50 Surah Qaf

Tadabbur i Qur’ān
Sūrah Qāf (50)

Sūrah Qāf (50)
A Brief Look at the Sūrahs of the Group

With this sūrah begins the sixth group. Altogether there are seventeen sūrahs. Among these the
first seven sūrahs – Qāf, al-Dhāriyāt, al-Ṭūr, al-Najm, al-Raḥmān and al-Wāqi‘ah – are Makkan.
Some codices mention that Sūrah al-Raḥmān is Madīnan; however, it will become evident from
its exegesis that this opinion is baseless. Not a single verse of the sūrah is Madīnan, let alone the
whole sūrah. The next ten sūrahs after Sūrah al-Wāqi‘ah – al-Ḥadīd, al-Mujādalah, al-Ḥashr, al-
Mumtaḥinah, al-Ṣaff, al-Jumu‘ah, al-Taghābun, al-Ṭalāq and al-Taḥrīm are Madīnan.
The comprehensive central theme of this whole group is resurrection on the Day of Judgement.
It will be seen highlighted in all its Makkan sūrahs. Though the basic topics of the Qur’ān have
also been mentioned in this group the way they are in other groups, however, they are mentioned
under this comprehensive central theme. Analogously, the Madīnan sūrahs included in this group
too are subservient to this theme. The necessary corollary of faith in being resurrected again is
complete obedience to God and His Prophet (sws). In the Madīnan sūrahs, those requisites of this
very obedience are mentioned which were necessitated by the circumstances of revelation.
In the Makkan sūrahs, the debate is against the beliefs and notions of the disbelievers of the
Quraysh, and it is they who are primarily the addresses in these sūrahs. If the Prophet (sws) and
the Muslims are addressed, then the nature of this address is to assure and comfort them. In the
Madīnan sūrahs, the Prophet (sws) and the Muslims are addressed. In particular, the weaknesses
of those people are discussed who claimed to have faith in God and the Prophet (sws) but were
not yet fully aware of the requisites of faith. In this regard, the People of the Book too are
discussed. One reason for this is that in that period they had jumped in to support the Quraysh and
oppose Islam. The second reason for this is that most Hypocrites which had penetrated into the
ranks of the Muslims were under the influence of these People of the Book.
Central Theme
The central theme of this sūrah is to substantiate life after death. When the Qur’ān informed
people that once they die, they will be raised to life again and will be held accountable before the
Almighty for their words and deeds, the Quraysh frowned at this. They contended that a person
from amongst themselves by claiming to be a prophet is warning them that after death people will
be raised to life again? How is it possible that once people die and decay, they will be re-created.
In this sūrah, this very notion of the people that the Day of Judgement is improbable is discussed
and the objections raised about it are answered.
Analysis of the Discourse

Verses (1-5): The grandeur and magnificence of the Qur’ān bear witness that it is the word of
God. Those who are regarding it as the work of a poet or a soothsayer are merely doing so as an
excuse to deny the Day of Judgement. They are actually confounded that someone from amongst
370 Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān
themselves is warning them that after they die and become dust they will be returned to life again.
This according to them is very unlikely. Actually pride and vanity have led them to reject the
Qur’ān and owing to this reason they are calling it a work of poetry and soothsaying. The Qur’ān
does not belong to these categories; it is a truth and since they have denied this truth, they are in a
state of acute mental confusion and obvious contradiction. They should be aware that even what
the earth consumes of their bodies is in the knowledge of God and with Him is a register which
records all what they say and do.
Verses (6-11): A reference is made to the signs of the heavens and the earth which if benefited
from bear evidence to the Day of Judgement and to the reward and punishment that will be given
to mankind on that Day as well as to the belief of tawḥīd (monotheism). These signs testify to the
power and wisdom of the Almighty and to the various means of sustenance He has created in the
heavens and the earth for mankind. These signs are meant to remind and caution those who are
humble and those who turn to God.
Verses (12-14): The disbelievers of the Quraysh are warned that they should not deny the truth
because of pride and arrogance. Nations before them who were guilty of this crime were totally
destroyed, and if they continue with this attitude, their fate will be no different.
Verses (15-18): The Almighty’s attributes of Knowledge and Creativity which prove the certainty
of the Day of Judgement are alluded to and a reference is also made to the arrangement He has
made for the security and protection of the records of all the deeds and utterances of mankind.
Verses (19-35): A vivid description of the Day of Judgement is drawn: the details of the dreadful
fate the disbelievers will encounter and the good fate the believers will meet are highlighted.
Verses (36-37): The Quraysh are warned that they must not be overcome by the pride of the
power they possess and must not vainly reckon that their glory and grandeur are eternal: Many
other nations, who had much more power and splendour were destroyed at the very height of their
dominance and authority; they could not even find any room in the vastness of the earth to hide
from the ruthless law of retribution. Indeed, in the account of these nations is a lesson for people
whose hearts are heedful and who earnestly give ear.
Verses (38-45): The Prophet (sws) is urged to persevere and to persist in the cause of truth, and
seek perseverance from God with the help of the prayer. He is told to defer the matter of his
enemies to the Day of Judgement, which is certain to come. Furthermore, he is assured that his
only responsibility is to warn them of this Day; to make them accept faith is not his responsibility.
He should only admonish through this very Qur’ān those who fear God, and if they are making
fun of it, they themselves will face its consequences.
Text and Translation
Section I: Verses (1-15)
ۡ ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ‬
‫ﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬ ٰ ۡ ٰ ‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ‬ ۡ
ٌۢ
‫رﺟﻊ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﺘﻨﺎ و &ﻛﻨﺎ &ﺗﺮ ًﺑﺎ { ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ۡ ‫ ۚ﴾ ء ذ‬٢﴿ ‫ﻋﺠﻴﺐ‬ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ﻓﻘﺎل‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ون ٰﻫﺬ‬RS‫ﻟﻜ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ء‬yz ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﺬر‬
ٌ ۡ & ‫ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ‬
ۡ & ‫ﻋﺠﺒﻮۤ ۡن‬
ۡ & ‫ﺑﻞ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ و‬ž‫ٓق‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ ٰ ن‬RÉ‫ﻟ‬
ۡ ﴾ۚ ١﴿ ‫ﻟﻤﺠﻴﺪ‬
ۤۡ & & ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۤIJۡ ‫ﻓﻬﻢ‬ ۡ ۡ& ۡ
ۡ & ‫ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ﻟﻤﺎ‬
ۡ & ‫ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ‬ ٌۡ ٌ ٰ ۡ ۡ&ۡ & ۡ ۡ && ۡ ۡ ‫ﻗﺪ‬ ۡ ﴾٣﴿ ‫ﻌﻴٌﺪ‬X ۡ
IŠ ‫و‬R©‫ﻳﻨ‬ ‫﴾ ﻓﻠﻢ‬٥﴿ ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺞ‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﺮ‬ ٍ ‫﴾ ﺑﻞﻛﺬﺑﻮ‬٤﴿ ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻨﻘﺺ ﻵﻹرض ﻣﻨﻬﻢ { و ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﻛﺘﺐ‬
& ۡ ۡ ۡ ? ٰۡ
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻣﺪدﻧﻬﺎ و‬ ۡ ۡ ‫﴾ و‬٦﴿ ‫=<وج‬ & ۡ ٰ ٰۡ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﺂء‬
﴾ۙ٧﴿ ‫ﺑﻬﻴﺞ‬ d ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ٍ ۡ ‫زوج‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﻘﻴﻨﺎ‬
‫ و ﻧﺒﺘﻨﺎ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ‬y¶ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ رو‬ ‫ﻵﻹرض‬ ٍ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺑﻨﻴﻨﻬﺎ و زﻳﻨﻬﺎ و ﻣﺎ ﻟﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻛﻴﻒ‬ۡ ‫ﻓﻮﻗﻬﻢ‬
Sūrah Qāf (50) 371
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻊ‬ ٌۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺟﻨﺖوﺣﺐ‬ ٰ ً ٰ& ً

ۡ ? ‫ﺎ‬cA ۡ ٰ ۡ ‫<ة و‬À‫ﺗﺒ‬
ۡ & ٍ ۡ ‫ذ—<ي &ﻟ¯ﻞ‬ ً ۡ
﴾١٠ۙ ﴿‫‹ﻀﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ٰ ‫ۙ﴾و ﻟﻨﺨﻞ‬٩﴿‫ﻟﺤﺼﻴﺪ‬
‫ﺑﺴﻘﺖ ﻟﻬﺎ‬ ٍ ‫ﻓﺎﻧﺒﺘﻨﺎ ٖﺑﻪ‬ Œ‫﴾ وﻧﺰﻟﻨﺎﻣﻦ ﻟﺴﻤﺂء ﻣﺂءﻣ‬٨﴿‫ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬ ٍ ‫ﻋﺒﺪ‬
& & ۡ &ۡ ۡ ٌ & ۡ & ‫ﺻﺤ &ﺐ ﻟﺮس و‬
ٰ ۡ ‫ﻧﻮحو‬ & &ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ & ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻛﺬﻟﻚ‬ٰ ًۡ ً ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ و‬2‫رزﻗﺎ ۡﻟﻠﻌﺒﺎد‬
ًۡ
ٍ ۡ ‫=<ﻋﻮنو ﺧﻮ ن‬
﴾١٣ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻟﻮط‬ ‫﴾ و ﻋﺎد و‬١٢ۙ ﴿ ‫ﺛﻤﻮد‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ‫﴾ ﻛﺬﺑﺖﻗﺒﻠﻬﻢ‬١١﴿‫<وج‬Ò‫ﻟ‬ )‫ﺣﻴﻴﻨﺎ ٖﺑﻪ ﺑﻠﺪة ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ && ٌ & & ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺻﺤﺐ‬
& ٰ ۡ ‫و‬
ٍ ۡ ‫ﺧﻠﻖ‬
﴾١٥﴿ ‫ﺟﺪﻳﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻟﺒﺲ ﻣﻦ‬
ۡ
ٍ IJ ‫﴾ ﻓﻌﻴﻴﻨﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺨﻠﻖ ﻵﻹول) ﺑﻞ ﻫﻢ‬١٤﴿ ‫ﻞ ﻛﺬب ﻟﺮﺳﻞ ﻓﺤﻖ وﻋﻴﺪ‬c ) ‫ﺗﺒﻊ‬ ٍ
& ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻜﺔ و‬
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful.
This is Sūrah Qāf. By the glorious Qur’ān! In fact, these people were confounded by the fact
that a warner from amongst themselves had come to them. So these disbelievers had said: “It is a
very strange thing that after we die and become dust, we would be returned to life again. Such a
return is very improbable.” (1-3) gather
Even what the earth consumes of their bodies is in Our notice and with Us is also a preserving
book. In fact, they have denied the truth after it has come to them. So, they are now in a state of
blatant contradiction regarding their views. (4-5)
Have they not observed the sky above them? How We have fashioned and adorned it, and it has
no fissure in it. And We spread the earth and set upon it mountains, and brought forth in it all kinds
of beautiful things for the insight and reminder for every heedful person. And We sent down
blessed water from the skies with which We thence brought forth gardens and the harvest grain
and tall palm trees stacked with clusters of dates as a means of sustenance for men, And thereby
We enlivened a dead piece of land. Likewise, after death shall you rise from the earth. (6-11)
Before them the people of Noah and the dwellers of the al-Rass valley, the Thamūd, the ‘Ād, the
Pharaoh, the brethren of Lot, the companions of al-Aykah and the people of Tubb‘a also denied. All
of them denied the messengers. So, Our punishment descended upon them. Were We not able to
create the first time? In fact, these people are in doubt about being created a second time. (12-15)
Explanation
1
﴾ۚ ١﴿ ‫ﻟﻤﺠﻴﺪ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ و‬ž‫ٓق‬
ٓ
‫ ق‬is the name of this sūrah. The inchoative (mubtadā’) here is also suppressed, as has been
indicated at many instances in this exegesis. If this suppression is unfolded, the meaning would
be: This is Sūrah Qāf.
ٌ
The word ‫ﻣﺠﻴﺪ‬ means “glorious” and “exalted.” It has been used in the Qur’ān as an attribute
both for God and for the Qur’ān itself. Every discourse is a reflection of its author. Just as God is
glorious and exalted, His word is also glorious and exalted and this is evident from each and every
verse of the Qur’ān. It is not possible that a person of taste read or hear the Qur’ān and be not
impressed and over-awed by its glory and majesty. If someone is not influenced by its glory and
majesty, then it only means that he is a thick-headed person and that his heart has totally become
devoid of the ability to savour the truth. This discourse would have shattered the mountains to
pieces had it been revealed to them, let alone human beings, as is referred to by the Qur’ān.
ۡ & ۡ ‫ و‬signifies an oath. The Almighty has sworn by this exalted Book. I
The sentence ‫ﻟﻤﺠﻴﺪ‬
have been explaining at various places of this exegesis that all such oaths signify bearing witness.
They are sworn to bear witness on a claim which forms the complement of oath. This oath
substantiates its complement even though the latter is not mentioned in words. The complement
of oath (muqsam ‘alayh) is suppressed at places where the context is enough to indicate it. A very
1. This is Sūrah Qāf. By the glorious Qur’ān!

clear example of such a suppression exists in Sūah Ṣu‘ād: 37:1-3.2 By reflecting on the discourse,
it becomes evident that the glory and majesty of the Qur’ān is sworn by to refute the claim of
people who regard it to be of the category of poetry, magic, soothsaying and inspiration of Satan.
By presenting the majesty of the Qur’ān as evidence, these people are warned that it does not
belong to these genres. Its own existence bears witness to the fact that its source is not these
ignoble things; in fact it is a revelation sent down by God Almighty through Gabriel and its origin
is the guarded tablet. In an exactly similar context, it is said in Sūrah al-Burūj:
&
ٍ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻮح‬
(٢٢-٢١ :٨٥) .‫ﻣﺤﻔﻮظ‬ ٍ ۡ IJ
ۡ .‫ﻴﺪ‬ ۡ & ‫ﺑﻞ &ﻫﻮ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫< ٰ ٌن ﻣﺠ‬Û ۡ
In fact, this is an exalted Qur’ān and its origin is in the preserved tablet. (85:21-22)
This same topic is mentioned in Sūrah al-Takwīr in the following words:
ۡ ۡ &&ۡ & ٰ ۡ &ۡ ۡ&& ۡ & ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ& & ۡ u

ۡ ۡ ‫ﻋﻨﺪ ذي‬
‫و ﻣﺎ‬.•B‫ﺑﺎﻵﻹﻓﻖ &ﻟﻤﺒ‬ ٍۡ
‫و ﻟﻘﺪ ر ه‬.‫ﺑﻤﺠﻨﻮن‬ ‫و ﻣﺎ ﺻﺎﺣﺒﻜﻢ‬.•B‫ﻣ‬ ٍ ‫ﻣﻄﺎع ﺛﻢ‬
ٍ .•B‫ﻣﻜ‬
ٍ ‫ﻟﻌﺮش‬ ‫ﻗﻮة‬
ٍ ‫ذي‬.‫—<ﻳﻢ‬
ٍ ‫رﺳﻮل‬
ٍ ‫ﻧﻪ ﻟﻘﻮل‬
ۡ
ۡ ٰ ٌ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ Ir‫&ﻫﻮ ﻋ‬
(٢٧-١٩ :٥٠) .•B‫ﻟﻠﻌﻠﻤ‬ <—‫ ۡن &ﻫﻮ ﻵﻹ ذ‬.‫ﺗﺬﻫﺒﻮن‬
ۡ & ‫ﻓﺎﻳﻦ‬ ۡ .‫رﺟﻴﻢ‬
ۡ
ٍ ‫ﺷﻴﻄﻦ‬
ٰۡ ۡ &
ٍ ‫ﻘﻮل‬X ‫و ﻣﺎ ﻫﻮ‬.•B‫ﻀﻨ‬X
ٍ ‫ﻟﻐﻴﺐ‬
This is the word brought by a noble messenger. He is endued with great power and held in
honour before the Lord of the Throne. He is obeyed and moreover very trustworthy. And this
companion of yours is not one possessed, and he saw him in the clear horizon and he is not
avaricious for the Unseen, and this is not the utterance of an accursed devil. Whither then are
you going? This is nothing but a reminder to the people of the world. (50:19-27)
& ۡ ۡ ‫ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ ۡ
It is to this exaltedness and majesty of the Qur’ān that besides other verses like: •B‫ﻣﻦ ﺑ‬ ? ‫ﻟﺒﺎﻃﻞ‬ ‫ﻳﺎﺗﻴﻪ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ
(٤٢:٤١) . ‫ﺧﻠﻔﻪ‬
ٖ ‫( ﻳﺪﻳﻪۤ و ﻵﻹ ۡﻣﻦ‬falsehood cannot reach it from in front of it nor from behind, (41:42)) and
u & ‫( ﻵﻹ‬none touch except the purified, (56:79)) point to. The arguments cited at
ۡ & & ‫ﻳﻤﺴﻪ ﻵﻹ‬
(٧٩:٥٦) .‫ﻟﻤﻄﻬﺮون‬
the end of Sūrah al-Shu‘arā’ in order to absolve the Qur’ān from the blame of being a poetical
utterance and soothsaying have already been elucidated in the explanation of the verse. It would be
worthwhile to specially look up what has been written under the following verse: ‫و‬.•B‫ﻟﺸﻴﻄ‬ & ۡ ٰ ‫ﻟﺖ ﺑﻪ‬#$‫ﺗ‬
ۡ ‫وﻣﺎ‬
ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ & ۡ ?
(٢١١-٢١٠ :٢٦) .‫( ﻣﺎ ﻳﻨﺒ÷” ﻟﻬﻢ و ﻣﺎ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻌﻮن‬it was not the devils who brought this down; neither are they
worthy of it nor is it in their power, (26:210-211)).
The implication is that the miraculous eloquence and supreme wisdom of the Qur’ān are
enough to refute people who are ignoring the warnings of the Qur’ān regarding the Hereafter by
taking refuge in the excuse that it is not divine revelation and is in fact a revelation from Satan.
Naïve are those who regard it to be inspired from Satan. It is not the utterance of Satan or some
jinn; it has been revealed by the Almighty Who is mighty and wise. It is not an ordinary
discourse; it is unique and unparalleled.
ٌۢ
3 ٌ ۡ ‫رﺟﻊ‬
﴾٣﴿ ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X ۡ ‫ﻣﺘﻨﺎ و &ﻛﻨﺎ &ﺗﺮ ًﺑﺎ { ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ۡ ‫ۚ﴾ء ذ‬٢﴿ ‫ﻋﺠﻴﺐ‬ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ﻓﻘﺎل‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ء‬yz ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﺬر‬
ٌ ۡ & ‫ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ‬
ۡ & ‫ﻋﺠﺒﻮۤ ۡن‬
ۡ & ‫ﺑﻞ‬
ۡ
ۡ here shows that the Qur’ān has regarded this objection to be mere excuse to escape
The word ‫ﺑﻞ‬
2. For details, see: Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 509-510.
3. In fact, these people were confounded by the fact that a warner from amongst themselves had come to
them. So, these disbelievers had said: “It is a very strange thing that after we die and become dust, we
would be returned to life again. Such a return is very improbable.”
ۡ are divulged, the whole discourse would be something to

the reality. If the insinuations of this ‫ﺑﻞ‬
the effect: The majesty and exaltedness of the Qur’ān alone is sufficient to refute those who
regard the Qur’ān to be inspired by Satan or some jinn; the real reason for their evasion is not
what they are expressing but it is that they are surprised at the fact that a person from amongst
themselves is warning them – warning them that after dying they will be raised to life again.
Since regarding someone to be a messenger of God weighs down heavily on their hearts, they
have started saying that how can they be raised to life again after they die and their bodies decay
and such a thing is very improbable. A deep deliberation on this verse will show that in the view
of the Qur’ān the real reason of their evasion is their arrogance: they are not ready to accept
someone among them as a messenger of God; for this reason, they do not accept the Qur’ān to be
the word of God and regard the Hereafter to be an unlikely event. In other words, had arrogance
not got the better of them, they were not so thick headed as to not distinguish between a divine
discourse and the nonsensical utterance of soothsayers and be unable to understand the arguments
which the Qur’ān is presenting before them to validate the Day of Judgement.
The details of this arrogance can be seen in the previous sūrahs. In the first place, these people
were never convinced that a messenger was needed to guide them and if in the second place they
were to some extent convinced of this, they reckoned that if the Almighty intended to send a
messenger He would have chosen an angel for this purpose or someone among the leaders of
Makkah and Ṭā’if. In the presence of these messengers, how is it possible that He appoint a
messenger who is a pauper.
The answers to these objections have been given in detail in the previous sūrahs, in particular
sūrahs of group 4 which begin with Sūrah al-Furqān. The comprehensive central theme of that
group is to affirm the prophethood of Muḥammad (sws). Here, keeping in view the central theme
of this particular group, those objections are dealt with which they would raise on death and on
the possibility of resurrection. They would use these objections, as is indicated earlier, an excuse
to oppose the Prophet (sws).
ٌۡ ٌ ٰ ۡ ۡ&ۡ &ۡ ۡ &&ۡ ۡ ‫ﻗﺪ‬ۡ
4
﴾٤﴿ ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻤﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻨﻘﺺ ﻵﻹرض ﻣﻨﻬﻢ { و ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﻛﺘﺐ‬
Raising the dead back to life is being regarded as improbable because these people think that it
is impossible for body parts to be put together once they decay and decompose within the earth.
The reason for this misconception is that they analogously regard the knowledge of God to be like
their own whereas the knowledge of God is all-embracing. The parts of a human body which
decompose in the earth are well in His knowledge; nothing is hidden from Him. How can
anything be hidden from someone who has created everything and on whose command death
overcomes a person. The words used in Sūrah al-Mulk are: (١٤:٦٧) .‫ﻣﻦ ﺧﻠﻖ‬ & ۡ ‫( ﻵﻹ‬would He not
ۡ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ‬P
know Who has created? (67:14)). And when He knows, He will make available all these body
components and create bodies afresh. He will not be bothered the least for this task. He created
everything from mere nothingness and was not pushed to the slightest; how can He face any
difficulty in gathering their dispersed body parts?
ٌۡ ۡ
ٌ ٰ ‫ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ‬
The words ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ ‫ﻛﺘﺐ‬ ‫ و‬signify that except for God’s personal knowledge, He has set up a
register to preserve the record of everything; written in this register is who is buried in which
section of the earth and where his body parts are; similarly, also recorded are all his deeds and
4. Even what the earth consumes of their bodies is in Our notice and with Us is also a preserving book.
words. Just as naïve people are confronted with this doubt about the Hereafter that who can
possibly gather the decayed parts of human beings which have become part of the earth and give
them new physical forms, they are also similarly afflicted with the doubt that who can possibly
keep record of all the words and deeds of each and every individual so that he can one day call all
to account and reward or punish them? These words dispel this doubt as well: the Almighty has
preserved the record of all the words and deeds of humankind in a register.
Preserving this record could have been a source of wonder for the Arabs of the times of the
Prophet (sws); however, if a person aware of the scientific advancements of today has doubts
about this claim of the Qur’ān, then the greatest of arguments cannot convince such stubborn
people; such people will only believe when their accounts are handed over to them – but
believing at that time will of no use to them.
ۡ ۡ ۤIJ ۡ& ۡ& ۡ ۡ& ۡ

﴾٥﴿ ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺞ‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﺮ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﺑﻞ ﻛﺬﺑﻮ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ﻟﻤﺎ ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ ﻓﻬﻢ‬
5
The word ‫ ﺣﻖ‬as used in verses 19 and 42 of this sūrah signifies the Hereafter; however, it is
evident from the words ‫ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ‬ ۡ & ‫( ﻟﻤﺎ‬when it came to them) that in this verse it signifies the Qur’ān
which is informing people of the Hereafter but people are denying it; they are putting forth as
excuses the doubts which were referred to in the previous verses to deny it; these people through
these doubts are trying to give the impression that the Hereafter is in fact highly improbable and
that if they are denying it, they have very cogent reasons for it. However, the fact of the matter is
that they have denied an obvious reality and that too when it came to them with full clarity.
It is evident from the words ‫ﺟﺂءﻫﻢ‬ۡ & ‫ ﻟﻤﺎ‬that the Hereafter which the Qur’ān is informing people of
was an incontestable reality even earlier but till now if they were raising doubts against it they did
have an excuse for they were unlettered people who were not aware of the Books of God;
however, what excuse can they put forth now when they are denying a reality which is shinning
over their heads like the midday sun.
The expression ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺞ‬ ۡ ‫ۡۤ ۡﻣﺮ‬IJ ‫ﻓﻬﻢ‬
ۡ ‫ ۡﻣﺮ‬in ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺞ‬ ۡ & is explained by lexicographers as ‫ أﻣﺮ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻂ‬and ‫أﻣﺮ ﻣﻠﺘﺒﺲ‬
ٍ ٍ ٍ ٍ
which means a situation in which there is a very clear contradiction and conflict.6 The word ‫ﻣﺮج‬
means to mix up. In Sūrah al-Raḥmān, it is said: (١٩:٥٥).•B‫ﻳﻠﺘﻘ‬ ٰ ۡ ‫ﻟﺒ·<ﻳﻦ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫( ﻣﺮج‬He has let loose the two
oceans: they meet one another, (55:19)). This word portrays very precisely the situation in which
these people found themselves in after rejecting the Qur’ān: they were in a state of contradiction
with regard to their views, for on the one hand, they affirm God and all His attributes which
necessitate the Day of Judgement and on the other hand deny the Day of Judgement which is an
obvious requirement of this affirmation. In this manner, they are inflicted with such a mental
anxiety that they are not finding any way to get out from it. The only way to come out of it is the
one which the Qur’ān is informing them of; however, they are not prepared to accept it whereas
the essential outcome of denying the truth is that in order to justify this denial whatever excuse a
person tries to fashion out only brings out the baselessness of his stance. The Qur’ān has pointed
to this contradiction of stance
ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ & in Sūrah al-Dhāriyāt the counterpart of this sūrah in the following
words: (٨:٥١) ‫ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ‬
ٍ ‫ﻗﻮل‬
ٍ ”•‫( ﻧﻜﻢ ﻟ‬indeed you are in a state of great contradiction, (51:8)). This issue
ٰۡ ۡ & & ۡ ٰ
has been fully explained in Sūrah Naml under the following verse: (٦٦:٢٧) ‫ ﻵﻹ“<ة‬IJ ‫( ﺑﻞ درك ﻋﻠﻤﻬﻢ‬in
5. In fact, they have denied the truth after it has come to them. So, they are now in a state of blatant
contradiction regarding their views.
6. See, for example: Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-‘arab, vol. 2, 365.
fact their knowledge about the Hereafter is in doubt, (27:66). Readers may look it up in case they
want to study it in detail.
It may be kept in consideration that the greatest role in a person being misguided is played by
this contradiction in his stance: either because of laziness he gathers in his mind all kinds of
correct and incorrect views or while pursuing his whims and desires tries to amalgamate incorrect
views with correct ones, the result of which is that his life becomes an embodiment of
contradiction. If a person keeps analyzing his views, does not allow his critical ability to die away
and in pursuance of whims and desires does not amalgamate evil with the truth, he can remain
shielded from the trials of Satan – but few people can do this.
ۡ ? ‫ و‬y¶ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ رو‬ ٰۡ

ۡ ۡ ‫ﻣﺪدﻧﻬﺎ و‬ ۡ ۡ ‫﴾و‬٦﴿ ‫=<وج‬ & ۡ ٰ ٰۡ ۤۡ & & ۡ ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ‫ ﻟﺴﻤﺂء‬IŠ ‫و‬R©‫ﻳﻨ‬
ۡ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ‬
‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ﻧﺒﺘﻨﺎ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﻘﻴﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﻵﻹرض‬ ٍ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﺑﻨﻴﻨﻬﺎ و زﻳﻨﻬﺎ و ﻣﺎ ﻟﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻛﻴﻒ‬ۡ ‫ﻓﻮﻗﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﻓﻠﻢ‬
& & ۡ ً &
7
﴾٨﴿ ‫ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬
ٍ ٍ ۡ ‫ذ—<ي ﻟ¯ﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻋﺒﺪ‬ ۡ ٧ۙ ﴿ ‫ﺑﻬﻴﺞ‬
ٰ ‫<ة و‬À‫﴾ﺗﺒ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫زوج‬ d ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c
In these verses, the Almighty has directed the attention of the rejecters of the Day of Judgement
to His obvious signs of power, providence and wisdom which are evident everywhere, and are
enough to remind and create awareness in every person who has a heart vibrant for the truth.
First and foremost, attention is directed to His great power and wisdom: have they not seen how
the Almighty has raised high the heavens over their heads and decked it with stars; it is a miracle
of God’s power and wisdom that they do not see any fissure in this extensively laid out roof. The
implication is that how can recreation be difficult for someone whose majesty of power and
wisdom they see above their heads?
After this, besides His power and wisdom, attention is directed to the signs of His providence
and sustenance. They are asked to observe the earth below their feet – how it has been spread out
below them and in order to maintain the balance of the earth has nailed mountains into it and has
caused to grow a variety of vegetation which becomes a source of sustenance for human beings
and the sight of which is a treat to their eyes. The implication is that how can recreation be
difficult for someone whose majesties of power, wisdom and providence they are witnessing?
Will the Lord Who has made such arrangements for their nourishment leave them to eat, live and
ٰ ۡ ‫<ة و‬À‫ﺗﺒ‬
be merry without calling them
ٍۡ ‫ذ—<ي &ﻟ¯ﻞ‬
ۡ & ‫ﻋﺒﺪ‬ ً toۡ account.
The verse ‫ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬
ٍ implies that the Almighty has made evident in the heavens and
the earth His signs of power, wisdom and providence so that they can remind and enlighten those
ً ۡ
who take heed. The word ‫<ة‬À‫ﺗﺒ‬
ٰ ۡ means to bring someone out from his state of
means to create insight so that they are able to go past the external
form and see what is beneath it, while the word ‫ذ—<ي‬
apathy and indifference. The implication is that the Almighty has filled every nook and corner of
this universe with miracles and signs which are enough to open eyes and jolt and awaken hearts;
however, these miracles can only be effective for those who are ready to accept their influence.
For people who by becoming slaves to the material world have lost this subtle sense in them, this
universe is a place of pitch darkness. Here readers may refresh in their minds what I have referred
to in this exegesis many a time: this world did not require for its existence and sustenance the
diversity, variety and tint which is evident from every nook and corner of it. However, the reason
7. Have they not observed the sky above them? How We have fashioned and adorned it, and it has no
fissure in it. And We spread the earth and set upon it mountains, and brought forth in it all kinds of
beautiful things for the insight and reminder for every heedful person.
because of which the Almighty has generously shown these majesties in this world is that the
subtle sense which is awakened by power, wisdom, beauty and munificence is awakened and a
person learns and understands the lesson of wisdom writ large on every leaf of this orchard;
however, for this it is essential that a person use the ability of being reminded which the Almighty
has innately blessed him with. If a person does not use this ability, then the Almighty does not
care about such thick-headed animals. If He has blessed a person with the freedom of will, then
this necessitates that a person value and honour the comprehension he has been given and move
forward under its direction. If he does so, he is blessed with more light from God, otherwise
whatever had been given to him is confiscated because of this ungrateful attitude.
Other verses of the Qur’ān also state what is mentioned in these verses. For assurance and
satisfaction of hearts, some verses are cited below.
In Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl, people who regarded being created a second time as improbable are
addressed thus:
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻳﺨﻠﻖ‬
&ۡ ۡ » ٌ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و‬ ۡ
ٰ ٰ ‫ﻟﺬي ﺧﻠﻖ‬ ٰ ۡ ‫و ۡﻟﻢ‬
(٩٩:١٧) ‫ﻣﺜﻠﻬﻢ‬ ‫ ن‬Ir‫ﻵﻹرض ﻗﺎدر ﻋ‬ ‫ﻳﺮو ن ﷲ‬
Do they not see that the God Who has created the heavens and the earth has power to create
their like? (17:99)
This very doubt of the rejecters of the Hereafter is answered in Sūrah a;-Nāzi‘āt in the
following words:
ۡ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻌﺪ ٰذﻟﻚ‬X ٰ & ‫و ۡﻏﻄﺶ ۡﻟﻴﻠﻬﺎ و ۡ“<ج‬.‫ﻬﺎ‬ê‫ﻓﺴﻮ‬

ۡ ۡ ‫و‬.‫ﺿﺤﻬﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض‬ ٰ ۡ ‫رﻓﻊ‬.‫ﻟﺴﻤﺂء ) ٰﺑﻨﻬﺎ‬
& ًۡ & ۡ&ۡ
‫ “<ج ﻣﻨﻬﺎ‬.‫ﻬﺎ‬Ñ‫دﺣ‬ ‫ﺳﻤﻜﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻧﺘﻢ ﺷﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﺎ م‬ ‫ء‬
&ۡ ۡ ۡ& ً ٰ ۡ ‫و ۡﻟﺠﺒﺎل‬.‫ﻣﺮﻋﻬﺎ‬
ٰ ۡ ‫ﻣﺂءﻫﺎ و‬
(٣٣-٢٧ :٧٩) .‫ﻣﺘﺎﻋﺎ ﻟﻜﻢ و ﻵﻹ‹ﻌﺎﻣﻜﻢ‬.‫رﺳﻬﺎ‬
Is it more difficult to create you or the sky? He made it and raised high its roof; then
perfected it, covered its night and uncovered its day, and after that spread out the earth, and
He brought forth from it, its water and its fodder, and set firm mountains over it as a means
of sustenance for you and your cattle. (79:27-33)
A deliberation on these verses will show that they contain all the aspects of power, greatness,
wisdom and providence more extensively as found in the under discussion verses of Sūrah Qāf
which are used as bases to adduce the bringing about of the Day of Judgement, its need and it
being a requisite of God’s attributes
ۡ ۡ ‫ و‬2 ‫رزﻗﺎ ۡﻟﻠﻌﺒﺎد‬

ًۡ ٌۡ
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻊ‬ ٰ ۡ ٰ
ۡ ۡ ‫ﺟﻨﺖ و ﺣﺐ‬ ً ٰ& ً
ۡ ? ‫ﺎ‬cAŒ‫ﻣ‬ ۡ
‫ﺣﻴﻴﻨﺎ ٖﺑﻪ‬ ﴾١٠ۙ ﴿ ‫‹ﻀﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ٰ ‫﴾و ﻟﻨﺨﻞ‬٩ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻟﺤﺼﻴﺪ‬
‫ﺑﺴﻘﺖ ﻟﻬﺎ‬ ٍ ‫ﻓﺎﻧﺒﺘﻨﺎ ٖﺑﻪ‬ ‫و ﻧﺰﻟﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻟﺴﻤﺂء ﻣﺂء‬
ٰ ًۡ ً ۡ
& ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻛﺬﻟﻚ‬
8
﴾١١﴿ ‫<وج‬Ò‫ﻟ‬ ) ‫ﺑﻠﺪة ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬
These verses direct attention towards the signs of the heavens and the earth from another aspect
evident from which is an argument in favour of tawḥīd since there is found great harmony
between the two. The elements of providence found in them necessitate reward and punishment
8. And We sent down blessed water from the skies with which We thence brought forth gardens and the
harvest grain and tall palm trees stacked with clusters of dates, as a means of sustenance for men. And
thereby We enlivened a dead piece of land. Likewise, after death shall you rise from the earth.
and the way rain enlivens a barren piece of land also brings the scenario of life after death before
a person.
ً ٰ& ً
The expression ‫ﺎ‬cAŒ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ ﻣﺂء‬refers to rain which is a means of lushness and luxuriance. At times, rain
causes havoc and destruction instead of luxuriance and it assumes the form of punishment for
ً
nations. Here the attribute ‫( &ﻣﺒﺎرك‬blessed) dispels this doubt.
ۡ ۡ
The expression ‫ﻟﺤﺼﻴﺪ‬ ‫ ﺣﺐ‬refers to crops which are harvested and which are stocked like wheat
etc. The reason that ‫ﻟﺤﺼﻴﺪ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ ﺣﺐ‬is mentioned besides orchards is to direct attention to the elaborate
arrangement of providence made by the Almighty for His servants: He created for them fresh and
delicious fruit in orchards and nutritional crops which can be stored once they are harvested and
can be benefited from continuously. ۡ
ٌ
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻊ‬ ٰ ٰ ۡ
ٰ
Consider now the next verse: ‫‹ﻀﻴﺪ‬ ‫ﻟﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﺴﻘﺖ‬
ٍ ‫و ﻟﻨﺨﻞ‬. Apparently, there was no need to mention
ۡ
‫ ﻟﻨﺨﻞ‬after ‫ﺟﻨﺖ‬
ٍ ; however, the reason that a specific category has been mentioned after the general
one is that this was a special grain found in Arabia which was the best fruit for them and also a
means of fulfilling their nutritional needs. Reference to the height of the date palms and to the
clusters of dates is to awaken the sense of observation and the feeling of gratitude in the
addressees so that they see these signs of providence and be moved the way sensitive and vibrant
hearts are.
ۡ ًۡ
Consider the expression ‫رزﻗﺎ ﻟﻠﻌﺒﺎد‬.The layered clusters of dates bear witness from their very form
that the Creator has so copiously used His power, wisdom and creativity so that His servants are
able to benefit from these clusters, observe His wisdom and providence in them and recognize the
obligation they owe to these favours: they shall one
ٰ day beً questioned
ۡ about them.
The meaning conveyed by the words ‫<وج‬Ò‫ﻟ‬ & ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻛﺬﻟﻚ‬ ً ۡ ‫ﺑﻠﺪة‬
) ‫ﻣﻴﺘﺎ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ و‬is the central theme of the
‫ﺣﻴﻴﻨﺎ ٖﺑﻪ‬
sūrah. Among the benefits and blessings of rain which they are witnessing is also the fact that
dead and barren pieces of land which do not have any life at any place are enlivened and
rejuvenated with just one burst of rain. Rising of the dead should be regarded analogous to this
with which they are being informed of; however, they regard it to be impossible.
ٌ & ) ‫ﻗﻮم &ﺗﺒﻊ‬

& & ‫ﻞ ﻛﺬب‬c ۡ ۡ ‫ﺻﺤﺐ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻳﻜﺔ و‬ & ٰ ۡ ‫﴾و‬١٣ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻟﻮط‬& & ۡ &ۡ ۡ ٌ & ‫ﺻﺤﺐ ﻟﺮس و‬
& ۡ ‫ﺛﻤ‬ & ٰ ۡ ‫ﻧﻮح و‬& &ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ
‫ﻟﺮﺳﻞ ﻓﺤﻖ‬ ٍ ٍ ۡ ‫=<ﻋﻮن و ﺧﻮ ن‬ ‫﴾و ﻋﺎد و‬١٢ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻮد‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻗﻮم‬ ‫ﻛﺬﺑﺖ ﻗﺒﻠﻬﻢ‬
9 ۡ
﴾١٤﴿ ‫وﻋﻴﺪ‬
This is a warning to the Quraysh that before them the people of Noah (sws) the dwellers of the
al-Rass valley, the Thamūd, the ‘Ād, the Pharaoh, the brethren of Lot, the companions of the
Wood and the people of Tubb‘a also denied after the Almighty had made the truth conclusively
evident to them. At last, the fate of rejection which they had been warned of appeared before
them. In a similar manner, these Quraysh have also become persistent on rejection; so, the
punishment they are being warned of will definitely visit them and no power in the heavens and
the earth will be able to save them from God’s grasp. This is a reference to the practice of God
which necessarily comes into play once the truth is conclusively conveyed – a practice to which
we have been continuously alluding to in this exegesis.
This warning has been referred to in verse 5 earlier. However, after referring towards it, the
9. Before them the people of Noah and the dwellers of the al-Rass valley, the Thamūd, the ‘Ād, the
Pharaoh, the brethren of Lot, the companions of al-Aykah and the people of Tubb‘a also denied. All of
them denied the messengers. So, Our punishment descended upon them.
direction of the discourse changed to arguments which substantiate the Hereafter. After
furnishing these arguments, this passing reference is elaborated upon: if these people are
audacious enough to reject the Hereafter, they should just observe the devastating fate of previous
nations who denied their respective messengers.
The nations which are mentioned here have already been mentioned in previous sūrahs from
various aspects, I have tried to explain their historical status wherever needed. The companions of
al-Rass have been mentioned in verse 38 of Sūrah al-Furqān. While explaining this verse, I have
cited the opinions of various exegetes and also stated my preference. Though nations are not cited
here in chronological sequence, yet the mention of the companions of al-Rass right after the
people of Noah (sws) shows that they belonged to the ancient nations of Arabia most of whose
history has been obliterated.
The words ‫ﻟﺮﺳﻞ‬ & & ‫ﻞ ﻛﺬب‬c ٌ & show that the companions of al-Rass denied the messenger sent to it. As
a result, the punishment of God visited them and destroyed them. A narrative recorded in
exegetical works says that these people had buried their messenger in a well.10 The word rass
means a well and thus these people came to be known as the companions of al-Rass. However,
this report does not seem to be true. There is no authentic information regarding a messenger
being killed by his nation. Even if the word rass means a well, it is not necessary for this incident
to be true for these people being ascribed to al-Rass.
The reason that the nation of the Pharaoh is not mentioned with the Pharaoh is that it was the
ٰ
Pharaoh who was the real culprit. In Sūrah Ṭāha, the words are: (٧٩:٢٠) ‫ﻗﻮﻣﻪ و ﻣﺎ ﻫﺪي‬ & ۡ ۡ ‫( و ﺿﻞ‬for
u ۡ ‫=<ﻋﻮن‬
ٰ u ۡ his
Pharaoh misled people: he did not guide them, (20:79)) and in Sūrah al-Nāzi‘āt the words are:
(١٧:٧٩) ”÷‫ﻧﻪ ﻃ‬ ۡ ۡ (go you to the Pharaoh; he has transgressed all bounds, (79:17))
‫ ۡ=<ﻋﻮن‬IŠٰ ‫ذﻫﺐ‬
The nation of Tubba‘ are mentioned in the exegesis of Sūrah al-Dukhān.
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
ۡ ) ‫ﺑﺎﻟﺨﻠﻖ ۡﻵﻹول‬
ۡ & ‫ﺑﻞ‬
11
﴾١٥﴿ ‫ﺟﺪﻳﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ IJ
‫ﻟﺒﺲ‬
ٍ
ۡ ‫ﻫﻢ‬ ‫ﻓﻌﻴﻴﻨﺎ‬
In verses 6-11 earlier, the Almighty has emphatically directed attention to His power and
wisdom which can be seen in every nook and corner of this universe and the purpose, as is
pointed out above, was to persuade people who would regard recreation after death to be an
improbable phenomenon. A question is posed before these people: do not such people see the
heavens and the earth created by God; was He unable to create them the first time. The expression
ْ ْ y%‫ﻋ‬
‫ﺑﺎﻵﻻﻣﺮ‬ ْ is explained by lexicographers as ‫ﻟﻮﺟﻪ ﻋﻤﻠﻪ‬
ْ ‫ﻳﻬﺘﺪ‬ْ ‫إذ ْﻟﻢ‬.12 This means that a person is powerless
to do something and he is unable to understand how to undertake a task.
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ
The words ‫ﺟﺪﻳﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻟﺒﺲ ﻣﻦ‬
ٍ IJ ‫ ﺑﻞ ﻫﻢ‬signify the fact that though these people cannot dare say that
the Almighty was powerless in creating the heavens and the earth the first time; they
acknowledge that God is their creator; however, they are doubtful whether He can create them
again. In my opinion, this verse has a sarcastic ring in it. In other words, when they can see from
their very eyes that creating them the first time was not at all a bother for God, how can it be a
bother to recreate them. These naïve people should be asked that whether creating the first time is
difficult or the second. If an artist can draw an illustration the second time better than the first,
10. See, for example: Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓīm, vol. 2, 319. (Translator)
11. Were We not able to create the first time? In fact, these people are in doubt about being created a
second time.
12. See, for example: Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-‘arab, vol. 15, 111-112.
why cannot God create more easily the second time?
Section II: (Verses 16-35)
In the succeeding verses, first the elaborate arrangement made by the Almighty in recording the
deeds and words of a person is mentioned. After that, the advent of the Day of Judgement and
bringing forth of the criminals is portrayed. Further ahead, casting of these criminals into Hell
and their mutual condemnation and cursing is depicted. After that, details of the blessings and
favours of God which will be bestowed by Him on the righteous is mentioned.
Readers may now proceed to study these verses.
ۡ ۡ
‫• و ﻋﻦ‬B‫• ﻋﻦ ﻟﻴﻤ‬B‫ﻟﻤﺘﻠﻘ‬ ٰ & ۡ ”™‫﴾ ۡذ ﻳﺘﻠ‬١٦﴿ ‫ﻟﻮرﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺣﺒﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ‫<ب ۡﻟﻴﻪ‬Û & ۡ ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬ & ۡ ‫و‬ž Ü ‫‹ﻔﺴﻪ‬ & ۡ & ‫‹ﻌﻠﻢ ﻣﺎ‬
u & ۡ ‫ﺗﻮﺳﻮس ٖﺑﻪ‬ & ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻧﺴﺎن و‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫و ﻟﻘﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬
& ۡ ۡ
& ۡ &‫ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ) ذﻟﻚ ﻣﺎ ﻛﻨﺖ ﻣﻨﻪ‬& ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ ٌ ۡ ‫رﻗﻴﺐ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺪﻳﻪ‬ۡ ‫ﻗﻮل ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & ۡ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺎل‬
‫﴾ و ‹ﻔﺦ‬١٩﴿ ‫ﺗﺤﻴﺪ‬ ‫<ة ﻟﻤﻮت‬Ð‫﴾ و ﺟﺂءت ﺳ‬١٨﴿ ‫ﻋﺘﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫﴾ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻠﻔﻆ ﻣﻦ‬١٧﴿ ‫ﻗﻌﻴﺪ‬
ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ٌ ‫‹ﻔﺲ ﻣﻌﻬﺎ ﺳ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ۡ ۡ &ۡ ٰ ۡ&
‫ﻣﻦ ٰﻫﺬ ﻓﻜﺸﻔﻨﺎ ﻋﻨﻚ ﻏﻄﺂءك‬ ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻠﺔ‬
ٍ IJ ‫﴾ ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﻨﺖ‬٢١﴿ ‫ﺷﻬﻴﺪ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﺂ•ﻖ و‬
ٍ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫﴾ و ﺟﺂءت‬٢٠﴿ ‫ ﻟﺼﻮر ) ذﻟﻚ ﻳﻮم ﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬IJ
ۡ & ‫ﻣﻌﺘﺪ‬ ۡ ۡ
ۡ & AB‫ﻟﻠﺨ‬ & ۡ ٌ ۡ ‫<ﻳﻨﻪ ٰﻫﺬ ﻣﺎ ﻟﺪي‬Û u & ۡ ‫﴾ و ﻗﺎل‬٢٢﴿ ‫ﺣﺪﻳﺪ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻮم‬ ۡ ۡ ‫<ك‬À‫ﻓﺒ‬
&
﴾٢٥ۙ ﴿& ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺐ‬ ٍ ‫ﻣﻨﺎع‬
ٍ ﴾٢٤ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻋﻨﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻛﻔﺎر‬
ٍ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫ۡ ﺟﻬﻨﻢ‬IJ ‫﴾ ﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬٢٣¤ ﴿ ‫ﻋﺘﻴﺪ‬
ٰ ۡ ٰ u&ۡ ۡ ۤ u&ۡ ۡ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ٰ ً ٰ ٰ ۡ
‫﴾ ﻗﺎل ﻵﻹ‬٢٧﴿ ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X ٍ ۡ ‫ﺿﻠﻞ‬ d ۡIJ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫<ﻳﻨﻪ رﺑﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻃﻐﻴﺘﻪ و ﻟﻜﻦ‬Û ‫﴾ ﻗﺎل‬٢٦﴿ ‫ ﻟﻌﺬ ب ﻟﺸﺪﻳﺪ‬IJ ‫ﻟﺬي ﺟﻌﻞ ﻣﻊ ﷲ ﻟـﻬﺎ “< ﻓﺎﻟﻘﻴﻪ‬
ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻳﻮم‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻈﻶﻹم‬ ۤ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺒﺪل‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻗﺪﻣﺖ‬ & ۡ ‫ﻗﺪ‬ & ۡ
ۡ ‫ﺗﺨﺘﺼﻤﻮۡ ﻟﺪي و‬
‫‹ﻘﻮل ﻟﺠﻬﻨﻢ ﻫﻞ ۡﻣﺘﻶﻹت و‬ ۡ ﴾٢٩﴿ ‫ﻟﻠﻌﺒﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻟﻘﻮل ﻟﺪي و ﻣﺎ ﻧﺎ‬ & & ‫﴾ ﻣﺎ‬٢٨﴿ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ‬ & ۡ & ۡ& ۡ ۡ &ۡ & ۡ ۡ& & ۡ&
‫ﺑﺎﻟﻐﻴﺐ و‬ ٰ ۡ y¨‫ﻣﻦ ﺧ‬ ۡ ﴾٣٢ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ٍ ۡ ‫ﺗﻮﻋﺪون ﻟ¯ﻞ و ٍب‬ ‫﴾ ٰﻫﺬ ﻣﺎ‬٣١﴿ ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X ٍ ۡ AB‫• ﻏ‬B‫ﻟﻠﻤﺘﻘ‬ ‫﴾ و زﻟﻔﺖ ﻟﺠﻨﺔ‬٣٠﴿ ‫ﻣﺰﻳﺪ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﻘﻮل‬L
﴾٣٥﴿ ‫ﻣﺰﻳﺪ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ وﻟﺪ ۡﻳﻨﺎ‬ ۡ ‫ﻳﺸﺂءون‬ۡ & ‫ﻟﻬﻢ ﻣﺎ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬
ۡ & ﴾٣٤﴿ ‫ﻟﺨﻠﻮد‬ & ۡ ‫ﺑﺴﻠﻢ ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬ٰ ۡ& & ۡ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﺟﺂء‬
ٍ ‫﴾ دﺧﻠﻮﻫﺎ‬٣٣ۙ ﴿& ‫ﻘﻠﺐ ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬X ٍ
And We created man and We know the thoughts that arise in his heart, and We are closer to
him than his life vein. (16)
Beware of the two collectors who collect – one seated on the right and the other on the left. Not
a word he utters but there is by him a vigilant guardian. (17-18)
And the agony of death arrived with the certain reality. This is what you had been avoiding.
And the trumpet shall be sounded. That day shall be the day on which Our warning will
materialize. And every soul shall come forth with one who drives him on and another who bears
witness. You remained heedless of this day. So, We have removed your veil. Then sharp is your
eyesight today. And his companion will say: The one who was in my custody is present here.
Cast into Hell every ungrateful person, every enemy, forbidder of good and every doubting
transgressor who has set up another deity besides God. So, hurl him into a severe torture. (19-26)
His companion Satan will say: “O Lord! I did not make him rebellious; in fact, he himself had
gone far astray.” It will be ordained: “Dispute not in My presence now; I had warned you before
hand. My Word does not change and I do not the least injustice to my servants.” (27-29)
Remember the day when We will ask Hell: Have you been filled?” And she will answer: “Are
there any more?!” And Paradise shall be brought close to the righteous, though it shall not be far
away. It will be said: This is what had been promised to you for every person who turned to God
and had heeded the limits set by God, who had feared the Merciful God, though he had not seen
Him, and has come with a heart inclined. Enter this Paradise in peace. This is the eternal day.
They will get whatever they will wish for and We have for them even more than this. (30-35)
Explanation
13 ۡ ۡ ‫ﺣﺒﻞ‬
﴾١٦﴿ ‫ﻟﻮرﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ & ۡ ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬
ۡ ‫<ب ۡﻟﻴﻪ‬Û & ۡ ‫و‬ž
Ü ‫‹ﻔﺴﻪ‬ & ۡ & ‫‹ﻌﻠﻢ ﻣﺎ‬
u & ۡ ‫ﺗﻮﺳﻮس ٖﺑﻪ‬ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
& ۡ ‫ﻵﻹﻧﺴﺎن و‬ ‫و ﻟﻘﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬
Just as the naïve are inflicted with doubt regarding the Day of Judgement that how is it possible
for someone to recreate human beings once they die and their bodies decay into dust, quite
similarly, many are also inflicted with the doubt that who can keep record of all the open and
hidden words and deeds of a person so that one day he holds each person responsible and reward
or punish him. Both these doubts are two sides of the same coin. For this reason, in verse 4 earlier
both are briefly answered. Later, the first one is refuted in detail. Now in this verse the second
one is taken up and arguments are presented to answer it. The verse says that it is God Who has
created man and even what comes in his heart is also known to God, let alone his words and
deeds. In other words, when God is the Creator and He alone has created man and given him a
physical form, it is essential that God be aware of each of his body parts and their functions. To
draw attention to this very reality, the words used in Sūrah al-Mulk are: (١٤:٦٧) ‫ﻣﻦ ﺧﻠﻖ‬ & ۡ ‫ﻵﻹ‬
ۡ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ‬P
(would He not know Who has created? (67:14)). If a Creator is not aware of all the minute details
of His creatures, how can He make arrangements for their protection and sustenance?
ٌ ْ refers to “life vein.” This is a very common Arabic idiom which is used to
The word ‫ورﻳﺪ‬
express extreme nearness. The implication is that no one should be misled by the fact that if he is
not seeing God, then God is also not able to see him. He is closer to every person than his life-
vein. His knowledge and His power embraces every individual from every aspect and both his
hidden and apparent are before Him all the time.
ٌ ۡ ‫رﻗﻴﺐ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺪﻳﻪ‬
ۡ ‫ﻗﻮل ﻵﻹ‬ ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ
ٌ ۡ ‫• و ﻋﻦ ﻟﺸﻤﺎل‬B‫ﻟﻴﻤ‬ ٰ & ۡ ”™‫ۡذ ﻳﺘﻠ‬
﴾١٨﴿ ‫ﻋﺘﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫﴾ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻠﻔﻆ ﻣﻦ‬١٧﴿ ‫ﻗﻌﻴﺪ‬ ‫• ﻋﻦ‬B‫ﻟﻤﺘﻠﻘ‬
14
ۡ ۡ
ٌ ۡ ‫• و ﻋﻦ ﻟﺸﻤﺎل‬B‫ ﻋﻦ ﻟﻴﻤ‬with its suppressions revealed is thus: ‫ﻗﻌﻴ ٌﺪ وﻋﻦ ﻟﺸﻤﺎل‬ْ ْ
ْ •B‫ﻋﻦ ﻟﻴﻤ‬
The expression ‫ﻗﻌﻴﺪ‬
ٌ‫( ﻗﻌﻴﺪ‬one sitting on the right and one on the left). This suppression is because of customary
brevity of Arabic. Examples can be seen in the previous sūrahs.
These verses mention a further arrangement made by the Almighty to preserve the record of
words and deeds of people. In the first place, God is Himself full aware of what frequents in the
hearts. Moreover, for the purpose of conclusive communication of the truth, He has deputed two
angels each on a person, one of whom sits on this right and the other on his left. A vigilant
sentinel is there to note down each and very word he utters.
Though recording of deeds is not mentioned in words, it has to be considered as understood on
the principle of mentioning dominant elements and suppressing secondary ones. This is because if
there is an arrangement to note down each and every word uttered by the tongue, then the
arrangement to note down deeds done by the hand and foot is even more likely to have been made.
It is evident from narratives that there is division of labour between these two angels. The angel on
13. And We created man and We know the thoughts that arise in his heart, and We are closer to him than
his life vein.
14. Beware of the two collectors who collect – one seated on the right and the other on the left. Not a
word he utters but there is by him a vigilant guardian.
the right keeps record of a person’s good deeds and words while the one on the left keeps record of
a person’s bad deeds and words. Since in the issue of testimony, the evidence of two witnesses is
considered reliable in religion, the Almighty has deputed two angels each on a person.
It is also evident from this verse that the thoughts of a person are not accessible to these angels.
It is only God Who has knowledge of the unseen and it is His attribute of hiding faults of His
creatures that the thoughts of the hearts are only known to Him.
Besides this arrangement, the Almighty has made another arrangement for the conclusive
communication of the truth: the hands, feet, ears and eyes of a person will also bear witness
before the Almighty. Whatever we are uttering is being preserved by our ears and whatever we
see is being recorded by our eyes. Similar is the case with other limbs. Whatever we do or say we
do before the divine guards through limbs blessed by God. So how great is this foolish notion that
how can God know each and every word and deed of each and every person so that He may call
him to account.
ٰ & ۡ ”™‫ ۡذ ﻳﺘﻠ‬a verb is suppressed before ‫ ْإذ‬as per common linguistic principles
In the expression •B‫ﻟﻤﺘﻠﻘ‬
of Arabic. Here since indifferent elements are being reminded of about a reality, the suppressed
verb would be one which is instrumental in warning the addressees. Thus for example, it could be:
“Remember” or “Keep in mind.” I have translated the verse keeping this in view. Al-Zamakhsharī
has adopted another view;15 however, I do not find myself in agreement with it.
ۡ&
& ۡ ‫ﻛﻨﺖ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻪ‬ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ
16
﴾١٩﴿ ‫ﺗﺤﻴﺪ‬ ‫ﻟﻤﻮت ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ) ذﻟﻚ ﻣﺎ‬ ‫<ة‬Ð‫و ﺟﺂءت ﺳ‬
ٌ
The word ‫ ﺣﻖ‬refers to the Day of Judgement which the Qur’ān is informing them about and
whose ٌ denial is mentioned in the previous verse. Since it is a certain and incontestable reality, the
word ‫ ﺣﻖ‬is used for it. The past tense used is to express its certainty. The implication is that
people should not regard it to be far off; it is at hand. The time left for life is the very time left for
the Hereafter to arrive. As soon as the unconsciousness of death comes, the Hereafter will come.
This situation will tell them that the very thing they tried to evade has appeared.
It is to this very aspect of the Hereafter which certain narratives point. One of them says: ‫ﻣﻦ ﻣﺎت‬ ْ
&‫ﻗﺎﻣﺖ ﻗﻴﺎﻣﺘﻪ‬
ْ ‫ﻓﻘﺪ‬ْ (he who died his Day of Judgement has come).17 The reason for this is that the life
of Barzakh after death is just a prelude to the Hereafter. It is with death that the circumstances of
the Hereafter begin. The trueness of faith and its fate is borne witness to and the evil fate that the
disbelievers will meet commences at this instance – the very fate they used to deny in the
previous world. No possibility of doubt remains after this for anyone.
& ۡ ‫ﻣﻨﻪ‬ ۡ&
& ۡ ‫ﻛﻨﺖ‬ ٰ
The words ‫ﺗﺤﻴﺪ‬ ‫ ذﻟﻚ ﻣﺎ‬can be an expression of the situation and they can also be a verbal
expression. In other words, at that time they will see what they had been denying has come upon
& ْ ‫ ﺣﺎد‬means to walk evading the path. This is a very apt depiction of the
them at last. The verb ‫ﻳﺤﻴﺪ‬
attitude regarding the Hereafter of these people who follow their desires. If they lead a life while
evading the Hereafter, it is not because arguments which are in its favour are not known to them
for its signs are found at every step but people who do not want to tread the right path walk while
evading them; however, what will they do when it stares them in the eyes.
15. See: Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ‘Umar al-Zamakhasharī, Al-Kashshāf ‘an ḥaqā’iq al-tanzīl wa
‘uyūn al-aqāwīl fī wujūh al-ta’wīl. vol. 4 (Beirut: Dār iḥyā’ al-turāth al-‘arabī, n.d.), 387.
16. And the agony of death arrived with the certain reality. This is what you had been avoiding.
17. Al-Rāzī, Al-Tafsīr al-kabīr, vol. 12, 163.
18 ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬
﴾٢٠﴿ ‫ﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬ ۡ & IJ ‫و &‹ﻔﺦ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻟﺼﻮر ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬
After this, the only phase which remains is that of sounding the trumpet. It shall be sounded and
the Day will arrive which they are being threatened with. This too because of its certainty has
been expressed in the past tense so that it can be picturized before the eyes. The implied meaning
is that people should not be misled by the fact that life, then death, then barzakh and resurrection
are far off. As soon as the trumpet is sounded, they will think that the period they thought as long
has passed in the blink of an eye.
ۡ & & ۡ
ٌ ‫‹ﻔﺲ ﻣﻌﻬﺎ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﺳﺂ•ﻖ و‬
19
﴾٢١﴿ ‫ﺷﻬﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫و ﺟﺂءت‬
This verse refers to the next phase after the trumpet is sounded: on that Day, every soul will be
brought forth before God such that one angel will be deputed to drive him from behind and another
will be deputed on him as a witness to the record of his deeds. This is the meaning evident from
the verse and our early scholars too have interpreted it thus. Some people have regarded one and
the same angel to be implied as the beckoner and as the witness: it is he who will drive the soul
and it is he who will bear witness. Some others regard the one who drives forth as an angel and
regard the soul and its deeds to be the witness. Both these views in my opinion are weak. The first
of these is not supported by linguistic principles and the second has an element of artificiality in it
– something which the words of the verse are forsaking.
Some others have regarded these two angels to be the same two which were referred to in the
previous verse; however, this view too is untenable. Both these angels, as is evident from the
verse, are deputed to keep a record of his words and deeds. If both of them are required to bring
forth a soul in the court of God, then both should have the same status: both should be presented
as witnesses. There is no plausible reason that if both were deputed for the same purpose, then
why should the status of one of them change? Nevertheless, none of these views is without flaw.
What is evident from the words of the verse is what I have alluded to earlier: after the trumpet is
sounded every soul will be brought before God such that one angel will be driving it forward
from behind and another will be in front of him having the record of his words and deeds and will
act as a witness.
ۡ ۡ ‫<ك‬À ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ&ۡ
20 ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻮم‬
﴾٢٢﴿ ‫ﺣﺪﻳﺪ‬ & ‫ﻋﻨﻚ ﻏﻄﺂءك ﻓﺒ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ ٰﻫﺬ ﻓﻜﺸﻔﻨﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻠﺔ‬
ٍ IJ ‫ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﻨﺖ‬
At that time, the Almighty will inform them that they were totally indifferent to this Day and
that now the veil stretched across their eyes has been removed by Him.
The words ‫ﺣﺪﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫<ك‬À‫ﻓﺒ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻮم‬ & (so, sharp is your eyesight today) are meant to humiliate and mock
them: today their eyes are very sharp! The possibility of the event they could not see at all has
now come before them with all its minute details.
This verse does not contradict the verse which says that those who deny the signs of God will
be raised up blind on the Day of Judgement. I have already explained the context and occasion of
both.
18. And the trumpet shall be sounded. That day shall be the day on which Our warning will materialize.
19. And every soul shall come forth with one who drives him on and another who bears witness.
20. You remained heedless of this day. So, We have removed your veil. Then sharp is your eyesight today.
21
﴾٢٣¤ ﴿ ‫ﻋﺘﻴﺪ‬ u & ۡ ‫و ﻗﺎل‬
ٌ ۡ ‫<ﻳﻨﻪ ٰﻫﺬ ﻣﺎ ﻟﺪي‬Û
The word ‫<ﻳﻦ‬Ûْ refers to either the driver or the witness which will bring him forth before the
presence of God. Some people are of the view that this refers to the satan which is deputed on
every person who shows indifference to God; however, this view does not seem to be correct.
Neither will this satan be in a position to say that what is in his custody is now present nor will he
on that day take responsibility of leading away someone. In the succeeding verses, it ۤis mentioned
u & ۡ ‫ﻗﺎل‬
that when people will blame him for their error, he will openly acquit himself of this: ‫<ﻳﻨﻪ رﺑﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ‬Û
ٰ ۡ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬ u & ۡ ۡ (His companion Satan will say: “O Lord! I did not make him
ۡ ٰ ‫ﻃﻐﻴﺘﻪ و‬
ٍ ۡ ‫ﺿﻠﻞ‬
(٢٧) ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X d IJ
rebellious; in fact, he himself had gone far astray,” (27)). For this reason, I am of the opinion that it
refers to one of the two alluded to earlier. It is however difficult to give a definite answer as to
which among the two is referred to. Either of the two can be referred to because either of them can
utter the words: he who was in my custody is present. Thus, exegetes have differed in this.22 I am
inclined to believe that these words will be uttered by the one who drives on a person. The reason
is that the criminal will primarily be in his custody and he will be responsible of bringing him forth
to the court of God. Thus when he will enter this court, he will utter these words the way a dutiful
sentinel does after discharging his duty.
& ۡ ‫ۡﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬
23
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻛﻔﺎر‬
﴾٢٤ۙ ﴿ ‫ﻋﻨﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫ ﺟﻬﻨﻢ‬IJ
ۡ
The word ‫ ﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬is a dual. The question therefore arises that which two angels will be ordered
thus. Exegetes have generally understood it to refer to the two angels mentioned earlier:24 the one
who drives on and the witness. They will be directed to fling every ingrate and rival person into
Hell. The view seems tenable. Directing them does not necessitate they themselves will cast him
into Hell. This is only a statement of the command. In compliance to it, they will hand over the
criminal to the angels who will be entrusted with this task. These angels will then cast them into
that section of Hell which will be reserved for such criminals.
About the employment of the dual verb, al-Zamakhsharī25 has also cited the view of the famous
literary luminary al-Mubarrad that Arabs at times use the dual verb merely to imply repetition of
the verb. Thus, for example, Imru’ al-Qays says: ‫ل‬#$‫ﻗﻔﺎ ﻧﺒﻚ ﻣﻦ ذ—<ى ﺣﺒﻴﺐ و ﻣ‬.26 Generally, people have
translated it thus: “Wait both you friends of mine; let us shed a few tears in remembrance of my
beloved and the place where she resided.” In the light of this opinion expressed by al-Mubarrad,
the word ‫ ﻗﻔﺎ‬would mean: “Wait! Wait! …” And there is no need to suppose two addressees.
ْ
Similarly, in his opinion, the word ‫ أﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬of the verse under discussion would mean: “Throw!
Throw!” The purpose is to express anger and wrath to emphasize the directive regardless of the
fact that the directive is given to two angels or to more than two. It may
ۡ & ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ be& kept
& ۡ & inۡ mind
ۡ & &ۡ&& &ۡ& &
that this
very directive is& & given in the plural in Sūrah al-Ḥāqqah: ‫ﺳﻠﺴﻠﺔ ذرﻋﻬﺎ ﺳﺒﻌﻮن‬
ٍ IJ ‫ﺛﻢ‬.‫ﺛﻢ ﻟﺠﺤﻴﻢ ﺻﻠﻮه‬.‫ﺧﺬوه ﻓﻐﻠﻮه‬
& ۡ ۡ ‫( ذر ًﻋﺎ‬seize him, then chain him by the neck; then into Hell cast him; then with
(٣٢-٣٠:٦٩) .‫ﻓﺎﺳﻠﻜﻮه‬
21. And his companion will say: The one who was in my custody is present here.
22. See, for example: al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‘ al-Bayān, vol. 26, 164-166. (Translator)
23. Cast into Hell every ungrateful person, every enemy.
25. Al-Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāff, vol. 4, 390.
26. Imru’u al-Qays, Dīwān, 1. .
a chain whose measure in yards is seventy bind him, (69:30-32)). I have cited Mubarrad’s view so
that readers can find food for thought for further research and deliberation. However, I myself am
not fully convinced of it. Nevertheless, if research furnishes satisfactory examples of this usage, it
can be helpful in solving certain complex problems. As far as the circumstances of the Hereafter
are concerned, a believer should profess belief in the apparent meanings of the Qur’ān and should
not go after the details.
&
ٍ ۡ ٍ‫ﻞ ﻛﻔﺎر‬c. The word ‫ﻛﻔﺎر‬
Consider next the expression of the verse: ‫ﻋﻨﻴﺪ‬ ٍ means “ingrate” and “denier
of the truth.” The word ‫ ﻋﻨﻴﺪ‬means “enemy” and “rival.” The word RS‫( ﻛ‬kufr) primarily is used for
showing ungratefulness to God and rejection of His rights. For an upright person, there can be no
dispute or debate regarding the rights of God. Such a person is not merely a <=‫ﺎ‬c (kāfir); he is a ‫ﻛﻔﺎر‬
(kaffār) and to top this, he is also a foe and an opponent to these rights so that others too should
fulfill them.
ۡ
﴾٢٦﴿ ‫ﻟﺸﺪﻳﺪ‬
ۡ & ٰ ۡ
‫ ﻟﻌﺬ ب‬IJ ‫ﻓﺎﻟﻘﻴﻪ‬ ً ٰ ٰ ‫ﻟﺬي ﺟﻌﻞ ﻣﻊ ﷲ‬
<“ ٰ ‫ﻟـﻬﺎ‬ ۡ ﴾٢٥ۙ ﴿ ‫ﺮﻳﺐ‬ ۡ ۡ
ۡ & ٍ ۡ & AB‫ﻟﻠﺨ‬
& ‫ﻣﻌﺘﺪ ﻣ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺎع‬
ٍ
27
Those who deny God’s rights and show animosity to them will also be ones who are very
stingy in fulfilling the rights of their fellow human beings and would be those who stop others
from fulfilling these rights. Besides this, they will also be those who transgress limits and usurp
ْ
rights. Though the word AB‫ ﺧ‬is used for all types of virtuous acts; however, it is very common for
the virtue of charity with relation to human beings. The word ‫ﻣﻨﺎع‬ ٍ encompasses the meanings of
both to stop one’s self and to stop others. Those who are stingy are not content to remain stingy;
they try to make others stingy also so that the secret of their own stinginess is not revealed.
Moreover, such people are also ‫ﻣﻌﺘﺪ‬ ْ & (transgressors of bounds). These people are not content to
ٍ
merely not discharging their obligations to others; they want to transgress bounds and take way or
try to take away what others have and they have in it in their possession. The word ‫ﻣﺮﻳﺐ‬ ْ & means a
person who is inflicted with doubts. Though this word has a general connotation and includes
doubts about monotheism and the Hereafter, yet in the Qur’ān, it is generally used for the doubt a
person may have about the Day of Judgement – which is the very topic of this sūrah. Here this
attribute is mentioned as the primary attribute among all others which are mentioned earlier. It is
the doubt regarding the Day of Judgement which makes a person ungrateful, rival, stingy and
transgressor of bounds. Thus after mentioning all the maladies, the real malady which is the
source of all the othersٰ is mentioned.
The words <“ ٰ ‫ﻟـﻬﺎ‬
ً ٰ ‫ﻟﺬي ﺟﻌﻞ ﻣﻊ ﷲ‬
ۡ at the end with a change in style very emphatically mention
polytheism. It is something which totally ravages religion and morality and is the root of
spreading anarchy in the society. If someone who subscribes to it also believes in the Hereafter,
then believing in it or not is equal. If a person is inflicted with the doubt that whether such and
such a being is God’s partner or such a beloved one can convince God on whatever he wants to,
then for him the coming or not coming of the Day of Judgement is the same. In his own right, he
can do whatever he likes after pleasing Him. Who can stop him from doing so?
Here the principle of Arabic should remain in consideration which I have been explaining at
various places of this exegesis: when attributes are mentioned without the particle of conjugation,
then it means that all the attributes are simultaneously present in the noun they qualify. Another
point that needs to be considered regarding these attributes is that the sequence of their mention
27. Forbidder of good and every doubting transgressor who has set up another deity besides God. So,
hurl him into a severe torture.
progresses from corollaries to principles. They begin with ingratitude and stinginess and end with
rejection of the Hereafter and polytheism. It is evident from this that if a person has doubts about
the Day of Judgement and is also incriminated with polytheism, then his character will be the one
mentioned in these verses.
ْ ۡ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ْ
The ‫ ﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬in ‫ﻟﺸﺪﻳﺪ‬ ‫ ﻟﻌﺬ ب‬IJ ‫ﻓﺎﻟﻘﻴﻪ‬ emphasizes the ‫ ﻟﻘﻴﺎ‬of the earlier verse. It was stated earlier that
the criminal should be thrown into Hell. After that a mention was made of his attributes and then
emphatically repeated that he should be thrown into the severe torment of Hell. At another place,
the Qur’ān has said that Hell has seven gates and many sections. It will be directed that people of
the afore-mentioned attributes be cast into severe torment.
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻗﺪﻣﺖ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ & ۡ ‫ﻗﺪ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫﴾ﻗﺎل ﻵﻹ‬٢٧﴿ ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X
ۡ ‫ﺗﺨﺘﺼﻤﻮ ﻟﺪي و‬ ٰ IJ u & ۡ ۡ ۤ ‫<ﻳﻨﻪ رﺑﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ‬
ۡ ٰ ‫ﻃﻐﻴﺘﻪ و‬ u & ۡ Û ‫ﻗﺎل‬
28
﴾٢٨﴿ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ۡ ‫ﺿﻠﻞ‬
d ۡ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬
Mentioned in these verses is the situation which will arise after the criminals enter Hell: every
inhabitant of Hell will blame Satan for his error and misguidance – the Satan who, as per the
established practice of God, is deputed on every person who shows indifference to the
u & ۡ ۡ ۤ ‫( رﺑﻨﺎ ﻣﺎ‬O Lord! I did not make him rebellious;
remembrance of God. When Satan will see that people are trying to incriminate him, he will try to
ٰ ۡ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻟﻜﻦ‬
ۡ ٰ ‫ﻃﻐﻴﺘﻪ و‬
emphatically absolve himself: ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X d IJ
in fact, he himself had gone far astray). This statement of Satan does not mean that he will refute
his act of calling people towards error. It is mentioned in the Qur’ān that he will confess calling
people to error and misguidance; however, it is the person who himself was responsible for
accepting it and that he did not compel him in this regard. At another place, the words used are:
ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺳﻠﻄﻦ ﻵﻹ ۤ ۡن‬

‫دﻋﻮﺗﻜﻢ‬ ٰ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ & ۡ IŠ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻓﺎﺧﻠﻔﺘﻜﻢ ) و ﻣﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫وﻋﺪ ۡﻟﺤﻖ و‬
ۡ & & ۡ ۡ ‫وﻋﺪﺗﻜﻢ‬ ۡ&
ۡ ‫وﻋﺪ•ﻢ‬ ٰ & ۡ ۡ & & ٰۡ
‫ ﻵﻹﻣﺮ ن ﷲ‬y§‫و ﻗﺎل ﻟﺸﻴﻄﻦ ﻟﻤﺎ ﻗ‬
ٍ ۤ & ۤ & ۡ
ۡ &
& ‫ﻧﺘﻢ‬ۡ
ۡ ‫<ﺧﻜﻢ و ﻣﺎ‬À‫ﺑﻤ‬
ۡ ۡ &
& ‫‹ﻔﺴﻜﻢ ) ﻣﺎ ﻧﺎ‬
ۡ ۤۡ & ۡ & ۡ ۡ & ۡ & &ۡ ۡ
(٢٢:١٤) . ”'<À‫ﺑﻤ‬ ‫ و ﻟﻮﻣﻮ‬I¹‫ { ﻓﻶﻹ ﺗﻠﻮﻣﻮ‬IŠۡ ‫ﻓﺎﺳﺘﺠﺒﺘ ۡﻢ‬
And when the matter has been settled, Satan will say to them: “True was the promise which
God made you and He fulfilled it. And I made false promises with you and so I did not keep it.
And I had no power over you. I only called you, and you responded to my call. So do not now
blame me, but blame yourselves. Now I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I never
believed, as you did, that I was god’s equal.” (14:22)
ٰ ۡ ٰ
The expression ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X d ۡIJ ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ و ﻟﻜﻦ‬refers to the fact that he had gone so far astray that there was no
chance for him to return to the truth. It should remain in consideration that people who greatly
distance themselves from the truth end up losing the urge to ask for guidance and Satan gets the
better of them. It is as if these words express from Satan the reason of this person being caught in
his web: because of his desire to deviate from the truth he had become worthy of this as per the
practice of God.
It also needs to be kept in mind that just as Satan will absolve himself from responsibility to his
followers on the Day of Judgement, in a similar manner leaders who led people astray will
absolve themselves from their responsibility. This has been mentioned at many places in the
Qur’ān. Following is an example from Sūrah Ibrāhīm:
28. His companion Satan will say: “O Lord! I did not make him rebellious; in fact, he himself had gone
far astray.” It will be ordained: “Dispute not in My presence now; I had warned you before hand.
ۡ & ) ‫ء‬yz
ۡ‫ﻗﺎﻟﻮ ﻟﻮ‬ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻣﻦ ﻋﺬ ب ﷲ‬
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﺘﻢ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻐﻨﻮن ﻋﻨﺎ‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻓﻬﻞ ﻧ‬ ً ‫ﻟﻜﻢ‬
ۡ ‫ﺗﺒﻌﺎ‬ ۤۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ & ° &
ۡ & ‫و ﻧﺎ &ﻛﻨﺎ‬AŒ‫ﺳﺘﻜ‬ ًۡ
‫ﺟﻤﻴﻌﺎ ﻓﻘﺎل ﻟﻀﻌﻔﺆ ﻟﻠﺬﻳﻦ‬
ٰ ۡ&
‫و ﺑﺮزو ﷲ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ‫ﺟﺰﻋﻨﺎ ۤ ۡم‬
ۡ ‫ﻧﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻟﻨﺎ‬AŒ‫ﺻ‬ ۡ ۤ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ‬ ۡ & ٰۡ &
ٌ ) ‫ﻟﻬﺪﻳﻨﻜﻢ‬
ۡ ‫ﺳﻮآء‬ ٰ ٰ
(٢١:١٤) .‫ﻣﺤﻴﺺ‬ ٍ ‫ﻨﺎ ﷲ‬ê‫ﻫﺪ‬
And all shall appear before God. So the weak will say to those who thought themselves
mighty: “We were your followers. Can you protect us from God’s punishment?” They will
reply: “Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you. It is equal whether we panic
or show patience. There is no escape for us.” (14:21)
ۡ ۡ && ۡ ‫ﻗﺪ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻗﺪﻣﺖ‬ ۡ ‫ﺗﺨﺘﺼﻤﻮ ﻟﺪي و‬
ۡ& ۡ
The verse ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬ ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻢ‬ ‫ ﻗﺎل ﻵﻹ‬says that on this argument and row between the two,
the Almighty will comment that there is no use fighting in His presence. This blame-game cannot
absolve anyone of his responsibility. The Almighty had already informed everyone of His threat;
for this reason, the truth has been conclusively conveyed and no one is left with any excuse to
deny it.
The threat refers to the one which the Almighty informed mankind right after Satan had
challenged Him that if given respite he will lead the majority of Adam’s progeny astray. In
response to this, the Almighty had told him to lead astray whoever he can and that He would also
like to inform him that those follow him whether from among the jinn or men, He will cast them
into Hell including him.
After this threat, the Almighty kept on sending His prophets and messengers who at various
intervals continued to inform people of God’s guidance and of the fate met by those led astray by
following Satan and his progeny. After this, these people have been left with no excuse to deny
the truth. Whatever fate they will meet will be their own doing.
ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻈﻶﻹم‬ ۤ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺒﺪل‬

& & ‫ﻣﺎ‬
29
﴾٢٩﴿ ‫ﻟﻠﻌﺒﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ﻟﻘﻮل ﻟﺪي و ﻣﺎ ﻧﺎ‬
The verse emphasizes and explains what is said earlier: what the Almighty has conveyed from
the very beginning cannot be changed as a result of this blame-game and of this complaining. The
promises and threats of God are absolutely certain and unassailable. They are reaping only what
they had sown. So they should now taste it – for the Almighty does not oppress His creatures
even to the minutest degree.
ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻈﻶﻹم‬ ۤ
The linguistic principle used in ‫ﻟﻠﻌﺒﻴﺪ‬ ٍ ‫ و ﻣﺎ ﻧﺎ‬has been explained at more than once place in this
exegesis: when an exaggerated statement is expressed in the negative, then the purpose is to
exaggerate the negation. Thus the correct meaning of this verse would be: I am not the slightest
unjust to My servants. Since our exegetes are generally not aware of this style, they interpret it to
mean (He is not unjust). Most translators follow this interpretation while translating the verse even
though this is a case of blatant indifference to the words of the Qur’ān. What needs to be
deliberated upon is that if the purpose was to say that Godۤ is not unjust to His servants, why was
the simple linguistic style abandoned in favour of ‫ﺑﻈﻶﻹم‬ ٍ ‫ ?و ﻣﺎ ﻧﺎ‬Every word and every style of the
Qur’ān occupies a specific status without understanding which the verse cannot be correctly
interpreted.
Examples of this style are found in classical Arabic literature. Amongst the poets of the
jāhilliyah period the expressions ‫ﻘﺘﺎل‬X ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬ & ْ ْ 30 and ‫ﻔﻌﺎل‬X ‫ﻟﻤﺮء ْﻟﻴﺲ‬
ْ ‫ﻟﻤﺮء‬ & ْ ْ 31 are found in the poetry of Imru’
29. My Word does not change and I do not the least injustice to my servants.”
30. Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Durayd, Jamhurah al-lughah, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dār al-kutub
al-Qays. His rival had threatened to wage war against him and to kill him. In response, while
making fun of him, Imru’ al-Qays had declared that he is threatening him while this coward has
no grit to fight and kill. The words ‫ﻔﻌﺎل‬X ‫ﻟﻴﺲ‬ْ imply that he does not have the courage do to do
anything. Other classical poets have also used such expressions; however, alas at this moment I
do not have their poetical collections with me. Yet, whatever I have written, I am fully convinced
of it.
What is stated in this verse is also mentioned in the Qur’ān in a different style. For example, the
words in Sūrah al-Nisā’ are:
ۡ& ‫ن ﷲ ﻵﻹ‬ۡ ٰ
(٤٠:٤) .‫ذرة‬
ٍ ‫ﻳﻈﻠﻢ ﻣﺜﻘﺎل‬
God is not the slightest bit unjust. (4:40)
In Sūrah Yūnus, it is said:

ً ۡ
& ‫ن ﷲ ﻵﻹ ﻳ‬
ۡ ‫ﻈﻠﻢ ﻟﻨﺎس‬ ٰ
(٤٤:١٠) .‫ﺷﻴﺌﺎ‬
God is not the slightest bit unjust to people. (10:44)
If someone is doubtful of the principle of exaggeration in negation I have stated above, it does
not matter. For proof of the veracity of my interpretation this much is enough even if this
principle is found in part in Arabic. In the presence of this principle, it must be realized that all
leading authorities acknowledge the fact that if there is a possibility of two interpretations of a
verse, that interpretation will be preferred which is more congenial and in harmony with the
Qur’ān. There are many factors which support my interpretation.
– it is in accordance with the linguistic principles of Arabic.
– it is befittingly in accordance with the attributes of God because He is beyond any semblance
of injustice; He will neither be unjust to the righteous nor to the wrongdoers.
– it is corroborated by parallels from the Qur’ān.
Amongst our exegesis, only al-Zamakhsharī32 has dealt with this issue. However, the way he
has tried to resolve it does support his Mutizilite stance; but at the same time raises certain other
questions which he has not dealt with.
In his view, the meaning of the verse is that if God oppresses His obedient servants, then this
will be a great act of oppression and God is not a great oppressor (ẓallām).
Many questions arise on this view of al-Zamakhsharī; for the sake of brevity, I will mention
only two of them:
Firstly, the verse does not specifically deal with the obedient or the disobedient. The word used
ْ (servants) which is common to all human beings whether they are pious or wicked. For
is ‫ﻋﺒﻴﺪ‬
every human being, it is said that God is not unjust to them. Thus this specifying has no sound
grounds; in fact, it is against the words of the Qur’ān.
Secondly, if one deliberates on the context of the verse, it will become evident that the
al-‘ilmiyyah, 1426 AH), 49.

31. Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Muqri’ al-Talmasānī, Nafḥ al-Ṭīb min ghuṣn al-Undulus al-raṭīb, vol.
5 (Beirut: Dār Ṣādir, 1388 AH), 119.
32. Al-Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāff, vol. 4, 392.
Almighty has stated these words by addressing those who had become worthy of Hell: they were
told that they are facing a fate they were worthy of; God is not the slightest unjust to His people.
This view of al-Zamakhsharī has been presented by some contemporary exegetes in another way:
Since if God Who is the creator is unjust to His creation, then this will be a great oppression even
though it is against God’s majesty to become a great oppressor. For this reason, He has refuted
His being ẓallām.
It seems that those who have presented the above view do not know that on the basis of this
very argument the majority of our scholastics are of the view that no act of God can be called
unjust or oppressive: if He casts the righteous into Hell, then this too is an act of justice and if He
admits the wrong-doers into Paradise, then this too is an act of justice. A little deliberation will
show that this view of the early scholastics in spite of being incorrect is not as incorrect as the
view of these new scholastics of this age.
Secondly, these people have not reflected on the fact that if the Almighty has negated injustice
and oppression for Himself, then it is through His attributes of justice, mercy and wisdom; He has
nowhere negated them by saying that since He is the Creator, hence He cannot be a great
oppressor.
Another aspect which has remained elusive to these people is that if this philosophy is
considered as correct, then if an act of oppression is from someone other than God then however
extreme it may be, he cannot be called ẓallām (great oppressor). So much so, the Pharaoh and
Hāmān and Nimrod and Shaddād can also not be regarded as great oppressors because they were
not the creators and great oppression is only that which is done by the creator. God knows from
which school have these people learnt this methodology of reasoning: if the Creator and Sustainer
does oppression, then He will be regarded as a great oppressor and if those who are neither the
creators nor the sustainers commit oppression, then they will be just oppressors.
Nevertheless whether this needless hair splitting is done by early scholastics and exegetes or
those of the present age, it is the result of being non-conversant with the style of Arabic I have
referred to earlier.
ۡ ۡ
& ۡ & ‫ﻣﺘﻶﻹت و‬ & ۡ & ‫ﻳﻮم‬
33
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
﴾٣٠﴿ ‫ﻣﺰﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻘﻮل‬L ‫‹ﻘﻮل ﻟﺠﻬﻨﻢ ﻫﻞ‬ ۡ
People should remember the day when the Almighty will ask Hell whether she has been fully
filled up or not and she will reply if there is more. This question and answer could be a portrayal
of the situation and also a real life matter. Whatever God has created understands His questions
and also responds to Him. He is fully capable of giving the power of speech to silent objects. It is
mentioned at one instance in the Qur’ān that when the limbs of the criminals will bear witness
& ٰ ‫( ۡﻧﻄﻘﻨﺎ ﷲ‬God, who gives speech to all things, has
against them, they while being wonderstruck
& ۡwill
ۤۡ ask these limbs why they bore witness against
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻞ‬c ‫ﻟﺬي ﻧﻄﻖ‬
them. Their rejoinder will be: (٢١:٤١) ‫ء‬yz
made us speak, (41:21)).
This question and answer is an expression of God’s self-sufficient nature and also of His
intense wrath: seeing the inhabitants of Hell fill it will not be any cause of hesitancy for him; He
will, in fact, have them thrown without any concern and will then ask Hell if she has been packed
to capacity. The implication is that no one should be deceived by the fact that God would be
saddened after throwing such a large chunk of people into Hell – people whom He Himself
33. Remember the day when We will ask Hell: Have you been filled?” And she will answer: “Are there
any more?!”
created. Such would be the extent of His wrath that if there would still be more inhabitants to fill
Hell, He will make them her fuel.
ٍ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬
The rejoinder of Hell: ‫ﻣﺰﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬ & ۡ & ‫ و‬can have two aspects: firstly, it will answer in the same
ۡ ‫ﻘﻮل‬L
furious tone as that of the Almighty: if there are more, I have a lot of capacity; bring them forth;
secondly, after seeing the great number of its dwellers it will lose resolve and in this state of frailty
it will ask if there are still more to come. Although both these interpretations are linguistically
possible, I would prefer the first one. One reason for this preference is that as a result of it there
comes into existence complete harmony between the poignant fury of God and the poignant fury
of Hell and it is very befitting as well for Hell to comply with God’s command with full force and
vigour; secondly, at many places in the Qur’ān the vastness of Hell is mentioned in a style that it
seems that those people are being warned who reckon that how can such a vast Hell be created
which can house such multitudes of people. People may& look & up what I have written while
explaining the following verse: (٤٤:١٥) ‫ﻣﻘﺴﻮم‬ ٌ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﺟﺰء‬ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﺳﺒﻌﺔ ۡﺑﻮ ب ) ﻟ¯ﻞ ﺑﺎب‬
ٌ ۡ & ‫ﻣﻨﻬﻢ‬ ۡ ‫( ﻟﻬﺎ‬it has seven gates, and
ٍ ٍ 34
through each gate they shall come in separate bands, (15:44)). Thirdly, at some instances in the
Qur’ān, Hell is portrayed as seething and fuming with venom when its inmates will be thrown
ۡ ۡ ‫ ﻣﻦ‬#B‫ﺗﻤ‬ & & &ۡ& ًۡ ۡ & ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ۤ ‫( ذ‬when they
ۡ ‫ﻟﻘﻮ‬
into it. Thus at one place it is said: (٨-٧ :٦٧) .‫ﻟﻐﻴﻆ‬ ‫ﺗ¯ﺎد‬.‫ﻔﻮر‬L ”Ê ‫ﺷﻬﻴﻘﺎ و‬ ‫ﺳﻤﻌﻮ ﻟﻬﺎ‬
are flung into its flames, they shall hear it roaring and seething, as though bursting with rage,
(67:7-8)). Another example can be seen in the following verse:
ٌ ۡ &
(١٠٦:١١) .‫ و ﺷﻬۡﻴﻖ‬Aٌ B‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ زﻓ‬
ۡ ‫ﺷﻘﻮ ﻓ•” ﻟﻨﺎر &ﻟﻬ ۡﻢ‬
ۡ ‫ﻓﺎﻣﺎ ﻟﺬﻳۡﻦ‬
And as for the damned, they shall be cast into the Fire, where there will be groaning and
wailing. (11:106)
ۡ ۡ &ۡ & ۡ ۡ&

35
ٍ ۡ AB‫• ﻏ‬B‫ﻟﻠﻤﺘﻘ‬
﴾٣١﴿ ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X ‫و زﻟﻔﺖ ﻟﺠﻨﺔ‬
After the inhabitants of Hell, now the fate of the inhabitants of Paradise is alluded to: they will
be honoured and rewarded such that Paradise will be brought near them as a gift. They will not
ْ
have to bear the brunt of a journey to travel to it; it will be very near them. The expression ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X
ٍ AB‫ﻏ‬
& ْ
is an accusative of state (hāl) from the word ‫ ﻟﺠﻨﺔ‬. The reason for this usage is that bringing it near
should make a person think that it would be brought near from far off and will require some time;
the fact of the matter is that it would be already near and to honour the inhabitants of Paradise
will be brought further near them. Though the word ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬ ٍ X is technically a masculine noun yet it is
not against linguistic principles for it to occur as the accusative of state from a feminine noun. Al-
Zamaksharī regards this to be technically possible and I agree with his opinion.36
& ۡ & ۡ&

37
ٍ ۡ ‫ﺗﻮﻋﺪون ﻟ¯ﻞ و ٍب‬
﴾٣٢ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ ‫ٰﻫﺬ ﻣﺎ‬
34. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī#, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 606-607.

35. And Paradise shall be brought close to the righteous, though it shall not be far away.
36. Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ‘Umar al-Zamakhasharī, Al-Kashshāf ‘an ḥaqā’iq al-tanzīl wa ‘uyūn
al-aqāwīl fī wujūh al-ta’wīl, vol. 4 ( Beirut: Dār iḥyā’ al-turāth al-‘arabī, n.d.), 393.
37. It will be said: This is what had been promised to you for every person who turned to God and had
heeded the limits set by God,
Once Paradise is brought near these people they will be asked to enter it with these words: this
is the reward for these people as promised to them by prophets and messengers of God; it is now
ۡ & ۡ & an incomplete verb is suppressed ie: ‫ﺗﻮﻋﺪون‬
being fulfilled. Before the indefinite verb ‫ﺗﻮﻋﺪون‬ ْ & ْ & ‫ﻣﺎ‬.
ْ & & ‫ﻛﻨﺘﻢ‬
This refers to Paradise; however, as per linguistic principles, it means reward and gift in
accordance with interpretive& rules. Examples of such a style can be seen in earlier sūrahs.
ٍۡ
The words ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ ‫ ﻟ¯ﻞ و ٍب‬point to the character of the inhabitants of Paradise which made them
worthy of it. Earlier in verses 25-27, the character of the inmates of Hell has been delineated.
Readers may look it up; now, in contrast, the fate of those worthy of Paradise is portrayed: they
were the ones who would continue to turn to God and would abide by the limits set by Him. If
both these traits are reflected upon, it will become evident that one of them relates to the heart
and the other to the deeds. If a person’s heart is alive and vibrant, then in all the humdrum of
worldly activities his heart remains inclined to his Lord. He never becomes so negligent or
arrogant that he becomes forgetful of God’s limits and prohibitions and violates them. If because
of some prompting from the soul, he at times exceeds limits his heart immediately realizes the
blemish and through sincere repentance he reforms his attitude. These two words depict the inner
and outer self of a true believer. It is evident from them that to be a sincere believer forsaking this
world is not necessary; in fact, his real test is that while leading this worldly life he prove himself
ٍ ۡ ‫ و ٍب‬. It should remain in consideration that a believers trip to the mosque five times a
to be ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬
dead is meant to keep alive in him this spirit to turn to God. Through this it is as if a person
remains attached to his centre of gravity and Satan is not able to get the better of him so that he
ۡ ۡ ٰۡ ٰ
ۡ ۡ ‫” ﻋﻦ‬í‫ﺗﻨ‬
gets involved in indecent and ignoble acts: the Qur’ān says: (٤٥:٢٩) <Ð‫ﻟﻔﺤﺸﺂء و &ﻟﻤﻨ‬ ‫ن ﻟﺼﻠﻮة‬
(indeed, the prayer fends off lewdness and evil, (29:45)).
ۡ
ۡ & ‫ﻘﻠﺐ‬X ۡ ۡ ٰۡ ۡ
38
﴾٣٣ۙ ﴿& ‫ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬ ٍ ‫ ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺑﺎﻟﻐﻴﺐ و ﺟﺂء‬y¨‫ﻣﻦ ﺧ‬
Earlier on it was said about those who had become worthy of Hell that they have doubts about
the Hereafter and instead of God have found other supports to cling to. There it was stated that
these two things are the mother of all ailments. Here, in contrast, it is stated about the dwellers of
Paradise that they are not inflicted with any such doubt; in fact, while not being able to see God,
they fear him and since they did not find any other support for themselves, they came in the
presence of their Lord with a heart that was always inclined to Him because they pinned all their
hopes in Him and did not turn to any one else.
ٰ ۡ in ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ‬
The attribute ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ‬ ٰ ۡ y¨‫ﻣﻦ ﺧ‬
ۡ is meant to direct attention to a great piece of wisdom: it is
the essential consequence of this attribute that the Almighty at last bring forth a day in which He
reward people who spent their lives as ‫ﺣﻔﻴﻆ‬ٍ ۡ ‫ و ٍب‬and punish those who created mischief by being
ْ
‫ ﻛﻔﺎر‬and ‫ﻋﻨﻴﺪ‬. If He does not do this, then it would, God forbid, mean that virtue and vice, justice
and injustice are equal in His eyes even though this is absolutely against His attributes of being
the Most Gracious and the Ever-Merciful. Thus at another place in the Qur’ān, it is said that the
ٰ ۡ ۡ ٰ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ‫‹ﻔﺴﻪ‬ۡ ٰ
Day of Judgement is a consequence of God’s mercy: (١٢:٦) .‫ ﻳﻮم ﻟﻘﻴﻤﺔ‬IŠ ‫ﻟﺮﺣﻤﺔ ) ﻟﻴﺠﻤﻌﻨﻜﻢ‬ Ir‫ﻛﺘﺐ ﻋ‬
(God has decreed mercy for Himself, and shall definitely gather you on the Day of Judgement,
(6:12)). Since believers fully understood this attribute of God and what it necessitates, for this
reason they regarded the Day of Judgement to be a certainty and remained vigilant about it.
ْ ْ is an adverb of place. About the rejecters of the Day of Judgement it was
The letter ‫ ب‬in ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻐﻴﺐ‬
38. Who had feared the Merciful God, though he had not seen Him, and has come with a heart inclined.
ۡ ۡ ٰ
ۡ ‫ﻏﻔﻠﺔ‬ ۡ ۡۡ&
ۡ ‫ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﻨﺖ‬
said that when they would see the reality, it will be said to them: ‫ﻣﻦ ﻫﺬ ﻓﻜﺸﻔﻨﺎ ﻋﻨﻚ ﻏﻄﺂءك‬ ٍ IJ
ٌ ۡ ۡ ۡ &
(٢٢:٥٠) .‫<ك ﻟﻴﻮم ﺣﺪﻳﺪ‬À‫( ﻓﺒ‬you remained heedless of this day, so We have removed your veil. So
sharp is your eyesight today, 50:22)). On the contrary, the believers while living in the previous
world and without observing the events of the Hereafter feared their Lord merely on the basis of
the arguments found in support of it within their own selves and in the world around them as well
as because of the teachings of the prophets.
ۡ
ۡ & ‫ﻗﻠﺐ‬
The expression ‫ﻣﻨﻴﺐ‬
ٍ ٍ refers to the heart which remained inclined towards God whether in
happiness or in sorrow and whether in hope or in despair.
ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬

﴾٣٤﴿ ‫ﻟﺨﻠﻮد‬ & ۡ ‫ﺑﺴﻠﻢ ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ٰ ۡ& & ۡ
ٍ ‫دﺧﻠﻮﻫﺎ‬
39
They will be asked to enter Paradise with peace; they will neither have any regrets of the past
nor any fear of the future. The time has come for fulfilling the promise of handing over the
eternal kingdom to them. This shall never be taken away from them neither will any problem
ۡ
arise for them in it. The words used in Sūrah al-Ḥijr (15:46) are: (٤٦:١٥) •B‫ﺑﺴﻠﻢ ٰ ﻣﻨ‬ ۡ & & ۡ & (enter it
ٰ ‫دﺧﻠﻮﻫﺎ‬
ٍ
with full safety with nothing to fear, (15:46)). It has been mentioned at many places in the Qur’ān
that angels will welcome the dwellers of Paradise with peace; in fact, messages of salutation from
God are also mentioned; however, this has another context. Here what is implied is the same as is
corroborated by the above quoted words of Sūrah al-Ḥijr.
40 ٌ ۡ ‫وﻟﺪﻳﻨﺎ‬
﴾٣٥﴿ ‫ﻣﺰﻳﺪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ‬
ۡ ‫ﺂءون‬ ۡ&
ۡ & ‫ﻟﻬﻢ ﻣﺎ ﻳﺸ‬
In Paradise, they will get whatever they want and God will have even more for them. The
implication is that they will get what they desire; however, for them God will have such blessings
as they will not even be able to imagine that they are so that they may wish for them. God will
&ۡ & ۡ ۡ& ۡ& ۤ ٌۡ & ۡ
grant them these favours without they expressing any desire for them. While referring to this
very fact, the words used at another instance are: (١٧:٣٢) •B‫ﻋ‬
ٍ ‫<ة‬Û ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ‫ﻌﻠﻢ ‹ﻔﺲ ﻣﺎ ﺧ•” ﻟﻬﻢ‬L ‫( ﻓﻶﻹ‬no mortal
knows what bliss of the eyes will be in store for them, (32:17)).
Section III: Verses (36-45)
Coming up are the closing verses of the sūrah. First the Quraysh are warned that while being
lured away with conceit and pride of their power and strength, they should not dare fight God.
Before them, many nations have inhabited this area which were much more stronger and mightier
but when God seized them, they were not able to save themselves. If they have hearts which can
understand and ears which can hear, then the anecdotes of these nations have great lessons for them.
After that, the Prophet (sws) is assured that he should bear with patience whatever his enemies
say. The Day of Judgement is certain to come. Weariness has not overcome God after creating
heavens and the earth so that He will not be able to recreate man. So people should be on guard
and the day is approaching when the caller of God will call out and every one will come out from
their graves. So, the Prophet (sws) should bear with patience and diligently adhere to the prayer.
39. Enter this Paradise in peace. This is the eternal day.

40. They will get whatever they will wish for and We have for them even more than this.
It is not his responsibility to forcibly make people believers. On the contrary, he should inform of
God’s warning through this Qur’ān those who want to get informed.
Readers may now proceed to study these verses.
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﻪ‬
‫ﻗﻠﺐ ۡو‬ u ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻟﻤﻦ‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺬ—<ي‬ ٰ ۡ ‫ ٰذﻟﻚ‬IJۡ ‫﴾ ن‬٣٦﴿ ‫ﻣﺤﻴﺺ‬ ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ) ‫ ۡﻟﺒﻶﻹد‬IJ ۡ‫ﻓﻨﻘﺒﻮ‬ & ‫ﺑﻄﺸﺎ‬ ً ۡ ۡ&ۡ & ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
‫<ن ﻫﻢ ﺷﺪ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ‬Û ٍ ‫و ﻛﻢ ﻫﻠﻜﻨﺎ ﻗﺒﻠﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ‬
ٍ
ٰ ۡ ۡ ﴾٣٨﴿ ‫ﻟﻐﻮب‬ &
ۡ ۡ& &
ۡ ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و ﻵﻹرض و ﻣﺎ‬ۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ
ٰ ‫﴾ و ﻟﻘﺪ ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬٣٧﴿ ‫ﺷﻬﻴﺪ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻊ و &ﻫﻮ‬ ۡ ”™‫ۡﻟ‬
‫ ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ ﻋ‬AŒ‫ﻓﺎﺻ‬ ٍ ‫ﻳﺎم ¼ و ﻣﺎ ﻣﺴﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ‬ ٍ ‫ ﺳﺘﺔ‬IJ
ۡ ۡ
‫﴾ و ۡﺳﺘﻤﻊ ﻳ ۡﻮم &ﻳﻨﺎد &ﻟﻤﻨﺎد‬٤٠﴿ ‫ﻟﺴﺠﻮد‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻓﺴﺒﺤﻪ و ۡدﺑﺎر‬
& ۡ ‫﴾ و ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻴﻞ‬٣٩ۚ ﴿ ‫ﺮوب‬ ۡ & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ ۡ &ﻟﻐ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و‬ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﺳﺒﺢ‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺤﻤﺪ رﺑﻚ‬ ۡ ۡ&ۡ&
‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن و‬P
&
‫ﺗﺸﻘﻖ‬ ‫ﻳﻮم‬ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﻧﻤﻴ &ﺖ و ۡﻟﻴﻨﺎ‬
ۡ ﴾٤٣ۙ ﴿ AB‫ﻟﻤﺼ‬ ۡ & ‫” و‬Ý‫ﻧ‬
ۡ& & ۡ ۡ&&ۡ &ۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ
ٖ ‫﴾ ﻧﺎ ﻧﺤﻦ‬٤٢﴿ ‫<وج‬Ò‫﴾ ﻳﻮم ﻳﺴﻤﻌﻮن ﻟﺼﻴﺤﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ) ذﻟﻚ ﻳﻮم ﻟ‬٤١ۙ ﴿ ‫<ﻳﺐ‬Û ٍ ‫ﻣ¯ﺎن‬
﴾٤٥﴿ ‫وﻋﻴﺪ‬ۡ ‫ﻳﺨﺎف‬ & ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ & ۡ <—‫ﻓﺬ‬
ۡ ‫ ٰ ن‬RÉ‫ﺑﺎﻟ‬ ۡ h ‫ﺑﺠﺒﺎر‬ٍ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن و ﻣﺎ ۤ ۡﻧﺖ‬P
‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻋﻠﻢ ﺑﻤﺎ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ‬
& ۡ ﴾٤٤﴿ AB‫ﻳﺴ‬ ۡ <–‫ﺣ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫< ًﻋﺎ ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬¢ ‫ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬ &ۡ ۡ
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض‬
And how many a nation have We destroyed before them who were mightier in power than they.
So, they went forth in the land wherever they possibly could: is their a place of shelter? Indeed, in the
account of these nations is a lesson for people who have a heart or who earnestly give ear. (36-37)
And We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days and no weariness
came upon Us. So, bear then, with patience whatever they say and glorify your Lord celebrating
His praises and blessings before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and glorify Him in the
night also, and also after the times of the sun’s41 descent. (38-40)
And listen for the day when the caller will call from a place very near. The day when they will
hear the clamour with what is certain to come. That will be the Day of coming forth. Indeed, it is
We who give life and We who give death and to Us shall be the return. On that Day, the earth
shall be rent asunder from above them and they shall rush from it in haste. Easy for us is this
assembling together. (41-43)
We are well aware about what they say and you are not one who can force himself on them. So,
remind with this Qur’ān those who fear My warning. (44-45)
Explanation
ۡ ) ‫ ۡﻟﺒﻶﻹد‬IJ ۡ‫ﻓﻨﻘﺒﻮ‬
ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ً ۡ ۡ&ۡ & ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ& ۡ ۡ ۡ ۡ
& ‫ﺑﻄﺸﺎ‬
42
﴾٣٦﴿ ‫ﻣﺤﻴﺺ‬
ٍ ‫<ن ﻫﻢ ﺷﺪ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ‬Û
ٍ ‫و ﻛﻢ ﻫﻠﻜﻨﺎ ﻗﺒﻠﻬﻢ ﻣﻦ‬
This is a warning to the Quraysh that their power and strength should not mislead them into
conceit and pride that no harm can come to them. Many a nation before them who were much
stronger and mightier than them were destroyed by God. If any of from them survived they had to
make their way to various other countriesْ wherever they could find refuge.
The expression ‫ ﻵﻻرض‬IJ ْ ‫ﻃﻠﺒﺎ‬
ْ ‫ ‹ﻘﺐ‬means ‫ﻟﻠﻤﻬﺮب‬ ْ ‫( ﺻﺎر‬and he went about find a place of refuge in
ً ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ‬
the land). The words ‫ﻣﺤﻴﺺ‬ ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ depict the motive behind their seeking refuge in other places: in
ٍ
order to find shelter each person went to whichever place he could find refuge in.
This is the state of a nation faced with ruin and destruction. The influential elements of the
society are destroyed and once their national strength is ravaged, whoever among the commoners
survive, they try to seek refuge wherever possible.
It is evident from the anecdotes of various nations recorded in the Qur’ān that some of them
41. The word which has actually been typed here is “stars.” It obviously is a typographical error because
it is evident from the author’s explanation that he is referring to the sun.
42. And how many a nation have We destroyed before them who were mightier in power than they. So,
they went forth in the land wherever they possibly could: is their a place of shelter?
were completely destroyed by divine punishment like the people of Noah (sws), the ‘Ād and the
Thamūd. In the case of some others, their arrogant and affluent classes were destroyed while their
common masses were dispersed here and there. The Pharaoh and his people faced this second
scenario. He and his army and court officials were completely engulfed by the sea. Whoever
remained were for fear of the enemy and because of their shattered state system scattered at
various places in seeking refuge.
Very similar was the situation of the people of Sabā’. Numerous people were ravaged by the
deluge that came. The survivors were compelled to seek shelter and refuge in other places
because of the barrenness of their lands and because of straitened economic situation. The
calamities which befell the Jews were also of similar nature. Those who were saved from loot and
carnage had to roam and wonder in every nook and corner of the world. Even in Muslim history,
there are many exemplary tales of this sort. Are not the details of the calamities which befell
Baghdād, Cordova and Delhi recorded in our history? If we read them, we will draw the
conclusion that it is not merely the Quraysh who are warned in this verse, we too can learn many
lessons from them on the condition that we make the effort.
ۡ ۡ&
Some exegetes have interpreted the expression ‫ ﻟﺒﻶﻹد‬IJ ‫‹ﻘﺒﻮ‬ to mean that these people in their times
of ascent racked the nooks and corners of the world through their victorious skirmishes.43 However,
ٌ ْ ْ ‫ ﺗ‬is not used for victorious campaigns; it is used to roam the
this view is not correct. The word ‫ﻨﻘﻴﺐ‬
land for finding refuge due to fear. Lexicographers44 have recorded this meaning, and I have
referred to it earlier. Parallels from classical Arabic also corroborate this meaning only, and the
subsequent expression ‫ﻣﺤﻴﺺ‬ ۡ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ۡ ‫ﻫﻞ‬
ۡ also reinforces this view; other wise it will be totally out of place.
ٍ
45
﴾٣٧﴿ ‫ﺷﻬﻴﺪ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﻪ‬
ۡ ”™‫ﻗﻠﺐ ۡو ۡﻟ‬
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻊ و &ﻫﻮ‬ u ‫ﺎن‬c ‫ﻟﻤﻦ‬ ٰ ۡ ‫ ٰذﻟﻚ‬IJۡ ‫ن‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺬ—<ي‬
The antecedent of the demonstrative pronoun is the anecdotes of previous nations briefly
referred to in the previous verse. The verse says that there are a lot of lessons to be learnt in the
accounts of these nations for hearts which can really learn such lessons and for ears which are
prepared to intently listen to what is said to them.
The word ‫ﻗﻠﺐ‬ٌ ْ is in its complete meaning ie. an alive and vibrant heart. The Almighty has made
hearts to be sympathetic, to learn lessons and to be reflective. As long as a person’s heart is
capable of these, it is alive and as long as the heart is alive, a person is also alive. This is because
real life is because of the life of the heart. If the heart loses this ability, then a person is dead as
well however much blood may run in his veins.
The words ‫ﺷﻬﻴﺪ‬ ۡ ”™‫ ۡو ۡﻟ‬imply that if the heart is not fully alive, then at least this much
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻊ و &ﻫﻮ‬
should be the case that if someone reasonable tells a person something, then he is able to listen to
it with attention. Being attentive too is a great blessing for a person. At times, this too dispenses a
person of this negligence and the ability to learn lessons is revived in him. However, if a person is
such a wretch that neither is his heart alive nor is he able to pay heed to the calls of reason, then
how can sense and sanity make way in him?
Though the context of these verses is to admonish and rebuke the Quraysh, it also assures and
comforts the Prophet (sws): if the leaders of the Quraysh are not being touched by the Qur’ān he is
44. See, for example: Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-‘arab, vol. 1, 769. (Translator)
45. Indeed, in the account of these nations is a lesson for people who have a heart or who earnestly give ear.
reciting out to them, then the real reason for this is that neither do their hearts have the ability to be
moved nor are they prepared to pay heed to his calls; so how can he make them understand his
message?
ۡ
ۡ ‫ﺳﺒﺢ‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺤﻤﺪ رﺑﻚ‬
‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ﻋ‬
‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن و‬P ٰ AŒ‫﴾ﻓﺎﺻ‬ ۡ&& ۡ
ۡ ۡ ٣٨﴿ ‫ﻟﻐﻮب‬ ۡ ‫ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻟﺴﻤﻮت و‬
& ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض و ﻣﺎ‬ ۡ ۡ
ٰ ٰ ‫ﺧﻠﻘﻨﺎ‬
ٍ ‫ﻳﺎم ¼ و ﻣﺎ ﻣﺴﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ‬ ٍ ‫ ﺳﺘﺔ‬IJ ‫و ﻟﻘﺪ‬
46 ۡ & & ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ && ۡ ۡ ۡ
﴾٤٠﴿ ‫﴾و ﻣﻦ ﻟﻴﻞ ﻓﺴﺒﺤﻪ و دﺑﺎر ﻟﺴﺠﻮد‬٣٩ۚ ﴿ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و ﻗﺒﻞ ﻟﻐﺮوب‬ۡ& &
In these verses, the discourse clearly shifts to assure and comfort the Prophet (sws) and to urge
him to be patient. Initially, it is said that the Almighty has not become tired after creating the
heavens and the earth so that He is unable to re-create them. He should rest assured that the Day
from which they are being warned of is bound to come. He should show patience on what they
say and for this he should be as diligent as he can in offering the prayer.
The creation of the heavens and the earth in six days has also been mentioned in previous
sūrahs. At those instances, I have explained that the word ‫أﻳﺎم‬ ٍ refers to days of God and thus means
periods of time. I have also clarified the fact that when this six-day creation is mentioned in the
Qur’ān, the purpose is point to the elaborate and thorough nature of creation. This shows that this
world has neither come into existence accidentally nor is a means of amusement for a merry-
maker; on the contrary, it is a meaningful and purposeful place and an essential consequence of
ۡ & & ‫ﻣﻦ‬

this meaningfulness is that after it a day come in which this meaningfulness becomes evident.
The words ‫ﻟﻐﻮب‬ ۡ ‫ و ﻣﺎ ﻣﺴﻨﺎ‬imply that no one should be deceived by the fact that working for six
ٍ
continuous days has made God weary and that He does not have the power to recreate this world.
Just as God was fresh before creating them, He is still fresh after He has accomplished this task,
and just as He was not unable to create them the first time, He will not be unable to create them
the second time. The sentence has a ring of sarcasm in it. The implication is that those who are
regarding recreation of this world to be improbable should very well know that His power and
prowess is fully intact. Not the slightest change has come about in it. In a passing way, this verse
also expresses scorn at the notion of the Jews mentioned in the Torah that God created the
heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh.
The words ‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن‬Pۡ & ۡ & ‫ ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ﻋ‬ ۡ ۡ urge the Prophet (sws) to show patience if his opponents are rejecting
ٰ AŒ‫ﻓﺎﺻ‬
&ْ ْ &
him. The words ‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن‬P ‫ ﻣﺎ‬refer to objections of these ۢ ٌ rejecters, one example of which is mentioned
earlier in verses 2-3 of the sūrah: (٣-٢ :٥٠) ‫ﻌﻴﺪ‬X ٌ ۡ ‫رﺟﻊ‬ۡ ‫ﻣﺘﻨﺎ و &ﻛﻨﺎ &ﺗﺮ ًﺑﺎ { ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ۡ ‫ء ذ‬.‫ﻋﺠﻴﺐ‬ ۡ & ٰ ۡ ‫( ﻓﻘﺎل‬it is a
ٌ ۡ ‫ء‬yz
very strange thing that after we die and become dust we would be returned to life again; such a
return is very improbable, (50:2-3)). The implication is that this world which the Almighty has
created with such thorough planning will definitely culminate in the purpose it was created for.
God has not become exhausted after creating it so that He cannot re-create it; however, people
whose hearts are dead will accept this reality only when they will see it from their eyes. The
Prophet (sws) should be patient to the opposition of such people; so he must exercise patience
until the reality manifests before themselves in a manner that they cannot deny it.
The words ‫ﻟﻐﺮوب‬ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬ ۡ ‫ و‬explain the procedure through which the trait of
ۡ ‫ﺳﺒﺢ‬
ۡ ‫ﺑﺤﻤﺪ رﺑﻚ‬
patience can be acquired: he should be diligent in the prayer as much as he can. Without a deep
46. And We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days and no weariness came
upon Us. So, bear then, with patience whatever they say and glorify your Lord celebrating His praises and
blessings before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and glorify Him in the night also, and also after
the times of the sun’s descent.
relationship with God, that patience cannot be acquired which in the face of severe opposition
from the adversaries makes a person ٰ persevere on the right path. At another instance, this reality
is point to by the words: (١٢٧:١٦) ‫ك ﻵﻹ ﺑﺎﷲ‬AŒ‫ﺻ‬ & ۡ ‫( وﻣﺎ‬you cannot be patient unless with the help of
God, (16:127)). Since the sole means to seek help from God is the prayer so wherever the
Prophet (sws) has been asked to show patience on the attitude of his opponents, he has is always
asked to show diligence in the prayer. Examples of this can be seen in the previous sūrah and in
the succeeding ones too, clear and effective examples of this can be seen.
The expression ‫ﺑﺤﻤﺪ رﺑﻚ‬
ْ in fact connotes the prayer with respect to remembering God. This
ْ ‫ﺳﺒﺢ‬
remembrance of God has two parts: tasbīḥ and ḥamd. The former has a ring of negation in it and
means “to absolve God from things which are against His majesty,” while the latter has a ring of
affirmation in it and means “to affirm all attributes which are in accordance with His majesty.”
Together this negation and affirmation firmly instil the true comprehension of God in the hearts
of people and it is through this firm instilment that the relationship of a person with his Creator is
established on sound footings, which is the fountainhead of all patience and trust. If some
weakness or imbalance arises in them, then a person’s conception of God becomes defective and
this mistake totally disrupts his thoughts and deeds. &
ۡ & & ‫ﻓﺴﺒﺤﻪ و ۡدﺑﺎر‬
The words ‫ﻟﺴﺠﻮد‬ & ۡ ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
‫و ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻴﻞ‬. ‫ﻟﻐﺮوب‬ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و‬ ۡ & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
ۡ refer to the times of the day in which the
tasbīḥ and ḥamd of God is required with special emphasis. In general, the constant remembrance of
God keeps a person alive. It is His remembrance through which the hearts remains alive, contented
and happy; however, just as there are special seasons and times in this world for various tasks,
similarly there are special times for the worship of God as well. If one reflects on the times
prescribed for the prayer, it becomes evident that they are the ones in which some great change
takes place in this universe, which reminds a person of the power and greatness of God and in
which other prominent objects of this universe too can be witnessed prostrating before God. The
most important and special time among them is the time of fajr. It is the time when the night folds
up and the stars prostrate before the Almighty and the dawn of a new day appears. The time of ‘aṣr
is directly opposite to it when the activities of the day enter into the last phase and the sun bows its
head to & prostrate before the Almighty. Thus the verse first mentions these very two times: the words
ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬
‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ‬ ۡ refer to the time of fajr, and the words ‫ﻗﺒﻞ ۡ &ﻟﻐﺮ& ۡوب‬
ۡ & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ refer to that of ‘aṣr. The importance
both these prayers have in Islam is mentioned in the Qur’ān and the Ḥadīth.
After mentioning two important prayers of the day, the words &‫ﻓﺴﺒﺤﻪ‬ ۡ ‫ و ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻴﻞ‬allude to that fact that
people should glorify their Lord at night also. There are two prayers of the night: the ‘ishā’ and the
tahajjud prayer. Though the latter is not an obligatory prayer, however as a means to inculcate
patience occupies the most importance. This has been explained at various places in this exegesis,
and inshā’Allāh in the exegesis of Sūrah al-Muzzammil it will be explained even further.
The word ‫ ۡدﺑﺎر‬in ‫ﻟﺴﺠﻮد‬ ۡ & & ‫ و ۡدﺑﺎر‬is the plural of ‫دﺑﺮ‬ ٌ & & , which means “back.” Generally, people have
interpreted this to mean that after prostrations too, people should glorify God.47 However, I am
inclined to believe that the word ‫ﺳﺠﻮد‬ & & here is a verbal noun and it refers to the prostrations of the
sun; the prayers before the rising and setting of the sun are mentioned in the previous part of the
verse. In other words, just as there are timings for prayers before the rising and setting of the sun
similarly after the prostration of the sun there are times of glorifying the Almighty. Since the sun
has already been mentioned earlier, specifying it was not required again. The word ‫ ۡدﺑﺎر‬is enough
to specify that the purpose was to mention the prayer after the sun’s prostration and the prayers
before whose rising and setting are mentioned earlier. Had not the words ‫ﺤﻪ‬ & ۡ ‫ و ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻴﻞ ﻓﺴﺒ‬occurred
between the two expressions, there would have been no difficulty in understanding this. In this
case, the discourse would have been something to the effect: “Glorify God in the times before the
rising and setting of the sun and after its prostration.” In this interpretation, everyone is easily
inclined to think that the prostration here means the sun’s prostration. However, in case the
discourse had been such, then a very important aspect of wisdom in religion would have not have
become evident that has now become evident in this verse: the sequence of the prayers is
commensurate with their importance and greatness in religion. As a result, it was essential& that
the fajr prayer be mentioned the foremost, followed by ‘aṣr. Thus the words ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و‬ ۡ & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬ ۡ
ۡ & & ۡ
‫ ﻟﻐﺮوب‬mention both these prayers. I have already alluded to earlier that the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth
specially emphasize these prayers. After this, the words &‫ﻓﺴﺒﺤﻪ‬ ۡ ‫ و ﻣﻦ ۡﻟﻴﻞ‬refer to the ‘ishā’ and
tahajjud prayers which occupy the same importance in the night time prayers as is occupied by
the fajr and ‘aṣr prayers in the day time prayers. After this, the words ‫ﻟﺴﺠﻮد‬ ۡ & & ‫ و ۡدﺑﺎر‬refer to the ẓuhr
and maghrib prayers which refer to the times of the descent and prostrating of the sun.
While explaining verse 78 of Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl (‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ‬ ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺼﻠﻮة‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺪﻟﻮك‬ ٰ ‫) ﻗﻢ‬, I have explained the various
stages of the sun’s dulūk (descent).48 Here the word used is ‫ﺳﺠﻮد‬ & & and it too has many stages. When it
is used for the sun and other stars, then it refers to their setting and descent. Here in this verse too,
all these stages can be implied. In other words, when it descends from the vertical direction and
comes below the line of sight and then when it disappears from the horizon. The prayers of ẓuhr,
‘aṣr and maghrib occur in these times. The ‘aṣr prayer is mentioned here with special emphasis by
& & ْ ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
the words ‫ﻟﻐﺮوب‬ ْ with the underlying wisdom alluded to earlier. For this reason, only two prayers
remain: the ẓuhr prayer which occurs in the first phase of the sun’s prostration and the maghrib
prayer which occurs in its last phase. In other words, this verse refers to all the timings in which the
five prayers are offered. The Prophet (sws) has prescribed these very times for prayers.
This subject is mentioned in the Qur’ān in different styles, and at each place I have been
explaining it. It will only add to the bulk. For the satisfaction of the readers, I will cite only one
example from Sūrah Ṭāhā in which this subject is discussed very clearly:
ۡ ۡ ³ ٰ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ &
ۡ & ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬
ۡ ‫<وﺑﻬﺎ { و‬ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻮع‬
ۡ ‫ﻟﺸﻤﺲ و‬ && ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن و ﺳﺒﺢ‬P
ۡ ‫ﺑﺤﻤﺪ رﺑﻚ‬ & &
ۡ ۡ
ٰ AŒ‫ﻓﺎﺻ‬
(١٣٠:٢٠) . ‫< ف ﻟﻨﻬﺎر‬ý ‫ﻧﺂي ۡﻟﻴﻞ ﻓﺴﺒﺢ و‬ ۡ ‫ﻗﺒﻞ‬ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻣﺎ‬Ir‫ﻋ‬
Therefore bear with what they say. And give glory to your Lord while celebrating His praises
before sunrise and before sunset. And give glory to Him at night time and at the ends of the
day. (20:130)
ْ
The implications of ‫< ف ﻟﻨﻬﺎر‬ý have been explained in the exegesis of Sūrah Ṭāhā. Its details can
be looked up.49
ۡ ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ۡ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﺳﺘﻤﻊ ﻳ ۡﻮم &ﻳﻨﺎد ۡ &ﻟﻤﻨﺎد‬
50
﴾٤١ۙ ﴿ ‫<ﻳﺐ‬Û
ٍ ‫ﻣ¯ﺎن‬ ‫و‬
The word ‫ ﺳﺘﻤﺎع‬means “to attentively to something.” The verse says that if these people are
denying, then let them do so. The Prophet (sws) should disregard what they say; he should
48. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī#, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 773-774.

49. Ibid., vol. 4, 244-245.
50. And listen for the day when the caller will call from a place very near.
attentively lend his ears for the summoner who will summon from a place near. The summoner
refers to the angel who will & sound the trumpet which has been referred to earlier by the words:
(٢٠:٥٠) .‫ﻟﻮﻋﻴﺪ‬ ۡ ‫ﻟﺼﻮر ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﻮ &م‬ ۡ & IJ ‫( و ‹ﻔﺦ‬and the trumpet shall be sounded; that will be the day when Our
warnings shall materialize, (50:20)). The words ‫<ﻳﺐ‬Û ۡ ‫ﻣ¯ﺎن‬
ٍ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ۡ imply that today these negligent
ٍ
people regard all these happenings to be far off and far-fetched; however, on that day, the ears of
every person will hear this sound from a very nearby place. The style adopted here is very similar
to that of the following verse of Sūrah al-Dukhān:
ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺴﻤﺂء‬

& ۡ ۡ ۡ
ۡ ‫ﻘﺐ‬L‫ﻓﺎر‬
(١٠:٤٤) . •B‫ﻣﺒ‬
ٍ ‫ﺑﺪﺧﺎن‬
ٍ IØ‫ﻳﻮم ﺗﺎ‬
Wait for the day when the sky will pour down palpable smoke. (44:10)
The purpose firstly is to portray the certainty and horrific nature of the event and secondly to
the fact that its time is very near; the summoner may summon any time.
The verse addresses the Prophet (sws) and this has a great eloquence in it. It is evident from it
that if these thick-headed people are showing indifferent to this event, he should let them be and
he himself should be on the lookout for its arrival. This verse portrays the true picture of how a
sane person should show vigilance to the Hereafter. In verse 19 earlier, it has been stated that
every person should regard it to be hovering over him; it is appended to every person’s death and
no one knows when he will die. Foolish are those who regard it to be far off.
51 ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬

﴾٤٢﴿ ‫<وج‬Ò‫ﻟ‬ & ۡ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬
ۡ ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬
ۡ ‫ﻳﺴﻤﻌﻮن‬
‫ﻟﺼﻴﺤﺔ‬ ۡ
The word ‫ﻳﻮم‬ْ of this verse is the permutative of the ‫ﻳﻮم‬ ْ refers
ْ of the previous verse, and the ‫ﻟﺼﻴﺤﺔ‬
to the cry of the trumpet. The word ‫ ﺣﻖ‬refers to the Day of Judgement, as has been explained
above in verse 19. Calling it thus shows that it is certain and sure to come.
The verse in conjunction with the previous one says that people should vigilantly wait for the
sound of the trumpet whose shout these people shall hear on that day to herald its advent. That
day will be the day for them to come out of their graves.
& ۡ & ‫” و‬Ý‫ﻧ‬

& ۡ ۡ ‫ﻧﻤﻴﺖ و ۡﻟﻴﻨﺎ‬
﴾٤٣ۙ ﴿ AB‫ﻟﻤﺼ‬ ۡ& & ۡ
ٖ ‫ﻧﺎ ﻧﺤﻦ‬
52
Mentioned here is the argument of the coming out mentioned in the previous verse: it is God
Who creates and it He Who gives death, and this is something which no one can deny; so how
can it be difficult for God to re-create them? This argument has been explained in detail earlier.
& ۡ ۡ ‫ و ۡﻟﻴﻨﺎ‬bring forth another obvious argument of what is stated earlier: when it is
The words AB‫ﻟﻤﺼ‬
God Who gives life and when it is God Who gives death, then this not only necessitates that God
is fully capable of creating again but also that everyone will return to God. If anyone is in the
deception that if ever the Hereafter comes his alleged deities and intercessors will be of help to
him, he should do away with this notion. How can those who have no discretion over life and
have no authority over death assume power and authority in the Hereafter?
51. The Day when they will hear the clamour with what is certain to come. That will be the Day of
coming forth.
52. Indeed, it is We who give life and We who give death and to Us shall be the return.
53 ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ‬
﴾٤٤﴿ AB‫ﻳﺴ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫< ًﻋﺎ ) ٰذﻟﻚ‬¢ ‫ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬
ۡ <–‫ﺣ‬ &ۡ ۡ &
ۡ & ۡ ‫ﻵﻹرض‬ ۡ
‫ﻳﻮم ﺗﺸﻘﻖ‬
This is a portrayal of people emerging from the graves on that day. After the trumpet is
sounded, the earth shall tear asunder from above them and they will briskly come out of it. The
word ‫< ًﻋﺎ‬¢ is an accusative of state from the genitive pronoun in ‫ﻋﻨﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ . At other places in the
Qur’ān, this depiction is made by saying that just as locusts and moths quickly appear, these
people with similar quickness will come out of their graves.
ٌ ۡ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ‬
The words AB‫ﻳﺴ‬ ٌ ۡ ‫ ٰذﻟﻚ‬imply that no one should be misled by the fact that to recover people
ۡ <–‫ﺣ‬
from the earth God will have to make elaborate arrangements which He will not be able to or that
this would require a lot of time. All this will take place in the blink of an eye and will be fairly
easy for God.
54 & ‫ﻣﻦ‬
﴾٤٥﴿ ‫ﻳﺨﺎف وﻋ ۡﻴﺪ‬ ۡ & ۡ <—‫ﻓﺬ‬
ۡ ‫ ٰ ن‬RÉ‫ﺑﺎﻟ‬ ۡ h ‫ﺑﺠﺒﺎر‬
ٍ ۡ ۡ ‫ﻘﻮﻟﻮن و ﻣﺎ ۤ ۡﻧﺖ‬P
‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ ۡ & ۡ & ‫ﻋﻠﻢ ﺑﻤﺎ‬
& ۡ ‫ﻧﺤﻦ‬
& ۡ
In verse 39 earlier, it was said that the Prophet (sws) should be patient on what they say. Now
here it is said that what they say is in the knowledge of God. In other words, if He knows what
they say, the Prophet (sws) should not be sad and leave the matter to God. God will take care of
ۡ ۡ ‫ و ﻣﺎۤ ۡﻧﺖ‬imply that Prophet (sws) should also keep in mind that he has not
the situation and the Prophet (sws) should keep on doing his work with patience.
The words ‫ﺑﺠﺒﺎر‬
ٍ ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬
been deputed to make people believers so that if they do not profess faith he will be held
accountable for it. His responsibility is only to remind people, and this he should keep doing. If
they do not profess faith, then they themselves will bear the consequences.
The sūrah ends on the note it began with: ‫وﻋﻴﺪ‬ & ‫ﻣﻦ‬
ۡ ‫ﻳﺨﺎف‬ ۡ & ۡ <—‫ﻓﺬ‬
ۡ ‫ ٰ ن‬RÉ‫ﺑﺎﻟ‬ ۡ . It began with the mention of the
Qur’ān. At the end, a reminder is sounded again that the Prophet’s responsibility is only to remind
and the Qur’ān suffices as a reminder. He should remind through the Qur’ān all those who intend
to fear God’s warning. Those who do not want to show this fear and for the substantiation of the
prophethood of Muḥammad are demanding punishment from him should be consigned to their
fortunes. They shall soon see their fate.
ۡ ۡ ٰ &ۡ ۡ
With grace of God, I come to the end of this exegesis. •B‫ﻤﺪ ﷲ رب ٰﻟﻌﻠﻤ‬ ‫( و آ“< دﻋﻮ ﻧﺎ ن ﻟﺤ‬and our last
words are: “gratitude be to God alone.”)
Raḥmānābād
18th January 1977 AD
27th Muḥarram al-Ḥarām 1397 AH
_______________
53. On that Day, the earth shall be rent asunder from above them and they shall rush from it in haste.
Easy for us is this assembling together.
54. We are well aware about what they say and you are not one who can force himself on them. So,
remind with this Qur’ān those who fear My warning.

50 Surah Qaf

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50 Surah Qaf

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Tadabbur i Qur’ān

Sūrah Qāf (50)

A Brief Look at the Sūrahs of the Group

Analysis of the Discourse

Text and Translation

Section I: Verses (1-15)

ٌ ۡ ‫ﻃﻠﻊ‬ ٌۡ ٰ ۡ ۡ ۡ ‫ﺟﻨﺖوﺣﺐ‬ ٰ ً ٰ& ً

1. This is Sūrah Qāf. By the glorious Qur’ān!

This same topic is mentioned in Sūrah al-Takwīr in the following words:

ۡ ۡ &&ۡ & ٰ ۡ &ۡ ۡ&& ۡ & ۡ ۡ & ۡ ۡ ۡ& & ۡ u

ۡ are divulged, the whole discourse would be something to

ۡ ۡ ۤIJ ۡ& ۡ& ۡ ۡ& ۡ

ۡ ? ‫ و‬y¶ ‫ﻓﻴﻬﺎ رو‬ ٰۡ

ۡ ۡ ٰ ‫ﻌﺪ ٰذﻟﻚ‬X ٰ & ‫و ۡﻏﻄﺶ ۡﻟﻴﻠﻬﺎ و ۡ“<ج‬.‫ﻬﺎ‬ê‫ﻓﺴﻮ‬

ۡ ۡ ‫ و‬2 ‫رزﻗﺎ ۡﻟﻠﻌﺒﺎد‬

ٌ & ) ‫ﻗﻮم &ﺗﺒﻊ‬

why cannot God create more easily the second time?

Section II: (Verses 16-35)

ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﺳﻠﻄﻦ ﻵﻹ ۤ ۡن‬

ۡ ۡ ‫ﺑﻈﻶﻹم‬ ۤ & ۡ ۡ ‫ﻳﺒﺪل‬

In Sūrah Yūnus, it is said:

al-‘ilmiyyah, 1426 AH), 49.

ۡ ۡ &ۡ & ۡ ۡ&

& ۡ & ۡ&

34. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī#, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 606-607.

ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬

Section III: Verses (36-45)

39. Enter this Paradise in peace. This is the eternal day.

ۡ & & ‫ﻣﻦ‬

48. Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī#, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 773-774.

ۡ & & ‫ﻟﺴﻤﺂء‬

51 ۡ & & ۡ ‫ﻳﻮم‬

& ۡ & ‫” و‬Ý‫ﻧ‬

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