This section is Maulana Maududi’s introductory commentary (Name, Period of Revelation, Theme) from Tafhim al-Qur’an —
Name The surah takes its name from verse 35, where Ibrahim (Abraham) prays, “My Lord, make this city secure…” Maududi notes that, as with most surah names, this doesn’t mean the whole surah is a biography of Ibrahim — it’s just a label referencing that his mention appears in it.
Period of Revelation The style matches other late-Makkan surahs, and it appears close in time to Surah Ar-Ra’d. Maududi points particularly to verse 13, where the disbelievers tell their messengers: “Either return to our religion, or we will expel you from our land.” He reads this as a clear sign that persecution of Muslims in Makkah had reached its peak at this point, with the Quraysh moving — like earlier rejecting nations — toward expelling believers outright. Accordingly, the surah delivers the same warning given to those earlier nations (“We will surely destroy the wrongdoers”) and the same reassurance given to their believers (“We will settle you in the land after them”).
Central Theme and Purpose The surah is addressed to those refusing to accept the Prophet’s ﷺ message and using every increasingly hostile tactic to defeat his mission — it combines instruction with warning, though here the tone leans more toward rebuke, admonition, and reproach than gentle explanation. Maududi explains this shift: earlier surahs had already thoroughly laid out the reasoning and evidence, yet the Quraysh’s stubbornness, hostility, obstruction, and oppression kept intensifying rather than easing — so the tone here responds to that escalation.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
اللہ کے نام سے جو نہایت مہربان، رحم کرنے والا ہے۔
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
1. الٓر ۚ كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيد
ا۔ل۔ر، اے محمد ؐ ، یہ ایک کتاب ہے جس کو ہم نے تمہاری طرف نازل کیا ہے تا کہ تم لوگوں کو تاریکیوں سے نکال کر روشنی میں لاوٴ، ان کے ربّ کی توفیق سے، اُس خدا کے راستے1 پر جو زبردست اور اپنی ذات میں آپ محمُود2 ہے
Alif. Lam. Ra. A Book which We have revealed to you, that you may bring mankind out of darknesses into the light, by the permission of their Lord, to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.
2. اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ
اللہ، جس کے لیے ہے جو کچھ آسمانوں میں ہے اور جو کچھ زمین میں ہے۔ اور تباہی ہے کافروں کے لیے سخت عذاب سے۔
Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And woe to the disbelievers from a severe punishment —
3. الَّذِينَ يَسْتَحِبُّونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى الْآخِرَةِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ
وہ لوگ جو دنیا کی زندگی کو آخرت پر ترجیح دیتے ہیں اور اللہ کے راستے سے روکتے ہیں اور اُسے ٹیڑھا کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔ یہی لوگ دُور کی گمراہی میں ہیں۔
Those who prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter, and hinder from the path of Allah, seeking to make it crooked. Those are far astray.
4. وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ ۖ فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
اور ہم نے کوئی رسول نہیں بھیجا مگر اُس کی قوم کی زبان میں تاکہ وہ اُن کے لیے واضح کرے۔ پھر اللہ جسے چاہے گمراہ کرتا ہے اور جسے چاہے ہدایت دیتا ہے، اور وہ زبردست، حکمت والا ہے۔
And We did not send any messenger except in the language of his people, that he might make things clear to them. Then Allah lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, and He is the Almighty, the Wise.
5. وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا أَنْ أَخْرِجْ قَوْمَكَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَذَكِّرْهُم بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ
اور ہم نے موسیٰ کو اپنی نشانیوں کے ساتھ بھیجا کہ اپنی قوم کو تاریکیوں سے نکال کر روشنی کی طرف لا اور انہیں اللہ کے دنوں کی یاد دلا۔ بے شک اس میں نشانیاں ہیں ہر اُس شخص کے لیے جو بہت صبر کرنے والا، بہت شکر کرنے والا ہو۔
And We certainly sent Moses with Our signs, [saying], “Bring your people out of darknesses into the light and remind them of the days of Allah.” Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
6. وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ أَنجَاكُم مِّنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ وَيُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَاءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ
اور جب موسیٰ نے اپنی قوم سے کہا: اللہ کی اُس نعمت کو یاد کرو جو اُس نے تم پر کی، جب اُس نے تمہیں فرعون کے لوگوں سے نجات دی جو تمہیں بدترین عذاب دیتے تھے اور تمہارے بیٹوں کو ذبح کرتے اور تمہاری عورتوں کو زندہ رہنے دیتے تھے۔ اور اس میں تمہارے ربّ کی طرف سے بڑی آزمائش تھی۔
And [recall] when Moses said to his people, “Remember the favor of Allah upon you when He saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were afflicting you with the worst torment and slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.”
7. وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
اور جب تمہارے ربّ نے اعلان کیا: اگر تم شکر کرو گے تو میں تمہیں ضرور زیادہ دوں گا، اور اگر تم ناشکری کرو گے تو بے شک میرا عذاب سخت ہے۔
And [recall] when your Lord proclaimed, “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed My punishment is severe.”
8. وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ إِن تَكْفُرُوا أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ
اور موسیٰ نے کہا: اگر تم اور جو کوئی زمین میں ہے سب کے سب ناشکری کرو تو بے شک اللہ بے نیاز، لائقِ حمد ہے۔
And Moses said, “If you should disbelieve, you and whoever is on the earth entirely — indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.”
9. أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ ۛ وَالَّذِينَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ ۛ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۚ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرَدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُوا إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
کیا تمہارے پاس اُن لوگوں کی خبر نہیں پہنچی جو تم سے پہلے تھے: قومِ نوح، عاد اور ثمود، اور جو اُن کے بعد آئے، جنہیں اللہ کے سوا کوئی نہیں جانتا؟ اُن کے پاس اُن کے رسول کھلی نشانیاں لے کر آئے تو اُنہوں نے اپنے ہاتھ اپنے مونہوں میں دبا لیے اور کہا: ہم اُس کا انکار کرتے ہیں جس کے ساتھ تم بھیجے گئے ہو، اور بے شک ہم اُس چیز کے بارے میں شدید شک میں ہیں جس کی طرف تم ہمیں بلاتے ہو۔
Has there not reached you the news of those before you — the people of Noah, and Aad, and Thamud, and those after them, [numerous, that] no one knows but Allah? Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with, and we are indeed in disquieting doubt about that to which you invite us.”
10. قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ قَالُوا إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ
اُن کے رسولوں نے کہا: کیا اللہ کے بارے میں شک ہے جو آسمانوں اور زمین کا پیدا کرنے والا ہے؟ وہ تمہیں بلاتا ہے تاکہ تمہارے گناہ بخش دے اور تمہیں ایک مقررہ مدت تک مہلت دے۔ اُنہوں نے کہا: تم تو ہمارے ہی جیسے انسان ہو، تم چاہتے ہو کہ ہمیں اُس سے روک دو جس کی ہمارے باپ دادا عبادت کرتے تھے، پس ہمارے پاس کوئی واضح دلیل لاؤ۔
Their messengers said, “Can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth? He invites you that He may forgive you of your sins, and He delays your death for a specified term.” They said, “You are but men like us who wish to avert us from what our fathers used to worship. So bring us a clear authority.”
11. قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِن نَّحْنُ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
اُن کے رسولوں نے اُن سے کہا: ہم تو بس تمہارے ہی جیسے انسان ہیں، لیکن اللہ اپنے بندوں میں سے جس پر چاہتا ہے احسان کرتا ہے۔ اور ہمارے اختیار میں نہیں کہ تمہارے پاس اللہ کے اذن کے بغیر کوئی دلیل لے آئیں۔ اور مومنوں کو اللہ ہی پر بھروسہ کرنا چاہیے۔
Their messengers said to them, “We are only men like you, but Allah bestows favor upon whom He wills of His servants. It is not for us to bring you an authority except by permission of Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely.”
12. وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانَا سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَىٰ مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
اور ہمیں کیا ہوا کہ ہم اللہ پر بھروسہ نہ کریں جبکہ اُس نے ہمیں ہمارے راستے دکھائے ہیں؟ اور ہم ضرور صبر کریں گے اس اذیت پر جو تم ہمیں دیتے ہو۔ اور بھروسہ کرنے والوں کو اللہ ہی پر بھروسہ کرنا چاہیے۔
“And why should we not rely upon Allah while He has guided us to our ways? And we will surely be patient against whatever harm you cause us. And upon Allah let those who rely [continue to] rely.”
13. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا ۖ فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ
اور کافروں نے اپنے رسولوں سے کہا: ہم تمہیں ضرور اپنی زمین سے نکال دیں گے، یا تمہیں ضرور ہمارے دین میں لوٹ آنا ہوگا۔ تو اُن کے ربّ نے اُن کی طرف وحی بھیجی: ہم ضرور ظالموں کو ہلاک کریں گے۔
And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “We will surely expel you from our land, or you must return to our religion.” So their Lord inspired to them, “We will surely destroy the wrongdoers.
14. وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ
اور ہم ضرور تمہیں اُن کے بعد اُس زمین میں بسائیں گے۔ یہ اُس کے لیے ہے جو میرے سامنے کھڑے ہونے سے ڈرے اور میری وعید سے ڈرے۔
And We will surely cause you to dwell in the land after them. That is for whoever fears standing before Me and fears My threat.”
15. وَاسْتَفْتَحُوا وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ
اور اُنہوں نے فیصلہ چاہا اور ہر سرکش، ضدی ناکام ہوگیا۔
And they sought victory, and disappointed, [therefore], was every obstinate tyrant.
16. مِّن وَرَائِهِ جَهَنَّمُ وَيُسْقَىٰ مِن مَّاءٍ صَدِيدٍ
اُس کے آگے جہنم ہے اور اُسے پیپ ملے پانی سے پلایا جائے گا۔
Before him is Hell, and he is given a drink of purulent water.
17. يَتَجَرَّعُهُ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُسِيغُهُ وَيَأْتِيهِ الْمَوْتُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمَيِّتٍ ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِ عَذَابٌ غَلِيظٌ
وہ اُسے گھونٹ گھونٹ پیئے گا اور بمشکل ہی حلق سے اُتار سکے گا، اور موت اُسے ہر طرف سے آئے گی مگر وہ مرے گا نہیں، اور اُس کے آگے ایک سخت عذاب ہے۔
He will gulp it but hardly [be able to] swallow it. And death will come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die. And before him is a massive punishment.
18. مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الضَّلَالُ الْبَعِيدُ
اُن لوگوں کی مثال جنہوں نے اپنے ربّ کا انکار کیا: اُن کے اعمال اُس راکھ کی مانند ہیں جسے تیز آندھی والے دن ہوا نے شدت سے اُڑا دیا ہو۔ وہ اپنے کیے میں سے کسی چیز پر قدرت نہ رکھیں گے۔ یہی دُور کی گمراہی ہے۔
The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord is [that] their deeds are like ashes which the wind blows forcefully on a stormy day; they are unable [to keep] from what they earned a [single] thing. That is what is extreme error.
19. أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
کیا تو نے نہیں دیکھا کہ اللہ نے آسمانوں اور زمین کو حق کے ساتھ پیدا کیا؟ اگر وہ چاہے تو تمہیں لے جائے اور ایک نئی مخلوق لے آئے۔
Have you not seen that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation.
20. وَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ
اور یہ اللہ پر کچھ بھی مشکل نہیں ہے۔
And that is not difficult for Allah.
21. وَبَرَزُوا لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا فَقَالَ الضُّعَفَاءُ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ قَالُوا لَوْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ لَهَدَيْنَاكُمْ ۖ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَجَزِعْنَا أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍ
اور وہ سب اللہ کے سامنے ظاہر ہوں گے، تو کمزور لوگ اُن سے کہیں گے جو بڑے بنے تھے: ہم تو تمہارے پیروکار تھے، تو کیا تم ہم سے اللہ کے عذاب میں سے کچھ بھی دور کر سکتے ہو؟ وہ کہیں گے: اگر اللہ ہمیں ہدایت دیتا تو ہم تمہیں بھی ہدایت دے دیتے۔ ہمارے لیے برابر ہے، چاہے ہم بے صبری کریں یا صبر کریں، ہمارے لیے کوئی جائے پناہ نہیں۔
And they will come out [for judgement] before Allah all together, and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, “Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah?” They will say, “If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape.”
22. وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي ۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنفُسَكُم ۖ مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ ۖ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
اور جب فیصلہ ہو چکے گا تو شیطان کہے گا: بے شک اللہ نے تم سے سچا وعدہ کیا اور میں نے تم سے وعدہ کیا تو میں نے وعدہ خلافی کی۔ اور مجھے تم پر کوئی اختیار نہ تھا سوائے اس کے کہ میں نے تمہیں بلایا تو تم نے میری بات مان لی۔ پس مجھے ملامت نہ کرو بلکہ اپنے آپ کو ملامت کرو۔ نہ میں تمہاری فریاد کو پہنچ سکتا ہوں اور نہ تم میری فریاد کو پہنچ سکتے ہو۔ بے شک میں اس بات کا انکار کرتا ہوں کہ تم نے مجھے پہلے شریک ٹھہرایا۔ بے شک ظالموں کے لیے دردناک عذاب ہے۔
And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, “Indeed, Allah had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allah] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment.”
23. وَأُدْخِلَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَامٌ
اور جو ایمان لائے اور نیک عمل کیے وہ ایسے باغوں میں داخل کیے جائیں گے جن کے نیچے نہریں بہتی ہیں، اُن میں ہمیشہ رہیں گے اپنے ربّ کے اذن سے، اُن کی وہاں دعائے خیر “سلام” ہوگی۔
And those who believed and did righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein by permission of their Lord; and their greeting therein will be, “Peace!”
24. أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ
کیا تو نے نہیں دیکھا کہ اللہ نے کیسی مثال بیان کی: پاکیزہ بات ایک اچھے درخت کی مانند ہے جس کی جڑ مضبوط ہے اور اُس کی شاخ آسمان میں ہے۔
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
25. تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
وہ ہر وقت اپنے ربّ کے اذن سے اپنا پھل دیتا ہے۔ اور اللہ لوگوں کے لیے مثالیں بیان کرتا ہے تاکہ وہ نصیحت حاصل کریں۔
It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded.
26. وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ
اور ناپاک بات کی مثال ایک بُرے درخت کی مانند ہے جو زمین کی سطح سے اُکھاڑ دیا گیا ہو، اُس کے لیے کوئی قرار نہیں۔
And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability.
27. يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ ۚ وَيَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ
اللہ اُن لوگوں کو جو ایمان لائے مضبوط بات کے ساتھ ثابت قدم رکھتا ہے دنیا کی زندگی میں اور آخرت میں۔ اور اللہ ظالموں کو گمراہ کرتا ہے۔ اور اللہ جو چاہتا ہے کرتا ہے۔
Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.
28. أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ
کیا تو نے اُن لوگوں کو نہیں دیکھا جنہوں نے اللہ کی نعمت کو ناشکری سے بدل دیا اور اپنی قوم کو ہلاکت کے گھر میں اتار دیا؟
Have you not considered those who exchanged the favor of Allah for disbelief and settled their people [in] the home of ruin?
29. جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ
یعنی جہنم، جس میں وہ داخل ہوں گے، اور وہ بدترین ٹھکانا ہے۔
[It is] Hell, which they will [enter to] burn, and wretched is the settlement.
30. وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۗ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُوا فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ
اور اُنہوں نے اللہ کے لیے ہمسر ٹھہرائے تاکہ اُس کے راستے سے گمراہ کریں۔ کہہ دو: فائدہ اُٹھا لو، بے شک تمہارا انجام آگ کی طرف ہے۔
And they had attributed to Allah equals to mislead [people] from His way. Say, “Enjoy yourselves, for indeed, your destination is the Fire.”
31. قُل لِّعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لَّا بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَالٌ
میرے اُن بندوں سے کہہ دو جو ایمان لائے کہ وہ نماز قائم کریں اور جو کچھ ہم نے اُنہیں دیا ہے اُس میں سے پوشیدہ اور ظاہر خرچ کریں، اُس دن کے آنے سے پہلے جس میں نہ خرید و فروخت ہوگی اور نہ دوستی۔
Tell My servants who have believed to establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, before a Day comes in which there will be no exchange, nor any friendships.
32. اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ لِتَجْرِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَمْرِهِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الْأَنْهَارَ
اللہ وہی ہے جس نے آسمانوں اور زمین کو پیدا کیا اور آسمان سے پانی اُتارا، پھر اُس کے ذریعے تمہارے لیے رزق کے طور پر پھل نکالے۔ اور تمہارے لیے کشتی کو مسخر کیا تاکہ وہ اُس کے حکم سے سمندر میں چلے، اور تمہارے لیے دریاؤں کو مسخر کیا۔
It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers.
33. وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ
اور تمہارے لیے سورج اور چاند کو مسخر کیا جو لگاتار چلتے ہیں، اور تمہارے لیے رات اور دن کو مسخر کیا۔
And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day.
34. وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ
اور اُس نے تمہیں ہر وہ چیز دی جو تم نے مانگی۔ اور اگر تم اللہ کی نعمتیں گنو تو اُنہیں شمار نہیں کر سکو گے۔ بے شک انسان بڑا ظالم، بڑا ناشکرا ہے۔
And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful.
35. وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ
اور جب ابراہیم نے کہا: اے میرے ربّ، اِس شہر کو امن والا بنا دے، اور مجھے اور میرے بیٹوں کو بتوں کی پرستش سے بچا۔
And [mention] when Abraham said, “My Lord, make this city [Makkah] secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.
36. رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ ۖ فَمَن تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
اے میرے ربّ، اِن بتوں نے بہت سے لوگوں کو گمراہ کیا ہے۔ پس جو میری پیروی کرے وہ مجھ سے ہے، اور جو میری نافرمانی کرے تو بے شک تُو بخشنے والا، رحم کرنے والا ہے۔
My Lord, indeed they have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me — then he is of me; and whoever disobeys me — indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.
37. رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
اے ہمارے ربّ، بے شک میں نے اپنی اولاد میں سے کچھ کو ایک بے آب و گیاہ وادی میں تیرے حرمت والے گھر کے پاس بسایا ہے، اے ہمارے ربّ، تاکہ وہ نماز قائم کریں۔ پس تُو لوگوں کے دلوں کو اُن کی طرف مائل کر دے اور اُنہیں پھلوں سے رزق دے تاکہ وہ شکر کریں۔
Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.
38. رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ
اے ہمارے ربّ، بے شک تُو جانتا ہے جو ہم چھپاتے ہیں اور جو ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔ اور اللہ پر کوئی چیز پوشیدہ نہیں، نہ زمین میں اور نہ آسمان میں۔
Our Lord, indeed You know what we conceal and what we declare, and nothing is hidden from Allah on the earth or in the heaven.
39. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ
تمام تعریفیں اللہ کے لیے ہیں جس نے مجھے بڑھاپے میں اسماعیل اور اسحاق عطا کیے۔ بے شک میرا ربّ دعا سننے والا ہے۔
Praise to Allah, who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication.
40. رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ
اے میرے ربّ، مجھے نماز قائم کرنے والا بنا اور میری اولاد میں سے بھی۔ اے ہمارے ربّ، اور میری دعا قبول فرما۔
My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication.
41. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
اے ہمارے ربّ، مجھے اور میرے والدین کو اور مومنوں کو اُس دن بخش دے جس دن حساب قائم ہوگا۔
Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”
42. وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الْأَبْصَارُ
اور ہرگز یہ گمان نہ کر کہ اللہ اُن کاموں سے غافل ہے جو ظالم کرتے ہیں۔ وہ تو اُنہیں بس اُس دن کے لیے مہلت دیتا ہے جس میں آنکھیں پھٹی رہ جائیں گی۔
And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].
43. مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ لَا يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ ۖ وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاءٌ
اپنے سر اُٹھائے دوڑتے ہوئے، اُن کی نظر اُن کی طرف نہیں لوٹے گی، اور اُن کے دل خالی ہوں گے۔
Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void.
44. وَأَنذِرِ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ الْعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رَبَّنَا أَخِّرْنَا إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ نُّجِبْ دَعْوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعِ الرُّسُلَ ۗ أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُوا أَقْسَمْتُم مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٍ
اور لوگوں کو اُس دن سے ڈرا جس دن اُن پر عذاب آئے گا، تو ظالم کہیں گے: اے ہمارے ربّ، ہمیں تھوڑی مدت کی مہلت دے دے، ہم تیری دعوت قبول کریں گے اور رسولوں کی پیروی کریں گے۔ کیا تم نے پہلے قسمیں نہیں کھائی تھیں کہ تمہیں کبھی زوال نہیں آئے گا؟
And warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, “Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers.” [It will be said], “Had you not sworn, before, that you would never cease [to exist]?
45. وَسَكَنتُمْ فِي مَسَاكِنِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمْ كَيْفَ فَعَلْنَا بِهِمْ وَضَرَبْنَا لَكُمُ الْأَمْثَالَ
اور تم اُن لوگوں کے گھروں میں رہے جنہوں نے اپنے اوپر ظلم کیا تھا، اور تم پر واضح ہو چکا تھا کہ ہم نے اُن کے ساتھ کیا کیا، اور ہم نے تمہارے لیے مثالیں بیان کی تھیں۔
And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how We dealt with them. And We presented for you [many] examples.”
46. وَقَدْ مَكَرُوا مَكْرَهُمْ وَعِندَ اللَّهِ مَكْرُهُمْ وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
اور اُنہوں نے اپنی چال چلی، اور اللہ کے پاس اُن کی چال [کا توڑ] ہے، اگرچہ اُن کی چال ایسی تھی کہ اُس سے پہاڑ ٹل جائیں۔
And they had planned their plan, but with Allah is [recorded] their plan, even if their plan had been [sufficient] to remove the mountains.
47. فَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْلِفَ وَعْدِهِ رُسُلَهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ
پس ہرگز یہ گمان نہ کر کہ اللہ اپنے رسولوں سے کیے ہوئے وعدے کے خلاف کرے گا۔ بے شک اللہ زبردست، انتقام لینے والا ہے۔
So never think that Allah will fail in His promise to His messengers. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.
48. يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الْأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ ۖ وَبَرَزُوا لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ
اُس دن زمین دوسری زمین سے اور آسمان [دوسرے آسمانوں] سے بدل دیے جائیں گے، اور وہ سب اللہ واحد، غالب کے سامنے ظاہر ہوں گے۔
[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and they will come out before Allah, the One, the Prevailing.
49. وَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ
اور تُو اُس دن مجرموں کو دیکھے گا زنجیروں میں جکڑے ہوئے۔
And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in shackles,
50. سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَىٰ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ
اُن کے لباس تارکول کے ہوں گے اور آگ اُن کے چہروں کو ڈھانپ لے گی۔
Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered by the Fire
51. لِيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ كُلَّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
تاکہ اللہ ہر شخص کو اُس کے کیے کا بدلہ دے۔ بے شک اللہ جلد حساب لینے والا ہے۔
So that Allah will recompense every soul for what it earned. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
52. هَـٰذَا بَلَاغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُوا بِهِ وَلِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
یہ لوگوں کے لیے ایک پیغام ہے، اور تاکہ اُنہیں اِس سے ڈرایا جائے، اور تاکہ وہ جان لیں کہ وہ بس ایک ہی معبود ہے، اور تاکہ عقل والے نصیحت حاصل کریں۔
This [Qur’an] is notification for the people that they may be warned thereby and that they may know that He is but one God and that those of understanding will be reminded.
اللہ کے نام سے جو رحمان و رحیم ہے۔
ا۔ل۔ر، اے محمد ؐ ، یہ ایک کتاب ہے جس کو ہم نے تمہاری طرف نازل کیا ہے تا کہ تم لوگوں کو تاریکیوں سے نکال کر روشنی میں لاوٴ، ان کے ربّ کی توفیق سے، اُس خدا کے راستے1 پر جو زبردست اور اپنی ذات میں آپ محمُود2 ہے اور مین اور آسمانوں کی ساری موجودات کا مالک ہے۔ اور سخت تباہ کُن سزا ہے قبولِ حق سے انکار کرنے والوں کے لیے جو دُنیا کی زندگی کو آخرت پر ترجیح دیتے ہیں،3 جو اللہ کے راستے سے لوگوں کو روک رہے ہیں اور چاہتے ہیں کہ یہ راستہ ﴿ان کی خواہشات کے مطابق﴾ ٹیڑھا ہو جائے۔4 یہ لوگ گمراہی میں بہت دُور نکل گئے ہیں۔ ہم نے اپنا پیغام دینے کےلیے جب کبھی کوئی رسوُل بھیجا ہے، اُس نے اپنی قوم ہی کی زبان میں پیغام دیا ہے تاکہ وہ اُنہیں اچھی طرح کھول کر بات سمجھائے۔5 پھر اللہ جسے چاہتا ہے بھٹکا دیتا ہے اور جسے چاہتا ہے ہدایت بخشتا ہے،6 وہ بالادست اور حکیم ہے۔ 7 ہم اِس سے پہلے موسیٰ ؑ کو بھی اپنی نشانیوں کے ساتھ بھیج چکے ہیں۔ اُسے بھی ہم نے حکم دیا تھا کہ اپنی قوم کو تاریکیوں سے نکال کر روشنی میں لا اور انہیں تاریخِ الٰہی8 کے سبق آموز واقعات سُنا کر نصیحت کر۔ اِن واقعات میں بڑی نشانیاں ہیں9 ہر اُس شخص کے لیے جو صبر اور شکر کرنے والا ہو۔10 یاد کرو جب موسیٰ ؑ نے اپنی قوم سے کہا”اللہ کے اُس احسان کو یاد رکھو جو اُس نے تم پر کیا ہے۔ اُس نے تم کو فرعون والوں سے چھُڑایا جو تم کو سخت تکلیفیں دیتے تھے، تمہارے لڑکوں کو قتل کر ڈالتے تھے اور تمہاری عورتوں کو زندہ بچا رکھتے تھے۔ اس میں تمہارے ربّ کی طرف سے تمہاری بڑی آزمائش تھی۔ ؏ ١
اور یاد رکھو، تمہارے ربّ نے خبردار کر دیا تھا کہ اگر شکر گزار بنو گے 11تو میں تم کو اور زیادہ نوازوں گا اور اگر کُفرانِ نعمت کرو گے تو میری سزا بہت سخت ہے۔12“ اور موسیٰؑ ” اگر تم کُفر کرو اور زمین کے سارے رہنے والے بھی کافر ہو جائیں تو اللہ بے نیاز اور اپنی ذات میں آپ محمود ہے۔13“ کیا تمہیں14 اُن قوموں کے حالات نہیں پہنچے جو تم سے پہلے گزر چکی ہیں؟ قومِ نوح ؑ ، عاد، ثمود اور ان کے بعد آنے والی بہت سی قومیں جن کا شمار اللہ ہی کو معلوم ہے؟ اُن کے رسول جب اُن کے پاس صاف صاف باتیں اور کھُلی کھُلی نشانیاں لیے ہوئے آئے تو انہوں نے اپنے منہ میں ہاتھ دبا لیے15 اور کہا کہ”جس پیغام کے ساتھ تم بھیجے گئے ہو ہم اُس کو نہیں مانتے اور جس چیز کی تم ہمیں دعوت دیتے ہو اُس کی طرف سے ہم سخت خلجان آمیز شک میں پڑے ہوئے ہیں۔16“ اُن کے رسوُلوں نے کہا”کیا خُدا کے بارے میں شک ہے جو آسمانوں اور زمین کا خالق ہے؟17 وہ تمہیں بُلا رہا ہے تا کہ تمہارے قصور معاف کرے اور تم کو ایک مدُتِ مقرر تک مہلت دے۔ “18 انہوں نے جواب دیا ”تم کچھ نہیں ہو مگر ویسے ہی انسان جیسے ہم ہیں۔19 تم ہمیں اُن ہستیوں کی بندگی سے روکنا چاہتے ہو جن کی بندگی باپ دادا سے ہوتی چلی آرہی ہے۔ اچھا تو لاوٴ کوئی صریح سَنَد۔“20ان کے رسولوں نے ان سے کہا”واقعی ہم کچھ نہیں ہیں مگر تم ہی جیسے انسان لیکن اللہ اپنے بندوں میں سے جس کو چاہتا ہے نوازتا ہے۔21 اور یہ ہمارے اختیار میں نہیں ہےکہ تمہیں کوئی سَنَد لا دیں۔ سَنَد تو اللہ ہی کے اِذن سے آسکتی ہے اور اللہ ہی پر اہلِ ایمان کو بھروسہ کرنا چاہیے۔ اور ہم کیوں نہ اللہ پر بھروسہ کریں جب کہ ہماری زندگی کی راہوں میں اُس نے ہماری رہنمائی کی ہے؟ جو اذیّتیں تم لوگو ہمیں دے رہے ہو اُن پر ہم صبر کریں گے اور بھروسہ کرنے والوں کا بھروسہ اللہ ہی پر ہونا چاہیے۔“ ؏ ۲
آخرِ کار منکرین نے اپنے رسُولوں سے کہہ دیا کہ ”یا تو تمہیں ہماری ملّت میں واپس آنا ہوگا22 ورنہ ہم تمہیں اپنے ملک سے نکال دیں گے۔“ تب اُن کے ربّ نے اُن پر وحی بھیجی کہ ”ہم اِن ظالموں کو ہلاک کر دیں گے اور ان کے بعد تمہیں زمین میں آباد کریں گے۔23 یہ انعام ہے اس کا جو میرے حضُور جواب دہی کا خوف رکھتا ہو اور میری وعید سے ڈرتا ہو۔“ اُنہوں نے فیصلہ چاہا تھا ﴿تو یُوں اُن کا فیصلہ ہوا﴾ اور ہر جبّاردشمن ِ حق نے منہ کی کھائی۔24 پھر اُس کے بعد آگے اُس کے لیے جہنّم ہے۔ وہاں اُسے کچ لہو کا سا پانی پینے کو دیا جائے گا جسے وہ زبردستی حلق سے اُتارنے کی کوشش کرے گا اور مشکل ہی سے اُتار سکے گا ۔ موت ہر طرف سے اُس پر چھائی رہے گے مگر وہ مرنے نہ پائے گا اور آگے ایک سخت عذاب اُس کی جان کو لاگُو رہے گا۔ جن لوگوں نے اپنے ربّ سے کُفر کیا ہے اُن کے اعمال کی مثال اُس راکھ کی سی ہے جسے ایک طوفانی دن کی آندھی نے اُڑا دیا ہو ۔ وہ اپنے کیے کا کچھ بھی پھل نہ پا سکیں گے۔25 یہی پرلے درجے کی گُم گشتگی ہے۔ کیا تم دیکھتے نہیں ہو کہ اللہ نے آسمان و زمین کی تخلیق کو حق پر قائم کیا ہے؟26 وہ چاہے تو تم لوگوں کو لے جائے اور ایک نئی خلقت تمہاری جگہ لے آئے۔ ایسا کرنا اُس پر کچھ بھی دُشوار نہیں ہے۔27 اور یہ لوگ جب اکٹھے اللہ کے سامنےبے نقاب ہوں گے28 تو اُس وقت ان میں جو دُنیا میں کمزور تھے وہ اُن لوگوں سے جو بڑے بنے ہوئے تھے ، کہیں گے”دُنیا میں ہم تمہارے تابع تھے، اب کیا تم اللہ کے عذاب سے ہم کو بچانے کے لیے بھی کچھ کر سکتے ہو؟“ وہ جواب دیں گے”اگر اللہ نے ہمیں نجات کی کوئی راہ دکھائی ہوتی تو ہم ضرور تمہیں بھی دکھا دیتے۔ اب تو یکساں ہے خواہ ہم جزَع فزَع کریں یا صبر، بہر حال ہمارے بچنے کی کوئی صورت نہیں ۔29“ ؏ ۳
اور جب فیصلہ چُکا دیا جائے گا تو شیطان کہے گا ”حقیقت یہ ہے کہ اللہ نے جو وعدے تم سے کیے تھے وہ سب سچے تھے اور میں نے جتنے وعدے کیے اُن میں سے کوئی بھی پُورا نہ کیا ،30 میرا تم پر کوئی زور تو تھا نہیں، میں نے اس کے سوا کچھ نہیں کیا کہ اپنے راستے کی طرف تمہیں دعوت دی اور تم نے میری دعوت پر لبّیک کہا۔ 31اب مجھے ملامت نہ کرو، اپنے آپ ہی کو ملامت کرو۔ یہاں نہ میں تمہاری فریاد رسی کر سکتا ہوں اور نہ تم میری۔اس سے پہلے جو تم نے مجھے خدائی میں شریک بنا رکھا تھا32 میں اُس سے بری الذّمہ ہوں، ایسے ظالموں کے لیے تو دردناک سزا یقینی ہے۔“ بخلاف اس کے جو لوگ دُنیا میں ایمان لائے ہیں اور جنہوں نے نیک عمل کیے ہیں وہ ایسے باغوں میں داخل کیے جائیں گے جن کے نیچے نہریں بہتی ہوں گی۔ وہاں وہ اپنے ربّ کے اِذن سے ہمیشہ رہیں گے، اور وہاں اُن کا استقبال سلامتی کی مبارکباد سے ہوگا۔33 کیا تم دیکھتے نہیں ہو کہ اللہ نے کلمہٴ طیّبہ34 کو کس چیز سے مثال دی ہے؟ اِس کی مثال ایسی ہے جیسے ایک اچھی ذات کا درخت جس کی جڑ زمین میں گہری جمّی ہوئی ہے اور شاخیں آسمان تک پہنچی ہوئی ہیں35، ہر آن وہ اپنے ربّ کے حکم سے اپنے پھل دے رہا ہے۔36 یہ مثالیں اللہ اِس لیے دیتا ہے کہ لوگ اِن سے سبق لیں۔ اور کلمہ خبیثہ37 کی مثال ایک بد ذات درخت کی سی ہے جو زمین کی سطح سے اُکھاڑ پھینکا جاتا ہے، اُس کے لیے کوئی استحکام نہیں ہے۔38 ایمان لانے والوں کو اللہ ایک قولِ ثابت کی بنیاد پر دُنیا اور آخرت دونوں میں ثبات عطا کرتا ہے،39 اور ظالموں کو اللہ بھٹکا دیتا ہے۔40 اللہ کو اختیار ہے جو چاہے کرے۔ ؏ ۴
تم نے دیکھا اُن لوگوں کو جنہوں نے اللہ کی نعمت پائی اور اُسے کُفرانِ نعمت سے بدل ڈالا اور ﴿اپنے ساتھ ﴾ اپنی قوم کو بھی ہلاکت کے گھر میں جھونک دیا۔۔۔۔یعنی جہنّم ، جس میں وہ جھُلسے جائیں گے اور وہ بدترین جائے قرار ہے ۔۔۔۔اور اللہ کے کچھ ہمسر تجویز کر لیے تا کہ وہ اُنہیں اللہ کے راستے سے بھٹکا دیں۔ اِ ن سے کہو ، اچھا مزے کر لو، آخر کا ر تمہیں پلٹ کر جانا دوزخ ہی میں ہے۔ اے نبی ؐ ، میرے جو بندے ایمان لائے ہیں اُن سے کہہ دو کہ نماز قائم کریں اور جو کچھ ہم نے انہیں دیا ہے اُس میں سے کھُلے اور چھُپے﴿راہِ خیرمیں﴾ خرچ کریں41 قبل اِس کے کہ وہ دن آئے جس میں نہ خرید و فروخت ہو گی اور نہ دوست نوازی ہو سکے گی۔42 اللہ وہی تو ہے43 جس نے زمین اور آسمانوں کو پیدا کیا اور آسمان سے پانی برسایا، پھر اُس کے ذریعہ سے تمہاری رزق رسانی کے لیے طرح طرح کے پھل پیدا کیے۔ جس نے کشتی کو تمہارے لیے مسخّر کیا کہ سمندر میں اُس کے حکم سے چلے اور دریاوٴں کو تمہارے لیے مسخّر کیا، جس نے سُورج اور چاند کو تمہارے لیے مسخّر کیا کہ لگاتار چلے جا رہے ہیں اور رات اور دن کو تمہارے لیے مسخّر کیا۔ 44جس نے وہ سب کچھ تمہیں دیا جو تم نے مانگا۔45 اگر تم اللہ کی نعمتوں کا شمار کرنا چاہو تو کر نہیں سکتے۔ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ انسان بڑا ہی بے انصاف اور ناشکرا ہے۔ ؏ ۵
یاد کرو وہ وقت جب ابراہیم ؑ نے دُعا کی تھی 46کہ”پروردگار، اِس شہر47 کو امن کا شہر بنا اور مجھے اور میری اولاد کو بُت پرستی سے بچا۔ پروردگار ، اِن بُتوں نے بہتوں کو گُمراہی میں ڈالا ہے48﴿ ممکن ہے کہ میری اولاد کو بھی یہ گُمراہ کر دیں، لہٰذا اُن میں سے ﴾ جو میرے طریقے پر چلے وہ میرا ہے اور جو میرے خلاف طریقہ اختیار کرے تو یقیناً تُو درگزر کرنے والا مہربان ہے۔49 پروردگار، میں نے ایک بے آب و گیاہ وادی میں اپنی اولاد کے ایک حصے کو تیرے محترم گھر کے پاس لا بسایا ہے۔ پروردگار، یہ میں نے اِس لیے کیا ہےکہ لوگ یہاں نماز قائم کریں، لہٰذا تُو لوگوں کے دِلوں کو اِن کا مشتاق بنااور انہیں کھانے کو پھل دے 50، شاید کہ یہ شکر گزار بنیں۔ پروردگار، تُو جانتا ہے جو کچھ ہم چھُپاتے ہیں اور جو کچھ ہم ظاہر کرتے ہیں“51۔۔۔۔ اور52 واقعی اللہ سے کچھ بھی چھُپا ہوا نہیں ہے، نہ زمین میں نہ آسمانوں میں۔۔۔۔” شکر ہے اُس خدا کا جس نے مجھے اِس بڑھاپے میں اسماعیل اور اسحاق جیسے بیٹے دیے، حقیقت یہ کہ میرا ربّ ضرور دُعا سُنتا ہے۔ اے میرے پروردگار، مجھے نماز قائم کرنے والا بنا اور میری اولاد سے بھی﴿ایسے لوگ اُٹھا جو یہ کام کریں﴾۔ پروردگار، میری دُعا قبول کر۔ پروردگار ، مجھے اور میرے والدین کو اور سب ایمان لانے والوں کو اُس دن معاف کر دیجیو جب کہ حساب قائم ہوگا۔“ 53؏ ٦
اب یہ ظالم لوگ جو کچھ کر رہے ہیں ، اللہ کو تم اُس سے غافل نہ سمجھو۔ اللہ تو انہیں ٹال رہا ہے اُس دن کےلیے جب حال یہ ہو گا کہ آنکھیں پھٹی کی پھٹی رہ گئی ہیں، سر اُٹھائے بھاگے چلے جارہے ہیں، نظریں اُوپر جمی ہیں54 اور دل اُڑے جاتے ہیں۔ اے محمد ؐ ، اُس دن سے تم انہیں ڈراوٴ جب کہ عذاب انہیں آلے گے۔ اُس وقت یہ ظالم کہیں گے کہ ”اے ہمارے ربّ، ہمیں تھوڑی سے مہلت اَور دیدے، ہم تیری دعوت کو لبّیک کہیں گے اور رسُولوں کی پیروی کریں گے۔“ ﴿مگر اُنہیں صاف جواب دے دیا جائے گا﴾ کہ کیا تم وہی لوگ نہیں ہو جو اِس سے پہلے قسمیں کھا کھا کر کہتے تھے کہ ہم پر تو کبھی زوال آنا ہی نہیں ہے؟ حالانکہ تم اُن قوموں کی بستیوں میں رہ بس چکے تھے جنہوں نے اپنے اُوپر آپ ظلم کیا تھا اور دیکھ چکے تھے کہ ہم نے اُن سے کیا سلوک کیا اور اُن کی مثالیں دے دے کر ہم تمہیں سمجھا بھی چکے تھے۔ اُنہوں نے اپنی ساری ہی چالیں چل دیکھیں، مگر اُن کی ہر چال کا توڑ اللہ کے پاس تھا اگرچہ اُن کی چالیں ایسی غضب کی تھیں کہ پہاڑ اُن سے ٹل جائیں۔55 پس اے نبی ؐ ، تم ہر گز یہ گمان نہ کرو کہ اللہ کبھی اپنے رسُولوں سے کیے ہوئے وعدے کے خلاف کرے گا۔56 اللہ زبردست ہے اور انتقام لینے والا ہے۔ ڈراوٴ انہیں اُس دن سے جب کہ زمین اور آسمان بدل کر کچھ سے کچھ کر دیے جائیں گے57 اور سب کے سب اللہ واحد قہّار کے سامنے بے نقاب حاضر ہو جائیں گے۔ اُس روز تم مجرموں کو دیکھو گے کہ زنجیروں میں ہاتھ پاوٴں جکڑے ہوں گے تارکول58 کے لباس پہنے ہوئے ہوں گے اور آگ کے شعلے اُں کےچہروں پر چھائے جا رہے ہوں گے۔ یہ اِس لیے ہوگ کہ اللہ ہر متنفّس کو اُس کے کیے کا بدلہ دے گا۔ اللہ کوحساب لیتے کچھ دیر نہیں لگتی۔ یہ ایک پیغام ہے سب انسانوں کے لیے ، اور یہ بھیجا گیا ہے اِس لیے کہ ان کو اس کے ذریعہ سے خبردار کیا جائے اور وہ جان لیں کہ حقیقت میں خدا بس ایک ہی ہے اور جو عقل رکھتے ہیں وہ ہوش میں آجائیں۔ ؏ ۷
This is Surah Ibrahim (Chapter 14) of the Quran, based on the Urdu translation and commentary by Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi (from Tafhim al-Qur’an). Here is the English translation of this passage:
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Alif. Lam. Ra. This is a Book which We have revealed to you, O Muhammad, so that you may bring mankind out of every kind of darkness into light, by the leave of their Lord, to the path of the Almighty, the Innately-Praiseworthy One — He to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.
Woe to those who deny the Truth for they shall suffer a woeful chastisement. They are the ones who love the life of this world more than the Hereafter, who hinder people from the path of Allah, and seek to make it crooked. They have strayed far in error.
We never sent a Messenger except that he spoke in the language of his own people so that he might make things clear to them. Then Allah lets go astray those whom He wills to let go astray, and shows the right way to whom He wills; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Indeed, We sent Moses with Our signs, saying: “Bring your people out of every kind of darkness into light, and remind them of the Days of Allah.” Surely there are many signs in this for everyone who is steadfast and thankful.
(And recall) when Moses said to his people: “Remember Allah’s favour upon you when He delivered you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with grievous torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your daughters. Surely that was an awesome trial from your Lord. And recall when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you are thankful, I will bestow more favours on you; but if you are unthankful, then know that My chastisement is severe indeed.’” And Moses said: “Should you disbelieve, you and all who are on earth together, know that Allah is Self-Sufficient, Innately-Praiseworthy.”
Has the account of those who have gone before you not reached you — the people of Noah, Ad and Thamud, and those who came after them, and whom none knows but Allah? Their Messengers came to them with clear signs, but they thrust their hands into their mouths and said: “We do indeed reject the message you have brought, and we are in disquieting doubt about that to which you call us.” Their Messengers said: “Can there be any doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who invites you (to the right way) that He may forgive you your sins and grant you respite until an appointed term?” They replied: “You are only mortals like ourselves. You seek to hinder us from what our forefathers worshipped. Bring us, then, some clear proof.”
Their Messengers said to them: “It is true that we are only mortals like yourselves. But Allah bestows His favour on any of His servants whom He wills. It is not in our power to bring you a proof except by the leave of Allah. In Allah should the believers put their trust. And why should we not put our trust in Allah when it is He who has guided us to the ways of our life? We will surely bear with patience the hurt you cause us. Let all who trust, put their trust in Allah alone.”
The unbelievers said to their Messengers: “Either you return to our religion or we will banish you from our land.” Then their Lord revealed to them: “We shall destroy the wrongdoers, and shall settle you on the earth after them. This is for him who fears to stand before Me and fears My warning.” They sought victory, and every arrogant enemy of the truth suffered loss. Hell lies ahead of him and he shall be made to drink oozing pus, which he will sip but will scarcely be able to swallow. Death will come to him from every quarter, yet he will not die, and grievous chastisement will lie ahead of him.
The parable of the works of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that of ashes which a strong wind blows away on a tempestuous day. They will gain nothing from all that they have worked. This is indeed the farthest point in straying. Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He so wills, He can rid you and bring in a new creation. That is not at all difficult for Allah.
And they will all appear before Allah exposed, and the weak will say to the arrogant: “We were your followers; can you now avail us anything against Allah’s chastisement?” They will reply: “Had Allah guided us, we would surely have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we are impatient or steadfast — there is no escape for us.”
And when the matter is decided, Satan will say: “Surely Allah made you a promise that was true; and I too made you a promise but I failed you. I had no power over you except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me but blame yourselves. Neither can I come to your aid, nor can you come to mine. I disavow your former act of associating me with Allah. A woeful chastisement inevitably awaits such wrongdoers.”
But those who believed and did good deeds shall be admitted to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and there they will abide forever by the leave of their Lord, and their greeting therein will be “Peace.”
Have you not seen how Allah has given the example of a good word? It is like a good tree, firmly rooted, its branches reaching the sky, yielding its fruit in every season by the leave of its Lord. Allah sets forth parables for people that they may take heed. And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, wholly unable to endure. Allah grants firmness to the believers with the firm Word, both in the life of this world and in the Hereafter; and Allah lets the wrongdoers go astray. Allah does what He wills.
Have you not seen those who have exchanged Allah’s favour for ingratitude and caused their own people to descend into the House of Perdition — Hell, wherein they will burn? What an evil place to settle in! They set up rivals to Allah in order to lead people astray from His path. Say to them: “Enjoy yourselves for a while. Your end is the Fire.”
(O Muhammad), tell My servants who believe to establish Prayer and spend, secretly and openly, out of what We have provided them, before there comes a Day when there will be no buying or selling, nor any secret befriending.
It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth, and Who sends down water from the sky, thereby bringing forth fruits for your sustenance. He has subjected the ships to you so that they may sail through the sea by His command, and He has subjected the rivers to you. And He has subjected the sun and the moon to you, both diligently pursuing their courses; and He has subjected the night and the day to you. And He gave you all that you asked Him for. Should you count Allah’s bounties, you will not be able to count them all. Indeed, man is highly unjust, exceedingly ungrateful.
(Call to mind) when Abraham said: “My Lord, make this city a city of peace, and preserve me and my children from worshipping idols. My Lord, these idols have led many astray. Now, whosoever follows my way is indeed of me; and as for whosoever disobeys me, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful. Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Sacred House, so that they may establish the Prayer. So make people’s hearts incline towards them and provide them with fruits that they may give thanks. Our Lord, You certainly know all that we conceal and all that we reveal, for nothing is hidden from Allah, whether on earth or in the heaven. Praise be to Allah Who bestowed upon me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age. My Lord surely hears prayer. My Lord, make me and my offspring steadfast in Prayer; our Lord, accept my prayer. Our Lord, forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day when the Reckoning shall come to pass.”
Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He is only granting them respite until a Day when their eyes shall stare in horror, when they will hasten about with their necks outstretched and their gaze fixed, unable even to blink, their hearts utterly void. Warn people, (O Muhammad), of the Day when this chastisement will overtake them, and the wrongdoers will say: “Our Lord, grant us respite for a little while, and we will answer Your call and follow the Messengers.” (They will be told): “Did you not use to swear before that you shall suffer no decline, even though you dwelt in the habitations of those who wronged themselves, when it had become clear to you how We had dealt with them, and We had explained to you their case with examples?” Indeed they schemed their schemes, but their schemes were well within Allah’s Grasp, though their schemes were such that would make even mountains move.
Do not think, then, that Allah will ever fail to fulfil the promise He made to His Messengers. Allah is All-Mighty, the Lord of Retribution. Warn them of the Day when the earth will be changed into a different earth, and the heavens as well, and all people will be brought forth before Allah, the One, the Irresistible. On that Day you will see the guilty men bound in chains, their garments made of pitch, their faces covered with fire, so that Allah may fully requite each self for what it has done. Surely Allah is swift in reckoning.
This is a message for all mankind, so that they may take warning from it, and know that He is the One, the Only God, and so that those endowed with understanding may take heed.
FOOTNOTES SUMMARIZED
This is footnote 1 from Maududi’s Tafhim al-Qur’an on verse 1, again his own copyrighted commentary. Here’s a faithful summary rather than a full translation:
Maududi explains that “bringing out of darkness into light” means being moved off Satan’s paths onto God’s path. In other words, anyone not on God’s path is actually wandering lost in the darkness of ignorance — no matter how enlightened they consider themselves, or how much they imagine themselves illuminated by knowledge. Conversely, whoever has found God’s path has entered the light of true knowledge, even if he’s an illiterate villager.
He then addresses the phrase “by the permission of their Lord” — pointing out that this signals a key reality: no preacher, not even a prophet, can do more than present the straight path. Actually bringing someone onto it is not within his power; that depends entirely on Allah’s enabling grace (tawfiq) and permission. If Allah grants someone tawfiq, they can attain guidance; otherwise even a prophet-level messenger, however hard he strives, cannot force guidance upon them. As for the “law” governing this divine tawfiq, Maududi notes the Quran explains it clearly in various places — showing that guidance is granted to one who genuinely seeks it, is free of stubbornness, obstinacy, and bias, is not a slave to his own desires, looks with open eyes, listens with open ears, thinks with a clear mind, and accepts what is reasonable without prejudice.
Footnote 3, on verse 3 (“those who prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter”):
Maududi explains this describes people whose entire concern is this world, with no regard for the Hereafter — people willing to accept loss in the Hereafter for the sake of worldly benefits, pleasures, and comforts, yet unwilling to bear any worldly loss, hardship, risk, or even deprivation of pleasure for the sake of success and well-being in the Hereafter. These are people who, having weighed this world against the Hereafter, have coolly chosen this world, and have already decided that wherever the Hereafter’s interest conflicts with worldly interest, they will keep sacrificing the former.
Footnote 4, on the phrase “seeking to make it [Allah’s path] crooked”:
Maududi explains this means they don’t want to submit to Allah’s will — rather, they want Allah’s religion to submit to their own will. They want it to absorb every one of their ideas, opinions, and speculations into its beliefs, and to exclude nothing from its framework that already fits inside their own heads. They want it to validate every one of their customs, habits, and traits, without demanding they follow any practice they dislike. They want it to be their bound servant — following wherever they turn in pursuit of their own base desires — never rebuking them, never trying to redirect them back onto its own path. On these terms alone, he says, would they be willing to accept a religion from Allah — one custom-built to match themselves.
Footnote 5, on “We never sent a messenger except in the language of his people”:
Maududi gives this two meanings. First, whatever people Allah sent a prophet to, He revealed His message in that people’s own language, so they could understand it properly — leaving them no excuse to say the teaching brought to them was simply incomprehensible, so how could they have believed in it.
Second, Allah never sent a messenger to one people while delivering the message in an entirely foreign tongue — say, sending a messenger to the Arabs but having him recite in Chinese or Japanese — merely to produce a miraculous spectacle. In Allah’s sight, actual teaching, instruction, and clear explanation always mattered more than performing wonders to satisfy people’s love of the marvelous. That purpose required the message to reach a people in the very language they understood.
Footnote 6, on “Allah lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills”:
Maududi explains that even though a messenger conveys his teaching entirely in the language his people understand, this still doesn’t mean everyone ends up guided. A message simply being comprehensible doesn’t obligate every listener to accept it. The real thread connecting guidance and misguidance rests in Allah’s hand alone — He grants guidance through this same message to whom He wills, and for whom He wills, that very same message becomes instead a cause of deeper misguidance.
Footnote 7, on “He is the Almighty, the Wise”:
Maududi explains that people can’t simply guide themselves or go astray purely of their own accord, since they aren’t fully autonomous — they remain subject to Allah’s supreme authority. But Allah doesn’t wield that authority arbitrarily, granting guidance or imposing misguidance at random without cause. Alongside being supreme, He is also Wise and All-Knowing. Whoever receives guidance from Him receives it for sound reasons, and whoever is left deprived of the straight path and abandoned to wander astray deserves that treatment because of his own love of misguidance.
Footnote 8, on the word “ayyam” (the “Days of Allah”):
Maududi explains that in Arabic, the word “ayyam” is used as a technical term for memorable historical events. “Ayyam Allah” (the Days of Allah) refers to those significant chapters in human history in which Allah rewarded or punished past nations and prominent figures according to their deeds.
Footnote 9, on “signs” in these historical events:
Maududi explains that these historical events contain signs from which a person can find proof of the truth of Allah’s oneness (tawhid), along with countless testimonies to the reality that the law of divine recompense is a universal law — one grounded entirely in the intellectual and moral distinction between truth and falsehood, whose demands necessitate another realm, namely the Hereafter, for their fulfillment. These events also contain signs showing the harmful consequences of building one’s life on false beliefs and ideologies — lessons a person can take as a warning.
Footnote 10, on “everyone patient and grateful”:
Maududi explains that these signs exist in their own right, but benefiting from them is only possible for those who endure Allah’s trials with patience and steadfastness, and who truly perceive Allah’s blessings and give proper thanks for them. Frivolous, petty, and ungrateful people, even if they do perceive these signs, are held back by these moral weaknesses from actually benefiting from that perception.
Footnote 11, on “if you are grateful”:
Maududi explains this means: if you recognize the true worth of Our blessings and use them properly, if you don’t respond to Our commands with rebellion and arrogance, and if you acknowledge Our favor and remain obedient to Our directives.
Footnote 12, on “My punishment is severe” — Maududi draws a parallel with the Bible:
He notes that this same theme is expounded at length in the Biblical Book of Deuteronomy, in a discourse Moses delivers to the Israelites shortly before his death. In it, Moses reminds them of the major events of their history, repeats the commandments given to them through him, and then delivers a lengthy address describing the rewards that will follow their obedience to their Lord, and the severe punishment that will follow disobedience. Maududi locates this discourse across Deuteronomy chapters 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, and 28–30, noting that some passages are remarkably powerful and cautionary. He then cites several representative excerpts to convey the flavor of the whole discourse:
- An opening call to love God with one’s whole heart, soul, and strength, and to keep His words constantly in mind and teach them to one’s children (roughly Deuteronomy 6:4–7).
- A passage asking what God requires of Israel beyond fearing Him, walking in His ways, loving Him, and serving Him wholeheartedly, for their own good — noting that the heavens, earth, and everything in them belong to Him (roughly Deuteronomy 10:12–14).
- A long passage promising that careful obedience will bring blessings surpassing all nations — prosperity in city and field, victory over enemies, blessing on all their undertakings, and international respect and fear of them as God’s people (roughly Deuteronomy 28:1–13).
- A far longer passage warning that disobedience will instead bring curses in every sphere of life — in city and field, disease, hardship, defeat before enemies, loss of home, family, and harvest to others, and ultimately captivity, deprivation, and scattering “from one end of the earth to the other” (roughly Deuteronomy 28:15–64).
Footnote 14, on “Has there not reached you the news of those before you…”:
Maududi notes that Moses’s speech has now ended, and the address shifts to speak directly to the disbelievers of Makkah.
Footnote 15, on “they thrust their hands into their mouths”:
Maududi notes that commentators have disagreed considerably over the meaning of this phrase, with various interpretations offered. In his own view, the closest sense is what would be expressed in Urdu as covering one’s ears with one’s hands, or biting one’s finger in astonishment — since the sentence that follows clearly combines both rejection and astonishment, with something of an angry tone as well.
Footnote 16, on “we are indeed in disquieting doubt”:
Maududi explains this refers to a kind of doubt that has driven away all peace of mind. It’s a hallmark of the call to truth (da’wah), he says, that its emergence always stirs up unrest — those who reject and oppose it can never do so with real inner peace. However fiercely they reject it, however hard they push against it, the truthfulness of the message, its sound reasoning, its plain and uncompromising honesty, its compelling eloquence, the spotless character of the one calling to it, the visible transformation in the lives of those who believe, and their righteous conduct matching their sincere words — all of these combine to stir unease even in the hardest opponent’s heart. Those who trouble the callers to truth end up losing their own peace as well.
Footnote 17, on “Can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth?”:
Maududi explains that the messengers said this because polytheists in every era acknowledged God’s existence and also accepted that He alone was the creator of the heavens and the earth. On this shared premise, the messengers asked: so what exactly are you in doubt about? What we’re calling you to is nothing other than this — that Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, is the one truly deserving of your worship. So is it really Allah Himself you doubt?
Footnote 18, on “an appointed term”:
Maududi explains that “appointed term” could refer either to an individual’s time of death or to the Day of Judgment. As for nations, their rise and fall is set by Allah in relation to their moral qualities — if a good nation lets corruption take root within it, its allotted time is shortened and it is destroyed; if a corrupt nation replaces its bad qualities with good ones, its allotted time is extended, potentially even until the Day of Judgment itself. He points to Surah Ar-Ra’d, verse 11, as making the same point: that Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.
Footnote 19, on “You are but men like us”:
Maududi explains their point was that the messengers appeared, in every respect, to be ordinary men just like themselves — eating, drinking, sleeping, having wives and children, sharing the same experience of hunger, thirst, illness, suffering, cold, and heat, and every other human weakness. They saw nothing extraordinary in the messengers that would justify believing they were some elevated beings to whom God spoke directly and to whom angels came.
Footnote 20, on “bring us a clear authority”:
Maududi explains they meant some kind of proof they could see with their own eyes and touch with their own hands — something that would convince them the messengers had truly been sent by God, and that the message they brought was genuinely His.
Footnote 21, on “It is true that we are only mortals like yourselves”:
Maududi explains this means: undoubtedly we are human beings, but Allah has chosen us from among you to be given true knowledge and complete insight — this isn’t something within our own power to arrange, it’s entirely a matter of Allah’s own prerogative, giving whatever He wills to whichever of His servants He wills. We can neither hand over to you what has come to us, nor can we shut our eyes to the realities that have been unveiled to us.
Footnote 22, on “return to our religion”:
Maududi clarifies this doesn’t mean the prophets had actually belonged to their misguided peoples’ religion before being raised to prophethood. Rather, before prophethood they lived a relatively quiet life — not preaching any teaching, nor openly rejecting the prevailing religion of their time — so their people simply assumed they belonged to the same faith community. Once they began their prophetic mission, they were accused of having “left” their ancestral religion, even though they had never actually been part of the polytheists’ religion to begin with, so no real charge of “leaving” it could genuinely apply to them.
Footnote 25, on “The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord… their deeds are like ashes”:
Maududi explains this describes people who chose disloyalty, faithlessness, self-will, and rebellion against their Lord, refusing the path of obedience and submission that the prophets called them to. Their entire life’s achievement and accumulated record of deeds ultimately proves as hollow and meaningless as a great mound of ash — one built up gradually over a long time into something imposing, yet scattered into nothing by a single day’s storm. Their dazzling civilization, their magnificent culture, their remarkable industries, their mighty empires, their grand universities, their vast treasuries of knowledge and literature, and even their acts of worship, outward good deeds, and celebrated charitable and welfare achievements — all the things they take pride in — will in the end prove to be nothing but a heap of ash, one the storm of the Day of Judgment will sweep away completely, leaving not even a single grain of it with enough weight to register in Allah’s scale in the Hereafter.
Footnote 26, on “Have you not seen that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth?”:
Maududi presents this as the reasoning behind the claim made just before. His point: why should this statement surprise anyone? Can’t you see that this vast creation of the heavens and the earth rests on truth, not falsehood? Anything not grounded in reality — built instead on baseless conjecture — can never achieve permanence or stability; whoever relies on it can never truly succeed. Someone who draws a picture on water or builds a palace on sand, hoping the image will last and the palace will stand, will never see that hope fulfilled — because it isn’t in water’s nature to hold a shape, nor in sand’s nature to form a firm foundation for buildings. So anyone who ignores truth and reality and bases his life’s work on false hopes is bound to fail.
If this principle makes sense, Maududi asks, why is it surprising to hear that in Allah’s universe, anyone who acts as though he’s free from submission to Allah, or who lives his life recognizing some other being’s lordship (which isn’t real lordship at all), will find his entire life’s effort come to nothing? Since it isn’t actually the case that man is self-governing or a servant of anyone other than Allah, someone who builds his whole framework of thought and action on that false, contrary-to-reality assumption — what other outcome could you expect for him than the same fate as the fool drawing pictures on water?
Footnote 27, on “If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation”:
Maududi presents this line as advice following the argument just made, while also addressing an objection that might occur to someone hearing that stark statement. One might ask: if this is really true, why doesn’t every wrongdoer and false-believer simply perish on the spot? His answer: don’t imagine that ending someone is difficult for Allah, or that such a person has some special relationship with Allah that grants him immunity out of favoritism despite his misdeeds. Since neither is the case — and one knows this — the point to grasp is that any nation built on falsehood and wrongdoing lives constantly under the risk of being removed and replaced by another. If that outcome is delayed, don’t be lulled into thinking it will never come; treat every moment of respite as precious, recognize the instability of a life built on falsehood, and hasten to place it instead on a firm foundation.
Footnote 28, on “they will come out [for judgement] before Allah all together”:
Maududi explains that the word used (buruz) means more than simply emerging and coming forward — it also carries the sense of becoming manifest and exposed, which is why he translates it as “coming forth unveiled/exposed.” In reality, he notes, servants are always exposed before their Lord at every moment. But on the Day of Judgment, when everyone stands together before Allah’s court, they will themselves realize just how completely exposed they are before the Most Just of Judges and Master of the Day of Recompense — with not a single deed, thought, or even a hidden intention tucked away in the corners of the heart, concealed from Him.
Footnote 29, on “It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape”:
Maududi presents this as a warning to everyone who follows others blindly in this world, or who uses their own weakness as an excuse to obey powerful oppressors. The point being made: whoever your leaders, guides, officers, and rulers are today, not one of them will be able to save you from Allah’s punishment by even the slightest amount tomorrow. So think now, while there’s still time, about where the one you’re following or obeying is himself headed — and where he’ll ultimately leave you.
Footnote 30, on “Allah had promised you the promise of truth… but I betrayed you”:
Maududi explains that Satan’s admission here is entirely accurate: Allah was truthful and Satan was the liar — a fact he doesn’t deny at all. Every one of Allah’s promises and warnings, as can plainly be seen, turned out exactly true. Satan himself admits that the assurances he gave people, the enticing benefits he dangled before them, the appealing false hopes he trapped them in, and above all the conviction he instilled that the Hereafter either doesn’t exist at all — that it’s pure fabrication — or that even if it does exist, people could still escape unscathed by offering devotion and ritual gifts to certain intercessory figures, letting those figures bear responsibility for their salvation while they themselves did as they pleased — all of this, which he kept telling people directly and through his agents, was nothing but deception.
Footnote 31, on “I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded”:
Maududi paraphrases Satan’s argument: if any of you can prove that you genuinely wanted to walk the straight path and that I forcibly dragged you off it against your will, then present that proof — let the punishment due a thief fall on me instead. But you yourselves know that isn’t what happened. All I did was present my false call in place of the true one, invite you toward falsehood instead of truth, and summon you toward evil instead of good. The choice to accept or reject was entirely yours; I had no power to compel you. I’m certainly responsible for making that call, and I’m bearing its punishment now — but you’re the ones who answered it, and that responsibility is yours, not mine to carry. You must bear the consequences of your own wrong choice and your own misuse of free will.
Footnote 32, on “your association of me [with Allah] before”:
Maududi treats this as evidence for a category of shirk distinct from doctrinal shirk — namely “practical shirk” (shirk-e-‘amali). No one, he notes, believes Satan is a literal partner with Allah or worships him doctrinally; everyone curses him. Yet people do obey him, submit to him, and follow his ways — blindly or knowingly — and it’s this that the verse labels as “association” (shirk) here.
He anticipates an objection: this is Satan’s own statement, merely quoted by Allah. His response is twofold — first, Allah would have corrected the statement if it were false; second, this isn’t the Quran’s only evidence for practical shirk. He cites several parallel examples from elsewhere in the Quran: the charge against Jews and Christians for taking their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah; the description of those who follow their own desires as having taken their desire as their god; the statement that disobedient servants have effectively “worshipped” Satan; and the rebuke of those who follow man-made law as having taken as “partners” whoever legislates for them without Allah’s sanction.
From these parallels, Maududi concludes that shirk isn’t limited to doctrinally believing some other being shares in Allah’s divinity — it also takes the form of following and obeying someone without divine sanction, or against Allah’s commands. Even someone who curses the one he follows while still practically obeying him is, in the Quran’s spirit, treating that figure as a partner with Allah — even if the legal ruling on him differs from that of a doctrinal polytheist. He refers readers to further discussion in Surah Al-An’am (footnotes 87 and 107) and Surah Al-Kahf (footnote 50).
Footnote 33, on “their greeting therein will be, ‘Peace!’”:
Maududi explains that tahiyyah literally means a prayer for long life, but in Arabic usage it refers to the greeting or welcome exchanged when people first meet. The closest Urdu equivalent would be salaam or ta’aruf-type greeting, but he notes neither renders the translation quite right — one feels too specific, the other too casual — so he settles on “welcome/reception” for his translation.
He adds that “tahiyyatuhum” could mean either “their manner of greeting one another” or “the way they will be received/welcomed.” He also notes that salaam itself carries both the sense of a prayer for well-being and a congratulatory greeting of peace — and that he chose whichever sense best fit the context in his translation.
Footnote 34, on “kalimah tayyibah” (the “good word”):
Maududi explains that kalimah tayyibah literally means “a pure/wholesome word,” but here it refers to that true statement and sound belief entirely grounded in reality and truth. According to the Quran, this word and belief can only mean affirming Allah’s oneness, affirming the prophets and the revealed scriptures, and affirming the Hereafter — since the Quran presents precisely these as the foundational truths.
Footnote 35, on “whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky”:
Maududi explains that this means the entire cosmic order, from earth to sky, rests on the very same reality a believer affirms in the kalimah tayyibah — so nowhere does the law of nature contradict it, nowhere does any created thing’s essential nature refuse it, and nowhere does any truth or fact clash with it. That’s why the earth and its whole system cooperate with it, and the heavens and their entire realm welcome it.
Footnote 36, on “It produces its fruit all the time”:
Maududi explains this describes a word so fruitful and productive that any person or nation who builds their life’s system on it continually reaps its beneficial results. He lists these outcomes: clarity of thought, soundness of temperament, balance of disposition, strength of character, purity of morals, refinement of spirit, cleanliness of body, pleasantness in dealing with others, honesty in transactions, truthfulness in speech, firmness in keeping one’s word, good conduct in social life, excellence in culture, balance in civilization, justice and mutual support in economic life, integrity in politics, honor in war, sincerity in peace, and reliability in agreements and covenants. He likens it to a philosopher’s stone — whoever genuinely absorbs its effect is transformed into pure gold.
Footnote 37, on “kalimah khabithah” (the “bad word”):
Maududi explains this term is the opposite of kalimah tayyibah. While it could technically apply to any statement contrary to truth or based on falsehood, here it specifically refers to any corrupt belief a person makes the foundation of their life system — whether that’s atheism, heresy and disbelief, polytheism and idol-worship, or any other notion not derived from the prophets.
Footnote 38, on “not having any stability”:
Maududi explains that a false belief, being contrary to reality, never finds agreement anywhere in the law of nature — every particle of creation contradicts it, everything in heaven and earth denies it. If its seed is sown in the ground, the earth is always ready to spit it back out; if its branches try to reach skyward, they get pushed back down. Only because Allah has given mankind freedom of choice and time to act as a test does this bad tree manage to grow at all — foolish people who fight against the natural order to plant it do get some grudging space from the earth, some nourishment from air and water, and some reluctant room from the atmosphere for its branches to spread. But for as long as it stands, it keeps producing bitter, harsh, poisonous fruit, and the first shift in circumstances uproots it entirely.
He says anyone who studies the world’s religious, moral, intellectual, and civilizational history can easily observe this difference: the “good word” has remained one and the same since history’s beginning, while countless “bad words” have arisen — the good word has never been uprooted, while the list of bad ones is filled with thousands of names now dead, many surviving only as historical curiosities that would astonish people today with the follies humanity once embraced. Wherever the good word took genuine root, its fragrance perfumed the whole environment, benefiting not just the individual or nation but the surrounding world as well. Wherever a bad word took root, its stench poisoned the whole environment, and its thorns left neither its own adherents nor anyone who encountered it in peace.
Maududi closes by noting this parable illustrates the same theme as verse 18 (the ashes scattered by a storm-wind), and the similar imagery of flood and molten metal used earlier in Surah Ar-Ra’d, verse 17.
Footnote 39, on “Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter”:
Maududi explains that in this world, this word gives believers a stable outlook, a firm framework of thought, and a comprehensive worldview that serves as a master key for resolving every difficulty and untangling every knot. It grants them strength of character and moral steadiness that the turns of time cannot shake — solid life principles that bring peace to their hearts and calm to their minds, while also protecting them from wandering astray, stumbling, or being tossed about inconsistently in their efforts and actions.
Then, when they cross death’s threshold into the realm of the Hereafter, they experience no confusion, bewilderment, or distress there, because everything matches their expectations exactly. They enter that world as though already familiar with its ways — no stage of it comes as news they weren’t already told, or something they hadn’t already prepared for — so they pass through every stage there with complete steadiness. Their condition is entirely unlike that of the disbeliever, who at the moment of death is suddenly confronted with a situation totally contrary to everything he expected.
Footnote 40, on “Allah sends astray the wrongdoers”:
Maududi explains that wrongdoers who abandon the good word to follow some bad word instead find that Allah lets their minds grow scattered and their efforts thrown into disarray. They can’t find the right path of thought or action from any angle — none of their aims ever hits its mark.
Footnote 41, on “establish prayer and spend… secretly and publicly”:
Maududi explains that the believers’ conduct should differ from the disbelievers’ — the latter being ungrateful for Allah’s blessings. Believers, by contrast, should be grateful, and the practical expression of that gratitude is establishing prayer and spending their wealth in Allah’s cause.
Footnote 42, on “no exchange, nor any friendships”:
Maududi explains this means neither can salvation be purchased through any transaction on that Day, nor can anyone’s friendship help — no one will be able to save another from Allah’s grasp.
Footnote 43, on “It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth…”:
Maududi explains this points out that the very Allah whose blessings are being met with ingratitude, whose worship and obedience people turn away from, and to whom partners are being forcibly ascribed — He is the same One responsible for all the favors listed here.
Footnote 44, on “subjected for you the ships… the sun… the night and day”:
Maududi points out a common misunderstanding: people often mistakenly read “subjected for you” as meaning these things were made “subservient” or “obedient” to man, leading to strange interpretations — some even conclude the verses mean mankind’s ultimate purpose is to conquer/harness the heavens and earth. In reality, “subjecting” these things for man means only that Allah bound them to fixed laws through which they became beneficial to man. Ships are only useful because they follow certain fixed laws of nature; rivers could never be channeled into canals if they weren’t governed by specific laws; and if the sun, moon, and cycle of day and night weren’t bound by fixed order, life itself would be impossible here — let alone a flourishing human civilization.
Footnote 45, on “He gave you from all you asked of Him”:
Maududi explains this means Allah fulfilled every demand of human nature, provided everything needed for life, and supplied every resource necessary for humanity’s survival and development.
Footnote 46, on “when Abraham said”:
Maududi explains that after listing the general favors given to all mankind, the discussion now turns to the specific favors Allah bestowed on the Quraysh in particular. It also highlights what hopes their forefather Abraham had when he settled his descendants here, what favors Allah granted in response to his prayers, and — by implication — the contrast with how the Quraysh were now answering their father’s hopes and their Lord’s favors through misguidance and wrongdoing.
Footnote 47, on “this city”:
Maududi notes this refers to Makkah.
Footnote 48, on “these idols have led many astray”:
Maududi explains this means the idols turned people away from God and won their devotion instead. This is figurative language — since idols became the cause of many people’s misguidance, the act of misguiding is attributed to them.
Footnote 49, on “whoever disobeys me — indeed, You are Forgiving and Merciful”:
Maududi reads this as reflecting Abraham’s remarkable tenderheartedness and deep compassion for humanity — he could not bear to see any human being caught in Allah’s punishment under any circumstance, pleading for mercy and forgiveness right to the end. On the matter of provision, Abraham didn’t hesitate to ask that even those among his descendants who disbelieved be given sustenance (as in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 126). Yet when it came to accountability in the Hereafter, he never asked that anyone who opposed his way be punished — instead he simply said, regarding them, that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Maududi notes this compassion wasn’t unique to Abraham’s feelings for his own children — even when the angels were on their way to destroy the sinful people of Lot, Allah describes Abraham as pleading with them on the people’s behalf (Surah Hud, verse 74). He draws a parallel with Jesus, who, when confronted by Allah about the Christians’ misguided beliefs, responds that if Allah punishes them they are His servants, and if He forgives them, He is the Mighty and the Wise (Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 118).
Footnote 50, on “provide for them from the fruits”:
Maududi explains this is a blessing of that very prayer — that in earlier times all of Arabia was drawn to Makkah for Hajj and Umrah, and now people from across the entire world flow there. Likewise, it’s this same prayer’s blessing that fruits, grains, and every kind of provision continue arriving there in every era, despite this being a barren valley where not even fodder grows for animals.
Footnote 51, on “You know what we conceal and what we declare”:
Maududi explains this means: O God, You hear what I say aloud, and You are also fully aware of the feelings hidden within my heart.
Footnote 52, on “nothing is hidden from Allah on the earth or in the heaven”:
Maududi notes this is a parenthetical remark inserted by Allah Himself, confirming the truth of Abraham’s statement.
Footnote 53, on Abraham’s prayer for forgiveness for “me, my parents, and the believers”:
Maududi explains that Abraham included his father in this prayer for forgiveness because of a promise he’d made when leaving his homeland — that he would seek forgiveness for his father (as recorded in Surah Maryam, verse 47). Later, though, once Abraham realized his father was actually an enemy of Allah, he clearly disowned him (as recorded in Surah At-Tawbah, verse 114).
Footnote 54, on “eyes will stare [in horror]”:
Maududi explains this means the terrifying scene of Judgment Day before them will be so overwhelming that they’ll stare fixedly at it as though their eyes had turned to stone — unblinking, unable to look away.
Footnote 55, on “their schemes were such that would make even mountains move”:
Maududi explains this means the Quraysh had already witnessed how the nations before them devised powerful schemes to escape the consequences of violating divine law and to defeat the prophets’ mission — and had also seen how a single move from Allah defeated all of it. Yet despite this, they didn’t stop scheming against the truth, still convinced their own plots would surely succeed.
Footnote 56, on “never think that Allah will fail in His promise to His messengers”:
Maududi explains that although this sentence is addressed to the Prophet ﷺ, its real intended audience is his opponents. They’re being told that Allah fulfilled every promise He made to His earlier messengers, humbling their opponents in turn — and that the promise He is now making to His messenger Muhammad ﷺ will likewise be fulfilled, bringing ruin to those now opposing him.
Footnote 57, on “when the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well]”:
Maududi explains, drawing on this verse and other Quranic indications, that the earth and heavens won’t be utterly annihilated on the Day of Judgment — only the current physical order will be thrown into disarray. Then, in a period between the first and second blowing of the Trumpet known only to Allah, the present form of the heavens and earth will be transformed, and a new physical system with different natural laws will be established — this will be the realm of the Hereafter. With the second Trumpet blast, every human being created from Adam onward until the Resurrection will be brought back to life and presented before Allah. This is what the Quran calls hashr (the Gathering), literally meaning “to collect and assemble.”
Maududi notes that Quranic indications and hadith explanations establish that this Gathering will take place on this very earth — judgment will be held here, the scale set up here, and earth’s case settled here. He adds that the Quran and hadith also establish that this second life, in which these events unfold, won’t be merely spiritual — we will be brought back to life with body and soul exactly as we are now, and each person will be present there with precisely the same identity they had when they departed this world.
Footnote 58, on “qatiran” (translated “pitch”):
Maududi notes that some translators and commentators have rendered qatiran as sulfur, and others as molten copper, but in actual Arabic usage the word refers to tar, pitch, resin, or bitumen.
Messages from Quran 