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Whatsoever dwells in the night and day belongs to Him. He is all-hearing and all-knowing.

And to Him only belongs all whatever exists in the night and in the day; and He only is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

And to Him belongs whatsoever inhabits the night and the day; and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.'

although His is all that dwells in the night and the day, and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.

His is whatsoever dwelleth in the night and the day; and He is the Hearer, the Knower.

And to Him belongs whatsoever exists in the night and the day, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

To Him belongs whatever rests in the night and the day. He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

And to Him belongs all that dwells in the night and the day. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

And to Him belongs whatsoever exists in the night and the day, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

Unto Him belongeth whatsoever resteth in the night and the day. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

To Him belongs whatever abides in the night and the day, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

His is whatever is at rest in the night and in the day. He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

And to Him belongs that which reposes by night and by day, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

To Him belongs all that rests during the night and the day. He is All-hearing and All-knowing."

And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Walahu m<u>a</u> sakana fee allayli wa<b>al</b>nnah<u>a</u>ri wahuwa a<b>l</b>ssameeAAu alAAaleem<b>u</b>

To Him belongs all that dwells in the night and the day. He is the All Hearing and the All Knowing.

To him belongeth all that dwelleth (or lurketh) in the night and the day. For he is the one who heareth and knoweth all things."

وَلَهُۥ مَا سَكَنَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

To Allah alone belongs dominion of everything. Whatever rests hidden in the night and whatever moves about openly in the day are all His servants and His creation: they are all under His domination and control. He hears their statements and knows their actions, and will judge by them.

To Allah alone belongs dominion of everything. Whatever rests hidden in the night and whatever moves about openly in the day are all His servants and His creation: they are all under His domination and control. He hears their statements and knows their actions, and will judge by them.

<p>The word, ` sukun' appearing in verse 13: وَلَهُ مَا سَكَنَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ‌ (And to Him belongs what finds rest in the night and the day) could either mean the state of being still or at rest, in which case, the verse would mean that Allah is the Master of everything present in the night and the day. Or, it is also possible that the sense could be that of a combined state of stillness and movement (which would amount to saying - what tarries and what moves), but what was mentioned here is the state of sukun or rest only - because, movement which stands in contrast to it can be understood as being obvious enough.</p>

The word, ` sukun' appearing in verse 13: وَلَهُ مَا سَكَنَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ‌ (And to Him belongs what finds rest in the night and the day) could either mean the state of being still or at rest, in which case, the verse would mean that Allah is the Master of everything present in the night and the day. Or, it is also possible that the sense could be that of a combined state of stillness and movement (which would amount to saying - what tarries and what moves), but what was mentioned here is the state of sukun or rest only - because, movement which stands in contrast to it can be understood as being obvious enough.

Say: "Should I find some other protector besides God the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who nourishes all and is nourished by none? Say: "I am commanded to be the first to submit to Him, and not be an idolater."

Say, “Shall I choose as a supporter someone other than Allah, Who is the Originator of the heavens and the earth and Who feeds and does not need to eat?” Say, “I have been ordered to be the first to submit myself (to Him), and O people, do not be of the polytheists.”

Say: 'Shall I take to myself as protector other than God, the Originator of the heavens and of the earth, He. who feeds and is not fed?' Say: 'I have been commanded to be the first of them that surrender: "Be not thou of the idolaters."'

Say: "Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, when it is He who gives nourishment and Himself needs none?” Say: "I am bidden to be foremost among those who surrender themselves unto God, and not to be among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him."

Say thou: Shall I take for a patron any other than Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth! And He feedeth, and is not fed. Say thou: I am commanded that I be the first who submitteth himself, and that: be thou not of the associaters.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Shall I take as a Wali (helper, protector, etc.) any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? And it is He Who feeds but is not fed." Say: "Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit themselves to Allah (as Muslims)." And be not you (O Muhammad SAW) of the Mushrikun [polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah].

Say, “Shall I take for myself a protector other than God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds and is not fed?” Say, “I am instructed to be the first of those who submit.” And do not be among the idolaters.

Say: 'Shall I take for my guardian anyone other than Allah - the Originator of the heavens and earth; He Who feeds and Himself is not fed?' Say: 'Surely I have been commanded to be the first among those who submit (to Allah) and not to be one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity (even though others may do so).'

Say: "Shall I take as a guardian any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth And it is He Who feeds but is not fed." Say: "Verily, I am commanded to be the first of those who submit. "And be not you of the idolators.

Say: Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feedeth and is never fed? Say: I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him). And be not thou (O Muhammad) of the idolaters.

Say, ‘Shall I take for guardian [anyone] other than Allah, the originator of the heavens and the earth, who feeds and is not fed?’ Say, ‘I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit [to Allah], and [told,] “Never be one of the polytheists.” ’

Say: 'Should I take any but Allah for a guardian? He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. He feeds and is not fed' Say: 'I was commanded to be the first to submit to Him' Do not be one of the idolaters.

Say, "Is it other than Allah I should take as a protector, Creator of the heavens and the earth, while it is He who feeds and is not fed?" Say, [O Muhammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to be the first [among you] who submit [to Allah] and [was commanded], 'Do not ever be of the polytheists.' "

(Muhammad), ask them, "Should I take a guardian other than God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who feeds everyone and who needs no food Himself?" Say, "I have been commanded to be the first Muslim (submitted to the will of God). Thus, people, do not be pagans."

Say: Shall I take a guardian besides Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds (others) and is not (Himself) fed. Say: I am commanded to be the first who submits himself, and you should not be of the polytheists.

Qul aghayra All<u>a</u>hi attakhi<u>th</u>u waliyyan f<u>at</u>iri a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>w<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lar<u>d</u>i wahuwa yu<u>t</u>AAimu wal<u>a</u> yu<u>t</u>AAamu qul innee omirtu an akoona awwala man aslama wal<u>a</u> takoonanna mina almushrikeen<b>a</b>

Say, "Shall I take as my protector someone other than God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, who feeds all and is fed by none?" Say, "I have been commanded to be the first of those who submit. Do not be one of the polytheists."

Say: "Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He it is that feedeth but is not fed." Say: "Nay! but I am commanded to be the first of those who bow to Allah (in Islam), and be not thou of the company of those who join gods with Allah."

قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَتَّخِذُ وَلِيًّا فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say, O Messenger, to the idolaters who worship idols and other things together with Allah: Does it make sense that I take any one other than Allah as a guardian and a protector from whom I seek help? Allah is the One Who created the heavens and the earth without any precedent. There was no Creator before Him. He is the One Who gives provision to whichever of His servants He wishes, and none of His servants provide for Him. He is not in any need of His servants, but His servants are in need of Him. Say, O Messenger: My Lord has instructed me to be the first one from this nation to submit and be humble. He has prohibited me from being of those who associate others as partners with Him.

Say, O Messenger, to the idolaters who worship idols and other things together with Allah: Does it make sense that I take any one other than Allah as a guardian and a protector from whom I seek help? Allah is the One Who created the heavens and the earth without any precedent. There was no Creator before Him. He is the One Who gives provision to whichever of His servants He wishes, and none of His servants provide for Him. He is not in any need of His servants, but His servants are in need of Him. Say, O Messenger: My Lord has instructed me to be the first one from this nation to submit and be humble. He has prohibited me from being of those who associate others as partners with Him.

Say: "If I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a grievous Day."

Say, “If I disobey my Lord, I then fear the punishment of the Great Day (of Resurrection).”

Say: 'Indeed I fear, if I should rebel against thy Lord, the chastisement of a dreadful day.'

Say: "Behold, I would dread, were I [thus] to rebel against my Sustainer, the suffering [which would befall me] on that awesome Day [of Judgment]."

Say thou: verily fear, if disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day.

Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day."

Say, “I fear, should I defy my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.”

Say: 'Surely do I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of an awesome Day.

Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day."

Say: I fear, if I rebel against my Lord, the retribution of an Awful Day.

Say, ‘Indeed, should I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a tremendous day.’

Say: 'Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a great Day'

Say, "Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."

(Muhammad), say, "Because of the torment of the Great Day, I am afraid to disobey my Lord".

Say: Surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of a grievous day.

Qul innee akh<u>a</u>fu in AAa<u>s</u>aytu rabbee AAa<u>tha</u>ba yawmin AAa<i><u>th</u></i>eem<b>in</b>

Say, "I will never disobey my Lord, for I fear the punishment of a dreadful Day."

Say: "I would, if I disobeyed my Lord, indeed have fear of the penalty of a Mighty Day.

قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

Say, O Messenger: If I go against Allah by committing that which He has prohibited (such as associating partners with Him) or by leaving out what He has instructed me to do (such as having faith and doing good actions), then I fear that He will punish me with a severe punishment on the Day of Rising.

Say, O Messenger: If I go against Allah by committing that which He has prohibited (such as associating partners with Him) or by leaving out what He has instructed me to do (such as having faith and doing good actions), then I fear that He will punish me with a severe punishment on the Day of Rising.

<p>Commentary</p><p>In the previous verses, the command given was to shun Shirk and believe in the perfect power of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu mentioned there-in. In the first of the present verses (15), the punishment for the contravention of this command has been mentioned in a particularly endearing manner, that is, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been ` commanded' that he should tell the people that should he too (God forbid) come to contravene the command of His Lord, then, he too has the fear of the punishment of the day of Qiyamah. It is obvious that the noble Messenger of Allah is (Divinely) protected from every sin - so, the likelihood of disobedience coming from him simply does not exist. But, by mentioning this hypothetical situation, the purpose is to convey the message to the community that the contravention of the Divine command is so serious a matter that even the greatest prophet cannot stand excused from it - if not him, who else?</p>

CommentaryIn the previous verses, the command given was to shun Shirk and believe in the perfect power of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu mentioned there-in. In the first of the present verses (15), the punishment for the contravention of this command has been mentioned in a particularly endearing manner, that is, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been ` commanded' that he should tell the people that should he too (God forbid) come to contravene the command of His Lord, then, he too has the fear of the punishment of the day of Qiyamah. It is obvious that the noble Messenger of Allah is (Divinely) protected from every sin - so, the likelihood of disobedience coming from him simply does not exist. But, by mentioning this hypothetical situation, the purpose is to convey the message to the community that the contravention of the Divine command is so serious a matter that even the greatest prophet cannot stand excused from it - if not him, who else?

Whosoever is spared that Day will surely have mercy shown to him, and this will be a clear triumph.

Indeed Allah’s mercy has been upon him, from whom the punishment has been averted on that Day; and this is the clear success.

From whomsoever it is averted on that day, He will have mercy on him; that is the manifest triumph.

Upon him who shall be spared on that Day, He will indeed have bestowed His grace: and this will be a manifest triumph.

From whomsoever it is averted on that Day, upon him indeed He has had mercy; that is a supreme achievement.

Who is averted from (such a torment) on that Day, (Allah) has surely been Merciful to him. And that would be the obvious success.

Whoever is spared on that Day—He had mercy on him. That is the clear victory.

Whosoever has been spared chastisement on that Day, Allah has bestowed His mercy upon him. That is the manifest triumph.

Who is averted from (such a torment) on that Day; then He (Allah) has surely been Merciful to him. And that would be the obvious success.

He from whom (such retribution) is averted on that day, (Allah) hath in truth had mercy on him. That will be the signal triumph.

Whoever is spared of it on that day, He has certainly been merciful to him, and that is manifest success.

From whomsoever it is averted on that Day, He will have mercy on him; that is a clear triumph.

He from whom it is averted that Day - [Allah] has granted him mercy. And that is the clear attainment.

One who will be saved from the torment on the Day of Judgment will certainly have received God's mercy and this will be a manifest triumph.

He from whom it is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him; and this is a manifest achievement.

Man yu<u>s</u>raf AAanhu yawmai<u>th</u>in faqad ra<u>h</u>imahu wa<u>tha</u>lika alfawzu almubeen<b>u</b>

Anyone from whom punishment is averted on that Day has been shown great mercy by God. That is a supreme achievement.

"On that day, if the penalty is averted from any, it is due to Allah's mercy; And that would be (Salvation), the obvious fulfilment of all desire.

مَّن يُصْرَفْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمَهُۥ وَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

The person from whom Allah keeps away and removes the punishment on the Day of Rising has attained success through the mercy of Allah. Such salvation and safety from the punishment is a clear victory which no other victory can equal.

The person from whom Allah keeps away and removes the punishment on the Day of Rising has attained success through the mercy of Allah. Such salvation and safety from the punishment is a clear victory which no other victory can equal.

<p>After that, it was said: مَّن يُصْرَ‌فْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَ‌حِمَهُ (Whoever is spared from it that day is, indeed, blessed with His mercy). It means that the punishment of the day of Resurrection (al-Mahshar) is extremely horrendous and harsh. Whoever finds this removed from him or her should know that it was great mercy from Allah. This has been further strengthened by saying:' وَذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ that is success, open and clear). The word, اَلفَوزُ : ` al-fawz' (success) means being admitted in Jannah (Paradise). This tells us that deliverance from punishment and admittance into the Paradise are inseparable from each other.</p>

After that, it was said: مَّن يُصْرَ‌فْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَ‌حِمَهُ (Whoever is spared from it that day is, indeed, blessed with His mercy). It means that the punishment of the day of Resurrection (al-Mahshar) is extremely horrendous and harsh. Whoever finds this removed from him or her should know that it was great mercy from Allah. This has been further strengthened by saying:' وَذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ that is success, open and clear). The word, اَلفَوزُ : ` al-fawz' (success) means being admitted in Jannah (Paradise). This tells us that deliverance from punishment and admittance into the Paradise are inseparable from each other.

If God sends you harm, there is no one but He who can take it away; and if He bring you good, surely He has power over everything.

And if Allah afflicts you with some misfortune, then there is none who can remove it, except Him; and if He sends you some good fortune, then (know that) He is Able to do all things.

And if God visits thee with affliction none can remove it but He; and if He visits thee with good, He is powerful over everything.

And if God should touch thee with misfortune, there is none who could remove it but He; and if He should touch thee with good fortune -it is He who has the power to will anything:

If Allah touch thee with hurt there is no reverser thereof but he, and if he touch thee with good, then He is over everything Potent.

And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things.

If God touches you with adversity, none can remove it except He. And if He touches you with good—He is Capable of everything.

Should Allah touch you with affliction, there is none to remove it but He; and should He touch you with good, He has the power to do everything.

And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.

If Allah touch thee with affliction, there is none that can relieve therefrom save Him, and if He touch thee with good fortune (there is none that can impair it); for He is Able to do all things.

Should Allah visit you with some distress there is no one to remove it except Him; and should He bring you some good, then He has power over all things.

If Allah visits you with affliction, none can remove it except He; and if He touches you with good, indeed, He has power over all things.

And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good - then He is over all things competent.

(Muhammad), if God afflicts you with hardship, no one besides Him will be able to relieve you. If He bestows a favor on you, know that He has power over all things.

And if Allah touch you with affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visit you with good, then He has power over all things.

Wain yamsaska All<u>a</u>hu bi<u>d</u>urrin fal<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>shifa lahu ill<u>a</u> huwa wain yamsaska bikhayrin fahuwa AAal<u>a</u> kulli shayin qadeer<b>un</b>

If God should let any harm touch you, no one could remove it except He; while if He should let some good touch you, know that He has the power to do all that He wills.

"If Allah touch thee with affliction, none can remove it but He; if He touch thee with happiness, He hath power over all things.

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

If any calamity from Allah afflicts you, O son of Adam, there is no one who can remove it from you besides Allah. If any good from Him comes to you, there is no one who can stop Him from that. There is no one who can hold back Allah’s grace. He has power over everything and nothing can overpower Him.

If any calamity from Allah afflicts you, O son of Adam, there is no one who can remove it from you besides Allah. If any good from Him comes to you, there is no one who can stop Him from that. There is no one who can hold back Allah’s grace. He has power over everything and nothing can overpower Him.

<p>All Gain and Loss Comes from Allah: A Cardinal Muslim Belief</p><p>In the third verse (17), a basic article of faith in Islam has been described - that it is Allah, in reality, who is the Master-Dispenser of all gain and loss. No one can ` really' bring the least benefit to anyone, nor cause the least harm. As for the outward manifestation of gain or loss, benefit or harm, seen coming from one person to the other, is no more than a matter of appearances. Seen in the full flash of reality, this does not hold out any more than a ready-to-vanish curtain. So succinctly the idea was put in a Persian couplet:</p><p>کار زلفِ تست مشک افشانی امّا عاشقاں</p><p>مصلِحت راتھمتے برآ ھوۓ چیں بستہ اند</p><p>Spraying Musk is the work of your tresses, but those who love you</p><p>Have found it expedient to ascribe the blame to the Chinese deer!</p><p>This belief too is one of the revolutionary beliefs of Islam, a belief which made Muslims shed the dependence on the created and rely on their Creator alone. It was this belief which put together a large group of unprecedented charmers of the soul on the map of the world, who were, despite their meager means and haunting hunger, weightier and worthier than a whole world - for they would not bow their heads before anyone.</p><p>The Holy Qur'an has taken up this subject at many places with different approaches, out of which, quoted here is a verse from Surah Fatir:</p><p>مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّـهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّ‌حْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْ‌سِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ</p><p>What Allah, out of His mercy, does make open to people, there is no one to withhold it; and what He does withhold, there is no one to release it after that - 35:2.</p><p>It appears in Sahih Ahadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say this in his prayers very often:</p><p>اَللَّھُمَّ لَا مَانعَ لِمَا اَعطَیتَ ولَا مُعطِیَ لِمَا مَنَعتَ ولَا یَنفَعُ ذَا الجَدِّ مِنکِ الجِدُّ</p><p>"0 Allah, there is no withholder of what You have bestowed and there is no giver of what You have withheld and no status of a man of status can be of use to him against You.</p><p>Under his comments on this verse, Imam al-Baghawi has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that there was an occasion when the Holy Prophet ﷺ mounted a ride, he asked me to sit behind him. After having covered some distance, he turned towards me and said, ` You young man.' I said: ` Here I am, Ya Rasul Allah. Can I do something?' He said: ` You remember Allah. Allah will remember you. If you will remember Allah, you will find Him before you under all circumstances. You recognize Allah when you are in peace and comfort, Allah will recognize you when you are in trouble. When you have to ask, only ask Allah. When you need help, seek help only from Allah. Whatever is going to happen in this world has already been written by the writer of destiny. If all those created were to combine and try to bring a benefit to you in which Allah has kept no share for you, they would never be able to do that. And if they all come together and try to inflict a harm on you which is not in your lot, they would never become capable of doing that. If you are sure of being able to act patiently, then, do just that, by all means. If you do not have the strength and ability to do so, observe patience - because there is great good and barakah in remaining patient against what does not go well with your temperament. And understand it very clearly that the help of Allah is with patience, and comfort with hardship, and prosperity with adversity.' (This Hadkh also appears in Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad with sound chains of authority)</p><p>Alas, despite this clear declaration of the Qur'an and the age long teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، this Ummah has started going off course in this critical matter when they have handed out what lies in the exclusive domain of Allah to His created beings. To-day, there is a very large number of Muslims who would, rather than call upon Allah and pray to Him in their hour of distress, cry for help in all sorts of names, but do not seem to remember the name of Allah. As for praying to Allah through the spiritual mediation of prophets and men of Allah, that is a different matter, and that is permissible. Evidences of which are available within the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. But, calling on or praying to a created being directly for the removal of one's need or solution of problem is an open rebellion against this Qur'anic injunction. May Allah keep all Muslims on the straight path.</p>

All Gain and Loss Comes from Allah: A Cardinal Muslim BeliefIn the third verse (17), a basic article of faith in Islam has been described - that it is Allah, in reality, who is the Master-Dispenser of all gain and loss. No one can ` really' bring the least benefit to anyone, nor cause the least harm. As for the outward manifestation of gain or loss, benefit or harm, seen coming from one person to the other, is no more than a matter of appearances. Seen in the full flash of reality, this does not hold out any more than a ready-to-vanish curtain. So succinctly the idea was put in a Persian couplet:کار زلفِ تست مشک افشانی امّا عاشقاںمصلِحت راتھمتے برآ ھوۓ چیں بستہ اندSpraying Musk is the work of your tresses, but those who love youHave found it expedient to ascribe the blame to the Chinese deer!This belief too is one of the revolutionary beliefs of Islam, a belief which made Muslims shed the dependence on the created and rely on their Creator alone. It was this belief which put together a large group of unprecedented charmers of the soul on the map of the world, who were, despite their meager means and haunting hunger, weightier and worthier than a whole world - for they would not bow their heads before anyone.The Holy Qur'an has taken up this subject at many places with different approaches, out of which, quoted here is a verse from Surah Fatir:مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّـهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّ‌حْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْ‌سِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِWhat Allah, out of His mercy, does make open to people, there is no one to withhold it; and what He does withhold, there is no one to release it after that - 35:2.It appears in Sahih Ahadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say this in his prayers very often:اَللَّھُمَّ لَا مَانعَ لِمَا اَعطَیتَ ولَا مُعطِیَ لِمَا مَنَعتَ ولَا یَنفَعُ ذَا الجَدِّ مِنکِ الجِدُّ"0 Allah, there is no withholder of what You have bestowed and there is no giver of what You have withheld and no status of a man of status can be of use to him against You.Under his comments on this verse, Imam al-Baghawi has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that there was an occasion when the Holy Prophet ﷺ mounted a ride, he asked me to sit behind him. After having covered some distance, he turned towards me and said, ` You young man.' I said: ` Here I am, Ya Rasul Allah. Can I do something?' He said: ` You remember Allah. Allah will remember you. If you will remember Allah, you will find Him before you under all circumstances. You recognize Allah when you are in peace and comfort, Allah will recognize you when you are in trouble. When you have to ask, only ask Allah. When you need help, seek help only from Allah. Whatever is going to happen in this world has already been written by the writer of destiny. If all those created were to combine and try to bring a benefit to you in which Allah has kept no share for you, they would never be able to do that. And if they all come together and try to inflict a harm on you which is not in your lot, they would never become capable of doing that. If you are sure of being able to act patiently, then, do just that, by all means. If you do not have the strength and ability to do so, observe patience - because there is great good and barakah in remaining patient against what does not go well with your temperament. And understand it very clearly that the help of Allah is with patience, and comfort with hardship, and prosperity with adversity.' (This Hadkh also appears in Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad with sound chains of authority)Alas, despite this clear declaration of the Qur'an and the age long teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، this Ummah has started going off course in this critical matter when they have handed out what lies in the exclusive domain of Allah to His created beings. To-day, there is a very large number of Muslims who would, rather than call upon Allah and pray to Him in their hour of distress, cry for help in all sorts of names, but do not seem to remember the name of Allah. As for praying to Allah through the spiritual mediation of prophets and men of Allah, that is a different matter, and that is permissible. Evidences of which are available within the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. But, calling on or praying to a created being directly for the removal of one's need or solution of problem is an open rebellion against this Qur'anic injunction. May Allah keep all Muslims on the straight path.

<h2 class="title">Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm</h2><p>Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ </div><p>(And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلاَ مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلاَ مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ</div><p>(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah used to supplicate, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَد»</div><p>(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ</div><p>(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ</div><p>(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الْخَبِيرُ</div><p>(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَـدةً</div><p>(Say: "What thing is the most great in witness") or what is the greatest witness, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلِ اللَّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ</div><p>(Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I") for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ</div><p>(this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ</div><p>(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah called to and warn against what he warned against." Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ</div><p>("Can you verily bear witness...") O idolators, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَى قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ</div><p>("that besides Allah there are other gods" Say, "I bear no (such) witness!") Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ</div><p>(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ</div><p>(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.") </p><h2 class="title">People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children</h2><p>Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad , his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم</div><p>(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ</div><p>(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَايَـتِهِ</div><p>(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ</div><p>(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat. </p>

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from HarmAllah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees, وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ (And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said, مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلاَ مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلاَ مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah used to supplicate, «اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَد»(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said, وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power, وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions, الْخَبِيرُ(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next, قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَـدةً(Say: "What thing is the most great in witness") or what is the greatest witness, قُلِ اللَّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ(Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I") for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with, وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَـذَا الْقُرْءَانُ لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ(this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said, وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah called to and warn against what he warned against." Allah said next, أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ("Can you verily bear witness...") O idolators, أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَى قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ("that besides Allah there are other gods" Say, "I bear no (such) witness!") Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said; فَإِن شَهِدُواْ فَلاَ تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next, قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.") People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own ChildrenAllah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad , his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next, الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss, فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next, وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَايَـتِهِ(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences, إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat.

It is He who prevails over His creatures, and He is all-wise and aware.

He is the Omnipotent over His bondmen; and He is the Wise, the Aware.

He is Omnipotent over His servants, and He is the All-wise, the All-aware. Say: 'What thing is greatest in testimony?'

for He alone holds sway over His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware.

He is the Supreme above His creatures; and He is the Wise, the Aware.

And He is the Irresistible, above His slaves, and He is the All-Wise, Well-Acquainted with all things.

He is the Supreme over His servants. He is the Wise, the Expert.

He has the supreme hold over His servants. He is All-Wise, All-Aware.

And He is the Irresistible, above His servants, and He is the All-Wise, Well-Acquainted with all things.

He is the Omnipotent over His slaves, and He is the Wise, the Knower.

And He is the All-dominant over His servants, and He is the All-wise, the All-aware.

He is the Conqueror over His worshipers. He is the Wise, the Aware.

And He is the subjugator over His servants. And He is the Wise, the Acquainted [with all].

He is Wise, Well Aware and Dominant over all His creatures.

And He is the Supreme, above His servants; and He is the Wise, the Aware.

Wahuwa alq<u>a</u>hiru fawqa AAib<u>a</u>dihi wahuwa al<u>h</u>akeemu alkhabeer<b>u</b>

He reigns Supreme over His servants; and He is the All Wise, the All Aware.

"He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers; and He is the Wise, acquainted with all things."

وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ

He is the One Who is powerful and dominant and nothing can overpower or defeat Him: everything is subservient to Him. He is above His servants as His appropriate for Him, may He be glorified. His is the Wise in His creating, handling of matters and institution of laws. He is the Aware and nothing is hidden from Him.

He is the One Who is powerful and dominant and nothing can overpower or defeat Him: everything is subservient to Him. He is above His servants as His appropriate for Him, may He be glorified. His is the Wise in His creating, handling of matters and institution of laws. He is the Aware and nothing is hidden from Him.

<p>At the end of verse 18, it was said: وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ‌ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ‌ ﴿18﴾ (And He is dominant over His slaves, and He is the Ali-Wise, the All-Aware). It means that the mastery of Allah Ta` ala prevails over His servants in the absolute sense and that everyone remains under His power and control all the time. This is the reason why no human being, no matter how great, whether a prophet close to Allah, or the most powerful ruler of the world, nine of them come out successful in everything they do, nor is every wish of theirs granted.</p><p>And then, He is Wise too, for everything He does is essential Wisdom. And then, He is All-Aware too, for He is the One who knows everything. Thus, by the word, al-Qahir (the Dominant) pointed to is the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala and, by the word, al-Hakim (the All-Wise), His all-encompassing knowledge - and the two tell us that perfection in knowledge and power are the sole attributes of Almighty Allah and it is only Him that they belong to.</p>

At the end of verse 18, it was said: وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ‌ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ‌ ﴿18﴾ (And He is dominant over His slaves, and He is the Ali-Wise, the All-Aware). It means that the mastery of Allah Ta` ala prevails over His servants in the absolute sense and that everyone remains under His power and control all the time. This is the reason why no human being, no matter how great, whether a prophet close to Allah, or the most powerful ruler of the world, nine of them come out successful in everything they do, nor is every wish of theirs granted.And then, He is Wise too, for everything He does is essential Wisdom. And then, He is All-Aware too, for He is the One who knows everything. Thus, by the word, al-Qahir (the Dominant) pointed to is the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala and, by the word, al-Hakim (the All-Wise), His all-encompassing knowledge - and the two tell us that perfection in knowledge and power are the sole attributes of Almighty Allah and it is only Him that they belong to.

Ask: "Of all things what is most vital as evidence?" Say: "God (who) is witness between you and me that this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may warn you on its strength, and those whom it reaches. Do you really bear witness there are other gods with God?" Tell them: "I bear no such Witness." Say: "Verily He is the only God, and I am clear of what you associate (with Him)."

Proclaim (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Whose testimony is the greatest?” Say, “Allah is the Witness between me and you; and this Qur’an has been sent down upon me, so I may warn you with it and whomever it may reach; so do you bear witness that there are other Gods along with Allah?” Say, “I do not bear witness to it”; Say, “He is the only One God and I do not have any relation with whatever you ascribe as partners (to Him).”

Say: 'God is witness between me and you, and this Koran has been revealed to me that I may warn you thereby, and whomsoever it may reach. Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with God?' Say: 'I do not testify.' Say: 'He is only One God, and I am quit of that you associate.'

Say: "What could most weightily bear witness to the truth?" Say: "God is witness between me and you; and this Qur’an has been revealed unto me so that on the strength thereof I might warn you and all whom it may reach." Could you in truth bear witness that there are other deities side by side with God? Say: "I bear no [such] witness!" Say: "He is the One God; and, behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as, you do, to aught beside Him!"

Say thou: what thing is the greatest in testimony? Say thou: Allah is Witness between me and you, and this Qur'an hath been revealed unto me that I may thereby warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Would ye indeed testify that there is anot her god together with Allah? Say thou: I testify not. Say thou: verily He is the One God, and I am quit of that which ye associate.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "What thing is the most great in witness?" Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between me and you; this Quran has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear witness that besides Allah there are other aliha (gods)?" Say "I bear no (such) witness!" Say: "But in truth He (Allah) is the only one Ilah (God). And truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him."

Say, “What thing is more solemn in testimony?” Say, “God is Witness between you and me. This Quran was revealed to me, that I may warn you with it, and whomever it may reach. Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with God?” Say, “I myself do not testify.” Say, “He is but One God, and I am innocent of your idolatry.”

Ask them: 'Whose testimony is the greatest?' Say: 'Allah is the witness between me and you; and this Qur'an was revealed to me that I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach.' Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with Allah? Say: 'I shall never testify such a thing.' Say: 'He is the One God and I am altogether averse to all that you associate with Him in His divinity.'

Say: "What thing is the most great in witness" Say: "Allah is Witness between you and I; this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear witness that besides Allah there are other gods" Say "I bear no (such) witness!" Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him."

Say (O Muhammad): What thing is of most weight in testimony? Say: Allah is Witness between me and you. And this Qur'an hath been inspired in me, that I may warn therewith you and whomsoever it may reach. Do ye in sooth bear witness that there are gods beside Allah? Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is only One Allah. Lo! I am innocent of that which ye associate (with Him).

Say, ‘What thing is greatest as witness?’ Say, ‘Allah! [He is] witness between me and you, and this Quran has been revealed to me that I may warn thereby you and whomever it may reach.’ ‘Do you indeed bear witness that there are other gods besides Allah?’ Say, ‘I do not bear witness [to any such thing].’ Say, ‘Indeed He is the One God, and I indeed disown what you associate [with Him].’

Say: 'What thing is greatest in testimony' Say: 'Allah is a witness between me and you. This Koran has been revealed to me in order that I can warn you and all whom it reaches. Do you indeed testify that there are gods other than Allah' Say: 'I do not testify' Say: 'He is only One God, and I am quit of that which you associate'

Say, "What thing is greatest in testimony?" Say, "Allah is witness between me and you. And this Qur'an was revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches. Do you [truly] testify that with Allah there are other deities?" Say, "I will not testify [with you]." Say, "Indeed, He is but one God, and indeed, I am free of what you associate [with Him]."

(Muhammad), ask them, "What is the greatest testimony? God testifies of my truthfulness to you. He has revealed this Quran to me to warn you and the coming generations (against disobeying God). Do you believe that other gods exist besides God? I solemnly declare that He is the only Lord and that I am not guilty of believing in what the pagans believe."

Say: What thing is the weightiest in testimony? Say: Allah is witness between you and me; and this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah? Say: I do not bear witness. Say: He is only one Allah, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him).

Qul ayyu shayin akbaru shah<u>a</u>datan quli All<u>a</u>hu shaheedun baynee wabaynakum waoo<u>h</u>iya ilayya h<u>atha</u> alqur<u>a</u>nu lion<u>th</u>irakum bihi waman balagha ainnakum latashhadoona anna maAAa All<u>a</u>hi <u>a</u>lihatan okhr<u>a</u> qul l<u>a</u> ashhadu qul innam<u>a</u> huwa il<u>a</u>hun w<u>ah</u>idun wainnanee bareeon mimm<u>a</u> tushrikoon<b>a</b>

Ask them, "What carries the most weight as a witness?" Tell them it is God. He is a witness between you and me. Say, "This Quran has been revealed to me so that through it I may warn you and whoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other deities beside God?" Say, "I do not bear witness to this." Say, "He is only one God, and I disown whatever you associate with Him."

Say: "What thing is most weighty in evidence?" Say: "Allah is witness between me and you; This Qur'an hath been revealed to me by inspiration, that I may warn you and all whom it reaches. Can ye possibly bear witness that besides Allah there is another Allah?" Say: "Nay! I cannot bear witness!" Say: "But in truth He is the one Allah, and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him."

قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَٰدَةً قُلِ ٱللَّهُ شَهِيدٌۢ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لِأُنذِرَكُم بِهِۦ وَمَنۢ بَلَغَ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَىٰ قُل لَّآ أَشْهَدُ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

Say, O Messenger, to the idolaters who deny you: Which thing is greatest and most honoured as a witness to my truthfulness? Say: Allah is the greatest and most honoured witness to my truthfulness. He is a witness between you and me. He knows what I have brought to you and how you respond. Allah has revealed this Qur’ān to me to warn you by it and to warn any human or jinn it reaches. You, O idolaters, believe that there are others worthy of worship together with Allah. Say, O Messenger: I do not bear witness to what you have acknowledged as it is false. Allah is only one God: He has no partner. I am free from all that you associate as partners with Him.

Say, O Messenger, to the idolaters who deny you: Which thing is greatest and most honoured as a witness to my truthfulness? Say: Allah is the greatest and most honoured witness to my truthfulness. He is a witness between you and me. He knows what I have brought to you and how you respond. Allah has revealed this Qur’ān to me to warn you by it and to warn any human or jinn it reaches. You, O idolaters, believe that there are others worthy of worship together with Allah. Say, O Messenger: I do not bear witness to what you have acknowledged as it is false. Allah is only one God: He has no partner. I am free from all that you associate as partners with Him.

<p>A particular event which is the cause of the revelation of this verse has been generally reported by commentators. It is said that once a deputation of the people of Makkah came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . They said: ` You claim to be a Messenger of Allah. Who is your witness on this? We have yet to see a man who attests to its truth, although we have tried our best to confirm it from the Jews and Christians.'</p><p>Thereupon, the verse: قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ‌ شَهَادَةً which means: You tell them whose witness could be greater than that of Allah, within whose power lies the gain and loss of everyone in the world? Then, you tell them that Allah is the witness between me and you The witness of Allah refers to those miracles and signs which Allah Ta` ala made manifest to confirm the veracity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Therefore, addressing the people of Makkah, it was said: أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّـهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَ‌ىٰ. It means: Do you, even after the witness of Allah Ta` ala Himself, stand to witness against Him by saying that there are other gods too along with Allah? If that is so, you are responsible for your fate. As for me, I bear no such witness. Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، is asked to tell them: قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ that is, He is one God, the only one worthy of worship who has no partners, sharers or associates in His pristine Divinity.</p><p>This proves that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is the Last Prophet and the Qur’ an will keep reaching until the day of Qiyamah. It will continue to be recited and taugh right through the day of Qyiamah, and people will remain obliged to follow it.</p><p>Sayyidna Said ibn Jubayr ؓ said: To Whomever the Qur'an has reached, he has become like one who has visited Muhammad ﷺ . And it appears in another Hadith: To whomever the Qur'an has reached, I am his warner (` nadhir' ).</p><p>Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked his Companions emphatically : بَلِّغُوا عَنِّی وَ لَو آیَۃً 'that is, convey my instructions and teachings to people, even if it be one 'Ayah.</p><p>And Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: May Allah keep that person hale and hearty who heard a saying of mine, committed it to his memory and then conveyed it to my Ummah. This is important because it generally happens that a person may not himself appreciate the sense of what is said but which would be understood much better by a person of later times to whom the first person has conveyed it.</p>

A particular event which is the cause of the revelation of this verse has been generally reported by commentators. It is said that once a deputation of the people of Makkah came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . They said: ` You claim to be a Messenger of Allah. Who is your witness on this? We have yet to see a man who attests to its truth, although we have tried our best to confirm it from the Jews and Christians.'Thereupon, the verse: قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ‌ شَهَادَةً which means: You tell them whose witness could be greater than that of Allah, within whose power lies the gain and loss of everyone in the world? Then, you tell them that Allah is the witness between me and you The witness of Allah refers to those miracles and signs which Allah Ta` ala made manifest to confirm the veracity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Therefore, addressing the people of Makkah, it was said: أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللَّـهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَ‌ىٰ. It means: Do you, even after the witness of Allah Ta` ala Himself, stand to witness against Him by saying that there are other gods too along with Allah? If that is so, you are responsible for your fate. As for me, I bear no such witness. Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، is asked to tell them: قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ that is, He is one God, the only one worthy of worship who has no partners, sharers or associates in His pristine Divinity.This proves that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is the Last Prophet and the Qur’ an will keep reaching until the day of Qiyamah. It will continue to be recited and taugh right through the day of Qyiamah, and people will remain obliged to follow it.Sayyidna Said ibn Jubayr ؓ said: To Whomever the Qur'an has reached, he has become like one who has visited Muhammad ﷺ . And it appears in another Hadith: To whomever the Qur'an has reached, I am his warner (` nadhir' ).Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had asked his Companions emphatically : بَلِّغُوا عَنِّی وَ لَو آیَۃً 'that is, convey my instructions and teachings to people, even if it be one 'Ayah.And Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: May Allah keep that person hale and hearty who heard a saying of mine, committed it to his memory and then conveyed it to my Ummah. This is important because it generally happens that a person may not himself appreciate the sense of what is said but which would be understood much better by a person of later times to whom the first person has conveyed it.

Those to whom We have given the Book know it distinctly as they know their sons; but those who are lost of soul do not believe.

The people to whom We gave the Book(s) recognise this Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) as they recognise their own sons; those who put their own souls to ruin, do not accept faith.

Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it as they recognize their sons. Those who have lost their own souls, they do not believe.

They unto whom we have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves -it is they who refuse to believe.

Those whom We have vouchsafed the Book recognise him even as they recognise their own children. Yet those who have lost themselves will not believe.

Those to whom We have given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognize him (i.e. Muhammad SAW as a Messenger of Allah, and they also know that there is no Ilah (God) but Allah and Islam is Allah's Religion), as they recognize their own sons. Those who destroy themselves will not believe. (Tafsir At-Tabari)

Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it as they recognize their own children; but those who have lost their souls do not believe.

Those whom We have given the Book will recognize this just as they recognize their own ofspring; but those who have courted their own ruin will not believe.

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him, as they recognize their own children. Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves will not believe.

Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognise (this revelation) as they recognise their sons. Those who ruin their own souls will not believe.

Those whom We have given the Book recognize him just as they recognize their sons. Those who have ruined their souls will not have faith.

Those to whom We have given the Book know him (Prophet Muhammad) as they know their own children. But those who have lost their own souls do not believe.

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize it as they recognize their [own] sons. Those who will lose themselves [in the Hereafter] do not believe.

The People of the Book know him (Muhammad) just as well as they know their own children, but those who have lost their souls will not believe.

Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; (as for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.

Alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>tayn<u>a</u>humu alkit<u>a</u>ba yaAArifoonahu kam<u>a</u> yaAArifoona abn<u>a</u>ahum alla<u>th</u>eena khasiroo anfusahum fahum l<u>a</u> yuminoon<b>a</b>

Those to whom We have given the Scriptures know this as they know their own sons. But those who have ruined their souls will not believe.

Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons. Those who have lost their own souls refuse therefore to believe.

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

The Jews who were given the Torah and the Christians who were given the Gospel recognise the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) completely, just as they recognise their own children from other children. They are the ones who have lost their own souls by making them enter the fire of Hell, and they will not believe.

The Jews who were given the Torah and the Christians who were given the Gospel recognise the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) completely, just as they recognise their own children from other children. They are the ones who have lost their own souls by making them enter the fire of Hell, and they will not believe.

<p>In verse 20, there is a refutation of the saying of those who had said that they had checked with the Jews and the Christians and none of them were ready to attest to his truth as a Messenger of Allah. About that it was said: الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِ‌فُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِ‌فُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ ; (That is, as for the Jews and Christians, they recognize Muhammad al-Mustafa as they would recognize their sons.</p><p>The reason is that there is, in the Torah and Injil, a full description of the physical features of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، of his home city and then his post-emigration place of residence, and of his habits and morals and achievements - all this in such details that it leaves no room for doubt in the recognition of his identity. In fact, this is not limited to the mention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the Torah and the Injil carry even the detailed description of his noble Sahabah as well. Therefore, there was no possibility that anyone who recited the Torah and the Injil and believed in them would be unable to recognize the Holy Prophet ﷺ .</p><p>At this point, the simile given in the text is that of children - ` as they would recognize their sons.' Not said here is: as children recognize their parents. The reason is that the recognition of children by parents is most detailed and certain. Children remain before parents day and night under all conditions. From infancy to younger years, they are raised in the hands and laps of parents. So, the extent to which parents can recognize their children, their children cannot recognize them.</p><p>Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Salam ؓ عنہ belonged to the Jewish faith, then he became a Muslim. Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam ؓ asked him: Allah Ta` ala says in the Qur'an that you recognize our Rasul as you would recognize your sons. What is the reason for it? Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Salam said: Yes, we know the Holy Prophet ﷺ from his qualities and features revealed by Allah Almighty through the Torah. Therefore, this knowledge of ours is certain and absolute. This is contrary to our offspring about whom one could doubt whether or not they were their children.</p><p>Sayyidna Zayd ibn Sa'nah who first belonged to the people of the Book had recognized the Holy Prophet ﷺ through the description of his qualities and features stated in the Torah and the Injil. There was only one quality which could not be confirmed from earlier information. So, this he confirmed by testing. That quality was : ` His forbearance will dominate his anger.' Then, he went to see the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، made his test and found him a true bearer of this quality. He instantly became a Muslim.</p><p>In the last verse (21), it was said that these people of the Book who, despite knowing the true identity of the Holy Prophet ﷺ do not accept Islam were simply ruining themselves at their own hands: الَّذِينَ خَسِرُ‌وا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (Those, who have brought loss on themselves, they are not going to believe).</p>

In verse 20, there is a refutation of the saying of those who had said that they had checked with the Jews and the Christians and none of them were ready to attest to his truth as a Messenger of Allah. About that it was said: الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِ‌فُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِ‌فُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ ; (That is, as for the Jews and Christians, they recognize Muhammad al-Mustafa as they would recognize their sons.The reason is that there is, in the Torah and Injil, a full description of the physical features of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، of his home city and then his post-emigration place of residence, and of his habits and morals and achievements - all this in such details that it leaves no room for doubt in the recognition of his identity. In fact, this is not limited to the mention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the Torah and the Injil carry even the detailed description of his noble Sahabah as well. Therefore, there was no possibility that anyone who recited the Torah and the Injil and believed in them would be unable to recognize the Holy Prophet ﷺ .At this point, the simile given in the text is that of children - ` as they would recognize their sons.' Not said here is: as children recognize their parents. The reason is that the recognition of children by parents is most detailed and certain. Children remain before parents day and night under all conditions. From infancy to younger years, they are raised in the hands and laps of parents. So, the extent to which parents can recognize their children, their children cannot recognize them.Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Salam ؓ عنہ belonged to the Jewish faith, then he became a Muslim. Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam ؓ asked him: Allah Ta` ala says in the Qur'an that you recognize our Rasul as you would recognize your sons. What is the reason for it? Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Salam said: Yes, we know the Holy Prophet ﷺ from his qualities and features revealed by Allah Almighty through the Torah. Therefore, this knowledge of ours is certain and absolute. This is contrary to our offspring about whom one could doubt whether or not they were their children.Sayyidna Zayd ibn Sa'nah who first belonged to the people of the Book had recognized the Holy Prophet ﷺ through the description of his qualities and features stated in the Torah and the Injil. There was only one quality which could not be confirmed from earlier information. So, this he confirmed by testing. That quality was : ` His forbearance will dominate his anger.' Then, he went to see the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، made his test and found him a true bearer of this quality. He instantly became a Muslim.In the last verse (21), it was said that these people of the Book who, despite knowing the true identity of the Holy Prophet ﷺ do not accept Islam were simply ruining themselves at their own hands: الَّذِينَ خَسِرُ‌وا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (Those, who have brought loss on themselves, they are not going to believe).

And who is more wicked than he who invents lies about God or denies His revelations? Surely the wicked will not succeed.

And who is more unjust than one who fabricates lies against Allah or denies His signs? Undoubtedly, the unjust will never succeed.

And who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie, or cries lies to His signs? They shall not prosper, the evildoers.

And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God or gives the lie to His messages? Verily, such evildoers will never attain to a happy state:

And who is a greater wrong-doer than he who fabricateth a lie against Allah or belieth His signs? Verily the wrong-doers shall not fare well.

And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.)? Verily, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) shall never be successful.

Who does greater wrong than someone who fabricates lies against God, or denies His revelations? The wrongdoers will not succeed.

And who could be more wrong-doing than he who either foists a lie on Allah or gives the lie to His signs? Surely such wrong-doers shall not attain success.

And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.

Who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah or denieth His revelations? Lo! the wrongdoers will not be successful.

Who is a greater wrongdoer than him who fabricates a lie against Allah, or denies His signs? Indeed the wrongdoers will not be felicitous.

Who is more wicked than he who invents a lie about Allah or belies His verses? The harmdoers shall never prosper.

And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie or denies His verses? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.

Who are more unjust than those who ascribe falsehood to God or reject His revelations? The unjust will certainly have no happiness.

And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or (he who) gives the lie to His communications; surely the unjust will not be successful.

Waman a<i><u>th</u></i>lamu mimmani iftar<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi ka<u>th</u>iban aw ka<u>thth</u>aba bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tihi innahu l<u>a</u> yufli<u>h</u>u a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limoon<b>a</b>

Who does greater wrong than he who invents a lie against God and denies His signs? Assuredly, the wrongdoers will not succeed.

Who doth more wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah or rejecteth His signs? But verily the wrong-doers never shall prosper.

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

The greatest wrongdoer is the person who attributes a partner to Allah and worships him together with Allah, or the person who denies Allah’s words that He revealed to His Messenger. Those who do wrong by ascribing partners to Allah and denying His verses will never succeed if they do not repent.

The greatest wrongdoer is the person who attributes a partner to Allah and worships him together with Allah, or the person who denies Allah’s words that He revealed to His Messenger. Those who do wrong by ascribing partners to Allah and denying His verses will never succeed if they do not repent.

The day We shall gather all of them together and say to those who ascribe (partners to God): "Where are the compeers who you claimed (were equal to God)?"

And on the day when We will resurrect everyone together, then say to the polytheists, “Where are those partners (your false deities) whom you professed?”

And on the day when We shall muster them all together, then We shall say unto those who associated other gods with God, 'Where are your associates whom you were asserting?

for one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who ascribed divinity to aught beside God: "Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in God's divinity?"

And let them beware the Day whereon We shall gather them all together; then We shall say unto those who associated: where are your associate-gods whom ye have been asserting?

And on the Day when We shall gather them all together, We shall say to those who joined partners in worship (with Us): "Where are your partners (false deities) whom you used to assert (as partners in worship with Allah)?"

On the Day when We gather them all together, then say to the idolaters, “Where are your idols, those you used to claim?”

And on the Day when We shall gather them all together, We shall ask those who associated others with -Allah in His divinity: 'Where, now, are your partners whom you imagined (to have a share in the divinity of Allah)?'

And on the Day when We shall gather them all together, We shall say to those who joined partners in worship (with Us): "Where are your partners (false deities) whom you used to assert (as partners in worship with Allah)"

And on the day We gather them together We shall say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Allah): Where are (now) those partners of your make-believe?

On the day when We gather them all together, We shall say to those who ascribed partners [to Allah] ‘Where are your partners that you used to claim?’

On the Day when We gather them all together We shall say to the idolaters: 'Where are your partners now, those whom you claimed'

And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day We will gather them all together; then We will say to those who associated others with Allah, "Where are your 'partners' that you used to claim [with Him]?"

On the Day of Judgment when We will gather all people together, We will ask the pagans, "Where are those whom you believed to be your gods?"

And on the day when We shall gather them all together, then shall We say to those who associated others (with Allah): Where are your associates whom you asserted?

Wayawma na<u>h</u>shuruhum jameeAAan thumma naqoolu lilla<u>th</u>eena ashrakoo ayna shurak<u>a</u>okumu alla<u>th</u>eena kuntum tazAAumoon<b>a</b>

On the Day when We gather them all together, We will say to those who associated [others with Us], "Where are those partners that you claimed?"

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about?"

وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

Remember the Day of Rising when I will gather them all together, not leaving any one of them out, and criticise those who worshipped others besides Allah: ‘Where are your partners that you used to claim were partners to Allah?’

Remember the Day of Rising when I will gather them all together, not leaving any one of them out, and criticise those who worshipped others besides Allah: ‘Where are your partners that you used to claim were partners to Allah?’

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the previous verse (21) was that the unjust and the deniers of truth will not receive salvation. Details appear in the present verses. The first (22) and the second (23) verses talk about the great trial to be held on the day of Resurrection before the Lord of all. It was said: وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ‌هُمْ جَمِيعًا (And [ forget not ] the Day We shall gather them together), that is, ` gather all disbelievers and their self-made objects of worship together.' After that, it is said: ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَ‌كُوا أَيْنَ شُرَ‌كَاؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ (then We shall say to those who associated partners with Allah, "Where are those you claimed to be partners of Allah?" ), that is, ` ask them about the objects of worship they had taken to as partners of Allah, and resolvers of their problems, and why would they not come to help them in their hour of trial.'</p><p>The word, ثُمَّ :'thumma' (then, after that), used here denotes delay, which tells us that the trial of answering fateful questions will not start soon after having been gathered on the Day of Resurrection. Instead, they shall keep standing in that state of wonder and perplexity for a long period of time. It will be a passage of time in between when the reckoning will commence.</p><p>In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: What would happen to you when Allah Ta’ ala will gather you on the plains of Resurrection as arrows are gathered in the quiver - and you shall be in that state for fifty thousand years. And it ap-pears in another narration that everyone will tarry in the dark on that Day for one thousand years - not being able to even talk to each other. (This narration has been reported by Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, and by Al-Baihaqi)</p><p>The difference of fifty thousand and ten thousand in this narration also appears in two verses of the Holy Qur'an as well. In Surah Al-Ma` arij, it is said: كَانَ مِقْدَارُ‌هُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ [ A Day ] the measure whereof is [ as ] fifty thousand years 70:4.' In Surah Al-Hajj, it is said: وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِندَ رَ‌بِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ :A Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning - 22:47.' The reason for this difference is that this day will be long in terms of the severity of pain and the levels of pain will be different. Therefore, this day will seem to be that of fifty thousand years for some and that of one thousand years for others.</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the previous verse (21) was that the unjust and the deniers of truth will not receive salvation. Details appear in the present verses. The first (22) and the second (23) verses talk about the great trial to be held on the day of Resurrection before the Lord of all. It was said: وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ‌هُمْ جَمِيعًا (And [ forget not ] the Day We shall gather them together), that is, ` gather all disbelievers and their self-made objects of worship together.' After that, it is said: ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَ‌كُوا أَيْنَ شُرَ‌كَاؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ (then We shall say to those who associated partners with Allah, "Where are those you claimed to be partners of Allah?" ), that is, ` ask them about the objects of worship they had taken to as partners of Allah, and resolvers of their problems, and why would they not come to help them in their hour of trial.'The word, ثُمَّ :'thumma' (then, after that), used here denotes delay, which tells us that the trial of answering fateful questions will not start soon after having been gathered on the Day of Resurrection. Instead, they shall keep standing in that state of wonder and perplexity for a long period of time. It will be a passage of time in between when the reckoning will commence.In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said: What would happen to you when Allah Ta’ ala will gather you on the plains of Resurrection as arrows are gathered in the quiver - and you shall be in that state for fifty thousand years. And it ap-pears in another narration that everyone will tarry in the dark on that Day for one thousand years - not being able to even talk to each other. (This narration has been reported by Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, and by Al-Baihaqi)The difference of fifty thousand and ten thousand in this narration also appears in two verses of the Holy Qur'an as well. In Surah Al-Ma` arij, it is said: كَانَ مِقْدَارُ‌هُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ [ A Day ] the measure whereof is [ as ] fifty thousand years 70:4.' In Surah Al-Hajj, it is said: وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِندَ رَ‌بِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ :A Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning - 22:47.' The reason for this difference is that this day will be long in terms of the severity of pain and the levels of pain will be different. Therefore, this day will seem to be that of fifty thousand years for some and that of one thousand years for others.

<h2 class="title">The Polythiests Shall be Questioned About the Shirk They Committed</h2><p>About the polytheists, Allah said: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً</div><p>(And on the Day when We shall gather them all together,) This is on the Day of Resurrection, when He will ask them about the idols and rivals that they worshipped instead of Him. Allah will say to them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ</div><p>(Where are your partners (false deities) whom you used to assert (as partners in worship with Allah)) Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَوْمَ يُنَـدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ </div><p>(And (remember) the Day when He will call to them, and say, "Where are My (so-called) partners whom you used to assert") 28:62. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ</div><p>(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) means, argument. `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ</div><p>(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) in the face of the affliction that will be placed on them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ</div><p>(but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others (in worship with Allah).") Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ </div><p>(Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them.) which is similar to His other statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قَـالُواْ ضَـلُّواْ عَنَّا بَل لَّمْ نَكُنْ نَّدْعُواْ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْئاً كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الْكَـفِرِينَ </div><p>(Then it will be said to them: "Where are (all) those whom you used to join in worship as partners. Besides Allah" They will say, "They have vanished from us: Nay, we did not invoke (worship) anything before." Thus Allah leads astray the disbelievers.) 40:73-74 </p><h2 class="title">The Miserable Do Not Benefit from the Qur'an</h2><p>Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْراً وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا</div><p>(And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) means, they come to you, (O Muhammad ), so that they hear you recite the Qur'an, but its recitation does not benefit them, because Allah has set veils on their hearts, and so they do not understand the Qur'an, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا</div><p>(and (set) deafness in their ears;) that prevents them from hearing what benefits them. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً</div><p>(And the example of those who disbelieve, is as that of him who shouts at one who hears nothing but calls and cries.) 2:171 Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا</div><p>(if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) meaning, they will not believe in any of the Ayat, proofs, clear evidences and signs they witness because they do not have sound comprehension or fair judgment. In another Ayah, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ</div><p>(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen.) 8:23 Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَـدِلُونَكَ</div><p>(to the point that when they come to you to argue with you...) using falsehood against truth, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ</div><p>(those who disbelieve say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old.") The disbelievers say, what you (O Muhammad ) brought us was taken from the books of those who were before us, meaning plagiarized, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ</div><p>(And they prevent others from him and they themselves keep away from him,) They discourage people from following the truth, believing in Muhammad and obeying the Qur'an, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ</div><p>(and they themselves keep away from him,) They thus combine both evil acts, for they neither benefit themselves, nor let others benefit from the Prophet . `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ</div><p>(And they prevent others from him.) means, they hinder people from believing in Muhammad . Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, "The disbelievers of Quraysh used to refrain from meeting Muhammad and they discouraged people from coming to him." Similar was reported from Qatadah, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak and several others. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ</div><p>(and (by doing so) they destroy not but themselves, yet they perceive (it) not.) They destroy themselves by committing this evil action, and its harm will only touch them. Yet, they do not perceive this fact! </p>

The Polythiests Shall be Questioned About the Shirk They CommittedAbout the polytheists, Allah said: وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً(And on the Day when We shall gather them all together,) This is on the Day of Resurrection, when He will ask them about the idols and rivals that they worshipped instead of Him. Allah will say to them, أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ(Where are your partners (false deities) whom you used to assert (as partners in worship with Allah)) Allah said in Surat Al-Qasas, وَيَوْمَ يُنَـدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ (And (remember) the Day when He will call to them, and say, "Where are My (so-called) partners whom you used to assert") 28:62. Allah's statement, ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) means, argument. `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that, ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ(There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them) in the face of the affliction that will be placed on them, إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ(but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others (in worship with Allah).") Allah said next, انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ (Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them.) which is similar to His other statement, ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قَـالُواْ ضَـلُّواْ عَنَّا بَل لَّمْ نَكُنْ نَّدْعُواْ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْئاً كَذَلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ الْكَـفِرِينَ (Then it will be said to them: "Where are (all) those whom you used to join in worship as partners. Besides Allah" They will say, "They have vanished from us: Nay, we did not invoke (worship) anything before." Thus Allah leads astray the disbelievers.) 40:73-74 The Miserable Do Not Benefit from the Qur'anAllah's statement, وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْراً وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا(And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) means, they come to you, (O Muhammad ), so that they hear you recite the Qur'an, but its recitation does not benefit them, because Allah has set veils on their hearts, and so they do not understand the Qur'an, وَفِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا(and (set) deafness in their ears;) that prevents them from hearing what benefits them. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً(And the example of those who disbelieve, is as that of him who shouts at one who hears nothing but calls and cries.) 2:171 Allah said next, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا(if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein;) meaning, they will not believe in any of the Ayat, proofs, clear evidences and signs they witness because they do not have sound comprehension or fair judgment. In another Ayah, Allah said, وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen.) 8:23 Allah said, حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَـدِلُونَكَ(to the point that when they come to you to argue with you...) using falsehood against truth, يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ(those who disbelieve say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old.") The disbelievers say, what you (O Muhammad ) brought us was taken from the books of those who were before us, meaning plagiarized, وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ(And they prevent others from him and they themselves keep away from him,) They discourage people from following the truth, believing in Muhammad and obeying the Qur'an, وَيَنْأَوْنَ عَنْهُ(and they themselves keep away from him,) They thus combine both evil acts, for they neither benefit themselves, nor let others benefit from the Prophet . `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ(And they prevent others from him.) means, they hinder people from believing in Muhammad . Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah said, "The disbelievers of Quraysh used to refrain from meeting Muhammad and they discouraged people from coming to him." Similar was reported from Qatadah, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak and several others. وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ(and (by doing so) they destroy not but themselves, yet they perceive (it) not.) They destroy themselves by committing this evil action, and its harm will only touch them. Yet, they do not perceive this fact!

Then their excuse will be but to say: "By God our Lord, we were not idolaters."

Then they had no fabrication except that they said, “By Allah, our Lord, we were never polytheists!”

Then they shall have no proving, but to say, 'By God our Lord, we never associated other gods with Thee.'

Whereupon, in their utter confusion, they will only [be able to] say: "By God, our Sustainer, we did not [mean to] ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"

Then they will have no excuse but to say: by God our Lord, we have not been associaters.

There will then be (left) no Fitnah (excuses or statements or arguments) for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah."

Then their only argument will be to say, “By God, our Lord, we were not idolaters.”

Then they will be able to play no mischief but will say (falsely): 'By Allah, our Lord, we associated none (with You in Your divinity).'

There will then be (left) no Fitnah for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others (in worship with Allah)."

Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters.

Then their only excuse will be to say, ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.’

Then it was not their trial, but they will say: 'By Allah, our Lord we have never been idolaters'

Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who associated."

Attempting to answer, they will say, "Lord, we swear by Your Name that we were not pagans".

Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.

Thumma lam takun fitnatuhum ill<u>a</u> an q<u>a</u>loo wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi rabbin<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> kunn<u>a</u> mushrikeen<b>a</b>

Then they will have no excuse but to say, "By God our Lord, we have never been polytheists."

There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By Allah our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with Allah."

ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

After this test, they will have no excuse and they will declare themselves free of what they worshipped, by dishonestly saying: By Allah, our Lord, we did not associate partners with You in the world; but we had faith in You and we accepted Your Oneness.

After this test, they will have no excuse and they will declare themselves free of what they worshipped, by dishonestly saying: By Allah, our Lord, we did not associate partners with You in the world; but we had faith in You and we accepted Your Oneness.

<p>In short, on this venue of the great trial, a long period of time will pass for the trial to begin, so much so, that these people will wish that reckoning comes so that they can be relieved from their state of uncertainty, no matter what happens in the end. It is to indicate this length of stay that, as indicated earlier, the word, ثُمَّ (then) was prefixed to ثُمَّ (then We shall say). Similarly, the answer given by the disbelievers mentioned in the second verse (23) also appears with the word, نَقُول ; (then), which indicates that they too will come up with their answer after having deliberated over it for a long period of time, in which they will say: وَاللَّـهِ رَ‌بِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِ‌كِينَ (By Allah, our Lord, we ascribed no partners to Allah). In this verse, their answer has been identified فِتنَہ 'fitnah' which could mean ` trial' or ` infatuation.' Both meanings can be taken here. In the first case, the answer given by the disbelievers becomes a trial by itself; while, in the second case, it would mean that these people were infatuated with idols and other self-made objects of worship, even made sacrifices for them, but all that infatuation was gone on this day when they had no choice but to declare their total disassociation from them.</p><p>There is something very astonishing in their answer. That was a nerve-shattering time with the day being the Day of Retribution with the awesome manifestations of the power and authority of their Lord all there, yet they had the courage to lie before their very Lord, and that too, with such shamelessness that they are swearing by His great name and saying that they were no disbelievers!</p><p>Most commentators explain this answer given by the disbelievers as something not based on foresight or hindsight. In fact, it was caused by the heat of surrounding awe and the loss of personal nerves, a condition in which one utters what is not intended. But, by giving some thought to the general happenings and conditions of the Day of Resurrection, it could be said that Allah Ta` ala had given them the freedom to say things as they used to say in their life of the mortal world so that everyone present on the Day of Resurrection could see their full profile and get to know that these people did not stop at disbelief and polytheism, but that they were also unmatched as liars, for they would not desist from lying at least on an occasion so horrifying. Another verse of the Qur'an (Surah Al-Mujdalah): فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ (then they will swear to Him as they swear to you - 58:18) gives a hint in this direction which means that very much in the manner they swear falsely before Muslims, they would not hesitate in swearing as falsely before the Lord of all the worlds Himself.</p><p>When these people have become sworn deniers of their Shirk and Kufr (attribution of partners to Allah and disbelief) on the day of Resurrection, that will be the time when Allah, in His absolute power, will have their mouths sealed with silence. His command will then go to the limbs of their bodies - ` now, you speak as witnesses to everything they did' - then, will come the proof that their own hands and feet and eyes and ears were all some kind of secret service agents who had been with them all along. They will tell, and tell everything they did. About that, it has been said in Surah Yasin: الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْ‌جُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿65﴾ (That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did - 36:65). After having witnessed this demonstration of unimaginable power, no one will, then, dare conceal anything or lie about it.</p><p>At another place in the Holy Qur'an, it is said: وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّـهَ حَدِيثًا (And they shall not conceal anything from Allah - 4:42). Explaining its meaning, this is what Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ had said: That is, they would first lie as much as they could, even swear falsely, but once their own hands and feet shall testify against them, they will not have the courage to say anything wrong after that.</p><p>So, we see that a wrong-doer shall be given full freedom to put his statement on record in the court of the Judge of judges. If he chooses to lie, as he did in his mortal life, his right to do that will not be snatched away from him - because Allah will Himself, in His absolute power, demolish the facade of his lie through the testimony of his own body parts.</p><p>This is why telling lies after death will not work. Think of an entrance examination or an admission test. After death, man's first test will be given by angels, مُنکَر Munkar and نَکِیر Nakir. Says the Hadith: When Munkar and Nakir will ask a Kafir (disbeliever): مَن رَّبُّکَ وَما دِینِکَ (Who is your Lord and what is your religion?), the Kafir will say: 4'bri bu (Oh 0, I do not know). In contrast a true Muslim will answer by saying: رَبِّی اللہ وَ دِینِیَ الاسلام</p><p>(Allah is my Lord and Islam is my religion). It appears no one will have the courage to lie in this test, otherwise a Kafir could have given the same answer as was given by a Muslim. The reason is that the test will be taken by angels who do not have the knowledge of the unseen, nor are they capable of making hands and feet give witness. If man had the choice of lying there, the angels would have simply acted in accordance with the answer given, but this would have disturbed the system. This is contrary to the test of the day of Resurrection where questions will be asked and answers given before Al-mighty Allah which means that no lie will work there even if resorted to.</p><p>Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit and Mazheri report from some elders that the people denying their Shirk on oaths will be those who did not openly declare a created being to be God or His deputy, but as for their deed, they had assigned all powers of Godhood to His created beings, and from them sought answers to their needs, in their name they would make offerings, and from them they would ask sustenance, health, children and everything they wished to have. These people did not consider themselves as Mushriks. Therefore, on the day of Resurrection they would swear to it that they were not Mushriks. Ultimately, Allah Almighty will expose their disgrace.</p><p>Another question which arises in this verse is about what has been said in some verses of the Qur'an - that Allah Almighty will not speak to the disbelievers and sinners - while, the present verse seems to be indicating clearly that such address will come to pass.</p><p>The answer is that such address or speech will not be in the form of honouring them or accepting their prayers. As for the negation of an address based on admonition, that is not intended in this verse. It could also be said that the address mentioned in this verse may be through the angels. As for the verse where Divine speech or address has been negated, it refers to an indirect address.</p>

In short, on this venue of the great trial, a long period of time will pass for the trial to begin, so much so, that these people will wish that reckoning comes so that they can be relieved from their state of uncertainty, no matter what happens in the end. It is to indicate this length of stay that, as indicated earlier, the word, ثُمَّ (then) was prefixed to ثُمَّ (then We shall say). Similarly, the answer given by the disbelievers mentioned in the second verse (23) also appears with the word, نَقُول ; (then), which indicates that they too will come up with their answer after having deliberated over it for a long period of time, in which they will say: وَاللَّـهِ رَ‌بِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِ‌كِينَ (By Allah, our Lord, we ascribed no partners to Allah). In this verse, their answer has been identified فِتنَہ 'fitnah' which could mean ` trial' or ` infatuation.' Both meanings can be taken here. In the first case, the answer given by the disbelievers becomes a trial by itself; while, in the second case, it would mean that these people were infatuated with idols and other self-made objects of worship, even made sacrifices for them, but all that infatuation was gone on this day when they had no choice but to declare their total disassociation from them.There is something very astonishing in their answer. That was a nerve-shattering time with the day being the Day of Retribution with the awesome manifestations of the power and authority of their Lord all there, yet they had the courage to lie before their very Lord, and that too, with such shamelessness that they are swearing by His great name and saying that they were no disbelievers!Most commentators explain this answer given by the disbelievers as something not based on foresight or hindsight. In fact, it was caused by the heat of surrounding awe and the loss of personal nerves, a condition in which one utters what is not intended. But, by giving some thought to the general happenings and conditions of the Day of Resurrection, it could be said that Allah Ta` ala had given them the freedom to say things as they used to say in their life of the mortal world so that everyone present on the Day of Resurrection could see their full profile and get to know that these people did not stop at disbelief and polytheism, but that they were also unmatched as liars, for they would not desist from lying at least on an occasion so horrifying. Another verse of the Qur'an (Surah Al-Mujdalah): فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ (then they will swear to Him as they swear to you - 58:18) gives a hint in this direction which means that very much in the manner they swear falsely before Muslims, they would not hesitate in swearing as falsely before the Lord of all the worlds Himself.When these people have become sworn deniers of their Shirk and Kufr (attribution of partners to Allah and disbelief) on the day of Resurrection, that will be the time when Allah, in His absolute power, will have their mouths sealed with silence. His command will then go to the limbs of their bodies - ` now, you speak as witnesses to everything they did' - then, will come the proof that their own hands and feet and eyes and ears were all some kind of secret service agents who had been with them all along. They will tell, and tell everything they did. About that, it has been said in Surah Yasin: الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْ‌جُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿65﴾ (That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did - 36:65). After having witnessed this demonstration of unimaginable power, no one will, then, dare conceal anything or lie about it.At another place in the Holy Qur'an, it is said: وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّـهَ حَدِيثًا (And they shall not conceal anything from Allah - 4:42). Explaining its meaning, this is what Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ had said: That is, they would first lie as much as they could, even swear falsely, but once their own hands and feet shall testify against them, they will not have the courage to say anything wrong after that.So, we see that a wrong-doer shall be given full freedom to put his statement on record in the court of the Judge of judges. If he chooses to lie, as he did in his mortal life, his right to do that will not be snatched away from him - because Allah will Himself, in His absolute power, demolish the facade of his lie through the testimony of his own body parts.This is why telling lies after death will not work. Think of an entrance examination or an admission test. After death, man's first test will be given by angels, مُنکَر Munkar and نَکِیر Nakir. Says the Hadith: When Munkar and Nakir will ask a Kafir (disbeliever): مَن رَّبُّکَ وَما دِینِکَ (Who is your Lord and what is your religion?), the Kafir will say: 4'bri bu (Oh 0, I do not know). In contrast a true Muslim will answer by saying: رَبِّی اللہ وَ دِینِیَ الاسلام(Allah is my Lord and Islam is my religion). It appears no one will have the courage to lie in this test, otherwise a Kafir could have given the same answer as was given by a Muslim. The reason is that the test will be taken by angels who do not have the knowledge of the unseen, nor are they capable of making hands and feet give witness. If man had the choice of lying there, the angels would have simply acted in accordance with the answer given, but this would have disturbed the system. This is contrary to the test of the day of Resurrection where questions will be asked and answers given before Al-mighty Allah which means that no lie will work there even if resorted to.Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit and Mazheri report from some elders that the people denying their Shirk on oaths will be those who did not openly declare a created being to be God or His deputy, but as for their deed, they had assigned all powers of Godhood to His created beings, and from them sought answers to their needs, in their name they would make offerings, and from them they would ask sustenance, health, children and everything they wished to have. These people did not consider themselves as Mushriks. Therefore, on the day of Resurrection they would swear to it that they were not Mushriks. Ultimately, Allah Almighty will expose their disgrace.Another question which arises in this verse is about what has been said in some verses of the Qur'an - that Allah Almighty will not speak to the disbelievers and sinners - while, the present verse seems to be indicating clearly that such address will come to pass.The answer is that such address or speech will not be in the form of honouring them or accepting their prayers. As for the negation of an address based on admonition, that is not intended in this verse. It could also be said that the address mentioned in this verse may be through the angels. As for the verse where Divine speech or address has been negated, it refers to an indirect address.

You will see how they will lie against themselves, and all their slanderings will be vain.

Observe how they lied against themselves, and how they lost the things they fabricated!

Behold how they lie against themselves, and how that which they were forging has gone astray from them!

Behold how they have lied to themselves -and [how] their false imagery has forsaken them!

Behold! how they lied against themselves! and then failed them that which they had been fabricating.

Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them.

Look how they lied to themselves. And what they invented deserted them.

Behold, how they will lie against themselves and how their forged deities will forsake them!

Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them.

See how they lie against themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them!

Look, how they forswear themselves, and what they used to fabricate has forsaken them!

Look how they lie against themselves, and how that which they were forging has gone astray from them!

See how they will lie about themselves. And lost from them will be what they used to invent.

Consider, how they have lied against their own souls and have lost their gods.

See how they lie against their own souls, and that which they forged has passed away from them.

On<i><u>th</u></i>ur kayfa ka<u>th</u>aboo AAal<u>a</u> anfusihim wa<u>d</u>alla AAanhum m<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yaftaroon<b>a</b>

See how they lie to themselves, and how those [the deities] they invented have deserted them.

Behold! how they lie against their own souls! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch.

ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ

Look, O Muhammad, how these people lied about themselves by denying that they associated partners with Allah. The partners that they set-up with Allah in this worldly life have disappeared and deserted them.

Look, O Muhammad, how these people lied about themselves by denying that they associated partners with Allah. The partners that they set-up with Allah in this worldly life have disappeared and deserted them.

<p>In verse 24, it was said: انظُرْ‌ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُ‌ونَ (See how they lied about themselves - and lost to them was all that they used to coin). The address here is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ who has been asked to see how these people have lied against their own selves, and whatever they used to forge and fabricate against Allah (their idols and so-called partners to Allah) is lost to them. The expression translated as ` lied about themselves' means that the curse of this lie is going to fall on their own selves while the word, اِفتَرَاء translated as ` used to coin' may also mean that ascribing partners to Allah was a fabrication in the mortal world the reality of which was exposed on the day of Resurrection. And it is also possible that ` iftira' or fabrication could be referring to the false oath taken on the day of Resurrection following which the witness of the limbs of the body exposed their lie.</p><p>Some commentators say that ` iftira' or fabrication refers to interpretations they used to put on their false objects of worship in the mortal world, for example: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّ‌بُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ which means that ` We do not worship them taking them to be God but only do it so that they would intercede on our behalf with Allah and bring us closer to Him - 39:3.' This fabrication of theirs got exposed on the day of Resurrection when no one interceded on their behalf in their hour of trial, nor any one did anything to bring about a reduction in their punishment.</p><p>This bring us to a question, for the verse seems to indicate that at the time of trial featuring these questions and answers, all false objects of worship will not be present there, but a verse of the Qur'an says: احْشُرُ‌وا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ ﴿22﴾ (gather (gather up those who have been unjust, and their partners, and what they used to worship - 37:22). This seems to indicate that the false objects of worship will also be present on the day of Resurrection.</p><p>The answer is that the sense of their being absent from the plains of Resurrection, as it emerges from this verse, is limited to their being unavailable as partners, sharers or intercessors. Thus, though they would be unable to help their clients in any way but, they would be present there. So, there remains no contradiction between the two verses. Then, it is also possible that all of them could be gathered together at one time and place, then be separated and the question is asked after the separation.</p><p>In these two verses, it should be particularly borne in mind that the choice of free speech given to disbelievers on the day of Resurrection which they utilized by denying on false oath that they had any-thing to do with Shirk, is not without its implications. Perhaps, it carries a hint that the habit of telling lies is an evil habit which is never easy to shake off. So much so that these people, who used to swear falsely before Muslims during their life in the mortal world, were unable to stop lying even on the fateful day of Resurrection which put them to disgrace before the entire creation of Allah. Therefore, lying has been strongly condemned in the Qur'an and Hadith which give serious warning to those who tell lies. At many places in the Qur'an liars have been cursed. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Stay away from lying because a lie is the accomplice of sins, and a lie and a sin will both go to Jahannam. (Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)</p><p>The Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked what deed could take one to Hell. He said: A lie [ the Musnad of Ahmad ]. And on the night of the Mi` raj (the Ascent to Heaven), the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw a man having the corners of his mouth being slit apart which then fall back into their place and become as they were, and again they are slit apart ... something to keep happening to him throughout the day of Qiyamah. He asked the angel, Jibra'il al-Amin: "Who is he?" Angel Jibra'il said: "He is a liar."</p><p>And it appears in a narration from the Musnad of Ahmad that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: One cannot become a complete Muslim unless he gives up lying altogether, to the extent that he would not lie even by way of joke or fun.</p><p>In addition to that, it appears in Al-Baihaqi and others, all on sound authority, that the character of a Muslim may have other bad traits - but, not breach of trust and lying. Yet another Hadith says that lying decreases one's Rizq (sustenance).</p>

In verse 24, it was said: انظُرْ‌ كَيْفَ كَذَبُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُ‌ونَ (See how they lied about themselves - and lost to them was all that they used to coin). The address here is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ who has been asked to see how these people have lied against their own selves, and whatever they used to forge and fabricate against Allah (their idols and so-called partners to Allah) is lost to them. The expression translated as ` lied about themselves' means that the curse of this lie is going to fall on their own selves while the word, اِفتَرَاء translated as ` used to coin' may also mean that ascribing partners to Allah was a fabrication in the mortal world the reality of which was exposed on the day of Resurrection. And it is also possible that ` iftira' or fabrication could be referring to the false oath taken on the day of Resurrection following which the witness of the limbs of the body exposed their lie.Some commentators say that ` iftira' or fabrication refers to interpretations they used to put on their false objects of worship in the mortal world, for example: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّ‌بُونَا إِلَى اللَّـهِ زُلْفَىٰ which means that ` We do not worship them taking them to be God but only do it so that they would intercede on our behalf with Allah and bring us closer to Him - 39:3.' This fabrication of theirs got exposed on the day of Resurrection when no one interceded on their behalf in their hour of trial, nor any one did anything to bring about a reduction in their punishment.This bring us to a question, for the verse seems to indicate that at the time of trial featuring these questions and answers, all false objects of worship will not be present there, but a verse of the Qur'an says: احْشُرُ‌وا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ ﴿22﴾ (gather (gather up those who have been unjust, and their partners, and what they used to worship - 37:22). This seems to indicate that the false objects of worship will also be present on the day of Resurrection.The answer is that the sense of their being absent from the plains of Resurrection, as it emerges from this verse, is limited to their being unavailable as partners, sharers or intercessors. Thus, though they would be unable to help their clients in any way but, they would be present there. So, there remains no contradiction between the two verses. Then, it is also possible that all of them could be gathered together at one time and place, then be separated and the question is asked after the separation.In these two verses, it should be particularly borne in mind that the choice of free speech given to disbelievers on the day of Resurrection which they utilized by denying on false oath that they had any-thing to do with Shirk, is not without its implications. Perhaps, it carries a hint that the habit of telling lies is an evil habit which is never easy to shake off. So much so that these people, who used to swear falsely before Muslims during their life in the mortal world, were unable to stop lying even on the fateful day of Resurrection which put them to disgrace before the entire creation of Allah. Therefore, lying has been strongly condemned in the Qur'an and Hadith which give serious warning to those who tell lies. At many places in the Qur'an liars have been cursed. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Stay away from lying because a lie is the accomplice of sins, and a lie and a sin will both go to Jahannam. (Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)The Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked what deed could take one to Hell. He said: A lie [ the Musnad of Ahmad ]. And on the night of the Mi` raj (the Ascent to Heaven), the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw a man having the corners of his mouth being slit apart which then fall back into their place and become as they were, and again they are slit apart ... something to keep happening to him throughout the day of Qiyamah. He asked the angel, Jibra'il al-Amin: "Who is he?" Angel Jibra'il said: "He is a liar."And it appears in a narration from the Musnad of Ahmad that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: One cannot become a complete Muslim unless he gives up lying altogether, to the extent that he would not lie even by way of joke or fun.In addition to that, it appears in Al-Baihaqi and others, all on sound authority, that the character of a Muslim may have other bad traits - but, not breach of trust and lying. Yet another Hadith says that lying decreases one's Rizq (sustenance).

There are some among them who listen to you; but We have put a covering on their hearts so that they fail to understand it, and a deafness appears in their ears. Even if they saw all the signs they would not believe in them; and even when they come to you to dispute with you, the unbelievers say: "This is nothing but fables of antiquity."

And among them is one who listens to you; and We have put covers upon their hearts so they may not understand it, and deafness in their ears; and (even) if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; to the extent that when they come to you to debate with you, the disbelievers say, “This is nothing but stories of former people.”

And some of them there are that listen to thee, and We lay veils upon their hearts lest they understand it, and in their ears heaviness; and if they see any sign whatever, they do not believe in it, so that when they come to thee they dispute with thee, the unbelievers saying, 'This is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancient ones.'

And there are among them such as [seem to] listen to thee [O Prophet]: but over their hearts We have laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness. And were they to see every sign [of the truth], they would still not believe in it-so much so that when they come unto thee to contend with thee, those who are bent on denying the truth say, "This is nothing but fables of ancient times!"

And of them are some who hearken unto thee and We have set over their hearts veils lest they understand it, and in their ears heaviness, and though they see any sign they will not believe therein: in as much as when they come to thee, they dispute with thee. Then who disbelieve say: this is naught but the fables of the ancients.

And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) they will not believe therein; to the point that when they come to you to argue with you, the disbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old."

Among them are those who listen to you; but We place covers over their hearts, to prevent them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. Even if they see every sign, they will not believe in it. Until, when they come to you, to argue with you, those who disbelieve will say, “These are nothing but myths of the ancients.”

And of them there are some who appear to pay heed to you, but upon their hearts We have laid coverings so they understand it not; and in their ears, heaviness (so they hear not). Even if they were to witness every sign, they would still not believe in it so much so that when they come to you, they dispute with you, those who disbelieve contend: 'This is nothing but fables of the ancient times.'

And of them there are some who listen to you; but We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat they will not believe therein; to the point that when they come to you to argue with you, those who disbelieve say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old."

Of them are some who listen unto thee, but We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness. If they saw every token they would not believe therein; to the point that, when they come unto thee to argue with thee, the disbelievers say: This is naught else than fables of the men of old.

There are some of them who prick up their ears at you, but We have cast veils on their hearts lest they should understand it, and a deafness into their ears; and though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. When they come to you, to dispute with you, the faithless say, ‘These are nothing but myths of the ancients.’

Some of them listen to you. But We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and in their ears heaviness; and if they see every sign they do not believe in it. When they come to you they argue, the unbelievers say: 'This is nothing but the tales of the ancient ones'

And among them are those who listen to you, but We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. Even when they come to you arguing with you, those who disbelieve say, "This is not but legends of the former peoples."

Some of them listen to you, but We have veiled their hearts so that they cannot understand and made them deaf. They disbelieve all the evidence (of Our existence) that they may have seen. They only come to you for the sake of argument and the disbelievers say that (whatever Muhammad says) is no more than ancient legends.

And of them is he who hearkens to you, and We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and a heaviness into their ears; and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it; so much so that when they come to you they only dispute with you; those who disbelieve say: This is naught but the stories of the ancients.

Waminhum man yastamiAAu ilayka wajaAAaln<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> quloobihim akinnatan an yafqahoohu wafee <u>atha</u>nihim waqran wain yaraw kulla <u>a</u>yatin l<u>a</u> yuminoo bih<u>a</u> <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> i<u>tha</u> j<u>a</u>ooka yuj<u>a</u>diloonaka yaqoolu alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo in h<u>atha</u> ill<u>a</u> as<u>at</u>eeru alawwaleen<b>a</b>

Among them are some who listen to you, but We have placed veils over their hearts and deafness in their ears which prevent them from understanding what you say. Even if they saw all the signs, they would still not believe in them. When those who deny the truth come to dispute with you, they will say, "This is nothing but ancient fables,"

Of them there are some who (pretend to) listen to thee; but We have thrown veils on their hearts, So they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they saw every one of the signs, not they will believe in them; in so much that when they come to thee, they (but) dispute with thee; the Unbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the ancients."

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءُوكَ يُجَٰدِلُونَكَ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Some of the idolaters listen to you, O Messenger, when you recite the Qur’ān, but they do not benefit from what they hear because I have placed covers on their hearts so that they cannot understand the Qur’ān. I did this due to their stubbornness and their turning away. I have made their ears deaf to beneficial listening. Despite the clear indications and glaring evidences that they see, they still do not believe, such that when they come to you they present false arguments against the truth and say: What you have brought has simply been taken from the books of the earlier people.

Some of the idolaters listen to you, O Messenger, when you recite the Qur’ān, but they do not benefit from what they hear because I have placed covers on their hearts so that they cannot understand the Qur’ān. I did this due to their stubbornness and their turning away. I have made their ears deaf to beneficial listening. Despite the clear indications and glaring evidences that they see, they still do not believe, such that when they come to you they present false arguments against the truth and say: What you have brought has simply been taken from the books of the earlier people.

And they forbid others from (believing in) it, and themselves keep away from it. But they ruin none but themselves, and do not understand.

And they stop (others) from it and run away from it; and they ruin none except themselves, and they do not have sense.

And they forbid it, and keep afar from it, and it is only themselves they destroy, but they are not aware.

And they bar others therefrom. and go far away from it: but they destroy none but themselves, and perceive it not.

And they prohibit others therefrom, and they withdraw therefrom, and they destroy not but their own souls while they perceive not.

And they prevent others from him (from following Prophet Muhammad SAW) and they themselves keep away from him, and (by doing so) they destroy not but their ownselves, yet they perceive (it) not.

They keep others from it, and avoid it themselves; but they ruin only their own souls, and they do not realize.

As for others, they prevent them from embracing the Truth; and themselves, they flee from it (so as to harm you). But they court their own ruin, although they do not realize it.

And they prevent others from him and they themselves keep away from him, and (by doing so) they destroy none but themselves, yet they perceive (it) not.

And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it, and they ruin none save themselves, though they perceive not.

They dissuade [others] from [following] him, and [themselves] avoid him; yet they destroy no one except themselves, but they are not aware.

They forbid from it (the Koran) and keep away from it. They destroy none except themselves, though they do not sense it.

And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not.

They keep away from the faith and forbid others to accept it. They destroy no one except themselves, yet they do not realize it.

And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do not perceive.

Wahum yanhawna AAanhu wayanawna AAanhu wain yuhlikoona ill<u>a</u> anfusahum wam<u>a</u> yashAAuroon<b>a</b>

and they bar others from believing and themselves keep away. But they ruin no one but themselves, though they fail to realize this.

Others they keep away from it, and themselves they keep away; but they only destroy their own souls, and they perceive it not.

وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْـَٔوْنَ عَنْهُ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ

These idolaters forbid people from accepting the Messenger as they themselves stay away from doing so: they do not let others benefit in the same way that they themselves do not benefit. By acting like this, they only destroy themselves; but they fail to realise that they are bringing about destruction.

These idolaters forbid people from accepting the Messenger as they themselves stay away from doing so: they do not let others benefit in the same way that they themselves do not benefit. By acting like this, they only destroy themselves; but they fail to realise that they are bringing about destruction.

<p>The verse: وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ (And from it they prevent - 26), according to early commentators Dahhak, Qatadah and Muhammad ibn Hanafiyah, was revealed about the common disbelievers of Makkah who prevented people from listening to the Qur'an and following it - and saw to it that they themselves stayed away from it. It has also been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that this verse concerns the Holy Prophet's ﷺ respected uncle, Abu Talib , as well as other uncles who stopped people from causing pain to him, even supported him, but would not believe in the Qur'an nor follow it. If so, the pronoun in يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ will revert to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and not to the Qur'an. (Mazhari with narration by Ibn Abi a1-Hatim from Said ibn Abi Hilal)</p>

The verse: وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ (And from it they prevent - 26), according to early commentators Dahhak, Qatadah and Muhammad ibn Hanafiyah, was revealed about the common disbelievers of Makkah who prevented people from listening to the Qur'an and following it - and saw to it that they themselves stayed away from it. It has also been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that this verse concerns the Holy Prophet's ﷺ respected uncle, Abu Talib , as well as other uncles who stopped people from causing pain to him, even supported him, but would not believe in the Qur'an nor follow it. If so, the pronoun in يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ will revert to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and not to the Qur'an. (Mazhari with narration by Ibn Abi a1-Hatim from Said ibn Abi Hilal)

If you should see them when they are stood before the Fire, they will say: "Ah would that we were sent back (to the world)! We shall not deny the signs of our Lord, and be among those who believe."

And if you see them when they will be placed above hell, they will say, “Alas, if only we might be sent back and not deny the signs of our Lord, and become Muslims!”

If thou couldst see when they are stationed before the Fire, and they say, 'Would that we might be returned, and then not cry lies to the signs of our Lord, but that we might be among the believers!'

If thou couldst but see [them] when they will be made to stand before the fire and will say, "Oh, would that we were brought back [to life]: then we would not give the lie to our Sustainer's messages, but would be among the believers!"

And couldst thou see what time they shall be held over the Fire, and then they will say: would that we were sent back and now we shall not belie the signs of our Lord and we shall be of the believers.

If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!"

If only you could see, when they are made to stand before the Fire; they will say, “If only we could be sent back, and not reject the revelations of our Lord, and be among the faithful.”

If you could but see when they shall be made to stand by the Fire! They will plead: 'Would that we were brought back to life? Then we would not give the lie to the signs of our Lord and would be among the believers.'

If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!"

If thou couldst see when they are set before the Fire and say: Oh, would that we might return! Then would we not deny the revelations of our Lord but we would be of the believers!

Were you to see when they are brought to a halt by the Fire, whereupon they will say, ‘If only we were sent back [into the world]! Then we will not deny the signs of our Lord, and we will be among the faithful!’

If you could see them when they are set before the Fire! They will say: 'Would that we could return! Then we would not belie the verses of our Lord and would be believers'

If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers."

If only you could see them standing in the fire saying, "Would that we could return to the worldly life. We would never reject any of our Lord's revelations and we would be true believers."

And could you see when they are made to stand before the fire, then they shall say: Would that we were sent back, and we would not reject the communications of our Lord and we would be of the believers.

Walaw tar<u>a</u> i<u>th</u> wuqifoo AAal<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>ri faq<u>a</u>loo y<u>a</u> laytan<u>a</u> nuraddu wal<u>a</u> nuka<u>thth</u>iba bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti rabbin<u>a</u> wanakoona mina almumineen<b>a</b>

If you could only see when they are set before the Fire. They will say, "If only we could be sent back. Then we would not deny the signs of our Lord and we would be of the believers."

If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the Fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! Then would we not reject the signs of our Lord, but would be amongst those who believe!"

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَقَالُوا۟ يَٰلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

If you, O Messenger, could only see them when they will be exposed to the fire of Hell on the Day of Rising, and they will regretfully say, ‘If only we could be sent back to the world, not deny Allah’s words and be from those who had faith in Allah’, then you would see a remarkable sight of their trouble.

If you, O Messenger, could only see them when they will be exposed to the fire of Hell on the Day of Rising, and they will regretfully say, ‘If only we could be sent back to the world, not deny Allah’s words and be from those who had faith in Allah’, then you would see a remarkable sight of their trouble.

<p>Commentary</p><p>There are three basic principles of Islam: Tauhid (Oneness of Allah), Risalah (Prophethood) and 'Akhirah (Belief in the Hereafter). All other articles of faith fall under these three. These are principles which tell human beings who they are and what is the purpose of their life. This understanding brings a revolution in their lives by showing them the straight path. Out of these, the Belief in the 'Akhirah, the belief that there is a reckoning of deeds to come when good shall be rewarded and evil punished, has pragmatically the most revolutionary effects, as it channels every human deed into a particular direction. This is the reason why all subjects dealt with in the Qur'an revolve around these three. In the verses appearing here, special emphasis has been laid on the reckoning of the 'Akhirah, its rewards and punishments, and the true nature of the mortal world.</p><p>In the first verse, portrayed is the condition of wrong-doers and deniers of truth who, when made to stand by the edges of the Hell, and to observe the horrifying punishment far beyond their imagination, would wish that they were sent back into the world where now they would never falsify the signs and commands of their Lord, would believe in them and would be the true believers.</p>

CommentaryThere are three basic principles of Islam: Tauhid (Oneness of Allah), Risalah (Prophethood) and 'Akhirah (Belief in the Hereafter). All other articles of faith fall under these three. These are principles which tell human beings who they are and what is the purpose of their life. This understanding brings a revolution in their lives by showing them the straight path. Out of these, the Belief in the 'Akhirah, the belief that there is a reckoning of deeds to come when good shall be rewarded and evil punished, has pragmatically the most revolutionary effects, as it channels every human deed into a particular direction. This is the reason why all subjects dealt with in the Qur'an revolve around these three. In the verses appearing here, special emphasis has been laid on the reckoning of the 'Akhirah, its rewards and punishments, and the true nature of the mortal world.In the first verse, portrayed is the condition of wrong-doers and deniers of truth who, when made to stand by the edges of the Hell, and to observe the horrifying punishment far beyond their imagination, would wish that they were sent back into the world where now they would never falsify the signs and commands of their Lord, would believe in them and would be the true believers.

<h2 class="title">Wishes and Hopes Do Not Help One When He Sees the Torment</h2><p>Allah mentions the condition of the disbelievers when they are made to stand before the Fire on the Day of Resurrection and witness its chains and restraints, along with seeing the horrible, momentous conditions in the Fire with their own eyes. This is when the disbelievers will say, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ</div><p>("Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!") They wish that they would be sent back to the life of the world so that they could perform righteous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in the Ayat of their Lord and be among the believers. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them.) meaning, the disbelief, denial and rebellion that they used to hide in their hearts will then be uncovered, even though they will try to hide this fact in this life and the Hereafter. Earlier, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ - انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ </div><p>(There will then be (left) no trial for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah." Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them. ) It is also possible that the meaning here is that the disbelievers will realize the truth that they knew all along in their hearts, that is, that what the Messengers brought them in this life is true, although they used to deny his Message before their followers. Allah said that Musa said to Fir`awn, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـؤُلاءِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ</div><p>("Verily, you know that these signs have clearly been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence.") 17:102 Allah said about Fir`awn and his people, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً</div><p>(And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though they were themselves convinced thereof.) 27:14 </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before.) 6:28 When this occurs, and the disbelievers ask to be returned to this life, they will not do so because they truly wish to embrace the faith. Rather, they ask to be returned to this life for fear of the torment that they are witnessing before them, as punishment for the disbelief they committed, and to try and avoid the Fire that they see before their eyes. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ</div><p>(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) meaning, they lie when they say they wish to go back to this life so that they can embrace the faith. Allah states that even if they were sent back to the life of this world, they will again commit the disbelief and defiance that they were prohibited. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ</div><p>(And indeed they are liars.) in their statement that, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ - وَقَالُواْ إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ </div><p>("Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!" Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them. But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars. And they said: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected.") Therefore, they will revert to their old behavior and say, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا</div><p>(There is no life but our life of this world) and there is no Hereafter, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ</div><p>(and never shall we be resurrected. ) Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ</div><p>(If you could but see when they will stand before their Lord!) in front of Him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَلَيْسَ هَـذَا بِالْحَقِّ</div><p>("Is not this the truth") meaning, is not Resurrection true, contarary to what you thought, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالُواْ بَلَى وَرَبِّنَا قَالَ فَذُوقُواْ العَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ</div><p>(They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!" He will then say: "So taste you the torment because you used not to believe.") and because you today denied Resurrection. Therefore, taste the torment, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ </div><p>("Is this magic, or do you not see") 52:15 </p>

Wishes and Hopes Do Not Help One When He Sees the TormentAllah mentions the condition of the disbelievers when they are made to stand before the Fire on the Day of Resurrection and witness its chains and restraints, along with seeing the horrible, momentous conditions in the Fire with their own eyes. This is when the disbelievers will say, يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ("Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!") They wish that they would be sent back to the life of the world so that they could perform righteous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in the Ayat of their Lord and be among the believers. Allah said, بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ(Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them.) meaning, the disbelief, denial and rebellion that they used to hide in their hearts will then be uncovered, even though they will try to hide this fact in this life and the Hereafter. Earlier, Allah said, ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ - انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ (There will then be (left) no trial for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah." Look! How they lie against themselves! But the (lie) which they invented will disappear from them. ) It is also possible that the meaning here is that the disbelievers will realize the truth that they knew all along in their hearts, that is, that what the Messengers brought them in this life is true, although they used to deny his Message before their followers. Allah said that Musa said to Fir`awn, لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَـؤُلاءِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ بَصَآئِرَ("Verily, you know that these signs have clearly been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence.") 17:102 Allah said about Fir`awn and his people, وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً(And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though they were themselves convinced thereof.) 27:14 بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ(Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before.) 6:28 When this occurs, and the disbelievers ask to be returned to this life, they will not do so because they truly wish to embrace the faith. Rather, they ask to be returned to this life for fear of the torment that they are witnessing before them, as punishment for the disbelief they committed, and to try and avoid the Fire that they see before their eyes. وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ(But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) meaning, they lie when they say they wish to go back to this life so that they can embrace the faith. Allah states that even if they were sent back to the life of this world, they will again commit the disbelief and defiance that they were prohibited. وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ(And indeed they are liars.) in their statement that, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلاَ نُكَذِّبَ بِـَايَـتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - بَلْ بَدَا لَهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ - وَقَالُواْ إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ ("Would that we were but sent back! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!" Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them. But if they were returned, they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars. And they said: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected.") Therefore, they will revert to their old behavior and say, إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا(There is no life but our life of this world) and there is no Hereafter, وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ(and never shall we be resurrected. ) Allah said, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ(If you could but see when they will stand before their Lord!) in front of Him, أَلَيْسَ هَـذَا بِالْحَقِّ("Is not this the truth") meaning, is not Resurrection true, contarary to what you thought, قَالُواْ بَلَى وَرَبِّنَا قَالَ فَذُوقُواْ العَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ(They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!" He will then say: "So taste you the torment because you used not to believe.") and because you today denied Resurrection. Therefore, taste the torment, أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ ("Is this magic, or do you not see") 52:15

But no. What they were hiding has now become clear to them. If they were sent back they would surely return to what had been forbidden them, for surely they are liars.

In fact it has become clear to them what they used to hide before; and were they to be sent back, they would commit the same which they were forbidden to, and undoubtedly they are liars.

No; that which they were concealing before has now appeared to them; and even if they were returned, they would again commit the very thing they were prohibited; they are truly liars.

But nay -[they will say this only because] the truth which they used to conceal [from themselves] in the past will have become obvious to them; and if they were brought back [to life], they would return to the very thing which was forbidden to them: for behold, they are indeed liars!

Yea! manifest hath become unto them that which they were erst wont to hide. And were they sent back they would surely return to that which was prohibited to them, and verily they are perfect liars.

Nay, it has become manifest to them what they had been concealing before. But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.

What they used to conceal before will become clear to them. And even if they were sent back, they would revert to what they were forbidden. They are liars.

No! They will say this merely because the Truth which they had concealed will become obvious to them; or else if they were sent back, they would still revert to what was forbidden to them. (So this plea of theirs would be a lie too) for they are just liars.

Nay, what they had been concealing before has become manifest to them. But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.

Nay, but that hath become clear unto them which before they used to hide. And if they were sent back they would return unto that which they are forbidden. Lo! they are liars.

Indeed, what they used to hide before has now become evident to them. But were they to be sent back they would revert to what they were forbidden, and they are indeed liars.

Indeed, that which they concealed will appear to them. But if they were sent back, they would return to that which they have been forbidden. They are indeed liars.

But what they concealed before has [now] appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars.

Whatever they had concealed will be revealed to them. If they were to return to (the worldly life), they would again worship idols, for they are liars.

Nay, what they concealed before shall become manifest to them; and if they were sent back, they would certainly go back to that which they are forbidden, and most surely they are liars.

Bal bad<u>a</u> lahum m<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yukhfoona min qablu walaw ruddoo laAA<u>a</u>doo lim<u>a</u> nuhoo AAanhu wainnahum lak<u>ath</u>iboon<b>a</b>

The truth they used to hide will become all too clear to them. But if they were sent back, they would return to what they had been forbidden. For they are indeed liars.

Yea, in their own (eyes) will become manifest what before they concealed. But if they were returned, they would certainly relapse to the things they were forbidden, for they are indeed liars.

بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّوا۟ لَعَادُوا۟ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

Their saying that they would believe if sent back is a lie. Instead the statement that they used to keep hidden, which was ‘By Allah, we were not idolaters,’ has appeared to them when their limbs gave testimony against them. If they were supposedly sent back to the world, they would return to the disbelief and associating partners with Allah that they had been prohibited from. So they are lying in their promise that they will believe if they are sent back.

Their saying that they would believe if sent back is a lie. Instead the statement that they used to keep hidden, which was ‘By Allah, we were not idolaters,’ has appeared to them when their limbs gave testimony against them. If they were supposedly sent back to the world, they would return to the disbelief and associating partners with Allah that they had been prohibited from. So they are lying in their promise that they will believe if they are sent back.

<p>In the second verse (28), Almighty Allah, who is All-Knowing and All-Aware, exposes the reality of their wish, which would be nothing but the compulsion of circumstances, by making it clear that these people have always been addicted to lying and that they were liars even in their present wish under trial. The root of the problem with them was that they did not relish the realities brought before them by the prophets of Allah. They knew that the prophets were true, yet they raised dust to keep such realities unmanifested either because of their chronic obstinacy or worldly greed. But, in the Hereafter, every-thing came out in the open. They saw the power of Allah with their own eyes. They realized that the prophets had told the truth. Even, the life after death, something they had denied all along was before them, really and physically. Then, they became direct witnesses to reward and punishment and Hell. After that, they were left with no argument to continue their attitude of denial and opposition. So, when they wished to be returned to the mortal world, that was mere absence of choice.</p><p>Then, their All-Knowing, All-Aware Master said that this was what they were saying for now, but if they were to be sent back into the mortal world once again, they would simply forget all about their promises and resolutions and will revert to doing what they have been doing before, and would start getting involved once again with the unlawful from which they were stopped. Therefore, what they were saying now was also a lie and a ploy for deception.</p><p>That their present statement has been called a lie could also be based on their ultimate deed, that is, their promising not to lie if returned to the world was not true, for this would never happen because they would still do nothing but keep lying when they go there. This lie could also mean that whatever they were saying at that time was not prompted by true intention. They were doing so simply to buy time and avoid punishment while in the heart of their hearts, they still have no intention of doing it.</p>

In the second verse (28), Almighty Allah, who is All-Knowing and All-Aware, exposes the reality of their wish, which would be nothing but the compulsion of circumstances, by making it clear that these people have always been addicted to lying and that they were liars even in their present wish under trial. The root of the problem with them was that they did not relish the realities brought before them by the prophets of Allah. They knew that the prophets were true, yet they raised dust to keep such realities unmanifested either because of their chronic obstinacy or worldly greed. But, in the Hereafter, every-thing came out in the open. They saw the power of Allah with their own eyes. They realized that the prophets had told the truth. Even, the life after death, something they had denied all along was before them, really and physically. Then, they became direct witnesses to reward and punishment and Hell. After that, they were left with no argument to continue their attitude of denial and opposition. So, when they wished to be returned to the mortal world, that was mere absence of choice.Then, their All-Knowing, All-Aware Master said that this was what they were saying for now, but if they were to be sent back into the mortal world once again, they would simply forget all about their promises and resolutions and will revert to doing what they have been doing before, and would start getting involved once again with the unlawful from which they were stopped. Therefore, what they were saying now was also a lie and a ploy for deception.That their present statement has been called a lie could also be based on their ultimate deed, that is, their promising not to lie if returned to the world was not true, for this would never happen because they would still do nothing but keep lying when they go there. This lie could also mean that whatever they were saying at that time was not prompted by true intention. They were doing so simply to buy time and avoid punishment while in the heart of their hearts, they still have no intention of doing it.

They say: "There is no other life but that of this world, and we will not be raised (from the dead)."

And they said, “There is no other life except our life of this world, and we are not to be raised.”

And they say, 'There is only our present life; we shall not be raised.'

And some [of the unbelievers] say, "There is nothing beyond our life in this world, for We shall not be raised from the dead."

And they say: there is naught but our life of the world, nor are we to be raised.

And they said: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected (on the Day of Resurrection)."

And they say, “There is nothing but our life in this world, and we will not be resurrected.”

They say now: 'There is nothing but the life of this world, and we shall not be raised from the dead.'

And they said: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected."

And they say: There is naught save our life of the world, and we shall not be raised (again).

They say, ‘There is nothing but our life of this world, and we shall not be resurrected.’

They say: 'There is only but our present life; we shall not be resurrected'

And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected."

They have said that this life is the only life and that there will be no Resurrection.

And they say: There is nothing but our life of this world, and we shall not be raised.

Waq<u>a</u>loo in hiya ill<u>a</u> <u>h</u>ay<u>a</u>tun<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> wam<u>a</u> na<u>h</u>nu bimabAAootheen<b>a</b>

They say, "There is nothing beyond our life in this world: we shall not be raised up again from the dead."

And they (sometimes) say: "There is nothing except our life on this earth, and never shall we be raised up again."

وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ

These idolaters say, ‘There is no life but the life we presently have and we will not be raised to give account’.

These idolaters say, ‘There is no life but the life we presently have and we will not be raised to give account’.

<p>As for the statement in the third verse (29): وَقَالُوا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا (And they say, "There is nothing real but this worldly life of ours" ), it reverts back to the word, عَادُوا (` adu: would again go for) in verse 28. Thus, it means that should they be returned to the world, then, once they reach there, they will still say that they do not accept any life other than the life of this world. Life here is the life and they were not going to be raised again.</p><p>A question arises here: When they have seen their return to life on the day of Qiyamah - and reckoning and accounting and reward and punishment - how can it be possible that they would deny it once they have been sent back into the world?</p><p>The answer is that denial does not make it necessary that, in reality, they remain uncertain about these events and facts. Instead, it would be very much like our contemporary disbelievers and wrong-doers who, despite their knowledge of Islamic realities, keep sticking to their denial and falsification simply because of their hostility, that these people, once they are returned to the world, and despite having personal certainty of the realities of the day of Qiyamah, of rising to life back again, and of what would happen in the Hereafter, they would still resort to their old habit of belying and falsification simply because of their wickedness or hostility. This is what the Qur'an has said about some disbelievers within this present life:</p><p>وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا</p><p>They are striving hard to deny Our signs - while in them-selves being certain of their truth - (only) unjustly, and out of pride - 27:14.</p><p>This is also similar to what was said about the Jews that they recognized the Last Prophet ﷺ as they would recognize their sons, yet they remained all bent on opposing him.</p><p>To sum up, it can be said that the Creator knows, in His eternal knowledge, that the claim of these people that once they have been sent back to the world, they would become ideal Muslims, is a lie and a deception. If they were, as they wished, to be released into the world put together after its destruction, then, once again, they would do exactly the same things they used to do in their earlier lives.</p><p>The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: At the time of reckoning, Allah Ta` ala will ask Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to stand near the Scale of Justice and will ask him that he should look at the deeds of his progeny and allow anyone whose good deeds outweigh his sins to go to Paradise. And then He would say: The one I shall admit to the punishment of Hell will be the one about whom I know that he, i f sent to the world again, would do the same thing he had been doing earlier.</p>

As for the statement in the third verse (29): وَقَالُوا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا (And they say, "There is nothing real but this worldly life of ours" ), it reverts back to the word, عَادُوا (` adu: would again go for) in verse 28. Thus, it means that should they be returned to the world, then, once they reach there, they will still say that they do not accept any life other than the life of this world. Life here is the life and they were not going to be raised again.A question arises here: When they have seen their return to life on the day of Qiyamah - and reckoning and accounting and reward and punishment - how can it be possible that they would deny it once they have been sent back into the world?The answer is that denial does not make it necessary that, in reality, they remain uncertain about these events and facts. Instead, it would be very much like our contemporary disbelievers and wrong-doers who, despite their knowledge of Islamic realities, keep sticking to their denial and falsification simply because of their hostility, that these people, once they are returned to the world, and despite having personal certainty of the realities of the day of Qiyamah, of rising to life back again, and of what would happen in the Hereafter, they would still resort to their old habit of belying and falsification simply because of their wickedness or hostility. This is what the Qur'an has said about some disbelievers within this present life:وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّاThey are striving hard to deny Our signs - while in them-selves being certain of their truth - (only) unjustly, and out of pride - 27:14.This is also similar to what was said about the Jews that they recognized the Last Prophet ﷺ as they would recognize their sons, yet they remained all bent on opposing him.To sum up, it can be said that the Creator knows, in His eternal knowledge, that the claim of these people that once they have been sent back to the world, they would become ideal Muslims, is a lie and a deception. If they were, as they wished, to be released into the world put together after its destruction, then, once again, they would do exactly the same things they used to do in their earlier lives.The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: At the time of reckoning, Allah Ta` ala will ask Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to stand near the Scale of Justice and will ask him that he should look at the deeds of his progeny and allow anyone whose good deeds outweigh his sins to go to Paradise. And then He would say: The one I shall admit to the punishment of Hell will be the one about whom I know that he, i f sent to the world again, would do the same thing he had been doing earlier.

If you see them when they are put before their Lord, He will say to them: "Is not this the truth?" They will answer: "Indeed, by our Lord." He will say: "Then taste the agony of punishment for what you had denied."

And if you see when they are placed before their Lord, He will say, “Is this not real (the truth)? They will say, “Yes – why not, by our Lord!” He will say, “So now taste the punishment – the recompense of your disbelief.”

If thou couldst see when they are stationed before their Lord! He will say, 'Is not this the truth?' They will say, 'Yes indeed, by our Lord!' He will say, 'Then taste the chastisement for your unbelief.

If thou couldst but see [them] when they shall be made to stand before their Sustainer [and] He will say, "Is not this the truth?" They will answer: "Yea, indeed, by our Sustainer!" [Whereupon] He will say: "Taste, then, the suffering that comes from your having refused to acknowledge the truth!"

And couldst thou see what time they shall be held before their Lord? He will say: is this not real? They will say: aye! by our Lord! He will say: taste then the torment for ye have been disbelieving.

If you could but see when they will be held (brought and made to stand) in front of their Lord! He will say: "Is not this (Resurrection and the taking of the accounts) the truth?" They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!" He will then say: "So taste you the torment because you used not to believe."

If only you could see, when they are stationed before their Lord. He will say, “Is this not real?” They will say, “Yes indeed, by our Lord.” He will say, “Then taste the torment for having disbelieved.”

If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say: 'Is not this the truth?' They will say: 'Yes indeed, by our Lord.'Whereupon He will say: 'Taste the chastisement, then, for your denying the Truth.'

If you could but see when they will stand before their Lord! He will say: "Is not this the truth" They will say: "Yes, by our Lord!" He will then say: "So taste you the torment because you used not to believe."

If thou couldst see when they are set before their Lord! He will say: Is not this real? They will say: Yea, verily, by our Lord! He will say: Taste now the retribution for that ye used to disbelieve.

Were you to see when they are brought to a halt before their Lord. He will say, ‘Is this not a fact?’ They will say, ‘Yes, by our Lord!’ He will say, ‘So taste the punishment because of what you used to deny.’

If you could see them when they are made to stand before their Lord! He will say: 'Is this not the truth' 'Yes, by our Lord' they will reply, and He will say: 'Taste then the punishment, for that which you disbelieved'

If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve."

Would that you could see them standing before their Lord who would ask them, "Is not the Resurrection true?" They would reply, "Yes, Lord, there is a Resurrection." The Lord would then say, "For your disbelief, suffer the torment."

And could you see when they are made to stand before their Lord. He will say: Is not this the truth? They will say: Yea! by our Lord. He will say: Taste then the chastisement because you disbelieved.

Walaw tar<u>a</u> i<u>th</u> wuqifoo AAal<u>a</u> rabbihim q<u>a</u>la alaysa h<u>atha</u> bi<b>a</b>l<u>h</u>aqqi q<u>a</u>loo bal<u>a</u> warabbin<u>a</u> q<u>a</u>la fa<u>th</u>ooqoo alAAa<u>tha</u>ba bim<u>a</u> kuntum takfuroon<b>a</b>

If you could only see when they are made to stand before their Lord! He will ask them, "Is this [second life] not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord!" He will say, "Then, taste the punishment that comes from your having refused to acknowledge the truth!"

If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with their Lord! He will say: "Is not this the truth?" They will say: "Yea, by our Lord!" He will say: "Taste ye then the penalty, because ye rejected Faith."

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ

If you, O Messenger, could only see when those who denied the resurrection will be made to stand before their Lord, you would see a remarkable sight of their trouble when Allah will say to them: Is this resurrection that you used to deny not the truth about which there is no doubt? They will say: I swear by our Lord Who created us, it is certainly true and there is no doubt about it. Allah will then say to them: Taste the punishment that is a result of your denial of this day, which you used to reject in the life of the world.

If you, O Messenger, could only see when those who denied the resurrection will be made to stand before their Lord, you would see a remarkable sight of their trouble when Allah will say to them: Is this resurrection that you used to deny not the truth about which there is no doubt? They will say: I swear by our Lord Who created us, it is certainly true and there is no doubt about it. Allah will then say to them: Taste the punishment that is a result of your denial of this day, which you used to reject in the life of the world.

They are surely lost who call the meeting with God a lie. When the Hour comes upon them unawares, they will say: "Alas, we neglected it!" and carry their burdens on their backs: How evil the burden they will carry!

Those who denied their meeting with Allah, have indeed failed; to the extent that when the Last Day suddenly came upon them they said, “Woe to us that we failed to believe in it” – and they carry their burdens on their backs; what an evil burden they carry!

Lost indeed are they that cried lies to the encounter with God, so that when the Hour comes to them suddenly they shall say, 'Alas for us, that we neglected it!' On their backs they shall be bearing their loads; O how evil the loads they bear!

Lost indeed are they who consider it a lie that they will have to meet God -till the Last Hour suddenly comes upon them, [and] they cry, "Alas for us, that we disregarded it!" - for they shall bear on their backs the burden of their sins: oh, how evil the load with which they shall be burdened!

Lost surely are those who belie their meeting with Allah, until when the Hour cometh on them on a sudden, and they will say: woe betide us, that we neglected it! - the while they will be bearing their burthens on their backs. Lo! vile is that which they shall bear.

They indeed are losers who denied their Meeting with Allah, until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is on them, and they say: "Alas for us that we gave no thought to it," while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!

Losers are those who deny the encounter with God. Then, when the Hour comes upon them suddenly, they will say, “Alas for us, how we have neglected it.” And they will carry their burdens on their backs—evil is what they carry.

Those who consider it a lie that they will have to meet Allah are indeed the losers so much so that when that Hour comes to them suddenly they will say: 'Alas for us, how negligent we have been in this behalf.' They will carry their burden (of sins) on their backs. How evil is the burden they bear!

They indeed are losers who denied their meeting with Allah, until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is upon them, and they say: "Alas for us that we gave no thought to it," while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!

They indeed are losers who deny their meeting with Allah until, when the Hour cometh on them suddenly, they cry: Alas for us, that we neglected it! They bear upon their backs their burdens. Ah, evil is that which they bear!

They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah. When the Hour overtakes them suddenly, they will say, ‘Alas for us, for what we neglected in it!’ And they will bear their burdens on their backs. Look! Evil is what they bear!

They are lost indeed, those who belied the meeting with Allah. When the Hour overtakes them suddenly, they will say: 'Alas, for us, that we neglected it' On their backs they shall be bearing their sinful loads; how evil is what they sin!

Those will have lost who deny the meeting with Allah, until when the Hour [of resurrection] comes upon them unexpectedly, they will say, "Oh, [how great is] our regret over what we neglected concerning it," while they bear their burdens on their backs. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.

Those who do not believe in the Day of Judgment have incurred upon themselves a great loss. When the Day of Judgment suddenly comes upon them, they will sink under the burden of their sins in grief for their neglecting that day. Terrible indeed will be their burden!

They are losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah; until when the hour comes upon them all of a sudden they shall say: O our grief for our neglecting it! and they shall bear their burdens on their backs; now surely evil is that which they bear.

Qad khasira alla<u>th</u>eena ka<u>thth</u>aboo biliq<u>a</u>i All<u>a</u>hi <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> i<u>tha</u> j<u>a</u>athumu a<b>l</b>ss<u>a</u>AAatu baghtatan q<u>a</u>loo y<u>a</u> <u>h</u>asratan<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> farra<u>t</u>n<u>a</u> feeh<u>a</u> wahum ya<u>h</u>miloona awz<u>a</u>rahum AAal<u>a</u> <i><u>th</u></i>uhoorihim al<u>a</u> s<u>a</u>a m<u>a</u> yaziroon<b>a</b>

Those indeed are the losers who deny the meeting with God. When the Hour comes on them suddenly, they cry, "Alas for us, that we neglected it!" They shall bear their burdens on their backs. Evil are the burdens they shall bear.

Lost indeed are they who treat it as a falsehood that they must meet Allah,- until on a sudden the hour is on them, and they say: "Ah! woe unto us that we took no thought of it"; for they bear their burdens on their backs, and evil indeed are the burdens that they bear?

قَدْ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّهِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُوا۟ يَٰحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ

Those who deny the resurrection on the Day of Rising, and regard standing before Allah to be farfetched, are in utter loss. Until, when the Hour comes upon them suddenly without any prior knowledge, they will say, because of extreme regret: Alas for us and what disappointment, due to our having been neglectful of Allah by disbelieving Him and not preparing for the Day of Rising. They will carry their evil actions on their backs. How terrible are those evil actions that they carry!

Those who deny the resurrection on the Day of Rising, and regard standing before Allah to be farfetched, are in utter loss. Until, when the Hour comes upon them suddenly without any prior knowledge, they will say, because of extreme regret: Alas for us and what disappointment, due to our having been neglectful of Allah by disbelieving Him and not preparing for the Day of Rising. They will carry their evil actions on their backs. How terrible are those evil actions that they carry!

<p>About the sentence: وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَ‌هُمْ (And they shall be carrying their burdens) in verse 31, it appears in Hadith narrations that, on the day of Qiyamah, the deeds of good people will become their ride while the evil deeds of evil people will be placed like a burden on their heads.</p><p>Noteworthy here is that disbelievers and sinners will do everything possible to save their skins on the fateful day of Resurrection. They will be nervous and confused. Sometimes they would hide behind false swearing. At others, they would wish to be returned to the world of their earlier experience. But, none of them will say: Now, we have believed and now we shall be doing nothing but what is good - because they would have seen reality and seen it very clearly - that the phase of Akhirah, the Hereafter, is not the Venue of Deeds (Dar al-Amal), and that the soundness of 'Iman (faith) depends on its being ` bil-ghayb,' that is, without having the need to see what is Unseen. Confirming what has been seen is simply acting in line with what has been personally seen. It is not what the attestation to the truth of Allah and His Messenger is. So, let us be very clear that working for the pleasure of Allah Ta` ala, earning its fruits in the form of the promised state of everlasting bliss, hoping to be blessed with Paradise in the Hereafter, and having a good life of peace and tranquility right here are things which can be achieved only (repeat, only) through the life of the present world, neither before, nor after - for it is not possible to achieve these in the universe of spirits (arwah) before it, nor is it possible to achieve it in the domain of the Hereafter, after the world of our experience is no more there.</p><p>The Present Life is a Great Blessing: Invest Wisely, and Prosper</p><p>Now we can see that the life of this world is a great blessing, and certainly an asset of unmatched value. (To borrow the terminology of modern investors, ` with such chips in one's hands, who would not go for such a deal of deals?' - Tr.). So, this life is an opportunity which must be taken seriously. That is why suicide is forbidden as Harm in Islam, and equally prohibited is praying for death, even the making of a wish to die. This is so because it shows ingratitude for a great blessing of Allah Ta’ ala.</p><p>Also clarified here is the basis on which worldly life has been characterized as game and fun in the last verse (32) here, as well as in several other verses of the Qur'an, or in many Ahadith which condemn worldly life. There, by worldly life what is censured is the time of life which is spent being heedless to the thought and concern of Allah Ta` ala. Otherwise, no wealth of the world is equal in worth to the time one spends in remembering Allah and doing what He has commanded us to do. This is also confirmed by a Hadith which says:</p><p>اَلدُّنیَا مَلعُونُ مَّا فِیھا اِلَّا ذِکرُ اللہِ اَو عَالِم اَو مُتَعَلِّمُ</p><p>Dunya is cursed and cursed is what is in it, except the Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah, or ` Alim (a knowledgeable person) or a student.</p><p>If seen closely, a teacher (of religion) and a student (of religion) are included under the Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah because 'Ilm' means the knowledge which becomes the cause of the pleasure of Allah. So, the learning and teaching of such an ` Ilm are both included under Dhikrullah. In fact, according to the clarification of Imam al-Jazri, everything done in this world which is done in conformity with obedience to Allah, that is, in accordance with the injunctions of the Shari'ah, is all included under the Dhikr of Allah. This tells us that everything necessary that must be done in this life of the world, all permissible ways of earning one's livelihood, and the fulfillment of other needs which are not beyond the limits set by the Shari'ah, shall all be considered as being included under the Dhikr of Allah. In fact, the fulfillment of the rights of family, relatives and friends, neighbours and guests and others has been identified as an act of Sadaqah (charity) and 'Ibadah (worship of Allah).</p><p>To recapitulate, it can be said that, there is nothing in this world more worthy of Allah's favour than اِطاعہ ` Ita` ah (obedience to Him) and Dhikr (remembrance of Him). Then, the dearest and the worthiest possession man has is his time of life in this world. And we know that this time is limited. And no one knows exactly how long his or her life is, seventy years or seventy hours, or no more than the span of a breath. On the other hand, we know that the pleasure of Allah which is the only guarantee of a good life, here and there, can be acquired only within the limits of our life in this world. Now, every human being, whom Allah has blessed with sense and vision, can decide it for himself how he is going to spend these limited moments and hours of his life, and in what. No doubt, common sense would demand that this precious time should mostly be spent in what would meet the pleasure of Allah. As for chores which are necessary to hold this life together, they should be taken to as needed.</p><p>In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:</p><p>اَلکَیِّسُ مَن دَانَ نَفسَہُ وَرَضِیَ بِالکَافِ وَ عَمِلَ لِمَا بَعدَ المَوتِ</p><p>Wise is he who controls his self, and stays pleased with minimal resources, and devotes his deeds for what is after death.</p>

About the sentence: وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَ‌هُمْ (And they shall be carrying their burdens) in verse 31, it appears in Hadith narrations that, on the day of Qiyamah, the deeds of good people will become their ride while the evil deeds of evil people will be placed like a burden on their heads.Noteworthy here is that disbelievers and sinners will do everything possible to save their skins on the fateful day of Resurrection. They will be nervous and confused. Sometimes they would hide behind false swearing. At others, they would wish to be returned to the world of their earlier experience. But, none of them will say: Now, we have believed and now we shall be doing nothing but what is good - because they would have seen reality and seen it very clearly - that the phase of Akhirah, the Hereafter, is not the Venue of Deeds (Dar al-Amal), and that the soundness of 'Iman (faith) depends on its being ` bil-ghayb,' that is, without having the need to see what is Unseen. Confirming what has been seen is simply acting in line with what has been personally seen. It is not what the attestation to the truth of Allah and His Messenger is. So, let us be very clear that working for the pleasure of Allah Ta` ala, earning its fruits in the form of the promised state of everlasting bliss, hoping to be blessed with Paradise in the Hereafter, and having a good life of peace and tranquility right here are things which can be achieved only (repeat, only) through the life of the present world, neither before, nor after - for it is not possible to achieve these in the universe of spirits (arwah) before it, nor is it possible to achieve it in the domain of the Hereafter, after the world of our experience is no more there.The Present Life is a Great Blessing: Invest Wisely, and ProsperNow we can see that the life of this world is a great blessing, and certainly an asset of unmatched value. (To borrow the terminology of modern investors, ` with such chips in one's hands, who would not go for such a deal of deals?' - Tr.). So, this life is an opportunity which must be taken seriously. That is why suicide is forbidden as Harm in Islam, and equally prohibited is praying for death, even the making of a wish to die. This is so because it shows ingratitude for a great blessing of Allah Ta’ ala.Also clarified here is the basis on which worldly life has been characterized as game and fun in the last verse (32) here, as well as in several other verses of the Qur'an, or in many Ahadith which condemn worldly life. There, by worldly life what is censured is the time of life which is spent being heedless to the thought and concern of Allah Ta` ala. Otherwise, no wealth of the world is equal in worth to the time one spends in remembering Allah and doing what He has commanded us to do. This is also confirmed by a Hadith which says:اَلدُّنیَا مَلعُونُ مَّا فِیھا اِلَّا ذِکرُ اللہِ اَو عَالِم اَو مُتَعَلِّمُDunya is cursed and cursed is what is in it, except the Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah, or ` Alim (a knowledgeable person) or a student.If seen closely, a teacher (of religion) and a student (of religion) are included under the Dhikr (Remembrance) of Allah because 'Ilm' means the knowledge which becomes the cause of the pleasure of Allah. So, the learning and teaching of such an ` Ilm are both included under Dhikrullah. In fact, according to the clarification of Imam al-Jazri, everything done in this world which is done in conformity with obedience to Allah, that is, in accordance with the injunctions of the Shari'ah, is all included under the Dhikr of Allah. This tells us that everything necessary that must be done in this life of the world, all permissible ways of earning one's livelihood, and the fulfillment of other needs which are not beyond the limits set by the Shari'ah, shall all be considered as being included under the Dhikr of Allah. In fact, the fulfillment of the rights of family, relatives and friends, neighbours and guests and others has been identified as an act of Sadaqah (charity) and 'Ibadah (worship of Allah).To recapitulate, it can be said that, there is nothing in this world more worthy of Allah's favour than اِطاعہ ` Ita` ah (obedience to Him) and Dhikr (remembrance of Him). Then, the dearest and the worthiest possession man has is his time of life in this world. And we know that this time is limited. And no one knows exactly how long his or her life is, seventy years or seventy hours, or no more than the span of a breath. On the other hand, we know that the pleasure of Allah which is the only guarantee of a good life, here and there, can be acquired only within the limits of our life in this world. Now, every human being, whom Allah has blessed with sense and vision, can decide it for himself how he is going to spend these limited moments and hours of his life, and in what. No doubt, common sense would demand that this precious time should mostly be spent in what would meet the pleasure of Allah. As for chores which are necessary to hold this life together, they should be taken to as needed.In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said:اَلکَیِّسُ مَن دَانَ نَفسَہُ وَرَضِیَ بِالکَافِ وَ عَمِلَ لِمَا بَعدَ المَوتِWise is he who controls his self, and stays pleased with minimal resources, and devotes his deeds for what is after death.

<h2 class="title">Allah describes the regret of the disbelievers when facing Him, and their disappointment at the commencement, along with theirsorrow for not performing good deeds and for their evil deeds</h2><p>This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُواْ يحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا</div><p>(until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is upon them, and they say: "Alas for us that we gave no thought to it.") `It' here refers to either the life of this world, or the affairs of the Hereafter. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ</div><p>(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) Asbat said that As-Suddi said, "Upon entering his grave, every unjust person will meet a man with an ugly face, dark skin, awful odor, wearing dirty clothes, who will enter his grave with him. When the unjust person sees him, he will say, `How ugly is your face!' He will reply, `So was your work, it was ugly.' The unjust person will say, `How foul is the odor coming from you!' He will reply, `Such was the case with your work, it stunk.' The unjust person will say, `How dirty are your clothes!' He will reply, `And your work too was dirty.' The unjust person will ask, `Who are you' He will reply, `I am your deeds.' So he will remain with the unjust person in his grave, and when he is resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, his companion will say to him, `In the life of the world, I used to carry you because you followed desire and lust. Today, you carry me.' So he will ride on the unjust person's back and lead him until he enters the Fire. So Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ</div><p>(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) 6:31" Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَآ إِلاَّ لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ</div><p>(And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement.) means, most of it is play and amusement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَلدَّارُ الاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ</div><p>(But far better is the abode of the Hereafter for those who have Taqwa. Will you not then understand) </p>

Allah describes the regret of the disbelievers when facing Him, and their disappointment at the commencement, along with theirsorrow for not performing good deeds and for their evil deedsThis is why Allah said, حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ السَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُواْ يحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا(until all of a sudden, the Hour (signs of death) is upon them, and they say: "Alas for us that we gave no thought to it.") `It' here refers to either the life of this world, or the affairs of the Hereafter. Allah's statement, وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) Asbat said that As-Suddi said, "Upon entering his grave, every unjust person will meet a man with an ugly face, dark skin, awful odor, wearing dirty clothes, who will enter his grave with him. When the unjust person sees him, he will say, `How ugly is your face!' He will reply, `So was your work, it was ugly.' The unjust person will say, `How foul is the odor coming from you!' He will reply, `Such was the case with your work, it stunk.' The unjust person will say, `How dirty are your clothes!' He will reply, `And your work too was dirty.' The unjust person will ask, `Who are you' He will reply, `I am your deeds.' So he will remain with the unjust person in his grave, and when he is resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, his companion will say to him, `In the life of the world, I used to carry you because you followed desire and lust. Today, you carry me.' So he will ride on the unjust person's back and lead him until he enters the Fire. So Allah said, وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَى ظُهُورِهِمْ أَلاَ سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ(while they will bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they will bear!) 6:31" Allah's statement, وَمَا الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَآ إِلاَّ لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ(And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement.) means, most of it is play and amusement, وَلَلدَّارُ الاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ(But far better is the abode of the Hereafter for those who have Taqwa. Will you not then understand)

As for the life of this world, it is nothing but a frolic and frivolity. The final abode is the best for those who are pious and fear God. Do you not comprehend?

The life of this world is nothing except a pastime and sport; and undoubtedly the abode of the Hereafter is better for the pious; so do you not have sense?

The present life is naught but a sport and a diversion; surely the Last Abode is better for those that are godfearing. What, do you not understand?

And nothing is the life of this world but a play and a passing delight; and the life in the hereafter is by far the better for all who are conscious of God. Will you not, then, use your reason?

And naught is the life of world but a play and a sport, and surely the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who fear. Reflect then ye not?

And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2). Will you not then understand?

The life of this world is nothing but game and distraction, but the Home of the Hereafter is better for those who are righteous. Do you not understand?

The life of this world is nothing but a sport and a pastime, and the life of the Hereafter is far better for those who seek to ward off their ruin. Will you not, then, understand?

And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the abode of the Hereafter for those have Taqwa. Will you not then understand

Naught is the life of the world save a pastime and a sport. Better far is the abode of the Hereafter for those who keep their duty (to Allah). Have ye then no sense?

The life of the world is nothing but play and diversion, and the abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those who are Godwary. Do you not exercise your reason?

The life of this world is but playing and an amusement. Surely, the Everlasting home is better for the cautious. Will you not understand?

And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason?

The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter which is far better and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand?

And this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil); do you not then understand?

Wam<u>a</u> al<u>h</u>ay<u>a</u>tu a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> ill<u>a</u> laAAibun walahwun wala<b>l</b>dd<u>a</u>ru al<u>a</u>khirati khayrun lilla<u>th</u>eena yattaqoona afal<u>a</u> taAAqiloon<b>a</b>

The life of this world is but a sport and a pastime. Surely the Home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear God. Will you not understand?

What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand?

وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

The life of the world that you incline towards is nothing but a play and deception for a person who does not perform actions to please Allah. The home of the Afterlife is better for those who are mindful of Allah: doing what He has instructed them to do (such as having faith and following Him) and avoiding what He has prohibited (such as associating partners with Him and committing sin). Do you, idolaters, not understand this, so that you can believe and do good actions?

The life of the world that you incline towards is nothing but a play and deception for a person who does not perform actions to please Allah. The home of the Afterlife is better for those who are mindful of Allah: doing what He has instructed them to do (such as having faith and following Him) and avoiding what He has prohibited (such as associating partners with Him and committing sin). Do you, idolaters, not understand this, so that you can believe and do good actions?

We know what they say distresses you. It is not you in fact they accuse of lies, but the wicked deny the revelations of God!

We know well that their statement grieves you – so they do not deny you (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) but in fact the unjust deny the signs of Allah.

We know indeed that it grieves thee the things they say; yet it is not thee they cry lies to, but the evildoers - it is the signs of God that they deny.

Well do We know that what such people say grieves thee indeed: yet, behold, it is not thee to whom they give the lie, but God's messages do these evildoers deny.

We know indeed that verily that which they say grieveth thee, but it is not thee they belie; it is the signs of Allah the wrong- doers gainsay.

We know indeed the grief which their words cause you (O Muhammad SAW): it is not you that they deny, but it is the Verses (the Quran) of Allah that the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) deny.

We know that what they say grieves you. It is not you they reject, but it is God's revelations that the wicked deny.

(O Muhammad!) We know indeed that the things they say grieve you, though in truth it is not you whom they give the lie to, but it is the signs of Allah that these wrong-doers reject.

We know indeed the grief which their words cause you; it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny.

We know well how their talk grieveth thee, though in truth they deny not thee (Muhammad) but evil-doers flout the revelations of Allah.

We certainly know that what they say grieves you. Yet it is not you that they deny, but it is Allah’s signs that the wrongdoers impugn.

We know what they say saddens you. It is not you that they belie; but the harmdoers deny the verses of Allah.

We know that you, [O Muhammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers reject.

We certainly know that you (Muhammad) are sad about what they (the unbelievers) say. It is not you (alone) who has been accused of lying. The unjust have always rejected God's revelations.

We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust deny the communications of Allah.

Qad naAAlamu innahu laya<u>h</u>zunuka alla<u>th</u>ee yaqooloona fainnahum l<u>a</u> yuka<u>thth</u>iboonaka wal<u>a</u>kinna a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeena bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti All<u>a</u>hi yaj<u>h</u>adoon<b>a</b>

We know that what they say grieves you. It is not you that the wrongdoers are rejecting, rather it is the signs of God that they reject.

We know indeed the grief which their words do cause thee: It is not thee they reject: it is the signs of Allah, which the wicked contemn.

قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُۥ لَيَحْزُنُكَ ٱلَّذِى يَقُولُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

I know that their outer denial of you, O Messenger, upsets you. Know that inside they do not deny you, because they know your truthfulness and honesty. Instead, they are people who do wrong because of their rejection of Allah’s words and they therefore dislike what you have brought and deny it on the outside.

I know that their outer denial of you, O Messenger, upsets you. Know that inside they do not deny you, because they know your truthfulness and honesty. Instead, they are people who do wrong because of their rejection of Allah’s words and they therefore dislike what you have brought and deny it on the outside.

<p>Commentary</p><p>About the statement: فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ (it is not you they are belying, rather, it is the signs of Allah they are denying) in the first verse (33), there is a related event, reported in Tafsir Mazhari on the authority of a narration by As-Suddiy, according to which, once Akhnas ibn Shuraiq and Abu Jahl, two chiefs of the Quraysh tribe met together. Akhnas asked Abu Jahl: 0 Abul-Hikam, (In Arabia, Abu Jahl was called Abul-Hikam - 'man of wisdom' - but because of his hostility to Islam, he became known as Abu-Jahl - 'man of ignorance' ), you and me are alone here. There is no third person listening to us. Tell me about Muhammad ibn ` Abdulluh. Tell me what you really think about him. Is he telling the truth or is he not?</p><p>Swearing by Allah, Abu Jahl said: No doubt, Muhammad is true. He has never lied all his life. But, the problem is that the thought, that only a single branch of the tribe of Quraysh, the Banu Qusayy, is going to become the repository of all sorts of virtues and perfections while the rest of the tribe remains totally deprived, is something that we cannot take. It is too much. They have the flag in their hands. They have the important duty of providing water for the Hajj pilgrims in their hands. They are the custodians of the Ka'bah; its keys are in their hands. Now, if we are to accept that the station of prophethood also belongs to them, what the rest of the Quraysh will be left with?</p><p>According to another narration reported from Najiyah ibn Ka'b, once Abu Jahl himself told the Holy Prophet ﷺ . We do not suspect you of lying nor do we belie you, but we do belie the Book or Religion which you have come up with. (Mazhari)</p><p>Based on these narrations of Hadith, the verse can be taken in its real sense, that is, 'these disbelievers do not belie you, rather, they be-lie the signs of Allah.' And this verse could also be taken in the sense that these disbelievers, though belie you obviously but, in reality, the outcome of belying you is itself the belying of Allah and His signs - as it appears in Hadith, that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever causes pain to me is liable to be judged as causing pain to Allah.</p>

CommentaryAbout the statement: فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ (it is not you they are belying, rather, it is the signs of Allah they are denying) in the first verse (33), there is a related event, reported in Tafsir Mazhari on the authority of a narration by As-Suddiy, according to which, once Akhnas ibn Shuraiq and Abu Jahl, two chiefs of the Quraysh tribe met together. Akhnas asked Abu Jahl: 0 Abul-Hikam, (In Arabia, Abu Jahl was called Abul-Hikam - 'man of wisdom' - but because of his hostility to Islam, he became known as Abu-Jahl - 'man of ignorance' ), you and me are alone here. There is no third person listening to us. Tell me about Muhammad ibn ` Abdulluh. Tell me what you really think about him. Is he telling the truth or is he not?Swearing by Allah, Abu Jahl said: No doubt, Muhammad is true. He has never lied all his life. But, the problem is that the thought, that only a single branch of the tribe of Quraysh, the Banu Qusayy, is going to become the repository of all sorts of virtues and perfections while the rest of the tribe remains totally deprived, is something that we cannot take. It is too much. They have the flag in their hands. They have the important duty of providing water for the Hajj pilgrims in their hands. They are the custodians of the Ka'bah; its keys are in their hands. Now, if we are to accept that the station of prophethood also belongs to them, what the rest of the Quraysh will be left with?According to another narration reported from Najiyah ibn Ka'b, once Abu Jahl himself told the Holy Prophet ﷺ . We do not suspect you of lying nor do we belie you, but we do belie the Book or Religion which you have come up with. (Mazhari)Based on these narrations of Hadith, the verse can be taken in its real sense, that is, 'these disbelievers do not belie you, rather, they be-lie the signs of Allah.' And this verse could also be taken in the sense that these disbelievers, though belie you obviously but, in reality, the outcome of belying you is itself the belying of Allah and His signs - as it appears in Hadith, that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever causes pain to me is liable to be judged as causing pain to Allah.

<h2 class="title">Comforting the Prophet</h2><p>Allah comforts the Prophet in his grief over his people's denial and defiance of him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِى يَقُولُونَ</div><p>(We know indeed the grief which their words cause you;) meaning, We know about their denial of you and your sadness and sorrow for them. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَتٍ</div><p>(So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them.) 35:8, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلاَّ يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ </div><p>(It may be that you are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers.) 26:3, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَـذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفاً </div><p>(Perhaps, you, would kill yourself in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you), because they believe not in this narration.) 18:6 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ</div><p>(it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny.) means, they do not accuse you of being a liar, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ</div><p>(but it is the Verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny. ) It is only the truth that they reject and refuse. Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Az-Zuhri said that Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq once came to listen to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an at night, but these three men were not aware of the presence of each other. So they listened to the Prophet's recitation until the morning, and then left. They met each other on their way back and each one of them asked the others, "What brought you" So they mentioned to each other the reason why they came. They vowed not to repeat this incident so that the young men of Quraysh would not hear of what they did and imitate them. On the second night, each one of the three came back thinking that the other two would not come because of the vows they made to each other. In the morning, they again met each other on their way back and criticized each other, vowing not to repeat what they did. On the third night, they again went to listen to the Prophet and in the morning they again vowed not to repeat this incident. During that day, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his staff and went to Abu Sufyan bin Harb in his house saying, "O Abu Hanzalah! What is your opinion concerning what you heard from Muhammad." Abu Sufyan said, "O Abu Tha`labah! By Allah, I have heard some things that I recognize and know their implications. I also heard some things whose meaning and implications were unknown to me." Al-Akhnas said, "And I the same, by He Whom you swore by!" Al-Akhnas left Abu Sufyan and went to Abu Jahl and asked him, "O Abu Al-Hakam! What is your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad. " Abu Jahl said, "We competed with Bani `Abd Manaf (the Prophet's subtribe) and so we fed as they fed and gave away as they gave away. So, when we were neck and neck with them, just as two horses in a race, they said, `There is a Prophet from among us, to whom revelation from the heaven comes.' So how can we ever beat them at that By Allah we will never believe in him or accept what he says.' This is when Al-Akhnas left Abu Jahl and went away." Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَـهُمْ نَصْرُنَا</div><p>(Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our help reached them,) This comforts the Prophet's concern for those who denied and rejected him. Allah also commands the Prophet to be patient, just as the mighty Messengers before him were. He also promised him victory, just as the previous Messengers were victorious and the good end was theirs, after the denial and harm their people placed on them. Then, victory came to them in this life, just as victory is theirs in the Hereafter. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـتِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(and none can alter the Words of Allah.) This refers to His decision that victory in this life and the Hereafter is for His believing servants. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ - وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ </div><p>(And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers. That they verily would be made triumphant. And that Our hosts, they verily would be the victors.) 37:171-173, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ </div><p>(Allah has decreed: "Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) 58:21 Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ</div><p>(Surely, there has reached you the information about the Messengers (before you).) who were given victory and prevailed over the people who rejected them. And you (O Muhammad ), have a good example in them. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ</div><p>(If their aversion is hard on you,) and you cannot be patient because of their aversion, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقاً فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّماً فِى السَّمَآءِ</div><p>(then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky...) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "If you were able to seek a tunnel and bring them an Ayah, or go up a ladder in the sky and bring a better Ayah than the one I (Allah) gave them, then do that." Similar was reported from Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَـهِلِينَ</div><p>(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.) is similar to His statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا</div><p>(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى</div><p>(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance,) "The Messenger of Allah was eager that all people believe and be guided to follow him. Allah told him that only those whose happiness Allah has written in the first Dhikr will believe." Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ</div><p>(It is only those who listen, that will respond,) means, only those who hear the speech, comprehend and understand it, will accept your call, O Muhammad ! In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ </div><p>(That it may give warning to him who is living, and that the Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) 36:70. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ</div><p>(but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.) refers to the disbelievers because their hearts are dead. Therefore, Allah resembled them to dead corpses as a way of mocking and belittling them, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ</div><p>(but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned (for their recompense).) </p>

Comforting the ProphetAllah comforts the Prophet in his grief over his people's denial and defiance of him, قَدْ نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحْزُنُكَ الَّذِى يَقُولُونَ(We know indeed the grief which their words cause you;) meaning, We know about their denial of you and your sadness and sorrow for them. Allah said in other Ayat, فَلاَ تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَتٍ(So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them.) 35:8, and لَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ أَلاَّ يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (It may be that you are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers.) 26:3, and, فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى ءَاثَـرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَـذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفاً (Perhaps, you, would kill yourself in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you), because they believe not in this narration.) 18:6 Allah's statement, فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ(it is not you that they deny, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny.) means, they do not accuse you of being a liar, وَلَـكِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بِـَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ(but it is the Verses of Allah that the wrongdoers deny. ) It is only the truth that they reject and refuse. Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned that Az-Zuhri said that Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq once came to listen to the Prophet reciting the Qur'an at night, but these three men were not aware of the presence of each other. So they listened to the Prophet's recitation until the morning, and then left. They met each other on their way back and each one of them asked the others, "What brought you" So they mentioned to each other the reason why they came. They vowed not to repeat this incident so that the young men of Quraysh would not hear of what they did and imitate them. On the second night, each one of the three came back thinking that the other two would not come because of the vows they made to each other. In the morning, they again met each other on their way back and criticized each other, vowing not to repeat what they did. On the third night, they again went to listen to the Prophet and in the morning they again vowed not to repeat this incident. During that day, Al-Akhnas bin Shurayq took his staff and went to Abu Sufyan bin Harb in his house saying, "O Abu Hanzalah! What is your opinion concerning what you heard from Muhammad." Abu Sufyan said, "O Abu Tha`labah! By Allah, I have heard some things that I recognize and know their implications. I also heard some things whose meaning and implications were unknown to me." Al-Akhnas said, "And I the same, by He Whom you swore by!" Al-Akhnas left Abu Sufyan and went to Abu Jahl and asked him, "O Abu Al-Hakam! What is your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad. " Abu Jahl said, "We competed with Bani `Abd Manaf (the Prophet's subtribe) and so we fed as they fed and gave away as they gave away. So, when we were neck and neck with them, just as two horses in a race, they said, `There is a Prophet from among us, to whom revelation from the heaven comes.' So how can we ever beat them at that By Allah we will never believe in him or accept what he says.' This is when Al-Akhnas left Abu Jahl and went away." Allah's statement, وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَـهُمْ نَصْرُنَا(Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our help reached them,) This comforts the Prophet's concern for those who denied and rejected him. Allah also commands the Prophet to be patient, just as the mighty Messengers before him were. He also promised him victory, just as the previous Messengers were victorious and the good end was theirs, after the denial and harm their people placed on them. Then, victory came to them in this life, just as victory is theirs in the Hereafter. Allah said, وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـتِ اللَّهِ(and none can alter the Words of Allah.) This refers to His decision that victory in this life and the Hereafter is for His believing servants. Allah said in other Ayat, وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِينَ - إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمُ الْمَنصُورُونَ - وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَـلِبُونَ (And, verily, Our Word has gone forth of old for Our servants, the Messengers. That they verily would be made triumphant. And that Our hosts, they verily would be the victors.) 37:171-173, and, كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (Allah has decreed: "Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) 58:21 Allah said; وَلَقدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ(Surely, there has reached you the information about the Messengers (before you).) who were given victory and prevailed over the people who rejected them. And you (O Muhammad ), have a good example in them. Allah said next, وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ(If their aversion is hard on you,) and you cannot be patient because of their aversion, فَإِن اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقاً فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّماً فِى السَّمَآءِ(then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky...) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "If you were able to seek a tunnel and bring them an Ayah, or go up a ladder in the sky and bring a better Ayah than the one I (Allah) gave them, then do that." Similar was reported from Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. Allah's statement, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَـهِلِينَ(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.) is similar to His statement, وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance,) "The Messenger of Allah was eager that all people believe and be guided to follow him. Allah told him that only those whose happiness Allah has written in the first Dhikr will believe." Allah's statement, إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ(It is only those who listen, that will respond,) means, only those who hear the speech, comprehend and understand it, will accept your call, O Muhammad ! In another Ayah, Allah said; لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ (That it may give warning to him who is living, and that the Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) 36:70. Allah's statement, وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ(but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.) refers to the disbelievers because their hearts are dead. Therefore, Allah resembled them to dead corpses as a way of mocking and belittling them, saying, وَالْمَوْتَى يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ(but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned (for their recompense).)

Many an apostle has been accused of lies before you. Yet they bore with fortitude the falsehoods and the hurt until our help arrived. There is no changing the word of God: The news of (past) apostles has come to you already.

And indeed Noble Messengers have been denied before you, so they patiently bore the denial and torture till Our help reached them; and there is none to alter the decisions of Allah; and the news of the Noble Messengers have already reached you.

Messengers indeed were cried lies to before thee, yet they endured patiently that they were cried lies to, and were hurt, until Our help came unto them. No man can change the words of God; and there has already come to thee some tiding of the Envoys.

And, indeed, [even] before thy time have apostles been given the lie, and they endured with patience all those charges of falsehood, and all the hurt done to them, till succour came unto them from Us: for there is no power that could alter [the outcome of] God's promises. And some of the histories of those apostles have already come within thy ken.

And apostles have assuredly been belied before thee, but they patiently bare that wherefore they were belied, and they were hurt, until Our succour came to them. And none can change the words of Allah; and assuredly there hath come unto thee some tidings of the sent ones.

Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you (O Muhammad SAW), but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our Help reached them, and none can alter the Words (Decisions) of Allah. Surely there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before you).

Other messengers before you were rejected, but they endured rejection and persecution until Our help came to them. There can be no change to God’s words. News of the Messengers has already reached you.

Messengers before you have been given the lie to, and they endured with patience their being given the lie to and being persecuted until the time when Our help reached them. None has the power to alter the words of Allah. Indeed some account of the Messengers has already reached you.

Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt, till Our help reached them, and none can alter the Words of Allah. Surely, there has reached you the information about the Messengers (before you).

Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

Apostles were certainly denied before you, yet they patiently bore being denied and tormented until Our help came to them. Nothing can change the words of Allah, and there have certainly come to you some of the accounts of the apostles.

Messengers indeed were belied before you, yet they became patient with that which they were belied, and were hurt until Our help came to them. There is none to alter the Words of Allah; and there has already come to you some news of the Messengers.

And certainly were messengers denied before you, but they were patient over [the effects of] denial, and they were harmed until Our victory came to them. And none can alter the words of Allah. And there has certainly come to you some information about the [previous] messengers.

The Messengers who lived before you were also accused of lying, but they exercised patience. They were cruelly persecuted before We gave them victory. No one can change the words of God. You have already received news about the Messengers.

And certainly apostles before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the apostles.

Walaqad ku<u>thth</u>ibat rusulun min qablika fa<u>s</u>abaroo AAal<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> ku<u>thth</u>iboo waoo<u>th</u>oo <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> at<u>a</u>hum na<u>s</u>run<u>a</u> wal<u>a</u> mubaddila likalim<u>a</u>ti All<u>a</u>hi walaqad j<u>a</u>aka min nabai almursaleen<b>a</b>

Other messengers have been denied before you, and they bore their rejection and persecution steadfastly, until Our help came to them. There is no one who can change the words of God. You have already received some account of those messengers.

Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers.

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا كُذِّبُوا۟ وَأُوذُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِى۟ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

Do not think that such a denial is only in relation to what you have brought. Messengers before you were also denied and harmed by their communities, but they faced this with patience in their calling towards Allah and striving in His path until help came to them from Allah. No one can hold back the help that Allah has written and promised to His messengers. Information about the messengers before you and the difficulties they faced in their communities, and information about the help that Allah gave them by destroying their enemies, has come to you, O Messenger.

Do not think that such a denial is only in relation to what you have brought. Messengers before you were also denied and harmed by their communities, but they faced this with patience in their calling towards Allah and striving in His path until help came to them from Allah. No one can hold back the help that Allah has written and promised to His messengers. Information about the messengers before you and the difficulties they faced in their communities, and information about the help that Allah gave them by destroying their enemies, has come to you, O Messenger.

If their aversion still weighs upon you, seek out a tunnel (going deep) into the earth, or a ladder reaching out to the skies, and bring them a sign: (Even then they will not believe). If God had willed He would have brought them all to the right path. So be not like the pagans.

And if their turning away has grieved you, then if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into the sky to bring a sign for them; and if Allah willed, He could have brought them all together upon guidance, so O listener (followers of this Prophet) do not ever be of the ignorant.

And if their turning away is distressful for thee, why, if thou canst seek out a hole in the earth, or a ladder in heaven, to bring them some sign but had God willed, He would have gathered them to the guidance; so be not thou one of the ignorant.

And if it distress thee that those who deny the truth turn their backs on thee - why, then, if thou art able to go down deep into the earth or to ascend a ladder unto heaven in order to bring them a [yet more convincing] message, [do so;] but [remember that] had God so willed, He would indeed have gathered them all unto [His] guidance. Do not, therefore, allow thyself to ignore [God's ways].

And if their backsliding is hard unto thee, then seek out, if thou canst, an opening into the earth or a ladder to the heaven that thou mayst bring unto them a sign. And had Allah willed, He would have assembled them unto the guidance; wherefore be not thou of the ignorant.

If their aversion (from you, O Muhammad SAW and from that with which you have been sent) is hard on you, (and you cannot be patient from their harm to you), then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky, so that you may bring them a sign (and you cannot do it, so be patient). And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together (all) unto true guidance, so be not you one of those who are Al-Jahilun (the ignorant).

If you find their rejection hard to bear, then if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth, or a stairway into the heaven, and bring them a sign. Had God willed, He could have gathered them to guidance. So do not be of the ignorant.

Nevertheless, if their turning away grieves you, then seek - if you can - either a way down into the earth or a ladder to the heavens, and try to bring to them some sign. Had Allah so willed, He would have gathered them all to the true guidance. Do not, then, be among the ignorant.

If their aversion is hard on you, then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky, so that you may bring them a sign. And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.

And if their aversion is grievous unto thee, then, if thou canst, seek a way down into the earth or a ladder unto the sky that thou mayst bring unto them a portent (to convince them all)! - If Allah willed, He could have brought them all together to the guidance - So be not thou among the foolish ones.

And should their aversion be hard on you, find, if you can, a tunnel into the ground, or a ladder into sky, that you may bring them a sign. Had Allah wished, He would have brought them together on guidance. So do not be one of the ignorant.

If their turning away is hard upon you, seek if you can, a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky by which you can bring them a sign. Had Allah willed, He would gather them to guidance. Do not then be among the ignorant.

And if their evasion is difficult for you, then if you are able to seek a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if Allah had willed, He would have united them upon guidance. So never be of the ignorant.

(Muhammad), if their refusal of the faith is so grievous to you and if you can dig up the earth or ascend into the sky in search of further evidence to inevitably make them believe you, you should have done so, but note that had God wanted, He could have made them all follow the same guidance. Do not ever be unaware (of this fact).

And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant.

Wain k<u>a</u>na kabura AAalayka iAAr<u>ad</u>uhum faini ista<u>t</u>aAAta an tabtaghiya nafaqan fee alar<u>d</u>i aw sullaman fee a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>i fatatiyahum bi<u>a</u>yatin walaw sh<u>a</u>a All<u>a</u>hu lajamaAAahum AAal<u>a</u> alhud<u>a</u> fal<u>a</u> takoonanna mina alj<u>a</u>hileen<b>a</b>

If you find their rejection hard to bear, then seek a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky, if you can, and bring them a sign. Had God so willed, He would indeed have given them all [His] guidance. So do not be among the ignorant.

If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a sign,- (what good?). If it were Allah's will, He could gather them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)!

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِىَ نَفَقًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِـَٔايَةٍ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ

If their denial and turning away from the truth you have brought is difficult for you, O Messenger, then see if you can find a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky so that you may bring them more proof in addition to what I have already given you. If Allah willed to guide them to the guidance that you brought, He would have done so. However, He has not willed this because of His wisdom. So do not be among those who are ignorant of this and lose yourself in regret over their denial.

If their denial and turning away from the truth you have brought is difficult for you, O Messenger, then see if you can find a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky so that you may bring them more proof in addition to what I have already given you. If Allah willed to guide them to the guidance that you brought, He would have done so. However, He has not willed this because of His wisdom. So do not be among those who are ignorant of this and lose yourself in regret over their denial.

Only they will respond who can hear. As for the dead, raised they will be by God, then to Him they will be returned.

It is only those who hear (with sincere hearts) that accept faith; and Allah will raise these people dead of heart, then towards Him they will be herded.

Answer only will those who hear; as for the dead, God will raise them up, then unto Him they will be returned.

Only they who listen [with their hearts] can respond to a call; and as for the dead [of heart], God [alone] can raise them from the dead, whereupon unto Him they shall return.

Only those respond who hearken. And as to the dead, Allah will raise them, and thereafter unto Him they shall be returned.

It is only those who listen (to the Message of Prophet Muhammad SAW), will respond (benefit from it), but as for the dead (disbelievers), Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned (for their recompense).

Only those who listen will respond. As for the dead, God will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.

Only they who listen can respond to the call of the Truth; as for the dead, Allah will raise them and then to Him they will be returned.

It is only those who listen, that will respond, but as for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then to Him they will be returned.

Only those can accept who hear. As for the dead, Allah will raise them up; then unto Him they will be returned.

Only those who listen will respond [to you]. As for the dead, Allah will resurrect them, then they will be brought back to Him.

Those who listen will surely answer. As for the dead, Allah will revive them. To Him they shall return.

Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allah will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.

Only those who have understanding will accept your faith. (Those who have no understanding) are like the dead whom God will resurrect and to Him will all return.

Only those accept who listen; and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned.

Innam<u>a</u> yastajeebu alla<u>th</u>eena yasmaAAoona wa<b>a</b>lmawt<u>a</u> yabAAathuhumu All<u>a</u>hu thumma ilayhi yurjaAAoon<b>a</b>

Only they who listen can respond to a call; and as for the dead, God will raise them up, and then they will all return to Him.

Those who listen (in truth), be sure, will accept: as to the dead, Allah will raise them up; then will they be turned unto Him.

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ وَٱلْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ

Only those who listen to the speech and understand it will respond to what you have brought. The disbelievers are dead and worthless because their hearts have died. Allah will raise the dead on the Day of Rising and then they will be returned to Him for Him to repay their actions.

Only those who listen to the speech and understand it will respond to what you have brought. The disbelievers are dead and worthless because their hearts have died. Allah will raise the dead on the Day of Rising and then they will be returned to Him for Him to repay their actions.

They say: "How is it no miracle was sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "God certainly has power to send down a miracle; but most men cannot understand."

And they said, “Why has no sign been sent down upon him from his Lord?” Say, “Indeed Allah is Able to send down a sign”, but most of them are totally ignorant.

They also say, 'Why has no sign been sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say: 'Surely God is able to send down a sign, but most of them know not.'

And they say, "Why has no miraculous sign been bestowed on him from on high by his Sustainer?" Say: "Behold, God has the power to bestow any sign from on high." Yet most human beings are unaware of this

And they say: wherefore is not a sign sent down upon him from his Lord? Say thou: verily Allah is able to send down a sign, howbeit most of them know not.

And they said: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "Allah is certainly Able to send down a sign, but most of them know not."

And they say, “If only a sign could come down to him from his Lord.” Say, “God is Able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know.”

And they say: 'Why has no miraculous sign been sent down to him from his Lord?' Say: 'Surely Allah has the power to send down a sign, but most of them do not know.

And they said: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord" Say: "Allah is certainly able to send down a sign, but most of them know not."

They say: Why hath no portent been sent down upon him from his Lord? Say: Lo! Allah is Able to send down a portent. But most of them know not.

They say, ‘Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘Allah is indeed able to send down a sign,’ but most of them do not know.

They ask: 'Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord' Say: 'Allah is Able to send down a sign' But most of them do not know.

And they say, "Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "Indeed, Allah is Able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know."

They say, "Why have not some miracles been given to him, (Muhammad), from his Lord." Tell them, (Muhammad), "God certainly has the Power to show such miracles but many of them are ignorant."

And they say: Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord? Say: Surely Allah is able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know.

Waq<u>a</u>loo lawl<u>a</u> nuzzila AAalayhi <u>a</u>yatun min rabbihi qul inna All<u>a</u>ha q<u>a</u>dirun AAal<u>a</u> an yunazzila <u>a</u>yatan wal<u>a</u>kinna aktharahum l<u>a</u> yaAAlamoon<b>a</b>

They ask, "Why has no sign been sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "God alone has the power to send down a sign." But most of them do not understand:

They say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "Allah hath certainly power to send down a sign: but most of them understand not.

وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُنَزِّلَ ءَايَةً وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

The idolaters make stubborn demands and delay acceptance of faith, and say: Why has no extraordinary sign been sent down to Muhammad as a proof from His Lord about the truth of what he has brought? Say, O Messenger: Allah is able to send down a sign as you wish, but most of these idolaters, who demand that a sign be sent down, do not know that signs are only sent down in accordance with Allah’s wisdom and not according to their demands. If He was to send it down and they still did not believe, then He would destroy them.

The idolaters make stubborn demands and delay acceptance of faith, and say: Why has no extraordinary sign been sent down to Muhammad as a proof from His Lord about the truth of what he has brought? Say, O Messenger: Allah is able to send down a sign as you wish, but most of these idolaters, who demand that a sign be sent down, do not know that signs are only sent down in accordance with Allah’s wisdom and not according to their demands. If He was to send it down and they still did not believe, then He would destroy them.

<h2 class="title">The Idolators Ask for a Miracle</h2><p>Allah states that the idolators used to proclaim, "Why does not (Muhammad) bring an Ayah from his Lord," meaning, a miracle of their choice! They would sometimes say, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا</div><p>("We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the ground for us.") 17:90. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَن يُنَزِّلٍ ءايَةً وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>(Say: "Allah is certainly able to send down a sign, but most of them know not.") Certainly, Allah is able to send an Ayah (sign). But, He decided out of His wisdom to delay that, because if He sends an Ayah of their liking and they still do not believe, this will hasten their punishment as with the previous nations. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا </div><p>(And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).) 17:59, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَـقُهُمْ لَهَا خَـضِعِينَ </div><p>(If We will, We could send down to them from the heaven a sign, to which they would bend their necks in humility) 26:4. </p><h2 class="title">The Meaning of Umam</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ</div><p>(There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are Umam like you.) Mujahid commented, "Meaning, various species that have distinct names." Qatadah said, "Birds are an Ummah, humans are an Ummah and the Jinns are an Ummah." As-Suddi said that, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ</div><p>(but are Umam like you.) means, creations (or species). Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ</div><p>(We have neglected nothing in the Book,) means, the knowledge about all things is with Allah, and He never forgets any of His creatures, nor their sustenance, nor their affairs, whether these creatures live in the sea or on land. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ </div><p>(And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterus, grave, etc.). All is in a Clear Book.) 11:6, there is a record of their names, numbers, movements, and lack of movement. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَآبَّةٍ لاَّ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ </div><p>(And so many a moving creature there is, that carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) 29:60 Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ</div><p>(then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.) "Death gathers them." It was also said that the Day of Resurrection gathers them, for in another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ </div><p>(And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together.) 81:5 `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said about Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ</div><p>(but are Umam like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.) "All creatures will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, the beasts, birds and all others. Allah's justice will be so perfect, that the un-horned sheep will receive retribution from the horned sheep. Allah will then command them, `Be dust!' This is when the disbeliever will say, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَباً</div><p>("Woe to me! Would that I were dust!")"78: 40. And this was reported from the Prophet in the Hadith about the Trumpet. </p><h2 class="title">The Disbelievers will be Deaf and Mute in Darkness</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـْايَـتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى الظُّلُمَـتِ</div><p>(Those who reject Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness.) due to their ignorance, little knowledge and minute comprehension. Their example is that of the deaf-mute who cannot hear nor speak, as well as being blinded by darkness. Therefore, how can such a person find guidance to the path or change the condition he is in Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً فَلَمَّآ أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَـتٍ لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ - صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ </div><p>(Their parable is that of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path)) 2:17-18, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ يَغْشَـهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَـتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَآ أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُوراً فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُورٍ </div><p>(Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light. ) 24:40 This is why Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَن يَشَإِ اللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ</div><p>(Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the straight path whom He wills.) for He does what He wills with His creatures. </p>

The Idolators Ask for a MiracleAllah states that the idolators used to proclaim, "Why does not (Muhammad) bring an Ayah from his Lord," meaning, a miracle of their choice! They would sometimes say, لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا("We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the ground for us.") 17:90. قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَن يُنَزِّلٍ ءايَةً وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(Say: "Allah is certainly able to send down a sign, but most of them know not.") Certainly, Allah is able to send an Ayah (sign). But, He decided out of His wisdom to delay that, because if He sends an Ayah of their liking and they still do not believe, this will hasten their punishment as with the previous nations. Allah said in other Ayat, وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا (And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).) 17:59, and, إِن نَّشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ ءَايَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَـقُهُمْ لَهَا خَـضِعِينَ (If We will, We could send down to them from the heaven a sign, to which they would bend their necks in humility) 26:4. The Meaning of UmamAllah said, وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ(There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are Umam like you.) Mujahid commented, "Meaning, various species that have distinct names." Qatadah said, "Birds are an Ummah, humans are an Ummah and the Jinns are an Ummah." As-Suddi said that, إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ(but are Umam like you.) means, creations (or species). Allah's statement, مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ(We have neglected nothing in the Book,) means, the knowledge about all things is with Allah, and He never forgets any of His creatures, nor their sustenance, nor their affairs, whether these creatures live in the sea or on land. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterus, grave, etc.). All is in a Clear Book.) 11:6, there is a record of their names, numbers, movements, and lack of movement. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَآبَّةٍ لاَّ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (And so many a moving creature there is, that carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) 29:60 Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah, ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ(then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.) "Death gathers them." It was also said that the Day of Resurrection gathers them, for in another Ayah, Allah said; وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ (And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together.) 81:5 `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Abu Hurayrah said about Allah's statement, إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ(but are Umam like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.) "All creatures will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, the beasts, birds and all others. Allah's justice will be so perfect, that the un-horned sheep will receive retribution from the horned sheep. Allah will then command them, `Be dust!' This is when the disbeliever will say, يَـلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَباً("Woe to me! Would that I were dust!")"78: 40. And this was reported from the Prophet in the Hadith about the Trumpet. The Disbelievers will be Deaf and Mute in DarknessAllah said, وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـْايَـتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى الظُّلُمَـتِ(Those who reject Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness.) due to their ignorance, little knowledge and minute comprehension. Their example is that of the deaf-mute who cannot hear nor speak, as well as being blinded by darkness. Therefore, how can such a person find guidance to the path or change the condition he is in Allah said in other Ayat, مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسْتَوْقَدَ نَاراً فَلَمَّآ أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَـتٍ لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ - صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ (Their parable is that of one who kindled a fire; then, when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path)) 2:17-18, and, أَوْ كَظُلُمَـتٍ فِى بَحْرٍ لُّجِّىٍّ يَغْشَـهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَـتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَآ أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُوراً فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُورٍ (Or like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with a great wave topped by a great wave, topped by dark clouds, darkness, one above another, if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light. ) 24:40 This is why Allah said here, مَن يَشَإِ اللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ(Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the straight path whom He wills.) for He does what He wills with His creatures.

There is not a thing that moves on the earth, no bird that flies on its wings, but has a community of its own like yours. There is nothing that We have left out from recording. Then they will all be gathered before their Lord.

And there is not an animal moving in the earth nor a bird flying on its wings, but they are a nation like you; We have left out nothing in this Book – then towards their Lord they will be raised.

No creature is there crawling on the earth, no bird flying with its wings, but they are nations like unto yourselves. We have neglected nothing in the Book; then to their Lord they shall be mustered.

although there is no beast that walks on earth and no bird that flies on its two wings which is not [God's] creature like yourselves: no single thing have We neglected in Our decree. And once again: Unto their Sustainer shall they [all] be gathered.

And there is not an animal on the earth nor a fowl that flieth with its two wings but are communities like unto you. And We have not been remiss in respect of aught in the Book: then unto their Lord they shall be gathered.

There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.

There is no animal on land, nor a bird flying with its wings, but are communities like you. We neglected nothing in the Scripture. Then to their Lord they will be gathered.

There is no animal that crawls on the earth, no bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book (of decree). Then to their Lord will they all be mustered.

There is not a moving creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are Umam like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.

There is not an animal in the earth, nor a flying creature flying on two wings, but they are peoples like unto you. We have neglected nothing in the Book (of Our decrees). Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.

There is no animal on land, nor a bird that flies with its wings, but they are communities like yourselves. We have not omitted anything from the Book. Then they will be mustered toward their Lord.

There is no crawling creature on the earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but they are nations like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book. They shall all be gathered before their Lord.

And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.

All the beasts on land and flying birds have different communities, just as you (people) do. Nothing is left without a mention in the Book. They will all be brought into the presence of their Lord.

And there is no animal that walks upon the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but (they are) genera like yourselves; We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered.

Wam<u>a</u> min d<u>a</u>bbatin fee alar<u>d</u>i wal<u>a</u> <u>ta</u>irin ya<u>t</u>eeru bijan<u>ah</u>ayhi ill<u>a</u> omamun amth<u>a</u>lukum m<u>a</u> farra<u>t</u>n<u>a</u> fee alkit<u>a</u>bi min shayin thumma il<u>a</u> rabbihim yu<u>h</u>sharoon<b>a</b>

there is not an animal that moves about on the earth, nor a bird that flies on its two wings, but are creatures like you. We have left out nothing in the Book -- they shall all be gathered before their Lord.

There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ

There is no animal on earth or any bird flying in the sky except that they are species like you, O children of Adam, with respect to their creation and provision. I have not left out anything in the Preserved Tablet. The knowledge of all of them is with Allah. Then they will all be gathered to their Lord on the Day of Rising for the final decision and each will be recompensed according to what they deserve.

There is no animal on earth or any bird flying in the sky except that they are species like you, O children of Adam, with respect to their creation and provision. I have not left out anything in the Preserved Tablet. The knowledge of all of them is with Allah. Then they will all be gathered to their Lord on the Day of Rising for the final decision and each will be recompensed according to what they deserve.

<p>The sixth verse (38): وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ (there is no creature moving …) tells us that, on the day of Qiyamah, animals will also be given life along with human beings. Following a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، it has been reported by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Baihaqi that, on the day of Qiyamah, all animals, beasts and birds will also be given life once again. Such will be the measure of Divine justice that a horned animal which had hit the hornless one shall be subjected to retaliation, as would be the case with others too. And when all injustices have been vindicated, all of them would be commanded to become dust - and then, dust they shall become. This would be the time when the disbeliever will say: يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَ‌ابًا [ 78:40] that is, ` would that I too were to become dust, and thus saved from the punishment of Hell!'.</p><p>In another narration, again from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، Imam Al-Baghawi reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: On the day of Qiyamah, rights of all holders of rights shall be vindicated, to the limit that a hornless goat shall be vindicated against the horned one.</p><p>Maximum Regard for the Rights of Allah's Creation</p><p>Everyone knows that animals have not been obligated to observe the percepts of any Shari` ah or code of laws. Only human beings and Jinns have been so obligated. And it is obvious that the jurisdiction of reward and punishment does not apply to the non-obligated. Therefore, ` Ulama' have said that the retaliation against the behaviour of animals on the day of Resurrection will not be because of their being obligated, but it will be because of the Lord's utmost regard for equity and justice - based on which the cruelty of one living creature against' the other living creature will be recompensed, with no reward or punishment to follow for the rest of their behaviour. This tells us that the matter of mutual rights, and their infringements, pertaining to the creation of Allah is so serious that even non-obligated animals have not been left as exempted from it. But, it is regrettable that there are even many religiously-observing people who would act negligently about it.</p>

The sixth verse (38): وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ (there is no creature moving …) tells us that, on the day of Qiyamah, animals will also be given life along with human beings. Following a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، it has been reported by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Baihaqi that, on the day of Qiyamah, all animals, beasts and birds will also be given life once again. Such will be the measure of Divine justice that a horned animal which had hit the hornless one shall be subjected to retaliation, as would be the case with others too. And when all injustices have been vindicated, all of them would be commanded to become dust - and then, dust they shall become. This would be the time when the disbeliever will say: يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنتُ تُرَ‌ابًا [ 78:40] that is, ` would that I too were to become dust, and thus saved from the punishment of Hell!'.In another narration, again from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ ، Imam Al-Baghawi reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: On the day of Qiyamah, rights of all holders of rights shall be vindicated, to the limit that a hornless goat shall be vindicated against the horned one.Maximum Regard for the Rights of Allah's CreationEveryone knows that animals have not been obligated to observe the percepts of any Shari` ah or code of laws. Only human beings and Jinns have been so obligated. And it is obvious that the jurisdiction of reward and punishment does not apply to the non-obligated. Therefore, ` Ulama' have said that the retaliation against the behaviour of animals on the day of Resurrection will not be because of their being obligated, but it will be because of the Lord's utmost regard for equity and justice - based on which the cruelty of one living creature against' the other living creature will be recompensed, with no reward or punishment to follow for the rest of their behaviour. This tells us that the matter of mutual rights, and their infringements, pertaining to the creation of Allah is so serious that even non-obligated animals have not been left as exempted from it. But, it is regrettable that there are even many religiously-observing people who would act negligently about it.

Those who deny Our revelations are deaf, dumb, and lost in the dark. God sends whosoever He wills astray, and leads whom He will to the straight path.

And those who deny Our signs are deaf and dumb in realms of darkness; Allah may send astray whomever He wills; and may place on the Straight Path whomever He wills.

And those who cry lies to Our signs are deaf and dumb, dwelling in the shadows. Whomsoever God will, He leads astray, and whomsoever He will, He sets him on a straight path.

And they who give the lie to Our messages are deaf and dumb, in darkness deep. Whomever God wills, He lets go astray; and whomever He wills, He places upon a straight way.

And those who belie our signs are deaf and dumb, in darkness. Whomsoever Allah willeth He sendeth astray, and whomsoever He willeth He putteth on the right path.

Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills.

Those who reject Our revelations are deaf and dumb, in total darkness. Whomever God wills, He leaves astray; and whomever He wills, He sets on a straight path.

Those who gave the lie to Our signs are deaf and dumb and blunder about in darkness. Allah causes whomsoever He wills to stray in error, and sets whomsoever He wills on the straight way.'

Those who reject Our Ayat are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the straight path whom He wills.

Those who deny Our revelations are deaf and dumb in darkness. Whom Allah will sendeth astray, and whom He will He placeth on a straight path.

Those who deny Our signs are deaf and dumb, in a manifold darkness. Allah leads astray whomever He wishes, and whomever He wishes He puts him on a straight path.

Those who belie Our verses are deaf and dumb, in darkness. Allah leaves in error whom He will, and guides to the Straight Path whom He pleases.

But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whomever Allah wills - He leaves astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.

Those who disbelieve Our revelations are, in fact, deaf and dumb. They wander in darkness. God leads astray or guides to the right path whomever He wants.

And they who reject Our communications are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whom Allah pleases He causes to err and whom He pleases He puts on the right way.

Wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena ka<u>thth</u>aboo bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tin<u>a</u> <u>s</u>ummun wabukmun fee a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i>ulum<u>a</u>ti man yashai All<u>a</u>hu yu<u>d</u>lilhu waman yasha yajAAalhu AAal<u>a</u> <u>s</u>ir<u>at</u>in mustaqeem<b>in</b>

Those who reject Our signs are deaf and dumb, [groping along] in darkness. God lets anyone He wishes go astray and sets whoever He will on a straight path.

Those who reject our signs are deaf and dumb,- in the midst of darkness profound: whom Allah willeth, He leaveth to wander: whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight.

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ مَن يَشَإِ ٱللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

Those who deny our verses are like those who are deaf and cannot hear, and like those who are dumb and cannot speak. Together with this they are in total darkness, in which they cannot see. So how can such a person be guided? Allah misguides whomever He wills from among people and guides whomever He wills by placing such a person on a straight path that has no crookedness.

Those who deny our verses are like those who are deaf and cannot hear, and like those who are dumb and cannot speak. Together with this they are in total darkness, in which they cannot see. So how can such a person be guided? Allah misguides whomever He wills from among people and guides whomever He wills by placing such a person on a straight path that has no crookedness.

Say: "Have you thought if the punishment of God or the Hour (of Doom) came upon you, would you call to any other than God? Answer, if you are men of truth."

Say, “What is your opinion – if the punishment of Allah comes upon you or the Hour arrives, will you call upon anyone (deity) besides Allah; if you are truthful?”

Say: 'What think you? If God's chastisement comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, will you call upon any other than God if you speak truly?'

Say: "Can you see yourselves invoking any but God when God's chastisement befalls you [in this world], or the Last Hour comes upon you? [Tell me this,] if you are men of truth!

Say thou: look ye now, were Allah's torment to come upon you, or the Hour come upon you, would ye then cry unto other than Allah, if ye are truthful?

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Tell me if Allah's Torment comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, would you then call upon any one other than Allah? (Reply) if you are truthful!"

Say, “Have you considered? if God's punishment came upon you, or the Hour overtook you, would you call upon any other than God, if you are sincere?”

Say: 'What do you think if some chastisement of Allah or the Hour suddenly overtakes you: do you cry to any other than Allah? Answer, if you speak the truth.

Say: "Tell me if Allah's torment comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, would you then call upon any one other than Allah (Reply) if you are truthful!"

Say: Can ye see yourselves, if the punishment of Allah come upon you or the Hour come upon you, (calling upon other than Allah)? Do ye then call (for help) to any other than Allah? (Answer that) if ye are truthful.

Say, ‘Tell me, should Allah’s punishment overtake you, or should the Hour overtake you, will you supplicate anyone other than Allah, should you be truthful?

Say: 'Do you see yourselves when the punishment of Allah smites you or the Hour overtakes you, will you call on any except Allah, if you are truthful?

Say, "Have you considered: if there came to you the punishment of Allah or there came to you the Hour - is it other than Allah you would invoke, if you should be truthful?"

(Muhammad), say to them, "Should God afflict you with torment, or should the Day of Judgment arrive, if what you claim is true, could you then seek help from any one other than God?

Say: Tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful?

Qul araaytakum in at<u>a</u>kum AAa<u>tha</u>bu All<u>a</u>hi aw atatkumu a<b>l</b>ss<u>a</u>AAatu aghayra All<u>a</u>hi tadAAoona in kuntum <u>sa</u>diqeen<b>a</b>

Say, "Tell me if the punishment of God came upon you or the Hour overtook you, would you call upon any other than God, if you are truthful?"

Say: "Think ye to yourselves, if there come upon you the wrath of Allah, or the Hour (that ye dread), would ye then call upon other than Allah?- (reply) if ye are truthful!

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Tell me, if a punishment from Allah comes to you or if the Hour that you have been promised comes to you, will you call on anyone besides Allah at that time to remove the calamity and difficulty that has come upon you? This is if you are truthful that those whom you worship can bring benefit and remove harm.

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Tell me, if a punishment from Allah comes to you or if the Hour that you have been promised comes to you, will you call on anyone besides Allah at that time to remove the calamity and difficulty that has come upon you? This is if you are truthful that those whom you worship can bring benefit and remove harm.

<h2 class="title">The Idolators Call On Allah Alone During Torment and Distress</h2><p>Allah states that He does what He wills with His creatures and none can resist His decision or avert what He decrees for them. He is the One Who has no partners, Who accepts the supplication from whomever He wills. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُكُم إِنْ أَتَـكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمْ السَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ </div><p>(Say: "Tell me if Allah's torment comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, would you then call upon any one other than Allah (Reply) if you are truthful!") This means, you -- disbelievers -- will not call other than Allah in this case, because you know that none except He is able to remove the affliction. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ</div><p>(if you are truthful) by taking gods besides Him. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَلْ إِيَّـهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ </div><p>(Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove that (distress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at that time whatever partners you joined with Him (in worship)!) for in times of necessity, you only call on Allah and forget your idols and false deities. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ</div><p>(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah)) 17:67. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلنَآ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَآءِ</div><p>(Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you. And We seized them with extreme poverty...) That is, loss of wealth and diminished provisions, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالضَّرَّآءِ</div><p>(and loss of health) various illnesses, diseases and pain, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ</div><p>(so that they might believe with humility) and call Allah and supplicate to Him with humbleness and humility. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ</div><p>(When Our torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility) Meaning: Why do they not believe and humble themselves before Us when We test them with disaster' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ</div><p>(But their hearts became hardened,) for their hearts are not soft or humble, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ مَا كَانُواّ يَعْمَلُونَ</div><p>(and Shaytan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. ) That is, Shirk, defiance and rebellion. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ</div><p>(So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded,) by ignoring and turning away from it, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ</div><p>(We opened to them the gates of everything,) Meaning: `We opened the gates of provisions for them from wherever they wished, so that We deceive them.' We seek refuge with Allah from such an end. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُواْ</div><p>f(until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given,) such as wealth, children and provisions, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ</div><p>(all of a sudden, We took them to punishment and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) They have no hope for any type of good thing. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Whomever Allah gives provision and he thinks that Allah is not testing him, has no wisdom. Whomever has little provision and thinks that Allah will not look at (provide for) him, has no wisdom." He then recited the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُواْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ </div><p>(So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) He added, "By the Lord of the Ka`bah! Allah deceived these people, when He gave them what they wished, and then they were punished." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement. </p>

The Idolators Call On Allah Alone During Torment and DistressAllah states that He does what He wills with His creatures and none can resist His decision or avert what He decrees for them. He is the One Who has no partners, Who accepts the supplication from whomever He wills. Allah said, قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُكُم إِنْ أَتَـكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَتَتْكُمْ السَّاعَةُ أَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ (Say: "Tell me if Allah's torment comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, would you then call upon any one other than Allah (Reply) if you are truthful!") This means, you -- disbelievers -- will not call other than Allah in this case, because you know that none except He is able to remove the affliction. Allah said, إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ(if you are truthful) by taking gods besides Him. بَلْ إِيَّـهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ (Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove that (distress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at that time whatever partners you joined with Him (in worship)!) for in times of necessity, you only call on Allah and forget your idols and false deities. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah)) 17:67. Allah said; وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلنَآ إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَـهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَآءِ(Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you. And We seized them with extreme poverty...) That is, loss of wealth and diminished provisions, وَالضَّرَّآءِ(and loss of health) various illnesses, diseases and pain, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ(so that they might believe with humility) and call Allah and supplicate to Him with humbleness and humility. Allah said; فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ(When Our torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility) Meaning: Why do they not believe and humble themselves before Us when We test them with disaster' وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ(But their hearts became hardened,) for their hearts are not soft or humble, وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ مَا كَانُواّ يَعْمَلُونَ(and Shaytan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. ) That is, Shirk, defiance and rebellion. فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ(So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded,) by ignoring and turning away from it, فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ(We opened to them the gates of everything,) Meaning: `We opened the gates of provisions for them from wherever they wished, so that We deceive them.' We seek refuge with Allah from such an end. This is why Allah said, حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُواْf(until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given,) such as wealth, children and provisions, أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ(all of a sudden, We took them to punishment and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) They have no hope for any type of good thing. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "Whomever Allah gives provision and he thinks that Allah is not testing him, has no wisdom. Whomever has little provision and thinks that Allah will not look at (provide for) him, has no wisdom." He then recited the Ayah, فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُواْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ (So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) He added, "By the Lord of the Ka`bah! Allah deceived these people, when He gave them what they wished, and then they were punished." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement.

No: You will call to Him alone; and He will, if He please, remove (the distress) for which you had called Him; and forget those you associate as compeers (with Him)

“In fact you will only call upon Him, and if He wills, He may remove that because of which you prayed to Him, and you will forget the partners (you ascribe to Him).”

No; upon Him you will call, and He will remove that for which you call upon Him if He Will, and you will forget that you associate with Him.

Nay, but it is Him alone that you will invoke - whereupon He may, if He so wills, remove that [ill] which caused you to call unto Him; and you will have forgotten all that. to which you [now] ascribe divinity side by side with Him."

Aye! unto Him alone ye would cry, and He would remove that where for ye cried unto Him, if He will, and ye would forget that which ye associate.

Nay! To Him Alone you call, and, if He will, He would remove that (distress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at that time whatever partners you joined with Him (in worship)!

In fact, it is Him you will call upon; and if He wills, he will remove what you called Him for, and you will forget what you idolized.

Lo, it is to Him alone that you cry and then, if He so wills, He removes the distress for which you had cried to Him. Then you forget the partners you had set up with Allah.

Nay! To Him alone you call, and, if He willed, He would remove that (distress) for which you call upon Him, and you forget at that time whatever partners you joined with Him (in worship)!

Nay, but unto Him ye call, and He removeth that because of which ye call unto Him, if He will, and ye forget whatever partners ye ascribed unto Him.

No, Him you will supplicate, and He will remove that for which you supplicated Him, if He wishes, and you will forget what you ascribe [to Him] as [His] partners.’

No, on Him alone you will call, and He will remove that for which you call upon Him, if He will. Then you will forget what you associate (with Him).

No, it is Him [alone] you would invoke, and He would remove that for which you invoked Him if He willed, and you would forget what you associate [with Him].

You will certainly ask Him for help. He will save you from hardship if He decides to do so and you will forget all about your gods."

Nay, Him you call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget what you set up (with Him).

Bal iyy<u>a</u>hu tadAAoona fayakshifu m<u>a</u> tadAAoona ilayhi in sh<u>a</u>a watansawna m<u>a</u> tushrikoon<b>a</b>

Indeed, it is on Him that you would call, and He could remove that [affliction] which made you call on Him, if He will, and then you would forget [the false deities] which you associate with Him!"

"Nay,- On Him would ye call, and if it be His will, He would remove (the distress) which occasioned your call upon Him, and ye would forget (the false gods) which ye join with Him!"

بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِن شَآءَ وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ

The truth is that when the Hour comes you not call anyone besides Allah Who created you, and He removes the calamity and takes away harm as He is worthy of that and able to do so, if He so wills. As for what you worshipped as gods, you will leave them because you know that they cannot bring benefit nor cause harm.

The truth is that when the Hour comes you not call anyone besides Allah Who created you, and He removes the calamity and takes away harm as He is worthy of that and able to do so, if He so wills. As for what you worshipped as gods, you will leave them because you know that they cannot bring benefit nor cause harm.

We have indeed sent (apostles) to many a people before you, and inflicted upon them hardships and afflictions so that they might submit.

And We have indeed sent Noble Messengers towards the nations that were before you – We therefore seized them with hardship and adversity so that, in some way, they may humbly plead.

Indeed We sent to nations before thee, and We seized them with misery and hardship that haply they might be humble;

And, indeed, We sent Our messages unto people before thy time, [O Prophet,] and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves:

And assuredly We sent apostles unto communities before thee; then We laid hold of them with adversity and distress, that haply they may humble themselves.

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad SAW). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with calamities so that they might believe with humility.

We sent messengers to communities before you, and We afflicted them with suffering and hardship, that they may humble themselves.

And We did indeed send Messengers to other nations before you and then We seized those nations with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves (before Us).

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you. And We seized them with extreme poverty and loss of health so that they might believe with humility.

We have sent already unto peoples that were before thee, and We visited them with tribulation and adversity, in order that they might grow humble.

We have certainly sent [apostles] to nations before you, then We seized them with stress and distress so that they might entreat [Us].

Before you We sent forth to other nations, and then seized them with misery and hardship so that they might humble themselves.

And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us].

We had sent (Our guidance) to the nations who lived before you and afflicted them with distress and adversity so that they might submit themselves (to God).

And certainly We sent (apostles) to nations before you then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.

Walaqad arsaln<u>a</u> il<u>a</u> omamin min qablika faakha<u>th</u>n<u>a</u>hum bi<b>a</b>lbas<u>a</u>i wa<b>al</b><u>dd</u>arr<u>a</u>i laAAallahum yata<u>d</u>arraAAoon<b>a</b>

We sent messengers before you [Prophet] to many communities and afflicted their people with suffering and hardship, so that they might humble themselves.

Before thee We sent (messengers) to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

I sent messengers to many communities before you, O Messenger, but those communities denied their messengers and turned away from what they brought. I then tried them with poverty and sickness in order for them to submit and humble themselves before their Lord.

I sent messengers to many communities before you, O Messenger, but those communities denied their messengers and turned away from what they brought. I then tried them with poverty and sickness in order for them to submit and humble themselves before their Lord.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The verses cited above, if seen in the context of verses appearing immediately previous to them, will show the particular mode in which Shirk and Kufr have been refuted and Tauhid, affirmed. First, the disbelievers of Makkah have been asked: If you are hit by a calamity now, for example, the punishment of Allah descends on you right here in this world or comes death or the very Day of Doom breaks loose, then think and answer who it will be you would call for help to keep this calamity away from you or who it would be you will hope to deliver you from this terrible punishment? Do you think these self-sculpted idols in stone or any others from among the creation of Allah you have given His status would come out to help you in your hour of trial? And then, would you still address your cry of distress to them, or would you rather appeal to none but Allah, the One, the All-Powerful?</p><p>There can be no better answer from any sensible human being which was given by Allah Ta` ala Himself on behalf of them - that, at a time of such mass calamity, even the greatest Mushrik will forget all about his idols and self-appointed objects of worship and would call none but Allah. If so, the outcome is obvious. These idols of yours, and the objects of worship whom you have given the status of Allah Ta` ala and whom alone you regard as your problem solvers and granters of wishes, in fact, did not come to help you in your distress, nor could you muster the courage to call them up to help you out. Now then, when would it be that your devotion to them as objects of worship and their role of problems solvers assigned to them by you will start working for you?</p><p>What has been said here is a gist of immediately previous verses. Stated here as a matter of supposition is that punishment could befall them within the life of this world as an outcome of their disbelief and disobedience. And, again as a matter of supposition, if the punishment does not visit them in the present life, then, the coming of the Qiyamah is certain after all when account will be taken from all human beings of their deeds and put in effect shall be the law of reward and punishment against these.</p><p>` Qiyamah' here could mean the commonly acknowledged Qiyamah or the Day of Doom. It is also possible that, by the particular use of the word, ` As-Sa` ah' (The Hour) -[ 41], the sense could be that of ` The Smaller Doom' (al-Qiyamatus-Sughra) which stands activated for every human being immediately after his or her death - as the saying is: مَن مَّاتَ فَقد قَامَت قِیَامَتُہ (For one who dies, his or her ` Qiyamah' (Doom) stands established right then) because a preliminary sampling of the ultimate reckoning of the Qiyamah will come before the deceased in his or her ` Qabr' (burial place) and in the state of Barzakh (the post-death - pre-Qiyamah state) and the sampling of the ultimate reward and punishment due ` there' would start showing up right from ` here.' (Not too difficult to visualize for those familiar with ` testers' and ` samples' provided on perfume counters in alcoves of major mega stores which are meant to tell the visitor: ` WYSIWYG!' That is, ` what you see is what you get.' - Tr.)</p><p>But, despite warnings given in these verses to disobedient people against their attitude of complacency - lest there comes upon them some sudden Divine punishment as has come on past communities, or death, or ultimately the very reckoning after Qiyamah about which there is no doubt - such people have a mind of their own. They tend to take the whole world on the analogy of their limited experience in the already limited time of their life which makes them compulsive excuse seekers in such matters. Present before them the warnings and intimations given by blessed prophets and they will bypass them as ambiguous thinking, specially at times, and which reappear in all ages, when there are people around who, in spite of their open disobedience to Allah and His Prophet ﷺ ، keep prospering in wealth, property, influence, recognition and power, almost everything. So, on the one hand, here is what they witness with their own eyes, while, on the other hand, is the word of the blessed messenger of Allah who tells them that punishments do come upon the disobedient as it is the customary practice of the One they disobey. Now, as they look at the two sides of the argument simultaneously, then, their own excuse seeking disposition and, of course, the Satan hoodwinks them into believing that the word of the prophet is a deception or delusion.</p><p>Now, for an answer, we can turn to the present verses where Al-mighty Allah has pointed out to the law which applies to what happened to past communities. It was said: وَلَقَدْ أَرْ‌سَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّ‌اءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّ‌عُونَ ﴿42﴾. It means that Allah did send, before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، His prophets to other communities which were tested in two ways. Firstly, they were tested with hardships and sufferings to see if these would become the cause of their turning to Allah. But, when they failed in this test and, rather than turn to Allah and abandon disobedience, became all the more engrossed in it, then, they were subjected to a different kind of test. The doors of worldly comforts were opened to them. They had everything they could wish for in the material world so that through these blessings they could recognize their Benefactor and remember Him. But they, rather than be grateful to Him, were so lost in the labyrinth of luxury that they forgot all about the messages and teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Thus, having traded their souls for the glitter of fleeting comforts, they failed in both tests, and their case before Allah became conclusively established against them. So, they were seized by the punishment of Allah suddenly which destroyed them to the last man. This punishment had come upon earlier communities too, down from the heavens and up from beneath the earth, and such mass punishments have come in other ways too which had reduced whole peoples and nations to ashes. The people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) were deluged in the great flood which did not spare even mountain peaks. The people of عَاد ` Ad were hit by an eight-day long wind storm which left not one survivor. The people of Thamud were destroyed through a terrifying sound. The entire habitation of the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) was overturned, the remnants of which still exist in the west of Jordan in the form of a low lying water level which is not conducive. to the survival of any sea life. Therefore, it is called The Dead Sea, and also the Sea of Lut.</p><p>In short, these were some forms in which Divine punishment befell past communities as a result of their disobedience destroying whole nations and peoples in one stroke. However, it has also happened that such people died away naturally leaving no one behind to remember them.</p><p>Also clarified in these verses is that Almighty Allah does not send down His punishment upon any people all of a sudden. Instead, punishments come at the level of admonitions the purpose of which is to make it possible for people to shed their heedlessness and take to the correct path. We also know from here that the hardship or distress which is sent to people on the earth as punishment for them, though outwardly looks like punishment but, in reality, it is not. Instead of that, it serves the purpose of a wake-up call designed to shake people out of their heedlessness. As such, it is nothing but mercy. Says another verse of the Qur'an وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْ‌جِعُونَ ﴿21﴾, that is, We will make them taste a lesser punishment, leaving the greatest punishment aside, so that they may return - 32:21.</p><p>Removed from these very verses is the doubt about this world which is no place for rewards (Darul-Jaza' ), but a place where one must do what one should (Darul-` Amal). What then is the sense of being punished in this world where good and bad seem to be weighed on the same scale and where, in fact, the evil ones fare better than the good? The answer is clear. The real reward and punishment will come on that one day of Qiyamah, which is known as the very Day of Judgement (Yowmud-DIn) or the Day of Retribution (Yowm al-Jaza' ).. But, some hardships are sent in this world as a sample of punishment (Adhab) and some comforts as a sample of reward (Thawab) which are a token of mercy from Allah. Some spiritual masters have even said that all comforts of the world are indicators of the comforts of Paradise so that one learns to long for them. As for all those hardships and sorrows that afflict man in this world, they too are indicators of the punishment of the Hereafter so that man prepares to stay safe against them. Unless there is a sample or model-in sight, no one can be pursuaded towards anything, nor can anyone be detracted from any impending danger or evil.</p><p>So, the comforts and discomforts of this mortal life are not rewards and punishments as such. They are, rather, samples or tokens of re-wards and punishments. We may say that this whole world is a show room of Akhirah (the Hereafter) where the trader displays the demonstration pieces of his merchandise in front of his store or shop so that they could attract the buyer. Thus, we can see that worldly prosperity or poverty, happiness or sorrow are not reward and punishment in the real sense. Actually, they are a method of bringing the creation of Allah alienated from its Creator back to His fold.</p><p>At the end of verse 42 itself, this element of wisdom finds expression through the words: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّ‌عُونَ (so that they may supplicate in humility). It means that the hardship inflicted on them during their life in the present world was really not aimed at punishing them. Since everyone turns to Allah naturally when in distress, the purpose was to make people turn to Allah through a little hardship. This tells us that the hardship or pain which visits a person or group as punishment is, in a sense, the working of Divine mercy.</p>

CommentaryThe verses cited above, if seen in the context of verses appearing immediately previous to them, will show the particular mode in which Shirk and Kufr have been refuted and Tauhid, affirmed. First, the disbelievers of Makkah have been asked: If you are hit by a calamity now, for example, the punishment of Allah descends on you right here in this world or comes death or the very Day of Doom breaks loose, then think and answer who it will be you would call for help to keep this calamity away from you or who it would be you will hope to deliver you from this terrible punishment? Do you think these self-sculpted idols in stone or any others from among the creation of Allah you have given His status would come out to help you in your hour of trial? And then, would you still address your cry of distress to them, or would you rather appeal to none but Allah, the One, the All-Powerful?There can be no better answer from any sensible human being which was given by Allah Ta` ala Himself on behalf of them - that, at a time of such mass calamity, even the greatest Mushrik will forget all about his idols and self-appointed objects of worship and would call none but Allah. If so, the outcome is obvious. These idols of yours, and the objects of worship whom you have given the status of Allah Ta` ala and whom alone you regard as your problem solvers and granters of wishes, in fact, did not come to help you in your distress, nor could you muster the courage to call them up to help you out. Now then, when would it be that your devotion to them as objects of worship and their role of problems solvers assigned to them by you will start working for you?What has been said here is a gist of immediately previous verses. Stated here as a matter of supposition is that punishment could befall them within the life of this world as an outcome of their disbelief and disobedience. And, again as a matter of supposition, if the punishment does not visit them in the present life, then, the coming of the Qiyamah is certain after all when account will be taken from all human beings of their deeds and put in effect shall be the law of reward and punishment against these.` Qiyamah' here could mean the commonly acknowledged Qiyamah or the Day of Doom. It is also possible that, by the particular use of the word, ` As-Sa` ah' (The Hour) -[ 41], the sense could be that of ` The Smaller Doom' (al-Qiyamatus-Sughra) which stands activated for every human being immediately after his or her death - as the saying is: مَن مَّاتَ فَقد قَامَت قِیَامَتُہ (For one who dies, his or her ` Qiyamah' (Doom) stands established right then) because a preliminary sampling of the ultimate reckoning of the Qiyamah will come before the deceased in his or her ` Qabr' (burial place) and in the state of Barzakh (the post-death - pre-Qiyamah state) and the sampling of the ultimate reward and punishment due ` there' would start showing up right from ` here.' (Not too difficult to visualize for those familiar with ` testers' and ` samples' provided on perfume counters in alcoves of major mega stores which are meant to tell the visitor: ` WYSIWYG!' That is, ` what you see is what you get.' - Tr.)But, despite warnings given in these verses to disobedient people against their attitude of complacency - lest there comes upon them some sudden Divine punishment as has come on past communities, or death, or ultimately the very reckoning after Qiyamah about which there is no doubt - such people have a mind of their own. They tend to take the whole world on the analogy of their limited experience in the already limited time of their life which makes them compulsive excuse seekers in such matters. Present before them the warnings and intimations given by blessed prophets and they will bypass them as ambiguous thinking, specially at times, and which reappear in all ages, when there are people around who, in spite of their open disobedience to Allah and His Prophet ﷺ ، keep prospering in wealth, property, influence, recognition and power, almost everything. So, on the one hand, here is what they witness with their own eyes, while, on the other hand, is the word of the blessed messenger of Allah who tells them that punishments do come upon the disobedient as it is the customary practice of the One they disobey. Now, as they look at the two sides of the argument simultaneously, then, their own excuse seeking disposition and, of course, the Satan hoodwinks them into believing that the word of the prophet is a deception or delusion.Now, for an answer, we can turn to the present verses where Al-mighty Allah has pointed out to the law which applies to what happened to past communities. It was said: وَلَقَدْ أَرْ‌سَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّ‌اءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّ‌عُونَ ﴿42﴾. It means that Allah did send, before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، His prophets to other communities which were tested in two ways. Firstly, they were tested with hardships and sufferings to see if these would become the cause of their turning to Allah. But, when they failed in this test and, rather than turn to Allah and abandon disobedience, became all the more engrossed in it, then, they were subjected to a different kind of test. The doors of worldly comforts were opened to them. They had everything they could wish for in the material world so that through these blessings they could recognize their Benefactor and remember Him. But they, rather than be grateful to Him, were so lost in the labyrinth of luxury that they forgot all about the messages and teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Thus, having traded their souls for the glitter of fleeting comforts, they failed in both tests, and their case before Allah became conclusively established against them. So, they were seized by the punishment of Allah suddenly which destroyed them to the last man. This punishment had come upon earlier communities too, down from the heavens and up from beneath the earth, and such mass punishments have come in other ways too which had reduced whole peoples and nations to ashes. The people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) were deluged in the great flood which did not spare even mountain peaks. The people of عَاد ` Ad were hit by an eight-day long wind storm which left not one survivor. The people of Thamud were destroyed through a terrifying sound. The entire habitation of the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) was overturned, the remnants of which still exist in the west of Jordan in the form of a low lying water level which is not conducive. to the survival of any sea life. Therefore, it is called The Dead Sea, and also the Sea of Lut.In short, these were some forms in which Divine punishment befell past communities as a result of their disobedience destroying whole nations and peoples in one stroke. However, it has also happened that such people died away naturally leaving no one behind to remember them.Also clarified in these verses is that Almighty Allah does not send down His punishment upon any people all of a sudden. Instead, punishments come at the level of admonitions the purpose of which is to make it possible for people to shed their heedlessness and take to the correct path. We also know from here that the hardship or distress which is sent to people on the earth as punishment for them, though outwardly looks like punishment but, in reality, it is not. Instead of that, it serves the purpose of a wake-up call designed to shake people out of their heedlessness. As such, it is nothing but mercy. Says another verse of the Qur'an وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْ‌جِعُونَ ﴿21﴾, that is, We will make them taste a lesser punishment, leaving the greatest punishment aside, so that they may return - 32:21.Removed from these very verses is the doubt about this world which is no place for rewards (Darul-Jaza' ), but a place where one must do what one should (Darul-` Amal). What then is the sense of being punished in this world where good and bad seem to be weighed on the same scale and where, in fact, the evil ones fare better than the good? The answer is clear. The real reward and punishment will come on that one day of Qiyamah, which is known as the very Day of Judgement (Yowmud-DIn) or the Day of Retribution (Yowm al-Jaza' ).. But, some hardships are sent in this world as a sample of punishment (Adhab) and some comforts as a sample of reward (Thawab) which are a token of mercy from Allah. Some spiritual masters have even said that all comforts of the world are indicators of the comforts of Paradise so that one learns to long for them. As for all those hardships and sorrows that afflict man in this world, they too are indicators of the punishment of the Hereafter so that man prepares to stay safe against them. Unless there is a sample or model-in sight, no one can be pursuaded towards anything, nor can anyone be detracted from any impending danger or evil.So, the comforts and discomforts of this mortal life are not rewards and punishments as such. They are, rather, samples or tokens of re-wards and punishments. We may say that this whole world is a show room of Akhirah (the Hereafter) where the trader displays the demonstration pieces of his merchandise in front of his store or shop so that they could attract the buyer. Thus, we can see that worldly prosperity or poverty, happiness or sorrow are not reward and punishment in the real sense. Actually, they are a method of bringing the creation of Allah alienated from its Creator back to His fold.At the end of verse 42 itself, this element of wisdom finds expression through the words: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّ‌عُونَ (so that they may supplicate in humility). It means that the hardship inflicted on them during their life in the present world was really not aimed at punishing them. Since everyone turns to Allah naturally when in distress, the purpose was to make people turn to Allah through a little hardship. This tells us that the hardship or pain which visits a person or group as punishment is, in a sense, the working of Divine mercy.

Then why did they not submit when Our punishment came upon them? But their hearts were hardened, and Satan made things they were doing look attractive to them.

So why did they not humbly plead when Our punishment came to them? But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all their deeds appear good to them!

if only, when Our might came upon them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hard, and Satan decked out fair to them what they were doing.

yet when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they did not humble themselves, but rather their hearts grew hard, for Satan had made all their doings seem goodly to them.

Wherefore then did they not, when the affliction from us came upon them, humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and the Satan made fair-seeming unto them that which they were wont to do.

When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitan (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do.

If only, when Our calamity came upon them, they humbled themselves. But their hearts hardened, and Satan made their deeds appear good to them.

But when misfortune befell them from Us why did they not humble themselves? Their hearts had hardened and Satan had made their deeds seem fair to them.

When Our torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility But their hearts became hardened, and Shaytan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do.

If only, when Our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!

Why did they not entreat when Our punishment overtook them! But their hearts had hardened, and Satan had made what they had been doing seem decorous to them.

If only they humbled themselves when Our scourge overtook them! But their hearts were hardened, and satan decorated to them what they were doing.

Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing.

Why did they not submit themselves (to God) when Our torment struck them. Instead, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their evil deeds seem attractive to them.

Yet why did they not, when Our punishment came to them, humble themselves? But their hearts hardened and the Shaitan made what they did fair-seeming to them.

Falawl<u>a</u> i<u>th</u> j<u>a</u>ahum basun<u>a</u> ta<u>d</u>arraAAoo wal<u>a</u>kin qasat quloobuhum wazayyana lahumu a<b>l</b>shshay<u>ta</u>nu m<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yaAAmaloon<b>a</b>

When the affliction decreed by Us befell them, they did not humble themselves, but rather their hearts hardened, for Satan had made all their doings seem fair to them.

When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them.

فَلَوْلَآ إِذْ جَآءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا۟ وَلَٰكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

If only they had humbled themselves before Allah, when His calamity came to them, and begged Allah to remove the calamity, then He would have shown them mercy. But they did not do that. Instead, their hearts became hard and they did not take notice and learn a lesson. Satan made the disbelief and sins that they were committing seem good to them, so they continued with those actions.

If only they had humbled themselves before Allah, when His calamity came to them, and begged Allah to remove the calamity, then He would have shown them mercy. But they did not do that. Instead, their hearts became hard and they did not take notice and learn a lesson. Satan made the disbelief and sins that they were committing seem good to them, so they continued with those actions.

When they had become oblivious of what they were warned, We opened wide the gates of everything to them; yet as they rejoiced at what they were given, We caught them unawares, and they were filled with despair.

So when they forgot the advices made to them, We opened the gates of all things for them; to the extent that when they were rejoicing for what they had received, We seized them suddenly, hence they remained dejected.

So, when they forgot what they were reminded of; We opened unto them the gates of everything until; when they rejoiced in what they were given, We seized them suddenly, and behold, they were sore confounded.

Then, when they had forgotten all that they had been told to take to heart, We threw open to them the gates of all [good] things until -even as they were rejoicing in what they had been granted - We suddenly took them to task: and lo! they were broken in spirit;

Then when they forgot that whereof they were reminded We opened upon them the doors of everything, until when they boasted of that which they were given, We laid hold of them on a sudden, and lo! they were dumbfounded.

So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.

Then, when they disregarded what they were reminded of, We opened for them the gates of all things. Until, when they delighted in what they were given, We seized them suddenly; and at once, they were in despair.

So, when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We opened the gates of all things so that while they rejoiced in what they had been granted We seized them suddenly and they were plunged into utter despair.

So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.

Then, when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded.

So when they forgot what they had been admonished of, We opened for them the gates of all [good] things. When they became proud of what they were given, We seized them suddenly, whereat, behold, they were despondent.

And when they had forgotten that with which they have been admonished, We opened the gates of everything to them, until just as they were rejoicing in what they were given, We suddenly seized them and they were in utter despair.

So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.

When they forgot (all) the advice that they had received, We granted them all means of happiness but they were left in despair when We suddenly took Our bounties back from them.

But when they neglected that with which they had been admonished, We opened for them the doors of all things, until when they rejoiced in what they were given We seized them suddenly; then lo! they were in utter despair.

Falamm<u>a</u> nasoo m<u>a</u> <u>th</u>ukkiroo bihi fata<u>h</u>n<u>a</u> AAalayhim abw<u>a</u>ba kulli shayin <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> i<u>tha</u> fari<u>h</u>oo bim<u>a</u> ootoo akha<u>th</u>n<u>a</u>hum baghtatan fai<u>tha</u> hum mublisoon<b>a</b>

When they had forgotten Our admonition, We granted them all that they desired; but just as they were rejoicing in what they were given, We seized them suddenly and they were plunged into despair.

But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until, in the midst of their enjoyment of Our gifts, on a sudden, We called them to account, when lo! they were plunged in despair!

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا۟ مَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَٰبَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓا۟ أَخَذْنَٰهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ

When they ignored the warning of extreme poverty and sickness, and did not follow Allah’s instructions, He enticed them further away from the truth by opening the doors of provision to them, and giving them wealth after they were poor. He also blessed them with good health after they had suffered sickness. This continued until they were steeped in their pride and enjoyment of life; then His punishment came upon them suddenly, and they were overtaken by despair and lost all hope.

When they ignored the warning of extreme poverty and sickness, and did not follow Allah’s instructions, He enticed them further away from the truth by opening the doors of provision to them, and giving them wealth after they were poor. He also blessed them with good health after they had suffered sickness. This continued until they were steeped in their pride and enjoyment of life; then His punishment came upon them suddenly, and they were overtaken by despair and lost all hope.

<p>As for the statement: فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ (We opened for them doors of everything) appearing in the third verse (44), it warns human beings at large that no one should be deceived by seeing the affluence of persons or groups and hasten to the conclusion that these were the people on the correct path and that their life was a model of success. One should never forget that among them there could be some of those disobedient ones who have been picked out to be seized with sudden and grave punishment.</p><p>Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When you see blessings and wealth raining upon someone - though he is deep in sin and disobedience - then, know that he is being lured into destruction اِستِدرَاج (Istidraj), that is, his affluence is an indicator of his being seized in punishment. (Narrated by Ahmad from 'Aqabah ibn ` Amir as in Tafsir Ibn Kathir)</p><p>Following a narration from Sayyidna ` Ubadah ibn Al-Samit, leading commentator Ibn Jarir has reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:</p><p>When Allah Ta’ ala wills to have a nation survive and grow, He creates in them two qualities: (1) moderation in everything they do, and (2) modesty and chastity, that is, abstinence from indulging in what is not right. And when Allah Ta` ala wills to destroy a nation, He opens for them the doors of breach of faith (Khiyanah), that is, they appear to be successful in the world despite their breaches of faith and wrong doings.</p>

As for the statement: فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ (We opened for them doors of everything) appearing in the third verse (44), it warns human beings at large that no one should be deceived by seeing the affluence of persons or groups and hasten to the conclusion that these were the people on the correct path and that their life was a model of success. One should never forget that among them there could be some of those disobedient ones who have been picked out to be seized with sudden and grave punishment.Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When you see blessings and wealth raining upon someone - though he is deep in sin and disobedience - then, know that he is being lured into destruction اِستِدرَاج (Istidraj), that is, his affluence is an indicator of his being seized in punishment. (Narrated by Ahmad from 'Aqabah ibn ` Amir as in Tafsir Ibn Kathir)Following a narration from Sayyidna ` Ubadah ibn Al-Samit, leading commentator Ibn Jarir has reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:When Allah Ta’ ala wills to have a nation survive and grow, He creates in them two qualities: (1) moderation in everything they do, and (2) modesty and chastity, that is, abstinence from indulging in what is not right. And when Allah Ta` ala wills to destroy a nation, He opens for them the doors of breach of faith (Khiyanah), that is, they appear to be successful in the world despite their breaches of faith and wrong doings.

Thus were the wicked people rooted out of existence to the last. All praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.

The origins of the unjust people were therefore cut off; and all praise is to Allah, Lord Of The Creation.

So the last remnant of the people who did evil was cut off. Praise belongs to God the Lord of all Being.

and [in the end,] the last remnant of those folk who had been bent on evildoing was wiped out. For all praise is due to God, the Sustainer of all the worlds.

Then the people who committed wrong were cut off completely. And all praise is unto Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

So the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off. And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns, and all that exists).

Thus the last remnant of the people who did wrong was cut off. And praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds.

Thus the last remnant of those wrongdoing people was cut off. All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the entire universe, (for having punished them so).

So the roots of the people who did wrong were cut off. And all the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the all that exists.

So of the people who did wrong the last remnant was cut off. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!

Thus the wrongdoing lot were rooted out, and all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

As such the harmdoers were annihilated. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!

So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Thus, the transgressing people were destroyed. It is only God, the Lord of creation who deserves all praise.

So the roots of the people who were unjust were cut off; and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Faqu<u>t</u>iAAa d<u>a</u>biru alqawmi alla<u>th</u>eena <i><u>th</u></i>alamoo wa<b>a</b>l<u>h</u>amdu lill<u>a</u>hi rabbi alAA<u>a</u>lameen<b>a</b>

The wrongdoers were thus annihilated. All praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

Of the wrong-doers the last remnant was cut off. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds.

فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

The last of the disbelievers was cut off by being wiped out altogether when the help came to Allah’s messengers. Thanks and praise is only for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, for destroying His enemies and helping His friends.

The last of the disbelievers was cut off by being wiped out altogether when the help came to Allah’s messengers. Thanks and praise is only for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, for destroying His enemies and helping His friends.

<p>In the last verse (45), it was said that, when the mass punishment of Allah Ta` ala came, the people who did wrong were uprooted to the last man. Said immediately after was: وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (And praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds) where the hint given is: Whenever the wrongdoers and the unjust are visited by some punishment or calamity, that is a blessing for the whole world for which people should be grateful.</p>

In the last verse (45), it was said that, when the mass punishment of Allah Ta` ala came, the people who did wrong were uprooted to the last man. Said immediately after was: وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (And praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds) where the hint given is: Whenever the wrongdoers and the unjust are visited by some punishment or calamity, that is a blessing for the whole world for which people should be grateful.

Say: "Imagine if God takes away your hearing and sight, and sets a seal on your hearts, what deity other than God will restore them to you?" See how We inflect Our signs: Even then they turn aside.

Say, “What is your opinion – if Allah were to take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts, then is there a God besides Allah who could restore it for you?” Observe how We explain the verses to them, yet they turn away!

Say: 'What think you? If God seizes your hearing and sight, and sets a seal upon your hearts, who is a god other than God to give it back to you?' Behold how We turn about the signs! Yet thereafter they are turning away.

Say: "What do you think? If God should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts - what deity but God is there that could bring it all back to you?" Behold how many facets we give to our messages-and yet they turn away in disdain!

Say thou: look ye were Allah to take away your hearing and your sight and seal up your hearts, what god, other than Allah, shall bring them unto you? Behold! how variously We propound the signs, yet they turn aside.

Say (to the disbelievers): "Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, who is there - an ilah (a god) other than Allah who could restore them to you?" See how variously We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), yet they turn aside.

Say, “Have you considered? If God took away your hearing and your sight, and set a seal on your hearts, what god other than God would restore them to you?” Note how We explain the revelations in various ways, yet they still turn away.

Say (O Muhammad!): What do you think? If Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts - who is the god, other than Allah, who could restore them to you? Behold, how We put forth Our signs in diverse forms, and yet they turn away from them.

Say: "Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, is there a god other than Allah who could restore them to you" See how variously We explain the Ayat, yet they turn aside.

Say: Have ye imagined, if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts, Who is the Allah Who could restore it to you save Allah? See how We display the revelations unto them! Yet still they turn away.

Say, ‘Tell me, should Allah take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal on your hearts, which god other than Allah can bring it [back] to you?’ Look, how We paraphrase the signs variously; nevertheless they turn away.

Say: 'What would you see if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and set a seal upon your hearts, who is a god, other than Allah, to bring it back to you' Look how We make plain to them Our verses, and yet they turn away.

Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allah could bring them [back] to you?" Look how we diversify the verses; then they [still] turn away.

(Muhammad), ask them, "Have you ever considered that if God was to disable your hearing and vision and veil your hearts, could anyone besides Him restore them?" Look at how plainly We show them the evidence (of the Truth) but they always ignore it.

Say: Have you considered that if Allah takes away your hearing and your sight and sets a seal on your hearts, who is the god besides Allah that can bring it to you? See how We repeat the communications, yet they turn away.

Qul araaytum in akha<u>th</u>a All<u>a</u>hu samAAakum waab<u>sa</u>rakum wakhatama AAal<u>a</u> quloobikum man il<u>a</u>hun ghayru All<u>a</u>hi yateekum bihi on<i><u>th</u></i>ur kayfa nu<u>s</u>arrifu al<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti thumma hum ya<u>s</u>difoon<b>a</b>

Say, "If God should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your hearts, who is the deity who could restore it to you save God?" See how We explain the signs to them in diverse ways, yet they turn away.

Say: "Think ye, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, who - a god other than Allah - could restore them to you?" See how We explain the signs by various (symbols); yet they turn aside.

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَٰرَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُم مَّنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Tell me, if Allah has to make you deaf by taking away your hearing, make you blind by taking away your sight, and seal your hearts so that you do not understand anything, what other being deserving worship is there that will bring all of these back to you? Think, O Messenger, about how we explain the evidence to them in various ways, yet they still turn away from it.

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Tell me, if Allah has to make you deaf by taking away your hearing, make you blind by taking away your sight, and seal your hearts so that you do not understand anything, what other being deserving worship is there that will bring all of these back to you? Think, O Messenger, about how we explain the evidence to them in various ways, yet they still turn away from it.

<div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَكُمْ</div><p>(Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight.) just as He gave these senses to you. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَـرَ</div><p>(It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing, seeing.) 67:23. The Ayah above might also mean that Allah will not allow the disbelievers to benefit from these senses in religious terms. This is why He said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَخَتَمَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ</div><p>(and sealed up your hearts,.) He also said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والاٌّبْصَـرَ</div><p>(Or who owns hearing and sight) 10:31, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ</div><p>(And know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.) Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ</div><p>(Is there a god other than Allah who could restore them to you) Meaning, is there anyone except Allah who is able to give you back these senses if Allah took them from you Only Allah is able to do so, and this is why He said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ</div><p>(See how variously We explain the Ayat,) and make them plain and clear, testifying to Allah's Oneness in lordship and that those worshipped besides Him are all false and unworthy. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ</div><p>(yet they turn aside.) After this explanation, they still turn away from the truth and hinder people from following it. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَـكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ بَغْتَةً</div><p>(Say: "Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly...") means, while you are unaware -- or during the night -- striking you all of a sudden, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ جَهْرَةً</div><p>(or openly) during the day, or publicly, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الظَّـلِمُونَ</div><p>(will any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people) This torment only strikes those who commit injustice against themselves by associating others with Allah, while those who worship Allah alone without partners will be saved from it, and they will have no fear or sorrow. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ</div><p>(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, (wrong or Shirk).) 6:82 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ</div><p>(And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners.) means, the Messengers bring good news to Allah's servants, as well as, command all that is good and righteous. They also warn those who disbelieve in Allah of His anger and of all types of torment. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ</div><p>(So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds.) meaning, whoever believes in his heart with what the Messengers were sent with and makes his works righteous by imitating them; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ</div><p>(upon such shall come no fear,) concerning the future, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ</div><p>(nor shall they grieve.) about what they missed in the past and left behind them in this world. Certainly, Allah will be the Wali and Protector over what they left behind. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ </div><p>(But those who reject Our Ayat, the torment will strike them for their rebelling.) The torment will strike them because of disbelieving in the Message of the Messengers, defying Allah's commands, committing what He prohibited and transgressing His set limits. </p>

أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَكُمْ(Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight.) just as He gave these senses to you. In another Ayah, Allah said; هُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَـرَ(It is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing, seeing.) 67:23. The Ayah above might also mean that Allah will not allow the disbelievers to benefit from these senses in religious terms. This is why He said next, وَخَتَمَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ(and sealed up your hearts,.) He also said in other Ayat, أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والاٌّبْصَـرَ(Or who owns hearing and sight) 10:31, and, وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ(And know that Allah comes in between a person and his heart.) Allah said; مَّنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ(Is there a god other than Allah who could restore them to you) Meaning, is there anyone except Allah who is able to give you back these senses if Allah took them from you Only Allah is able to do so, and this is why He said here, انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ(See how variously We explain the Ayat,) and make them plain and clear, testifying to Allah's Oneness in lordship and that those worshipped besides Him are all false and unworthy. ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ(yet they turn aside.) After this explanation, they still turn away from the truth and hinder people from following it. Allah's statement, قُلْ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَـكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ بَغْتَةً(Say: "Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly...") means, while you are unaware -- or during the night -- striking you all of a sudden, أَوْ جَهْرَةً(or openly) during the day, or publicly, هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الظَّـلِمُونَ(will any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people) This torment only strikes those who commit injustice against themselves by associating others with Allah, while those who worship Allah alone without partners will be saved from it, and they will have no fear or sorrow. In another Ayah, Allah said; الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, (wrong or Shirk).) 6:82 Allah's statement, وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ(And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners.) means, the Messengers bring good news to Allah's servants, as well as, command all that is good and righteous. They also warn those who disbelieve in Allah of His anger and of all types of torment. Allah said, فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ(So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds.) meaning, whoever believes in his heart with what the Messengers were sent with and makes his works righteous by imitating them; فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ(upon such shall come no fear,) concerning the future, وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ(nor shall they grieve.) about what they missed in the past and left behind them in this world. Certainly, Allah will be the Wali and Protector over what they left behind. Allah said next, وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ (But those who reject Our Ayat, the torment will strike them for their rebelling.) The torment will strike them because of disbelieving in the Message of the Messengers, defying Allah's commands, committing what He prohibited and transgressing His set limits.

Say: "Imagine if the punishment of God were to come unawares, or openly, who will perish but the evil-doers?"

Say, “What is your opinion – if the punishment of Allah were to come upon you suddenly or openly (with forewarning), who would be destroyed except the disbelieving people?”

Say: 'What think you? If God's chastisement comes upon you, suddenly or openly, shall any be destroyed, except the people of the evildoers?'

Say: "Can you imagine what your condition will be if God's chastisement befalls you, either suddenly or in a [gradually] perceptible manner? [But then-] will any but evildoing folk [ever] be destroyed?

Say thou look ye now, were Allah's torment to come upon you on a sudden or openly, would there be destroyed any but the wrong- doers?

Say: "Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly (during the night), or openly (during the day), will any be destroyed except the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doing people)?"

Say, “Have you considered? if God's punishment descended on you suddenly or gradually, would any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people?”

Say: 'If the chastisement of Allah were to overtake you unawares or openly shall any except the wrong-doing people be destroyed?'

Say: "Tell me, if the punishment of Allah comes to you suddenly, or openly, will any be destroyed except the wrongdoing people"

Say: Can ye see yourselves, if the punishment of Allah come upon you unawares or openly? Would any perish save wrongdoing folk?

Say, ‘Tell me, should Allah’s punishment overtake you suddenly or visibly, will anyone be destroyed except the wrongdoing lot?’

Say: 'What do you see yourselves then, if the punishment of Allah overtook you suddenly or openly, would any perish but the harmdoing nation'

Say, "Have you considered: if the punishment of Allah should come to you unexpectedly or manifestly, will any be destroyed but the wrongdoing people?"

Tell them, "Have you considered that if God's torment was to befall you suddenly or in public, would anyone else be destroyed except the unjust?"

Say: Have you considered if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you suddenly or openly, will any be destroyed but the unjust people?

Qul araaytakum in at<u>a</u>kum AAa<u>tha</u>bu All<u>a</u>hi baghtatan aw jahratan hal yuhlaku ill<u>a</u> alqawmu a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limoon<b>a</b>

Ask them, "Tell me, if the punishment of God came upon you suddenly or predictably, would any but the wrongdoers be destroyed?"

Say: "Think ye, if the punishment of Allah comes to you, whether suddenly or openly, will any be destroyed except those who do wrong?

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَىٰكُمْ عَذَابُ ٱللَّهِ بَغْتَةً أَوْ جَهْرَةً هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Tell me, if Allah’s punishment comes to you suddenly without your realizing it, or if it comes to you openly before your eyes, then is it not so that only those who do wrong by disbelieving Allah and His messengers will be destroyed, and only those who have faith in Allah and follow His messengers will be saved.

Tell me, if Allah’s punishment comes to you suddenly without your realizing it, or if it comes to you openly before your eyes, then is it not so that only those who do wrong by disbelieving Allah and His messengers will be destroyed, and only those who have faith in Allah and follow His messengers will be saved.

We do not send apostles but to give good tidings and to warn. Then those who believe or reform will have neither fear nor regret.

And We did not send Noble Messengers except as Heralds of glad tidings and warnings; so upon those who accept faith and reform themselves, shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

We do not send the Envoys, except good tidings to bear, and warning; whoever believes and makes amends -- no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow.

And We send [Our] message-bearers only as heralds of glad tidings and as warners: hence, all who believe and live righteously -no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve;

And We send not the sent ones except as bearers of glad tidings and warners. Then whosoever believeth and amendeth, on such shell come no fear nor they shall grieve.

And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve.

We sent the messengers only as bearers of good news and as warners. Those who believe and reform have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve.

We do not send Messengers except as bearers of glad tidings and warners. So, he who believes in their message and mends his conduct need have no fear and need not grieve;

And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve.

We send not the messengers save as bearers of good news and warners. Whoso believeth and doeth right, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.

We do not send the apostles except as bearers of good news and warners. As for those who are faithful and righteous, they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

We send forth Our Messengers only to give glad tidings to mankind and to warn them. Those who believe and mend their ways shall have nothing to fear or to be saddened.

And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. So whoever believes and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

We did not send the Messengers for any other reason than to bring (people) the glad news (of God's mercy) and to warn (them of the torment brought on by disobedience to God). Whoever accepts the faith and lives a righteous life will have nothing to fear, nor will he be grieved.

And We send not apostles but as announcers of good news and givers of warning, then whoever believes and acts aright, they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Wam<u>a</u> nursilu almursaleena ill<u>a</u> mubashshireena wamun<u>th</u>ireena faman <u>a</u>mana waa<u>s</u>la<u>h</u>a fal<u>a</u> khawfun AAalayhim wal<u>a</u> hum ya<u>h</u>zanoon<b>a</b>

We send the messengers only to give good news and to warn, so those who believe and reform themselves need have no fear, nor will they grieve.

We send the messengers only to give good news and to warn: so those who believe and mend (their lives),- upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

I send our messengers only to inform the people of faith and obedience of the glad tidings of everlasting delight that will never end, and to warn the people of disbelief and sin of My severe punishment. Whoever accepts the messengers and sets right his actions, they will have no fear for what awaits them in the Afterlife, nor will they grieve over the pleasures of the world that they missed.

I send our messengers only to inform the people of faith and obedience of the glad tidings of everlasting delight that will never end, and to warn the people of disbelief and sin of My severe punishment. Whoever accepts the messengers and sets right his actions, they will have no fear for what awaits them in the Afterlife, nor will they grieve over the pleasures of the world that they missed.

But those who deny Our messages will be seized by nemesis for being disobedient.

And those who deny Our signs – the punishment will afflict them for their disobedience.

But those who cry lies to Our signs, them the chastisement shall visit, for that they were ungodly.

whereas those who give the lie to Our messages - suffering will afflict them in result of all their sinful doings.

And those who belie Our signs-torment shall touch them for they have been transgressing.

But those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), the torment will touch them for their disbelief (and for their belying the Message of Muhammad SAW). [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi].

But as for those who reject Our revelations, torment will afflict them because of their defiance.

whereas those who give the lie to Our signs, chastisement will visit them for their transgression.

But those who reject Our Ayat, the torment will strike them for their rebelling.

But as for those who deny Our revelations, torment will afflict them for that they used to disobey.

But as for those who deny Our signs, the punishment shall befall them because of the transgressions they used to commit.

But those who belie Our verses, punishment shall touch them for their misdeeds.

But those who deny Our verses - the punishment will touch them for their defiant disobedience.

Those who reject Our revelations will certainly be punished for their evil deeds.

And (as for) those who reject Our communications, chastisement shall afflict them because they transgressed.

Wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena ka<u>thth</u>aboo bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tin<u>a</u> yamassuhumu alAAa<u>tha</u>bu bim<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yafsuqoon<b>a</b>

Chastisement will befall those who reject Our signs because of their disobedience.

But those who reject our signs,- them shall punishment touch, for that they ceased not from transgressing.

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ

Those who deny our signs will be afflicted by the punishment because they opposed Allah. If they had not gone against Him, but fulfilled His instructions and stayed away from His prohibitions, then the punishment would not have afflicted them.

Those who deny our signs will be afflicted by the punishment because they opposed Allah. If they had not gone against Him, but fulfilled His instructions and stayed away from His prohibitions, then the punishment would not have afflicted them.

Tell them: "I do not say that I possess the treasures of God, or have knowledge of the Unknown, or that I am an angel. I only follow what is sent down to me." And say: "How can a blind man and a man who can see, be alike? Will you not reflect?"

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of Allah, nor do I say that I gain knowledge of the hidden on my own, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I only follow what is divinely revealed to me”; say, “Will the blind and the sighted ever be equal? So do you not think?”

Say: 'I do not say to you, "I possess the treasuries of God"; I know not the Unseen. And I say not to you, "I am an angel"; I only follow what is revealed to me. Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing man equal? Will you not reflect?'

Say [O Prophet]: "I do not say unto you, 'God's treasures are with me,'; nor [do I say], 'I know the things that are beyond the reach of human perception'; nor do I say unto you, 'Behold, I am an angel': I but follow what is revealed to me." Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? Will you not, then, take thought?"

Say thou: I say not unto you, that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor I know the Unseen, nor say unto you that I am an angel; I but follow that which hath been revealed unto me. Say thou: are the blind and the seeing equal? Will ye not then consider?

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor (that) I know the unseen; nor I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me by inspiration." Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal? will you not then take thought?"

Say, “I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of God, nor do I know the future, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is inspired to me.” Say, “Are the blind and the seeing alike? Do you not think?”

(O Muhammad!) Say: 'I do not say to you I have the treasures of Allah. Nor do I have knowledge of what is beyond the reach of human perception. Nor do I say to you: I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.' Then ask them: 'Are the blind and the seeing alike?' Do you not then reflect?

Say: "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor (that) I know the Unseen; nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me." Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal Will you not then consider"

Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): I say not unto you (that) I possess the treasures of Allah, nor that I have knowledge of the Unseen; and I say not unto you: Lo! I am an angel. I follow only that which is inspired in me. Say: Are the blind man and the seer equal? Will ye not then take thought?

Say, ‘I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of Allah, nor do I know the Unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I follow only what is revealed to me.’ Say, ‘Are the blind one and the seer equal? So do you not reflect?’

Say: 'I do not tell you that I have the treasuries of Allah or know the unseen, nor do I claim to be an angel. I follow only that which is revealed to me' Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing alike? Will you not think'

Say, [O Muhammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allah or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?"

(Muhammad), tell them, "I do not claim to have all the treasures of God in my hands, nor to know the unseen, nor do I claim to be an angel. I follow only what is revealed to me (from God)." Say to them, "Are the blind and the seeing equal?" Why then do you not think?

Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?

Qul l<u>a</u> aqoolu lakum AAindee khaz<u>a</u>inu All<u>a</u>hi wal<u>a</u> aAAlamu alghayba wal<u>a</u> aqoolu lakum innee malakun in attabiAAu ill<u>a</u> m<u>a</u> yoo<u>ha</u> ilayya qul hal yastawee alaAAm<u>a</u> wa<b>a</b>lba<u>s</u>eeru afal<u>a</u> tatafakkaroon<b>a</b>

Say, "I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of God, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I follow only that which is revealed to me." Say, "Are the blind and the seeing alike? Can you not then think?"

Say: "I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me." Say: "can the blind be held equal to the seeing?" Will ye then consider not?

قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: I do not say to you that I have with me Allah’s treasures of provision and that I can do with them as I please. I also do not say to you that I know the Ghaib, besides the revelation that Allah has shown me. I also do not say to you that I am an angel. I am the Messenger of Allah and I only follow what is revealed to me. I do not claim that which is not right for me. Is the disbeliever whose sight is blind to the truth equal to the believer who sees the truth and has faith in it? Do you, idolaters, then not think about the signs around you?

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: I do not say to you that I have with me Allah’s treasures of provision and that I can do with them as I please. I also do not say to you that I know the Ghaib, besides the revelation that Allah has shown me. I also do not say to you that I am an angel. I am the Messenger of Allah and I only follow what is revealed to me. I do not claim that which is not right for me. Is the disbeliever whose sight is blind to the truth equal to the believer who sees the truth and has faith in it? Do you, idolaters, then not think about the signs around you?

<h2 class="title">The Messenger Neither has the Key to Allah's Treasures, Nor Knows the Unseen</h2><p>Allah said to His Messenger , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُل لاَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ</div><p>(Say: "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah.") meaning, I do not own Allah's treasures or have any power over them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ</div><p>(nor (that) I know the Unseen,) and I do not say that I know the Unseen, because its knowledge is with Allah and I only know what He conveys of it to me. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ</div><p>(nor I tell you that I am an angel.) meaning, I do not claim that I am an angel. I am only a human to whom Allah sends revelation, and He honored me with this duty and favored me with it. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَىَّ</div><p>(I but follow what is revealed to me.) and I never disobey the revelation in the least. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الاٌّعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ</div><p>(Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal") meaning, `Is the one who is guided, following the truth, equal to the one misled' </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَلاَ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ</div><p>(Will you not then consider) In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ </div><p>(Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed.) 13:19 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ</div><p>(And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him,) means, warn with this Qur'an, O Muhammad , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيةِ رَبِّهِمْ مُّشْفِقُونَ</div><p>(Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord) 23:57, who, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُموَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ</div><p>(Fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning.) 13:21, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ</div><p>(those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord,) on the Day of Resurrection, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ</div><p>(when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him, ) for on that Day, they will have no relative or intercessor who can prevent His torment if He decides to punish them with it, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ</div><p>(so that they may have Taqwa.) Therefore, warn of the Day when there will be no judge except Allah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ</div><p>(so that they may have Taqwa.) and thus work good deeds in this life, so that their good deeds may save them on the Day of Resurrection from Allah's torment, and so that He will grant them multiple rewards. </p><h2 class="title">Prohibiting the Messenger from Turning the Weak Away and the Order to Honor Them</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ</div><p>(And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face.) meaning, do not turn away those who have these qualities, instead make them your companions and associates. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا </div><p>(And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.)18:28 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ</div><p>(invoke their Lord...) refers to those who worship Him and supplicate to Him, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ</div><p>(morning and evening.) referring to the obligatory prayers, according to Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Qatadah. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَالَ رَبُّكُـمْ ادْعُونِى أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ</div><p>(And your Lord said, "Invoke Me, I will respond (to your invocation).") 40:60, I will accept your supplication. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ</div><p>(seeking His Face.) meaning, they seek Allah's Most Generous Face, by sincerity for Him in the acts of worship and obedience they perform. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ</div><p>(You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing,) This is similar to the answer Nuh gave to his people when they said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ</div><p>(Shall we believe in you, when the meekest (of the people) follow you") 26:111. Nuh answered them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ وَمَا عِلْمِى بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ - إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلاَّ عَلَى رَبِّى لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ </div><p>(And what knowledge have I of what they used to do Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know.) 26:112-113, meaning, their reckoning is for Allah not me, just as my reckoning is not up to them. Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ</div><p>(that you may turn them away, and thus become of the wrongdoers.) meaning, you will be unjust if you turn them away. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ</div><p>(Thus We have tried some of them with others) means, We tested, tried and checked them with each other, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ</div><p>(That they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us") This is because at first, most of those who followed the Messenger of Allah were the weak among the people, men, women, slaves, and only a few chiefs or noted men followed him. Nuh, was also addressed by his people </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى</div><p>(Nor do we see any follow you but the meekest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking.) 11:27 KHeraclius, emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan, "Do the noblemen or the weak among people follow him (Muhammad )" Abu Sufyan replied, "Rather the weak among them." Heraclius commented, "Such is the case with followers of the Messengers." The idolators of Quraysh used to mock the weak among them who believed in the Prophet and they even tortured some of them. They used to say, "Are these the ones whom Allah favored above us," meaning, Allah would not guide these people, instead of us, to all that is good, if indeed what they embraced is good. Allah mentioned similar statements in the Qur'an from the disbelievers, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ</div><p>(Had it been a good thing, they (weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!) 46:11, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُنَا بِيِّنَـتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً </div><p>(And when Our clear verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Which of the two groups is best in position and station.") 19:73 Allah said in reply, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّن قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءْياً </div><p>(And how many a generation (past nations) have We destroyed before them, who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance) 19:74. Here, Allah answered the disbelievers when they said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ</div><p>("Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) Meaning is not Allah more knowledgeable of those who thank and appreciate Him in statement, action and heart Thus Allah directs these believers to the ways of peace, transfers them from darkness to light by His leave, and guides them to the straight path. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ </div><p>(As for those who strive hard for Us (Our cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allah's religion). And verily, Allah is with the doers of good") 29:69. An authentic Hadith states, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَلْوَانِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»</div><p>(Allah does not look at your shapes or colors, but He looks at your heart and actions.) Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ</div><p>(When those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say: "Salamun `Alaykum" (peace be on you);) means, honor them by returning the Salam and give them the good news of Allah's exclusive, encompassing mercy for them. So Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ</div><p>(your Lord has written Mercy for Himself,) meaning, He has obliged His Most Honored Self to grant mercy, as a favor, out of His compassion and beneficence, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنَّهُ مَن عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ</div><p>(So that, if any of you does evil in ignorance...) as every person who disobeys Allah does it in ignorance, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ</div><p>(and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds,) by repenting from the sins that he committed, intending not to repeat the sin in the future, but to perform righteous deeds, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ</div><p>(then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَمَّا قَضَى اللهُ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ فِي كِتَابٍ فَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي غَلَبَتْ غَضَبِي»</div><p>(When Allah finished with the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne, `My mercy prevails over My anger'.) This Hadith was also recorded in the The Two Sahihs. </p>

The Messenger Neither has the Key to Allah's Treasures, Nor Knows the UnseenAllah said to His Messenger , قُل لاَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ(Say: "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah.") meaning, I do not own Allah's treasures or have any power over them, وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ(nor (that) I know the Unseen,) and I do not say that I know the Unseen, because its knowledge is with Allah and I only know what He conveys of it to me. وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ(nor I tell you that I am an angel.) meaning, I do not claim that I am an angel. I am only a human to whom Allah sends revelation, and He honored me with this duty and favored me with it. إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَىَّ(I but follow what is revealed to me.) and I never disobey the revelation in the least. قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الاٌّعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ(Say: "Are the blind and the one who sees equal") meaning, `Is the one who is guided, following the truth, equal to the one misled' أَفَلاَ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ(Will you not then consider) In another Ayah, Allah said; أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَى إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَـبِ (Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind But it is only the men of understanding that pay heed.) 13:19 Allah's statement, وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ(And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him,) means, warn with this Qur'an, O Muhammad , الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيةِ رَبِّهِمْ مُّشْفِقُونَ(Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord) 23:57, who, يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُموَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ(Fear their Lord, and dread the terrible reckoning.) 13:21, الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ(those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord,) on the Day of Resurrection, لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ(when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him, ) for on that Day, they will have no relative or intercessor who can prevent His torment if He decides to punish them with it, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ(so that they may have Taqwa.) Therefore, warn of the Day when there will be no judge except Allah, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ(so that they may have Taqwa.) and thus work good deeds in this life, so that their good deeds may save them on the Day of Resurrection from Allah's torment, and so that He will grant them multiple rewards. Prohibiting the Messenger from Turning the Weak Away and the Order to Honor ThemAllah said, وَلاَ تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ(And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face.) meaning, do not turn away those who have these qualities, instead make them your companions and associates. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا (And keep yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.)18:28 Allah's statement, يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ(invoke their Lord...) refers to those who worship Him and supplicate to Him, بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ(morning and evening.) referring to the obligatory prayers, according to Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Qatadah. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَقَالَ رَبُّكُـمْ ادْعُونِى أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ(And your Lord said, "Invoke Me, I will respond (to your invocation).") 40:60, I will accept your supplication. Allah said next, يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ(seeking His Face.) meaning, they seek Allah's Most Generous Face, by sincerity for Him in the acts of worship and obedience they perform. Allah said; مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن شَىْءٍ(You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing,) This is similar to the answer Nuh gave to his people when they said, أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ(Shall we believe in you, when the meekest (of the people) follow you") 26:111. Nuh answered them, قَالَ وَمَا عِلْمِى بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ - إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلاَّ عَلَى رَبِّى لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ (And what knowledge have I of what they used to do Their account is only with my Lord, if you could (but) know.) 26:112-113, meaning, their reckoning is for Allah not me, just as my reckoning is not up to them. Allah said here, فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ(that you may turn them away, and thus become of the wrongdoers.) meaning, you will be unjust if you turn them away. Allah's statement, وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ(Thus We have tried some of them with others) means, We tested, tried and checked them with each other, لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ(That they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us") This is because at first, most of those who followed the Messenger of Allah were the weak among the people, men, women, slaves, and only a few chiefs or noted men followed him. Nuh, was also addressed by his people وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى(Nor do we see any follow you but the meekest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking.) 11:27 KHeraclius, emperor of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan, "Do the noblemen or the weak among people follow him (Muhammad )" Abu Sufyan replied, "Rather the weak among them." Heraclius commented, "Such is the case with followers of the Messengers." The idolators of Quraysh used to mock the weak among them who believed in the Prophet and they even tortured some of them. They used to say, "Are these the ones whom Allah favored above us," meaning, Allah would not guide these people, instead of us, to all that is good, if indeed what they embraced is good. Allah mentioned similar statements in the Qur'an from the disbelievers, لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ(Had it been a good thing, they (weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!) 46:11, and, وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُنَا بِيِّنَـتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌ مَّقَاماً وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيّاً (And when Our clear verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe: "Which of the two groups is best in position and station.") 19:73 Allah said in reply, وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّن قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَحْسَنُ أَثَاثاً وَرِءْياً (And how many a generation (past nations) have We destroyed before them, who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance) 19:74. Here, Allah answered the disbelievers when they said, أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ("Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful) Meaning is not Allah more knowledgeable of those who thank and appreciate Him in statement, action and heart Thus Allah directs these believers to the ways of peace, transfers them from darkness to light by His leave, and guides them to the straight path. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَالَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (As for those who strive hard for Us (Our cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allah's religion). And verily, Allah is with the doers of good") 29:69. An authentic Hadith states, «إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَلْوَانِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُم»(Allah does not look at your shapes or colors, but He looks at your heart and actions.) Allah's statement, وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَايَـتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ(When those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say: "Salamun `Alaykum" (peace be on you);) means, honor them by returning the Salam and give them the good news of Allah's exclusive, encompassing mercy for them. So Allah said; كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ(your Lord has written Mercy for Himself,) meaning, He has obliged His Most Honored Self to grant mercy, as a favor, out of His compassion and beneficence, أَنَّهُ مَن عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ(So that, if any of you does evil in ignorance...) as every person who disobeys Allah does it in ignorance, ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ(and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds,) by repenting from the sins that he committed, intending not to repeat the sin in the future, but to perform righteous deeds, فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ(then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, «لَمَّا قَضَى اللهُ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ فِي كِتَابٍ فَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ: إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي غَلَبَتْ غَضَبِي»(When Allah finished with the creation, He wrote in a Book that He has with Him above the Throne, `My mercy prevails over My anger'.) This Hadith was also recorded in the The Two Sahihs.

Warn those who fear, through this (Qur'an), that they will be gathered before their Lord, and they will have none to protect or intercede for them apart from Him. They may haply take heed for themselves.

And with this Qur’an warn those who fear, that they will be raised towards their Lord in a state when, except Allah, there will be no protector for them nor an intercessor, so that they may be pious.

And warn therewith those who fear they shall be mustered to their Lord; they have, apart from God, no protector and no intercessor; haply they will be godfearing.

And warn hereby those who fear lest they be gathered unto their Sustainer with none to protect them from Him or to intercede with Him, so that they might become [fully] conscious of Him.

And warn thou therewith those who fear that they shall be gathered unto their Lord, when there shall be for them no patron nor intercessor beside Him; haply they may become God-fearing.

And warn therewith (the Quran) those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him, so that they may fear Allah and keep their duty to Him (by abstaining from committing sins and by doing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained).

And warn with it those who fear to be gathered before their Lord—they have no protector or intercessor apart from him—perhaps they will grow in piety.

And warn with this (revealed message) those who fear that they shall be mustered to their Lord, that there will be none apart from Allah to act as their protector and intercessor; then maybe they will become God-fearing.

And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when there will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him, so that they may have Taqwa.

Warn hereby those who fear (because they know) that they will be gathered unto their Lord, for whom there is no protecting ally nor intercessor beside Him, that they may ward off (evil).

And warn by its means those who fear being mustered toward their Lord, besides whom they shall have neither any guardian nor any intercessor, so that they may be Godwary.

And warn with it those who fear to be brought before their Lord that they have no guardian or intercessor, other than Allah, in order that they are cautious.

And warn by the Qur'an those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord - for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.

Preach the Quran to those who are concerned about the Day of Judgment at which time they will be brought before their Lord. Tell them that their only guardian and intercessor is God so that they may become pious.

And warn with it those who fear that they shall be gathered to their Lord-- there is no guardian for them, nor any intercessor besides Him-- that they may guard (against evil).

Waan<u>th</u>ir bihi alla<u>th</u>eena yakh<u>a</u>foona an yu<u>h</u>sharoo il<u>a</u> rabbihim laysa lahum min doonihi waliyyun wal<u>a</u> shafeeAAun laAAallahum yattaqoon<b>a</b>

Warn by it those who fear to be gathered before their Lord, when they have no guardian or intercessor besides God, so that they may become God-fearing.

Give this warning to those in whose (hearts) is the fear that they will be brought (to judgment) before their Lord: except for Him they will have no protector nor intercessor: that they may guard (against evil).

وَأَنذِرْ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ لَيْسَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ وَلِىٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

Warn, O Messenger, with this Qur’ān those who fear that they will be gathered to their Lord on the Day of Rising, when they will have no friend besides Allah to bring them any benefit, nor any intercessor to remove harm from them, so that they may be mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. These are the people who will benefit from the Qur’ān.

Warn, O Messenger, with this Qur’ān those who fear that they will be gathered to their Lord on the Day of Rising, when they will have no friend besides Allah to bring them any benefit, nor any intercessor to remove harm from them, so that they may be mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. These are the people who will benefit from the Qur’ān.

<p>Commentary</p><p>The Demand of Miracles from the Holy Prophet</p><p>Many miracles and signs of Allah had already appeared before the disbelievers (Kuffar) of Makkah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ graced this world as an orphan. Unschooled and untutored, he lived his whole life as a total Ummiyy (unlettered). He was born in a land with no scholar or institution of learning, near or far. For a full forty years of his blessed age, he lived before the eyes of the entire people of Makkah in this state of chaste tutorlessness. Then, after forty long years, it was all of a sudden that there gushed forth from his blessed speech such mind-boggling stream of words the eloquence of which challenged and silenced the masters and authorities of Arab diction forever. Besides being wisdom and meaning at their sublimes, its far reaching insight covered pragmatic human needs too right unto the day of Qiyamah. Along with these, he gifted to the world a practical system for the nurture and flowering of the perfect universal man. No human ingenuity or effort can ever achieve something like this. And the system he brought was no exercise in pure theory for others to build upon, for he himself demonstrated it practically and succeeded in proving that it worked. Thus, the human multitude of his time which had taken to eating, drinking, sleeping and waking as the purpose of their lives likes bulls, goats, horses and donkeys, to them he gave their essential lesson in humanity. He changed their orientation. He made them look up to the high purpose for which they were created. Thus, every period in the blessed life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the great events which took place during it, were all a miracle in their place, and very certainly, a sign of Allah. In such a background, there was no room left for anyone just and reasonable to demand any sign or miracle.</p><p>But, the disbelievers from among the Quraysh, despite this, demanded that miracles of a different kind be shown to them according to their own wishes. Of the miracles demanded by them, there were some Allah Almighty showed to them clearly. They had demanded that they would like to see the moon parted in two. The well-known miracle of Shaqqul-Qamar (the parting of the moon) was witnessed, not only by the Quraysh, but by a great number of people living in the world of that time.</p><p>But, they kept sticking to their disbelief, obstinacy and hostility despite the manifestation of such a miracle at their own request and ignored the sign of Allah by saying: إِنْ هَـٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ‌ يُؤْثَرُ‌,(this is nothing but a continuous magic), that is, it was a magic which has been there forever. They saw, they understood, yet they kept on asking for ever-new miracles as mentioned earlier (verse 37): لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ قَادِرٌ‌ عَلَىٰ أَن يُنَزِّلَ آيَةً وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ‌هُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ that is, they ask if Muhammad ﷺ is really the Messenger of Allah, why is it that no miracle has been shown through him? In answer, the Qur'an asks the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell them that Allah does have everything within his power. He has Him-self manifested many miracles and signs without their asking for them. Similarly, He is quite capable of manifesting miracles they de-manded. But, they have to know that there is a customary practice of Allah in this matter. When a people are shown the miracle they have demanded, and then, when they do not come to believe in it, they are seized by a sudden punishment. Therefore, it was in the very interest of those people that the miracles demanded by them should not be manifested. But, there are many people who still do not understand the wisdom of this action and keep insisting that they be shown miracles of their choosing.</p><p>In the present verses, the questions asked and demands made by these people have been dealt with in a particular manner.</p><p>The disbelievers of Makkah had presented three demands before the Holy Prophet ﷺ on different occasions: (1) If you are really a Messenger of Allah, bring to us the treasures of the whole world through the power of miracle; (2) If your are really a Messenger of Allah, tell us about everything good and bad going to happen to us in the future, so that we can arrange to acquire what is good and abstain from what is bad beforehand; and (3) Explain to us for we cannot understand how can someone who is a human being like us, is from us, was born from a mother and father like us, and does things like eating, drinking, and walking around in streets and bazaars as we do, all of a sudden become a Messenger of Allah. Had this been an angel, whose creation and attributes would have been more distinguished than ours, we would have accepted him as a Messenger of Allah, and our leader.</p><p>In answer to these questions, it was said:</p><p>قُل لَّا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّـهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَ</p><p>Say, "I do not say to you that with me are the treasures Allah, nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen, nor do I say to you that I am angel. But, I follow that which is revealed to me."</p><p>In other words, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is saying that he can only be asked to prove what he claims, that is, he is a Messenger of Allah. He conveys the guidance given by Him to human beings, and follows it personally and asks others as well to do so. There is no dearth of proofs in this matter for they are many.</p><p>So, to prove his prophethood, it is not necessary that the messenger of Allah should become the owner of all the treasures of Allah, nor is it necessary that he should possess the knowledge of everything, big or small, which lies in the domain of the Unseen (al-ghayb), nor is it necessary that he be an angel having attributes other than human. Instead of all that, the mission and office of a messenger of Allah is simply to follow the Wahy (revelation) sent from Allah Ta` ala - which includes his own acting in accordance with it as well as inviting others to follow it.</p><p>These are precise rules of Guidance. They not only clarify the reality of the office of a Messenger of Allah (Rasul) but also help erase the false notions about a Messenger entertained by the disbelieving people. And as implied here indirectly, Muslims too have been instructed that they should not take their Messenger to be God as the Christians do, nor assign proprietary rights in Godhood to him. The realization of their greatness, and love for them, demands that Muslims should not slide into attitudes of excess or deficiency like the Jews and Christians - for the Jews did not hesitate from even killing their prophets while the Christians turned their messenger into a God.</p><p>Regarding the meaning of the word: خَزَائِنُ (treasures) appearing in the statement made in the first sentence, that is, ` I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah,' scholars of Tafsir have named many things. But, the Holy Qur'an itself, wherever it has mentioned the treasures of Allah, has said: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَائِنُهُ (there is not a thing the treasures of which are not with Us -15:21). This tells us that the sense of ` the treasures of Allah' encompasses everything in this world and cannot be definitely applied to some particular things. As for commentators who have named particular things, they are doing so as an example. Therefore, there is no contradiction here. Finally, let us bear in mind: When this verse clearly declares that the ` treasures of Allah' are not even in the hands of the one foremost among prophets and messengers, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ . how can we assume that a Buzurg (pious elder) or Wall (man of Allah) of the Muslim Community could do what they wished and grant anything to anyone as they chose? This is sheer ignorance.</p><p>In the third sentence of the answer given in verse 50, was: وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ which means ` I do not say to you that I am an angel' - because they refused to accept him as a Messenger based on his human identity. [ The pattern of this sentence is the same as the first ] However, the pattern of the sentence has been changed in the sentence which appears in the middle of these two where the text does not say something like - I do not say to you that I know the Unseen - and what was said actually was: وَلَا اَعلَمُ الغیب (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen).</p><p>In his Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu al-Hayyan has pointed out to a subtle justification for this change in diction. According to him, being or not being the possessor of all Divine treasures; and similarly, the likelihood of a person being or not being an angel are things which are related to observation. The addressees of the answer knew it all, they knew that the entire treasures of Allah are not in his hands nor is he an angel. Their demands were simply based on malice and hostility. In reply to them, it would have been enough to say that ` I have never claimed that I am the owner of the treasures of Allah', or that ` I am an angel.'</p><p>But, the problem of 'Ilm al-Ghayb' (the knowledge of the Unseen) was not something of that nature - because they already had this kind of belief about their astrologers and soothsayers: That they know the Unseen. So, having this kind of belief about the Messenger of Allah was not unlikely - specially when they had also heard many news of the Unseen through the blessed speech of the Holy Prophet ؓ and had witnessed that they happened as told. Therefore, at this place in the text, a simple negation of the claim and saying was not considered enough. In fact, what was negated was the actual act. He said, " وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ " (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen). By saying so, also removed was their misunderstanding that a certain knowledge of things Unseen given to an angel or a Rasul (Messenger) or a Wali (man of Allah) through Wahy (revelation) or Ilham (inspiration) from Allah Ta` ala, cannot be called ` Ilm al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the Unseen), or its knower, the ` Alim al-Ghayb (one who has the knowledge of the Unseen), in accordance with the terminology of the Qur'an.</p><p>Right from here also comes the clarification that no Muslim can doubt the fact that Allah Ta'ala had blessed the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the knowledge of many things of the Unseen, so many as would surpass the combined knowledge of angels and human beings from the first to the last. This is the belief of the entire Muslim Ummah. Of course, right along with it, according to countless statements of the Qur'an and Sunnah, it is also the belief of all early and later Imams that the All-Encompassing Knowledge (al-Ilm al-Muhit) of the whole universe is the exclusive attribute of none but Allah Ta` ala. Neither can an angel or messenger be equal to Him in being the Khaliq (Creator), the Raziq (Provider) and Al-Qadir Al-Mutlaq (Absolutely Powerful); similarly, nor can anyone be equal to Him in His All-Encompassing Knowledge. Therefore, no angel or prophet, despite having the knowledge of a great many things of the Unseen, can be called ` Alim al-Ghayb (the Knower of the Unseen).</p><p>But, about the many excellences of our master, Muhammad al Mustafa ﷺ ، we can simply say: بعد از خدا بزرگ تویٔ قصہ مختصر Ba` d az Khuda buzurg tuee qissah mukhtasar! After God, you are the revered one that is all!</p><p>His excellence in knowledge is ahead of angels, prophets and messengers, but is not equal to the knowledge of Allah Ta` ala. Claiming such equality is the path of excess taken in Christianity.</p><p>At the end of the verse (50), it was said that the blind and the sighted cannot be equal. It means that they should get rid of their selfish concerns, leave obstinacy and hostility, and see reality as it is so that they may no longer be counted among the blind. For them, the need was to start seeing, to wise up, for they could have their missing sights back with them with a little thought and concern (for what is right and true).</p><p>In the next and the last verse (51), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed that, after all these clear statements, if they still remain obstinate, he should draw a line, stop all debate, and get busy with his real mission, that is, the duty of Tabligh, the real mission of prophet-hood. And onwards from there, let him turn the focus of his call to faith and warning against its rejection to people who believe in being produced before Allah Ta` ala to give an account of their deeds on the Last Day of Qiyamah - for example; the Muslims - or those who are, at least, no deniers, even if that is in a certain degree of being probable, for they would at least have the apprehension that, perhaps, they may have to be answerable for their deeds.</p><p>To sum up, there are three types of people who believe or do not believe in Qiyamah: (1) Those who believe in it as being certain; (2) Those who doubt or waver; and (3) Those who reject it totally. Though, the blessed prophets have been commanded to convey their call and warning to all these three classes of people, as evident from many statements of the Holy Qur'an. But, as the likelihood that the call will be more effective among the first two classes of people is more pronounced, instruction has been given in this verse to pay special attention to them: وَأَنذِرْ‌ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُ‌وا إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّهِمْ (And warn, with it, those who have the fear of being gathered before their Lord).</p>

CommentaryThe Demand of Miracles from the Holy ProphetMany miracles and signs of Allah had already appeared before the disbelievers (Kuffar) of Makkah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ graced this world as an orphan. Unschooled and untutored, he lived his whole life as a total Ummiyy (unlettered). He was born in a land with no scholar or institution of learning, near or far. For a full forty years of his blessed age, he lived before the eyes of the entire people of Makkah in this state of chaste tutorlessness. Then, after forty long years, it was all of a sudden that there gushed forth from his blessed speech such mind-boggling stream of words the eloquence of which challenged and silenced the masters and authorities of Arab diction forever. Besides being wisdom and meaning at their sublimes, its far reaching insight covered pragmatic human needs too right unto the day of Qiyamah. Along with these, he gifted to the world a practical system for the nurture and flowering of the perfect universal man. No human ingenuity or effort can ever achieve something like this. And the system he brought was no exercise in pure theory for others to build upon, for he himself demonstrated it practically and succeeded in proving that it worked. Thus, the human multitude of his time which had taken to eating, drinking, sleeping and waking as the purpose of their lives likes bulls, goats, horses and donkeys, to them he gave their essential lesson in humanity. He changed their orientation. He made them look up to the high purpose for which they were created. Thus, every period in the blessed life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the great events which took place during it, were all a miracle in their place, and very certainly, a sign of Allah. In such a background, there was no room left for anyone just and reasonable to demand any sign or miracle.But, the disbelievers from among the Quraysh, despite this, demanded that miracles of a different kind be shown to them according to their own wishes. Of the miracles demanded by them, there were some Allah Almighty showed to them clearly. They had demanded that they would like to see the moon parted in two. The well-known miracle of Shaqqul-Qamar (the parting of the moon) was witnessed, not only by the Quraysh, but by a great number of people living in the world of that time.But, they kept sticking to their disbelief, obstinacy and hostility despite the manifestation of such a miracle at their own request and ignored the sign of Allah by saying: إِنْ هَـٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ‌ يُؤْثَرُ‌,(this is nothing but a continuous magic), that is, it was a magic which has been there forever. They saw, they understood, yet they kept on asking for ever-new miracles as mentioned earlier (verse 37): لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّ‌بِّهِ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ قَادِرٌ‌ عَلَىٰ أَن يُنَزِّلَ آيَةً وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ‌هُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ that is, they ask if Muhammad ﷺ is really the Messenger of Allah, why is it that no miracle has been shown through him? In answer, the Qur'an asks the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell them that Allah does have everything within his power. He has Him-self manifested many miracles and signs without their asking for them. Similarly, He is quite capable of manifesting miracles they de-manded. But, they have to know that there is a customary practice of Allah in this matter. When a people are shown the miracle they have demanded, and then, when they do not come to believe in it, they are seized by a sudden punishment. Therefore, it was in the very interest of those people that the miracles demanded by them should not be manifested. But, there are many people who still do not understand the wisdom of this action and keep insisting that they be shown miracles of their choosing.In the present verses, the questions asked and demands made by these people have been dealt with in a particular manner.The disbelievers of Makkah had presented three demands before the Holy Prophet ﷺ on different occasions: (1) If you are really a Messenger of Allah, bring to us the treasures of the whole world through the power of miracle; (2) If your are really a Messenger of Allah, tell us about everything good and bad going to happen to us in the future, so that we can arrange to acquire what is good and abstain from what is bad beforehand; and (3) Explain to us for we cannot understand how can someone who is a human being like us, is from us, was born from a mother and father like us, and does things like eating, drinking, and walking around in streets and bazaars as we do, all of a sudden become a Messenger of Allah. Had this been an angel, whose creation and attributes would have been more distinguished than ours, we would have accepted him as a Messenger of Allah, and our leader.In answer to these questions, it was said:قُل لَّا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّـهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَSay, "I do not say to you that with me are the treasures Allah, nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen, nor do I say to you that I am angel. But, I follow that which is revealed to me."In other words, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is saying that he can only be asked to prove what he claims, that is, he is a Messenger of Allah. He conveys the guidance given by Him to human beings, and follows it personally and asks others as well to do so. There is no dearth of proofs in this matter for they are many.So, to prove his prophethood, it is not necessary that the messenger of Allah should become the owner of all the treasures of Allah, nor is it necessary that he should possess the knowledge of everything, big or small, which lies in the domain of the Unseen (al-ghayb), nor is it necessary that he be an angel having attributes other than human. Instead of all that, the mission and office of a messenger of Allah is simply to follow the Wahy (revelation) sent from Allah Ta` ala - which includes his own acting in accordance with it as well as inviting others to follow it.These are precise rules of Guidance. They not only clarify the reality of the office of a Messenger of Allah (Rasul) but also help erase the false notions about a Messenger entertained by the disbelieving people. And as implied here indirectly, Muslims too have been instructed that they should not take their Messenger to be God as the Christians do, nor assign proprietary rights in Godhood to him. The realization of their greatness, and love for them, demands that Muslims should not slide into attitudes of excess or deficiency like the Jews and Christians - for the Jews did not hesitate from even killing their prophets while the Christians turned their messenger into a God.Regarding the meaning of the word: خَزَائِنُ (treasures) appearing in the statement made in the first sentence, that is, ` I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allah,' scholars of Tafsir have named many things. But, the Holy Qur'an itself, wherever it has mentioned the treasures of Allah, has said: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَائِنُهُ (there is not a thing the treasures of which are not with Us -15:21). This tells us that the sense of ` the treasures of Allah' encompasses everything in this world and cannot be definitely applied to some particular things. As for commentators who have named particular things, they are doing so as an example. Therefore, there is no contradiction here. Finally, let us bear in mind: When this verse clearly declares that the ` treasures of Allah' are not even in the hands of the one foremost among prophets and messengers, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ . how can we assume that a Buzurg (pious elder) or Wall (man of Allah) of the Muslim Community could do what they wished and grant anything to anyone as they chose? This is sheer ignorance.In the third sentence of the answer given in verse 50, was: وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ which means ` I do not say to you that I am an angel' - because they refused to accept him as a Messenger based on his human identity. [ The pattern of this sentence is the same as the first ] However, the pattern of the sentence has been changed in the sentence which appears in the middle of these two where the text does not say something like - I do not say to you that I know the Unseen - and what was said actually was: وَلَا اَعلَمُ الغیب (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen).In his Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhit, Abu al-Hayyan has pointed out to a subtle justification for this change in diction. According to him, being or not being the possessor of all Divine treasures; and similarly, the likelihood of a person being or not being an angel are things which are related to observation. The addressees of the answer knew it all, they knew that the entire treasures of Allah are not in his hands nor is he an angel. Their demands were simply based on malice and hostility. In reply to them, it would have been enough to say that ` I have never claimed that I am the owner of the treasures of Allah', or that ` I am an angel.'But, the problem of 'Ilm al-Ghayb' (the knowledge of the Unseen) was not something of that nature - because they already had this kind of belief about their astrologers and soothsayers: That they know the Unseen. So, having this kind of belief about the Messenger of Allah was not unlikely - specially when they had also heard many news of the Unseen through the blessed speech of the Holy Prophet ؓ and had witnessed that they happened as told. Therefore, at this place in the text, a simple negation of the claim and saying was not considered enough. In fact, what was negated was the actual act. He said, " وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ " (nor do I have the knowledge of the Unseen). By saying so, also removed was their misunderstanding that a certain knowledge of things Unseen given to an angel or a Rasul (Messenger) or a Wali (man of Allah) through Wahy (revelation) or Ilham (inspiration) from Allah Ta` ala, cannot be called ` Ilm al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the Unseen), or its knower, the ` Alim al-Ghayb (one who has the knowledge of the Unseen), in accordance with the terminology of the Qur'an.Right from here also comes the clarification that no Muslim can doubt the fact that Allah Ta'ala had blessed the Holy Prophet ﷺ with the knowledge of many things of the Unseen, so many as would surpass the combined knowledge of angels and human beings from the first to the last. This is the belief of the entire Muslim Ummah. Of course, right along with it, according to countless statements of the Qur'an and Sunnah, it is also the belief of all early and later Imams that the All-Encompassing Knowledge (al-Ilm al-Muhit) of the whole universe is the exclusive attribute of none but Allah Ta` ala. Neither can an angel or messenger be equal to Him in being the Khaliq (Creator), the Raziq (Provider) and Al-Qadir Al-Mutlaq (Absolutely Powerful); similarly, nor can anyone be equal to Him in His All-Encompassing Knowledge. Therefore, no angel or prophet, despite having the knowledge of a great many things of the Unseen, can be called ` Alim al-Ghayb (the Knower of the Unseen).But, about the many excellences of our master, Muhammad al Mustafa ﷺ ، we can simply say: بعد از خدا بزرگ تویٔ قصہ مختصر Ba` d az Khuda buzurg tuee qissah mukhtasar! After God, you are the revered one that is all!His excellence in knowledge is ahead of angels, prophets and messengers, but is not equal to the knowledge of Allah Ta` ala. Claiming such equality is the path of excess taken in Christianity.At the end of the verse (50), it was said that the blind and the sighted cannot be equal. It means that they should get rid of their selfish concerns, leave obstinacy and hostility, and see reality as it is so that they may no longer be counted among the blind. For them, the need was to start seeing, to wise up, for they could have their missing sights back with them with a little thought and concern (for what is right and true).In the next and the last verse (51), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed that, after all these clear statements, if they still remain obstinate, he should draw a line, stop all debate, and get busy with his real mission, that is, the duty of Tabligh, the real mission of prophet-hood. And onwards from there, let him turn the focus of his call to faith and warning against its rejection to people who believe in being produced before Allah Ta` ala to give an account of their deeds on the Last Day of Qiyamah - for example; the Muslims - or those who are, at least, no deniers, even if that is in a certain degree of being probable, for they would at least have the apprehension that, perhaps, they may have to be answerable for their deeds.To sum up, there are three types of people who believe or do not believe in Qiyamah: (1) Those who believe in it as being certain; (2) Those who doubt or waver; and (3) Those who reject it totally. Though, the blessed prophets have been commanded to convey their call and warning to all these three classes of people, as evident from many statements of the Holy Qur'an. But, as the likelihood that the call will be more effective among the first two classes of people is more pronounced, instruction has been given in this verse to pay special attention to them: وَأَنذِرْ‌ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَن يُحْشَرُ‌وا إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّهِمْ (And warn, with it, those who have the fear of being gathered before their Lord).

Do not turn away those who supplicate their Lord morning and evening, seeking His magnificence. You are not accountable for them in the least, nor they for you at all. If you drive them away you will only be unjust.

And do not repel those who call upon their Lord in the morning and evening, seeking His pleasure; you are not responsible for their account nor are they responsible for your account – then your repelling them would be far from justice.

And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord at morning and evening desiring His countenance; nothing of their account falls upon thee, and nothing of thy account falls upon them, that thou shouldst drive them away, and so become one of the evildoers.

Hence, repulse not [any of] those who at morn and evening invoke their Sustainer, seeking His countenance. Thou art in no wise accountable for them-just as they are in no wise accountable for thee -and thou hast therefore no right to repulse them: for then thou wouldst be among the evildoers.

And drive not away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. Not on thee is aught of their reckoning, nor on them aught of thine reckoning, so that thou mayest drive them away and thus become of the wrong-doers.

And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon seeking His Face. You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing, that you may turn them away, and thus become of the Zalimun (unjust).

And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His attention. You are not accountable for them in any way, nor are they accountable for you in any way. If you drive them away, you would be one of the unjust.

And do not drive away those who invoke their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His pleasure all the time. You are by no means accountable for them just as they are by no means accountable for you. If you still drive them away, you will become among the wrong-doers.

And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and evening seeking His Face. You are accountable for them in nothing, and they are accountable for you in nothing, that you may turn them away, and thus become of the wrongdoers.

Repel not those who call upon their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance. Thou art not accountable for them in aught, nor are they accountable for thee in aught, that thou shouldst repel them and be of the wrong-doers.

Do not drive away those who supplicate their Lord morning and evening desiring His face. Neither are you accountable for them in any way, nor are they accountable for you in any way, so that you may drive them away and thus become one of the wrongdoers.

Do not drive away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking only His Face. Nothing of their account falls upon you, and nothing of your account falls upon them, that you should drive them away and so become one of the harmdoers.

And do not send away those who call upon their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His countenance. Not upon you is anything of their account and not upon them is anything of your account. So were you to send them away, you would [then] be of the wrongdoers.

Do not disregard those who pray to their Lord in the mornings and evenings, seeking their Lord's pleasure. You will not be held responsible for them nor will they be held responsible for you. Do not disregard them lest you become unjust.

And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, they desire only His favor; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs, nor are they answerable for any reckoning of yours, so that you should drive them away and thus be of the unjust.

Wal<u>a</u> ta<u>t</u>rudi alla<u>th</u>eena yadAAoona rabbahum bi<b>a</b>lghad<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lAAashiyyi yureedoona wajhahu m<u>a</u> AAalayka min <u>h</u>is<u>a</u>bihim min shayin wam<u>a</u> min <u>h</u>is<u>a</u>bika AAalayhim min shayin fata<u>t</u>rudahum fatakoona mina a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

Do not send away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and in the evening, seeking only His grace. You are not by any means accountable for them, nor are they accountable for you. If you turn them away, you yourself will become one of the unjust.

Send not away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face. In naught art thou accountable for them, and in naught are they accountable for thee, that thou shouldst turn them away, and thus be (one) of the unjust.

وَلَا تَطْرُدِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

O Messenger, do not remove from your gathering those poor Muslims who sincerely worship Allah in the beginning and at the end of the day. Do not chase them away in order to win favour with the leaders of the idolaters. You are in no way accountable for these poor people. It is only Allah Who will take them to account. They, too, are in no way accountable for you. If you drive them away from your gathering, you will be of those who overstep Allah’s limits.

O Messenger, do not remove from your gathering those poor Muslims who sincerely worship Allah in the beginning and at the end of the day. Do not chase them away in order to win favour with the leaders of the idolaters. You are in no way accountable for these poor people. It is only Allah Who will take them to account. They, too, are in no way accountable for you. If you drive them away from your gathering, you will be of those who overstep Allah’s limits.

<p>Commentary</p><p>In Islam there is No Distinction between Rich and Poor, High or Low</p><p>As for people who failed to feel human despite being human, even touched the outer limit of rating human beings as one of the smartest animals of the world, who did not hesitate in harnessing other ` animals' in their service, what would they know about the purpose of creation other than taking the fulfillment of their immediate physical compulsions and needs, and acting in accordance with animal instincts as the purpose of their lives - very much like an animal would do. When this be the only purpose of life, then, it is also obvious that the criterion of recognizing good and bad, small or big, high or low, noble or mean can hardly be any other than whoever has more and better to eat and drink, wear and use up, and things and resources to live around with and hold on to, shall be successful, honourable and noble - and whoever has less of these shall be low life and doomed!</p><p>The truth of the matter is that, given this view of life, talking about good morals and good deeds as a criterion of judging the nobility of human beings remains out of the question. In that case, only that deed will be good and that morality will be virtuous through which these animal objectives could be fully realized.</p><p>Therefore, the first and the last lesson given by the blessed prophets and the religions they brought with them was that there is a life after this life, which will be eternal and uninterrupted. Its peace will be perfect and eternal, and so will be its pain, perfect and eternal. The life of the present world is not its own purpose. Instead of that, the real purpose of this transitory life is to get together everything which is going to come out handy in the other life - (delightfully summarized with a punch by an Urdu poet who said):</p><p>رہا مرنے کی تیّاری میں مصروف</p><p>مرا کام اور اس دنیا میں تھا کیا</p><p>Remained busy getting ready to die -</p><p>What else was that I had to do in this world?</p><p>This is the line of distinction between human beings and animals - that animals have no concern for the next life, contrary to human beings whose greatest concern, at least in the sight of reasonable and far-sighted people, is to correct, nurse and build the prospects of the next life. Given this belief and point of view, the standard of nobility and menialness, honour and disgrace will obviously not be eating and drinking lavishly, living plentifully or qualitatively, or making and holding wealth and property greedily - instead, the standard will be good morals and righteous deeds on which depends the real honour of the Akhirah (Hereafter).</p><p>Whenever people in this world have shifted away from the teachings of the prophets (علیہم السلام) and from belief in the Akhirah, the natural outcome was there for everyone to see. Money and things became the cold criterion of character and status. Those successful in this race were taken as high and classy, and whoever was left behind, or remained an under-achiever, was taken to be poor, honour-less, mean and low.</p><p>Therefore, in all ages (including ours with the loudest claims to democracy and justice), people caught in the maze of worldly life have been practicing class distinction of rich and poor and high and low openly or secretly under a thousand guises whereby they would assign all virtues to the rich and influential and condemn the poor as low-life. This is what the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) did. They criticized the believing poor following this standard, when they said that they would not sit with such lowly people. They said that if he wished them to hear his message, he should first turn those poor wretches out of his company. They even said: قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْ‌ذَلُونَ ﴿111﴾ [ 26:111]. It means: ` How can it be that we are to believe in you while those following you are lowly people?' Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) answered their heart-rending remark in his own prophetic diction when he said: وَمَا عِلْمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ، إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَ‌بِّي ۖ لَوْ تَشْعُرُ‌ونَ [ 26:112]. It means: ` I do not know about what they do (which could help him decide whether they were high or low) so (the reality of everyone's deeds and) their accounting is the responsibility of none but my Lord (who is aware of the secrets of the hearts), if you understand.'</p><p>By saying so, Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) brought these ignorant and arrogant people oblivious of the reality of human nobility and ignobility to see the truth of the matter - as they were the ones who used these terms without knowing what they really meant and just went ahead stamping the rich as noble and the poor as wretched, while money is no criterion of virtues and vices. The criterion is deeds and morals. At this occasion, Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) could have said that those people were nobler and more respectable than them as far as the standard of deeds and morals was concerned. But, his prophetic method of preaching and correcting did not permit him to say something like that lest his addressees are provoked adversely. Therefore, he thought it to be sufficient to say that lowliness depended on deeds and since he did not know about their deeds fully, he could not decide as to who was noble and who was not.</p><p>The same thing has been happening in every age, after the age of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، when poor people of successive times, no matter how noble and respectable in terms of their morals and deeds they may have been, were still down-graded as lowly by materialistic and arrogant people. Yet, these were the people who, guided by their far-sightedness and good morals, were the first ones to say yes to the call of prophets in one after the other age. In fact, for later scholars of religions and communities this became the proof of the veracity of a prophet that his early followers are the poor ones of the community. This was the reason why, when the letter of the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached the Byzantine ruler, Heracles (Hiraql) inviting him to embrace Islam, he wished to investigate into the veracity of his prophet-hood. For this purpose, he asked from people who knew the Prophet of Islam some questions. One of these questions was: Whether most of his followers were from among the rich, or the poor? When he was told that they were poor people, he said: These are usually the first followers of messengers and prophets.</p><p>The same question rose again during the blessed time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Its answer appears in the present verses with particular instructions.</p><p>Reports Ibn Kathir from Imam Ibn Jarir: Some chiefs of disbelievers from the tribe of Quraysh - ` Utbah, Shaybah, Ibn Rabi'ah, Mut'im ibn ` Adiyy, Harith ibn Nawfal and others - came to the Holy Prophet's uncle, Abu Ta1ib and said to him: One of the problems, which stops us from listening to and accepting what your nephew Muhammad tells us, is that people who surround him all the time are either our slaves who were set free by us, or they are people who were living at our mercy only. Now, with such lowly people around him, we cannot attend his sittings. You tell him, if he would ask these people to leave when it is time for us to come in, we could listen to him and think about it.</p><p>When his uncle, Abu Talib reported this to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ offered his advice by saying: What is wrong with it? Try this too for a few days. These people love us and they are not formal. When these chiefs are to come, they would move away from the sitting. .</p><p>Thereupon, this verse was revealed in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been emphatically prohibited to do something like that. It was after the revelation of the verse that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ had to apologize by admitting that his advice was wrong.</p><p>And these poor people about whom this conversation took place were, at that time, no less a people than Sayyidna Bilal al-Habashi, Sayyidna Suhayb ar-Rumi, Sayyidna ` Ammar ibn Yasir, Sayyidna Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah, Sabih Mawla Usayd, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud, Sayyidna Miqdad ibn ` Amr, Sayyidna Masud Ibn al-Qari, Sayyidna Dhush-Shimalyn, and other noble Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with all of them) the testimonial of whose nobility and honour came from the heavens. And at another place in the Holy Qurran, the same subject was stressed upon in these words:</p><p>وَاصْبِرْ‌ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَ‌بَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِ‌يدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِ‌يدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِ‌نَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ‌هُ فُرُ‌طًا ﴿28﴾</p><p>And hold yourself with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure only. And do not cast your eyes (for others) beyond them, seeking the embellishment of the present life. And do not obey the one whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance, and who follows his own desires, and whose case is that of excess - 18:28.</p><p>In the present verse, the quality of these poor people has been identified as: They call on their Lord morning and evening. Here, morning and evening refer to all times of the day and night according to usage. As for calling, it means ` Ibadah or worship. Also placed here is a restriction along with this ` Ibadah, at whichever time of the day and night it may be, that is يُرِ‌يدُونَ وَجْهَهُ :'seeking Him only.' This tells us that ` Ibadah (worship of Allah) without Ikhlas (absolute sincerity before Him) is not trustworthy.</p><p>As for the saying: ` You are not responsible for what is in their account, and they are not responsible for anything in your account,' according to the interpretation of Ibn Atiyyah and Al-Zamakhshari and others, here the pronouns in: حِسَابِھِم (Hisabihim : their account) and (Alaihim : they are not responsible) refers to these chiefs of disbelievers, those who insisted on removing poor Muslims from the gathering at the sitting. So, Allah Ta` ala told the Holy Prophet ﷺ not to bother with them whether, or not, they enter the fold of faith - because he was not responsible for anything in their account, just as they were not responsible for anything in his account. If he were responsible for that, that is, he would have been questioned as to why these people did not become Muslims, then, in that situation, he could have removed the poor Muslims from his sitting just for the sake of the chiefs of the disbelievers. And now, when this is not so, removing them from the sitting was rank injustice. And if he were to do something like that, he would have become one of the unjust.</p><p>In the second verse (53), it was said that this is how Allah had tested some of them through some others, so that these chiefs of the disbelievers should be able to see the great subduing power of Almighty Allah when poor Muslims, whom they took to be lowly, reached stations unimaginable and won signal honour and recognition both in this world and in the Akhirah, just because they chose to follow the Messenger of Allah. Then, let them go about saying: Were these poor people the only ones to deserve honours and rewards from Allah and to have been so blessed at the expense of us, the noble ones?</p><p>According to Kashshaf and other classic commentaries, this saying of theirs is an outcome of their trial taken through poor and weak Muslims. They failed in this test. Rather than ponder over this great demonstration of Allah's absolute power and conclude there from that nobility does not depend on wealth or power, instead, it does on morals and deeds - they started blaming Allah for giving them the honour while they were the ones deserving of it. In answer, Allah Ta` ala once again pointed out to the reality behind it by saying:</p><p>أَلَيْسَ اللَّـهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِ‌ينَ it not that Allah knows the grateful best?)</p><p>It means that Allah knows best as to who has the taste for truth and aptitude for gratitude. In other words, in the real sense, a person of nobility and honour is he who recognizes the right of his Benefactor and is grateful to Him, and it is he who is deserving of all reward and honour - and definitely not the one who, day in and day out, despite being soaked with the blessings of his Provider and Benefactor, goes on disobeying Him.</p><p>Some Injunctions and Instructions</p><p>Given below are some injunctions and instructions which emerge from these verses:</p><p>1. No one has the right to look down upon anyone in tattered clothes or broken down condition. At times, there are people carrying those outward looks who happen to be very honourable and accepted in the sight of Allah. In ahadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: ` Many a broken-down, dust-stained people are such as are held dear by Allah. If they were to swear by Allah about something that it would be like that, Allah Ta` ala does honour their swearing by Him (and lets it be like that).</p><p>2. Taking material affluence as the criterion of nobility and lowliness is an insult to humanity. It really depends on good morals and deeds.</p><p>3. For a reformer and preacher of any nation, though a universal call which addresses everyone, ayes or nays, followers or dissenters, is necessary, yet, foremost is the right of those who own his teachings and follow it. Putting them as secondary, or ignoring them for the sake of others is not permissible. For example, in the case of Muslims, the education and reform of unaware Muslims should not be put off in favour of carrying the call to non-Muslims.</p><p>4. The rewards and blessings of Allah keep increasing in relation to the measure of gratitude. A person, who wishes an increase in Divine rewards, must make gratitude, expressed through word and deed, his way of life, a constant of personality.</p>

CommentaryIn Islam there is No Distinction between Rich and Poor, High or LowAs for people who failed to feel human despite being human, even touched the outer limit of rating human beings as one of the smartest animals of the world, who did not hesitate in harnessing other ` animals' in their service, what would they know about the purpose of creation other than taking the fulfillment of their immediate physical compulsions and needs, and acting in accordance with animal instincts as the purpose of their lives - very much like an animal would do. When this be the only purpose of life, then, it is also obvious that the criterion of recognizing good and bad, small or big, high or low, noble or mean can hardly be any other than whoever has more and better to eat and drink, wear and use up, and things and resources to live around with and hold on to, shall be successful, honourable and noble - and whoever has less of these shall be low life and doomed!The truth of the matter is that, given this view of life, talking about good morals and good deeds as a criterion of judging the nobility of human beings remains out of the question. In that case, only that deed will be good and that morality will be virtuous through which these animal objectives could be fully realized.Therefore, the first and the last lesson given by the blessed prophets and the religions they brought with them was that there is a life after this life, which will be eternal and uninterrupted. Its peace will be perfect and eternal, and so will be its pain, perfect and eternal. The life of the present world is not its own purpose. Instead of that, the real purpose of this transitory life is to get together everything which is going to come out handy in the other life - (delightfully summarized with a punch by an Urdu poet who said):رہا مرنے کی تیّاری میں مصروفمرا کام اور اس دنیا میں تھا کیاRemained busy getting ready to die -What else was that I had to do in this world?This is the line of distinction between human beings and animals - that animals have no concern for the next life, contrary to human beings whose greatest concern, at least in the sight of reasonable and far-sighted people, is to correct, nurse and build the prospects of the next life. Given this belief and point of view, the standard of nobility and menialness, honour and disgrace will obviously not be eating and drinking lavishly, living plentifully or qualitatively, or making and holding wealth and property greedily - instead, the standard will be good morals and righteous deeds on which depends the real honour of the Akhirah (Hereafter).Whenever people in this world have shifted away from the teachings of the prophets (علیہم السلام) and from belief in the Akhirah, the natural outcome was there for everyone to see. Money and things became the cold criterion of character and status. Those successful in this race were taken as high and classy, and whoever was left behind, or remained an under-achiever, was taken to be poor, honour-less, mean and low.Therefore, in all ages (including ours with the loudest claims to democracy and justice), people caught in the maze of worldly life have been practicing class distinction of rich and poor and high and low openly or secretly under a thousand guises whereby they would assign all virtues to the rich and influential and condemn the poor as low-life. This is what the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) did. They criticized the believing poor following this standard, when they said that they would not sit with such lowly people. They said that if he wished them to hear his message, he should first turn those poor wretches out of his company. They even said: قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الْأَرْ‌ذَلُونَ ﴿111﴾ [ 26:111]. It means: ` How can it be that we are to believe in you while those following you are lowly people?' Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) answered their heart-rending remark in his own prophetic diction when he said: وَمَا عِلْمِي بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ، إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَ‌بِّي ۖ لَوْ تَشْعُرُ‌ونَ [ 26:112]. It means: ` I do not know about what they do (which could help him decide whether they were high or low) so (the reality of everyone's deeds and) their accounting is the responsibility of none but my Lord (who is aware of the secrets of the hearts), if you understand.'By saying so, Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) brought these ignorant and arrogant people oblivious of the reality of human nobility and ignobility to see the truth of the matter - as they were the ones who used these terms without knowing what they really meant and just went ahead stamping the rich as noble and the poor as wretched, while money is no criterion of virtues and vices. The criterion is deeds and morals. At this occasion, Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) could have said that those people were nobler and more respectable than them as far as the standard of deeds and morals was concerned. But, his prophetic method of preaching and correcting did not permit him to say something like that lest his addressees are provoked adversely. Therefore, he thought it to be sufficient to say that lowliness depended on deeds and since he did not know about their deeds fully, he could not decide as to who was noble and who was not.The same thing has been happening in every age, after the age of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، when poor people of successive times, no matter how noble and respectable in terms of their morals and deeds they may have been, were still down-graded as lowly by materialistic and arrogant people. Yet, these were the people who, guided by their far-sightedness and good morals, were the first ones to say yes to the call of prophets in one after the other age. In fact, for later scholars of religions and communities this became the proof of the veracity of a prophet that his early followers are the poor ones of the community. This was the reason why, when the letter of the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached the Byzantine ruler, Heracles (Hiraql) inviting him to embrace Islam, he wished to investigate into the veracity of his prophet-hood. For this purpose, he asked from people who knew the Prophet of Islam some questions. One of these questions was: Whether most of his followers were from among the rich, or the poor? When he was told that they were poor people, he said: These are usually the first followers of messengers and prophets.The same question rose again during the blessed time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Its answer appears in the present verses with particular instructions.Reports Ibn Kathir from Imam Ibn Jarir: Some chiefs of disbelievers from the tribe of Quraysh - ` Utbah, Shaybah, Ibn Rabi'ah, Mut'im ibn ` Adiyy, Harith ibn Nawfal and others - came to the Holy Prophet's uncle, Abu Ta1ib and said to him: One of the problems, which stops us from listening to and accepting what your nephew Muhammad tells us, is that people who surround him all the time are either our slaves who were set free by us, or they are people who were living at our mercy only. Now, with such lowly people around him, we cannot attend his sittings. You tell him, if he would ask these people to leave when it is time for us to come in, we could listen to him and think about it.When his uncle, Abu Talib reported this to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ offered his advice by saying: What is wrong with it? Try this too for a few days. These people love us and they are not formal. When these chiefs are to come, they would move away from the sitting. .Thereupon, this verse was revealed in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been emphatically prohibited to do something like that. It was after the revelation of the verse that Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ had to apologize by admitting that his advice was wrong.And these poor people about whom this conversation took place were, at that time, no less a people than Sayyidna Bilal al-Habashi, Sayyidna Suhayb ar-Rumi, Sayyidna ` Ammar ibn Yasir, Sayyidna Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah, Sabih Mawla Usayd, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud, Sayyidna Miqdad ibn ` Amr, Sayyidna Masud Ibn al-Qari, Sayyidna Dhush-Shimalyn, and other noble Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with all of them) the testimonial of whose nobility and honour came from the heavens. And at another place in the Holy Qurran, the same subject was stressed upon in these words:وَاصْبِرْ‌ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَ‌بَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِ‌يدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِ‌يدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِ‌نَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ‌هُ فُرُ‌طًا ﴿28﴾And hold yourself with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure only. And do not cast your eyes (for others) beyond them, seeking the embellishment of the present life. And do not obey the one whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance, and who follows his own desires, and whose case is that of excess - 18:28.In the present verse, the quality of these poor people has been identified as: They call on their Lord morning and evening. Here, morning and evening refer to all times of the day and night according to usage. As for calling, it means ` Ibadah or worship. Also placed here is a restriction along with this ` Ibadah, at whichever time of the day and night it may be, that is يُرِ‌يدُونَ وَجْهَهُ :'seeking Him only.' This tells us that ` Ibadah (worship of Allah) without Ikhlas (absolute sincerity before Him) is not trustworthy.As for the saying: ` You are not responsible for what is in their account, and they are not responsible for anything in your account,' according to the interpretation of Ibn Atiyyah and Al-Zamakhshari and others, here the pronouns in: حِسَابِھِم (Hisabihim : their account) and (Alaihim : they are not responsible) refers to these chiefs of disbelievers, those who insisted on removing poor Muslims from the gathering at the sitting. So, Allah Ta` ala told the Holy Prophet ﷺ not to bother with them whether, or not, they enter the fold of faith - because he was not responsible for anything in their account, just as they were not responsible for anything in his account. If he were responsible for that, that is, he would have been questioned as to why these people did not become Muslims, then, in that situation, he could have removed the poor Muslims from his sitting just for the sake of the chiefs of the disbelievers. And now, when this is not so, removing them from the sitting was rank injustice. And if he were to do something like that, he would have become one of the unjust.In the second verse (53), it was said that this is how Allah had tested some of them through some others, so that these chiefs of the disbelievers should be able to see the great subduing power of Almighty Allah when poor Muslims, whom they took to be lowly, reached stations unimaginable and won signal honour and recognition both in this world and in the Akhirah, just because they chose to follow the Messenger of Allah. Then, let them go about saying: Were these poor people the only ones to deserve honours and rewards from Allah and to have been so blessed at the expense of us, the noble ones?According to Kashshaf and other classic commentaries, this saying of theirs is an outcome of their trial taken through poor and weak Muslims. They failed in this test. Rather than ponder over this great demonstration of Allah's absolute power and conclude there from that nobility does not depend on wealth or power, instead, it does on morals and deeds - they started blaming Allah for giving them the honour while they were the ones deserving of it. In answer, Allah Ta` ala once again pointed out to the reality behind it by saying:أَلَيْسَ اللَّـهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِ‌ينَ it not that Allah knows the grateful best?)It means that Allah knows best as to who has the taste for truth and aptitude for gratitude. In other words, in the real sense, a person of nobility and honour is he who recognizes the right of his Benefactor and is grateful to Him, and it is he who is deserving of all reward and honour - and definitely not the one who, day in and day out, despite being soaked with the blessings of his Provider and Benefactor, goes on disobeying Him.Some Injunctions and InstructionsGiven below are some injunctions and instructions which emerge from these verses:1. No one has the right to look down upon anyone in tattered clothes or broken down condition. At times, there are people carrying those outward looks who happen to be very honourable and accepted in the sight of Allah. In ahadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: ` Many a broken-down, dust-stained people are such as are held dear by Allah. If they were to swear by Allah about something that it would be like that, Allah Ta` ala does honour their swearing by Him (and lets it be like that).2. Taking material affluence as the criterion of nobility and lowliness is an insult to humanity. It really depends on good morals and deeds.3. For a reformer and preacher of any nation, though a universal call which addresses everyone, ayes or nays, followers or dissenters, is necessary, yet, foremost is the right of those who own his teachings and follow it. Putting them as secondary, or ignoring them for the sake of others is not permissible. For example, in the case of Muslims, the education and reform of unaware Muslims should not be put off in favour of carrying the call to non-Muslims.4. The rewards and blessings of Allah keep increasing in relation to the measure of gratitude. A person, who wishes an increase in Divine rewards, must make gratitude, expressed through word and deed, his way of life, a constant of personality.

Thus do We try men through one another so that they may ask: "Are these the ones of all of us who have been favoured by God?" Does God not know who are the grateful?

And similarly We have made some as a trial for others – that the wealthy disbelievers upon seeing the needy Muslims say, “Are these whom Allah has favoured among us?” Does not Allah recognise those who are thankful?

Even so We have tried some of them by others that they may say, Are these the ones God has been gracious to among us?' Knows not God very well the thankful?

For it is in this way that We try men through one another - to the end that they might ask, "Has God, then, bestowed His favour upon those others in preference to us?" Does not God know best as to who is grateful [to Him]?

And Thus We have tried some of them by means of others, that they might say: are those they whom God hath favoured amongst us? Is not Allah the Best Knower of the thankful?

Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favoured from amongst us?" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful?

Thus We try some of them by means of others, that they may say, “Are these the ones whom God has favored from among us?” Is God not aware of the appreciative?

Thus We have made some of them a means for testing others so that they should say: 'Are these theones among us upon whom Allah has bestowed His favour?' Yes, does Allah not know well who are the thankful?

Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: "Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from amongst us" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful

And even so do We try some of them by others, that they say: Are these they whom Allah favoureth among us? Is not Allah best Aware of the thanksgivers?

Thus do We test them by means of one another so that they should say, ‘Are these the ones whom Allah has favoured from among us?!’ Does not Allah know best the grateful?!

As such We have made some of them a means for testing others, so that they should say: 'Are those whom Allah favors amongst us' But does not Allah best know the thankful?

And thus We have tried some of them through others that the disbelievers might say, "Is it these whom Allah has favored among us?" Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?

We test some of them by the conditions of the others so that the rich and proud ones (seeing your poor and humble followers) would say, "Are these the ones from among all of us whom God has chosen to favor?" Does not God know those who give thanks (much better than others do).

And thus do We try some of them by others so that they say: Are these they upon whom Allah has conferred benefit from among us? Does not Allah best know the grateful?

Waka<u>tha</u>lika fatann<u>a</u> baAA<u>d</u>ahum bibaAA<u>d</u>in liyaqooloo ah<u>a</u>ol<u>a</u>i manna All<u>a</u>hu AAalayhim min baynin<u>a</u> alaysa All<u>a</u>hu biaAAlama bi<b>al</b>shsh<u>a</u>kireen<b>a</b>

In this way We try some of them by means of others, so that they may ask, "Are these [lowly ones] whom God has singled out for His favours from among us? Does God not know best who are the grateful ones?"

Thus did We try some of them by comparison with others, that they should say: "Is it these then that Allah hath favoured from amongst us?" Doth not Allah know best those who are grateful?

وَكَذَٰلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولُوٓا۟ أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنۢ بَيْنِنَآ أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ

So I tested them by means of one another. I made some of them rich and others poor. I made them different with respect to their worldly fortunes. I tested them in this way so that the rich disbelievers say about the poor believers: Are these poor people the ones whom Allah has favoured with guidance from amongst us? If this faith was any good, then they would not have beaten us to it, because we are the people who come first. Does Allah not know those who are thankful for His favours, so He guides them to faith, from those who deny these favours, so He abandons them to disbelief? Certainly, Allah knows about them.

So I tested them by means of one another. I made some of them rich and others poor. I made them different with respect to their worldly fortunes. I tested them in this way so that the rich disbelievers say about the poor believers: Are these poor people the ones whom Allah has favoured with guidance from amongst us? If this faith was any good, then they would not have beaten us to it, because we are the people who come first. Does Allah not know those who are thankful for His favours, so He guides them to faith, from those who deny these favours, so He abandons them to disbelief? Certainly, Allah knows about them.

When those who believe in Our revelations come to you, say to them: "Peace on you." Your Lord has prescribed grace for Himself, so that in case one of you commits evil out of ignorance, then feels repentant and reforms, He may be forgiving and kind.

And when those who believe in Our signs come humbly in your presence, say to them, “Peace be upon you – your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself by His grace – that whoever among you commits a sin by folly and thereafter repents and reforms (himself), then indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

And when those who believe in Our signs come to thee, say, 'Peace be upon you. Your Lord has prescribed for Himself mercy. Whosoever of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and makes amends, He is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.'

And when those who believe in Our messages come unto thee, say: "Peace be upon you. Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy - so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."

And when those who believe in Our signs come unto them, say thou: peace be on you; your Lord hath prescribed mercy for Himself; so that whosoever of you doeth an evil through Ignorance, then repenteth thereafter and amendeth, then verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.

When those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) come to you, say: "Salamun 'Alaikum" (peace be on you); your Lord has written Mercy for Himself, so that, if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

When those who believe in Our revelations come to you, say, “Peace be upon you, your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself. Whoever among you does wrong out of ignorance, and then repents afterwards and reforms—He is Forgiving and Merciful.”

And when those who believe in Our signs come to you, say to them: 'Peace be upon you. Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself so that if anyone of you does a bad deed out of ignorance and thereafter repents and makes amends, surely you will find Him All-Forgiving, AllCompassionate.'

When those who believe in Our Ayat come to you, say: "Salamun `Alaykum" (peace be on you); your Lord has written mercy for Himself, so that, if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds, then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And when those who believe in Our revelations come unto thee, say: Peace be unto you! Your Lord hath prescribed for Himself mercy, that whoso of you doeth evil through ignorance and repenteth afterward thereof and doeth right, (for him) lo! He is Forgiving, Merciful.

When those who have faith in Our signs come to you, say, ‘Peace to you! Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself: whoever of you commits an evil [deed] out of ignorance and then repents after that and reforms, then He is indeed all-forgiving, all-merciful.’

When those who believe in Our verses come to you, say: 'Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed Mercy on Himself, if any one of you commits evil through ignorance, and then repents, and mends his ways, then He is Forgiving, the Most Merciful'

And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy: that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and corrects himself - indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."

When the faithful come to you, say to them, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed for Himself to be All-merciful. Anyone of you who commits a sin out of ignorance, then repents, and reforms himself will find that God is All-forgiving and All-merciful."

And when those who believe in Our communications come to you, say: Peace be on you, your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if any one of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Wai<u>tha</u> j<u>a</u>aka alla<u>th</u>eena yuminoona bi<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tin<u>a</u> faqul sal<u>a</u>mun AAalaykum kataba rabbukum AAal<u>a</u> nafsihi a<b>l</b>rra<u>h</u>mata annahu man AAamila minkum sooan bijah<u>a</u>latin thumma t<u>a</u>ba min baAAdihi waa<u>s</u>la<u>h</u>a faannahu ghafoorun ra<u>h</u>eem<b>un</b>

When those who believe in Our revelations come to you, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has taken it upon Himself to be merciful. So that if any one among you does evil in ignorance and repents thereafter and makes amends, then He is most forgiving and ever merciful."

When those come to thee who believe in Our signs, Say: "Peace be on you: Your Lord hath inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy: verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, and amend (his conduct), lo! He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ أَنَّهُۥ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوٓءًۢا بِجَهَٰلَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

When those who accept My signs that indicate the truth of what you have brought come to you, O Messenger, then reply to their greeting of peace in honour of them and tell them the good news of My mercy. I have gracefully made mercy obligatory on Myself. If anyone among you commits sin, out of ignorance and foolishness, and then repents from that sin and sets their actions right, then I will forgive them, for I am Forgiving and Compassionate to the servant who repents to Me.

When those who accept My signs that indicate the truth of what you have brought come to you, O Messenger, then reply to their greeting of peace in honour of them and tell them the good news of My mercy. I have gracefully made mercy obligatory on Myself. If anyone among you commits sin, out of ignorance and foolishness, and then repents from that sin and sets their actions right, then I will forgive them, for I am Forgiving and Compassionate to the servant who repents to Me.

<p>About verse 54: وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (And when to you come those who believe ... ), there are two interpretations given by leading authorities in Tafs.ir:</p><p>1. Most of them have declared it to be related to previous verses and event. In support, they refer to the narration about the event when the chiefs of Quraysh demanded through Abu Talib that his nephew should first remove the poor people around him, with whom they could not sit, and then they would come and listen to him, and think about it. Thereupon, it was Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ who advised that it did not matter much, for Muslims were sincere friends and if requested they would move out of the sitting so that the chiefs of Quraysh could listen to the Word of Allah and become Muslims.</p><p>But, in the previous verses, came the command against this advice that this should never be done. Doing this would be cruel and unjust. The revelation of this verse made Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ realize the gravity of his error. He feared he had become a sinner by advising against what was the will of Allah. He came to tender his apology for it.</p><p>Thereupon, the present verses were revealed to comfort him. In gist, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been asked here to assure them that there will be no retribution for their past mistakes. In fact, not simply that there will be no retribution for the mistake, but that they will also be blessed in many ways by the most merciful Allah. He has also been asked to tell them about His Law that if a Muslim does something evil in ignorance, then gets alerted, repents and corrects his ways for the future, Allah Almighty will forgive him his past sins - and will also not deprive him of His blessings in this world and in the world to come. According to this explanation, these verses were revealed as related to this particular event described in previous verses.</p><p>2. Some commentators have taken these verses to be carrying an independent set of rules for guidance. These relate to people who have committed a sin, then felt ashamed of what they did, and repented, and corrected their ways.</p><p>A little deliberation will show that there is no contradiction between the two sayings - because it is universally agreed that an in-junction of the Holy Qur'an which has been revealed in the background of a particular event, subject to the condition of its words and subject being general, shall not remain restricted to that event, instead of which, it shall have the status of a general injunction. Therefore, even it were to be granted that the said verses did come to be revealed about the event mentioned, still then, this injunction shall have the status of a general rule of conduct which will cover every sinner who gets alarmed even after having committed the sin, then feels ashamed, repents, corrects and turns watchful for the future.</p><p>Now let us turn to a fuller explanation of these verses. It is said in the first verse (54): وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ كَتَبَ رَ‌بُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةَ ; It means: When those people come to him who believe in His Ayat ( the word, 'Ayat', at this place, could mean the Ayat or Verses of the Qur'an, and the Ayat or general signs of the perfect power of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu as well), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed to address them by saying: سَلَامُ عَلَیکُم (Peace be upon you). Here, 'Salamun Alaikum' could have two meanings. It could either mean: Convey to them the Salam or greetings of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu - which is the highest honour they could receive. Given this interpretation, that becomes the best antidote for the heart-break of poor Muslims, about whom the chiefs of the Quraysh had said that they should be removed from the gathering before they come. Or it could also mean: You give them the good news of their being safe and protected - that is, if they have fallen short or even made a mistake in what they have done, that will stand forgiven, and that they shall stay protected against all sorts of calamities.</p><p>In the next sentence of the verse: كَتَبَ رَ‌بُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةَ , the promise of additional favour and reward has been made by saying : You tell these Muslims that Allah has taken it upon Himself that mercy shall be shown to them. Therefore, let them not be frightened or nervous. First of all, by using the word, Rabb, the assertion in the verse has been provided with a proof - that Allah is your Nurturer, Nour'isher, Sustainer. It is obvious no nurturer would let what is being nurtured go to waste. Then, the mercy which was promised by that Rabb has been further clarified through a weighty, yet endearing, statement that their Rabb has prescribed this mercy on Himself'. It is obvious when even an average good person would not go back on his promise, how could this be ever imagined when referred to the Lord of the Worlds Himself, specially so when this promise has been preserved as a written document.</p><p>Based on a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ has been reported in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and in the Musnad of Ahmad, that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When Allah Ta` ala created the whole creation and determined the destiny of everyone, then, in a Book with Him on the ` Arsh, He wrote: اِنَّ رَحمَتِی غَلَبَت غَضَبِی (My Mercy is dominant over My Wrath).</p><p>And Sayyidna Salman ؓ says: We have seen written in the Torah, when Allah created the heavens and the earth and the entire creation in them, He divided His mercy in a hundred parts. One part from this He distributed all over the creation - and wherever any effect of this mercy is found among human beings, animals and other elements of creation, that owes itself to this same part. The mutual love and concern found among parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, among relatives, neighbours and friends, are all the outcome of this share from the mercy of Allah. The rest of the ninety nine parts of mercy have been kept by Allah Ta` ala for Himself. There are other narrations in which this has been described as a Hadith from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This goes to show the quality and extent of Allah's mercy for His creation.</p><p>It goes without saying that no ` Ibadah (worship) or ` Ita` ah (obedience) can be good enough so as to be considered as presentable before Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu - neither by an angel nor by a human being. We should not see our ` Ibadah and Ita` ah and good deeds in isolation. If we were to look at them as related to the highest of the high, we would humbly realize that what we have been able to do was not any better than what is simply bad. Still one has to be thankful for being able to do what was possible specially when no human being is free of real evils and sins- unless protected by Allah. Under this situation, justice would have demanded that no one remains safe from a general punishment. But, what is actually happening is that every human being is being showered with the blessings of Allah all the time. This, then, is the direct outcome of that mercy which the great Lord-Nourisher of the universe has put it down in writing as His responsibility.</p><p>Every Sin is Forgiven by Taubah [ Repentance ]</p><p>This perfect mercy of Allah appears mentioned in the form of a rule in the third sentence of verse 54: أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ It means: One of you who happens to have done something bad by having acted ignorantly, then repents after that and corrects his conduct, then Allah Almighty is most forgiving, He will forgive him his sins; and He is very merciful, so forgiveness alone will not be considered enough, for he will be blessed with rewards also.</p><p>From the word, " جهَالَةٍ " (Jahalah; literally: ignorance, used in the sense of acting ignorantly) one may think that this promise of forgiveness is valid only when a sin is committed in a state of ignorance, not knowing what is being done - and the commitment of a sin knowingly would be considered excluded from the purview of this injunction. But, this is not true - because Jahalah (ignorance) here means acting ignorantly which refers to the act of ignorance, that is, one ends up doing something as would have been done by one who is ignorant and unaware of the outcome of his or her act. It is not necessary that the doer of the act be ignorant in reality. This is confirmed by the use of the word Jahalah itself - as the word, Jahalah has been used here in-stead of using the word, Jahl, most likely to point out to this refinement in meaning. The reason is that Jahl (also meaning ignorance) is an antonym of ` Ilm (Knowledge) while Jahalah stands in contrast to forbearance and dignity. In other words, the word, Jahalah is employed, in usage, to ignorance which is demonstrated practically, indeed. A little thought will reveal that a sin, whenever it is committed by someone, comes about to be because of this practical ignorance. Therefore, some pious elders have said that a person who acts against any command given by Allah and His Messenger is Jahil (ignorant). It refers to this very practical ignorance. For this, it is not necessary to be uninformed and lacking in knowledge - because countless definitive statements of the Holy Qur'an and Sahih Ahadith (Nass) prove that every sin can be forgiven by making Taubah (repentance), whether committed by heedlessness or ignorance, or knowingly and deliberately through self-wickedness or a blinded following of (the drum-beats of) one's own desire.</p><p>At this point, it is also worth noticing that the promise of mercy and forgiveness made to sinners in this verse is conditioned with two things: (a) Taubah (repentance), and (b) the Islah of ` Amal (the correction of misdeed). Taubah means being ashamed of the sin. Says the Hadith: التوبۃ النَّدَم اِنَّمَا (Taubah or repentance is another name of Nadamah, that is, being ashamed of or having remorse).</p><p>As for the second condition, that is, the correction of deed, it means that one should see to it that what happened before will not be repeated in the future. So, this process of trying to better one's doings includes the making of a firm determination not to go near that sin ever again by fully auditing and checking one's behaviour at all times, and also included here is that all rights belonging to someone which have been violated or compromised because of that sin, should be compensated to the best of one's capability. They may be the Rights of Allah (Huququllah) or the Rights of the Servants of Allah (Huquq al-‘Ibad). Example of the rights of Allah are: Usurping someone's property unlawfully, to attack someone's honour, and to cause pain to someone by using bad language or causing such pain in some other manner.</p><p>Therefore, for Taubah (repentance) to be total and complete, the way it is necessary to first feel ashamed of the of the past sin, then seek forgiveness from Allah Ta` ala, then resolve to keep one's conduct correct and straight in the future and never go near that sin again – similarly, it is also necessary that the prayers (Salah) and fasts (Sawm) which were missed due to heedlessness should be replaced by doing Qada for them. Then, any Zakah which has not been paid earlier should be paid now. If there is a shortcoming in taking care of what was obligatory in Qurbani (Sacrifice) or Sadaqatul Fitr. ( post-Ramadhan charity for the poor and needy), that should be paid off. If one has not done his or her Hajj, despite its being Fard, an absolute obligation, one should do it now; and if it is not possible to do so personally, one should arrange to have it done on his or her behalf (Hajj Badal). And if, one does not have the time to arrange for an authorized proxy for Hajj, and does not have the convenience to personally make up for whatever was missed and the Qada' of which had become due - during his lifetime - then, he or she should make a Wasiyyah (will) so that their inheritors or heirs could take care of paying the Fidyah (ransom) of the obligations her bee against him or her, or make arrangements for Hajj on half. In short, for ` the correction of deed,' the correction of the future conduct only is not enough - it is also necessary to make amends by paying off for obligations left unperformed in the past.</p><p>Similar is the case of the Rights of the Servants of Allah (Huquq al-'lbad). If someone's property has been taken unlawfully, it should be returned to him, or have him forgive it. And if someone has been caused pain physically or verbally, forgiveness must be sought from the aggrieved person. And if, it is not possible or within one's control to have him forgive it - for example, he dies; or goes away to a place the address of which is not known - then, the way out is that one should make it a point to keep praying for his forgiveness before Allah Ta` ala consistently. If so, it can be hoped that the holder of the right will be pleased and the person who was unable to have the forgiveness of the deceased during his lifetime will become absolved of what was due on him.</p>

About verse 54: وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ (And when to you come those who believe ... ), there are two interpretations given by leading authorities in Tafs.ir:1. Most of them have declared it to be related to previous verses and event. In support, they refer to the narration about the event when the chiefs of Quraysh demanded through Abu Talib that his nephew should first remove the poor people around him, with whom they could not sit, and then they would come and listen to him, and think about it. Thereupon, it was Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ who advised that it did not matter much, for Muslims were sincere friends and if requested they would move out of the sitting so that the chiefs of Quraysh could listen to the Word of Allah and become Muslims.But, in the previous verses, came the command against this advice that this should never be done. Doing this would be cruel and unjust. The revelation of this verse made Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ realize the gravity of his error. He feared he had become a sinner by advising against what was the will of Allah. He came to tender his apology for it.Thereupon, the present verses were revealed to comfort him. In gist, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been asked here to assure them that there will be no retribution for their past mistakes. In fact, not simply that there will be no retribution for the mistake, but that they will also be blessed in many ways by the most merciful Allah. He has also been asked to tell them about His Law that if a Muslim does something evil in ignorance, then gets alerted, repents and corrects his ways for the future, Allah Almighty will forgive him his past sins - and will also not deprive him of His blessings in this world and in the world to come. According to this explanation, these verses were revealed as related to this particular event described in previous verses.2. Some commentators have taken these verses to be carrying an independent set of rules for guidance. These relate to people who have committed a sin, then felt ashamed of what they did, and repented, and corrected their ways.A little deliberation will show that there is no contradiction between the two sayings - because it is universally agreed that an in-junction of the Holy Qur'an which has been revealed in the background of a particular event, subject to the condition of its words and subject being general, shall not remain restricted to that event, instead of which, it shall have the status of a general injunction. Therefore, even it were to be granted that the said verses did come to be revealed about the event mentioned, still then, this injunction shall have the status of a general rule of conduct which will cover every sinner who gets alarmed even after having committed the sin, then feels ashamed, repents, corrects and turns watchful for the future.Now let us turn to a fuller explanation of these verses. It is said in the first verse (54): وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ كَتَبَ رَ‌بُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةَ ; It means: When those people come to him who believe in His Ayat ( the word, 'Ayat', at this place, could mean the Ayat or Verses of the Qur'an, and the Ayat or general signs of the perfect power of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu as well), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been instructed to address them by saying: سَلَامُ عَلَیکُم (Peace be upon you). Here, 'Salamun Alaikum' could have two meanings. It could either mean: Convey to them the Salam or greetings of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu - which is the highest honour they could receive. Given this interpretation, that becomes the best antidote for the heart-break of poor Muslims, about whom the chiefs of the Quraysh had said that they should be removed from the gathering before they come. Or it could also mean: You give them the good news of their being safe and protected - that is, if they have fallen short or even made a mistake in what they have done, that will stand forgiven, and that they shall stay protected against all sorts of calamities.In the next sentence of the verse: كَتَبَ رَ‌بُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّ‌حْمَةَ , the promise of additional favour and reward has been made by saying : You tell these Muslims that Allah has taken it upon Himself that mercy shall be shown to them. Therefore, let them not be frightened or nervous. First of all, by using the word, Rabb, the assertion in the verse has been provided with a proof - that Allah is your Nurturer, Nour'isher, Sustainer. It is obvious no nurturer would let what is being nurtured go to waste. Then, the mercy which was promised by that Rabb has been further clarified through a weighty, yet endearing, statement that their Rabb has prescribed this mercy on Himself'. It is obvious when even an average good person would not go back on his promise, how could this be ever imagined when referred to the Lord of the Worlds Himself, specially so when this promise has been preserved as a written document.Based on a narration of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ has been reported in the Sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and in the Musnad of Ahmad, that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: When Allah Ta` ala created the whole creation and determined the destiny of everyone, then, in a Book with Him on the ` Arsh, He wrote: اِنَّ رَحمَتِی غَلَبَت غَضَبِی (My Mercy is dominant over My Wrath).And Sayyidna Salman ؓ says: We have seen written in the Torah, when Allah created the heavens and the earth and the entire creation in them, He divided His mercy in a hundred parts. One part from this He distributed all over the creation - and wherever any effect of this mercy is found among human beings, animals and other elements of creation, that owes itself to this same part. The mutual love and concern found among parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, among relatives, neighbours and friends, are all the outcome of this share from the mercy of Allah. The rest of the ninety nine parts of mercy have been kept by Allah Ta` ala for Himself. There are other narrations in which this has been described as a Hadith from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . This goes to show the quality and extent of Allah's mercy for His creation.It goes without saying that no ` Ibadah (worship) or ` Ita` ah (obedience) can be good enough so as to be considered as presentable before Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu - neither by an angel nor by a human being. We should not see our ` Ibadah and Ita` ah and good deeds in isolation. If we were to look at them as related to the highest of the high, we would humbly realize that what we have been able to do was not any better than what is simply bad. Still one has to be thankful for being able to do what was possible specially when no human being is free of real evils and sins- unless protected by Allah. Under this situation, justice would have demanded that no one remains safe from a general punishment. But, what is actually happening is that every human being is being showered with the blessings of Allah all the time. This, then, is the direct outcome of that mercy which the great Lord-Nourisher of the universe has put it down in writing as His responsibility.Every Sin is Forgiven by Taubah [ Repentance ]This perfect mercy of Allah appears mentioned in the form of a rule in the third sentence of verse 54: أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ It means: One of you who happens to have done something bad by having acted ignorantly, then repents after that and corrects his conduct, then Allah Almighty is most forgiving, He will forgive him his sins; and He is very merciful, so forgiveness alone will not be considered enough, for he will be blessed with rewards also.From the word, " جهَالَةٍ " (Jahalah; literally: ignorance, used in the sense of acting ignorantly) one may think that this promise of forgiveness is valid only when a sin is committed in a state of ignorance, not knowing what is being done - and the commitment of a sin knowingly would be considered excluded from the purview of this injunction. But, this is not true - because Jahalah (ignorance) here means acting ignorantly which refers to the act of ignorance, that is, one ends up doing something as would have been done by one who is ignorant and unaware of the outcome of his or her act. It is not necessary that the doer of the act be ignorant in reality. This is confirmed by the use of the word Jahalah itself - as the word, Jahalah has been used here in-stead of using the word, Jahl, most likely to point out to this refinement in meaning. The reason is that Jahl (also meaning ignorance) is an antonym of ` Ilm (Knowledge) while Jahalah stands in contrast to forbearance and dignity. In other words, the word, Jahalah is employed, in usage, to ignorance which is demonstrated practically, indeed. A little thought will reveal that a sin, whenever it is committed by someone, comes about to be because of this practical ignorance. Therefore, some pious elders have said that a person who acts against any command given by Allah and His Messenger is Jahil (ignorant). It refers to this very practical ignorance. For this, it is not necessary to be uninformed and lacking in knowledge - because countless definitive statements of the Holy Qur'an and Sahih Ahadith (Nass) prove that every sin can be forgiven by making Taubah (repentance), whether committed by heedlessness or ignorance, or knowingly and deliberately through self-wickedness or a blinded following of (the drum-beats of) one's own desire.At this point, it is also worth noticing that the promise of mercy and forgiveness made to sinners in this verse is conditioned with two things: (a) Taubah (repentance), and (b) the Islah of ` Amal (the correction of misdeed). Taubah means being ashamed of the sin. Says the Hadith: التوبۃ النَّدَم اِنَّمَا (Taubah or repentance is another name of Nadamah, that is, being ashamed of or having remorse).As for the second condition, that is, the correction of deed, it means that one should see to it that what happened before will not be repeated in the future. So, this process of trying to better one's doings includes the making of a firm determination not to go near that sin ever again by fully auditing and checking one's behaviour at all times, and also included here is that all rights belonging to someone which have been violated or compromised because of that sin, should be compensated to the best of one's capability. They may be the Rights of Allah (Huququllah) or the Rights of the Servants of Allah (Huquq al-‘Ibad). Example of the rights of Allah are: Usurping someone's property unlawfully, to attack someone's honour, and to cause pain to someone by using bad language or causing such pain in some other manner.Therefore, for Taubah (repentance) to be total and complete, the way it is necessary to first feel ashamed of the of the past sin, then seek forgiveness from Allah Ta` ala, then resolve to keep one's conduct correct and straight in the future and never go near that sin again – similarly, it is also necessary that the prayers (Salah) and fasts (Sawm) which were missed due to heedlessness should be replaced by doing Qada for them. Then, any Zakah which has not been paid earlier should be paid now. If there is a shortcoming in taking care of what was obligatory in Qurbani (Sacrifice) or Sadaqatul Fitr. ( post-Ramadhan charity for the poor and needy), that should be paid off. If one has not done his or her Hajj, despite its being Fard, an absolute obligation, one should do it now; and if it is not possible to do so personally, one should arrange to have it done on his or her behalf (Hajj Badal). And if, one does not have the time to arrange for an authorized proxy for Hajj, and does not have the convenience to personally make up for whatever was missed and the Qada' of which had become due - during his lifetime - then, he or she should make a Wasiyyah (will) so that their inheritors or heirs could take care of paying the Fidyah (ransom) of the obligations her bee against him or her, or make arrangements for Hajj on half. In short, for ` the correction of deed,' the correction of the future conduct only is not enough - it is also necessary to make amends by paying off for obligations left unperformed in the past.Similar is the case of the Rights of the Servants of Allah (Huquq al-'lbad). If someone's property has been taken unlawfully, it should be returned to him, or have him forgive it. And if someone has been caused pain physically or verbally, forgiveness must be sought from the aggrieved person. And if, it is not possible or within one's control to have him forgive it - for example, he dies; or goes away to a place the address of which is not known - then, the way out is that one should make it a point to keep praying for his forgiveness before Allah Ta` ala consistently. If so, it can be hoped that the holder of the right will be pleased and the person who was unable to have the forgiveness of the deceased during his lifetime will become absolved of what was due on him.

Thus distinctly do We explain Our signs that the way of sinners may become distinct.

And this is how We explain Our verses clearly and so that the way of the criminals become well exposed.

Thus We distinguish Our signs, that the sinners' way may be manifest.

And thus clearly do We spell out Our messages: and [We do it] so that the path of those who are lost in sin might be distinct [from that of the righteous].

And Thus We expound revelations so that the way of the culprits may be shown up.

And thus do We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that the way of the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), may become manifest.

Thus We explain the revelations, and expose the path of the unrighteous.

Thus We clearly set forth Our signs so that the way of the wicked might become distinct.

And thus do We explain the Ayat in detail, that the way of the criminals, may become manifest.

Thus do We expound the revelations that the way of the unrighteous may be manifest.

Thus do We elaborate the signs, so that the way of the guilty may be exposed.

As such We make plain Our verses, so that the path of the wicked will be clear.

And thus do We detail the verses, and [thus] the way of the criminals will become evident.

Thus do We explain Our revelations so that the sinful way can be plainly discerned.

And thus do We make distinct the communications and so that the way of the guilty may become clear.

Waka<u>tha</u>lika nufa<u>ss</u>ilu al<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti walitastabeena sabeelu almujrimeen<b>a</b>

Thus We make plain Our signs, so that the path of the evil-doers might be laid bare.

Thus do We explain the signs in detail: that the way of the sinners may be shown up.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

So just as I have explained what was previously mentioned, I explain to you the Qur’ān to make the truth clear for the sake of practicing it; and to make clear the path of the guilty ones, so that it can be avoided.

So just as I have explained what was previously mentioned, I explain to you the Qur’ān to make the truth clear for the sake of practicing it; and to make clear the path of the guilty ones, so that it can be avoided.

<h2 class="title">The Prophet Understands What He Conveys; Torment is in Allah's Hands Not the Prophet's</h2><p>Allah says, just as We mentioned the clear signs that testify and direct to the path of guidance, all the while chastising useless arguments and defiance, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَذلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ</div><p>(And thus do We explain the Ayat in detail,) that is, whatever responsible adults need explained to them, in the affairs of life and religion, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ</div><p>(That the way of the criminals may become manifest.) so that the path of the criminals who defy the Prophets is apparent and clear. This Ayah was also said to mean, so that you, O Muhammad , are aware of the path of the criminals. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنِّى عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى</div><p>(Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord...") means: I have a clear understanding of the Law of Allah that He has revealed to me, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِ</div><p>(but you deny it.) meaning, but you disbelieve in the truth that came to me from Allah. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَا عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ</div><p>(I do not have what you are hastily seeking) meaning, the torment, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للَّهِ</div><p>(The decision is only for Allah,) for the ruling of this is with Allah. If He wills, He will punish you soon in response to your wish! If He wills, He will give you respite, out of His great wisdom. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَقُصُّ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْفَـصِلِينَ</div><p>(He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.) and the best in reckoning between His servants. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ</div><p>(Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I,") means, if I have what you ask for, I will surely send down what you deserve of it, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاللهُ أَعْلَمْ بِالظَّالِمِيَن</div><p>(but Allah knows best the wrongdoers) Someone might ask about the meaning of this Ayah compared to the Hadith in the Two Sahihs, from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said to the Messenger, "O Allah's Messenger ! Have you encountered a day harder than the day (of the battle) of Uhud" The Prophet replied, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَقَدْ لَقِيتُ مِنْ قَوْمِكِ، وَكَانَ أَشَدَّ مَا لَقِيتُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْعَقَبَةِ،إِذْ عَرَضْتُ نَفْسِي عَلَى ابْنِ عَبْدِيَالِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدِكُلَالٍ، فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي إِلَى مَا أَرَدْتُ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ وَأَنَا مَهْمُومٌ عَلَى وَجْهِي، فَلَمْ أَسْتَفِقْ إِلَّا بِقَرْنِ الثَّعَالِبِ، فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِسَحَاَبَةٍ قَدْ ظَلَّلَتْنِي، فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا فِيهَا جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَنَادَانِي فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الله قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَمَا رَدُّوا عَلَيْكَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْكَ مَلَكَ الْجِبَالِ، لِتَأْمُرَهُ بِمَا شِئْتَ فِيهِمْ، قَالَ: فَنَادَانِي مَلَكُ الْجِبَالِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثَنِي رَبُّكَ إِلَيْكَ، لِتَأْمُرَنِي بِأَمْرِكَ فِيمَا شِئْتَ، إِنْ شِئْتَ أَطْبَقْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَخْشَبَيْن»</div><p>فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِصلى الله عليه وسلّم: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللهُ مِنْ أَصْلَابِهِمْ، مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا»</div><p>(Your people have troubled me alot and the worst trouble was on the day of `Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil bin `Abd Kulal, who did not respond to my call. So I departed, overwhelmed with severe sorrow, proceeded on and could not relax until I found myself at Qarn Ath-Tha`alib where I raised my head towards the sky to see a cloud unexpectedly shading me. I looked up and saw Jibril in it and he called me saying, `Indeed Allah has heard what you said to the people and what they have responded to you. Therefore, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, `O Muhammad! verily, Allah has heard how your people responded to you and He has sent me to you so that you could order me to do what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabayn (two mountains to the north and south of Makkah) fall on them.' The Prophet said, No, but I hope that Allah will let them generate offspring who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship none besides Him.) This is the wording of Muslim. Tormenting the disbelievers of Quraysh was offered to the Prophet , but he chose patience and asked Allah for respite for them, so that Allah might let them generate offspring who will not associate anything with Him in worship. Therefore, how can we combine the meaning of this Hadith and the honorable Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالظَّـلِمِينَ </div><p>(Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I, but Allah knows best the wrongdoers.") The answer to this question is, Allah knows the best, that the Ayah states that if the punishment that they asked for was in the Prophet's hand at the time, he would have sent it on them as they asked. As for the Hadith, the disbelievers did not ask the Prophet to send the torment down on them. Rather, the angel responsible for the mountains offered him the choice to let the two mountains to the north and south of Makkah close in on the disbelievers and crush them. The Prophet did not wish that and asked for respite out of compassion for them. </p><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ</div><p>(And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Salim bin `Abdullah said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا الله»</div><p>(The keys of the Unseen are five and none except Allah knows them: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ </div><p>(Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware)") 31:34. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ</div><p>(And He knows whatever there is on the land and in the sea;) means, Allah's honored knowledge encompasses everything, including the creatures living in the sea and on land, and none of it, not even the weight of an atom on earth or in heaven, ever escapes His knowledge. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا</div><p>(not a leaf falls, but He knows it.) means, He knows the movements of everything including inanimate things. Therefore, what about His knowledge of the living creatures, especially, those whom the Divine laws have been imposed upon such as mankind and the Jinns In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ </div><p>(Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.) 40:19 </p>

The Prophet Understands What He Conveys; Torment is in Allah's Hands Not the Prophet'sAllah says, just as We mentioned the clear signs that testify and direct to the path of guidance, all the while chastising useless arguments and defiance, كَذلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَـتِ(And thus do We explain the Ayat in detail,) that is, whatever responsible adults need explained to them, in the affairs of life and religion, وَلِتَسْتَبِينَ سَبِيلُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ(That the way of the criminals may become manifest.) so that the path of the criminals who defy the Prophets is apparent and clear. This Ayah was also said to mean, so that you, O Muhammad , are aware of the path of the criminals. Allah's statement, قُلْ إِنِّى عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى(Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord...") means: I have a clear understanding of the Law of Allah that He has revealed to me, وَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِ(but you deny it.) meaning, but you disbelieve in the truth that came to me from Allah. مَا عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ(I do not have what you are hastily seeking) meaning, the torment, إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ للَّهِ(The decision is only for Allah,) for the ruling of this is with Allah. If He wills, He will punish you soon in response to your wish! If He wills, He will give you respite, out of His great wisdom. This is why Allah said, يَقُصُّ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْفَـصِلِينَ(He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.) and the best in reckoning between His servants. Allah's statement, قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ(Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I,") means, if I have what you ask for, I will surely send down what you deserve of it, وَاللهُ أَعْلَمْ بِالظَّالِمِيَن(but Allah knows best the wrongdoers) Someone might ask about the meaning of this Ayah compared to the Hadith in the Two Sahihs, from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said to the Messenger, "O Allah's Messenger ! Have you encountered a day harder than the day (of the battle) of Uhud" The Prophet replied, «لَقَدْ لَقِيتُ مِنْ قَوْمِكِ، وَكَانَ أَشَدَّ مَا لَقِيتُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ الْعَقَبَةِ،إِذْ عَرَضْتُ نَفْسِي عَلَى ابْنِ عَبْدِيَالِيلَ بْنِ عَبْدِكُلَالٍ، فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي إِلَى مَا أَرَدْتُ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ وَأَنَا مَهْمُومٌ عَلَى وَجْهِي، فَلَمْ أَسْتَفِقْ إِلَّا بِقَرْنِ الثَّعَالِبِ، فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِسَحَاَبَةٍ قَدْ ظَلَّلَتْنِي، فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا فِيهَا جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَنَادَانِي فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الله قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَمَا رَدُّوا عَلَيْكَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثَ إِلَيْكَ مَلَكَ الْجِبَالِ، لِتَأْمُرَهُ بِمَا شِئْتَ فِيهِمْ، قَالَ: فَنَادَانِي مَلَكُ الْجِبَالِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ سَمِعَ قَوْلَ قَوْمِكَ لَكَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثَنِي رَبُّكَ إِلَيْكَ، لِتَأْمُرَنِي بِأَمْرِكَ فِيمَا شِئْتَ، إِنْ شِئْتَ أَطْبَقْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَخْشَبَيْن»فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِصلى الله عليه وسلّم: «بَلْ أَرْجُو أَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللهُ مِنْ أَصْلَابِهِمْ، مَنْ يَعْبُدُ اللهَ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا»(Your people have troubled me alot and the worst trouble was on the day of `Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd Yalil bin `Abd Kulal, who did not respond to my call. So I departed, overwhelmed with severe sorrow, proceeded on and could not relax until I found myself at Qarn Ath-Tha`alib where I raised my head towards the sky to see a cloud unexpectedly shading me. I looked up and saw Jibril in it and he called me saying, `Indeed Allah has heard what you said to the people and what they have responded to you. Therefore, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, `O Muhammad! verily, Allah has heard how your people responded to you and He has sent me to you so that you could order me to do what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabayn (two mountains to the north and south of Makkah) fall on them.' The Prophet said, No, but I hope that Allah will let them generate offspring who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship none besides Him.) This is the wording of Muslim. Tormenting the disbelievers of Quraysh was offered to the Prophet , but he chose patience and asked Allah for respite for them, so that Allah might let them generate offspring who will not associate anything with Him in worship. Therefore, how can we combine the meaning of this Hadith and the honorable Ayah, قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ لَقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالظَّـلِمِينَ (Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I, but Allah knows best the wrongdoers.") The answer to this question is, Allah knows the best, that the Ayah states that if the punishment that they asked for was in the Prophet's hand at the time, he would have sent it on them as they asked. As for the Hadith, the disbelievers did not ask the Prophet to send the torment down on them. Rather, the angel responsible for the mountains offered him the choice to let the two mountains to the north and south of Makkah close in on the disbelievers and crush them. The Prophet did not wish that and asked for respite out of compassion for them. Allah said next, وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ(And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Salim bin `Abdullah said that his father said that the Messenger of Allah said, «مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْسٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلَّا الله»(The keys of the Unseen are five and none except Allah knows them: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الاٌّرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَيمٌ خَبِيرٌ (Verily, Allah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware)") 31:34. Allah's statement, وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ(And He knows whatever there is on the land and in the sea;) means, Allah's honored knowledge encompasses everything, including the creatures living in the sea and on land, and none of it, not even the weight of an atom on earth or in heaven, ever escapes His knowledge. Allah's statement, وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا(not a leaf falls, but He knows it.) means, He knows the movements of everything including inanimate things. Therefore, what about His knowledge of the living creatures, especially, those whom the Divine laws have been imposed upon such as mankind and the Jinns In another Ayah, Allah said; يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ (Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.) 40:19

Tell them: "I am forbidden to worship those you invoke apart from God." And say: "I will not follow your wishes. If I do, I shall be lost and not be one of those who follow the right path."

Say, “I have been forbidden to worship those whom you worship other than Allah”; say, “I do not follow your desires – if it were, I would then go astray and not be on the right path.”

Say: 'I am forbidden to serve those you call on apart from God.' Say: 'I do not follow your caprices, or else I had gone astray, and would not be of the right-guided.'

SAY [to the deniers of the truth]: "Behold, I have been forbidden to worship those [beings] whom you invoke instead of God." Say: "I do not follow your errant views -or else I should have gone astray, and should not be among those who have found the right path."

Say thou: verily I am forbidden to worship those whom ye call upon beside Allah. Say thou: I shall not follow your vain desires, for then I shall be gone astray, and shall not remain of the guided.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke (worship) besides Allah." Say: "I will not follow your vain desires. If I did, I would go astray, and I would not be one of the rightly guided."

Say, “I am forbidden from worshiping those you pray to besides God.” Say, “I will not follow your desires; else I would be lost and not be of those guided.”

Say (O Muhanimad!): 'I have been forbidden to serve those to whom you call other than Allah.' Say: 'I do not follow your desires, for were I to do that, I would go astray and would not be of those who are rightly guided.'

Say: "I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke (worship) besides Allah." Say: "I will not follow your vain desires. If I did, I would go astray, and I would not be one of the rightly guided."

Say: I am forbidden to worship those on whom ye call instead of Allah. Say: I will not follow your desires, for then should I go astray and I should not be of the rightly guided.

Say, ‘I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke besides Allah.’ Say, ‘I do not follow your desires, for then I will have gone astray, and I will not be among the [rightly] guided.’

Say: 'I am forbidden to worship whom you call upon instead of Allah' Say: 'I will not yield to your wishes, for then I should have strayed and should not be of those guided'

Say, "Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those you invoke besides Allah." Say, "I will not follow your desires, for I would then have gone astray, and I would not be of the [rightly] guided."

(Muhammad), tell them, "I am commanded not to worship the idols instead of God. I do not follow your desires lest I go astray and miss the true guidance"

Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah. Say: I do not follow your low desires. for then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright.

Qul innee nuheetu an aAAbuda alla<u>th</u>eena tadAAoona min dooni All<u>a</u>hi qul l<u>a</u> attabiAAu ahw<u>a</u>akum qad <u>d</u>alaltu i<u>th</u>an wam<u>a</u> an<u>a</u> mina almuhtadeen<b>a</b>

Say, "I am forbidden to worship those you call upon besides God." Say, "I do not follow your whims and desires. If I did, I would go astray and cease to be rightly guided."

Say: "I am forbidden to worship those - others than Allah - whom ye call upon." Say: "I will not follow your wain desires: If I did, I would stray from the path, and be not of the company of those who receive guidance."

قُلْ إِنِّى نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ قُل لَّآ أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَآءَكُمْ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ

Say, O Messenger, ‘Allah has prohibited me from worshipping those whom you worship besides Him’. Say, O Messenger: I do not follow your desires in worshipping other than Allah. If I had followed your desires, I would go astray from the path of truth and I would not be guided to it. This is the condition of any person who follows his desires without any proof from Allah.

Say, O Messenger, ‘Allah has prohibited me from worshipping those whom you worship besides Him’. Say, O Messenger: I do not follow your desires in worshipping other than Allah. If I had followed your desires, I would go astray from the path of truth and I would not be guided to it. This is the condition of any person who follows his desires without any proof from Allah.

<p>The Linkage of Verses</p><p>In the verses cited above, the answer to disbelievers who were demanding that the Divine punishment should come to them posthaste was given in: وَهُوَ خَيْرُ‌ الْفَاصِلِينَ (He is the best decision-maker) while the mention of the perfect power of Almighty Allah was made in: وَاللَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالظَّالِمِينَ (Allah knows the unjust best). Next from here, there is a description of the encompassment of the Knowledge and Power of Allah Ta` ala on all conceivable data and destiny.</p>

The Linkage of VersesIn the verses cited above, the answer to disbelievers who were demanding that the Divine punishment should come to them posthaste was given in: وَهُوَ خَيْرُ‌ الْفَاصِلِينَ (He is the best decision-maker) while the mention of the perfect power of Almighty Allah was made in: وَاللَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالظَّالِمِينَ (Allah knows the unjust best). Next from here, there is a description of the encompassment of the Knowledge and Power of Allah Ta` ala on all conceivable data and destiny.

Tell them: "A clear proof has come to me from my Lord, and Him you deny. But what you wish to be hastened is not within my power. The judgement is only God's. He unfolds the Truth, and is the best of judges."

Say, “I am on the clear proof from my Lord, whereas you deny Him; I do not have what you are impatient for; there is no command except that of Allah; He states the truth and He is the Best of Judges."

Say: 'I stand upon a clear sign from my Lord, and you have cried lies to it. Not with me is that you seek to hasten; the judgment is God's alone. He relates the truth, and He is the Best of deciders.'

Say: "Behold, I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Sustainer-and [so] it is to Him that you are giving the lie! Not in my power is that which [in your ignorance] you so hastily demand: judgment rests with none but God. He shall declare the truth, since it is He who is the best judge between truth and falsehood."

Say thou: verily stand upon an evidence from my Lord, and ye belie it; not with me is that which ye fain would hasten on. The judgement is not but of Allah. He counteth the truth, and He is the Best of deciders.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I am on clear proof from my Lord (Islamic Monotheism), but you deny (the truth that has come to me from Allah). I have not gotten what you are asking for impatiently (the torment). The decision is only for Allah, He declares the truth, and He is the Best of judges."

Say, “I stand on clear evidence from my Lord, and you have rejected Him. I do not possess what you seek me to hasten; the decision belongs solely to God. He states the truth, and He is the Best of Judges.”

Say: 'I take stand upon a clear evidence from my Lord and it is that which you have given the lie to. That which you desire to be hastened is not within my power. Judgement lies with Allah alone. He declares the Truth, and He is the best judge.'

Say: "I am on clear proof from my Lord, but you deny it. I do not have what you are hastily seeking (the torment). The decision is only for Allah, He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges."

Say: I am (relying) on clear proof from my Lord, while ye deny Him. I have not that for which ye are impatient. The decision is for Allah only. He telleth the truth and He is the Best of Deciders.

Say, ‘Indeed I stand on a manifest proof from my Lord and you have denied it. What you seek to hasten is not up to me. Judgement belongs only to Allah; He expounds the truth and He is the best of judges.’

Say: 'I am upon a clear proof from my Lord, yet you belie Him. I do not have that which you seek to hasten; judgement is for Allah alone. He narrates the truth and He is the Best of deciders'

Say, "Indeed, I am on clear evidence from my Lord, and you have denied it. I do not have that for which you are impatient. The decision is only for Allah. He relates the truth, and He is the best of deciders."

Say, "I have received enough authoritative evidence from my Lord but you have rejected it. Whatever (torment that God has threatened you with for your disbelief) and that which you insist on to experience without delay, is not in my hands. The (final) Judgment is in the hands of God. He reveals the Truth and He is the best Judge.

Say: Surely I have manifest proof from my Lord and you call it a lie; I have not with me that which you would hasten; the judgment is only Allah's; He relates the truth and He is the best of deciders.

Qul innee AAal<u>a</u> bayyinatin min rabbee waka<u>thth</u>abtum bihi m<u>a</u> AAindee m<u>a</u> tastaAAjiloona bihi ini al<u>h</u>ukmu ill<u>a</u> lill<u>a</u>hi yaqu<u>ss</u>u al<u>h</u>aqqa wahuwa khayru alf<u>as</u>ileen<b>a</b>

Say, "I stand by the clear evidence from my Lord, yet you deny it. What you seek to hasten is not within my power. Judgement is for God alone. He declares the truth. He is the best of judges."

Say: "For me, I (work) on a clear sign from my Lord, but ye reject Him. What ye would see hastened, is not in my power. The command rests with none but Allah: He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges."

قُلْ إِنِّى عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى وَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِۦ مَا عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ يَقُصُّ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلْفَٰصِلِينَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: I stand on clear evidence from my Lord, not on vain desires, yet you have denied this evidence. I do not have the punishment and the extraordinary signs that you demand and that you are in such haste to bring about. That is only in Allah’s control. The decision for anything, including what you demand, is only Allah’s. He speaks the truth and decides accordingly. Allah, may He be glorified, is the best of those who decide between truth and falsehood.

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: I stand on clear evidence from my Lord, not on vain desires, yet you have denied this evidence. I do not have the punishment and the extraordinary signs that you demand and that you are in such haste to bring about. That is only in Allah’s control. The decision for anything, including what you demand, is only Allah’s. He speaks the truth and decides accordingly. Allah, may He be glorified, is the best of those who decide between truth and falsehood.

Say: "If what you wish to be hastened were in my power, all matters between you and me would have been settled; God is cognisant of those who are unjust."

Say, “If I had the thing for which you are impatient, then the matter between me and you would have already been decided”; and Allah is Well Aware of the unjust.

Say: 'If what you seek to hasten were with me, the matter between you and me would be decided; and God knows very well the evildoers.'

Say: "If that which you so hastily demand were in my power, everything would indeed have been decided between me and you. But God knows best as to who is doing wrong."

Say thou: if that which ye fain would hasten on be with me, the affair would have been decided between me and you; and Allah is the Best Knower of you the wrong-doers.

Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between me and you, but Allah knows best the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.)."

Say, “If I possessed what you seek me to hasten, the matter between you and me would have been settled. God is well aware of the unjust.”

Say: 'If what you demand so hastily were in my power, the matter between me and you would have been long decided. But Allah knows best how to judge the wrong-doers.

Say: "If I had that which you are asking for impatiently (the torment), the matter would have been settled at once between you and I, but Allah knows best the wrongdoers."

Say: If I had that for which ye are impatient, then would the case (ere this) have been decided between me and you. Allah is Best Aware of the wrong-doers.

Say, ‘If what you seek to hasten were with me, the matter would surely have been decided between you and me, and Allah knows best the wrongdoers.’

Say: 'If what you seek to hasten were with me, the matter between you and me would be decided, and Allah knows very well the harmdoers'

Say, "If I had that for which you are impatient, the matter would have been decided between me and you, but Allah is most knowing of the wrongdoers."

Say, "If I had in my hands what you demand to experience without delay, the matter would have been ended all together. God knows best about the unjust."

Say: If that which you desire to hasten were with me, the matter would have certainly been decided between you and me; and Allah best knows the unjust.

Qul law anna AAindee m<u>a</u> tastaAAjiloona bihi laqu<u>d</u>iya alamru baynee wabaynakum wa<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hu aAAlamu bi<b>al</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

Say, "If what you seek to hasten were within my power, the matter would be settled between you and me. God best knows the evil-doers."

Say: "If what ye would see hastened were in my power, the matter would be settled at once between you and me. But Allah knoweth best those who do wrong."

قُل لَّوْ أَنَّ عِندِى مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِۦ لَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

O Messenger, say to them: If I had in my possession the punishment that you are in such haste to bring about, I would have brought it down on you. If that happens, the matter between us will be settled. Allah knows best about the duration of respite for those who do wrong and He knows best when to punish them.

O Messenger, say to them: If I had in my possession the punishment that you are in such haste to bring about, I would have brought it down on you. If that happens, the matter between us will be settled. Allah knows best about the duration of respite for those who do wrong and He knows best when to punish them.

He has the keys of the Unknown. No one but He has knowledge; He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls without His knowledge, nor a grain in the darkest (recess) of the earth, nor any thing green or seared that is not recorded in the open book (of nature).

And it is He Who has the keys of the hidden – only He knows them; and He knows all that is in the land and the sea; and no leaf falls but He knows it – and there is not a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything wet or dry, which is not recorded in a clear Book.

With Him are the keys of the Unseen; none knows them but He. He knows what is in land and sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the earth's shadows, not a thing, fresh or withered, but it is in a Book Manifest.

For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created being's perception: none knows them but He. And He knows all that is on land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth's deep darkness, nor anything: living or dead, but is recorded in [His] clear decree.

And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knoweth them but he. And He knoweth whatsoever is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falleth but he knoweth it, nor a seed-grain groweth in the darkness of the earth, nor aught of fresh or dry but is in a Book luminous.

And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in (or on) the earth and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.

With Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except He. And He knows everything on land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it; and there is not a single grain in the darkness of earth, nor is there anything wet or dry, but is in a clear record.

He has the keys to the realm that lies beyond the reach of human perception; none knows them but He. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea; there is not a leaf which falls that He does not know about and there is not a grain in the darkness of the earth or anything green or dry which has not been recorded in a Clear Book.

And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is on the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.

And with Him are the keys of the Invisible. None but He knoweth them. And He knoweth what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falleth but He knoweth it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record.

With Him are the treasures of the Unseen; no one knows them except Him. He knows whatever there is in land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it, nor is there a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything fresh or withered but it is in a manifest Book.

With Him are the keys of the unseen, none knows them but He. He knows that which is in the land and sea. No leaf falls except He knows it, and there is no grain in the darkness of the earth, fresh or withered, but is recorded in a clear Book.

And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.

He has with Him the keys to the unseen which no one knows besides Him. He knows all that is in the land and the sea. Not a single leaf falls which He would not know. No single seed exists even in the darkest places of the land, nor anything in the world either wet or dry, that is not kept recorded in the self-evident Book (the tablet preserved in the heavens).

And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.

WaAAindahu maf<u>a</u>ti<u>h</u>u alghaybi l<u>a</u> yaAAlamuh<u>a</u> ill<u>a</u> huwa wayaAAlamu m<u>a</u> fee albarri wa<b>a</b>lba<u>h</u>ri wam<u>a</u> tasqu<u>t</u>u min waraqatin ill<u>a</u> yaAAlamuh<u>a</u> wal<u>a</u> <u>h</u>abbatin fee <i><u>th</u></i>ulum<u>a</u>ti alar<u>d</u>i wal<u>a</u> ra<u>t</u>bin wal<u>a</u> y<u>a</u>bisin ill<u>a</u> fee kit<u>a</u>bin mubeen<b>in</b>

He holds the keys to the unseen; none knows them but He. He has knowledge of all that land and sea contain. No leaf falls without His knowledge, nor is there a single grain in the darkness of the earth, or anything, wet or dry, but is recorded in a clear Record.

With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read).

وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِى كِتَٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ

The treasures of the Ghaib are with Allah alone: no one besides Him knows them. He knows all the created things in the land, such as animals, plants and inanimate objects. He knows whatever animals or plants there are in the sea. No leaf falls in any place, nor is there any seed of grain hidden in the earth, nor any thing moist or dry, except that it is recorded in a clear book which is the Preserved Tablet.

The treasures of the Ghaib are with Allah alone: no one besides Him knows them. He knows all the created things in the land, such as animals, plants and inanimate objects. He knows whatever animals or plants there are in the sea. No leaf falls in any place, nor is there any seed of grain hidden in the earth, nor any thing moist or dry, except that it is recorded in a clear book which is the Preserved Tablet.

<p>Commentary</p><p>How to Stay Safe from Sins - The Master Prescription</p><p>Of all the religions of the world, belief in Tauhid, monotheism in its pure and applied form, is the distinctive feature of Islam. It is also obvious that Tauhid is not limited to taking the being of Allah Ta` ala as one. Instead, Tauhid is “ believing in Him” as being unique and without equal in all His attributes of perfection and in not taking any created being, other than Him, to be a sharer or partner in these attributes of perfection.</p><p>Some of these attributes of Divine perfection are: Life, Knowledge, Power, Hearing, Seeing, Will, Creation, Sustenance. Allah is so perfect in all His attributes that no created being can be equal to Him in any of the attributes. Then, out of these, two attributes are most distinct. These are Knowledge (` Ilm) and Power (Qudrah). His Knowledge encompasses and embraces all existents and non-existents, open and secret, large or small, atoms and particles. So it is with His Power which surrounds and controls everything fully and conclusively. The two verses (59 60) cited above describe these two attributes - and these two attributes are mysteriously unique. If anyone were to bring himself around to believe in these two attributes strongly and completely, and thereby start imagining them as being present before him, then, he just cannot ever even think of committing a crime or sin. It goes without saying that here is a person who, in all states of word and deed, rest and movement, remains conscious of the presence and knows that there is someone All-Knowing, All-Aware, All-Powerful watching over him all the time, and Who knows him outside in and in-side out and Who is aware of even the intention of the heart and the passing thought of the mind, then, how would he ever be able to take even a tiny step towards any disobedience to his All-Powerful Master? This is the legendary philosopher's stone of what is known as Istihdar in religious terminology [ or, to make it more recent, it is like building a web site in your heart with this frame of reference being always online, just click and connect! - Tr.]</p><p>In the end, we can say that these two verses are sovereign prescriptions which can make one a model human being, correct and groom deeds and morals, and keep them that way all along.</p><p>It was said in the first verse (59): وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ :(And with Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He). The word, ` مَفَاتِحُ ' (Mafatih : keys) is plural. Its singular can be: مِفتَاح : Maftah, pronounced with a vowel point a on the letter Mim, which denotes treasure; and it could also be: مِفتَاح Miftah, pronounced with a vowel point i on the letter Mim, which means key. The word, Mafatih accommodates both meanings. Therefore, some commentators and translators have rendered it as treasures while some others take it as keys. The outcome, however, is the same because owning the keys to the treasures is taken as the owning of the treasures.</p><p>Knowledge of the Unseen and Absolute Power: Two Attributes of Allah, not shared by anyone</p><p>Al-Ghayb' means things which have not come into existence, or in existence they have come but Allah Ta` ala has not let anyone know them (Mazhari). The first kind relates to conditions and events about Qiyamah, or future happenings in the universe - for example, who will be born when and where? Who will do what? Who will live how long? Who will have how many breath counts? Who will take how many steps? Who will die where and buried where? Who will get what sustenance, and how much, and at what time? When will it rain, and where, and how much?</p><p>The example of the second kind is the fetus which has come to exist in the womb of a woman, but no one can be certain in the absolute sense, as universally applicable with inevitable reliability and accessibility, about the fetus being good natured or bad tempered, handsome or ugly, even a male or female (the radiological determination of which at the later trimesters of pregnancy is a different matter and does not affect the premises of the present discussion). Similar is the case of many other things which, despite having come into existence, remain unseen and unknown to the created beings.</p><p>So, the sentence: عِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ means that with Allah are the keys (or treasures) of the Unseen. The sense of being ` with him' (عِندَهُ ) is that they are owned by Him and are in His possession. The outcome is that He is the One who has control of the treasures of the Unseen and it is He who has the exclusive power to bring them into existence and make them manifest as and when He has determined. This is as has been said in another verse of the Holy Qur'an: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَائِنُهُ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ‌ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴿21﴾ which means: We have treasures of everything, but We send them down in a particular measure (15:21).</p><p>In short, from this one sentence, it stands proved that the knowledge of Allah is perfect, and so is His power, and also that this all-encompassing knowledge and absolute power is the exclusive attribute of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, and that no one can acquire or have it. By putting the word, عِندَهُ (` indahu: with Him) before, according to the rules of the Arabic grammar, a pointed reference has been made towards this restriction and particularity. Immediately after, this hint has been changed into full clarity when, to drive the point home, it was said: لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (No one knows them but He).</p><p>So, this sentence proves two things: (1) The awareness of Allah about everything Unseen by virtue of His all-encompassing knowledge, and His being dominant over all of them by virtue of His perfect power; and (2) The inability of any created being or thing, other than Al-lah Jalla Sha'nuhu, to acquire or have such knowledge and power.</p><p>The meaning of the word, ` Al-Ghayb' (Unseen), as in the terminology of the Qur'an, which has been stated above (with reference to Tafsir Mazhari) - that it means things which have not yet come into existence, or have come into existence but have not yet been fully unveiled to any created being - was to be kept in sight, the common doubts which bother people when they take a shallow view of the question of Ghayb, would be automatically removed.</p><p>Usually what happens is that people take the word, Al-Ghayb (Unseen) in a literal sense, that is, that which is absent from our knowledge and perception - whether the sources of acquiring its knowledge be present in the sight of others - thus, they would start calling that too as the Ghayb. As a result, all sorts of doubts abound. Take the example of astrology, divination of fortunes mathematically (` Ilmul-Jafr The knowledge of Jafr; vulgur ` Jafar' ), geomancy (` Ilmur-Raml: The knowledge of Raml; vulgur ` Ramal', meaning divination by means of figures and lines in the sand), or palmistry and things like that which are harnessed to acquire the knowledge of future events. Or, there may be someone who gets to know about future events through Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration). Or, there are our weather forecasters who by examining things like the drift, power and velocity of the monsoons predict rains and storms a lot hasten to take all these to be out to be right too. But, common people hasten to take all these to be the Knowledge of the Unseen. Therefore, they start doubting about these verses of the Holy Qur'an thinking that the Qur'an attribute of the ` Ilm of the Ghayb, the knowledge of the Unseen, an Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, while observation shows that others too get to acquire it.</p><p>The answer is clear. If Allah Ta` ala has made one of His servants informed on some future event, that then, in the terminology of the Qur'an, does not remain what the ` Ilm of Ghayb or the knowledge of the Unseen is. Similarly, in accordance with the Qur'anic terminology, knowledge (` Ilm) which can be acquired through means and instruments (technology) is no Knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilm al-Ghayb). Examples of this could be the weather reports of the meteorological departments and bureaus, or the diagnosis instrumentally). The reason patient by feeling the pulse (manually or is that the weather forecaster or the physician got the chance to announce such information only when the substance of these events comes into existence and becomes obvious. The only difference is that it does not manifest itself openly until that time; it reveals itself, through technical instruments, to experts. People at large remain unaware. And when this substance becomes stronger, its manifestation becomes common. For this reason, weather forecasters cannot come up with what would be the breaking news of rains that will come one or two months from now - because the substantial evidence of rains has not presented itself before them. Similarly, no physician can diagnose the status of medicine or food taken a year or two ago, or a year or two after, by feeling the pulse (manually or instrumentally) today - because that does not habitually leave any effect on the pulse.</p><p>In short, these are things the existence of which is foretold by examining their traces and signs. Now, when the traces, signs and substances of these have come into existence that, does not remain part of the Knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilm al-Ghayb); rather, it has become a matter of observation. However, because of its being refined or weak, it has not become public knowledge. When it becomes stronger, it will become a matter of common observation too.</p><p>In addition to this, the awareness acquired from all these things, despite that so much has taken place, still remains in the class of estimation and calculation. The real Ilm or Knowledge is the name of Certitude. That does not come out of any of these. That is why events attesting to the error of such information are many and frequent.</p><p>As for astrology and other disciplines, whatever there is based on mathematical computation is knowledge, but not Al-Ghayb (Unseen). It is like someone computes existing data and says that the sun will rise today at the hour of five and forty one minutes; or, there will be a solar or lunar eclipse on such and such date in such and such a month. It is obvious that determining time by calculating the speed of that which is perceptible through the senses is very much like announcing the news of planes and trains reaching airports and stations. Moreover, the claim to be able to know things through astrology etc. is nothing but deception. The emergence of one truth out of a hundred lies is no knowledge.</p><p>When X-Ray equipment was invented, it was hoped that the determination of the sex of the fetus will be possible, but it did not serve the purpose satisfactorily (besides being radio logically harmful). Experts in our time (specially those associated with digital imaging who study the fetus in section view, or use water-induced method to let the fetus float in the womb which helps determine digitally if it is a boy) too are helpless as far as the first trimester of pregnancy is concerned. Nothing can be known at that stage.1 But, during the later trimesters, predictions are made which can be called technical approximations at best and cannot be classed as certain knowledge and absolute awareness. Sometimes predictions can be correct, at others faulty or misread. This is not the Certitude of ` Ilm al-Ghayb, nor qualifies as such.</p><p>1. Even the test of genes to determine the gender of a child, cannot work before a certain stage of pregnancy which again is a matter of observation, and not the knowledge of the unseen. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)</p><p>The gist of the assertion is: That which is Al-Ghayb in the terminology of the Qur'an is something no one knows but the most sacred</p><p>Allah. As for what people habitually get to know through causation or intrumentation is not really the Ghayb - though, it may be so called be-cause of not having been manifested openly.</p><p>Similarly, when part of the knowledge of what belongs to the Ghayb has been given to some prophet or messenger, through Wahy (revelation), or to a man of Allah (Waliy) through Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration), that then, does not remain Ghayb. This is called أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ (the reports or news of the Unseen) in the Holy Qur'an, and not Al-Ghayb. This appears in several verses of the Qur'an, for example: تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ (These are some reports from the Unseen [ events ] which We reveal to you - 11:49). Therefore, when it is said: لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (No one knows them but He) in the present verse, there is no room for any doubt or exemption in it.</p><p>In this particular sentence, a special attribute of Allah has been pointed out - that He is the Knower of the Unseen (` Alim al-Ghayb). The sentences that follow contain a description of the knowledge of the Seen (` Ilmush-Shahadah), that is, the knowledge of things present and existing, in sharp contrast to the knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilmul-Ghayb). They too establish that the knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu is all encompassing leaving not the minutest particle outside its reach. It was said: And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf ever falls but He knows it, nor a grain in the dark hollows of the earth, which too is within His knowledge; and so is, in His knowledge, everything fresh or wet or dry in the whole universe - and all of which lies recorded in writing on al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, the Preserved Tablet.</p><p>To sum up, it can be said that Allah Ta` ala has two unique attributes of knowledge in which no angel or prophet or another created being shares with Him. These are: the Knowledge of the Unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb) and the All-Encompassing Knowledge of existents (al-Ilm al-Muhit). These attributes have been described with a system. The first sentence says: وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (And with Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He). This was about the first at-tribute. In the sentences that follow, the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah about His universe of existents was identified first by saying: وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ‌ وَالْبَحْرِ‌ (And He knows what is in the land and the sea). It means the whole universe and all existents. This is like saying morning and evening in the sense of all the time or saying the East and the West in the sense of the whole world. Thus, by saying land and sea the sense given is that of the whole universe with its existents. So, the knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu covers whatever there is.</p><p>Further on, this was explained by saying that the knowledge of Allah Ta` ala is not limited to what is big, He also knows what is the minutest and the most concealed: وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَ‌قَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا (Not a leaf ever falls but He knows it). It means that the falling of every leaf in the whole wide world - before it falls, when it falls and after it falls - remains within His knowledge. He knows how many times each leaf on a tree will swing and sway and when and where it will fall and through what circumstances it will go through. The mention of ` fall' at this place is perhaps indicative of the life cycle of the leaf. Its fall from the tree is the end of its growth and botanical life. Its last condition has been pointed out here as a mirror to the rest of its conditions.</p><p>After that it was said: وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْ‌ضِ (Nor a grain in the dark hollows of the earth). Mentioned first was a leaf which falls in common sight. After that, it was a grain which is sowed in fields by a farmer, or gets buried somewhere in the dark and deep belly of the earth. Then, the same all-surrounding knowledge of Allah has been pointed out through things fresh and dry. In the end it was said that with Allah all these things were present in writing. According to some commentators, كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (a manifest book) means al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, the Preserved Tablet. Some others say that it denotes Divine Knowledge. It has been identified with a manifest book' because what is written stays preserved leaving nothing to chance or mistake or forgetting. This is similar to the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, which is not based on conjecture - it is certain.</p><p>Many verses of the Holy Qur'an confirm that the kind of all-encompassing knowledge from which nothing, neither a particle nor its condition, remains excluded is but that of Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta` ala. It was said in Sarah Lugman:</p><p>إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْ‌دَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَ‌ةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّـهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ‌.</p><p>If it be (anything) even equal to the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth: for Allah is subtle and aware - 31:16</p><p>.</p><p>It appears in the Ayatul-Kursi of Surah al-Baqarah:</p><p>يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ</p><p>He knows what is before them and what is behind them. And they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills - 2:255</p><p>In Surah Yunus, it was said:</p><p>وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّ‌بِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّ‌ةٍ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ</p><p>And not hidden from your Lord is (anything even) the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heaven - 10:61</p><p>And it appears in Surah At-Talaq:</p><p>وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا</p><p>And that Allah encompasses all things in (His) Knowledge - 65:12</p><p>This subject has been dealt with in the Holy Qur'an at many more places where it has been made very clear that the ` Jim of Al-Ghayb (as determined in the Qur'an and explained earlier) or the all-encompassing knowledge of everything in the universe is the exclusive attribute of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. Taking the knowledge of an angel or messenger to be as all-compassing amounts to giving a messenger of Allah the status of Allah Himself and declaring him to be equal to Him - which is Shirk according to the Holy Qur'an. This aspect of Shirk has been pointed out in Surah Al-Shu` ara':</p><p>تَاللَّـهِ إِن كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿97﴾ إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُم بِرَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿98﴾</p><p>That is (the Mushriks will say in Qiyamah), By Allah, we were in an error manifest when we held you (objects of worship) as equals with the Lord of the Worlds - 6:97, 98</p>

CommentaryHow to Stay Safe from Sins - The Master PrescriptionOf all the religions of the world, belief in Tauhid, monotheism in its pure and applied form, is the distinctive feature of Islam. It is also obvious that Tauhid is not limited to taking the being of Allah Ta` ala as one. Instead, Tauhid is “ believing in Him” as being unique and without equal in all His attributes of perfection and in not taking any created being, other than Him, to be a sharer or partner in these attributes of perfection.Some of these attributes of Divine perfection are: Life, Knowledge, Power, Hearing, Seeing, Will, Creation, Sustenance. Allah is so perfect in all His attributes that no created being can be equal to Him in any of the attributes. Then, out of these, two attributes are most distinct. These are Knowledge (` Ilm) and Power (Qudrah). His Knowledge encompasses and embraces all existents and non-existents, open and secret, large or small, atoms and particles. So it is with His Power which surrounds and controls everything fully and conclusively. The two verses (59 60) cited above describe these two attributes - and these two attributes are mysteriously unique. If anyone were to bring himself around to believe in these two attributes strongly and completely, and thereby start imagining them as being present before him, then, he just cannot ever even think of committing a crime or sin. It goes without saying that here is a person who, in all states of word and deed, rest and movement, remains conscious of the presence and knows that there is someone All-Knowing, All-Aware, All-Powerful watching over him all the time, and Who knows him outside in and in-side out and Who is aware of even the intention of the heart and the passing thought of the mind, then, how would he ever be able to take even a tiny step towards any disobedience to his All-Powerful Master? This is the legendary philosopher's stone of what is known as Istihdar in religious terminology [ or, to make it more recent, it is like building a web site in your heart with this frame of reference being always online, just click and connect! - Tr.]In the end, we can say that these two verses are sovereign prescriptions which can make one a model human being, correct and groom deeds and morals, and keep them that way all along.It was said in the first verse (59): وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ :(And with Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He). The word, ` مَفَاتِحُ ' (Mafatih : keys) is plural. Its singular can be: مِفتَاح : Maftah, pronounced with a vowel point a on the letter Mim, which denotes treasure; and it could also be: مِفتَاح Miftah, pronounced with a vowel point i on the letter Mim, which means key. The word, Mafatih accommodates both meanings. Therefore, some commentators and translators have rendered it as treasures while some others take it as keys. The outcome, however, is the same because owning the keys to the treasures is taken as the owning of the treasures.Knowledge of the Unseen and Absolute Power: Two Attributes of Allah, not shared by anyoneAl-Ghayb' means things which have not come into existence, or in existence they have come but Allah Ta` ala has not let anyone know them (Mazhari). The first kind relates to conditions and events about Qiyamah, or future happenings in the universe - for example, who will be born when and where? Who will do what? Who will live how long? Who will have how many breath counts? Who will take how many steps? Who will die where and buried where? Who will get what sustenance, and how much, and at what time? When will it rain, and where, and how much?The example of the second kind is the fetus which has come to exist in the womb of a woman, but no one can be certain in the absolute sense, as universally applicable with inevitable reliability and accessibility, about the fetus being good natured or bad tempered, handsome or ugly, even a male or female (the radiological determination of which at the later trimesters of pregnancy is a different matter and does not affect the premises of the present discussion). Similar is the case of many other things which, despite having come into existence, remain unseen and unknown to the created beings.So, the sentence: عِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ means that with Allah are the keys (or treasures) of the Unseen. The sense of being ` with him' (عِندَهُ ) is that they are owned by Him and are in His possession. The outcome is that He is the One who has control of the treasures of the Unseen and it is He who has the exclusive power to bring them into existence and make them manifest as and when He has determined. This is as has been said in another verse of the Holy Qur'an: وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَائِنُهُ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ‌ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴿21﴾ which means: We have treasures of everything, but We send them down in a particular measure (15:21).In short, from this one sentence, it stands proved that the knowledge of Allah is perfect, and so is His power, and also that this all-encompassing knowledge and absolute power is the exclusive attribute of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, and that no one can acquire or have it. By putting the word, عِندَهُ (` indahu: with Him) before, according to the rules of the Arabic grammar, a pointed reference has been made towards this restriction and particularity. Immediately after, this hint has been changed into full clarity when, to drive the point home, it was said: لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (No one knows them but He).So, this sentence proves two things: (1) The awareness of Allah about everything Unseen by virtue of His all-encompassing knowledge, and His being dominant over all of them by virtue of His perfect power; and (2) The inability of any created being or thing, other than Al-lah Jalla Sha'nuhu, to acquire or have such knowledge and power.The meaning of the word, ` Al-Ghayb' (Unseen), as in the terminology of the Qur'an, which has been stated above (with reference to Tafsir Mazhari) - that it means things which have not yet come into existence, or have come into existence but have not yet been fully unveiled to any created being - was to be kept in sight, the common doubts which bother people when they take a shallow view of the question of Ghayb, would be automatically removed.Usually what happens is that people take the word, Al-Ghayb (Unseen) in a literal sense, that is, that which is absent from our knowledge and perception - whether the sources of acquiring its knowledge be present in the sight of others - thus, they would start calling that too as the Ghayb. As a result, all sorts of doubts abound. Take the example of astrology, divination of fortunes mathematically (` Ilmul-Jafr The knowledge of Jafr; vulgur ` Jafar' ), geomancy (` Ilmur-Raml: The knowledge of Raml; vulgur ` Ramal', meaning divination by means of figures and lines in the sand), or palmistry and things like that which are harnessed to acquire the knowledge of future events. Or, there may be someone who gets to know about future events through Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration). Or, there are our weather forecasters who by examining things like the drift, power and velocity of the monsoons predict rains and storms a lot hasten to take all these to be out to be right too. But, common people hasten to take all these to be the Knowledge of the Unseen. Therefore, they start doubting about these verses of the Holy Qur'an thinking that the Qur'an attribute of the ` Ilm of the Ghayb, the knowledge of the Unseen, an Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, while observation shows that others too get to acquire it.The answer is clear. If Allah Ta` ala has made one of His servants informed on some future event, that then, in the terminology of the Qur'an, does not remain what the ` Ilm of Ghayb or the knowledge of the Unseen is. Similarly, in accordance with the Qur'anic terminology, knowledge (` Ilm) which can be acquired through means and instruments (technology) is no Knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilm al-Ghayb). Examples of this could be the weather reports of the meteorological departments and bureaus, or the diagnosis instrumentally). The reason patient by feeling the pulse (manually or is that the weather forecaster or the physician got the chance to announce such information only when the substance of these events comes into existence and becomes obvious. The only difference is that it does not manifest itself openly until that time; it reveals itself, through technical instruments, to experts. People at large remain unaware. And when this substance becomes stronger, its manifestation becomes common. For this reason, weather forecasters cannot come up with what would be the breaking news of rains that will come one or two months from now - because the substantial evidence of rains has not presented itself before them. Similarly, no physician can diagnose the status of medicine or food taken a year or two ago, or a year or two after, by feeling the pulse (manually or instrumentally) today - because that does not habitually leave any effect on the pulse.In short, these are things the existence of which is foretold by examining their traces and signs. Now, when the traces, signs and substances of these have come into existence that, does not remain part of the Knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilm al-Ghayb); rather, it has become a matter of observation. However, because of its being refined or weak, it has not become public knowledge. When it becomes stronger, it will become a matter of common observation too.In addition to this, the awareness acquired from all these things, despite that so much has taken place, still remains in the class of estimation and calculation. The real Ilm or Knowledge is the name of Certitude. That does not come out of any of these. That is why events attesting to the error of such information are many and frequent.As for astrology and other disciplines, whatever there is based on mathematical computation is knowledge, but not Al-Ghayb (Unseen). It is like someone computes existing data and says that the sun will rise today at the hour of five and forty one minutes; or, there will be a solar or lunar eclipse on such and such date in such and such a month. It is obvious that determining time by calculating the speed of that which is perceptible through the senses is very much like announcing the news of planes and trains reaching airports and stations. Moreover, the claim to be able to know things through astrology etc. is nothing but deception. The emergence of one truth out of a hundred lies is no knowledge.When X-Ray equipment was invented, it was hoped that the determination of the sex of the fetus will be possible, but it did not serve the purpose satisfactorily (besides being radio logically harmful). Experts in our time (specially those associated with digital imaging who study the fetus in section view, or use water-induced method to let the fetus float in the womb which helps determine digitally if it is a boy) too are helpless as far as the first trimester of pregnancy is concerned. Nothing can be known at that stage.1 But, during the later trimesters, predictions are made which can be called technical approximations at best and cannot be classed as certain knowledge and absolute awareness. Sometimes predictions can be correct, at others faulty or misread. This is not the Certitude of ` Ilm al-Ghayb, nor qualifies as such.1. Even the test of genes to determine the gender of a child, cannot work before a certain stage of pregnancy which again is a matter of observation, and not the knowledge of the unseen. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)The gist of the assertion is: That which is Al-Ghayb in the terminology of the Qur'an is something no one knows but the most sacredAllah. As for what people habitually get to know through causation or intrumentation is not really the Ghayb - though, it may be so called be-cause of not having been manifested openly.Similarly, when part of the knowledge of what belongs to the Ghayb has been given to some prophet or messenger, through Wahy (revelation), or to a man of Allah (Waliy) through Kashf (illumination) and Ilham (inspiration), that then, does not remain Ghayb. This is called أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ (the reports or news of the Unseen) in the Holy Qur'an, and not Al-Ghayb. This appears in several verses of the Qur'an, for example: تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ (These are some reports from the Unseen [ events ] which We reveal to you - 11:49). Therefore, when it is said: لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (No one knows them but He) in the present verse, there is no room for any doubt or exemption in it.In this particular sentence, a special attribute of Allah has been pointed out - that He is the Knower of the Unseen (` Alim al-Ghayb). The sentences that follow contain a description of the knowledge of the Seen (` Ilmush-Shahadah), that is, the knowledge of things present and existing, in sharp contrast to the knowledge of the Unseen (` Ilmul-Ghayb). They too establish that the knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu is all encompassing leaving not the minutest particle outside its reach. It was said: And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf ever falls but He knows it, nor a grain in the dark hollows of the earth, which too is within His knowledge; and so is, in His knowledge, everything fresh or wet or dry in the whole universe - and all of which lies recorded in writing on al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, the Preserved Tablet.To sum up, it can be said that Allah Ta` ala has two unique attributes of knowledge in which no angel or prophet or another created being shares with Him. These are: the Knowledge of the Unseen (Ilm al-Ghayb) and the All-Encompassing Knowledge of existents (al-Ilm al-Muhit). These attributes have been described with a system. The first sentence says: وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ (And with Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He). This was about the first at-tribute. In the sentences that follow, the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah about His universe of existents was identified first by saying: وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ‌ وَالْبَحْرِ‌ (And He knows what is in the land and the sea). It means the whole universe and all existents. This is like saying morning and evening in the sense of all the time or saying the East and the West in the sense of the whole world. Thus, by saying land and sea the sense given is that of the whole universe with its existents. So, the knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu covers whatever there is.Further on, this was explained by saying that the knowledge of Allah Ta` ala is not limited to what is big, He also knows what is the minutest and the most concealed: وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَ‌قَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا (Not a leaf ever falls but He knows it). It means that the falling of every leaf in the whole wide world - before it falls, when it falls and after it falls - remains within His knowledge. He knows how many times each leaf on a tree will swing and sway and when and where it will fall and through what circumstances it will go through. The mention of ` fall' at this place is perhaps indicative of the life cycle of the leaf. Its fall from the tree is the end of its growth and botanical life. Its last condition has been pointed out here as a mirror to the rest of its conditions.After that it was said: وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْ‌ضِ (Nor a grain in the dark hollows of the earth). Mentioned first was a leaf which falls in common sight. After that, it was a grain which is sowed in fields by a farmer, or gets buried somewhere in the dark and deep belly of the earth. Then, the same all-surrounding knowledge of Allah has been pointed out through things fresh and dry. In the end it was said that with Allah all these things were present in writing. According to some commentators, كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (a manifest book) means al-Lawh al-Mahfuz, the Preserved Tablet. Some others say that it denotes Divine Knowledge. It has been identified with a manifest book' because what is written stays preserved leaving nothing to chance or mistake or forgetting. This is similar to the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, which is not based on conjecture - it is certain.Many verses of the Holy Qur'an confirm that the kind of all-encompassing knowledge from which nothing, neither a particle nor its condition, remains excluded is but that of Allah Subhanuhu wa Ta` ala. It was said in Sarah Lugman:إِنَّهَا إِن تَكُ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْ‌دَلٍ فَتَكُن فِي صَخْرَ‌ةٍ أَوْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ أَوْ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ يَأْتِ بِهَا اللَّـهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرٌ‌.If it be (anything) even equal to the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth: for Allah is subtle and aware - 31:16.It appears in the Ayatul-Kursi of Surah al-Baqarah:يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَHe knows what is before them and what is behind them. And they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills - 2:255In Surah Yunus, it was said:وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّ‌بِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّ‌ةٍ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِAnd not hidden from your Lord is (anything even) the weight of an atom in the earth or in the heaven - 10:61And it appears in Surah At-Talaq:وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًاAnd that Allah encompasses all things in (His) Knowledge - 65:12This subject has been dealt with in the Holy Qur'an at many more places where it has been made very clear that the ` Jim of Al-Ghayb (as determined in the Qur'an and explained earlier) or the all-encompassing knowledge of everything in the universe is the exclusive attribute of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. Taking the knowledge of an angel or messenger to be as all-compassing amounts to giving a messenger of Allah the status of Allah Himself and declaring him to be equal to Him - which is Shirk according to the Holy Qur'an. This aspect of Shirk has been pointed out in Surah Al-Shu` ara':تَاللَّـهِ إِن كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿97﴾ إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُم بِرَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿98﴾That is (the Mushriks will say in Qiyamah), By Allah, we were in an error manifest when we held you (objects of worship) as equals with the Lord of the Worlds - 6:97, 98

It is He indeed who sends you to death at night, and knows what you do in the day, then makes you rise with it again in order that the fixed term of life be fulfilled. Then to Him you will be returned when He will tell you what you did.

And it is He Who removes your souls at night (while asleep) and knows whatever you commit by day; then He raises you again during the day, to complete the term appointed (for you); then it is to Him that you are to return – He will then inform you of what you used to do.

It is He who recalls you by night, and He knows what you work by day; then He raises you up therein, that a stated term may be determined; then unto Him shall you return, then He will tell you of what you have been doing.

And He it is who causes you to be [like] dead at night, and knows what you work in daytime; and He brings you back to life each days in order that a term set [by Him] be fulfilled. In the end, unto Him you must return: and then He will make you understand all that you were doing [in life].

And He it is who taketh your souls by night, and knoweth that which ye earn by day. Then He raiseth you therein, that there may be fulfilled the term allotted. Thereafter unto Him shall be your return; and then He shall declare unto you that which ye have been working.

It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then he raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed (your life period) be fulfilled, then in the end unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you what you used to do.

It is He Who takes you by night, and He knows what you earn by day. Then He raises you up in it, until a fixed term is fulfilled. Then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you used to do.

He recalls your souls by night, and knows what you do by day; and then He raises you back each day in order that the term appointed by Him is fulfilled. Then to Him you will return whereupon He will let you know what you have been doing..

It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then he raises (wakes) you up again, that a term appointed be fulfilled, then (in the end), unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you of what you used to do.

He it is Who gathereth you at night and knoweth that which ye commit by day. Then He raiseth you again to life therein, that the term appointed (for you) may be accomplished. And afterward unto Him is your return. Then He will proclaim unto you what ye used to do.

It is He who takes your souls by night, and He knows what you do by day, then He reanimates you therein so that a specified term may be completed. Then to Him will be your return, whereat He will inform you concerning what you used to do.

It is He who makes you to die by night, knowing what you have gained by day, and then resurrects you so that an ordained term is realized. To Him you shall return, and He will tell you of what you have been doing.

And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do.

It is He who keeps you alive in your sleep at night and knows all that you do during the day. He wakes you up from your sleep to complete your worldly life, after which you will all return to Him. He will let you know all about what you had done in your worldly life.

And He it is Who takes your souls at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing.

Wahuwa alla<u>th</u>ee yatawaff<u>a</u>kum bi<b>a</b>llayli wayaAAlamu m<u>a</u> jara<u>h</u>tum bi<b>al</b>nnah<u>a</u>ri thumma yabAAathukum feehi liyuq<u>da</u> ajalun musamman thumma ilayhi marjiAAukum thumma yunabbiokum bim<u>a</u> kuntum taAAmaloon<b>a</b>

It is He who gathers you in at night and knows all that you do by day; then He raises you up during the day so that an appointed term may be completed. Then to Him you shall return and He will declare to you all that you used to do.

It is He who doth take your souls by night, and hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day: by day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; In the end unto Him will be your return; then will He show you the truth of all that ye did.

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِٱلنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَىٰٓ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Allah is the One Who temporarily takes away your souls at night as you sleep, and He is the One Who knows the actions you do during the day when you are awake. He then raises you in the day, after taking away your souls through sleep, so that you may carry out your tasks. This will continue until the fixed period of your lives, as known to Allah, is over. Then you will return to Him alone when He will raise you on the Day of Rising. He will then tell you about what you used to do in the life of the world and will repay your actions.

Allah is the One Who temporarily takes away your souls at night as you sleep, and He is the One Who knows the actions you do during the day when you are awake. He then raises you in the day, after taking away your souls through sleep, so that you may carry out your tasks. This will continue until the fixed period of your lives, as known to Allah, is over. Then you will return to Him alone when He will raise you on the Day of Rising. He will then tell you about what you used to do in the life of the world and will repay your actions.

<p>No doubt, Allah Ta’ ala had blessed His Messengers (علیہم السلام) specially the Last among them ﷺ with the knowledge of many things from the Unseen, more than the knowledge of all angels and prophets, but it is obvious that the knowledge of anyone cannot be equal to that of Allah, nor it can ever be. Otherwise, this will become the kind of excess the Christians committed in their reverence for the prophet when they started equating the prophet with God. This is Shirk. May Allah keep all of us protected from it.</p><p>Covered this far was the subject of the first verse as explained above. The second verse (60) describes Allah's attribute of power which is also exclusive to Him. It is said:</p><p>وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَ‌حْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ‌ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَىٰ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى</p><p>And He is the One who takes you away by night and knows what you do by day, then He makes you rise therein, so that a fixed term may be fulfilled.</p><p>Hence, at work here is nothing but the most perfect power of Allah Ta` ala which has opened a window to what happens to human beings in life, in death and in rising again. Everyone sees it every day. According to Hadith, sleep is similar to death in that it does suspend the human body as it would be in death.</p><p>By giving an example of sleeping then waking up in this verse, Allah Ta` ala has alerted human beings that the way everyone, every night and every morning, witnesses the spectacle of personally rising up from simulated death (sleep), so it should not be difficult to visualise the certainty of collective death, and then, collective rising after it, which is called Qiyamah or the Last Day. The argument is: The Supreme Being who can make this happen, could make that happen too. With His most perfect Power, this is as it shall be. Therefore, towards the end of the verse it was said:</p><p>ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْ‌جِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ</p><p>(Thereafter, to Him you are to return; then He will tell you what you have been doing) meaning thereby that there will be the reckoning of deeds, then, will come their rewards and punishments.</p>

No doubt, Allah Ta’ ala had blessed His Messengers (علیہم السلام) specially the Last among them ﷺ with the knowledge of many things from the Unseen, more than the knowledge of all angels and prophets, but it is obvious that the knowledge of anyone cannot be equal to that of Allah, nor it can ever be. Otherwise, this will become the kind of excess the Christians committed in their reverence for the prophet when they started equating the prophet with God. This is Shirk. May Allah keep all of us protected from it.Covered this far was the subject of the first verse as explained above. The second verse (60) describes Allah's attribute of power which is also exclusive to Him. It is said:وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَ‌حْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ‌ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَىٰ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّىAnd He is the One who takes you away by night and knows what you do by day, then He makes you rise therein, so that a fixed term may be fulfilled.Hence, at work here is nothing but the most perfect power of Allah Ta` ala which has opened a window to what happens to human beings in life, in death and in rising again. Everyone sees it every day. According to Hadith, sleep is similar to death in that it does suspend the human body as it would be in death.By giving an example of sleeping then waking up in this verse, Allah Ta` ala has alerted human beings that the way everyone, every night and every morning, witnesses the spectacle of personally rising up from simulated death (sleep), so it should not be difficult to visualise the certainty of collective death, and then, collective rising after it, which is called Qiyamah or the Last Day. The argument is: The Supreme Being who can make this happen, could make that happen too. With His most perfect Power, this is as it shall be. Therefore, towards the end of the verse it was said:ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْ‌جِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ(Thereafter, to Him you are to return; then He will tell you what you have been doing) meaning thereby that there will be the reckoning of deeds, then, will come their rewards and punishments.

<h2 class="title">The Servants are in Allah's Hands Before and After Death</h2><p>Allah states that He brings death to His servants in their sleep at night, for sleep is minor death. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يعِيسَى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ</div><p>(And (remember) when Allah said: "O `Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself...") 3:55, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاٌّنفُسَ حِينَ مِوْتِـهَا وَالَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِـهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِى قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الاٍّخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى</div><p>(It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.)39:42, ,thus mentioning both minor and major death. Allah says, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ</div><p>(It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day,) meaning, He knows the deeds and actions that you perform during the day. This Ayah demonstrates Allah's perfect knowledge of His creation, by day and night, and in their movements and idleness. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">سَوَآءٌ مِّنْكُمْ مَّنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِالَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ </div><p>(It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day.) 13:10, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ</div><p>(It is out of His mercy that He made night and day, so that you may rest therein), by night, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ</div><p>(and that you may seek of His bounty) by day. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَعَلْنَا الَّيْلَ لِبَاساً - وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشاً </div><p>(And (We) have made the night as a covering. And (We) have made the day for livelihood.) 78:10-11. Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ</div><p>(It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day,) 6:60, Then said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ</div><p>(then he raises (wakes) you up again,) by day, according to Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مّسَمًّى</div><p>(that a term appointed be fulfilled) refers to the life span of every person, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ</div><p>(then (in the end), unto Him will be your return.) on the Day of Resurrection, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ</div><p>(Then He will inform you of what you used to do.) He will reward you, good for good, and evil for evil. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ</div><p>(He is the Qahir over His servants.) The Qahir means, the one who controls everything, all are subservient to His supreme grace, greatness and majesty, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً</div><p>(and He sends guardians over you,) angels who guard mankind. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَهُ مُعَقِّبَـتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ</div><p>(For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah.) 13:11, watching his deeds and recording them. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَـفِظِينَ </div><p>(But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you.) 82:10, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ - مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ </div><p>((Remember!) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive, one sitting on the right and one on the left. Not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him, ready.) 50:17-18. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ</div><p>(until when death approaches one of you...) refers to, when one's life span comes to an end and he is dying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا</div><p>(Our messengers take his soul...) meaning, there are angels who are responsible for this job. Ibn `Abbas and several others said that the Angel of Death has angels who pull the soul from its body and when it reaches the throat, the Angel of Death captures it. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ</div><p>(and they never neglect their duty.) They guard the soul of the dead person and take it to wherever Allah wills, to `Illiyyin if he was among the righteous, and to Sijjin if he was among the wicked (disbelievers, sinners, etc.), we seek refuge with Allah from this end. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ</div><p>(Then they are returned to Allah, their Master, the Just Lord.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ الْمَيِّتَ تَحْضُرُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ، قَالُوا: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الطَّيِّبَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ،اخْرُجِي حَمِيدَةً، وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ، وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ، ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَيَسْتَفْتَحُ لَهَا فَيُقَالُ مَنْ هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ، فَيُقَالَ: مَرْحبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الطَّيِّبَةِ، كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ، ادْخُلي حَمِيدَةً وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي فِيهَا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ السَّوْءُ، قَالُوا: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْخَبِيثَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ، اخْرُجِي ذَمِيمَةً وَأَبْشِري بِحَمِيمٍ وَغَسَّاقٍ، وَآخَرَ مِنْ شَكْلِهِ أَزْوَاج، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ، ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهًا فَيُقَالُ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ، فَيُقَالُ: لَا مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الْخَبِيثَةِ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ، ارْجِعِي ذَمِيمَةً، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُفْتَحُ لَكَ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، فَتُرْسَلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ تَصِيرُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، فَيُجْلَسُ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ، فَيُقَالُ لَهُ مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الأَوَّلِ، وَيُجْلَسُ الرَّجُلُ السَّوْءُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الثَّانِي»</div><p>(The angels attend the dying person. If he is a righteous person, the angels will say, `O pure soul from a pure body! Come out with honor and receive the good news of rest, satisfaction and a Lord Who is not angry.' The angels will keep saying this until the soul leaves its body, and they will then raise it up to heaven and will ask that the door be opened for the soul and it will be asked, `Who is this' It will be said, `(The soul of) so-and-so.' It will be said, `Welcome, to the pure soul that inhabited the pure body. Enter with honor and receive the good news of rest, satisfaction and a Lord Who is not angry.' This statement will be repeated until the soul reaches the heaven above which there is Allah. If the dying person is evil, the angels will say, `Get out (of your body), O wicked soul from a wicked body! Get out in disgrace and receive the news of boiling fluid, a fluid dark, murky, intensely cold and other (torments) of similar kind - all together - to match them.' This statement will be said repeatedly until the evil soul leaves its body. The soul will be raised up to heaven and a request will be made that the door be opened for it. It will be asked, `Who is this' It will be said, `(The soul of) so and so.' It will be said, `No welcome to the wicked soul from the wicked body. Return with disgrace, for the doors of heaven will not be opened for you.' So it will be thrown from heaven until it returns to the grave. So the righteous person sits and similar is said to him as before. And the evil person sits and similar is said to him as before.) It is also possible that the meaning of, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ</div><p>(Then they are returned...) refers to the return of all creation to Allah on the Day of Resurrection, when He will subject them to His just decision. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنَّ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَالاٌّخِرِينَ - لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ </div><p>(Say: "(Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for an appointed meeting of a known Day.") 56:49-50 and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً</div><p>(And We shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind...) 18:47 until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا</div><p>(And your Lord treats no one with injustice.) 18:49 Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ</div><p>(their Master, the Just Lord. Surely, His is the judgement and He is the swiftest in taking account.) 6:62 </p>

The Servants are in Allah's Hands Before and After DeathAllah states that He brings death to His servants in their sleep at night, for sleep is minor death. Allah said in other Ayat, إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يعِيسَى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ(And (remember) when Allah said: "O `Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself...") 3:55, and, اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاٌّنفُسَ حِينَ مِوْتِـهَا وَالَّتِى لَمْ تَمُتْ فِى مَنَامِـهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِى قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الاٍّخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى(It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.)39:42, ,thus mentioning both minor and major death. Allah says, وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ(It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day,) meaning, He knows the deeds and actions that you perform during the day. This Ayah demonstrates Allah's perfect knowledge of His creation, by day and night, and in their movements and idleness. Allah said in other Ayat, سَوَآءٌ مِّنْكُمْ مَّنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِالَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ (It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day.) 13:10, and وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ(It is out of His mercy that He made night and day, so that you may rest therein), by night, وَلِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ(and that you may seek of His bounty) by day. Allah said, وَجَعَلْنَا الَّيْلَ لِبَاساً - وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشاً (And (We) have made the night as a covering. And (We) have made the day for livelihood.) 78:10-11. Allah said here, وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ(It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day,) 6:60, Then said, ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ(then he raises (wakes) you up again,) by day, according to Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi. Allah's statement, لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مّسَمًّى(that a term appointed be fulfilled) refers to the life span of every person, ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ(then (in the end), unto Him will be your return.) on the Day of Resurrection, ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ(Then He will inform you of what you used to do.) He will reward you, good for good, and evil for evil. Allah's statement, وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ(He is the Qahir over His servants.) The Qahir means, the one who controls everything, all are subservient to His supreme grace, greatness and majesty, وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً(and He sends guardians over you,) angels who guard mankind. In another Ayah, Allah said; لَهُ مُعَقِّبَـتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ(For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah.) 13:11, watching his deeds and recording them. Allah said, وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَـفِظِينَ (But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you.) 82:10, and, إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ - مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ ((Remember!) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive, one sitting on the right and one on the left. Not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him, ready.) 50:17-18. Allah's statement, حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ(until when death approaches one of you...) refers to, when one's life span comes to an end and he is dying, تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا(Our messengers take his soul...) meaning, there are angels who are responsible for this job. Ibn `Abbas and several others said that the Angel of Death has angels who pull the soul from its body and when it reaches the throat, the Angel of Death captures it. Allah said; وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ(and they never neglect their duty.) They guard the soul of the dead person and take it to wherever Allah wills, to `Illiyyin if he was among the righteous, and to Sijjin if he was among the wicked (disbelievers, sinners, etc.), we seek refuge with Allah from this end. Allah said next, ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ(Then they are returned to Allah, their Master, the Just Lord.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said, «إِنَّ الْمَيِّتَ تَحْضُرُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ، قَالُوا: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الطَّيِّبَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ،اخْرُجِي حَمِيدَةً، وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ، وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ، ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَيَسْتَفْتَحُ لَهَا فَيُقَالُ مَنْ هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ، فَيُقَالَ: مَرْحبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الطَّيِّبَةِ، كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ، ادْخُلي حَمِيدَةً وَأَبْشِرِي بِرَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَانَ، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي فِيهَا اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَإِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ السَّوْءُ، قَالُوا: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْخَبِيثَةُ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ، اخْرُجِي ذَمِيمَةً وَأَبْشِري بِحَمِيمٍ وَغَسَّاقٍ، وَآخَرَ مِنْ شَكْلِهِ أَزْوَاج، فَلَا تَزَالُ يُقَالُ لَهَا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ، ثُمَّ يُعْرَجَ بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهًا فَيُقَالُ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ فَيُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ، فَيُقَالُ: لَا مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّفْسِ الْخَبِيثَةِ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَسَدِ الْخَبِيثِ، ارْجِعِي ذَمِيمَةً، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُفْتَحُ لَكَ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، فَتُرْسَلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ تَصِيرُ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، فَيُجْلَسُ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ، فَيُقَالُ لَهُ مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الأَوَّلِ، وَيُجْلَسُ الرَّجُلُ السَّوْءُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ مِثْلُ مَا قِيلَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الثَّانِي»(The angels attend the dying person. If he is a righteous person, the angels will say, `O pure soul from a pure body! Come out with honor and receive the good news of rest, satisfaction and a Lord Who is not angry.' The angels will keep saying this until the soul leaves its body, and they will then raise it up to heaven and will ask that the door be opened for the soul and it will be asked, `Who is this' It will be said, `(The soul of) so-and-so.' It will be said, `Welcome, to the pure soul that inhabited the pure body. Enter with honor and receive the good news of rest, satisfaction and a Lord Who is not angry.' This statement will be repeated until the soul reaches the heaven above which there is Allah. If the dying person is evil, the angels will say, `Get out (of your body), O wicked soul from a wicked body! Get out in disgrace and receive the news of boiling fluid, a fluid dark, murky, intensely cold and other (torments) of similar kind - all together - to match them.' This statement will be said repeatedly until the evil soul leaves its body. The soul will be raised up to heaven and a request will be made that the door be opened for it. It will be asked, `Who is this' It will be said, `(The soul of) so and so.' It will be said, `No welcome to the wicked soul from the wicked body. Return with disgrace, for the doors of heaven will not be opened for you.' So it will be thrown from heaven until it returns to the grave. So the righteous person sits and similar is said to him as before. And the evil person sits and similar is said to him as before.) It is also possible that the meaning of, ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ(Then they are returned...) refers to the return of all creation to Allah on the Day of Resurrection, when He will subject them to His just decision. Allah said in other Ayat, قُلْ إِنَّ الاٌّوَّلِينَ وَالاٌّخِرِينَ - لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَـتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ (Say: "(Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for an appointed meeting of a known Day.") 56:49-50 and, وَحَشَرْنَـهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً(And We shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind...) 18:47 until, وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا(And your Lord treats no one with injustice.) 18:49 Allah said here, مَوْلَـهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَـسِبِينَ(their Master, the Just Lord. Surely, His is the judgement and He is the swiftest in taking account.) 6:62

He has power over His creatures, and appoints guardians to watch over them. When death comes to one of you, Our messengers take away his soul, and do not falter.

And He is Omnipotent over His bondmen and sends guardians over you; to the extent that when death comes to one of you, Our angels remove his soul, and they do not err.

He is the Omnipotent over His servants. He sends recorders over you till, when any one of you is visited by death, Our messengers take him and they neglect not.

And He alone holds sway over His servants. And He sends forth heavenly forces to watch over you until, when death approaches any of you, Our messengers cause him to die: and they do not overlook [anyone].

And He is the supreme over His creatures, and He sendeth guardians over you until when death cometh unto one of you Our messengers take his soul, and they fail not.

He is the Irresistible, Supreme over His slaves, and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one's good and bad deeds) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our Messengers (angel of death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.

He is the Conqueror over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until, when death overtakes one of you, Our envoys take him away, and they never fail.

And He alone holds sway over His servants and sets guardians over you till death approaches any of you and Our deputed angels take his soul, neglecting no part of their task.

He is the Qahir over His servants, and He sends guardians over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.

He is the Omnipotent over His slaves. He sendeth guardians over you until, when death cometh unto one of you, Our messengers receive him, and they neglect not.

He is the All-dominant over His servants, and He sends guards to [protect] you. When death approaches anyone of you, Our messengers take him away and they do not neglect [their duty].

He is the Conqueror over His worshipers. He sends forth guardians who watch over you until death comes to one of you, when Our messengers take him, and they are not neglectful.

And He is the subjugator over His servants, and He sends over you guardian-angels until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him, and they do not fail [in their duties].

He is Dominant over all His creatures and He sends guards to watch over you until death approaches you. Then His angelic Messengers will, without fail, take away your souls.

And He is the Supreme, above His servants, and He sends keepers over you; until when death comes to one of you, Our apostles cause him to die, and they are not remiss.

Wahuwa alq<u>a</u>hiru fawqa AAib<u>a</u>dihi wayursilu AAalaykum <u>h</u>afa<i><u>th</u></i>atan <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> i<u>tha</u> j<u>a</u>a a<u>h</u>adakumu almawtu tawaffathu rusulun<u>a</u> wahum l<u>a</u> yufarri<u>t</u>oon<b>a</b>

He is the Absolute Master over His servants. He sends forth guardians [angels] who watch over you until, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.

He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers, and He sets guardians over you. At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.

وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ

And Allah is the Dominant and Irresistible to Whom everything is subjugated. He is above His servants in a manner that befits His majesty, may He be glorified. He sends over you, O people, honourable angels who record your actions. This will continue until a person’s life is brought to an end by the angel of death and his aides take away their souls. The angel of death and his aides never fail to carry out what they are instructed to do.

And Allah is the Dominant and Irresistible to Whom everything is subjugated. He is above His servants in a manner that befits His majesty, may He be glorified. He sends over you, O people, honourable angels who record your actions. This will continue until a person’s life is brought to an end by the angel of death and his aides take away their souls. The angel of death and his aides never fail to carry out what they are instructed to do.

<p>In the third verse, this subject has been further enlarged by saying that Allah Ta` ala has absolute subduing power over all His servants. As long as He wills to have them living, He assigns angels to protect them as a result of which no one dares harm them. And when one has reached the appointed limit of one's age, these very guardian angels become the agents of one's death without ever falling short in providing the relevant causes leading to one's death. Then, death is not all, for the matter is still not closed. Instead of that, there is the next phase, that of: رُ‌دُّوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ ; (Then they are returned to Allah - 62). It means that they will be made to rise again and be presented before Allah Ta` ala. If, at this point, one were to think of having to appear before the greatest Judge of judges and stand before Him to account for a whole life-time of deeds, one cannot even dare to imagine to come out unscathed and hope to escape punishment. Therefore, along with it, it was said: إِلَى اللَّـهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ to Allah, their real Master - 62). It means that Allah Ta` ala is not only the Sovereign and the Judge of judges, He is also the Master and Guardian of His servants who reaches out to help them at all times of their need.</p><p>After that, it was said: أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ (Beware, to Him alone belongs the judgement). This certainly leaves no doubt that He is the best in His decision and decree. However, one may be inclined to think how it will be possible for Allah who is One alone to take care of the reckoning of age-long deeds of billions and billions of human beings? Therefore, after that, it was said: أَسْرَ‌عُ الْحَاسِبِينَ (and He is the swiftest reckoner). It means that taking what is done by Allah on the analogy of what is done by human beings is ignorance. He shall do that in no time. (When His servants at the Mainframe factories of Cray and IBM can churn billions and billions of data in seconds, why anyone in his senses would ever doubt the power of the Maker of all makers ! -Tr.)</p>

In the third verse, this subject has been further enlarged by saying that Allah Ta` ala has absolute subduing power over all His servants. As long as He wills to have them living, He assigns angels to protect them as a result of which no one dares harm them. And when one has reached the appointed limit of one's age, these very guardian angels become the agents of one's death without ever falling short in providing the relevant causes leading to one's death. Then, death is not all, for the matter is still not closed. Instead of that, there is the next phase, that of: رُ‌دُّوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ ; (Then they are returned to Allah - 62). It means that they will be made to rise again and be presented before Allah Ta` ala. If, at this point, one were to think of having to appear before the greatest Judge of judges and stand before Him to account for a whole life-time of deeds, one cannot even dare to imagine to come out unscathed and hope to escape punishment. Therefore, along with it, it was said: إِلَى اللَّـهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ to Allah, their real Master - 62). It means that Allah Ta` ala is not only the Sovereign and the Judge of judges, He is also the Master and Guardian of His servants who reaches out to help them at all times of their need.After that, it was said: أَلَا لَهُ الْحُكْمُ (Beware, to Him alone belongs the judgement). This certainly leaves no doubt that He is the best in His decision and decree. However, one may be inclined to think how it will be possible for Allah who is One alone to take care of the reckoning of age-long deeds of billions and billions of human beings? Therefore, after that, it was said: أَسْرَ‌عُ الْحَاسِبِينَ (and He is the swiftest reckoner). It means that taking what is done by Allah on the analogy of what is done by human beings is ignorance. He shall do that in no time. (When His servants at the Mainframe factories of Cray and IBM can churn billions and billions of data in seconds, why anyone in his senses would ever doubt the power of the Maker of all makers ! -Tr.)

Then they are taken to God, their real lord and master. His indeed is the judgement; and He is swift at reckoning.

They (the souls) are then returned towards their True Lord – Allah; pay heed! Only His is the command; and He is the Swiftest At Taking Account.

Then they are restored to God their Protector, the True. Surely His is the judgment; He is the swiftest of reckoners.

And they [who have died] are thereupon brought before God, their true Lord Supreme. Oh, verily, His alone is all judgment: and He is the swiftest of all reckoners!

Then they all shall be taken back unto Allah, their true Master. Lo! His shall be the judgement. And he is the Most Swift of reckoners.

Then they are returned to Allah, their Maula [True Master (God), the Just Lord (to reward them)]. Surely, His is the judgement and He is the Swiftest in taking account.

Then they are brought back to God, their True Master. Unquestionably, His is the judgment, and He is the Swiftest of reckoners.

Then all are restored to Allah, their true protector. Behold, His is the judgement. He is the swiftest of those who take account.'

Then they are returned to Allah, their Master, the Just Lord. Surely, His is the judgment and He is the swiftest in taking account.

Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners.

Then they are returned to Allah, their real master. Look! All judgement belongs to Him, and He is the swiftest of reckoners.

Then, they are returned to Allah their Guardian, the True. Surely, the judgement is for Him, He is the Swiftest of reckoners'

Then they His servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord. Unquestionably, His is the judgement, and He is the swiftest of accountants.

(After death) you will all be returned to God, your true Guardian. Know that judgment will be in His Hands and that His reckoning is swift.

Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the True one; now surely His is the judgment and He is swiftest in taking account.

Thumma ruddoo il<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi mawl<u>a</u>humu al<u>h</u>aqqi al<u>a</u> lahu al<u>h</u>ukmu wahuwa asraAAu al<u>ha</u>sibeen<b>a</b>

Then they will all be returned to God, their true Lord. The Judgement is His alone. He is the swiftest reckoner.

Then are men returned unto Allah, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the command? and He is the swiftest in taking account.

ثُمَّ رُدُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوْلَىٰهُمُ ٱلْحَقِّ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ ٱلْحَٰسِبِينَ

Then all those whose souls were taken away will be returned to Allah, their real master, for Him to repay their actions. To Him belongs the effectual decision and fair judgement between them. He is the swiftest of those who take account as He will take all of them to account in one day.

Then all those whose souls were taken away will be returned to Allah, their real master, for Him to repay their actions. To Him belongs the effectual decision and fair judgement between them. He is the swiftest of those who take account as He will take all of them to account in one day.

Ask: "Who is it who comes to your rescue in the darkness of the desert and the sea, and whom you supplicate humbly and unseen: 'If You deliver us from this, we shall indeed he grateful?'

Say, “Who rescues you from the calamities of the land and the sea – Whom you call upon crying loudly and in whispers that, ‘If we are saved from this we will surely be grateful’?”

Say: 'Who delivers you from the shadows of land and sea? You call upon Him humbly and secretly, "Truly, if Thou deliverest from these, we shall be among the thankful."

Say: "Who is it that saves you from the dark dangers of land and sea [when] you call unto Him humbly, and in the secrecy of your hearts, `If He will but save us from this [distress], we shall most certainly be among the grateful'?"

Say thou: who delivereth you from the darknesses of the land and the sea, when ye cry unto Him in humility and in secrecy: if He delivered us from this, we shall surely be of the thankful?

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and the sea (dangers like storms), when you call upon Him in humility and in secret (saying): If He (Allah) only saves us from this (danger), we shall truly be grateful."

Say, “Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea?” You call upon Him humbly and inwardly: “If He delivers us from this, We will surely be among the thankful.”

Ask them (O Muhammad!): 'Who is it that delivers you from dangers in the deep darknesses of the land and the sea, and to whom do you call in humility and in the secrecy of your hearts? To whom do you pray: "If He will but save us from this distress, we shall most certainly be among the thankful?"

Say: "Who rescues you from the dark recesses of the land and the sea, when you call upon Him begging and in secret (saying): `If He (Allah) only saves us from these (dangers), we shall truly be grateful."

Say: Who delivereth you from the darkness of the land and the sea? Ye call upon Him humbly and in secret, (saying): If we are delivered from this (fear) we truly will be of the thankful.

Say, ‘Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea, [when] You invoke Him suppliantly and secretly: ‘‘If He delivers us from this, we will surely be among the grateful’’?’

Say: 'Who saves you from the darkness of the land and sea, when you call out to Him humbly and in secret, (saying:) "If You save us from this, we will be among the thankful."

Say, "Who rescues you from the darknesses of the land and sea [when] you call upon Him imploring [aloud] and privately, 'If He should save us from this [crisis], we will surely be among the thankful.' "

(Muhammad), ask them, "Who would save you from the darkness of the land and sea if you were to pray humbly and secretly saying, 'Would that we were saved from this, for we would certainly then give thanks".

Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea (when) you call upon Him (openly) humiliating yourselves, and in secret: If He delivers us from this, we should certainly be of the grateful ones.

Qul man yunajjeekum min <i><u>th</u></i>ulum<u>a</u>ti albarri wa<b>a</b>lba<u>h</u>ri tadAAoonahu ta<u>d</u>arruAAan wakhufyatan lain anj<u>a</u>n<u>a</u> min h<u>ath</u>ihi lanakoonanna mina a<b>l</b>shsh<u>a</u>kireen<b>a</b>

Say, "Who is it who delivers you from the dark depths of land and sea when you call out to Him humbly and in secret, saying, "If He rescues us from this, we shall most certainly be among the grateful."?"

Say: "Who is it that delivereth you from the dark recesses of land and sea, when ye call upon Him in humility and silent terror: 'If He only delivers us from these (dangers), (we vow) we shall truly show our gratitude'?"

قُلْ مَن يُنَجِّيكُم مِّن ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُۥ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً لَّئِنْ أَنجَىٰنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Who rescues you and saves you from the calamity? You call on Him alone, humbling yourselves in secret and in public saying: If our Lord delivers us from this destruction we will certainly be of those who show thanks for His favours on us and we will not worship anyone besides Him.

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Who rescues you and saves you from the calamity? You call on Him alone, humbling yourselves in secret and in public saying: If our Lord delivers us from this destruction we will certainly be of those who show thanks for His favours on us and we will not worship anyone besides Him.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Some Manifestations of Divine Knowledge and Absolute Power</p><p>In previous verses, there was a description of the perfection of Divine Knowledge and Power, and of their unique expanse. Mentioned in the present verse, there are some manifestations of this very Knowledge and Power.</p><p>The word: ظُلُومَات (Zulumat) in the first verse (63) is the plural of ظُلمَہ (Zulmah) which means darkness [ and which does not have a plural form in English leaving the translator with no choice but to improvise in order to convey the Qur'anic plural which is necessary as ex-plained ]. Thus, the expression: ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ‌ وَالْبَحْرِ‌ in this verse means the many a darkness found on land and sea. Since darkness is of many kinds, such as, the darkness of night, the darkness of rain clouds, the darkness of dust storms and the darkness under the waves of the sea, it is to include all these kinds of darkness that the word, ظُلُمَاتِ Zulumat, has been used here.</p><p>So, the verse means that it was to warn the disbelievers of Makkah against their wrong doings that Allah Ta` ala ordered the Holy Prophet ﷺ to ask these people as to what they do when they find themselves in deep trouble during their l d trips and sea voyages. Is it not that they would forget all about their idols and start calling on none but Allah? At times, they would confess to their modesty and helplessness openly, while at others, they would be admitting it in the heart of their hearts that no one other than Allah could really save them from such catastrophe. And along with this thought, they would promise to Allah that, should Allah save them from this catastrophe, they would definitely take to the ways of following truth and being grateful. In other words, once delivered, they would be grateful to Allah, would take Him as their real rescuer and helper, never ascribing any partner to His Divinity because no one they have been worshiping came up to help them in their hour of need. With this experience of theirs in view, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is being asked to find out from them as to who delivers them from their distress and possible destruction? Since their answer was already known as they could have not denied the open fact that no one came to help them in their distress, idol or whatever else they worshipped, except Allah. Therefore, in the second verse (64), Allah Almighty has Himself taken the initiative and commanded the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell these people that it is Allah alone who would deliver them from their distress, rather deliver them from every other distress or anxiety they may face in their lives. But, the problem was that they, despite having seen open signs and having found comfort after distress, would go back to Shirk and start indulging in the worship of false gods. Strange betrayal and fatal ignorance indeed!</p><p>Not only that these two verses tell us about the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala which delivers human beings from their hour of distress, it also emphasizes that the removal of all sorts of hardships, troubles and anxieties is also in the hands of Allah Ta` ala alone as evident from the behaviour of diehard disbelievers too who are ultimately compelled to turn to Allah when there is nothing left to turn to.</p><p>The Moral</p><p>May be, this behaviour of the disbelievers, despite its being a major crime in view of their betrayal, has a certain lesson to teach. That they do turn to Allah in the hour of their distress, as their confession of reality under duress, has for us Muslims a lesson to learn with the rasp of a lash - here we are still not prompt enough to remember Allah i n our hour of trials despite having faith in the absolute power of Allah Ta` ala. at happens is that all our attention is riveted only to material support which we hope would get us out of trouble. No doubt, we do not take idols, icons and images as our saviors, but the tragic fact is that the many material support systems, logistics, mechanized rescuing squads on land, sea and in the air, and the backup of spot and distant instrumentations, have become no less than idols for us. So impressed with them and so engrossed in them we are that we some-how do not seem to think of Allah and His most perfect power.</p><p>Accidents and Hardships : The Real Remedy</p><p>Take sickness as an example. When we get sick, we think of nothing but our doctors and physicians. Take the example of a storm or flood. Once in it, we look forward to being rescued with material help and material means. We think on them depends our destiny, and in doing so, we just do not seem to remember the very Master of the universe in Whose control lies our destiny. We tend to do this, despite that the Holy Qur'an has, time and again, stated it very clearly that hardships and accidents of the world are generally the outcome of the evil deeds of human beings themselves, and a mild sampling of the punishment of the Hereafter. If looked at from this angle, these hardships are, in a way, mercy for Muslims - for, through them, heedless people are, so to say, given a shot in the arm, so that they may use this occasion to survey their evil deeds and start thinking about how not to indulge in them anymore whereby they could remain safe from the greater and harsher punishment of the Hereafter. The same subject has been taken up elsewhere in the Holy Qur'an in the following words:</p><p>وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْ‌جِعُونَ ﴿21﴾</p><p>We shall make them taste a lesser punishment, prior to the greater punishment, so that they may return - 32:21.</p><p>Says another verse of the Qur'an:</p><p>وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ‌ ﴿30﴾</p><p>The hardship that reaches you is an outcome of your evil deeds while many of them Allah forgives - 42:30.</p><p>Talking about the verse of Surah Ash-Shura quoted above, the Holy Prophet ؓ عنہم said:</p><p>By Him in whose hands lies my life, the common scratch from a piece of wood suffered by a human being, or a faltering of step or an itching in vein are all after-effects of some sin while the sins which Allah Ta` ala forgives are many.</p><p>As said by ` Allama Al-Baydawi, it means that the diseases and calamities faced by criminals and sinners are all vestiges of sins while the diseases and calamities of those who are infallible to or protected from sins are there to test their patience and fortitude, and to bless them with the higher ranks of Paradise.</p><p>So, the essential outcome is that the diseases, accidents, hardships, pain and anxiety faced even by human beings at large - who are not free of sins - are all the consequences and vestiges of sins.</p><p>This also tells us that the real cure and the primary way out of all such distressing happenings is that people should turn to Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, seek forgiveness from Him for all their past sins, and firmly resolve that they would abstain from them in the future, and pray to Him alone that He, in His mercy, removes their hardships.</p><p>However, it never means that the use of material means through medicine and treatment while sick, or to employ material methods of confronting accidents and calamities when struck by them, are useless efforts. Instead of that, the purpose is to emphasize that we should believe in Allah Ta` ala as the prime mover and maker of things and happenings and, as for the use of material means, we should use them too taking them to be nothing but His blessing, because all means and instruments are invariably His creation and His blessings which serve human beings under His command and will. The fire, the air, the water, the dust, and all forces on the face of the earth are but subservient to the command of Allah Ta` ala. Unless He so wills, neither can the fire burn, nor can water extinguish, nor a medicine bring benefit, nor some food hurt. Experience bears the truth that human beings once they become heedless to Allah Ta` ala and start relying on their self-invented defence mechanisms what happens is that with every addition to their material logistics, there comes a relative increase in concerns and calamities.</p><p>That a medicine or clinical procedure may turn out to be personally beneficial at a given time, or a material way out to some problem may succeed, is quite possible even when one is involved with heedlessness and sin. But, when looked at collectively, in the perspective of the whole creation of Allah, all manifestations of the reliance on the material appear to be unsuccessful. Today, the number and variety of articles and instruments invented to remove pain and drudgery and to provide comfort and luxury with a gusto that knows no stopping, are things man had not even dreamt of only half a century ago. Who does not know that people at that time were totally deprived of ever-new life-saving drugs, medicine delivery systems, procedures, surgeries, experts, technicians, labs and hospitals and nursing homes? But, seen in a wider perspective, man deprived of all these facilities fifty years ago, was not as sick and harassed as the man of late nineties. Similarly, we have vaccines to fight against epidemics, mechanized units to control fire, medical and paramedical squads to cover accidents, and an overseeing communications system which would hasten emergency in-formation, relevant support of professionals and equipment. But, somehow the more we increase our material defences against accidents and calamities, the more we seem to be affected by them. To what reason could we ascribe this except that during the period now behind us the measure of heedlessness to and disobedience of the Creator of the universe of our existence was not as pronounced as it is in our day. Those people used their articles of comfort as blessings from Allah Ta` ala for which they were grateful too. But, the modern man wants to use these conveniences with a sense of heightened self-achievement which is rebellion in disguise. Naturally enough, despite all instrumentations and gadgetries, men and materials, they cannot make people immune from being hit by such hardships.</p><p>Summing up the main elements of our explanations, we can say that Muslims should specially take a lesson from this reference to disbelievers that they too remembered Allah when in distress. It is the duty of a true Muslim that he should, in order to remove his pain and anxiety in distress, first rely on and turn to Allah Ta` ala, much more than simply relying on and turning to the material solutions of his trying situation. If he fails to do that, he will meet the same end being witnessed today. Plans will generally fall flat. A thousand efforts are made to stop floods and to minimize losses caused by them, but they keep coming. Ever-new methods of treating diseases are found and used, but diseases keep increasing. Devices and theories are employed to check rising prices of things - which seem to be effective too, though on the surface - but the result on the whole is that prices keep rising on almost a daily basis. Think of crimes like theft, robbery, kidnapping, bribery and smuggling. Governments all over the world, including the most advanced, are employing all sorts of material means to stop them. But, common people do not have to look into a crime graph to find out what is happening - they see that crimes are increasing. We can only wish that human beings of the modern era would do well by rising a little bit higher than the levels of person, identity, profit and loss, and surveying conditions prevailing, then, they would come to realize that, when seen collectively, all our material efforts have failed, in fact, they are compounding our problems. Then, if they were to look at the remedy proposed by the Qur'an which tells us that there is only one way of staying safe from all kinds of hardship, and that is to turn to the Creator of the universe. Whatever material solutions there are, they are fine, and they too should be used as blessings from Him. Other than this, there is no way to ideal security.</p>

CommentarySome Manifestations of Divine Knowledge and Absolute PowerIn previous verses, there was a description of the perfection of Divine Knowledge and Power, and of their unique expanse. Mentioned in the present verse, there are some manifestations of this very Knowledge and Power.The word: ظُلُومَات (Zulumat) in the first verse (63) is the plural of ظُلمَہ (Zulmah) which means darkness [ and which does not have a plural form in English leaving the translator with no choice but to improvise in order to convey the Qur'anic plural which is necessary as ex-plained ]. Thus, the expression: ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ‌ وَالْبَحْرِ‌ in this verse means the many a darkness found on land and sea. Since darkness is of many kinds, such as, the darkness of night, the darkness of rain clouds, the darkness of dust storms and the darkness under the waves of the sea, it is to include all these kinds of darkness that the word, ظُلُمَاتِ Zulumat, has been used here.So, the verse means that it was to warn the disbelievers of Makkah against their wrong doings that Allah Ta` ala ordered the Holy Prophet ﷺ to ask these people as to what they do when they find themselves in deep trouble during their l d trips and sea voyages. Is it not that they would forget all about their idols and start calling on none but Allah? At times, they would confess to their modesty and helplessness openly, while at others, they would be admitting it in the heart of their hearts that no one other than Allah could really save them from such catastrophe. And along with this thought, they would promise to Allah that, should Allah save them from this catastrophe, they would definitely take to the ways of following truth and being grateful. In other words, once delivered, they would be grateful to Allah, would take Him as their real rescuer and helper, never ascribing any partner to His Divinity because no one they have been worshiping came up to help them in their hour of need. With this experience of theirs in view, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is being asked to find out from them as to who delivers them from their distress and possible destruction? Since their answer was already known as they could have not denied the open fact that no one came to help them in their distress, idol or whatever else they worshipped, except Allah. Therefore, in the second verse (64), Allah Almighty has Himself taken the initiative and commanded the Holy Prophet ﷺ to tell these people that it is Allah alone who would deliver them from their distress, rather deliver them from every other distress or anxiety they may face in their lives. But, the problem was that they, despite having seen open signs and having found comfort after distress, would go back to Shirk and start indulging in the worship of false gods. Strange betrayal and fatal ignorance indeed!Not only that these two verses tell us about the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala which delivers human beings from their hour of distress, it also emphasizes that the removal of all sorts of hardships, troubles and anxieties is also in the hands of Allah Ta` ala alone as evident from the behaviour of diehard disbelievers too who are ultimately compelled to turn to Allah when there is nothing left to turn to.The MoralMay be, this behaviour of the disbelievers, despite its being a major crime in view of their betrayal, has a certain lesson to teach. That they do turn to Allah in the hour of their distress, as their confession of reality under duress, has for us Muslims a lesson to learn with the rasp of a lash - here we are still not prompt enough to remember Allah i n our hour of trials despite having faith in the absolute power of Allah Ta` ala. at happens is that all our attention is riveted only to material support which we hope would get us out of trouble. No doubt, we do not take idols, icons and images as our saviors, but the tragic fact is that the many material support systems, logistics, mechanized rescuing squads on land, sea and in the air, and the backup of spot and distant instrumentations, have become no less than idols for us. So impressed with them and so engrossed in them we are that we some-how do not seem to think of Allah and His most perfect power.Accidents and Hardships : The Real RemedyTake sickness as an example. When we get sick, we think of nothing but our doctors and physicians. Take the example of a storm or flood. Once in it, we look forward to being rescued with material help and material means. We think on them depends our destiny, and in doing so, we just do not seem to remember the very Master of the universe in Whose control lies our destiny. We tend to do this, despite that the Holy Qur'an has, time and again, stated it very clearly that hardships and accidents of the world are generally the outcome of the evil deeds of human beings themselves, and a mild sampling of the punishment of the Hereafter. If looked at from this angle, these hardships are, in a way, mercy for Muslims - for, through them, heedless people are, so to say, given a shot in the arm, so that they may use this occasion to survey their evil deeds and start thinking about how not to indulge in them anymore whereby they could remain safe from the greater and harsher punishment of the Hereafter. The same subject has been taken up elsewhere in the Holy Qur'an in the following words:وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ‌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْ‌جِعُونَ ﴿21﴾We shall make them taste a lesser punishment, prior to the greater punishment, so that they may return - 32:21.Says another verse of the Qur'an:وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ‌ ﴿30﴾The hardship that reaches you is an outcome of your evil deeds while many of them Allah forgives - 42:30.Talking about the verse of Surah Ash-Shura quoted above, the Holy Prophet ؓ عنہم said:By Him in whose hands lies my life, the common scratch from a piece of wood suffered by a human being, or a faltering of step or an itching in vein are all after-effects of some sin while the sins which Allah Ta` ala forgives are many.As said by ` Allama Al-Baydawi, it means that the diseases and calamities faced by criminals and sinners are all vestiges of sins while the diseases and calamities of those who are infallible to or protected from sins are there to test their patience and fortitude, and to bless them with the higher ranks of Paradise.So, the essential outcome is that the diseases, accidents, hardships, pain and anxiety faced even by human beings at large - who are not free of sins - are all the consequences and vestiges of sins.This also tells us that the real cure and the primary way out of all such distressing happenings is that people should turn to Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu, seek forgiveness from Him for all their past sins, and firmly resolve that they would abstain from them in the future, and pray to Him alone that He, in His mercy, removes their hardships.However, it never means that the use of material means through medicine and treatment while sick, or to employ material methods of confronting accidents and calamities when struck by them, are useless efforts. Instead of that, the purpose is to emphasize that we should believe in Allah Ta` ala as the prime mover and maker of things and happenings and, as for the use of material means, we should use them too taking them to be nothing but His blessing, because all means and instruments are invariably His creation and His blessings which serve human beings under His command and will. The fire, the air, the water, the dust, and all forces on the face of the earth are but subservient to the command of Allah Ta` ala. Unless He so wills, neither can the fire burn, nor can water extinguish, nor a medicine bring benefit, nor some food hurt. Experience bears the truth that human beings once they become heedless to Allah Ta` ala and start relying on their self-invented defence mechanisms what happens is that with every addition to their material logistics, there comes a relative increase in concerns and calamities.That a medicine or clinical procedure may turn out to be personally beneficial at a given time, or a material way out to some problem may succeed, is quite possible even when one is involved with heedlessness and sin. But, when looked at collectively, in the perspective of the whole creation of Allah, all manifestations of the reliance on the material appear to be unsuccessful. Today, the number and variety of articles and instruments invented to remove pain and drudgery and to provide comfort and luxury with a gusto that knows no stopping, are things man had not even dreamt of only half a century ago. Who does not know that people at that time were totally deprived of ever-new life-saving drugs, medicine delivery systems, procedures, surgeries, experts, technicians, labs and hospitals and nursing homes? But, seen in a wider perspective, man deprived of all these facilities fifty years ago, was not as sick and harassed as the man of late nineties. Similarly, we have vaccines to fight against epidemics, mechanized units to control fire, medical and paramedical squads to cover accidents, and an overseeing communications system which would hasten emergency in-formation, relevant support of professionals and equipment. But, somehow the more we increase our material defences against accidents and calamities, the more we seem to be affected by them. To what reason could we ascribe this except that during the period now behind us the measure of heedlessness to and disobedience of the Creator of the universe of our existence was not as pronounced as it is in our day. Those people used their articles of comfort as blessings from Allah Ta` ala for which they were grateful too. But, the modern man wants to use these conveniences with a sense of heightened self-achievement which is rebellion in disguise. Naturally enough, despite all instrumentations and gadgetries, men and materials, they cannot make people immune from being hit by such hardships.Summing up the main elements of our explanations, we can say that Muslims should specially take a lesson from this reference to disbelievers that they too remembered Allah when in distress. It is the duty of a true Muslim that he should, in order to remove his pain and anxiety in distress, first rely on and turn to Allah Ta` ala, much more than simply relying on and turning to the material solutions of his trying situation. If he fails to do that, he will meet the same end being witnessed today. Plans will generally fall flat. A thousand efforts are made to stop floods and to minimize losses caused by them, but they keep coming. Ever-new methods of treating diseases are found and used, but diseases keep increasing. Devices and theories are employed to check rising prices of things - which seem to be effective too, though on the surface - but the result on the whole is that prices keep rising on almost a daily basis. Think of crimes like theft, robbery, kidnapping, bribery and smuggling. Governments all over the world, including the most advanced, are employing all sorts of material means to stop them. But, common people do not have to look into a crime graph to find out what is happening - they see that crimes are increasing. We can only wish that human beings of the modern era would do well by rising a little bit higher than the levels of person, identity, profit and loss, and surveying conditions prevailing, then, they would come to realize that, when seen collectively, all our material efforts have failed, in fact, they are compounding our problems. Then, if they were to look at the remedy proposed by the Qur'an which tells us that there is only one way of staying safe from all kinds of hardship, and that is to turn to the Creator of the universe. Whatever material solutions there are, they are fine, and they too should be used as blessings from Him. Other than this, there is no way to ideal security.

<h2 class="title">Allah's Compassion and Generosity, and His Power and Torment</h2><p>Allah mentions how He favors His servants, saving them during times of need, in the darkness of land and at sea, such as when storms strike. In such cases, they call on Allah alone, without partners, in supplication. In other Ayat, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ</div><p>(And when harm strikes you at sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him.) 17:67, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هُوَ الَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ حَتَّى إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنْجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ </div><p>(He it is Who enables you to travel through the land and the sea, till when you are in the ships and they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they rejoice, then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are encircled therein, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him alone, saying: "If You deliver us from this, we shall truly be of the grateful".) 10:22, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمَّن يَهْدِيكُمْ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَن يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًاَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ أَءِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ </div><p>(Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy Is there any god with Allah High Exalted be Allah above all that they associate as partners (with Him)!) 27:63. Allah said in this honorable Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ مَن يُنَجِّيكُمْ مِّن ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُ تَضَرُّعاً وَخُفْيَةً</div><p>(Say: "Who rescues you from the dark recesses of the land and the sea, when you call upon Him begging and in secret.") i.e., in public and secret, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّئِنْ أَنجَـنَا</div><p>((Saying): `If He (Allah) only saves us...) from this distress, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ</div><p>(we shall truly be grateful.) thereafter. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلِ اللَّهُ يُنَجِّيكُمْ مِّنْهَا وَمِن كُلِّ كَرْبٍ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ </div><p>(Say: "Allah rescues you from these (dangers) and from all distress, and yet you commit Shirk.") meaning, yet you call other gods besides Him in times of comfort. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ</div><p>(Say: "He has the power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet,") He said this after His statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ</div><p>(And yet you commit Shirk. ) Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً</div><p>(Say: "He has the power to send torment on you.."), after He saves you. Allah said in Surah Subhan (chapter 17), </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">رَّبُّكُمُ الَّذِى يُزْجِى لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِى الْبَحْرِ لِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا - وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا - أَفَأَمِنتُمْ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمْ جَانِبَ الْبَرِّ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُواْ لَكُمْ وَكِيلاً - أَمْ أَمِنتُمْ أَن يُعِيدَكُمْ فِيهِ تَارَةً أُخْرَى فَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ قَاصِفًا مِّنَ الرِّيحِ فَيُغْرِقَكُم بِمَا كَفَرْتُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُواْ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ تَبِيعًا </div><p>(Your Lord is He Who drives the ship for you through the sea, in order that you may seek of His bounty. Truly! He is Ever Merciful towards you. And when harm strikes you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him. But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him). And man is ever ungrateful. Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a side of the land to swallow you up, or that He will not send against you a storm of stones Then, you shall find no guardian. Or do you feel secure that He will not send you back a second time to sea, and send against you a hurricane of wind and drown you because of your disbelief, then you will not find any avenger therein against Us) 17:66-69. Al-Bukhari, may Allah grant him His mercy, commented on Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ </div><p>(Say: "He has the power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to Yalbisakum in party strife, and make you taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Ayat, so that they may understand.) "Yalbisakum means, `cover you with confusion', So it means to, `divide into parties and sects'. Jabir bin `Abdullah said, `When this Ayah was revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ</div><p>(Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above") Allah's Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِك»</div><p>(I seek refuge with Your Face.) </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ</div><p>(or from under your feet,) he again said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِك»</div><p>(I seek refuge with Your Face.) </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ</div><p>(or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another.) he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«هَذهِ أَهْوَنُ أَوْ أَيْسَر»</div><p>(This is less burdensome or easier.)"' Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith again in the book of Tawhid (in his Sahih), and An-Nasa'i also recorded it in the book of Tafsir. </p><h2 class="title">Another Hadith</h2><p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said, We accompanied the Messenger of Allah and passed by the Masjid of Bani Mu`awiyah. The Prophet went in and offered a two Rak`ah prayer, and we prayed behind him. He supplicated to his Lord for a long time and then said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي ثَلَاثًا: سَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكَ أُمَّتِي بِالْغَرَقِ فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكَ أُمَّتِي بِالسَّنَةِ فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يَجْعَلَ بَأْسَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ فَمَنَعَنِيهَا»</div><p>(I asked my Lord for three: I asked Him not to destroy my Ummah (Muslims) by drowning and He gave that to me. I asked Him not to destroy my Ummah by famine and He gave that to me. And I asked Him not to make them taste the violence of one another, but He did not give that to me.) Muslim, but not Al-Bukhari, recorded this Hadith in the book on Fitan (trials) (of his Sahih). </p><h2 class="title">Another Hadith</h2><p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, who attended the battle of Badr with the Messenger of Allah , said, "I met Allah's Messenger during a night in which he prayed throughout it, until dawn. When the Messenger of Allah ended his prayer, I said, `O Allah's Messenger! This night, you have performed a prayer that I never saw you perform before.' Allah's Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أَجَلْ إِنَّهَا صَلَاةُ رَغَبٍ وَرَهَبٍ، سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهَا ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ، فَأَعْطَانِي اثْنَتَيْنِ وَمَنَعَنِي وَاحِدَةً، سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكْنَا بِمَا أَهْلَكَ بِهِ الْأُمَمَ قَبْلَنَا فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُظْهِرَ عَلَيْنَا عَدُوًّا مِنْ غَيْرِنَا فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُلْبِسَنَا شِيَعًا فَمَنَعَنِيهَا»</div><p>(Yes, it was a prayer of eagerness and fear. During this prayer, I asked my Lord for three things and He gave me two and refused to give me the third. I asked my Lord not to destroy us with what He destroyed the nations before us and He gave me that. I asked my Lord not to make our enemies prevail above us and He gave me that. I asked my Lord not to cover us with confusion in party strife, but He refused.) An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and At-Tirmidhi also recorded it. In the book on Fitan, in Al-Jami`, At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih". Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً</div><p>(or to cover you with confusion in party strife, ) means, He causes you to be in disarray and separate into opposing parties and groups. Al-Walibi (`Ali bin Abi Talhah) reported that Ibn `Abbas said that this Ayah refers to desires. Mujahid and several others said similarly. A Hadith from the Prophet , collected from various chains of narration, states, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«وَسَتَفْتَرِقُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةُ عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً، كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا وَاحِدَة»</div><p>(And this Ummah (Muslims) will divide into seventy - three groups, all of them in the Fire except one.) Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ</div><p>(and make you taste the violence of one another.) meaning, some of you will esperience torture and murder from one another, according to Ibn `Abbas and others. Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ</div><p>(See how variously We explain the Ayat,) by making them clear, plain and duly explained, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ</div><p>(So that they may understand.) and comprehend Allah's Ayat, proofs and evidences. </p>

Allah's Compassion and Generosity, and His Power and TormentAllah mentions how He favors His servants, saving them during times of need, in the darkness of land and at sea, such as when storms strike. In such cases, they call on Allah alone, without partners, in supplication. In other Ayat, Allah said, وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ(And when harm strikes you at sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him.) 17:67, هُوَ الَّذِى يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ حَتَّى إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ دَعَوُاْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ لَئِنْ أَنْجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ (He it is Who enables you to travel through the land and the sea, till when you are in the ships and they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they rejoice, then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are encircled therein, they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for Him alone, saying: "If You deliver us from this, we shall truly be of the grateful".) 10:22, and, أَمَّن يَهْدِيكُمْ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَن يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًاَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِ أَءِلَـهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ (Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy Is there any god with Allah High Exalted be Allah above all that they associate as partners (with Him)!) 27:63. Allah said in this honorable Ayah, قُلْ مَن يُنَجِّيكُمْ مِّن ظُلُمَـتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُ تَضَرُّعاً وَخُفْيَةً(Say: "Who rescues you from the dark recesses of the land and the sea, when you call upon Him begging and in secret.") i.e., in public and secret, لَّئِنْ أَنجَـنَا((Saying): `If He (Allah) only saves us...) from this distress, لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّـكِرِينَ(we shall truly be grateful.) thereafter. Allah said, قُلِ اللَّهُ يُنَجِّيكُمْ مِّنْهَا وَمِن كُلِّ كَرْبٍ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ (Say: "Allah rescues you from these (dangers) and from all distress, and yet you commit Shirk.") meaning, yet you call other gods besides Him in times of comfort. Allah said; قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ(Say: "He has the power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet,") He said this after His statement, ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ(And yet you commit Shirk. ) Allah said next, قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً(Say: "He has the power to send torment on you.."), after He saves you. Allah said in Surah Subhan (chapter 17), رَّبُّكُمُ الَّذِى يُزْجِى لَكُمُ الْفُلْكَ فِى الْبَحْرِ لِتَبْتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا - وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا - أَفَأَمِنتُمْ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمْ جَانِبَ الْبَرِّ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُواْ لَكُمْ وَكِيلاً - أَمْ أَمِنتُمْ أَن يُعِيدَكُمْ فِيهِ تَارَةً أُخْرَى فَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ قَاصِفًا مِّنَ الرِّيحِ فَيُغْرِقَكُم بِمَا كَفَرْتُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُواْ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ تَبِيعًا (Your Lord is He Who drives the ship for you through the sea, in order that you may seek of His bounty. Truly! He is Ever Merciful towards you. And when harm strikes you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him. But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him). And man is ever ungrateful. Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a side of the land to swallow you up, or that He will not send against you a storm of stones Then, you shall find no guardian. Or do you feel secure that He will not send you back a second time to sea, and send against you a hurricane of wind and drown you because of your disbelief, then you will not find any avenger therein against Us) 17:66-69. Al-Bukhari, may Allah grant him His mercy, commented on Allah's statement, قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ (Say: "He has the power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to Yalbisakum in party strife, and make you taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Ayat, so that they may understand.) "Yalbisakum means, `cover you with confusion', So it means to, `divide into parties and sects'. Jabir bin `Abdullah said, `When this Ayah was revealed, قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَاباً مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ(Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above") Allah's Messenger said, «أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِك»(I seek refuge with Your Face.) أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ(or from under your feet,) he again said, «أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِك»(I seek refuge with Your Face.) أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ(or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another.) he said, «هَذهِ أَهْوَنُ أَوْ أَيْسَر»(This is less burdensome or easier.)"' Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith again in the book of Tawhid (in his Sahih), and An-Nasa'i also recorded it in the book of Tafsir. Another HadithImam Ahmad recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said, We accompanied the Messenger of Allah and passed by the Masjid of Bani Mu`awiyah. The Prophet went in and offered a two Rak`ah prayer, and we prayed behind him. He supplicated to his Lord for a long time and then said, «سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي ثَلَاثًا: سَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكَ أُمَّتِي بِالْغَرَقِ فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكَ أُمَّتِي بِالسَّنَةِ فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ لَا يَجْعَلَ بَأْسَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ فَمَنَعَنِيهَا»(I asked my Lord for three: I asked Him not to destroy my Ummah (Muslims) by drowning and He gave that to me. I asked Him not to destroy my Ummah by famine and He gave that to me. And I asked Him not to make them taste the violence of one another, but He did not give that to me.) Muslim, but not Al-Bukhari, recorded this Hadith in the book on Fitan (trials) (of his Sahih). Another HadithImam Ahmad recorded that Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, who attended the battle of Badr with the Messenger of Allah , said, "I met Allah's Messenger during a night in which he prayed throughout it, until dawn. When the Messenger of Allah ended his prayer, I said, `O Allah's Messenger! This night, you have performed a prayer that I never saw you perform before.' Allah's Messenger said, «أَجَلْ إِنَّهَا صَلَاةُ رَغَبٍ وَرَهَبٍ، سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهَا ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ، فَأَعْطَانِي اثْنَتَيْنِ وَمَنَعَنِي وَاحِدَةً، سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُهْلِكْنَا بِمَا أَهْلَكَ بِهِ الْأُمَمَ قَبْلَنَا فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُظْهِرَ عَلَيْنَا عَدُوًّا مِنْ غَيْرِنَا فَأَعْطَانِيهَا، وَسَأَلْتُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ لَا يُلْبِسَنَا شِيَعًا فَمَنَعَنِيهَا»(Yes, it was a prayer of eagerness and fear. During this prayer, I asked my Lord for three things and He gave me two and refused to give me the third. I asked my Lord not to destroy us with what He destroyed the nations before us and He gave me that. I asked my Lord not to make our enemies prevail above us and He gave me that. I asked my Lord not to cover us with confusion in party strife, but He refused.) An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and At-Tirmidhi also recorded it. In the book on Fitan, in Al-Jami`, At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih". Allah's statement, أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً(or to cover you with confusion in party strife, ) means, He causes you to be in disarray and separate into opposing parties and groups. Al-Walibi (`Ali bin Abi Talhah) reported that Ibn `Abbas said that this Ayah refers to desires. Mujahid and several others said similarly. A Hadith from the Prophet , collected from various chains of narration, states, «وَسَتَفْتَرِقُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةُ عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً، كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا وَاحِدَة»(And this Ummah (Muslims) will divide into seventy - three groups, all of them in the Fire except one.) Allah said; وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ(and make you taste the violence of one another.) meaning, some of you will esperience torture and murder from one another, according to Ibn `Abbas and others. Allah said next, انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الاٌّيَـتِ(See how variously We explain the Ayat,) by making them clear, plain and duly explained, لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ(So that they may understand.) and comprehend Allah's Ayat, proofs and evidences.

Say: "God delivers you from this and every calamity. Even then you ascribe compeers (to Him)!"

Say, “Allah delivers you from these and from all distresses – yet you ascribe partners to Him!”

Say: 'God delivers you from them and from every distress; then you assign Him associates.'

Say: "God [alone] can save you from this and from every distress - and still you ascribe divinity to other powers beside Him!"

Say thou: Allah delivereth you therefrom and from every pain, yet ye thereafter associate.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Allah rescues you from it and from all (other) distresses, and yet you worship others besides Allah."

Say, “It is God who delivers you from it, and from every disaster. Yet then you associate others with Him.”

Say: "It is Allah alone Who delivers you from this and from every distress, and yet you associate others with Allah in His divinity."

Say: "Allah rescues you from these (dangers) and from all distress, and yet you commit Shirk."

Say: Allah delivereth you from this and from all affliction. Yet ye attribute partners unto Him.

Say, ‘It is Allah who delivers you from them and from every agony, [but] then you ascribe partners [to Him].’

Say: 'Allah saves you from them, and from all afflictions. Then, you associate (with Him)'

Say, "It is Allah who saves you from it and from every distress; then you [still] associate others with Him."

Say, "It is God who always saves you from (such hardship) and from all kinds of distress. Even then, you consider idols equal to God."

Say: Allah delivers you from them and from every distress, but again you set up others (with Him).

Quli All<u>a</u>hu yunajjeekum minh<u>a</u> wamin kulli karbin thumma antum tushrikoon<b>a</b>

Say, "It is God who delivers you from it and from every other distress, yet you associate partners with Him."

Say "It is Allah that delivereth you from these and all (other) distresses: and yet ye worship false gods!"

قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُنَجِّيكُم مِّنْهَا وَمِن كُلِّ كَرْبٍ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ

Say to them, O Messenger, ‘Allah is the One Who rescues you from it and delivers you from every distress. Then you still associate others as partners with Him when you are in good times. What can be more wrong than this?

Say to them, O Messenger, ‘Allah is the One Who rescues you from it and delivers you from every distress. Then you still associate others as partners with Him when you are in good times. What can be more wrong than this?

Say: "He has power to send you retribution from the skies above, or the earth beneath your feet, or confound you with divisions among you, and give one the taste of the vengeance of the other." See, how distinctly We explain Our signs that they may understand.

Say, “He is Able to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to cause you to fight each other by dividing you into different groups, and make you taste the harshness of one another”; observe how We explain the verses so that they may understand.

Say: 'He is able to send forth upon you chastisement, from above you or from under your feet, or to confuse you in sects and to make you taste the violence of one another.' Behold how We turn about the signs; haply they will understand.

Say: "It is He alone who has the power to let loose upon you suffering from above you or from beneath your feet, or to confound you with mutual discord and let you taste the fear of one another." Behold how many facets we give to these messages, so that they might understand the truth.

Say thou: He is Able to stir up torment on you from above you or from beneath your feet or to confound you by factions and make you taste the violence of one anot her. Behold! how variously We propound the signs that haply they may understand.

Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), so that they may understand.

Say, “He is Able to send upon you an affliction, from above you, or from under your feet. Or He can divide you into factions, and make you taste the violence of one another. Note how We explain the revelations, so that they may understand.”

Say: "It is He Who has the power to send forth chastisement upon you from above you, or from beneath your feet, or split you into hostile groups and make some of you taste each others' violence. Behold, how We set forth Our signs in diverse forms, so that maybe they will understand the Truth".

Say: "He has the power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to Yalbisakum in party strife, and make you taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Ayat, so that they may understand.

Say: He is able to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to bewilder you with dissension and make you taste the tyranny one of another. See how We display the revelations so that they may understand.

Say, ‘He is able to send upon you a punishment from above you or from under your feet, or confound you as [hostile] factions, and make you taste one another’s violence.’ Look, how We paraphrase the signs variously so that they may understand!

Say: 'He is Able to send forth upon you punishment from above you or beneath your feet, or to divide you into discordant factions, and to make some of you taste the affliction of the other' Look how We make plain Our verses, in order that they understand.

Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another." Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand.

Say, "God has the power to send torment on you from above or below your feet, or to divide you into different groups quite hostile to one another, and make you suffer from each other's animosity." Consider how plainly We show them a variety of evidence (of the Truth) so that they may have understanding.

Say: He has the power that He should send on you a chastisement from above you or from beneath your feet, or that He should throw you into confusion, (making you) of different parties; and make some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the communications that they may understand.

Qul huwa alq<u>a</u>diru AAal<u>a</u> an yabAAatha AAalaykum AAa<u>tha</u>ban min fawqikum aw min ta<u>h</u>ti arjulikum aw yalbisakum shiyaAAan wayu<u>th</u>eeqa baAA<u>d</u>akum basa baAA<u>d</u>in on<i><u>th</u></i>ur kayfa nu<u>s</u>arrifu al<u>a</u>y<u>a</u>ti laAAallahum yafqahoon<b>a</b>

Say, "He has the power to send punishment on you from above your heads or from beneath your feet, or to divide you in sects and make you taste one another's violence." See how We explain Our revelations in various ways, so that they may understand.

Say: "He hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, giving you a taste of mutual vengeance - each from the other." See how We explain the signs by various (symbols); that they may understand.

قُلْ هُوَ ٱلْقَادِرُ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ

Say to them, O Messenger: Allah is the One able to send upon you a punishment that will come to you from above, such as stones, thunder-bolts and floods, or that will come to you from below, such as earthquakes and sinking into the ground. He can also cause disunity between your hearts, making each person follow their desire and making you fight one another. Think, O Messenger, about how I explain to them the evidence in various ways, so that they realise that what you have brought to them is the truth and what they have is false.

Say to them, O Messenger: Allah is the One able to send upon you a punishment that will come to you from above, such as stones, thunder-bolts and floods, or that will come to you from below, such as earthquakes and sinking into the ground. He can also cause disunity between your hearts, making each person follow their desire and making you fight one another. Think, O Messenger, about how I explain to them the evidence in various ways, so that they realise that what you have brought to them is the truth and what they have is false.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the previous verses was one manifestation of the knowledge and power of Allah Almighty that He alone can remove human distress and whoever calls on Him while in difficulty shall find His help before his eyes. The reason is that He is perfectly powerful over the whole universe and He is also perfectly merciful to His entire creation. No one else has that perfect power and universal mercy.</p><p>Mentioned in the present verses is another side of His perfect power - that He can punish any individual or group for its contumacy if He wills to do so. And doing so is easy for Him. To punish a criminal, He needs no police or army or helper like the rulers of the mortal world. This aspect was stated by saying: هُوَ الْقَادِرُ‌ عَلَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْ‌جُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا (He is fully capable that He should send a punishment from above you or from beneath your feet, or to put you in confusion through divisions).</p><p>Three Kinds of Divine Punishment</p><p>Identified here are three kinds of Divine Punishment: (1) That which comes from above, (2) that which comes from beneath, and (3) that which spreads out from within. Then, by bringing the word, ` عَذَابَاً ' with nunnation (tanwin تنوین) on an indefinite noun (nakirah), a warning - as admitted by the rules of Arabic grammar - has been served that there could be different sub-divisions and forms within these three kind.</p><p>According to commentators of the Qur'an, there have been many examples of punishment coming from above among past communities as the flood which came upon the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) the wind storm which overtook the people of ` Ad, the raining of stones on the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) - the raining of blood and frogs upon the Bani Isra'il and the pelting of pebbles by flights of birds on the People of the Elephant اَصحَاب الفِیل (ashab al-fil) when they invaded Makkah which left all of them reduced to chaff chewed out.</p><p>Similarly, various forms of the coming of punishment from beneath have also appeared among past communities. For the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) there already was the punishment from above in the form of rainstorm, then they were also caught up in the punishment from beneath when the water under the ground started forcing out whereby they came into the grip of two punishments at the same time, that is, the punishment from above and the punishment from beneath. The people of the Pharaoh were drowned in the punishment from beneath their feet. Qarun قارون (Korah) fell a victim to this very punishment when he, along with his legendary treasures, sank down into the earth as if swallowed by it.</p><p>Early Tafsir authorities, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Mujahid have said that the punishment from above means that cruel rulers and merciless officials come to rule over a people while the punishment from beneath means that one's own subordinates and servants turn into traitors, idlers and thieves.</p><p>Some sayings of the Holy Prophet also confirm the Tafsir of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas given above. The saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which follows has been reported in Mishkat with reference to Shu` abul-Iman of Al-Baihaqi: کما تکونونَ کَذٰلکَ یُؤمَّرُ علیکم ، that is, ` as are your deeds, good or bad, so shall be your rulers and officials set upon you.' It means : If you are good, and obedient to Allah Ta` ala, your rulers and officials will also be merciful and just. And if your deeds are evil, you will find that merciless and unjust rulers and officials have been set upon you.' The well-known saying: اَعمَالُکُم عُمَّالُکُم (Your deeds : your rulers) means just the same.</p><p>According to a narration from Abi Nu` aym in his Hilyah appearing in Mishkat, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said:</p><p>Allah Ta` ala says: I am Allah. There is no god worthy of worship but Me. I am the Master of kings. And I am the Sovereign. The hearts of kings are in My hands. When My servants obey Me, I pour mercy in the hearts of their kings and officials. And when My servants disobey Me, I harden the hearts of their rulers against them. They make them taste all kinds of evil punishments. Therefore, do not waste your energy in speaking ill of the rulers and officials. Turn to Allah and correct your deeds so that I may put your affairs right.</p><p>Similarly, there is a narration from Sayyidah ` A'ishah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہا in Abu Dawud and Nasa'i in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:</p><p>When Allah Ta` ala wishes well for a ruler, He gives them a good minister and deputy so that he may remind the ruler if he forgets something, and who helps the ruler when he acts right. And when some evil is destined for a ruler, evil people are made his ministers and deputies.</p><p>In the light of these Hadith narrations and the explanation of related verses, the outcome is that hardships faced by people at the hands of their rulers are a punishment which comes from above - and that which is inflicted through servants and subordinates is a punishment which comes from beneath. They are no stray accidents. In fact, they are a punishment of one's deeds under a Divine law. Imam Sufyan Ath-Thawri said: When a sin gets to be committed by me, I see its effect on my servant, even on my horse I ride and the donkey I use to carry my things. I can feel the change in their temper because all of them start disobeying me. Maulana Rumi, in his famous Mathnawi, says that Allah Ta` ala, by putting you under the apparent punishment which causes pain to you through ill-treatment at the hands of your cruel rulers or faithless subordinates in this mortal world, actually wishes to turn your attention towards Himself, so that you get alerted and start trying to make your deeds good, and as a result of which, you may save yourself from the much greater punishment of the Hereafter.</p><p>To sum up, we can say that, according to the Tafsir of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، the oppression of rulers is the punishment which comes from above, and the dishonesty, idling and treachery of subordinates is the punishment which comes from beneath, and the remedy for both is the same - that everyone should look back and examine what each one has done, leave paths of error, avoid being disobedient to Allah, then, nature will be commanded to take its desired course creating conditions which would remove the hardship. Otherwise, trying to remove them and correct the situation through material ways and means alone will be nothing but self-deception, an experience we have been having all the time.</p><p>The different explanations of the punishment from above and from beneath which you have heard just now are really no different from each other - because the word, عَذَاباً (` adhaban) meaning ` punishment,' which appears in this verse , in fact, embraces all these explanations. Punishments coming from the skies like the rocks, pebbles, blood, fire, flood, and the oppression of rulers, are all included under the punishment from above. As for the parting of the earth and the sinking of a people in it, or being drowned in water forcing out from the earth, or becoming a victim of problems at the hands of subordinates, all these are punishments from beneath.</p><p>There is a third kind of punishment mentioned in this verse, and that is: أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا (or put you in confusion through divisions ...). It means that you may be split into parties confronting each other and it becomes a punishment from within. The word, يَلْبِسَكُمْ (yalbisakum translated as ` put you in confusion' ) used here comes from the root: (labasa) which basically means to hide or cover up. It is in that sense it is used to refer to clothes which cover the human body. And for this reason, its derivation: التباس (iltibas) is used in the sense of doubt, where the meaning of what is said remains hidden, that is, it is not open and clear.</p><p>As for the word: شِیَع (shiya' ), it is the plural form of: شِیَعۃ hi'ah) which means to be a follower, adherent or partisan of someone. It appears in the Holy Qur'an: وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ ﴿83﴾ that is, ` following in the footsteps of Nuh (علیہ السلام) is Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) 37:83.' Therefore, in common usage, the word: شِیَعۃ (shi'ah) is used to denote a group which gets together for a particular purpose, and its members help each other in achieving that purpose. In the current idiom, it would mean a faction or party.</p><p>So, the verse could be translated in the sense that one kind of ` Adhab' (punishment) is that a nation or community breaks up into factions and parties and starts confronting each other. Therefore, when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ addressed Muslims and told them:</p><p>لَا تَرجِعُوا بَعدِی کّفَّاراً یَّضرِبُ بَعدضُکُم رِقَابَ بَعضِ</p><p>Do not renege after me becoming like disbelievers striking at the necks of each other. (Deduced by Ibn Abi Hatim from Zayd ibn Aslam as in Mazhari)</p><p>Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waggas ؓ says: Once we were going with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When we reached Masjid Bani Mu` awiyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went into the Masjid and offered two raka'ah of Salah. We too offered two raka'ah. After that, he became busy with Du` a, and kept praying for a fairly long time. After that, he said: ` I asked my Rabb for three things: (1) My Ummah may not be destroyed by drowning: Allah Ta` ala answered this prayer; (2) My Ummah may not be destroyed by famine and hunger: This too was answered; (3) My Ummah may not be destroyed by infighting: I was stopped from making this prayer.' (Mazhari with reference to Baghawi)</p><p>Another Hadith on the same subject has been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ where one of the three prayers is that ` may Allah not set an enemy upon my Ummah who destroys all of them.' This prayer was answered. As for infighting and mutual confrontation, he was forbidden from making the prayer.</p><p>These narrations prove that, though the kind of punishments which visited earlier communities from above them and from beneath them and which destroyed all of them, will not visit the Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - but, there is one ` Adhab' (punishment) which will keep visiting this Ummah too during their life in the present world. That ` Adhab' is their infighting and the mutual confrontation between their factions and parties. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has emphatically forbidden his Ummah from becoming divided in sects, factions and parties and from challenging and fighting each other among themselves. Actually, he has, on every possible occasion, tried to put the fear of Allah in every heart by warning that the Divine punishment, if it has to come upon Muslims within their life in this mortal world, it will come because of nothing else but their mutual confrontation and infighting.</p><p>This subject has been further clarified in a verse of Surah Hid where it is said:</p><p>وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ ﴿118﴾ إِلَّا مَن رَّ‌حِمَ رَ‌بُّكَ</p><p>But they wi11 continue in their differences, except those whom Allah has blessed with mercy - 11:118</p><p>In this light, it becomes all the more clear that those who differ with each other (without a valid Islamic legal justification) are either deprived of Divine mercy, or far-removed from it. Before we move on to analyse the subject, quoted below are two verses from Surah 'Al-` Imran which would make the problem easier to understand:</p><p>وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّ‌قُوا</p><p>And hold on to the cord of Allah, all of you, and be not divided - 3:103</p><p>وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّ‌قُوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا</p><p>And do not be like those who became divided and fell into disputes ... - 3:105</p><p>The Anatomy and Rationale of Differences</p><p>The essence of all Ayat and Riwayat (Verses and Hadith Narrations, presented here is that difference is ill-fated and blameworthy. If we were to ponder over the causes of the decline and Muslims materially and spiritually, we will see that the root of most troubles lies in this very mutual difference and discord we are talking about. Unfortunately, as a result of our own misdeeds, this ` Adhab' has come to sit on our heads like an octopus. Otherwise, we were a people whose pivot of unity was one single Kalimah of لا إله إلا اللہ محمد رسول اللہ (There no god worthy of worship but Allah, Muhammad is Messenger of Allah). All men and women having faith in this Kalimah, anywhere on this earth, speaking any language, of any colour, of any race, any lineage, were brothers and sisters to each other. Mountains and rivers were no handicap in their unity. The difference of race, family, colour and language were no hurdles in their way. Their unity was tied with this Kalimah irrespective of their nationality. That they were Arabs or Egyptians or Syrians or Turks or Indian or Chinese did not matter. These divisions were simply for the sake of identity and introduction, and that was it, no more. The poet of neo-Islamic Renaissance, Muhammad Iqbal summarized it by saying:</p><p>درویشِ خدا مست نہ شرقی ہے نہ غربی</p><p>گھر اس کا نہ دِلِّی ہے نہ صفاہان سمرقند</p><p>The dervish of Allah cares not</p><p>For he is neither of the East, nor of the West</p><p>For him there is no home</p><p>Neither Delhi, nor Isfahan, nor Samarqand ...</p><p>In our day, intrigues backed by constantly concerted efforts have succeeded in dividing them once again into racial, linguistic and regional nationalities. Worse came to happen when these very entities, hit by internal disruption and chaos, ended up splitting themselves into many more additional factions. The people whose hallmark was en they would forgive, forego and sacrifice even in the case of others readily surrender their most just rights for the sake of avoiding confrontation now have many individuals within their fold who would not hesitate to sacrifice even the most precious This is the difference born out the cheapest and the meanest of gains. This is the difference born out of self-interest, wanton desires and fancies which is a bad omen for any community or nation, and certainly a cash punishment for them right here in the present world.</p><p>However, it is necessary to understand at this point the difference which has been declared in the Qur'an as Divine punishment, and deprivation from Divine mercy, is that particular difference which either appears in Principles and Beliefs or is because of self-interest, wanton desires and fancies. Not included here is the particular difference of opinion which was based on the Principles of Ijtihad carried out in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and it was under these Principles that the difference of opinion in subsidiary matters and masa'il has continued being there among the jurists (Fuqaha' ) of the Muslim Ummah from the early period of Sahabah (Companions) and Tabi` in. (Successors to Companions). It should be borne in mind that in these subsidiary matters, the frame of reference under which such difference of opinion may show up is restricted to Qur'an, Sunnah and Ijma` (consensus). Here, the intention of everyone is to obey and act in ac-cordance with the injunctions of Qur'an and Sunnah. But, the difference which emerges here is that of Ijtihad and opinion in the duduction of solutions to subsidiary problems as interpreted from words left condensed or ambiguous in the Qur'an and Sunnah. Such difference has been called Rahmah or mercy in Hadith.</p><p>The following narration has been reported in Al-Jami` Al-Saghir [ with reference to Nasr Maqdisi, Baihaqi Imam al-Haramayn ]: اِختلافُ اُمَّتی رحمَۃُ (The difference of my Ummah is mercy). It has been made particular to the community of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because any difference which arises among the ` Ulama', who uphold nothing but the truth, and Muslim jurists who are unalienably God-fearing, shall always be governed by the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Then, this would be with an intention which is absolutely true and with an approach which is inevitably for the good pleasure of Allah. This difference will never be motivated by any self-interest or desire for recognition, office or money. Therefore, that difference will never become the cause of confrontations. Instead of that, as determined by ` Allama ` Abdur-Rauf al-Munawi, the commentator of Al-Jami` Al-Saghir, the different approaches (Maslak) of the jurists of Muslim community will have the same status which was given to different religious law systems of the blessed prophets in past periods of time - in that they all were, despite being different, nothing but the very injunctions of Allah. Thus, the different approaches (Maslak مَسلَک) credited to the great Mujtahid Imams of the Muslim Ummah shall be called, because of their being under the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah, nothing but the commandments and injunctions of Allah and Rasul.</p><p>An example of such difference based on Ijtihad can be readily seen on the main streets of our cities where the streets are demarcated into various sections or lanes for the convenience of those who move on them. A section would be used by buses while another by cars and vans. Similarly, a section of the street may be reserved for cyclists and pedestrians. Though this division of one main street into several lanes is outwardly a form of difference but, since everyone is headed in one single direction and everyone moving through each lane will ultimately reach one desired destination. Therefore, this difference of routes or approaches, rather than being harmful, is functionally useful for all movers - a lot of space and mercy indeed.</p><p>This is the reason why leading Mujtahid Imams and the Jurists of the Muslim Community agree that the Maslak or approach taken by any of them is not false, and it is not permissible for anyone to call those who follow it as being sinners. The essence of the difference in مَذھَب Madhab or approaches or schools of thought represented by Mujtahid Imams and Jurists has a limited frame of reference. The approach taken by one Mujtahid happens to be weightier in his sight, but he himself would not call the approach of another Mujtahid as false. In fact, they pay due regard and respect to each other. A look into the mutual relationships of the jurists (Fuqaha' ) among the Sahabah and Tabiin and the four leading Mujtahid Imams and the events and happenings surrounding them are open testimony to the fact that, despite their differences in technical, intellectual and juristic approaches, they had excellent mutual working relationships, giving each other full respect and recognition. That they would be arrayed against each other in rancour, hostility and infighting was absolutely out of question in their case. The same spirit and modus operandi continued with those who later on came as followers of the main juristic schools - as far as they remained adhering to sound knowledge and honest attitude, their mutual relationships remained based on cordiality and respect like their predecessors.</p><p>This is the difference we are talking about. This difference is mercy indeed, for people a source of myriad openings and conveniences and leaves, and certainly a reservoir of beneficial results. As far as subsidiary questions are concerned, the truth is that the difference of proponents in them is not harmful, if it remains within its proper bounds. In fact, it serves as an aid in enlarging and identifying different aspects of a question which makes it possible to arrive at a sound resolution of the problem. It goes without saying that in a meeting of honest minds, the absence of some difference of opinion about a question is just not conceivable. Something like this can happen among a set of people who cannot or do not understand the problem at all, or among pragmatic secular people who would not hesitate to agree to an opinion, even though against their conscience, just to accommodate some party, pressure group or interest lobby.</p><p>So, difference of opinion which is within its bounds, that is, not in the categorical imperatives of the Qur'an and Sunnah concerning articles of faith and decisive injunctions, and which is only in subsidiary questions requiring Ijtihad , and that too where the definitive texts of Qur'an and Sunnah are either silent or ambiguous, and again if the effort so made does not go to the outer limit of name calling, blame throwing and infighting, then, that difference of opinion will, instead of being harmful, be beneficial - a blessing and mercy. Think of this universe of our experience. Things differ in shape, form, colour, smell, property and functional benefits. There are countless living organisms. They differ, so do human beings, different temperaments, occupations, skills, ways of living - these differences are the charm of living which provides open avenues of countless benefits.</p><p>Many people, who are not aware of this reality, would look down even upon the normal differences in the legal solution of problems (fatawa) credited to great Jurists and true ` Ulama.' They are heard complaining: When ` Ulama' differ, where do we go? Frankly, this is a simple matter. Take the example of a sick person about whose condition physicians differ. Naturally everyone tries to find out a physician who has the desired experience and technical expertise and he is the one entrusted with the charge of treating the patient. No one goes out speaking ill of other doctors in town. The same thing happens in legal cases. Lawyers may differ in their opinions. Naturally people entrust their case to a lawyer who is efficient and experienced in their estimation, and act on his advice. They do not run around maligning others in that profession. This principle should be operative here too. When the Fatwa given by ` Ulama' about a problem turn out to be different (reasons to be investigated in the parameters of the original inquiry), then, one should make his best efforts to locate an ` Alim who, in their judgment, is better than others in ` Ilm (expertise in religious knowl-edge) and Taqwa (fear of Allah, fear of being responsible before Him) and follow the advice given by him. There is no need for them to waste their time in finding fault with other ` Ulama.'</p><p>In I` lam Al-Muwwaqqi` in, ` Allamah Hafiz ibn al-Qaiyyim has reported that the choice of an expert Mufti - and in case of a difference of opinion, the giving of preference to the Fatwa of an ` Alim who, in the opinion of the seeker, is the best of all in ` Ilm and Taqwa- - is the duty of every Muslim himself who has such a problem on hand. That he starts giving preference to one of the different Fatawa of ` Ulama is certainly not his job. But, it is no one's job but his own that he should act according to the Fatwa of anyone from among the Muftis and ` Alims whom he considers the best in knowledge and honesty. After that, he should not go about denouncing other Muftis and ` Alims. Once a person has done what is required of him, he is totally free of blame in the sight of Allah. In case, the giver of Fatwa did make a mistake in the real sense, then, he himself will be responsible for it.</p><p>In short, not every difference is absolutely blameworthy, nor every agreement absolutely praiseworthy and desirable. If thieves, robbers and rebels were to join hands and form a union of their own, who would not take this union of theirs blameworthy and fatal for the society. Contrary to this, police action or public protest against such groups is considered praiseworthy and beneficial by all reasonable people.</p><p>This tells us that the problem does not lie in difference of opinion, nor does it lie in acting according to a particular opinion, instead, all problems show up when others are suspected and slandered - which is an outcome of lack of knowledge and honesty and plenty of self-serving desires and fancies. When a nation or country stoops to that level, this merciful difference is changed into punishing difference. Of all the people, Muslims themselves split into parties, fight among themselves, even do the impossible by killing each other. Hurling insults on others is taken to be a defence of religious position, although, religion has nothing to do with such excess and aggression. In fact, this is the confrontation and fighting which has been sternly prohibited by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In authentic Ahadith, it has been cited as the cause of peoples and nations going astray. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the previous verses was one manifestation of the knowledge and power of Allah Almighty that He alone can remove human distress and whoever calls on Him while in difficulty shall find His help before his eyes. The reason is that He is perfectly powerful over the whole universe and He is also perfectly merciful to His entire creation. No one else has that perfect power and universal mercy.Mentioned in the present verses is another side of His perfect power - that He can punish any individual or group for its contumacy if He wills to do so. And doing so is easy for Him. To punish a criminal, He needs no police or army or helper like the rulers of the mortal world. This aspect was stated by saying: هُوَ الْقَادِرُ‌ عَلَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْ‌جُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا (He is fully capable that He should send a punishment from above you or from beneath your feet, or to put you in confusion through divisions).Three Kinds of Divine PunishmentIdentified here are three kinds of Divine Punishment: (1) That which comes from above, (2) that which comes from beneath, and (3) that which spreads out from within. Then, by bringing the word, ` عَذَابَاً ' with nunnation (tanwin تنوین) on an indefinite noun (nakirah), a warning - as admitted by the rules of Arabic grammar - has been served that there could be different sub-divisions and forms within these three kind.According to commentators of the Qur'an, there have been many examples of punishment coming from above among past communities as the flood which came upon the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) the wind storm which overtook the people of ` Ad, the raining of stones on the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) - the raining of blood and frogs upon the Bani Isra'il and the pelting of pebbles by flights of birds on the People of the Elephant اَصحَاب الفِیل (ashab al-fil) when they invaded Makkah which left all of them reduced to chaff chewed out.Similarly, various forms of the coming of punishment from beneath have also appeared among past communities. For the people of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) there already was the punishment from above in the form of rainstorm, then they were also caught up in the punishment from beneath when the water under the ground started forcing out whereby they came into the grip of two punishments at the same time, that is, the punishment from above and the punishment from beneath. The people of the Pharaoh were drowned in the punishment from beneath their feet. Qarun قارون (Korah) fell a victim to this very punishment when he, along with his legendary treasures, sank down into the earth as if swallowed by it.Early Tafsir authorities, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Mujahid have said that the punishment from above means that cruel rulers and merciless officials come to rule over a people while the punishment from beneath means that one's own subordinates and servants turn into traitors, idlers and thieves.Some sayings of the Holy Prophet also confirm the Tafsir of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas given above. The saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ which follows has been reported in Mishkat with reference to Shu` abul-Iman of Al-Baihaqi: کما تکونونَ کَذٰلکَ یُؤمَّرُ علیکم ، that is, ` as are your deeds, good or bad, so shall be your rulers and officials set upon you.' It means : If you are good, and obedient to Allah Ta` ala, your rulers and officials will also be merciful and just. And if your deeds are evil, you will find that merciless and unjust rulers and officials have been set upon you.' The well-known saying: اَعمَالُکُم عُمَّالُکُم (Your deeds : your rulers) means just the same.According to a narration from Abi Nu` aym in his Hilyah appearing in Mishkat, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said:Allah Ta` ala says: I am Allah. There is no god worthy of worship but Me. I am the Master of kings. And I am the Sovereign. The hearts of kings are in My hands. When My servants obey Me, I pour mercy in the hearts of their kings and officials. And when My servants disobey Me, I harden the hearts of their rulers against them. They make them taste all kinds of evil punishments. Therefore, do not waste your energy in speaking ill of the rulers and officials. Turn to Allah and correct your deeds so that I may put your affairs right.Similarly, there is a narration from Sayyidah ` A'ishah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہا in Abu Dawud and Nasa'i in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:When Allah Ta` ala wishes well for a ruler, He gives them a good minister and deputy so that he may remind the ruler if he forgets something, and who helps the ruler when he acts right. And when some evil is destined for a ruler, evil people are made his ministers and deputies.In the light of these Hadith narrations and the explanation of related verses, the outcome is that hardships faced by people at the hands of their rulers are a punishment which comes from above - and that which is inflicted through servants and subordinates is a punishment which comes from beneath. They are no stray accidents. In fact, they are a punishment of one's deeds under a Divine law. Imam Sufyan Ath-Thawri said: When a sin gets to be committed by me, I see its effect on my servant, even on my horse I ride and the donkey I use to carry my things. I can feel the change in their temper because all of them start disobeying me. Maulana Rumi, in his famous Mathnawi, says that Allah Ta` ala, by putting you under the apparent punishment which causes pain to you through ill-treatment at the hands of your cruel rulers or faithless subordinates in this mortal world, actually wishes to turn your attention towards Himself, so that you get alerted and start trying to make your deeds good, and as a result of which, you may save yourself from the much greater punishment of the Hereafter.To sum up, we can say that, according to the Tafsir of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، the oppression of rulers is the punishment which comes from above, and the dishonesty, idling and treachery of subordinates is the punishment which comes from beneath, and the remedy for both is the same - that everyone should look back and examine what each one has done, leave paths of error, avoid being disobedient to Allah, then, nature will be commanded to take its desired course creating conditions which would remove the hardship. Otherwise, trying to remove them and correct the situation through material ways and means alone will be nothing but self-deception, an experience we have been having all the time.The different explanations of the punishment from above and from beneath which you have heard just now are really no different from each other - because the word, عَذَاباً (` adhaban) meaning ` punishment,' which appears in this verse , in fact, embraces all these explanations. Punishments coming from the skies like the rocks, pebbles, blood, fire, flood, and the oppression of rulers, are all included under the punishment from above. As for the parting of the earth and the sinking of a people in it, or being drowned in water forcing out from the earth, or becoming a victim of problems at the hands of subordinates, all these are punishments from beneath.There is a third kind of punishment mentioned in this verse, and that is: أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا (or put you in confusion through divisions ...). It means that you may be split into parties confronting each other and it becomes a punishment from within. The word, يَلْبِسَكُمْ (yalbisakum translated as ` put you in confusion' ) used here comes from the root: (labasa) which basically means to hide or cover up. It is in that sense it is used to refer to clothes which cover the human body. And for this reason, its derivation: التباس (iltibas) is used in the sense of doubt, where the meaning of what is said remains hidden, that is, it is not open and clear.As for the word: شِیَع (shiya' ), it is the plural form of: شِیَعۃ hi'ah) which means to be a follower, adherent or partisan of someone. It appears in the Holy Qur'an: وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ ﴿83﴾ that is, ` following in the footsteps of Nuh (علیہ السلام) is Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) 37:83.' Therefore, in common usage, the word: شِیَعۃ (shi'ah) is used to denote a group which gets together for a particular purpose, and its members help each other in achieving that purpose. In the current idiom, it would mean a faction or party.So, the verse could be translated in the sense that one kind of ` Adhab' (punishment) is that a nation or community breaks up into factions and parties and starts confronting each other. Therefore, when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet ﷺ addressed Muslims and told them:لَا تَرجِعُوا بَعدِی کّفَّاراً یَّضرِبُ بَعدضُکُم رِقَابَ بَعضِDo not renege after me becoming like disbelievers striking at the necks of each other. (Deduced by Ibn Abi Hatim from Zayd ibn Aslam as in Mazhari)Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waggas ؓ says: Once we were going with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . When we reached Masjid Bani Mu` awiyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went into the Masjid and offered two raka'ah of Salah. We too offered two raka'ah. After that, he became busy with Du` a, and kept praying for a fairly long time. After that, he said: ` I asked my Rabb for three things: (1) My Ummah may not be destroyed by drowning: Allah Ta` ala answered this prayer; (2) My Ummah may not be destroyed by famine and hunger: This too was answered; (3) My Ummah may not be destroyed by infighting: I was stopped from making this prayer.' (Mazhari with reference to Baghawi)Another Hadith on the same subject has been reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar ؓ where one of the three prayers is that ` may Allah not set an enemy upon my Ummah who destroys all of them.' This prayer was answered. As for infighting and mutual confrontation, he was forbidden from making the prayer.These narrations prove that, though the kind of punishments which visited earlier communities from above them and from beneath them and which destroyed all of them, will not visit the Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - but, there is one ` Adhab' (punishment) which will keep visiting this Ummah too during their life in the present world. That ` Adhab' is their infighting and the mutual confrontation between their factions and parties. It was for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has emphatically forbidden his Ummah from becoming divided in sects, factions and parties and from challenging and fighting each other among themselves. Actually, he has, on every possible occasion, tried to put the fear of Allah in every heart by warning that the Divine punishment, if it has to come upon Muslims within their life in this mortal world, it will come because of nothing else but their mutual confrontation and infighting.This subject has been further clarified in a verse of Surah Hid where it is said:وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ ﴿118﴾ إِلَّا مَن رَّ‌حِمَ رَ‌بُّكَBut they wi11 continue in their differences, except those whom Allah has blessed with mercy - 11:118In this light, it becomes all the more clear that those who differ with each other (without a valid Islamic legal justification) are either deprived of Divine mercy, or far-removed from it. Before we move on to analyse the subject, quoted below are two verses from Surah 'Al-` Imran which would make the problem easier to understand:وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّ‌قُواAnd hold on to the cord of Allah, all of you, and be not divided - 3:103وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّ‌قُوا وَاخْتَلَفُواAnd do not be like those who became divided and fell into disputes ... - 3:105The Anatomy and Rationale of DifferencesThe essence of all Ayat and Riwayat (Verses and Hadith Narrations, presented here is that difference is ill-fated and blameworthy. If we were to ponder over the causes of the decline and Muslims materially and spiritually, we will see that the root of most troubles lies in this very mutual difference and discord we are talking about. Unfortunately, as a result of our own misdeeds, this ` Adhab' has come to sit on our heads like an octopus. Otherwise, we were a people whose pivot of unity was one single Kalimah of لا إله إلا اللہ محمد رسول اللہ (There no god worthy of worship but Allah, Muhammad is Messenger of Allah). All men and women having faith in this Kalimah, anywhere on this earth, speaking any language, of any colour, of any race, any lineage, were brothers and sisters to each other. Mountains and rivers were no handicap in their unity. The difference of race, family, colour and language were no hurdles in their way. Their unity was tied with this Kalimah irrespective of their nationality. That they were Arabs or Egyptians or Syrians or Turks or Indian or Chinese did not matter. These divisions were simply for the sake of identity and introduction, and that was it, no more. The poet of neo-Islamic Renaissance, Muhammad Iqbal summarized it by saying:درویشِ خدا مست نہ شرقی ہے نہ غربیگھر اس کا نہ دِلِّی ہے نہ صفاہان سمرقندThe dervish of Allah cares notFor he is neither of the East, nor of the WestFor him there is no homeNeither Delhi, nor Isfahan, nor Samarqand ...In our day, intrigues backed by constantly concerted efforts have succeeded in dividing them once again into racial, linguistic and regional nationalities. Worse came to happen when these very entities, hit by internal disruption and chaos, ended up splitting themselves into many more additional factions. The people whose hallmark was en they would forgive, forego and sacrifice even in the case of others readily surrender their most just rights for the sake of avoiding confrontation now have many individuals within their fold who would not hesitate to sacrifice even the most precious This is the difference born out the cheapest and the meanest of gains. This is the difference born out of self-interest, wanton desires and fancies which is a bad omen for any community or nation, and certainly a cash punishment for them right here in the present world.However, it is necessary to understand at this point the difference which has been declared in the Qur'an as Divine punishment, and deprivation from Divine mercy, is that particular difference which either appears in Principles and Beliefs or is because of self-interest, wanton desires and fancies. Not included here is the particular difference of opinion which was based on the Principles of Ijtihad carried out in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and it was under these Principles that the difference of opinion in subsidiary matters and masa'il has continued being there among the jurists (Fuqaha' ) of the Muslim Ummah from the early period of Sahabah (Companions) and Tabi` in. (Successors to Companions). It should be borne in mind that in these subsidiary matters, the frame of reference under which such difference of opinion may show up is restricted to Qur'an, Sunnah and Ijma` (consensus). Here, the intention of everyone is to obey and act in ac-cordance with the injunctions of Qur'an and Sunnah. But, the difference which emerges here is that of Ijtihad and opinion in the duduction of solutions to subsidiary problems as interpreted from words left condensed or ambiguous in the Qur'an and Sunnah. Such difference has been called Rahmah or mercy in Hadith.The following narration has been reported in Al-Jami` Al-Saghir [ with reference to Nasr Maqdisi, Baihaqi Imam al-Haramayn ]: اِختلافُ اُمَّتی رحمَۃُ (The difference of my Ummah is mercy). It has been made particular to the community of the Holy Prophet ﷺ because any difference which arises among the ` Ulama', who uphold nothing but the truth, and Muslim jurists who are unalienably God-fearing, shall always be governed by the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Then, this would be with an intention which is absolutely true and with an approach which is inevitably for the good pleasure of Allah. This difference will never be motivated by any self-interest or desire for recognition, office or money. Therefore, that difference will never become the cause of confrontations. Instead of that, as determined by ` Allama ` Abdur-Rauf al-Munawi, the commentator of Al-Jami` Al-Saghir, the different approaches (Maslak) of the jurists of Muslim community will have the same status which was given to different religious law systems of the blessed prophets in past periods of time - in that they all were, despite being different, nothing but the very injunctions of Allah. Thus, the different approaches (Maslak مَسلَک) credited to the great Mujtahid Imams of the Muslim Ummah shall be called, because of their being under the principles of the Qur'an and Sunnah, nothing but the commandments and injunctions of Allah and Rasul.An example of such difference based on Ijtihad can be readily seen on the main streets of our cities where the streets are demarcated into various sections or lanes for the convenience of those who move on them. A section would be used by buses while another by cars and vans. Similarly, a section of the street may be reserved for cyclists and pedestrians. Though this division of one main street into several lanes is outwardly a form of difference but, since everyone is headed in one single direction and everyone moving through each lane will ultimately reach one desired destination. Therefore, this difference of routes or approaches, rather than being harmful, is functionally useful for all movers - a lot of space and mercy indeed.This is the reason why leading Mujtahid Imams and the Jurists of the Muslim Community agree that the Maslak or approach taken by any of them is not false, and it is not permissible for anyone to call those who follow it as being sinners. The essence of the difference in مَذھَب Madhab or approaches or schools of thought represented by Mujtahid Imams and Jurists has a limited frame of reference. The approach taken by one Mujtahid happens to be weightier in his sight, but he himself would not call the approach of another Mujtahid as false. In fact, they pay due regard and respect to each other. A look into the mutual relationships of the jurists (Fuqaha' ) among the Sahabah and Tabiin and the four leading Mujtahid Imams and the events and happenings surrounding them are open testimony to the fact that, despite their differences in technical, intellectual and juristic approaches, they had excellent mutual working relationships, giving each other full respect and recognition. That they would be arrayed against each other in rancour, hostility and infighting was absolutely out of question in their case. The same spirit and modus operandi continued with those who later on came as followers of the main juristic schools - as far as they remained adhering to sound knowledge and honest attitude, their mutual relationships remained based on cordiality and respect like their predecessors.This is the difference we are talking about. This difference is mercy indeed, for people a source of myriad openings and conveniences and leaves, and certainly a reservoir of beneficial results. As far as subsidiary questions are concerned, the truth is that the difference of proponents in them is not harmful, if it remains within its proper bounds. In fact, it serves as an aid in enlarging and identifying different aspects of a question which makes it possible to arrive at a sound resolution of the problem. It goes without saying that in a meeting of honest minds, the absence of some difference of opinion about a question is just not conceivable. Something like this can happen among a set of people who cannot or do not understand the problem at all, or among pragmatic secular people who would not hesitate to agree to an opinion, even though against their conscience, just to accommodate some party, pressure group or interest lobby.So, difference of opinion which is within its bounds, that is, not in the categorical imperatives of the Qur'an and Sunnah concerning articles of faith and decisive injunctions, and which is only in subsidiary questions requiring Ijtihad , and that too where the definitive texts of Qur'an and Sunnah are either silent or ambiguous, and again if the effort so made does not go to the outer limit of name calling, blame throwing and infighting, then, that difference of opinion will, instead of being harmful, be beneficial - a blessing and mercy. Think of this universe of our experience. Things differ in shape, form, colour, smell, property and functional benefits. There are countless living organisms. They differ, so do human beings, different temperaments, occupations, skills, ways of living - these differences are the charm of living which provides open avenues of countless benefits.Many people, who are not aware of this reality, would look down even upon the normal differences in the legal solution of problems (fatawa) credited to great Jurists and true ` Ulama.' They are heard complaining: When ` Ulama' differ, where do we go? Frankly, this is a simple matter. Take the example of a sick person about whose condition physicians differ. Naturally everyone tries to find out a physician who has the desired experience and technical expertise and he is the one entrusted with the charge of treating the patient. No one goes out speaking ill of other doctors in town. The same thing happens in legal cases. Lawyers may differ in their opinions. Naturally people entrust their case to a lawyer who is efficient and experienced in their estimation, and act on his advice. They do not run around maligning others in that profession. This principle should be operative here too. When the Fatwa given by ` Ulama' about a problem turn out to be different (reasons to be investigated in the parameters of the original inquiry), then, one should make his best efforts to locate an ` Alim who, in their judgment, is better than others in ` Ilm (expertise in religious knowl-edge) and Taqwa (fear of Allah, fear of being responsible before Him) and follow the advice given by him. There is no need for them to waste their time in finding fault with other ` Ulama.'In I` lam Al-Muwwaqqi` in, ` Allamah Hafiz ibn al-Qaiyyim has reported that the choice of an expert Mufti - and in case of a difference of opinion, the giving of preference to the Fatwa of an ` Alim who, in the opinion of the seeker, is the best of all in ` Ilm and Taqwa- - is the duty of every Muslim himself who has such a problem on hand. That he starts giving preference to one of the different Fatawa of ` Ulama is certainly not his job. But, it is no one's job but his own that he should act according to the Fatwa of anyone from among the Muftis and ` Alims whom he considers the best in knowledge and honesty. After that, he should not go about denouncing other Muftis and ` Alims. Once a person has done what is required of him, he is totally free of blame in the sight of Allah. In case, the giver of Fatwa did make a mistake in the real sense, then, he himself will be responsible for it.In short, not every difference is absolutely blameworthy, nor every agreement absolutely praiseworthy and desirable. If thieves, robbers and rebels were to join hands and form a union of their own, who would not take this union of theirs blameworthy and fatal for the society. Contrary to this, police action or public protest against such groups is considered praiseworthy and beneficial by all reasonable people.This tells us that the problem does not lie in difference of opinion, nor does it lie in acting according to a particular opinion, instead, all problems show up when others are suspected and slandered - which is an outcome of lack of knowledge and honesty and plenty of self-serving desires and fancies. When a nation or country stoops to that level, this merciful difference is changed into punishing difference. Of all the people, Muslims themselves split into parties, fight among themselves, even do the impossible by killing each other. Hurling insults on others is taken to be a defence of religious position, although, religion has nothing to do with such excess and aggression. In fact, this is the confrontation and fighting which has been sternly prohibited by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In authentic Ahadith, it has been cited as the cause of peoples and nations going astray. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

This (Book) has been called by your people a falsehood though it is the truth. Say: "I am not a warden over you."

And your people (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) denied it whereas this is undoubtedly the truth; say, “I am not responsible for you.”

Thy people have cried it lies; yet it is the truth. Say: 'I am not a guardian over you.

and yet, to all this thy peoples have given the lie, although it is the truth. Say [then]: "I am not responsible for your conduct.

And thy people belie it, while it is certain to befall. Say thou: I am not over you a trustee.

But your people (O Muhammad SAW) have denied it (the Quran) though it is the truth. Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs."

But your people rejected it, though it is the truth. Say, “I am not responsible for you.”

Your people have denied it even though it is the Truth. Say: "I am not a guardian over You.

But your people have denied it (the Qur'an) though it is the truth. Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs."

Thy people (O Muhammad) have denied it, though it is the Truth. Say: I am not put in charge of you.

Your people have denied it, though it is the truth. Say, ‘It is not my business to watch over you.’

Your nation has belied it (the Koran), although it is the truth. Say: 'I am not a guardian over you.

But your people have denied it while it is the truth. Say, "I am not over you a manager."

(Some of) your people have rejected the Quran, although it is the Truth. Tell them that you are not their guardian

And your people call it a lie and it is the very truth. Say: I am not placed in charge of you.

Waka<u>thth</u>aba bihi qawmuka wahuwa al<u>h</u>aqqu qul lastu AAalaykum biwakeel<b>in</b>

Your people have rejected the message We have sent through you, though it is the truth. Say "I am not your keeper.

But thy people reject this, though it is the truth. Say: "Not mine is the responsibility for arranging your affairs;

وَكَذَّبَ بِهِۦ قَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ

Your people have denied this Qur’ān, yet it is the truth about which there is no doubt that it is from Allah. Say to them, O Messenger: I am not responsible for your actions. I am only to warn you before a severe punishment.

Your people have denied this Qur’ān, yet it is the truth about which there is no doubt that it is from Allah. Say to them, O Messenger: I am not responsible for your actions. I am only to warn you before a severe punishment.

<p>In the second verse (66), after mentioning the anti-truth stand taken by the Quraysh of Makkah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ also from the same tribe, has been instructed that he should tell those people asking about the precise time when the promised punishment will come that he has not been appointed to do that for them. The truth is that for everything there is a point of time as determined in Divine knowledge. It will come at its own time, and they will see for themselves what happens when it does.</p>

In the second verse (66), after mentioning the anti-truth stand taken by the Quraysh of Makkah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ also from the same tribe, has been instructed that he should tell those people asking about the precise time when the promised punishment will come that he has not been appointed to do that for them. The truth is that for everything there is a point of time as determined in Divine knowledge. It will come at its own time, and they will see for themselves what happens when it does.

<h2 class="title">The Invitation to the Truth is Guidance Without Coercion</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذَّبَ بِهِ</div><p>(But have denied it) denied the Qur'an, guidance and clear explanation that you (O Muhammad ) have brought them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَوْمُكَ </div><p>(your people) meaning, Quraysh, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ</div><p>(though it is the truth.) beyond which there is no other truth. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِوَكِيلٍ</div><p>(Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs.") meaning, I have not been appointed a guardian or watcher over you. Allah also said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ</div><p>(And say: "The truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.) 18:29, This means, my duty is to convey the Message and your duty is to hear and obey. Those who follow me, will acquire happiness in this life and the Hereafter. Those who defy me will become miserable in this life and the Hereafter. So Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّكُلِّ نَبَإٍ مُّسْتَقَرٌّ</div><p>(For every news there is a reality...) meaning, for every news, there is a reality, in that, this news will occur, perhaps after a while, according to Ibn `Abbas and others. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُ بَعْدَ حِينِ </div><p>(And you shall certainly know the truth of it after a while.) 38:88 and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ</div><p>((For) each and every matter there is a decree (from Allah).) 13:38. This, indeed, is a warning and a promise that will surely occur, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>(and you will come to know.) Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا</div><p>(And when you see those who engage in false conversation about Our verses (of the Qur'an)), by denying and mocking them. </p><h2 class="title">The Prohibition of Sitting with Those Who Deny and Mock Allah's Ayat</h2><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ</div><p>(stay away from them till they turn to another topic.) until they talk about a subject other than the denial they were engaged in. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَـنُ</div><p>(And if Shaytan causes you to forget...) This command includes every member of this Ummah. No one is to sit with those who deny and distort Allah's Ayat and explain them incorrectly. If one forgets and sits with such people, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَى</div><p>(then after the remembrance sit not you) after you remember, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ</div><p>(in the company of those people who are the wrongdoers.). A Hadith states, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«رُفِعَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأُ وَالنِّسْيَانُ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْه»</div><p>(My Ummah was forgiven unintentional errors, forgetfulness and what they are coerced to do.) The Ayah above 6:68 is the Ayah mentioned in Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يُكَفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً مِّثْلُهُمْ</div><p>(And it has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them.) 4:140, for, if you still sit with them, agreeing to what they say, you will be just like them. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ</div><p>(There is no responsibility for them upon those who have Taqwa,) means, when the believers avoid sitting with wrongdoers in this case, they will be innocent of them and they will have saved themselves from their sin. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَـكِن ذِكْرَى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ</div><p>(but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may avoid that.), means, We commanded you to ignore and avoid them, so that they become aware of the error they are indulging in, that they may avoid this behavior and never repeat it again. </p>

The Invitation to the Truth is Guidance Without CoercionAllah said, وَكَذَّبَ بِهِ(But have denied it) denied the Qur'an, guidance and clear explanation that you (O Muhammad ) have brought them, قَوْمُكَ (your people) meaning, Quraysh, وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ(though it is the truth.) beyond which there is no other truth. قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِوَكِيلٍ(Say: "I am not responsible for your affairs.") meaning, I have not been appointed a guardian or watcher over you. Allah also said; وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ(And say: "The truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.) 18:29, This means, my duty is to convey the Message and your duty is to hear and obey. Those who follow me, will acquire happiness in this life and the Hereafter. Those who defy me will become miserable in this life and the Hereafter. So Allah said; لِّكُلِّ نَبَإٍ مُّسْتَقَرٌّ(For every news there is a reality...) meaning, for every news, there is a reality, in that, this news will occur, perhaps after a while, according to Ibn `Abbas and others. Allah said in other Ayat, وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُ بَعْدَ حِينِ (And you shall certainly know the truth of it after a while.) 38:88 and, لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ((For) each and every matter there is a decree (from Allah).) 13:38. This, indeed, is a warning and a promise that will surely occur, وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ(and you will come to know.) Allah's statement, وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا(And when you see those who engage in false conversation about Our verses (of the Qur'an)), by denying and mocking them. The Prohibition of Sitting with Those Who Deny and Mock Allah's Ayatفَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ(stay away from them till they turn to another topic.) until they talk about a subject other than the denial they were engaged in. وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَـنُ(And if Shaytan causes you to forget...) This command includes every member of this Ummah. No one is to sit with those who deny and distort Allah's Ayat and explain them incorrectly. If one forgets and sits with such people, فَلاَ تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَى(then after the remembrance sit not you) after you remember, مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ(in the company of those people who are the wrongdoers.). A Hadith states, «رُفِعَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأُ وَالنِّسْيَانُ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْه»(My Ummah was forgiven unintentional errors, forgetfulness and what they are coerced to do.) The Ayah above 6:68 is the Ayah mentioned in Allah's statement, وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ يُكَفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً مِّثْلُهُمْ(And it has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them.) 4:140, for, if you still sit with them, agreeing to what they say, you will be just like them. Allah's statement, وَمَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ(There is no responsibility for them upon those who have Taqwa,) means, when the believers avoid sitting with wrongdoers in this case, they will be innocent of them and they will have saved themselves from their sin. Allah's statement, وَلَـكِن ذِكْرَى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ(but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may avoid that.), means, We commanded you to ignore and avoid them, so that they become aware of the error they are indulging in, that they may avoid this behavior and never repeat it again.

A time is fixed for every prophecy; you will come to know in time.

All matters have a fixed time and soon you will come to know.

Every tiding has its time appointed; you will surely know.'

Every tiding [from God] has a term set for its fulfilment: and in time you will come to know [the truth]."

For every announcement is a set time; and presently ye shall know.

For every news there is a fact, i.e. for everything there is an appointed term (and it is also said that for every deed there is a recompense) and you will come to know.

For every happening is a finality, and you will surely know.

Every tiding has its appointed time; you yourselves will soon know (the end)."

For every news there is a reality and you will come to know.

For every announcement there is a term, and ye will come to know.

For every prophecy there is a [preordained] setting, and soon you will know.

Every news has its appointed time; you will surely know'

For every happening is a finality; and you are going to know.

and that for every prophecy (about you which comes from God) there is an appointed time (to come true) and that they will soon experience it.

For every prophecy is a term, and you will come to know (it).

Likulli nabain mustaqarrun wasawfa taAAlamoon<b>a</b>

Every prophecy has its fixed time to be fulfilled: and soon you will come to know."

For every message is a limit of time, and soon shall ye know it."

لِّكُلِّ نَبَإٍ مُّسْتَقَرٌّ وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Everything has a time in which it occurs and an end point which it reaches. This includes your end results. You will soon come to know them when you are raised on the Day of Rising.

Everything has a time in which it occurs and an end point which it reaches. This includes your end results. You will soon come to know them when you are raised on the Day of Rising.

When you see them argue about Our messages, withdraw from their company until they begin to talk of other things. In case the Devil makes you forget, leave the company of these unjust people the moment you remember this.

And O listener (followers of this Prophet) when you see those who argue in Our verses, turn away from them until they engage in another topic; and if the devil causes you to forget, then do not sit with the unjust after remembering.

When thou seest those who plunge into Our signs, turn away from them until they plunge into some other talk; or if Satan should make thee forget, do not sit, after the reminding, with the people of the evildoers.

NOW, whenever thou meet such as indulge in [blasphemous] talk about Our messages, turn thy back upon them until they begin to talk of other things and if Satan should ever cause thee to forget [thyself], remain not, after recollection, in the company of such evildoing folk,

And when thou seest those who plunge in Our revelations keep away from them until they plunge in a discourse other than that; and if the Satan causeth thee to forget, then sit not thou, after the recollection, with the wrong-doing people.

And when you (Muhammad SAW) see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the Quran) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaitan (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).

When you encounter those who gossip about Our revelations, turn away from them, until they engage in another topic. But should Satan make you forget, do not sit after the recollection with the wicked people.

When you see those who are engaged in blasphemy against Our signs, turn away from them until they begin to talk of other things; and should Satan ever cause you to forget, then do not remain, after recollection, in the company of those wrong-doing people.

And when you see those who engage in false conversation about Our verses (of the Qur'an) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaytan causes you to forget, then after the remembrance, sit not you in the company of those people who are the wrongdoers.

And when thou seest those who meddle with Our revelations, withdraw from them until they meddle with another topic. And if the devil cause thee to forget, sit not, after the remembrance, with the congregation of wrong-doers.

When you see those who gossip impiously about Our signs, avoid them until they engage in some other discourse; but if Satan makes you forget, then, after remembering, do not sit with the wrongdoing lot.

When you see those who plunge (scoffing) into Our verses, withdraw from them till they plunge into some other talk. If satan causes you to forget, leave the wrongdoing people as soon as you remember.

And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.

When you see people mocking Our revelations, turn away from them so that they may change the subject. If Satan causes you to forget this, do not sit with the unjust people when you remember.

And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our communications, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if the Shaitan causes you to forget, then do not sit after recollection with the unjust people.

Wai<u>tha</u> raayta alla<u>th</u>eena yakhoo<u>d</u>oona fee <u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tin<u>a</u> faaAAri<u>d</u> AAanhum <u>h</u>att<u>a</u> yakhoo<u>d</u>oo fee <u>h</u>adeethin ghayrihi waimm<u>a</u> yunsiyannaka a<b>l</b>shshay<u>ta</u>nu fal<u>a</u> taqAAud baAAda a<b>l</b><u>thth</u>ikr<u>a</u> maAAa alqawmi a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limeen<b>a</b>

When you see people engaged in finding fault with Our revelations, withdraw from them until they turn to some other topic. Should Satan cause you to forget this, take leave of the wrongdoers as soon as you remember.

When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of those who do wrong.

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا۟ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِۦ وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

When you, O Messenger, see the idolaters speaking about My verses mockingly, then do not sit with them until they enter into a discussion free of such mockery. If Satan makes you forget, and you do sit with them and afterwards remember, then leave that gathering and do not sit with those who overstep the limits.

When you, O Messenger, see the idolaters speaking about My verses mockingly, then do not sit with them until they enter into a discussion free of such mockery. If Satan makes you forget, and you do sit with them and afterwards remember, then leave that gathering and do not sit with those who overstep the limits.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Avoid Gatherings of False People</p><p>In the present verses, Muslims have been instructed that they should, as a matter of principle, abstain from being a part of the gatherings frequented by those who prefer to follow the false - because a sin is a sin, whether you do it yourself or watch others doing it. Details follow.</p><p>The word: يَخُوضُونَ (translated here as ` indulge' ) in the first verse (68) is from: خَوض (khawd) which basically means to enter into water and wade through it. Then, it also denotes entering into activities which are vain, absurd or futile. This word has been used in the Qur'an usually in this very sense. Verses such as: وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ ﴿45﴾ ` we used to indulge (in vain discourse) with those indulging - 74:45' and: فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ playing with what they are indulged in - 6:91' are some examples.</p><p>Therefore, the Qur'anic expression referring to: خَوض فی الآیاتِ has been translated by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanavi and Shaykh al-Hind, Maulana Mahmud al-Hasan in the sense of fault-finding and disputing, which means: ` when you see those people meddling in the Ayat of Allah just for fun and ridicule, or trying to find faults in them, turn away from them.'</p><p>The address in this verse is general, to everyone - which includes the Holy Prophet s, and the members of his community as well. The truth of the matter is that the address to the Holy Prophet is there only to let Muslims at large hear it, otherwise he never participated in any such gatherings even during his childhood days. Therefore, he needed no prohibition.</p><p>Then, ` turning away' from the gatherings of false people could take many forms. For example, leave the gathering or get busy doing something else while being there without paying any attention to them. But, at the end of the verse, it was made clear that the first form is what is desirable, that is, one should not keep sitting in their gathering; one should rise and leave from there.</p><p>Said at the end of the verse was ` if Satan makes you forget', that is, if one went into their gathering unmindfully - whether while not remembering the prohibition of participating in such gatherings, or while not recalling that these people talk against the Ayat of Allah and the Rasul of Allah in their gatherings - then, in either situation, once it is remembered, one should leave that gathering immediately. To keep sitting there after having remembered is a sin. The same subject appears in another verse where, at the end, it has been said: If you kept sitting there, you will be like them (إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ : 4:140).</p><p>In Tafsir Kabir, Imam al-Razi has said that the real intent in this verse is to abstain from such sinful gatherings and their participants. The best course is to rise and depart from there. But, should leaving the gathering pose a danger to one's life, property or honour, it is permissible for common people to "turn away" in some other manner, for instance, they could make themselves busy with something else and pay no attention to them. But, the case is different with particular people who are followed in religious matters - for them, the only appropriate way is to rise and leave the gathering.</p><p>Going a little further in our understanding of the sentence: وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ (And if Satan makes you forget) mentioned above, let us consider its implications. If this is addressed to Muslims at large, it is clear that to forget is human - and if the address is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the question arises: If forgetfulness comes to affect a prophet and messenger of Allah as well, how can their teachings be trusted?</p><p>The answer is: It is possible that prophets too forget some-thing under particular circumstances where the divine wisdom decides to make it so happen to achieve a particular purpose, but they are immediately alerted by Allah Ta` ala through Way which helps them not to let it last. Therefore, their teachings ultimately become free of any doubts of forgetfulness.</p><p>However, this sentence of the verse does tell us that should a person fall into an error inadvertently, that will stand forgiven. In a Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ it has been said:</p><p>رُفِعَ عَن اُمَّتِی الخطاءُ وَالنِّسیانُ وما استکرِھُوا عَلَیہ</p><p>Removed from my Ummah is (the sin of) error and forgetting and that which one has been compelled to do.</p><p>In Ahkam al-Qur'an, Imam al-Jassas has said:</p><p>This verse tells that Muslims should abstain from every such gathering where things are being said against Allah Ta` ala, His Rasul ﷺ and the Shari’ ah of Islam and where it is not within one's power and control to stop or have it stopped, or, at the least, be able to say what is true and right. However, participating in such a gathering with the intention to reform and to carry the message of truth to them does not matter.</p><p>As for the statement: فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَ‌ىٰ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ which prohibits sitting with unjust people after the recollection, Imam al-Jassas has deduced the ruling that participating in the gathering of such unjust, irreligious and big-mouthed people is an absolute sin, whether or not, at that time, they are engaged in talking about what would be considered impermissible - because people of such nature could be expected to start their ridiculous rantings all of a sudden. This rule is deduced from this verse on the basis that sitting in the company of unjust people has been prohibited in this verse in an absolute sense. It does not have the condition that they be busy with their act of injustice at that time too.</p><p>The same subject has been taken up in another verse of the Holy Qur'an more explicitly where it is said: وَلَا تَرْ‌كَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ‌ (And do not incline towards the wrong doers, lest the Fire should catch you ... 11:113).</p>

CommentaryAvoid Gatherings of False PeopleIn the present verses, Muslims have been instructed that they should, as a matter of principle, abstain from being a part of the gatherings frequented by those who prefer to follow the false - because a sin is a sin, whether you do it yourself or watch others doing it. Details follow.The word: يَخُوضُونَ (translated here as ` indulge' ) in the first verse (68) is from: خَوض (khawd) which basically means to enter into water and wade through it. Then, it also denotes entering into activities which are vain, absurd or futile. This word has been used in the Qur'an usually in this very sense. Verses such as: وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ ﴿45﴾ ` we used to indulge (in vain discourse) with those indulging - 74:45' and: فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ playing with what they are indulged in - 6:91' are some examples.Therefore, the Qur'anic expression referring to: خَوض فی الآیاتِ has been translated by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanavi and Shaykh al-Hind, Maulana Mahmud al-Hasan in the sense of fault-finding and disputing, which means: ` when you see those people meddling in the Ayat of Allah just for fun and ridicule, or trying to find faults in them, turn away from them.'The address in this verse is general, to everyone - which includes the Holy Prophet s, and the members of his community as well. The truth of the matter is that the address to the Holy Prophet is there only to let Muslims at large hear it, otherwise he never participated in any such gatherings even during his childhood days. Therefore, he needed no prohibition.Then, ` turning away' from the gatherings of false people could take many forms. For example, leave the gathering or get busy doing something else while being there without paying any attention to them. But, at the end of the verse, it was made clear that the first form is what is desirable, that is, one should not keep sitting in their gathering; one should rise and leave from there.Said at the end of the verse was ` if Satan makes you forget', that is, if one went into their gathering unmindfully - whether while not remembering the prohibition of participating in such gatherings, or while not recalling that these people talk against the Ayat of Allah and the Rasul of Allah in their gatherings - then, in either situation, once it is remembered, one should leave that gathering immediately. To keep sitting there after having remembered is a sin. The same subject appears in another verse where, at the end, it has been said: If you kept sitting there, you will be like them (إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ : 4:140).In Tafsir Kabir, Imam al-Razi has said that the real intent in this verse is to abstain from such sinful gatherings and their participants. The best course is to rise and depart from there. But, should leaving the gathering pose a danger to one's life, property or honour, it is permissible for common people to "turn away" in some other manner, for instance, they could make themselves busy with something else and pay no attention to them. But, the case is different with particular people who are followed in religious matters - for them, the only appropriate way is to rise and leave the gathering.Going a little further in our understanding of the sentence: وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ (And if Satan makes you forget) mentioned above, let us consider its implications. If this is addressed to Muslims at large, it is clear that to forget is human - and if the address is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the question arises: If forgetfulness comes to affect a prophet and messenger of Allah as well, how can their teachings be trusted?The answer is: It is possible that prophets too forget some-thing under particular circumstances where the divine wisdom decides to make it so happen to achieve a particular purpose, but they are immediately alerted by Allah Ta` ala through Way which helps them not to let it last. Therefore, their teachings ultimately become free of any doubts of forgetfulness.However, this sentence of the verse does tell us that should a person fall into an error inadvertently, that will stand forgiven. In a Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ it has been said:رُفِعَ عَن اُمَّتِی الخطاءُ وَالنِّسیانُ وما استکرِھُوا عَلَیہRemoved from my Ummah is (the sin of) error and forgetting and that which one has been compelled to do.In Ahkam al-Qur'an, Imam al-Jassas has said:This verse tells that Muslims should abstain from every such gathering where things are being said against Allah Ta` ala, His Rasul ﷺ and the Shari’ ah of Islam and where it is not within one's power and control to stop or have it stopped, or, at the least, be able to say what is true and right. However, participating in such a gathering with the intention to reform and to carry the message of truth to them does not matter.As for the statement: فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَ‌ىٰ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ which prohibits sitting with unjust people after the recollection, Imam al-Jassas has deduced the ruling that participating in the gathering of such unjust, irreligious and big-mouthed people is an absolute sin, whether or not, at that time, they are engaged in talking about what would be considered impermissible - because people of such nature could be expected to start their ridiculous rantings all of a sudden. This rule is deduced from this verse on the basis that sitting in the company of unjust people has been prohibited in this verse in an absolute sense. It does not have the condition that they be busy with their act of injustice at that time too.The same subject has been taken up in another verse of the Holy Qur'an more explicitly where it is said: وَلَا تَرْ‌كَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ‌ (And do not incline towards the wrong doers, lest the Fire should catch you ... 11:113).

As for the heedful and devout, they are not accountable for them, but should give advice: They may haply come to fear God.

And the pious are not accountable for them in the least, apart from the giving of advice so that they may avoid.

Nothing of their account falls upon those that are godfearing; but a reminding; haply they will be godfearing.

for whom those who are conscious of God are in no wise accountable. Theirs, however, is the duty to admonish [the sinners], so that they might become conscious of God.

And naught on their account shall be on those who fear but admonition that haply they also may become God-fearing.

Those who fear Allah, keep their duty to Him and avoid evil are not responsible for them (the disbelievers) in any case, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may avoid that (mockery at the Quran). [The order of this Verse was cancelled (abrogated) by the Verse 4:140].

The righteous are in no way accountable for them; it is only a reminder, that they may be careful.

For those who are God-fearing are by no means accountable for the others except that it is their duty to adinonish them; maybe then, they will shun evil.

There is no responsibility for them upon those who have Taqwa, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (attain) Taqwa.

Those who ward off (evil) are not accountable for them in aught, but the Reminder (must be given them) that haply they (too) may ward off (evil).

Those who are Godwary are in no way accountable for them, but this is merely for admonition’s sake, so that they may beware.

Those who are cautious are not accountable for them in anything, but it is a reminder in order that they be cautious.

And those who fear Allah are not held accountable for the disbelievers at all, but [only for] a reminder - that perhaps they will fear Him.

But those who observe piety (commit no sin) by sitting with the (unbelievers) in order to preach (the Truth) so that they, too, may become pious.

And nought of the reckoning of their (deeds) shall be against those who guard (against evil), but (theirs) is only to remind, haply they may guard.

Wam<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena yattaqoona min <u>h</u>is<u>a</u>bihim min shayin wal<u>a</u>kin <u>th</u>ikr<u>a</u> laAAallahum yattaqoon<b>a</b>

The God-fearing are not in any way held accountable for the wrongdoers; their only duty is to remind them, so that they may fear God.

On their account no responsibility falls on the righteous, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (learn to) fear Allah.

وَمَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ وَلَٰكِن ذِكْرَىٰ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

Those who are mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding things He has not prohibited are in no way responsible for anything in the account of these wrongdoers. Their duty is only to prohibit them from the evil they are doing, so that they also may become mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding things He has not allowed.

Those who are mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding things He has not prohibited are in no way responsible for anything in the account of these wrongdoers. Their duty is only to prohibit them from the evil they are doing, so that they also may become mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding things He has not allowed.

<p>When the verse cited above was revealed, the noble Companions submitted: Ya Rasul Allah, if this absolute prohibition of going in their gatherings remained in force, we shall be deprived of offering Salah and Tawaf in al-Masjid al-Haram because these people keep sitting there all the time (before Hijrah and the Conquest of Makkah) doing nothing but fault-finding and ill-speaking. Thereupon, revealed was the next verse (69): وَمَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ وَلَـٰكِن ذِكْرَ‌ىٰ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿69﴾. It means when people who observe restraint go to al-Masjid al-Haram for their own rightful purpose, then, they are not responsible for the evil deeds of those wicked people present there. However, it does remain their duty that they should tell them what is right and true which may perhaps help them take the right path.</p>

When the verse cited above was revealed, the noble Companions submitted: Ya Rasul Allah, if this absolute prohibition of going in their gatherings remained in force, we shall be deprived of offering Salah and Tawaf in al-Masjid al-Haram because these people keep sitting there all the time (before Hijrah and the Conquest of Makkah) doing nothing but fault-finding and ill-speaking. Thereupon, revealed was the next verse (69): وَمَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ وَلَـٰكِن ذِكْرَ‌ىٰ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿69﴾. It means when people who observe restraint go to al-Masjid al-Haram for their own rightful purpose, then, they are not responsible for the evil deeds of those wicked people present there. However, it does remain their duty that they should tell them what is right and true which may perhaps help them take the right path.

Leave those alone who have made a sport and frolic of their faith, and have been seduced by the life of this world. Remind them hereby lest a man is doomed for what he has done. He will have none to help him, or intercede for him, other than God; and even if he offer all the ransoms they will not be accepted from him. They are those who will be destroyed by their own acts. There will be scalding water to drink for them and painful punishment, for they had disbelieved.

And forsake those who have made their religion a mockery and play, and whom the worldly life has deceived – and advise them with this Qur’an so that a soul may not be seized for what it earns; other than Allah it will not have a protector nor an intercessor; and if it offers every recompense in exchange for itself, it will not be accepted from it; these are the ones who are seized for their own deeds; for them is boiling water to drink and a painful punishment, as a recompense of their disbelief. (The disbelievers will not have any intercessors.)

Leave alone those who take their religion for a sport and a diversion, and whom the present life has deluded. Remind hereby, lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; apart from God, it has no protector and no intercessor; though it offer any equivalent, it shall not be taken from it. Those are they who are given up to destruction for what they have earned; for them awaits a draught of boiling water and a painful chastisement, for that they were unbelievers.

And leave to themselves all those who, beguiled by the life of this world, have made play and passing delights their religion; but remind [them] herewith that [in the life to come] every human being shall be held in pledge for whatever wrong he has done, and shall have none to protect him from God, and none to intercede for him; and though he offer any conceivable ransom, it shall not be accepted from him. It is [people such as] these that shall be held in pledge for the wrong they have done; for them there is [in the life to come] a draught of burning despair and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth.

And let those alone who have taken their religion as a play and a sport and whom the life of the world hath beguiled. And admonish thou them therewith lest a soul be given up to perdition for that which it hath earned, when for him there shall be no friend or intercessor beside Allah, and when if he offer every equivalent it shall not be accepted of him. Those are they who are given up to perdition for that which they have earned. For them shall be drink of boiling water and a torment afflictive, for they were wont to disbelieve.

And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But remind (them) with it (the Quran) lest a person be given up to destruction for that which he has earned, when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah, and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him. Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve

So leave alone those who take their religion for play and pastime, and whom the worldly life has deceived. But remind with it, lest a soul becomes damned on account of what it has earned. It has no helper or intercessor besides God. Even if it offers every equivalent, none will be accepted from it. These are the ones who are delivered to perdition by their actions. They will have a drink of scalding water, and a painful punishment, because they used to disbelieve.

Leave alone those who have made a sport and a pastime of their religion and whom the life of the world has beguiled. But continue to admonish them (with the Qur'an) lest a man should be caught for what he has himself earned for there shall neither be any protector nor intercessor apart from Allah; and though he may offer any conceivable ransom it shall not be accepted from him, for such people have been caught for the deeds that they have themselves earned. Boiling water to drink and a painful chastisement to suffer for their unbelief is what awaits them.

And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But remind (them) with it (the Qur'an) lest a soul Tubsal for that which one has earned, when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah, and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him. Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve.

And forsake those who take their religion for a pastime and a jest, and whom the life of the world beguileth. Remind (mankind) hereby lest a soul be destroyed by what it earneth. It hath beside Allah no protecting ally nor intercessor, and though it offer every compensation it will not be accepted from it. Those are they who perish by their own deserts. For them is drink of boiling water and a painful doom, because they disbelieved.

Leave alone those who take their religion for play and diversion and whom the life of this world has deceived, and admonish with it, lest any soul should perish because of what it has earned: It shall not have any guardian besides Allah, nor any intercessor; and though it should offer every kind of ransom, it shall not be accepted from it. They are the ones who perish because of what they have earned; they shall have boiling water for drink and a painful punishment because of what they used to defy.

Avoid those who take their religion as playing and an amusement and are seduced by the life of this world. Admonish them hereby lest a soul be taken by what it has gained, for it has no guardian or intercessor before Allah, and though it offers every ransom, it shall not be taken from it. Those are they who are taken for that which they earned. For them a drink of boiling water, a stern punishment for their disbelief.

And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. But remind with the Qur'an, lest a soul be given up to destruction for what it earned; it will have other than Allah no protector and no intercessor. And if it should offer every compensation, it would not be taken from it. Those are the ones who are given to destruction for what they have earned. For them will be a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment because they used to disbelieve.

(Muhammad), leave alone those to whom their religion is no more than a useless plaything and who are deceived by the lure of the worldly life. Remind them of Our revelation so that a soul will not bring about its own destruction because of its deeds. No one besides God will be its guardian or intercessor, nor will any kind of ransom be accepted from it. Those who have entangled themselves in their evil deeds will drink boiling water and live in painful torment for their hiding the Truth.

And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived, and remind (them) thereby lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it shall not have besides Allah any guardian nor an intercessor, and if it should seek to give every compensation, it shall not be accepted from it; these are they who shall be given up to destruction for what they earned; they shall have a drink of boiling water and a painful chastisement because they disbelieved.

Wa<u>th</u>ari alla<u>th</u>eena ittakha<u>th</u>oo deenahum laAAiban walahwan wagharrathumu al<u>h</u>ay<u>a</u>tu a<b>l</b>dduny<u>a</u> wa<u>th</u>akkir bihi an tubsala nafsun bim<u>a</u> kasabat laysa lah<u>a</u> min dooni All<u>a</u>hi waliyyun wal<u>a</u> shafeeAAun wain taAAdil kulla AAadlin l<u>a</u> yukha<u>th</u> minh<u>a</u> ol<u>a</u>ika alla<u>th</u>eena obsiloo bim<u>a</u> kasaboo lahum shar<u>a</u>bun min <u>h</u>ameemin waAAa<u>tha</u>bun aleemun bim<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yakfuroon<b>a</b>

Leave alone those for whom religion is only a sport and pastime and are deceived by the life of this world, but continue to remind them with the Quran, lest a soul be held in pledge because of what it has wrought, having no helper or intercessor besides God. Whatever ransom they may offer, it will not be accepted. Such are those that are damned by their own actions: they will have boiling water to drink and a painful punishment for their denial of truth.

Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world. But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts: it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah: if it offered every ransom, (or reparation), none will be accepted: such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts: they will have for drink (only) boiling water, and for punishment, one most grievous: for they persisted in rejecting Allah.

وَذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَذَكِّرْ بِهِۦٓ أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لَّا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا۟ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ

Leave, O Messenger, these idolaters who have made their religion a thing of play and distraction and who mock and poke fun at it. The life of the world with its temporary pleasures has deceived them. Advise people, O Prophet, using this Qur’ān, so that no soul is delivered to destruction because of the evil actions it has done. If it so acts, it will have no one to help it nor any intercessor to protect it against Allah’s punishment on the Day of Rising. If it has to offer any ransom to be saved from Allah’s punishment, such will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who have been delivered to their destruction because of the sins they committed. On the Day of Rising, they will have a drink that will be extremely hot and a painful punishment because of their disbelief.

Leave, O Messenger, these idolaters who have made their religion a thing of play and distraction and who mock and poke fun at it. The life of the world with its temporary pleasures has deceived them. Advise people, O Prophet, using this Qur’ān, so that no soul is delivered to destruction because of the evil actions it has done. If it so acts, it will have no one to help it nor any intercessor to protect it against Allah’s punishment on the Day of Rising. If it has to offer any ransom to be saved from Allah’s punishment, such will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who have been delivered to their destruction because of the sins they committed. On the Day of Rising, they will have a drink that will be extremely hot and a painful punishment because of their disbelief.

<p>In the third verse (70), nearly the same subject has been stressed upon in the following words: وَذَرِ‌ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا (And avoid those who have taken their faith as game and play ...). The word: ذر (dhar) here is a derivation from: وَذَرِ‌ (wadhara) which means being displeased with something and leaving it. Thus, the verse can be taken either in the sense of leaving people who have turned the true religion, that is, Islam which has been sent for them, into a plaything and a laughing stock; or in the sense that they have left their real faith and taken to fun and play as their very own religion and purpose of life. The outcome of both meanings is nearly the same.</p><p>After that, it was said: وَغَرَّ‌تْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا that is, the transitory life of the present world has deceived them. This is a true diagnosis of their real problem. They are so disobedient and wicked because they are be-witched by the glamour of their mortal life totally forgetting that they have another state of life ahead of them. If they had believed in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) and Qiyamah (The Last Day), they would have never acted so recklessly.</p><p>In this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Muslims at large have been given two orders that they should not only avoid the people identified, but that they should also act positively and continue preaching through the Qur'an and keep putting the fear of Allah's punishment in their hearts.</p><p>The detail of this punishment was pointed out at the end of the verse by saying that, should they continue doing what they were doing, they are bound to fall a victim to their own evil conduct. The word used at this place is: تُبسَلَ which means to be detained or be entrapped.</p><p>Since man in this world is accustomed to rely on three kinds of sources to escape the punishment of his own error or injustice inflicted on someone. When convenient, he would use the power and influence of his party or group to stay safe against the consequences of his injustice. Then, should he become helpless, he would use recommendations from the influential people. When that too does not work, he would try to secure his freedom from punishment by spending money.</p><p>Allah Ta` ala says in this verse that His criminal cannot be saved from punishment by any friend or relative, nor can an intercession by anyone succeed without the permission of Allah, nor can wealth of any kind be accepted - even if the criminal were to possess the wealth of the whole world and wished to give it all in exchange for his freedom from punishment, even then this fidyah will not be accepted from him.</p><p>Finally, at the close of the verse, it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا بِمَا كَسَبُوا ۖ لَهُمْ شَرَ‌ابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُ‌ونَ ﴿70﴾ that is, these are the people who have been detained in the punishment of their evil deeds. They will have boiling water to drink in the Jahannam about which it has been said in an-other verse that it will shatter their entrails apart (47:15) and that there will be painful punishments other than that of the boiling water in return for their disbelief and denial.</p><p>This verse also tells us that the very company of people who are heedless to the 'Akhirah and are content with their life in the mortal world is fatal for everyone. Its ultimate consequence is that whoever sits in their company shall be subject to the same punishment in which they have been caught up.</p><p>The essential objective in these three verses (68-70) is to save Muslims from evil environment and bad company which can be as deadly as poison. Many clear, definite and conclusive statements (Nusus) of the Qur'an and Hadith as well as repeated observation and experience prove that the root of all evils and crimes in which human beings get involved is the evil society and environment in which they grow up. Once snared into it, one slides into evils against personal grain and conscience. Then, comes the stage when, once habituated, the sense of evil dies away - reaching the limit when one starts taking evil as good and good as evil. In al Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ۔ is reported to have said: When a person gets involved in a sin for the first time, there appears a dot on his heart. This is like a black dot on a white dress which everyone dislikes and gets disturbed with. So, this person too feels the distaste in his heart. But when he, after having done the first one, goes on doing the second and the third sin - and does not re-pent from the past sin - black dots, one after the other, keep appearing on the heart, so much so that the radiant tablet of the heart turns jet black. The outcome is that this person is deprived of the very ability to distinguish between good and bad. The Holy Qur'an identifies it with the word: "ra'n" (rust, stain) when it says: كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَ‌انَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿14﴾(83:14), that is, there is rust on their hearts because of their evil deeds (which has taken away their ability to receive good).</p><p>When you come to think of it, wrong environment and bad company really hurt all human beings. They push people into the abyss. May Allah keep all of us protected from them. Therefore, everyone who is responsible for raising children must do their best to keep children safe from such society and environment.</p><p>As for the next three verses (71-73), they too deal with the refutation of Shirk (the attribution of partners to Allah) and the affirmation of Tauhid (the Oneness of Allah) and 'Akhirah (the Hereafter, the life to come) as fairly evident from the translation itself.</p>

In the third verse (70), nearly the same subject has been stressed upon in the following words: وَذَرِ‌ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا (And avoid those who have taken their faith as game and play ...). The word: ذر (dhar) here is a derivation from: وَذَرِ‌ (wadhara) which means being displeased with something and leaving it. Thus, the verse can be taken either in the sense of leaving people who have turned the true religion, that is, Islam which has been sent for them, into a plaything and a laughing stock; or in the sense that they have left their real faith and taken to fun and play as their very own religion and purpose of life. The outcome of both meanings is nearly the same.After that, it was said: وَغَرَّ‌تْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا that is, the transitory life of the present world has deceived them. This is a true diagnosis of their real problem. They are so disobedient and wicked because they are be-witched by the glamour of their mortal life totally forgetting that they have another state of life ahead of them. If they had believed in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) and Qiyamah (The Last Day), they would have never acted so recklessly.In this verse, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Muslims at large have been given two orders that they should not only avoid the people identified, but that they should also act positively and continue preaching through the Qur'an and keep putting the fear of Allah's punishment in their hearts.The detail of this punishment was pointed out at the end of the verse by saying that, should they continue doing what they were doing, they are bound to fall a victim to their own evil conduct. The word used at this place is: تُبسَلَ which means to be detained or be entrapped.Since man in this world is accustomed to rely on three kinds of sources to escape the punishment of his own error or injustice inflicted on someone. When convenient, he would use the power and influence of his party or group to stay safe against the consequences of his injustice. Then, should he become helpless, he would use recommendations from the influential people. When that too does not work, he would try to secure his freedom from punishment by spending money.Allah Ta` ala says in this verse that His criminal cannot be saved from punishment by any friend or relative, nor can an intercession by anyone succeed without the permission of Allah, nor can wealth of any kind be accepted - even if the criminal were to possess the wealth of the whole world and wished to give it all in exchange for his freedom from punishment, even then this fidyah will not be accepted from him.Finally, at the close of the verse, it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا بِمَا كَسَبُوا ۖ لَهُمْ شَرَ‌ابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُ‌ونَ ﴿70﴾ that is, these are the people who have been detained in the punishment of their evil deeds. They will have boiling water to drink in the Jahannam about which it has been said in an-other verse that it will shatter their entrails apart (47:15) and that there will be painful punishments other than that of the boiling water in return for their disbelief and denial.This verse also tells us that the very company of people who are heedless to the 'Akhirah and are content with their life in the mortal world is fatal for everyone. Its ultimate consequence is that whoever sits in their company shall be subject to the same punishment in which they have been caught up.The essential objective in these three verses (68-70) is to save Muslims from evil environment and bad company which can be as deadly as poison. Many clear, definite and conclusive statements (Nusus) of the Qur'an and Hadith as well as repeated observation and experience prove that the root of all evils and crimes in which human beings get involved is the evil society and environment in which they grow up. Once snared into it, one slides into evils against personal grain and conscience. Then, comes the stage when, once habituated, the sense of evil dies away - reaching the limit when one starts taking evil as good and good as evil. In al Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ ۔ is reported to have said: When a person gets involved in a sin for the first time, there appears a dot on his heart. This is like a black dot on a white dress which everyone dislikes and gets disturbed with. So, this person too feels the distaste in his heart. But when he, after having done the first one, goes on doing the second and the third sin - and does not re-pent from the past sin - black dots, one after the other, keep appearing on the heart, so much so that the radiant tablet of the heart turns jet black. The outcome is that this person is deprived of the very ability to distinguish between good and bad. The Holy Qur'an identifies it with the word: "ra'n" (rust, stain) when it says: كَلَّا ۖ بَلْ ۜ رَ‌انَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم مَّا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿14﴾(83:14), that is, there is rust on their hearts because of their evil deeds (which has taken away their ability to receive good).When you come to think of it, wrong environment and bad company really hurt all human beings. They push people into the abyss. May Allah keep all of us protected from them. Therefore, everyone who is responsible for raising children must do their best to keep children safe from such society and environment.As for the next three verses (71-73), they too deal with the refutation of Shirk (the attribution of partners to Allah) and the affirmation of Tauhid (the Oneness of Allah) and 'Akhirah (the Hereafter, the life to come) as fairly evident from the translation itself.

<div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمْ لَعِباً وَلَهْواً وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا</div><p>(And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world.) The Ayah commands to leave such people, ignore them and give them respite, for soon, they will taste a tremendous torment. This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَذَكِّرْ بِهِ</div><p>(But remind with it) meaning, remind the people with this Qur'an and warn them against Allah's revenge and painful torment on the Day of Resurrection. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ</div><p>(lest a soul Tubsal for that which one has earned,) meaning, so that it is not Tubsal. Ad-Dahhak from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said that Tubsal means, be submissive. Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that Tubsal means, `be exposed'. Qatadah said that Tubsal means, `be prevented', Murrah and Ibn Zayd said that it means, `be recompensed', Al-Kalbi said, `be reckoned'. All these statements and expressions are similar, for they all mean exposure to destruction, being kept away from all that is good, and being restrained from attaining what is desired. Allah also said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ - إِلاَّ أَصْحَـبَ الْيَمِينِ </div><p>(Every person is restrained by what he has earned. Except those on the Right.) 74:38-39, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ</div><p>(when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah,) and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لاَّ يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَآ</div><p>(and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him.) meaning, whatever the ransom such people offer, it will not be accepted from them. Allah said in a similar statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الاٌّرْضِ ذَهَبًا</div><p>(Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them.) 3:91 Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُواْ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ</div><p>(Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve. ) </p>

وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمْ لَعِباً وَلَهْواً وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَوةُ الدُّنْيَا(And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world.) The Ayah commands to leave such people, ignore them and give them respite, for soon, they will taste a tremendous torment. This is why Allah said, وَذَكِّرْ بِهِ(But remind with it) meaning, remind the people with this Qur'an and warn them against Allah's revenge and painful torment on the Day of Resurrection. Allah said; أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ(lest a soul Tubsal for that which one has earned,) meaning, so that it is not Tubsal. Ad-Dahhak from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said that Tubsal means, be submissive. Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that Tubsal means, `be exposed'. Qatadah said that Tubsal means, `be prevented', Murrah and Ibn Zayd said that it means, `be recompensed', Al-Kalbi said, `be reckoned'. All these statements and expressions are similar, for they all mean exposure to destruction, being kept away from all that is good, and being restrained from attaining what is desired. Allah also said; كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ - إِلاَّ أَصْحَـبَ الْيَمِينِ (Every person is restrained by what he has earned. Except those on the Right.) 74:38-39, and لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِىٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ(when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah,) and, وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لاَّ يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَآ(and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him.) meaning, whatever the ransom such people offer, it will not be accepted from them. Allah said in a similar statement, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الاٌّرْضِ ذَهَبًا(Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them.) 3:91 Allah said here, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُواْ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ(Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve. )

Say: 'Should we call in place of God one who can neither help nor do us harm, and turn back after having been guided by God, like a man beguiled by the devils who wanders perplexed in the wilderness while his friends call him back to the right path, saying: 'Come to us, this way?' Say: "God's guidance is (true) guidance, and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds.

Say, “Shall we worship, other than Allah, that which neither benefits us nor harms us, and (therefore) be turned back after Allah has guided us, like one whom the devils have led astray in the earth – bewildered?; his companions call him to the path (saying), ‘Come here’”; say, “Indeed only the guidance of Allah is (the true) guidance; and we are commanded to submit to the Lord Of The Creation.”

Say: 'Shall we call, apart from God, on that which neither profits nor hurts us, and shall we be turned back on our heels after that God has guided us? -- Like one lured to bewilderment in the earth by Satans, though he has friends who call him to guidance, "Come to us!" Say: 'God's guidance is the true guidance, and we are commanded to surrender to the Lord of all Being,

SAY: "Shall we invoke, instead of God, something that can neither benefit us nor harm us, and [thus] turn around on our heels after God has guided us aright? -like one whom the satans have enticed into blundering after earthly lusts, the while his companions, trying to guide him, call out unto him [from afar], `Come thou to us!"' Say: "Verily, God's guidance is the only guidance: and so we have been bidden to surrender ourselves unto the Sustainer of all the worlds,

Say thou: shall we call upon, beside Allah, that which can neither profit us nor hurt us, and shall we turn on our heels after Allah hath guided us, like unto one whom the Satans have be guiled to wander bewildered in the land, his: fellows calling him unto the right path: come unto us? Say thou: verily the guidance of Allah, that is the Guidance, and we are commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds.

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Shall we invoke others besides Allah (false deities), that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels after Allah has guided us (to true Monotheism)? - like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray, confused (wandering) through the earth, his companions calling him to guidance (saying): 'Come to us.' " Say: "Verily, Allah's Guidance is the only guidance, and we have been commanded to submit (ourselves) to the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists);

Say, “Shall we invoke besides God something that can neither benefit us nor harm us, and turn back on our heels after God has guided us; like someone seduced by the devils and confused on earth, who has friends calling him to guidance: 'Come to us'?” Say, “The guidance of God is the guidance, and we are commanded to surrender to the Lord of the Universe.”

Ask them (O Muharnmad!): "Shall we invoke, apart from Allah, something that can neither benefit nor harm us, and thus be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like the one whom the evil ones have lured into bewilderment in the earth, even though he has friends who call him to true guidance saying: "Come to us." Say: "Surely Allah's guidance is the only true guidance, and we have been commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the entire universe,

Say: "Shall we invoke others besides Allah (false deities), that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels after Allah has guided us -- Like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray, confused (wandering) through the land, his companions calling him to guidance (saying): `Come to us."' Say: "Verily, Allah's guidance is the only guidance, and we have been commanded to submit (ourselves) to the Lord of all that exists.

Say: Shall we cry, instead of unto Allah, unto that which neither profiteth us nor hurteth us, and shall we turn back after Allah hath guided us, like one bewildered whom the devils have infatuated in the earth, who hath companions who invite him to the guidance (saying): Come unto us? Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah is Guidance, and we are ordered to surrender to the Lord of the Worlds,

Say, ‘Shall we invoke besides Allah that which can neither benefit us nor harm us, and turn back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like someone seduced by the devils and bewildered on the earth, who has companions that invite him to guidance, [saying,] ‘‘Come to us!’’?’ Say, ‘Indeed it is the guidance of Allah which is [true] guidance. And we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds,

Say: 'Are we to call, other than Allah, what can neither help nor harm us? Are we to turn on our heels after Allah has guided us like him, who, being bewitched by devils, blunders aimlessly in the earth, although his friends call him to the guidance, (saying) 'Come to us' Say: 'The guidance of Allah is the Guidance. We are commanded to submit to the Lord of the Worlds,

Say, "Shall we invoke instead of Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? [We would then be] like one whom the devils enticed [to wander] upon the earth confused, [while] he has companions inviting him to guidance, [calling], 'Come to us.' " Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance; and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.

Say to them, "Should we, instead of asking for God's help, seek help from that which can neither benefit nor harm us, but would only turn us back to disbelief after God had granted us guidance? To do so would be to act like (those who have been) seduced by Satan, leaving them wandering aimlessly here and there, even though their friends call them, 'Come to the right guidance that has come to us.' " Say, "God's guidance is the only true guidance and we are commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the Universe.

Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like him whom the Shaitans have made to fall down perplexed in the earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds.

Qul anadAAoo min dooni All<u>a</u>hi m<u>a</u> l<u>a</u> yanfaAAun<u>a</u> wal<u>a</u> ya<u>d</u>urrun<u>a</u> wanuraddu AAal<u>a</u> aAAq<u>a</u>bin<u>a</u> baAAda i<u>th</u> had<u>a</u>n<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hu ka<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>ee<u> </u>istahwathu a<b>l</b>shshay<u>at</u>eenu fee alar<u>d</u>i <u>h</u>ayr<u>a</u>na lahu a<u>s</u><u>ha</u>bun yadAAoonahu il<u>a</u> alhud<u>a</u> itin<u>a</u> qul inna hud<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi huwa alhud<u>a</u> waomirn<u>a</u> linuslima lirabbi alAA<u>a</u>lameen<b>a</b>

Say, "Instead of God, shall we call upon that which can neither benefit us nor harm us? Are we to turn upon our heels after God has guided us, like one who, beguiled by devils in the land, wanders bewildered, his companions calling him to the right path, saying, "Come to us"?" Say, "God's guidance is the only guidance. We are commanded to surrender ourselves to the Lord of the Universe,

Say: "Shall we indeed call on others besides Allah,- things that can do us neither good nor harm,- and turn on our heels after receiving guidance from Allah? - like one whom the evil ones have made into a fool, wandering bewildered through the earth, his friends calling, come to us', (vainly) guiding him to the path." Say: "Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance, and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds;-

قُلْ أَنَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ كَٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَهْوَتْهُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُۥٓ أَصْحَٰبٌ يَدْعُونَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَى ٱئْتِنَا قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Shall we worship, besides Allah, idols that have no ability to benefit us, nor can they harm us with? Shall we turn back from faith after Allah has guided us to it? If we do so, we will be like the one whom satans have misled: leaving him confused, not knowing the right path; and where he has companions on the straight path who call him to the truth, but he refuses to respond to their call. Say to them, O Messenger: Allah’s guidance is the true guidance, and He has instructed us to submit to Him, may He be glorified, by being firm in our belief in His Oneness and by worshipping Him alone, because He is the Lord of the Worlds.

Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Shall we worship, besides Allah, idols that have no ability to benefit us, nor can they harm us with? Shall we turn back from faith after Allah has guided us to it? If we do so, we will be like the one whom satans have misled: leaving him confused, not knowing the right path; and where he has companions on the straight path who call him to the truth, but he refuses to respond to their call. Say to them, O Messenger: Allah’s guidance is the true guidance, and He has instructed us to submit to Him, may He be glorified, by being firm in our belief in His Oneness and by worshipping Him alone, because He is the Lord of the Worlds.

<h2 class="title">The Parable of Those Who Revert to Disbelief After Faith and Good Deeds</h2><p>As-Suddi said, "Some idolators said to some Muslims, `Follow us and abandon the religion of Muhammad.' Allah sent down the revelation, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ أَنَدْعُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُنَا وَلاَ يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِنَا</div><p>(Say: "Shall we invoke others besides Allah, that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels...") by reverting to disbelief, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ</div><p>("...after Allah has guided us.") for if we do this, our example will be like he whom the devils have caused to wander in confusion throughout the land. Allah says here, your example, if you revert to disbelief after you believed, is that of a man who went with some people on a road, but he lost his way and the devils led him to wander in confusion over the land. Meanwhile, his companions on the road were calling him to come to them saying, `Come back to us, for we are on the path.' But, he refused to go back to them. This is the example of he who follows the devil after recognizing Muhammad , and Muhammad is the person who is calling the people to the path, and the path is Islam." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.Allah's statement, j </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">كَالَّذِى اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَـطِينُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ</div><p>(Like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray (wandering) through the land, ) refers to ghouls, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَدْعُونَهُ</div><p>(calling him) by his name, his father's and his grandfather's names. So he follows the devils' call thinking that it is a path of guidance, but by the morning he will find himself destroyed and perhaps they eat him. The Jinns will then let him wander in a wasteland where he will die of thirst. This is the example of those who follow the false gods that are being worshipped instead of Allah, Most Honored. Ibn Jarir also recorded this. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى</div><p>(Say: "Verily, Allah's guidance is the only guidance,") Allah said in other instances, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّضِلٍّ</div><p>(And whomsoever Allah guides, for him there will be none to misguide him.) 39:37, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ </div><p>(If you covet for their guidance, then verily Allah guides not those whom He makes to go astray. And they will have no helpers.) 17:37 Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ</div><p>(and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all that exists.) means, we were commanded to worship Allah in sincerity to Him alone, without partners. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَأَنْ أَقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ وَاتَّقُوهُ</div><p>(And to perform the Salah, and have Taqwa of Him.) meaning, we were commanded to perform the prayer and to fear Allah in all circumstances, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الَّذِى إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ</div><p>(and it is He to Whom you shall be gathered.) on the Day of Resurrection. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ</div><p>(It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth.) meaning, in justice, and He is their Originator and Owner Who governs their affairs and the affairs of their inhabitants. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ</div><p>(and on the Day He will say: "Be!" it shall become.) Referring to the Day of Resurrection, which will come faster than the blink of an eye, when Allah says to it, `Be.' </p><h2 class="title">As-Sur; The Trumpet</h2><p>Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّوَرِ</div><p>(on the Day when the Sur will be blown...) refers to His statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ</div><p>(and on the Day He will say: "Be!" it shall become.) as we stated above. Or, it means, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَهُ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّوَرِ</div><p>(His will be the dominion on the Day when the Sur will be blown.) Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ</div><p>(Whose is the kingdom this Day It is Allah's, the One, the Irresistible!) 40:16, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَكَانَ يَوْماً عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ عَسِيراً </div><p>(The sovereignty on that Day will be the true (sovereignty), belonging to the Most Beneficent (Allah), and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers.) 25:26 The Sur is the Trumpet into which the angel Israfil, peace be upon him, will blow. The Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ إِسْرَافِيلَ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الصُّورَ، وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ يَنْتَظِرُ مَتَى يُؤْمَر فَيَنْفُخ»</div><p>(Israfil has held the Sur in his mouth and lowered his forehead, awaiting the command to blow in it.) Muslim recorded this Hadith in his Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "A bedouin man said, `O Allah's Messenger! What is the Sur' He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«قَرْنٌ يُنْفَخُ فِيه»</div><p>(A Trumpet which will be blown.)" </p>

The Parable of Those Who Revert to Disbelief After Faith and Good DeedsAs-Suddi said, "Some idolators said to some Muslims, `Follow us and abandon the religion of Muhammad.' Allah sent down the revelation, قُلْ أَنَدْعُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُنَا وَلاَ يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِنَا(Say: "Shall we invoke others besides Allah, that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels...") by reverting to disbelief, بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ("...after Allah has guided us.") for if we do this, our example will be like he whom the devils have caused to wander in confusion throughout the land. Allah says here, your example, if you revert to disbelief after you believed, is that of a man who went with some people on a road, but he lost his way and the devils led him to wander in confusion over the land. Meanwhile, his companions on the road were calling him to come to them saying, `Come back to us, for we are on the path.' But, he refused to go back to them. This is the example of he who follows the devil after recognizing Muhammad , and Muhammad is the person who is calling the people to the path, and the path is Islam." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.Allah's statement, j كَالَّذِى اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَـطِينُ فِى الاٌّرْضِ(Like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray (wandering) through the land, ) refers to ghouls, يَدْعُونَهُ(calling him) by his name, his father's and his grandfather's names. So he follows the devils' call thinking that it is a path of guidance, but by the morning he will find himself destroyed and perhaps they eat him. The Jinns will then let him wander in a wasteland where he will die of thirst. This is the example of those who follow the false gods that are being worshipped instead of Allah, Most Honored. Ibn Jarir also recorded this. Allah said, قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى(Say: "Verily, Allah's guidance is the only guidance,") Allah said in other instances, وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّضِلٍّ(And whomsoever Allah guides, for him there will be none to misguide him.) 39:37, and, إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ (If you covet for their guidance, then verily Allah guides not those whom He makes to go astray. And they will have no helpers.) 17:37 Allah's statement, وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ(and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all that exists.) means, we were commanded to worship Allah in sincerity to Him alone, without partners. وَأَنْ أَقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ وَاتَّقُوهُ(And to perform the Salah, and have Taqwa of Him.) meaning, we were commanded to perform the prayer and to fear Allah in all circumstances, وَهُوَ الَّذِى إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ(and it is He to Whom you shall be gathered.) on the Day of Resurrection. وَهُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ(It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth.) meaning, in justice, and He is their Originator and Owner Who governs their affairs and the affairs of their inhabitants. Allah said, وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ(and on the Day He will say: "Be!" it shall become.) Referring to the Day of Resurrection, which will come faster than the blink of an eye, when Allah says to it, `Be.' As-Sur; The TrumpetAllah's statement, يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّوَرِ(on the Day when the Sur will be blown...) refers to His statement, وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ(and on the Day He will say: "Be!" it shall become.) as we stated above. Or, it means, وَلَهُ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى الصُّوَرِ(His will be the dominion on the Day when the Sur will be blown.) Allah said in other Ayat, لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ(Whose is the kingdom this Day It is Allah's, the One, the Irresistible!) 40:16, and, الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَكَانَ يَوْماً عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ عَسِيراً (The sovereignty on that Day will be the true (sovereignty), belonging to the Most Beneficent (Allah), and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers.) 25:26 The Sur is the Trumpet into which the angel Israfil, peace be upon him, will blow. The Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ إِسْرَافِيلَ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الصُّورَ، وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ يَنْتَظِرُ مَتَى يُؤْمَر فَيَنْفُخ»(Israfil has held the Sur in his mouth and lowered his forehead, awaiting the command to blow in it.) Muslim recorded this Hadith in his Sahih. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, "A bedouin man said, `O Allah's Messenger! What is the Sur' He said, «قَرْنٌ يُنْفَخُ فِيه»(A Trumpet which will be blown.)"

Observe (your) devotional obligations and fear (God), for it is He before whom you will be gathered (in the end)."

“And to keep the (obligatory) prayer established and to fear Him; and it is to Him that you are to be raised.”

and: "Perform the prayer, and fear Him; it is unto Him you shall be mustered."

and to be constant in prayer and conscious of Him: for it is He unto whom you all shall be gathered."

And that: establish prayer and fear Him; and it is He unto whom ye shall be gathered.

And to perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat)", and to be obedient to Allah and fear Him, and it is He to Whom you shall be gathered.

“And to perform the prayers, and to revere Him; it is to Him that you will be gathered.”

and to establish Prayer, and to have fear of Him. It is to Him that all of you shall be gathered.

And to perform the Salah, and have Taqwa of Him, and it is He to Whom you shall be gathered.

And to establish worship and be dutiful to Him, and He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered.

and that ‘‘Maintain the prayer and be wary of Him, and it is He toward whom you will be gathered.’’ ’

and to establish prayer, and fear Him. Before Him you shall all be assembled'

And to establish prayer and fear Him." And it is He to whom you will be gathered.

Be steadfast in prayer and have fear of God; before Him alone you will all be brought together.

And that you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to Whom you shall be gathered.

Waan aqeemoo a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>al<u>a</u>ta wa<b>i</b>ttaqoohu wahuwa alla<u>th</u>ee ilayhi tu<u>h</u>sharoon<b>a</b>

say our prayers regularly and to fear God." He it is to whom you will be gathered."

"To establish regular prayers and to fear Allah: for it is to Him that we shall be gathered together."

وَأَنْ أَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

I have been instructed to establish the prayer in a complete way. I have also been instructed to be mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and staying away from things He has prohibited. He, alone, is the One Who will gather the servants before Him on the Day of Rising, in order to judge them for their actions.

I have been instructed to establish the prayer in a complete way. I have also been instructed to be mindful of Allah by fulfilling His instructions and staying away from things He has prohibited. He, alone, is the One Who will gather the servants before Him on the Day of Rising, in order to judge them for their actions.

It is He who created the heavens and the earth with a definite purpose. The day He will say "Be, " it will be. His word is the truth, His alone the power on the Day when the blast of the trumpet will be sounded. He knows the hidden and the visible. He is all-prudent and all-knowing.

And it is He Who perfectly created the heavens and the earth; and when He will say “Be” on the Day (of resurrection) to all the extinct things, it will happen immediately; His Word is true; and it will be His kingship on the day when the Trumpet is blown; All Knowing of all the hidden and the revealed; and He only is the Wise, the Aware.

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth; and the day He says 'Be', and it is; His saying is true, and His is the Kingdom the day the Trumpet is blown; He is Knower of the Unseen and the visible; He is the All-wise, the All-aware.

And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth - and whenever He says, "Be," His word comes true; and His will be the dominion on the Day when the trumpet [of resurrection] is blown. He knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception, as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind: for He alone is truly wise, all-aware.

And it is He who hath created the heavens and the earth in truth. And the Day when He saith: be, it shall become. His saying is the Reality. And His will be the dominion the Day the Trumpet will be blown. Knower of the Unseen and the seen, is the Wise, the Aware.

It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth, and on the Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) He will say: "Be!", - and it shall become. His Word is the truth. His will be the dominion on the Day when the trumpet will be blown. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the All-Wise, Well-Aware (of all things).

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth. On the Day when He says: “Be,” it will be. His saying is the truth, and His is the sovereignty on the Day when the trumpet is blown. The Knower of secrets and declarations. He is the Wise, the Expert.

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth; and the very day He will say: "Be!" (resurrection) there will be. His word is the Truth and His will be the dominion on the day when the-Trumpet is blown. He knows all that lies beyond the reach of human perception as well as all that is visible to man; He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.'

It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in truth, and on the Day He will say: "Be!" it shall become. His Word is the truth. His will be the dominion on the Day when the Sur will be blown. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the All-Wise, Well-Aware.

He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in truth. In the day when He saith: Be! it is. His Word is the Truth, and His will be the Sovereignty on the day when the trumpet is blown. Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, He is the Wise, the Aware.

It is He who created the heavens and the earth with reason, and the day He says [to something], ‘Be!’ it is. His word is the truth, and to Him belongs all sovereignty on the day when the Trumpet will be blown. Knower of the sensible and the Unseen, He is the All-wise, the All-aware.

It was He who created the heavens and the earth in truth. On the Day when He says: 'Be' it shall be. His Word is the truth. His shall be the Kingdom on the Day when the Horn is blown. The Knower of the unseen and the visible, and He is the Wise, the Aware.

And it is He who created the heavens and earth in truth. And the day He says, "Be," and it is, His word is the truth. And His is the dominion [on] the Day the Horn is blown. [He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed; and He is the Wise, the Acquainted.

It is He Who has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. When He commands the Day of Judgment to take place, it will come into existence. His Word is the Truth. The kingdom will be His alone on the day when the trumpet will be sounded. He has all knowledge of the unseen as well as the seen. He is All-wise and All-aware.

And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and on the day He says: Be, it is. His word is the truth, and His is the kingdom on the day when the trumpet shall be blown; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; and He is the Wise, the Aware.

Wahuwa alla<u>th</u>ee khalaqa a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>w<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lar<u>d</u>a bi<b>a</b>l<u>h</u>aqqi wayawma yaqoolu kun fayakoonu qawluhu al<u>h</u>aqqu walahu almulku yawma yunfakhu fee a<b>l</b><u>ss</u>oori AA<u>a</u>limu alghaybi wa<b>al</b>shshah<u>a</u>dati wahuwa al<u>h</u>akeemu alkhabeer<b>u</b>

It was He who created the heavens and the earth for a true purpose. On the Day when He says, "Be," it shall be: His word is the truth. All sovereignty shall be His on the Day when the trumpet is sounded. The Knower of the unseen and the visible, He is the Wise, the Aware One.

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith, "Be," behold! it is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well acquainted (with all things).

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُ قَوْلُهُ ٱلْحَقُّ وَلَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِ عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ

He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. On the day when Allah will say to something ‘Be’ and it will become, refers to the Day of Rising when Allah will say ‘Rise’ and they will all rise. His word is the truth that will most certainly occur. On the Day of Rising, when the angel Isrāfīl will blow the trumpet for a second time, all control will be Allah’s alone. He knows what is hidden and what can be seen. He is Wise in His creating and handling of matters. He is Aware about the hidden just as He knows the apparent, and nothing is hidden from Him.

He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. On the day when Allah will say to something ‘Be’ and it will become, refers to the Day of Rising when Allah will say ‘Rise’ and they will all rise. His word is the truth that will most certainly occur. On the Day of Rising, when the angel Isrāfīl will blow the trumpet for a second time, all control will be Allah’s alone. He knows what is hidden and what can be seen. He is Wise in His creating and handling of matters. He is Aware about the hidden just as He knows the apparent, and nothing is hidden from Him.

Remember when Abraham said to Azar, his father: "Why do you take idols for God? I certainly find you and your people in error."

And remember when Ibrahim said to his father (paternal uncle) Azar, “What! You appoint idols as Gods? Indeed I find you and your people in open error.” (Prophet Ibrahim was rightly guided since birth).

And when Abraham said to his father Azar, 'Takest thou idols for gods? I see thee, and thy people, in manifest error.'

AND, LO, [thus] spoke Abraham unto his father Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? Verily, I see that thou and thy people have obviously gone astray!"

And recall what time Ibrahim said unto his father Azar: takest thou idols for gods! Verily I see thee and thy people in error manifest.

And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as aliha (gods)? Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error.

Abraham said to his father Azar, “Do you take idols for gods? I see that you and your people are in evident error.”

And recall when Abraham said to his father, Azar: 'Do you take idols for gods? I see you and your people in obvious error.'

And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as gods Verily, I see you and your people in manifest error."

(Remember) when Abraham said unto his father Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? Lo! I see thee and thy folk in error manifest.

When Abraham said to Azar, his father, ‘Do you take idols for gods? Indeed I see you and your people in manifest error.’

(And remember) when Abraham said to his father Azar: 'Will you take idols for gods, surely I see you and your people are in clear error'

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father Azar, "Do you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see you and your people to be in manifest error."

Consider when Abraham asked his father, Azar, "Why do you believe idols to be your gods? I find you and your people in absolute error".

And when Ibrahim said to his sire, Azar: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.

Wai<u>th</u> q<u>a</u>la ibr<u>a</u>heemu liabeehi <u>a</u>zara atattakhi<u>th</u>u a<u>s</u>n<u>a</u>man <u>a</u>lihatan innee ar<u>a</u>ka waqawmaka fee <u>d</u>al<u>a</u>lin mubeen<b>in</b>

Remember when Abraham said to his father, Azar, "Do you take idols as your gods? I see that you and your people have clearly gone astray."

Lo! Abraham said to his father Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? For I see thee and thy people in manifest error."

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا ءَالِهَةً إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ

Remember, O Messenger, when Abraham (peace be upon him) said to his father, Āzar, who was a idolater: O father, do you make the idols into gods that you worship besides Allah? I think that you and your people who worship idols are clearly misguided from and confused about the path of truth because of your worship of others besides Allah. Allah is the only Being that deserves to be worshipped, and nothing else has a right to be worshipped.

Remember, O Messenger, when Abraham (peace be upon him) said to his father, Āzar, who was a idolater: O father, do you make the idols into gods that you worship besides Allah? I think that you and your people who worship idols are clearly misguided from and confused about the path of truth because of your worship of others besides Allah. Allah is the only Being that deserves to be worshipped, and nothing else has a right to be worshipped.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Previous verses contained a description of the call given by the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which he addressed the disbelievers of Arabia and appealed to them that they should forsake the worship of idols and believe in a single object of worship: Allah.</p><p>The present verses support this call of truth in a particular way which could be naturally acceptable to the people of Arabia who have Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as their patriarch and the whole Arabia stood united in paying homage to him almost always. These verses refer to the debate against the worship of idols and stars led by him before his people and to whom he had then given a lesson as to what a true belief in the Oneness of Allah should be.</p><p>The first verse (74) opens with Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) telling his father, 'Azar that he had taken idols made with his own hands as his object of worship, and that he saw him and his entire people in manifest error.</p><p>It is commonly held that 'Azar is the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father while most historians give his name as Tarakh and identify 'Azar as his title. Imam al-Razi and a group of early scholars hold that Tarakh was the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father and 'Azar was the name of his uncle. After becoming a minister of Nimrud, his uncle, 'Azar had become a polytheist. Since calling an uncle as father is common in Arab usage, 'Azar has been named here as Sayyidna Ibrahim's father. In Sharh al-Mawahib, Zarqani has reported several proofs to this effect.</p><p>Reform Begins at Home</p><p>'Azar, whether a father or uncle of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، was a respectable elder of the family. Thus, it was from his home that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave the first call to truth - as was commanded the Holy Prophet too: وَأَنذِرْ‌ عَشِيرَ‌تَكَ الْأَقْرَ‌بِينَ ﴿214﴾ (26:214) that is, warn your near relatives (of the Divine punishment). It was in obedience to this command that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had first gathered his own family to hear him when he stood at the hill of Safa to deliver his call of truth.</p><p>According to Tafsir Al-Bahr al-Muhit, from here we also learn that inviting a respected elder of the family, who may not be on the right path of faith, to the right path is not contrary to the norms of reverence. In fact, it is a matter of wishing well for him. In addition to that, this also tells us that starting the work of da'wah, the mission of inviting people to the true faith and the seeking of reforms that lead to it, from one's home, family and immediate circle, is a Sunnah (way) of the prophets (علیہم السلام) .</p><p>Two-Nation Theory: Believers are One People - Disbelievers, another.</p><p>It will be noted that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has elected not to identify his family and his people with himself in this verse when he said to his father that ` his' people were in error. This indicates the great sacrifice Sayyidna Ibrahim offered in the way of Allah by cutting off his bonds with his disbelieving brotherhood. Thus, by his deed, he demonstrated that Muslim nationality is founded through the bonds of Islam. When nationalities based on concepts of race or homeland clash against it, all these deserve to be forsaken.</p><p>By mentioning this event relating to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، the Holy Qur'an has asked all communities to come after him that they too should follow in his footsteps. It was said: دْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَ‌آءُ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ. It means: Definitely good and worthy of being emulated and followed by the Muslim community is the way and conduct of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and of those with him who frankly told their lineal, racial and geographical brotherhood that they were wary of them and their false objects of worship and that the wall of discord between them shall remain standing until such time that they do become believers and submit to none but Allah.</p><p>This tells us that the two-nation theory which brought Pakistan into existence - was first proclaimed by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and other communities, followed this guidance and moved ahead. Among Muslims, Islam as the identity of their nationhood became well-recognized. During his journey undertaken to perform his Last Hajj, the Holy Prophet ﷺ met a caravan on the way. He asked them: ` Which nationality do you come from?' They replied: نحنُ قومُ مُّسلِمُونَ (al-Bukhari) (We are [ a ] nation [ of ] Muslims). Here, in accordance with the early practice in Arabia, they did not name a tribe or a lineally identified family, instead, called themselves: ` muslimun' (Muslims) - and by doing so, they declared what was their real nationality, a nationality which will hold good in all time frames right to the end of time well through the trials of the Akhirah. At this particular place when Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) addressed his father, he proclaimed his distaste for the doings of ` his' people - attributing the people he came from to his father - but, at the place where he had to proclaim his principled disassociation from the same people, he addressed them as his, as appears in the next verse: يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِ‌كُونَ (0 my people, I am free of what you associate with Allah). The hint given here is: ` Though, you are my people in terms of race and homeland, but your deeds of disbelief and polytheism have compelled me to cut off my relations with your brotherhood.'</p><p>The brotherhood of Sayyidna Ibrahim and his father were involved in a two-fold Shirk: They worshipped idols as well as stars. So, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) debated both issues with his father and with his people.</p>

CommentaryPrevious verses contained a description of the call given by the Holy Prophet ﷺ in which he addressed the disbelievers of Arabia and appealed to them that they should forsake the worship of idols and believe in a single object of worship: Allah.The present verses support this call of truth in a particular way which could be naturally acceptable to the people of Arabia who have Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) as their patriarch and the whole Arabia stood united in paying homage to him almost always. These verses refer to the debate against the worship of idols and stars led by him before his people and to whom he had then given a lesson as to what a true belief in the Oneness of Allah should be.The first verse (74) opens with Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) telling his father, 'Azar that he had taken idols made with his own hands as his object of worship, and that he saw him and his entire people in manifest error.It is commonly held that 'Azar is the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father while most historians give his name as Tarakh and identify 'Azar as his title. Imam al-Razi and a group of early scholars hold that Tarakh was the name of Sayyidna Ibrahim's father and 'Azar was the name of his uncle. After becoming a minister of Nimrud, his uncle, 'Azar had become a polytheist. Since calling an uncle as father is common in Arab usage, 'Azar has been named here as Sayyidna Ibrahim's father. In Sharh al-Mawahib, Zarqani has reported several proofs to this effect.Reform Begins at Home'Azar, whether a father or uncle of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، was a respectable elder of the family. Thus, it was from his home that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave the first call to truth - as was commanded the Holy Prophet too: وَأَنذِرْ‌ عَشِيرَ‌تَكَ الْأَقْرَ‌بِينَ ﴿214﴾ (26:214) that is, warn your near relatives (of the Divine punishment). It was in obedience to this command that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had first gathered his own family to hear him when he stood at the hill of Safa to deliver his call of truth.According to Tafsir Al-Bahr al-Muhit, from here we also learn that inviting a respected elder of the family, who may not be on the right path of faith, to the right path is not contrary to the norms of reverence. In fact, it is a matter of wishing well for him. In addition to that, this also tells us that starting the work of da'wah, the mission of inviting people to the true faith and the seeking of reforms that lead to it, from one's home, family and immediate circle, is a Sunnah (way) of the prophets (علیہم السلام) .Two-Nation Theory: Believers are One People - Disbelievers, another.It will be noted that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has elected not to identify his family and his people with himself in this verse when he said to his father that ` his' people were in error. This indicates the great sacrifice Sayyidna Ibrahim offered in the way of Allah by cutting off his bonds with his disbelieving brotherhood. Thus, by his deed, he demonstrated that Muslim nationality is founded through the bonds of Islam. When nationalities based on concepts of race or homeland clash against it, all these deserve to be forsaken.By mentioning this event relating to Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، the Holy Qur'an has asked all communities to come after him that they too should follow in his footsteps. It was said: دْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَ‌آءُ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ. It means: Definitely good and worthy of being emulated and followed by the Muslim community is the way and conduct of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) and of those with him who frankly told their lineal, racial and geographical brotherhood that they were wary of them and their false objects of worship and that the wall of discord between them shall remain standing until such time that they do become believers and submit to none but Allah.This tells us that the two-nation theory which brought Pakistan into existence - was first proclaimed by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The Ummah of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and other communities, followed this guidance and moved ahead. Among Muslims, Islam as the identity of their nationhood became well-recognized. During his journey undertaken to perform his Last Hajj, the Holy Prophet ﷺ met a caravan on the way. He asked them: ` Which nationality do you come from?' They replied: نحنُ قومُ مُّسلِمُونَ (al-Bukhari) (We are [ a ] nation [ of ] Muslims). Here, in accordance with the early practice in Arabia, they did not name a tribe or a lineally identified family, instead, called themselves: ` muslimun' (Muslims) - and by doing so, they declared what was their real nationality, a nationality which will hold good in all time frames right to the end of time well through the trials of the Akhirah. At this particular place when Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) addressed his father, he proclaimed his distaste for the doings of ` his' people - attributing the people he came from to his father - but, at the place where he had to proclaim his principled disassociation from the same people, he addressed them as his, as appears in the next verse: يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِ‌كُونَ (0 my people, I am free of what you associate with Allah). The hint given here is: ` Though, you are my people in terms of race and homeland, but your deeds of disbelief and polytheism have compelled me to cut off my relations with your brotherhood.'The brotherhood of Sayyidna Ibrahim and his father were involved in a two-fold Shirk: They worshipped idols as well as stars. So, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) debated both issues with his father and with his people.

<h2 class="title">Ibrahim Advises his Father</h2><p>Ibrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his father from worshipping idols, just as Allah stated, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَاماً ءَالِهَةً</div><p>(And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as gods") meaning, do you worship an idol instead of Allah </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّى أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ</div><p>(Verily, I see you and your people...) who follow your path, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ</div><p>(in manifest error) wandering in confusion unaware of where to go. Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and this fact is clear to all those who have sound reason. Allah also said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِبْرَهِيمَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ جَآءَنِى مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَاتَّبِعْنِى أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً - يأَبَتِ لاَ تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَـنَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ عَصِيّاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَـنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَـنِ وَلِيّاً - قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِى يإِبْرَهِيمُ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لأَرْجُمَنَّكَ وَاهْجُرْنِى مَلِيّاً - قَالَ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكَ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِى حَفِيّاً - وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّى عَسَى أَلاَّ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّا </div><p>(And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, the story of) Ibrahim. Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a straight path. O my father! Worship not Shaytan. Verily! Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent (Allah). O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtakes you, so that you become a companion of Shaytan (in the Hell-fire)." He (the father) said: "Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you." Ibrahim said: "Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious. And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unanswered in my invocation to my Lord.") 19:41-48 Ibrahim continued asking for forgiveness for his father for the rest of his father's life. When his father died an idolator and Ibrahim realized this fact, he stopped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociated himself from him. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيمَ لاًّبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ لأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ </div><p>(And invoking for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him. Verily Ibrahim was patient in supplication and forbearing.) 9:114. It was recorded in the Sahih that Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Resurrection and Azar will say to him, "My son! This Day, I will not disobey you." Ibrahim will say, "O Lord! You promised me not to disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected; and what will be more disgraceful to me than cursing and dishonoring my father" Then Allah will say, "O Ibrahim! Look behind you!" He will look and there he will see (that his father was changed into) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by the legs and thrown in the (Hell) Fire." </p><h2 class="title">Tawhid Becomes Apparent to Ibrahim</h2><p>Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِى إِبْرَهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ</div><p>(Thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...) 6:75, means, when he contemplated about the creation of the heaven and earth, We showed Ibrahim the proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creation, which indicate that there is no god or Lord except Allah. Allah said in other Ayat; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ</div><p>(Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth.") 10:101, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ </div><p>(See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah.) 34:9 Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ الَّيْلُ</div><p>(When the night overcame him) covered him with darkness, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">رَأَى كَوْكَباً</div><p>(He saw a Kawkab) a star. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ</div><p>(He said: "This is my lord." But when it Afala,) meaning, set, he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لا أُحِبُّ الاٌّفِلِينَ</div><p>(I like not those that set.) Qatadah commented, "Ibrahim knew that his Lord is Eternal and never ceases." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغاً قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لاّكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّآلِّينَ </div><div class="text_uthmani arabic">رَبِّى</div><p>(When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people." When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord.") this radiating, rising star is my lord, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هَـذَآ أَكْبَرُ</div><p>(This is greater) bigger than the star and the moon, and more radiant. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتْ</div><p>(But when it Afalat) set, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَإِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ</div><p>(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face..."), meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ</div><p>("towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth,") Who originated them and shaped them without precedence, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">حَنِيفاً</div><p>(Hanifan) avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid. This is why he said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ</div><p>("and I am not of the idolators.") </p><h2 class="title">Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his People</h2><p>We should note here that, in these Ayat, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debating with his people, explaining to them the error of their way in worshipping idols and images. In the first case with his father, Ibrahim explained to his people their error in worshipping the idols of earth, which they made in the shape of heavenly angels, so that they intercede on their behalf with the Glorious Creator. His people thought that they are too insignificant to worship Allah directly, and this is why they turned to the worship of angels as intercessors with Allah for their provisions, gaining victory and attaining their various needs. He then explained to them the error and deviation of worshipping the seven planets, which they said were the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The brightest of these objects and the most honored to them was the Sun, the Moon then Venus. Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved that Venus is not worthy of being worshipped, for it is subservient to a term and course appointed that it does not defy, nor swerving right or left. Venus does not have any say in its affairs, for it is only a heavenly object that Allah created and made bright out of His wisdom. Venus rises from the east and sets in the west where it disappears from sight. This rotation is repeated the next night, and so forth. Such an object is not worthy of being a god. Ibrahim then went on to mention the Moon in the same manner in which he mentioned Venus, and then the Sun. When he proved that these three objects were not gods, although they are the brightest objects the eyes can see, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ</div><p>(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.") meaning, I am free from worshipping these objects and from taking them as protectors. Therefore, if they are indeed gods as you claim, then all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respite. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ </div><p>(Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not one of the idolators.) meaning, I worship the Creator of these things, Who originated and decreed them, and Who governs their affairs and made them subservient. It is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and He is the Creator, Lord, King and God of all things in existence. In another Ayah, Allah said؛ </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ </div><p>(Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars, subjecting them to His command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists!) 7:54. Allah described Prophet Ibrahim, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ </div><p>(And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of) guidance, and We were well-acquainted with him. When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") 21:51-52. These Ayat indicate that Ibrahim was debating with his people about the Shirk they practiced. </p>

Ibrahim Advises his FatherIbrahim advised, discouraged and forbade his father from worshipping idols, just as Allah stated, وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَاماً ءَالِهَةً(And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as gods") meaning, do you worship an idol instead of Allah إِنِّى أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ(Verily, I see you and your people...) who follow your path, فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ(in manifest error) wandering in confusion unaware of where to go. Therefore, you are in disarray and ignorance, and this fact is clear to all those who have sound reason. Allah also said, وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ إِبْرَهِيمَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ يأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لاَ يَسْمَعُ وَلاَ يَبْصِرُ وَلاَ يُغْنِى عَنكَ شَيْئاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى قَدْ جَآءَنِى مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَاتَّبِعْنِى أَهْدِكَ صِرَاطاً سَوِيّاً - يأَبَتِ لاَ تَعْبُدِ الشَّيْطَـنَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ عَصِيّاً - يأَبَتِ إِنِّى أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابٌ مِّنَ الرَّحْمَـنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَـنِ وَلِيّاً - قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِى يإِبْرَهِيمُ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لأَرْجُمَنَّكَ وَاهْجُرْنِى مَلِيّاً - قَالَ سَلَـمٌ عَلَيْكَ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّي إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِى حَفِيّاً - وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّى عَسَى أَلاَّ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّى شَقِيًّا (And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, the story of) Ibrahim. Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a straight path. O my father! Worship not Shaytan. Verily! Shaytan has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent (Allah). O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtakes you, so that you become a companion of Shaytan (in the Hell-fire)." He (the father) said: "Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you." Ibrahim said: "Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious. And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unanswered in my invocation to my Lord.") 19:41-48 Ibrahim continued asking for forgiveness for his father for the rest of his father's life. When his father died an idolator and Ibrahim realized this fact, he stopped asking Allah for forgiveness for him and disassociated himself from him. Allah said, وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَهِيمَ لاًّبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَهِيمَ لأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ (And invoking for his father's forgiveness was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him. Verily Ibrahim was patient in supplication and forbearing.) 9:114. It was recorded in the Sahih that Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Resurrection and Azar will say to him, "My son! This Day, I will not disobey you." Ibrahim will say, "O Lord! You promised me not to disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected; and what will be more disgraceful to me than cursing and dishonoring my father" Then Allah will say, "O Ibrahim! Look behind you!" He will look and there he will see (that his father was changed into) a male hyena covered in dung, which will be caught by the legs and thrown in the (Hell) Fire." Tawhid Becomes Apparent to IbrahimAllah's statement, وَكَذَلِكَ نُرِى إِبْرَهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(Thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...) 6:75, means, when he contemplated about the creation of the heaven and earth, We showed Ibrahim the proofs of Allah's Oneness over His dominion and His creation, which indicate that there is no god or Lord except Allah. Allah said in other Ayat; قُلِ انظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth.") 10:101, and, أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاٌّرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ (See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah.) 34:9 Allah said next, فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ الَّيْلُ(When the night overcame him) covered him with darkness, رَأَى كَوْكَباً(He saw a Kawkab) a star. قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ(He said: "This is my lord." But when it Afala,) meaning, set, he said, لا أُحِبُّ الاٌّفِلِينَ(I like not those that set.) Qatadah commented, "Ibrahim knew that his Lord is Eternal and never ceases." فَلَمَّآ رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغاً قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لاّكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّآلِّينَ رَبِّى(When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people." When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord.") this radiating, rising star is my lord, هَـذَآ أَكْبَرُ(This is greater) bigger than the star and the moon, and more radiant. فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتْ(But when it Afalat) set, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَإِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have turned my face..."), meaning, I have purified my religion and made my worship sincere, لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ("towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth,") Who originated them and shaped them without precedence, حَنِيفاً(Hanifan) avoiding Shirk and embracing Tawhid. This is why he said next, وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ("and I am not of the idolators.") Prophet Ibrahim Debates with his PeopleWe should note here that, in these Ayat, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was debating with his people, explaining to them the error of their way in worshipping idols and images. In the first case with his father, Ibrahim explained to his people their error in worshipping the idols of earth, which they made in the shape of heavenly angels, so that they intercede on their behalf with the Glorious Creator. His people thought that they are too insignificant to worship Allah directly, and this is why they turned to the worship of angels as intercessors with Allah for their provisions, gaining victory and attaining their various needs. He then explained to them the error and deviation of worshipping the seven planets, which they said were the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The brightest of these objects and the most honored to them was the Sun, the Moon then Venus. Ibrahim, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him, first proved that Venus is not worthy of being worshipped, for it is subservient to a term and course appointed that it does not defy, nor swerving right or left. Venus does not have any say in its affairs, for it is only a heavenly object that Allah created and made bright out of His wisdom. Venus rises from the east and sets in the west where it disappears from sight. This rotation is repeated the next night, and so forth. Such an object is not worthy of being a god. Ibrahim then went on to mention the Moon in the same manner in which he mentioned Venus, and then the Sun. When he proved that these three objects were not gods, although they are the brightest objects the eyes can see, قَالَ يقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ(he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.") meaning, I am free from worshipping these objects and from taking them as protectors. Therefore, if they are indeed gods as you claim, then all of you bring your plot against me and do not give me respite. إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ حَنِيفاً وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not one of the idolators.) meaning, I worship the Creator of these things, Who originated and decreed them, and Who governs their affairs and made them subservient. It is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and He is the Creator, Lord, King and God of all things in existence. In another Ayah, Allah said؛ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ (Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars, subjecting them to His command. Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all that exists!) 7:54. Allah described Prophet Ibrahim, وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا بِهِ عَـلِمِينَ - إِذْ قَالَ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَـذِهِ التَّمَـثِيلُ الَّتِى أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَـكِفُونَ (And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of) guidance, and We were well-acquainted with him. When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted") 21:51-52. These Ayat indicate that Ibrahim was debating with his people about the Shirk they practiced.

Thus We showed to Abraham the visible and invisible world of the heavens and the earth, that he could be among those who believe.

And likewise We showed Ibrahim the entire kingdom of the heavens and the earth and so that he be of those who believe as eyewitnesses.

So We were showing Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and earth, that he might be of those having sure faith.

And thus We gave Abraham [his first] insight into [God's] mighty dominion over the heavens and the earth - and [this] to the end that he might become one of those who are inwardly sure.

And in this wise We showed unto Ibrahim the governance of the heavens and the earth, and that he might become of the convinced.

Thus did we show Ibrahim (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he be one of those who have Faith with certainty.

Thus We showed Abraham the empire of the heavens and the earth, that he might be one of those with certainty.

And thus We showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might become one of those who have sure faith.. The adversaries are told that they can observe God's signs in the phenomena of the universe, just as Abraham could. The difference is that they see nothing, as if they were blind, whereas Abraham saw with open eyes. The sun, moon and stars which rise and set before their eyes day after day and night after night witness them as misguided at their setting as at their rising. Yet the same signs were observed by the perceptive Abraham, and the physical phenomena helped him arrive at the Truth.

Thus did we show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he be one of those who have faith with certainty.

Thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he might be of those possessing certainty:

Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude.

And so We showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might be of those who are certain.

And thus did We show Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain [in faith]

Also, We showed (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth to strengthen his faith.

And thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and that he might be of those who are sure.

Waka<u>tha</u>lika nuree ibr<u>a</u>heema malakoota a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>w<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lar<u>d</u>i waliyakoona mina almooqineen<b>a</b>

In this way We showed Abraham Our kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might have certainty of faith.

So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might (with understanding) have certitude.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُوقِنِينَ

In the same way I showed Abraham the misguidance of his father and his people, I also showed him the vast kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he could use that as an indication of Allah’s Oneness and of His being the only One deserving of worship. This also made him certain that Allah is One without any partner and that He has power over everything.

In the same way I showed Abraham the misguidance of his father and his people, I also showed him the vast kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he could use that as an indication of Allah’s Oneness and of His being the only One deserving of worship. This also made him certain that Allah is One without any partner and that He has power over everything.

<p>First, it was idol worship. He said that it was error, and straying. Then, in the next verses, he pointed out to stars as unworthy of worship. And a little earlier in verse 75, it is in the form of an introduction that Allah Ta` ala mentions a particular elegance and insight of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) by saying: وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِ‌ي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ ﴿75﴾ that is, ` We made Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) see what We have created in the heavens and the earth in a way which would unravel the reality of all these created objects manifestly so that he may become firm in his belief.' What came to pass after that has taken the shape of a wondrous dialogue that appears in later verses (which shows a certain quality even in the translated form of the meanings of the totally untranslatable beauty, diction and elan of the original) and it would be useful to dwell upon the manner in which it emerges stage by stage.</p>

First, it was idol worship. He said that it was error, and straying. Then, in the next verses, he pointed out to stars as unworthy of worship. And a little earlier in verse 75, it is in the form of an introduction that Allah Ta` ala mentions a particular elegance and insight of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) by saying: وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِ‌ي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ‌ضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ ﴿75﴾ that is, ` We made Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) see what We have created in the heavens and the earth in a way which would unravel the reality of all these created objects manifestly so that he may become firm in his belief.' What came to pass after that has taken the shape of a wondrous dialogue that appears in later verses (which shows a certain quality even in the translated form of the meanings of the totally untranslatable beauty, diction and elan of the original) and it would be useful to dwell upon the manner in which it emerges stage by stage.

When the night came with her covering of darkness he saw a star, and (Azar, his father) said: "This is my Lord." But when the star set, (Abraham) said: "I love not those that wane."

So when the night became dark upon him he saw a star; he said (to Azar / the people), “(You portray that) this is my Lord?”; then when it set he said, “I do not like the things that set.”

When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'I love not the setters.'

Then, when the night overshadowed him with its darkness, he beheld a star;., [and] he exclaimed, "This is my Sustainer!" -but when it went down, he said, "I love not the things that go down."

Then when the night darkened on him, he beheld a star. He said: this is mine Lord. Then when it set, he said. I love not the setting ones.

When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "I like not those that set."

When the night fell over him, he saw a planet. He said, “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said, “I do not love those that set.”

Then, when the night outspread over him, he beheld a star, and said: 'This is my Lord.' But when it went down, he said: 'I do not love the things that go down.'

When the night overcame him he saw a Kawkab. He said: "This is my lord." But when it Afala, he said: "I like not those that set."

When the night grew dark upon him he beheld a star. He said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: I love not things that set.

When night darkened over him, he saw a star and said, ‘This is my Lord!’ But when it set, he said, ‘I do not like those who set.’

When night drew over him, he saw a planet. 'This' he said: 'is surely my Lord' But when it set he said: 'I do not like the setting ones'

So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "I like not those that disappear."

When it became dark at night, he (Abraham) saw a star and said, "This is my lord." But when it disappeared, he said, "I do not love those who fade away".

So when the night over-shadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones.

Falamm<u>a</u> janna AAalayhi allaylu ra<u>a</u> kawkaban q<u>a</u>la h<u>atha</u> rabbee falamm<u>a</u> afala q<u>a</u>la l<u>a</u> o<u>h</u>ibbu al<u>a</u>fileen<b>a</b>

When night descended on him, he saw a star. He said, "This is my Lord!" Then when it set he said, "I do not love things that set."

When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, He said: "I love not those that set."

فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلَّيْلُ رَءَا كَوْكَبًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلْءَافِلِينَ

When the darkness of the night came over Abraham, he began to debate with his people in order to bring them from idolatry to monotheism. His people used to worship the stars, so when he saw a star he said, ‘This is my Lord’, with the aim of convincing his people. When the star disappeared, he said, ‘I do not like that which disappears, because the true God is always present and never disappears’. The belief of his people was that gods do not go away and disappear, so he used this same belief of theirs as an argument against them.

When the darkness of the night came over Abraham, he began to debate with his people in order to bring them from idolatry to monotheism. His people used to worship the stars, so when he saw a star he said, ‘This is my Lord’, with the aim of convincing his people. When the star disappeared, he said, ‘I do not like that which disappears, because the true God is always present and never disappears’. The belief of his people was that gods do not go away and disappear, so he used this same belief of theirs as an argument against them.

<p>Using Wisdom and Strategy in Tabligh and Da'wah is the Way of Prophets</p><p>Let us begin with verse 76 which opens with the words: رَ‌أَىٰ كَوْكَبًا So, when the night enveloped him, he saw a star. Then, beaming at his people, he said: This is my Lord. The sense in which he said it was: Is it not, as you think and believe, my Lord and your Lord, the Rabb of both of us who nurtures, nourishes and sustains us? In a little while you will find out how real that is. Then, after some time, the star vanished. This gave Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) a good occasion to drive his argument home against his disbelieving people. He said: لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ (I do not like those who vanish). The word: آفِلِين (` afulin' ) is from: افول ('afulin) which means to set.</p><p>The sense is that things which set or vanish do not deserve being held dear - and when something is to be given the status of an object of worship has to be, quite obviously, most worthy of love and reverence. Maulana Rumi, in one of his couplets, has directly referred to thisevent when he said (in Persian, with its stylized translation)</p><p>خلیل آسادرِ ملکِ یقین زن</p><p>نوایٔے لا اُح، بُّ الآفِلِینِ زن</p><p>Like Khalil [ Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ...] Enter The Domain of Belief</p><p>By proclaiming The Password: I do not like the vanishing!</p><p>After that, some other night, with a glowing moon in sight, he again beamed his dialogue at his people following the earlier method, and said: (according to your view) this is my Lord but its reality you will find out after a little while. So, when the moon vanished, he said: If my Rabb had not been guiding me all along, I would have been enlisted among the stray like you, and it would have been the moon itself I might have taken as my Lord and my object of worship. But, the alternating conditions of its rising and setting brought me to the chas-tening conclusion that this star too is not worthy of worship.</p><p>Also hinted in this verse is that the Rabb or Lord of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is a totally different entity from Whom guidance keeps coming to him.</p><p>Then, the day he saw the sun rising, he again said to his people as he had done earlier: This (according to your view) is my Rabb. And this is the biggest of all. But, its reality you will soon find out. So, when came the time for the sun to set, set it did. Driven home was his final argument against the ideas of his people. The reality had become all too obvious. So, he said: یا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِ‌كُونَ ( O my people, I am free of whatever you associate with Allah).</p><p>In conclusion, he made it clear before them that his Rabb (the Lord of life who nurtures, cherishes and sustains it) and their Rabb can never be any of these created heavenly bodies which are not free of dependence on something else for their existence, and are surrounded by constant and ongoing changes of rising and setting. Instead of them, his Lord and their Lord was no other than the One who has created the heavens and the earth and everything therein. Therefore, he declared, that he had changed his orientation away from their self-sculpted idols and away from the stars of their fancy which changed and alternated under creational compulsion, and it was to the total exclusion of all these, that he had turned to Allah alone, the One God who has no partners and associates with Him - (and when that was settled, he was different) so, he made it frank and clear that he was not a Mushrik (disbeliever or polytheist) like them. (Indeed, a line of demarcation drawn forever! )</p><p>In this debate, it is significant that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has shown characteristic prophetic wisdom and elegance of approach when he does not make a frontal assault on the false notions of star-worship entertained by his people as being false or erroneous. He has, rather, chosen a very telling style of presentation which by itself would help any rational human being to absorb the point being made and be able to recognize reality at the end. Of course, when the case was that of idol-worship, his method was different - there, he had taken a hard line right from the start, and had told his father point-blank that he and his people had gone astray. The reason was that idol-worship was all too obvious an error, contrary to star-worship the error of which was not so obvious and pronounced.</p><p>Noteworthy here is the outcome of the argument against star-worship presented by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) before his people. He said that (a) things which are subject to change, (b) things which keep alternating in their conditions, and (c) things which in their movements are subservient to some other power can never become deserving of being taken as anyone's Rabb or Lord. In this argument, it was possible to seek help from all other conditions of the stars, such as their rising and their intermediary stage before their setting, when it could have been said that they were not independent in their movements and were moving in a pre-specified orbit under the command of someone else. But, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، from out of all these states and conditions, chose the setting of these stars as the main thrust of his argument - because their setting, in a way, spells out their decline in the sight of common people. The typical argument presented by prophets, may peace be upon them all, is what would go on to influence the minds of common people. They do not pursue philosophical truisms, instead, they address people at the level of common comprehension. Therefore, it was to prove the helplessness and ineffectiveness of stars that the phenomenon of their setting was presented. Otherwise, the rising of the stars might have also been used to prove that they were helpless and powerless - and it would have also been possible to get hold of an argument from changes that come upon them before they finally set.</p><p>Some Instructions for Preachers of Islam</p><p>This debating style of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) provides some important points of guidance for Muslim scholars and Da'wah workers:</p><p>1. In matters relating to carrying the call of truth to people (Tabligh) and seeking reform among them (Islah), being universally rigid or universally lenient is not appropriate. The correct approach is to understand that each of these has an occasion and a limit. For ex ample, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has used strong words when it comes to idol-worship, because its error is within common sight. But, he has not used such strong words in the case of star-worship where he has used a particular method to clarify its reality in the minds of his people - because the matter of stars and planets being helpless and powerless was not so readily obvious as was that of self-carved idols. This tells us that should common people be involved in an error of judgment or conduct, which they do not realize as such, then, the ` Alim (religious scholar) or Muballigh (religious preacher) would do well to avoid taking a hard line, rigid or excessive or dogmatic, and try to find a better way to remove their doubts.</p><p>2. The second guidance concerns the manner in which truth has to be presented. The example is that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) did not address his people directly asking them to do what had to be done. Rather than say something in the mode of an order, he simply told them about how he felt in this matter. He said that he could not declare things which were helplessly involved in a cycle of rising and setting as objects of worship. For this reason, he told them, he had turned to the Being that is the creator, nurturer and caretaker of all these things. Of course, the purpose was to bring them round to do the same. But, in his wise way, he abstained from a direct address lest they become totally uncompromising by opposing the suggestion just for the sake of opposition. This tells us that the job of a reformer and preacher is not to go ahead and tell what is true in just about any way. Instead of doing something like that, he is bound to say it in a manner which would produce the desired effect on his listeners.</p>

Using Wisdom and Strategy in Tabligh and Da'wah is the Way of ProphetsLet us begin with verse 76 which opens with the words: رَ‌أَىٰ كَوْكَبًا So, when the night enveloped him, he saw a star. Then, beaming at his people, he said: This is my Lord. The sense in which he said it was: Is it not, as you think and believe, my Lord and your Lord, the Rabb of both of us who nurtures, nourishes and sustains us? In a little while you will find out how real that is. Then, after some time, the star vanished. This gave Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) a good occasion to drive his argument home against his disbelieving people. He said: لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِينَ (I do not like those who vanish). The word: آفِلِين (` afulin' ) is from: افول ('afulin) which means to set.The sense is that things which set or vanish do not deserve being held dear - and when something is to be given the status of an object of worship has to be, quite obviously, most worthy of love and reverence. Maulana Rumi, in one of his couplets, has directly referred to thisevent when he said (in Persian, with its stylized translation)خلیل آسادرِ ملکِ یقین زننوایٔے لا اُح، بُّ الآفِلِینِ زنLike Khalil [ Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ...] Enter The Domain of BeliefBy proclaiming The Password: I do not like the vanishing!After that, some other night, with a glowing moon in sight, he again beamed his dialogue at his people following the earlier method, and said: (according to your view) this is my Lord but its reality you will find out after a little while. So, when the moon vanished, he said: If my Rabb had not been guiding me all along, I would have been enlisted among the stray like you, and it would have been the moon itself I might have taken as my Lord and my object of worship. But, the alternating conditions of its rising and setting brought me to the chas-tening conclusion that this star too is not worthy of worship.Also hinted in this verse is that the Rabb or Lord of Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) is a totally different entity from Whom guidance keeps coming to him.Then, the day he saw the sun rising, he again said to his people as he had done earlier: This (according to your view) is my Rabb. And this is the biggest of all. But, its reality you will soon find out. So, when came the time for the sun to set, set it did. Driven home was his final argument against the ideas of his people. The reality had become all too obvious. So, he said: یا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِ‌يءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِ‌كُونَ ( O my people, I am free of whatever you associate with Allah).In conclusion, he made it clear before them that his Rabb (the Lord of life who nurtures, cherishes and sustains it) and their Rabb can never be any of these created heavenly bodies which are not free of dependence on something else for their existence, and are surrounded by constant and ongoing changes of rising and setting. Instead of them, his Lord and their Lord was no other than the One who has created the heavens and the earth and everything therein. Therefore, he declared, that he had changed his orientation away from their self-sculpted idols and away from the stars of their fancy which changed and alternated under creational compulsion, and it was to the total exclusion of all these, that he had turned to Allah alone, the One God who has no partners and associates with Him - (and when that was settled, he was different) so, he made it frank and clear that he was not a Mushrik (disbeliever or polytheist) like them. (Indeed, a line of demarcation drawn forever! )In this debate, it is significant that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has shown characteristic prophetic wisdom and elegance of approach when he does not make a frontal assault on the false notions of star-worship entertained by his people as being false or erroneous. He has, rather, chosen a very telling style of presentation which by itself would help any rational human being to absorb the point being made and be able to recognize reality at the end. Of course, when the case was that of idol-worship, his method was different - there, he had taken a hard line right from the start, and had told his father point-blank that he and his people had gone astray. The reason was that idol-worship was all too obvious an error, contrary to star-worship the error of which was not so obvious and pronounced.Noteworthy here is the outcome of the argument against star-worship presented by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) before his people. He said that (a) things which are subject to change, (b) things which keep alternating in their conditions, and (c) things which in their movements are subservient to some other power can never become deserving of being taken as anyone's Rabb or Lord. In this argument, it was possible to seek help from all other conditions of the stars, such as their rising and their intermediary stage before their setting, when it could have been said that they were not independent in their movements and were moving in a pre-specified orbit under the command of someone else. But, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، from out of all these states and conditions, chose the setting of these stars as the main thrust of his argument - because their setting, in a way, spells out their decline in the sight of common people. The typical argument presented by prophets, may peace be upon them all, is what would go on to influence the minds of common people. They do not pursue philosophical truisms, instead, they address people at the level of common comprehension. Therefore, it was to prove the helplessness and ineffectiveness of stars that the phenomenon of their setting was presented. Otherwise, the rising of the stars might have also been used to prove that they were helpless and powerless - and it would have also been possible to get hold of an argument from changes that come upon them before they finally set.Some Instructions for Preachers of IslamThis debating style of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) provides some important points of guidance for Muslim scholars and Da'wah workers:1. In matters relating to carrying the call of truth to people (Tabligh) and seeking reform among them (Islah), being universally rigid or universally lenient is not appropriate. The correct approach is to understand that each of these has an occasion and a limit. For ex ample, Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) has used strong words when it comes to idol-worship, because its error is within common sight. But, he has not used such strong words in the case of star-worship where he has used a particular method to clarify its reality in the minds of his people - because the matter of stars and planets being helpless and powerless was not so readily obvious as was that of self-carved idols. This tells us that should common people be involved in an error of judgment or conduct, which they do not realize as such, then, the ` Alim (religious scholar) or Muballigh (religious preacher) would do well to avoid taking a hard line, rigid or excessive or dogmatic, and try to find a better way to remove their doubts.2. The second guidance concerns the manner in which truth has to be presented. The example is that Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) did not address his people directly asking them to do what had to be done. Rather than say something in the mode of an order, he simply told them about how he felt in this matter. He said that he could not declare things which were helplessly involved in a cycle of rising and setting as objects of worship. For this reason, he told them, he had turned to the Being that is the creator, nurturer and caretaker of all these things. Of course, the purpose was to bring them round to do the same. But, in his wise way, he abstained from a direct address lest they become totally uncompromising by opposing the suggestion just for the sake of opposition. This tells us that the job of a reformer and preacher is not to go ahead and tell what is true in just about any way. Instead of doing something like that, he is bound to say it in a manner which would produce the desired effect on his listeners.

When (Azar) saw the moon rise all aglow, he said: "This is my Lord." But even as the moon set, (Abraham) said: "If my Lord had not shown me the way I would surely have gone astray."

Then when he saw the moon shining, he said, “(You proclaim that) this is my Lord?”; then when it set, he said, “If my Lord had not guided me*, I too would be one of these astray people.” (* Prophet Ibrahim was rightly guided before this event).

When he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.'

Then, when he beheld the moon rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer!"-but when it went down, he said, "Indeed, if my Sustainer guide me not. I will most certainly become one of the people who go astray!"

Then when he beheld the moon uprise, he said: this is mine Lord. Then when it set, he said: were it not that my Lord kept me guiding, surely I must have been of the erring people.

When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people."

Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I will be one of the erring people.”

Then, when he beheld the moon rising, he said: 'This is my Lord!' But when it went down, he said: 'Were that my Lord did not guide me, I surely would have become among the people who have gone astray.'

When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the misguided people."

And when he saw the moon uprising, he exclaimed: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: Unless my Lord guide me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray.

Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord!’ But when it set, he said, ‘Had my Lord not guided me, I would surely have been among the astray lot.’

When he saw the rising moon, he said: 'This is my Lord' But when it set, he said: 'If my Lord does not guide me, I shall surely be amongst the astray nation'

And when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray."

When Abraham saw the rising moon, he said, "This is my lord." But when it faded away, he said, "If my Lord does not guide me I shall certainly go astray."

Then when he saw the moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people.

Falamm<u>a</u> ra<u>a</u> alqamara b<u>a</u>zighan q<u>a</u>la h<u>atha</u> rabbee falamm<u>a</u> afala q<u>a</u>la lain lam yahdinee rabbee laakoonanna mina alqawmi a<b>l</b><u>dda</u>lleen<b>a</b>

When he saw the moon rise and spread its light, he said, "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said, "If my Lord does not guide me, I will be one of the misguided people."

When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord." But when the moon set, He said: "unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray."

فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّى فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِى رَبِّى لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

When Abraham saw the moon rising, he said to his people, ‘This is my Lord’, continuing his argument against them. When it disappeared, he said, ‘If Allah does not guide me to His Oneness and worship I will certainly become one of the people who are astray from His religion and who worship others besides Him’.

When Abraham saw the moon rising, he said to his people, ‘This is my Lord’, continuing his argument against them. When it disappeared, he said, ‘If Allah does not guide me to His Oneness and worship I will certainly become one of the people who are astray from His religion and who worship others besides Him’.

When (Azar) saw the sun rise all resplendent, he said: "My Lord is surely this, and the greatest of them all." But the sun also set, and (Abraham) said: "O my people, I am through with those you associate (with God).

Then when he saw the sun shining brightly, he said, “(You say that) this is my Lord? This is the biggest of them all!”; then when it set he said, “O people! I do not have any relation with the whatever you ascribe as partners (to Him).”

When he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater!' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I am quit of that you associate.

Then, when he beheld the sun rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer! This one is the greatest [of all]!" - but when it [too] went down, he exclaimed: "O my people! Behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as you do, to aught beside God!

Then when he beheld the sun uprise, he said: this is mine Lord; this is the greatest. Then when it set, he said: O my people! verily I am quit of that which ye associate.

When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater." But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.

Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said, “This is my lord, this is bigger.” But when it set, he said, “O my people, I am innocent of your idolatry.

Then when he beheld the sun rising, he said: 'This is my Lord. This is the greatest of all.' Then, when it went down, he said: 'O my people! Most certainly I am quit of those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity.

When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater." But when it Afalat, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.

And when he saw the sun uprising, he cried: This is my Lord! This is greater! And when it set he exclaimed: O my people! Lo! I am free from all that ye associate (with Him).

Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord! This is bigger!’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people, indeed I disown what you take as [His] partners.’

Then, when he saw the sun rise, shining, he said: 'This must be my Lord, it is larger' But when it set, he said: 'O nation I am quit of what you associate (with Allah, the Creator),

And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah.

When he saw the rising sun, he said, "This is my Lord for it is greater (than the others)." But when this too faded away, (Abraham) said, "My people, I disavow whatever you consider equal to God.

Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my Lord? Is this the greatest? So when it set, he said: O my people! surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah).

Falamm<u>a</u> ra<u>a</u> a<b>l</b>shshamsa b<u>a</u>zighatan q<u>a</u>la h<u>atha</u> rabbee h<u>atha</u> akbaru falamm<u>a</u> afalat q<u>a</u>la y<u>a</u> qawmi innee bareeon mimm<u>a</u> tushrikoon<b>a</b>

Then, when he saw the sun shining, he said, "This is my Lord! This is the greatest of all!" Then when it set, he said, "My people, I disown all that you worship besides God.

When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah.

فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّى هَٰذَآ أَكْبَرُ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

When he saw the sun rising, he said to his people, ‘This thing that is rising is my Lord. It is bigger than the star and the moon’, further continuing his plan of argument and proof against them. When it disappeared, he said, ‘O my people, I am free of what you associate as partners with Allah’.

When he saw the sun rising, he said to his people, ‘This thing that is rising is my Lord. It is bigger than the star and the moon’, further continuing his plan of argument and proof against them. When it disappeared, he said, ‘O my people, I am free of what you associate as partners with Allah’.

I have truly turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth: I have chosen one way and am not an idolater."

“I have directed my attention towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, am devoted solely to Him, and am not of the polytheists.”

I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, a man of pure faith; I am not of the idolaters.'

Behold, unto Him who brought into being the heavens and the earth have I turned my face, having turned away from all that is false; and I am not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him."

Verily I have set my countenance towards Him who hath created the heavens and the earth, upright, and am not of the associaters.

Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism, i.e. worshipping none but Allah Alone) and I am not of Al-Mushrikun (see V. 2:105)".

I have directed my attention towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth—a monotheist—and I am not of the idolaters.”

Behold, I have turned my face in exclusive devotion to the One Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am certainly not one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.'

Verily, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, Hanifan, and I am not of the idolators."

Lo! I have turned my face toward Him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not of the idolaters.

‘Indeed I have turned my face toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, as a Hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists.’

I have turned my face to Him who has created the heavens and the earth, uprightly, and I am not among the idolaters'

Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah."

I have up-rightly submitted myself to the One who has created the heavens and the earth and I am not an idol worshipper."

Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists.

Innee wajjahtu wajhiya lilla<u>th</u>ee fa<u>t</u>ara a<b>l</b>ssam<u>a</u>w<u>a</u>ti wa<b>a</b>lar<u>d</u>a <u>h</u>aneefan wam<u>a</u> an<u>a</u> mina almushrikeen<b>a</b>

I have set my face with single-minded devotion, towards Him who has created the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of the polytheists."

"For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah."

إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

I have devoted my religion to Allah Who created the heavens and the earth without any precedent, throwing off idolatry and embracing pure monotheism. I am not one of the idolaters who worship others besides Allah.

I have devoted my religion to Allah Who created the heavens and the earth without any precedent, throwing off idolatry and embracing pure monotheism. I am not one of the idolaters who worship others besides Allah.

His people argued, and he said: "Do you argue with me about God? He has guided me already, and I fear not what you associate with Him, unless my Lord wills, for held within the knowledge of my Lord is everything. Will you not reflect?

And his people argued with him; he said, “What! You dispute with me concerning Allah? So He has guided me; and I do not have any fear of whatever you ascribe as partners, except what my Lord wills (to happen); my Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things; so will you not accept advice?”

His people disputed with him. He said, 'Do you dispute with me concerning God, and He has guided me? I fear not what you associate with Him, except my Lord will aught. My Lord embraces all things in His knowledge; will you not remember?

And his people argued with him. He said: "Do you argue with me about God, when it is He who has guided me? But I do not fear anything to which you ascribe divinity side by side with Him, [for no evil can befall me] unless my Sustainer so wills. All things does my Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; will you not, then, keep this in mind?

And his people contended with him. He said; contend ye with me concerning Allah when He hath surely guided me? I fear not that which ye associate with Him save aught that mine Lord may will. My Lord comprehendeth everything in His Knowledge. Will ye not then be admonished?

His people disputed with him. He said: "Do you dispute with me concerning Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord (Allah) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember?

And his people argued with him. He said, “Do you argue with me about God, when He has guided me? I do not fear what you associate with Him, unless my Lord wills it. My Lord comprehends all things in knowledge. Will you not reconsider?

His. people remonstrated with him whereupon Abraharn said: 'Do you remonstrate with me concerning Allah Who has guided me to the right way? I do not fear those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity. Only that which my Lord wills, indeed that alone will come by. My Lord embraces all things within His knowledge. Will you not take heed?

His people disputed with him. He said: "Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something. My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. Will you not then remember

His people argued with him. He said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at all that which ye set up beside Him unless my Lord willeth aught. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then remember?

His people argued with him. He said, ‘Do you argue with me concerning Allah, while He has guided me for certain? I do not fear what you ascribe to Him as [His] partners, excepting anything that my Lord may wish. My Lord embraces all things in [His] knowledge. Will you not then take admonition?

His nation argued with him. He said: 'Will you argue with me about Allah, indeed He guided me! Except by His will, I do not fear those you associate with Him. My Lord embraces all things in knowledge, will you not remember?

And his people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me concerning Allah while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him [and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember?

In an argument with his people, (Abraham) asked them, "Why do you argue with me about God who has given me guidance? Your idols can do no harm to me unless God wills. God knows all things. Why, then, do you not consider this?

And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me respecting Allah? And He has guided me indeed; and I do not fear in any way those that you set up with Him, unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; will you not then mind?

Wa<u>ha</u>jjahu qawmuhu q<u>a</u>la atu<u>ha</u>jjoonnee fee All<u>a</u>hi waqad had<u>a</u>ni wal<u>a</u> akh<u>a</u>fu m<u>a</u> tushrikoona bihi ill<u>a</u> an yash<u>a</u>a rabbee shayan wasiAAa rabbee kulla shayin AAilman afal<u>a</u> tata<u>th</u>akkaroon<b>a</b>

His people argued with him. He said, "Are you arguing with me about God, while He has guided me? I have no fear of any partner you ascribe to Him, unless my Lord should wish otherwise. My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge, so will you not pay heed?

His people disputed with him. He said: "(Come) ye to dispute with me, about Allah, when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah: Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things. Will ye not (yourselves) be admonished?

وَحَآجَّهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ قَالَ أَتُحَٰٓجُّوٓنِّى فِى ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَىٰنِ وَلَآ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْـًٔا وَسِعَ رَبِّى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Abraham’s people, who were idolaters, disputed with him with respect to Allah’s Oneness and they threatened him with their idols. He said to them: Do you argue with me about Allah’s Oneness and worshipping Him alone when my Lord has guided me to it? I do not have any fear of your idols, because they have no ability to harm or benefit, unless Allah wills. Whatever Allah wills happens. Allah’s knowledge covers everything and nothing in the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Him. Will you, then, not be mindful, O people, and stop your disbelief and associating of partners with Allah and believe in Him alone?

Abraham’s people, who were idolaters, disputed with him with respect to Allah’s Oneness and they threatened him with their idols. He said to them: Do you argue with me about Allah’s Oneness and worshipping Him alone when my Lord has guided me to it? I do not have any fear of your idols, because they have no ability to harm or benefit, unless Allah wills. Whatever Allah wills happens. Allah’s knowledge covers everything and nothing in the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Him. Will you, then, not be mindful, O people, and stop your disbelief and associating of partners with Allah and believe in Him alone?

<div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَتُحَاجُّونِّى فِى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِى</div><p>(Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me). The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided statements and false doubts Ibrahim said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْئاً</div><p>(and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something.) Ibrahim said, among the proofs to the falsehood of your creed, is that these false gods that you worship do not bring about any effect, and I do not fear them or care about them. Therefore, if these gods are able to cause harm, then use them against me and do not give me respite. Ibrahim's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْئاً</div><p>(except when my Lord wills something.) means, only Allah causes benefit or harm. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَسِعَ رَبِّى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً</div><p>(My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. ) meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and nothing escapes His complete observation, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ</div><p>(Will you not then remember) what I explained to you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping them This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar to the argument that Prophet Hud used against his people, `Ad. Allah mentioned this incident in His Book, when He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالُواْ يَهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ - إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ - إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ </div><p>(They said: "O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil." He said: "I call Allah to witness - and bear you witness - that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth).") 11:53-56 Ibrahim's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ</div><p>(And how should I fear those whom you associate. ..) means, how should I fear the idols that you worship instead of Allah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـناً</div><p>(while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan.) meaning, proof, according to Ibn `Abbas and others among the Salaf. Allah said in similar Ayat; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُواْ لَهُمْ مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ</div><p>(Or have they partners who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed) 42:21, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ أَسْمَآءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـنٍ</div><p>(They are but names which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority.) 53:21 His statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَأَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالاٌّمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ</div><p>((So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security If you but know.) means, which of the two parties is on the truth, those who worship Him in Whose Hand is harm and benefit, or those who worship what cannot bring harm or benefit, without authority to justify worshipping them Who among these two parties has more right to be saved from Allah's torment on the Day of Resurrection Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الاٌّمْنُ وَهُمْ مُّهْتَدُونَ </div><p>(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.) Therefore, those who worship Allah alone without partners, will acquire safety on the Day of Resurrection, and they are the guided ones in this life and the Hereafter. </p><h2 class="title">Shirk is the Greatest Zulm (Wrong)</h2><p>Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah said, "When the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ</div><p>(and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong).) was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet said, `And who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' The Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ</div><p>(Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) 31:13, was later revealed." Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said, "When this Ayah was revealed, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ</div><p>(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong),) it was hard on the people. They said, `O Allah's Messenger! Who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ الَّذِي تَعْنُونَ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ</div><p>(It is not what you understood from it. Did you not hear what the righteous servant (Luqman) said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَبُنَىَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ</div><p>(O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily! Shirk is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.)) 31:13. Therefore, it is about Shirk. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ</div><p>(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people.) means, We directed him to proclaim Our proof against them. Mujahid and others said that `Our proof' refers to, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـناً فَأَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالاٌّمْنِ</div><p>(And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security) Allah has testified Ibrahim's statement and affirmed security and guidance, saying; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الاٌّمْنُ وَهُمْ مُّهْتَدُونَ </div><p>(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, for them there is security and they are the guided.) Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ</div><p>(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will.) And; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) He is All-Wise in His statements and actions, All-Knower of those whom He guides or misguides, and whether the proof was established against them or not. Allah also said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ </div><p>(Truly! Those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them -- until they see the painful torment.) 10:96-97 This is why Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) </p>

أَتُحَاجُّونِّى فِى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِى(Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me). The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided statements and false doubts Ibrahim said next, وَلاَ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْئاً(and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something.) Ibrahim said, among the proofs to the falsehood of your creed, is that these false gods that you worship do not bring about any effect, and I do not fear them or care about them. Therefore, if these gods are able to cause harm, then use them against me and do not give me respite. Ibrahim's statement, إِلاَّ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْئاً(except when my Lord wills something.) means, only Allah causes benefit or harm. وَسِعَ رَبِّى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً(My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. ) meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and nothing escapes His complete observation, أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ(Will you not then remember) what I explained to you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping them This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar to the argument that Prophet Hud used against his people, `Ad. Allah mentioned this incident in His Book, when He said, قَالُواْ يَهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ - إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لاَ تُنظِرُونِ - إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (They said: "O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil." He said: "I call Allah to witness - and bear you witness - that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth).") 11:53-56 Ibrahim's statement, وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ(And how should I fear those whom you associate. ..) means, how should I fear the idols that you worship instead of Allah, وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـناً(while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan.) meaning, proof, according to Ibn `Abbas and others among the Salaf. Allah said in similar Ayat; أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُواْ لَهُمْ مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ(Or have they partners who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed) 42:21, and, إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ أَسْمَآءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـنٍ(They are but names which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority.) 53:21 His statement, فَأَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالاٌّمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ((So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security If you but know.) means, which of the two parties is on the truth, those who worship Him in Whose Hand is harm and benefit, or those who worship what cannot bring harm or benefit, without authority to justify worshipping them Who among these two parties has more right to be saved from Allah's torment on the Day of Resurrection Allah said, الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الاٌّمْنُ وَهُمْ مُّهْتَدُونَ (It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.) Therefore, those who worship Allah alone without partners, will acquire safety on the Day of Resurrection, and they are the guided ones in this life and the Hereafter. Shirk is the Greatest Zulm (Wrong)Al-Bukhari recorded that `Abdullah said, "When the Ayah, وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ(and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong).) was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet said, `And who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' The Ayah, إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ(Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) 31:13, was later revealed." Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said, "When this Ayah was revealed, الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ(It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong),) it was hard on the people. They said, `O Allah's Messenger! Who among us did not commit Zulm against himself' He said, «إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ الَّذِي تَعْنُونَ، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ(It is not what you understood from it. Did you not hear what the righteous servant (Luqman) said, يَبُنَىَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ(O my son! Join not in worship others with Allah. Verily! Shirk is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.)) 31:13. Therefore, it is about Shirk. Allah's statement, وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people.) means, We directed him to proclaim Our proof against them. Mujahid and others said that `Our proof' refers to, وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلاَ تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـناً فَأَىُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالاٌّمْنِ(And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security) Allah has testified Ibrahim's statement and affirmed security and guidance, saying; الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَـنَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمُ الاٌّمْنُ وَهُمْ مُّهْتَدُونَ (It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm, for them there is security and they are the guided.) Allah said, وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَـهَآ إِبْرَهِيمَ عَلَى قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَـتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ(And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whom We will.) And; إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.) He is All-Wise in His statements and actions, All-Knower of those whom He guides or misguides, and whether the proof was established against them or not. Allah also said, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ (Truly! Those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them -- until they see the painful torment.) 10:96-97 This is why Allah said here, إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ(Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.)

And why should I fear those you associate with Him when you fear not associating others with God for which He has sent down no sanction? Tell me, whose way is the way of peace, if you have the knowledge?

“And how should I fear whatever you ascribe as partners, whilst you do not fear that you have ascribed partners to Allah – for which He has not sent down on you any proof? So which of the two groups has more right to refuge, if you know?”

How should I fear what you have associated, seeing you fear not that you have associated with God that whereon He has not sent down on you any authority?' Which of the two parties has better title to security, if you have any knowledge?

And why should I fear anything that you worship side by side with Him, seeing that you are not afraid of ascribing divinity to other powers beside God without His ever having bestowed upon you from on high any warrant therefor? [Tell me,] then, which of the two parties has a better right to feel secure -if you happen to know [the answer]?

And how should I fear that which ye have associated, while ye fear not to have associated with Allah that for which He hath sent down unto you no warranty? Which, then, of the two parties, is more worthy of security, if ye but knew?

And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah (though they can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any authority. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security? If you but know."

And why should I fear those you associate with Him, and you do not fear associating others with God for which He sent down to you no authority? Which side is more entitled to security, if you are aware?”

Why should I fear those whom you have associated (with Allah in His divinity) when you do not fear associating others with Allah in His divinity - something for which He has sent down to you no authority. Then, which of the two parties has better title to security? Tell us, if you have any knowledge!

And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allah, while you fear not that you have joined in worship with Allah things for which He has not sent down to you any Sultan. (So) which of the two parties has more right to be in security If you but know."

How should I fear that which ye set up beside Him, when ye fear not to set up beside Allah that for which He hath revealed unto you no warrant? Which of the two factions hath more right to safety? (Answer me that) if ye have knowledge.

How could I fear what you ascribe [to Him] as [His] partners, when you do not fear ascribing to Allah partners for which He has not sent down any authority to you? So [tell me,] which of the two sides has a greater right to safety, if you know?

And how should I fear what you have associated when you yourselves are not afraid that you have associated with Allah that which He did not send down for it upon you an authority. Which of the two parties is more deserving of safety, if you know?

And how should I fear what you associate while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority? So which of the two parties has more right to security, if you should know?

Why should I be afraid of your idols when you are not afraid of worshipping them without any authority from heaven? Would that you knew which of us is more deserving to receive amnesty".

And how should I fear what you have set up (with Him), while you do not fear that you have set up with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority; which then of the two parties is surer of security, if you know?

Wakayfa akh<u>a</u>fu m<u>a</u> ashraktum wal<u>a</u> takh<u>a</u>foona annakum ashraktum bi<b>A</b>ll<u>a</u>hi m<u>a</u> lam yunazzil bihi AAalaykum sul<u>ta</u>nan faayyu alfareeqayni a<u>h</u>aqqu bi<b>a</b>lamni in kuntum taAAlamoon<b>a</b>

Why should I fear what you associate with Him, while you do not fear to associate with God that for which He has sent down to you no authority? Tell me, if you know the truth, which side has more right to feel secure.

"How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah, when ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security? (tell me) if ye know.

وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَآ أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَٰنًا فَأَىُّ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْأَمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

How can I be fearful of the idols you worship besides Allah when you have no fear of your associating as partners with Allah things that He created, without having any proof for doing so? Which of the two groups, the monotheists or the idolaters, is more deserving of safety and security? If you know which group is more deserving, then follow that group. The more deserving group is undoubtedly the group of the believers who are monotheists.

How can I be fearful of the idols you worship besides Allah when you have no fear of your associating as partners with Allah things that He created, without having any proof for doing so? Which of the two groups, the monotheists or the idolaters, is more deserving of safety and security? If you know which group is more deserving, then follow that group. The more deserving group is undoubtedly the group of the believers who are monotheists.

They alone have peace who believe and do not intermix belief with denial, and are guided on the right path."

Those who believed and did not mix it with injustice (disbelief), the refuge is only for them, and only they are on guidance.

Those who believe, and have not confounded their belief with evildoing -- to them belongs the true security; they are rightly guided.

Those who have attained to faith, and who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing-it is they who shall be secure, since it is they who have found the right path!"

It is those who believe and confound not their belief with wrong doing. These! theirs is the security and they are the guided.

It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.

Those who believe, and do not obscure their faith with wrongdoing—those will have security, and they are guided.

Those who believe and did not tarnish their faith with wrong-doing for them there is security, and it is they who have been guided to the right way.'

It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.

Those who believe and obscure not their belief by wrongdoing, theirs is safety; and they are rightly guided.

Those who have faith and do not taint their faith with wrongdoing—for such there shall be safety, and they are the [rightly] guided.’

Those who believe and have not confounded their belief with harm security belongs to them; and they are guided'

They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.

Those who have accepted the faith and have kept it pure from injustice, have achieved security and guidance.

Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with iniquity, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright.

Alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo walam yalbisoo eem<u>a</u>nahum bi<i><u>th</u></i>ulmin ol<u>a</u>ika lahumu alamnu wahum muhtadoon<b>a</b>

It is those who have faith, and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing, who will be secure, and it is they who are rightly guided."

"It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance."

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

Those who believe in Allah follow His laws and did not pollute their faith with polytheism, they will be the ones who will be safe and secure. They are the ones to whom their Lord has shown the path of guidance.

Those who believe in Allah follow His laws and did not pollute their faith with polytheism, they will be the ones who will be safe and secure. They are the ones to whom their Lord has shown the path of guidance.

<p>Commentary</p><p>Mentioned in the previous verses was the debate Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had held with his father, 'Azar, and with his entire Nimrudic people. There, after having conclusively refuted their worship of idols and stars, he had addressed his people by telling them in effect: You threaten me that your idols will destroy me if I refuse to accept their authority, although these idols do not have the power to do so, nor have I done anything as a result of which I may be hit by some hardship. In fact, it is you who should be trembling in fear for you have committed a crime as terrible as equating with Him the creations of Allah, rather the objects made and prepared by His creation even giving them a share in His divinity. Then, the fact that Allah Ta` ala is All-Knowing, All-Aware and All-Powerful is not hidden from any sensible person. This calls for some thinking on your part. So, think and say who deserves to be in peace and who it is who should be fearing?</p><p>In the first (82) of the present verses, it was said that only those who believe in Allah and then do not go on to mix up their faith with injustice shall be the people who can hope to be safe against punishment. It appears in Hadith, when this verse was revealed, the noble Sahabah were frightened. They said: Ya Rasul Allah, who among us has not been unjust to himself by committing one or the other sin? Now, in this verse, the only condition of remaining safe from punishment is that one should have done no injustice to himself while in the state of Im an. If so, how can we ever achieve salvation? The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: You have not understood the correct meaning of the verse. Here, ` Zulm' (injustice) means ` Shirk' (ascribing of partners to Allah) as said in another verse: إِنَّ الشِّرْ‌كَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ (Joining others in the worship of Allah is a great injustice - 31:13). Therefore, the sense of the verse is that one, who enters (the bliss of) Iman and then does not associate anyone with the Being and the Attributes of Allah Ta` ala, shall remain safe from punishment, and considered well guided.</p><p>In brief, those who worship idols, rocks, trees, rivers and stars do so because they, out of bland simplicity, take them to be the holders and wielders of power. So, they are scared of the idea of forsaking their worship lest these objects were to hurt them in some way. Sayy-idna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave such people a smart key to their problem when he asked them to fear Almighty Allah who knew all they do and had power over whatever good or bad reaches them - and not commit the folly of fearing things which have neither knowledge nor power. This fear is absolutely unreasonable. One must fear Allah alone - and whoever believes in it is out of all danger.</p><p>Said in this verse وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ (And those who have not mixed their faith with injustice). Here, ` Zulm' as explained by the Holy Prophet ﷺ means Shirk (ascribing partners in the divinity of Allah) - not sin in an ordinary sense. But, by bringing in: بِظُلم (bi zulmin) as indefinite noun (Nakirah), a device supported by the rules of the Arabic grammar, the sense was made general which includes all kinds of Shirk. As for the word: لَمْ يَلْبِسُوا (lam yalbisu), it has been de-rived from: لَبَسَ (labasa) which means to wear, cover or mix. Thus, the verse comes to mean that a person who mixes some sort of Shirk in his or her Iman, that is, one who, despite believing in Allah Ta` ala along with all His attributes of perfection, takes non-Allah too as bearing some of those attributes, shall be considered excluded from the guarantee of peace and faith given here.</p><p>We also come to know from this verse that Shirk is not restricted to becoming a Mushrik or idolater. In fact, also Mushrik is a person who does not worship idols in the customary sense, but recites the Kalimah of Islam, yet takes some angel or messenger or waliy or ‘saint’ of Allah as partners or sharers in some exclusive attributes of Allah. This verse carries a stern warning for those who take the Aulia' of Allah (The Men of Allah) and their Mazars (resting places, tombs) as capable of answering their prayers and granting their needs, and go as far as believing practically as if the Divine powers have been delegated to them. Refuge with Allah!</p>

CommentaryMentioned in the previous verses was the debate Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had held with his father, 'Azar, and with his entire Nimrudic people. There, after having conclusively refuted their worship of idols and stars, he had addressed his people by telling them in effect: You threaten me that your idols will destroy me if I refuse to accept their authority, although these idols do not have the power to do so, nor have I done anything as a result of which I may be hit by some hardship. In fact, it is you who should be trembling in fear for you have committed a crime as terrible as equating with Him the creations of Allah, rather the objects made and prepared by His creation even giving them a share in His divinity. Then, the fact that Allah Ta` ala is All-Knowing, All-Aware and All-Powerful is not hidden from any sensible person. This calls for some thinking on your part. So, think and say who deserves to be in peace and who it is who should be fearing?In the first (82) of the present verses, it was said that only those who believe in Allah and then do not go on to mix up their faith with injustice shall be the people who can hope to be safe against punishment. It appears in Hadith, when this verse was revealed, the noble Sahabah were frightened. They said: Ya Rasul Allah, who among us has not been unjust to himself by committing one or the other sin? Now, in this verse, the only condition of remaining safe from punishment is that one should have done no injustice to himself while in the state of Im an. If so, how can we ever achieve salvation? The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: You have not understood the correct meaning of the verse. Here, ` Zulm' (injustice) means ` Shirk' (ascribing of partners to Allah) as said in another verse: إِنَّ الشِّرْ‌كَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ (Joining others in the worship of Allah is a great injustice - 31:13). Therefore, the sense of the verse is that one, who enters (the bliss of) Iman and then does not associate anyone with the Being and the Attributes of Allah Ta` ala, shall remain safe from punishment, and considered well guided.In brief, those who worship idols, rocks, trees, rivers and stars do so because they, out of bland simplicity, take them to be the holders and wielders of power. So, they are scared of the idea of forsaking their worship lest these objects were to hurt them in some way. Sayy-idna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) gave such people a smart key to their problem when he asked them to fear Almighty Allah who knew all they do and had power over whatever good or bad reaches them - and not commit the folly of fearing things which have neither knowledge nor power. This fear is absolutely unreasonable. One must fear Allah alone - and whoever believes in it is out of all danger.Said in this verse وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ (And those who have not mixed their faith with injustice). Here, ` Zulm' as explained by the Holy Prophet ﷺ means Shirk (ascribing partners in the divinity of Allah) - not sin in an ordinary sense. But, by bringing in: بِظُلم (bi zulmin) as indefinite noun (Nakirah), a device supported by the rules of the Arabic grammar, the sense was made general which includes all kinds of Shirk. As for the word: لَمْ يَلْبِسُوا (lam yalbisu), it has been de-rived from: لَبَسَ (labasa) which means to wear, cover or mix. Thus, the verse comes to mean that a person who mixes some sort of Shirk in his or her Iman, that is, one who, despite believing in Allah Ta` ala along with all His attributes of perfection, takes non-Allah too as bearing some of those attributes, shall be considered excluded from the guarantee of peace and faith given here.We also come to know from this verse that Shirk is not restricted to becoming a Mushrik or idolater. In fact, also Mushrik is a person who does not worship idols in the customary sense, but recites the Kalimah of Islam, yet takes some angel or messenger or waliy or ‘saint’ of Allah as partners or sharers in some exclusive attributes of Allah. This verse carries a stern warning for those who take the Aulia' of Allah (The Men of Allah) and their Mazars (resting places, tombs) as capable of answering their prayers and granting their needs, and go as far as believing practically as if the Divine powers have been delegated to them. Refuge with Allah!

This is the argument We gave to Abraham against his people. We exalt whosoever We please in rank by degrees. Your Lord is wise and all-knowing.

And this is Our argument, which We gave Ibrahim against his people; We raise to high ranks whomever We will; indeed your Lord is Wise, All Knowing.

That is Our argument, which We bestowed upon Abraham as against his people. We raise up in degrees whom We will; surely thy Lord is All-wise, All-knowing.

And this was Our argument which We vouchsafed unto Abraham against his people: [for] We do raise by degrees whom We will. Verily, thy Sustainer is wise, all-knowing.

And this was Our argument which We vouchsafed unto Ibrahim against his people. We raise in degrees whomsoever We list; verily thy Lord is Wise, Knowing.

And that was Our Proof which We gave Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

That was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We elevate by degrees whomever We will. Your Lord is Wise and Informed.

That was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in ranks whom We will. Truly your lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

And that was Our proof which We gave Ibrahim against his people. We in degrees raise whom We will. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

That is Our argument. We gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! thy Lord is Wise, Aware.

This was Our argument that We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in rank whomever We wish. Indeed your Lord is all-wise, all-knowing.

Such is the argument that We gave Abraham against his nation. We raise whom We will to an exalted rank. Your Lord is Wise, Knowing.

And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.

Such was the authoritative reasoning that We gave Abraham over his people. We raise whomever We want to a higher rank. Your Lord is All-wise and All-knowing.

And this was Our argument which we gave to Ibrahim against his people; We exalt in dignity whom We please; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing.

Watilka <u>h</u>ujjatun<u>a</u> <u>a</u>tayn<u>a</u>h<u>a</u> ibr<u>a</u>heema AAal<u>a</u> qawmihi narfaAAu daraj<u>a</u>tin man nash<u>a</u>o inna rabbaka <u>h</u>akeemun AAaleem<b>un</b>

This is the reasoning We gave to Abraham against his people, We raise in rank anyone We please, your Lord is wise and aware.

That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.

وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰهَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَٰتٍ مَّن نَّشَآءُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ

The argument of the setting of the star, moon and sun, which Abraham used to defeat his people in the debate, is My argument, which I showed and gave him to use against his people. I raise in rank whichever of My servants I wish in this world and the Afterlife. Your Lord, O Messenger, is Wise in His creation and handling of matters, and He knows about His servants.

The argument of the setting of the star, moon and sun, which Abraham used to defeat his people in the debate, is My argument, which I showed and gave him to use against his people. I raise in rank whichever of My servants I wish in this world and the Afterlife. Your Lord, O Messenger, is Wise in His creation and handling of matters, and He knows about His servants.

<p>In the second verse (83), Allah Ta` ala has said that the triumph of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in his debate against his people and in which he had silenced them was a blessing of Allah alone for He gave him a sound theory to propound and glowing arguments to employ. Let no one wax proud about his or her intelligence and understanding or art of discourse and power of oration as self-sufficient. Nothing crosses the barrier of possibility without the support and help of Allah Ta` ala. Bland human reason is not enough to comprehend realities. This is a matter of common observation in every age. Philosophers of great standing go astray while many among the illiterate get a firm hold on correct belief and right thinking. Maulana Rumi was on the beam when he said:</p><p>بے عنایاتِ حق و خاصانِ حق</p><p>گر مَلک بشد سید ہستش ورق</p><p>Without the graces of The True One and those close to Him</p><p>Dark shall be the record of deeds, even if one be an angel.</p><p>By saying: نَرْ‌فَعُ دَرَ‌جَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ (We raise in ranks whom We will) towards the end of the verse (83), the hint given is that the station of special reverence received by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in this world which would last through generations to come until the Last Day, a homage universally paid by Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, was no feat of personal acquisition or recognition, instead of which, this was nothing but the grace and reward from Allah.</p>

In the second verse (83), Allah Ta` ala has said that the triumph of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in his debate against his people and in which he had silenced them was a blessing of Allah alone for He gave him a sound theory to propound and glowing arguments to employ. Let no one wax proud about his or her intelligence and understanding or art of discourse and power of oration as self-sufficient. Nothing crosses the barrier of possibility without the support and help of Allah Ta` ala. Bland human reason is not enough to comprehend realities. This is a matter of common observation in every age. Philosophers of great standing go astray while many among the illiterate get a firm hold on correct belief and right thinking. Maulana Rumi was on the beam when he said:بے عنایاتِ حق و خاصانِ حقگر مَلک بشد سید ہستش ورقWithout the graces of The True One and those close to HimDark shall be the record of deeds, even if one be an angel.By saying: نَرْ‌فَعُ دَرَ‌جَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ (We raise in ranks whom We will) towards the end of the verse (83), the hint given is that the station of special reverence received by Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in this world which would last through generations to come until the Last Day, a homage universally paid by Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, was no feat of personal acquisition or recognition, instead of which, this was nothing but the grace and reward from Allah.

And We gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided them, as We had guided Noah before them, and of his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus We reward those who are upright and do good.

And We bestowed upon him Ishaq (Isaac) and Yaqub (Jacob); We guided all of them; and We guided Nooh before them and of his descendants, Dawud and Sulaiman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Moosa and Haroon; and this is the way We reward the virtuous.

And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob -- each one We guided, And Noah We guided before; and of his seed David and Solomon, Job and Joseph, Moses and Aaron -- even so We recompense the good-doers --

And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; and We guided each of them as We had guided Noah aforetime. And out of his offspring, [We bestowed prophethood upon] David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: for thus do We reward the doers of good;

And We bestowed upon him Is-haq and Ya'qub: each one We guided. And Nuh We had guided afore, and of his progeny Da-ud and Sulaiman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Musa and Harun. And thus We recompense the well-doers.

And We bestowed upon him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nuh (Noah), and among his progeny Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ayub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses), and Harun (Aaron). Thus do We reward the good-doers.

And We gave him Isaac and Jacob—each of them We guided. And We guided Noah previously; and from his descendants David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron. Thus We reward the righteous.

And We bestowed upon Abraham (offspring) Ishaq (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob) and each of them did We guide to the right way as We had earlier guided Noah to the right way; and (of his descendants We guided) Da'ud (David) and Sulayman (Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron). Thus do We reward those who do good.

And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub, each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nuh and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, and Harun. Thus do We reward the good-doers.

And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good.

And We gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided each of them. And Noah We had guided before, and from his offspring, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron—thus do We reward the virtuous—

We gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided both; and We guided Noah before them, among his descendants were David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron as such, We recompense the gooddoers,

And We gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good.

We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob. Both had received Our guidance. Noah received Our guidance before Abraham and so did his descendants: David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Thus is the reward for the righteous people.

And We gave to him Ishaq and Yaqoub; each did We guide, and Nuh did We guide before, and of his descendants, Dawood and Sulaiman and Ayub and Yusuf and Musa and Haroun; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others).

Wawahabn<u>a</u> lahu is<u>ha</u>qa wayaAAqooba kullan hadayn<u>a</u> wanoo<u>h</u>an hadayn<u>a</u> min qablu wamin <u>th</u>urriyyatihi d<u>a</u>wooda wasulaym<u>a</u>na waayyooba wayoosufa wamoos<u>a</u> wah<u>a</u>roona waka<u>tha</u>lika najzee almu<u>h</u>sineen<b>a</b>

We gave him Isaac and Jacob, each of whom We guided as We had guided Noah before. Among his descendants were David and Solomon, and Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the righteous.

We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) guided: and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحًا هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِۦ دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

I blessed Abraham with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, and I guided each of them to the straight path. Before them, I guided to the path of truth Noah; and from the descendants of Noah, I guided David, his son Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and his brother Aaron (peace be upon them). Just as I gave the prophets a reward for doing good, I will give a similar reward to all those who do good, even if they are not prophets.

I blessed Abraham with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, and I guided each of them to the straight path. Before them, I guided to the path of truth Noah; and from the descendants of Noah, I guided David, his son Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and his brother Aaron (peace be upon them). Just as I gave the prophets a reward for doing good, I will give a similar reward to all those who do good, even if they are not prophets.

<p>In the six verses (84-89) appearing after that, there is a list of seventeen blessed prophets, some of whom are the forefathers of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) while most are his progeny, with some being his brothers or nephews. On the one hand, described in these verses is their being Divinely guided, righteous in conduct and firm on the straight path, along with the fact that Allah Ta` ala has chosen and blessed has been stressed them to serve His religion. On the other hand, it has been stressed that, in return for the sacrifice of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) who had disassociated himself from his father, community and country in the way of Allah, was it not that, much before the reward of eternal bliss in the Hereafter, Allah Ta` ala bestowed on him right here in this world too a community better than his own, a country better than his own - and blessed him with the supreme distinction that all prophets and messengers sent into the world after him upto the end of time were from among his progeny? A branch that originated from Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) had prophets who appeared among the Bani 1sra'il. The other branch which originated from Sayyidna 1sma'il (علیہ السلام) saw the coming of the foremost and the Last among prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ from among them. They all were the progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This phenomena also punishment tells us that, though honour and salvation or disgrace and punishment really depend on one's personal deeds, but having a prophet or man of Allah (waliy) among forefathers, or having observing ` Alims of Din and men and women of righteous conduct among children, is also a great blessing as this too brings its benefits.</p><p>Out of these seventeen prophets (علیہم السلام) identified in the cited verses Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) is the patriarch of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The rest have been called their progeny: وَمِن ذُرِّ‌يَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ (and, of his progeny, to Dawud and Sulayman ...). This poses two difficulties. The first could be about Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) who, because of his father-less birth, is a progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) from the daughter's side, that is, not a paternal grandson, instead, is a grandson from the maternal side.</p><p>If so, how would calling him his progeny would be correct? Most learned Muslim scholars and jurists have answered it by saying that progeny is inclusive of both paternal and maternal grandsons. It is from here that they prove that Sayyidna Hasan and Sayyidna Hussain ؓ stand included under the progeny of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .</p><p>The second difficulty posed here relates to Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) for he is not from among his children, but is a nephew. The answer is clear. In customary usage, referring nephew as son is very common.</p><p>By mentioning the blessings of Allah on Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in these verses, two things have been made very clear. Firstly, there is the law for anyone who sacrifices whatever he holds dear in the way of Allah, on him or her Allah bestows right here in this mortal world what is better than what he or she has surrendered in the way of Allah. Secondly, the purpose is to make the disbelievers of Makkah hear this background of things in their situation so that they may be guided right. This amounts to telling them: You do not listen to what Our prophet, Muhammad al-Mustafa is telling you. If that is so, consider these you too revere as great. So, Ibrahim and his whole progeny have all been saying the same thing - that Allah is the only object worthy of worship. Associating anyone else with Him in ` Ibadah, or suggesting that someone else is a sharer in His exclusive attributes is what disbelief and straying is. This proves that they are, even in terms of what they themselves accept as established truth, subject to censure.</p>

In the six verses (84-89) appearing after that, there is a list of seventeen blessed prophets, some of whom are the forefathers of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) while most are his progeny, with some being his brothers or nephews. On the one hand, described in these verses is their being Divinely guided, righteous in conduct and firm on the straight path, along with the fact that Allah Ta` ala has chosen and blessed has been stressed them to serve His religion. On the other hand, it has been stressed that, in return for the sacrifice of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) who had disassociated himself from his father, community and country in the way of Allah, was it not that, much before the reward of eternal bliss in the Hereafter, Allah Ta` ala bestowed on him right here in this world too a community better than his own, a country better than his own - and blessed him with the supreme distinction that all prophets and messengers sent into the world after him upto the end of time were from among his progeny? A branch that originated from Sayyidna Ishaq (علیہ السلام) had prophets who appeared among the Bani 1sra'il. The other branch which originated from Sayyidna 1sma'il (علیہ السلام) saw the coming of the foremost and the Last among prophets, Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ from among them. They all were the progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . This phenomena also punishment tells us that, though honour and salvation or disgrace and punishment really depend on one's personal deeds, but having a prophet or man of Allah (waliy) among forefathers, or having observing ` Alims of Din and men and women of righteous conduct among children, is also a great blessing as this too brings its benefits.Out of these seventeen prophets (علیہم السلام) identified in the cited verses Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) is the patriarch of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . The rest have been called their progeny: وَمِن ذُرِّ‌يَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ (and, of his progeny, to Dawud and Sulayman ...). This poses two difficulties. The first could be about Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) who, because of his father-less birth, is a progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) from the daughter's side, that is, not a paternal grandson, instead, is a grandson from the maternal side.If so, how would calling him his progeny would be correct? Most learned Muslim scholars and jurists have answered it by saying that progeny is inclusive of both paternal and maternal grandsons. It is from here that they prove that Sayyidna Hasan and Sayyidna Hussain ؓ stand included under the progeny of the Holy Prophet ﷺ .The second difficulty posed here relates to Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) for he is not from among his children, but is a nephew. The answer is clear. In customary usage, referring nephew as son is very common.By mentioning the blessings of Allah on Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) in these verses, two things have been made very clear. Firstly, there is the law for anyone who sacrifices whatever he holds dear in the way of Allah, on him or her Allah bestows right here in this mortal world what is better than what he or she has surrendered in the way of Allah. Secondly, the purpose is to make the disbelievers of Makkah hear this background of things in their situation so that they may be guided right. This amounts to telling them: You do not listen to what Our prophet, Muhammad al-Mustafa is telling you. If that is so, consider these you too revere as great. So, Ibrahim and his whole progeny have all been saying the same thing - that Allah is the only object worthy of worship. Associating anyone else with Him in ` Ibadah, or suggesting that someone else is a sharer in His exclusive attributes is what disbelief and straying is. This proves that they are, even in terms of what they themselves accept as established truth, subject to censure.

<h2 class="title">Ibrahim Receives the News of Ishaq and Ya`qub During His Old Age</h2><p>Allah states that after Ibrahim became old and he, and his wife, Sarah, lost hope of having children, He gave them Ishaq. The angels came to Ibrahim on their way to the people of Prophet Lut (to destroy them) and they delivered the good news of a child to Ibrahim and his wife. Ibrahim's wife was amazed at the news, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَتْ يوَيْلَتَا ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَاْ عَجُوزٌ وَهَـذَا بَعْلِى شَيْخًا إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ - قَالُواْ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَـتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ </div><p>(She said (in astonishment): "Woe unto me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband, an old man Verily! This is a strange thing!" They said: "Do you wonder at the decree of Allah The mercy of Allah and His blessings be on you, O the family of Ibrahim. Surely, He (Allah) is All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious.") 11:72-73 The angels also gave them the good news that Ishaq will be a Prophet and that he will have offspring of his own. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ </div><p>(And We gave him the good news of Ishaq a Prophet from the righteous.)37:112, which perfects this good news and completes the favor. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ</div><p>(of Ishaq, and after him, of Ya`qub...) 11:71, meaning, this child will have another child in your lifetime, so that your eyes are comforted by him, just as your eyes will be comforted by his father. Certainly, one becomes jubilant and joyous when he becomes a grandfather, because this means that his offspring will continue to exist. It was also expected that if an elderly couple had children, due to the child's weakness, he would have no offspring. This is why Allah delivered the good news of Ishaq and of his son Ya`qub, whose name literally means `multiplying and having offspring'. This was a reward for Ibrahim who left his people and migrated from their land so that he could worship Allah alone. Allah compensated Ibrahim with better than his people and tribe when He gave him righteous children of his own, who would follow his religion, so that his eyes would be comforted by them. In another Ayah, Allah said; a </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلاًّ جَعَلْنَا نَبِيّاً </div><p>(So when he turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya`qub, and each one of them We made a Prophet.) 19:49 Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا</div><p>(And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub, each of them We guided,) Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَنُوحاً هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ</div><p>(and before him, We guided Nuh...) meaning, We guided Nuh before and gave him righteous offspring, just as We guided Ibrahim and gave him righteous children. </p><h2 class="title">Qualities of Nuh and Ibrahim</h2><p>Each of these two Prophets had special qualities. When Allah caused the people of the earth to drown, except those who believed in Nuh and accompanied him in the ark, Allah made the offspring of Nuh the dwellers of the earth thereafter. Ever since that occurred, the people of the earth were and still are the descendants of Nuh. As for Ibrahim, Allah did not send a Prophet after him but from his descendants. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَـبَ</div><p>(And We ordained among his (Ibrahim's) offspring prophethood and the Book.) 29:27, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحاً وَإِبْرَهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَـبَ</div><p>(And indeed, We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and placed in their offspring Prophethood and the Book.) 57:26, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءادَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْرَءِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَآ إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءايَـتُ الرَّحْمَـنِ خَرُّواْ سُجَّداً وَبُكِيّاً </div><p>(Those were they unto whom Allah bestowed His grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh, and of the offspring of Ibrahim and Isra'il and from among those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping.) 19:58 Allah said in this honorable Ayah here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ</div><p>(and among his progeny...) meaning, We guided from among his offspring, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَـنَ</div><p>(Dawud, Sulayman...) from the offspring of Nuh, according to Ibn Jarir. It is also possible that the Ayah refers to Ibrahim since it is about him that the blessings were originally mentioned here, although Lut is not from his offspring, for he was Ibrahim's nephew, the son of his brother Maran, the son of Azar. It is possible to say that Lut was mentioned in Ibrahim's offspring as a generalization. As Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن بَعْدِى قَالُواْ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـهَكَ وَإِلَـهَ آبَآئِكَ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـقَ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ </div><p>(Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya`qub When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me" They said, "We shall worship your God, and the God of your fathers, Ibrahim, Isma`il, Ishaq, One God, and to Him we submit.") 2:133. Here, Isma`il was mentioned among the ascendants of Ya`qub, although he was Ya`qub's uncle. Similarly Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ - إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ السَّـجِدِينَ </div><p>(So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together. Except Iblis -- he refused to be among those to prostrate.) 15:30-31. Allah included Iblis in His order to the angels to prostrate, and chastised him for his opposition, all because he was similar to them in that (order), so he was considered among them in general, although he was a Jinn. Iblis was created from fire while the angels were created from light. Mentioning `Isa in the offspring of Ibrahim, or Nuh as we stated above, is proof that the grandchildren from a man's daughter's side are included among his offspring. `Isa is included among Ibrahim's progeny through his mother, although `Isa did not have a father. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Harb bin Abi Al-Aswad said, "Al-Hajjaj sent to Yahya bin Ya`mar, saying, `I was told that you claim that Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn are from the offspring of the Prophet , did you find it in the Book of Allah I read the Qur'an from beginning to end and did not find it.' Yahya said, `Do you not read in Surat Al-An`am, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَـنَ</div><p>(and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman...) until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى</div><p>(and Yahya and `Isa...) Al-Hajjaj said, `Yes.' Yahya said, `Is not `Isa from the offspring of Ibrahim, although he did not have a father' Al-Hajjaj said, `You have said the truth."' For example, when a man leaves behind a legacy, a trust, or gift to his "offspring" then the children of his daughters are included. But if a man gives something to his "sons", or he leaves a trust behind for them, then that would be particular to his male children and their male children. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمِنْ ءابَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَنِهِمْ</div><p>(And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren,) 6:87, mentions that some of these Prophets' ascendants and descendants were also guided and chosen. So Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَاجْتَبَيْنَـهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ</div><p>(We chose them, and We guided them to a straight path.) </p><h2 class="title">Shirk Eradicates the Deeds, Even the Deeds of the Messengers</h2><p>Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ذلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ</div><p>(This is the guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He wills of His servants.) meaning, this occurred to them by Allah's leave and because He directed them to guidance. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ</div><p>(But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.) This magnifies the serious danger of Shirk and the gravity of committing it. In another Ayah, Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ أُوْحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ</div><p>(And indeed it has been revealed to you, as it was to those (Allah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allah, surely your deeds will be in vain.") 39:65 `If' here does not mean that this would ever occur, as is similar in Allah's statement; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ </div><p>(Say: "If the Most Beneficent had a son, then I am the first of Allah's worshippers.") 43:81, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ </div><p>(If We intended to take a pastime (a wife or a son, etc.) We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that)) 21:17, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ </div><p>(If Allah willed to take a son, He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Compelling.) 39:4 Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ</div><p>(They are those whom We gave the Book, Al-Hukm, and prophethood.) We bestowed these bounties on them, as a mercy for the servants, and out of our kindness for creation. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا</div><p>(But if they disbelieve therein...) in the prophethood, or the three things; the Book, the Hukm and the prophethood, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">هَـؤُلاءِ</div><p>(They...) refers to the people of Makkah, according to Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi, and others. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْماً لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَـفِرِينَ</div><p>(then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people who are not disbelievers therein.) This Ayah means, if the Quraysh and the rest of the people of the earth - Arabs and non-Arabs, illiterate and the People of the Scripture - disbelieve in these bounties, then We have entrusted them to another people, the Muhajirun and Ansar, and those who follow their lead until the Day of Resurrection, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَـفِرِينَ</div><p>(who are not disbelievers therein.) They will not deny any of these favors, not even one letter. Rather, they will believe in them totally, even the parts that are not so clear to some of them. We ask Allah to make us among them by His favor, generosity and kindness. Addressing His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أُوْلَـئِكَ</div><p>(They are...) the Prophets mentioned here, along with their righteous fathers, offspring and bretheren, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ</div><p>(those whom Allah had guided.) meaning, they alone are the people of guidance, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ</div><p>(So follow their guidance.) Imitate them. This command to the Messenger certainly applies to his Ummah, according to what he legislates and commands them. While mentioning this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Mujahid asked Ibn `Abbas, "Is there an instance where prostration is warranted in Surah Sad" Ibn `Abbas said, "Yes." He then recited, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ</div><p>(...And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub...) until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ</div><p>(...So follow their guidance.) He commented, "He (our Prophet, Muhammad ) was among them." In another narration, Mujahid added that Ibn `Abbas said, "Your Prophet was among those whose guidance we were commanded to follow." Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُل لاَّ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً</div><p>(Say: "No reward I ask of you for this.") means, I do not ask you for any reward for delivering the Qur'an to you, nor anything else, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْعَـلَمِينَ</div><p>("It is only a reminder for the `Alamin (mankind and Jinns).") so they are reminded by it and guided from blindness to clarity, from misguidance to guidance, and from disbelief to faith. </p>

Ibrahim Receives the News of Ishaq and Ya`qub During His Old AgeAllah states that after Ibrahim became old and he, and his wife, Sarah, lost hope of having children, He gave them Ishaq. The angels came to Ibrahim on their way to the people of Prophet Lut (to destroy them) and they delivered the good news of a child to Ibrahim and his wife. Ibrahim's wife was amazed at the news, قَالَتْ يوَيْلَتَا ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَاْ عَجُوزٌ وَهَـذَا بَعْلِى شَيْخًا إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌ - قَالُواْ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَـتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ (She said (in astonishment): "Woe unto me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman, and here is my husband, an old man Verily! This is a strange thing!" They said: "Do you wonder at the decree of Allah The mercy of Allah and His blessings be on you, O the family of Ibrahim. Surely, He (Allah) is All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious.") 11:72-73 The angels also gave them the good news that Ishaq will be a Prophet and that he will have offspring of his own. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَبَشَّرْنَـهُ بِإِسْحَـقَ نَبِيّاً مِّنَ الصَّـلِحِينَ (And We gave him the good news of Ishaq a Prophet from the righteous.)37:112, which perfects this good news and completes the favor. Allah said, بِإِسْحَـقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَـقَ يَعْقُوبَ(of Ishaq, and after him, of Ya`qub...) 11:71, meaning, this child will have another child in your lifetime, so that your eyes are comforted by him, just as your eyes will be comforted by his father. Certainly, one becomes jubilant and joyous when he becomes a grandfather, because this means that his offspring will continue to exist. It was also expected that if an elderly couple had children, due to the child's weakness, he would have no offspring. This is why Allah delivered the good news of Ishaq and of his son Ya`qub, whose name literally means `multiplying and having offspring'. This was a reward for Ibrahim who left his people and migrated from their land so that he could worship Allah alone. Allah compensated Ibrahim with better than his people and tribe when He gave him righteous children of his own, who would follow his religion, so that his eyes would be comforted by them. In another Ayah, Allah said; a فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلاًّ جَعَلْنَا نَبِيّاً (So when he turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaq and Ya`qub, and each one of them We made a Prophet.) 19:49 Allah said here, وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلاًّ هَدَيْنَا(And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub, each of them We guided,) Allah said; وَنُوحاً هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ(and before him, We guided Nuh...) meaning, We guided Nuh before and gave him righteous offspring, just as We guided Ibrahim and gave him righteous children. Qualities of Nuh and IbrahimEach of these two Prophets had special qualities. When Allah caused the people of the earth to drown, except those who believed in Nuh and accompanied him in the ark, Allah made the offspring of Nuh the dwellers of the earth thereafter. Ever since that occurred, the people of the earth were and still are the descendants of Nuh. As for Ibrahim, Allah did not send a Prophet after him but from his descendants. Allah said in other Ayat, وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَـبَ(And We ordained among his (Ibrahim's) offspring prophethood and the Book.) 29:27, وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحاً وَإِبْرَهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَـبَ(And indeed, We sent Nuh and Ibrahim, and placed in their offspring Prophethood and the Book.) 57:26, and, أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءادَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْرَءِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَآ إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءايَـتُ الرَّحْمَـنِ خَرُّواْ سُجَّداً وَبُكِيّاً (Those were they unto whom Allah bestowed His grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh, and of the offspring of Ibrahim and Isra'il and from among those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping.) 19:58 Allah said in this honorable Ayah here, وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ(and among his progeny...) meaning, We guided from among his offspring, دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَـنَ(Dawud, Sulayman...) from the offspring of Nuh, according to Ibn Jarir. It is also possible that the Ayah refers to Ibrahim since it is about him that the blessings were originally mentioned here, although Lut is not from his offspring, for he was Ibrahim's nephew, the son of his brother Maran, the son of Azar. It is possible to say that Lut was mentioned in Ibrahim's offspring as a generalization. As Allah said, أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن بَعْدِى قَالُواْ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـهَكَ وَإِلَـهَ آبَآئِكَ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـقَ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ (Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya`qub When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me" They said, "We shall worship your God, and the God of your fathers, Ibrahim, Isma`il, Ishaq, One God, and to Him we submit.") 2:133. Here, Isma`il was mentioned among the ascendants of Ya`qub, although he was Ya`qub's uncle. Similarly Allah said, فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ - إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ السَّـجِدِينَ (So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together. Except Iblis -- he refused to be among those to prostrate.) 15:30-31. Allah included Iblis in His order to the angels to prostrate, and chastised him for his opposition, all because he was similar to them in that (order), so he was considered among them in general, although he was a Jinn. Iblis was created from fire while the angels were created from light. Mentioning `Isa in the offspring of Ibrahim, or Nuh as we stated above, is proof that the grandchildren from a man's daughter's side are included among his offspring. `Isa is included among Ibrahim's progeny through his mother, although `Isa did not have a father. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Harb bin Abi Al-Aswad said, "Al-Hajjaj sent to Yahya bin Ya`mar, saying, `I was told that you claim that Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn are from the offspring of the Prophet , did you find it in the Book of Allah I read the Qur'an from beginning to end and did not find it.' Yahya said, `Do you not read in Surat Al-An`am, وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَـنَ(and among his progeny Dawud, Sulayman...) until, وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى(and Yahya and `Isa...) Al-Hajjaj said, `Yes.' Yahya said, `Is not `Isa from the offspring of Ibrahim, although he did not have a father' Al-Hajjaj said, `You have said the truth."' For example, when a man leaves behind a legacy, a trust, or gift to his "offspring" then the children of his daughters are included. But if a man gives something to his "sons", or he leaves a trust behind for them, then that would be particular to his male children and their male children. Allah's statement, وَمِنْ ءابَائِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَنِهِمْ(And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren,) 6:87, mentions that some of these Prophets' ascendants and descendants were also guided and chosen. So Allah said, وَاجْتَبَيْنَـهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ(We chose them, and We guided them to a straight path.) Shirk Eradicates the Deeds, Even the Deeds of the MessengersAllah said next, ذلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ(This is the guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He wills of His servants.) meaning, this occurred to them by Allah's leave and because He directed them to guidance. Allah said; وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ(But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.) This magnifies the serious danger of Shirk and the gravity of committing it. In another Ayah, Allah said; وَلَقَدْ أُوْحِىَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ(And indeed it has been revealed to you, as it was to those (Allah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allah, surely your deeds will be in vain.") 39:65 `If' here does not mean that this would ever occur, as is similar in Allah's statement; قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ (Say: "If the Most Beneficent had a son, then I am the first of Allah's worshippers.") 43:81, and لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ (If We intended to take a pastime (a wife or a son, etc.) We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that)) 21:17, and, لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ (If Allah willed to take a son, He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Compelling.) 39:4 Allah said, أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ(They are those whom We gave the Book, Al-Hukm, and prophethood.) We bestowed these bounties on them, as a mercy for the servants, and out of our kindness for creation. فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا(But if they disbelieve therein...) in the prophethood, or the three things; the Book, the Hukm and the prophethood, هَـؤُلاءِ(They...) refers to the people of Makkah, according to Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, As-Suddi, and others. فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْماً لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَـفِرِينَ(then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people who are not disbelievers therein.) This Ayah means, if the Quraysh and the rest of the people of the earth - Arabs and non-Arabs, illiterate and the People of the Scripture - disbelieve in these bounties, then We have entrusted them to another people, the Muhajirun and Ansar, and those who follow their lead until the Day of Resurrection, لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَـفِرِينَ(who are not disbelievers therein.) They will not deny any of these favors, not even one letter. Rather, they will believe in them totally, even the parts that are not so clear to some of them. We ask Allah to make us among them by His favor, generosity and kindness. Addressing His servant and Messenger, Muhammad , Allah said; أُوْلَـئِكَ(They are...) the Prophets mentioned here, along with their righteous fathers, offspring and bretheren, الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ(those whom Allah had guided.) meaning, they alone are the people of guidance, فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ(So follow their guidance.) Imitate them. This command to the Messenger certainly applies to his Ummah, according to what he legislates and commands them. While mentioning this Ayah, Al-Bukhari recorded that Mujahid asked Ibn `Abbas, "Is there an instance where prostration is warranted in Surah Sad" Ibn `Abbas said, "Yes." He then recited, وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَـقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ(...And We bestowed upon him Ishaq and Ya`qub...) until, فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ(...So follow their guidance.) He commented, "He (our Prophet, Muhammad ) was among them." In another narration, Mujahid added that Ibn `Abbas said, "Your Prophet was among those whose guidance we were commanded to follow." Allah's statement, قُل لاَّ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً(Say: "No reward I ask of you for this.") means, I do not ask you for any reward for delivering the Qur'an to you, nor anything else, إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْعَـلَمِينَ("It is only a reminder for the `Alamin (mankind and Jinns).") so they are reminded by it and guided from blindness to clarity, from misguidance to guidance, and from disbelief to faith.

Zachariah and John We guided, and guided Jesus and Elias who were all among the upright.

And (We guided) Zakaria and Yahya (John) and Eisa and Elias; all these are worthy of Our proximity.

Zachariah and John, Jesus and Elias; each was of the righteous;

and [upon] Zachariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elijah: every one of them was of the righteous;

And also Zakariyya and Yahya and Isa and llyas: each one was of the righteous.

And Zakariya (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and 'Iesa (Jesus) and Iliyas (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous.

And Zechariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elias—every one of them was of the upright.

(And of his descendants We guided) Zakariya (Zachariah), Yahya (John), Isa (Jesus) and Ilyas (Elias): each one of them was of the righteous.

And Zakariyya, and Yahya and `Isa and Iliyas, each one of them was of the righteous.

And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.

and Zechariah, John, Jesus and Ilyas—each of them among the righteous—

and (Prophets) Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias, each was of the righteous,

And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias - and all were of the righteous.

We also gave guidance to Zacharias, John, Jesus, and Elias, who were all pious people,

And Zakariya and Yahya and Isa and Ilyas; every one was of the good;

Wazakariyy<u>a</u> waya<u>h</u>y<u>a</u> waAAees<u>a</u> wa<b>i</b>ly<u>a</u>sa kullun mina a<b>l</b><u>ssa</u>li<u>h</u>een<b>a</b>

Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elijah, every one of them was righteous,

And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:

وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

In a similar way, I guided Zachariah, John, Jesus son of Mary and Elijah (peace be upon them). All these prophets were of the righteous, who were chosen by Allah to be messengers.

In a similar way, I guided Zachariah, John, Jesus son of Mary and Elijah (peace be upon them). All these prophets were of the righteous, who were chosen by Allah to be messengers.

We gave guidance to Ishmael, Elisha and Jonah and Lot; And We favoured them over the other people of the world,

And Ismael (Ishmael) and Yasa’a (Elisha) and Yunus (Jonah) and Lut (Lot); and to each one during their times, We gave excellence over all others.

Ishmael and Elisha, Jonah and Lot-each one We preferred above all beings;

and [upon] Ishmael, and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot. And every one of them did We favour above other people;

And Ismai'l and Alyas'a and Yunus and Lut: each one of them We preferred above the worlds.

And Isma'il (Ishmael) and Al-Yas'a (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lout (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns) (of their times).

And Ishmael, and Elijah, and Jonah, and Lot—We favored each one of them over all other people.

(And of his descendants We guided) Isma'il (Ishmael), al-Yasa' (Elisha), Yunus (Jonah), and Lut (Lot). And each one of them We favoured over all mankind.

And Isma`il and Al-Yasa`, and Yunus and Lut, and each one of them We preferred above the `Alamin (mankind and Jinns, of their times).

And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures,

and Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot—each We graced over all the nations—

and Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot. Each We preferred above the worlds,

And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot - and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.

and Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot whom We exalted over all people.

And Ismail and Al-Yasha and Yunus and Lut; and every one We made to excel (in) the worlds:

Waism<u>a</u>AAeela wa<b>i</b>lyasaAAa wayoonusa waloo<u>t</u>an wakullan fa<u>dd</u>aln<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> alAA<u>a</u>lameen<b>a</b>

Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot -- We favoured each one of them above other people,

And Isma'il and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot: and to all We gave favour above the nations:

وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَٱلْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطًا وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

In a similar way, I guided Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot (peace be upon them). I favoured all of them with prophethood, with Muhammad (peace be upon him) being the best of them, superior to all other people.

In a similar way, I guided Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot (peace be upon them). I favoured all of them with prophethood, with Muhammad (peace be upon him) being the best of them, superior to all other people.

As We did some of their fathers and progeny and brethren, and chose them, and showed them the right path.

And some of their ancestors and their descendants and their brothers; and We chose them and guided them to the Straight Path.

and of their fathers, and of their seed, and of their brethren; and We elected them, and We guided them to a straight path.

and [We exalted likewise] some of their forefathers and-their offspring and their brethren: We elected them [all], and guided them onto a straight way.

And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren: We chose them and guided them onto the right path.

And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren, We chose them, and We guided them to a Straight Path.

And of their ancestors, and their descendants, and their siblings—We chose them, and guided them to a straight path.

And likewise We elected for Our cause and guided on to a straight way some of their forefathers and their offspring and their brethren.

And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren, We chose them, and We guided them to a straight path.

With some of their forefathers and their offspring and their brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path.

and from among their fathers, their descendants and brethren—We chose them and guided them to a straight path.

as We did their fathers, their descendants, and their brothers. We chose them and guided them to a Straight Path.

And [some] among their fathers and their descendants and their brothers - and We chose them and We guided them to a straight path.

From their fathers, descendants, and brothers, We chose (certain) people and guided them to the right path.

And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them into the right way.

Wamin <u>a</u>b<u>a</u>ihim wa<u>th</u>urriyy<u>a</u>tihim waikhw<u>a</u>nihim wa<b>i</b>jtabayn<u>a</u>hum wahadayn<u>a</u>hum il<u>a</u> <u>s</u>ir<u>at</u>in mustaqeem<b>in</b>

and also some of their forefathers, their offspring, and their brothers: We chose them and guided them to a straight path.

(To them) and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren: We chose them, and we guided them to a straight way.

وَمِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّٰتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ وَٱجْتَبَيْنَٰهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

I also guided some of their forefathers, descendants and brothers, whom I had willed to guide. I selected them and made them take the straight path: the path of Allah’s Oneness and His obedience.

I also guided some of their forefathers, descendants and brothers, whom I had willed to guide. I selected them and made them take the straight path: the path of Allah’s Oneness and His obedience.

This is God's guidance: He gives among His creatures whom He will. If they had associated others with Him, surely vain would have been all they did.

This is the guidance of Allah, which He may give to whomever He wills among His bondmen; and had they ascribed partners (to Allah), their deeds would have been wasted.

That is God's guidance; He guides by it whom He will of His servants; had they been idolaters, it would have failed them, the things they did.

Such is God's guidance: He guides therewith whomever He wills of His servants. And had they ascribed divinity to aught beside Him-in vain, indeed, would have been all [the good] that they ever did:

This is the guidance of Allah whereby He guideth whomsoever of His bondmen He listeth. And if they had associated, to naught would have come all that they were wont to work.

This is the Guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He will of His slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.

Such is God’s guidance. He guides with it whomever He wills of His servants. Had they associated, their deeds would have gone in vain.

That is Allah's guidance wherewith He guides those of His servants whom He wills. But if they ever associated others with Allah in His divinity, then all that they had done would have gone to waste.

This is the guidance of Allah with which He guides whomsoever He wills of His servants. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.

Such is the guidance of Allah wherewith He guideth whom He will of His bondmen. But if they had set up (for worship) aught beside Him, (all) that they did would have been vain.

That is Allah’s guidance: with it, He guides whomever He wishes of His servants. But were they to ascribe any partners [to Allah], what they used to do would not avail them.

Such is the guidance of Allah by it He guides whom He will of His worshipers. Had they associated (others with Him), their labors would have indeed been annulled.

That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whomever He wills of His servants. But if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.

Such is the guidance of God by which He guides whichever of His servants He wants. If people worship idols, their deeds will be turned devoid of all virtue.

This is Allah's guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them.

<u>Tha</u>lika hud<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi yahdee bihi man yash<u>a</u>o min AAib<u>a</u>dihi walaw ashrakoo la<u>h</u>abi<u>t</u>a AAanhum m<u>a</u> k<u>a</u>noo yaAAmaloon<b>a</b>

This is the guidance of God: He gives that guidance to whichever of His servants He pleases. If they had associated other deities with Him, surely all they did would have been of no avail.

This is the guidance of Allah: He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them.

ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

The guidance they received was Allah’s guidance, which He grants to whomever of His servants He wills. If they had associated others as partners to Allah, then their actions would be void, because associating partners with Allah nullifies good actions.

The guidance they received was Allah’s guidance, which He grants to whomever of His servants He wills. If they had associated others as partners to Allah, then their actions would be void, because associating partners with Allah nullifies good actions.

Those were the people to whom We gave the Book and the Law and the Prophethood. But if they reject these things We shall entrust them to a people who will not deny.

These are the ones whom We gave the Book and the wisdom and the Prophethood; so if these people do not believe in it, We have then kept ready for it a nation who do not reject (the truth).

Those are they to whom We gave the Book, the Judgment, the Prophethood; so if these disbelieve in it, We have already entrusted it to a people who do not disbelieve in it.

[but] it was to them that We vouchsafed revelation, and sound judgment, and prophethood. And now, although the unbelievers may choose to deny these truths, [know that] We have entrusted them to people who will never refuse to acknowledge them-

Those are they unto whom We vouchsafed the Book and judgement and prophethood. Wherefore if those disbelieve therein, We have surely entrusted its unto a people who are not disbelievers therein.

They are those whom We gave the Book, Al-Hukm (understanding of the religious laws), and Prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein (the Book, Al-Hukm and Prophethood), then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people (such as the Companions of Prophet Muhammad SAW) who are not disbelievers therein.

Those are they to whom We gave the Book, and wisdom, and prophethood. If these reject them, We have entrusted them to others who do not reject them.

Those are the ones to whom We gave the Book, and judgement and prophethood. And if they refuse to believe in it now, We will bestow this favour on a people who do believe in it.

They are those whom We gave the Book, Al-Hukm, and prophethood. But if they disbelieve therein, then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people who are not disbelievers therein.

Those are they unto whom We gave the Scripture and command and prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein, then indeed We shall entrust it to a people who will not be disbelievers therein.

They are the ones whom We gave the Book, judgement and prophethood. So if these disbelieve in them, We have certainly entrusted them to a people who will never disbelieve in them.

Those, We have given them the Book, judgment, and prophethood. If these disbelieve it, We have entrusted it to others who do not disbelieve in it.

Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture and authority and prophethood. But if the disbelievers deny it, then We have entrusted it to a people who are not therein disbelievers.

These were the people to whom We gave the Book, Authority, and Prophesy. If some people do not accept Our guidance, it should not grieve you, (Muhammad), for We have made others who accept and protect Our guidance.

These are they to whom We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it.

Ol<u>a</u>ika alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>tayn<u>a</u>humu alkit<u>a</u>ba wa<b>a</b>l<u>h</u>ukma wa<b>al</b>nnubuwwata fain yakfur bih<u>a</u> h<u>a</u>ol<u>a</u>i faqad wakkaln<u>a</u> bih<u>a</u> qawman laysoo bih<u>a</u> bik<u>a</u>fireen<b>a</b>

Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood. If these people [the Makkans] reject it, We shall entrust it to a people who will never refuse to acknowledge it.

These were the men to whom We gave the Book, and authority, and prophethood: if these (their descendants) reject them, Behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new people who reject them not.

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا۟ بِهَا بِكَٰفِرِينَ

The prophets mentioned are the ones to whom I had given divine scriptures, wisdom and prophethood. If your people deny any of these things which I have given to them, then I have prepared other people who do not disbelieve, but who accept and hold firm onto it. They are the Emigrants (Muhājirūn) and the Helpers (Anṣār), and all those who follow them in good until the Day of Reward.

The prophets mentioned are the ones to whom I had given divine scriptures, wisdom and prophethood. If your people deny any of these things which I have given to them, then I have prepared other people who do not disbelieve, but who accept and hold firm onto it. They are the Emigrants (Muhājirūn) and the Helpers (Anṣār), and all those who follow them in good until the Day of Reward.

<p>The subject continues through the eighth verse (89) at the end of which it has been said to comfort the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; فَإِن يَكْفُرْ‌ بِهَا هَـٰؤُلَاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا بِهَا بِكَافِرِ‌ينَ (So, if these people disbelieve it, then, We have deputed for it a people who do not disbelieve in it). In other words, it means: If some of your addressees do not listen to you and are, despite having been told about the teachings of all past prophets, bent upon nothing short of denial, then, you do not have to worry - because We have appointed a great people who would say yes to your call, follow your word and make the mission their own, and who would never stoop to the level of disbelief and denial.</p><p>Included here are all Muhajerin and Ansar present during the blessed age of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and also all Muslims who keep coming upto the end of time until comes the Qiyamah. And this verse is a fond asset for all such people, as Allah Ta` ala has named them on an occasion which calls for praise by Him:</p><p>اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَلنَا مِنھُم وَاحشُرنَا فی زُمرَتِھِم</p><p>0 Allah, make us one of them and raise us in their company.</p>

The subject continues through the eighth verse (89) at the end of which it has been said to comfort the Holy Prophet ﷺ ; فَإِن يَكْفُرْ‌ بِهَا هَـٰؤُلَاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوا بِهَا بِكَافِرِ‌ينَ (So, if these people disbelieve it, then, We have deputed for it a people who do not disbelieve in it). In other words, it means: If some of your addressees do not listen to you and are, despite having been told about the teachings of all past prophets, bent upon nothing short of denial, then, you do not have to worry - because We have appointed a great people who would say yes to your call, follow your word and make the mission their own, and who would never stoop to the level of disbelief and denial.Included here are all Muhajerin and Ansar present during the blessed age of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and also all Muslims who keep coming upto the end of time until comes the Qiyamah. And this verse is a fond asset for all such people, as Allah Ta` ala has named them on an occasion which calls for praise by Him:اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَلنَا مِنھُم وَاحشُرنَا فی زُمرَتِھِم0 Allah, make us one of them and raise us in their company.

Those were the people who were guided by God; so follow their way. Say: "I ask no recompense of you for this. It is but a reminder for all the people of the world."

These are the ones whom Allah guided, so follow their guidance; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not ask from you any fee for the Qur’an; it is nothing but an advice to the entire world.”

Those are they whom God has guided; so follow their guidance. Say: 'I ask of you no wage for it; it is but a reminder unto all beings.'

to those whom God has guided. Follow, then, their guidance, [and] say: "No reward do I ask of you for this [truth]: behold, it is but an admonition unto all mankind!"

Those are they whom Allah had guided, so follow thou their guidance, Say thou: no hire I ask therefor; it is but an admonition unto the worlds.

They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance. Say: "No reward I ask of you for this (the Quran). It is only a reminder for the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns)."

Those are they whom God has guided, so follow their guidance. Say, “I ask of you no compensation for it; it is just a reminder for all mankind.”

(O Muhammad!) Those are the ones Allah guided to the right way. Follow, then, their way, and say: 'I ask of you no reward (for carrying on this mission); it is merely an admonition to all mankind.'

They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance. Say: "No reward I ask of you for this (the Qur'an). It is only a reminder for the `Alamin (mankind and Jinns)."

Those are they whom Allah guideth, so follow their guidance. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee for it. Lo! it is naught but a Reminder to (His) creatures.

They are the ones whom Allah has guided. So follow their guidance. Say, ‘I do not ask you any recompense for it. It is just an admonition for all the nations.’

Those were whom Allah guided. Follow then their guidance and say: 'I do not ask you a wage for it. Surely, it is a reminder to the worlds'

Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example. Say, "I ask of you for this message no payment. It is not but a reminder for the worlds."

We had guided the Prophets. (Muhammad), follow their guidance and say (to the people), "I do not ask any reward for what I have preached to you. It is my duty to awaken the world."

These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations.

Ol<u>a</u>ika alla<u>th</u>eena had<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hu fabihud<u>a</u>humu iqtadih qul l<u>a</u> asalukum AAalayhi ajran in huwa ill<u>a</u> <u>th</u>ikr<u>a</u> lilAA<u>a</u>lameen<b>a</b>

Those [the previous prophets] were the people whom God guided. Follow their guidance then and say, "I ask no reward for this from you: it is only a reminder for all mankind."

Those were the (prophets) who received Allah's guidance: Copy the guidance they received; Say: "No reward for this do I ask of you: This is no less than a message for the nations."

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ فَبِهُدَىٰهُمُ ٱقْتَدِهْ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Those prophets and their forefathers, descendants and brothers mentioned are truly the people of guidance, so follow and imitate them. Say, O Messenger, to your people: I do not want any reward from you for conveying this Qur’ān. The Qur’ān is simply an advice for the human beings and jinn of the worlds, so that they can be guided to the straight path by it.

Those prophets and their forefathers, descendants and brothers mentioned are truly the people of guidance, so follow and imitate them. Say, O Messenger, to your people: I do not want any reward from you for conveying this Qur’ān. The Qur’ān is simply an advice for the human beings and jinn of the worlds, so that they can be guided to the straight path by it.

<p>Commentary</p><p>It will be recalled that mentioned in previous verses were great rewards and ranks bestowed on Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . Through these, the purpose was to show to the whole progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) generally and to the people of Makkah and Arabia particularly, in a practically demonstrated form, that a person who takes total obedience to Allah Ta` ala as the sole purpose of his or her life and sacrifices everything held dear in the way of Allah - as was done by Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah, may Allah bless him - then, in order are the best of returns for that person. He left his father and mother, his people and country, all for the sake of Allah. Then, it was to offer his supreme services to found and raise the foundations of the House of Allah, the venerated Baytullah, that he abandoned the greeneries of the country of Syria and travelled all the way to the deserts of Makkah. When ordered to leave his wife and infant son in the wilderness, he obeyed instantly. When commanded to sacrifice his first-born and very dear son, he demonstrated his readiness to obey it all the way to the ultimate limits of his choice and volition. For those obedient in that class and degree, the real reward shall come only after Qiyamah, and in Jannah alone. But, Allah Ta` ala blesses such people right here in this world too with ranks and riches which would put all ranks and riches of the entire world to shame.</p><p>Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah (علیہ السلام) left his people for the sake of Allah - in return, he became the patriarch of prophets, most of whom were from among his progeny. He left his country of Syria and Iraq - in return, he was blessed with Baytullah (the House of Allah), al-Balad al-Amin (the City of Trust) and Umm al-Qura (the Mother of Cities) that is, Makkah al-Mukarramah. His own people tried to disgrace him - in return, he was made the supreme leader of generations to come right through the Last Day of Qiyamah in the present world where nations and religions despite their major mutual differences have all along remained united on paying homage to the reverence of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) .</p><p>It will also be recalled that in those verses seventeen prophets were mentioned most of whom are either children or progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . It was also stated there that they were persons of great status whom Allah had chosen to convey His message to all human beings and that it was He who had shown them the straight path.</p><p>Explanatory Notes on the Present Verses</p><p>Addressing the Holy Prophet ﷺ in the first verse (90) the people of Makkah have been sounded that the forefathers of a people cannot be taken as objects of emulation or role-models deserving of being followed to the letter in all their words and deeds, as was generally believed by the people of Arabia, and by the people of Makkah particularly. Instead, before going ahead and starting to follow someone, it is necessary to find out whether or not the person, or people, being followed, is himself on the path of true guidance. Therefore, after enumerating a brief list of the blessed prophets, it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّـهُ. (Those are the people Allah has guided). After that, it was said: فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ (So, it is their guidance that you shall follow).</p><p>Thus, the guidance given in this verse is bi-polar. The first element is addressed to the people of Arabia, and to the whole Muslim Ummah by implication, that is, they should forsake the superstition of following forefathers and take to following prophets guided by Allah Ta` ala. The second element of guidance is for the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, that is, he too should act in the way the past prophets have acted.</p><p>Noteworthy here is the fact that partial or subsidiary differences have been there in the laws of earlier prophets, may peace be upon them. Then, revealed for the Muslim peoples themselves, there have been many injunctions different from them. What, then, would be the meaning of asking the Holy Prophet ﷺ to follow the way of the past prophets and act in accordance with it? Keeping in view other Qur'anic verses and narrations of Hadith, the answer is that the command here does not apply to the following of the way of past prophets in all partial and subsidiary aspects of injunctions. In fact, the purpose is to adhere to the basic principles of religion which include Tauhid (Oneness of Allah) Risalah (Prophethood) and Akhirah (Hereafter) as has been their way. They never changed in the law of any prophet. From Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to the Last of the Prophets ﷺ ، all prophets (علیہم السلام) ، have been adhering to one Belief and one Way. As for subsidiary injunctions which remained unchanged, the modus operandi has been common. However, when a new injunction was given due to exigency of time or dictate of wisdom, it was acted upon as required.</p><p>This is the reason why it was the usual practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he would - until such time that he received particular guidance through revelation - act in accordance with the way of past prophets علیہم السلام (Mazhari others).</p><p>After that, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been specially commanded to proclaim - a common practice of all past prophets (علیہم السلام) - in the words which follow: قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرً‌ا ۖ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَ‌ىٰ لِلْعَالَمِينَ (Say: "I ask you no reward for it. It is nothing but an advice for all the worlds). In other words, it means: I am not asking you to pay for the good counsel I am offering to help you better your life. I need no fees or wages or rewards. If you accept it, I gain nothing. If you do not accept it, I lose nothing. This is only a message, a message for people all over, a message of good counsel, good will. Not accepting any return for teaching and preaching has been the common legacy of all prophets (علیہم السلام) . This is a powerful factor which goes on to make Tabligh (conveying the message of religion to others) effective.</p>

CommentaryIt will be recalled that mentioned in previous verses were great rewards and ranks bestowed on Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . Through these, the purpose was to show to the whole progeny of Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) generally and to the people of Makkah and Arabia particularly, in a practically demonstrated form, that a person who takes total obedience to Allah Ta` ala as the sole purpose of his or her life and sacrifices everything held dear in the way of Allah - as was done by Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah, may Allah bless him - then, in order are the best of returns for that person. He left his father and mother, his people and country, all for the sake of Allah. Then, it was to offer his supreme services to found and raise the foundations of the House of Allah, the venerated Baytullah, that he abandoned the greeneries of the country of Syria and travelled all the way to the deserts of Makkah. When ordered to leave his wife and infant son in the wilderness, he obeyed instantly. When commanded to sacrifice his first-born and very dear son, he demonstrated his readiness to obey it all the way to the ultimate limits of his choice and volition. For those obedient in that class and degree, the real reward shall come only after Qiyamah, and in Jannah alone. But, Allah Ta` ala blesses such people right here in this world too with ranks and riches which would put all ranks and riches of the entire world to shame.Sayyidna Ibrahim Khalilullah (علیہ السلام) left his people for the sake of Allah - in return, he became the patriarch of prophets, most of whom were from among his progeny. He left his country of Syria and Iraq - in return, he was blessed with Baytullah (the House of Allah), al-Balad al-Amin (the City of Trust) and Umm al-Qura (the Mother of Cities) that is, Makkah al-Mukarramah. His own people tried to disgrace him - in return, he was made the supreme leader of generations to come right through the Last Day of Qiyamah in the present world where nations and religions despite their major mutual differences have all along remained united on paying homage to the reverence of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) .It will also be recalled that in those verses seventeen prophets were mentioned most of whom are either children or progeny of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . It was also stated there that they were persons of great status whom Allah had chosen to convey His message to all human beings and that it was He who had shown them the straight path.Explanatory Notes on the Present VersesAddressing the Holy Prophet ﷺ in the first verse (90) the people of Makkah have been sounded that the forefathers of a people cannot be taken as objects of emulation or role-models deserving of being followed to the letter in all their words and deeds, as was generally believed by the people of Arabia, and by the people of Makkah particularly. Instead, before going ahead and starting to follow someone, it is necessary to find out whether or not the person, or people, being followed, is himself on the path of true guidance. Therefore, after enumerating a brief list of the blessed prophets, it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّـهُ. (Those are the people Allah has guided). After that, it was said: فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ (So, it is their guidance that you shall follow).Thus, the guidance given in this verse is bi-polar. The first element is addressed to the people of Arabia, and to the whole Muslim Ummah by implication, that is, they should forsake the superstition of following forefathers and take to following prophets guided by Allah Ta` ala. The second element of guidance is for the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, that is, he too should act in the way the past prophets have acted.Noteworthy here is the fact that partial or subsidiary differences have been there in the laws of earlier prophets, may peace be upon them. Then, revealed for the Muslim peoples themselves, there have been many injunctions different from them. What, then, would be the meaning of asking the Holy Prophet ﷺ to follow the way of the past prophets and act in accordance with it? Keeping in view other Qur'anic verses and narrations of Hadith, the answer is that the command here does not apply to the following of the way of past prophets in all partial and subsidiary aspects of injunctions. In fact, the purpose is to adhere to the basic principles of religion which include Tauhid (Oneness of Allah) Risalah (Prophethood) and Akhirah (Hereafter) as has been their way. They never changed in the law of any prophet. From Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) to the Last of the Prophets ﷺ ، all prophets (علیہم السلام) ، have been adhering to one Belief and one Way. As for subsidiary injunctions which remained unchanged, the modus operandi has been common. However, when a new injunction was given due to exigency of time or dictate of wisdom, it was acted upon as required.This is the reason why it was the usual practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he would - until such time that he received particular guidance through revelation - act in accordance with the way of past prophets علیہم السلام (Mazhari others).After that, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been specially commanded to proclaim - a common practice of all past prophets (علیہم السلام) - in the words which follow: قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرً‌ا ۖ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَ‌ىٰ لِلْعَالَمِينَ (Say: "I ask you no reward for it. It is nothing but an advice for all the worlds). In other words, it means: I am not asking you to pay for the good counsel I am offering to help you better your life. I need no fees or wages or rewards. If you accept it, I gain nothing. If you do not accept it, I lose nothing. This is only a message, a message for people all over, a message of good counsel, good will. Not accepting any return for teaching and preaching has been the common legacy of all prophets (علیہم السلام) . This is a powerful factor which goes on to make Tabligh (conveying the message of religion to others) effective.

But they failed to make a just estimation of God when they said: "He did not reveal to any man any thing." Ask them: "Who then revealed the Book that Moses brought, -- a guidance and light for men, -- which you treat as sheafs of paper, which you display, yet conceal a great deal, though through it you were taught things you did not know before, nor even your fathers knew?" Say: "God," and leave them to the sport of engaging in vain discourse.

And they (the Jews) did not realise (or appreciate) the importance of Allah as was required when they said, “Allah has not sent down anything upon any human being”; say, “Who has sent down the Book which Moosa brought, a light and guidance for mankind, which you have divided into different papers, some which you show and hide most of them? And (by which) you are taught what you did not know nor did your forefathers?” Say, “Allah” – then leave them playing in their indecency.

They measured not God with His true measure when they said, 'God has not sent down aught on any mortal.' Say: 'Who sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and a guidance to men? You put it into parchments, revealing them, and hiding much; and you were taught that you knew not, you and your fathers.' Say: 'God.' Then leave them alone, playing their game of plunging.

For, no true understanding of God have they when they say, "Never has God revealed anything unto man." Say: "Who has bestowed from on high the divine writ which Moses brought unto men as a light and a guidance, [and] which you treat as [mere] leaves of paper, making a show of them the while you conceal [so] much - although you have been taught [by it] what neither you nor your forefathers had ever known?" Say: "God [has revealed that divine writ]!" - and then leave them to play at their vain talk.

And they estimated not Allah with an estimation due unto Him when they said: on no human being hath God sent down aught. Say thou: who sent down the Books wherewith Musa came, a light and a guidance unto mankind, which ye have made into separate parchments. Some of it ye disclose and much thereof ye conceal. And ye were taught that which ye knew not: neither ye nor your fathers. Say thou: Allah, and let them alone, sporting in their vain discourse.

They (the Jews, Quraish pagans, idolaters, etc.) did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration)." Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who then sent down the Book which Musa (Moses) brought, a light and a guidance to mankind which you (the Jews) have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much). And you (believers in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad SAW), were taught (through the Quran) that which neither you nor your fathers knew." Say: "Allah (sent it down)." Then leave them to play in their vain discussions. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 7, Page 37).

They do not value God as He should be valued, when they say, “God did not reveal anything to any human being.” Say, “Who revealed the Scripture which Moses brought—a light and guidance for humanity?” You put it on scrolls, displaying them, yet concealing much. And you were taught what you did not know—neither you, nor your ancestors. Say, “God;” then leave them toying away in their speculation.

They did not form any proper estimate of Allah when they said: 'Allah has not revealed anything to any man.' Ask them: 'The Book which Moses brought as a light and guidance for men and which you keep in bits and scraps, some of which you disclose while the rest you conceal, even though through it you were taught that which neither you nor your forefathers knew -who was it who revealed it?' Say: 'Allah!'- and then leave them to sport with their argumentation.

They did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration)." Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Musa brought, a light and a guidance to mankind which you (the Jews) have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing much. And you were taught that which neither you nor your fathers knew." Say: "Allah (sent it down)." Then leave them to play in their vain discussions.

And they measure not the power of Allah its true measure when they say: Allah hath naught revealed unto a human being. Say (unto the Jews who speak thus): Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for mankind, which ye have put on parchments which ye show, but ye hide much (thereof), and (by which) ye were taught that which ye knew not yourselves nor (did) your fathers (know it)? Say: Allah. Then leave them to their play of cavilling.

They did not regard Allah with the regard due to Him when they said, ‘Allah has not sent down anything to any human.’ Say, ‘Who had sent down the Book that was brought by Moses as a light and guidance for the people, which you make into parchments that you display, while you conceal much of it, and [by means of which] you were taught what you did not know, [neither] you nor your fathers?’ Say, ‘Allah!’ Then leave them to play around in their impious gossip.

They have not valued Allah with His true value, when they said 'Allah has never sent down anything to a mortal' Say: 'Who, then sent down the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for people? You put it on to parchments, revealing them and hiding much, you have now been taught what neither you nor your fathers knew before' Say: 'Allah' Then leave them, playing in their plunging.

And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal when they said, "Allah did not reveal to a human being anything." Say, "Who revealed the Scripture that Moses brought as light and guidance to the people? You [Jews] make it into pages, disclosing [some of] it and concealing much. And you were taught that which you knew not - neither you nor your fathers." Say, "Allah [revealed it]." Then leave them in their [empty] discourse, amusing themselves.

They have no true respect of God when they say, "God has not sent anything to a mortal being." (Muhammad), tell them, "Who revealed the Book containing a light and guidance for the people which Moses brought? You wrote down only some parts of the original on paper and hid much, even after having learnt from it, that which neither you nor your fathers knew." Tell them, "God has (revealed the Quran)," and then leave them alone to pursue their useless investigations.

And they do not assign to Allah the attributes due to Him when they say: Allah has not revealed anything to a mortal. Say: Who revealed the Book which Musa brought, a light and a guidance to men, which you make into scattered writings which you show while you conceal much? And you were taught what you did not know, (neither) you nor your fathers. Say: Allah then leave them sporting in their vain discourses.

Wam<u>a</u> qadaroo All<u>a</u>ha <u>h</u>aqqa qadrihi i<u>th</u> q<u>a</u>loo m<u>a</u> anzala All<u>a</u>hu AAal<u>a</u> basharin min shayin qul man anzala alkit<u>a</u>ba alla<u>th</u>ee j<u>a</u>a bihi moos<u>a</u> nooran wahudan li<b>l</b>nn<u>a</u>si tajAAaloonahu qar<u>at</u>eesa tubdoonah<u>a</u> watukhfoona katheeran waAAullimtum m<u>a</u> lam taAAlamoo antum wal<u>a</u> <u>a</u>b<u>a</u>okum quli All<u>a</u>hu thumma <u>th</u>arhum fee khaw<u>d</u>ihim yalAAaboon<b>a</b>

They do not make a just estimate of God, when they say, "God has not revealed anything to any human being." Say, "Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for the people, which you made into separate sheets, showing some but hiding many? You have been taught things that neither you nor your forefathers had known before." Say, "God has sent it;" then leave them toying away with their speculation.

No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)" Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not- neither ye nor your fathers." Say: "Allah (sent it down)": Then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.

وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِۦ مُوسَىٰ نُورًا وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ تَجْعَلُونَهُۥ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ

The idolaters did not venerate Allah as He should be venerated when they said to their prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him), ‘Allah has not sent down any revelation to any human being’. Say to them, O Messenger: Who is the One who sent down the Torah to Moses, as a light and guidance for his people? The Jews put it into sheets; and they show what agrees with their desires and conceal what does not, such as the description of Muhammad (peace be upon him). You, O Arabs, were taught the Qur’ān, which neither you nor your predecessors knew. Say to them, O Messenger, ‘Allah sent it down’, then leave them to their ignorance and misguidance, until the most certain thing – death – comes to them.

The idolaters did not venerate Allah as He should be venerated when they said to their prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him), ‘Allah has not sent down any revelation to any human being’. Say to them, O Messenger: Who is the One who sent down the Torah to Moses, as a light and guidance for his people? The Jews put it into sheets; and they show what agrees with their desires and conceal what does not, such as the description of Muhammad (peace be upon him). You, O Arabs, were taught the Qur’ān, which neither you nor your predecessors knew. Say to them, O Messenger, ‘Allah sent it down’, then leave them to their ignorance and misguidance, until the most certain thing – death – comes to them.

<p>The second verse (91) has been revealed in answer to those who had the audacity to say that Allah Ta` ala has just not revealed any book to any human being. According to them, this whole proposition of books and messengers was all wrong.</p><p>If, those who said that are the idolaters of Makkah, as mentioned by Ibn Kathir, then, the matter is obvious, for they did not believe in any book and prophet. And if they were Jews, as held by other commentators - and the contextual elements of the verse obviously support this view - then, their saying so was an outcome of their anger and irritation, something contrary to the dictates of their own religion. According to a narration of Imam al-Baghawi, this was the reason why the Jews too were displeased with the person who had made this unfortunate remark, and it was because of this erroneous conduct of his that he was removed from his office of religious authority.</p><p>In this verse, Allah Ta` ala has said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that people who made this absurd remark did not recognize the Most True Allah as was His right to be recognized. Had they done that, this audacious remark would have never escaped their lips. Then, Allah Ta` ala tells the Holy Prophet ﷺ to ask the people who deny Scriptures absolutely: If that is what you think - that Allah Ta` ala did not reveal any book to any human being - then, you better have an answer as to who revealed the Torah, in which you too believe, and because of which you sit in judgment over your people. Along with it, they were also told: You are such connoisseurs of crooked ways that you would treat your own book, the Torah, which you believe in as being Holy Scripture, in a way that you got it conveniently written on separate sheets, rather than having it in a formally bound book, so that you can take out any sheet from it as and when you want it, and by doing so you would have the option of denying what it enjoined. An example of this are the verses of the Torah which described the signs and attributes of the Messenger of Allah which you have excluded. The last sentence of the verse: تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (which you kept in sheets) means exactly this. The word: قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (qaratis) is the plural of: قِرطَاس (qirtas) which means sheet or paper.</p><p>After that, addressing the same people, it has been said: وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنتُمْ وَلَا آبَاؤُكُمْ that is, you were taught (through the Qur an) what you or your forefathers did not know (earlier, either through the Torah or the Injil).</p><p>At the end of verse (91), it was said: قُلِ اللَّـهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْ‌هُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ (Say, "Allah." Then leave them playing with what they are indulged in). In other words, the sense is: As for the question - if Allah just did not send any book, who sent the Torah? - it was something they would not know how to answer, so, you go ahead and tell them that it was revealed by none but Allah. Now that the argument against them stands concluded, your mission as far as they are concerned is over. So, let them be lost in the game they are playing.</p>

The second verse (91) has been revealed in answer to those who had the audacity to say that Allah Ta` ala has just not revealed any book to any human being. According to them, this whole proposition of books and messengers was all wrong.If, those who said that are the idolaters of Makkah, as mentioned by Ibn Kathir, then, the matter is obvious, for they did not believe in any book and prophet. And if they were Jews, as held by other commentators - and the contextual elements of the verse obviously support this view - then, their saying so was an outcome of their anger and irritation, something contrary to the dictates of their own religion. According to a narration of Imam al-Baghawi, this was the reason why the Jews too were displeased with the person who had made this unfortunate remark, and it was because of this erroneous conduct of his that he was removed from his office of religious authority.In this verse, Allah Ta` ala has said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that people who made this absurd remark did not recognize the Most True Allah as was His right to be recognized. Had they done that, this audacious remark would have never escaped their lips. Then, Allah Ta` ala tells the Holy Prophet ﷺ to ask the people who deny Scriptures absolutely: If that is what you think - that Allah Ta` ala did not reveal any book to any human being - then, you better have an answer as to who revealed the Torah, in which you too believe, and because of which you sit in judgment over your people. Along with it, they were also told: You are such connoisseurs of crooked ways that you would treat your own book, the Torah, which you believe in as being Holy Scripture, in a way that you got it conveniently written on separate sheets, rather than having it in a formally bound book, so that you can take out any sheet from it as and when you want it, and by doing so you would have the option of denying what it enjoined. An example of this are the verses of the Torah which described the signs and attributes of the Messenger of Allah which you have excluded. The last sentence of the verse: تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (which you kept in sheets) means exactly this. The word: قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (qaratis) is the plural of: قِرطَاس (qirtas) which means sheet or paper.After that, addressing the same people, it has been said: وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنتُمْ وَلَا آبَاؤُكُمْ that is, you were taught (through the Qur an) what you or your forefathers did not know (earlier, either through the Torah or the Injil).At the end of verse (91), it was said: قُلِ اللَّـهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْ‌هُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ (Say, "Allah." Then leave them playing with what they are indulged in). In other words, the sense is: As for the question - if Allah just did not send any book, who sent the Torah? - it was something they would not know how to answer, so, you go ahead and tell them that it was revealed by none but Allah. Now that the argument against them stands concluded, your mission as far as they are concerned is over. So, let them be lost in the game they are playing.

<h2 class="title">The Messenger is but a Human to Whom the Book was Revealed by Inspiration</h2><p>Allah says that those who rejected His Messengers did not give Allah due consideration. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and `Abdullah bin Kathir said that this Ayah was revealed about the Quraysh. It was also said that it was revealed about some Jews. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ</div><p>(They said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration).") Allah also, said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ</div><p>(Is it a wonder for mankind that We have inspired to a man from among themselves (saying): "Warn mankind.") 10:2, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً - قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً </div><p>(And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allah sent a man as Messenger" Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.") 17:94-95. Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا قَدَرُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِذْ قَالُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ</div><p>(They did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration).") Allah answered them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِ مُوسَى نُوراً وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ</div><p>(Say : "Who then sent down the Book which Musa brought, a light and a guidance to mankind") meaning, say, O Muhammad , to those who deny the concept that Allah sent down Books by revelation, answering them specifically, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَنْ أَنزَلَ الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِ مُوسَى</div><p>(Who then sent down the Book which Musa brought) in reference to the Tawrah that you and all others know that Allah sent down to Musa, son of `Imran. Allah sent the Tawrah as a light and a guidance for people, so that it could shed light on the answers to various disputes, and to guide away from the darkness of doubts. Allah's statement, . </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيراً</div><p>(which you have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much).) means, you made the Tawrah into separate sheets which you copied from the original and altered, changed and distorted as you wished. You then said, "this is from Allah," meaning it is in the revealed Book of Allah, when in fact, it is not from Allah. This is why Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيراً</div><p>(which you have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much).) Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَعُلِّمْتُمْ مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُواْ أَنتُمْ وَلاَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ</div><p>(And you were taught that which neither you nor your fathers knew.) meaning, Who sent down the Qur'an in which Allah taught you the news of those who were before you and the news of what will come after, that neither you nor your fathers had knowledge of. Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلِ اللَّهُ</div><p>(Say: "Allah.") `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Meaning, `Say, Allah sent it down."' Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ</div><p>(Then leave them to play in their vain discussions.) leave them to play in ignorance and misguidance until the true news comes to them from Allah. Then, they will know whether the good end is theirs or for the fearful servants of Allah. Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهَـذَا كِتَـبٌ</div><p>(And this is a Book,) the Qur'an, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَنزَلْنَـهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى</div><p>(Blessed, which We have sent down, confirming which came before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Towns) that is, Makkah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا</div><p>(and all those around it...) refering to the Arabs and the rest of the children of Adam, Arabs and non-Arabs alike. Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا</div><p>(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.") 7:158, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ</div><p>("that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.") 6:19, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ</div><p>(but those of the sects who reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) 11:17 and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَـلَمِينَ نَذِيراً </div><p>(Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the `Alamin (mankind and Jinn).) 25:1, and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقُلْ لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ وَالاٍّمِّيِّينَ ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُواْ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَواْ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ</div><p>(And say to those who were given the Scripture and to those who are illiterates: "Do you submit yourselves" If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; and Allah is All-Seer of (His) servants.) 3:20. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي»</div><p>(I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.) The Prophet mentioned among these five things, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً، وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»</div><p>(Every Prophet was sent only to his nation, but I have been sent to all people.) This is why Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ</div><p>(Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it,) meaning, those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, believe in this blessed Book, the Qur'an, which We revealed to you, O Muhammad , </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَهُمْ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ</div><p>(and they are constant in guarding their Salah.) for they perform what Allah ordered them, offering the prayers perfectly and on time. </p>

The Messenger is but a Human to Whom the Book was Revealed by InspirationAllah says that those who rejected His Messengers did not give Allah due consideration. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and `Abdullah bin Kathir said that this Ayah was revealed about the Quraysh. It was also said that it was revealed about some Jews. قَالُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ(They said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration).") Allah also, said, أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ(Is it a wonder for mankind that We have inspired to a man from among themselves (saying): "Warn mankind.") 10:2, and, وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً - قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً (And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allah sent a man as Messenger" Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger.") 17:94-95. Allah said here, وَمَا قَدَرُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِذْ قَالُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ(They did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allah send down to any human being (by inspiration).") Allah answered them, قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِ مُوسَى نُوراً وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ(Say : "Who then sent down the Book which Musa brought, a light and a guidance to mankind") meaning, say, O Muhammad , to those who deny the concept that Allah sent down Books by revelation, answering them specifically, مَنْ أَنزَلَ الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِ مُوسَى(Who then sent down the Book which Musa brought) in reference to the Tawrah that you and all others know that Allah sent down to Musa, son of `Imran. Allah sent the Tawrah as a light and a guidance for people, so that it could shed light on the answers to various disputes, and to guide away from the darkness of doubts. Allah's statement, . تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيراً(which you have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much).) means, you made the Tawrah into separate sheets which you copied from the original and altered, changed and distorted as you wished. You then said, "this is from Allah," meaning it is in the revealed Book of Allah, when in fact, it is not from Allah. This is why Allah said here, تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيراً(which you have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much).) Allah said; وَعُلِّمْتُمْ مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُواْ أَنتُمْ وَلاَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ(And you were taught that which neither you nor your fathers knew.) meaning, Who sent down the Qur'an in which Allah taught you the news of those who were before you and the news of what will come after, that neither you nor your fathers had knowledge of. Allah's statement, قُلِ اللَّهُ(Say: "Allah.") `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Meaning, `Say, Allah sent it down."' Allah said, ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ(Then leave them to play in their vain discussions.) leave them to play in ignorance and misguidance until the true news comes to them from Allah. Then, they will know whether the good end is theirs or for the fearful servants of Allah. Allah said, وَهَـذَا كِتَـبٌ(And this is a Book,) the Qur'an, أَنزَلْنَـهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى(Blessed, which We have sent down, confirming which came before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Towns) that is, Makkah, وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا(and all those around it...) refering to the Arabs and the rest of the children of Adam, Arabs and non-Arabs alike. Allah said in other Ayat, قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا(Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.") 7:158, and لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ("that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.") 6:19, and وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ(but those of the sects who reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) 11:17 and, تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَـلَمِينَ نَذِيراً (Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the `Alamin (mankind and Jinn).) 25:1, and, وَقُلْ لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ وَالاٍّمِّيِّينَ ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُواْ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَواْ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ(And say to those who were given the Scripture and to those who are illiterates: "Do you submit yourselves" If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; and Allah is All-Seer of (His) servants.) 3:20. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs, that the Messenger of Allah said, «أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي»(I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.) The Prophet mentioned among these five things, «وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً، وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»(Every Prophet was sent only to his nation, but I have been sent to all people.) This is why Allah said, وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ(Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it,) meaning, those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, believe in this blessed Book, the Qur'an, which We revealed to you, O Muhammad , وَهُمْ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ(and they are constant in guarding their Salah.) for they perform what Allah ordered them, offering the prayers perfectly and on time.

And this (Qur'an) is another Book that We have revealed, blessed, affirming the earlier (revelations), so that you may warn the people of (Makkah) the town of towns, and those who live around it. Those who believe in the life to come shall believe in it and be watchful of their moral obligations.

And this is the blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming the Books preceding it, and in order that you may warn the leader of all villages and all those around it in the entire world; and those who believe in the Hereafter accept faith in this Book, and guard their prayers.

This is a Book We have sent down, blessed and confirming that which was before it, and for thee to warn the Mother of Cities and those about her; and those who believe in the world to come believe in it, and watch over their prayers.

And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high - blessed, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations] -and [this] in order that thou mayest warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it. And those who believe in the life to come do believe in this [warning]; and it is they who are ever-mindful of their prayers.

And this is a Book We have sent down, blest, and confirming that which hath been before it. And it is sent that thou mayest warn thereby the mother of towns and those around it. And those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they guard their prayer.

And this (the Quran) is a blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming (the revelations) which came before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Towns (i.e. Makkah) and all those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in (the Quran), and they are constant in guarding their Salat (prayers).

This too is a Scripture that We revealed—blessed—verifying what preceded it, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and all around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and are dedicated to their prayers.

(Like that Book) this too is a Book which We have revealed; full of blessing, confirming what was revealed before it so that you might warn the people of the Mother of Cities (Makka) and those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and are evermindful of their Prayers.

And this is a blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming what came before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Towns and all those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are constant in guarding their Salah.

And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed, confirming that which (was revealed) before it, that thou mayst warn the Mother of Villages and those around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe herein, and they are careful of their worship.

Blessed is this Book, which We have sent down, confirming what was [revealed] before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are watchful of their prayers.

And this is a Blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming what came before it, in order that you warn the Mother of the Villages (Mecca) and those who (live) around it. Those who believe in the Everlasting Life believe in it and preserve their prayers.

And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed and confirming what was before it, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are maintaining their prayers.

We have blessed this Book (the Quran) and revealed it to confirm that which was revealed to the Prophets who lived before you and to warn the people of the mother land (Mecca) and those living around it. Those who believe in the Day of Judgment accept this and are steadfast in their prayers.

And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed, verifying that which is before it, and that you may warn the metropolis and those around her; and those who believe in the hereafter believe in it, and they attend to their prayers constantly.

Wah<u>atha</u> kit<u>a</u>bun anzaln<u>a</u>hu mub<u>a</u>rakun mu<u>s</u>addiqu alla<u>th</u>ee bayna yadayhi walitun<u>th</u>ira omma alqur<u>a</u> waman <u>h</u>awlah<u>a</u> wa<b>a</b>lla<u>th</u>eena yuminoona bi<b>a</b>l<u>a</u>khirati yuminoona bihi wahum AAal<u>a</u> <u>s</u>al<u>a</u>tihim yu<u>ha</u>fi<i><u>th</u></i>oon<b>a</b>

This is a blessed Book which We have revealed, confirming what came before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Cities [Makkah] and the people around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter do believe in it, and they are ever-mindful of their prayers.

And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that thou mayest warn the mother of cities and all around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book), and they are constant in guarding their prayers.

وَهَٰذَا كِتَٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

And this Qur’ān is a book that I revealed to you, O Prophet. It is a blessed book that confirms the heavenly scriptures that came before it, and was revealed to you so that you could warn the people of Mecca and all the people in the East and West to come to the right path. Those who believe in the life of the Hereafter accept this Qur’ān, practice it and guard their prayer by maintaining its requirements, essentials and recommended acts at the times set in the sacred law.

And this Qur’ān is a book that I revealed to you, O Prophet. It is a blessed book that confirms the heavenly scriptures that came before it, and was revealed to you so that you could warn the people of Mecca and all the people in the East and West to come to the right path. Those who believe in the life of the Hereafter accept this Qur’ān, practice it and guard their prayer by maintaining its requirements, essentials and recommended acts at the times set in the sacred law.

<p>After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed by Allah Ta` ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): وَهَـٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَ‌كٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ‌ أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down by Allah Ta` ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was revealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs, there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all acts of ` Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Umm al-Qura) is: وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and those around it). It means all environs of Makkah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of Makkah.</p><p>Towards the end of the verse, it was said: وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَ‌ةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ. It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbelievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typical lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and in a Day of Judgment will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the truth.</p><p>A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the 'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah happens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku` (Section) either, is left without a reminder of this concern for the 'Akhirah:.</p><p>اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَل جُملَۃَ ھُمُومِنَا ھَمَّاً وَّاحِداً ھَمَّ الآخِرَۃِ</p><p>O Allah, make all our concerns a single concern - the concern for 'Akhirah.</p>

After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed by Allah Ta` ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): وَهَـٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَ‌كٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ‌ أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down by Allah Ta` ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was revealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs, there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all acts of ` Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Umm al-Qura) is: وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and those around it). It means all environs of Makkah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of Makkah.Towards the end of the verse, it was said: وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَ‌ةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ. It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbelievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typical lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and in a Day of Judgment will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the truth.A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the 'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah happens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku` (Section) either, is left without a reminder of this concern for the 'Akhirah:.اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَل جُملَۃَ ھُمُومِنَا ھَمَّاً وَّاحِداً ھَمَّ الآخِرَۃِO Allah, make all our concerns a single concern - the concern for 'Akhirah.

Who is more vile than he who slanders God of falsehood, or says: "Revelation came to me," when no such revelation came to him; or one who claims: "I can reveal the like of what has been sent down by God?" If you could see the evil creatures in the agony of death with the angels thrusting forward their hands (saying): "Yield up your souls: This day you will suffer ignominious punishment for uttering lies about God and rejecting His signs with arrogance."

Who is more unjust than one who fabricates lies against Allah or says, “I have received divine inspiration”, whereas he has not been inspired at all – and one who says, “I will now reveal something similar to what Allah has sent down”? And if you see when the unjust are in the throes of death and the angels are with their hands outstretched; (saying) “Surrender your souls; this day you shall be given a disgraceful punishment – the recompense of your fabricating lies against Allah, and your scorning His signs.”

And who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie, or says,, 'To me it has been revealed', when naught has been revealed to him, or he who says, 'I will send down the like of what God has sent down'? If thou couldst only see when the evildoers are in the agonies of death, and the angels are stretching out their hands: 'Give up your souls! Today you shall be recompensed with the chastisement of humiliation for what you said untruly about God, waxing proud against His signs.'

And who could be more wicked than he who invents a lie about God, or says, "This has been revealed unto me," the while nothing has been revealed to him? - or he who says, "I, too, can bestow from on high the like of what God has bestowed"? If thou couldst but see [how it will be] when these evildoers find themselves in the agonies of death, and the angels stretch forth their hands [and call]: "Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having attributed to God something that is not true, and for having persistently scorned His messages in your arrogance!"

And who is a greater wrong-doer than one who fabricateth a lie against Allah, or saith: a Revelation hath came to me, whereas no Revelation hath come to him in aught, and one who saith: I shall send down the like of that which God hath sent down? Would that thou souldst see what time the wrong-doers are in the pangs of death while the angels are stretching forth their hands saying: yield up your souls; to-day ye will be awarded a torment of ignomity for that which ye have been saying of Allah other than the truth, and against His signs ye were wont to be stiff-necked.

And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah, or says: "I have received inspiration," whereas he is not inspired in anything; and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allah has revealed." And if you could but see when the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah other than the truth. And you used to reject His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) with disrespect!"

Who does greater wrong than someone who invents falsehood against God, or says, “It was revealed to me,” when nothing was revealed to him, or says, “I will reveal the like of what God revealed”? If only you could see the wrongdoers in the floods of death, as the angels with arms outstretched: “Give up your souls. Today you are being repaid with the torment of shame for having said about God other than the truth, and for being too proud to accept His revelations.”

Who can be more unjust than he who places a lie on Allah and who says: 'Revelation has come to me' when in fact nothing was revealed to him, and who says: 'I will produce the like of what Allah has revealed?' If you could but see the wrongdoers in the agonies of death, and the angels stretching out their hands (saying): 'Yield up your souls! Today you will be recompensed with the chastisement of humiliation for the lie you spoke concerning Allah, and for you waxing proud against His signs.'

And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah, or says: "I have received inspiration," whereas he is not inspired in anything; and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allah has revealed." And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah other than the truth. And you used to reject His Ayat with disrespect!"

Who is guilty of more wrong than he who forgeth a lie against Allah, or saith: I am inspired, when he is not inspired in aught; and who saith: I will reveal the like of that which Allah hath revealed? If thou couldst see, when the wrong-doers reach the pangs of death and the angels stretch their hands out (saying): Deliver up your souls. This day ye are awarded doom of degradation for that ye spake concerning Allah other than the truth, and used to scorn His portents.

Who is a greater wrongdoer than him who fabricates a lie against Allah, or says, ‘It has been revealed to me,’ while nothing was revealed to him, and he who says, ‘I will bring the like of what Allah has sent down?’ Were you to see when the wrongdoers are in the throes of death, and the angels extend their hands [saying]: ‘Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with a humiliating punishment because of what you used to attribute to Allah untruly, and for your being disdainful towards His signs.’

Who is more harmful than he who invents a lie about Allah, or says: "It has been revealed to me," when nothing has been revealed to him? Or he who says: 'I will send down the like of what Allah has sent down' Would that you could see the harmdoers when death overwhelms them! With hands outstretched, the angels (will say): 'Yield up your souls. You shall be recompensed with a humiliating punishment this Day, for you have said of Allah what is untrue and you grew proud against His verses.

And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, "It has been inspired to me," while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, "I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed." And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], "Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, being arrogant."

Who are more unjust than those who ascribe lies to God or say that God has sent them revelations when nothing has been sent to them, or those who say that they can also bring down (from heaven) a book like that which God has revealed? Would that you could see the unjust in the agonies of death when the angels will come forward with their hands outstretched to take their souls out of their bodies and say, "This is the day when you will face humiliating torment for the falsehood that you ascribed to God and for your contemptuously disregarding of His revelations."

And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah, or says: It has been revealed to me; while nothing has been revealed to him, and he who says: I can reveal the like of what Allah has revealed? and if you had seen when the unjust shall be in the agonies of death and the angels shall spread forth their hands: Give up your souls; today shall you be recompensed with an ignominious chastisement because you spoke against Allah other than the truth and (because) you showed pride against His communications.

Waman a<i><u>th</u></i>lamu mimmani iftar<u>a</u> AAal<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi ka<u>th</u>iban aw q<u>a</u>la oo<u>h</u>iya ilayya walam yoo<u>h</u>a ilayhi shayon waman q<u>a</u>la saonzilu mithla m<u>a</u> anzala All<u>a</u>hu walaw tar<u>a</u> i<u>th</u>i a<b>l</b><i><u>thth</u></i><u>a</u>limoona fee ghamar<u>a</u>ti almawti wa<b>a</b>lmal<u>a</u>ikatu b<u>a</u>si<u>t</u>oo aydeehim akhrijoo anfusakumu alyawma tujzawna AAa<u>tha</u>ba alhooni bim<u>a</u> kuntum taqooloona AAal<u>a</u> All<u>a</u>hi ghayra al<u>h</u>aqqi wakuntum AAan <u>a</u>y<u>a</u>tihi tastakbiroon<b>a</b>

Who could do greater wrong than someone who invents a lie against God or who says, "It has been revealed to me," while nothing has been revealed to him, or someone who says, "I will send down the like of what God has sent down"? If you could only see the wrongdoers in the throes of death when the angels are stretching out their hands, saying, "Give up your souls. Today you will be repaid with a humiliating punishment for saying false things about God and being arrogant about His signs."

Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah, or saith, "I have received inspiration," when he hath received none, or (again) who saith, "I can reveal the like of what Allah hath revealed"? If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! - the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),"Yield up your souls: this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah, and scornfully to reject of His signs!"

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ قَالَ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثْلَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَٰتِ ٱلْمَوْتِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ بَاسِطُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

The greatest wrongdoer is the person who makes up lies about Allah by saying, ‘Allah has not revealed anything to any human being’; or by falsely saying, ‘Allah has sent revelation to me’, when Allah did not send any revelation to him; or by saying, ‘I will reveal the like of the Qur’ān that Allah has revealed’. O Messenger, you would see a terrible sight if you could see these wrongdoers at the time of death; and when the angels will stretch out their hands to punish and beat them, and reprimand them by saying: Remove your souls because we are here to take them. Today you will be repaid with a punishment that will disgrace and humiliate you because of the lies that you used to say about Allah by claiming prophethood, revelation or the ability to reveal what Allah has revealed, and because of your being too proud to accept His signs.

The greatest wrongdoer is the person who makes up lies about Allah by saying, ‘Allah has not revealed anything to any human being’; or by falsely saying, ‘Allah has sent revelation to me’, when Allah did not send any revelation to him; or by saying, ‘I will reveal the like of the Qur’ān that Allah has revealed’. O Messenger, you would see a terrible sight if you could see these wrongdoers at the time of death; and when the angels will stretch out their hands to punish and beat them, and reprimand them by saying: Remove your souls because we are here to take them. Today you will be repaid with a punishment that will disgrace and humiliate you because of the lies that you used to say about Allah by claiming prophethood, revelation or the ability to reveal what Allah has revealed, and because of your being too proud to accept His signs.

<h2 class="title">None is Worse Than One who Invents a Lie Against Allah and Claims that Revelation Came to Him</h2><p>Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً</div><p>(And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah,) Therefore, none is more unjust than one who lies about Allah claiming that He has partners or a son, or falsely claiming that Allah sent him as a Prophet; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ قَالَ أُوْحِى إِلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ</div><p>(or says: "I have received inspiration," whereas he is not inspired with anything;) `Ikrimah and Qatadah said that this Ayah was revealed about Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثْلَ مَآ أَنَزلَ اللَّهُ</div><p>(and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allah has revealed.") This refers to he, who claims that the lies he invents rival the revelation that came from Allah. In another Ayah, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالُواْ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـذَآ</div><p>(And when Our verses (of the Qur'an) are recited to them, they say: "We have heard this (the Qur'an); if we wish we can say the like of this.") </p><h2 class="title">The Condition of These Unjust People Upon Death and on the Day of Resurrection</h2><p>Allah, the Most Honored, said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ</div><p>(And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death...) suffering from the hardhips, agonies and afflictions of death, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ</div><p>(while the angels are stretching forth their hands...) beating them. Allah said in other Ayat: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى</div><p>(If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me..) 5:28and, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَبْسُطُواْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالسُّوءِ</div><p>(And stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil.)60:2 Ad-Dahhak and Abu Salih said that, `stretch forth their hands,' means, `with torment'. In another Ayah, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ</div><p>(And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve they smite their faces and their backs. )8:50 Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ</div><p>(while the angels are stretching forth their hands) beating them, until their souls leave their bodies, saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ</div><p>("Deliver your souls!") When the disbeliever is near death, the angels will convey the `good news' to him of torment, vengeance, chains, restraints, Hell, boiling water and the anger of the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. The soul will then scatter in the body of the disbeliever and refuse to get out of it. The angels will keep beating the disbeliever until his soul exits from his body, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ</div><p>((Saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to say about Allah other than the truth.") This Ayah means, today, you will be utterly humiliated because you used to invent lies against Allah and arrogantly refused to follow His Ayat and obey His Mesengers. There are many Hadiths, of Mutawatir grade, that explain what occurs when the believers and disbelievers die, and we will mention these Hadiths when explaining Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ</div><p>(Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world, and in the Hereafter.) 14:27 Allah said next, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ</div><p>(And truly you have come unto Us alone as We created you the first time.) 6:94, and this statement will be said on the Day of Return. In another Ayah, Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَعُرِضُواْ عَلَى رَبِّكَ صَفَا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ</div><p>(And they will be set before your Lord in rows, (and Allah will say): "Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time.') 18:48, meaning, just as We started your creation, We brought you back, although you used to deny Resurrection and reject its possibility. Therefore, this is the Day of Resurrection! Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَّا خَوَّلْنَـكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ</div><p>(You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you.) 6:94, The wealth and the money that you collected in the life of the world, you left all this behind you. It is recorded in the Sahih that Allah's Messenger said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَالِي مَالِي وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ، وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس»</div><p>(The Son of Adam says, `My money, my money!' But, what part of your money do you have, other than what you eat of it and is thus spent, what you wear and tear and what you gave in chairty and thus remains (in the record of good deeds) Other than that, you will depart and leave it to the people.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "On the Day of Resurrection, the Son of Adam will be brought, as if he were a golden chariot and Allah, the Most Honored, will ask, `Where is what you collected' He will reply, `O Lord! I collected it and left it as intact as ever.' Allah will say to him, `O Son of Adam! Where is what you sent forth for yourself (of righteous, good deeds),' and he will realize that he did not send forth anything for himself." Al-Hasan then recited the Ayah, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَّا خَوَّلْنَـكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ</div><p>(And truly you have come unto Us alone as We created you the first time. You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement. Allah said; </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَآءُ</div><p>(We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed to be your partners.) This chastises and criticizes the disbelievers for the rivals, idols and images that they worshipped in this life, thinking they will avail them in this life and upon Resurrection, if there is Resurrection, as they thought. On the Day of Resurrection, all relationships will be cut off, misguidance will be exposed, and those whom they used to call upon as gods will disappear from them. Allah will then call them, while the rest of creation is listening, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ</div><p>(Where are My (so-called) partners whom you used to assert) 28:62 And, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ - مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ هَلْ يَنصُرُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَنتَصِرُونَ </div><p>(And it will be said to them: "Where are those that you used to worship. Instead of Allah Can they help you or help themselves") 26:92-93 Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَآءُ</div><p>(We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed were partners.) meaning partners in worship. That is, partners in a share of your worship. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ</div><p>(Now you and they have been cut off) or, the Ayah is recited with the meaning: all connections, means, and ties between you and them have been severed. </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَضَلَّ عَنكُم</div><p>(and vanished from you) you have lost, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ</div><p>(all that you used to claim) of hope in the benefit of the idols and rivals (you worshipped with Allah). Allah said in other Ayat, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُواْ مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ حَسَرَتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُم بِخَـرِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ </div><p>(When those who were followed, declare themselves innocent of those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them. And those who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance to return, we would disown them as they have disowned us." Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regret for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.) 2:166-167, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ </div><p>(Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.) 23:101, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّمَا اتَّخَذْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَـناً مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً وَمَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ</div><p>(You have taken (for worship) idols instead of Allah, and the love between you is only in the life of this world, but on the Day of Resurrection, you shall disown each other, and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have no helper.) 29:25, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَقِيلَ ادْعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمْ</div><p>(And it will be said (to them): "Call upon your partners", and they will call upon them, but they will give no answer to them.) 28:64, and </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ</div><p>(And the Day whereon We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who committed Shirk...) 10:28 until, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ</div><p>(And their invented false deities will vanish from them.) 10:30 </p>

None is Worse Than One who Invents a Lie Against Allah and Claims that Revelation Came to HimAllah said, وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً(And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah,) Therefore, none is more unjust than one who lies about Allah claiming that He has partners or a son, or falsely claiming that Allah sent him as a Prophet; أَوْ قَالَ أُوْحِى إِلَىَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ(or says: "I have received inspiration," whereas he is not inspired with anything;) `Ikrimah and Qatadah said that this Ayah was revealed about Musaylimah Al-Kadhdhab. وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثْلَ مَآ أَنَزلَ اللَّهُ(and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allah has revealed.") This refers to he, who claims that the lies he invents rival the revelation that came from Allah. In another Ayah, Allah said, وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالُواْ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـذَآ(And when Our verses (of the Qur'an) are recited to them, they say: "We have heard this (the Qur'an); if we wish we can say the like of this.") The Condition of These Unjust People Upon Death and on the Day of ResurrectionAllah, the Most Honored, said, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّـلِمُونَ فِى غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ(And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death...) suffering from the hardhips, agonies and afflictions of death, وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ(while the angels are stretching forth their hands...) beating them. Allah said in other Ayat: لَئِن بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى(If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me..) 5:28and, وَيَبْسُطُواْ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالسُّوءِ(And stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil.)60:2 Ad-Dahhak and Abu Salih said that, `stretch forth their hands,' means, `with torment'. In another Ayah, Allah said, وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـرَهُمْ(And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve they smite their faces and their backs. )8:50 Allah said, وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ(while the angels are stretching forth their hands) beating them, until their souls leave their bodies, saying, أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ("Deliver your souls!") When the disbeliever is near death, the angels will convey the `good news' to him of torment, vengeance, chains, restraints, Hell, boiling water and the anger of the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. The soul will then scatter in the body of the disbeliever and refuse to get out of it. The angels will keep beating the disbeliever until his soul exits from his body, أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ((Saying): "Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to say about Allah other than the truth.") This Ayah means, today, you will be utterly humiliated because you used to invent lies against Allah and arrogantly refused to follow His Ayat and obey His Mesengers. There are many Hadiths, of Mutawatir grade, that explain what occurs when the believers and disbelievers die, and we will mention these Hadiths when explaining Allah's statement, يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ(Allah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world, and in the Hereafter.) 14:27 Allah said next, وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ(And truly you have come unto Us alone as We created you the first time.) 6:94, and this statement will be said on the Day of Return. In another Ayah, Allah said, وَعُرِضُواْ عَلَى رَبِّكَ صَفَا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ(And they will be set before your Lord in rows, (and Allah will say): "Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time.') 18:48, meaning, just as We started your creation, We brought you back, although you used to deny Resurrection and reject its possibility. Therefore, this is the Day of Resurrection! Allah said, وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَّا خَوَّلْنَـكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ(You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you.) 6:94, The wealth and the money that you collected in the life of the world, you left all this behind you. It is recorded in the Sahih that Allah's Messenger said, «يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَالِي مَالِي وَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ إِلَّا مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ، أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ، أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ، وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاس»(The Son of Adam says, `My money, my money!' But, what part of your money do you have, other than what you eat of it and is thus spent, what you wear and tear and what you gave in chairty and thus remains (in the record of good deeds) Other than that, you will depart and leave it to the people.) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "On the Day of Resurrection, the Son of Adam will be brought, as if he were a golden chariot and Allah, the Most Honored, will ask, `Where is what you collected' He will reply, `O Lord! I collected it and left it as intact as ever.' Allah will say to him, `O Son of Adam! Where is what you sent forth for yourself (of righteous, good deeds),' and he will realize that he did not send forth anything for himself." Al-Hasan then recited the Ayah, وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَادَى كَمَا خَلَقْنَـكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَتَرَكْتُمْ مَّا خَوَّلْنَـكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ(And truly you have come unto Us alone as We created you the first time. You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement. Allah said; وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَآءُ(We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed to be your partners.) This chastises and criticizes the disbelievers for the rivals, idols and images that they worshipped in this life, thinking they will avail them in this life and upon Resurrection, if there is Resurrection, as they thought. On the Day of Resurrection, all relationships will be cut off, misguidance will be exposed, and those whom they used to call upon as gods will disappear from them. Allah will then call them, while the rest of creation is listening, أَيْنَ شُرَكَآئِىَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ(Where are My (so-called) partners whom you used to assert) 28:62 And, وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ - مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ هَلْ يَنصُرُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَنتَصِرُونَ (And it will be said to them: "Where are those that you used to worship. Instead of Allah Can they help you or help themselves") 26:92-93 Allah said here, وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَآءُ(We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed were partners.) meaning partners in worship. That is, partners in a share of your worship. لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ(Now you and they have been cut off) or, the Ayah is recited with the meaning: all connections, means, and ties between you and them have been severed. وَضَلَّ عَنكُم(and vanished from you) you have lost, مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ(all that you used to claim) of hope in the benefit of the idols and rivals (you worshipped with Allah). Allah said in other Ayat, إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُواْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ وَرَأَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الاٌّسْبَابُ - وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُواْ مِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللَّهُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ حَسَرَتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا هُم بِخَـرِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ (When those who were followed, declare themselves innocent of those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them. And those who followed will say: "If only we had one more chance to return, we would disown them as they have disowned us." Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regret for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.) 2:166-167, and فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى الصُّورِ فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ (Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.) 23:101, and إِنَّمَا اتَّخَذْتُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَـناً مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً وَمَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ(You have taken (for worship) idols instead of Allah, and the love between you is only in the life of this world, but on the Day of Resurrection, you shall disown each other, and curse each other, and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have no helper.) 29:25, and وَقِيلَ ادْعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمْ(And it will be said (to them): "Call upon your partners", and they will call upon them, but they will give no answer to them.) 28:64, and وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ(And the Day whereon We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who committed Shirk...) 10:28 until, وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ(And their invented false deities will vanish from them.) 10:30

"You have come before Us all alone," (God will say), "as when you were created first, leaving behind all that We had bestowed on you. We do not see your intercessors with you who, you imagined, had partnership with you. Shattered lie your ties with them now, and gone are the claims you made."

“And indeed you (the disbelievers) have now come to Us alone as We had created you at first, and you have left behind you all the wealth and riches We had bestowed upon you; and We do not see your intercessors along with you, whom you claimed to possess a share in you; indeed the link between yourselves is cut off, and you have lost all what you contended.”

'Now you have come to Us one by one, as We created you upon the first time, and you have left what We conferred on you behind your backs. We do not see with you your intercessors, those you asserted to be associates in you; the bond between you is now broken; that which you ever asserted has now gone astray from you.

[And God shall say:] "And now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as We created you in the first instance; and you have left behind you all that We bestowed on you [in your lifetime]. And We do not see with you those intercessors of yours whom you supposed to have a share in God's divinity with regard to yourselves! Indeed, all the bonds between you [and your earthly life] are now severed, and all your former fancies have forsaken you!

And now ye are come unto us singly even as We had created you for the first time, and ye have left behind your backs that which We had granted unto you, and We see not along with you your intercessors who ye fancied were Our associates in respect of you as ye asserted. Now are the ties betwixt you severed and strayed from you is that which ye were wont to assert.

And truly you have come unto Us alone (without wealth, companions or anything else) as We created you the first time. You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you. We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed to be partners with Allah. Now all relations between you and them have been cut off, and all that you used to claim has vanished from you.

“You have come to Us individually, just as We created you the first time, leaving behind you everything We gave you. We do not see with you your intercessors—those you claimed were your partners. The link between you is cut, and what you had asserted has failed you.”

(And Allah will say): 'Now you have come to Us all alone even as We had created you in the first instance, and you have left behind all that We had bestowed upon you in the world. We do not see with you your intercessors whom you imagined to have a share with Allah in your affairs. You have now been cut off from one another and all those whom you imagined (to be Allah's associates in your affairs) have failed you.'

And truly you have come unto Us alone, as We created you the first time. You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you. We see not with you your intercessors whom you claimed to be your partners. Now you and they have been cut off, and all that you used to claim has vanished from you.

Now have ye come unto Us solitary as We did create you at the first, and ye have left behind you all that We bestowed upon you, and We behold not with you those your intercessors, of whom ye claimed that they possessed a share in you. Now is the bond between you severed, and that which ye presumed hath failed you.

‘Certainly you have come to Us alone, just as We created you the first time, and left behind whatever We had bestowed on you. We do not see your intercessors with you—those whom you claimed to be [Our] partners in [deciding] you[r] [fate]. Certainly all links between you have been cut, and what you used to claim has forsaken you!’

Now you have returned to Us, alone, as We created you at first, leaving behind all that We have bestowed on you. Nor do We see with you your intercessors, those whom you asserted to be your associates. The ties which bound you are broken, and that which you asserted has gone astray from you'

[It will be said to them], "And you have certainly come to Us alone as We created you the first time, and you have left whatever We bestowed upon you behind you. And We do not see with you your 'intercessors' which you claimed that they were among you associates [of Allah]. It has [all] been severed between you, and lost from you is what you used to claim."

God will say, "You have come to Us alone just as We created you at first. You have left behind all those whom We made your friends and We do not see with you any of the intercessors whom you believed to be your partners. Your relations with them have certainly been destroyed and your belief in them has left you (in the dark)."

And certainly you have come to Us alone as We created you at first, and you have left behind your backs the things which We gave you, and We do not see with you your intercessors about whom you asserted that they were (Allah's) associates in respect to you; certainly the ties between you are now cut off and what you asserted is gone from you.

Walaqad jitumoon<u>a</u> fur<u>a</u>d<u>a</u> kam<u>a</u> khalaqn<u>a</u>kum awwala marratin wataraktum m<u>a</u> khawwaln<u>a</u>kum war<u>a</u>a <i><u>th</u></i>uhoorikum wam<u>a</u> nar<u>a</u> maAAakum shufaAA<u>a</u>akumu alla<u>th</u>eena zaAAamtum annahum feekum shurak<u>a</u>o laqad taqa<u>tt</u>aAAa baynakum wa<u>d</u>alla AAankum m<u>a</u> kuntum tazAAumoon<b>a</b>

And now you have returned to Us, alone as We created you at first, leaving behind all that We gave you. Nor do We see with you your intercessors, those you claimed were your partners with God. The link between you is cut and that which you presumed has failed you.

"And behold! ye come to us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: ye have left behind you all (the favours) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"

وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَٰدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقْنَٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَتَرَكْتُم مَّا خَوَّلْنَٰكُمْ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ وَمَا نَرَىٰ مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَٰٓؤُا۟ لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنكُم مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

They will be told on the Day of Resurrection: You have come to us today individually. Now you do not have any wealth or leadership, and you have come to Me just as I had created you the first time: barefoot, naked and uncircumcised. You have reluctantly left behind what I had given you in the world. I do not see with you today your idols, which you claimed will intercede for you and that they are Allah’s partners with respect to their being deserving of worship. All links between you have been cut. Your claim of their intercession and that they are Allah’s partners has vanished from you.

They will be told on the Day of Resurrection: You have come to us today individually. Now you do not have any wealth or leadership, and you have come to Me just as I had created you the first time: barefoot, naked and uncircumcised. You have reluctantly left behind what I had given you in the world. I do not see with you today your idols, which you claimed will intercede for you and that they are Allah’s partners with respect to their being deserving of worship. All links between you have been cut. Your claim of their intercession and that they are Allah’s partners has vanished from you.