1. Alif-Laaam-Raa; Kitaabun anzalnaahu ilaika litukhrijan-naasa minaz zulumaati ilan noori bi-izni Rabbihim ilaa siraatil 'Azeezil Hameed
الر ۚ كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ
A. L. R. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light - by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!-Recitation by Mishary Al-Alfasy
Name
The Surah takes its name from v. 35 in which
mention has been made of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). But it does not mean that it
contains the life story of Prophet Abraham. The name is merely a symbol lid the
names of many other surahs, i.e., the Surah in which Abraham's mention has been
made.
Period of Revelation
It appears from the
tone of the Surah that it belongs to that group of the Surahs which were
revealed during the last stage of the Makkan period. For instance, v. 13 ("The
disbelievers warned their Messengers, 'you shall have to return to our community
or we will assuredly expel you from our land'") clearly indicates that the
persecution of the Muslims was at its worst at the time of the revelation of
this Surah, and the people of Makkah were bent on expelling the Believers from
there like the disbelievers of the former Prophets. That is why in v. 14 they
have been warned, "We will destroy these evil doers," and the Believers have
been comforted as were the believers before them, "and after them settle you in
the land" Likewise the stern warning contained in the concluding portion (vv.
43-52 also confirms that the Surah relates to the last stage of the Makkan
Period.)
Central Theme and Purpose
This Surah is
an admonition and a warning to the disbelievers who were rejecting the Message
of the Holy Prophet and devising cunning schemes to defeat his Mission. But
warning, reproof, censure and reproach dominate admonition. This is because a
good deal of admonition had already been made in the preceding Surahs, but in
spite of this their obduracy, enmity, antagonism, mischief, persecution etc. had
rather increased.
This is the purpose for which the Holy Prophet had been sent. He was
entrusted with the mission that he should bring mankind back from the ways of
darkness (ways of wickedness) into the Way of God by the help of the Light of
the Qur'an. For everyone, who is not on the Way of God, is, in fact, wandering
about in the ways of the darkness (of ignorance), even though he might consider
himself to be very enlightened and full of knowledge. On the other hand, the one
who finds the Way of Allah, comes into the Light of Knowledge, even though he
might be an illiterate person.
As regards "by the help of their Lord",
this implies that the most a missionary of Islam (even though he be a Messenger
of Allah) can do is to present the Right Way. It is not in his power to bring
anyone forcibly to the Way, for this can only happen by the help and permission
of Allah. That is why only that person whom Allah helps and permits gets
guidance: otherwise even a perfect Missionary like a Messenger fails to bring a
person to the Way. As regards the Divine Law, according to which Allah helps and
permits a person to gain guidance, we learn from different passages of the
Qur'an that Allah gives help only to that person who himself has a desire to get
guidance: who frees himself from obduracy, obstinacy and prejudice: who is not a
follower of his lust, nor a slave of his desires: who is inclined to see with
open eyes) and hear with open cars and think with a clear mind, and is ready w
accede to any reasonable thing.
2The word (Hamid) is more comprehensive
than (Mahmud). A person will be entitled to be Mahmud only when he is praised.
But the Being Who is Hamid, is naturally and permanently worthy of praise,
whether anyone praises Him or not, because the element of praise is inherent in
Him and is inseparable from Him.
3Those who reject the Truth are the
people whose interests arc entirely bound with the life of this world, and who
do not care at all for the interests of the life of the Hereafter: who are
prepared to undergo any punishment in the Next World for the sake of the
interests, pleasures and comforts of this world: who, on the other hand, cannot
bear the sacrifice of even the smallest pleasure in this world, nor are ready to
bear any loss or encounter danger or trouble in this world for the sake of the
joys of the Next World. In short, such are the people who have coolly considered
and weighed the pleasures of this world against the joys of the Next World, and
decided in favor of this world: therefore, they readily sacrifice the interest.
of the Next World whenever there is a clash between the two.
4That is,
"They do not want to follow the Way of Allah, but endeavor that Allah's Way
should follow their desires: it should adjust itself in such a way as to include
all their conjectures, theories and whims as its part and parcel, and exclude
every creed that does not suit their way of life: it should provide sanction for
all their habits, customs and manners: it should not demand from them anything
which they do not like: in short, the Way of Allah should be their obedient
slave and turn in the direction their devilish lusts want it to turn: nay, it
should neither criticize them nor ask them to follow Allah's injunctions. This
is their condition for accepting the Guidance of Allah."
5This implies
two things: First, Allah sent down His Message in the language of the people
from among whom a Prophet was raised so that they might not have any excuse left
that they could not understand the language of the Message. Secondly, this ruled
out the presumption that a Messenger was ever given the Message in a different
language merely for the sake of a miracle. For Allah considered it more
important to make the people understand the Message and guide them rightly than
to satisfy their curiosity. Obviously the purpose could best be served only if
the Message was sent down to them in their own language by their Prophet and not
in any other.
6That is, "Although the Messenger conveys the Message in
the mother tongue of the people, which is understood by everyone of them, yet
all of them are not guided aright. This happens because of the fact that all of
those who understand a Message do not necessarily accept it. For it is entirely
with Allah to show guidance by means of His Message to anyone He wills and to
let go astray anyone in spite of it."
7As Allah is All-Powerful, no one
is able by oneself to get guidance or to go astray, for none is completely
independent but is under the power of Allah. But as He is All-Wise, He does not
use His power blindly so as to show guidance to anyone He wills and to let go
astray anyone He desires without rhyme or reason. In fact, the one who gets
guidance from Him gets it on merit and the one who is let go astray is deprived
of guidance because he himself deliberately chooses deviation.
8The
Arabic word (ayyam) technically means memorable historical events. Therefore (Ayyam-u-Allah)
(Divine History) implies all those eventful chapters of human history which
mention the rewards and punishments that were meted out to the great
personalities and nations according to their deeds in the past ages.
9Those historical events are Signs in this sense that their proper and
intelligent study provides proofs of the fact that there is only one God: and
that the Law of Retribution is universal and is based absolutely on the
differentiation between the knowledge and moral practice of the Truth and
falsehood: that this Law also requires another world (the Hereafter) for its due
fulfillment. Moreover, these events contain Signs that serve as warnings against
the evil consequences of building up systems of life on false creeds and
theories, and help one to learn lessons from them.
10Though these Signs
are always there, only those persons learn lessons from them who remain
steadfast in trials and appreciate the blessings of Allah rightly and are
grateful to Him. Obviously, frivolous and ungrateful persons cannot learn any
lesson from these Signs, even though they might grasp their significance.
11That is, "If you are grateful, you will appreciate Our favors and make
right use of them, and will not rebel against Our Commandments, but will
surrender and submit to Us to show your gratitude to Us."
12Deuteronomy
(Bible) contains a long and detailed discourse to this effect. According to it,
Prophet Moses, on the eve of his death, reminded the Israelites of all important
events from their history, and reiterated all the Divine Commandments of the
Torah which Allah had sent to them through him. Then he told them in a long
speech that if they obeyed their Lord, they would be given great rewards. But if
they adopted the attitude of disobedience, they would get a terrible punishment.
This discourse spreads over chapters 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 2830. Some of these
passages arc so impressive and instructive that it will be worthwhile to quote a
few of them:
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in
thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt
talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. . . . " (Deut. 6: 47)
"And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the
Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways; and to love him, and to serve the Lord
Thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of
the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good ? Behold,
the heaven and the heaven of heavens is thy Lord's thy God, the earth also, with
all that therein is." (Deut. 10: 12-14)
"And it shall come to pass, if
thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and
to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God
will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings
shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of
the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be
in the field. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be
smitten before thy face....The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy
storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto....The Lord shall
establish thee an holy people unto himself....And all people of the earth shall
see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of
thee....and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And
the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above
only, and thou shalt not be beneath...." (28: 1-13).
"But it shall come
to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe
to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that
all those curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be
in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.. . . The Lord shall send
upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand
unto for to do. . . . The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, . . .
. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is
under thee shall be iron....The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine
enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them
:....Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt
build an house and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard,
and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. Thine ox shall be slain before thine
eyes....Therefore. shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send
against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all
things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed
thee....And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of
the earth even unto the other :...." (Deut: 28: 15-64).
13It should be
noted that a reference to Prophet Moses and his people has been made here to
warn the people of Makkah of the consequences of their ingratitude towards this
favor of Allah that He had raised Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him)
from among them. This was a timely warning, for at that time they were showing
ingratitude by rejecting that Message. They were, therefore, warned to learn a
lesson from the miserable condition of the Israelites, which was the result of
their ingratitude to and rebellion against Allah's favors.
As the Quraish
themselves could see the consequences of that rebellious attitude of the
Israelites, they were, so to say, asked this question: "Do you also desire to
meet with the same consequences by showing ingratitude towards the Message.
which is a great favor to you?"
Obviously, the great favor which was
shown to the Quraish was that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was raised
from among them with that Message about which he assured them over and over
again: "Accept this Message of mine: all the Arabs and the non-Arabs will
surrender and submit to you?"
14The speech of Prophet Moses ended with v.
8. From here begins a direct address to the disbelievers of Makkah.
15There has been a great deal of difference of opinion in regard to the meaning
of the Arabic words of the Text and different commentators have assigned
different meanings to them. But we arc of the opinion that these express merely
the intolerance and perplexity and a bit of anger that was being shown by the
disbelievers towards the Message and this is confirmed by the subsequent
sentence.
16They had a "disquieting doubt" about the Message because it
had taken away their peace of mind. This was because invitation to the Message
always makes the minds uneasy, for it becomes hard even for its opponents to
reject it out-right or oppose it with peace of mind. Howsoever they might give
vent to their doubts about it and oppose it tooth and nail the force of its
truth and its sound arguments, its frankness and candor and its winning manners
of exposition produce a great agitation in the minds of its bitterest opponents:
then the pure and spotless character of the Messenger and the marked change for
the better brought about in his followers produce such an accumulative effect on
their minds that even their most bitter antagonists begin to feel uneasy about
their own stand. Thus, those who try to disturb the peace of mind of the
upholders of the Truth are themselves deprived of their own peace of mind.
17The Messengers posed this question to those who rejected the Message in
order to bring home to them the absurdity of their stand with regard to God. For
though . the mushriks of every age believed in the existence of God and
acknowledged that He was the Creator of the heavens and the earth, they did not
accept the Message, its logical result, that He alone was entitled to their
worship. That is why the Messengers. asked them, "Do you have any doubt about
the existence of Allah?"
18In the case of individuals, the `appointed
term' may be either the time of one's death or the Doomsday. As regards the
`appointed term' for the rise and fall of communities, it is determined by their
collective behavior. For instance, if a capable community degenerates before the
expiry of its term, the assigned period is shortened and it is deposed. On the
other hand, if a degenerate community changes its ways for the better, its term
is extended, So much so that it may extend even to the Doomsday. This same thing
is implied in v. 11 of Ar-R'ad:"...The fact is that Allah does not change a
people's lot unless they themselves change their own characteristics."
19The disbelievers meant to imply: "You are a human being like us in every
respect: you eat, drink and sleep like us and have wife and children like us.
You feel hungry and thirsty, and suffer from heat and cold, disease and
calamities like us. In short, you have every human limitation like us, and we
see nothing unusual and extraordinary in you to induct us to accept you as a
Prophet and believe that God communicates with you and sends His angels to you."
20That is, "If you still insist that you are a Prophet, bring a tangible
proof of your appointment so as to convince us that you have really been sent by
God and your Message is from Him."
21That is, "No doubt we are human
beings like you but it is Allah's will that He has chosen us from among you and
blessed us with the knowledge of the Truth and keen discernment. And this is
Allah's will and He has full powers to bestow anything on anyone He wills. We
are not in a position to ask Him to send that blessing to you or to anyone else:
nor can we deny the realities which have been shown to us."
22It will be
wrong to conclude from this demand of theirs that the Prophets professed the
religion of their people before their appointment to the Divine Office. This
only meant that their people thought so because before their appointment they
led a quiet life and did not propagate a new religion nor refuted the religion
in vogue at that time. That is why their people were under the wrong impression
that the Prophets also professed the religion of their forefathers, and,
therefore, accused them of apostasy. The fact, however, is that they had never
followed the religion of their mushrik forefathers and were not guilty of
apostasy.
23This was to reassure the Prophets that they should not worry
at all about the threat that the disbelievers would banish them from their
country, as if to say, "We will uproot them from their land, and establish you
and your followers firmly in their place."
24In order to grasp the real
significance of these historical events, it should be kept in view that these
are being related here as answers to those objections which the disbelievers of
Makkah raised before the Holy Prophet. As the conditions there at the time of
the revelation of this Surah were exactly like those of the peoples of the
former Prophets, they have been cited here to warn the Quraish along with the
other mushriks of Arabia of the consequences,' as if to say, "The former
disbelievers challenged their Messengers and were destroyed and the Believers
were established in the land. Likewise your future also entirely depends on the
attitude you adopt towards the Message of your Prophet. If you accept this, you
will be allowed to remain in the land of Arabia, and if you reject it you shall
be utterly uprooted from here." The subsequent events proved that this prophecy
was literally fulfilled within fifteen years after this, for there remained not
a single mushrik in the whole of Arabia.
25That is, "Those who were
perfidious, faithless, and disobedient to the Divine Message, and refused to
adopt that Way to which the Messengers invited, will find in the end that all
the deeds and earnings of their lives were as worthless as a heap of ashes. Just
as each and every particle of a high mound of ashes formed during a long course
of years is scattered by the wind on a stormy day, likewise all their grand
works will prove on the stormy Doomsday to be no more than a mound of ashes.
Their dazzling culture, their grand civilization, their wonderful kingdoms and
states, their magnificent universities, their sciences and their literatures,
nay, even their hypocritical worship, and so-called virtuous deeds, their
charitable and reformative works of which they were very proud in the worldly
lift, shall prove to be as worthless as a heap of ashes, and will be scattered
by the "Storm" of the Day of Resurrection. So much so that there shall not
remain a single particle of their works worthy of being placed in the Divine
scale on that Day in their favor.
26This is the proof of the preceding
statement that the works of the disbelievers arc worthless like ashes. The
question implies: "Why are you skeptical of this ? Do you not see that .the
grand system of the earth and the heavens is based on the survival of Truth and
not on the survival of falsehood. Everything bears witness to the fact that
anything which is not based on truth and reality but rests on unreal speculation
and guess-work cannot continue W live long. Therefore anyone who builds his
works on the latter will most surely fail in his designs. For it is obvious that
such a person builds his works on sand and should not, therefore, expect that
they can last long. Likewise those who discard the truth and reality and build
their works on false theories and presumptions should not expect at all that
they can have any lasting value for they are bound to be scattered like
worthless ashes. If this is obvious as it is, why should you cherish any doubts
about the fact that anyone who builds the system of his life on the basis that
he is independent of Allah or on the god-head of someone else (whereas there is
no other God) shall inevitably find all his works to be worthless? When the fact
is that man is not absolutely independent in this world nor is he the servant of
anyone else than Allah, why should you not expect that anyone who builds his
works on this falsehood, shall find that all his works were worthless like the
heap of ashes that was scattered all over by the wind?"
27This is by way
of admonition that follows immediately the proof of the statement in the
preceding verse. This removes also any doubt that might arise concerning that
decisive statement. One might question it like this: "If the creation is really
based on the survival of truth, why is it that every follower of falsehood and
every wrong-doer is not destroyed forthwith?" This is the answer: "O foolish
man! Do you think that it is difficult for Allah to destroy such a person? Or,
do you think that Allah does not destroy him because he has some close
relationship with Him? If this is not so, and you yourself know that it is not
so, you should understand it well that any community that follows falsehood and
commits wicked deeds is always in danger of being removed to make room for a
better community to work in its stead. If respite is given and the threat does
not take a practical shape it does not mean that there is no danger at all.
Instead of being neglectful, you should make use of every moment of this respite
and realize that the false system which you arc following is not stable and
durable. You should, therefore, build it on stable and durable foundations."
28The word (baruz) means `to emerge' and also implies `to become known'.
That is why it has been translated into "shall be exposed before Allah", for it
implies both these meanings. As a matter of fact, all the people are fully
exposed all the time before Allah but they do not realize it. They will,
however, realize it on the Day of Judgment when they shall be presented before
the "Greatest of all Judges" that they were fully exposed before Him all along.
So much so that every deed they did and each and everything they thought and
desired is known to Him.
29This is to serve as a warning to all those
people who follow others blindly or obey and submit to tyrants because they say,
"We are weak." They are warned, as if to say "You should note it well that those
leaders, saints, officers and rulers whom you arc following blindly today, will
not be able to protect you at all from the chastisement of Allah. Therefore, you
should consider it well today where such people, whom you are following or
obeying, are themselves going and where they are leading you."
30When the
criminals will charge Satan with leading them astray, he will plead guilty, as
if to say, "You yourselves see now that all the promises and warnings made by
Allah have come out true and all the promises which I made have proved to be
false. I also confess that it was all deception that I gave you false assurances
of prosperity, beguiled you by greed and enticed you in the snare of great
expectations. I assured you that in the first instance there will be no life in
the Hereafter, and that, if there be any you will go scot-free by the
intercession of such and such a saint. The only thing you have to do is to make
offerings before him: then you may do whatever you please, for he will deliver
you from all the consequences. I repeat that I said all these things and asked
my agents to say the same. "
31That is, "You cannot say and prove that
it was I who forced you to follow the wrong way, whereas you wanted to follow
the Right Way. You will yourselves admit that it is not so. I did no more than
this that I invited you to falsehood in opposition to the invitation to the
Truth and tempted you to vice instead of virtue. But I had no power to force you
to the wrong way, if you desired to follow the Right Way. when you had the power
and the option to follow either of the ways. Now I am ready to bear the burden
of the wicked invitation I extended to you, but you are not justified in any way
to throw on me the burden of accepting my invitation for you did it on your own
responsibility. You should, therefore, yourselves bear all its consequences."
32This is a clear proof of shirk in practice, as apart from shirk in creed.
As Satan will charge his followers with making him a partner with God, it is
obvious that as far as creed is concerned there is no one who makes Satan a
partner with God in His Godhead or His worship: nay, every one curses him for
his evil ways. Nevertheless, people obey and submit to him and follow him
blindly, as if he were their "god" and that is what has been termed shirk.
Let us now consider this thesis from the opposite point of view. Some one
might say that this does not hold good, for this is based on a mere saying of
Satan which has been cited here. First, this objection is not sound because
Allah Himself would have refuted it, had it been baseless. Secondly, this is not
the only instance of shirk in practice in the Qur'an. Here are a few more
instances of this:
(a) It charges the Jews and Christians with shirk
because they set up their priests and monks as their "Lords" besides Allah. (IX:
31).
(b) Those who follow the superstitious customs have been called
mushriks. (VI: 136-139).
(c) Those who follow their lusts have been
charged with making their "selves" their "god". (XXV: 43).
(d) Those who
are disobedient to Allah have been accused of worshiping "Satan". (XXXVI: 60).
(e) Those who follow man-made laws without Allah's sanction have been
reproved for setting up the makers of the laws without Allah's sanction as
partners with God. (XLI: 21).
All the above instances are clear proofs of
the fact that shirk is not confined to this creed alone that one might set up a
partner with Allah in His Godhead as an article of faith. But it is also shirk
that one should follow and surrender to some one other than Allah without any
Divine sanction or in spite of a Divine prohibition. Such a one shall be guilty
of shirk even though the follower might be at the same time cursing the one whom
he follows and obeys. The only difference between the two kinds of shirk may be
the extent of the crime and not its nature.
33The Arabic word (tahiyyah)
is literally a "prayer for long life," but in usage it is a greeting at meeting.
Therefore, the expression may mean: "they will welcome one another with 'peace
be on you' or will be welcomed with these words" . It may also be noted that the
word (salam) implies both a prayer for "peace" and a congratulation on it.
34Though the expression literally means "Pure Word," here it stands for
"Truthful Saying and Righteous Creed". According to the Qur'an, this 'Saying'
and 'Creed" are the acceptance of the doctrine of Tauhid, belief in Prophethood
and Revelation, and in the lift of the Hereafter, for it declares these things
to be the fundamental truths.
35This is to show the strength and extent
of the "Pure Word". As the entire system of the universe hangs upon the Reality
contained in this "Pure Word" which the believer Professes, the earth and its
entire system co-operates with him and the heaven with its entire system
welcomes him. There is, therefore, no conflict between him and the Law of
nature, and everything in its very nature extends its help to him.
36That
is, the "Pure Word" is so fruitful that every person (or community) who bases
his system of life on it, gets benefit from it every moment for it helps to
produce clearness in thought, balance in temperament, strength in character,
purity in morals, firmness in conduct, righteousness in talk,
straightforwardness in conversation, good temperament in social behavior,
nobility in culture, justice and equity in economy, honesty in politics,
nobility in war, sincerity in peace; confidence in promises and pledges. In
short, it is the elixir that changes everything into gold if one makes the
proper use of it.
37"Evil word" is the opposite of "Pure Word" It may be
applied to everything that is unreal and wrong but here it stands for any false
creed that one might adopt as a basis of one's system of life, irrespective of
whether it be atheism or heresy or disbelief or shirk or idol-worship or any
other "ism" that has not been brought by a Messenger.
38And "evil word"
(false creed) has no stability because it is against the Law of nature.
Therefore, everything in the universe opposes it and refutes it, as if the earth
hates it and is ready to spit out its seeds every time they are sown in it, and
if some need succeeds in growing an evil tree, heaven suppresses down its
branches. In fact, false creed could never have been allowed to develop, if man
had not been given the freedom of choice and respite for work for the sake of
his trial. That is why when same foolish people exert to establish a system of
life on it, it is allowed to grow to a certain extent, but it produces nothing
but harmful results as long as it lasts. And no sooner does it encounter with
adverse circumstances than it is thoroughly uprooted from the earth.
The
distinction between the "Pure Word" and the "evil word" is so apparent that
anyone who makes a critical study of the religious, moral, intellectual and
cultural history of the world can perceive it easily. For the "Pure Word" has
always been the one and same during the whole history of mankind and has never
been uprooted. On the contrary, there have been innumerable "evil words" but
each and every one has been so uprooted that there has remained hardly anything
of it except its name in the pages of history. Nay, some of these had proved to
be so absurd that if these are mentioned today one wonders how one could have
followed such nonsensical things.
There has been another noteworthy
difference between the two "words". Whenever and wherever the "Pure Word" has
been adopted by an individual or a community, its blessings had not been
confined to that individual and community but had benefited all around them. On
the contrary, whenever and wherever an evil word has been adopted by an
individual or a community, its evils had spread chaos and disorder all around
them.
In this connection, it should also be noted that the parable of the
"Pure Word" and the "evil word" explains the same theme that had been explained
by the similitudes of the mound of ashes that is blown away by the "wind" of the
stormy day (v. 18) and of the "foam of flood", and the "scum of the melted
metals." (XIII: 17)
39That is, "The believers remain steadfast during the
life of this world because of their stable system of life based on this "Pure
Word" For this gives than a straight point of view, a sound system of thought
and a comprehensive theory of life, and it serves as a master key to the
unraveling of all knots and the solving of all problems. With its help, they
acquire that strength of character and that firmness of conduct which keep them
steady in the face of every vicissitude of life. This provides them also with
such solid principles of life which give them peace of mind and heart, and
prevent them from deviation and caprice. Above all, when, after the life of this
world, they will enter into the life of the Hereafter, they will remain
perfectly calm without any tinge of fear or anxiety, for they will find
everything therein to be in accordance with their expectations, as if they were
fully acquainted with every aspect of it before they entered into it. For they
had been .fully informed of, and therefore fully prepared for every stage and
phase of this life. That is why they will pass through every stage with perfect
calmness and firmness in contrast to the disbelievers who built their worldly
lives on an "evil word" and will, therefore, be taken aback to find everything
against their expectations.
40That is, "Allah lets the transgressors, who
discard the "Pure Word" and follow an "evil word", go astray by creating
confusion in their minds and misdirecting their efforts because of this
deviation. That is why they cannot find the right way of thought and action and
so fail miserably."
41That is, "The believers should adopt an attitude of
gratitude in contrast to the disbelievers (v. 29). The practical form their
gratitude should take is that they should establish Salat and expend their
wealth in the Way of Allah."
42That is, "On that Day none shall be able
to rescue himself either by ransom or by intercession."
43That is, "It is
the same Allah Whose bounties they are repaying with ingratitude and
disobedience and with Whom they are setting up equals. though He has been so
bountiful as to..."
44The words of the Text in vv. 32-33 have misled
those people. who have translated these into "subjected to you" . So much so
that some of them interpret these verses to mean that the chief aim of the life
of man is to bring the earth and heavens under his subjection, whereas their
real meaning is "subjected to (laws) for you". As a matter of fact Allah has
subjected all these things to such laws as are beneficial for man. Had not a
ship been subjected to certain physical laws, there could have been no
navigation at all: had not a river been subjected to certain laws, it could not
have been possible to take out canals from them; likewise if the heavenly bodies
(the sun and the moon, etc.) and the earth and day and night had not been
subjected to certain fixed laws, life could not have been possible, not to speak
of civilized life!
45"He fulfilled all your requirements" : He has
provided for everything that is required for your life, its development and
evolution.
46In the preceding verses (32-35), an appeal was made to the
Quraish to be grateful to that Allah Who has bestowed so many bounties on
mankind in general. But in this passage the same appeal is being made on the
plea that Allah had bestowed His special bounties on the Quraish in particular.
They have been asked to remember that Prophet Abraham had settled their
forefathers near the Ka'abah and made their city, Makkah, a "City of Peace" and
Allah showered His blessings on the Quraish in answer to the prayer of Prophet
Abraham. They have been admonished to remember those "bounties" and mend their
ways.
47Makkah.
48This is a figurative way of saying that idols
have been the means of turning many people away from Allah's Way into the ways
of deviation.
49This forbearance shown towards those who followed a
different way from the Right Way is an instance of Prophet Abraham's leniency to
mankind. He left their case to the Forgiveness and Mercy of Allah for he could
not bear to see them under Divine scourge. Another instance of this has been
cited in Surah Hud. When the angels were on their way to destroy the wicked
people of Lot, Prophet Abraham began to plead for them: "Abraham began to
dispute with Us concerning the people of Lot for he was tender-hearted and
merciful."(XI: 74-75) Likewise Prophet Jesus was so tender-hearted that even
when Allah will show to him that his followers had deviated from the Right Way,
he will plead their case: "Now if you punish them, they are your own servants,
and if you forgive them, you are All- Mighty and All-Wise" (v: 118).
50Allah granted this prayer of Prophet Abraham. That was why people from the
whole of ' Arabia used to come there for Haj and `Umrah at the time of the
revelation of this Surah, and now people gather there from all over the world.
Besides this, there is plenty of food and fruit in all-seasons of the year,
though the valley is absolutely barren and no vegetation grows in it even for
animals.
51That is, "Lord: Thou hearest what I utter with my tongue and
also hast full knowledge of my thoughts and feelings."
52This
parenthetical clause has been inserted to confirm the statement of Prophet
Abraham.
53Prophet Abraham included his mushrik father in his prayer
because he had made promise that the would pray to his Lord for his forgiveness
(XIX: 48). But afterwards when he realized that he should not pray for his
forgiveness because he was an enemy of Allah, he absolved himself of that
promise. (IX: 114).
54This graphic picture depicts the horrible plight of
the wrongdoers on the Day of Reckoning. When they will realize the situation,
they will be so taken aback that they will have their looks fixed straight in
front of them without seeing anything.
55That is, "You have seen that the
former people who violated the Divine Law, and who opposed the Message, devised
very effective and cunning schemes to avert the consequences of their iniquity,
but Allah defeated them with His single counter-device. You did not give up your
crafty schemes against the Message of Truth in the vain hope that your "strong"
measures would succeed where the schemes of your predecessors had failed.
56Though this has been addressed to the Holy Prophet, it is really meant for
his opponents. They are being warned that they should not delude themselves
because of the delay in their punishment. they should note it well that Allah
fulfilled the promises He made to the former Messengers and defeated them
opponents. Likewise He will surely fulfill the promises He had made to Muhammad
(Allah's peace be upon him).
57It is obvious from this verse and some
hints in the Qur'an that on the occasion of Resurrection, the Earth and the
Heavens will not be totally destroyed but at the blowing of the "First Trumpet",
the existing physical system shall be disarranged. After this, between the
blowing of the "First" and the "Last Trumpet" (Allah alone knows how long this
interval will last), the present form and aspect of the earth and the heavens
shall be transformed and a new physical system with new physical laws will come
into existence. That will be the world of the Hereafter. When the "Last Trumpet"
will be blown, all human beings from Adam to those born before the "First
Trumpet", shall be brought to life and appear before Allah. The Qur'an calls
this (Hashr) which literally means "to muster and gather together". It appears
from the wording of the Qur'an and some clear statements in the Traditions that
this will take place on this Earth. The "Seat of Judgment" and the "Scales" will
be established on the Earth and the decisions will be passed here. This is also
clear from the Qur'an and the Traditions that the life in the Hereafter will not
merely be a spiritual life but the very physical and spiritual life which we are
living now on this earth; and every individual shall receive his reward or
punishment exactly in that "personality" in which he or she is living in the
life of this world.
58Some commentators and translators are of the
opinion that stands for "sulphur" or "molten copper" but actually it stands for
"tar" and the like.