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Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Ghashiyah, 88: 17-26

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اَفَلَا يَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَى الۡاِ بِلِ كَيۡفَ خُلِقَتۡ‏﴿88:17﴾ وَاِلَى السَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ رُفِعَتۡ‏﴿88:18﴾ وَاِلَى الۡجِبَالِ كَيۡفَ نُصِبَتۡ‏﴿88:19﴾ وَاِلَى الۡاَرۡضِ كَيۡفَ سُطِحَتۡ‏﴿88:20﴾ فَذَكِّرۡ ؕ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنۡتَ مُذَكِّرٌ ؕ‏ ﴿88:21﴾لَـسۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ بِمُصَۜيۡطِرٍۙ‏ ﴿88:22﴾ اِلَّا مَنۡ تَوَلّٰى وَكَفَرَۙ‏ ﴿88:23﴾ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللّٰهُ الۡعَذَابَ الۡاَكۡبَرَؕ‏ ﴿88:24﴾ اِنَّ اِلَيۡنَاۤ اِيَابَهُمۡۙ‏ ﴿88:25﴾ ثُمَّ اِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا حِسَابَهُمْ‏ ﴿88:26﴾

(88:17) Do (these unbelievers) not observe the camels: how they were created? (88:18) And the sky: how it was raised high? (88:19) And the mountains: how they were fixed? (88:20) And the earth: how it was spread out?7 (88:21) So render good counsel, for you are simply required to counsel, (88:22) and are not invested with the authority to compel them.8(88:23) But whoever will turn away (from the Truth), (88:24) Allah will chastise him with the most terrible chastisement. (88:25) Surely to Us is their return; (88:26) and then it is for Us to call them to account. 

Notes

7. That is, if they deny the possibility of the Hereafter, have they never looked around themselves and considered how the camels were created, how the heaven was raised high, how the mountains were firmly set and how the earth was spread out? When all these things could be created, and exist before them in their finished form, why can the Resurrection not take place? Why cannot a new world come about, and why cannot Hell and Heaven be possible? Only a foolish and thoughtless person would think that the coming into existence of only those things which he has found existing, on opening his eyes in the world, is possible, because they already exist. As for the things, which he has not yet observed and experienced, he should thoughtlessly pass the judgment that their coming into being is impossible. If he has any common sense, he should think as to how the things, which already exist, came into being? How did the camel possessing precisely the same characteristics as needed for the beast required by the desert dwellers of Arabia come into being? How did the sky whose atmosphere is filled with air to breathe in, whose clouds bring rain, whose sun provides light and warmth in the day, whose moon and stars shine at night, come into being? How did the earth spread out on which man lives and passes his life, whose products fulfill all his needs and requirements on whose springs and wells his life depends? How did the mountains rise up from the surface of the earth, which stand fixed with earth and stones of different colors and a variety of minerals in them? Has all this happened without the artistic skill of an All-Powerful, All- Wise Designer. No thinking and intelligent mind can answer this question in the negative. Unless it is stubborn and obstinate, it will have to acknowledge that each one of these things was impossible, had not an Omnipotent, Wise Being made it possible. And when an All-Powerful, Wise Being created these things, there is no reason why the Hereafter should be regarded as remote from reason and impossible.

8. That is, if a person does not listen to reason, he may not. You have not been appointed to force the will of the deniers: your only task is to distinguish the right from the wrong for the people and warn them of the consequences of following the wrong way; so this is the task you should continue to perform.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Ghashiyah, 88:1-16

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هَلۡ اَتٰٮكَ حَدِيۡثُ الۡغَاشِيَةِؕ‏ ﴿88:1﴾ وُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿88:2﴾ عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ ۙ‏﴿88:3﴾ تَصۡلٰى نَارًا حَامِيَةً ۙ‏ ﴿88:4﴾ تُسۡقٰى مِنۡ عَيۡنٍ اٰنِيَةٍؕ‏ ﴿88:5﴾ لَـيۡسَ لَهُمۡ طَعَامٌ اِلَّا مِنۡ ضَرِيۡعٍۙ‏ ﴿88:6﴾ لَّا يُسۡمِنُ وَلَا يُغۡنِىۡ مِنۡ جُوۡعٍؕ‏ ﴿88:7﴾ وُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ نَّاعِمَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿88:8﴾لِّسَعۡيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿88:9﴾ فِىۡ جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍۙ‏﴿88:10﴾ لَّا تَسۡمَعُ فِيۡهَا لَاغِيَةً ؕ‏ ﴿88:11﴾ فِيۡهَا عَيۡنٌ جَارِيَةٌ​ ۘ‏ ﴿88:12﴾ فِيۡهَا سُرُرٌ مَّرۡفُوۡعَةٌ ۙ‏﴿88:13﴾ وَّاَكۡوَابٌ مَّوۡضُوۡعَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿88:14﴾وَّنَمَارِقُ مَصۡفُوۡفَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿88:15﴾ وَّزَرَابِىُّ مَبۡثُوۡثَةٌ ؕ‏ ﴿88:16﴾

(88:1) Has the news of the overwhelming event reached you?1 (88:2) Some faces2 that Day shall be downcast with fear, (88:3) be toiling and worn-out; (88:4) they shall burn in a Scorching Fire; (88:5) their drink shall be from a boiling spring. (88:6) They shall have no food except bitter dry thorns3 (88:7) that will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger. (88:8) On that very Day some faces shall be radiant with joy, (88:9) well-pleased with their striving.4 (88:10) They will be in a lofty Garden (88:11) wherein they shall hear no vain talk.5 (88:12) In it there shall be a flowing spring, (88:13) and couches raised high, (88:14) and goblets laid out,6 (88:15) and cushions arrayed in rows, (88:16) and rich carpets levelled out. 

Notes

1. The overwhelming: the Resurrection which will overshadow the whole world. One should know that here the Hereafter as a whole is being depicted, which comprehends all the stages from the upsetting of the present system to the resurrection of all human beings and the dispensation of rewards and punishments from the divine court. 

2. Some faces: some persons, for the face is the most conspicuous part of the human body by which man’s personality is judged and which reflects the good or bad states through which man passes. 

3. At some places in the Quran, it has been stated that the dwellers of Hell will be given zaqqum to eat; at another place it has been said that they will have no other food but ghislin (washing from wounds), and here that their only food will be thorny dry grass. There is, in fact, no contradiction between these statements. This may as well mean that Hell will have many different compartments in which different categories of the criminals will be lodged according to their crimes, and subjected to different punishments. This may also mean that if they try to avoid zaqqum they will be given ghislin, and if they try to avoid even that, they will only get thorny grass. In short, they would get nothing to suit their taste. 

4. That is: they will be overjoyed to see the best results in the Hereafter of their endeavors and deeds in the world; they will be satisfied to see that they had, in fact, made a profitable bargain in that they had adopted a life of faith, virtue and piety, by sacrificing the desires of the flesh, undergone hardships in carrying out their obligations, endured afflictions in obeying the divine commands, incurred losses and suffered deprivation of benefits and pleasures while trying to avoid sins and acts of disobedience. 

5. This thing has been mentioned at several places in the Quran as a major blessing of Paradise. (For explanation, see(E.N. 38 of Surah Maryam); (E.N. 18 of Surah At-Toor); (E.N. 13 of Surah Al-Waqiah); (E.N. 21 of Surah An-Naba). 

6. That is, filled goblets already supplied so that they do not have to ask for them.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-A’la,87: 1-19

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سَبِّحِ اسۡمَ رَبِّكَ الۡاَعۡلَىۙ‏ ﴿87:1﴾ الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ فَسَوّٰى ۙ‏ ﴿87:2﴾ وَالَّذِىۡ قَدَّرَ فَهَدٰى ۙ‏﴿87:3﴾ وَالَّذِىۡۤ اَخۡرَجَ الۡمَرۡعٰى ۙ‏ ﴿87:4﴾فَجَعَلَهٗ غُثَآءً اَحۡوٰىؕ‏ ﴿87:5﴾ سَنُقۡرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنۡسٰٓىۙ‏ ﴿87:6﴾ اِلَّا مَا شَآءَ اللّٰهُ​ؕ اِنَّهٗ يَعۡلَمُ الۡجَهۡرَ وَمَا يَخۡفٰىؕ‏ ﴿87:7﴾ وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلۡيُسۡرٰى ​ۖ​ۚ‏ ﴿87:8﴾ فَذَكِّرۡ اِنۡ نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكۡرٰىؕ‏ ﴿87:9﴾ سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَنۡ يَّخۡشٰىۙ‏﴿87:10﴾ وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الۡاَشۡقَىۙ‏ ﴿87:11﴾ الَّذِىۡ يَصۡلَى النَّارَ الۡكُبۡرٰى​ۚ‏ ﴿87:12﴾ ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوۡتُ فِيۡهَا وَلَا يَحۡيٰىؕ‏ ﴿87:13﴾ قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ مَنۡ تَزَكّٰىۙ‏﴿87:14﴾ وَذَكَرَ اسۡمَ رَبِّهٖ فَصَلّٰى​ ؕ‏ ﴿87:15﴾ بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُوۡنَ الۡحَيٰوةَ الدُّنۡيَا ۖ‏ ﴿87:16﴾وَالۡاٰخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ وَّ اَبۡقٰىؕ‏ ﴿87:17﴾ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَفِى الصُّحُفِ الۡاُوۡلٰىۙ‏ ﴿87:18﴾ صُحُفِ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ وَمُوۡسٰى‏ ﴿87:19﴾

(87:1) Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,1 (87:2) Who created all things and fashioned them in good proportion;2 (87:3) Who determined3 and guided them,4 (87:4) Who brought forth the pasture,5 (87:5) and then made it into a blackish straw.6 (87:6) We shall make you recite and then you will not forget,7(87:7) except what Allah should wish.8 He knows all that is manifest and all that is hidden.9 (87:8) We shall ease you to follow the way of Ease. (87:9) So render good counsel if good counsel will avail.10 (87:10) He who fears (Allah) shall heed it,11 (87:11) but the wretched will turn away from it. (87:12) He will be cast into the Great Fire. (87:13) Then he will neither die in it, nor live.12 (87:14) He who purified himself shall prosper,13 (87:15) remembering his Lord’s name14 and praying.15 (87:16) No; but you prefer the present life,16 (87:17) whereas the Hereafter is better and more enduring.17 (87:18) This, indeed, was in the ancient Scrolls, (87:19) the Scrolls of Abraham and Moses.18

Notes

1. Literally: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High.” This can have several meanings and all are implied: 

(1) Allah should be remembered by the names which fit Him, and no such name should be used for His exalted Being which, with regard to its meaning and sense, does not fit Him, or which reflects some aspect of deficiency, lack of reverence, polytheism about Him, or which refers to some wrong belief in respect of His Being, attributes, or works. For this purpose, the safest way is that only such names be used for Allah, which He himself has mentioned in the Quran, or which are a correct translation of these names in other languages. 

(2) Allah should not be remembered by the names as are used generally for the created beings, or the created beings should not be called by names as are specifically meant for Allah. And if there are some attributive names which are not specifically meant for Allah, but may also be used for the created beings, such as Rauf (Kind), Rahim (Compassionate), Karim (Generous), Sami (Hearing), Basir (Seeing), etc. one should exercise due care not to use them for man as they are used for Allah. 

(3) Allah should not be mentioned in a way or in a state which reflects lack of respect for Him; for example, to mention His name when engaged in mockery or jest, or when in the lavatory, or while committing a sinful act, or before the people who might behave insolently in response, or in assemblies where the people are engaged in absurd things and might laugh off His mention, or on an occasion when it is feared that the hearer will hear it disdainfully. About Imam Malik, it is related that when a beggar begged him for something and he did not have anything to give, he would not turn away the beggar, saying that Allah would help him, as is commonly done by the people, but he would excuse himself in some other way. When asked why he did so, he replied: When the beggar is not given anything and one makes an excuse, it inevitably displeases him. On such an occasion, I do not like to mention Allah’s name, for I do not like that somebody should hear His name in a state of annoyance and displeasure.

In the Hadith, it has been reported from Uqbah bin Amir Juhani that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had enjoined recitation of Subhana Rabbi yal-Aala in sajdah on the basis of this very verse, and the recitation of Subhana Rabbi yal- Adheem in ruku on the basis of the last verse of Surah Al- Waqiah, viz. Fa-sabhih bismi-Rabbi-kal-Adeem. (Musnad Ahmad, Abu Daud, lbn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Hakim, Ibn al- Mundhir). 

2. That is, He created everything, from the earth to the heavens, in the universe, and gave whatever he created the right proportion and balance and gave every creature the best conceivable form and shape. The same thing has been expressed in Surah As-Sajdah, thus: Who gave everything He created the best form (verse 7) Thus, the creation of everything in the world giving it due order and proportion, is an express sign of the truth that some Wise Designer is its Creator. Had the creation of the countless things in the universe been the result of a chance accident, or the work of many creators, there could be no order and balance, no beauty and inner coherence among the many things existing in the world. 

3. Set a destiny: Determined beforehand what would be the function of a certain thing in the world, and for that purpose what would be its size, its form and shape, its qualities, its place of location, and what opportunities and means should be provided for its survival, existence and functioning, when it should come into being, and when and how it should cease to be after completing its part of the work. Such a scheme for a thing is its destiny (taqdir). And this destiny Allah has set for everything in the universe and for the entire universe as a whole. This means that the creation has not come about without a pre-conceived plan, haphazardly, but for it the Creator had a full plan before Him, and everything is happening according to that plan. (For further explanation, see (E.Ns 13, 14 of Surah Al-Hijr); (E.N. 8 of Surah Al-Furqan); (E.N. 25 of Surah Al-Qamar). (E.N. 12 of Surah Abasa). 

4. That is, nothing was just created and left to itself, but whatever was created to perform a certain function, it was also taught the method of performing that function. In other words, He is not merely the Creator but Guide too. He has taken the responsibility to give guidance to whatever He has created in a particular capacity to fit its nature and to guide it in the way suitable for it. One kind of guidance is for the earth, the moon, the sun, and the stars and planets, which they are following in performing their role. Another kind of guidance is for water, air, light and the solid and mineral elements, and they are performing the same services for which they have been created accordingly. Still another kind of guidance is for vegetables, according to which they take root and spread in the earth, sprout up from its layers, obtain food from wherever Allah has created it for them, produce stem, branches, leaves, blossom and fruit, and fulfill the function which has been appointed for each of them. Still another kind of guidance is for the countless species of animals of the land, and water, and for each member of the species, the wonderful manifestations of which are clearly visible in the life of the animals and in their works, so much so that even an atheist is compelled to concede that different kinds of animals possess some sort of inspirational knowledge which man cannot obtain even through his instruments, not to speak of his senses. Then, there are two different kinds of guidance for man, which correspond to his two different capacities. One kind of guidance is for his animal life, by which each child learns to suck milk spontaneously on birth, by which the eyes of man, his nose, ear, heart, brain, lungs, kidney, liver, stomach, intestines, nerves, veins and arteries, all are performing their respective functions, without man’s being conscious of it, or his will’s having anything to do with the functions of these organs. This is the guidance under which all physical and mental changes pertaining to childhood, maturity, youth and old age go on taking place in man, independent of his will, choice, even his consciousness. The second kind of guidance is for his intellectual and conscious life, the nature of which is absolutely different from the guidance for unconscious life, for in this sphere of life a kind of freedom has been transferred to man, for which the mode of guidance meant for voluntary life is not suitable. For turning away from this last kind of guidance, man may offer whatever arguments and excuses he may like, it is not credible that the Creator Who has arranged guidance for everything in this universe according to its capacity, might have set for man the destiny that he may appropriate numerous things in His world freely, but might not have made any arrangement to show what is the right way of using his choice and what is the wrong way. (For further explanation, see (E.Ns 9, 10,14, 56 of Surah An-Nahl); (E.N. 23 of Surah TaHa), ( E.Ns 2, 3 of Surah Ar-Rahman); (E.N. 5 of Surah Ad-Dahr). 

5. The word maraa as used in the text means the fodder for animals but the context shows that here it does not imply mere fodder but every kind of vegetation that grows out of the soil. 

6. That is, He does not only bring about spring but autumn as well. You witness both the manifestations of this power. On the one side, He causes lush green vegetation to grow, the freshness of which pleases the hearts and, on the other, He renders the same vegetation pale, dry and black rubbish, which is blown about by winds and swept away by floods. Therefore, no one here should be involved in the misunderstanding that he will only experience spring and will never see autumn. This same theme has been expressed at several other places in the Quran in other ways. For example see (Surah Younus, Ayat 24); (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayat 45); (Surah Al-Hadid, Ayat 20). 

7. Hakim has related from Saad bin Abi Waqqas and Ibn Marduyah from Abdullah bin Abbas that the Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated the words of the Quran for fear lest he should forget them. Mujahid and Kalbi say that even before Gabriel finished recitation of the revelation the Prophet (peace be upon him) would start repeating the initial verses lest he should forget them. On this very basis Allah assured him that he should listen quietly when the revelation was coming down, for, We shall enable you to recite it; then you will remember it forever. You should have no fear that you will forget any word of it. This is the third occasion where the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been taught the method of receiving the revelation. The first two occasions have been referred to in(Surah TaHa, Ayat 114)and (Surah Al-Qiyamah, Ayats 16-19). This verse proves that just as the Quran was sent down to the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a miracle, so also its each word was preserved in his memory as a miracle and no possibility was allowed to remain that he should forget anything of it, or that he should utter another synonymous word for any word of it. 

8. This sentence can have two meanings: First, that the preservation of the entire Quran word for word in your memory is not a manifestation of your own power but the result of Allah Almighty’s bounty and grace; otherwise if Allah so willed, He could cause it to be forgotten. This same theme has been expressed at another place in the Quran, thus: O Muhammad! We may, if We so will, take back from you all of what We have revealed to you. (Surah Bani Israil, Ayat 86). Another meaning can also be: Your forgetting something temporarily, or your forgetting a verse or a word occasionally is an exception from this promise. What has been promised is: You will not forget any word of the Quran permanently. This meaning is confirmed by the following tradition of Bukhari: Once while leading the Fajr Prayer the Prophet (peace be upon him) happened to omit a verse during the recitation. After the Prayer Ubayy bin Kaab asked if the verse had been abrogated. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied that he had forgotten to recite it. 

9. Although the words are general, and they mean that Allah knows everything, whether it is open or hidden, yet in the context in which they occur, they seem to mean: O Prophet, your reciting the Quran along with Gabriel is known to Allah and your fear for which you do so is also in Allah’s knowledge. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is being assured that he will not forget it. 

10. Generally, the commentators take these as two separate sentences. They interpret the first sentence to mean: We are giving you a simple code of law, which is easy to practice and act upon, and the second sentence to mean: Admonish the people if admonishing be useful. but in our opinion, the word fa-dhakkir connects the two sentences in meaning, and the theme of the second sentence bears upon the theme of the first sentence. Therefore, we interpret these sentences to mean: O Prophet, We do not want to put you to any hardship concerning the preaching of Islam by demanding that you should make the deaf to hear and the blind to see the way, but We have appointed an easy way for you, which is this: Give admonition when you feel that the people are inclined to benefit by it. As to who is inclined to benefit by the admonition and who is not, this you can only know through general preaching. Therefore, you should continue your general preaching, but your object should be to search out those from among the people who will benefit by it and adopt the right way. Such people alone are worthy of your attention and you should pay full attention only to their instruction and training. You need not abandon them and pursue those about whom you find by experience that they are not inclined to accept any admonition. Almost this very theme has been expressed in Surah Abasa in another way, thus: As for him who is indifferent, to him you attend, though you would not be responsible if he does not reform. And the one who comes to you running, of his own will and fears, from him you turn away. By no means: This is but an Admonition. Let him who wills, accept it. (verses 5-12). 

11. That is, only the one who has fear of God and of evil consequences, will consider whether or not he is following a wrong way, and he only will heed the admonition of the Servant of Allah, who is distinguishing guidance from misguidance for him and guiding him to true successes and piety. 

12. That is, he will neither die so as to escape the punishment nor live as one truly lives so as to enjoy the pleasures of life. This punishment is for those who do not at all accept the admonition of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and persist in disbelief, polytheism and atheism till death. As for those who believe in their hearts but are cast into Hell because of their evil deeds, it has been said in the Hadith that when they will have undergone their punishment, Allah will give them death; then intercession on their behalf will be accepted, and their scorched bodies will be brought to the canals of Paradise, and the dwellers of Paradise will be asked to sprinkle water on them; then by that water they will come to life even as vegetation grows up when water is sprinkled on the earth. This theme has been reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Muslim on the authority of Abu Saeed Khudri and in Bazzar on the authority of Abu Hurairah. 

13. Who purified himself: Who affirmed the faith giving up disbelief and polytheism, adopted good morals giving up evil morals, and performed good deeds giving up evil deeds. Success does not imply worldly prosperity, but true and real success whether worldly prosperity accompanies it or not. (For explanation, see (E.N. 23 of Surah Younus), (E.Ns 1,  11,  50 of Surah Al-Mominoon); (E.N. 4 of Surah Luqman). 

14. To remember Allah signifies His remembrance in the heart as well as with the tongue. 

15. That is, he did not remain content only with remembering Allah but proved by performing the Prayer that he is also practically prepared to obey God in Whom he has affirmed the faith, and will remember His name as long as he lives. In this verse mention has been made of two things respectively: First, to remember Allah, then to perform the Prayer. Accordingly, the method enjoined is that the Prayer be begun with Allahu Akbar. This is an evidence to prove that all the elements of the procedure that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught of performing the Prayer, are based on the allusions in the Quran. But, no one else, apart from the Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah, could by combining these injunctions and allusions give the Prayer the form that it has. 

16. That is, O man, all your thoughts and endeavors are only for the world, its ease and comforts, its benefits and enjoyments. You regard whatever you gain here as the real gain and whatever you lose here as your real loss. 

17. That is, the Hereafter is preferable to the world for two reasons: First, that its comforts and pleasures are far superior to all the blessings of the world; second, that the world is transitory and the Hereafter everlasting.

18. This is the second place in the Quran where reference has been made to the teachings of the Books of the Prophets Abraham and Moses (peace be upon them). The first reference was made in section 3 of Surah An-Najm.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah At-Tariq,86: 1-17

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وَالسَّمَآءِ وَالطَّارِقِۙ‏ ﴿86:1﴾ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرٰٮكَ مَا الطَّارِقُۙ‏ ﴿86:2﴾ النَّجۡمُ الثَّاقِبُۙ‏ ﴿86:3﴾ اِنۡ كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيۡهَا حَافِظٌؕ‏ ﴿86:4﴾ فَلۡيَنۡظُرِ الۡاِنۡسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَؕ‏ ﴿86:5﴾ خُلِقَ مِنۡ مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍۙ‏ ﴿86:6﴾ يَّخۡرُجُ مِنۡۢ بَيۡنِ الصُّلۡبِ وَالتَّرَآئِبِؕ‏ ﴿86:7﴾ اِنَّهٗ عَلٰى رَجۡعِهٖ لَقَادِرٌؕ‏﴿86:8﴾ يَوۡمَ تُبۡلَى السَّرَآئِرُۙ‏ ﴿86:9﴾ فَمَا لَهٗ مِنۡ قُوَّةٍ وَّلَا نَاصِرٍؕ‏ ﴿86:10﴾ وَالسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجۡعِۙ‏ ﴿86:11﴾ وَالۡاَرۡضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدۡعِۙ‏﴿86:12﴾ اِنَّهٗ لَقَوۡلٌ فَصۡلٌۙ‏ ﴿86:13﴾ وَّمَا هُوَ بِالۡهَزۡلِؕ‏ ﴿86:14﴾ اِنَّهُمۡ يَكِيۡدُوۡنَ كَيۡدًا ۙ‏﴿86:15﴾ وَّاَكِيۡدُ كَيۡدًا ۚۖ‏ ﴿86:16﴾ فَمَهِّلِ الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ اَمۡهِلۡهُمۡ رُوَيۡدًا‏ ﴿86:17﴾

(86:1) By the heaven, and the night-visitor, (86:2) what do you know what the night-visitor is? (86:3) It is the piercing star. (86:4) There is no living being but there is a protector over it.1(86:5) So let man consider of what he was created.2 (86:6) He was created of a gushing fluid, (86:7) emanating from between the loins and the ribs.3 (86:8) Surely He (the Creator) has the power to bring him back (to life).4 (86:9) On the Day when man’s deepest secrets shall be put to the test5 (86:10) he shall have no power, and no helper. (86:11) By the heaven with its recurring cycle of rain,6 (86:12) and by the earth ever bursting with verdure, (86:13) this (Qur’an) is surely a decisive Word, (86:14) not a flippant jest.7 (86:15) They are devising a guile,8 (86:16) and I too am devising a guile.9(86:17) So leave the unbelievers to themselves; respite them awhile.10

Notes

1. A Guardian: Allah Almighty Himself, who is looking after and watching over every creature, big or small, in the earth and heavens. He it is who has brought everything into existence, who is maintaining and sustaining everything in its place and position, and who has taken the responsibility to provide for every creature and to protect it from calamities till an appointed time. On this, an oath has been sworn by the heaven and by every star and planet which appears in the darkness of the night. (Although lexically, an-najm ath-thaqib is singular, it does not imply any one star but the star in the generic sense). The oath signifies that the existence of each star (among the countless stars and planets that shine in the sky at night) testifies to the fact that there is a Being who has created it, illuminated it, suspended it in space, and thus is watching over it in a manner that neither it falls from its place nor collides with any other of the countless stars in their movements, nor does any other star collide with it. 

2. After inviting man to ponder over the heavens, he is now being invited to consider his own self and see how he has been created, who is it who selects one spermatozoon from among billions of spermatozoa emitted by the father and combines it at some time with one ovum out of a large number of the ova produced by the mother, and thus causes a particular human being to be conceived? Then, who is it who after conception develops it gradually in the mother’s womb until it is delivered in the form of a living child? Then, who is it who in the mother’s womb itself brings about a certain proportion and harmony between its bodily structure and its physical and mental capabilities? Then, who is it who watches over it continuously from birth till death, protects it from disease, accidents and calamities and provides him with countless means of life and opportunities for survival in the world of which he is not even conscious, not to speak of having the power to provide these for himself. Is all this happening without the planning and supervision of One God? 

3. “A fluid gushing forth” means ejaculation of semen (maain) carrying the sperm (nutfa), one of the minute, usually actively motile gametes-a mature male reproductive cell in semen, which serves to fertilize the female ovum. Sperms are produced by testes. Each testes has 800 small tubules and each tube about 2 feet long, semeniferous tubules which produce sperms about 200-300 million every day. There are 2 valves around urethra. Both are tightly closed to hold and store semen before its expulsion. The inner valve stays tightly closed to prevent backward ejaculation into the urinary bladder and the outer valve intermittently contracts and relaxes 3-7 times along with surrounding muscles contraction to generate force for propelling the semen out (dafiqin). (Ref. Spinal Cord Medicine, Demos Medical Publishing Inc. New York USA, Chapter 26, Page 354). 

4. Sulb is the backbone (vertebral column) and taraib the ribs. There are 12 pairs of ribs. Of them, 7 pairs are called true ribs as each of them is attached between the vertebra (backbone) and the sternum (breast bone), and the remaining 5 are called false ribs as they are also attached to the vertebral column but not to sternum. Ejaculation is a highly complex process which requires smooth coordination of multiple sections of the nervous system. Mechanism of emission and propulsions is caused by 2 spinal cord centers. The spinal cord is 43-45 cm long and is continuation of brain tissue and occupies its place in the center of upper spinal bony vertebral column. It is the proper functioning, integrity and continuity of these 2 spinal cord centers located between vertebrae (sulb) and ribs (taraib) connecting spinal cord and sex organs along with the valves around urethra by the nerves which are responsible for ejaculation. (Ref. Spinal Cord Medicine, Demos Medical Publishing Inc. New York USA, Chapter 2, Page 16).

5. That is, His bringing man into existence and watching over him from the time conception takes place until death, is a clear proof that He can create him once again after death. If He had the power to create him in the first instance and man stays alive in the world by His power alone, what rational arguments can be presented for the conjecture that He does not have the power to do the same thing a second time? To deny this power man will even have to deny that God has brought him into existence, and the one who denies this may well come out one day with the claim that all books in the world have been printed accidentally, all cities of the world have been built accidentally, and there has occurred on the earth an explosion by chance which made all the factories start functioning automatically. The fact is that the creation of man, the structure of his body, the existence of the powers and capabilities working within him, and his survival as a living being all this is a much more complex process than all those works that have come to be accomplished through man, or are still in the process of being accomplished. If such a complex work with such wisdom, proportion and order could be accomplished just through a chance accident, what else could not be regarded as accidental by a mentally deranged person? 

6. The hidden secrets: the acts of every person which remained a secret to the world as well as those affairs which came before the world only in their apparent form, but the intentions, aims and secret motives working behind them remained hidden from the people. On the Resurrection Day all this will be laid bare and not only will the acts and deeds of every person be examined but it will also be seen what was his motive and intention and object of so acting. Likewise, it also remained hidden from the world, even from the doer of the act himself, what effects and influences of his act appeared in the world, to what extent they spread and for how long they continued to work. This secret will also be revealed on the Resurrection Day and it will be fully examined as to what were the consequences of the seed that a person sowed in the world, what fruit it bore and for how long it affected the later generations for better or for worse. 

7. The words dhat ar-raje have been used for the sky. Literally raje means to return, but metaphorically this word is used for the rain in Arabic, for rain does not fall just once, but returns over and over again in the season and sometimes out of season as well. Another reason for calling the rain raje is that water rises as vapor from the oceans of the earth and then falls back as rain on the same earth. 

8. That is, just as the falling of rain from the sky and the splitting of the earth to put out shoots is no jest but a serious reality, so also the news which the Quran gives that man has to return to his God is no jest but a definite and decisive reality and an unchangeable truth which has to be fulfilled.

9. That is, these disbelievers are devising every kind of plan to defeat the invitation of the Quran; they wish to blow out this candle; they are creating all sorts of doubts In the people’s minds; they are inventing false accusations against the Prophet (peace be upon him) who has brought it, so as to frustrate his mission in the world and perpetuate the darkness of ignorance and unbelief which he is struggling so hard to remove. 

10. That is, I am planning that none of their devices should succeed so that they are utterly defeated in their designs, and the light which they are trying their utmost to put out, spreads far and wide.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Buruj,85: 1-22

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وَالسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ الۡبُرُوۡجِۙ‏ ﴿85:1﴾ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الۡمَوۡعُوۡدِۙ‏ ﴿85:2﴾ وَشَاهِدٍ وَّمَشۡهُوۡدٍؕ‏ ﴿85:3﴾قُتِلَ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡاُخۡدُوۡدِۙ‏ ﴿85:4﴾ النَّارِ ذَاتِ الۡوَقُوۡدِۙ‏ ﴿85:5﴾ اِذۡ هُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا قُعُوۡدٌ ۙ‏ ﴿85:6﴾وَّهُمۡ عَلٰى مَا يَفۡعَلُوۡنَ بِالۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ شُهُوۡدٌ ؕ‏﴿85:7﴾ وَمَا نَقَمُوۡا مِنۡهُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يُّؤۡمِنُوۡا بِاللّٰهِ الۡعَزِيۡزِ الۡحَمِيۡدِۙ‏  ﴿85:8﴾ الَّذِىۡ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ شَهِيۡدٌ ؕ‏ ﴿85:9﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ فَتَـنُوا الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوۡبُوۡا فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ الۡحَرِيۡقِؕ‏ ﴿85:10﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَهُمۡ جَنّٰتٌ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ ؕ ذٰلِكَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡكَبِيۡرُؕ‏ ﴿85:11﴾ اِنَّ بَطۡشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيۡدٌ ؕ‏ ﴿85:12﴾ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيۡدُ​ ۚ‏ ﴿85:13﴾ وَهُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الۡوَدُوۡدُۙ‏﴿85:14﴾ ذُو الۡعَرۡشِ الۡمَجِيۡدُ ۙ‏ ﴿85:15﴾ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيۡدُ ؕ‏ ﴿85:16﴾ هَلۡ اَتٰٮكَ حَدِيۡثُ الۡجُـنُوۡدِۙ‏ ﴿85:17﴾ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَثَمُوۡدَؕ‏ ﴿85:18﴾ بَلِ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا فِىۡ تَكۡذِيۡبٍۙ‏ ﴿85:19﴾ وَّاللّٰهُ مِنۡ وَّرَآئِهِمۡ مُّحِيۡطٌۚ‏ ﴿85:20﴾ بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡاٰنٌ مَّجِيۡدٌ ۙ‏ ﴿85:21﴾ فِىۡ لَوۡحٍ مَّحۡفُوۡظٍ‏﴿85:22﴾

(85:1) By the heaven with its impregnable castles;1 (85:2) by the Promised Day,2 (85:3) and by the witness and what is witnessed:3(85:4) the people of the pit were destroyed (85:5) with fire abounding in fuel, (85:6) while they sat around it, (85:7) and were witnessing what they did to the believers.4 (85:8) Against these they had no grudge except that they believed in Allah, the Most Mighty, the Most Praiseworthy, (85:9) to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Allah witnesses everything.5 (85:10) Surely those who tormented the believing men and the believing women and then did not repent, theirs shall be the chastisement of Hell, and theirs shall be the chastisement of burning.6 (85:11) As for those who believed and acted righteously, theirs shall be Gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great triumph. (85:12) Stern indeed is your Lord’s punishment. (85:13) He it is Who creates for the first time and He it is Who will create again, (85:14) and He is the Ever Forgiving, the Most Loving (85:15) – the Lord of the Glorious Throne, (85:16) the Executor of what He wills.7(85:17) Has the story of the armies reached you, (85:18) the armies of Pharaoh and Thamud?8(85:19) The unbelievers are indeed engaged in denying it, calling it a lie, (85:20) although Allah surrounds them. (85:21) Nay; but this is a glorious Qur’an, (85:22) inscribed on a well-guarded Tablet.9

Notes

1. Literally: By the heaven having constellations. Some of the commentators have interpreted it to mean the twelve signs of the zodiac in the heavens according to ancient astronomy, However, according to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Hasan Basri, Dahhak and Suddi it implies the glorious stars and planets of the sky.

2. That is, the Day of Resurrection. 

3. The commentators have expressed many different views about “the witness” and “that which is witnessed”. In our opinion what fits in well with the context is that it is every such person who will witness the Day of Resurrection, and that which is witnessed is the Resurrection itself, the dreadful scenes of which will be seen by all. This is the view of Mujahid. Ikrimah, Dahhak, lbn Nujaih and some other commentators. 

4. The people of the ditch were those who had burnt the believers at stake and witnessed their burning themselves. Destroyed were: Cursed were they by God and they became worthy of Hell torment. On this an oath has been sworn by three things: 

(1) By the heaven having constellations. 

(2) By the Day of Resurrection which has been promised. 

(3) By the dreadful scenes of the Day of Resurrection and all those creatures who will witness those scenes. 

The first of these testifies to the truth that the Sovereign, Absolute Being Who is ruling over the glorious stars and planets of the universe, cannot allow this contemptible, insignificant creature called man to escape His grip. The second thing has been sworn by on the basis that the wicked people committed whatever tyranny they wanted to commit, but the Day of which men have been fore-warned is sure to come when the grievances of every wronged person will be redressed and every wrongdoer will be brought to book and punished. The third thing has been sworn by for the reason that just as these wicked people enjoyed witnessing the burning of the helpless believers, so will all human beings on the Day of Resurrection witness how they are taken to task and burnt in Hell. 

Several events have been mentioned in the traditions of the believers having been thrown into pits of blazing fire, which show that such tyrannies have been inflicted many a time in history. 

One of the events has been reported by Suhaib Rumi from the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying that a king had a magician at his court who on becoming old requested the king to appoint a boy who should learn magic from him. Accordingly, the king appointed a boy. But the boy while going to the magician’s place and coming back home also started visiting on the way a monk, who was probably a follower of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), and being influenced by his teaching turned to a believer. So much so that by his training he acquired miraculous powers. He would heal the blind and cure the lepers. When the king came to know that the boy had believed in the Unity of God, he first put the monk to the sword; then wanted to kill the boy, but no instrument and no device had any effect on him. At last, the boy said to the king: If you are bent upon killing me, shoot an arrow at me with the word: Bi-ismi Rabbil-ghulam (in the name of this boy’s Lord) in front of the assembled people, and I shall die. The king did as he was told and the boy died. There upon the people cried out that they affirmed faith in the Lord of the boy. The courtiers told the king that the same precisely had happened which he wanted to avoid: the people had forsaken his religion and adopted the boy’s religion. At this the king was filled with rage. Consequently, he got pits dug out along the roads, got them filled with fire and ordered all those who refused to renounce the new faith to be thrown into the fire. (Ahmad, Muslim. Nasai, Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir. Abdur Razzaq. Ibn Abi Shaibah, Tabarani. Abd bin Humaid). 

The second event has been reported from Ali. He says that a king of lran drank wine and committed adultery with his sister resulting in illicit relations between the two. When the secret became known, the king got the announcement made that God had permitted marriage with the sister. When the people refused to believe in it, he started coercing them into accepting by different kinds of punishment; so much so that he began to cast into the pits of fire every such person who refused to concede it. According to Ali, marriage with the prohibited relations among the fireworshippers has begun since then. (Ibn Jarir). 

The third event has been related by lbn Abbas, probably on the basis of the Israelite traditions, saying that the people of Babylon had compelled the children of Israel to give up the religion of the Prophet Moses (peace he upon him), so much so that they cast into pits of fire all those who refused to obey. (Ibn Jarir, Abd bin Humaid). 

The best known event, however, relates to Najran, which has been related by Ibn Hisham, Tabari, Ibn Khaldun, the author of Mujam al-Buldan and other Islamic historians. Its resume is as follows: Tuban Asad Abu Karib, king of Himyar (Yaman), went to Yathrib once, where he embraced Judaism under the influence of the Jews, and brought two of the Jewish scholars of Bani Quraizah with him to Yaman. There he propagated Judaism widely. His son Dhu Nuwas succeeded him and he attacked Najran which was a stronghold of the Christians in southern Arabia so as to eliminate Christianity and make the people accept Judaism. Ibn Hisham says that these people were true followers of the Gospel of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). In Najran, he invited the people to accept Judaism but they refused to obey. Thereupon he caused a large number of the people to be burnt in the ditches of fire and slew many others with the sword until he had killed nearly twenty thousand of them. Daus Dhu Thalaban an inhabitant of Najran escaped and went, according to one tradition, to the Byzantine emperor, and according to another to the Negus, king of Abyssinia, and told him what had happened. 

According to the first tradition, the emperor wrote to the king of Abyssinia, and according to the second, the Negus requested the emperor to provide him with a naval force. In any case; an Abyssinian army consisting of seventy thousand soldiers under a general called Aryat, attacked Yaman, Dhu Nuwas was killed, the Jewish rule came to an end, and Yaman become a part of the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia. 

The statements of the Islamic historians are not only confirmed by other historical means but they also give many more details. Yaman first came under the Christian Abyssinian domination in 340 A.D. and this domination continued till 378 A.D. The Christian missionaries started entering Yaman in that period. About the same time, a man named Faymiyun (Phemion), who was a righteous, earnest, ascetic man and possessed miraculous powers, arrived in Yaman and by his preaching against idol-worship converted the people of Najran to Christianity. These people were ruled by three chiefs: Sayyid, who was the principal chief like the tribal elders and responsible for external affairs, political agreements and command of the forces, Aqib, who looked after the internal affairs and Usquf (Bishop), the religious guide. In southern Arabia Najran commanded great importance, being a major trade and industrial center with tussore, leather and the armament industries. The well-known Yamanite wrapper and cloak (hulla Yamani) was also manufactured here. On this very basis, Dhu Nuwas attacked this important place not only for religious but also for political and economic reasons. Dhu Nuwas put to death Harithah (called Arethas by the Syrian historians), killed Sayyid of Najrain and also killed his two daughters in front of their mother Romah and compelled her to drink their blood and then put even her to death. He took out the bones of Bishop Paul from the grave and burnt them, and ordered women, men, children, aged people, priests and monks, all to be thrown into the pits of fire. The total number of the people thus killed has been estimated between twenty and forty thousand. This happened in October, 523 A.D. At last, in 525 A.D. the Abyssinians attacked Yaman and put an end to Dhu Nuwas and his Himyarite kingdom. This is confirmed by the Hisn Ghurab inscription which the modern archaeologists have unearthed in Yaman. 

In several Christian writings of the 6th century A.D. details of the event relating to the “people of the ditch” have been given, some of which are contemporary and reported from eye-witnesses. Authors of three of these books were contemporaries with the event. They were Procopeus, Cosmos Indicopleustis, who was translating Greek book of Ptolemy under command of the Negus Elesboan at that time and resided at Adolis, a city on the sea-coast of Abyssinia, and Johannes Malala from whom several of the later historians have related this event. After this, Johannes of Ephesus (dated 585 A.D) has related the story of the persecution of the Christians of Najran in his history of the Church from a letter of Bishop Mar Simeon who was a contemporary reporter of this event. Mar Simeon wrote this letter to Abbot von Gabula; in it Simeon has reported this event with reference to the statements of the Yamanite eye-witnesses present on the occasion. This letter was published in 1881 A.D. from Rome and in 1890 A.D. in the memoirs of the martyrs of Christianity Jacobian Patriarch. Dionysius and Zacharia of Mitylene have in their Syriac histories also related this event. Yaqub Saruji also in his book about the Christians of Najran has made mention of it. Bishop Pulus of Edessa’s elegy on those who perished in Najran, is still extant. An English translation of the Syriac kitab al-Himyarin (Book of the Himyarites) was published in 1924 from London, which confirms the statements of the Muslim historians. In the British Museum there are some Abyssinian manuscripts relating to that period or a period close to it, which support this story. Philby in his travelogue entitled Arabian Highlands, writes: Among the people of Najran the place is still well known where the event of the people of the ditch (ashab al-ukhdud) had taken place. Close by Umm Kharaq there can still be seen some pictures carved in the rocks, and the present day people of Najran also know the place where the cathedral of Najran stood. 

The Abyssinian Christians after capturing Najran had built a church here resembling the Kabah, by which they wanted to divert pilgrimage from the Kabah at Makkah to it. Its priests and keepers wore turbans and regarded it as a sacred sanctuary. The Roman empire also sent monetary aid for this “kabah”. The priests of this very “kabah” of Najran had visited the Prophet (peace be upon him) under the leadership of their Sayyid, Aqib and Bishop for a discussion with him and the famous event of the mubahala (trial through prayer) took place as referred to in (Surah Al-Imran, Ayat 61). (For details. see (E.Ns 29 and 55 of Surah Al-Imran). 

5. In these verses those of Allah Almighty’s attributes have been mentioned on account of which He alone deserves that one should believe in Him, and the people who feel displeased at one’s believing in Him, are wicked and unjust. 1

6. Punishment of burning has been mentioned separately from the torment of Hell because they had burnt the oppressed people to death by casting them into the pits of fire. Probably this will be a different and severer kind of fire from the fire of Hell in which those people will be burnt. 

7. He is the All-Forgiving: If a person repents and reforms himself, he can hope to be received by Allah in His mercy. All-Loving: He has no enmity with His creatures that He would subject them to torment without any reason, but He loves the creatures He has created and punishes them only when they do not give up the attitude of rebellion against Him. Owner of the Throne, means that He alone is the Ruler of the kingdom of the universe: no one who is a rebel can escape His grip and punishment. The mention of His being Exalted is meant to warn man for his meanness when he adopts an attitude of arrogance against such a Being. Last of all, “He is Doer of whatever He intends: no one in the entire universe has the power to obstruct and resist what Allah wills to do.

8. The address is directed to the people who in their false pride of having powerful hosts, are breaking the law of God on His earth. They are being warned, as if to say: Do you know what evil fate was met before by those who broke the bounds set by Allah on the strength of the power of their hosts. 

9. That is, the writ of the Quran is unchangeable and imperishable. It is inscribed in the guarded tablet of God, which cannot he corrupted in any way. Whatever is written in it has to be fulfilled: even the whole world together cannot avert its fulfillment.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Inshiqaq, 84:20-25

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فَمَا لَهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿84:20﴾ وَاِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡقُرۡاٰنُ لَا يَسۡجُدُوۡنَ ؕ ۩‏ ﴿84:21﴾بَلِ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا يُكَذِّبُوۡنَ ۖ‏ ﴿84:22﴾وَاللّٰهُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يُوۡعُوۡنَ ۖ‏ ﴿84:23﴾فَبَشِّرۡهُمۡ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿84:24﴾ اِلَّا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَهُمۡ اَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُوۡنٍ‏  ﴿84:25﴾

(84:20) So, what is the matter with them that they do not believe, (84:21) and when the Qur’an is recited to them, they do not prostrate12themselves? (84:22) Instead, the unbelievers reject it, calling it a lie. (84:23) Allah knows best what they are accumulating (in their Record).13 (84:24) So give them the good news of a painful chastisement, (84:25) except for those who believe and do good deeds. Theirs shall be an unending reward. 

Notes

12. They do not fall prostrate: they do not bow down to God out of fear of Him. To perform a sajdah (prostration) here is confirmed by the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him). lmam Malik, Muslim and Nasai have related a tradition concerning Abu Huraira saying that he recited this Surah in the Prayer and performing a sajdah here and said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) performed a sajdah at this point. Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud and Nasai have cited this statement of Abu Rafi: Abu Huraira recited this Surah in the Isha Prayer and performed a sajdah. When I asked why he had done so, he replied: I prayed under the leadership of Abul Qasim (peace be upon him) and he performed a sajdah here. Therefore, I will continue to perform this sajdah likewise as long as I live. Muslim, Abu Daud, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah and others have related another tradition saying that Abu Huraira said: We performed sajdah behind the Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah in this Surah and in Iqra bi-ismi Rabbikalladhi khalaq. 

13 Another meaning can also be: Allah knows best what disbelief, malice, hostility to the truth and evil intentions and designs they keep in their breasts.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Inshiqaq, 84: 1-19

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اِذَا السَّمَآءُ انْشَقَّتۡۙ‏ ﴿84:1﴾ وَاَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتۡۙ‏ ﴿84:2﴾ وَاِذَا الۡاَرۡضُ مُدَّتۡؕ‏ ﴿84:3﴾وَاَلۡقَتۡ مَا فِيۡهَا وَتَخَلَّتۡۙ‏ ﴿84:4﴾ وَاَذِنَتۡ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتۡؕ‏ ﴿84:5﴾ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡاِنۡسَانُ اِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ اِلٰى رَبِّكَ كَدۡحًا فَمُلٰقِيۡهِ​ۚ‏  ﴿84:6﴾فَاَمَّا مَنۡ اُوۡتِىَ كِتٰبَهٗ بِيَمِيۡنِهٖۙ‏ ﴿84:7﴾فَسَوۡفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَّسِيۡرًا ۙ‏ ﴿84:8﴾وَّيَنۡقَلِبُ اِلٰٓى اَهۡلِهٖ مَسۡرُوۡرًا ؕ‏ ﴿84:9﴾ وَاَمَّا مَنۡ اُوۡتِىَ كِتٰبَهٗ وَرَآءَ ظَهۡرِهٖۙ‏ ﴿84:10﴾فَسَوۡفَ يَدۡعُوۡا ثُبُوۡرًا ۙ‏ ﴿84:11﴾ وَّيَصۡلٰى سَعِيۡرًا ؕ‏ ﴿84:12﴾ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ فِىۡۤ اَهۡلِهٖ مَسۡرُوۡرًا ؕ‏﴿84:13﴾ اِنَّهٗ ظَنَّ اَنۡ لَّنۡ يَّحُوۡرَ ۛۚ‏ ﴿84:14﴾ بَلٰٓى ۛۚ اِنَّ رَبَّهٗ كَانَ بِهٖ بَصِيۡرًا ؕ‏ ﴿84:15﴾ فَلَاۤ اُقۡسِمُ بِالشَّفَقِۙ‏ ﴿84:16﴾ وَالَّيۡلِ وَمَا وَسَقَۙ‏﴿84:17﴾ وَالۡقَمَرِ اِذَا اتَّسَقَۙ‏ ﴿84:18﴾ لَتَرۡكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَنۡ طَبَقٍؕ‏ ﴿84:19﴾

(84:1) When the sky is rent asunder (84:2) and hearkens to the command1 of its Lord, doing what it should; (84:3) and when the earth is stretched out2 (84:4) and casts out what is within it and is emptied,3 (84:5) and hearkens to the command of its Lord, doing what it should.4(84:6) O man, you are striving unto your Lord5and you will meet Him. (84:7) Whoever is given the Record in his right hand (84:8) shall be called to an easy accounting,6 (84:9) and shall return to his people joyfully.7 (84:10) But he who is given the Record behind his back,8(84:11) shall cry for “perdition,” (84:12) and will enter the Blazing Fire. (84:13) He used to live joyfully among his people,9 (84:14) thinking he would never revert (to Us). (84:15) But no; (how would he not revert)? His Lord was ever watching him.10 (84:16) Nay; I swear by the twilight; (84:17) and by the night and what it enfolds, (84:18) and by the moon, when it reaches its fullness: (84:19) you shall proceed onwards from stage to stage.11

Notes

1. Literally: And listens its Lord’s command. However, according to Arabic usage adhina lahu does not only mean: He heard the command but it means: Hearing the command he carried it out promptly like an obedient servant. 

2. When the earth is stretched out: when the oceans and rivers are filled up, the mountains are crushed to pieces and scattered away, and the earth is leveled and turned into a smooth plain. In Surah TaHa, the same thing has been expressed, thus: He will turn the earth into an empty level plain, wherein you will neither see any curve nor crease. (verses 106-107). Hakim in Mustadrak has related through authentic channels on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah a saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the effect: On the Resurrection Day the earth will be flattened out and spread out like the table-cloth; then there will hardly be room on it for men to place their feet. To understand this saying one should keep in mind the fact that on that Day all men who will have been born from the first day of creation till Resurrection, will be resurrected simultaneously and produced in the divine court. For gathering together such a great multitude of the people it is inevitable that the oceans, rivers, mountains, jungles, ravines and all high and low areas be leveled and the entire globe of the earth be turned into a vast plain so that all individuals of human race may have room on it to stand on their feet. 

3. That is, it will throw out all dead bodies of men and also the traces and evidences of their deeds lying within it, so that nothing remains hidden and buried in it. 

4. Here, it has not been expressly told what will happen when such and such an event takes place, for the subsequent theme by itself explains this, as if to say: O man, you are moving towards your Lord and are about to meet Him; you will be given your conduct book; and rewarded or punished according to your deeds.” 

5. That is, “You may if you so like think that all your efforts and endeavors in the world are confined to worldly life and motivated by worldly desires, yet the truth is that you are moving, consciously or unconsciously, towards your Lord and you have ultimately to appear before Him in any case. 

6. That is, his reckoning will be less severe. He will not be asked why he had done such and such a thing and what excuses he had to offer for it. Though his evil deeds will also be there along with his good deeds in his records, his errors will be overlooked and pardoned in view of his outweighing good deeds. In the Quran, for the severe reckoning of the wicked people the words su-al-hisab (heavy reckoning) have been used (Surah Ar-Raad, Ayat 181), and concerning the righteous it has been said: From such people, We accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evils. (Surah Al- Ahqaf, Ayat 16). The explanation of it given by the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been related in different words by lmam Ahmad Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Abu Daud, Hakim, Ibn Jarir, Abd bin Humaid, and Ibn Marduyah on the authority of Aishah. According to one of these traditions the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Doomed will be he who is called to account for his deeds. Aishah said: O Messenger of Allah, has not Allah said: He whose record is given in his right hand shall have an easy reckoning? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: That is only about the presentation of the deeds, but the one who is questioned would be doomed. In another tradition Aishah has related: I once heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) supplicate during the prayer, thus: O God, call me to a light reckoning. When he brought his Prayer to conclusion, I asked what he meant by that supplication. He replied: Light reckoning means that one’s conduct book will be seen and one’s errors will be overlooked. O Aishah, the one who is called to account for his deeds on that Day, would be doomed. 

7. His kinsfolk: his family and relatives and companions who will have been pardoned even like himself. 

8. In( Surah Al-Haaqqah, Ayat 25), it was said that his record will be given to him in his left hand but here behind his back. This will probably be for the reason that he would already have lost all hopes that he would be given his record in his right hand, for he would be well aware of his misdeeds and sure to receive his record in his left hand. However, in order to avoid the humiliation of receiving it in the left hand, in front of all mankind, he will withdraw his hand behind and so would receive it behind his back. 

9. That is, his way of life was different from that of God’s righteous men, about whom in(Surah At-Toor, Ayat 26), it has been said that they lived among their kinsfolk in fear and dread of God, i.e. they fear lest they should ruin their own Hereafter on account of their absorption in the love of children and endeavors for the sake of their well-being and prosperity in the world. On the contrary, this man lived a life free from every care and worry and also helped his children and kinsfolk to enjoy life fully, no matter what wicked and immoral methods he had to use to procure the means of enjoyment, how he had to usurp the rights of others and transgress the bounds set by Allah for the sake of the worldly pleasures. 

10. That is, it was against God’s justice and His wisdom that He should overlook the misdeeds that he was committing and should not summon him before Himself to render his account of the deeds. 

11. That is, you will not remain in one and the same state, but will have to pass through countless stages gradually, from youth to old age, from old age to death, from death to barzakh (the intermediary state between death and Resurrection), from barzakh to Resurrection, from Resurrection to the Plain of Assembly, then to the Reckoning, and then to the meting out of rewards and punishments. An oath has been sworn by three things to confine this: 

(1) By the twilight. 

(2) By the darkness of night and the gathering together in it of all those human beings and animals who remain scattered in the day time. 

(3) By the moon’s passing through different phases to become full. These are some of those things which testify that rest and stillness is unknown in the universe in which man lives. There is a continuous and gradual change taking place everywhere. Therefore, the disbelievers are wrong in thinking that life comes to an end after man has breathed his last.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Mutaffifin, 83: 29-36

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اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اَجۡرَمُوۡا كَانُوۡا مِنَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا يَضۡحَكُوۡنَ  ۖ‏ ﴿83:29﴾ وَاِذَا مَرُّوۡا بِهِمۡ يَتَغَامَزُوۡنَ  ۖ‏ ﴿83:30﴾ وَاِذَا انۡقَلَبُوۡۤا اِلٰٓى اَهۡلِهِمُ انْقَلَبُوۡا فَكِهِيۡنَ  ۖ‏ ﴿83:31﴾وَاِذَا رَاَوۡهُمۡ قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ لَـضَآلُّوۡنَۙ‏﴿83:32﴾ وَمَاۤ اُرۡسِلُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حٰفِظِيۡنَۙ‏﴿83:33﴾ فَالۡيَوۡمَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنَ الۡكُفَّارِ يَضۡحَكُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:34﴾ عَلَى الۡاَرَآئِكِۙ يَنۡظُرُوۡنَؕ‏﴿83:35﴾ هَلۡ ثُوِّبَ الۡكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوۡا يَفۡعَلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿83:36﴾

(83:29) Behold, the wicked were wont to laugh at the believers: (83:30) when they passed by them they winked, (83:31) and when they went back to their families, they went back jesting,12(83:32) and when they saw the believers, they said: “Lo! These are the erring ones”;13 (83:33) (they said so although) they had not been appointed watchers over them.14 (83:34) But today the believers are laughing at the unbelievers; (83:35) seated upon their couches, they are looking around. (83:36) Have the unbelievers been duly rewarded for their deeds?15

Notes

12. That is, they returned home rejoicing, thinking that they had made fun of such and such a Muslim, had passed evil remarks against him and subjected him to ridicule among the people. 

13. That is, they have lost their reason. They have deprived themselves of the gains and enjoyments of the world and have experienced dangers and undergone hardships only for the reason that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has deluded them with the Hereafter, Heaven and Hell. They are giving up whatever is present here on the false hope that the promise of some Paradise has been held out to them after death, and they are enduring the hardships in the present life only for the reason that they have been threatened with some Hell in the next world.

14. In this brief sentence the mockers and jesters have been given an instructive warning to the effect: Even if what the Muslims have believed in, is false, they are not harming you at all. They regard something as true, and are accordingly adopting a certain moral attitude for themselves, for their own good. Allah has not appointed you to be keepers over them so that you may be free to criticize and persecute those who are not harming you in any way. 

15. There is a subtle satire in this sentence. In the world, the disbelievers used to persecute the believers, thinking it was an act of virtue. In the Hereafter, the believers will be enjoying life in Paradise, and watching the disbelievers being punished in Hell. They will say to themselves: What a reward they have earned for their acts of virtue.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah Al-Mutaffifin, 83:1-28

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وَيۡلٌ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:1﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا اكۡتَالُوۡا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُوۡنَۖ‏ ﴿83:2﴾ وَاِذَا كَالُوۡهُمۡ اَوْ وَّزَنُوۡهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:3﴾ اَلَا يَظُنُّ اُولٰٓـئِكَ اَنَّهُمۡ مَّبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:4﴾ لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:5﴾ يَّوۡمَ يَقُوۡمُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:6﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّ كِتٰبَ الۡفُجَّارِ لَفِىۡ سِجِّيۡنٍؕ‏ ﴿83:7﴾ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرٰٮكَ مَا سِجِّيۡنٌؕ‏﴿83:8﴾ كِتٰبٌ مَّرۡقُوۡمٌؕ‏ ﴿83:9﴾ وَيۡلٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:10﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ يُكَذِّبُوۡنَ بِيَوۡمِ الدِّيۡنِؕ‏ ﴿83:11﴾ وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهٖۤ اِلَّا كُلُّ مُعۡتَدٍ اَثِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:12﴾ اِذَا تُتۡلٰى عَلَيۡهِ اٰيٰتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاطِيۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:13﴾ كَلَّا​ بَلۡ رَانَ عَلٰى قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ مَّا كَانُوۡا يَكۡسِبُوۡنَ‏ ﴿83:14﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّهُمۡ عَنۡ رَّبِّهِمۡ يَوۡمَـئِذٍ لَّمَحۡجُوۡبُوۡنَ​ؕ‏﴿83:15﴾ ثُمَّ اِنَّهُمۡ لَصَالُوا الۡجَحِيۡمِؕ‏ ﴿83:16﴾ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هٰذَا الَّذِىۡ كُنۡتُمۡ بِهٖ تُكَذِّبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿83:17﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّ كِتٰبَ الۡاَبۡرَارِ لَفِىۡ عِلِّيِّيۡنَؕ‏﴿83:18﴾ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرٰٮكَ مَا عِلِّيُّوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:19﴾كِتٰبٌ مَّرۡقُوۡمٌۙ‏ ﴿83:20﴾ يَّشۡهَدُهُ الۡمُقَرَّبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿83:21﴾ اِنَّ الۡاَبۡرَارَ لَفِىۡ نَعِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:22﴾ عَلَى الۡاَرَآئِكِ يَنۡظُرُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:23﴾ تَعۡرِفُ فِىۡ وُجُوۡهِهِمۡ نَضۡرَةَ النَّعِيۡمِ​ۚ‏ ﴿83:24﴾ يُسۡقَوۡنَ مِنۡ رَّحِيۡقٍ مَّخۡتُوۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:25﴾ خِتٰمُهٗ مِسۡكٌ ​ؕ وَفِىۡ ذٰلِكَ فَلۡيَتَنَافَسِ الۡمُتَنـَافِسُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:26﴾وَ مِزَاجُهٗ مِنۡ تَسۡنِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:27﴾ عَيۡنًا يَّشۡرَبُ بِهَا الۡمُقَرَّبُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:28﴾

(83:1) Woe to the stinters; 1 (83:2) those who, when they take from others by measure, take their full share; 2 (83:3) but who, when they measure or weigh for others, give less than their due. (83:4) Do they not realise that they will be raised to life (83:5) on a Great Day, 3 (83:6) a Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the Universe? (83:7) No indeed!4 Verily the deeds of the wicked are in the Record locked up in the prison-house!5 (83:8) And how would you know what the Record of the prison-house is? (83:9) It is a Book inscribed. (83:10) Woe, then, to those that give the lie, (83:11) those that give the lie to the Day of Recompense. (83:12) Yet none gives the lie to it except the transgressor immersed in sin; (83:13) who, when Our verses are recited to him,6 says: “Mere tales of olden times!” (83:14) No indeed! The truth is that their hearts have become rusted on account of their evil deeds.7 (83:15) No indeed! On that Day they will be screened off from seeing their Lord,8 (83:16) and then they shall enter Hell, (83:17) whereafter they will be told: “This is what you used to give the lie to.” (83:18) No indeed!9 Verily, the deeds of the virtuous shall be in the record of the exalted ones. (83:19) And what do you know what the Record of the exalted ones is? (83:20) It is a Book inscribed, (83:21) which the angels placed near Allah to safeguard. (83:22) Verily the virtuous shall be in Bliss; (83:23) resting on couches, looking around. (83:24) You shall see upon their faces the glow of bliss. (83:25) They will be served a drink of the finest sealed wine,10 (83:26) whose seal is musk – so let all aspirants aspire after that – (83:27) a wine whose mixture is Tasnim,11 (83:28) a fountain at which the chosen ones shall drink. 

Notes

1. In the original the word mutaffifin has been used, which is derived from tatfif, a word used for an inferior and base thing in Arabic. Terminologically, tatfif is used for giving short weight and short measure fraudulently, for the person who acts thus while measuring or weighing, does not defraud another by any substantial amount, but skimps small amounts from what is due to every customer cleverly, and the poor customer does not know of what and of how much he is being deprived by the seller. 

2. At several places in the Quran, giving of short measure and weight has been condemned and measuring fully and weighing rightly has been stressed. In Surah Al-Anaam, it has been enjoined: You should use a full measure and a just balance. We charge one only with that much responsibility that one can bear. (verse 152). In Surah Bani Israil, it has been said: Give full measure when you measure and weigh with even scales. (verse 35). In Surah Ar-Rehman, it has been stressed: Do not upset the balance: weigh with equity and do not give short weight. (verses 8-9). The people of the Prophet Shuaib (peace be upon him) were punished for the reason that the evil of giving short measure and weight had become widespread among them and in spite of his counsel and advice they did not refrain from it. 

3. A Great Day: the Day of Resurrection when all men and jinn will be called to account together in the divine court and decisions of vital importance will be made pertaining to rewards and punishments. 

4. That is, these people are wrong in thinking that they will be let off without being called to account when they have committed such and such crimes in the world. .

5. The word sijjin in the original is derived from sijn (a prison) and the explanation of it that follows shows that it implies the general register in which the actions and deeds of the people worthy of punishment are being recorded.

6. Our verses: Those verses in which news of the Day of Recompense has been given. 

7. That is, they have no good reason for regarding the meting out of rewards and punishments as unreal. What has made them say is this: Is it that their hearts have become rusty because of their sins; therefore, a thing which is thoroughly reasonable appears unreal and unreasonable to them. The explanation of this rust as given by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is as follows: When a servant commits a sin, it marks a black stain on his heart. If he offers repentance, the stain is washed off, but if he persists in wrongdoing, it spreads over the entire heart. (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Jarir, Hakim, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Hibban and others). 

8. That is, these people will remain deprived of the vision of Allah with which the righteous will be blessed. (For further explanation, see (E.N. 17 of Surah Al -Qiyamah). 

9. That is, they are wrong in thinking that there is going to be no meting out of rewards and punishments. 

10. One meaning of the words khtamu-hu-misk is that the vessels containing the wine will carry the seal of musk instead of clay or wax. Accordingly the verse means: This will be the choicest kind of wine, which will be superior to the wine flowing in the canals, and it will be served by the attendants of Paradise in vessels sealed with musk to the dwellers of Paradise. Another meaning can also be: When that wine will pass down the throat, its final effect will be of the flavor of musk. This state is contrary to the wines of the world which give out an offensive smell as soon as the bottle opens and one feels its horrid smell even while drinking and also when it passes down the throat. 

11. Tasneem means height. Thus, Tasnim will be a fountain flowing down from a height.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah At-Takwir,81:15-29

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Audio discussion of the summary:

https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/818b5668-7202-4cfe-b92d-012d7511dbd4/audio

فَلَاۤ اُقۡسِمُ بِالۡخُنَّسِۙ‏ ﴿81:15﴾ الۡجَوَارِ الۡكُنَّسِۙ‏ ﴿81:16﴾ وَالَّيۡلِ اِذَا عَسۡعَسَۙ‏ ﴿81:17﴾وَالصُّبۡحِ اِذَا تَنَفَّسَۙ‏ ﴿81:18﴾ اِنَّهٗ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُوۡلٍ كَرِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿81:19﴾ ذِىۡ قُوَّةٍ عِنۡدَ ذِى الۡعَرۡشِ مَكِيۡنٍۙ‏ ﴿81:20﴾ مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ اَمِيۡنٍؕ‏﴿81:21﴾ وَ مَا صَاحِبُكُمۡ بِمَجۡنُوۡنٍ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:22﴾وَلَقَدۡ رَاٰهُ بِالۡاُفُقِ الۡمُبِيۡنِ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:23﴾ وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِيۡنٍ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:24﴾ وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطٰنٍ رَّجِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿81:25﴾ فَاَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿81:26﴾ اِنۡ هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكۡرٌ لِّلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿81:27﴾لِمَنۡ شَآءَ مِنۡكُمۡ اَنۡ يَّسۡتَقِيۡمَؕ‏ ﴿81:28﴾ وَمَا تَشَآءُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏﴿81:29﴾

(81:15) No indeed;12 I swear by the alternating stars (81:16) that hide, (81:17) and by the night as it recedes, (81:18) and the morn as it breathes.13 (81:19) Verily this is the word of a noble message-bearer;14 (81:20) one mighty15and held in honour with the Lord of the Throne;(81:21) there he is obeyed16 and held trustworthy.17 (81:22) (O people of Makkah), your companion18 is not mad; (81:23) he indeed saw the message-bearer on the clear horizon;19(81:24) nor does he grudge (conveying this knowledge about) the Unseen;20 (81:25) nor is it a word of an accursed Satan.21 (81:26) Where to are you then heading? (81:27) It is nothing but Good Counsel for everyone in the world, (81:28) for everyone of you who wishes to follow the Straight Way;22 (81:29) but your wishing will not avail unless Allah, the Lord of the Universe, so wishes.23

Notes

12. That is, you are not correct that what is being presented in the Quran is the bragging of an insane person, or the evil suggestion of a devil. 

13. That for which the oath has been sworn, has been stated in the following verses. The oath means: Muhammad (peace be upon him) has not seen a vision in darkness, but when the stars had disappeared, the night had departed and the bright morning had appeared, he had seen the Angel of God in the open sky. Therefore, what he tells you is based on his own personal observation and on the experience that he had in full senses in the full light of day. 

14. A noble messenger: the Angel who brought down revelation, as becomes explicit from the following verses. The word of a noble messenger does not mean that the Quran is the word of the Angel himself, but, as the context shows, of Him Who appointed him a messenger. In (Surah Al-Haaqqah, Ayat 40), likewise, the Quran has been called the word of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and there too it does not mean that it is the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) own composition, but describing it as the word of an honorable messenger, it has been made clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is presenting it in his capacity as the Messenger of God and not as Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him). At both places, the word has been attributed to the Angel and to Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the ground that the message of Allah was being delivered to Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the Angel and to the people by Muhammad (peace be upon him). (For further explanation, see (E.N. 22 of Surah Al- Haaqqah). 

15. (Surah An-Najm, Ayat 45) deals with the same theme, thus “It is but a revelation which is sent down to him. One, mighty in power, has taught him.” As to what is implied by the mighty powers of the Angel Gabriel is ambiguous. In any case it at least shows that he is distinguished even among the angels because of his extraordinary powers. In Muslim (kitab-al-iman) Aishah has reported the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying to the effect: I have twice seen Gabriel in his real shape and form: his glorious being was encompassing the whole space between the earth and the heavens. According to the tradition reported from Abdullah bin Masud in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had seen Gabriel with his six hundred wings. From this one can have an idea of his mighty powers. 

16. That is, he is the chief of the angels and all angels work under his command.

17. That is, he is not one who would tamper with divine revelation, but is so trustworthy that he conveys intact whatever he receives from God. 

18. Your Companion: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Here, making mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the companion of the people of Makkah, they have been made to realize that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was no stranger for them. He was not an outsider but a man of their own clan and tribe; he had lived his whole life among them; even their children knew that he was a very wise man. They should not be so shameless as to call such a man a mad man. (For further explanation, see ( E.Ns 2, 3 of Surah An-Najm).

19. (In Surah An-Najm, Ayats 7-9), this observation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been described in greater detail, (For explanation, see (E.Ns 7. 8 of Surah An-Najm). 

20. That is, the Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah does not conceal anything from you. Whatever of the unseen realities are made known to him by Allah, whether they relate to the essence and attributes of Allah, the angels, life-after death and Resurrection, or to the Hereafter, Heaven and Hell, he conveys everything to you without change. 

21. That is, you are wrong in thinking that some Satan comes and whispers these words into the ear of Muhammad (peace be upon him). It does not suit Satan that he should divert man from polytheism, idol worship, atheism and sin and turn him to God-worship and Tauhid, make man realize that he should live a life of responsibility and accountability to God instead of living an irresponsible, care-free life, should forbid man to adopt practices of ignorance, injustice, immorality and wickedness and lead him to a clean life of justice, piety and high morals. (For further explanation, see (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 210-212 along with E.Ns 130 to 133), and (Ayats 221-223 along with E.Ns 140, 141). 

22. In other words, although this is an admonition for all mankind, only such a person can benefit by it, who is himself desirous of adopting piety and righteousness. Man’s being a seeker after truth and a lover of right is the foremost condition of his gaining any benefit from it. 

23. This theme has already occurred in (Surah Al- Muddaththir, Ayat 56) and (Surah Ad-Dahr, Ayat 20). For explanation, see( E.N. 41 of Surah Al-Muddaththir).