57. Surah Al-Hadid

  • The Iron


4. Huwal lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal arda fee sittati ayyaamin summas tawaa 'alal 'Arsh; ya'lamu maa yaliju filardi wa maa yakhruju minhaa wa maa yanzilu minas samaaa'i wa maa ya'ruju feeha wa Huwa ma'akum ayna maa kuntum; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Baseer

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and is moreover firmly established on the Throne (of Authority). He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, what comes down from heaven and what mounts up to it. And He is with you wheresoever ye may be. And Allah sees well all that ye do.
Full Transliteration
1. Sabbaha lillaahi maa fissamaawaati wal ard; wa Huwal 'Azeezul Hakeem
2. Lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ard; yuhyee wa yumeet; wa Huwa 'alaa kulli shai'in Qadeer
3. Huwal Awwalu wal'Aakhiru waz Zaahiru wal Baatinu wa huwa bikulli shai'in Aleem
4. Huwal lazee khalaqas samaawaati wal arda fee sittati ayyaamin summas tawaa 'alal 'Arsh; ya'lamu maa yaliju filardi wa maa yakhruju minhaa wa maa yanzilu minas samaaa'i wa maa ya'ruju feeha wa Huwa ma'akum ayna maa kuntum; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Baseer
5. Lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ard; wa ilal laahi turja'ul umoor
6. Yoolijul laila fin nahaari wa yoolijun nahaara fil lail; wa Huwa 'Aleemum bizaatis sudoor
7. Aaaminoo billaahi wa Rasoolihee wa anfiqoo mimmaa ja'alakum mustakh lafeena feehi fallazeena aamanoo minkum wa anfaqoo lahum ajrun kabeer
8. Wa maa lakum laa tu'minoona billaahi war Rasoolu yad'ookum li tu'minoo bi Rabbikum wa qad akhaza meesaaqakum in kuntum mu'mineen
9. Huwal lazee yunazzilu 'alaa 'abdiheee Aayaatim baiyinaatil liyukhrijakum minaz zulumaati ilan noor; wa innal laaha bikum la Ra'oofur Raheem
10. Wa maa lakum allaa tunfiqoo fee sabeelil laahi wa lillaahi meeraasus samaawaati wal-ard; laa yastawee minkum man anfaqa min qablil fat-hi wa qaatal; ulaaa'ika a'zamu darajatam minal lazeena anfaqoo min ba'du wa qaataloo; wa kullanw wa'ad allaahul husnaa; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Khabeer
11. Man zal lazee yuqridul laaha qardan hasanan fa yudaa'ifahoo lahoo wa lahooo ajrun kareem
12. Yawma taral mu'mineena walmu'minaati yas'aa nooruhum baina aydeehim wa bi aymaanihim bushraakumul yawma jannaatun tajree min tahtihal anhaaru khaalideena feeha; zaalika huwal fawzul 'azeem
13. Yawma yaqoolul munaafiqoona walmunaafiqaatu lil lazeena aamanu unzuroonaa naqtabis min noorikum qeelarji'oo waraaa'akum faltamisoo nooran faduriba bainahum bisooril lahoo baabun, baatinuhoo feehir rahmatu wa zaahiruhoo min qibalihi-'azaab
14. Yunaadoonahum alam nakum ma'akum qaaloo balaa wa laakinnakum fatantum anfusakum wa tarabbastum wartabtum wa gharratkumul amaaniyyu hatta jaaa'a amrul laahi wa gharrakum billaahil gharoor
15. Fal Yawma laa yu'khazu minkum fidyatunw wa laa minal lazeena kafaroo; ma'waakumun Naaru hiya maw laakum wa bi'sal maseer
16. Alam ya'ni lil lazeena aamanooo an takhsha'a quloobuhum lizikril laahi wa maa nazala minal haqqi wa laa yakoonoo kallazeena ootul Kitaaba min qablu fataala 'alaihimul amadu faqasat quloobuhum wa kaseerum minhum faasiqoon
17. I'lamooo annal laaha yuhyil arda ba'da mawtihaa; qad baiyannaa lakumul Aayaati la'allakum ta'qiloon
18. Innal mussaddiqeena wal mussaddiqaati wa aqradul laaha qardan hassanany yudaa'afu lahum wa lahum ajrun kareem
19. Wallazeena aamanoo billaahi wa Rusuliheee ulaaa'ika humus siddeeqoon; wash shuhadaaa'u 'inda Rabbihim lahum ajruhum wa nooruhum; wallazeena kafaroo wa kazzaboo bi aayaatinaaa ulaaa'ika As haabul jaheem
20. I'lamooo annamal hayaa tud dunyaa la'ibunw wa lahwunw wa zeenatunw wa tafaakhurum bainakum wa takaasurun fil amwaali wal awlaad, kamasali ghaisin a'jabal kuffaara nabaatuhoo summa yaheeju fataraahu musfarran summa yakoonu hutaamaa; wa fil aakhirati 'azaabun shadeedunw wa magh firatum minal laahi wa ridwaan; wa mal haiyaa tuddun yaaa illaa mataa'ul ghuroor
21. Saabiqooo ilaa maghfiratim mir Rabbikum wa jannatin 'arduhaa ka-'ardis samaaa'i wal ardi u'iddat lillazeena aamanoo billaahi wa Rusulih; zaalika fadlul laahi yu'teehi many yashaaa'; wal laahu zul fadlil 'azeem
22. Maaa asaaba min museebatin fil ardi wa laa feee anfusikum illaa fee kitaabim min qabli an nabra ahaa; innaa zaalika 'alal laahi yaseer
23. Likailaa ta'saw 'alaa maa faatakum wa laa tafrahoo bimaaa aataakum; wallaahu laa yuhibbu kulla mukhtaalin fakhoor
24. Allazeeena yabkhaloona wa yaamuroonan naasa bil bukhl; wa many yatawalla fa innal laaha Huwal Ghaniyyul Hameed
25. Laqad arsalnaa Rusulanaa bilbaiyinaati wa anzalnaa ma'ahumul Kitaaba wal Meezaana liyaqooman naasu bilqist, wa anzalnal hadeeda feehi baasun shadeedunw wa manaafi'u linnaasi wa liya'lamal laahu many yansuruhoo wa Rusulahoo bilghaib; innal laaha Qawiyyun 'Azeez
26. Wa laqad arsalnaa Noohanw wa Ibraaheema wa ja'alnaa fee zurriyyatihiman nubuwwata wal Kitaaba faminhum muhtad; wa kaseerum minhum faasiqoon
27. Summa qaffainaa 'alaa aasaarihim bi Rusulinaa wa qaffainaa bi 'Eesab ni Maryama wa aatainaahul Injeela wa ja'alnaa fee quloobil lazeenat taba'oohu ra'fatanw wa rahmatanw wa rahbaaniyyatan ibtada'ooha maa katabnaahaa 'alaihim illab tighaaa'a ridwaanil laahi famaa ra'awhaa haqqa ri'aayatihaa; fa aatainal lazeena aamanoo minhum ajrahum; wa kaseerum minhum faasiqoon
28. Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamaanut taqullaaha wa aaminoo bi Rasoolihee yu'tikum kiflaini mir rahmatihee wa yaj'al lakum nooran tamshoona bihee wa yaghfir lakum; wallaahu Ghafoorur Raheem
29. Li'alla ya'lama Ahlul kitaabi allaa yaqdiroona 'alaa shai'in min fadlil laahi wa annal fadla bi Yadil laahi yu'teehi many yashaaa'; wallaahu Zul fadilil 'azeem (End Juz 27)
Audio: English
Audio: Arabic & English

Recitation by Mishary Al-Alfasy

Tafseer


The Surah takes its title from the sentence, Wa anzalna' l-hadida, of verse 25.

Period of Revelation
This is unanimously a Madani Surah, and a study of its subject matter shows that it was probably sent down some time during the interval between the Battle of Uhud and the Truce of Hudaibiyah. This was the time when the tiny Islamic State of Madinah had been hemmed in by the disbelievers and the handful of the ill equipped Muslims were entrenched against the combined power of entire Arabia. In this state Islam not only stood in need of the sacrifice of Life from its followers, but it also needed monetary help and assistance. In this Surah a forceful appeal has been made for the same. This view is further strengthened by verse 10 in which Allah has addressed the believers to the effect "Those of you who would spend and fight after the victory can never be equal to those who have spent and fought before the victory." And the same is supported by the traditions that Ibn Marduyah has related on the authority of Hadrat Anas. In respect of the verse: Alam ya'n-i lilladhina aamanu an takhsha'a qulubu- hum li-dhikrillah-i, he says that 17 years after the commencement of the revelation of the Qur'an this verse was sent down to arouse the believers to action. Reckoned thus the period of the revelation of this Surah falls between the 4th and the 5th year after the hijrah.

Theme and Subject Matter
The theme of this Surah is to exhort the Muslims to spend in the cause of Allah. At the most critical juncture of the history of Islam when it was engaged in a life and death struggle against Arab paganism, this Surah was revealed to persuade the Muslim's to make monetary sacrifices in particular, and to make them realize that Islam did not merely consist in verbal affirmation and some outward practices but its essence and spirit is sincerity towards Allah and His Religion. The faith of the one who was devoid of this spirit and who regarded his own self and wealth as dearer to himself than Allah and His Religion, was hollow and therefore of little worth in the sight of Allah.

For this object, first the attributes of Allah Almighty have been mentioned so that the listeners may fully realize as to Who is addressing them. Then, the following themes have been expressed in sequence:

The inevitable demand of the Faith is that one should not shirk spending one's wealth for the sake of Allah. This would not only be contrary to the Faith but also wrong realistically. For the wealth indeed belongs to Allah, on which man has been given proprietary rights only as His vicegerent. Yesterday this wealth was in other people's possession today it is with one particular man, and tomorrow it will pass into some one else's hand. Ultimately, it will go back to Allah, Who is the inheritor of everything in the universe. Only that much of this wealth will be of any use to a man, which he spends in the cause of Allah during the period it is in his possession.

Although making sacrifices for the sake of Allah is commendable in any case, the true worth of these sacrifices is determined by the nature of the occasion. There is an occasion when the power of paganism is overwhelming and there is a danger that it might subdue and overcome Islam completely; there is another occasion when Islam is in a stronger position in its struggle against un-Islam and the believers are attaining victories. Both these states are not equal as regards their respective importance. Therefore, the sacrifices that are made in these different states would also not be equal. Those who sacrifice their lives and expend their wealth to further promote the cause of Islam when it is already strong cannot attain to the rank of those who struggled with their lives and their wealth to promote and uphold the cause of Islam when it was weak.

Whatever is spent for the cause of the Truth is a loan on Allah, and Allah will not only return it increasing it manifold but will also give from Himself the best reward for it.

In the Hereafter the Light shall be bestowed only on those believers who would have spent their wealth in the cause of Allah. As for the hypocrites who watched and served only their own interests in the world, and who least bothered whether the Truth or falsehood prevailed will be segregated from the believers in the Hereafter although they might have lived in close association with them in the world. They will be deprived of the Light, and they will be counted among the disbelievers.

The Muslims should not behave like those followers of the earlier Books, whose lives have been. spent in the worship of the world and whose hearts have become hardened due to negligence with the passage of time. He cannot be a believer whose heart does not melt at the remembrance of Allah and does not bow to the Truth sent down by Him.

The sincere upholders of the Truth and the true witnesses of the Faith in the sight of Allah are only those believers who spend their wealth in His way sincerely, without any desire of show.

The life of this world is only a short lived spring and a means of pride and show. Its sports and pastimes, its adornments and decorations, its pride of place, its wealth and possessions, for which the people try to vie with one another, are transient. Its likeness is of the crop which flourishes and blooms, then turns pale and then finally is reduced to chaff. The everlasting life is the life hereafter when results of great consequence will be announced. Therefore, if one has to vie with another for something, one should strive for Paradise.

Whatever good man meets with and whatever hardship he suffers in the world, are pre-ordained by Allah. A true believer is he who does not lose heart in affliction and is not puffed up with pride in good times. It is the character of a hypocrite and disbeliever that he is puffed up with pride when Allah favors him with His blessings, behaved boastfully and shows stinginess when called upon to spend in the cause of the same God Who blessed him, and also counsels others to be stingy like himself.

Allah sent His Messengers with clear signs and the Book and the Law of Justice so that the people may adhere to justice; besides, He sent down iron also so that power may be used to establish the Truth and vanquish falsehood. Thus, Allah likes to see as to who from among the people would rise to support and succor His true Religion even at the risk of their lives. These opportunities Allah has created for man's own advantage and development; otherwise Allah does not stand in need of others for His works.

Prophets came from Allah in the past, and by their preaching some people adopted the Right Path, but most of them persisted in wickedness. Then the Prophet Jesus came, whose teachings brought about many moral improvements in the lives of the people, but his community invented monasticism. Now Allah has sent the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be His peace and blessings). Those who affirm faith in him and pass their life fearing Allah's accountability, will be given by Allah a double share of His mercy and He will bless them with the Light by which they will see and walk the straight path among the crooked paths met with at every step in the life of this world. Although the followers of the earlier revelation regard themselves as the monopolists of Allah's bounties, the fact remains that Allah Himself controls His bounties He may bless with these whomever He pleases.