to the consensus of scholarly opinion, ration of hunl1nity for all time. The Qur'an is
the reference in these combined letters is to the indeed a standing miracle and an incontrovertible
Holy Prophet. The Prophet has been addressed testimony to the truth of the Holy Prophet.
as "perfect man" because humanity found its 32]5. Commentary:best and most perfect specimen in him. He has The Holy Prophet's path now is the onlyalso been called "the perfect leader," because right and straight path that leads to God. All
after his advent great religious Reformers other paths that formerly led to Him have now
and Divine Teachers were to rise only from been closed and shall remain closed till the endamong his followers. The door of revelation of time. The fact that after the advent of the
has been closed to the followers of all other Holy Prophet there has not appeared among theProphets. He is therefore "the perfect man" or followers of any other religion a single claimantthe "leader par excellence." to Divine revelation, while there have been
3214. Commentary: living among the followers of Islam in every
The Qur'an has been adduced here as an argu- age, persons to whom God spoke and revealedment to prove and establish the Holy Prophet's Himself, is a proof positive of the Holyclaim as a Messenger of God. In fact, the most Prophet's path being now the only right andeffective and convincing argument to prove the straight path, and of the Qur'an being the only
truth of the Holv Prophet's mission is the revealed Book which can lead man to God.2187
CH.36 Y.~SIN PT. 22
6. arhis is a revelation ofthe Mighty,the Merciful,
7. °That thou mayest warn a peoplewhose fathers were not warned, and sothey are heedless.3216
8. Surely, the word has proved trueagainst most of them, for they believenot.
9. eWe have put round their neckscollars reaching unto the chins, so thattheir heads are forced Up.3211
~ ,'"
.,'"~
.,~"", <." . \'..'"
0~y.>:'~ u-:!yv-- ~ ...", .,
f7\"~,9-: '9~ ,''''''''r~r~" '9~ (.:) ~ ~u ~W h..o ~ ~ \J;,.jJ
"" \ - r-:-. ""'..:7"'~",,,
""" ,"" .-:.~- 9G)~-*~~~~jJl~J;ii,~~
r~.,,,, ;'
" ;':",,,, ",-\:>~.; ~t J'~~ L4!\:;' ti ~~: ~,
","'" "'" ,'" tit' .",
(;\ '",~ ,)' ,;J/,
0.J (.;)~-'*'
"20 :5; 32 :3;40 :3;41 :3;45: 3;46: 3. b28 :47 :32 ;4. C13 : 6; 76 : 5.
The verse makes a fine distinctiDn betweena PrDphet and a philDsDpher. A philDsDpher
takes a IDng time tD find lOut truth and Dftengets IDSt in the quest, but a Prophet Df GDd dis-clOvers it by the shDrtest route and in the shDrtestperiDd Df time. Un1ike philDsDphers he isguided tD it direct by Divine revelatiDn withDutwandering in the labyrinth Df abstract andabstruse ideas.
3216. Commentary:
The Arabs were the immediate addresseesof the HDly Prophet and among them nD DivineMessenger had appeared for a IDng time. But in
His infallible wisdom GDd selected them forpreaching to mankind the last Divine Message.
The Qur'an has inconttstibly laid claim to beingthat Message. The fDllowing verses of theQur'an speak of its finality and universality:"Say, 0 mankind, truly I am a Messenger toyou all from Allah" (7: 159); "And We have
sent thee not but as a mercy fDr all peoples"(21 :108); "Blessed is He WhD has sent down the
Discrimination to His servant, that he may be aWarner to all the worlds (25:2); "And We havenot sent thee but as a Bearer Df gDDd news and
as a Warner to all mankind" (34 : 29).
3217. Important Words:
0y.".jj.. (their heads are fDrced up) is derived
from l:""i. They say J~~le,i i.e. the camel raised
his head frDm the water and refused tD drink,his thirst being satisfied Dr by reason of hisdislike of water. e';; means, he raised his head
and cDntracted his eyes. JAJI""-if means, thecDllar caused his (thle captive's) head tD be raisedby reaSDn Df the straitness thereDf. A.Ait!e..,f
means, he was proud; behaved prDudly; Drelevated his nDse frDm pride. c.l..i! alSD signifies
the elevating Df the head by means Df pride(Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
The reference in the word J~ i (chains)maybe tD the "shackles" Df custDms, usages, andprejudices, by which disbelievers are fettered and
which prevent them frDm accepting the truth.The wDrd 0y...i... (their heads are fDrced up) mayalsD refer tD disbelievers' notion Df false superiD-rity and pride which leads tD the same result. Theverse may have reference alsD to the Battle Df
Badr or tD the Fan of Mecca. After the Battle
2188
PT. 22 YAsIN CH.36
10. And We have set a barrierbefore them and a barrier behind them,and have covered them over, so thatthey cannot see. 321 8
11. aAnd it is alike to them whetherthou warn them or warn them not: theywill not believe. 3219
12. bThou canst warn only him whowould follow the Reminder and fearthe Gracious God in secret. So givehim the glad tidings of forgiveness anda noble reward. 3220
'", ",.~~..ol":""
.. ..'"
, ?''f ''''r, ~~~....
~~.J'I~~* ~~ . -'."~' '''',,{ .,9"""f{ ~
<B\:)-'~~~ "",~~~:i-~t~
~~.J~,;J~(;~~~I~~(~~;...""'""@~~~
t~\L ~1'~lt "':."; "''''(-'~.("'~, . '" "~~f":;,.. ;,~ ~.Jy~ ~ g-o)~~l
~.7'''', ...;.~'" ",:.;~@~~~'.J ~~&'~
a2 : 7. b35 : 19.
of Badr the Meccan chiefs were brought inchains and at the Fall of Mecca they were seized
with utter confusion, the word 0J>.:...JJ...(see rootmeaning of the word under "Important Words"above) giving a graphic description of theirbewilderment and consternation when allof a sudden they found the Holy Prophet at thevery gates of Mecca, at the head of an armyof ten thousand strong. Their eyes remained
fixed in a stare and they ran about with heads
raised in bewilderment.
3218. Commentary:
The barriers referred to in the verse may bethe barriers of usages, prejudices, and pride ofdisbelievers. They could not look forward tothe great and bright future which lay before themif they accepted Islam, and they did not look
back to the histories of past peoples who reject-ed the truth and were seized with Divine punish-
ment. The result of the barriers placed beforeand behind them was that they themselves becametotally devoid of all spiritual light.
3219. Commentary:
The verse means to say that the inevitableresult of disbelie:vers' deliberately shutting theireyes and ears to the truth to which reference
has been made in the preceding verse was thatthe timely warning did not benefit them and bytheir persistent rejection of the Truth theyrendered themselves deserving of Divine punish-ment.
3220. Commenlary:The expression ,-:-~AJl1(in secret) may mean that
(1) a believer fears God while he does not seeHim; (2) he behaves as a righteous and God-fearing person even when other people are notseeing him, i.e. he is sincere and honest in hisbelief and actions. .
21S9
CH.36 Y..\SIN PT. 22
]3. Surely, We alone give life tothe dead, and We write down thatwhich they send forward and thatwhich they leave behind; /land aU thingshave We recorded in a clear Book.3221
t. 2 ]4. And set forth to them the para-ble of a people of the town, when theMessengers came to it. 3222
~~\j,;~j;\~~; J;fl ~ ~ ~lt , -' 0 J:'" /' 9
t;?'w
~I?~~~~ :.~",\V~~,~ .. ~ -'
, "P
;' ! "~// 0/ ,.-~,~~, .~"~,~,~ '~IW .",So. ;>,'"..11'. ~ .~
z.'"
!1", ';1'0)\.:)~yJ\
a] 8 : 50; 72 : 29.
yet322]. Important Words:
iL.l (Book) is derived from ii. They say
i J:GJl~ tf .JI piJI if i.e. he led the people; he
took precedence of them. iL'1 means, a leader ofa people or army; a model or an example; the
religious Scripture of any people; a road or way,a tract of land, etc. (Lane & Aqrab). See also
2 : 125; 17 : 72 & 25 : 75.
r"~}~i (that which they leave behind). )In isthe plural of )f which is infinitive noun from;i (athara). They say ~"',:,JI...;;. ;t i.e. he made an
incision in the foot of the camel. )1 means, arelic; a trace remaining of a thing; a sign ormark or trace; a foot-print (Lane). See also20 : 97.
Commentary:
The verse means to say that with the excep-tion of those unfortunate people who by theirpersistent rejection of Truth have shut upon
,themselves the door of God's mercy and for
whom no admonition is of any avail, the spiritu-ally dead Arabs will be brought to life through
the teachings of the Qur'an and they will setsuch a noble example of righteousness and godli-ness that the footprints they will leave behind for
others to follow will be made to endure and willbe remembered with respect and serve as a
source ofunborn.
inspiration for generations
3222 Important Words:;t~jiJl (the town) is infinitive-noun from .s}.
They say ...A~I is} i.e. he entertained the guest.
d' yJl ,} ,I.JI 'S} means, he collected the water
in the pond. =4} means, a town, a central town.
It is so called because people from all quartersgather there 'and also because they are enter-tained there. The word also means, gatheringof men (Aqrab).
Commentary:
A part of the Sura deals, in metaphoricallanguage, with the advent of a great Reformer
in the Latter Days who was to represent theSecond Coming of the Holy Prophet. Thiimportant subject begins with the present verse.
The word ~jiJl may have been used here in itswider sense meaning any town or place, or speak-ing metaphorically, it may stand for the whole
world. The wholl~ world has been called a~}here because in tIle Latter Days the means ofcommunication were to develop so extensivelythat the whole world was to become, asit were, one town. In this sense of the wordthe expression may signify humanity at large.The use of the word "parable" with regard to
2190
PT. 22 YASIN CH.36-~---
15. When We sent to them twoMesserigers, and they rejected themboth; so We strengthened them by athird, and they said, 'Verily, we havebeen sent to you as Messengers.'3223
16. They replied, a,you are but menlike. us and the Gracious God has notrevealed anything. You only lie.'3224
17. They said, 'Our Lord knowsthat we are indeed His Messengers toyou;
18. b'And our duty is only plaindelivery of the Message.'
--
r~ r~<:Nf 9 9/,:,~ ~ ;'" ~
~~0" .~~ ~ .'-::.\ ~",'qr:(;,';~, ;,)~ .~ ~ ~;~..)b!
""A;, ~d, ,~'� r:2 ""-9r ~~@\.:J';-~ ~1\51~ili
Y' ':"\ IJ""~;'r"" ')J~ iJ --:; ~ '>9''''''''''' 9'
~y ~I U) . ':~~~1~ t;j(f, .
r.::;..""'9.~j ,j, y},.,;~~~\..~,..\':j~1 "":1 ~ t. :. ... h;>w'JJ (..;); ($'JoJ~
@0§:~~1(1t~.~~l;'
(G)~lfdl~'~~/u;" :J"",.. -'b13 : 41; 16 : 36; 24 : 55; 29 : 19.a14 : 11; 26 : 155.
the account of ~}JI yl.>.:"" I i.e. people of thetown, seems to lend further support to the viewthat :i.~yiJ' may not be a particular town thathas been mentioned here. The whole accountis a parable or simile.
Or the word ~)JI signifying a particular townmay refer to Mecca, the Centre and Citadel of
Islam. In that case the word 0.Jl~.,r-J I (the Mes-sengers) will apply to the Holy Prophet in. whoseperson an the Messengers' and Prophets of Godwere represented. See next verse.
3223. Commentary:
The verse by way of introduction to the mainsubject makes a brief reference to two great
Israelite Prophets, Moses and Jesus, one theFounder, and the other the great exponent ofthe Jewish Dispensation.If the word :i.~}J' in the preceding verse may be
taken as referring to Mecca, the two Messenge.rsmentioned in the verse under comment will be
Abraham and Ishmael.The reference in the words "a third," in the
expression "We strengthened them by third,"
seems to be to the Holy Prophet who testified tothe truth of both Moses and Jesus and also tothat of Abraham and Ishmael. The word c.Jlf(a third) has been used as a ;;;;'j in order tosignify the greatness of the third Prophet, the
Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet "strengthened" Moses
and Jesus, also Abraham and Ishmael bytestifying to the truth of their missions and by
fulfilling in his person the prophecies they hadmade about his advent (Deut. 18 : 18 & Matt.21 : 33-46).
3224. Commentary:
AIl the three great Prophets mentioned in thepreceding verse w{~re rejected 011 the plea that
they were just ordinary "men like us" and that
God never revealed anything to anybody. Thepretext which disbelievers put forward in justi-
fication of their rejection of God's Prophetshas elsewhere been mentioned in the Qur'an in
the words: "We have not heard of such a thingamong our forefatbers" (23: 25).
2191
CH.36 YAsIN PT. 22
19. They said, 'Surely, we augur evilfortune from you; if you desist not, wewill certainly stone you, and a painfulpunishment will surely befall you at ourhands. '3225
20. They replied, 'Your evil for-tune is with your ownselves. Do yousay this because you have been admo-nished? Nay, you are a people trans-gressing all bounds. '3225A
21. GAnd from the farthest part ofthe town there came a man running.He said, '0 my people, follow theMessenge.rs,3226
~~~;'''' "fI""'" ,~,..\~ r~~{, //
r-::: """S'r~, ~ .~\ ..'.." I~' \j' "\!>I\;\\5~~ ~ ~.. ,.!)J
Q,~ 'tf tJ ~;' r~ "';:0-:'//f;,~~ H ak.~. \.:o\oA ~. ,. .J..,.
""..
(p{. , ~:, l~b'Y./(1 ~\ltj ,5'6~1'" ,!tr~."",-", ~ v: ~iJ3) ~ ~ ~ \D !.)''-',..
,"l.::\"
,. to\!Y(.:)-".>-4,
~'<" J~~ l~i9Ij'"~u.:Jt~"? ~ '"I)~ ~~'" .., ,~;~-'@;~ "tit r::.., ~ ~t
'"
a28 : 21.
3225. Important Words:
r(:."'~ )(y.Ie will certainly stone you) is derivedfrom ~). They say A.~,:,,)i.e. he pelted him withstones; he smote and killed him; he drove himand killed him; he drove him away; he cursedhim; he reviled or abused him; he boycotted orexcommunicated him (Lane & Aqrab). Seealso 19 : 47.
Commentary:
When as a result of their rejection of the DivineMessage disbelievers are visited with heavenlypunishment in the form of calamities and mis-fortunes, then instead of repenting and mendingtheir ways, they seek to attribute those visita-tions to the "inauspicious" advent of the Prophethimself. Moses was taunted by the Israelitesfor having brought all the misfortunes with himin the words, "We were made to suffer beforethou earnest to us and even after thou camestto us (7 : 130). Similarly, all other Prophetswere taunted and mocked by disbelievers.It is to this attitude of disbelievers that the words,"surely we augur evil fortune from you," refer.
3225A. Commentary:
f9') )l1. also means, your works. See 17 : 14.
3226. Commentary:
The implied reference in the wordJ>. ) signifying
"a great man," may be to the Promised Messiahwho has been referred to as J~) in severalsayings of the Holy Prophet. In one of his
very well-known sayings the Holy Prophet isreported to have said:
V")li .l;~i If J':"J ...Jl:J 4;Jl~ liiA-O0l.o.:':110t>'-,J
i.e. if Faith were to go up to the Pleiades, a
man from among the sons of Persia wouldbring it down to the earth (Bukhari, kitab
al-Taj'sir).
~.>..J' (the town) in the expression :i.:~J JIl i'(farthest part of the town) may stand for ~}JI(36: 14) or for ~J'~~..L. i.e. the town of the HolyProphet. In the latter sense of the word, the ex-pression ~~J...JlI ;t may signify that the Promis-ed Messiah would be born in a place far awayfrom :i.;:!J...JI, the sl~ond Centre and Headquartersof Islam. In another verse of the Qur'an (17 :2),the scene of the Second Advent of the Holy
2192
PT. 23 YAslN
22. 'Follow those who ask of youno reward, and who are rightly guided.
23. 'And what reason have I thatI should not wor~hip Him Who hascreated me, and unto Whom you will bebrought back ?3227
24. 'Shall I take others beside Himas gods? aIf the Gracious God shouldintend me any harm, their intercessionwill avail me naught, nor can theyrescue me.3228
25. 'In that case I should indeed bein manifest error.
26. 'I believe in your Lord ~so listento me.' 3229
CH. 36
r:;:;..""'~j"'~9 '9--:' ."'''''~''''"... ."@~--'l-~'~"~,c,.ib~ t I;7's>' \'/'''' '9::~/ ~ ..O~~;,'t
"",'''-'1..1;;1'' , (:' -,t 'JJ'''---/(I [""'/@~~y ~,,;~~pl)~141 ~ \...t\-o-, l'
~.....
", ~ 1--- II 9...~~ 91'~\t .;'" ?f£J~q~'7, '.,,::,"
~~J' ~~r.-~,,~ I"'J.)~~'~z. ,9_." ."." r~~.
'.99"'~~"",j "Z.~~ ~~.. ~ ~~c.. . .. ;;u.,.~,,1
~,..~ ",.. --' .. ~ \.)"';""'--.,;J
...
9 I'"
~ ~ ''''fF.;\ ~ . f I --- ?~ II .t U te;","'" ~ ~ ..).J. ,d
.b ,j.",r-:-,-(:... "...t"""~
(rY~~~~J':'~IUI,~ ~ ,~
--~_._,-~
~
"- --" ~-~--------
-- -----.._---.
a22 : 13-14; 39 : 39.
Prophet has been spoken of as u.,a.j')1IJ~~.JIi.e. the Distant Mosque. Words analogous
in meaning and significance to the word !...SA-:!(running) have also been used about the Pro-mised Messiah by the Holy Prophet in someof his sayings which point to his tireless, quickand indefatigable work for the cause of Islam.
All the above references, seem to point to thePromised Messiah as being the J~) (the greatman) mentioned in the verse under comment.It is the Promised Messiah who, for the firsttime, revealed to the world the Quranic truththat Founders of all the great religions of the
world were Divine Messengers. as the words,
"he said, '0 my people, follow the Messengers,"
point out. '
3227. Commentary:
The implied reference in this and the precedingverse seems to be to the special pledge which the
Promised Messiah used to takeAl)madi in the words:
IS LU,;) rJ.A"' .1; I:;.) y-
i.e. I will give precedence tothe things of the world.
from every new
0:!.) U::..
religion over
3228. Commentary:
The verse shows that people will worship
variol's gods in the time of the PromisedMessiah-mammon, material power, falsepolitical philosophies and impracticable eco-
nomic theories, etc:.
3229. Commentar~~:
This verse shows that the Promised Messiah
will found no new religion. He will only invitepeople to their Lord, i.e. to the religion of thepeople (MusJims) to whom he will primarily
address his Message, i.e. he will invite people to
Islam
2193
