The Illuminating Lantern: An Exposition Of Subtleties From The Qur’an Part Thirty

The Illuminating Lantern: An Exposition Of Subtleties From The Qur’an Part Thirty
This book provides brief yet condensed commentaries of the Qur’anic verses. It covers the thirtieth section, the last juz’, from surah 78 to the last, surah 114. The author has relied on the bullet-point method instead of explaining every word and expression as is customary in most explications. He collects the components of every chapter and chooses the main points that pertain to our daily life. He then adds a moral and spiritual aspect with a language that speaks to the spirit and the mind to present practical Qur’anic solutions that can shape human personality in the three dimensions of mind, spirit, and morals.

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Author's Introduction

In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful

Peace and blessings be upon the one to whom He sent down the Clear Book, Muhammad, the chosen prophet, and upon his noble progeny, whom Allah has made the pair for His noble book.

Dear reader,

When we look at the library of books written about the Qur'an, we see that the methods of Qur'anic commentary (tafsir) vary considerably. There are those that focus on the linguistic and literary import of the scripture, while some rely on narrations to explain it. Some affirm its spiritual and ethical dimensions and others set out to produce an erudite scholarly analysis of the texts. There are also, some that attempt to do all of the above.

What unites all of these various commentaries together is the great length and detail with which they speak, placing considerable strain on a reader who wishes to gather all the knowledge - relevant to him - diffused throughout the pages of these texts, which are truly at the pinnacle of humanity's written heritage.

But in addition to this school, with its various sources that has come down to us by Allah's leave, I saw it fit to produce another type of work. It is one that first of all divides surahs into collections of similar verses that share the same context and meaning, and then extracts the subtleties of their meaning in the form of self-contained points. In doing so, I wanted to help the reader to focus on each individual idea and ponder upon it, even if he only has a little time to do so, whether in his home or while travelling, so, that he could be someone who ponders (mutadabbir) on the Qur'an and benefits from its verses in his journey towards Allah, just as Allah Himself expects from all individuals with a free will:

“Do they not contemplate the Qur'an?” (an-Nisa', 4:82).

“This is an explanation for mankind, and a guidance and advice for the Godwary.” (Ale Imran, 3:138).

“Certainly, We have made the Qur'an simple for the sake of admonishment.” (al-Qamar, 54:17).

“....We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit.” (an-Nahl, 16:89).

“We have sent the Qur'an in [discrete) parts so, that you may read it to the people a little at a time.” (al-Isra’, 17:106).

“A blessed Book that We have sent down to you, so, that they may contemplate its signs.” (Sad, 38:29).

“This is a proclamation for mankind, so, that they may be warned thereby.” (Ibrahim, 14:52).

“There has come to you in this the truth and an advice and admonition for the faithful.” (Hud, 11:120).

“We have made it an Arabic Qur'an so, that you may apply reason.” (az-Zukhruf, 43:3).

“These are the signs of the Manifest Book.” (ash-Shu’ara’, 26:2).

I wanted this commentary to be like an assistant to the reader in this regard, so, that Allah’s Book could become a remembrance, a proclamation, a guidance, an admonition, a clarification, an explanation, a criterion and a clear book for him – which is the essence we extract from the above verses. Something that I should mention here is that this commentary has a hue of moral education, in that I have tried to lead the one who ponders upon it towards the realm of spiritual refinement and self-development, which was the very raison d’etre of the Qur’anic revelation.

So, it is because of this that I have, in some areas, chosen focus on those points that are most useful to apply the verse in practice, in our lives, rather than probing its corresponding concepts. This is to avoid making the verses appear inanimate and abstract. In this way, we have tried to stay true to the original goal of this work, which was to transform the knowledge gained from these verses into action in the sphere of our daily lives, and I hope that this is possible by merely pondering the paragraph concerning any verse in this book.

I began this work – by Allah’s grace – dealing with the final part (juz’) of the Qur’an, assuming that readers are generally familiar with the short surahs therein from a young age as they have often recited them in prayer or at other occasions. That would require them to have at least a basic grasp of their meanings. Hence, I present this work hastening to good deeds and I hope to complete the commentary [of the entire Qur’an] with Allah’s kindness and generosity in the remaining days and nights of my life.

Finally, I would like to give thanks to the Lord Almighty who blessed me with success in this endeavour, for I know well that the hours spent reciting the Qur’an and pondering upon its meanings were some of the sweetest hours of my life; because it was pondering on the words of someone I love, and when you love someone, you love to speak to them, you love to understand their speech and you love to comprehend their meaning.

And there is no doubt that the best books to be composed, read, studied or pondered upon are those whose subject is the best Book in existence, namely that book which falsehood cannot approach from any direction.

Surah an-Naba’ (No. 78: ‘The Tiding’)

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

What is it about which they question each other? (78:1).

عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ

(Is it) about the tremendous tiding (78:2).

الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ

The one about which they differ? (78:3).

كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ

No indeed! They will soon know! (78:4).

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ

Again, no indeed! They will soon know! (78:5).

1. The Tiding

Describing the tiding (naba’), which - according to one opinion - refers to the Day of Resurrection, as (the word) ‘tremendous’ (‘azim) demonstrates the important place that faith in the Resurrection has in a person's spiritual development. Faith in the Resurrection causes a person to vigilantly observe their own behaviour (muraqabah), as not everyone can [otherwise] experience the fear of standing before their Lord.1

The Day of Resurrection has been described as tremendous in another verse:

“Do they not know that they will be resurrected” (Al-Mutaffifin, 83:4).

“On a tremendous day...?” (Al-Mutaffifin, 83:5).

And the tiding has been described as tremendous elsewhere, too:

“Say, ‘It is a great tiding’.” (Sad, 38:67).

2. Denying The Resurrection

Despite being unanimous in their disbelief, the non-believers still differ amongst themselves, even in their false doctrines. We understand this from the expression ‘they differ’ (mukhtalifun). Those who deny the Resurrection in its true Qur'anic sense fall into a number of groups:

a. Those who deny bodily resurrection:

"Who shall revive the bones when they have decayed?” (Yasin, 36:78).

“Say, 'He will revive them who created them the first time...” (Yasin, 36:79).

b. Those who consider it to be far-fetched:

“Far-fetched, far fetched is what you are promised!” (Al-Mu’minoon, 23:36).

c. Those who are in doubt concerning it:

“No, they are in doubt about it." (An-Naml 27:66).

And the expression 'question each other' (yatasaa alun) shows that this was an issue they were discussing amongst themselves, even if only to deride the idea of the Resurrection.

3. Asking Questions

When a genuinely innocent question is asked with the desire to understand, it is appropriate to give a proper answer, such as when the Prophet (S) was questioned about the nature of the soul2 (ruh), the distribution of spoils (from war),'3 or wine and gambling4. But this is not the case when the question is asked out of obstinacy and derision, whereby the answer is connected to a kind of threat, as we can see in Allah's words:

“No indeed! They will soon know!” (Surah an-Naba’, 78:4)

Moreover, He disparages the questioning by the disbelievers with the words:

“What is it about which they question each other?” (Surah an-Naba’, 78:1)

because they are asking a question to which they already know the answer!

4. Doctrinal Challenges

Doctrinal challenges must be met firmly and frankly without any deference. The verses of the Qur'an repeat the expression 'no indeed!' (kalla) as an explicit rejection of the claims of the group of disbelievers. The verse repudiates their very act of questioning without undertaking to offer an answer. Whoever sees the signs of Allah's power in this creation cannot rightly deny His ability to produce another. Nor can anyone who sees the wisdom of the Creator in this fleeting abode deny His wisdom, which necessitates an accounting and recompense in the everlasting one!

5. Genuine Knowledge Of The Resurrection

In terms of outcome, the main difference between those who believe in the Resurrection and those who doubt it is that the former would live with genuine knowledge of what will come after the Resurrection, as the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) describes them: 'They are, with regards to Paradise, like one who has seen it already!’5

This is in contrast to the non-believer who 'will soon know' but only after they have lost the opportunity to attain it. When the veils are lifted from them, they will see the truth of the matter. But this revelation will not help them, not even in the slightest form.

6. Resurrection Is Close

The words 'they will soon know', which suggest something to occur soon indicate that while we imagine the Resurrection as a distant event in the future, it is actually near at hand. But we do not sense it. Death is all that stands between our Resurrection and us. As soon as we die, it sets in. From the Prophet (S), it is narrated that he said: 'Whoever dies, his Resurrection has set in.'6

And the Qur'an affirms this fact in another verse:

“Indeed, they see it to be far off.” (al-Ma’aarij, 70:6).

“And We see it to be near.” (al-Ma’aarij, 70:7).

Assuming that 'near' (qarib) in this verse means an impending reality and not merely a probable one.

Verses 6-16

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا

Did We not make the earth a cradle? (78:6).

وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا

And the mountains stakes? (78:7).

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا

And create you in pairs? (78:8).

وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا

And make your sleep for rest? (78:9).

وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا

And make the night a covering? (78:10).

وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا

And make the day for livelihood? (78:11).

وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا

And build above you the seven mighty heavens? (78:12).

وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا

And make (the sun for) a radiant lamp? (78:13).

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا

And We send down water pouring from the wringing rain-clouds (78:14).

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا

That with it We may bring forth grains and plants (78:15).

وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا

And luxuriant gardens? (78:16).

7. Looking For The Source

A believing person looks at everything as being ultimately connected to the Cause of causes, and hence turns his attention to the Maker whenever he looks at what He has made, recalling the words of his Lord: 'Did We not make...?' when he looks to the earth, he sees 'a resting place'; and when he looks to the mountains, he sees 'stakes.' An insightful person's gaze does not look merely at the act or at the proximate causes for that act, but towards the original cause, which is considered the source of its emanation and not merely its visible traces. Imam al-Husayn (‘a) says in his supplication for the Day of 'Arafah: 'Hesitancy in following the trail makes one's arrival unlikely.'7

8. Allah’s Signs In Creation

Mentioning Allah's signs in creation after mentioning the Resurrection could allude to the fact that one of the proofs of the Resurrection is the power of the Creator we see manifested in this first creation; whoever has the power to initiate something must also, have the power to conclude it! This is why these verses use the plural pronoun of the first person; 'We built...', 'We made...', 'We sent down...', 'That we may bring forth...' to continuously remind the audience of the active force behind the changing phenomena of this existence, and the speaker attributes this to Himself in these verses, which incorporate both affirmative ('We did ...') and negative ('Did we not. ..?') statements.

9. Correct Beliefs Through Reasoned Arguments

After denying those false ideas in the first set of verses, we must establish the correct beliefs through well-reasoned arguments and evidence, to have the ability of both denying and affirming at the same time. Just as the rule of 'purification followed by illumination’ (takhliya thumma tajliya) applies in the realm of spiritual purification, this also, applies in the realm of intellectual purification. Without first freeing the mind of the audience from falsehoods, it is not easy to convince them of truths. And this meaning is realized in the first testimony of faith ('there is no god except Allah' - La ilaha illa Allah) as well.

10. A Wise, Controlling Power

When obstinacy and stubbornness are removed from a person, and he considers the material phenomena which surround him, whether these appear to be fixed - like the earth and mountains - or ephemeral and changing - like the restfulness of sleep or the livelihood he seeks by day - all of these will connect him to the Origin and the Destination. This is because the wisdom that manifests in the particular phenomena of this existence did not spontaneously kindle from their inert matter. So, there must be a wise controlling power that is beyond them, which acts throughout this amazing universe.

11. Cradle

Calling the earth a cradle,

“Did we not make the earth a cradle?” (an-Naba’, 78:6).

reminds us of the cradle of a newborn infant. This cradle is a temporary resting place for him because he will soon depart from it in this life to something that is more spacious and comfortable, like an enormous palace!

Hence, we say that the earth and everything upon it, when compared to the hereafter, is like a small cradle in comparison to that enormous palace. In fact, the difference between the two is even greater, because anyone who is familiar with this earth is like a newborn child who is barely familiar with his tiny cradle, let alone a great palace!

12. Annihilation

Allah who created the mountains and made them stakes is He who will one day reduce these mountains to dunes of shifting sand,8 carded wool,9 scattered dust10 and a level plane,11 as described in the Qur'an. This, in turn, shows that all the beautiful and majestic phenomena of this world will one day be returned to nothingness and annihilation, and all that will remain is the countenance of your Lord, the Master of Majesty and Nobility.

13. Day

The health of the body is, in some way, connected to its continuous alternation between movement and rest. So, it is Allah who made the day a time for livelihood after the slumber of sleep. Therefore, someone who does not set aside time for rest - represented by the cover of night - after his daily striving for livelihood lives against the law of nature and shall suffer afflictions as a result.

14. Waking And Resurrection

The act of sleeping then waking up is very similar to the process of death and resurrection; so, a servant who vigilantly observes himself will be reminded of the coming Resurrection every time he awakens, which in turn reminds him to prepare himself for that critical day.

And it is on this basis that the supplication prescribed to be recited when waking from sleep draws a connection between waking and resurrection: 'Praise be to Allah who made me live after causing me to die, to Him is the Resurrection, and praise be to Allah who returned to me my spirit that I might praise and serve Him.'12

15. Specific Purposes

Allah, the All-Powerful and All-Wise, has made every single thing in this existence disposed to a specific purpose, as the verses of this surah mention:

a. Sleep is necessary for rest and relaxation:

“and make your sleep for rest.” (an-Naba’, 78:9).

b. Wakefulness during the day is necessary to seek one's livelihood:

“and make the day for livelihood.” (an-Naba’, 78:11).

c. Being in pairs is necessary for mankind to produce offspring and multiply:

“and create you in pairs! ” (an-Naba’, 78:8).

d. The gravitational attraction of planets and stars in the firmament is necessary for the earth to be a proper home for the human race:
“and build above you the seven mighty heavens.” (an-Naba’, 78:12).

e. And rain is necessary for the earth to produce crops and beautiful vegetation:

“that with it We may bring forth grains and plants.” (an-Naba’, 78:15).

Of course, we know that Allah intends another goal beyond this universe, or else this worldly existence would end with death. That is, He desires to bring His servants to the perfection for which they were created. And this is also, one of the pieces of evidence for the Resurrection, because the events that take place therein represent the ultimate purpose of bringing the universe into being.

16. Revival

After mentioning the resurrection, this surah mentions many of Allah's signs in creation, such as reviving the earth and bringing forth vegetation. But all of these point to a single power in both creations (the first and the next); one that is able to revive the dead in all forms. This is why it calls revival (ihya’) 'bringing forth' (ikhraj), an expression which refers to both bringing forth vegetation and the dead from the earth.

17. Death

By calling rain-clouds mu'sirat, the Qur'an ascribes the act of wringing-out to the clouds themselves which wring themselves out to bring forth pouring water. But from another aspect, Allah ascribes this to Himself. So, He is the one who sends down this water as a cause behind all causes.

“And We send down water pouring from the wringing rain-clouds (an-Naba’, 78:14).

This is true in all cases where Allah acts through intermediaries in this existence, including causing death:

a. Allah ascribes death to Himself sometimes:

“ Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep…” (az-Zumar, 39:42).

“And Allah has created you, then He causes you to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so, that after having knowledge he does not know anything; surely Allah is Knowing, Powerful”. (an-Nahl, 16:70).

b. But at other times He ascribes it to the Angel of Death:

“Say: The angel of death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, then to your Lord you shall be brought back”. (as-Sajdah, 32:11).

18. Directing Efforts

We must adorn ourselves with Allah's manners, in that every one of His actions is motivated by a penetrating wisdom. The sending down of water is followed by the bringing forth of plants and vegetation, but He uses the lam of causation (translated as: 'that ...way may...') to convey this meaning, as in his words:

“that with it We may bring forth grains and plants.” (an-Naba’, 78:15).

In the same way, a wise servant must never act haphazardly, as he directs all of his efforts in this world toward his everlasting happiness, as alluded to by the verse:

“Say, 'Indeed, my prayer and my worship, my life and my death are for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” (al-An’am 6:162).

Verses 17-30

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا

Indeed, the Day of Separation was the tryst (78:17).

يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا

the day the Trumpet will be blown, and you will come in groups (78:18).

وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا

and the sky will be opened and become gates (78:19).

وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا

and the mountains will be set moving and become a mirage. (78:20).

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا

Indeed, hell is an ambush, (78:21).

لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا

a resort for the rebels (78:22).

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا

to reside therein for ages, (78:23).

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا

tasting in it neither any coolness nor drink (78:24).

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا

except boiling water and pus (78:25).

جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا

a fitting requital. (78:26).

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا

Indeed, they did not expect any reckoning (78:27).

وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا

and they denied Our signs mendaciously (78:28).

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا

and We have figured everything in a Book. (78:29).

فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا

So, taste! We shall increase you in nothing but punishment! (78:30).

19. Maintaining Ties With Relatives

Calling the Day of Judgment, 'the Day of Separation' (yawm al-fasl) alludes to the severing of social bonds, even that between a father and his son. And this strengthens the bonds that join a servant to his Lord. Between Him and His servant there is no separation in either of the creations, unlike the bond between one servant and another:

“Your relatives and your children will not avail you on the Day of Resurrection: He will separate you from one another.”(al-Mumtahanah, 60:3).

This motivates us to turn ourselves voluntarily towards our Master, before we are forced to turn towards Him with the rest of mankind.

Of course, what we have said here does not contradict having relations with other people that attain the pleasure of our Creator. For example, maintaining our ties with relatives and the faithful is important because these ties are one of the affairs of our Lord, who has placed observing the rights of relatives (arham) next to wariness of Himself:

“Be wary of Allah, in whose Name you adjure one another, and the relatives.” (an-Nisa', 4:1).

20. Oppression

A person who has suffered injustice but is certain that the Resurrection will come to pass will not be thirsty for revenge, because he knows that there will be a reckoning. By the same token, the sense that the victims of injustice are powerless will not embolden their oppressors, because they too know that there will be a day when their deeds are weighed on the scales of justice13 and when all disputes will be settled. These are all blessings that result from paying attention to the fact that the Day of Resurrection is a tryst and that people will be completely cut off from one another on that day;

“Indeed, the Day of Separation was the tryst.” (an-Naba’, 78:17).

21. A Meeting

When we talk about a time being a tryst (miqat), this expression suggests that the fruit of all our struggles will appear at that time in which we will be called to account. Any rational person who is sure that this tryst will take place will prepare himself for this meeting, which shall be not without punishment or rebuke.

22. Worldly Pleasures

Even those transient pleasures that are without benefit will seem worthless to someone who believes in the truth of this tryst, let alone those things, which are forbidden to him. This is because he knows he will meet the Master of the Heavens and the Earth... obviously the rebuke for unnecessary concerns and speech contains an element of punishment for those who understand the gravity of standing before their Lord in those awesome stations.

23. Resurrection

The tryst of the Resurrection was promised from pre-eternity, on the day that Allah created the heavens and the earth, and this is why Allah uses the past tense '...was the tryst.' Because one who is wise pays attention to the outcomes of his actions even when he is only beginning them, as without this outcome the very wisdom behind creation and origination is lost, and the righteous and the sinner will be equal in their requital!

24. Groups And Individuals

There is no contradiction between these statements:

“... and you will come in groups” (an-Naba’, 78:18).

and

“and each of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection” (Maryam, 19:95).

as we can say:

a. These two statements refer to two different stages of the Final Judgment; everyone will be brought forth together but each person will be held to account individually.

b. Even if the outward manifestation of mankind being brought forth will be as a group - as we understand from the first verse - but the inner reality will be as individuals, because each person will be completely focused on his own fate and is indifferent to that of others; a mother will even neglect her suckling child!

And it should be remembered that the people mentioned in both of the above states – that is coming forth in groups and as individuals - will be resurrected under a single banner according to their state in this world, as we understand from Allah's words:

“The day We shall summon every group of people with their imam…” (al-Isra’, 17:71).

25. “Lowering, Exalting”

The nature of the heavens is such that they are firmly sealed on all sides without opening, while the nature of the mountains is that they are fixed as pegs in the earth. But on the Day of Resurrection the very essence of things will change; sealed doors will be thrown open:

“and the sky will be opened ……” (an-Naba’, 78:19).

and things, which appear fixed will be set in motion:

“the mountains will be set moving……” (an-Naba’, 78:20).

The same applies to the measuring of deeds, they will transform; that which appeared true will be shown false, and vice versa, hence why it is called: 'lowering, exalting.' (Surah al-Waqi'ah, 56:3).

26. “A Mirage”

All forms of enjoyment in this worldly life are like a fleeting mirage; their outward appearance entices but they are hollow and devoid of reality. And yet, this statement, which is a figure of speech in this world, will become manifestly real on the Day of Judgment; mountains, which are the firmest manifestation and the most towering creation on the face of the earth will become, as the Qur'an says, 'a mirage' which refers to the fading of their very reality, not merely their visible appearance.

27. Ambush

Calling Hell an ambush, as Allah does in His saying:

“Indeed, hell is an ambush” (an-Naba’, 78:21).

suggests that there is someone waiting to ambush a wayfarer, even if he does not perceive them, as is the common practice of bandits. Therefore, someone who lives in this world and knows that Hell exists and that it is lying in wait for him, or that it is the place where an ambush will be sprung - according to the two meanings of the Arabic word for 'ambush' (mirsad) should live with a fear that restrains him from forbidden things.

28. Hell Is Like A Path

Hell is like a path that one must traverse, like a road upon which there are people who ambush travellers:

“There is none of you but will come to it.” (Maryam, 19:71).

But the question is who will traverse it safely (the believers) and those who will fall into the ambush (the wrongdoers).

29. Rebellion

One of the attributes of the inhabitants of Hellfire is rebellion (tughyan), which means to overstep the bounds of moderation (i'tidal). Therefore, every act of rebellion that takes the servant beyond the bounds of moderation in everything - no matter how little it may be - is step towards amassing sins to the extent that one of them becomes a rebel (taghut), in which case he becomes a manifestation of his own corruption and the corruption of others.

30. Severe Punishment

Hell is described as:

“a resort for the rebels.” (an-Naba’, 78:22).

as though it is their natural place of return. They were familiar with it - even if they did not realize this - in the abode of this world, so, they returned to it in the Hereafter. Their rebellious nature is only compatible with them remaining in this place of return.

From this perspective, we can also, understand why they must remain forever in Hellfire; their immutable nature (tabi'a thabita) requires this constant punishment, as the recompense on the Day of Resurrection is appropriate to the deeds of the servant:

“a fitting requital.” (an-Naba’, 78:26).

So, there is no reason to imagine that this punishment is excessive once we understand the essential kinship between the hellfire and its inhabitants; the one who metes out this requital is absolutely just and the wisest of the wise!

31. Eternity In Hell

Some inhabitants of Hellfire are not condemned to remain therein forever; sinners who are not without faith will actually

“to reside therein for ages .” (an-Naba’, 78:23).

But residing in Hellfire, even for merely finite period of time, should still give us cause to tremble! We must imagine remaining in the hellfire for a prolonged and uncertain amount of time, as we can grasp from the word 'ages' (ahqab), and this is a recompense that the servant would not have expected in the abode of this world.

32. Boiling Water

Hell is a view of utter punishment, for there is nothing to drink nor even anything drinkable, or any shade in which to seek the slightest respite. Whoever has any hope of coolness, their recompense can be gleaned from Allah's words:

“tasting in it neither any coolness nor drink.” (an-Naba’, 78:24).

In fact, there is nothing to provide relief to the inhabitants of Hell, not even a transient moment of pleasure or a fleeting hope. We know this because the words 'coolness' (bard) and 'drink' (sharab) appear as indefinite nouns in the context of a negation.

Graver still is that instead of a drink to quench their thirst, they will be drinking boiling water (hamim) which shall be poured over them as well:

“and drink boiling water on top of it.” (al-Waqi'ah, 56:54).

33. Denying The Resurrection

Denying the Resurrection is one of the causes of rebellion because it entails a denial of any recompense for one's actions, which in turn would act as a check on man's defiance. About this, the verse says:

“Indeed, they did not expect any reckoning.” (an-Naba’, 78:27).

So, in practice, someone who does not expect any recompense is like one who denies it outright, even if he accepts it on a theoretical level.

34. Continuous Vigilance

One of the ways in which a servant can become righteous in his life is through continuous vigilance (muraqaba muttasila), and this vigilance has two corollaries:

a. First: Reminding oneself of the Day of Recompense:

“…when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead...” (an-Naba’, 78:40).

b. Second: Certainty that Allah will figure every deed, whether great or small, in a book in which all of that is recorded;

“We have figured everything in a Book.” (an-Naba’, 78:29).

In short, the source from which vigilance springs is reminding oneself of one's origin and return in a way that penetrates the very depths of one's soul.

35. Rebuke

When the person who has been wronged (sahib al-haqq) rebukes the wrongdoer directly, this causes greater psychological pain for the latter when he faces judgement. Even more so, when the person who has been wronged has power (qudrah) as well. So, the phrase – 'So, taste...!' - represents a transition from referring to them in the third-person ('they') to addressing them directly. This is a more eloquent form of censure and reproach, as it emanates directly from the Creator of Hell and the One who sustains its flames.

36. Aversion Of The Rebels

In the abode of this world, the rebels only increase in aversion the more they are preached to;

“but it increases them only in aversion.” (al-Isra', 17:41).

So, their recompense in Hell reflects this condition of theirs; their pleas for relief are only followed by an increase in punishment;

“So, taste! We shall increase you in nothing but punishment.” (an-Naba’, 78:30).

Just as the preaching by the prophets had no effect on them save to increase them in aversion, so, do their entreaties in Hellfire have no effect save to increase their punishment!

It has been narrated that this verse is one of the harshest descriptions of the condition that the inhabitants of Hellfire will find themselves in; the Prophet (S) is narrated to have said: 'This verse is the harshest part of the Qur’an for the inhabitants of Hellfire.'14

Verses 31-38

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا

Indeed, a triumph awaits the Godwary (78:31).

حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا

gardens and vineyards, (71:32).

وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا

and buxom maidens of a like age (78:33).

وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا

and brimming cups. (78:34).

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا

They shall hear neither vain talk therein, nor lies (78:35).

جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا

a reward from your Lord, a bounty sufficing, (78:36).

رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الرَّحْمَٰنِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا

the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the All-beneficent, whom they will not be able to address (78:37).

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا

on the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in an array. None shall speak except whom the All-beneficent permits and who says what is right. (78:38)

37. The Method Of The Qur’an

The method of the Qur’an alternates between instilling fear (tarhib) and hope (targhib); after mentioning the different kinds of painful punishment in Hell, the verses shift to the mention of the different kinds of eternal comforts in Paradise. This is a practical lesson for preachers - both then and now - that both methods must be used to kindle people's innermost feelings; too much fear might cause them to despair, just as too much hope might lead them to feel complacent and assume they are secure from Allah's stratagems.

38. Gardens

Just as gardens (hada'iq) represent the Paradise's material comforts, its elevation above vain speech and lies represent its spiritual comforts. This means that a worldly life that is free from vain talks and lies is already imbued with a kind of blessing enjoyed by the inhabitants of Paradise, and this can only be found in the lives of righteous men and women, and a family of the believers.

39. Vain Talks

It is the nature of the worldly comforts to remove the inhibitions of those who enjoy them and turn their conversations towards vain talks, whereas the inhabitants of Paradise - who enjoy the ultimate degrees of comfort - remain vigilant of their Master in such a way that prevents them from allowing vanity into their talks;

“They shall hear neither vain talk therein, nor lies” (an-Naba’, 78:30).

in the form of them calling one another liars, for there is no quarrelling between them, as Allah says:

“We will remove whatever rancour there is in their breasts.” (al-A'raf, 7:43).

And we know that every form of vanity and deceit is removed from Paradise, because both of these words appear as indefinite nouns in the context of a negation, which indicates a general negation.

40. Compensation

The choice not to call others as liars - as one of the blessings of Paradise - might be a kind of compensation (ta'wid) for the faithful who suffered in the abode of this world because the disbelievers called them liars. And we know that they only suffered this for the sake of Allah (fi sabil illah). So, it is as though the verse alludes to the fact that they will be relieved of this terrible persecution in the everlasting abode of Paradise having endured it in this world. This compensation is like a type of reward that matches their good deeds, as required by the wisdom of the One bestowing rewards upon them.

41. Accounting And Giving

Recompense on the Day of Resurrection is a combination of being through accounting (hisab) first, and through giving ('ata') second, which is why the verse puts these two together -'a reward sufficing' ('ata’an hisaban) - saying:

“a reward from your Lord, a bounty sufficing” (an-Naba’ 78:36).

So, the matter is never beyond the compass of precise accounting, which is the mark of existence (simat al-wujud), nor beyond the compass of liberal giving, which is the mark of generosity (simat al-jud). Otherwise, how could a few years of obedience be possibly compared to the eternal recompense?

42. Never Feel Complacent

The careful accounting of recompense that is attributed to the Lord Almighty requires the servant to be unswerving in obedience to Him, because of the inseparability of abundant obedience from abundant reward that is without limit;

“There they will have whatever they wish, and with Us there is yet more.” (Qaf, 50:35).

Therefore, we must never feel complacent or content with a certain level of obedience, taking the magnanimity of our Master for granted, because even His magnanimity is proportional to the servant's good deeds.

43. Recompense Of The Faithful And The Disbelievers

Were we to ponder on the recompense of the faithful and the disbelievers, we would see a reciprocity like that found between the opposites that reflect the fate of each group on that day:

a. The believers drink ‘a pure drink’15 while the disbelievers consume 'boiling water and pus.'
b. The outcome of the faithful is 'a triumph' while the fate of the disbelievers is 'an ambush.'
c. The recompense of the faithful is a 'reward' (‘ata’), which signifies generosity and open-handedness, while that of the disbelievers is a 'requital' (wifaq) befitting their crimes in this world.

44. Allah Appends The Prophet (S) To Himself

Allah appends the Prophet (S) to Himself in the station of recompense, saying:

“a reward from your (sing.) Lord...” (an-Naba’, 78:36).

before appending to that the heavens and the earth, saying:

“the Lord of the heavens and the earth....” ((an-Naba’, 78:37).

as though the universe in its entirety is in one hand, and His beloved Mustafa (S)16 is in the other. And this is the natural corollary of the entire universe having been created for his (S) sake and those noble members of his Household who are attached to him.

45. Ranks

Standing in ranks is usually the mark of those disciplined in affairs. The angels - who do not precede Him in speech - are organized in their affairs, as on the Day of Resurrection they will stand in ranks and not speak save with His permission;

“…… in an array. None shall speak except whom the All-beneficent permits...” (an-Naba’, 78:38).

Silence is the natural state for all creations on the Day of Gathering, while speaking requires someone to permit it.

46. Saying What Is Right

The presence of the Lord is a presence in which manners are observed and attention is given, so, anyone who will not say what is right will not be permitted to speak, as he will fall in the estimation of his Master! And even though this meaning is in the context that will be realized in the Hereafter (as the verse itself states), the believers observe this rule in his worldly life too. He knows that if he does not say what is right, he will fall in the estimation of his Master, and this is a thing most difficult to bear, for a servant who is vigilant of his Lord.

47. Intercession On The Day Of Resurrection

This verse demonstrates that intercession on the Day of Resurrection will only happen by Allah's leave, for it is a kind of right speech, which is permitted to emanate from the intercessor. This matter goes back to divine wisdom, which judges that only that which is true and right shall come to pass on the side of sanctity. It has been narrated that when Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) was asked about this verse, he said: 'We - by Allah! - are those permitted [to speak] on the Day of Judgment, and those who will say what is right.'17

48. Permission To Speak

The utmost pride a servant shall feel is when he is permitted to speak with his Master in this world or in the Hereafter, and this is granted to everyone who becomes worthy thereof. The way to attain this worthiness is as follows:

a. First, the person must be upon what is right -

“…...and who says what is right” (an-Naba’, 78:38).

and we know that anyone who wishes to be right must first know what right is! This is why we seek guidance from Him by saying:

“Guide us to the Straight Path.” (al-Fatihah, 1:6).

b. Second, that he prepares himself to enter the compass of Divine Attraction (jadhb ilahl), so, that he will be permitted to speak

“ ....whom the All-Beneficent permits ……” (an-Naba’, 78:38).

It should be noted that the choice of the word 'the All-Beneficient' (ar-Rahman) has a subtle meaning here; it alludes to the fact that one of the causes for this divine providence ('inaya) is the servant's acquisition of this attribute as well.

Verses 39-40

ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّ فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ مَآبًا

That is the day of truth. So, let anyone who wishes take resort with his Lord (78:39).

إِنَّا أَنْذَرْنَاكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنْظُرُ الْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ تُرَابًا

Indeed, We have warned you of a punishment near at hand - the day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead and the disbeliever will say, 'I wish I were dust!' (78:40).

49. No Compulsion

Wayfaring on the path to Allah is not by compulsion and force, or else there would be no point in the struggle required when seeking divine proximity; in fact, He has made the fact of being guided to the way conditional upon struggling for Him:

“As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways” (al-'Ankabut, (29:69).

So, whoever wants his destination and his fate to be with Allah, must first of all sincerely desire and wish for that and second, he must resolve to traverse the path laid down to Him:

“ …… so, let anyone who wishes take resort with his Lord” (an-Naba’, 78:39).

50. The First Warner

The original warner (mundhir) is the Lord of the Worlds –

“We have warned you of a punishment near at hand ....” (an-Naba’, 78:40).

followed by the messenger –

“Messengers, as bearers of good news and warners” (an-Nisa', 4:165).

followed by the scholars –

“ And it does not beseem the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?” (at-Tawbah, 9:122).

From this, we can grasp the importance of scholars and their position. They have become an extension of the Divine Will and they emulate the actions of the prophets.

51. Warnings

Warnings (indhar) are more suited to awaken those who are unaware than good tidings (bashara), which is why this verse only mentions warning –

“We have warned you of a punishment near at hand ....” (an-Naba’, 78:40).

- without mentioning good tidings when discussing 'the day of truth,' because the surah concludes by mentioning the disbelievers.

52. Very Near

Some people see the Hereafter as if it is far off in the future, while the truth is that the only thing separating us from the Hereafter is death, which could overtake us at any moment. This is why the verse announces that the punishment it warns of is very near indeed:

“We have warned you of a punishment near at hand ....” (an-Naba’, 78:40).

This verse explains the nearness according to reality, while the other verse above explains it from the viewpoint of the All-Wise - 'We see it to be near' -and this previous warning is only another proof against the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection.

53. Physical Reality Of Deeds

On the Day of Judgment, a person's deeds will take on a physical reality; verses of the Qur’an talk about physically seeing deeds (ru’ya) in numerous contexts, such as the verse in this surah:

'...the day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead....' (an-Naba’, 78:40).

when actually, it is more fitting that a servant should observe his deeds in this world, both because he is nearer to them and because there is still an opportunity for him to change his ways. The problem is that many people lack the insight to see things that will only be revealed to them when it is too late for them to do anything about it.

54. Extreme Regret

The fact that someone who was once a candidate for divine vicegerency (al-khilafa al-ilahiyyah) should wish that he were (mere) dust reveals the extreme regret experienced by a disbeliever on the Day of Judgment –

“…...and the disbeliever will say, 'I wish I were dust!” (an-Naba’, 78:40).

In fact, it can be said that that the dust is better than the disbeliever, because the dust allows the seed deposited within it to become a grown tree. As for the disbeliever, his Master has placed the seeds of goodness in his heart, but he has done nothing to cultivate them in the depths of his soul; he has covered it with his deformed heart, and with this act of concealment - which Allah alludes to, saying:

“and one who betrays it fails” (ash-Shams, 91:10).

- they have failed. This is one of the ways in which the Arabic word 'kufr’ meaning 'disbelief corresponds to its original sense, which is 'to cover-up.''18

1. Reference to the verse in Surah ar-Rahman:
'For him who stands in fear of his Lord will be two gardens.' (55:46).
And that in to Surah an-Nazi'at:
'But as for him who fears standing before his Lord and forbids the soul from desire...'(79:40).

2. See Surah al-Isra’:
‘They question you concerning the Spirit…’ (17:85)

3. See Surah al-Anfal:
'They ask you concerning the spoils...' (8:1).

4. See Surah al-Baqarah:
'They ask you concerning wine and gambling...' (2:219).

5. Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon no. 193.

6. Bihar al-Anwar, 58/7.

7. Bihar al-Anwar, 95/ 225.

8. See Surah al-Muzzammil:
“...and the mountains will be like dunes of shifting sand.” (73:14).

9. See Surah al-Qari'ah:
“...and the mountains will be like carded wool.” (101:5).

10. See Surah al-Furqan:
“...and then turn them into scattered dust” (25:23).

11. See Surah Ta Ha:
“...then He will leave them a level plain.” (20:106).

12. Bihar al-Anwar, 73/204.

13. A reference to Surah al-Anbiya':
“We shall set up the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection' (21:47).

14. Tafsir al-Kashshaf 4/690.

15. Surah al-Insan (76:21).

16. In Arabic, the word Mustafa literally means ‘the chosen one’. Here it refers to Prophet Muhammad (S) [Note of Al-Islam].

17. Al-Kafi 1/435.

18. Mu'jam Maqayis Al-Lugha 5/191.

Surah an-Nazi'at (No. 79, 'Those Who Wrest Violently')

Verses 1-14

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالنَّازِعَاتِ غَرْقًا

By those who wrest violently (79:1).

وَالنَّاشِطَاتِ نَشْطًا

by those who draw out gently (79:2).

وَالسَّابِحَاتِ سَبْحًا

by those who swim smoothly (79:3).

فَالسَّابِقَاتِ سَبْقًا

by those who take the lead, racing (79:4).

فَالْمُدَبِّرَاتِ أَمْرًا

by those who direct an affair (79:5).

يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الرَّاجِفَةُ

the day when the Quaker quakes (79:6).

تَتْبَعُهَا الرَّادِفَةُ

and is followed by the Successor (79:7).

قُلُوبٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَاجِفَةٌ

hearts will be trembling on that da (79:8).

أَبْصَارُهَا خَاشِعَةٌ

bearing a humbled look (79:9).

يَقُولُونَ أَإِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِي الْحَافِرَةِ

They will say, 'Are we being returned to our earlier state? (79:10).

أَإِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا نَخِرَةً

What, when we have been decayed bones? (79:11).

قَالُوا تِلْكَ إِذًا كَرَّةٌ خَاسِرَةٌ

They will say, 'this, then, is a ruinous return! (79:12).

فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ

Yet it will be only a single shout (79:13).

فَإِذَا هُمْ بِالسَّاهِرَةِ

and behold, they will be upon a barren plain. (79:14).

1. Different Types Of Angels

This surah opens with a number of oaths sworn in the name of different types of angels, including:

a. Nazi’at - 'those who wrest' - who pull the spirits of the disbelievers violently from their bodies.

b. Nashitat - 'those who draw out' - who gently unsheathe the spirits of disbelievers from their bodies.

c. Sabihat - 'Those who swim' - who hasten to execute the divine commands, such as quickly taking the spirits of the faithful and conveying them to their abode in the seat of veracity with the Mighty King.

d. Sabiqat - 'those who take the lead' - Who are at the forefront in their journeys, whether it is to take people's spirits or convey the revelatory address to prophets.

e. Mudabbirat - 'those who direct' - who manage the affairs of the universe; they are an intermediary between the divine commands when they are issued and their implementation as determinations for the physical world (muqaddirat).

These oaths, in turn, serve to show us the tasks of the angels, which vary according to the differing degrees of their servitude. From this it is clear that the angels are occupied with managing important affairs, as the word 'affair' (amr) appears as a singular indefinite noun –

“By those who direct an affair” (an-Nazia’at, 79:5).

- which conveys this sense of importance.

2. Actions Of The Angels

The time of death, during which the soul is taken, is one of the most important moments in a person's life. That is why it is worthy of Allah classifying the different tasks of the angels according to the differing states, whether they are seizing the soul of a disbeliever or anyone else, and conveying these souls to the place that is appropriate to them. This, in its entirety, is when the verse is looking at the actions of the angels. But there are also, indications that the verses are looking at the conditions of the stars according to their movements in the heavens,1 and that they are looking at the conditions of the mujahidin in battle; this supports the opinion that the Qur'an carries multiple dimensions of meanings simultaneously.

3. The Difficulty In Separating The Soul From The Body

The difficulty in the removal of a spirit from its body is proportional to its attachment to the world of desires, just as it is difficult to pull an arrow from a person's body because the arrow’s head causes it to lodge in the body. The same is true of the souls of the disbelievers; the angels must wrest their souls from their bodies like someone mercilessly pulling out an arrow; [because it is buried so, deep] it is a long, hard and violent process to remove it, and this is the meaning given for the verse:

“By those who wrest violently...” (an-Nazi’at, 79:1).

4. Angels Directing The Affair

The importance of the angels is manifested in the fact that they direct the affair -

“by those who direct an affair.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:5).

in addition to the oaths sworn by them in a number of surahs, such as in al-Saffat and al-Mursalat. Angels are the means of conveyance. In fact, Allah attaches this grave affair to Himself, when He says:

“...then settled on the Throne, directing the affair.” (Yunus, 10:3).

The difference is that while the angels have been entrusted with directing the command, it is Allah who is the ultimate authority in all matters.

Is it any surprise, then, that Allah should entrust this to His greatest awliya' who are intermediaries in emanation (fayd), and who are served by these same angels!

5. A Station Of Nearness

The occupation of the angels with directing the affairs of the universe by Allah's command does not contradict their utter absorption in the glorification and praise of Allah as implied by His words:

“And those who are near Him do not disdain to worship Him, nor do they become weary”. (al-Anbiya', 21:19).

They glorify night and day, and they do not flag.” (al-Anbiya', 21:20).

So, what is desired of man, who is like a deputy (khalifah) of Allah on this earth - and who resembles the angels in their rank - is to reach this level, whereby he unites (jam’) occupation in the creation with utter absorption in the Creator!

This verse might indicate how this can be achieved; the human being must sense that he has a station of nearness (‘indiyya), as derived from the words 'who are near Him' (wa man 'indahu). It is as though this is the key to attaining this all-consuming remembrance [of Allah.]

6. The Ultimate Cause In All Situations

Ascribing worldly phenomena such as death, sustenance etc. to various causes (asbab) after having already ascribed them to Allah is like ascribing the act of writing to the pen or the hand. These are subsidiaries of the human being in relation to the act, and not coequal with him. Therefore, it is not unusual to attribute worldly phenomena to various causes, such as ascribing death to the Angel of Death,2 once again after having already been ascribed to Allah. In this way, the magnificence of Lordship remains untouched, by seeing it as the ultimate cause in all situations.

7. Two Great Cries

One of the unique features of the Resurrection is that it contains two great cries (sayha), which induce panic; they are referred to as ‘the Quaker’ (al-rajifa) and 'the Successor' (al-radifa), which follows it. It is noteworthy that the Qur’an has used a word derived from the same root meaning as the first for the hypocrites (munafiqun) of Medina:

“…… the rumour mongers (murjifun) in the city…...” (al-Ahzab, 33:60).

It is as though their speech, in which they spread rumours is like an earthquake which shakes the peace of the community.

8. Self-Refinement

On the Day of Resurrection, the condition of the disbelievers who denied the Resurrection will resemble the condition of the hearts of the faithful in this world, in that they will be:

a. 'Trembling' (wajifa) - which means they will be panicking in fear of Allah, just as the hearts of the faithful trembled in this world.

b. 'Bearing a humbled look' (absaruha khashi'a) - because their hearts are humbled, and this is one of the most sublime qualities of the faithful in this world!

But as well as these attributes which are shared in the Hereafter, there is one quality that belongs only to the faithful in this world, that is:

“they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.” (al-Ahqaf, 46:13).

So, the perfection of all perfection is for the attributes of the hearts in the Hereafter to be realized in the life of this world, which is the abode of self-refinement and attaining nearness to Allah.

9. “A Barren Plain”

After the second blowing of the trumpet, the ground of Resurrection will transform into what the Qur’an describes as:

'and behold, they will be on a barren plain.' (an-Nazi’at, 79:14).

In other words, they will find themselves in a vast, flat expanse without vegetation. This means that a person should, when he sees delightful sights of this world, remember the day when every sight on the earth will vanish and there will not remain but a single sight, represented in everything that was ascribed to Allah, as the only thing that shall endure is His countenance (wajh) and this includes everything that is properly ascribed to Him.

Verses 15-26

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰ

Did you receive the story of Moses (79:15).

إِذْ نَادَاهُ رَبُّهُ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى

when his Lord called out to him in the holy valley of Tuwa? (79:16).

اذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ طَغَىٰ

'Go to Pharaoh, for Indeed, he has rebelled, (79:17).

فَقُلْ هَلْ لَكَ إِلَىٰ أَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ

and say, "Would you refine yourself? (79:18).

وَأَهْدِيَكَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَتَخْشَىٰ

I will guide you to your Lord, that you may fear [Him)?" '(79:19).

فَأَرَاهُ الْآيَةَ الْكُبْرَىٰ

Then he showed him the greatest sign. (79:20).

فَكَذَّبَ وَعَصَىٰ

But he denied, and disobeyed. (79:21).

ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ يَسْعَىٰ

Then he turned back, striving, (79:22).

فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَىٰ

and mustered (the people) and proclaimed, (79:23).

فَقَالَ أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَىٰ

saying. 'I am your lord, the most-high!'(79:24).

فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الْآخِرَةِ وَالْأُولَىٰ

So, Allah seized him with the punishment of this life and the Hereafter. (79:25).

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِمَنْ يَخْشَىٰ

There is Indeed, a lesson in that for someone who fears! (79:26).

10. Divine Providence

Someone who receives the Divine Providence ('inaya ilahiyyah), by which he becomes one summoned to his Master, is best able to confront the Pharonic tyrants. Sometimes, this requires the ability to master the hearts of those who advance towards you. At other times, it requires the ability to face those who turn away, that is to confront their number and strength. Neither of these can be achieved without assistance from the realm of the unseen; Allah certainly gave assistance to Moses (‘a) with both of these abilities according to the stories about him in the Qur’an.

11. Physical And Spiritual Purity

Conversing with the Holy of Holies can only happen in venues which are sacred and pure, which is why Allah chose the holy valley to speak directly to Moses (‘a), and commanded Abraham (‘a), His confidant, to purify His House for those who go around it ('Purify...')3 and forbade the idolaters from maintaining Allah's mosques:

“The polytheists may not maintain Allah's mosques ...” (at-Tawbah 9:17).

That is also, why Allah bid us to put on our adornment for every occasion of prayer;

“O Children of Adam! Put on your adornment on every occasion of prayer.” (al-A’raf 7:31).

On this basis, it can be said that anyone who wishes to be in a proper state to converse intimately (munajah) with his Master, must purify himself outwardly from physical impurities, and inwardly from spiritual ones such as disobedience and sinning.

12. Oppressive Rulers

Anyone who wishes to fight against corruption in the society can only do it by combating its sources. At the head of these sources is the conduct of oppressive rulers; 'people follow the religion of their sovereigns'4 and as mentioned in the verse:

“... Indeed, when kings enter a town, they corrupt it……” (al-Naml, 27:34).

This is why Allah commands Moses (‘a) to confront Pharaoh as the first step in his program of reform;

“Go to Pharaoh, for Indeed, he has rebelled.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:14).

13. Enjoining Good And Forbidding Evil

Just because your audience is rebellious, this should never prevent you from undertaking your duty to enjoin the good and forbid the evil:

a. Because you might still have an effect on them, even if it is delayed; there is always hope that even the greatest of sinners will see the error of his ways, as the magicians of the Pharaoh did.

b. Or to leave them without any excuse (itmam al-hujjah), which will make their fate more severe, and their punishment more fitting.

14. Allah’s Stratagems

The verses which mention Pharaoh's destruction demonstrate Allah's power to seize even the mightiest of tyrants, which in turn gives consolation to the faithful when they suffer under the oppressors of their own times, who are weaker than Pharaoh. But these verses should also, cast terror into the hearts of the wrongdoers when they see the subtlety of Allah's stratagems (makr) and He directs these against the disbelieving people.

15. Kindness And Beautiful Preaching

The Qur'an teaches us to use kindness and beautiful preaching when calling Allah's servants towards Him:

a. Pharaoh was the most vicious of Allah's creation, and yet he was called to purify himself gently:

and say, "Would you refine yourself? (an-Nazi’at, 79:18).

b. And in a gentle manner -

“Speak to him in a gentle manner ...” (Ta Ha, 20:44).

This was with someone who claimed to be the Highest Lord and ordered the slaughter of suckling infants!

c. Here, Moses (‘a) connects the Lord to Pharaoh, saying: 'to your Lord.' Even though he did not acknowledge the God of Moses.

16. Self-Purification

What is desired from the servant is to produce a change in his self through his own efforts. Otherwise, Allah can easily produce this change without any effort from His servant, as happens with all the other changes in the universe. This is why we see Moses (‘a) asking Pharaoh to purify himself:

“and say, Would you refine yourself?” (an-Nazi’at, 79:18).

He does not say, for instance: 'I will refine you!'

17. Self-Refinement

The expression 'self-refinement' (tazkiyah) is repeated in the calls of all the Prophets (‘a). So, if it is:

a. With the meaning of growth (namw), it indicates continuous human self-development (takamul) and growth, which is achieved through following the message of the Prophets.

b. With the meaning of cleansing and purification, it indicates freeing oneself of contaminants in the human soul, also, by following their message.

18. Addressing Those Who Have Deviated Far From The Path

When addressing those who are far from the path of guidance, you must always mention things that will attract them to the path and be in harmony with their nature (fitrah), rather than demanding them to blindly accept things that are difficult for them! This is why we see that Moses (‘a) does not call on Pharaoh to follow the laws of his Shari'ah, but only asks him to refine himself in a manner that no one with a healthy nature would disagree with, and which even someone with no religion would desire!

19. The Message Of The Prophets

The message of the Prophets is represented at times in guiding those who can be guided, and at other times by confronting those who are averse to accepting guidance. This is clearly manifested in the lives of Abraham (‘a) and Moses (‘a), and this is what we mean when we say that religion is not separated from the politics of Allah's servants!

The verses of the Qur'an are replete with instances that demonstrate these two affairs. By these, I mean first sending messengers to guide all mankind:

“We did not send you except as a bearer of good news and warner to all mankind ...” (Saba’, 34:28).

and second, fighting against all those who obstruct divine guidance as well:

“…... Fight the polytheists all together, just as they fight you all together ...” (at-Tawba, 9:36).

20. Levels

There is a connection, in the logic of the Qur'an, between guidance ('I will guide you'), self-refinement ('refine yourself’) and fear ('that you may fear') because faith is not restricted to merely worshipping with the limbs, which may not entail any of these affairs.

Hence, we know that anyone who wants to guide others must have attained these levels and embodied them in himself; someone who lacks fear and refinement cannot bring about these in others.

21. The Pharaoh And Moses (A)

Allah commanded Moses (‘a) to raise the level of what was being demanded of Pharaoh, who claimed lordship for himself. So, Moses asked of him things that some people might not have thought him obliged to do, such as self-refinement and fear... and if this is the case, how can some people excuse themselves from such duties, while they are upon an acceptable level of faith?

22. Fear Of Allah

We can say that the stages of being affected by the preaching of the Prophets and Successors (‘a) are represented first by learning:

“…... and teach them the Book and wisdom....” (al-Baqarah, 2:129).

followed with fear:

“Only those of Allah's servants having knowledge fear Him.” (Fatir, 35:28).

Their fruit is fearing Allah and avoiding his prohibitions:

“You can only warn those who fear their Lord,” (Fatir, 35:18).

because this internal transformation requires a foundation of fear, which is why the Qur'an makes fear a precondition of taking a lesson:

“There is Indeed, a lesson in that for someone who fears!” (an-Nazi'at, 79:26).

23. Two Stages Of Self-Refinement

Self-refinement is accomplished in two stages:

a. First, 'general self-refinement' (al-tazkiyah al-ijmaliyyah) as represented by avoiding sins and receiving general guidance (al-hidayah al-ijmaliyyah).

b. Second, 'detailed self-refinement' (al-tazkiyah al-tafsiliyyah) which accompanies fear, after which the servant becomes ready for select and detailed guidance (al-hidayah al-khassah)

The verse mentions self-refinement first, followed by guidance, followed by fear; 'refine yourself ... I will guide you ... that you might fear.'

24. Moses’ Miracles

An action on the psychological dimension comes before an external action that is tangible and visible. As you can see, Moses (‘a):

a. Acted to bring about an emotional and intellectual opening in the psychological realm by using gentle words and calling on [the Pharaoh] to refine himself and fear [Allah] in the mode of a suggestion or a request, rather than that of a forceful command.

b. Showed the Pharaoh the greatest signs in the visible realm, including the transformation of his staff, his white hand and others, in order to leave him without any excuse.

It is well known that miracles are rarely employed to convince people, but the same cannot be said of psychological influence; this option is always open for anyone who wishes to utilize the methods of the Prophets.

25. Guiding Other People

Anyone that Allah turns towards and singles out for special graces is duty-bound to utilize these to guide other people and confront the wrongdoers. Rather than being absorbed by spiritual prosperity - as is the practice of monks - the first action the prophets (‘a) undertook after receiving their mission was to guide those who were astray and confront those who had earned Allah's wrath. And this is something we can also, see clearly in the life of the final Prophet (S).

26. Prophets

Allah endowed His prophets with powers that corresponded to those of their enemies; so, He gave Moses (‘a) numerous signs, including the one mentioned in this surah:

“Then He showed him the greatest sign” (an-Nazi’at, 79:18).

and this is because of the power of his opponent who claimed not only lordship for himself, but the highest lordship:

“I am your lord, the most-high!” (an-Nazi’at, 79:24).

This was in addition to the fact that his civilization had reached the pinnacle of development in architecture and other fields, as attested to by the construction of the pyramids. And this power belongs to the hearts of everyone who calls on Allah at all times and in places, as there is some power that provides them with what they need to match that of their enemies, such that they have no fear in this regard, and nor shall they grieve!

27. Employing Falsehood

Those who have strayed from the path of guidance do not hesitate in employing any falsehood, no matter how obvious. This is why the Pharaoh insists on calling the most honest man alive - Moses (‘a) a liar:

“But he denied ...” (an-Nazi’at, 79:24).

This was in spite of the manifest signs Moses brought, not least of which was showing the magic of the Pharaoh’s magicians was false, something even they themselves confessed to!5

28. False Beliefs

The people of falsehood are committed to their false beliefs; in fact, they struggle for those.

“Then he turned back, striving,” (an-Nazi’at, 79:22).

The above verse refers to the Pharaoh. ‘Striving’ shows seriousness and determination. But the believers are those who are more entitled to strive for the sake of their right path. This is why the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) had every right to complain about his people when he said: 'How strange it is! By Allah, my heart sinks and I grieve to see these people united upon their falsehood while you scatter from your right path; so, woe to you! And grief!’6

In another verse, the Qur'an alludes to the fact that whatever harm befalls you (the faithful) in Allah's way also, befalls the disbeliever, with the caveat that there is an immeasurable divide between the fate of these two sides:

“If you are suffering, they are also, suffering like you, but you expect from Allah what they do not expect.” (al-Nisa', 4:104).

29. The Media

Tyrants in every age exploit the media for their own ends; the Pharaoh had the ability to gather the people and tell them whatever he wanted, as we see from Allah's words:

“and mustered (the people] and proclaimed” (an-Nazi’at, 79:23).

and His words:

“Then Pharaoh sent heralds to the cities.” (al-Shu'ara', 26:53).

This shows us that someone like this can only be confronted by using similar means, namely the power of the media to assemble one's allies and helpers in the path of guidance.

30. Two Types Of Punishment

Allah holds two kinds of punishment for people; a punishment deferred until a day on which the eyes will be glazed,7 and an immediate punishment! Allah will show some people abasement in this world before the Hereafter, and that is what happened to the Pharaoh and his clan. As for the punishment of this world, the Qur’an says:

“ …… so, We drowned them in the sea …… ” (al-A'raf, 7:136).

and as for that in the Hereafter, it mentions:

“ …… and on the day when the Hour sets in Pharaoh's clan will enter the severest punishment.” (al-Ghafir, 40:46).

And Allah combines these two meanings in His words:

“So, Allah seized him with the punishment of this life and the Hereafter.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:25).

It is possible to say that whoever disputes Allah's authority will face punishment in this world, unlike the sinner who not only does not see in himself the power to contend with his Lord, but in truth sees his own abasement in the sins he has committed.

31. Lessons

The Qur'an does not set forth stories of the Prophets (‘a) to offer us consolation by listening to their tales, or cast them in purely artistic forms. Rather these stories are there for us to consider and take lessons from. And this is only possible for those who already possess a foundation of fearing their Lord:

“There is Indeed, a lesson in that for someone who fears!” (an-Nazi’at, 79:26).

Verses 27-36

أَأَنْتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاءُ بَنَاهَا

Is it you whose creation is more prodigious or the sky that He has built? (79:27).

رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا

He raised its vault, and fashioned it, (79:28).

وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاهَا

and darkened its night, and brought forth its day (79:29).

وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا

and after that He spread out the earth (79:30).

أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءَهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا

and brought forth from it its water and pastures (79:31).

وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا

and set firm the mountains (79:32).

مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ

as a provision for you and your livestock (79:33).

فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الطَّامَّةُ الْكُبْرَىٰ

When the Greatest Catastrophe befalls (79:34).

يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَىٰ

the day when man will remember his endeavours (79:35).

وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِيمُ لِمَنْ يَرَىٰ

and hell is brought into view for one who sees (79:36).

32. The Universe

One verse says:

“Is it you whose creation is more prodigious or the heavens which He has built?” (an-Nazi’at, 79:27).

Another verse, elsewhere, says:

“Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is more prodigious than the creation of mankind.” (al-Ghafir, 40:57).

In these verses, the Qur’an affirms the fact that the act of creating of the heavens is greater than that of creating the human being. In this way, it makes the power of creation more complex, as proof that Allah can repeat the creation of something lesser. This reveals the state of the believer when he ponders on the creation of the heavens, especially when he wakes for prayer in the depth of the night; he realizes, in truth, that the object of contemplation - the universe - is greater than the one contemplating it - the person himself. And this realization, in turn, should give him occasion to feel small and humbled indeed!

33. Posing A Question

One of the ways to engage your audience is to pose them a question - even if the answer to it seems obvious - in order to arouse their interest in the subject under discussion. That is why the Almighty asks the question:

“Is it you whose creation is more prodigious or the heavens which He has built ?” (an-Nazi’at, 79:27).

so, that the audience will acknowledge their own weakness in their own hearts.

34. Mentioning The Signs

The common approach to remind mankind of their creator is by mentioning His signs in the external world, and that is why the Qur'an frequently mentions the heavens and the earth - including these signs - so, that the minds of the audience will shift from the sensory to the intelligible. But there are also, servants who do not need this common approach; these are those for whom Allah manifests within their own selves in some form.

35. Enjoying The Provisions Of This World

There no fault whatsoever in someone enjoying the provisions of this world, so, long as that does not hinder him from worshipping his Lord. Allah mentions the blessings of the earth - and the things He brings forth from it such as water, pasture and mountains - in the context of divine blessings; far be it from Allah to give His servants something that would bar them from His way! And the Qur'an affirms this fact when it says:

“Say: 'Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of provision.” (al-A'raf, 7:32).

36. Man Should Be The Master Of The Provisions

When a certain provision is attributed to another person, this implies that its owner occupies a higher level than it does, because he possesses it and uses it as he wishes, making him its master (malik) and owner; whereas someone who loves this provision becomes its servant (mamluk). The Qur'an wants us to be masters of the provisions ('as a provision for you') not for worldly provisions to become our masters! And this is why some say that the essence of asceticism (zuhd) is that nothing owns the human being, not that the human being owns nothing.8

37. Reflection

Allah attributes the provisions of this world to mankind and cattle equally –

“ ...... for you and your livestock...” (an-Nazi’at, 79:33).

but the distinction between them lies in other areas; namely reflection and thought. It is only through these activities that the human being becomes a rational animal (haywan natiq).

38. Catastrophe

The tribulation a servant faces on the Day of Judgment as a consequence of his actions is graver than any other he has experienced. That is why Allah calls it 'the Greatest Catastrophe.' A catastrophe (tamma) means something overwhelming; it is described as 'greatest' (kubra) to emphasize its gravity. Once we comprehend this, we will come to realize that we should endure the hardships of this world to avoid something worse than them!

39. Self-Accounting

During the events of the Resurrection, and especially when Hell comes into view for its (soon-to-be) inhabitants, human being will be constantly reminded of his efforts in this world:

“the day when man will remember his endeavours” (an-Nazi’at, 79:35).

And this in itself is a kind of punishment for the inhabitants of hell because it associates their past actions with their immediate consequences. They will see that their worldly pleasures have truly vanished and their suffering has now begun!

How appropriate it is that this remembrance - which is in the abode of this world - should be an opportunity for us to change our ways, as this lies at the very core of self-accounting (muhasabah) and self-observation (muraqabah). And Imam al-Kazim (‘a) disassociates from anyone who neglects these duties when he says: 'Not of us is whoever does not hold himself to account every day!'9

Verses 37-46

فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَىٰ

as for him who was rebellious (79:37).

وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

and preferred the life of this world (79:38).

فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

his refuge will Indeed, be hell. (79:39).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

But as for him who fears standing before his Lord and forbids the soul from desire (79:40).

فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

his refuge will Indeed, be paradise. (79:41).

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا

They ask you concerning the Hour, 'When will it set in?' (79:42).

فِيمَ أَنْتَ مِنْ ذِكْرَاهَا

What have you to say thereof? (79:43).

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنْتَهَاهَا

Its outcome is with your Lord. (79:44).

إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنْذِرُ مَنْ يَخْشَاهَا

You are only a warner for those who fear it (79:45).

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا

The day they see it, it shall be as if they had not stayed [in the world] except for an evening or forenoon. (79:46).

40. Internal Foundation

If the foundation of rebelliousness is laid down in a servant

“as for him who was rebellious.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:37).

this will cause him to prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter:

“and preferred the life of this world.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:38).

as the above verses have joined together these two qualities. Likewise, a foundation of the fear of the encounter with one's Lord will cause him to forbid himself from following his desires

“But as for him who fears standing before his Lord and forbids the soul from desire” (an-Nazi’at, 79:40).

as we also, glean from this surah. The general rule we can derive from the Qur'an as a whole is that a person's internal foundation is the source for many external effects.

41. Worldly Life

Man’s problem does not lie in any distinct feature of the worldly life - as represented by women, sons, or (his wealth in the form of) accumulated piles of gold and silver, livestock and farms10 - rather it lies in giving preference to these things above the pleasure of his Lord Almighty, as in the verse:

“and preferred the life of this world,” (an-Nazi’at, 79:38).

It lies in the fact that these are made decorous in men's minds:

“I will surely glamorize for them [life] on the earth” (al-Hijr, 15:39).

These worldly attractions lead a servant towards rebelliousness:

“Indeed, man becomes rebellious” (al-'Alaq, 96:6).

“when he considers himself without need” (al-'Alaq, 96:7).

In other words, the problem lies not at the level of ownership ('alaqa), but at the level of attachment ('ulqa).

42. Actions Of The Heart

When interpreting the phrase 'standing before his Lord' which makes one fear Him, several meanings are mentioned:

a. Standing before Him for judgment, in which it means standing before his Lord meaning when the scales are set up.

b. Allah's knowledge of the actions of His servant and His watchfulness over Him, in the sense that He stands over every soul and is aware of what it earns.11

c. In the sense of the station of Lordship and all that Lordship entails.

All of these interpretations are in agreement that it is the deeds of the servant, which nurture the heart, which in turn comprehends these spiritual truths and causes him to abstain from his desires, and which ultimately leads to his physical well-being. This shows that the actions of the heart precede the actions of the body, just as a cause precedes an effect, or just as unrolling a scroll of paper precedes the action of writing something on it.

43. Standing Before One’s Lord

Being aware of standing before one's Lord means that the human being views all the vicissitudes of life as being from Allah, and this awareness is one of the causes for someone to follow the right path in public and in private, and thereby eliminate or minimize his oscillations between turning towards Allah and turning away from Him, which even the awliya' complain of.

One piece of evidence that the meaning of standing before one's Lord is what we mentioned above is a tradition narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), in which he says: 'Whoever knows that Allah sees him, hears what he says and knows any good or evil [he does), and this prevents him from immoral deeds, then this person is one who fears standing before his Lord and forbids his soul from desire.'12

44. Fear

A persons' fear could be:

a. Due to an external factor, such as his fear of a wild animal or a human enemy.

b. Because of some fault of his own, such as a criminal's fear of punishment.

c. Because he senses the greatness of someone he believes to be great, such as a student's fear of his teacher, which accompanies a sense of his importance.

So, when the awliya' fear Allah, this fear belongs in the third category. There do not feel fear because something fearsome threatens them, nor because of any fault of their own doing. Rather it is because they are aware of the station of greatness, which inspires them with a holy sense of fear.

45. Desires

A person must deal with his desires:

“…… and forbids the soul from desire” (an-Nazi’at, 79:40).

as a father deals with a child who - unaware of his own best interests - desires something that will bring him to ruin. So, his father prevents him from pursuing it. And this is different from forbidding evil, which is accomplished purely through admonition.

Therefore, the way one deals with his own desires is not like one equal giving advice to another.

46. Divine Law

The divine law applies to all creatures, whether they exist in the external realm or the internal one. On this basis, the verse invokes a general principle. A person that is rebellious

“ ....who was rebellious” (an-Nazi’at, 79:37).

will fall into the path of ruin, for Hell is his refuge, while he who fears God

“ ....who fears standing before his Lord and forbids the soul from desire…” (an-Nazi’at, 79:40).

will attain the peak of guidance, for Paradise is his, as it is clear that whoever follows the path of causes will reach their effects, just as it is in the material realm.

47. Details Without Practical Benefit

Some people become fixated upon details that have no practical benefit, and in this they resemble the polytheists who were asking about the time of the Hour. The Qur'an answers them:

“What have you to say thereof?” (an-Nazi’at, 79:43).

to dissuade them from this childishness which is of no avail, and the same is true of Allah's saying:

“They ask you concerning the Hour, 'When will it set in?’ ” (an-Nazi’at, 79:42).

And perhaps we can apply the same rebuke to those who, for example, try to forecast as to when Allah's relief (faraj) will come while doing nothing to prepare themselves to assist the bringer of that relief, or those who try to work out the philosophy behind certain rulings rather than applying those rulings in their own lives!

48. Knowledge Of The Hidden

Even though Allah has opened the door of exoteric knowledge to all of His servants, and the door of esoteric knowledge to His selected servants - the Prophets and the Successors (‘a) - there is certain knowledge that He has withheld, which no human being has any inkling of. One such piece of knowledge concerns the Hour; the outcome of its knowledge is the sole preserve of the One who knows everything that is visible and everything that is unseen;

“Its outcome is with your Lord.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:44).

None of this, in any way, prevents the servant from seeking abundant and copious knowledge from his Lord, according to his innate capacity for that. In fact, he should first ask Him to expand his capacity, and then to shower His blessings upon him!

49. Glad Tidings And Warnings

The Prophets (‘a) were sent as bearers of glad tidings and as warner, but that does not mean that the ratio of warnings to glad tidings is equal for all types of people. Warnings, rather than glad tidings, are emphasized for those who are negligent or hostile, and that is why this verse only mentions a warning for those who deny the Resurrection;

“You are only a warner for those who fear it.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:45).

This means that when a believer is calling others towards Allah, he must balance warnings and glad tidings according to the situation of those he is interacting with.

50. Personal Development

The Prophets (‘a) came to raise the level of development of each individual person, but in order to have an effect their preaching requires the existence of a general foundation for the acceptance of their message. This in turn necessitates a state of fear - even if only a very general one – at times towards the Origin –

“You can only warn someone who follows the Reminder and fears the All-beneficent ……” (Yasin, 36:11).

and at other times towards the Return:

“You are only a warner for those who fear it.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:45).

This shows that someone who lived his life not based on being open [to the prophetic message] and following [it] cannot bring himself to follow the prophets externally. This is what Allah means when He says:

“...it is the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them ..” (al-Baqarah, 2:6).

51. A Short Sojourn

Being aware of the transient nature of this world and its insignificance compared to the Hereafter is something that will prevent the servant from being consumed by lusts. This is because any rational person will naturally forgo a small gain for a greater one; what more when the two are incomparable? As compared to the eternal life of the Hereafter, this world is nothing more than a morning or evening's sojourn;

'The day they see it, it shall be as if they had not stayed for an evening or a forenoon' (an-Nazi’at, 79:46).

or even less; an hour! Allah says:

“And on the day when the Hour sets in the guilty will swear that they had remained only for an hour.” (al-Rum, 30:55).

1. Al-Tibyan 10/251; Majma' Al-Bayan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur'an 10/651.

2. See Surah al-Sajdah:
'Say, 'You will be taken away by the angel of death, who has been charged with you. Then you will be brought back to your Lord.'' (32:11).

3. See Surah al-Baqarah:
'Purify My House for those who go around it, [for] those who make it a retreat and [for] those who bow and prostrate.' (2:125).

4. 'Ilal Al-Shara’i, 1/14.

5. Refer to Surah al-A'raf:
“Thus they were vanquished there, and they went back abased.” (7:119).
“And the enchanters were thrown down, prostrating (themselves).” (7:120).

6. Nahj al-Balagha, sermon no. 27.

7. See Surah Ibrahim:
'He is only granting them respite until the day when the eyes will be glazed.' (14:42).

8. Tahqiq Fi Kalimtat Al-Qur'an 4/356.

9. Bihar al-Anwar, 1/152.

10. See Surah Ale 'Imran:
'To mankind has been made to seem decorous the love of desires, including women and children, accumulated piles of gold and silver, horses of mark, livestock, and farms. Those are the wares of the life of this world; but Allah - with Him is a good destination .' (3:14).

11. See Surah ar-Ra'd:
'Is He who stands over every soul by what it has earned...?' (13:33).

12. Al-Kafi, 2/70.

Surah 'Abasa (No. 80: 'He Frowned')

Verses 1-10

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

He frowned and turned away (80:1).

أَنْ جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَىٰ

when the blind man approached him. (80:2).

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّىٰ

And how do you know, maybe he would refine himself, (80:3).

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ

or take admonition, and the admonition would benefit him! (80:4).

أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَىٰ

But as for someone who regards himself as self sufficient, (80:5).

فَأَنْتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّىٰ

you attend to him, (80:6).

وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ

though you care not if he does not purify himself (80:7).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ جَاءَكَ يَسْعَىٰ

But he who comes hurrying to you, (80:8).

وَهُوَ يَخْشَىٰ

while he fears, (80:9).

فَأَنْتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ

you are neglectful of him. (80:10).

1. Rebuke

Because of the rebuke these verses contain, which should be obvious to anyone who ponders on them, it does not make sense that they should be referring to the Prophet (S), whom the Qur'an describes as being in possession of a great character (khuluq 'azim).1 If the Prophet (S) was not known to scowl even in the face of a disbeliever, then how could he in the face of the faithful? What more to one whom the Qur'an describes as blind, which would make him even more entitled to kindness. More so, to someone who came 'hurrying' with great effort, desiring to be one of those who 'feared'?

2. Scowling

The moral qualities that emanate from a believer originate only from his own spiritual perfection (kamal dhati) and not out of a desire to be praised, thanked or otherwise rewarded! Scowling to other people's faces is something reprehensible, even to the face of a blind man who cannot see the scowl! A believer holds himself to a higher standard than that, because this is a quality that is detestable in the eyes of his Lord and in the eyes of his own self.

3. Free From Enslavement

When the Qur'an speaks of guidance (hidayah) it mentions self-refinement (tazkiyah) as the axis for the movement of the Prophets (‘a).2 Their teachings in their entirety exist only to liberate Man from enslavement to his desires and free him to accept guidance. And we know that the way to self-refinement is through being given admonition that awakens you from indolence, which is why the verses mention refinement and admonition together.

4. Unawareness

The preaching of those who call to Allah is not always to bring people out of ignorance (jahl), such that their mission is merely teaching. Rather, it is also, to bring people out of unawareness (ghafla), so, their mission is also, admonition! This is why this verse mentions admonition as benefitting some people, even if they are unaware:

“or take admonition, and the admonition would benefit him!” (‘Abasa, 80:4).

and it is obvious that this does not apply to those who are opposed to the message; in fact, it will only increase their animosity and disbelief.

5. Complacency

It is the habit of the worldly people to incline to whatever they think is a benchmark of success, and behold! One such benchmark is complacency:

'But as for someone who regards himself as self-sufficient, you attend to him' (‘Abasa, 80:5).

It is because this is an apparent virtue that is in harmony with their own disposition, unlike someone who comes hurrying in a state of fear, for their disposition renders them incapable of perceiving his virtue, causing them to dismiss those who possess it. This trait, which is common amongst worldly persons, also, does not accord with the spiritual rank of the Prophet (S), and thus it also, serves to demonstrate again that this rebuke cannot have been directed at him.

6. Piety

Those verses rebuking he who turned away from the blind man because of the latter's lack of social rank, want us to form our preferences about people according to religious standards, namely the principle that someone is only nobler in God's eyes because of his piety (taqwa),3 which was never given any regard during the Age of Ignorance, nor even after the advent of Islam, in many circles.

The above verse explicitly cites one of the harmful effects of failing to use this principle as a guide, namely turning away while scowling at someone who possesses two very great attributes; striving to refine himself ('comes hurrying to you') and attiring himself with a continuous state of fear - as is indicated by the verse 'while he fears.' In fact, the verse mentions an effect worse still, by which I mean attending to someone else - as indicated by the verse:

“you are neglectful of him.” (‘Abasa, 80:10).

7. Neglecting The Refinement Of Others

One of the qualities of worldly people (ahl al-dunya) and those who seek complacency is a lack of concern with guiding people to the right path, because they are fundamentally uninterested in their own guidance and self-refinement; so, why should they bother with the refinement of others? This is why the verse before us makes the condition of neglecting other people's refinement an occasion for reprimand:

“though you care not if he does not purify himself.” (‘Abasa, 80:7).

We could say that this state of indifference is an instance of 'Whoever does not concern himself with the affairs of the Muslims is not of them,'4 as one of the most important affairs of the Muslims is striving for the refinement of others.

Verses 11-23

كَلَّا إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ

No indeed! These are a reminder (80:11).

فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ

- so, let anyone who wishes remember it - (80:12).

فِي صُحُفٍ مُكَرَّمَةٍ

in honoured scriptures, (80:13).

مَرْفُوعَةٍ مُطَهَّرَةٍ

exalted and purified, (80:14).

بِأَيْدِي سَفَرَةٍ

in the hands of envoys, (80:15).

كِرَامٍ بَرَرَةٍ

noble and pious. (80:16).

قُتِلَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا أَكْفَرَهُ

Perish man! How ungrateful is he! (80:17).

مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ

From what has He created him? (80:18).

مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ

He has created him from a drop of fluid, and then proportioned him. (80:19).

ثُمَّ السَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُ

Then He made the way easy for him; (80:20).

ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُ فَأَقْبَرَهُ

then He made him die and buried him; (80:21).

ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْشَرَهُ

and then, if He wished, resurrected him. (80:22).

كَلَّا لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَا أَمَرَهُ

No indeed! He has not yet carried out what He had commanded him. (80:23).

8. The Greatness Of The Qur’an

The verses in this section, which pertain to the Qur'an, demonstrate its greatness insofar as it is:

a. A collection 'in honoured scriptures' in the unseen realm, and not those scriptures which we possess.

b. It is of a lofty degree, 'exalted' because of the measure of its rank.

c. It is 'purified' from every impurity, and is beyond the reach of any distortion.

d. And it is in the hand of noble and pious envoys, who are the assistants of the greatest angel, Gabriel (‘a) who is the deliverer of revelation:

“In the hands of envoys” (‘Abasa, 80:15).

“noble and pious” (‘Abasa, 80:16).

And it is in this sense that he was obeyed (muta’):

“obeyed and trustworthy” (at-Takwir, 81:21).

and valuable things are usually entrusted to a number of hands to ensure that they are honoured or protected to the utmost.

9. The Infallibles (A)

Just as the Qur'an was borne by the hands of

“envoys noble and pious” (‘Abasa, 80:16).

in the realm from whence it is dispatched, so, is the manner it is borne by the noblest of the final ummah in the realm it was received. It is the infallibles (‘a) who bear the realities of the Qur'an in every age, followed by those who are most exemplary in purity and nobility after them. Honoured and purified scriptures require receptacles approximate to them in purity and sanctity, hence no one grasps the realities of the Qur'an, not even amongst the scholars, save he who is pure and purified;

“no one touches it except the pure ones.” (al-Waqi'ah, 56:79).

10. Ingratitude

The Lord who calls the immoderate to His mercy and shows affection for His creatures who are sinners,5 calls a group of His creatures - namely those who are ungrateful His blessings - with the harshest expression, namely being slain:

“Perish man...!” (‘Abasa, 80:17).

The difference between the arches of Divine Mercy and Divine Wrath is vast indeed, and that is because ingratitude (kufr) contains a kind of challenge to the station of Lordship.

After reflecting on this, perhaps we can say that His wrath is actually a branch of His mercy, as erecting justice and cultivating His servants by effectuating His wrath in its proper place is to make known His mercy in its proper place as well.

11. Denial Of Blessings

The greatest act of ingratitude (kufr) is represented by covering the source of blessings with the veil of denial:

“…… How ungrateful he is!” (‘Abasa, 80:17).

And a lesser act of ingratitude is represented by covering the blessings themselves; the perpetrators of both of these sins can be called 'disbeliever' (kafir), but the harsh rebuke contained in these verses is appropriate for denying Lordship.

However, this rebuke may also, encompass ingratitude towards His blessings (kufr bil-ni'mah) on some level, and even if we were to lighten this rebuke, what remained would still weigh heavy on the servants, and that is why those who squander His blessings are called 'brothers of the devils' (Surah al-Isra', 17:27), because this is a kind of ingratitude of theirs.

12. Expression Of Astonishment At Ingratitude

If the Creator of the Universe uses an expression of astonishment for anything, this is striking indeed! The One who sees nothing exceptional in the universe - because of His great authority and boundless sovereignty - displays astonishment in His Book. ('How ungrateful he is!’) This shows how severe the matter is. And what calamity is graver than denying the One who describes Himself elsewhere in this manner:

“Is there any doubt about Allah, the originator of the heavens and the earth?” (Ibrahim, 19:10).

13. Dead But Living

When Allah invokes ‘perishing’ upon a disbeliever - an expression that is more eloquent than a curse (la'n) in illustrating his exclusion from the compass of Divine Mercy - the object of his invocation does not always come to pass in this world, as someone who has had death invoked upon him by his Lord might live a full and comfortable life. But worse than the death of the body is the death of the soul, which is like killing it;

“They are dead, not living, and are not aware when they will be resurrected.”(an-Nahl, 16:21).

This is because their inner faculties, such as hearing, sight and thought are idle and unused; what kind of life is this?

14. Origin Of Man

The Qur’an frequently reminds man of his origins with various phrases;

“Was he not a drop of emitted semen?” (al-Isra', 17:27).

or

“……from an extract of a base fluid.” (as-Sajda, 32:8).

This verse reminds the disbeliever of his origins, first so, that he may remember his lowly beginnings:

“He fashioned him from a drop of fluid, and then proportioned him” (‘Abasa, 80:19).

That he is made from an impure liquid with an unpleasant odour, and secondly to demonstrate the magnificence of his creation. In three months, Allah brings forth from the shadows of the womb a being that amazes human minds by virtue of their beautiful and precise fashioning; and this is why man deserves to perish when he denies the Source of his being!

In short, any being whose beginnings were such has no right to pronounce anything that would suggest ingratitude.

15. Moral Excellence

The expression

“……then proportioned him” (‘Abasa, 80:19).

suggests that there are two proportioning hands that want to intervene in this short duration to produce a wonderful being, after which the Creator leaves the affair of the servant to himself, to do as he pleases! But if the servant were to entreat his Master to watch over him - after emerging from the world of the womb - with his speech in the same manner as the servant entreated Him to watch over him in the womb through his state therein, would he not attain that moral excellence in this world just as he attained his physical excellence in the womb, when the hands that shape him in each are actually one and the same?

16. Under The Guardianship Of Satan

Allah created mankind, and everything is made easy for the purpose for which they were created:

'Then He made the way easy for him.' (‘Abasa, 80:20).

The servant can see this ideal clearly at the beginning of his journey, even if he is a sinner. But, with repeated sinning - and especially of major sins - he will reach a state where he no longer sees the way as made easy, rather:

“We shall surely ease him into hardship" (al-Layl, 92:10).

and he sees himself inclining against his will towards falsehood, while the devils who have taken over his life drive him towards things that will cause him hardship; this is what it means to be under the guardianship (wilayah) of Satan for some of those who do not follow the path of guidance.

17. Death And Burial

Being attentive to the first stage of the life of this world:

“He fashioned him from a drop of fluid and then proportioned him” (‘Abasa, 80:19).
and to its last:

“then He made him die and buried him” (‘Abasa, 80:21).

breaks a person's selfish conceits, especially when they see themselves destined for that; such as those of the person being mentioned at the beginning of this surah, who was attentive to a complacent person but neglected a God-fearing one.

The Qur'an's mentioning death and burial in the context of reprimanding someone whom it has invoked death upon might be a way of deriding someone who lives a life of arrogance and disbelief in God; sometimes he has been reminded that he sprang from a lowly fluid;

“Have We not created you from a base fluid?” (al-Mursilat, 77:20).

And in this surah, he is reminded that he will ultimately become a rotting corpse6 that has to be buried to contain its stench, so, how can he be conceited when confronted by the exalted Lord of the Worlds?

18. Deterioration Of Physical Bodies

The type of death that is followed by burial is the external death of the body which will return to the dust, and were it not for the fact that the earth absorbs these bodies, these corpses would cause disgust and revulsion to their (former) comrades! However, this regression of (the physical) bodies generally stands in marked contrast to the ascension of some souls, for there are some souls whose final destination lies:

“in the abode of truthfulness with an omnipotent King.” (al-Qamar, 54:55).

19. Resurrection

Divine Wisdom demands that the dead be returned to life to receive the punishment or reward they deserve as recompense for their deeds in this world, but all of this falls within the remit of the Divine Will, which is why this verse says:

“... if He wished, resurrected him,” (‘Abasa, 80:22).

for He is the Master of these servants in their origin and their end; their duties and their recompense.

20. Covetousness And Anxiety

Many verses say that it is in man's nature to incline towards covetousness and anxiety,7 that he is unfair and senseless,8106 and that he is in a state of loss.'9 These verses call to mind a question, namely that has a human being, who is in the palm of his Master's hand throughout all the ups and downs of his life, and who pays no heed to anything the verse says about creation and burial, truly discharged what his Lord commanded him to do? The answer is:

“No indeed! He has not yet carried out what He had commanded him.” (‘Abasa, 80:23).

Verses 24-32

فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِهِ

So, let man observe his food (80:24).

أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَاءَ صَبًّا

We poured down water plenteously, (80:25).

ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الْأَرْضَ شَقًّا

then We split the earth into fissures (80:26).

فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا

and made the grain grow in it, (80:27).

وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا

and vines and vegetables, (80:28).

وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلًا

olives and date palms, (80:29).

وَحَدَائِقَ غُلْبًا

and densely planted gardens, (80:30).

وَفَاكِهَةً وَأَبًّا

fruits and pastures, (80:31).

مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ

as a sustenance for you and your livestock. (80:32).

21. Food

The command for man to observe his food includes all dimensions, whether the source, the means of obtaining it, the variety of its yields, the many hands involved in preparing it... and we can even move from discussing physical food that sustains the body to spiritual food that sustains the soul. It has been narrated that Imam al-Baqir (‘a) explained the meaning of 'food' (ta’am) in the verse:

‘so, let man observe his food' (‘Abasa, 80:24).

as follows: 'His knowledge which he obtains, from whom he obtains it.'10

22. Pondering

After directing a rebuke to one who is ungrateful to his Lord, the verses shift their address to all mankind to encourage them to ponder and reflect within themselves; calling on them to look at the effects of Allah's mercy upon the earth, for Allah has placed at their disposal pouring water:

“We poured down water plenteously,” (‘Abasa, 80:25).

and the earth which brings forth all kinds of vegetation:

“then We split the earth into fissures.” (‘Abasa, 80:26).

in order to feed mankind:

“and made the grain grow in it” (‘Abasa, 80:27).

and for them to enjoy sights such as its towering trees:

“and densely planted gardens!” (‘Abasa, 80:30).

These sensory enjoyments are the most common amongst all people, and perhaps the verse singles out these blessings in order to remind people of the boons that are most visible to them; namely the food and drink they consume.

23. Food

These verses unequivocally state that it is Allah who causes plants to grow and sends down water from the sky, while some negligent servants of His think that it is obviously the farmers who cultivate the land, unaware that He is the cause behind all causes;

“Is it you who make it grow, or are We the grower?” (al-Waqi'ah, 56:64).

So, when a servant eats foods like those mentioned in the verse:

“vines and vegetables,” (‘Abasa, 80:28).

“olives and date palms,” (‘Abasa, 80:29).

and

‘fruits and pastures’ (‘Abasa, 80:31).

and herbs, then he lives in a state of receiving blessings and giving thanks towards his Creator more than towards the one who presents him with it... how can the Creator of the very origin of food be compared to someone who gives it to another creature like himself?

24. Men And Animals

When the Qur’an mentions food-related provisions, it joins cattle to human beings:

“a sustenance for you and your livestock” (‘Abasa, 80:32).

and it also, mentions in this surah what is eaten by humans - 'fruits' - and what is eaten by animals - 'pastures' - in the same context. However, when the discussion turns to intelligible provisions, it places him in the context of the angels who have knowledge of Allah:

“Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him - as do the angels and those who possess knowledge - maintainer of justice.” (Ale 'Imran, 3:18).

Verses 33-42

فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الصَّاخَّةُ

So, when the deafening Cry comes (80:33).

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ

- the day when a man will flee his brother, (80:34).

وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ

his mother and his father, (80:35).

وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ

his spouse and his sons (80:36).

لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ

that day each of them will have a task to keep him preoccupied. (80:37).

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُسْفِرَةٌ

That day some faces will be bright, (80:38).

ضَاحِكَةٌ مُسْتَبْشِرَةٌ

laughing and rejoicing. (80:39).

وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌ

And some faces on that day will be covered with dust, (80:40).

تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ

overcast with gloom. (80:41).

أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَفَرَةُ الْفَجَرَةُ

It is they who are the disbelievers, the vicious. (80:42).

25. Cries On The Day Of Resurrection

The Qur’an repeatedly mentions different types of cries (sayha) on the Day of Resurrection:

a. A cry on its own:

“… A single cry ...” (Yasin, 36:53).

b. The Quaker (rajifah), which is a terrible cry that causes shaking and confusion11

c. The Deafening Cry (sakha), which is a cry so, loud that it deafens those who hear it.

d. The Trumpet (naqur), which will emit a sound that rends the heavens asunder.12

The meaning that unites all of these sounds together is that on the Day of Resurrection, there will be a terrifying sound announcing that the time for judgment has come. In contrast to this, Allah frequently used an affectionate style of speech in this world, to encourage His servants to hold themselves to account before the accounting of the Resurrection: 'Do accounting of yourselves before it is done on you ."13 And to die of their own choice before being made to die: 'die before you die.14 And to weigh their own deeds in this world before they are weighed in the Hereafter: ‘weigh them before you are weighed."15 And this is all because there is no opportunity for them to change their ways after they die.

26. Men Fleeing

When the verse speaks of men fleeing:

“the day when a man will flee his brother,” (‘Abasa, 80:34).

it shows us the grave situation that the resurrected people find themselves in. A man will flee because:

a. He is preoccupied with his own situation so, that he is distracted from the terror of the Day of Resurrection.

b. He is afraid that those mentioned will come to demand the rights he deprived them of in this world.

c. He wants to avoid becoming ensnared by them, as they might be asking that he give them some of his good deeds, which he has the greatest need for!

27. Helpers In The Afterlife

Anyone who remembers this verse while in this world will experience a sense of wariness towards those people around him, even his nearest and dearests! The ideal way for him to alleviate himself of this burden is to make them into helpers for the Hereafter, rather than merely helpers for this worldly existence. The latter is the habit of worldly people, who only desire sons for strength, honour and the amassing of wealth, whereas the believers want their children to be a good deed of theirs that will continue after their death (sadaqah jariyah).

Whereas, it is only natural that they would be pleased to see them in the stages of the Resurrection; in fact, they will seek them out to be reunited and to dwell together on a single level of Paradise, as the fulfillment of Allah's word:

“The faithful and their descendants who followed them in faith - We will make their descendants join them.” (at-Tur, 52:21).

28. Preoccupation Of Everyone With His Own Affairs

One of the most striking aspects of this surah is the appearance of the verse

“that day each of them will have a task to keep him preoccupied” (‘Abasa, 80:37).

after those saying that man will flee from those nearest and dearest to him. This suggests that it is his preoccupation with his own affairs that causes him to neglect others, and he is only preoccupied with his own self because the veil has been lifted from him and he now stands before Allah for questioning.

Therefore, we say that if a servant lives his life as if he is in the presence of his Lord in this world, he will attain two important results together. First, he will not be attached to anything that will distract him from Allah, and secondly, he will be occupied with his own self. This is a state encouraged by numerous narrations; namely that a person should attend to his own self before looking at others, and the verse:

“ ...Save yourselves and your families……” (at-Tahrim, 66:6).

also, bears witness to this.

29. Emotional Attachment

The order of relatives mentioned in the verse - brother, mother, father, spouse and child - might be according to their increasing level of emotional attachment:

“the day when a man will evade his brother,” (‘Abasa, 80:33).

“his mother and his father,” (‘Abasa, 80:34).

“his spouse and his sons.” (‘Abasa, 80:35).

The first is brothers and the last is sons, because the child is a piece of the parents, but they are not a piece of him.

And perhaps it is from this very dimension that the Qur'an mentions children together with wealth in the context of being tested thereby:

“know that your possessions and children are only a test”' (al-Anfal, 8:28).

30. Facial Expressions

A person's facial expressions are a manifestation of the spiritual states they experience in this world and the Hereafter:

a. In the Hereafter, this is clear, as the verse mentions that it is to the degree that it is visibly perceptible; on the side of good the face is illuminated - 'bright' - while on the side of evil there is gloom and darkness - 'overcast with gloom' - such that resurrected others will see and know this, because the cover will be removed from all of them.

b. In this world, there is a touch of brightness that surrounds a believer’s face and he is aware of it; in fact, anyone who has been given the power of divine discernment (firasah imaniyyah), to see by Allah's light, also, sees it.

And, clearly, the light of someone's face on the Day of Resurrection is something earned in this world, especially by offering night prayers and reciting the Qur'an.

31. Dark Face

The sort of deviation that causes darkness to appear in someone's face:

“and some faces on that day will be covered with dust” (‘Abasa, 80:40).

is caused by two things:

a. Deviations in belief, most visibly represented in disbelieving in Allah:

“It is they who disbelieve, the vicious.” (‘Abasa, 80:42).

b. Deviation in practice, as alluded to by the word 'The vicious’

So, it is not enough for someone whose beliefs are correct - or even sees the love of Allah's awliya' in his heart - to rely only on his faith when he is not righteous in his deeds; profligacy is the same as disbelief as the above verse mentions them together in a single context.

1. See Surah al-Qalam:
'and Indeed, you possess a great character.' (68:4).

2. See Surah al-Baqarah:
'As We sent to you an Messenger from among yourselves, who recites to you Our signs, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know.' (2:151).

3. See Surah al-Hujurat:
'Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most Godwary among you. Indeed, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.' (49:13).

4. Al-Kafi 2/164.

5. See Surah az-Zumar:
'Say: “O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah.”’ (39:53).

6. See Nahjal-Balagha, aphorism no. 451.

7. See Surah al-Ma'arij:
“Indeed, man has been created covetous, anxious” (70:19-20).

8. See Surah al-Ahzab:
“Indeed, he is most unfair and senseless.” (33:72).

9. See Surah al-'Asr:
“Indeed, man is in loss!” (103:2).

10. Al-Kafi, 1/50.

11. See Surah al-Nazi'at:
“The day on which the quaking one shall quake” (79:6).

12. See Surah al-Muddaththir:
“For when the trumpet is sounded, That, at that time, shall be a difficult day” (74:8-9).

13. Bihar al-Anwar, 67/73.

14. Bihar al-Anwar, 69/59.

15. Bihar al-Anwar, 73/67.

Surah at-Takwir (No. 81: 'The Winding')

Verses no. 1-14

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

When the sun is wound up, (81:1).

وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ

when the stars scatter, (81:2).

وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

when the mountains are set moving. (81:3).

وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

when the pregnant camels are neglected, (81:4).

وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

when the wild beasts are mustered, (81:5).

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

when the seas are set afire, (81:6).

وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

when the souls are paired, (81:7)

وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ

when the girl buried-alive will be asked (81:8).

بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ

for what sin she was killed. (81:9).

وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

When the scrolls are unrolled, (81:10).

وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ

when the heavens are stripped away, (81:11).

وَإِذَا الْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

when hell is set ablaze, (81:12).

وَإِذَا الْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

when paradise is brought near, (81:13).

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ

then a soul shall know what it has readied [for itself]. (81:14).

1. Future Events Told In Past Tense

The Qur’an often discusses the Resurrection in past tense. For example, Allah says:

“When the Sun is wound up” (at-Takwir, 81:1).

and

“When the imminent hour befalls” (al-Waqi'ah, 65:1).

Both of these appear in the past-tense in Arabic. Future events which the Lord of the Worlds informs us about as if they are in the past signify that they will as surely come to pass as the past itself. Of course, discussing events ordained in the future is more beneficial than discussing the past, because there is still an opportunity to prepare for it, make amends and change a dark past into a bright present.

2. Nothing Is Truly Constant

When Allah wishes to convey the terrors of the Resurrection, He refers to stable worldly phenomena such as the Sun, the stars, and the firm, unshakable mountains. All of this is in order to show us that there is never anything truly stable and unchanging in this universe; everything will eventually fall apart –

“When the Sun is wound up,” (at-Takwir, 81:1).

and fade.

“when the stars scatter” (at-Takwir, 81:2).

and the only being that can be depended upon is one whose essence and effects are unchanging: Is he not the only one who answers the question:

“....To whom does the sovereignty belong today?....” (al-Ghafir, 40:16).

by saying:

“...to Allah, the One, the All-paramount!” (al-Ghafir, 40:16).

3. Distraction From Worldly Possessions

She-camels like those mentioned in the verse:

“when the pregnant camels are neglected” (al-Takwir, 81:4).

were extremely valuable to the Arabs when the Qur'an was revealed; they were pregnant she-camels in their tenth month. By them being neglected, this means that during the stages of the Resurrection, as the terrors of that day will distract Allah's servants from even their most valuable possessions! And were a servant's heart, while he is in this world, to be occupied with thoughts of the terrors of that day - as 'Ali (‘a) says in his sermon about the muttaqin - then he too will be distracted from the things worldly people deem precious; they do not seem valuable to him because his measure of value differs dramatically!

4. Resurrection Of Animals

The Qur'anic commentaries have disagreed concerning the resurrection of animals; how can they be resurrected when they have not been placed under any moral obligation? One opinion is that they shall be raised according to the extent they comprehended their own mistreatment of other animals; this view finds support in Allah's words:

“There is no animal on land, nor a bird that flies with its wings, but they are communities like yourselves.” (al-An'am, 6:38).

A corollary of this resemblance between communities of animals and birds and those of mankind is shared ends as represented in their ultimate fate, by which I mean being resurrected on a single level.

Therefore, a servant should pay attention to every fault that transpires with his knowledge, as this knowledge alone is enough to necessitate the resurrection and judgment of animals. It is even said that 'a wounded sheep will seek redress against the one with horns who gored it!’1

5. The Sea

The sea contains two extremely flammable and explosive2 substances, but Allah joined them together and, through their reaction, made them inert and safe for His servants! Water puts out fire, but if you separate it into its constituent elements, they become a source of fire, and there, you see;

“when the seas are set afire.” (at-Takwir, 81:6).

The Lord, who created a stable and safe substance from two elements with originally volatile properties, can also, combine different tempestuous personalities in a family and spread love and kindness therein. In society, he can join different individuals together, just as he joined the first Muslims together, whose hearts would have never been united had Allah not united them;

'Had you spent all that is on earth you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them together.” (al-Anfal, 8:63).

6. “When The Souls Are Paired”

People's souls acquire their propensity to dwell in Paradise or be consigned to Hellfire in the life of this world; so, it is as though they are already engaged to the maidens of Paradise or bound to the malevolent devils! But the actual marriage is delayed until that promised day, about which Allah says:

'when the souls are paired.' (at-Takwir, 81:7).

And that is the wedding day of the righteous believers, and that is why the bounties of the maidens are suited to them; as for the others, who are the vicious ones, the malevolence of the devils to whom they are bound best befits them!

7. Severing Relations With Near Relatives

Burying infant girls alive is one example of severing family ties; in fact, it is the destruction of the family itself. The murdered child was nothing more than a newborn infant, and we do not know what she would have become, had she lived in this world. So, even worse, then, is the crime of cutting off the near relatives of Allah’s Messenger (S), and murdering their children!

Hence, one of the first acts of judgment on the Day of Resurrection, before even the infant that was buried alive is asked for what crime she was slain –

“when the girl buried-alive will be asked” (at-Takwir, 81:8).

shall be when Allah asks for what crime Husayn (‘a) and his closest companions were butchered!

8. Burying Of Innocent Children

When souls stray from the compass of guidance, they are actually leaving the bounds of healthy human nature. How can a mother, who is the very manifestation of kindness and affection, bury her own daughter alive, as the women in the age of ignorance did? When the time for birth drew near, they would dig a grave and sit in front of it, and if they gave birth to a girl they put her into the grave, but if they gave birth to a son they kept him!

Even though this practice is no longer common in our modern age of ignorance, burying children alive has taken on new forms. One of these is aborting fetus with special equipment. Another form is exposing them to harm and corruption [while in the womb]. There are narrations that mention still other forms of burying innocent children alive. For example, when Imam al-Baqir (‘a) was asked about the meaning of the verse, he said: 'Whoever was killed for loving us and adhering to our cause.’3 And there are many such victims throughout history!

9. Disgrace

There are some sinners who sin in private, afraid of disgrace amongst some of Allah's servants. But sometimes the person who witnesses them is not who they expect; it could even be a young child! The truth is that the Day of Judgment is a day sinners will be disgraced in the presence of witnesses; their records of deeds were rolled-up in the abode of this world, but behold, on the Day of Judgment they 'are unrolled.'

And the greatest cause for embarrassment, after that of knowing that Allah is aware of our [wicked) deeds, is the thought of the final prophet (S) being informed of the sins of his ummah in the presence of the other prophets.

10. Lifting Of The Veil

One of the most important features of the Day of Resurrection is the lifting of the veils from the sight of Allah's servants. The heavens that used to interpose between the inhabitants of the earth and those of the heavens will be 'stripped away.' In other words, the cloak will be removed from them, and a person will thereafter see clearly that which was hidden from him, including Paradise and Hellfire, and even the angels. The Qur'an has clearly announced this awe-inspiring event in another verse, which is the splitting of the heavens, accompanied by the descent of the angels:

“The day when the sky with its clouds will split open, and the angels will be sent down in a majestic descent.” (al-Furqan, 25:25).

Here, we must say how appropriate it is for those people with lofty goals in this world to strive to remove the veil of heedlessness (ghafla) from their hearts by continuous and vigilant self observation (muraqabah), and constant remembrance (dhikr), so, that they may glimpse in this world what they shall see clearly in the next, as this is something possible in both worlds!

11. Paradise Is Brought Near

If a man has some standing amongst people, then admirers woo him and try to win his heart, and this magnifies his character. And the opposite is also, true! On the Day of Resurrection, Paradise will be like a bride rushing towards her ideal suitor, which is why the Creator says of His Paradise:

“When Paradise is brought near.” (at-Takwir, 81:13).

Paradise, with its maidens and palaces, is described as if it is coming to its inhabitants out of love for them, as they are the purpose for which it was created.

These verses show us that Paradise and Hellfire encompass the inhabitants of this world but the veil of matter prevents them from being seen. Yet other narrations tell us that the maidens are longing to meet their spouses from this world. And what a difference there is between Paradise being brought near to its inhabitants, and the Hell created before the creation of the Hereafter, such that its flames are 'set blaze' ready to swallow its inmates!

12. Self-Observation

This surah is one of those distinguished by the many conditional statements (shart) it contains. In total it contains twelve antecedents, all of them are followed by a single consequence;

“then a soul shall know what it has readied.” (at-Takwir, 81:14).

This shows how important it is to practice self-observation in this world, lest the servant has an unpleasant surprise in store for him in the next. If a servant could see the physical manifestation of his deeds and the effects they have in this world - whether good or evil - he would be more disciplined in his behaviour and would not need much admonition. Every deed, righteous or wicked, would appear as a provision in this world that he would have to carry with him until that day. And this is why people's knowledge is described with "certainty" in the verse:

“No indeed! Were you to know with certain knowledge.” (at-Takathur, 102:5).

And their deeds are described as being "found" in the verse:

“They will find present whatever they had done.” (al-Kahf, 18:49).

13. Seeing Our Deeds

This condition of finding present one's deeds is actually for all people:

“The day when every soul will find present whatever good it has done ……” (Ale 'lmran, 3:30).

and this includes good deeds and evil ones. It is not unlikely that a servant will see his deeds on that day in a form that is different to the carnal form (surah mulkiyyah) it possessed in this world, in fact he will see it in its imaginal form (surah malakutiyyah). This is because the Hereafter is the abode of unveiling and seeing clearly, which is why the sin of wrongfully consuming the property of orphans may appear in the form mentioned about it in the Qur’an:

“Indeed, those who consume the property of orphans wrongfully, only ingest fire into their bellies...” (an-Nisa', 4:10).

In fact, we can say that if our senses were fully opened in this world, it is possible that our actions would take on their imaginal form even here. It has been narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) that he said: 'When the believer relinquishes this world, he ascends."4 And a corollary of such an ascent (samw) is that some hidden realities will be unveiled to him while he is still in this world.

Verses 15-29

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ

So, I swear not by the stars that withdraw, (81:15).

الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ

the planets that hide, (81:16).

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

by the night as it approaches, (81:17).

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

by the dawn as it breathes, (81:18).

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

it is Indeed, the speech of a noble Messenger, (81:19).

ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ

powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne, (81:20).

مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

one who is heard and trustworthy as well. (81:21).

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ

Your companion is not crazy: (81:22).

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ

Certainly, he saw him on the manifest horizon, (81:23).

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ

and he is not miserly concerning the unseen. (81:24).

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ

And it is not the speech of an outcast Satan. (81:25).

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

So, where are you going? (81:26).

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ

It is just a reminder for all the nations, (81:27).

لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ

for those of you who wish to be steadfast; (81:28).

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

but you do not wish unless Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, wishes so, (81:29).

14. Negation Of An Oath

Verses which contain a negation of an oath, such as

“So, I swear not...” (at-Takwir, 81:15).

have been interpreted in a number of ways, the most fitting of these is that Allah wishes to convey that the matter under discussion is so, obvious, it does not need someone to swear an oath to establish it as true, and that if an oath must be sworn, then he will swear by the things mentioned.

This is something common amongst people; a father might say, 'I do not wish to swear by my son, for the matter is such-and-such ..., meaning that if I had wanted to swear an oath, I would have sworn it by him. And this is much better that swearing a multitude of oaths!

15. Observing The Firmament

A number of verses in the Qur'an refer to planets and stars in a manner that draws attention - whether by invoking an oath or some other method. One such example is found in this surah, when Allah says:

“by the planets that hide.” (al-Takwir, 81:16).

And what surrounds this with a degree of ambiguity is that the Qur'an says they 'withdraw’, meaning they hide and journey to their place of rest - 'planets’ (jawar) - as an animal returns to its den, which is its home in which it rests - 'that withdraw' - and so, this verse contains an allusion to something we have yet to discover about the planets of our solar system, classically referred to as "the five stars."

In short, verses like these want the servant to turn his attention towards the dominions of the heavens and the signs they contain. And because their creation is greater than that of mankind, observing their firmament allows man to enter new realms and discover new horizons in thought, rather than clinging to the earth beneath his feet.

16. Relief At Sunrise

When Allah says:

“by the dawn as it breathes,” (al-Takwir, 81:18).

this suggests that the day is a new phase of activity after the stillness of the night; it is as though the day was constrained by the night and as soon as the brightness of the dawn appears, it is released:

“from the evil of the dark night when it settles!” (al-Falaq, 113:3).

But this meaning only applies to a day that follows night. As for those who live the night as their day, they do not experience this relief at sunrise.

17. Gabriel (A)

The oaths repeated in this surah - whether literal or figurative - are uttered to affirm the trustworthy nature of Gabriel (‘a):

“One who is heard and trustworthy...” (at-Takwir, 81:21).

which in turn entails the veracity of the Qur'an and any other revelation brought by the angel. There is no doubting that this principle - namely the fidelity of revelation's herald - is the foundation for believing in the authenticity of the Faith as a whole and in its ascription to Allah. To doubt this principle means that the revelation given to the Prophet (S) cannot be relied upon because it may be contaminated by errors!

18. The Qualities Of Prophets And Messengers

If the messenger represented by Gabriel (‘a) has the qualities mentioned in this verse, namely nobleness, power, eminence, obedience and fidelity, then what about those prophets and messengers whose forefather was Adam, the object of the angels' prostration!

On this basis, we say that the Successor, insofar as he is an extension of the Messenger, must also, be endowed with many of the Messenger's qualities in order for a commonality to exist between them, and this commonality between them is more fitting than the commonality between the Messenger and the Herald of Revelation!

19. The Characters Of Prophet Muhammad (S)

If we interpret the verse such that the attributes mentioned belong to the Prophet (S) - including the quality of obedience - as some claim, then this shows that the Prophet (S) is ennobled before Allah to the extent that his own commands are obeyed. And the unqualified nature of this statement implies that it encompasses both the physical and moral realms, for he attained the pinnacle of obedience to Allah and it has been narrated in some books that his uncle, Abu Talib (‘a) once said to him: 'How obedient your Lord is to you, O Muhammad!' To which he (S) replied: 'and were you to obey him, O Uncle, He would obey you too!’5

20. Prophet Muhammad (S) Being Called Crazy

When Allah says:

“Your companion is not crazy,” (at-Takwir, 81:22).

this shows the foolishness of some people, who accuse the most reasonable person on earth of being crazy! And even though these people are unworthy of a response from the Lord of the Worlds for this grave lie, the Qur'an answers them and refutes this description of Allah's Messenger. In fact, it goes so, far as to call the Prophet (S) the companion of these wicked people:

“Your companion is not crazy,” (at-Takwir, 81:22).

One could say that describing him as their companion in this manner is not intended to suggest that the Prophet (S) is anything like them, but rather to call attention to the fact that they have lived with him and know him as one companion knows. Another reason is that they have seen that he is perfectly reasonable, so, how do they dare to accuse him thus?

21. The Verse

“certainly he saw him on the manifest horizon” (at-Takwir, 81:23).

shows the nobility of both parties who met:

a. Gabriel (‘a) is honoured by seeing the Prophet (S), and this does not mean merely looking at him in passing, it means becoming familiar with him and talking to him.

b. From another aspect, the Prophet (S) saw Gabriel on the manifest horizon, and in another verse from Surah an-Najm, we read:

“while he was on the highest part of horizon" (an-Najm, 53:7).

What an honour it is for any human being to reach a horizon which no ·human being could attain by his own nature, a level which is only for those beings not subject to the forces of the material realm, like the angels brought near (mala'ika muqarrabun)

22. Generosity

Just as the Prophet (S) was generous in giving material gifts, so, is he generous in bestowing spiritual ones;

“and he is no miserly concerning the Unseen.” (at-Takwir, 81:24).

And so, those who emulate him - as the religion enjoins us to - must also, be generous in both dimensions; anyone for whom Allah opens a door to knowledge and wisdom must give thanks for the value of this blessing by sharing it with its people, lest he do an injustice to wisdom. This runs counter to the practice of some ascetics, who hoard the benefits of asceticism for themselves, cloistering themselves away from having an effect on others.

23. Those Who Have Gone Astray

Those who wander the wastes of confusion and error, and called to with the words:

“So, where are you going?' (at-Takwir, 81:26).

The likeness of those who stray from the path of guidance are like a people who wander confused in the darkness, and it is obvious that no matter how fast they travel, it will only increase their distance from the right path!

This is in addition to the fact that a wanderer does not remain on any path, but constantly changes his route stage by stage; this is the condition of those who have gone astray in their thoughts, as is plain to see!

24. A Book For All Nations

Even though the Qur’an contains subtleties and allusions that are understood only by its people, it is a reminder for all the nations too;

“It is just a reminder for all the nations.” (at-Takwir, 81:27).

So, no one can make the excuse that Allah's Book is above the level of understanding of most people! And this is why the Qur’an is described in various verses as being an explanation for mankind,6 sent to be contemplated upon,7 a manifest book,8 and manifest signs.9

25. Determination To Receive The Qur’an’s Teachings

The Qur'an is a reminder for anyone who desires to be steadfast:

“for those of you who wish to be steadfast” (at-Takwir, 81:28).

So, its verses are not like water which extinguishes fire by simply being poured over it, rather this requires man’s determination to receive its teachings, to act upon them and to be steadfast in his action. But this desire is also, connected to first the Divine Will, for it is Allah who, when he desires good for someone, opens his heart. Second, it is the servant who desires to be steadfast, and third the Qur'an becomes a reminder for him.

And the essence of this final verse in the surah is realizing the intermediate affair (al-amr bayn al-amrayn) with regards to free will:

a. From one angle, the human being has been given the free will lest he excuse himself by saying he had no choice, as it is unjust to punish someone who was compelled to act in a certain way.

b. From another angle, human free will is not completely independent from the divine will, lest His authority over the universe be constrained, and this is expressed most eloquently by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), when he says: 'I knew Allah through thwarted ambitions and dashed hopes.' 10

26. Human Will Tied To Divine Will

One could say that in all places where human will is tied to the divine will:

“but you do not wish unless it is wished by Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” (at-Takwir, 81:29).

The Divine Will dominates in the universe by virtue of Divine Creatorship, but from another angle: it actually follows the will of the human being; meaning that when the servant desires guidance or the like thereof, Allah acts to fulfill this will and realize its effects, hence Allah increases their guidance;

“As for those who are [rightly] guided, He enhances the level of guidance for them, and invests them with their Godwariness” (Muhammad, 47:17).

He is the one who guides:

“Allah guides to His Light whomever He wishes.” (an-Nur, 24:35).

And He is the one who

“gives wisdom to whomever He wishes ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:269).

“and forgives whomever He wishes.” (al-Ma'idah, 5:40).

1. Ma'alim Al-Tanzil Fi Tafsir Al-Qur'an, 5/ 203.

2. Most probably referring to the chemically reactive elements in salt (sodium and chlorine) [Note of Al-Islam].

3. Al-Kafi 1/295.

4. Al-Kafi, 2/130.

5. Tafsir Ruh Al-Ma'ani 4/56.

6. See Surah Ale 'Imran:
“This is a clear statement for men, and a guidance and an admonition to those who guard (against evil)”. (3:138).

7. See Surah an-Nisa':
“Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy. (4:82).
Surah al-Mu'minoon:
“Do they not ponder over the Word (of Allah), or has anything (new) come to them that did not come to their fathers of old?” (23:68).
Surah Sad:
“(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto thee, full of blessings, that they may mediate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition” (38:29).
SurahMuhammad:
“Do they not then reflect on the Quran, or are their hearts locked up by them?” (47:24).

8. See Surah al-Ma'idah
“O followers of the Book! indeed Our Messenger has come to you making clear to you much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much; indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah” (5:15).
Surah Yusuf:
“Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the Book that makes (things) manifest.” (12:1).
Surah ash-Shu'ara':
“These are the verses of the Book that makes (things) clear.” (26:2).
Surah an-Naml:
“Ta Sin! These are the verses of the Quran and the Book that makes (things) clear” (27:1). Surah al-Qasas:
“These are the verses of the Book that makes (things) clear.” (28:2).

9. See Surah al-Hajj:
“And thus have We revealed it, being clear arguments, and because Allah guides whom He intends”. (22:16).

10. Nahj al-Balaghah, aphorism no. 250.

Surah al-Infitar (No. 82: 'The Sundering')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْفَطَرَتْ

When the sky is rent asunder, (82:1).

وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انْتَثَرَتْ

when the stars are scattered, (82:2).

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتْ

when the seas explode, (82:3).

وَإِذَا الْقُبُورُ بُعْثِرَتْ

when the graves are overturned, (82:4).

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ

then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind. (82:5).

1. Day Of Resurrection, Signs

This verse, like others dealing with the Day of Resurrection, reminds its audience of the horror of the Resurrection, which will alter the face of the heavens and the earth. These include two signs in the heavens; the sundering (infitar) and the scattering (intithar), and two signs on earth; the cleaving (tafjir) and the overturning (bi'thara). All the horror of the heavens and the earth are captured in Allah's words:

“the day the earth is transformed into another earth and the heavens (as well).” (Ibrahim, 14:48).

In all of these places, it is as though Allah wants to impress upon us the ephemerality of the earth's ornaments, and those of the heavens, such as the stars, too. This is so, that our hearts do not become attached to any of these transient affairs.

2. Day Of Resurrection, Beads Of A Necklace

On the Day of Resurrection, the stars will scatter like the beads of a necklace:

“when the stars are scattered” (al-Infitar, 82:2).

and it is as if these beads were only held together by virtue of the thread that ran through them; the thread of gravity and other forces. In every new moment, this universe requires something to hold it together, or else it would break apart and fall into oblivion.

In each of these moments, the universe is indebted to Allah. Hence, we should give thanks to Him at every moment, but who can possibly do that?

3. Exploding Seas

This surah mentions that the sea will be cleaved apart:

“when the seas explode” (al-Infitar, 82:3).

- just as the previous surah said it would be set aflame:

“when the seas are set afire” (at-Takwir, 81:6).

And it is possible that one of these two phenomena will lead to the other, but the common meaning of both of these is that a cool liquid (normally) used to extinguish flames will become like fuel for fire!

Here, we say that just as the properties of materials will be altered in the Hereafter, people's souls will transform into something else. For example, arrogance, which is the mark of the affluent, will transform into abasement and humiliation.

4. Treasure

A farmer turns over the soil of his farmland to bring out the desired benefits of the land. His land is valuable to him because of what it contains. The same applies to the human body, for they - even if only those of the faithful - are the most valuable contents of the earth, so, the ground must be overturned to bring out these treasures:

“when the graves arc overturned” (al-Infitar, 82:4).

not its material treasures - as some have said1- because these have no value on the Day of Judgment!

5. Events That Presage The Coming Of The Resurrection

These verses mention awesome events which presage the coming of the Resurrection, but in contrast with all of this, there is an important event that the Master wishes to call attention to - like the consequent multiple conditional statements - and that event of events is revealed when He says:

“then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind.” (al-Infitar, 82:5).

And what He wants is for His servant to reach a level where he lives this reality, by picturing these events in his mind with certainty before they come to pass in the real world. This in turn depends on the person reaching the level where an unseen concept can affect him as deeply as something he sees and feels directly. And this is a level that can only be attained by those with intellects in this life.

6. Sent Ahead And Left Behind

Were we to say that 'left behind' in this verse refers to the reward that comes to the servant in his afterlife, as opposed to 'what he sent ahead' which means the righteous deeds that he did during his life, then we will understand the importance of everything that falls into the category of 'ongoing good deeds' (sadaqah jariyah), such as useful knowledge or a righteous child, as the ranks given to the servant after death [as a result of such good deeds] may not be less than what he earned while he was still alive, which is why everyone should aim to achieve something in this domain.

It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): 'No reward shall reach a man after his death save for three qualities; a charity he set in motion during his life which continues after his death; a rightly-guided practice which he laid down and which is acted upon after his death; and a righteous child that asks for his forgiveness."2

“…what he has left behind” (al-Infitar, 82:5).

can also, be interpreted as meaning a servant's shortcomings in performing his duties; so, it is as if he left righteous conduct (undone) behind [in this world, where it does not benefit him], as opposed to 'what he sent ahead' where he was made successful in sending righteous deeds ahead for his day of recompense. Another interpretation for these two phrases is what he did at the beginning of his life and what he did at the end.

7. Records Of Deeds

From these verses, we understand that a servant's knowledge of his ultimate fate is revealed to him gradually throughout the stages of the Resurrection; he knows in a general sense that he is destined for Paradise or Hellfire, then his record of deeds is opened so, that he can read the book hung around his neck, that he might be a witness and a judge against himself.

8. Bring Mankind Back To Their Senses

This surah - as is the case in the other Meccan surahs - wants to shake its audience through different forms of reproach, foretell future calamities and ultimately bring man back to his senses. From this, we might gather that anyone who wants to awaken those who have stayed far from the path of right guidance must first awaken their consciences to hold themselves to account, then detach them from the worldly pleasures to which they are most fond of and which they believe will never fade.

Verses 6-12

يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ

0 man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord, (82:6).

الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ

who created you and proportioned you, and gave you an upright nature (82:7).

فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَا شَاءَ رَكَّبَكَ

and composed you in any form that He wished? (82:8).

كَلَّا بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ

No indeed! Rather you deny the Retribution. (82:9).

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ

Indeed, there are over you guardians, (82:10).

كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ

noble writers (82:11).

يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

who know whatever you do. (82:12).

9. Deceiving Ourselves

This verse is one of those containing a rebuke that combines both warning and kindness towards Allah's servants:

“O man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord” (al-Infitar, 82:6).

By mentioning divine attributes such as generosity and kindness, it is as though Allah means to say in this verse: 'When there is someone whose signs on the Day of Resurrection are like this, whose attributes are Lordship and generosity, and who created man in the best possible form,3 no one should be ungrateful towards Him or His blessings, or be deceived by His generosity and forbearance! The verse does not say whence is the source of this illusion, but leaves it up to the servant himself to figure out. Some have said:

a. The generosity of the Lord of the Worlds makes some feel safe from His punishment.

b. It is the enticement of Satan and the self that prompts to evil.

c. It is man's own ignorance of the station of his Lord; it has been narrated from the Prophet (S) that when he recited this verse, he said: 'He was deceived by his ignorance.’4

And the change in tone in this verse, from speaking about someone in the third person to addressing them directly;

“O man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord,” (al-Infitar, 82:6).

is clearly meant to emphasize that this rebuke is directed towards the human being, while previously the discussion had been about the soul in the third person.

It is very striking that Allah directs his words towards man six times in just three verses5 and this shows the Master's intent to convey this rebuke to man's conscience.

10. The Creation Of Man’s Body

One of the wonders of the universe that is closest to man is his own outward creation, as represented by the wonders of his body. The Lord reminds him of the origin of his creation and how He brought him forth from the darkness of non-existence ('who created you,') then forming him by placing every limb and organ in its proper place ('proportioned you,') and then made his different limbs and organs act in harmony with one another ('and gave you an upright nature,') before the final composition, by which the ultimate form of his creation was made complete ('and composed you.'). And all of these meanings are encompassed by Allah's words:

“We certainly created man in the best of forms.” (at-Tin, 95:4).

And it is known that the mention of all this immediately after having reprimanded man for being deceived about his generous Lord, is an even greater cause for man to feel the shame and embarrassment before Him!

11. Rebuke

One interpretation of the verse:

“O man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord” (al-Infitar, 82:6).

is that when it describes the Lord as generous in the midst of a powerful rebuke, it is insinuating the excuse for this, so, that the servant will say after hearing it: 'My Lord! Your generosity deceived me!'

But this interpretation is not valid, for Allah is also, the ‘Vengeful’ (muntaqim) and the Mighty (jabbar). This is in addition to the fact that the verses under discussion are followed by a forceful rebuke:

“No indeed! Rather you deny the Retribution.” (al-Infitar, 82:9).

So, it is as though Allah means to say: 'Rather you and those like you deny the Day of Retribution and Recompense!' Allah's unassailable Lordship and manifest generosity are by himself or herself sufficient to prevent someone from being deceived thereby.

12. Angels Recording The Deeds

Our deeds are preserved, first and foremost, with the Lord of the worlds who encompasses everything from beyond His creation; then, with the preserving angels, and they are some of the 'noble writers,' and then with the servant who sees his deeds with his own eyes. So, a sinner should be ashamed first before his Lord, secondly before the Angels Brought Near - because they are spiritual beings who are repelled by evil deeds - and thirdly before his own self when he sees it descending from the realm of divine vicegerency to that of (merely) worshipping desires.

Imam al-Kazim (‘a) was asked whether the two angels know about a sin or good deed when the servant intends to do it, but before he actually does it. He replied: 'Are a putrid odour and a pleasant scent the same?' The questioner replied: 'No.' He (‘a) continued: 'If the servant intends to do a good deed, his soul emerges with a pleasant scent and the angel on the right says to the one on the left: 'Get up! He wants to do a good deed!' And if he does it then [the angel's] tongue becomes his pen, and his sweat ink, and he records it for him ... but if he intends to commit a sin, his soul emerges with a foul stench and the angel on the left says to the one on the right: 'Stop! He intends to commit a sin!' And if he does it then [the angel's] tongue becomes his pen and his sweat ink and he records it against him.'6

13. Guardian Angels

The apparent meaning of 'guardians' is that they safeguard deeds by way of being 'writers.' But it could also, be an allusion to the Divine Grace (lutf) that surrounds all creation, such that Allah has appointed the angels as guardians over mankind who protect them from disasters, as is mentioned in Allah's words:

“He has guardian angels, to his front and his rear, who guard him by Allah’s command.” (ar-Ra'd, 13:11).

This interpretation is supported by a narration from Imam al-Baqir (‘a), in which he explains the verse thus: 'They are two angels who protect him by night, and two angels by day.’7 And it has been narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (‘a): 'They are angels who protect him from disasters, until they arrive with him at his determined fates (maqadir), then they leave him to his fates.'8

14. Bearing Witness

It befits us, as human beings, to follow the example of the angels who record our deeds, for they only write what they have come to know of our actions, lest they be a witness for something without certainty;

“who know whatever you do.” (al-Infitar, 82:12).

A servant who truly obeys his Master does not say or bear witness to anything that he has no knowledge of, for presumption does not avail anything against the truth.

15. Vigilantly Observing Our Innermost Thoughts

It can be said that the apparent meaning of ‘whatever you do' is that the angels only write the actions of the limbs, because the actions of the heart are hidden and known only to Allah. But it could also, be said that the angels record even these, because Allah informs the two recording angels of them.

Whatever the case may be, Allah is aware of the contents of our hearts - whether the angels are informed of them or not - and this should suffice for us to vigilantly observe our innermost thoughts and feelings, as Allah says:

“He knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the breasts hide.” (al-Ghafir, 40:19).

Verses 13-19

إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ

Indeed, the pious are amid bliss, (82:13).

وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ

and Indeed, the vicious shall are in hell (82:14).

يَصْلَوْنَهَا يَوْمَ الدِّينِ

entering it on the Day of Retribution, (82:15).

وَمَا هُمْ عَنْهَا بِغَائِبِينَ

and they are not absent from it. (82:16).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ

And what will show you what is the Day of Retribution? (82:17).

ثُمَّ مَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ

Again, what will show you what is the Day of Retribution? (82:18).

يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ

It is a day when no soul will be of any avail to another soul and all command that day will belong to Allah. (82:19).

16. The Pious

By using the word 'pious' (abrar), the verse 'Indeed, the pious...' highlights the quality of 'kindness' (birr) as a basic description of the inhabitants of bliss. It does not, for example, highlight worship ('ibadah). From this expression, it can be understood that the quality of beneficence (ihsan) is foremost in importance for gaining entry to Paradise, even if Allah's acceptance of this beneficence is conditional upon piety (taqwa).

And because the pious are said to be in bliss without any qualifications being attached to this statement, this state of bliss could encompass both this world and the next. In other words, they are in a constant state of tranquility. This meaning is especially suited to the verse when we see that bliss is described as a locale (zarf) to them, and al-Razi narrates in his Qur’an commentary from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): 'Bliss is cognition (ma'rifah) and vision (mushahidah).''9 And this shows that this kind of bliss is fulfilled for the pious in this world before the Hereafter, even if it appears more brilliantly in the latter.

17. In Bliss

We should not overlook the subtle meaning in the expression 'in bliss,' in that it applies to every kind of bliss, which the servant enjoys. In opposition to this meaning stand the 'vicious' (fujjar), whose name derives from the same origin as the sea that is set aflame. And it is said of them, that 'they are rent with sins.'10

So, it is as though the sinner tears himself apart and loses his properly proportioned form, losing in turn his beauty, as would be the case were his body rent apart. And this is why daybreak is called fajr, as it splits the horizon with light.11

18. Punishment In This World

We could even say that the vicious are punished in this world as well as the Hereafter, as the phrase 'are in Hell' implies. This expression, which suggests that punishment surrounds its victims, cannot be used to refer to a future punishment. It can only be used in the present to refer to something that has already been affected. This interpretation is also, supported by Allah's words:

“entering it on the Day of Retribution,” (al-Infitar, 82:15).

For the fires of Hell - even the least degree of them in this world - will flare up on the Day of Resurrection. Or, you might say that the sinner is burnt by their heat on that day, otherwise we can say the hell of separation from Allah and a wretched existence in this world is a foreshadowing of Hell in the afterlife. The idea that the punishment is realized in this world is also, given credence by Allah's words:

“and they are not absent from it.” (al-Infitar, 82:16).

We can also, understand from His saying:

“Indeed, hell besieges the disbelievers” (at-Tawba, 9:49).

that Hell surrounds the disbelievers from all dimensions, including the dimension of this world and the Hereafter.

19. Prophet Muhammad (S) And The Terrifying Forms Of Punishment

The apparent form of address used in the verse:

“And what will show you what is the Day of Retribution?” (al-Infitar, 82:17).

suggests that this rhetorical question is directed to the Prophet (S). But this serves to demonstrate how truly terrifying the forms of punishment contained in that day are, to the extent that they are hidden from even the greatest of Allah's creatures, what more everyone else? In fact, he had the greatest connection of any person with the realm of the unseen; he saw the greatest signs of his Lord. The sheer gravity of the punishment of the Hereafter is further emphasized when the same question is repeated a second time.

20. The Word “Retribution”

It should be noted that the word 'retribution' is used here to allude to the recompense, which is the most important feature of these most terrifying days. So, the verse conveys the sense that this day is momentous, both because of the terrors it contains and because of the precise accounting that will take place on it.

The Qur'an frequently uses the rhetorical form 'And what will show you ...?' to convey the gravity of the Resurrection; for example, Allah says:

“What will show you what is the Besieger?” (al-Haqqah, 69:3).

“And what will show you what is Saqar?” (al-Muddaththir, 74:27).

“And what will show you what is the Day of Judgment!” (al-Mursalat, 77:14).

and

'And what will show you what is the nightly visitor?” (at -Tariq, 86:2).

21. Visibly Seeing Allah’s Authority

Authority belongs only to Allah in all creations:

“… and all command that day will belong to Allah” (al-Infitar, 82:19).

but the greatest manifestation of this shall be during the stages of Resurrection, when everyone in existence will affirm and actually visibly see this authority. This does not run contrary to intercession, as it falls within the purview this absolute authority. Of course, the believer experiences this ideal in this world before the Hereafter and this gives him the power of faith, even if he has a humble outward appearance.

It has been narrated from Imam al-Baqir (‘a): 'Command on that day and on this one belongs to Allah in its entirety, O Jabir! But when the Day of Resurrection comes, the rulers will vanish and no ruler will remain except Allah."12

1. Mafatih al-Ghaib 31/73.

2. Bihar al-Anwar, 71/257.

3. See Surah Ghafir:
'and He formed you and perfected your forms.' (40:64).

4. Majma' al-Bayan 10/449.

5. Surah al-Infitar:
“O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious one” (82:6).
“Who created you, then made you complete, then made you symmetrical?” (82:7).
“Into whatever form He pleased He constituted you” (82:8).

6. Al-Kafi 2/429, tradition no. 3.

7. Bihar al-Anwar, 56/ 79.

8. Bihar al-Anwar, 56/151.

9. Mafatih al-Ghayb 31/80.

10. Al-Mizan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur'an, 20/227.

11. Mu'jam Miqayis Al-Lugha, 4/475.

12. Majma' al-Bayan 10/450.

Surah al-Mutaffifin (No. 83: 'The Defrauders')

Verses 1-6

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ

Woe to the defrauders who use short measures, (83:1).

الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ

who, when they measure from the people, take the full measure (83:2).

وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ

but reduce when they measure or weigh for others. (83:3).

أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ

Do they not think that they will be resurrected (83:4).

لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

on a tremendous day, (83:5).

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

a day when mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds? (83:6).

1. Deviant Beliefs

In His Scripture, Allah shows His satisfaction with whoever He desires to reward by saying ‘Blessed be...'1 (tuba) which conveys the sense of a pleasant life that Allah has prepared for those who believe and do righteous deeds, and this includes happiness in this world and the Hereafter. In contrast to this, the Qur'an uses the expression 'Woe to...' for those towards whom Allah desires to display His anger and threaten them thereby.

Usually, the Qur'an uses it to threaten the polytheists,2 the disbelievers3 and the deniers4 - namely those who have deviant beliefs. But it also, uses this expression for those whose behaviour astray, including 'the defrauders,' scandalmongers and slanderers,5 and sinful liars.6

2. Fraudulent Ways In Weighing And Measuring

Some people think that fraud in weighing and measuring is a trivial thing when compared to the major sins, in that this kind of fraud may only involve a small amount of money that no one will miss. But the verses of the Qur'an that harshly rebuke this fraud contain a severe threat against it, which begins with invoking ‘woe’. And this expression is usually reserved for major sins, such as denying the Day of Resurrection:

“Woe to the deniers on that day!” (al-Mursalat, 77:15).

From this, we know that Allah places great importance on the rights of people (haqq al-nas), to the extent that he made the prohibition of this sin a fundamental part of the mission of prophet Shu'ayb (‘a), when he said to his people:

''O my people! Observe fully the measure and the balance, with justice, and do not cheat the people of their goods, and do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption.” (Hud, 11:85).

And contravening this divine commandment was one of the causes of the ruin of his people. This shows us that spreading corruption in the land is a grave offense that tantamount to disbelieving in Allah, and this is why both are punishable by death, subject to proper jurisprudential conditions.

3. Ill-Gotten Wealth

Those people who cheat others shall suffer the consequences of consuming illegal wealth. The Prophet (S) mentioned one such consequence when he was explaining the effects of forbidden acts on nations: 'Do not cheat in measuring or else you will be denied vegetation and suffer droughts.’7 And perhaps they are threatened with afflictions to warn them of the harmful effects of consuming illicit gains. Many people give little consideration to this because their effect is not immediately visible as it is with drinking alcohol. So, there are some people who are very careful when it comes to avoiding alcohol, but not when it comes to illicit wealth!

In the same vein, Imam al-Husayn (‘a) also, rebukes those who consume ill-gotten wealth, which drives them towards this evil outcome, by saying: 'They have filled their bellies with illgotten gains.’8

4. Defrauders

The defrauders, as the verse describes them, combine the quality of selfishness and coveting benefits for themselves with that of dishonesty and fraud in business; so, that when they measure for themselves, they make sure that they receive their full due without any shortfall:

“who, when they measure from the people, take the full measure,” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:2).

but they shortchange others when measuring for the latter:

“but reduce when they measure or weigh for them.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:3).

Both of these qualities are morally repugnant, even if the first does not by itself necessarily reach the level of prohibition, but the condemnation is on their combination in the form of loving oneself while betraying others.

It is worth noting that the verse calls those harmed by this practice 'people' rather than singling out Muslims, for instance, to show that such deceit is immoral with any of Allah's servants.

5. Other Forms Of Fraud

Even though this verse is addressing those who cheat people through measures and weights, the spirit of the verse can include anyone who violates the rights of others in their dealings; such as someone who agrees to perform a task in a certain way but when it comes to it, he does not perform the task as agreed; or someone who wrongly seizes the property of others.

6. The Word ‘Think’

It is as though someone who commits a sin - in practice - does not even think about the Day of Judgment, because any reasonable person would consider potential harms and see them as necessary to avoid when he sees that he might be exposed to danger!

The verse alludes to this level of thought, saying:

“Do they not think that they will be resurrected.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:4).

Although some have interpreted the word 'think' (zann) here to signify 'certain knowledge' (yaqin), as in Allah's saying:

“those who know (zann) that they will encounter their Lord” (al-Baqarah, 2:46).

It has been narrated about this from 'Ali (‘a) in Tafsir al-'Ayyashi: 'They are certain that they will be resurrected; from them, zann is certainty.’9

7. Sinning In Private

The single solution to prevent someone from all sins - even in private - is what the Qur’an mentions in these verses; remembering that they will one day stand completely exposed before the Lord of the Worlds:

“a day when mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds,” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:6).

whereby there will be no meaning to doing things in private because there will be no such thing as privacy! Everything that a servant does in private is still visible to Allah, and that is why this verse exhorts him to remember that he will one day stand before the Lord of the Worlds to dissuade him from defrauding others, as he might believe that the person he is defrauding will not notice.

Verses 7-17

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ

No indeed! Tbe record of the vicious is Indeed, in Sijjin. (83:7).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ

And what will show you what is Sijjin? (83:8).

كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ

It is a book inscribed. (83:9).

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Woe to the deniers on that day, (83:10).

الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ

who deny the Day of Retribution; (83:11).

وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

and none denies it except every sinful transgressor. (83:12).

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

When Our signs are recited to him, he says, 'Myths of the ancients!' (83:13).

كَلَّا بَلْ ۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

No indeed! Rather their hearts have been sullied by what they have been earning. (83:14).

كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَمَحْجُوبُونَ

No indeed! They will be veiled from their Lord on that day. (83:15).

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُو الْجَحِيمِ

Then they will Indeed, enter hell, (83:16).

ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ

then told, 'This is what you used to deny!'(83:17).

8. Sijjin

Allah's devices for accounting are of the utmost in precision and scope; so, the records of evil deeds are described as:

a. A book (kitab):

“...a book inscribed.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:9).

b. That it is in the Sijjin, which is a repository that contains all the judgments against the sinners, whether this place refers to the different levels of Hell or something else. The name 'Sijjin' is the emphatic conjugation of the word 'prison' (sijin), and is the opposite of the place where the book of the righteous resides, namely the 'lliyyin’. This second meaning applies if Allah's words 'a book inscribed' are not intended as a description for the Sijjin. If they are, however, then the Sijjin is the encompassing book.

9. Sullied Heart

These verses draw a connection between denying the resurrection and being absorbed by sin, insofar as amassing sins sullies one's heart and thereby veils you from even the clearest realities, including the Resurrection. So, sometimes a person will deny it, and at other times he will dismiss the signs of Allah as

“…myths of the ancients!” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:13).

And we can find support for this interpretation in what we read in the verse

“Then the fate of those who committed misdeeds was that they denied the signs of Allah and they used to deride them.” (ar-Rum, 30:10).

Thus, habitual sinners do not enjoy the blessing of a sound faith, because this soundness could fade and 'what they have been earning' reaches the extent that the Qur'an says:

“No indeed! Rather their hearts have been sullied by what they have been earning. (al-Mutaffifin, 83:14).

It is known that when a person's heart, which is the seat of their being, is tainted and sullied, then the servant will go to even greater extremes in the sins he commits.

10. Tainted Heart

A tainted heart is a stage of decline that results when a servant persists in earning that which does not please his Master, so, let those who sin persistently - even if their sins are small - beware of a tainted heart. This stage will take hold suddenly, like a rock splitting open on the final strike. It has been narrated in a tradition: 'When a servant commits a sin, we inscribe a black mark upon his heart; if he repents, desists and seeks forgiveness his heart will be wiped clean; but if he returns [to his sin], then the mark will grow until it consumes his entire heart... that is the taint (rin) that Allah mentions in the Qur’an.’ 10

There are other matters connected to people's hearts that fall within the context of a taint or sully. Some say that this taint is the heart blackening from sins. But being shut (tab’) is worse than being sullied, it means that his heart is closed completely;

“they are the ones on whose hearts Allah has shut.” (Muhammad, 47:16).

This is also, called sealing (khatm) the hearts;

“Allah has set a seal on their hearts.” (al-Baqarah, 2:7).

11. The Word “Kalla”

When the Qur'an employs the words 'No indeed!' (kalla), this has several connotations worthy of attention; it is but a single word and yet sometimes it implies repudiation (rad’), sometimes negation (nafi), and yet other meanings still. It has a unique meaning for every context in which it is used!

In the verse:

“No indeed! Rather their hearts have been sullied ......” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:14).

we could say that this implies repudiating them for uttering falsehoods, namely calling Allah's signs myths, as if it is used in the same way as 'hush!' when you wish to silence someone and belittle them. And they only utter these things because of the taint that has infected their hearts.

As for in the verse:

“No indeed! They will be veiled from their Lord on that day.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:15).

This is a repudiation of that, which causes hearts to be sullied, which in turn causes them to deny the truth in this fashion in this world, and veil them from their Lord in the hereafter.

Meanwhile, in the verse:

“No indeed! The record of the vicious is Indeed, in Sijjin.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:7).

This is a repudiation of their fraudulent business practices and their disregard for the Day of Recompense.

12. The Veiling

Even though people will have the veils removed from them on the Day of Resurrection, and the manifestations of Allah's majesty and perfection are visible to them - to the extent that they become desperate to speak to their Master - the Qur'an describes them as

“ ... veiled from their Lord on that day.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:15).

This is being veiled from proximity to Divine Mercy, as is clarified by another verse elsewhere:

“and Allah will not speak to them nor will He look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them.” (Ale 'lmran, 3:77).

So, this type of veiling remains with them throughout the Resurrection, just as it was with them in the abode of this world; it remains even when all the other veils have been removed from them in the Isthmus (barzakh) and during the Resurrection.

Verses 18-28

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْأَبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ

No indeed! The record of the pious is Indeed, in llliyun. (83:18).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ

And what will show you what is Illiyun? (83:19).

كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ

It is a written record. (83:20).

يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

It witnessed by those brought near. (83:21).

إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ

Indeed, the pious shall be amid bliss, (83:22).

عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنْظُرُونَ

observing, on couches. (83:23).

تَعْرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ النَّعِيمِ

You will perceive in their faces the freshness of delight (83:24).

يُسْقَوْنَ مِنْ رَحِيقٍ مَخْتُومٍ

as they are served with a sealed wine, (83:25).

خِتَامُهُ مِسْكٌ وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ

whose seal is musk - for such let the aspirers vie - (83:26).

وَمِزَاجُهُ مِنْ تَسْنِيمٍ

and whose seasoning is from Tasnim, (83:27).

عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

a spring where those brought near drink. (83:28).

13. ‘Illiyyin’: An Exalted Direction

The record of the pious is in a location that stands in contrast to that which houses the record of the vicious; it is in an exalted direction, called 'llliyyin’, which is described in a prophetic tradition: 'Elevated ('illiyyiin) in the seven heavens beneath the Throne."11 But, like the Sijjin, it is beyond human comprehension, which is why Allah uses the phrase 'and what will show you...? This is in addition to the fact that the determinations written in both are neither open to doubt nor at risk of harm; they are 'inscribed' (marqum) because their author -namely, Allah and His angels - lacks nothing in wisdom or precision. The same expression is used to describe the Sijjin but Allah has described the book of the pious here as being witnessed by a group of 'those brought near' (muqarrabin), which has been explained to mean the angels brought near,12 but also, as the elite of Paradise's inhabitants who have been given the right to view the records of the pious.13

14. Those Brought Near

It is also, possible that the pronoun in the verse:

“it is witnessed by those brought near.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:21).

refers to the Almighty Himself [i.e. 'He is witnessed by those brought near.'] So, 'those brought near' are a group of people from whom all the veils have been lifted, such that they are worthy of witnessing Allah's divine majesty, and their level is above that of the pious (abrar) and the angels; they are the companions of that spring

“ .... where those brought near drink.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:28).

And whose Lord quenches them with 'a pure drink.’:

“Their raiment will be fine green silk and gold embroidery. Bracelets of silver will they wear. Their Lord will slake their thirst with a pure drink.” (al-Insan, 76:21).

15. Tasnim

The inhabitants of Paradise do not all occupy a single level of divine blessings; the pious are in bliss, but those brought near are in another category of bliss, so, that the drink represented by the wine of Paradise that is prepared for them is different to the drink of the pious. The drink of the pious is seasoned with Tasnim:

'and whose seasoning is from Tasnim' – (al-Mutaffifin, 83:27).

while the drink of those brought near is Tasnim itself:

'a spring where those brought near drink' – (al-Mutaffifin, 83:28).

and their drink is not of such a quantity that it can be measured in cups, it is an abundantly flowing spring from which they drink directly. As for the rest of their special qualities, none can comprehend them save he who has reached the stations of looking at His noble countenance.

16. Bliss

The sensible delight (na'im hissi) enjoyed by the inhabitants of Paradise are reflected in their faces in the form of freshness and blissfulness:

“You will perceive in their faces the freshness of delight” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:24).

and they are in a relaxed state, watching as all the different types of bliss that unfold around them:

“observing, on couches” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:23).

and this could include looking towards Divine Beauty (jamal ilahi). From this, we can know that not every kind of bliss is a delight (bahja). After all, worldly people have so, much enjoyment, and yet to them apply Allah's words:

“his shall be a wretched life.” (Ta Ha, 20:124).

Therefore, the type of bliss that the Lord of the Worlds unfurls is that which brings familiarity and felicity in both worlds, not just the comfort enjoyed by the wealthy inhabitants of this world.

17. A Sealed Wine

The sealed heavenly wine in Paradise is sealed with sweet-scented musk:

“whose seal is musk …...” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:26).

- which is unlike that used to seal the wine vessels of this world, such as clay, in order to keep them pure and unadulterated.

On this basis, we can say that the starting point of this otherworldly bliss is that someone who wants to enjoy the pleasures of union with the Divine in this world must protect them from contamination by their well-known impurities; ostentation (riya'), listening to hearsay, neglecting one's duties, vying for superiority and other such things.

18. Wine And Tasnim

The varying levels of bliss in Paradise should motivate its inhabitants to compete with one another in attaining the utmost degree therein:

“...for such let the aspirers vie” – (al-Mutaffifin, 83:26).

And this is something they can only do in the life of this world, for today is a day of striving without accounting, while tomorrow is a day of accounting without striving!

So, what is the difference between the wines that flow beneath the inhabitants of Paradise - which the Qur’an usually describes as one of the rivers of Paradise - and the drink of Tasnim? There are two opinions:

a. First that it is a special drink found only in the highest reaches of Paradise.

b. Second, that it is a river that flows through the heavens and overflows into the cups of the inhabitants of Paradise.14

19. Competition

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with competition; it only becomes blameworthy if it is for the wrong reasons. After mentioning some of the bliss found in Paradise, the Master calls people to compete in pursuit of those things that will help them earn it, showing that this kind of competitiveness is a praiseworthy!

Of course, any competition for an infinite prize - like that of Paradise - has no winner or loser, because the prize of this competition is not limited so, as to induce animosity between the competitors. But still, any competition is always a race, because each competitor wants to reach the finish line before his opponents, and this means people must move quickly along the race route!

Verses 29 - 36

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا كَانُوا مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يَضْحَكُونَ

Indeed, the transgressors used to laugh at the believers, (83:29).

وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ

and when they passed them by they would wink at each other, (83:30).

وَإِذَا انْقَلَبُوا إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِمُ انْقَلَبُوا فَكِهِينَ

and when they returned to their folks they would return rejoicing, (83:31).

وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ لَضَالُّونَ

and when they saw them, they would say, 'Indeed, those have gone astray!', (83:32).

وَمَا أُرْسِلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ حَافِظِينَ

Though they were not sent to watch over them. (83:33).

فَالْيَوْمَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَ

So, today the believers will laugh at the disbelievers, (83:34).

عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنْظُرُونَ

observing from couches: (83:35).

هَلْ ثُوِّبَ الْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

Have the disbelievers been requited for what they used to do? (83:36).

20. The Disbelievers

Instead of saying 'the disbelievers,' the Qur'an says 'the transgressors.' This indicates that the reason they harass the believers is their transgressing disposition that follows from their disbelief, as a disbelieving person might only disbelieve in matters of faith.

For this reason, we say: That if this disposition is present in the personality of someone who professes Islam outwardly, it could lead to the same acts that emanate from a disbeliever, such as mocking the faithful and other acts mentioned in these verses.

21. The Habits Of The Disbelievers

The disbelievers have no logic with which to argue, rather their habit is to mock:

“Indeed, the transgressors used to laugh at the believers” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:29).

and make derisive signals -

“ …… they would wink at each other” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:30).

- and gather together on the basis of falsehood and ridiculing the faithful:

“……… they would return rejoicing' (al-Mutaffifin, 83:32).

And they look down upon the believers without any evidence of their own correctness:

“ ... they would say, 'Indeed, those have gone astray!" (al-Mutaffifin, 83:32).

But all of this will be reversed on the Day of Resurrection, so, that the inhabitants of Paradise will have these positions in relation to the inmates of Hellfire, while they live in the bliss of Paradise, reclining on thrones; their condition shall be as the Qur'an describes it:

“So, today the faithful will laugh at the disbelievers,” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:34).

except that this time the derision will be appropriate and approved by the Lord of the Worlds.

22. Harassment By The Disbelievers

These verses, which describe how those disbelievers who transgress treat the faithful, prepare the believers to endure various kinds of harassment; mocking, derisive gestures, false accusations and others, and also, leave no room for them to expect any compliment or approval from the disbelievers.

The fact that these persons not only hold on to erroneous beliefs but are also, oppressive and unjust leaves no room for these two groups to come together, save that one submits to follow the religion of the other. This is especially true when we see that the verse emphasizes the ‘harmful ignorance’ (jahl murakkab)15 of the transgressors, in that the latter describe the faithful as being astray –

“ ... they would say, 'Indeed, those have gone astray!" (al-Mutaffifin, 83:32).

while they are themselves the very epitome of people who have gone astray! But how Allah refutes them and how harshly He derides them while defending His friends (awliya’), saying:

“Though they were not sent to watch over them.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:33).

This carries the meaning that you have nothing to do with our rightly guided servants!

23. Delayed Punishment

Some people in this world are hasty to see the wrongdoers receive their deserving deserts, while the truth is that their affair is in Allah's hands and there is no risk of it being forgotten. It is in His hands that the fates of the wrongdoers and their victims rest; it is He who will judge between them about that in which they differed.

And hence, however much their punishment is delayed, there shall be a day in which the Lord of the Worlds cries out:

'Have the disbelievers been requited for what they used to do?" (al-Mutaffifin, 83:36).

As though Allah wants to show his faithful awliya the terrible vengeance He has wrought against the wrongdoers, to appease them for what they suffered at the latter's hands during their lives in this world.

1. Surah ar-Ra'd:
“(As for) those who believe and do good, a good final state shall be theirs and a goodly return.” (13:29).

2. See Surah Fussilat:
'And woe to the polytheists' (41:6).

3. See Surah Ibrahim:
'And woe to the disbelievers of a severe punishment' (14:2).

4. See Surah at-Tur:
'Woe to the deniers on that day' (52:11).

5. See Surah al-Humazah:
'Woe to every scandal-monger and slanderer' (104:1).

6. See Surah al-Jathiyah: '
Woe to every sinful liar' (45:7).

7. Al-Kafi 2/374.

8. Tuhaf al-’Uqul, 240.

9. Tafsir al-’Ayyashi, 1/44.

10. Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur 6/ 325.

11. Majma’al-Bayan 10/692.

12. Al-Mizan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur’an 20/235.

13. Al-Mizan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur’an 20/235.

14. Bihar al-Anwar, 8/115.

15. This phrase “jahl murakkab” refers to ignorance of someone who is in the position of leadership, propagating his falsehood and misleading the others. [Note of Al-Islam].

Surah al-Inshiqaq (No. 84: The Splitting)

Verses 1-6

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْ

When the sky is split open (84:1).

وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ

and gives ear to its Lord, as it should. (84:2).

وَإِذَا الْأَرْضُ مُدَّتْ

When the earth is spread out (84:3).

وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ

and throws out what is in it, emptying itself, (84:4).

وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ

and gives ear to its Lord as it should. (84:5).

يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ

0 man! You are labouring toward your Lord laboriously, and you will encounter Him. (84:6).

1. The Condition On The Day Of Judgment

This surah gives a detailed image of the condition of Allah's servants on the Day of Judgment, whether they are destined for bliss or punishment. This should give the human being occasion to deem insignificant many of the forms of enjoyment and happiness he finds in this world, when he compares them to everything that will come to him on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah says:

“Indeed, he used to be joyful among his folk, ( al-Inshiqaq 84:13).

“indeed, he thought he would never return.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:14).

2. Fragileness Of The Heavens

The Qur'an repeatedly mentions events that lay bare the fragileness of the heavens on the Day of Resurrection; sometimes it calls this 'sundering' (infitar):

“When the sky is rent asunder...” (al-Infitaar, 82:1).

and other times 'splitting':

“When the sky is split open” (al-Inshiqaq 84:1).

and perhaps this is to show the profound changes being wrought in the realm of existence.

After all, the earth has been altered markedly by both natural and human agency, whereas the heavens, as if by its very nature - before the Hour sets in - appears unchanging; it is a manifestation of power and perpetuity, and that is why mentioning the changes in the heavens, is an even more eloquent expression of the breaking apart of the universe and its transformation!

3. The Heavens ‘Splitting Open’

Some commentators1 have explained the 'splitting open' of the heavens to mean their disintegration after having been joined. According to this interpretation, they were joined as a temporary measure in this world to ensure that the universe operated in a way that was conducive to human existence, but when the Resurrection sets in, this state of being joined is no longer considered necessary for the well-being of the universe.

According to this interpretation, this verse could also, be alluding to the condition of the heavens being joined together at the beginning of creation, and having been separated prior to that. And there are some cosmological theories that talk about the "big bang" from which the raw stuff of the universe emerged, which later turned into stars and planets.

4. Oaths In The Qur’an

Sometimes the Qur'an swears oaths by material phenomena that appear permanent in this world, such as:

“By the morning brightness,” (ad-Duha, 93:1).

“by the night when it is calm!” (ad-Duha, 93:2).

But at other times, it mentions material phenomena that lose this apparent permanence in the Hereafter, such as:

“when the sky is split open.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:1).

This is so, that the servant will reflect upon the outcome embodied in the object of the oath in the first instance, and the consequence of the conditional clause in the second.2

Both expressions invite one and the same conclusion; namely that we must move from the sensible (mahsus) to the intelligible (ma'qul), or from knowledge of our immediate circumstances to the knowledge of our ultimate fate. In short, we must know that every single being - whether it appears permanent or mutable - is, in fact, completely and utterly under Allah's control.

5. Obedience Of The Heavens And The Earth

Existence in its entirety submits to Allah as a slave submits to his master, and that is why the verse speaks about the sky as if it has ears like those of man;

“and gives ear to its Lord...” (al-Inshiqaq 84:2).

But the verse does not stop there, it says 'as it should' which shows that this obedience and submissiveness is not confined to this tremendous day alone; rather, it has been thus since the beginning of creation itself, such that the heavens and the earth spoke, whether verbally or otherwise, such words as befitted them:

“ so, He said to it and to the earth: Come both, willingly or unwillingly. They both said: We come willingly.” ( Fussilat, 41:11).

But the submissiveness of the heavens and the earth on the Day of Resurrection is even more profound, because the Day of Resurrection is the station of destruction and sundering, and not fashioning and merging, as was the case at the beginning of Creation ... so, how shameful it is that the human being forsakes such obedient behaviour.

6. The Earth Spread Out

The spreading out of the earth on the Day of Resurrection could mean that its surface is expanded to accommodate every creature ever to have existed; or it could mean that it is leveled by removing its mountains and their peaks, which were placed upon the earth when it was spread out and created the first time, as Allah says:

“It is He who has spread out the earth and set in it firm mountains..’' (ar-Ra’d, 13:3).

And the earth is exactly like the heaven in all of this, completely obedient to its Lord, as is its nature to be.

And that is why Allah repeats the phrase:

“and gives ear to its Lord as it should.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:5).

to make us understand that existence in its entirety - the heavens and the earth - is undifferentiated in its submissiveness and obedience.

7. The Dead And Buried

The Qur'an frequently discusses the resurrection of the dead on the Day of Recompense, in such a way as to imply that the dead are within the earth as if entrusted to its depths, as Allah says elsewhere:

“and the earth discharges her burdens” (az-Zalzalah, 99:2).

And in this surah:

“and throws out what is in it, emptying itself.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:4).

As though it must bring forth these trusts to be resurrected for accounting, so, let no one think that whoever is dead and buried in the ground is forgotten and is at an end when he is decayed to dust! No, rather the earth is obedient to its Lord and will bring them forth for Him at the hour of their resurrection, just as it received them at the hour of their burial. The verse uses hyperbole in describing it as 'emptying’ itself of whatever it contains to show that no part of these bodies, no matter how small or insignificant, will be left behind.

8. The Necessity Of Paying Attention

In Surah al-lnfitar, we saw a multitude of conditional clauses all leading to a single consequent:

“When the sky is rent asunder,” (al-Infitar, 82:1).

“when the stars are scattered”, (al-Infitar, 82:2).

“when the seas explode,” (al-Infitar, 82:3).

“when the graves are overturned,” (al-Infitar, 82:4).

“ then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind.” (al-Infitar, 82:5).

And we see something similar in this surah:

“When the sky is split open,” (al-Inshiqaq 84:1).

“and gives ear to its Lord, as it should.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:2).

“When the earth is spread out,” (al-Inshiqaq 84:3).

“and throws out what is in it, emptying itself,” (al-Inshiqaq 84:4).

“and gives ear to its Lord, as it should.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:5).

“O man! You are labouring toward your Lord laboriously, and you will encounter Him.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:6).

This illustrates the gravity of the ideas that these verses want to call our attention to. In the first collection this is represented by the necessity of paying attention to future outcomes, while in the second collection it is represented by the necessity of vigilantly observing our actions, and these are two things that most people are heedless of.

9. Attaining The Goal

This surah, like other Meccan surahs, reminds the human being of ends while he is focused on beginnings. This is the natural outcome of applying reason, for any rational person must - regardless of his religiosity - direct his efforts towards attaining his goal from the outset, and this is nothing other than facing the Real One on the Day of Resurrection, without guilt or rebuke. And this, in its entirety, is summed up in Allah's words:

“You are labouring toward your Lord laboriously, and you will encounter Him.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:6).

10. Oaths Without An Explicit Object

Oaths sworn without an explicit object, and conditional clauses not followed by an obvious consequence - as we sometimes see in the verses of the Qur'an - should give occasion for man to think about what has been left implicit, and this is a powerful motivation for them to ponder and reflect.

An instance of this principle is the verse under discussion; it does not mention an explicit consequence for its opening conditional clauses, even if it is connected to the words 'You are labouring toward your Lord ...' and this is to give it a more profound effect, namely to call to attention a meeting that is sure to happen and to which allude other verses such as:

“and that the terminus is toward your Lord” (an-Najm, 53:42).

and

“and to Allah is the return.” (Fatir, 35:18).

11. Labour

The inhabitants of this world labour and toil for most, if not all, of their lives for the sake of worldly provisions. So, is it not more fitting that a human being should labour in pursuit of the purpose for which he was created? Add to that the fact that anyone who labours for the Hereafter wil1 definitely see the fruits of his toil therein, as is demonstrated by Allah's words:

“ …… and you will encounter Him.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:6).

Compare this to the labours of this world and how people's best laid plans herein come to naught!

12. Moving Towards The Highest Source

The verses of the Qur'an highlight the importance of moving in this world towards the Highest Source. It refers to this variously as:

a. Fleeing -

“So, flee toward Allah!” (al-Dhariyat, 51:50).

b. Hastening –

“And hasten towards a forgiveness” (Ale 'lmran, 3:133).

c. Striving -

“And that nothing belongs to man except what he strives for.” (an-Najm, 53:39).

d. Labouring, which combines the meanings of travel and movement with that of effort and toil. e grasp this from the fact that the particle 'toward' (ila) is used to denote the utmost goal, as we see in Allah's words: '...towards your Lord.'

What is most interesting about this is that this verse addresses the human being directly as a human being. This is in marked contrast to those people who think that the Greatest Struggle (al-jihad al-akbar) is only the exclusive purview of the most devout of the faithful.

13. Toil

The expression '...towards your Lord' suggests - keeping in mind that this particle, 'towards' (ila) is used to signify the utmost goal of a journey - that the outcome of this labour shall be found in meeting Allah, after which there shall be no more toil. In fact, the outcome shall be the opposite of toil; felicity and ease of life. As you might say to a farmer: 'You are labouring towards the day of harvest.' From this, he would understand that there would be no more toil after the harvest.

Conversely, we also, see that the toil of worldly persons will not end with death; in fact, it will become harsher after they die. This is why we say that this world is the disbeliever's paradise and the believer' s prison.

14. Labouring Towards Allah

Labouring towards Allah must necessarily be in harmony with the divine plan for the Creation; it is towards Allah as the goal beyond all goals. Therefore, any labour that is not divine will not lead to him and, as a result, the outcome ('and you will encounter Him') will never materialize. And this is true, whether we interpret this encounter to mean encounter with Allah in the sense of encountering His recompense; encountering Him in the sense of a spiritual unveiling; encountering Him in the sense of encountering His presence and authority during the stages of the Resurrection; or encountering Him in the sense of encountering one's own deeds, as according to the verse:

“They will find present whatever they had done.” (al-Kahf, 18:49).

And what a gulf there is between labouring for the Hereafter, whereby the outcome is encounter with the One towards whom you laboured, and labouring for this world, whereby the outcome shall be failure and betrayal, and bearing the burdens of others, as Allah says:

“But surely they will carry their own burdens and other burdens along with their own burdens, and they will surely be questioned on the Day of Resurrection concerning that which they used to fabricate.” (al-'Ankabut, 29:13).

15. The Encounter

The encounter mentioned in this verse:

“....and you will encounter Him” (al-Inshiqaq, 84:6).

is inevitable for everyone who is mustered at the Resurrection. But the greatest excellence is that this compulsory meeting should be preceded by a voluntary one brought about by a person's own desire and choice. This is the utmost limit of moral refinement; an encounter that results from a person's labours which can only be realized in the life of this world. Such a voluntary encounter with the Divine is like water that flows through a channel to a tree in order to irrigate it.

Whereat we say: How beautiful this compulsory meeting is if it is preceded by a voluntary one. This explains the deep love Allah's awliya' have for death, because it only hastens this meeting, which they have been fervently awaiting. And we can find all of these ideas in description of the pious (muttaqin) by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a).3

16. The Horrors Of Resurrection

It is also, possible that all of the above sentences concern the terrors of the Resurrection and, with regards to grammar, they are collectively in the accusative case (mansub) as objects of an implicit command 'Remember. ..!' (udhkur!). This implication, in turn, places no small amount of emphasis on the gravity of what these verses are discussing, especially if we assume that the addressee is the Final Prophet (S), as he is at the very highest degree of remembrance.

Clearly, the one who recites the Qur'an must demonstrate a high level of awareness by enacting the divine command to remember (tadhakkur), otherwise what is the purpose of recitation divorced from reflection?

Verses 7-15

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ

Then as for him who is given his record in his right hand, (84:7).

فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا

he shall soon receive an easy reckoning, (84:8).

وَيَنْقَلِبُ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا

and he will return to his folks joyfully. (84:9).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ

But as for him who is given his record from behind his back, (84:10).

فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُو ثُبُورًا

he will pray for annihilation, (84:11).

وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا

and he will enter the Blaze. (84:12).

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا

Indeed, he used to be joyful among his folk, (84:13).

إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ يَحُورَ

and Indeed, he thought he would never return. (84:14).

بَلَىٰ إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيرًا

Yes indeed, his Lord sees him best. (84:15).

17. The Types Of People Resurrected

These verses show that there are two kinds of people who shall be resurrected; the believers, namely those who will receive their records in their right hands:

“who is given his record in his right hand”(al-Inshiqaq 84:7).

and the non-believers who denied the Resurrection, who will receive their records from behind their backs:

“But as for him who is given his record from behind his back” (al-Inshiqaq 84:10).

It is either because Allah has blotted out their faces and turned them backwards, as in the verse:

“...before We blot out the faces and turn them backwards.” (an-Nisa', 4:47).

or, it is because they take their records with their left hands and then hide them behind their backs.

It is also, possible to say that there is a third group of people, namely the sinful believers, who receive their records with their left hands, and so, stand in contrast with both the first and second groups here.

18. Easy Reckoning

The easy reckoning mentioned in the verse:

“he shall soon receive an easy reckoning”(al-Inshiqaq 84:8).

could mean:

a. That the record of deeds is presented to its owner, including any sins it contains, but without subjecting it to a precise inspection. Hence, from one angle, he has a reckoning, but from another it is also, easy.

b. But it could also, be easy because Allah overlooks his sins or turns them into good deeds, whether through the blessing of intercession (shafa'ah), or because of a deed of his that necessitates an easy reckoning. It has been mentioned in a prophetic tradition: 'There are three qualities that, if one possesses them, Allah will give him an easy reckoning and admit him unto Paradise by His mercy...' People asked: 'what are these things, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Give to one who withholds from you, keep ties with one who cuts you off, and forgive one who wrongs you.'4

19. Returning To The Family

There is a huge difference between the return of the believer to his family on the Day of Resurrection and the return of others to theirs; the believer returns to his family to live with them forever in happiness and joy:

“and he will return to his folks joyfully” (al-Inshiqaq 84:9).

irrespective of whether we interpret this as referring to his wives amongst the heavenly maidens who await him, or to his wife and children who are attached to him in Paradise, or to his righteous comrades who are like his family because of their common faith.

All of this is juxtaposed with the happiness of the disbeliever, for it is a happiness that fades with this world and is followed by eternal misery, because he is separated from those amongst whom he was joyful when they abandon him to his own devices. So, what good did it do him that

“ .... he used to be joyful among his folk” (al-Inshiqaq 84:13).

and

“That is because you used to exult unduly on the earth.” (al-Ghafir, 40:75).

Notice that these verses are in the past tense, while his present reality - as indicated by the Qur'an's use of the present tense:

“he will enter the Blaze.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:12).

while crying laments and pleading for his own destruction:

“he will pray for annihilation.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:11).

20. Joy

The joy a believer experiences in this world is really and truly justified because the source of this joy is Allah's grace and mercy; his joy at his Lord's satisfaction is even greater than what the blessings he receives reveal thereof;

“Say, 'In Allah's grace and His mercy - let them rejoice in that! It is better than what they amass.” (Yunus, 10:58).

As if to say that the cause of their happiness is anything that displays Allah's satisfaction with them.

All of this stands in stark contrast with the happiness of worldly people, for it is more like blissful ignorance. That is why the Qur'an describes it as undue;

“That is because you used to exult unduly on the earth and because you used to walk exultantly.” (al-Ghafir, 40:75).

So, what use is falsehood, even if it makes you happy?

21. The Mark Of Sinners

If the division of people according to how they receive their records of deeds - in their right hands, left hands or behind their backs - applies to everyone who is resurrected, then this inevitably leads to a public humiliation of the sinners, which is something they would have done anything to avoid in this world. Add to this the fact that their faces are visibly transformed and darkened – so, as to reveal the terrible fate in store for them5 - and you have yet another form of public humiliation on the Resurrection, which in turn is a form of psychological punishment for the sinners before they enter Hellfire.

22. False Joy

One of the causes of false joy and exultation in this world is man’s disregard for the Hereafter and ignorance of the different types of recompense that await its inhabitants. This is why the first description the Qur'an gives them is that:

“ …... he thought he would never return.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:14).

In other words, he thought he would never go back to Allah. And it is narrated in one saying: 'Eid is not for those attired in new garments; Rather, Eid is for those saved from punishments!' (laysa al-'id li man labisa al-jadid, wa innama al-'id liman amina al-wa'id).

So, if something befalls a servant that gives him occasion for false joy, then he needs only remember first the terror which awaits him, and second Allah's watchfulness over him - as Allah says:

“Yes indeed, his Lord sees him best” (al-Inshiqaq 84:15).

to return to his senses. And two matters have been mentioned together in these verses in order to remove this blissful ignorance. First, that a person should remember that he will one day return to Allah and second, that Allah sees him, whatever he does.

Verses 16-25

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالشَّفَقِ

So, I swear not by the evening glow, (84:16).

وَاللَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ

by the night and what it gathers, (84:17).

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا اتَّسَقَ

by the moon when it blooms full : (84:18).

لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَنْ طَبَقٍ

you will surely fare from stage to stage. (84:19).

فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

So, what is the matter with them that they will not believe? (84:20).

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ

And when the Qur'an is recited to them they will not prostrate? (84:21).

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُكَذِّبُونَ

Rather the non-believers deny, (84:22).

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ

and Allah knows best what they keep to themselves. (84:23).

فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

So, warn them of a painful punishment, (84:24).

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

except such as are believers and do righteous deeds: there will be an everlasting reward for them. (84:25).

23. Oaths

Swearing an oath by something, even if it is something inanimate, like the evening glow, the night or the moon, at its core is an oath sworn by the Lord of that thing, insofar as one sees it as signifying (ayatiyya) its Lord's exaltedness. So, there is no reason for us to cling to the notion that no oath can be sworn except an oath sworn by Allah; everything in existence is attributed to Him, so, by looking at it, we are - in truth - looking at its Originator, and that is why a believer should feel a genuine and intimate connection with nature, just as a lover feels an intimate connection with the gifts of his beloved.

24. Night

It is a feature of human nature that man does not pay detailed attention to the signs of Allah's power and mercy that surround him, and this is why many verses swear oaths by natural phenomena that are all around us and which we are used to, without paying the slightest attention to the wisdom behind them. Who amongst us gives notice to the night's blessing of gathering things that are scattered and uniting things that are separated; for every animate being returns to its abode and nests there, preparing itself for the new day, and we can glean this idea from Allah's words:

“by the night and what it gathers.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:17).

25. Full Moon

The verse does not swear by the moon itself, but only by its becoming full:

“by the moon when it blooms full:” (al-Inshiqaq 84:18).

that is when it is at its most luminous on the night of the full moon, as if it only becomes worthy of being sworn by when it reaches its highest state of excellence (kamal), which is when it is most luminous. Of course, everything has its own individual excellence.

On this basis, we say: The fullness of the moon being the proper time to swear an oath by it harks to the completion of Adam's (‘a) creation, which is when Allah commanded the angels to prost rate to him; Allah did not command them to prostrate until He had blown His spirit into him!

26. Change In States

The above verses were revealed to affirm the reality alluded to in the later verse:

“you will surely fare from stage to stage.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:19).

But the interpretations of this verse vary. Some say that it refers to the different stages of a man's life in this world. Some say that it refers to his states in this world, the Isthmus and the Resurrection, while others hold that it refers to his states in the various stages of the Resurrection.

We can reconcile all of these opinions by saying that these verses discuss the speed and magnitude of change in human existence in a way that shows there is a hidden power behind all those, that it is this hidden power, which alters the states of man and that he must take recourse to this power to change his state to the best possible! Moreover, these verses encourage man to bring himself - through all these changes - to the perfection for which He was created, and to be avaricious for this and not content with his present condition, for verily 'One for whom two days are the same has been cheated!'6

27. Difficulty To Ease

That a person's state can change from difficulty to ease, which is a corollary of the stratified nature of human existence that we can deduce from this verse, should give hope to man’s heart. The fact that these states are not fixed is in itself a kind of blessing; in fact, if we were to suppose that someone's whole life will be consumed only by difficulty then this gives occasion for a servant of God to despair. But so, long as a person anticipates the following stages of the Isthmus and the Resurrection, safe in the knowledge these will compensate him fully for every difficulty he endured in this world, he will find hope.

28. Prostration

Prostration (sujud) has a physical manifestation - placing seven parts of the body on the ground - and a spiritual manifestation, a demonstration of obedience. And perhaps the most appropriate interpretation of the verse

“and when the Qur'an is recited to them they will not prostrate” (al-Inshiqaq 84:21).

is the second manifestation, as the object of this verse is not for people to prostrate every time they hear a verse of the Qur'an; only a limited number of verses in the Qur'an require a prostration. So, what is meant here is obedience to its ideas and the commands and prohibitions it contains.

This is why we say that whoever prostrates with his body without submitting his heart has not attained the essence of prostration which he has been called on to demonstrate.

29. The Difference Between Believers And Unbelievers

There is an essential difference between the position of the believer towards Allah's signs and that of the non-believers and the hypocrites. As for the believers:

“When the signs of the All-beneficent were recited to them, they would fall down weeping in prostration.” (Maryam, 19:58).

while in the case of those opposed to them

“when the Qur'an is recited to them they will not prostrate” (al-Inshiqaq 84:21).

Also, for the believers:

“When His signs are recited to them, they increase their faith” (al-Anfal, 8:2).

while in the case of those opposed to them:

“But as for those in whose heart is a sickness, it only adds defilement to their defilement.” (at-Tawba, 9:125).

30. Denial

In many of its verses, the Qur'an affirms that the persistence of the non-believers in their disbelief - if only in some circumstances - is not because of any conviction in their own beliefs, or because of any failure to explain the revelation properly. Rather it is because they are obstinate, following the traditions of their forefathers or pursuing their own interests. That is why the Qur'an says:

“Rather the disbelievers deny” (al-Inshiqaq 84:22).

for denial (takdhib) is what someone resorts to when he is unable to argue and has no reasonable proof to support his claims.

And here, the tone of the verses shift from addressing them directly to speaking about them in the third person;

“So, what is the matter with them that they will not believe?” (al-Inshiqaq 84:20).

As if to turn aside from them because they are unworthy of being spoken to directly.

31. The Heart

In His scripture, Allah often alludes to the fact that He is aware of the contents of the hearts of His servants;

“We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein”. (Qaf, 50:16).

“.... for verily He knoweth what is secret and what is yet more hidden”. (Ta Ha, 20:7).

“He knoweth the traitor of the eyes, and that which the bosoms hide. ” (al-Ghafir, 40:19).

and this verse in this surah mentions that:

“Allah knows best what they keep to themselves.” (al-Inshiqaq 84:23).

And all of this calls on the human being to pay attention to the depths of his soul and not only his limbs; for the heart is the vessel from which everything else flows, as the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) says in Nahj al-Balagha: 'These hearts are vessels; the best of them are the most conscious!’7

Of course, the best type of vessel - when it comes to the heart - is one that can hold the most, and one that holds good stuff inside.

32. Glad Tidings

Just as Allah gives "glad tidings" of punishment to the non-believers - and this carries no small amount of derision and rebuke, insofar as glad tidings are supposed to be happy news! - He also, gives glad tidings to the believers of a noble reward:

“he shall have a noble reward” (al-Hadid, 57:11).

and a magnificent reward:

“We shall give him a magnificent reward” (an-Nisa', 4:74).

and a great reward:

“For such there will be... a great reward” (Hud, 11:11).

and a reward which is everlasting and never ends.

“Lo! as for those who believe and do good works, for them is a reward enduring.” (Fussilat, 41:8).

Moreover, these verses have no trace of affront (minna), which means mentioning things that weigh upon the one receiving the reward. And these two features – impermanence or being accompanied with an affront - are very frequent when it comes to the rewards of people in this world.

33. Happiness

The Qur’an frequently invokes the duality of faith and righteous deeds with the definite article to signify that these are universal, meaning that they encompass all their instances in the highest possible form! This is because complete happiness obviously can only be attained by following all of Allah's commands and performing all the righteous deeds required by faith, to the extent that the Qur'an makes humility in prayer - which refers to supererogatory prayers, rather than obligatory ones, as one of the pillars of this happiness:

“those who are humble in their prayers” (al-Mu'minoon, 23:2).

Clearly, the level of this happiness is proportional to a person's level of faith and righteous deeds.

1. Tafsir al-Tibyan, 10/307.

2. Meaning the information that these oaths and conditional clauses introduce.

3. See Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon on the Muttaqin.

4. Majma’ al-Bayan 10/699.

5. See Surah Ale 'lmran:
“On the day when (some) faces shall turn white and (some) faces shall turn black; then as to those whose faces turn black: Did you disbelieve after your believing? Taste therefore the chastisement because you disbelieved.” (3:106).

6. Ma’ani al-Akhbar, 342.

7. Nahj al-Balaghah 495.

Surah al-Buruj (No. 85, the Houses of the Zodiac)

Verses 1-9

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ

By the sky with its homes, (85:1).

وَالْيَوْمِ الْمَوْعُودِ

by the Promised Days, (85:2).

وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ

by the Witness the Witnessed: (85:3).

قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الْأُخْدُودِ

Slain are the People of the Ditch! (85:4).

النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ

The fire, abounding in fuel, (85:5).

إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ

above which they sat (85:6).

وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌ

as they were themselves witnesses to what they did to the believers. (85:7).

وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

They were vindictive towards them only because they had faith in Allah, the All-mighty, the All laudable, (85:8).

الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is witness to all things. (85:9).

1. Celestial Signs

The Qur'an frequently invokes oaths by Allah's celestial signs, such as the sun, the moon and the stars. We find another example of this in this surah, which swears by the 'houses' of the Zodiac, as well as calling to mind the Heavens itself, which contains all of these celestial bodies with His saying;

“Certainly We have appointed houses in the Heavens and adorned them for the onlookers.” (al-Hijr, 15:16).

Perhaps the reason for this focus on the firmament is that it is there and available for everyone to contemplate upon; no matter where they are, a person needs only cast their gaze upwards to take it in. Moreover, it is - in its vast expanse - a manifestation of Allah's greatness, as well as being His sole dominion, as it is beyond the power of man to corrupt the heavens as he has corrupted the earth.

2. Houses

Some say1 that these ‘houses’ are actually the places of the planets. Of course, the care and wisdom taken in placing them is no less important than the fact of their existence, for if they moved from their positions, the running of the universe would be altered, from the progression of the seasons to the rhythm of the tides; this makes clear to us that this act - like all other acts of creation - has been executed according to Allah's utmost wisdom.

It is most interesting that Allah - after mentioning His creation of the houses of the zodiac - mentions the Resurrection and the vengeance He will exact therein against the wrongdoers after all the corruption they have caused. From this we can understand that the same wisdom behind placing the celestial bodies in their appropriate places requires Allah to requite the wrongdoers as well, in order that everything is in its proper place in both the physical and the spiritual worlds.

3. The Promised Day

God specifically refers to the Resurrection as 'the Promised Day' after mentioning some features of the first creation:

“By the sky with its houses” (al-Buruj, 85:1).

This suggests that every kind of persecution faced by the faithful in this world should actually be seen from the perspective of the One in whose hands is all existence; whatever hardships they suffer for the sake of Allah will not be in vain, for Allah may grant respite to the oppressors but He will never ignore the oppression they commit. It is narrated that the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) described what happens to the People of the Ditch: 'A woman came with her child of one month, and when she was seized she feared for her child. But the child called out: 'Fear not! But cast me into the fire with you, for by Allah, this is but a trifle for Allah's sake! So, she cast herself into the fire with her child, and her child was one of those who spoke while still a babe.’ 2

Referring to it as 'the Promised Day' suggests that it will delight the souls of those who await it, as if Allah has made that day a promised day that His friends (awliya') await expectantly, in order to placate them because of their prayers for the punishment of their oppressors to be hastened.

4. The Witnesses And Those Witnessed

One of the astonishing things about the Qur'an is that a single one of its words is open to many meanings. Thus, concerning the verse of Solomon's (‘a) kingdom, some commentators identify as many as 1.26 million possibilities! Another verse like this is:

“by the Witness and the Witnessed” (al-Buruj, 85:3).

It has as many as thirty possible interpretations, and we rarely find words which can be so, widely applied except in the Qur'an.

One of the most appropriate interpretations mentioned for this verse is that the witness (shahid) is the Prophet (S), based on Allah's saying:

“O Prophet! Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, as a bearer of good news and as a warner.” (al-Ahzab, 33:45).

And the witnessed (mashhud) is the Day of Recompense, based on Allah's saying:

“… That is a day on which all mankind will be gathered, and it is a day witnessed.” (Hud, 11:103).

5. The Witness

The witnessing by 'the Witness' has been interpreted3 sometimes to mean being present and seeing something with your own eyes, but at other times to mean bearing witness, declaring the truth and acting upon the consequences of this witnessing. Whichever meaning is adopted, they both demonstrate the lofty station of the Final Prophet (S) who sees our deeds whether we are alive or dead and then bears witness over us, which in turn is a threat to those who obstinately refuse to believe, and a source of embarrassment to those who love him (S), as whatever bad conduct of ours ultimately reach him and cause him distress.

This should be sufficient to keep anyone with the slightest amount of love in their hearts for the Prophet (S) away from sinning; as how can a lover be happy when he harms his beloved, if he is truthful in his professions of love?

6. People Of The Ditch

If the expression 'People of the Ditch' in Allah's saying:

“Slain are the People of the Ditch!” (al-Buruj, 85:4).

refers to the event about the faithful who have been slain, then these verses are informing the audience about what had happened to them. On the other hand, if they are referring to the disbelieving murderers, then this is an invocation against them.4 The Qur’an has also, used this style of invocation elsewhere. For example:

'Perish man! How ungrateful is he!” ('Abasa, 80:17).

And also,

'Perish the liars...!” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:10).

As though Allah, who originated them with His hand of providence, sees them as unworthy of living any longer on His earth, which He created for His vicegerents; because they have forsaken the very purpose of creation. So, Allah invokes death upon them, which is the opposite of life, and what a difference there is between invoking death upon them and promising to give a good life to the faithful:

“We shall revive him with a good life!” (an-Nahl, 16:97).

And this, to some extent, can apply to many other people, insofar as their lives do not embody the reason for which man was created, which is to be Allah's vicegerent on the earth.

7. The Crime Of The People Of The Ditch

The crime perpetrated by the Men of the Ditch was one of the most horrible atrocities the believers endured. There are several reasons for this:

a. Their killers dug a ditch for them in the ground, so, that they could not run away.

b. They threw the believers into the ditch while they stood and sat around it -

“above which they sat.” (al-Buruj, 85:4).

watching what happened to their victims – both deriding and tormenting them.

c. They went to extreme in kindling a fire that Allah described as:

“ ... abounding in fuel,” (al-Buruj, 85:5).

indicating that it was a fire that was continuously burning because it had all the fuel it needed.

d. They took revenge on the believers for something that had nothing to do with their persons; they had only defied them for the sake of Allah;

“They were vindictive towards them only because they had faith in Allah, the Allmighty, the All-laudable.” (al-Buruj, 85:8).

And this is similar to what befell another group of believers:

“Are you vindictive toward us for any reason except that we have faith in Allah ...?” (al-Ma'idah, 5:59).

e. Burning someone alive is the most repulsive form of murder, because it is a slow, agonizing death, and anyone who sits watching it idly must be truly repulsive themselves.

Verses 10-22

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ

Indeed, those who persecute the believing men and women, and then do not repent, for them there is the punishment of hell, and for them there is the punishment of burning. (85:10).

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ

Indeed, those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens with streams running in them. That is the supreme success. (85:11).

إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ

Indeed, your Lord's harshness is severe. (85:12).

إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ

It is Indeed, He who originates and brings back again, (85:13).

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ

and He is the All-forgiving, the All-affectionate, (85:14).

ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ

Lord of the throne, the All-glorious, (85:15).

فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يُرِيدُ

enactor of whatever He desires. (85:16).

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ

Did you receive the story of the hosts (85:17).

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ

of Pharaoh and Thamud? (85:18).

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي تَكْذِيبٍ

Rather the disbelievers dwell in denial, (85:19).

وَاللَّهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ مُحِيطٌ

and Allah besieges them from all sides. (85:20).

بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَجِيدٌ

Rather it is a glorious Qur'an, (85:21).

فِي لَوْحٍ مَحْفُوظٍ

in a preserved tablet. (85:22).

8. The Pharaoh And Thamud

After the first verses of this surah mention a merciless confrontation between the faithful and their killers, whose cruelty was such that they burnt their victims to death, Allah reminds the Prophet (S) in the verses that follow of two other types of confrontations the believers faced, as represented by the violence of the Pharaoh and Thamud through their display of military might:

“Did you receive the story of the hosts.” (al-Buruj, 85:17).

Of all the manifestations of their strength, the Qur'an specifically chooses their military power, which was on display through the violence of their soldiers towards Allah's servants, and yet Allah destroyed them in the most unexpected ways, by water (drowning) in the case of Pharaoh's men and air (storm) in case of Thamud's.

And yet the disbelievers among the Quraysh do not take a lesson from this:

“Rather the disbelievers dwell in denial,” (al-Buruj, 85:19).

It is as though denial contains them and encompasses them as a vessel surrounds its contents, and this suggests that - as the reality suggested - they will never believe.

9. The Men Of The Ditch

The Qur'anic oaths are there to affirm whatever object follows them. But sometimes the Qur'an leaves ambiguous what the object of its oaths is as a way of encouraging its audience to ponder on what its object could be, and to impel people to think and reflect on Allah's revelation.

We can find an example of this approach in the present surah; the object of the oath is not explicitly mentioned, but it is hinted at by Allah's words:

“Indeed, those who persecute the believing men and women, and then do not repent, for them there is the punishment of hell, and for them there is the punishment of burning.” (al-Buruj, 85:10).

So, it is as though the object of the oath is that divine retribution will be taken on the Day of Resurrection in its most severe form and in a way that is appropriate to the crime which warrants it. In this case it is punishing the Men of the Ditch with burning -'punishment of burning' - meaning with a fire like the one they set ablaze in this world.

10. Encouragement

Mentioning repentance in a way to offer encouragement, as Allah does in this phrase: 'and then do not repent' in the middle of the verse. Immediately before it, Allah mentions the persecution of the believers by the non-believers 'who persecute the faithful men and women' and then after it mentions a form of divine punishment for them 'for them there is the punishment of hell, and for them there is the punishment of burning.' This reflects the extent of Allah's mercy towards His servants; He leaves open the door of repentance to even the most vicious of His creatures. It is as though this verse wants to bring the disbelievers of the Quraysh back from their transgression and promise them forgiveness if only they will desist from persecuting the Prophet (S) and his companions.

So, how can anyone despair of Allah's mercy and forgiveness, when their sins do not come close to the persecution and murder of the believers?

11. Punishments

That the Qur'an mentions 'the punishment of burning' as a type of punishment in Hell shows that the punishment of Hell is not restricted to Fire. In fact there is:

a. A drink that a person will:

“ ... gulp it down, but hardly swallowing it: death will assail him from every side ....” (Ibrahim, 14:17),

b. Food represented by:

“Indeed, the tree of Zaqqum” (ad-Dukhan, 44:43).

“will be the food of the sinful.” (ad-Dukhan, 44:44).

c. Psychological torment, in that they will be told:

“ ... Begone therein, and do not speak to Me!” (al-Mu'minoon, 23:108).

And there are still other forms of punishment besides burning that suffice to terrify the sinners; so, how horrible will it be if on top of all that they are subjected to the punishment of burning, whereby their bodies will be eternally incinerated and restored, only to be incinerated again, as Allah says:

“as often as their skins become scorched, We shall replace them with other skins, so, that they may taste the punishment.” (an-Nisa', 4:56).

And it is possible that when Allah says:

“lt is Indeed, He who originates and brings back again,” (al-Buruj, 85:13).

after mentioning His harshness or severity, that this alludes to the condition of having their skins replenished; so, He replaces the skins, and then repeats that to perpetuate their punishment for as long as He wishes.

12. Fear And Hope

The Qur'an demonstrates Allah's wisdom by juxtaposing the bliss of Paradise with the torments of Hell, for the human being must forever be between fear (khawf) and hope (raja’). Hence the verse about Paradise immediately follows the verse about punishment:

“Indeed, those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens with streams running in them. That is the supreme success.” (al-Buruj, 85:11).

This is to balance intimidation with encouragement, and this is the general strategy the Qur'an follows in educating Allah's servants, and we should follow its example in driving them towards their Lord.

13. Righteous Deeds

The expression 'righteous deeds' in the plural, which appears in so, many verses, requires us not to be content with only a single type of righteous deed - as some do - just as righteous deeds will not intercede for their doer unless they are also, accompanied by faith! Add to this the fact that the categorical usage of the word 'faith' necessitates faith in all the necessary doctrines, if a believer is to be truly considered a believer. The faith of someone who only believes in some parts of Islam while disbelieving in others is not accepted.

Of course, faith (iman) is an idea distinct from that of ‘Islam’, as is clear from the verse:

“The Bedouins say, 'We have faith.' Say, 'You do not have faith yet; rather say, "We have embraced Islam," for faith has not yet entered into your hearts.” (al-Hujurat, 49:14).

So, if partial faith is not rewarded, what more partial Islam?

14. Harshness

The expression 'harshness' (batsh) - an expression, which is appropriate in response to the behaviour of tyrants - means to seize someone forcefully and assault them. Allah uses it here to give composure to the heart of the Prophet (S) and those around him, in the sense that the one suffering from the violence against the disbelievers is also, the bearer of love for His believer friends - 'all-affectionate' (wadud) - and the 'enactor' (fa'al) against whose will (iradah) nothing can stand. We could say that this expression is connected to other ideas that appear in this surah; He is the bearer of violence against His enemies:

“Indeed, your Lord's punishment is severe.” (al-Buruj, 85:12).

the bearer of love and forgiveness towards His friends:

“He is the All-forgiving, the All-affectionate,” (al-Buruj, 85:14).

and the innate master of majesty and supremacy because He is

“the enactor of whatever He wills.” (al-Buruj, 85:16).

-; and His being shows that He has complete authority over existence:

“Lord of the Throne .....” (al-Buruj, 85:15).

These ideas, taken altogether, affirm the fact that Allah executes His rule by showing His pleasure with the believers. From another perspective He repels the disbelievers, and from another the grandeur of His essence is manifested. How firmly has He wrought His signs, and how wondrous they are in conveying His promise and His threat!

15. The Actions Of His Enemies

If we ponder on the similarity between Allah's description of His own acts and those of His enemies do, we see:

a. That they witnessed the murder of the believer;

“as they were themselves witnesses to what they did to the faithful.’ (al-Buruj, 85:7).

while

“... Allah is witness to all things.” (al-Buruj, 85:9).

b. They ignited a fire to torture the righteous,

“The fire, abounding in fuel' ’ (al-Buruj, 85:5).

while Allah is the Lord of

“.... the punishment of burning.” (al-Buruj, 85:10).

c. They took revenge on the believer in this transitory world

“... only because they had faith in Allah, the All-mighty, the All-laudable” (al-Buruj, 85:8).

but Allah will take revenge against them with His severe harshness in the eternal abode;

“Indeed, your Lord's harshness is severe.” ’ (al-Buruj, 85:12).

d. They are the ones whose rebuke Allah has recorded in a book that will be recited until the Day of Resurrection, while He lauds the fate of his friends by promising them that He will admit them to His everlasting gardens;

“Indeed, those who have faith and do righteous deeds, for them will be gardens with streams running in them. That is the supreme success.” (al-Buruj, 85:11).

16. Allah’s Attributes

Allah mentions His magnificent names and the attributes which apply to Him in the context of discussing this event, and it should be clear that there is a correspondence of sort between these names and what the surah recounts about the challenge to the authority of the Lord of the Worlds that persecution His friends represents. For Allah:

a. is the 'All-Mighty' (al-'aziz) with whom nothing in existence can match.

“.... the All-mighty, the All laudable,” (al-Buruj, 85:8).

b. does whatever he desires. He is

“The enactor of whatever He wills” (al-Buruj, 85:16).

when exacting vengeance from the murderers of the believers, or rather in everything that His boundless wisdom demands.

c. deserves every form of praise, which means that his friends should be honoured rather than persecuted.

“… the All-Laudable” (al-Buruj, 85:8).

d. is the possessor of 'the dominion' (al-mulk), so, no one should challenge Him in His authority by killing his friends.

“to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth…” (al-Buruj, 85:9).

e. is 'witness' from whom not even an atom in the heavens and the earth is hidden. Thus how can He be unaware of the oppression wrought by the disbelievers against the believers?

“ ...and Allah is witness to all things.” (al-Buruj, 85:9).

f. is al-forgiving and all-affectionate to all of His servants, but especially those who have been persecuted for His sake including the Victims of the Ditch.

“and He is, the All-Forgiving, The All-Affectionate” (al-Buruj, 85:14).

17. Awareness Of Reality

The Qur'an repeatedly says that Allah encompasses things, people and deeds. In this surah, for example, we read:

“and Allah besieges them from all sides,” (al-Buruj, 85:20).

while in another surah:

“Is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness to all things?” (Fussilat, 41:53).

Obviously, if a person is aware of this reality throughout all the vicissitudes of life, he can achieve the lowest level of infallibility, or the highest level of moral probity, such that he will never commit a sin so, long as he senses this divine presence.

To draw an analogy, we cannot conceive of a person undressing himself in the company of polite people. So, by the same token, a servant who is vigilant of His Lord sees sinning almost like spiritually disrobing in Allah's presence! And this is what happened to our forefather, Adam (‘a):

“So, they both ate of it, and their nakedness became evident to them, and they began to stitch over themselves with the leaves of paradise.” (Ta Ha, 20:121).

1. Tafsir al-Tibyan, 8/460.

2. Majma' al-Bayan, 10/707.

3. Tafsir al-Mizan, 20/249.

4. In which case, this can be translated, as Qara'i does, as: 'Perish the Men of the Ditch!'

Surah at-Tariq (No. 86, 'The Morning Star')

Verses 1-8

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ

By the sky, by the Morning Star, (86:1).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ

and what will show you what is the Morning Star? (86:2).

النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ

It is the brilliant star): (86:3).

إِنْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ

there is a watcher over every soul. (86:4).

فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ

So, let man consider from what he was created. (86:5).

خُلِقَ مِنْ مَاءٍ دَافِقٍ

He was created from an effusing fluid (86:6).

يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

which issues from between the loins and the breastbones. (86:7).

إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ

Indeed, He is able to bring him back [after death], (86:8).

1. The Morning Star

The Qur'an frequently invites Man to cast his eyes upwards and gaze at the sky and the stars, and this is to take his attention away from the familiarity of the earth to the wonder of the heavens!

It is in this vein that these verses mentions that star which pierces the darkness of the night, and the Qur'an magnifies it by saying:

“and what will show you what is the Morning Star?” (at-Tariq 86:2).

and this is the only time in the whole Qur'an that this expression (i.e. 'And what will show you ...') is used not for the events of the Resurrection or the Night of Power but for a material component of existence. And this demonstrates the greatness of this star!

2. Piercing Star

And what is there to prevent the One who splits the darkness of the night with that 'piercing star' from splitting the darkness of the soul and illuminating its depths? It is the same divine power in both cases... so, how can we despair of Allah's providence even in our darkest and most difficult times, while he can banish the night's darkness with a single piercing star!

3. The Watching

The watching (hafz) mentioned in this verse could allude to either:

a. The angels watching over a person's deeds, as in Allah's saying:

“Indeed, there are over you watchers,” (al-Infitar, 82:10).

“noble writers,” (al-Infitar, 82:11).

“who know whatever you do” (al-Infitar, 82:12).

b. Or the angels watching over a person and protecting him from calamities and disasters, as in Allah's saying:

“He has guardian angels, to his front and his rear, who guard him by Allah's command.” (ar-Ra'd, 13:11).

But both these interpretations show that the human being is connected to another kind of creation, namely the angels who act as intermediaries between him and his Lord; sometimes by witnessing and recording his deeds and at other times by protecting him and keeping him safe from harm.

4. Pondering

This surah moves from talking about something in the highest reaches of the firmament - 'piercing star' - to one of the lowest aspects of man's physical existence, namely the semen he ejaculates. This is so, a person ponders and reflects on every aspect of this wondrous existence, acknowledging the magnificence of its Creator in everything, comprehending that everything is the result of His all-encompassing wisdom, epitomized by the fact that everything will return to Him just as He created it in the first place.

5. The Creation Process Of Man

The Qur'an reminds its listeners of one of the most complex processes in this universe, namely the process of creating a human being that Allah made in the best form. It begins by mentioning his origin, that he was created from 'a gushing fluid' emitted from 'the loins,' as if it this substance was neither liquid or ejected forcefully, then conception would not happen! And it mentions the place of where the fertilized egg settles, which is a chamber protected by the bones of the chest 'ribs' and back. This is so, that the servant remains amazed first by the greatness of his Creator, and then convinced of His power to create him again.

6. Outcome Of The Affair

The Qur'an frequently connects the beginning of creation with its end, as when Allah says:

“He will revive them who produced them the first time.” (Ya Sin, 36:79).

and the power to originate with the power to bring back, as this surah mentions:

“Lo! He verily is Able to return him.” (at-Tariq 86:2).

This keeps the servant mindful of the outcome of the affair, while he is usually preoccupied with its beginning!

So, the nature of this world and the mixture of joys and tribulations it contains is a cause for man to remain unaware and be distracted from his purpose therein.

Verses 9-17

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ

On the day when the secrets are examined, (86:9).

فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ

and he shall have neither power nor helper. (86:10).

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ

By the skies which give returning rain, (86:11).

وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ

by the earth that splits: (86:12).

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ

it is Indeed, a decisive word, (86:13).

وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ

and it is not a jest. (86:14).

إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا

Indeed, they are devising a stratagem, (86:15).

وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا

and I (too] am devising a plan. (86:16).

فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا

So, respite the disbelievers; give them a gentle respite. (86:17).

7. The Accounting

A corrupt person can conceal his true nature by putting on an outward appearance that will cause others to speak well of him and that will benefit him in this life. But that will not help him

“on the day when secrets are examined.” (at-Tariq 86:9).

Therefore, a servant who is vigilant must reform his innermost character, and not suffice himself by merely changing his outward behaviour. And this is something that even the most dedicated people will sometime forget!

But Allah will hold people to account for their inner character just as readily as He holds them to account for their outward behaviour; in fact, he will even punish them for it, as in the case of holding deviant beliefs, or those things which cause him to sin outwardly:

“and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whomever He wishes and punish whomever He wishes.” (al-Baqarah, 2:284).

8. No Other Helper Except Allah

Those whose embarrassing secrets are disclosed that bring disgrace to them among the people will do everything in their capacity to protect themselves, whether on their own or by relying on the ability of others. But on the Day of Resurrection, we know that people will be completely equal before their Lord, so, no one can help them against Allah's absolute power.

How much better it is for a person to apprehend this reality while the is still alive in the abode of this world, that there is no power nor recourse save with Allah, and that there is no helper except Him –

“and he shall have neither power nor helper.” (at-Tariq 86:10).

In reality, there is never any helper or might besides Allah, whether in this world or the Hereafter, even if a person only sees this in the afterlife.

9. Revival

As a rule, the oaths of the Qur'an display a relation between the oath and its object. There is - without doubt - wisdom behind every instance of an oath in the Qur'an. Here, for example, Allah swears by the skies ‘that give returning rain,' which is the rain that returns to the earth after having evaporated from it,1 and then the earth 'which splits' meaning it has openings from which plants emerge.2 So, taken together, both these oaths reveal that there is a power that revives the earth after its death, by way of various intermediate causes in the heavens and the earth!

And, of course, the one who has the power to give life in this creation is able to give it in the next one too; this is what Allah means when He says:

“Indeed, He is able to bring him back.” (at-Tariq 86:8).

10. Divine Guidance

This relation is also, clear between the phenomena of rain falling from the heavens and the plants springing from the earth, and the sending down of the Qur'an, which is another manifestation of divine mercy that descends upon hearts, which are ready, and from which then springs the fruits of knowledge.

Therefore, anyone who wishes for divide guidance to have an effect on him must have the capacity to receive these divine effusions, just as the earth must be ready to receive the rain of mercy in order for 'delightful gardens’ 3 to grow from it. The Qur'an has described itself as 'decisive word’, which separates truth from falsehood, so, anyone who does not adhere to it will inevitably fall into falsehood;

“So, what is there after the truth except error?” (Yunus, 10:32).

11. The Plotting Of The Wrongdoers

Those who treat the Qur'an - there is nothing more serious than that - in a manner that can be described as 'jest' place themselves in the position of challenging the Lord Almighty. And this is why Allah puts Himself in the position of plotting against them, which is a form of revenge that will close in and seize them by surprise;

“Indeed, they are devising a stratagem, and I too am devising a stratagem.” (at-Tariq 86:15).

And it is utmost folly for a servant to vie with the Lord of the Worlds!

Based on this logic we also, should not fear the plotting of the wrongdoers so, long as we believe that Allah has laid an ambush for them.

12. Responding In Kind

Plotting, even if it is something usually considered improper, when done in response to the plotting of others falls within the bounds of responding in kind, for example:

“the requital of a misdeed shall be its like.” (Yunus, 10:27).

This is in addition to the fact that Allah - who is the utmost sovereign - has the right to requite the wrongdoers in a hidden manner, which is implicit in calling this a 'stratagem' (kayd); so, Allah will seal their hearts, their hearing and their eyes, to drive them toward a painful punishment without them realizing it.

13. Respite

Allah asks his prophet not to be hasty to witness Allah's revenge against the unbelievers and not to be preoccupied with them, rather he asks him to grant them 'a gentle respite', which is a brief respite so, that Allah may show them the recompense for their stratagem!

And this is exactly what happened for the Prophet (S) during his blessed life; he experienced amazing victories against the polytheists beginning with the battle of Badr and ending with the defeat of his enemies who had driven him out of his homeland and the conquest of Mecca, and the punishment they have in store for them on the Day of Resurrection is even more severe, and this too is near at hand for those who are certain that it will come to pass!

1. See Mufradat Alfazl Al-Qur'an 343.

2. Majma' al-Bahrayn 4/358.

3. Surah al-Naml:
“Nay, He Who created the heavens and the earth, and sent down for you water from the cloud; then We cause to grow thereby beautiful gardens; it is not possible for you that you should make the trees thereof to grow. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! they are people who deviate.” (27:60)

Surah al-A'la (No. 87, the Most High)

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى

Celebrate the Name of your Lord, the Most High, (87:1).

الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ

who created and proportioned, (87:2).

وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

who determined and guided, (87:3).

وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ

who brought forth the pasture, (87:4).

فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ

then turned it into a black scum. (87:5).

1. Allah’s Sanctity

Just as the Qur’an commands us to venerate Allah Himself:

“Whatever there is in the heavens and the earth celebrates Allah,” (al-Hadid, 51:1).

it also, commands us to venerate His Name:

“celebrate the Name of your Lord .....” (al-A’la 87:1).

In the same vein, it sometimes assigns blessings to the Divine Essence, as in

'Blessed is Allah” (al-A'raf, 7:54).

and sometimes assigns them to His Name:

“Blessed is the Name of your Lord.” (ar-Rahman (55:78).

Together, these show that those words that refer to Allah are endowed with a special status, and therefore we must venerate them as well as venerating His Essence.

The practical lesson from this is that anything attributed to Him outside of His Essence is also, imbued with sanctity, as His sanctity overflows from Him to everything else so, long as it is ready to receive this sacred effusion.

2. Glorifying Allah’s Name

Commentators differ about what it means to glorify Allah's name in the verse 'celebrate the Name of your Lord' as the first thing that comes to mind is to celebrate the Divine Essence. So, some say1 that there is no problem in celebrating His names in the following sense:

a. Not mentioning his name alongside those entities that people associate with Him, such as Lat and Uzza.

b. Not disrespecting the gods of the disbelievers in such a way as to draw the ire of their worshippers, who will respond by disrespecting Allah in turn:

“Do not abuse those whom they invoke besides Allah, lest they should abuse Allah out of hostility, without any knowledge.” (al-An'am, 6:108).

c. Not taking Allah's name in vain, as when people utter His name heedlessly.

The practical lesson - according to the final meaning - is that the servant must be mindful of his duty to revere both the Name and the One it names. This is why there are special rules concerning the appearance of the name, such as not touching it without ritual purity and not uttering it except with an attentive heart.

3. Celebrating His Name

Some say2 that the meaning of celebrating His name is celebrating the One whom it names in His essence, attributes, acts, names and rules. As for revering (tanzih) Him, then this applies:

a. To His essence by believing that it is neither a substance (jawhar) nor an accident ('arad).3

b. To His Attributes, by believing that they are neither originated (muhdath), limited or deficient.

c. To His Acts, by believing that He is the absolute sovereign, so, no one can object to anything He does.

d. To His Names, by believing He should only be mentioned using the names He has given Himself.

e. To His Laws, by knowing that whatever He has imposed upon us returns to Him.

The practical lesson behind all of this is that however much the scope of Divine Sanctity extends for a servant, he should exalt it for the sake of his Lord, and strive to revere His Essence, Acts and Attributes too by divesting them of any association with others, whether explicit or subtly.

4. “The Most High”

The expression 'the Most High' is similar to the meaning of magnification (takbir), which means elevating Allah above all descriptions. The meaning of “the Most High” is to elevate Him above that being encompassed by human intuition or imagination, for no matter how lofty anything else may be, it is possible for the human mind to encompass it. So, this verse is a partner to another verse:

“and magnify Him with all magnificence.” (al-lsra', 17:111).

It is narrated from Imam al-Baqir (‘a): 'When you recite: 'Celebrate the Name of your Lord the Most High' then say: 'Glory to my Lord the Most High!' (Subhana Rabbi al-A'la!), even if you only say it in your heart.' 4 And it is interesting that this tradition mentions saying it in your heart, so, it is not appropriate to restrict Allah's remembrance (dhikr) only to what we say aloud. And this is supported by Allah's words:

“And remember your Lord within your heart beseechingly and reverentially, without being loud, morning and evening.” (al-A’raf , 7:205).

5. Creatorship And Lordship

The Qur'an regularly connects creatorship (khaliqiyyah) to lordship (rububiyyah) so, that we move from the first to the second, as the station of lordship is an abstract concept, which a person's mind must be prepared to grasp while the station of creatorship has a connection with sensible realities near at hand and the creation as a whole.

This is why we see that the call of the Prophets focused on the principle of creatorship, whose effects can be seen throughout the universe with the slightest thought, and which then takes someone to the idea of lordship. So, Allah's prophet, Abraham (‘a), mentions the station of creatorship, saying:

“who created me, it is He who guides me” (ash-Shu'ara', 26:78).

And Moses (‘a) says:

“Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation and then guided it.” (Ta Ha, 20:50).

And in the case of Muhammad (S), the first revelation he received was Allah's words:

“Read in the Name of your Lord who created, created man from a clinging mass.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:1-2).

Of course, even only paying attention to the magnificence of creatorship should inspire the depths of humility in worship, and an abundance of thanksgiving for the many blessings which this universe holds.

6. Creation

After introducing the principle of creation, the Qur'an mentions some of its instantiations; this is a form of firmly establishing a principle by mentioning its subsidiaries, to acquaint the servants with looking at the heavens and their own selves. So, it mentions:

a. A spiritual affair as represented by His saying:

“who determined and guided” (al-A’la, 87:3).

as determination (taqdir) takes place in the Unseen Realm and is something hidden, while guidance - like determination - is a subtle process that takes place in the creation.

b. A material affair represented by His saying:

“who brought forth the pasture” (al-A’la, 87:4).

so, the feed of livestock and the dung it ultimately becomes - 'a black scum' - is something plainly visible to human eyes.

7. Pondering

When one looks at the created world, it is important to be aware of the wise power that lies behind it. Otherwise, what value is there in discovering the great unknowns of the universe if we do not connect them to their source in a way that inspires us with faith and reverence? This is why the verse:

“who created and proportioned,” (al-A’la, 87:2).

highlights the fact that the creation is proportioned after discussing the principle of creation itself. And the verse:

“who determined and guided” (al-A’la, 87:3).

follows determination with guidance. And this too is something, which people with intelligence need to ponder on!

In contrast to this, the disbeliever ascribes the fact that every being is guided to the goal for which it was created to blind natural processes, while in fact Allah ascribes both forms of guidance to himself together. With regards to physical guidance:

“Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation and then guided it.” (Ta Ha, 20:50).

And as for moral guidance:

“and shown him the two paths [of good and evil.]” (al-Balad, 90:10).

8. Provisions Of This Worldly Life

In multiple verses, the Qur'an warns people against being beguiled by the thriving vegetation that sprouts from the earth. We find one such verse in this surah when Allah says:

“then turned it into a black scum.” (al-A’la, 87:5).

And this is reinforced by other verses with a similar meaning, such as His saying:

“then with it He brings forth crops of diverse hues. Then they wither and you see them turn yellow. Then He turns them into chaff.” (az-Zumar, 39:21).

And the verse:

“like the rain whose vegetation impresses the farmer; then it withers and you see it turn yellow, then it becomes chaff.” (al-Hadid, 57:20).

In all these there is a lesson not to allow ourselves to become conceited because of the provisions of this worldly life, for it does not take long to see that even the lushest vegetation is fleeting; it is enough for a single spring to pass... and we should draw an analogy between that and everything decorous on this earth.

Verses 6-13

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَىٰ

We shall make you recite, then you will not forget hidden. (87:6).

إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ

except what Allah may wish. Indeed, He knows the overt and what is (87:7).

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

We shall smooth your way to the easiest. (87:8).

فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ

So, admonish, if admonition is Indeed, beneficial· (87:9).

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَنْ يَخْشَىٰ

he who fears will take admonition, (87:10).

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الْأَشْقَى

and the most wretched will shun it (87:11).

الَّذِي يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَىٰ

he who will enter the Great Fire, (87:12).

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

then neither lives in it, nor die. (87:13).

9. Recite And Never Forget

There is an obvious connection between the command to celebrate Allah and the promise to make one recite and never forget:

“We shall make you recite, then you will never forget.” (al-A’la, 87:5).

These two things, which caused the Qur'an to become deeply rooted in the heart of the Final Prophet (S) show us that being aware of the Master and celebrating Him as described in the verse:

“Celebrate the name of your Lord the Most High” (al-A’la, 87:1).

is a prelude to a singular form of divine assistance, to continuously remember.

Moreover, undertaking the mission to preach is also, a cause for going aright. This divine grace is connected to the fact that Allah knows everything that happens in the Prophet's (S) heart, such as his ardent desire to convey the Qur'an just as it was revealed to him, as in the following verse:

“…... Indeed, He knows the overt and what is hidden” (al-A’la, 87:7).

And this is alluded to in the verse:

“Do not move your tongue with it to hasten it.” (al-Qiyamah, 75:16).

10. Divine Grace

However great this divine grace may be for a servant, there must first be a means for safeguarding it and secondly this means must be continuous, or else it is pointless to make someone recite if the one who receives it cannot be protected from forgetting. And it is pointless to protect someone from forgetting if this is only temporary?

Allah, in spite of His promise to His chosen Messenger (S), still makes this promise contingent upon the Divine Will (masha'a). This produces a state of fear and hope even for the Final Prophet (S)! And this is something explicitly stated in another verse:

“If We wish, We would take away what We have revealed to you.” (al-Isra', 17:86).

This principle applies even to those whom Allah has blessed with eternal life in Paradise; Allah says:

“They shall remain in it for as long as the heavens and the earth endure - except what your Lord may wish.” (Hud , 11:107)

So, what we notice in both verses is an affirmation of Allah's absolute authority over the entirety of existence and in all situations; all the threads of bounties are in His hands and there is nothing that can compel Him, not even in the bounties He has promised.

11. The Evident

Part of 'the overt' mentioned in this surah are those things that are obvious in the realm of the tangibles; things that can be seen and heard. This is in contrast with 'what is hidden' in that realm as well, such as sights and sounds, which cannot be apprehended without using special equipment. Our Master's greatness is manifested by the fact that He apprehends them without needing anything to do so. And this can even apply to those things that cannot be apprehended at all by human beings because they lack the faculties necessary to uncover those hidden realities in their realm of existence, such as Allah's Greatest Name. So, again Allah's greatness is made manifest by the fact that there are some realities known only to Him, which He has chosen not to share with anyone else.

12. Everything Hidden

If a person believes that his Master watches over everything that is hidden, over the person himself, or even over unconscious thoughts that come to his mind from time to time without his being aware, not to mention over those hidden things he is conscious of:

“He knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the breasts hide.” (Al-Ghafir, 40:19).

Then he will vigilantly observe his thoughts, not to mention his limbs! And this means that he will not even think of anything that would displease his Master, because - even if that will not cause him to suffer punishment - it will invite his Master's rebuke, which is something that any servant who loves his Lord would be embarrassed of! This shows us the greatness of the Infallible (ma'sum) who even directs his imagination in accordance with the pleasure of his Lord in all circumstances.

13. Divine Success (Tawfiq)

“We shall smooth your way to the easiest.” (al-A’la, 87:8).

This verse holds a subtle allusion to:

a. Allah's program to save His friends (awliya’), for He does not only smooth their way, He also, prepares their persons for the way according to the implication of the address, which is directed to the person. So, the assistance Allah gives to His friends is really for their sake and not for the sake of their actions; this is exactly like Allah's words:

“and paradise will be brought near for the Godwary.” (ash-Shu'ara', 26:90).

So, just as Paradise is brought near to them, Allah causes ease to be close at hand for them in the same fashion.

b. The source of this ease is the person himself; it is because of the habits (malakat) he possesses that he has become attached to this divine assistance. When a person becomes ready to receive this assistance, the path is made smooth for him! So, divine success (tawfiq) does not come from any source save the person himself!

It is fitting to say here that Allah can also, ordain potential assistance for His servants, rather than actual assistance, because the person himself has fallen short in preparing for this assistance in practice. It has been narrated from the Prophet (S): 'Strive, for everyone is assisted in obtaining that which has been created for him!’ 5

14. Allah’s Assistance

Allah's most elect graces are accompanied by the majestic plural,6 so, he says:

“Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment.” (al-Qadr, 97:1).

“Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder” (al-Hijr, 15:9).

and

“Indeed, We have given you abundance.” (al-Kawthar, 108:1).

The assistance He bestows upon His servants by granting them success in calling others towards Him is no exception; He says:

“We shall smooth your way to the easiest.” (al-A’la, 87:8).

Because this is one of the most magnificent spiritual blessings compared to the material ones.

15. The Qualities Of Those Persons Calling Others Towards Allah

The above verses all outline the qualities that those persons who call others towards Allah must possess, which are:

a. Being prepared by turning towards Allah with praise and celebration.

b. Having your character set right, as represented by being inspired to recite and then protected from forgetting.

c. Having your actions set right and the way smoothed for you, whether through acting upon objects - as was the case with the miracles of the prophets (‘a) - or upon persons, in a way that soften people's hearts.

16. Accepting Guidance

The Prophet (S) was commanded to preach to those who had the potential to accept his message and be guided, or else his efforts would be in vain;

“So, admonish, if admonition is Indeed, beneficial.” (al-A’la, 87:9).

The life and energy of the Prophet (S) were far too important to be squandered on those unworthy of either, but we can say that it is still worthwhile to preach even if there is no hope of it yielding any benefit, because the Prophet (S) adopted Allah's manners in warning everyone, as when He commanded Moses (‘a) to preach to the most disobedient of His creatures, saying:

“Speak to him in a soft manner; maybe he will take admonition or fear.” (Ta Ha, 20:44).

Whether this was to offer Pharaoh Allah's all encompassing grace (lutf) or simply to leave him with no excuse for his actions.

This verse could also, be conveying the reason that some people will never take admonition, and that is because they lack the basic capacity in their hearts to accept guidance.

17. Divine Guidance

Before someone can accept divine guidance, they must have traversed a prior stage, represented by the existence of some level of fear towards Allah in the person being admonished;

“he who fears will take admonition.” (al-A’la, 87:10).

So, this fear, whether in the sense of being afraid of Allah's punishment or feeling unworthy of His blessings, motivates a person to search for that which will spare him from punishment or embarrassment. So, someone who is guided should not expect his guide, whoever he is, to bring about some kind of miraculous transformation for him. Rather, he must be himself in the position of a soil that is ready to receive the seed, and then nurture that seed in himself with the receptiveness that Allah has bestowed upon him.

Therefore, those who call others towards Allah must prepare this foundation in the hearts of the people, before burdening them with admonitions!

18. The Wretched

The most wretched (ashqa) here refers to the wretched (shaqi) in general, but it is the custom of the Qur'an to use the superlative for normal traits, as in His words:

“On that day the inhabitants of paradise will be in the best abode and most excellent resting place.” (al-Furqan, 25:24).

On the other hand, we can also, say that there are different levels of wretchedness, and the most wretched is the intractable disbeliever who will be taken to the greatest blaze in the lowest levels of Hell, whether this is in comparison to the flames of this world or the lesser punishments of Hellfire.

However, the wretched (shaqi) is the opposite of the felicitous (sa'id), but he is still in a better position than the most-wretched (ashqa); namely the one who did not seize the opportunity he was given in life and thus spent all of his days in a state of loss, which is sadly the case for the majority of mankind.

19. The Severity Of Punishment

A manifestation of the severity of punishment in the Hereafter - even for those who will not be punished forever - is the fact that the punishment in Hellfire is continuous, without interruption or respite. This will be eternal for the disbelievers and a long (but finite) period of time for sinners. The Qur'an describes this condition thus:

“...he will neither die therein nor live.” (Ta Ha, 20:74).

This means they will neither die nor live a good life therein. At least the tribulations of this world, even in the worst circumstances imaginable, are broken by moments of relief and respite.

Worse still than the punishment of Hellfire is Allah's continuous wrath towards the inmates of Hell:

'As for the disbelievers there is for them the fire of hell: they will neither be done away with so, that they may die, nor shall its punishment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every ingrate.” (Fatir, 35:36).

Otherwise, Allah's mercy would sometimes interrupt their punishment, the upshot of which would be - as is the case for sinners in this world - it would become bearable for them, and a person would be able to plead for salvation in those times that Allah turned towards him with His mercy.

Verses 14-19

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ

Felicitous is he who refines himself, (87:14).

وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ

remembers the Name of his Lord, and prays. (87:15).

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

Rather you prefer the life of this world, (87:16).

وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ

while the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (87:17).

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ

This is Indeed, in the former scriptures, (87:18).

صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ

the scriptures of Abraham and Moses. (87:19).

20. Self-Refinement

“Felicitous is he who refines himself” (al-A’la, 87:14).

“…remembers the Name of his Lord, and prays.” (al-A’la 87:15).

The categorical use of 'self-refinement' (tazakka) in the above verse entails an act of purification that encompasses all aspects of a person's being, beginning with emptying his heart from everything that occupies him besides Allah, and ending with his limbs by using them for everything that pleases his Master. And this is a preliminary to remembrance -'remembers' - which is again used categorically to mean living as if in the presence of Allah at every moment, and also, a preliminary to the outward humility embodied by prayer, as the most important connection between a servant and his Lord (‘and prays’).

To sum up, these verses look to emptying the heart of impurities - 'refines' - and adorning it with remembrance - 'remembers the name of his Lord' - and garbing it thereafter in actual obedience - 'And prays.' Altogether, this will bring a person to the level of perfection, which he was created to attain.

21. Enjoyments Of This World

It is a type of stupidity to assign more importance to this world than the Hereafter, because:

a. The enjoyments of this world are connected to the physical realm and the pleasures of the body, while the bliss of the Hereafter is connected to the pleasures of the spirit and body together, whether gazing upon His noble countenance, or living with the maidens of paradise.

b. The enjoyments of this world, even the sensory ones, are interrupted by pains and difficulties, as is plain for all to see. And they are transient, which should also, be obvious. On the other hand, the Hereafter contains enjoyments unsullied by difficulty:

“ ... In it we are untouched by toil, and untouched therein by fatigue.” (Fatir, 35:35).

Nor are the enjoyments contaminated by transience:

“There will be an everlasting reward for them.” (at-Tin, 95:6).

The verses here allude to two qualities of these enjoyments, namely being superior to those in this world and also, everlasting, with the words:

“…... better and more lasting.” (al-A’la 87:17).

But obviously, to grasp these meanings requires a special level of spiritual maturity, or else everyone m this world would become people living for the Hereafter!

22. Various Divine Scriptures

The various divine scriptures, despite their different levels and the different levels of those prophets to whom they were revealed, are unanimous in their agreement upon the principles of moral refinement that the verses in this surah discuss:

“This is Indeed, in the former scriptures.” (al-A’la 87:18).

So, there is no nation exempt from the rules of wayfaring towards Allah and worshipping Him; so, if the nations of Abraham and Moses (a2) were enjoined to follow the teachings of this surah on the basis of their own scriptures:

“the scriptures of Abraham and Moses” (al-A’la 87:19).

then the nation which bears witness, namely the nation of the Final Prophet (S) is enjoined to excel further in everything mentioned here, because Allah's authority over them is more complete, their scripture is more comprehensive, and their Prophet (S) is at the greatest level of all the prophets!

1. Tafsir al-Mizan 20/ 264.

2. Mafatih al-Ghayb, 31/125.

3. These are two terms taken from Islamic philosophy, negating them from the Divine Essence means that it is not a something in which other things inhere (i.e. a substance), nor does it exist within anything else (i.e. as an accident). [Translator]

4. Majma al-Bayan 10/719.

5. Saduq, Tawhld, 356.

6. This is when an individual holding a high office refers to himself in the firstperson plural (i.e. "we") to denote his excellence, power and dignity [Translator].

Surah al-Ghashiyah (No. 88, The Enveloper)

Verses 1-16

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ

Did you receive the account of the Enveloper? (88:1).

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ

Some faces on that day will be humbled, (88:2).

عَامِلَةٌ نَاصِبَةٌ

toiling and weary: (88:3).

تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً

they will enter a scorching fire, (88:4).

تُسْقَىٰ مِنْ عَيْنٍ آنِيَةٍ

and made to drink from a boiling spring. (88:5).

لَيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنْ ضَرِيعٍ

They will have no food except cactus, (88:6).

لَا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِنْ جُوعٍ

neither nourishing, nor availing against hunger. (88:7).

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاعِمَةٌ

Some faces on that day will be joyous, (88:8).

لِسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ

pleased with their endeavour; (88:9).

فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ

in a lofty paradise, (88:10).

لَا تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَاغِيَةً

wherein they will not hear any vain talk. (88:11).

فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ

In it there is a flowing spring (88:12).

فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَرْفُوعَةٌ

and in it there are raised couches, (88:13).

وَأَكْوَابٌ مَوْضُوعَةٌ

and goblets set, (88:14).

وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ

and cushions laid out in an array, (88:15).

وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ

and carpets spread out. (88:16).

1. Rethorical Devices

When the Qur’an is preparing the minds of the people for deliberation on their ultimate destiny, it employs a number of methods to grab the attention of its audience. At times, it uses oaths:

“By the Dawn ...” (al-Fajr, 89:1).

At other times, it uses rhetorical questions:

“Did you receive ...?” (al-Ghasiyah, 88:1).

Sometimes, it uses expressions indicating ineffability that emphasizes the magnificence of something:

“And what will make you understand ...?” (al-Qari'ah, 101:3).

There is a lesson in this, for anyone who wishes to enhance the significance of his words with people; that he must use rhetorical tools to capture the attention of his audience to his speech, rather than immediately speaking about things which they give no importance to.

It is interesting to note that these questions, and others like it in the Qur’an, are first and foremost addressed to the Prophet (S). It is as though he is the very core of mankind and, as a result, he alone is worthy of being addressed by Allah before all others. We can also, say that addresses of this nature in the Qur'an are actually addressed to everyone, even if they appear to be directed specifically towards the Prophet (S).

2. The Enveloper

Referring to the Day of Resurrection as ‘the Enveloper’ (alGhashiyah) highlights the horror of the event because:

a. It is either taken from the Arabic word ghishyan, which means to envelop everyone, so, no one will escape the accounting, as Allah says:

“We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them.” (al-Kahf, 18:47).

b. Or it means that it will envelop people with different kinds of distress;

“on the day when the punishment envelopes them, from above them and from under their feet...” (al-'Ankabut, 29:55).

as Allah says in another verse:

“a day whose ill will be widespread.” (al-Insan, 76:7).

Of course, considering this terrifying fate should cause us to refrain from forbidden lusts in this world, and that is for someone who has reached the level where he has complete certainty about this divine account of the future that shall surely come to pass.

3. Facial Expressions

A person's innermost feelings are usually expressed by their facial expression, whether in this world or the Hereafter, and that is why we see a touch of darkness - which can be perceived by those able - on the face of wrongdoers in this world. In the Hereafter this will clearly be visible to all creatures, because the veil will have been removed from them.

And this is why the verse describes the faces of the sinners as being humbled; in other verses it describes them:

“Were you to see when the guilty hang their heads before their Lord ....” (as-Sajdah, 32:12).

“.... humbled by abasement, looking askance secretly …...” (ash-Shura, 42:45).

while the faces of the obedient are called 'joyous' and elsewhere 'fresh’1 and these reveal that there is a kind of public disgrace for some people, and a kind of ennobling of others in the mustering of the Resurrection.

4. Achieving Humility

Everyone is ultimately travelling to the realm of all-encompassing humility and fear that is the Day of Resurrection because, on that tremendous day, everyone will have the veil pulled from their eyes. So, we say that reason dictates that a person should strive to reach this position of their own volition before being forcibly brought to it; they can achieve this by observing those practices, which instill them with humility, foremost amongst which is prayer, which is the utmost expression of humility.

So, why is it, then, that a person will come in abasement on the Day of Resurrection without thinking how he can obtain the means of dignity therein while he is in this world?

5. Works

One of the greatest causes for regret on the Day of Resurrection is mentioned in two verses; one is:

“Then We shall attend to the works they have done and then turn them into scattered dust.” (al-Furqan, 25:23).

The other is in this surah, where Allah says:

“toiling and weary:” (alGhashiyah, 88:3).

for the sinners have spent their entire lives for the sake of this world which is filled with fatigue and suffering, as a confirmation of Allah's words:

'If you are suffering, they are also, suffering like you ...” (an-Nisa', 4:104).

In fact, they may have suffered more - for the sake of their falsehoods - than some of the faithful! But their true affliction begins when all their efforts are shown to have come to naught in the Abode of Recompense, and so, their toil and weariness continues, while the inhabitants of Paradise are described with Allah's words as being:

“pleased with their endeavour;” (alGhashiyah, 88:9).

6. Food And Drink Of The Hellfire

The life of the inmates of Hellfire cannot be conceived of by the inhabitants of this world; the verses merely give us a broad overview and details that everyone can understand, for the truth is more terrible than anything that can be put into words! For example, imagine someone pleading and asking for water, and then boiling water is his drink;

“If they cry out for help, they will be helped with a water like molten copper which will scald the faces. What an evil drink, and how ill a resting place!” (al-Kahf, 18:29).

And imagine, when they ask for food, they are fed thorns and fill their stomachs with them;

“Its spathes are as if they were devils' heads.” (as-Saffat, 37:65).

“Indeed, they will eat from it and gorge with it their bellies.” (as-Saffat, 37:66).

And when his body is wounded and covered in sores, he will eat their fluids, which are called pus:

“nor any food except pus” (al-Haqqah (69:36).

This is all after these people have enjoyed all types of pleasure in this world.

This verse also, alludes to the food and drink of the inmates of Hellfire; their food is cactus (dari’), which is a plant in this world 2 and - according to some - the most detestable sort of food that even beasts will not eat. And there is no doubt that no matter how horrible cactus may be in this world, it cannot compared to what the Hereafter contains. As for the drink in the Hereafter, it is a spring of the utmost heat;

“made to drink from a boiling spring.” (alGhashiyah, 88:5).

And the expression 'made to drink' might allude to the fact that they are forced to drink it. This combines both elements of humiliation and punishment.

7. The Faces Of The Inhabitants Of Paradise

The faces of the inhabitants of Paradise are described as joyful and fresh

“Some faces on that day will be joyous” (alGhashiyah, 88:8).

“You will perceive in their faces the freshness of bliss” (al-Mutaffiffin, 83:24).

and this sign on their faces is similar to the light that will shine in the Hereafter because of what they did in this world, in that nothing enters the Hereafter save that it originated in this world, as can be understood from Allah's words:

“Go back and grope for light!” (al-Hadid, 57:13).

Going back in this verse is interpreted as returning to this world.

And there is no doubt that whoever is destined to receive such blessings in the Hereafter will attain a degree - however low - of freshness in this worldly life also, as the people of discernment (firasah) and insight (basirah) can attest.

8. The State Of Being Pleased

The condition of being pleased and at ease, which the believer experiences in Paradise, as Allah says

“Pleased with their endeavour” (alGhashiyah, 88:9).

is really in contrast to the anger the sinners feel towards themselves. So, the state of the faithful:

a. Is either with regards to the satisfaction they felt with their endeavours in this worldly life as a result of self-accounting (muhasibah) and vigilant self-observation (muraqabah).

b. Or with regards to the bliss they find themselves in, as the inner reality of this bliss is Allah's satisfaction with them; so, they are pleased with themselves because Allah is pleased with them.

And this form is the state of the contented soul (al-nafs almutma'innah), which Allah describes as:

“pleased, pleasing!” (al-Fajr, 89:28).

9. Blessings Of Paradise

In this surah, the Qur’an enumerates the particular blessings of Paradise in seven places, and all of them are in the indefinite article (nakirah) to convey their magnificence, for instance: a lofty paradise, a flowing spring, raised couches, goblets set, cushions laid out, and carpets spread. To these sensible (mahsus) blessings, Allah adds a blessing that cannot be directly sensed at the very beginning of this list, namely His saying:

“wherein they will not hear any vain talk.” (alGhashiyah, 88:11).

And in another verse, He says:

“They will not hear therein any vain talk or sinful speech.” (al-Waqi’ah, 56:25).

These verses indicate that vanity and unproductive speech are a form of punishment that contradicts the bliss of Paradise.

This is why a believer avoids those environments in this world, which are not compatible with Paradise, which is - as it has been described - the station of being Allah's neighbour.

Verses 17-26

أَفَلَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ

Do they not observe the camel, how she has been created? (88:17).

وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ

and the sky, how it has been raised? (88:18).

وَإِلَى الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ

and the mountains, how they have been set? (88:19).

وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ

and the earth, how it has been spread out? (88:20).

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

So, admonish - for you are only an admonisher, (88:21).

لَسْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

and not a taskmaster over them - (88:22).

إِلَّا مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ

except him who turns back and disbelieves. (88:23).

فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ

Him Allah will punish with the greatest punishment. (88:24).

إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ

Indeed, to Us will be their return. (88:25).

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ

Then, indeed, their reckoning will lie with Us. (88:26).

10. Styles Found In The Qur’an

One of the styles found in the Qur'an is shifting from the apparent goal that Allah desires to the hidden cause that occasions it. The previous verses called on their audience to remember the Resurrection and to the condition of the people blessed and punished therein. But this description by itself is not sufficient to constitute a call for the servant to do what Allah desires of him. So, it is accompanied by a call for a person to seek knowledge, which will inspire him with awe towards his Lord; observing the heavens and whatever manifestations of divine power that surround man. So, it is only natural that at the time the revelation was sent down that the inhabitants of the desert who lived then would look at the camel, because it was one of the main means of their subsistence, and if they raised their gaze they would see the beauty of the heavens, and if they looked in front of them, they would see the mountains spiking out of the earth.

All of these indications, taken together, cause our minds to conclude that first there is a Creator, and second, that He is powerful and wise. And from these three attributes, we must also, believe in the ‘Enveloper’ mentioned at the beginning of this surah.

11. Rousing The Hearts

It is only appropriate that those calling others towards Allah should rouse the hearts of their audience, and that is by asking them questions that motivate them to search for answers that will ultimately give them inner conviction.

So, these verses use the word 'how' (kayf) four times; beginning with something tangible and reachable - like the camel - then something that cannot be reached like the heavens. Then another distant object, like the mountains, and then the earth, that is visible to everyone, and which has been spread out so, that mankind may subsist on it. All of this is mentioned so, that the audience will ultimately arrive at an intelligible concept, which is that there must be someone there who created the camel, made the stars, placed the mountains and spread out the earth!

12. No Authority Over The Hearts Of The People

Many times, the Qur’an mentions that the Prophet (S), like the rest of the prophets, has no authority over the hearts of the people. Otherwise this would invalidate free will which is the reason for divine reward and punishment, and that is in Allah's sayings in the surah:

“So, admonish for you are only an admonisher,” (alGhashiyah, 88:21).

“and not a taskmaster over them.” (alGhashiyah, 88:22).

And in other verses of the Qur’an:

“Would you then force men until they become believers?’ (Yunus, 10:99).

“……and you are not one to compel them.....” (Qaf, 50:45).

“You are liable to imperil your life for their sake, if they should not believe this discourse, out of grief.” (al-Kahf, 18:6).

“…... so, do not fret yourself to death regretting for them.” (Fatir, 35:8).

This, in turn, curtails the expectations of those who call others towards Allah, lest they become discouraged when they see people turning away. In fact, the practice of the prophets was to constantly admonish others without trying to control their hearts, or else there would not have remained anyone who denied their teachings.

13. “Except Him Who Turns Back And Disbelieves”

Some scholars have understood the verse:

“except him who turns back and disbelieves.” (alGhashiyah, 88:23).

to indicate that Islam is both a religion of reality and compassion; its primary basis is simple admonition, but when faced with 'him who turns back and disbelieves' and who opposes the call to faith, then it becomes a matter of struggle against him in completely removing all pockets of persecution (fitnah) from the earth, as according to Allah's words:

“Fight them until persecution is no more.” (al-Baqarah, 2:193).

And this is completely different to the approach of someone who limits the scope of calling others towards Allah to only verbal exhortations in order to avoid a confrontation that requires people to sacrifice their lives and property.

14. Verses Describing The Hell

Everything is lowly compared to the magnificence of the Exalted Lord, so, if He describes something as great or severe, then the event thus described must be something truly grave. This is what we see when Allah describes the punishments of Hell variously as:

“a severe punishment,” (Ale 'Imran , 3:4); (al-An'am, 6:124); (Ibrahim, 14:2).

“a painful punishment,” (al-Baqarah, 2:10, 104, 174).

“a humiliating punishment,” (al-Baqarah, 2:90); (Ale 'Imran, 3:178); (an-Nisa', 4:14).

“an everlasting punishment,” (al-Ma'idah, 5:37); (at-Tawbah (9:68); (Hud, 11:39).

“the punishment of the blaze,” (al-Hajj, 22:4); (Luqman, 31:21); (Saba', 34:12).

“a grave punishment,” (al-Baqarah, 2:7,114); (Ale 'Imran, 3:105).

“the punishment of burning,” (Ale 'Imran, 3:171); (al-Anfal, 8:50).

“an eternal punishment,” (Yunus, 10:52); (as-Sajdah, 32:14).

“a harsh punishment,” (Hud, 11:58); (Ibrahim, 14:17).

“the punishment of Hell,” (az-Zukhruf, 43:74); al-Mulk, 67:6).

And

'more severe and more enduring.” (Ta Ha, 20:27).

In this surah, Allah threatens the unbelievers with a punishment called 'the greatest punishment.'

“Him Allah will punish with the greatest punishment.” (al-Ghashiyah 88:24).

So, someone who believes in his creation and resurrection - and is aware of these descriptions - must, without a doubt, renounce falsehood, unless there is some doubt in his faith or in his understanding of what is in his own best interests!

15. “Indeed, To Us Will Be Their Return”

There two dimensions of the verses:

“Indeed, to Us will be their return.” (al-Ghashiyah 88:25).

“Then, indeed, their reckoning will lie with Us.” (al-Ghashiyah 88:26).

a. First, it consoles the heart of the Prophet (S) after mentioning at the beginning of this surah about the return the disbelievers to Allah. Their return in the position whereby Allah exacts retribution from them makes whatever dominance they enjoy or the persecution they perpetrate in this world seem trivial.

b. Second, it inspires terror in the hearts of the obstinate, for Allah makes the task of holding them to account for His personal business, and He is the one from whom nothing can be hidden. And whoever believes in the reality of going back to Allah will never so, inclined towards sinning in his heart, let alone actually committing a sin.

1. See Surah al-Qiyamah:
“Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty)”(75:22).

2. See Mufradat alfaz al-Aur’an 1/506

Surah al-Fajr (No. 89, The Daybreak)

Verses 1-14

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالْفَجْرِ

By the Daybreak, (89:1).

وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

by the ten nights, (89:2).

وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ

by the Even and the Odd, (89:3).

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ

by the night when it departs! (89:4).

هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ

Is there an oath in that for one possessed of intellect? (89:5).

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ

Have you not regarded how your Lord dealt with (people of) 'Ad, (89:6).

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ

[and people of] Iram, [the city] of the pillars, (89:7).

الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ

the like of which was not created among cities, (89:8).

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ

and (the people of) Thamud, who hollowed out the rocks in the valley, (89:9).

وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ

and Pharaoh, the impaler, (89:10).

الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ

- those who rebelled [against Allah] in their cities (89:11).

فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ

and caused much corruption in them, (89:12).

فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ

so, your Lord poured on them lashes of punishment. (89:13)

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

lndeed your Lord is ever watchful. (89:14).

1. The Ways In Which Allah Treats Individuals And Nations

This surah is set out in such a way as to convey the manner in which Allah treats different individuals and nations – His sunnah (ways of precedent) - and these sunnahs, like all other conventions related to creation (sunan takwiniyyah) are never invalidated. The surah mentions:

a. The nature of the rebellious nations and what became of earlier peoples; how their rebelliousness brought them complete ruin.

b. The nature of rebellious persons, who embezzle the property of orphans and love amassing wealth, who become restless in times of difficulty and wanton in times of ease.

c. The nature of contented persons, namely the servants who are pleased with their Lord while their Lord is pleased with them.

2. Verses Without Unanimous Interpretation

There are few instances where there is as much disagreement about the interpretation of the objects of Qur'anic oaths in this surah. Some scholars have counted as many as forty different possible meanings for 'the daybreak' and 'the even and the odd!'

Based on what we have already said in similar places, we can only admit that there must be someone who accompanies the Book of Allah, and who knows the intended meaning between all of these possibilities. This person can be none other than the second of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn), namely the Household of the Prophet, to whom were entrusted the realities of the Qur'an, as it was to them that these were addressed.

3. Possible Meanings Of “Daybreak”, “The Ten Nights” And Other Phrases

The basic issue of the controversy about the different meanings of the words 'daybreak,' 'the ten nights,' 'the even and the odd’, and 'the night' revolves around two possibilities:

a. First, that these are connected to the time of Hajj, so, the meaning of 'daybreak' is the daybreak of Eid; 'the ten nights' are the first ten nights of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijja; 'the even and the odd' are the days of Tarwiyah and 'Arafah; and 'the night' is the night of Muzdalifa.

b. Second, that these are connected to prayer (salah); the meaning of 'daybreak' is the time of the true daybreak which is connected to the obligatory dawn prayer; 'the ten nights' are the last ten nights of Ramadan, in which a person devotes himself to following the example of the Final Messenger (S) in worshipping his Lord; 'the even and the odd' are the parts of the night prayer – shaf’ and witr - offered in the pre-dawn hours; and 'the night when it departs' is simply the end parts of the night, when most of it has passed .

Looking at these two opinions, the importance of these two pillars of worship - namely prayer and Hajj - becomes apparent.

4. Objects Of Oaths In The Qur’an

It is the convention of the Qur'an to mention the object of an oath immediately after the oath itself, but in this surah it is interesting to note:

a. First that the object of the oath is left implicit - according to one opinion - although the context suggests its import.

b. Second, after invoking these oaths, Allah poses a rhetorical question, namely: Are these oaths sufficient for someone possessed of intellect?

“Is there an oath in that for one possessing intellect?” (al-Fajr, 89:5).

5. Objects Of Oaths In The Qur’an

The object of the oath (jawab al-qasam) can be either:

a. Allah's words:

“Indeed, your Lord is ever watchful!” (al-Fajr, 89:14).

b. Or it has been left implicit, and it is either an implicit warning of divine punishment and retribution for the rebels in this world and the Hereafter, or an implicit tiding of wonderful rewards for those persons with souls that are contented and who Allah is pleased with, which are happy because of their inner peace (itmi'nan) in this world and because they shall enter the paradise of their Lord on the Day of Resurrection. And this, like all other situations where the object of an oath is left unsaid, calls us to ponder and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an.

6. The Word ‘Hijr’

There is a connection between the linguistic meaning of the Arabic root h-j-r and the 'intellect' ('aql), which the phrase 'possessed of intellect' (dhu al-hijr). In every derivation of hijr, such as 'compartment' (hujra), 'ward' (mahjur 'alayh), 'a mother's care' (hijr al-umm), we find a common element that joins them together, namely protection and restraint. So, someone who is a 'ward' is prevented from disposing of his property, and both a compartment and care prevent others from entering while protecting the items they contain.

In this sense, when a person's intellect ('aql) is complete, it protects him from deviation and inclinations, and prevents him from acting against his own nature, according to the intellectual laws planted in his heart.

7. Human Power

This surah paints an image of human abilities, as represented sometimes by:

a. Engineering prowess and urban development, such as in building the city of Iram, which we are told is without peer, filled with lofty palaces and tall pillars, as we can understand from Allah's words:

“[and people of] lram, of pillars,” (al-Fajr, 89:7).

“the like of which was not created amongst cities.” (al-Fajr, 89:8).

b. Progress in industry, as represented by cutting boulders to use them in construction; this is something that can only be performed with skill, especially in the distant past when tools for cutting and shaping stone were very limited (and undeveloped). And this is alluded to by Allah's words:

“and Thamud, who hollowed out the rocks in the valley.” (al-Fajr, 89:9).

c. Military might, as represented by the power of Pharaoh and his ruthlessness in dealing with his enemies, to the extent that even his wife Assiya was not safe from him; he impaled her as he did all his opponents, as alluded to by the words:

“and Pharaoh, the impaler.” (al-Fajr, 89:10).

And all of these tyrants are united under a single banner; rebellion (tughyan), transgressing Allah's bounds and causing corruption on the earth.

8. The Corruption Of The Whole Human Species

Allah grants respite to some of those who disobey Him on a personal level and whose disobedience does not cause the corruption of the whole human species. In fact, He is eager to forgive them when they turn to Him in repentance. But He seizes with severity anyone who becomes a source of corruption for the whole human species, as He says in another verse:

“And if he were to wield authority, he would try to cause corruption in the land, and to ruin the crop and the stock...” (al-Baqarah, 2:205).

And this is why among the reasons for Allah's most severe retribution that is mentioned in this surah are the deeds of those rebels who 'caused much corruption,' and now there is no trace of them left on the face of the earth.

It should be clear that this verse gives reassurance to the mind of the Final Messenger (S) who was facing the rebels of his own time. We can see this because Allah refers to himself as 'your Lord' and connects himself to His Prophet to show that the one who dealt out retribution in previous generations is the one who will exact it upon present ones - as a natural consequence of His unrivalled Lordship - and this is what happened when He sent flocks of birds against them, and other forms of retribution as well.

9. Divine Punishments

Divine punishments are always appropriate to the nature of the sin, so, those mentioned in the verse who caused much mischief on earth, such as the peoples of 'Ad, Thamud and the Pharaoh, the punishment they respectively received corresponds with their rebellion in which they violated Allah's bounds. It is described as:

a. Continuous, as alluded to by Allah's words 'poured upon them':

“so, your Lord poured on them lashes of punishment.” (al-Fajr, 89:13).

because when water is poured it flows continuously. This also, alludes to its vigour and force, and this Qur'anic expression has been used to describe rain elsewhere:

'We poured down water plenteously.” (‘Abasa, 80:25).

b. Severe, as we can glean from the words 'lashes of punishment':

“so, your Lord poured on them lashes of punishment”. (al-Fajr, 89:13).

because a lash is a common device of corporal punishment.

c. Sudden:
“Indeed, your Lord is ever watchful.” 1 (al-Fajr, 89:14).

because unexpected punishment is more painful for its victim, and that is because he has not been able to prepare himself psychologically to receive or protect himself from it.

10. The Expression “In Ambush”

The expression ‘La bil Mirsad’ '(ever watchful or literally ‘in ambush') suggests two things:

a. The ambusher wishes to exact retribution from his victim at an appropriate time, for it to be more effective.

b. The victim has no idea that his attacker is lying in wait for him, or else it would not be an ambush!

And it is obvious that if someone is aware that his Lord is watching over him, and this fact inspires him with a sense of fear and awe towards Him, then he will not fall victim to this kind of retribution, which is manifested in the fires of Hell by Allah's words:

“Verily Hell is an ambush.” (an-Naba', 78:21).

Verses 15-20

فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ

As for man, whenever his Lord tests him and grants him honour and blesses him, he says, 'My Lord has honoured me.' (89:15).

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ

But when He tests him and tightens for him his provision, he says, 'My Lord has humiliated me.' (89:16).

كَلَّا بَلْ لَا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ

No indeed! Rather you do not honour the orphan, (89:17).

وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

and do not urge the feeding of the needy, (89:18).

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَمًّا

and you eat the inheritance rapaciously, (89:19).

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا

and you love wealth with much fondness (89:20).

11. The Way We View Blessings And Tribulations

These verses want to produce an essential change in the way that man sees blessings and tribulations; blessings are not always an honour that should occasion happiness. Nor is tribulation always a humiliation that should occasion fear and sadness:

“So, that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster.” (al-Hadid, 57:23).

Of course, it is only natural for a human being to experience these feelings in his soul, but it is the mission of the prophets to take man's hand and bring him out of the confines of his nature, both in this and other situations, as the Qur'an repeatedly affirms.

It is interesting to note that Allah has repeated the word 'tests' (ibtala) for both blessings and tribulations, as if to affirm that they both occupy the same level as a test of a servant’s commitment and obedience to his Lord!

12. The Human Nature

The verses criticizing this aspect of human nature

“As for man, whenever his Lord tests him...” (al-Fajr, 89:15).

are connected to those before and after them:

a. As for their connection to the previous verses, it is as though they are saying that the fact Allah is watching over man and waiting in ambush for the rebels means that a person should make pleasing his Lord and avoiding His displeasure his concern, and not just look at his own short-term gratification, thinking that having means is an honour while lacking them is a humiliation.

b. As for their connection to the verses that follow them, it is as though they wish to say that the sources of honour and humiliation are not as man imagines them; the real source of humiliation is some of the sins mentioned in the verse, such as failing to honour the orphans and consuming the property of others, while the real source of honour is feeding the needy and detaching one’s heart from one's property.

13. The Benchmarks Of Honour And Disgrace

It is natural for a believer, when conversing with his Lord, to keep in mind the community of the believers as a whole, which is why Allah uses the expression 'our Lord' in more than sixty places throughout the Qur'an. This means that when the believer turns towards his Lord and sees all the believers are with him, he includes them all in his supplications. But someone who is not a believer will place himself at the centre of his dialogue with his Lord without paying attention to anyone else, even if this is only because he is absorbed by the terror of something he sees. But this is the reason why when Allah relates their words, he uses the individual pronouns 'my' and 'me' –

“ …...MY Lord has honoured ME” (al-Fajr, 89:15).

and

“.... MY Lord has humiliated ME.” (al-Fajr, 89:16).

Here we should note that the benchmark of honour and humiliation in their eyes are tangible blessings (mahsusat); their level of thought does not reach the level where they consider the standard of honour and humiliation to be their degree of proximity to their Master. And this is something the later verses discussing the ‘contented soul’ (al-nafi al-mutma'inna), the phrase 'pleased, pleasing,'2 alludes to. And this is how people should see their behaviour in day-to-day life.

14. Blessings And Afflictions

When a person reaches the level where they can understand how Allah organizes this existence and that it is connected to His unparalleled wisdom, then both blessings and tribulations become as one to him, because a true servant:

a. Loves whatever his Master loves, in whatever form this love takes, so, a tribulation could actually demonstrate more love for His servant than comfort.

b. Does not see any privilege in blessings or indignation in tribulations, so, long as both of these fall upon the path towards self-development and spiritual ascent. In fact, he may even reach the level where he sees himself inclining towards tribulation because it will grant him patience (sabr) in the form of entreating and taking refuge with his Lord in this world, and additional rewards in the Hereafter.

15. Helping Orphans

What Allah intends by the verse:

“No indeed! Rather you do not honour the orphan” (al-Fajr, 89:17).

is not what most people understand, namely helping the orphan by giving him food, clothing and the like. In fact, what is meant here is much more general, namely honour in its broadest sense. This means more than merely feeding; it includes doing things to make the orphan feels respected and held in high esteem rather than the feeling of insignificance that usually accompanies being an orphan. Equally, Allah does not mean that you should only feed the needy, but that you should encourage others to do likewise too; if only some people spend, this will not meet the needs of all the needy persons because of great number of needy persons in every age. No, rather all the believers must strive to encourage one another, especially when it comes to providing food, for lacking a basic means of subsistence - as we are told by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a)-causes 'the poor to be perturbed by their poverty.' 3

It is interesting that the Qur'an singles out this iniquity - failing to encourage others to feed the needy - out of all others for harsh rebuke, and categorizes it as one of the qualities of the disbelievers;

“Indeed, he had no faith in Allah, the All-supreme,” (al-Haqqah, 69:33).

“and he did not urge the feeding of the needy...” (al-Haqqah, 69:34)

16. Usurping The Property Of An Orphan

The fact that an orphan lacks a guardian is one of the reasons why some persons dare to usurp his property and treat it as their own:

“and you eat the inheritance rapaciously,” (al-Fajr, 89:19).

only to ultimately ingest fire into his belly. This is the spiritual reality (malakut) of wrongfully consuming the property of orphans.

And the verses encouraging friendliness towards orphans are Indeed, abundant, whether with regards to the orphans themselves or their property. For example, Allah says:

'...you should maintain the orphans with justice ...' (an-Nisaa’, 4:127).

'And when the division is attended by relatives, the orphans and the needy, provide for them out of it, and speak to them honourable words.' (an-Nisaa’, 4:8).

'...and do not eat up their property, mingling it with your own...’ (an-Nisaa’, 4:2).

In this surah, we read:

“No indeed! Rather you do not honour the orphan.” (al-Fajr, 89:17).

And the shift in address that this verse contains, whereby it moves from the third-person ("he") to the second-person ("you"), serves to make the prohibition of the sin more effective and the reprimand of its perpetrator more forceful!

17. Struggle

When the Qur’an attributes something to human nature, such as greed, anxiety and parsimony, as in Allah's words:

“Indeed, man has been created covetous, anxious when an ill befalls him and grudging when good comes his way” (al-Ma'arij, 70:19).

and such as the love of wealth:

“ and you love wealth with much fondness.” (al-Fajr, 89:20).

This highlights an important fact; which is that uprooting these vices from the soul and restraining oneself from following this baser nature requires that a person struggles and overcomes his low self (nafs), or else he will be pulled along by this nature just as objects are pulled to the ground by gravity.

It is worth noting here that this surah warns against some specific consequences of love for wealth; failing to honour the orphan, to feed the needy, devouring the inheritance of others, and loving to amass wealth by any means possible, whether ethically or otherwise.

Verses 21-30

كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا

No indeed! When the earth is leveled to a plain, (89:21).

وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا

And your Lord and the angels arrive in ranks, (89:22).

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ

the day when hell is brought [near), on that day man will take admonition but what will the admonition avail him? (89:23).

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي

He will say, 'Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!' (89:24).

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ

On that day none shall punish as He punishes, (89:25).

وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ

and none shall bind as He binds. (89:26).

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ

'O contented soul! (89:27).

ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً

Return to your Lord, pleased, pleasing! (89:28).

فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي

Then enter among My servants! (89:29).

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

And enter My paradise!' (89:30).

18. Magnificient Sights

When Allah says:

“No indeed! When the earth is leveled to a plain” (al-Fajr, 89:21).

this prevents the human being from attaching too much importance to the magnificent sights his eyes perceive in this world, whether these are manmade - like the towering buildings - or natural - like the firm mountains - because his heart perceives that these lofty and imposing edifices will ultimately be reduced to scattered dust:

'They question you concerning the mountains. Say, 'My Lord will scatter them like dust.” (Ta Ha, 20:105).

“Then He will leave it a level plain.” (Ta Ha, 20:106).

“You will not see any crookedness or unevenness in it!” (Ta Ha, 20:107).

Clearly, when these towering manmade and natural landmarks on earth are leveled and a new stage begins:

“and your Lord and the angels arrive in ranks,” (al-Fajr, 89:22).

then the awe of being in the divine presence at that terrifying moment will be clearly visible. How fortunate is someone to have a friendly relationship with the Master of this grandeur while he is in this world, before he sees what will become of its towering landmarks!

19. The Expression “No, Indeed!”

The word 'No, indeed!' (kalla), which is repeated twice in this surah - even though it is not visibly connected to anything - has a very deep meaning. It represents a rejection of a previous idea in preparation for receiving a new one:

a. In the first instance

“No indeed! Rather you do not honour the orphan” (al-Fajr, 89:17).

this is a rejection of their false belief that being blessed (with good life) is a mark of honour, while a tightening of provision is a mark of humiliation. This is as a preliminary step to adopting an alternative belief, namely that honouring the orphan is a mark of honour and withholding sustenance from the needy and not encouraging others to feed them is a mark of humiliation.

b. In the second instance,

“No indeed! When the earth is leveled to a plain,” (al-Fajr, 89:21).

it prepares the audience to receive the belief that a person's real honour or humiliation begins with what is made manifest on the Day of Resurrection as a result of his efforts in this world, when Allah levels the earth completely and the human being stands before his Lord as a meek servant.

20. The ‘Physical’ Form Of Allah

The Qur'an wants those who recite its verses to be people of intelligence, and this requires them to think and ponder. So, there are verses, which would appear to indicate that the Creator has a physical form, for example:

“The All-beneficent settled on the Throne.” (Ta ha, 20:5).

“The hand of Allah is above their hands.” (al-Fath, 48:10).

“Do they await anything but that Allah should come to them in the shades of the clouds.” (al-Baqarah, 2:210).

In addition to the phrase contained in this surah:

“and your Lord and the angels ARRIVE in ranks.” (al-Fajr, 89:22).

However, when a person opens the locks upon their heart and realizes it is impossible for the Creator to have a physical form as stated by this verse:

“Nothing is like unto Him” (ash-Shura, 42:11).

and because He said of Himself:

'You shall not see Me.” (al-A'raf, 7:143).

So, there is no other explanation except that there is an implicit meaning to the aforementioned verses, such as Allah's command, dominance or magnificent signs etc.

21. The Hell Being Brought Near

When we talk about the Hell being brought near on the Day of Resurrection, we can explain it either:

a. Metaphorically, meaning that it came into view for its inmates, as in Allah's saying:

“and hell is brought into view for one who sees” (an-Nazi'at, 79:36).

so, it is as though it came to them after being absent.

b. Or literally, meaning that Hell moves from its place and heads towards them, and this appears to be even more terrifying because it makes Hell seem eager to devour them, saying:

“ …... Is there any more?” (Qaf, 50:30).

And this interpretation is supported by a narration from the Prophet (S) when he was asked about Hell being brought near: 'When the first and the last are gathered, Hell is driven forth.'4

And it is narrated that the Prophet (S) was so, distressed by this that his face changed visibly and it was difficult for his companions to see him like this. And that is when this verse came down because of the severity of its contents. It is only to be expected that a person will remember his efforts in this world, but without this reminder what use is it, for on that day he will have no time left to work!

22. What The Resurrected People Will Wish For Themselves

There are a number of things that the resurrected people will wish for themselves when they see the divine punishment, including:

a. That they had not taken as a friend one who barred their way towards Allah in this world:

“Woe to me! I wish I had not taken so, and so, as a friend!” (al-Furqan, 25:28).

b. That they had not been given their record of deeds because of the humiliating details it contains:

“But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he will say, 'I wish I had not been given my book.” (al-Haqqah, 69:25).

c. That they were reduced to dust so, that there would never have been an accounting (for them) nor a record of deeds:

“Indeed, We have warned you of a punishment near at hand - the day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead and the faithless one will say, 'I wish I were (mere) dust!” (an-Naba', 78:40).

d. And what this surah records, which is that they wish they had sent something ahead for their life:

“ .... Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!” (al-Fajr, 89:24).

And it is interesting that the one speaking in the above verse, it does not say 'for my Hereafter,'. It is as if everything that came before that moment was not really life, and this is made clear in another verse:

“The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is Indeed, Life, had they known!” (al-'Ankabut, 29:64).

23. Allah’s Threats

It is the habit of Allah, the Most-Generous and Most-Forbearing, to avoid threats and warnings except where necessary, so, what about actually carrying out a threat? And what if a threat was more appropriate than a warning?

You see, man's insolence towards their Lord reaches such a level that it causes Him, the One whose mercy precedes His wrath, to threaten them with the very highest level of threat; He says:

“On that day none shall punish as He punishes,” (al-Fajr, 89:25).

“and none shall bind as He binds.” (al-Fajr, 89:26).

He places Himself in the position of the greatest force, whether we attribute ‘punishes’ or ‘binds’ to the Divine Essence - as according to the common recitation - or to the servant - according to the alternate recitation whereby 'punishes' and 'binds' are read in the passive voice (i.e. 'On that day none shall be punished as he [the servant] is punished, and none shall be bound as he [the servant] is bound'). Of course, when we ponder on this terrifying description of punishment and binding, it makes the persecution of the faithful by the disbelievers seem trivial in comparison, as what awaits the oppressors is so, severe that it cannot even be conceived!

24. The “Contented Soul”

The 'contented soul' (al-nafs al-mutma'inna) is ennobled here by being the object of Allah's direct address ('O contented soul!') even if the possessor of this soul is not a recipient of revelations!

Let it be known that the way to this state of inner peace is made clear in the Qur'an, and it is represented by remembrance (dhikr), as in Allah's saying:

“Lo! Verily in the remembrance of Allah do the hearts find rest!” (ar-Ra'd, 13:28).

And this is achieved through two means:

a. Prayer (salat): Allah says:

“Maintain the prayer for My remembrance.” (Ta Ha, 20:14).

b. The Qur'an, for He refers to His scripture:

“Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder ...” (al-Hijr, 15:9).

So, the combination of ascent, represented by prayer and descent, represented by the Qur’an can convey us to this level, and this is why Imam al-Sajjad (‘a) says: 'Even if everyone between the East and the West were to die, [and I was the last man alive,] I would not fear so, long as I had the Qur'an with me.'5

25. “Enter My Paradise”

Allah speaks about Paradise and attaches it to Himself with the words:

“enter My Paradise!” (al-Fajr, 89:30).

We do not find this expression anywhere except in this surah; and this is to convey the exceptional honour of this Paradise, which has been prepared for a group of servants whom Allah has attached to Himself. The same applies to His words:

“enter among my Servants!” (al-Fajr, 89:29).

as Allah makes entering within the ranks of His servants who have been singled out for His providence the recompense of the contented soul, and that is only because they dedicated the most sacred part of their being to Him alone - and, of course, it is their heart! - which means that He poured out contentedness upon them, causing them to become pleased with Him and pleasing to Him.

It is interesting to note here that Allah mentions - as a recompense - entering in the ranks of His servants first, that is headed by, according to a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), 'Muhammad and his Household'6 and second entering Paradise, for verily the nobleness of Paradise comes from its inhabitants, just as any place becomes noble because of the one who is in it!

26. Entering Paradise

Entering Paradise, whether this is Paradise in general or the Paradise reserved for Allah's friends (awliya’), depends on the feeling of fear of standing before one's Lord, as Allah says:

“But as for him who fears standing before his Lord and forbids the soul from desire,” (an-Nazi'at, 79:40).

“his refuge will Indeed, be paradise.” (an-Nazi'at, 79:41).

And this fear accompanies or is accompanied by a person resisting his own desires himself, as there is no fatalism meanwhile.

And here we must distinguish between the fear of standing before one's Lord and the fear of His punishment, for what radiates from Allah's closest servants is the former rather than the latter, because they would not do anything that would bring down His punishment upon them!

1. ‘La bil Mirsad’ literally means ‘in ambush’ [Note of Al-Islam]

2. See Surah al-Fajr:
“Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him)” (89:28).

3. Nahj al-Balagha, sermon no. 209.

4. Bihar al-Anwar, 7/125.

5. Al-Kafi 2/602.

6. Al-Kafi 3/127

Surah al-Balad (No. 90, 'The Town')

Verses 1-7

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

I swear not by this town, (90:1).

وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

as you reside in this town; (90:2).

وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ

by a father and what he begot: (90:3).

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

certainly We created man in travail. (90:4).

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ

Does he suppose that no one will ever have power over him? (90:5).

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا

He says, 'I have squandered immense wealth.' (90:6).

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ

Does he suppose that no one sees him? (90:7).

1. Oath By Negation

The oath that opens this surah is accompanied by the negation 'not.' This can be explained in a number of ways, and these apply to all other instances of this ambiguity. Some of these interpretations are:

a. The negation of the oath at the beginning of this surah is a real negation, meaning that Allah does not swear by a town like Mecca, while the Prophet’s (S) life, property and family are denied protection therein. For Mecca - despite its nobleness - will not be made the subject of an oath while the Prophet (S) is treated thus therein. According to this interpretation, the negation of the oath serves to extol the Prophet's (S) exalted rank in the eyes of Allah.

b. So, the object of the oath - assuming the negation is real – is already so, obvious that it does not need an oath to support it.

c. Or, if we assume that the oath is genuine, then the negation can be understood as an affirmation of it, as we see in eight other places throughout the Qur’an. According to this interpretation, the oath means 'I am swearing by this town while you live and reside therein.' In other words, this spot of ground is worthy of an oath being sworn by it, not because of its own innate nobleness, but because of the nobleness of another, namely the Prophet (S) who resides in it. So, this also, serves to extol the rank of the Prophet!

2. By A Father And What He Begot

If we say that the phrase

“by a father and what he begot:” (al-Balad 90:3).

refer to Abraham and his son, Ishmael (a2) - to accord with the mention of Mecca at the beginning of the surah - then this surah contains the human paragons of divine unity, namely Abraham ('a father'), Ishmael ('what he begot') and the Final Prophet ('as you reside in this town,') alongside the geographical centre of divine unity, namely Mecca ('I swear not by this town.'). And it is well-known that the Qur'an contains a great deal of praise for the one who built the Ka'bah, his son and his wife, for Allah is Indeed, grateful to the one who established His divine unity upon earth!

It should be noted here that Allah mentions 'a father' here in the indefinite in order to magnify Abraham, and the son is referred to as 'what he begot' instead of 'who' to signify amazement. This, in turn, demonstrates their exalted station. And the same is true of His words about the birth of Maryam:

“and Allah knew better what she had borne.” (Ale 'lmran, 3:36).

3. Level Of Discomfort

The Qur'an prepares people to endure a level of discomfort during their existence in this worldly life, so, a person should not be surprised by the difficulties he encounters because he will reap their fruits later, as Allah says:

“O man! You are labouring toward your Lord laboriously, and you will encounter Him.” (al-lnshiqaq, 84:6).

And when this surah discusses man, it speaks as though he was created in difficulty and hardship - as hyperbole in describing his condition - and this difficulty accompanies the very fact of his existence, even from the time when he was in his mother's womb until he was borne into this world, as

“ ... his mother has carried him in travail and bore him in travail” (al-Ahqaf, 46:15).

So, this difficulty follows him throughout the different stages of his life; whether it is in earning a living or being harmed by others, until the time of his death.

Of course, knowing that this difficulty will accompany him everywhere will help him to rely only upon Allah, in whose hand is relief from his sufferings and the lightening of their burden upon him.

4. Travails

Some interpreters think that the 'travail' (kabd) referred to in the verse

“certainly we created man in travail” (al-Balad 90:4).

actually means in a proportioned and upright manner, in which case the verse is similar to Allah's words:

“We certainly created man in the best of forms,” (at-Tin, 95:4).

and this meaning is appropriate to what we will encounter in the following verses, which elucidate the different ways in which man's creation has been proportioned, such as the creation of his eye, his tongue and his lip.

This is also, in harmony with the call for people to vigilantly observe themselves (muraqabah) - after seeing this amazing creation - that follows later:

“Does he suppose that no one sees him? (al-Balad, 90:7).

And to spend in Allah's way out of gratitude for these blessings:

“the freeing of a slave,” (al-Balad, 90:13).

“or feeding on a day of starvation.” (al-Balad, 90:14).

5. Difficulty And Ease

One dimension of contrast between this world and the Hereafter is that, in the former, Allah created the human being caught up in difficulty and hardship, while He placed safety and ease in the Hereafter. The crucial distinction between the two is that the hardship of this world is transient and ends with death, while the ease of the Hereafter is everlasting and endures with eternity; so, which sane person would not purchase eternal comfort at the price of temporary hardship?

In fact, we can say that even if this fleeting world were made of gold, while the everlasting abode of the Hereafter was made of clay, the Hereafter would still be superior to this world. What more when this fleeting world is made of clay and the everlasting Hereafter, of gold!

6. Spending Wealth

In this surah, the Qur’an mentions someone who has spent a large quantity of wealth:

“He says, ‘I have squandered immense wealth.’” (al-Balad, 90:6).

And these people fall into a number of categories:

a. Those who spend their wealth to show off, of whom it must be said that Allah sees them and their deeds, and knows that the intention behind their deeds is ostentation:

“Does he suppose that no one sees him?” (al-Balad, 90:7).

b. Those who spend their wealth to oppose the divine mission and persecute the Prophet (S), of whom it must be said: Allah is able to seize them and obliterate their wealth:

“Does he suppose that no one will ever have power over him?” (al-Balad, 90:5).

c. Those who spend their wealth and begrudge the fact that Allah has ordained their wealth for the poor and needy. This is like the person who said at the time of the Prophet: 'All my wealth has been squandered on expiations and donations since I adopted the religion of Muhammad!' 1 About these people it must be said that Allah has more right to begrudge them the fact that He made for them 'two eyes, a tongue and two lips.':

“Have We not made for him two eyes,” (al-Balad 90:8).

“a tongue, and two lips, al-Balad” (al-Balad, 90:9).

7. Attention To The World Of The Unseen

The Qur’an is replete with verses that invite people to look at themselves by calling their attention to the world of the unseen, which in turn causes them to cleave to Allah inwardly and vigilantly observe their own behaviour outwardly. Some of these verses are:

“Does he not know that Allah sees?” (al-‘Alaq, 96:14).

“…... is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness to all things?” (Fussilat, 41:53).

And in this surah:

“Does he suppose that no one sees him?” (al-Balad 90:7).

The upshot of all these verses is that Allah sees His servant in all of the vicissitudes of life, not to mention the fact that the servant is forever in Allah's grasp:

“Does he suppose that no one will ever have power over him?” (al-Balad 90:5).

So, the fact that man experiences hardship and toil should nurture inner reverence, just as it occasions - even if it is not always accompanied by - outward reverence and humility.

8. Belief In Higher Realities

The problem with every person who strays from the path of guidance is that he sees reality only through the lens of himself; he does not believe in higher realities save to the extent that he can imagine them, and he denies some of them out of arrogant disdain, without any solid reason for doing so. This is why these two verses rebuke him with the refrain: 'Does he suppose ...?'

Therefore, the only way to free themselves from this state is by altering this supposition so, that it conforms to the desires of the Master who not only sees the servant but also, has complete power over him. What is particularly noteworthy here is that these people, through their mistaken assumptions, deny two things that are obvious to any person of intelligence: First, that anyone can see them; and second, that anyone has power over them. And what foolish suppositions these are!

Verses 8-16

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ

Have We not made for him two eyes (90:8).

وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

a tongue, and two lips, (90:9).

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ

and shown him the two paths [of good and evil]? (90:10).

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

Yet he has not embarked upon the uphill task. (90:11).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ

And what will show you what is the uphill task? (90:12).

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

[It is] the freeing of a slave, (90:13).

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ

or feeding on a day of starvation, (90:14).

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

or an orphan among relatives, (90:15).

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ

or a needy man in desolation, (90:16).

9. “Making”

The verses of the Qur'an allude to more than seventy instances of 'making' (ja'l) in both the tangible world and the other (the unseen); we find one such instance in this surah, whereby Allah says 'Did we not make...?' and this extends to more than one manifestation of His power. But what matters here is not the act of making or the object made in itself - for that is the province of Lordship (rububiyyah). Rather it is that the person comprehends this act of making and turns it into a means for reflection and perceiving the generosity and power of the Maker, and this goal is what is sought from the province of servanthood ('ubudiyya).

10. Pondering On The Human Body

In order to realise the magnitude of Allah's generosity, a person does not need to travel to distant lands or plumb the depths of their soul. It is sufficient that he considers the contents of his own body, and especially those incredible signs that Allah has deposited in his head; 'two eyes' and their wonders; not only are they organs of perception, but they are also, a medium through which we can convey feelings and emotions, or even spiritual influence, as is well known; 'a tongue' which serves amazing purposes, whether in chewing, speaking or swallowing; 'two lips' which are essential for speech, for they are the final instrument for forming sounds after the throat and mouth cavity... and it should be obvious that the act of speaking with one's tongue and lips is one of the most complex processes in existence, as it involves taking thought, which exists beyond the senses, and expressing it in a sensible format; and through these two processes of thought and expression that all forms of human learning and knowledge are ultimately transmitted.

In short, pondering on the human being, in body and soul, is equivalent to the acts of travelling to faraway places and delving into the depths of the soul put together!

11. Inner Guidance

Allah frequently affirms the reality of inner guidance (hidayah batiniyyah) for the human being. For example, He says:

“and inspired it with its virtues and vices.”(ash-Shams, 91:8).
In this surah, He says:

“and shown him the two paths” (al-Balad 90:10).

and the word 'two paths' (najdayn) contains a subtle meaning, in that a najd originally refers to a raised road. And when you consider that every road exists to facilitate the travel of wayfarers upon it, and then what about one that is raised up high with clear landmarks?

The reason Allah places so, much emphasis on this reality is so, that no one can claim that there was nothing to remind them of their moral duties when they were committing sins which are innately known (bil-fitrah), such as lying, oppression and the like. This is because the rebuke of the conscience is one of the most effective arguments against committing sins, and it is something that exists in each and every human being!

12. Outer Faculties Of Judgment

There is a clear relation between two eyes and two lips on the one hand, and two paths on the other; just as Allah has represented a person's inner faculties of judgment through his innate knowledge of good and evil, he has also, made their outer faculties of judgment two eyes, which can easily lower the gaze, and two lips which easily can restrain the tongue.

This means there is no excuse for anyone who misuses his sight or speech, whether for something forbidden or for the purposes of prying.

13. Overpowering Desires

What is desired from a person in this life is to boldly overcome the obstacles that stand in his way, and this is achieved by overpowering the desires (hawa) and appetites (mushtahiyat) of the low self (nafs). So, just as piety (birr) cannot be attained without a person spending from that which he loves, neither can the barriers on his journey towards Allah be overcome except by undertaking tasks that are difficult for them, such as:

“the freeing of a slave” (al-Balad 90:13).

which is something that might require a lot of wealth, or spending on others in a time of shortage:

“…feeding on a day of starvation”. (al-Balad 90:14).

The difference being that the first involves freeing a person in his entirety from the ties of bondage, while the second involves freeing him specifically from hunger. And these are of such importance that the Qur'an introduces them with the refrain:

“And what will show you...?” (al-Balad 90:12).

which is only used for concepts whose reality it is difficult for people to grasp, and this shows the recompense for these deeds, which is hidden from them in this world, is something which cannot even be conceived!

14. Spending Wealth Or Feeding Others

When a believer wants to spend his wealth in the way of Allah, or feed others for the sake of His love, he will look to the nearest means to obtain His pleasure in the details of that act of devotion.

In other words, he will be keen to choose the best examples of that general category of actions. And so, these verses hold some indications of other preferred groups after having established the general prerogative of action. These groups are:

a. 'An orphan' because of the pains he suffers as a result of having no one to look after him.

b. A relative: 'amongst relatives'

“or an orphan among relatives,” (al-Balad, 90:15).

c. Someone who is destitute

“... A needy man in desolation” (al-Balad, 90:16).

d. And it is best on days in which their needs are most pronounced, such as a day of deprivation;

“ .... on a day of starvation.” (al-Balad 90:14).

15. Freeing Slaves And Feeding The Hungry

The apparent meaning of these verses is concerned with freeing slaves and feeding the hungry in the physical realm, and counts this as overcoming an obstacle, noting that the verses do not specify that the recipients of this kindness must be pious or even Muslims. So, what about in the spiritual realm? Meaning someone who frees a Muslim slave from Hellfire, or looks after an orphan of Muhammad's Household (‘a); what sort of recompense could a person who does this expect on the Day of Resurrection?

This interpretation is supported by the tradition: 'Allah revealed to Moses: "Endear me to my creation, and endear my creation to me." Moses asked: "My Lord, how should I do that?" He said: "Remind them of by blessings and gifts so, that they will love me, for if you return a fugitive to my door, or save one who has strayed from ruin, this is better for you than a hundred years of worship - fasting by day and keeping vigil by night!" Moses said: "And who is this fugitive of whom you speak?" Allah said: "A rebellious sinner"' 2

Verses 17-20

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

then being one of those who have faith and who enjoin one another to patience, and enjoin one another to compassion. (90:17).

أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

They are the people of good fortune. (90:18).

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

But those who defy Our signs, they are the people of ill-omen. (90:19).

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ

[Imposed] upon them will be a closed Fire. (90:20).

16. Overcoming Obstacles

Spending wealth on others - especially in times of difficulty - is a manifestation of overcoming the obstacles that are connected to a person's limbs in the realm of action. But this is also, a manifestation of another obstacle that is connected to the appendages of his soul, as represented by Allah's words:

“then being one of those who have faith and who enjoin one another to patience, and enjoin one another to compassion.” (al-Balad, 90:17).

This spiritual level is higher than that of the physical level we have just mentioned, because the actions of the body stem from the activities of the soul. And perhaps this is why this clause is introduced with the conjunction 'then' (thumma); to indicate that there is a gap between different levels, rather than a gap in time.

Therefore, we must always develop our spirituality in parallel with our outward activities as follows:

a. Faith (lman): ‘those who have faith’ because without being grounded in a foundation of correct belief, there is no possibility of self-development.

b. Adopting a mentality of being keen to see other people develop and grow:

“ ... who enjoin one another to patience……” (al-Balad, 90:17).

as represented by advising one another to be steadfast, whether this is patience in times of difficulty, to be steadfast in obedience, or to be steadfast in restraint against forbidden acts.

c. Kindness towards others represented by nurturing compassion among themselves: They

“ .... enjoin one another to compassion' (al-Balad, 90:17).

which includes observing the rights of the Creator and the Creation, as we read in Surah al-'Asr:

“and enjoin one another to truth, and enjoin one another to patience.” (al-'Asr, 103:3).

And one instance of this truth is enjoining one another to compassion.

17. Patience And Compassion

When the Qur'an mentions righteous deeds, it usually does so, in conjunction with faith, but in this surah it mentions patience and compassion instead. But there is nothing strange about this, because together these two things result in righteous deeds - whether obligatory or supererogatory - in addition to the presence of two other distinguishing factors in the phrase about enjoining one another to patience and compassion:

a. By this enjoining of one another (tawasi), righteous action will spread throughout society.

b. That this mutual enjoinment lays the foundations of righteous deeds; someone who practices patience and makes himself feel compassion towards other people will be motivated to do righteous deeds.

18. Enjoining Each Other

In a society of believers, development cannot be achieved through just one group of people enjoining others to good deeds, so, that people are divided into those who preach and those who listen to the preaching. Instead, what is desired here is that everyone enjoins one another – ‘and enjoin one another' - meaning that everyone is simultaneously a preacher and a listener, because all human beings are affected by moments of heedlessness and lapses, save those whom Allah has protected.

And the effect of this mutual enjoinment is that actions will become states of being (halat), which will in turn become customs ('adat) and finally habits (malakat), which is the ultimate goal.

19. Calling Others

Through the Qur'an, Allah teaches his servants the right methods of calling others towards His way: Even though He is the sovereign of everything and its owner, and - if He wanted to - He has the right to demand that His servants blindly obey His commands and prohibitions, He does not do this. Instead, He tries to persuade them through various types of speech. This surah contains a number of ways in which He influences His servants, for example by mentioning:

a. Specific instances of good deeds instead of a general and ambiguous call; He mentions freeing a slave and spending wealth on others on a day of hunger, especially on orphan relatives and needy persons in abject poverty.

b. Things which inspire them to offer thanks that they owe to their Creator, by mentioning the creation of the eyes, the tongue and the lips.

c. Activities which cause non-believers to take note of them; and that is by making a general call to do good deeds that include non-Muslims as well, such as freeing them from slavery or giving alms to them.

d. To avoid creating a special class of preachers a degree above everyone else, the command comes to enjoin one another to patience.

e. To guarantee prosperity in their worldly lives as well, so, that their only goals will not be the afterlife, the command comes to enjoin one another to compassion.

20. The Final Outcomes In The Hereafter

The majority of people see good and bad omens in baseless signs, like a crow or other animals, but the last verses of this surah want to firmly establish this on the basis of final outcomes in the Hereafter:

“ …… the people of good fortune” (al-Balad, 90:18).

are those who cross the bridge (sirat) safely, while the

“ .... people of ill-omen” (al-Balad, 90:19).

are those who did not, and both of these groups are determined by their (conduct during their) brief existence in this world.

Being wicked and of ill-omen entail one another, as does being noble and of good fortune. And we can glean this from the discourse of Salman when he was asked: 'Who are you, and what worth are you!' He replied: 'As for my beginning and yours, it was a lowly drop. As for my end and yours, it is a rotting corpse. But when the Day of Judgment comes and the scales are set up, then whosoever's scales weigh heavy is noble, and whosoever's scales weigh light is wicked.'3

21. Punishment

The verse of punishment in this surah does not offer any details about its different forms, but it suffices to deter people because it says 'a fire' in the indefinite to convey its magnitude!

“[Imposed] upon them will be a closed Fire.” (al-Balad, 90:20).

Add to this the fact that it mentions something that intensifies the punishment, namely that this fire is brought down upon them from above as well, because of the words 'over them' ('alayhim), which belongs to the same category as the verse

“.... a Fire whose curtains will surround them …...” (al-Kahf, 18:29).

But how does this intensify the punishment? Well, if someone who is being punished feels that he has no way to escape it, this makes it all the more painful. Not to mention the fact that he will dwell therein forever, something always mentioned as a recompense for the disbelievers and those who deny Allah's signs.

1. Bihar al-Anwar, 18/174.

2. Bihar al-Anwar, 2/4.

3. Bihar al-Anwar, 22/355.

Surah ash-Shams (No. 91, 'The Sun')

Verses 1-10

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا

By the sun and her forenoon splendour, (91:1).

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا

by the moon when he follows her, (91:2).

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا

by the day when it revealed her, (91:3).

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا

by the night when it covers her, (91:4).

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا

by the sky and that which built it, (91:5).

وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا

by the earth and that which spread it, (91:6).

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا

by a soul and that which fashioned it, (91:7).

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

and inspired it with its vices and virtues: (91:8).

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا

felicitous is he who refines it, (91:9).

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا

failed is he who buries it. (91:10).

1. Oaths Of The Qur’an

There is definitely a connection between the oaths of the Qur'an and the object of these oaths, but someone must ponder on the Qur'an in order to discover that. This is one aspect of the wisdom behind Allah invoking such oaths, for He is too exalted to need an oath in order to dispel any doubts about what He says, as people sometimes need in courts of law, for instance!

Accordingly, we can say that the association between these oaths, as represented by that between the wonders of creation and human self-refinement, is that Allah has placed everything in existence at a person's disposal in order that he might reach this level of perfection, by which I mean self-refinement. Without this fruit, a person's own existence is thrown into discord with the rest of existence, because all mute beings attain the purpose of their existence, it is only this rational being that does not! And this idea is affirmed in a hadith qudsi: 'O son of Adam! I created everything for you, and I created you for Me.'1

2. The Number And Quality Of Oaths

Oaths in the surahs of the Qur'an differ in their number and quality. With regards to quality, they differ according to their relatum, whether this is celestial phenomena

“By the sky, by the nightly visitor ...” (at-Tariq, 86:1).

or terrestrial ones:

“And the earth and that which spread it...” (ash-Shams, 91:6).

or wonders of the soul:

“And a soul and Him Who perfected it...” (ash-Shams, 91:7).

or those of the Hereafter:

“by the Promised Day.” (al-Buruj, 85:2).

By number, these groups of oaths vary from one to four:

One:

“By Time...!” (al- Asr, 103:1).

Two:

“By the morning brightness,” (ad-Duha, 93:1).

“by the night when it is calm ...!” (ad-Duha, 93:2).

Three:

“By the night when it covers,” (al-Layl, 92:1)

“by the day when it brightened,” (al-Layl, 92:2)

“by Him who created the male and the female...” (al-Layl, 92:3)

Four:

“By the fig and the olive, by Mount Sinai, by this secure town:” (at-Tin, 95:1-3)

Five:

“By the Dawn,” (al-Fajr, 89:1)

“by the ten nights,” (al-Fajr, 89:2)

“by the Even and the Odd,” (al-Fajr, 89:3)

“by the night when it departs!” (al-Fajr, 89:4)

But the number in this surah reaches eleven oaths, and all of these are directed towards a single object; the soul (nafs):

“Successful is he who refines it.” (ash-Shams, 91:9)

And this indicates that the basis of all excellence in this world and the Hereafter is nothing other than this, or else it would not deserve these repeated oaths to be sworn upon it.

At this point, it is interesting to note that we do not find anywhere in the Qur'an a build-up such as this for any other aspect of the religion. And this shows that what Allah desires from His servant is that affair that lies beyond outward worship, namely that he liberates himself from immoral qualities and habits in his inner realm. The results are usually felt in the external realm as a matter of necessity.

3. The Phrase “Reveals Her”

“by the day when it revealed her,” (ash-Shams, 91:3).

Some scholars connect the pronoun in 'reveals her’ to the earth, in which case there is no ambiguity, but some others connect to the Sun in the sense that the day -which is caused by the Sun - reveals the Sun, and this contains an obvious ambiguity. In order to resolve this, we say that because the Sun is too far away for people to reach, the way it appears to people is not the same as the way other things on the earth do, while the fact is that the day, in whose light people live and whose blessings they benefit from, is something obvious because of how immediate it is to their senses. This is exactly the same as the image in a mirror, which merely reflects the original object, but in doing so, also, reveals it.

In this sense it can be said that the servant who calls others towards Allah is like the day, which reveals the shining, Sun; he is a guide towards Allah. And this is exactly the situation with regards to reviving the remembrance of the Prophet and his Household (‘a); mercy has been promised to those who revive their cause, while the truth is that those who revive their cause are on a lower level than the ones whose remembrance they are reviving!

4. The Phrase “Ma” (That Which)

“by the sky and that which built it,” (ash-Shams, 91:5).

Something that has caught the eyes of Qur'an commentators is the use of the pronoun 'that which' (ma) instead of 'He who' (man) to refer to the Creator in these verses. This is to allude to the wondrous and mysterious force - at least, according to our limited perception - by which the heavens, the earth and the soul all exist. The verse refers to instances of inanimate beings such as the Sun and earth, and also, the intangible ones such as the soul, which, unlike the former two entities, is referred to in the indefinite form - 'a soul' - to indicate its greatness.

Hence it is necessary to move conceptually from the manifestation of greatness to the source of greatness. This is a problem that scientists have when they study the natural world. They are amazed by the creation, without moving from that to the Creator, and so, their studies do not help them become closer to Him, nor do we see that fear promised to Allah's servants with knowledge. Finally, the joining of the Divine Essence to His creations - in the context of the oaths - obviously signifies the greatness of the creation mentioned in conjunction with its Creator!

5. Another Interpretation Of The Phrase “Ma” (That Which)

It is also, possible to interpret 'that which' (ma) in the aforementioned verse to refer to the divine laws that govern the universe and which are responsible for raising the heavens:

“by the sky and that which built it” (ash-Shams, 91:5).

and leveling the earth:

“by the earth and that which spread it,” (ash-Shams, 91:6).

for example the law of gravity which provides all heavenly bodies with their paths of orbit. From this we understand that we can place the creation of all the fixed elements of the universe in one hand, and the laws that govern these fixed elements in the other.

Of course, the one who comprehends these laws is the human being, or else animals would have perception equal to that of humans, or even better than ours, as we know that the physical senses of many animals are superior to those of humans. But animals are not able to logically reason and connect an effect to its cause.

6. The “Soul”

Just as the 'soul' (nafs) can refer to the spirit (ruh), as in:

“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death,” (az-Zumar, 39:42).

it can also, refer to something that includes the body as well; for example, in Allah's saying:

“Indeed, I have killed one of their persons, so, I fear they will kill me.” (al-Qasas, 28:33).

In this surah, the fashioning mentioned in the verse:

“by a soul and that which fashioned it,” (ash-Shams, 91:7).

could refer to either the spirit or the body, for Allah has employed His power of creation in both of them together, as He has extolled Himself by saying:

“…...blessed is Allah, Lord of all the worlds!” (al-Ghafir, 40:64).

after creating the body and infusing it with the spirit. And this is alluded to by His saying:

“Then We produced him another creation.'” (al-Mu'minoon, 23:14).

7. Conscience

The verse which attributes inspiration (ilham) to Allah, saying:

“and inspired it with its virtues and vices,” (ash-Shams, 91:8).

is one of the means by which Allah's servants will be left without any excuse on the Day of Resurrection; they cannot make the plea that they had no external reminder, because the Lord of the Worlds has inspired them with a conscience that acts as an internal messenger (rasul batini) which every person has.

8. Divine Inspiration

It is interesting to note that in this verse, Allah has said that the recipient of divine inspiration is the human soul, and that He has said this categorically without stipulating that this soul must have faith. In the same vein, He has made the subject of the verses:

“Rather man is a witness to himself,” (al-Qiyamah, 75:14).

“though he should offer his excuses.” (al-Qiyamah, 75:15).

categorically the human being as well,]. And He states that all mankind - as opposed to a particular group - are recipients of fitrah (humanness by nature);

“ ……... the nature (framed) of Allah, in which He hath created man ...” (ar-Room, 30:30).

All of this shows us that staying true to one's original humanity and moral probity does not require anything extraneous to the human being himself.

But to this we must add that the mission of the prophets is reminding people of the call of their own original humanity, preventing this from being snuffed out by obstinacy, and then guiding people to the particular forms of obedience that cannot be apprehended by reason. But in spite of that, the responsibility for self-refinement ultimately falls to the person himself, which is why Allah attributes it to the person, saying:

“felicitous is He who refines it.” (ash-Shams, 91:9).

9. Inspiration

Inspiration here refers to Allah effusing that, which will aid man in conceptualizing (tasawwur) and verifying (tasdiq) in the realm of moral good and evil (or theoretical wisdom). And this represents the lowest degree of inspired guidance for the human soul.

But we can also, ask this. What is there, after the door of Allah's mercy has been opened through judicious self-refinement, to prevent the door of Allah's effusion opening with regards to those things that will aid the person in discerning what is right and wrong in his personal behaviour (namely, practical wisdom), so, that his conduct in respect of each particular issue he faces will be on the straight path, as well as his general outlook in life? This is something that we seek through every unit of salat (prayer) - whether obligatory or supererogatory - in recitation of the surah al-Fatihah.

10. Vice And Virtue 1

Etymologically, vice (fujur) means to rend the curtain of religiosity just as daybreak (fajr) means to rend the darkness of the night, while virtue (taqwa) means to protect the soul from harm. This means that whomsoever Allah has inspired with these two affairs, as necessitated by His words:

“and inspired it with its vices and virtues” (ash-Shams, 91:8).

has been granted the means to obtain this protective veil, and also, to remove the barriers to those things that tear it, and this is the basis of moral excellence, unlike:

a. Those who tear this veil by perpetrating vices; do they imagine they can stitch it back together after ripping it like this?

b. Those who remove protection from themselves by forgoing virtue; do they believe that the devils will not take charge of their affairs?

11. Vice And Virtue 2

Perhaps the reason why vices are mentioned before virtues in the realm of inspiration:

“and inspired it with its vices and virtues” (ash-Shams, 91:8)

is that a person must shed his iniquities before adorning himself with virtues. Another reason may be that our original human nature (fitrah) is instinctively repelled by the wrongness of vice, and hence the culpability of one who engages in vices is greater than that of one who forgoes virtue, because he has gone against his own conscience!

This is what happened to the one who hamstrung the she-camel,2 for he had challenged Divine Lordship as represented by this miracle camel, and thereby violated it; this was not simply a case of disobeying Allah in practise because of giving preference to some inclination or desire. Hence the divine punishment came down upon him and his people, a punishment unique in its severity and scope!

12. Felicity 1

Everyone in existence is striving for felicity (falah) according to their own viewpoint, but the problem arises when putting this into practice and identifying those things that will bring them this felicity. So, some think it will result from:

a. Worldly enjoyments, like the people of Korah (Qarun):

“ ...would that we had like of what Korah has been given! Indeed, he is lord of rare good fortunate.” (al-Qisas, 28:79).

b. Knowledge familiar to themselves, as in Allah's saying of those who used their knowledge for worldly gain:

“they exulted in the knowledge they possessed'” (al-Ghafir, 40:83).

c. Amassing wealth and children:

'I have more wealth than you, and am stronger with respect to number (of men and following).” (al-Kahf, 18:34).

d. Power and authority over others: “Today he who has the upper hand will be joyful!” (Ta Ha, 20:64).

But the Qur'an settles this argument by saying that felicity belongs only to:

“... he who refines it” (ash-Shams, 91:9).

not 'he who has the upper hand’.

13. Felicity 2

When the Qur'an mentions felicity resulting from doing good deeds, it mentions it in the form of anticipation;

“ …...and do good, so, that you may be felicitous.” (al-Hajj, 22:77).

while felicity resulting from selfrefinement is mentioned as if it has already been achieved;

“felicitous is he who refines it.” (ash-Shams, 91:9).

In this we can discern the distinction between the actions of the soul and the actions of the limbs: The relation of the first to the second is like the relation between roots and branches; in other words, if there are healthy roots, a lush tree will grow. And this is supported by the prophetic tradition: 'A believer's intention is better than his deeds!'3

14. Felicity 3

When the Qur'an speaks categorically, it intends an all-inclusive meaning, so, long as there is no qualifier to the contrary. For example, when the Qur'an uses the words 'faith' (lman) and 'righteous deeds' ('amal salih) in a multitude of verses, this denotes faith and righteous deeds in their most comprehensive and complete sense. The same applies in this verse ('felicitous is he who refines it') as this also, denotes self-refinement in its broadest sense, whether this has to do with beliefs, senses or actions; and these are the three dimensions of our existence.

This meaning is supported by the fact that the felicity referred to here is also, mentioned in another verse;

“Felicitous are the believers,” (al-Mu'minoon, 23:1).

which is followed by verses detailing the qualities of the faithful, including avoiding idle talk, which some people might see as unnecessary for self-development. This indicates that the scope in which one must pursue self-refinement if he desires felicity.

15. Self-Refinement 1

Self-refinement (tazkiyah) is a voluntary action that a person undertakes on his own accord. Otherwise, this would be a matter of determinism (jabr) and there would be no point in divine reward and punishment. It has been narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): 'You have been made the physician of your own soul; you have been shown the illness, taught the meaning of health and instructed in its proper treatment; so, look to how you take care of yourself!' 4

Yet in spite of this, a person should supplicate wholeheartedly for Allah to assist him with himself for his own sake, and against his enemy for his own sake, for it has been narrated that when Allah's Messenger recited this verse 'felicitous is he who refines it' he stopped and said: 'O Allah! Grant my soul its virtue and purify it above its purification, You are its keeper and its master!' (allahumma aat nafsi taqwaha, wa zakha anta khayra min zakaha, anta waliyuha wa mawlaha)5

This meaning is supported by Allah's words:

“Were it not for Allah's grace and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever be pure. But Allah purifies whomever He wishes...” (an-Nur, 24:21).

And there is no contradiction between a person refining his own soul and Allah purifying him, just as there is no contradiction in bringing about an action between the one who helps and the one who is being helped!

16. Self-Refinement 2

Calling self-refinement tazkiyah - lit. 'nurturing' - contains a kind of encouragement and motivation for those who struggle against themselves, for the fruit of this struggle is growth and development and not merely purification from one's faults. In the words of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) concerning the connection between knowledge and its increase, we read: 'Knowledge grows as it is spent.'6

In other words, someone who refines himself is granting himself an excellence that will please him, not denying himself an enjoyment that will satisfy him! For what causes some people to abandon this path is a fear of deprivation, while the truth is that if they encounter such deprivation on this path, it is a stage in their development; it is worthwhile for them to forgo some short-term enjoyment for the sake of eternal perfection ... how interesting it is that worldly people will endure the deprivation of one thing to secure something better, so, why don't we learn from them in this matter?

17. Self-Refinement 3

There is a considerable distance between a sprouting seed whose planter watches as it grows day by day until it yields its harvest, and between a seed whose owner buries it in the ground, only for it to die before it sprouts.

This is the condition of someone who does not take the path of self-refinement, as expressed by the words:

“failed is he who buries it” (ash-Shams, 91:10).

for he has buried the soul entrusted to his care in the grave of his desires and lusts, just as the pre-Islamic Arabs would bury the daughters entrusted to their care beneath the ground:

“ ...or bury it in the ground!” (an-Nahl, 16:59).

So, the expression 'bury' (dass) is the same in both verses; as if the person who buries his soul and the one who buries his child alive are on a similar level in the essence of their sin, even if this is not apparent at first glance.

It is interesting that the Arabic word qad (signifying emphasis) is repeated for both felicity and failure, to show that the oaths sworn above apply equally to both of these realities.

18. Failure

The one who realizes the meaning of 'burying' (dass) in himself instead of 'refinement' (tazkiyah) has actually grown in a way contrary to what is natural and healthy; hence why he is afflicted by failure and frustration! So, Allah's word 'failed' shows this failure with a view to the effect this burial will have on the Day of Resurrection; and this could be the group of people the Qur’an was describing with the words:

“Those whose endeavour goes awry in the life of the world, while they suppose they are doing good work.” (al-Kahf, 18:104).

And what a difference there is between the person who will be surprised by his failure on the Day of Resurrection, and the person who senses felicity in this world before reaching the Hereafter!

Verses 11-15

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا

Thamud denied out of their rebellion, (91:11).

إِذِ انْبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا

when the most wretched of them rose up. (91:12).

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ وَسُقْيَاهَا

But then the Messenger of Allah said lo them, 'Let Allah's she-camel drink!'(91:13).

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنْبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا

But they impugned him and then they hamstrung her, so, their lord took them unawares by night because of their sin, and leveled it. (91:14).

وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَاهَا

And he does not fear its outcome. (91:15).

19. Disbelief

The greatest sin, which causes someone to be imprisoned in Hellfire forever, is disbelief (kufr). This sin might not emerge from a person all at once; history is replete with examples of apostasy by people from whom it was never thought possible! And the source of this disbelief is the outward sins, which builds up until they blind a person to the very foundation of their faith in the Exalted Creator! So, the one who hamstrung the she-camel was already 'wretched' (shaqi) by virtue of having committed sins. But he became 'most-wretched' (al-ashqa) by challenging the gift of the heavens and the message of the Prophets. His rebellion became a cause of his denial, as we understand from the causal relationship implied by the Arabic particle ba' (translated as 'out of’ above) in His words:

“Thamud denied out of their rebellion.” (ash-Shams, 91:11).

We can also, apply the verse:

“Then the fate of those who committed misdeeds was that they denied the signs of Allah and they used to deride them” (ar-Room, 30:10).

to this context as well; sins begin with misdeeds and ultimately lead to rejection of faith and denial.

20. Rebellion

A failed person is someone who buries himself in the darkness of the soil like the infant girls buried during the age of ignorance, but the matter does not end here - if only he was a thing undone! No, because rebellion (tughyan) is like planting the seed from which a wicked tree will grow; and Allah expresses this crime with His words:

“when the most wretched of them rose up” (ash-Shams, 91:12).

showing that the source of His wretchedness was in plain sight and not buried.

And the words 'rose up' (inbi'ath) could imply some degree of obstinacy or resolve to confront the messenger who had warned them against harassing Allah's she-camel.

21. The She-Camel Of Prophet Salih

All creatures in this universe belong to Allah insofar as they are created - and this includes all the she-camels on the earth - but Allah honours the she-camel of Salih (‘a) in particular by claiming her as His own, just it as applies to the Black Stone, Joseph's shirt and Moses' ark, and this is why daring to hamstring her invited such a painful punishment.

And if this all applies to an animal which Allah singles out for concern, what more a righteous person, who is called Allah's monument on the earth (bunyan allahu fi al-ard)?

22. Approving Doing Of Bad Deeds

The one who actually undertook to kill the she-camel reached the apex of wretchedness, as Allah says:

“when the most wretched of them rose up.” (ash-Shams, 91:12).

This shows that when the accumulated sins reach their peak in the realm of actions, their felony reach its peak in terms of the consequences, and this is something we see clearly in the cases of the greatest tyrants in history!

But we should also, take stock of the fact that other members of his community approved of his action, even if they did not perform the deed themselves, and that is why they were encompassed by its tribulation. And even though only one person actually hamstrung the camel, the verse attributes the crime to all of them;

“ …... they hamstrung her....” (ash-Shams, 91:14).

This is as the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) describes them: 'Allah enveloped all of them with punishment, because all of them had approved [of the crime.]' 7 And by the same token, approving the deeds of a righteous people means that you have a share in their reward. This means we must first be cautions in mixing with tyrants, second of approving of their deeds, and third of emulating their attributes.

23. Sensory Similitudes

The Qur’an makes a habit of offering sensory similitudes of things, such as a lantern to explain its light, and sending down water from the heavens to the earth to explain the nature of worldly life, as analogies in relation to the concepts that it aims to convey to mankind.

One such similitude mentioned in this surah is someone who abandons virtue (taqwa) and actually takes the path of vice is the same as the people of Thamud; that is because they abandoned self-refinement and thus fell into the sin of hamstringing the shecamel, which represents a challenge to one of Allah's signs namely the she-camel which He sent - which in turn brought down upon them a divine punishment so, severe it leveled their homes to the ground;

“ ……so, their Lord took them unawares by night because of their sin, and leveled it.” (ash-Shams, 91:14).

24. Pondering On The Consequences Of Actions

One of the ways in which people are prevented from committing evil is by pondering on the consequences of their actions, whether desirable or otherwise in the sight of Allah, and it is up to Him whether or not He grants respite! It is Indeed, strange that people do not take a lesson from the lives of those in the past. As a result, they end up repeating the very sins that brought about their ruin. Had the person who hamstrung the she-camel thought about the punishment that befell those whom Allah annihilated before them, he would not have dared to challenge the prophet of his own time!

This is the meaning we glean if we say that the subject of the words:

“And he does not fear its outcome' (ash-Shams, 91:15).

is the one who hamstrung the camel, but we can also, say that 'he' here refers to Allah, meaning that He does not fear sending down His punishment upon the obstinate, unlike the kings of this world who sometimes fear the consequences of taking revenge on others, because they know that one day the tables might be turned against them, as often is the case!

1. Bihar al-Anwar, 22/355.

2. Referring to the story of Prophet Salih, see below and also, Surah Hud:
“And, O my people! this will be (as) Allah's she-camel for you, a sign; therefore, leave her to pasture on Allah's earth and do not touch her with evil, for then a near chastisement will overtake you.” (11:64).
“But they slew her, so he said: Enjoy yourselves in your abode for three days, that is a promise not to be belied.” (11:65).

3. Bihar al-Anwar, 4/178.

4. Jami' ahadith al-Shi'a 13/246.

5. Bihar al-Anwar, 92/220.

6. Bihar al-Anwar, 1/188.

7. Bihar al-Anwar, 97/95.

Surah al-Layl, (no. 92: 'The Night')

Verses 1-11

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ

By the night when it covers, (92:1).

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ

by the day when it brightened, (92:2).

وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ

by that which created the male and the female (92:3).

إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ

your endeavours are Indeed, unlike. (92:4)

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ

As for him who gives and is Godwary (92:5).

وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ

and confirms the best promise, (92:6).

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

We shall surely facilitate him into ease. (92:7).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ

But as for him who is stingy and thinks himself self-sufficient, (92:8).

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ

and denies the best promise, (92:9).

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

We shall surely facilitate him into hardship. (92:10).

وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰ

His wealth shall not avail him when he perishes. (92:11).

1. “The Night”

'The Night' (al-layl) is mentioned in three successive surahs of the Qur'an; Surah al-Shams, Surah al-Layl, and Surah al-Duha, each time using similar language:

“By the night when it covers her”, (ash-Shams, 91:4).

“By the night when it covers,” (ad-Duha, 93:2).

“by the night when it is calm!” (ad-Duha, 93:2).

In the first two instances, the night is associated with envelopment (ghashyan), but what it is that the night covers, is not unanimously agreed:

a. Some say that it covers the day, drawing support from Allah's saying:

“He draws the night's cover over the day.” (ar-Ra'd, 13:3 & al-A'raf, 7:54).

b. Others that it covers the Sun, with reference to Allah's words:

“By the night when it covers her.” (ash-Shams, 91:4).

c. That it covers everything concealed by darkness, based on Allah's words:

“and from the evil of the dark night...” (al-Falaq, 113:3).

And perhaps the reason for this emphasis on the night - in the context of oaths sworn by these recurring dimensions - is to highlight the magnificence of the way in which it has been fashioned; the cycle of night and day is related to the dynamics of massive celestial bodies, such as the Earth and Moon, rotating on their axes and motions in relation to an even greater body like the Sun.

The goal here is to call attention to the power that keeps these planets turning, and Allah refers to this with His words:

“It is He who made the night and the day alternate for one who desires to take admonition, or desires to show gratitude.” (al-Furqan, 25:62).

The result of this day-night cycle is that the changing nature of time; activities during the day and rest during the night. That rest hours sometimes allow man to unwind and it also, provides an opportunity for him to be alone with Allah, especially in the last part of the night:

“and at dawns they would plead for forgiveness.” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:18).

2. “Covers”

Some scholars have suggested that the present tense is used for the verb 'covers' in the verses:

“by the night when it covers” (al-Layl, 92:1).

and

“by the night when it covers her” (ash-Shams, 91:4).

to indicate continuity. However, the Qur'an uses past tense verbs for the day in the same stretch:

“by the day when it brightened,” (al-Layl, 92:2).

and

“by the day when it revealed her.” (ash-Shams, 91:3).

So, it is suggested:

a. That the disparity between past tense and present tense for day and night is an allusion to the time of prophecy, in that the darkness of the ignorance still enveloped the land. And this obviously contains an element of ta'wil.

b. That a past tense verb following the conditional particle 'when' (idha) yields the meaning of present tense.

c. It is also, said that the original meaning intended was 'when it reveals.'

d. That the default state of being is that of night - namely the absence of a light source to bring about the day - so, it is as though the night is something pervasive and ongoing, and this is supported by Allah's words:

“...and He draws the night's cover over the day, which pursues it swiftly……” (al-A'raf, 7:54).

This suggests that the night is the stronger of the two, because it pursues the day and chases it swiftly.

The lesson we learn from these verses and others like them is that the Qur'an is deliberately vague in some issues - despite it being a scripture sent to inspire remembrance - because it wants to awaken the human mind to the level where even the greatest commentators become perplexed!

3. An Oath By Himself As The Creator

After Allah invokes oaths by the night and day in this surah, He invokes an oath by himself as the Creator -

“by that which created ...” (al-Layl, 92:3).

- assuming the intended meaning of the pronoun 'that which' is none other than the Divine Essence, or His creative power. As was the case in Surah al-Shams, we see Allah using 'that which' (ma) instead of 'He who' (man) to refer to the reality itself:

“by the soul and Him who fashioned it.” (ash-Shams, 91:7).

So, in more than one place in the Qur'an, we see an oath sworn upon the Creator invoked in conjunction with one sworn upon the creation, to demonstrate that pondering on the creation is one way in which we can reach its Creator.

Herein we see the fulfillment of Allah's promise to show people His signs on the horizons and in their own souls;

“Soon We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in their own souls ....” (Fussilat, 41:53).

and this is what is technically known as an aposteriori demonstration (burhan inni).1

Concerning the oaths that open this surah it is clear that they point to the signs on the horizons in the form of night and day, and signs in the souls in the form of the soul itself.

4. Gender Pairs

When an oath is invoked upon the Creator, after oaths having been invoked upon the phenomena of night and day, Allah connects the male and female to the ingenuity of His creation. And whether He means - by this - the creation of all the male-female pairs in existence, just the human male and female, or just the very first human pair (Adam and Eve), this ultimately points to the creation of male and female, which is one of the most complex phenomena in existence insofar as:

a. The divine arrangement of the two coming together, both by way of instinct, and through other amazing physical means.

b. The wondrous stages of creation, for it seems impossible to imagine that there is a relation between the matter of the first stage - semen - and the perfectly proportioned creation that ultimately emerges!

And what we have said here applies to all male-female pairs in existence, whether in different types of animals or in plants.

5. “Sa’i” (Endevours)

Human activity on the earth is described as 'endeavours' (sa'i) which literally means to walk with haste; and this word contains a suggestion of someone expending their efforts, whether for good or for bad purposes. This is why multiple verses use the expression of 'endeavours' for human activity in this world. But these endeavours are also, described as being numerous and varied in their nature; Allah says:

“your endeavours are Indeed, unlike.” (al-Layl, 92:4).

This verse is the object of the three oaths at the opening of this surah, and we can find the same reality being discussed in another:

“Is someone who is a believer like someone who is a transgressor? They are not equal.” (as-Sajdah, 32:18).

Pondering on these two realities - by which I mean human endeavour and its varied forms - teaches us that a sensible person (because he knows he is expending his efforts whether he likes it or not) must direct these efforts towards pleasing his Creator, as according to the verse:

“ ... him who gives and is God wary,” (al-Layl, 92:4).

rather than angering him, as in the verse

“him who is stingy and thinks that he is self-sufficient,” (al-Layl, 92:8).

or else he will be truly

“wrought up and weary.” (al-Ghashiyah, 88:3).

Of course, the paths of goodness are as numerous as there are souls of human beings; everyone is predisposed to his purpose in life; so, does wisdom not then demand that a sensible person direct his endeavours towards the most direct route to it? Is this not the Straight Path, which represents the shortest distance between two points?

6. Giving

The giving mentioned in these verses applies to anyone who gives, but it is joined to virtue (taqwa), and therefore we can explain 'giving' to mean more than just monetary giving; it can mean one's soul giving its due in obedience to Allah. We have this expression in everyday language too: 'So-and-so, gave his obedience to so-andso.' Although some commentators restrict its meaning to monetary giving because money and miserliness are mentioned in the same context, below.

It is noteworthy that the verse joins ‘giving’ to ‘virtue’, because fruitful giving is that which takes place in the atmosphere of virtue. This is supported by Allah's words:

“…... Allah accepts only from the Godwary.” (al-Ma'idah, 5:27).

7. Giving And Faith In The Hereafter

This surah affirms a fact that must be realized in the practical realm, namely the act of making monetary donations:

“…… him who gives and is Godwary” (al-Layl, 92:5).

or more general still, as it affirms yet another fact that must be realized in theoretical realm, namely believing in the Last Day, as indicated by the words

“and confirms the best promise” (al-Layl, 92:6).

meaning the best promise which will be fulfilled on the Day of Resurrection. In another verse, we read:

“……to each Allah has promised the best ………” (an-Nisa', 4:95; al-Hadid, 57:10).

“and in case I am returned to my Lord, I will Indeed, have the best” (Fussilat, 41:50).

And

“...he shall have the best....” (al-Kahf, 18:88).

Of course, this faith, taken together with acting upon its demands in practice, such as spending from one's wealth and other things, is one of the factors that make a person's endeavours praiseworthy in a world in which people's endeavours Indeed, differ.

8. Divine Grace

It is well understood that this world of ours is subject to the laws of cause and effect, but this does not mean that divine grace (tawfiq) cannot operate within these causes, and it ultimately depends on there being a suitable foundation in the person himself. This grace is what Allah promises with his words:

“We shall surely facilitate him into ease” (al-Layl, 92:7).

and the word 'to facilitate' (tayassur) means to prepare and equip someone. As for 'ease' (yusra) this is explained as:

a. A quality in which there is ease without hardship; in which case being granted divine grace for righteous deeds means that these righteous deeds are made easy for you.

b. Making it a provision for a happy life with one's Lord in Paradise because of the righteous deeds one has brought, and this is most appropriate if we interpret 'the best' to mean Paradise.

9. Deeds

The nature of being facilitated into ease is something directly experienced by anyone who has taken the path of nearness to the Lord of the Worlds; because he sees good as something to which his own soul is endeared, as Allah says:

“But Allah has endeared faith to you and made it appealing in your hearts...” (al-Hujurat, 49:7).

Moreover he is determined to do good without hesitation, as Allah says:

“Allah fortifies those who have faith with an immutable word in the life of this world ...” (Ibrahim, 14:27).

This removes all fear and grief from him:

“Look! The friends of Allah will Indeed, have no fear nor will they grieve.” (Yunus, 10:62).

To the extent that the angels descend to assist him, as happened in the Battle of Badr:

“your Lord will aid you with five thousand marked angels.” (Ale 'lmran, 3:125).

Conversely, good deeds are difficult for someone who denies Allah's promise: He finds it difficult to stand for prayer:

“and it is Indeed, hard except for the humble” (al-Baqarah, 2:45).

In fact, he is even lazy during its performance:

'when they stand up for prayer, they stand up lazily...” (an-Nisa', 4:142).

And they are averse to struggling for the sake of Allah: What is the matter with you that when you are told:

“ .... Go forth in the way of Allah,' you sink heavily to the ground?” (at-Tawbah, 9:38).

Therefore, a believer should not rely solely on his own efforts, because it is the divine assistance that ultimately determines his success or failure, even if the servant does not realize this. Special notice should be given to the fact that Allah has connected this easing and enabling to the person himself, not his deeds. So, it is the person in his entirety for whom all good deeds become easy –

“we shall surely facilitate him…” (al-Layl, 92:7).

- to the extent that Imam al-Baqir (‘a) describes it, saying: 'He wants no good thing save that Allah makes it easy for him.’2

10. Giving In Charity

There is a clear relation between

'As for him who gives and is Godwary' (al-Layl, 92:5).

and

'We shall surely facilitate him into ease' (al-Layl, 92:7).

insofar as 'facilitate' here means to open the path to good for the servant. This is because someone who makes easy the affairs of Allah's servants by spending on them, his immediate recompense for that shall belong to the same category as his deeds in this world; in other words, divine assistance and facilitation. As it is often said: 'Show mercy and you shall receive it!' And there are abundant narrations indicating that the effects of giving charity include: avoiding an evil death, longevity, an increase in sustenance, and blessings in one's wealth and children, in addition to the wellknown rewards that await the giver in the Hereafter!

11. Visible Traits Of The People Of Falsehood

The visible traits for the people of falsehood after their denial and disbelief include love of this world, seeking wealth therein and miserliness by amassing wealth and hoarding it.

This means that anyone who displays these traits shares some of the most important bad qualities of the disbeliever, in spite of whatever faith he may personally have. Now the nature of believing in Allah and the Last Day requires a person to display abstinence in worldly matters and a love for spending his wealth so, that Allah will facilitate him into ease.

It's interesting that Allah describes a wealthy person as tumbling down the path to perdition, or specifically through the levels of Hell:

“His wealth shall not avail him when he perishes.” (al-Layl, 92:11).

This represents a complete humiliation for him; it describes him as though he is an animal that has slipped from the top of a mountain - in fact, he is more astray than such an animal, as we find in another verse!

Verses 12-21

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ

Indeed, upon Us rests guidance, (92:12).

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ

and Indeed, to Us belong the world and the Hereafter. (92:13).

فَأَنْذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ

So, I warn you of a blazing fire, (92:14).

لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى

which none shall enter except the most wretched (92:15).

الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

- he who denies and turns back. (92:16).

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى

The Godwary shall be spared it (92:17).

الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ

- he who gives his wealth to refine himself (92:18).

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ

and none has any favour with him for reward, (92:19).

إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ

but seeks only the countenance of his Lord, the Most Exalted, (92:20).

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ

and, surely, soon he will be well pleased. (92:21).

12. Guidance

Allah has decreed for Himself - out of courtesy and without compulsion - that He must guide His creation just as He has decreed He must provide for them. The expression 'upon' ('ala) is used to signify this, as though Allah has made this His own responsibility, just as a person makes it his responsibility to fulfill his own promises; Allah says:

“Indeed, upon Us rests guidance,” (al-Layl, 92:12).

and

“There is no animal on the earth, but that its sustenance is upon Allah.” (Hud, 11:6).

We can also, explain the guidance mentioned in this surah and elsewhere as follows:

a. Showing people the way, while leaving the decision up to them, as we understand from Allah's words:

“With Allah rests guidance to the straight path, and some of them stray” (an-Nahl, 16:9).

“Indeed, We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful.” (al-Insan, 76:3).

Of course the Prophets - by His leave - are made to share in this duty of moral guidance, based on His saying:

“And Indeed, you guide to a straight path.” (ash-Shura, 42:52).

b. Conveying people to the destination: In this world, they are conveyed to a good life, and in the Hereafter to the best recompense, as in Allah's saying:

“Whoever acts righteously, male or female, and is a believer, - We shall revive him with a good life and pay them their reward by the best of what they used to do.” (an-Nahl,16:97).

Allah only treats those chosen among His creation in this manner (i.e. conveying people to their destination), while He treats everyone else as above (i.e. showing them the path) in that

“……gave everything its creation and then guided it.” (Ta Ha, 20:50).

Of course, attributing this fully-realized guidance to Allah whether in the sense of showing people the right path or conveying them to their destination - does not prevent us from also, attributing it to people, as in all other areas where there is a chain of cause and effect between the Maker and His creatures.

13. To Allah Belong This World And The Hereafter

The verse:

“and Indeed, to Us belong the world and the Hereafter.” (al-Layl, 92:13).

which demonstrates Allah's sovereignty and His ownership of existence, suggests:

a. His might ('izzah), if we take this verse to mean that Allah possesses this world and the Hereafter, so, their denial of the Day of Recompense and their stinginess with what He has given them does not harm him in the least; He is the sovereign and master of everything that exists.

b. An encouragement to the faithful to obey Him and spend their wealth in His way, if we take this verse to mean that Allah owns both worlds, and thus He gives whatever He wants from them to whomsoever He wills. So, whoever wants this world should turn to Allah and whoever wants the next world should turn to Him as well. And this is why we seek the best of both worlds from Allah:

“Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:201).

14. The Disbelievers And The God-Fearing

The exclusivity (hasr) in the verse

“which none shall enter except the most wretched” (al-Layl, 92:15).

is qualified exclusivity, not absolute; and the fire is qualified by being perpetual (istimrari). Only the one who lies and turns away will enter it, namely the one who combines doctrinal disbelief with turning away from Allah's shari'a in practice. This does not mean that the punishment of Hellfire - for a finite period - cannot be directed towards sinful believers, as we can glean from many indicators in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

In other words, this verse discusses the contrast between one group of people that reject and another that is God-fearing and spends their wealth. This is not the right place to mention a group in between these two, namely the believers who are not God-fearing (and commit sins).

15. “The Most Wretched”

The expression 'the most wretched' invites people to ask what are the qualities of the wretched or, in fact, the most wretched of the wretched? What are the different types of wretchedness? Some see it in poverty, illness and the loss of loved ones, but the Qur'an says that the most wretched person is he whose final abode is the blazing fire!

Imam 'Ali (‘a) has mentioned this fact, saying: 'No good is good when Hellfire follows it, and no bad is bad when it is followed by Paradise! Every joy beneath Paradise is a trifle, and every tribulation less than Hellfire is a boon.’3

16. Definition Of Wretchedness

Allah's criteria for distinguishing the wretched (shaqi) from the God-fearing (taqi) differ from those of man; in fact, they differ in their very definition of wretchedness. We have already said that the most wretched is he who enters Hellfire, while the most God-fearing person is described in this surah as:

“the most God-wary shall be spared it.” (al-Layl, 92:17).

This is not someone who fears the sufferings in this world, but someone who protects themselves from Allah's wrath!

And it should not escape notice that the use of the superlative ('most God-wary') opens a discussion of vying in good deeds, for a sensible person will not be satisfied with reaching a particular level of virtue. No, he will race to be the best, or at least as close to the best that he can.

17. Deeds

Salvation from Hellfire depends on the deeds of the person - especially spending from one's wealth, as is mentioned in these verses - but one should not rely on his own efforts alone, as in a momentary lapse he might sin without excuse, in which case they must enter Hellfire. That is why Allah does not say that the servant will avoid it, but that he will be spared it (in the passive voice), as it is Allah who spares him! Also, notice that Hell is described in the indefinite 'a blazing fire' to signify its magnitude, and the word 'blazing' appears in the present tense to show that this fire continues to burn uninterrupted!

18. Giving From One’s Wealth

The act of giving from one's wealth in this surah is at one point joined with taqwa - or being wary of God - and at another qualified by self-refinement:

“he who gives his wealth to refine himself” (al-Layl, 92:18).

and this condition could be to explain:

a. The state of self-refinement, meaning that he undertakes this deed intending to purify himself, for example from love of this world.

b. The outcome of spending one's wealth in the way of Allah, for self-refinement is necessarily achieved by the one who is God-fearing and gives away from his wealth. This is something we can glean from the verse:

“Take charity from their possessions to refine them and purify them thereby.” (at-Tawbah, 9:103).

Here, it is appropriate to pay attention to the expression 'his wealth' in 'who gives his wealth' for the basic criterion for struggling with the self and raising oneself above wealth is spending from one's own property, not for someone to encourage another to do so, and ask him for permission to spend from the latter's property, as often happens in good projects and programs to feed the poor.

19. Countenance

The tone of the Qur'anic address follows a profound wisdom; so, every time it switches from the third person to the second person or vice versa, this is only because the Wise Speaker has a particular goal in mind. So, when the verse

“So, I warn you of a blazing fire” (al-Layl, 92:14).

switches from speaking in the third-person to the second-person, this is appropriate to its being a warning; a threat only becomes serious when it is directly addressed to its target. But in the verse

“but seeks only the countenance of his Lord, the Most Exalted,” (al-Layl, 92:20).

we see that it switches to the third-person as this better befits the magnificence of the station of Lordship; extolling the Divine Essence does not need anyone to be present or listening, for He praises Himself for Himself by Himself, especially when He mentions the attribute of being exalted!

The only thing that turns a person's face away from others, not seeing any favour with them to reward, is seeing that countenance whose beauty enshrouds every transient countenance beneath it, after which he does not find it difficult to turn his face away from others, nor see any effective cause in existence except Him. These ideas are contained in Allah's words:

“...but seeks only the countenance of his Lord ...” (al-Layl, 92:20).

and the mention of Allah's countenance (wajh) is repeated in numerous verses, including the one in this surah and others. We can explain this concept in two possible ways:

a. First, the countenance of every being is that aspect of it which faces others, and this countenance befits its nature. So, a man’s countenance is the frontal portion of his face; but for Allah who is neither visible nor exists in a specific location, His countenance is that which manifests from Him through His interactions with His servants, such as the effects of His attributes of essence, such as hearing and sight, or His attributes of act, such as creation and sustenance.

b. Second, what is meant by countenance is something external to the essence but attributed to it in some way, shape or form. In this case, seeking the Divine Countenance means seeking the Divine Essence by the latter's leave, and this countenance is represented by the Prophets, Legatees and Awliya'.

20. Spending Of Wealth

When the God-wary spend, they do so, free from (spiritual) contamination. It is free even from the hidden forms of associating partners with Allah (shirk khafi). One such example is that one might show kindness to another in return for a previous kindness. In such case it is not considered as being purely for God, but rather to redeem oneself from his debt (of kindness) to another. But the type of spending - by those who are the God-wary - sees only the Lord's countenance first and foremost, and with its description as exalted second. These are both motivations for a person to devote his efforts to His noble countenance alone.

But one might ask: The verse indicates that the God-wary person who spends from his wealth does not see any blessings coming from other people in order that he reward them for it –

“And none has any favour with him for reward” (al-Layl, 92:19).

- while the fact is that no one is free from the debt of gratitude to another, so, how can we reconcile this with what the Lord is demanding here?

The answer is that this class of people has attained a level of insight whereby they see no efficient cause in existence except Allah, so, whatever good reaches them from other people; they see it issuing from the hand of their master. As Allah says:

“ .... All good is in Your hand ...” (Ale 'Imran, 3:26).

What is meant here is when others do not act kindly towards the God-fearing person, yet he still treats them kindly for the sake of his Lord's countenance, not because he sees any benefit with them that he needs. Of course, this does not mean there is no benefit from people who the God-fearing person does not show kindness to.

21. Recompense

The greatest recompense that the Lord of the Worlds will grant the God-fearing is His words

“ and, surely, soon he will be well pleased.” (al-Layl, 92:21).

This is the same type of recompense as that, which He gave to His beloved prophet, Muhammad (S), as Allah promised him a gift that would please him, interpreted to mean the right of intercession (shafa'ah). This is the greatest gift, for it is the ability to save people from Hellfire through the blessing of the person whom Allah has singled out for this gift. This kind of gift is available to those mentioned in the verse in the sense that they might be given a degree of this ability that will please the believing person also. And this is supported by narrations that indicate that the believers will fall within the scope of this ability for intercession on the Day of Resurrection.

1. Meaning an argument that rests upon an experience of the external world, as opposed to an a priori demonstration (burhan lammi), which means an argument that is independent of experience. [Translator].

2. Majma 'al-Bayan 10/376.

3. Nahj al-Balaghah, aphorism no. 387.

Surah ad-Duha (No. 93: 'The Morning Brightness')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالضُّحَىٰ

By the morning brightness, (93:1).

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ

by the night when it is calm! (93:2).

مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ

Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor is He displeased with you, (93:3).

وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ

and the Hereafter shall be better for you than the world. (93:4).

وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ

Soon your Lord will give you [that with which] you will he pleased. (93:5).

1. Oaths

A significant portion of the oaths contained in the Qur'an are concerned with the times of day: Daybreak (fajr),1 dawn (subh),2 morning, afternoon ('asr)3, and night (layl).4 More still invoke the Sun and the Moon, which are the symbols of night and day. All of these serve to demonstrate the importance of time:

a. From one perspective, time is the receptacle, in which the deeds that grow a person's wellbeing for the Hereafter are performed. Thus, the more time a person has and the longer he lives, the more magnificent his Hereafter becomes.

b. From another viewpoint, the cycle of night and day, which gives form to time drives a person toward the magnificence of the force that governs time; their continuous cycle draws attention to the Master.

2. Out Of The Darkness

The oaths contained in the Qur'an are joined to the objects that they are sworn upon to affirm, or else the objects chosen to be sworn upon would be random and haphazard. This surah is no exception; Allah swears by

“ …… the morning brightness', (ad-Duha, 93:1).

which is the time when the day emerges, and

“.... the night when it is calm!” (ad-Duha, 93:2).

which is the time darkness covers the land. In these oaths there is a subtle allusion to the fact that the force that alternates night and day is the same force that alternates people's states and conditions. After all, is not the One who brings the land out of the night's darkness into the day’s brightness also, able to transform the heart of His chosen servant, Muhammad (S), from a state of fear because he has not received any revelation from Him ('forsaken you') into the realm of pleasing gifts ('will give you')? It is as though the brightness of the day has come after the darkness of the night!

And is He not also, able to bring the hearts of all His servants out of the darkness of turning away (idhar) from Him to the light of turning toward Him (iqbal)? The same hand that moves the heavens also, moves the hearts! And anyone with a heart or who is willing to listen can understand this and witness it.

3. Out Of The Darkness

The contrast between night and day is used here for a profound reason, namely that Allah is the one who made the night for rest and the day for livelihood, and He also, made the night calm in order that man could rest therein, while making the morning brightness the time when things begin to move and come out from this rest that the night produced.

How contradictory it is, then, when these days we see that people invert this wisdom and take the night as a time for activity and turmoil and the day as a time for sleep and rest, contrary to what the Lord intended, as He said:

“and make your sleep for rest” (an-Naba', 78:9).

and

'and make the day for livelihood.” (an-Naba', 78:11).

4. “Forsaken You”

Concerning the verse

“Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor is He displeased with you” (ad-Duha, 93:3).

scholars have taken two views:

a. When the Prophet (S) did not receive any revelation for a while, this delay made him fear that his Lord had turned away from him or become displeased, and this caused him to devote himself even more to his Lord.

b. That this was the claim of his enemies, who wasted no opportunity to revile the Prophet (S), so, these verses came to reassure his noble heart. The extent of Allah's affection for His chosen prophet is plain to see when we consider that the singular 'you' (anta or ka) is repeated close to fifteen times in this surah, even though the revelation had only been absent - according to the differing accounts - for between two nights and four days.

5. Break In Revelation

This surah, even assuming that it is possible for Allah forsaking or being displeased with His prophet, was revealed after a gap in revelation that distressed the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (S), and also, the verse:

“Had he faked any sayings in Our name...” (al-Haqqah, 69:44).

There is a multitude of verses praising the prophets - especially those with followers at the time of our Prophet (S), such as Jesus (‘a) and Moses (‘a), and countless other indications in the Qur'an which make it clear to all - except perhaps the most obstinate of disbelievers - that the Qur'an is a revelation from Allah. Had the Prophet (S) the capacity to produce anything like the Qur’an’s contents, it would be inconceivable that he should be distressed by any gap in revelation if it was in anyone's hand save Allah's, just as it would be far-fetched to praise past generations if this was not a divine call!

6. Gap In Revelation

Allah guaranteed His prophet that the revelation would continue, as this is something necessary for the divine mission especially when there was something to occasion revelation or a question from someone. Yet despite that, Allah stopped sending revelation to His prophet (S) to the extent that his enemies began to mock him. Even the Prophet (S) himself became perplexed according to whichever interpretation we choose. This shows that this special kindness (lutf), like all other divine gifts, was in the hands of the Lord and He could bestow it whenever He willed.

It has been narrated that the Prophet (S) said to Gabriel (‘a): 'You kept away until I missed you.' Gabriel (‘a) said: 'I missed you more desperately, but I am a servant at His bidding and I cannot descend save by your Lord's command!'5 That verses come down is thus not indicative of Allah’s pleasure, and that they are not withheld is not because of His displeasure. That is why the believer must always act in a manner that is appropriate to the guise of servitude (‘ubudiyyah), and leaves the question of divine effusions, their frequency, quantity and form to the One who bestows all graces.

7. Guiding Others

Those who call others towards Allah must not desire to succeed in their preaching more than their Lord desires for them to! This is because there is a danger that their determination to have gain the results may cause their ego to be attached to this, meaning that their desire to guide others will turn into a desire to validate and glorify themselves, though this may happen in the guise of godliness.

Hence Allah does not disdain stopping the revelation to His Prophet (S), whatever the consequences, even if people begin to claim that Allah is displeased with him and has forsaken him, for Allah is He who:

“had your Lord wished, all those who are on earth would have believed.” (Yunus, 10:99).

But He did not do this, in order to test them:

“that He may test which of you is best in conduct.” (Hud, 11:7).

So, when conducting oneself in the presence of Divine Lordship, the eye of the preacher must be fixed on the call itself and not on those to whom he preaches, for Allah tells His Prophet (S), despite all the miracles and amazing qualities He endowed him with,

“You cannot guide whomever you wish.” (al-Qasas, 28:56).

8. Intercession

The abode of this world is far too small for Allah to make visible all the honours He has bestowed upon His faithful servants because it cannot possibly contain them, not because they are lacking. And that is why Allah says:

“and the Hereafter shall be better for you than the world.” (ad-Duha, 93:4).

However, Allah was not stingy with His Prophet in this world; he granted him all manner of honours: He taught him what he knew not, Allah's grace upon him was magnificent, and He raised up his remembrance ... but He saved His greatest gifts for the Day of Resurrection, and that is what will truly please him. About these gifts, we have traditions from the Prophet’s (S) Household (‘a), including one in which Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is narrated to have said: 'My grandfather's being pleased is that not a single monotheist will enter Hellfire.'6 From Imam al-Baqir (‘a) it is narrated:

'The People of the Qur'an say: 'The verse that gives the most hope is Allah's saying:

“Say 'O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah." (az-Zumar, 39:53).

But we, the People of the House say: 'The verse that gives the most hope is Allah's saying:

“Soon your Lord will give you (that with which] you will be pleased.” (ad-Duha, 93:5).

For by Allah, this is the power of intercession (shafa'ah), which he will be granted for the people of la ilaha ill al/ah until he says: 'I am pleased." 7

9. The Prophet’s Ummah

It is truly striking that the divine gift that pleases the Prophet (S) is not something for himself, but something for his ummah, namely that his intercession will extend to even those among them with major sins! This contains a lesson for all the faithful, namely that they should place their concern in the wellbeing of the ummah, because seeking personal advantage is a type of subtle idolatry (shirk khafi), from which the most elect worshippers purify themselves. However, seeking advantages for the human race as a whole is not a form of idolatry; it is actually a corollary of Tawhid and divine love because it flows from the fact that the servant loves to see Allah's authority extended over the earth.

10. Mercy

If the Prophet's (S) eagerness for his ummah was at such a level that he would not be satisfied without the mandate of intercession, while he endured the persecution of his enemies throughout his mission, unceasing in his struggle, then what about Allah's overflowing mercy from which is drawn not only the Prophet's (S) mercy, but all the mercy in existence? And the magnitude of this mercy is so, great that we are told when it spreads out in the Hereafter, it will reach the throat of Iblis; so, what a mercy this is!

11. Intercession

It is possible to establish the mandate of intercession on the basis of these verses without the need for any recourse to narrations. This is because Allah commanded His Prophet (S) to seek forgiveness in this world, saying:

“and plead forgiveness for your sin and for the believers, men and women.” (Muhammad, 47:19).

Pleading forgiveness (istighfar) means asking for Allah's pardon, and there is no doubt that if someone asks for something they will not be satisfied with a rejection. They will only be satisfied by the fulfillment of their request. So, when it is established that the only thing that will please the Prophet (S) is the granting of his request, and from another angle that Allah will give him whatever it is that will please him, we can conclude that this verse establishes his authority of intercession for the sinners, for the intercession is nothing other than Allah granting the request of the one who intercedes.

12. What Pleases The Prophet (S)

It should be pointed out here that what pleases the Prophet (S) is in accord with what pleases Allah:

a. He was pleased with the qiblah in the direction of Mecca, hence why Allah says of Himself:

“We will surely turn you to a qiblah of your liking.” (al-Baqarah, 2:144).

b. He was pleased with the full authority of intercession, which is why Allah says:

“Soon your Lord will give you that with which you will be pleased.” (ad-Duha, 93:5).

To sum up: When the Prophet (S) is pleased with something, even if this is a state that exists within his own soul, it also, corresponds in the Unseen Realm with that which pleases Allah. And putting the two above verses together clearly shows that Allah desires to please His Prophet (S) in ways that cannot even be conceived of, and this is how a lover customarily treats his beloved; and what a level this is!

Verses 6-11

أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَىٰ

Did He not find you an orphan, and shelter you? (93:6).

وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَىٰ

Did He not find you astray, and guide you? (93:7).

وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ

Did He not find you needy, and enrich you? (93:8).

فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ

So, as for the orphan, do not tyrannize him; (93:9).

وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ

and as for the beggar, do not drive him away; (93:10).

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ

and as for your Lord's blessing, proclaim it! (93:11).

13. Tribulation

When we study the lives of the Prophets (‘a) generally, we see that each one of them was tested with trials and tribulations throughout the different stages of their lives. In fact, Allah burdened them with things that clashed with their duties as Prophets - as a basic category - so, they would experience the pain that others felt and sympathise with them. It has been narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): 'Allah never sent a prophet without first making him a shepherd of cattle to teach him how to be a shepherd of people.'8

This is in addition to the fact that hardship causes a person to turn towards Allah, and this is why the best people are always tested the most; in fact, it is proportional to their level of faith, like the two sides of a scale. And this offers consolation and healing to the hearts of those suffering in hardship, because if tribulation were not a kindness from Allah, He would have not subjected His greatest prophets to it.

14. Tribulation

There are various types of afflictions that a person experiences in financial form (poverty) or psychological form (like being an orphan). A person thus afflicted could also, suffer inwardly from a lack of self-worth, depression or unhappiness with the state of his life, but some people might have the reason to still feel the pain of one who falls into that condition even after they have left it behind. This is what Allah wanted for His greatest prophets (‘a). It is said that Joseph (‘a) would not eat until he was full so, that he would not forget hunger, and it is obvious that the poverty of our Prophet (S) and his experience of being an orphan both fall into this category.

This means that there is no cause for grief when a believer sometimes experiences a tribulation; perhaps Allah wishes to educate him just as He did for His Prophets (‘a).

15. The Prophet’s Orphanhood

It is said that the Prophet's (S) orphanhood was a blessing for him from certain perspectives, even if it cannot be compared to his other blessings, like being chosen by Allah. The orphanhood was beneficial to him in several ways as follows:

a. Directly experiencing the condition of being an orphan, which equipped him to live with the kind of challenges they face.

b. Being an orphan meant that he learned to rely only on his Lord from a young age; and although he was deprived of the care of his parents, he was compensated for this with the care of the Lord of the Worlds, from whom all the care in existence flows.

c. It also, shows that being an orphan is not a barrier to any kind of advancement, whether in the eyes of the creatures or the eyes of the Creator.

d. Allah wanted no one else to be responsible for his care - even when he was young - save to the extent that was necessary for him to live.

16. Guidance

The Lord of the Worlds demonstrates a special concern for explaining His kindness to His servants and making it apparent to them; in fact, if it were not for this kindness, not a single person in the whole of creation would be pure, as Allah says:

“Were it not for Allah’s grace and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever be pure.” (an-Nur, 24:21).

And it is in this context that He mentions His care for His beloved chosen prophet, Muhammad (S), saying:

“Did He not find you astray, and guide you?” (ad-Duha, 93:7).

so, even you would not had the blessing of guidance were it not for the care of your Lord. In other words, you were astray, not considering this continuous guidance from your youth, and so, Allah's words apply here:

“You did not know what the Book is, nor what is faith.” (ash-Shura, 42:52).

As does His saying:

“and Indeed, prior to it you were among those who are unaware.” (Yusuf, 12:3).

And so, do the words of Moses (‘a):

“I did that when I was astray.” (ash-Shu'ara', 26:20).

And being astray (dalala) here refers to lacking guidance in the matter of exigency when he killed that Egyptian.

17. Need For Others

Allah was the one who enriched his Prophet through the Mother of the Believers, Khadija (sa), and He was the one who looked after him after He lost his father while he was still in his mother's womb through his grandfather, 'Abd al-Muttalib. And then He later looked after him after he lost his mother at the age of six through his uncle Abu Talib. It is clear that this world operates according to cause and effect; even though Allah is free to do as He likes a person shouldn't think that he would receive their sustenance without effort or relying on someone else.

This shows that there is no sense in offering supplications to be without need towards other people, when what is desired is to be needless towards evil persons! The same applies when it comes to meeting one's needs; or else, why did not Allah bring out all the hidden treasures of the earth for His Prophet (S) instead of the wealth of Khadijah (sa)?

18. Petitioner

In order to follow the Prophet's (S) example properly, one must never refuse a petitioner –

“and as for the beggar, do not drive him away” (ad-Duha, 93:10).

whether they ask for money or knowledge, and whether they are truthful or not. Narrations tell us that we must only respond to petitioners with either a pleasant refusal or giving a little. And the verse indicates that we must not treat the orphan harshly –

“so, as for the orphan, do not tyrannize him” (ad-Duha, 93:9).

and the word ‘tyrannize' (qahr) here alludes to a kind of disdain combined with force; a person who has power over his enemy tyrannizes him. So, kindness to orphans is not restricted to mere material generosity, but also, looking after his psychological and spiritual wellbeing, as the inner hurt he feels cannot be healed with money. It is poignant that the Prophet (S) lived in a state of both neediness and orphanhood, and so, he gave thanks for the care and wealth he received by working to look after others and provide for those in a similar condition.

19. Responding To A Petitioner

One can respond to a petitioner after he has requested something, but honouring the orphan does not come after a request, because of his youth and inexperience, and this is why it has a more powerful effect! Narrations that discuss honouring the orphan are truly amazing; for example, to show the place of someone who honours the orphan in relation to him in Paradise, the Prophet crossed his fingers together.9 And let it be known here that honouring the orphan properly means not waiting for him to ask, because the dignity the petitioner loses by asking is worth more than whatever he asks for would give him; what more when the act of giving is accompanied by reproaches and affronts? It is obvious that what 'Abd al-Muttalib and Abu Talib (a2) undertook with regards to the Prophet is certainly worthy of this great reward, because in doing so, they cared for the greatest man who ever lived without him ever having to ask them. And this is especially true considering the great distress this care caused for the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib.

It is in this context that we say that Allah is most deserving to be given credit for what this surah describes; it was He who found His servant a lost and needy orphan, and His mere awareness of this was sufficient to enrich, guide and care for him, even if without his ever asking for it.

20. Remembering Blessings

Allah's blessings are proclaimed either:

a. Through speech, by making these blessings clear to people to endear them to the Source of all blessings. It has been narrated that Allah said to Moses (‘a): 'Endear me to my creation, and endear my creation to me.' Moses asked: 'My Lord, how should I do that?' He said: 'Remind them of by blessings and gifts so, that they will love me...' This is because reminding people of this makes them more aware of the blessings and benefits Allah has withdrawn on them for reasons which only He is aware of, as well as to encourage them to remember the blessings. This is because forgetting blessings can sometimes lead people to be upset in times of ill fortune, which brings them dangerously close to ingratitude (kufr). This is in addition to encouraging people to follow the example of the righteous, for it has been narrated from Imam al-Husayn (‘a): 'When you do something good, tell your brothers about it so, they can follow your example.'10

b. Or through action. It has been narrated that the Prophet (S) said: 'Verily when Allah blesses a person, He loves to see the effect of His blessing upon him.'11 For when someone displays this blessing in his soul, it is as though he is saying implicitly: 'Look at what Allah blesses His servants with' - without conceit ('ujub), of course! - and this in turn nurtures devotion, which produces this visible blessing.

But something else, entirely different to the aforementioned meaning, might be intended here, that is to proclaim anything that will bring people closer to Allah. Of course, one must seek help from the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon him in order to achieve that, and two of these blessings must be a receptive heart (sharh al-sadr)12 and beautiful speech (husn al-bayan).

1. Surah al-Fajr:
'By the daybreak' (89:1).

2. Surah at-Takwir:
'By the dawn as it breathes' (81:18).

3. Surah al-'Asr:
'By the afternoon!' (103:1).

4. Surah al-Layl:
'By the night when it covers' (92:1).

5. Majma' al-Bayan 10/764.

6. Majma' al-Bayan 10/765.

7. Shawahid al-tanzil 2/447.

8. 'Ilal al-Shara'i' 1/32.

9. Majma' al-Bayan 10/740.

10. Mafatih al-Ghayb 31/201.

11. Al-Kafi 13/ 22.

12. Literally the Arabic phrase means ‘open breast’. [Note of Al-Islam].

Surah ash-Sharh (No. 94: 'The opening-up')

Verses 1-4

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ

Did We not open your breast for you (94:1).

وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ

and relieve you of your burden (94:2).

الَّذِي أَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ

which [almost] broke your back? (94:3).

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ

Did We not exalt your name? (94:4).

1. Blessings For Prophet Muhammad (S)

Assuming that this surah is connected to Surah ad-Duha above, as we can understand from the fact we can only recite them together in prayer and never separately, it draws attention to the many ways in which Allah had been generous to the Final Prophet (S). It is as though this is meant to stand in sharp contrast to the erroneous idea that Allah is displeased with him because of the break in revelation. And this is connected to the different kinds of divine generosity detailed in the previous surah, which begins by stating that Allah is not displeased, explaining that it is in the Hereafter that Allah's full honour for Him will become clear, and that He will give him something that will surely please him. Then the surah mentions Allah's special care for His Prophet from childhood when he was an orphan, and He cared for him. Then when he was a grown man without special guidance, He guided him. Then when he was poor and Allah enriched him. As for this surah, it continues enumerating the blessings which Allah has bestowed upon His beloved Prophet, Muhammad the Chosen One (S), as represented by opening his breast, relieving him of his burden, exalting his name and making his hardship lighter and easier.

These two surahs mention the blessings directed towards him a total of ten times. Add to this the number of pronouns referring to the Prophet (S), whether obvious or implicit - to complete this special affection - and the total is eleven. So, between these two surahs we see the Prophet being addressed a total of twenty-one times, which is also, the total number of verses in both.

2. Opening Of The Breast (Sharh As-Sadr)

Expounding the blessings of Allah causes a person to feel lowly and humble before the One who is the source of these blessings. And even if the recipient is not (humbled), a generous giver does not reproach people for his gifts for he sees no wisdom in that, what more the Most Generous One? So, when we see the Lord, at the beginning of the surah, mentioning the various blessings bestowed upon His chosen Prophet (S), it must be understood in this context.

Hence it is very appropriate for a person to remind himself of the blessings his Lord has given him, to deepen his sense of devotion towards Allah whenever he finds his connection with his Lord lacking.

3. Opening Of The Breast (Sharh As-Sadr)

The opening of the breast (sharh al-sadr) is a station that every seeker (murid) of his Master should seek, just as Moses (‘a) sought it, saying:

“My Lord! Open my breast for me.” (Ta Ha, 20:25).

And this is not only to endure the persecution of other persons, but to also, receive the designated divine wisdom, which is not given to the majority of people, let alone borne by them!

And it is possible for this state to be achieved by people who are not messengers, as happened to Luqman the Wise, who received special wisdom from the Lord of the Worlds.1 And the value of this privilege is expressed in a tradition from the Prophet (S), in which he is narrated to have said: 'I asked my Lord for something which I wish I had not asked him. I said: "My Lord, there have been prophets before me; for some you disposed the winds, others revived the dead." He said: "Did I not find you an orphan and care for you?" I said: "Of course!" Then He said: "Did I not find you astray and guide you?" I said: "Of course, my Lord!" He said: "Did I not open your breast for you and relieve you of your burden?" I said: "Of course, my Lord!"’2

4. Opening Of The Breast (Sharh As-Sadr)

If a person is placed in charge of the prophetic mission, and bears the responsibility of calling Allah's servants towards him and transforming the corrupted lands, then Allah must grant him a receptive heart to bear the consequences of this mission. The enmity of the people of falsehood, and the instigations of the devils are a source of great distress, which cannot be borne except by one whose breast has been expanded by Allah for that purpose.

5. Effects Of Opening Of The Breast

Some of the effects that opening the breast has on the recipient are:

a. Receiving special divine guidance which will shows him the correct path when all paths seem alike.

b. Being given special illumination from his Lord, which removes confusion from his decisions.

c. Empowering him to guide others towards Allah and bring them out of darkness and into light, having himself been brought out thereof.

All of these traits are only attained with the grace of having one's breast opened to divine illumination.

6. Degree of Superiority Between Different Prophets

Moses (‘a) asked Allah to open his breast with the words:

“My Lord! Open my breast for me.” (Ta Ha, 20:25).

But Allah granted our Prophet (S) this blessing directly, as we can discern from the words:

“Did We not open your breast for you?” (ash-Sharh 94:1).

which shows that there are degrees of superiority even among prophets. And it is only natural that the bearer of the final message is also, endowed with the most receptive heart.

7. Opening Of The Heart For The Servants (Of God)

The opening of the breast is a great gift from Allah, and it is for those who take the path of calling others towards Him. But is possible for a servant who pays attention to the divine gifts to detect signs of this. The Prophet (S) has alluded to these with his words: 'Turning towards the abode of everlasting life, shunning the abode of deceit, and preparing for death before it draws near.'3 So, someone who does not find these qualities in himself should not imagine he has attained this level, even if he finds some degree of receptiveness in his heart.

8. Deep Affection Between Allah And His Most Beloved Messenger

It could be said that when Allah says:

“Did We not open your breast for you?” (ash-Sharh 94:1).

this serves to clarify and affirm His words:

“Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor is He displeased with you.” (ad-Duha, 93:3).

After all, how can Allah forsake someone whose breast He has opened and whose name He has exalted? And this demonstrates the deep affection between Allah and His most beloved messenger (S). And the Qur'an is full of words that allude to Allah's extreme kindness (lutf) towards him:

a. Sometimes He swears an oath by his noble life:

“By your life...” (al-Hijr, 15:72).

b. Sometimes He expresses sympathy for what he suffers for the sake of Allah:

“We did not send down to you the Qur’an that you should be miserable ...” (Ta Ha, 20:2).

c. And sometimes He even places the matter of his marriage and divorce in His hand:

“It may be that if he divorces you ...” (at-Tahrlm, 66:5).

9. The Results of Opening of Breast

One of the effects of a receptive heart that Allah bestowed upon His chosen Prophet (S), is behaving in a manner that is unmatched with the very people who persecuted him and exiled him from his homeland. He (S) said: 'O Allah! Guide my people ... for they do not know!' 4 And if he had asked his Lord for revenge, not only would he have been granted it, there would also, have been no blame on him either! And here is a valuable lesson for anyone who wants to follow his example, and that is to look upon those astray from Allah's path with kindness, what more the obedient.

10. The Nature Of The Relationship Between Allah And His Messengers

The first four verses highlight the nature of Allah's relationship with His prophets and the gifts He gives them, especially His final prophet (S), namely the level of having a receptive heart, being relieved of one's burdens, having one's name exalted and being granted ease after hardship. But all these great qualities are connected to the last two verses of this surah, which are:

“So, when you are done, toil,” (ash-Sharh 94:7).

“and turn eagerly to your Lord.” (ash-Sharh 94:8).

And this means either:

a. A connection between a cause and its effect, which is that these qualities are the result of putting one's soul to work, causing it to toil in worship and desiring nothing from Allah except Himself.

b. A connection between an effect and its cause, that is, whoever has been given these qualities should be putting himself to work in worship and turn eagerly towards His Lord.

11. Calling Others Towards Allah

The great burden that Allah relieved His Prophet (S) of is embodied by his confrontation with the thugs of pre-Islamic period of ignorance who brutally resisted the rise of Islam. This reveals that one of a person's most difficult duties is to face Allah's enemies, but of course the harder the duty, the closer it brings one to the Divine!

Hence, those who avoided the difficulty of calling others towards Allah and enjoyed the pleasures of worship in private, like the monks and ascetics, are only pursuing their own comfort and avoiding the hardships in which lies their Lord's pleasure.

12. Obstacles

The best solution to a problem is never to flee from obstacles and seek relief from sources of anxiety and concern. Rather the only solution is to seek the strength to face and bear these, and this is the ‘opening of the breast’. When a person is granted this blessing, he becomes like a deep ocean that takes whatever is thrown at it without any effect, unlike a bowl that overflows at the first opportunity.

13. Success In Calling Others Towards Allah

Exalting the name of those who call to Allah - and at their head stands the Prophet (S) and his Household (‘a) - results from one factor and in turn it causes another:

“And exalted your name.” (ash-Sharh 94:4).

Thus:

a. From one viewpoint, it is a gift and a blessing which comes from Allah's effusions in the firmament and the souls, as Allah bestowed on Abraham (‘a) by causing people’s hearts to incline towards him, as well as creating a special affection between him and his Lord. So, in this way, exalting his name was caused by this divine kindness.

b. And from another perspective, it is a special quality that makes the prophet’s mission successful; for anyone whose name is exalted amongst people would in turn better able to win them over; it is the nature of people's hearts to accept something from a person whom they love. And this explains why the companions of the Imams (‘a) threw themselves into the struggle for Allah's sake and other (divine) causes. So, it is in this way that this divine kindness brings about a person's success in calling others towards Allah.

14. Allah Exalting Someone

There is a significant difference between a person who strives to promote his own reputation through his endeavours for short-term gain and another whose name Allah wishes to exalt; the first may not be successful in this, and even if he is, the fame he attains may be short-lived, for Allah rotates fortune amongst the people. The reputation of the person (whose name is exalted by Allah) would endure with Allah. And this is what has happened in the case of the Final Messenger (S), in that his name is mentioned in the declaration of faith (shahadah), the azan (call to prayer), the iqamah and the tashahhud of every single prayer, whether obligatory or supererogatory, and this idea will remain until the Final Hour. It has been narrated from the Prophet (S) as an explanation of this verse: 'Gabriel (‘a) told me: Allah says: 'When I am mentioned, you will be mentioned with me."5

Verses 5-8

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

Indeed, ease accompanies hardship. (94:5).

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

Indeed, ease accompanies hardship. (94:6).

فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ

So, when you are done, toil, (94:7).

وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ

and tum eagerly to your Lord. (94:8).

15. Ease

Certainly ease (yusr) is the general principle which accords with Allah's overflowing mercy; it is as if to say that hardship does not befall anyone except to bring them closer to perfection. Hence it is possible to say that a single hardship is accompanied by two eases, because here the Arabic word for ‘hardship’ takes the definite article and is repeated, and whenever a definite noun is repeated in speech, the purpose intended by the second instance is always the same as that intended by the first. And it has been narrated from the Prophet (S): 'No difficulty shall overcome two eases.'6

16. Hardship

Hardship accompanies ease concomitantly (ma’iyya), as is mentioned in the verse; it does not precede ease in the sense of being before it. This offers solace to the faithful who have fallen into hardship, because they know that ease actually accompanies their hardship rather than merely coming at some future time. Of course, they are aware that all of this is in the hands of the AllAware and the Most-Wise, who governs all the sources of hardship and ease together. It has been narrated from the Prophet (S): 'Know that with assistance (nasr) comes patience (sabr), with grief (karb) comes relief (faraj), and that with hardship ('usr) comes ease (yusr).’7

17. “Indeed, Ease Accompanies Hardship”

We can treat the verse:

“Indeed, ease accompanies hardship” (ash-Sharh 94:5).

In two ways:

a. The cause for ‘opening the breast’ (sharh al-sadr), above, for one of the instances of being granted ease is to open the breast of he who is afflicted by grievous woe.

b. The result of ‘opening the breast’ from another angle, in that we take the experience of ease to be a consequence of this opening. So, whosoever's breast Allah opens, and whosoever's burden He relieves, He has also, made easy his hardship.

18. The Path Of Obedience

Mention of the divine blessings - especially spiritual blessings such as the opening of the breast - gives occasion for the servant to turn to his Lord and be eager for Him, as shown by the verse:

“...and turn eagerly to your Lord.” (ash-Sharh 94:8).

This encourages the servant to urge himself onwards on the path of obedience;

“So, when you are done, toil...” (ash-Sharh 94:7).

as the final two verses of this surah suggest.

19. Toil

Those who strive to attain proximity to the truth know no weariness or boredom in their devotion; after they are finished with their duties to spread the message, they put themselves to toil in worship and supplication before their Lord; to prepare themselves to endure further hardships to liberate Allah's servants and purify His lands.

There is a powerful lesson in this for those who call people towards Allah, which is that their preoccupation with confronting the enemies of Allah does not excuse them from devoting themselves to worship and seeking recourse with Allah to the extent that they put themselves to toil, as we understand from the word '...toil' seeking additional steadfastness and divine grace.

20. Being Eager

Some verses of the Qur'an mention material forms of reward in Paradise, such as young men (ghulman) and maidens (hur),8 and bids the faithful to hasten towards a Paradise whose span is the heavens and the earth,9 but others encourage the elect (khawass) to attain degrees which cannot be compared to those blessings, such as the bliss of Divine Satisfaction (ridwan) which is greater than every other bliss in Paradise. It is the bliss of proximity and connectedness to the Divine.

It is possible that Allah's words:

“and turn eagerly to your Lord” (ash-Sharh 94:8).

allude to the level of being eager for Allah, not for His recompense, because in these verses it is to Allah that eagerness is directly fastened. And there is a clear distinction between desiring the Real Himself and merely desiring His reward.

1. Surah Luqman:
'Certainly We gave Luqman wisdom.' (31:12).

2. Majma’ al-Bayan 10/770.

3. Amali, 532.

4. Al-lhtijaj 1/212.

5. Manaqib 1/302.

6. Majma' al-Bayan 10/771.

7. Mishkat al-Anwar 20.

8. See, for instance Surah ad-Dukhkhan:
'So, shall it be, and We shall wed them to black-eyed houris' (44:54).

9. See Surah Ale 'Imran:
'And hasten towards your Lord's forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the Godwary ...' (3:133).

Surah at-Tin (No. 95 'The fig')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ

By the fig and the olive, (95:1).

وَطُورِ سِينِينَ

by Mount Sinai, (95:2).

وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ

by this secure town: (95:3).

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ

We certainly created man in the best of forms; (95:4).

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ

then We relegated him to the lowest of the low, (95:5).

1. Oaths

It is truly amazing how the Qur'an varies its oaths; moving from swearing oaths by fruits –

“By the fig and the olive” (at-Tin, 95:1).

to two sacred places –

“by Mount Sinai,” (at-Tin, 95:2).

“by this secure town:” (at-Tin, 95:3).

but there is nothing strange about this, because everything that belongs to Allah in some way, whether it is a fruit or a piece of blessed ground, is sacred and can be sworn upon, for the nobleness of a superior extends to those beneath him if we consider them as part of his affairs. Why should this be strange when both of these things emanate from the realm of His command and creation?

2. The Sanctity Of A Place

Mount Sinai was not a home for Moses (‘a), but a place where he conversed privately with his Lord, unlike the other holy places mentioned in this surah. This shows that a person's ennoblement by invoking his Lord - even if only for a short duration, like forty nights - imbues the place in which he invokes Him with sanctity; sanctity sufficient enough to warrant it being invoked in an oath.

3. Makkah

Using the adjective 'secure' categorically for Mecca in the verse

“by this secure town:” (at-Tin, 95:3).

alludes to the sanctity of this place, whether we interpret 'secure' here:

a. In the active sense, meaning it protects everyone who enters its protective circle, as if to say this place puts all of its inhabitants and visitors under its guard. This is an integral part of the religion, even if people violate it; it is a safe place, where it is not permitted to hunt game or harm its pilgrims, even if the person in question is a criminal

b. In the passive sense, as Allah says:

“Have they not seen that We have appointed a safe sanctuary...?” (al-'Ankabut, 29:67).

This means that Allah has decreed it, so, that anyone who violates its security has challenged Allah's authority directly. And this is why we see a painful punishment directed to ‘the Army of the Elephant’, who tried to assail this sanctity.

4. Blessings

We should be attentive to the abundant variety of divine blessings in our lives, which in turn require us to offer an abundant variety of thanks; whether in the form of word or deed, for each and each of those blessings. Some people appreciate only material blessings and thus forget spiritual ones, such as the blessing of being a Muslim and having faith; while others experience spiritual blessings but forget to give thanks for the food and drink they consume. While a true believer appreciates everything that comes from his Lord, whether it is material or spiritual.

This is why this surah combines the mention of material blessings - such as foods like the two fruits - with blessings in intangible form such as faith, just as it combines those that preserve the body's health, in the form of beneficial fruits like figs and olives - which we are told have many amazing properties - with those factors that preserve the health of nations, like security ('by this secure town.').

5. The Honour Of A Location

It has been explained that the first verses of this surah refer to the lands of different Prophets, namely:

a. Syria, which is famous for its figs and this was where Abraham (‘a) emigrated to.

b. Palestine, which is famous for its olives, which is where Jesus (‘a) was born and raised.

c. Mount Sinai, which is the place where Moses (‘a) conversed privately with his Lord.

d. The secure town, which is the land of our Prophet, the Final Messenger (S).

Taken together, these verses show that spots on earth acquire nobleness from the persons associated with them. So, no one can be proud of the place he resides in merely because of the ground it rests upon, for the honour of a location derives from the one who resides in it, not the other way around!

6. The Supplication By Abraham

The legal security decreed for the secure town is only in response to the supplication of Abraham (‘a) who asked Allah for safety, saying:

“My Lord! Make this city a sanctuary...” (Ibrahim, 14:35).

and His response was:

“Have they not seen that We have appointed a safe sanctuary ...?” (al-'Ankabut, 29:67).

What a great thing it is for Allah to guarantee the security of a land until the Day of Resurrection in response to the supplication of one of His ennobled servants!

7. Material And Spiritual Excellence

Allah created ma with the best capacity to attain material and spiritual excellence (kamal):

“Surely We created man of the best stature.” (at-Tin, 95:4).

a. So, the human body, with all its abilities and innate faculties, can do some truly astounding things, as we are currently learning by our advancing scientific knowledge in all areas.

b. But the human spirit, insofar as Allah has shown it the paths of good and evil –

“and shown him the two paths” (al-Balad, 90:10).

also, has the ability to attain the highest levels of excellence.

So, what a waste it is when a person does not attain this excellence despite being endowed with everything he needs to reach it. Truly it can be said of such a person:

“....They are just like cattle; rather they are further astray from the path.” (Al-Furqan, 25:44).

8. “The Best Stature”

Allah attributes creation in 'the best stature' to Himself, but He also, attributes reducing man to the lowest of the low to Himself;

“then We relegated him to the lowest of the low,” (at-Tin, 95:5).

with the key distinction that:

a. The first is a unilateral divine act, for Allah was with a person the moment he was created, when he was not

“...anything worthy of mention” (al-Insan, 76:1).

b. While the second is a divine act that follows from the actions of the person, and this belongs to the category of being forsaken and punished, like any law in the realm of cause and effect; Allah is the One who burns, but this is only when a person has ignited the fire himself!

9. The Arcs Of Ascent And Descent

What a difference there is between the ascension that are referred to in Allah's words;

“Surely We created man of the best stature:” (at-Tin, 95:4).

and in the verse;

“……to Him ascends the good word, and He elevates righteous conduct....” (Fatir, 35:10).

and the narration from Him: 'Were it not for you, I would not have created the firmament.'1 Compared to the descent referred to in His words;

“Then we reduced him to the lowest of the low,” (at-Tin, 95:5).

and in the verse;

“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest reach of the Fire...” (an-Nisa', 4:145).

And it is interesting to note that a person moves between the two arcs of ascent and descent in this world, which, despite its limitations, determines all of that.

Verses 6-8

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

except those who have faith and do righteous deeds. There will be an unrestrained reward for them. (95:6).

فَمَا يُكَذِّبُكَ بَعْدُ بِالدِّينِ

So, what makes you deny the Retribution? (95:7).

أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ

Is not Allah the fairest of all judges? (95:8).

10. Faith And Righteous Deeds

The Qur’an connects faith (Iman) to righteous deeds ('amal salih) in approximately fifty places, which shows us that salvation can only be achieved through both of them. So, those who seek a religion other than Islam, or even a path other than that of the Prophet and His Household (‘a) have lost the first pillar, while those who swerve from the upright way and do not perform righteous deeds, or contaminate their righteous deeds with evil ones, have lost the second one.

Notice that the tone of the verses that demonstrate this reality vary between:

a. Mentioning righteous deeds in the past tense -

“those who have believed and done righteous deeds....” (Ta Ha, 20:75).

- indicating steadfastness (thubat).

b. Mentioning righteous deeds in the present tense, indicating continuity, and faith is used as an attribute of a person, not of an act, as in Allah's words:

“Whoever does righteous deeds, should he be a believer.. .” (al-Anbiya', 21:94).

c. Mentioning righteous deeds as a prelude to glad tidings, whether these are directed to an individual believer, such as His words:

“But whoever comes to Him with faith and he has done righteous deeds,” (Ta Ha, 20:75).

or to a group of them, as in:

“and gives the good news to the faithful who do righteous deeds that there is a great reward for them.” (al-lsra', 17:9).

11. The Most Excellent Gift

The most excellent gift is that which:

a. Is uninterrupted, for the sadness the recipient experiences for the period that it is absent cannot be compensated for by the past moments when it was present. It is obvious that fleeting happiness cannot make up for real and present sadness, and this is why Allah describes His reward in this surah as being 'unrestrained' (ghayra mamnun), meaning that it never ends.

b. Is not accompanied by affronts (mann), as this distresses the recipient of the gift, and we can also, understand this from the words ghayra mamnun.

c. That in which it is understood that the recipient is worthy of this recompense, and the verse says that this reward is fixed for them:

“.... they shall have an everlasting reward” (at-Tin, 95:5).

as if to say this reward is due to them. In fact, the truth is that Allah is being gracious not only in giving them a reward, because what they did was nothing more than what their station as His servants demanded, but also, in the quantity of the reward that they receive, because an eternal and everlasting reward cannot be compared to some fleeting obedience in this world!

12. Rhetorical Questions

The Qur'an teaches us how to interact with people and convince them theoretically; after mentioning the wonders of His creation in the material world, and His sending of great prophets, He poses a rhetorical question about what motivates people to deny the Day of Recompense:

“So, what makes you deny the Retribution?” (at-Tin, 95:7).

It is as if to suggest that such a denial is something strange indeed, and this is one of the ways in which Allah reanimates the ossified intellects.

We can also, understand this address as being directed to the Prophet (S) to put his noble mind at ease, in which case the meaning is: 'So, what is it that could make you deny the recompense, 0 Messenger, after these unshakable proofs have been put forth?'

13. Summary In One Verse

Sometimes, Allah summarizes all the goals of a surah in a single sentence. We can identify a possible instance of this in the verse:

“Is not Allah the fairest of all judges?” (at-Tin, 95:8).

As if to say that the only conclusion to be drawn from everything that has been said in this surah, namely the magnificence of the material realm, choosing some persons as prophets, while reducing others to the lowest states, the promise of never-ending rewards and the threat of retribution for the denier, all of that springs from Allah's absolute authority over everything in existence.

14. Loss

The context of this surah resembles that of Surah al-'Asr in that it affirms the fact that everyone who exists is on a journey, as represented by its exposition of the principle of loss (khasran) which is the default state for the life of every individual, and which no one can escape, except by combining faith with righteous deeds.

This means that if a person excuses himself from ascending to the realm of 'the best of forms' then the unavoidable outcome of this will be his descent to 'the lowest of the low' just as all bodies with mass ultimately fall to the ground because of gravity if they do not expend energy to rise.

1. Manaqib 1/217.

Surah al-'Alaq (No. 96: 'The Clinging Mass')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

Read in the Name of your Lord who created; (96:1).

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ

created man from a clinging mass. (96:2).

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ

Read, and your Lord is the most generous, (96:3).

الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ

who taught by the pen, (96:4).

عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

taught man what he did not know. (96:5).

1. “Read”

There is a difference between ordering someone to read (qira'a) and ordering someone to speak (hadith); the first requires that there be something to read from. In other words, for every reader there is a text. So, from the command 'Read ...' (iqra’) we understand that there is something that the Prophet (S) must read from, and that is the Qur'an, as we see in Allah's words:

“We have sent the Qur'an in parts so, that you may read it to the people .....” (al-Isra', 17:106).

as if his heart stands in the place of the Divine Throne from which the revelation descends, and this alludes to the fact that the Prophet (S) never forgot any part of the Qur'an; what a heart he must have had to receive the entire Divine Scripture in a single burst on a single night!

2. Basmalah

It is well known that any action not connected to Allah is inconsequential and worthless (abtar)1, which is why we are bid to recite the basmalah before every significant act we undertake. It is even said - based on the fact that any action in which Allah's name has not been invoked is worthless - that the command

“Read in the Name of your Lord ...” (al-‘Alaq, 96:1).

means to begin reading by reciting the basmalah. It is even more necessary to connect matters of preaching to Allah, for He is not satisfied for people to spread His guidance except through people with whom He is pleased and in ways that pleases Him, so, that His religion owes nothing to anyone.

This is why Allah commands His chosen prophet (S) to read in the Name of his Lord, that same Lord whose mention is repeated more than once in these verses. Add to this the fact that Allah instructs His prophet to seek assistance from Him through prostration, and to draw near to Him in confronting those who bar His worship, and it is clear that success in the beginning of the mission and its continuation is predicated on its being connected to the Absolute.

3. Creatorship

The Qur'an frequently connects creatorship (khaliqiyyah) to lordship (rububiyyah); we see this in the verse here:

“... your Lord who created,” (al-‘Alaq, 96:1).

before it turns specifically to the creation of the human being

“created man from a clinging mass.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:2).

This intimates that Allah's creation of the human species is superior to all other creatures in this vast universe, as He says elsewhere:

“We certainly created man in the best of forms.” (at-Tin, 95:4).

4. A Clinging Mass

The Qur'an mentions that the creation of the human being began with a clinging mass (‘alaq), which literally means a mass of congealed blood, in order to remind its audience of their lowly origins. In another verse, it refers to this as a base fluid:

“Then He made his progeny from an extract of a base fluid.” (as-Sajda, 32:8).

Allah could have mentioned the intermediate and final stages of the human beings creation as a fetus, but He chose the weakest and lowliest stage, as this clinging mass does not exhibit any features of the body. This highlights Allah's absolute power in the realm of the body, in that He created the human being

“...in the best of forms” (at-Tin, 95:4).

from these lowly beginnings that could not even be described as complete.

But Allah also, exercises this creative power in the realm of the spirit, for He

“taught man what he did not know.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:5).

And the means He uses for this is also, something very simple, namely the pen, which is made of material from the trees that grow from the soil:

“who taught by the pen.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:4).

So, from the base matter of blood and wood come human beings and human knowledge, which in turn are the constituents of all the civilizations ever to have existed on the face of the earth.

5. Attachment Of The Prophet To Allah

Repeating the word 'Lord' (rabb) in this surah, and attaching it to the final prophet (S), is a kind of honouring of the Prophet, as in 'your Lord.' But elsewhere, we also, see the prophet mentioned and attached to his Lord, such as the verse:

“....who carried His servant.....” (al-Isra', 17:1).

It is said that this attachment of the Prophet to Allah is an even greater honour than attaching Allah to His prophet, because when you say: 'you are mine' this is nobler than saying 'I am yours.'

It is worth pondering on the fact that 'Lord' mentioned in the first instance of 'your Lord' -which is unqualified by any attributes - follows the mention of Allah's creation, which is His creative manifestation (tajalli takwini) 'who created' but the 'Lord' mentioned in the second instance - qualified by the quality of being most-generous –

“ .... your Lord is the most generous” (al-‘Alaq, 96:3).

follows the mention of Allah's teaching, which is His moral manifestation (tajalli tashri'i), for He is the One

“who taught by the pen.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:4).

6. The Most Generous

When the discussion revolves around creation, Allah describes Himself as generous. He says:

“O man! What has deceived you about your generous Lord,” (al-Infitar, 82:6).

“who created you and proportioned you, and gave you an upright nature .....” (al-Infitar, 82:7).

but when the discussion turns to knowledge and teaching, He describes Himself as most-generous, saying:

“Recite and your Lord is most generous” (al-‘Alaq, 96:3).

as if creation in its entirety is in one hand, while teaching the human being what he did not know is in the other above it. This should not be seen as unusual, because it is this knowledge that opens the way to know the creation that rests in the first hand, and, in fact, to know its Creator as well.

It should be clear that using the attribute of generosity out of all the Divine Attributes in these two places alludes to the fact that the divine effusion in both of them is pure kindness, offered without expecting anything in return, so, this does not fall into the category of rewards but into the realm of grace and benevolence.

7. Knowledge

Some biased parties accuse Islam of being a religion of the sword, when it is actually the religion of the pen, as we understand from these earliest verses of the Qur'an revealed, which was sent to open people's hearts with the slogan

“There is no compulsion in religion .....” (al-Baqarah, 2:256).

This is the real reason why Islam has spread to the furthest reaches of the world.

And the level of reverence that the Qur’an displays towards knowledge is so, high that it even invokes oaths upon the implements of writing - the pen - and that which is written on - the book. Both of these appear at the beginning Surah alQalam:

“By the Pen and what they write.” (al-Qalam, 68:1).

Notice that it does not mention any specific type of knowledge being written, out of respect for any kind of knowledge that flows from a person's pen, even if this is only for worldly benefit.

8. Teaching

Allah frequently attaches the act of teaching to Himself. He says that He:

“taught man what he did not know.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:5).

“...has taught the Qur'an.” (ar-Rahman, 55:2).

“He created man,” (ar-Rahman, 55:3).

“taught him articulate speech.” (ar-Rahman, 55:4).

“And He taught Adam the Names, all of them ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:31).

“...and when I taught you the Book and wisdom, the Torah and the Injeel …” (al-Ma'idah, 5:110).

“Indeed, he had the knowledge of what We had taught him ...” (Yusuf, 12:68).

“..it is just a revelation that is revealed, (an-Najm, 53:4).

“taught him by One of great powers...” (an-Najm, 53:5).

This means that anyone who chooses the path of teaching people knowledge that is useful to them, he is not just following in the footsteps of the great prophets; he is actually following in the footsteps of Allah and adopting His manners, so, it is a must that Allah should furnish him with the same kind of assistance that He bestowed upon all His prophets (‘a)! And this also, reveals the clear distinction between the actions of scholars who have adopted this divine attribute, and those who perform acts of worship only for their own salvation.

9. Acquired Knowledge Versus Inspired Knowledge

In this surah, teaching is sometimes mentioned without being qualified, as in

“taught man what be did not know” (al-‘Alaq, 96:5).

and sometimes it is qualified by the pen;

“who taught by the pen.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:4).

Perhaps this alludes to the two different kinds of knowledge; one being acquired knowledge ('ilm iktisabi) which is received from the physical sources of reading, writing and the minds of men; and inspired knowledge ('ilm ilhami) which is something bestowed only upon the elect of Allah's servants, as was the case with Khidr (‘a), as Allah's says He

“.... taught him a knowledge from Our own.” (al-Kahf, 18:65).

And about Luqman, Allah says:

“Certainly We gave Luqman wisdom ...” (Luqman, 31:12).

10. Lordship

The problem of the polytheists was not in acknowledging Allah as the creator of the universe;

“If you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth, and disposed the sun and the moon?' They will surely say, 'Allah." (al-'Ankabut, 29:61).

Their problem was that they refused to submit to Allah's lordship, and that's because they submitted to other man-made deities and idols.

Therefore, a Muslim who professes to accept Allah's Lordship while obeying another - at the level of action - is tainted by an attribute of this group, even if he is not really like them. This is why our Master bids us in Surah al-Fatihah to praise Him by His lordship first, before acknowledging that our obedience and worship belong to Him second. This surah also, mentions lordship first - 'your Lord' - and creation - 'who created' - as a description of Him second.

Verses` 6-8

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ

No indeed! Surely man becomes rebellious (96:6).

أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ

when he considers himself without need. (96:7).

إِنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَىٰ

Indeed, to your Lord is the return. (96:8).

11. Rebelliousness

After talking about knowledge and the pen, this surah turns to rebuke the person who sees himself without need because of his wealth. Allah says:

“No indeed! Surely man becomes rebellious” (al-‘Alaq, 96:6).

It is as though it is drawing a contrast between wealth and knowledge, or between this world and the Hereafter in general, for as the narration says, they are opposites; if someone absorbed by his love of this world occupies himself with things that distract him from Allah, he cannot enjoy the blessings of knowledge which would avail him, just as the warnings of the prophets will not avail him;

“You can only warn someone who follows the Reminder and fears the All-beneficent, unseen .....” (Ya Sin, 36:11).

and the Qur'an has mentioned clear examples of those who become rebellious because they feel they are without need, and the prime example of these people is Pharaoh, about whom Allah says:

“Let the two of you go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has rebelled.” (Ta Ha, 20:43).

so, that his destruction will be a lesson to anyone else who becomes rebellious because he sees himself without need!

12. Rebelliousness

The basis of all rebellion is that the human being sees himself as being without need - even if this is illusory - and so, cuts his ties to the real and absolute source of all forms of wealth. Otherwise, wealth - as an external state - is actually a form of divine grace and assistance, insofar as this world is the farm in which we grow our Hereafter. However, external wealth could encourage someone to become rebellious inwardly if he fails to vigilantly monitor himself. And this is why the subject of this verse is the human being in general - not specifically believers - and therefore it is proper for a person to satisfy himself with the amount of sustenance that suffices him, lest he be driven to self-destructive rebellion.

13. Those Who Humiliate The Prophets

The Qur'an frequently mentions those groups of people who confronted the message of the prophets (‘a) to humiliate them and warn others like them, for example:

a. Kings

“Indeed, when kings enter a town, they devastate it, and reduce the mightiest of its people to the most abased. That is how they act.” (an-Naml, 27:34).

b. The affluent

“And when We desire to destroy a town We command its affluent ones [to obey Allah]. But they commit transgression in it, and so, the word becomes due against it, and We destroy it utterly.” (al-Isra', 17:16).

c. Transgressors

“Thus have We installed in every town its major criminals that they may plot therein.” (al-An'am, 6:123).

d. The arrogant

“The elite of his people who were arrogant said, 'O Shu'ayb, we will surely expel you ...” (al-A'raf, 7:88).

This surah, which was one of the first to be sent down, also, contains a warning at the very beginning of this mission to the wealthy and rebellious, who are those that have invested their wealth in opposing the prophets (‘a), such as Korah of ancient times, and the arrogant leaders of the Quraysh at the advent of Islam.

14. Wealth And Knowledge Combined

Wealth, when combined with knowledge, becomes a means for human society to grow and develop, and this is what happened in the case of Joseph (‘a):

“My Lord! You have granted me a share in the kingdom, and taught me the interpretation of events .....” (Yusuf, 12:101).

So, his reign - which was a form of wealth - and his knowledge became two means by which on one aspect the people were saved from worshipping false gods, and on another aspect freed from the hardships of famine.

And when these two elements are combined in any ruler and at any time, the result is always the same; and this is the justice and ease of living that the human race will witness in the time when our Imam, the Mahdi (‘a) returns.

15. “Without Need”

The word 'without need' (istaghna), insofar as its verbal form signifies seeking the meaning of the root letters (gh-n-y, or 'wealth'), suggests that those whom wealth has made them rebellious, see that the wealth they possess - if it is, in fact, real wealth - is the sole result of their own efforts and labours in this world. They are unaware of the fact that whatever wealth anyone has - even the rebellious - is only by Allah's facilitation, because the world and everything in it ultimately returns to Him. It is He that says:

‘Do you not see that Allah has disposed for you whatever there is in the heavens and whatever there is in the earth ...?” (Luqman, 31:20).

In the present surah, He follows with the words:

“Indeed, to your Lord is the return.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:8).

It is as if to show that remembering the Resurrection and Judgment before Allah is one of the ways in which this feeling of needlessness can be broken in those people who still have hearts!

16. Spiritual Excellence

At the root of every spiritual excellence is being attentive to two facts:

a. Believing that the return is to Allah:

“Indeed, to your Lord is the return.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:8).

b. A person seeing himself standing before Allah:

“does he not know that Allah sees?” (al-‘Alaq, 96:14).

For this will endow him with humility in his physical existence, and his spiritual submission. Together these engender muhasibah (self-examination or self-contemplation) because he will remember his accounting in the Hereafter, and also, muraqabah (self-observation) because he will remember that Allah is watching him in this world. Without this, no one will ever attain excellence! It has been narrated in a tradition: 'Worship Allah as though you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.'2

It is interesting to note that this source of self-development in the spiritual realm has been mentioned in the Qur'an at the very beginning of the prophetic mission before Gabriel had brought down any particulars of the Shari'ah. So, we should not accept the claim of some people that there is nothing beyond the exterior of the Shari'ah, namely performing obligations and avoiding forbidden things.

Verses 9-19

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَىٰ

Tell me, he who forbids (96:9).

عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّىٰ

a servant when he prays, (96:10).

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَىٰ

tell me, should he be on guidance, (96:11).

أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَىٰ

or bid to Godwariness, (96:12).

أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

tell me, should he call him a liar and turn away (96:13).

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَىٰ

- does be not know that Allah sees? (96:14).

كَلَّا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ

No indeed! If be does not stop, We shall seize him by the forelock, (96:15).

نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ

a lying, sinful forelock! (96:16).

فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ

Then let him call his henchmen! (96:17).

سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ

We (too) shall call the keepers of hell. (96:18).

كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩

No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near! (96:19).

17. God Is Watching - A Principle That Deters

The three verses beginning with the words 'Tell me...' (a-ra-ay-ta, lit. 'Have you seen...') display astonishment at the actions of one who forbids a person from praying, who is upon guidance and bids others to beware of Allah; and this is to say that this action is so, evil, even the Exalted Lord is shocked, and to show the horrible punishment that awaits as a result!

Note that Allah mentions a principle to deter others from being like them, namely the fact that all of this is witnessed by Allah in this world; so, the apparent meaning of the words is directed to the polytheists who do not deny the existence of their Creator, so, this verse wants to produce the consequence of this belief, namely the fear that He could be watching them. As such, there is no need to threaten them with Hellfire on the Day of Recompense, and therefore the warning that He is watching extends even to those, just as the invitation to refine oneself was directed to the Pharaoh when Allah said:

'...maybe he will take admonition or fear” (Ta Ha, 20:44).

18. Repentance

It is the habit of the Qur'an to allude to the fact that the doors of repentance are still open, even for the worst cases of disobedience, in order to give hope to the hearts of those consumed by sins and who are immoderate with themselves. One example of this can be found in Surah al-Buruj, where Allah says:

“Indeed, those who persecute the faithful men and women, and then do not repent, for them there is the punishment of hell, and for them there is the punishment of burning.” (al-Buruj, 85:10).

In this verse, as we have already discussed, He predicates the execution of the punishment on the absence of repentance, even in the case of this horrible crime.

Another example can be found in this surah, in that Allah also, hints at repentance here, despite the fact that this is in the context of a threat to the one who has a lying sinful forelock, and who persists in forbidding others from prayer, as indicated by the use of the present tense in the verse

“Tell me, he who forbids ” (al-‘Alaq, 96:9).

Nevertheless, Allah says:

“No indeed! If he does not stop...” (al-‘Alaq, 96:15).

and this leaves him the option of desisting; what clemency this is from the Most Generous of the generous! He even leaves the opportunity to repent and be pardoned (even) in His threats!

19. Rebuke And Threat

The rebuke and threat carried by this surah, even if they are specifically directed to someone who forbade the Prophet (S) from praying, as indicated by the injunction to him (S) at the end of the surah not to heed his enemy but to prostrate and draw near to his Lord, they still imply - fundamentally - that displaying enmity towards a believer because of his faith - and especially because he performs his prayers - arouses Allah's wrath. This is because such behaviour constitutes a challenge to the most noble of His creatures while he is engaged with His most noble act of obedience, and this challenge ultimately returns to Allah, who is the most severe in punishing His servants and making examples of their persecutors!

20. The Greatness Of The Prophet (S) Before His Mission

Assuming that this surah in its entirety was the first revelation received by the Prophet (S), it serves to show the greatness of the Prophet (S) before his mission even began. This is because it describes him as being upon guidance and bidding others to piety, and that he would pray even if he had not yet been instructed in the particular rulings of prayer, or else why bother issuing rebukes and threats in these verses, if what is being discussed has not yet come to pass?

It is obvious here that people's obstinacy towards the Prophet (S) and his persecution by them, before and after his mission began, was not directed to him personally but to what he represented. This is why the verse describes him as

“a servant when he prays” (al-‘Alaq, 96:10).

rather than mentioning him by name. And this is another mark of distinction bestowed by Allah upon His beloved Prophet (S), for He describes him as 'a servant' - in the indefinite - to show the gravity of this situation!

21. The Outcome Of Worshipping

Allah connects the fact that the Prophet (S) bade others to piety to his being upon guidance in the verse

“Tell me, should he be upon guidance,” (al-‘Alaq, 96:11).

“or bid to godwariness,” (al-‘Alaq, 96:12).

And it is clear that only those who adopt piety themselves are fit to bid others to it, for how can one person who is naked clothe another?

Here, we should pay attention to the fact that the verse makes the object of the Prophet's bidding something that is the outcome of worshipping, namely godwariness (taqwa), not worship itself. So, for example, the desired outcome of fasting is not the act of avoiding food and drinks itself, but the state of piety and being wary of Allah that results from that. This is why Allah says the goal of fasting is:

“so, that you may be Godwary.” (al-Baqarah, 2:183).

And this should also, be the goal of those people who call others towards Allah; to bring about the result, not to simply mention the preliminaries to that result by themselves.

22. The Rebellious

Allah intends to humiliate the rebellious ones on the Day of Resurrection, so, they will be brought back on the Day of Resurrection like dust, trampled underfoot until Allah has finished accounting for the rest of creation. And this surah provides us with another form of humiliation for them, namely to be grabbed by their forelocks, which is the hair at the front of the head, and pulled forcefully;

“ …... We shall seize him by the forelock.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:15).

So, the wicked person will be put in the charge of the one who drives him forward in a state of utter abasement; and this will cause his head to be pulled low, while raising it would usually be a sign of pride and haughtiness. And note that these forelocks are described as 'lying' and 'sinful', which means that this verse specifically mentions lying before other sins, and that is because lying is the source of many evil things and it is one of the worst sins!

Therefore, when the believer who is dispossessed looks at this world and sees the rebellious ones holding their heads high in this abode - which is filled with spurious ranks - he should remember what will soon become of them, and this in turn should lend him a sense of dignity inside and help him exercise a good degree of patience.

23. Warnings And Glad Tidings

Divine warnings and threats of punishment are essential for the success of the prophetic mission, as are glad tidings and promises of reward. Several styles of threat appear in this surah that are directed at the affluent rebels. For example, these verses:

“Tell me ....” (al-‘Alaq, 96:9).

“.... We shall seize him by the forelock,” (al-‘Alaq, 96:15).

“We shall call the keepers of Hell.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:18).

And it is necessary to employ these threats to remove obstacles from the path of calling others towards Allah. So, those who lack resolve or decisiveness in calling towards Him are not following the path of the Prophet (S) who based his mission on both the elements of loyalty and disassociation (tawalli wa tabarri), which are understood from:

a. The two-part testimony of faith, which consists of both a negation and an affirmation: 'There is no god / except Allah'

b. The concept of prohibition and command in Allah's words:

“No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near!” (al-‘Alaq, 96:19).

24. Facing The Ranks Of The People Of Falsehood

Throughout the ages, the disbelievers have been eager to band together - whether in public or in private - to confront the believers who placed their hopes in Allah, in that they did not wait to form a band of people before confronting the disbelievers as the latter do to confront them. But the Qur’an derides these gatherings, which will be thwarted in the Hereafter, saying:

“Then let him call out his henchmen.” (al-‘Alaq, 96:17).

This derision functions as follows:

a. They will be gathered together again in the fires of Hell, but under the power of an avenging tyrant.

b. Then how will they confront the host of keepers of Hell - those angels who are entrusted to watch over the Hellfire - for then there will be no comparison between the gang of disbelievers and the host of faith.

Therefore, the believer must remember this outcome while he lives in this world, to give himself resolve and steadfastness in facing the ranks of the people of falsehood, who are forever plotting and scheming, as we see even today.

25. The Gangs And Groupings Of The Disbelievers

The groups and parties of the disbelievers - as numerous and varied as they have been throughout the ages - are all cut from the same cloth. The gang assembled by Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl as a council for Mecca, at its core, resembled the leaders of unbelief and falsehood in every age. So, the law that applies to those groups - that they will be wiped out and obliterated - will apply to every group like them as well, for Allah is the one who annihilates kings and causes others to succeed them.

The same is true of the verse

“Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he!” (al-Masad, 111:1).

It shows that the forces of falsehood will fail in every age, whoever their leader is. And Allah uses a similar expression with regards to the Pharaoh's destruction:

“and Pharaoh's stratagems only led him into ruin.” (Al-Ghafir, 40:37).

The words 'perish' (tabbat) and 'ruin' (tabab) both contain a single meaning that applies to two of the foremost disbelievers in history.

26. Prostration

It is said that prostration in the verse

“…… but prostrate and draw near!” (al-‘Alaq, 96:19).

refers to prayer (salat) because it stands in contrast to the forbiddance against praying, as an affront to this forbiddance and to show that he should pay no heed to it;

“No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate and draw near!” (al-‘Alaq, 96:19).

But prostration here could also, mean prostration (sujud) itself - based on the fact prostration is always a desired action, even outside of prayer - whether as prostration in general, or the prostration upon reciting this surah which contains a verse of obligatory prostration.

Narrations stressing the importance of prostration overflow in abundance; they say that the closest a servant will ever be to his Lord is when he is in prostration, and this verse links drawing near to the Lord '...draw near!' to prostration '...prostrate ...' because it is one of the most important ways in which a person can seek nearness to his Lord.

27. Taking Recourse With Allah

Taking recourse with Allah is a characteristic of all the Prophets when calling people towards Him, and that is because of the many difficulties they face in this path. This surah also, bids that reading - which is a feature of calling towards Him - be initiated by invoking the name of the Lord, the Creator and the One who taught with the pen.

Therefore, the call to Allah must begin by turning towards Him, but Surah al-Sharh says that the call must end with turning towards Him as well:

“So, when you are done, toil and turn eagerly to your Lord.” (ash-Sharh, 94:7-8).

So, turning eagerly towards Him, and putting oneself to toil in His worship is something necessary before, during and after calling others towards Him. This is the secret behind the success of the Prophet Muhammad's (S) mission, and that of the members of his Household who followed him right down to the present day.

28. Affirmations By This Surah

One of the distinguishing features of this surah, which was the first to be sent down to the Prophet (S), is that it affirms:

a. A doctrinal reality, in that it affirms Allah's lordship over the universe after its creation by Him, paying attention to the logical corollaries of this, namely obedience and submission to Him.

b. An educational reality, as embodied in the call for the human being to acquire knowledge and learning, whether through the pen or directly from Allah, such as His exclusive knowledge ('ilm ladini).

c. A moral reality, embodied by sensing Allah's immanent presence throughout existence, namely that He sees everything - good or evil - that comes from a person.

d. A practical reality, embodied by the command to pray, specifically to prostrate, as the most important branch of the religion.

1. The Arabic word abtar literally means ‘cut off’. [Note of Al-Islam].

2. Tusi, Amali 526.

Surah al-Qadr (No. 97, 'The Ordainment')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment! (97:1).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ

And what will show you what is the Night of Ordainment? (97:2).

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

The Night of Ordainment is better than a thousand months. (97:3).

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

In it angels and spirit descend, by the leave of their lord, with every command. (97:4).

سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

It is peaceful until the rising of the dawn. (97:5).

1. The Magnificence Of The Qur’an

This surah affirms the Qur'an's magnificence in several forms:

a. The Qur'an is referred to [in the first verse] using the pronoun "it" rather than by its name, as if what is being referred to is so, self-evident that it need not be named.

b. The time in which Allah chose to send it down is one of the noblest times, embodied by the Night of Ordainment.

c. In the same manner, Allah chose the heart of His noblest creation as the receptacle into which He revealed it all at once - based on His saying:

“Indeed, We sent it down...” (al-Qadr, 97:1).

So, just as the Qur'anic revelation is honoured by its chosen recipient - namely, the Final Prophet (S) - so, is its chosen recipient honoured by receiving the Qur'an.

d. Allah refers to Himself using the plural, "We", which signifies grandeur:

"Indeed, it is We who have sent down the Qur’an to thee by stages....." (al-Insan, 76:23).

"Indeed, We have given you abundance ..." (al-Kawthar, 108:1).

2. The Significance Of The Night Of Ordainment

There is a striking reality to be witnessed in this surah in that it begins by mentioning the revelation of the Qur'an, and one would assume that the natural course would be to continue discussing it. Instead, the discussion turns abruptly to the Night of Ordainment. It is as if someone said: 'I lodged an important guest in such-and-such a place.' But then, instead of mentioning the significance of the guest, the speaker begins describing the place in which he lodged the guest! If such words were uttered by a competent speaker, we would understand that his primary intent was to inform us of the importance of the place, as demonstrated by the fact he chose to place such an important guest in it. This is what has happened in this surah. The surah wants to say: 'One of the reasons why the Night of Ordainment is so, important is because it was the time in which the Qur'an was revealed.'

3. Night-Time

It is no secret that the night has a special position above all other times. This is why the night was chosen for such a blessed occasion rather than the day. For it is by night that Allah turns towards His saints (awliya), to envelop them in the lights of His majesty. The Qur'an swears an oath by daybreak (fajr) and another by late afternoon ('asr) just once, but it swears oaths by the night in seven places, including:

“By the night as it approaches.” (at-Takwir, 81:17).

“By the night when it recedes!” (al-Mudatthir, 74:33).

“By the night when it departs!” (al-Fajr, 89:4).

And the attributes of the believers are mentioned in connection with the night, for example:

“...And at dawns they would plead for forgiveness.” (adh-Dhariat, 51:18).

“And keep vigil for a part of the night” (al-Isra’, 17:79).

They

“recite Allah's signs in the watches of the night” (Ale 'lmran, 3:113).

and

“.... and glorify Him the night long” (al-Insan, 76:26).

and

“Stand vigil through the night, except a little.” (al-Muzzammil, 73:2).

And Allah set a tryst for Moses of ‘Forty Nights’1 just as He took His beloved, Muhammad (S), to the heavens by night. All of these facts demonstrate that the night is a time uniquely suited to convey spiritual blessings therein.

4. World Of The Unseen

The Qur'an usually uses the phrase ‘And what will show you ...’ for metaphysical realities that are beyond the reach of man's physical senses, such as some phenomena on the Day of Resurrection, including the Saqar,2 the Day of Judgment (yawm al-fasl),3 the Day of Recompense (yawm al-din),4 the Crusher (hutama),5 and the scorching fire (nar hamiyah).6

Therefore, mentioning the Night of Ordainment in this manner shows that it too is connected to the world of the unseen, even though it actually occurs in the tangible realm. This is because mankind can no more comprehend the reality of this night than they can comprehend the realities of the Isthmus (barzakh) and the Resurrection, which are hidden from their physical senses.

5. The Magnificence Of The Night Of Ordainment

This surah demonstrates the Night of Ordainment's magnificence in a number of ways:

a. It says that this night was the occasion on which the Qur’an was sent down, and the night itself occurs in the best of months, namely the month of Ramadan.

b. Laylat al-Qadr is referred to by name three times in this single surah, rather than simply using a pronoun to refer to it.

c. Allah directly addresses the Final Prophet (S) with the words:

“And what will show you ...?” (al-Qadr, 97:2).

meaning, if you (the Messenger) cannot fully grasp the importance of this night and its exalted stature, then how can the intellects of the ordinary people possibly hope to do so?

6. A Thousand Months

Allah wished - in His abundant kindness - to compensate the final ummah for the shortness of their lives, and singled out some of its members for a magnificent kind of compensation; He gave them a single night that was worth more than a thousand months. It is narrated that when Allah showed His Messenger (S) the length of the people's lives, the Messenger saw that the lives of his ummah were shorter [than those of people who had come before them], and he feared that they would not be able to accomplish the same good deeds as their predecessors. As a result, Allah gave him the Night of Ordainment, which is better than a thousand months of those other nations!

Note that the verse does not only say that this night is equal to a thousand months, but rather that it surpasses them. Allah says that this night is 'better' (khayr) without telling us how much better it is! Instead, He mentions only the least amount of its value, which is a thousand months. This is similar to what the Prophet (S) said about the striking of 'Ali (‘a) when the latter dueled with 'Amr b. 'Abdu Wadd: "Ali's duel with 'Amr b. 'Abdu Wadd at the Battle of the Trench will have a reward better than all the deeds of my ummah until the Day of Resurrection!'

7. Qadr

Here, we must understand the word qadr (in the phrase Laylat al-Qadr) to mean:

a. Regard for someone, as in:

“They do not regard Allah with the regard due to Him” (az-Zumar, 39:67).

b. The ordainment of affairs, as in:

“Then you turned up as ordained, O Moses!” (Ta ha, 20:40).

c. Narrowness, in that the Earth becomes crowded by the angels from the heavens, in the sense of:

“...and let he whose provision has been tightened ...” (at-Talaq, 65:7).

So, in a general sense, all of the above meanings signify the greatness of this night, whether this is because of its own essence, because of the angels who descend to Earth therein or because of the ordainments set in motion during the night. Of course, from all of this we can also, understand the greatness and the nobleness of the Creator Himself, who blesses us with such a gift in only a few hours of a single night of the year.

8. “A Blessed Night”

When Allah calls the Night of Ordainment a 'blessed night,'7 this suggests that He sends down blessings for the spiritual lives of His servants on this night in the same manner as He grants physical life to dead lands when He says:

“And We send down from the sky blessed water.” (Qaf, 50:9).

Someone who is not exposed to these abundant blessings and does not make use of them is truly a deprived person. Perhaps it is these divine blessings, which grant all of Allah's servants the energy to stay awake on that night, despite their lack of energy on others, even those in the holy month itself. Of course, blessings have different degrees for different people, so, it is inconceivable that the blessing that the Imam of our Age (‘a) receives would be given to anyone else. This means we should never be satisfied with the level of divine favour we have obtained in this blessed night and always be striving for more.

9. Receiving Qur’an

One of the reasons that the Night of Ordainment has acquired this nobleness is that Allah, who decided to send down the Qur'an gradually over the course of the Prophetic mission, sent down the entirety of the Qur'an's lofty spiritual truths to the heart of His own chosen Prophet (S) in a single night. What an amazing heart the Prophet must have had to endure receiving the Qur'an in its totality all at once, when the revelation of just a single verse to him on other occasions was so, taxing that its strain could sometimes be seen on his blessed face!

10. Spreading Of A Blessing

The nature of a genuine blessing is that it spreads to everything around it. Allah says about his prophet, Jesus (‘a):

“He has made me blessed, wherever I may be...” (Maryam, 19:31).

And about Moses (‘a):

“Blessed is He who is in the fire and who is around it.” (an-Naml, 27:8).

And the blessed month of Ramadan, in addition to those blessings it holds as a month that ‘belongs’ to Allah, has been blessed further still by the Night of Ordainment. And because this night has become a part of it, this night's blessings extend throughout the entire holy month. Based on this, we can say that the Night of Ordainment's blessings also, extend to the faithful themselves, meaning that anyone who is worthy will partake of this magnificent overflowing of the Divine.

11. The Superiority Of The Night Of Ordainment

The superiority of the Night of Ordainment compared to a thousand months could either be with regards to the deeds performed therein (as people usually say) or it could be with regards to the souls of the worshippers. The latter is actually more significant because it is the person performing these deeds who receives their blessings, not the deeds themselves! In other words, a person might get closer spiritually to truth and perfection on this night than he would have done in a thousand other months, even if he did his utmost. This is the perfect motivation for those worthy persons who are striving to perfect their souls and not just their deeds.

12. Ordained Affairs

The fact that all affairs are ordained in a single night as we understand from another verse, namely:

“Every definitive matter is resolved in it” (ad-Dukhkhan, 44:4).

can be a source of confusion for one of God's servants who wants to secure his wellbeing in religious and worldly matters. But this confusion, in turn, serves to whet one's appetite to strive for the best ordainments for oneself before the ink of destiny dries at the time of fajr, especially in those last moments before the end of the greatest Night of Ordainment. Hence, with regards to divine ordainments, we say that even if they emanate from the Unseen, the servant still has a role to play in shaping and changing them to safeguard his moral and material success. This rule applies to any area in which the Qur'an uses the words 'whomsoever He wills', as He could mean that the one who determines this is the servant, as when He says:

“Allah guides to His Light whomever He wishes ....” (an-Nur, 24:35).

13. Increased Reward

When we consider that the reward for good deeds is increased on the Night of Ordainment, it leads us to ponder: How can we reconcile this verse with the fact that the reward (ajr) of a good deed depends on the difficulty (mashaqqa) involved in performing it? How can the worship of a single night compare to the worship of a thousand months? The answer to this question is the same answer we give when explaining the great blessings that come from any little thing that becomes attached to Allah; Moses' ark (tabut), Joseph's shirt, the stone of the Ka'bah and the blessed month of Ramadan, to name just a few! When an object or an action becomes attached to Allah, its very essence changes; and when we realize that Allah - the One who endows things with their qualities - bestowed this wondrous quality on a single night of the year out of His grace, then it is hardly surprising that it carries such rewards, for He does as He wills.

14. Crucial For All Existent Beings

The Night of Ordainment is not only crucial for mankind but for all existent beings, as it is said that Allah ordains everything that will happen in the coming year on that night, including rains, sustenance, life and death. Therefore, the ordainment that takes place on this night affects events in creation, as the Divine Ordainment (qadr ilahi) encompasses everything that Allah has created. This is demonstrated by His saying:

“Indeed, We have created everything in an ordained measure.” (al-Qamar, 54:49).

Therefore, one can say that whoever supplicates earnestly in this night, his supplication might have an effect on worldly events such as earthquakes and other natural disasters, not to mention the lives of other creatures, such as his believing brethren and even the nonMuslims.

Perhaps part of the wisdom behind keeping the exact date of this night hidden is to motivate people to stay up and perform worship for a number of nights, with their hearts caught between the fear of missing this night and the hope of attaining it! This way, the one who attains it will not suffer smugness or pride any more than the one who misses it will suffer dejection and despair.

15. Hidden Things

Allah could have, had He willed it, been kind to us, told us which night was the Night of Ordainment and spared us this confusion every year! Instead, he chose to hide it by virtue of His perfect wisdom, as a motivation for His servants to strive hard for many nights with their hearts caught between the fear of missing it and the hope of attaining it. Moreover, by keeping it hidden, He adds to its nobleness. After all, something truly precious is rarely left in plain sight so, that anyone could come and take it! Therefore, we should always remember that there is wisdom behind Allah's decisions to conceal this and other things:

a. He conceals His pleasure with our acts of obedience so, that we continue to seek it in all our righteous deeds.

b. He conceals His anger at our sins, so, that we will avoid all lapses.

c. He conceals His representative (waliy) amongst the people so, that we will show respect to all of His servants.

d. He conceals His response to our prayers, so, that we strive harder in all our supplications.

e. He hides His Greatest Name (al-ism al-a'zam) so, that we will venerate all of His Names.

f. He conceals the identity of the middle prayer (al- salat al wusta) so, that we will focus on all of our prayers.

g. He conceals His acceptance of our repentance so, that we will seek His forgiveness through all acts of repentance.

h. He hides our time of death so, that we will always be wary of a sudden, unexpected death.

“In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every command.” (al-Qadr, 97:4).

“It is peace until the rising of the dawn.” (al-Qadr, 97:5).

16. Angels Descending

The apparent meaning of His words

“The angels... descend……” (al-Qadr, 97:4).

is that all of the angels in existence descend, as this is the implication of using a plural with the definite article (al-mala'ika’). As a result, some commentators on the Qur'an have wondered how this great host of angels can possibly gather together on Earth in a single night. There are those that say that they do not descend to Earth but remain in the heaven of this world. Others say that they come down to the Earth in successive waves, so, it can still be said that they all come down in a single night. What is clear, however, is that being aware of this massing of angels will amaze God's servant and motivate him to try his utmost to be the best worshipper on this night, so, that he can win peace from this vast host by virtue of their supplications for him.

17. The Spirit

Mentioning the Spirit (ruh) alongside the angels suggests that there is a hierarchy that permeates the entirety of Creation; just as Allah has favoured some messengers over others, he has made some inhabitants of the Throne superior to others. Hence, he has made the Spirit an entity separate from the rest of the angels, and there are disagreements amongst commentators.

a. Some say that it is a great angel without any other like it.

b. Others say that it is a special group of angels who only descend on the Night of Ordainment.

c. Some say that it is Gabriel about whom Allah says:

“the Holy Spirit has brought it down duly from your Lord” (an-Nahl, 16:102).

d. Others say that it refers to Jesus (‘a) about whom Allah says:

“The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only an Messenger of Allah, and His Word that He cast toward Mary and a spirit from Him.” (an-Nisa', 4:171).

He comes down to oversee the deeds of the ummah of the final messenger (S) and see the great worship being performed by his followers, and at the head of this great worship is the acts of worship by the Final Successor (‘a).

18. Wilayah

There is a strong connection between this surah and the principle of wilayah; that is the Night of Ordainment occurs, without fail, in all eras, and the angels descend in it with divine ordainments as a result. Now, we know for every angel that descends there must be a person to whom it descends. But who could this be besides the one without whom the Earth would have been swallowed up with its inhabitants? The Night of Ordainment corresponds symbolically to the existence of an Infallible Imam in every age, and hence we can say that this surah is one of the surahs of wilayah. At its core, it subtly turns the attention of the ummah to the other weighty thing (thaqal) that the Prophet left behind alongside the Qur’an.

19. Divine Permission

Even though the descent of the angels to Earth is something very normal, it still requires Divine permission. This is the nature of the angels who do not even venture to speak ahead of Him;

“They do not venture to speak ahead of Him, and they act by His command.” (al-Anbiya’, 21:27).

And this verse contains some indication that the angels act as though they ardently desire to visit the righteous members of this ummah, at whose head is the Imam of the Age (‘a), just as they desire to visit them in Paradise, saying:

“Peace be to you, for your patience.’ How excellent is the reward of the [ultimate] abode!” (ar-Ra'd, 13:24).

It is only natural that one who goes to visit someone experiences some desire to meet the object of his visitation (ziyarah), even if that is by virtue of a divine command that he cannot disobey.

20. The Honour Of The Night Of Ordainment

All of the fundamental elements of the Night of Ordainment are connected to Allah in some way, shape or form: It falls in the month of Allah, and the one who sent down the Book in it is Allah, and it was sent to Allah's Messenger in the hands of one of Allah's angels to guide Allah's servants. So, the elements of this night are all dyed in the colours of the Divine, and this is why it has been singled out and honoured above all other nights.

21. The Word “Min” (With)

It is part of the Qur'an's greatness that its words - or even its letters - can carry multiple distinct meanings. For example, the scholars have differed in their interpretations of the word 'with' (min) in His saying: 'with every command.' It is said:

a. That it implies concomitance (mulabisa) as it explains what it is that descends in that night with the angels.

b. That it implies causation (sababiyyah), meaning that this descent is the cause for every divine command in this world, as indicated by His saying:

“All His command, when He wills something, is to say to it 'Be,' and it is.” (Ya Sin, 36:82).

c. That it implies motivation (ta’lil), meaning that it happened in order to arrange every future affair in Creation.

22. Peace

There are two directions from which one of God's servants loses peace and wellbeing in his life; the first is the commanding self (al-nafs al-ammarah), and the other is Satan, the accursed outcast, and it is known that their role is circumscribed in the Night of Ordainment:

a. All the devils are chained-up in the holy month, especially on the Night of Ordainment; so, there is no room for Satan to exercise his authority while the authority of the angels permeates the heavens completely on that night.

b. As for the Self, it has been tamed by fasting for the duration of the month and especially for the Night of Ordainment. This special night is surrounded by a halo of divine sanctity, of which all creatures are aware in their own selves. This is why this night is peace until the rising of the dawn.

23. Peace

The peace (salam) on the Night of Ordainment could be with regards to:

a. The night itself. It is described as peace insofar as it provides safety from those harmful things that obstruct the acceptance of good deeds. And [when we say 'It is peace' rather than 'it is peaceful'] we must bear in mind that this is a kind of emphasis, as when we say: 'So-and-so, is justice (‘adl)' by which we emphasize that he is just ('adil).

b. The greetings of peace given by the angels to one another or to the believers, or that they come and invoke peace upon the Prophet (S) and his infallible successor. It is narrated from 'Ali (‘a): 'They descend to give greetings of peace to us and to intercede on our behalf, for whoever receives (such] a greeting of peace shall have all his sins forgiven.'

1. Surah al-Baqarah:
“And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Musa, then you took the calf (for a god) after him and you were unjust.” (2:51).

2. Surah al-Muddaththir:
“And what will make you realize what Hell-Fire is?” (74:27)

3. Surah al-Mursalat:
“And what will make you comprehend what the Day of Decision is?” (77:14).

4. Surah al-Infitar:
“And what will make you realize what the Day of Judgement is?” (82:17).

5. Surah al-Humazah:
“And what will make you realize what the Crushing Disaster is?” (104:5).

6. Surah al-Qari'ah:
“(It is) a Fire Blazing fiercely!” (101:11).

7. Surah al-Dukhkhan:
“Surely We revealed it on a Blessed Night: for We (ever) wish to warn (against Evil).” (44:3).

Surah al-Bayyinah (No. 98, 'The Manifest Proof')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنْفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

The disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not set apart until the manifest proof had come to them (98:1).

رَسُولٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُطَهَّرَةً

a Messenger from Allah reciting impeccable scriptures, (98:2).

فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ

wherein are upright writings. (98:3).

وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

And those who were given the Book did not divide, except after the manifest proof had come to them. (98:4).

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

Yet they were not commanded except to worship Allah, dedicating their faith to Him as men of pure faith, and to maintain the prayer and pay the zakat. That is the upright religion. (98:5).

1. The Word “Min” (From Among)

The words 'from among' (min) in the verse:

“The disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not set apart until the manifest proof had come to them” (al-Bayyinah, 98:1).

could mean:

a. Distinction (tabyin), meaning distinguishing the group of the disbelievers; in which case the verse is referring to their condition before the prophetic mission. They were all disbelievers, whether they apparently accepted a divine scripture that had actually been distorted, or they did not accept any scripture, like the idol worshippers.

b. Division (tab’id): In which case the verse is referring to their condition after the prophetic mission had begun, whereby the verse rebukes that group among them that persisted in their unbelief and error.

2. “People Of The Book”

Those people who have received a divine scripture are referred to in various ways. So, sometimes they are referred to as 'The People of the Book' (ahl al-kitab), and sometimes they are referred to as 'Those who were given the Book.' The difference between these two expressions is:

a. 'The People of the Book' mean the followers of divine religions; hence they are mentioned separately from the polytheists who are idol-worshippers.

b. Whereas 'Those who were given the Book' refers to those to whom the Book had been sent down, meaning that the address is directed to them as in Allah's saying:

“Mankind were a single community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He sent down with them the Book with the truth, that it may judge between the people concerning that about which they differed, and none differed in it except those who had been given it, after the manifest proofs had come to them, out of envy among themselves.” (al-Baqarah, 2:213).

The discussion in this verse is actually about everyone to whom messengers were sent.

But regardless of which group they are from, whoever reject divine guidance the outcome is one and the same, that is they differ about guidance. The disagreement may be within a single divine religion, as in Allah's words

“When Jesus brought the manifest proofs, he said, “I have certainly brought you wisdom, and [I have come] to make clear to you some of the things that you differ about. So, be wary of Allah and obey me.” (az-Zukhruf, 43:63).

“Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so, worship Him. This is a straight path.” (az-Zukhruf, 43:64).

But the factions differed among themselves. So, woe to the wrongdoers for the punishment of a painful day.” (az-Zukhruf, 43:65).

It may also, not be within a single religion, as in:

“Had Allah wished, those who succeeded them would not have fought each other after the manifest proofs had come to them. But they differed. So, there were among them those who had faith and there were among them those who were disbelievers...” (al-Baqarah, 2:253).

3. The Word ‘Munfakkin’ (Set Apart)

One of the areas in which there is a great deal of disagreement between commentators is the first verse of this surah, to the extent that it is considered one of the hardest verses of the Qur'an in terms of its arrangement and explanation! So, anyone who ponders on the Qur'an must have a certain level of intelligence and discernment to solve its puzzles.

The word 'set apart' (munfakkin) is the source of this ambiguity. This is firstly because the verse does not mention what they were set apart from; if we say from unbelief (kufr) - which is the apparent meaning - then the verse means that they will be set apart from their unbelief after clear proofs come to them, but the fact is that they remained in disbelief even after this. In fact, they increased in obstinacy and opposition to the prophetic mission, as Allah says in the following verse:

“And those who were given the Book did not split, except after the proof had come to them!” (al-Bayyinah, 98:4).

So, two other answers are offered:

a. First, what it means is that they were not set apart from the general principle that applies to all nations, as expounded in Allah's words:

“Allah does not lead any people astray after He has guided them until He has made clear to them what they should beware of.” (at-Tawbah, 9:115).

And:

“We do not punish until We have sent a Messenger.” (al-Isra', 17:15).

In this context, the clear proof in this verse is the sending of a messenger, which is mentioned in the subsequent one. So, by sending a 'clear proof’, they have been left without any excuse. But even after this they continued to differ, with some accepting it and some rejecting it:

“And when there came to them a Book from Allah, confirming that which is with them - and earlier they would pray for victory over the pagans - so, when there came to them what they recognized, they defied it. So, may the curse of Allah be on the disbelievers!” (al-Baqarah, 2:89).

b. Second, they claimed that they would not turn aside from what they were following without a clear proof coming to them, which would set them onto a new path. But after this clear proof came to them, they did not believe as promised. In other words, after 'the manifest proof had come to them' and after they had made their belief conditional upon it coming 'until the manifest proof had come to them' they did not keep their promise to follow this manifest proof, rather they fled from it.

4. Traits Of Prophet Muhammad (S)

When the subject of discussion turns to the Prophet (S), it is a discussion about someone who bears two traits:

a. First, he is the bearer of the clear and 'manifest proof’, which is necessary, such that they are left without excuse. So, all of his words and deeds occurred in this context.

b. Second, he recited 'impeccable scriptures’ which no falsehood - whether in the form of distortions by men or the corruption by the devils - could reach, and which contained teachings prescribed for Allah's servants, such as mentioned in these verses:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil)” (al-Baqarah, 2:183).

“Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.” (al-Baqarah, 2:216).

“It is prescribed, when death approaches any of you, if he leave any goods that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due from the Allah-fearing.” (al-Baqarah, 2:180).

“O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. And for him who is forgiven somewhat by his (injured) brother, prosecution according to usage and payment unto him in kindness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. He who transgresseth after this will have a painful doom.” (al-Baqarah, 2:178).

He looks after their wellbeing in the best and most holistic manner possible - as we understand from the use of the ta' of hyperbole in 'upright writings' (kutubun qayyima-t-un ) - just as a guardian looks after the affairs of an orphan.

5. Avoiding Mention

The verse avoids mentioning the People of the Book as Jews and Christians. Instead it refers to them with the description of having been given the book, to increase their culpability, so, that they would have no excuse after Allah's proof was completed through their uncorrupted divine scriptures, all of which promise a prophet of the end times:

“...and to give the good news of a Messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” (as-Saff, 61:6).

Here, we cannot help but notice the greatness of the Prophet (S) revealed to us in these verses, as they show that whoever does not believe in him (‘a) is counted amongst those who do not believe in Allah at all, or who associate partners with Him; their destination altogether shall be Hellfire:

“Indeed, the disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the fire of hell...”(al-Bayyinah, 98:6).

This is also, the reason why the name of the Prophet (S) is not mentioned explicitly; instead he is described as a messenger - 'an apostle from Allah' - and this also, aggrandizes him, just as describing others as having been given the book increases their culpability.

6. Not Mentioning The Polytheists

One could ask why the polytheists are not mentioned alongside 'those who were given the book' in the fourth verse of this surah, while they are mentioned at its beginning? A possible explanation of this is that, in the fourth verse, the discussion is about dividing into different parties and sects, which is only conceivable for a people of learning, religion and literature - even if this is, at its core, false - whereas the polytheists have not reached a level where they can divide into various groups and tendencies, because of the simplicity of their beliefs or, in fact, the silliness thereof; after all, we cannot speak of them being divided on something that has no stability in the first place!

7. Worshipping Allah

There is a difference between those who worship Allah seeking Paradise or fearing Hell, and between those who worship Allah out of devotion to Him, seeking His pleasure in spite of their knowledge that their reward with their Lord shall be '

“Their reward, near their Lord, is the Gardens of Eden, with streams running in them...”(al-Bayyinah, 98:8).

The similitude of this is someone who washes himself for Allah, even though he is aware that the effect of this is to remove dirt from his body. So, just because someone knows the results of their actions, this does contradict their deeds being solely dedicated to Allah; it is only if they perform these actions seeking such effects that a contradiction arises. But few people attain this level whose occupants Allah describes as 'dedicating' (mukhlisin) in their faith; He refers to them with an adjective rather than a verb (e.g. 'who dedicate...') [to indicate their steadfastness in this level.]

8. Monasticism

All of the revealed religions share a single spirit, represented - after believing in Allah and the Prophet He has sent in any given age - by worship described with two qualifications:

a. Dedication - 'dedicating their faith to Him' - because whatever is done for anyone besides Allah is not truly worship, even if it is mixed with proper worship in its outward form.

b. Avoidance of the extremes in terms of excess and deficiency (ifrat wa tafrit), and this is the meaning of 'people of pure faith' (hunafa’), or at least one of its implications if we interpret it to mean 'uprightness.' So, Christian monastics have forsaken this balance for the sake of presumptuous worship for their own sake, neglecting their duties towards others, such as confronting the oppressors and serving the needy.

It is fitting to mention here a tradition from the Prophet (S) which forbids this kind of monasticism: 'For every nation there is a monasticism; the monasticism of my nation is in congregational and Friday prayers, and instructing one another in the teachings of the religion.'1

9. Prayer And Charity

There is no doubt that the particulars of the teaching of one religion differ from those of another, but according to the Qur’an what is shared between them is prayer (salat) and charity (zakat). Allah says:

“...and to maintain the prayer and pay the zakat ...” (al-Bayyinah, 98:5).

and:

“and He has enjoined me to prayer and to zakat as long as I live.” (Maryam, 19:31).

Of course, there are differences between the different religions in the particular elements of these acts of worship.

Perhaps the reason for these shared attributes is that prayer governs the relationship between a servant and his Lord, while charity governs the relationship between him and His creation. Prayer encompasses an inner struggle to turn one's heart towards Allah, while charity contains an outward struggle to remove one's attachments to wealth. Both of them involve relying on Him alone in everything He has commanded, so, that the servant becomes like a level road leading to his Lord, which is easy to travel upon. And the sum of the contents of these religions fall under the rubric of Allah's words: 'the upright religion' whether this means:

a. The religion of upright books; alluding to all the revealed scriptures.

b. Specifically the religion of the Final Prophet (S) because its teachings look after the wellbeing of Allah's servants.

c. A religion of upright values, as it contains lofty teachings.

10. The Final Message

The spirit of the verses that appear in this surah testifies to the universality of the Islamic mission, and indicates that even if earlier religions were valid for their people before the advent of Islam, now that the Final Prophet (S) has been sent with Allah's Final Message, there is no need for any other religion except Islam.

Hence we should not flaunt any religious or humanitarian project that falls outside the framework of the pure religion of Islam. Allah says:

“Indeed, with Allah religion is Islam” (Ale 'Imran, 3:19).

and the acceptance of good deeds depends on a person's piety (taqwa); there is no meaning to piety if the activities in question are not done in accordance with Allah's desire, even if the act in of itself is a virtuous one.

11. Ignorance

We must adopt Allah's manners mentioned in this surah, namely that He does not chastise anyone without good reason; so, first of all, we should not chastise someone who is ignorant, unless of course he is willfully ignorant, in which case we are relieving him of his ignorance.

We learnt his from the fact that Allah does not punish His servants except after providing them with clear and irrefutable proof from impeccable scriptures sent down with valuable teachings, whether this means teachings that look after the wellbeing of Allah's servants, or teachings which are upright and without crookedness, unlike manmade laws and ways of living, many of which are contrary to healthy human nature (fitrah) and also, neglect essential human needs!

Verses 6-8

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ

Indeed, the disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the fire of hell, to remain in it (forever). It is they who are the worst of creatures. (98:6).

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ

Indeed, those who have faith and do righteous deeds - it is they who are the best of creatures. (98:7).

جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ

Their reward, near their Lord, is the Gardens of Eden, with streams running in them, to remain in them forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who fear their Lord. (98:8).

12. Punishment And Reward

In this surah, Allah places the threat of punishment (wa'id) before His promise of reward (wa'd), mentioning the recompense of 'the worst of creatures' then following them with the recompense of 'the best of creatures.' Perhaps the reason for this is that the flow of the first verses of the surah concerned the false beliefs of the People of the Book and the polytheists, meaning that when it came to the matter of recompense it was more appropriate to begin with that connected to the beginning of the surah. There is also, the fact that the relation of the threat of punishment to the promise of reward is like that of medicine to food; one must dissuade a person from harmful things before directing them to that which benefits them.

13. The Best And The Worst Creatures

A person who combines - through the school of the Prophets (S) - faith with righteous deeds becomes someone about whom it can be truly said: They are amongst the best creations Allah has placed on the face of His earth, based on the fact that the term 'creatures' (bariyyah) includes every creation, even the angels, because they too have been created by Allah. And from the scriptures we understand that some creatures are better than the angels, as Allah has revealed by commanding them to prostrate before Adam, who had not yet been sent with any message, and that was because of the capacity he had to move towards perfection and ascend to a level above even that of the angels!

We can also, treat the verse referring to the best and worst of creatures an allusion to the two arcs of ascent and descent in creation, which we have already seen in Surah at-Tin:

“We certainly created man in the best of forms.” (at-Tin, 95:4).

“Then We relegated him to the lowest of the low.” (at-Tin, 95:5).

14. The Word ‘Ind’ (Near)

It should be clear that the word 'near' ('ind) in the phrase 'near their Lord' suggests kindness (lutf) because 'the best of creatures' are those who placed their desires solely in He who possesses anything like this kind of recompense, and they did not care about the fleeting rewards of others! We can also, understand this to mean that their recompense is like a deposit with someone trustworthy, a deposit which will be returned to them at a time when its owner will need it most!

This sense of the 'nearness' of the reward with Allah should place the believer's mind at ease, and not make him hasty to see the fruits of his labour in this world - even in the form of some kind of spiritual attainment - because his knowledge that their fruits are stowed for him with His Lord should avail him of any need for any immediate advantage.

15. Eternal Paradise

Some of the most important constituents of Paradise are its attributes, embodied in ‘Eden’, which signifies permanence and constancy, 'remaining in them forever’, which signifies everlasting life therein. And there are other verses which confirm this fact, including this verse

“nor will they be expelled from it” (al-Hijr, 15:48).

and this verse:

“.... from where they will not seek to shift.” (al-Kahf. 18:108).

In fact, it has even been said that eternal life is better still than Paradise. The Prophet (S) has been narrated to say: 'Verily eternal life (khulud) in Paradise is even better than Paradise... and Allah's pleasure is even better than Paradise!'2 And that is because were it not for this eternal life, people could not fully enjoy Paradise, as this enjoyment would be tainted by the pain of knowing this would one day come to an end and there is nothing that can possibly replace its magnificent pleasure!

16. Body And Spirit

Just as a person is created from both a body and soul, and each of these have a share in this world, each of these also, have a share in the Hereafter; the body's share of the Hereafter is the Paradise described in this surah and others as containing various types of sensory bliss; maidens and palaces. As for the share of soul, it is Allah's pleasure:

“....Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him...”(al-Bayyinah, 98:5).

and this is embodied in the Paradise in the form of nearness to the Divine.

It is interesting that Allah does not mention the attribute of lordship when He mentions His pleasure with them being 'the best of creatures' but rather mentions the majestic name ("Allah") which is considered to be the greatest of all the Divine Names in signification of awe and majesty, for it is the Name that signifies the Divine Essence and the Divine Attributes in their entirety, namely the Attributes of both Majesty and Generosity.

17. Contented Soul

The utmost perfection is represented by attaining the level at which the servant becomes pleased with his Lord, and the servant also, becomes pleasing to his Lord. This is the level of the Contented Soul (al-nafs al-mutma'innah), which Allah refers to in His words:

“O soul at peace!” (al-Fajr, 89:27).

“Return to your Lord, pleased, pleasing!” (al-Fajr, 89:28).

“Then enter among My servants!” (al-Fajr, 89:29).

“And enter My paradise!” (al-Fajr, 89:30).

And this verse also, mentions

“ ....that is for those who fear their Lord” (al-Bayyinah, 98:8).

which shows that the way to attaining Allah's pleasure is reciprocated between the servant and his Lord, namely the servant fears his Lord with a fear joined to magnification, as Allah says of the angels:

“...and they are apprehensive for the fear of Him.” (al-Anbiya’, 21:28).

An identical expression appears for the faithful servants elsewhere:

“Indeed, those who are apprehensive for the fear of their Lord ..” (al-Mu’mioon, 23:57).

and this fear springs from their knowledge, as Allah says:

“ …...Only those of Allah's servants having knowledge fear Him....” (Fatir, 35:28).

For it is the sense of Allah's magnificence and the fact He is watching everything that dissuades people from misdeeds and serves to motivate them to every good act.

And it should be known that this state of Divine Pleasure is the greatest bliss in Paradise; it is, in fact, its nectar, and it is a separate recompense in its own right compared to the gardens of Paradise, and we know this because it is mentioned separately from them in the verse:

“....with streams running in them, to remain in them forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him...” (al-Bayyinah, 98:8).

Obviously, anyone who possesses these traits in this world is already blessed in this world with the most precious treasures of Paradise, even if it takes on a lower form here.

18. Lordship

When the Qur’an attributes fear to those with knowledge (al'ulama) in the verse

“Only those of Allah's servants having knowledge fear Him” (Fatir, 35:28).

it uses the majestic name - "Allah" - which signifies the level of the Divine Essence in all of its perfection and beauty. This is appropriate for the rank of that knowledge with which one grasps the features and levels of Lordship. But when the Qur'an attributes fear to the faithful in general –

“those who have faith and do righteous deeds....” (al-Bayyinah, 98:7).

as in this surah, it refers to Him as their Lord;

“...That is for those who fear their Lord.” (al-Bayyinah, 98:8).

This is because it is His Lordship, unmatched and sovereign, that has a role in conveying them to 'the Gardens of Eden, with streams running in them' and hence their fear of Allah is connected to the level of His lordship.

1. Bihar al-Anwar, 67/115.

2. Mafatih al-Ghaib 32/252.

Surah az-Zalzalah (No. 99 'The Quaking’)

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا

When the earth is rocked with its terrible quake (99:1).

وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا

and the earth discharges her burdens, (99:2).

وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا

and man says, 'What is the matter with her?' (99:3).

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا

On that day she will relate her chronicles (99:4).

بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا

for her Lord will have inspired her. (99:5).

1. Resurrection And Its Terrifying Events

One of the distinguishing features of the Qur'an is its focus on the Resurrection and the terrifying events it encompasses. This is because its goal is to motivate a person to do righteous deeds, and so, it shows him the connection between his deeds in this world and their outcomes in the next. It is within this context that we must understand this surah, as it begins by mentioning the Resurrection and its terrors, then closes by mentioning the physical manifestation of a person's deeds in that new creation, so, that a person will be on guard at the beginning of his journey, lest he be surprised by its outcomes.

The ultimate goal of this surah is to motivate a person to strive continuously; not to think of any good deed as too small - even if it is an atom's weight - for perhaps it is that deed that will save him, nor to underestimate any wicked deed, for perhaps it is that deed that will destroy him, as it might be just enough tip the scales against him, as can happen in weights and scales.

2. Resurrection

An earthquake - as anyone will tell you - is one of the most destructive and terrifying natural disasters, and one that can last a mere matter of seconds. This is why the Qur'an specifically invokes this phenomenon to expound what will happen on the Day of Resurrection as the first event of people coming out of their graves:

“as if they were scattered locusts” (al-Qamar, 54:7).

and

“like scattered moths” (al-Qari'ah, 101:4).

But this earthquake is called 'its terrible quake', which tells us that it is a special quaking of the earth which Allah has reserved for that day, one that is not confined to any particular spot or locale like the earthquakes of this world. Rather, this quake is attributed to the earth as a whole, and as such is an even more powerful description of the terror and shock of that day!

3. The Word ‘Burdens’

Whatever the depths of the earth contain, whether bodies, treasures or more still - depending on the different interpretations of the word 'burdens' - but all of these are nothing more than burdens in the depths of the earth, no matter whether they are silent treasures, or bodies that were a means of dominating this earth in days gone by. And what a relief it is for any bearer of burdens to set down their load or to unpack it, as Allah says:

“and the earth discharges her burdens!” (az-Zalzalah, 99:2).

It should be clear from this expression that the Resurrection is a physical affair; it does not only apply to people's souls, as some have suggested.

4. Shock

Some commentators have said that the amazement expressed in Allah's words

“And man says," What is the matter with her?” (az-Zalzalah, 99:3).

is only for people who are not believers, similar to the verse:

“...Who raised us from our place of sleep?....” (Ya Sin, 36:52).

In fact, the events of that Day will shock everyone - believers and disbelievers alike - who emerges suddenly from their graves in the place of mustering, with all the terrors it contains, and this is why Allah says 'man' (al insan) asks about the quaking of the earth.

But this in no way precludes some of the elect being spared this shock altogether, or at least in some stages of the Resurrection, as Allah says of them:

“and they shall be secure from terror on that day.” (an-Naml, 27:89).

5. “Chronicles”

The verse

“On that day she will relate her chronicles” (az-Zalzalah, 99:4).

has been interpreted in a number of ways: Some say that this is conveyed by her state (bi lisan al-hal), others that a voice will be created for her, and others still that she will speak as a living creature, which is the apparent meaning of this verse and supported by other verses too, for example:

“There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you do not understand their glorification.” (al-Isra’, 17:44).

and

“They will say: We were given speech by Allah, who gave speech to all things...” (Fussilat, 41:21).

Of course, whichever interpretation you choose, the earth bearing witness is like nothing else; one cannot imagine the earth seeking benefit or avoiding harm for its own self, as can sometimes happen when testimony is given in this world. Add to this the fact that the earth's testimony follows that of the One whose knowledge encompasses everything. But here we should wonder: If the earth can be divinely inspired and receive revelation to the level that it can describe events in detail, then what can human beings do should Allah desire it?

6. The Words

“...she will relate her chronicles” (az-Zalzalah, 99:4).

suggests that she will relate these accounts in detail, not merely testify to them in a general sense. So, the earth will not testify to the mere fact that a worshipper offered prayers upon her surface, but rather how many times, where and how! This is why we are bid to pray in a number of places; it has been narrated from Imam 'Ali (‘a): 'Pray in different spots in mosques, because every spot will testify in favour of the one who worships on her on the Day of Resurrection.'' 1

And it is narrated that when he finished allotting funds from the treasury, he would offer two raka'ats of prayer and say: 'Bear witness that I filled you rightfully, and I emptied you rightfully.’2 It is also, narrated that the Prophet (S) one day recited the verse: 'On that day she will relate her chronicles' and said: 'Do you know what are her chronicles?' The people replied: 'Allah and His Messenger know best!' He said: 'Her chronicles are that the earth shall testify what each servant and nation wrought upon her surface. She will say: 'My Lord! They did such-and-such on this day and that!"'3

Taken together, these traditions should give cause for sinners to feel ashamed on the Day of Resurrection, because something that they thought was inanimate has become a witness against the one who was supposed to be Allah's deputy upon the earth.

Verses 6-8

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ

On that day, mankind will issue forth in various groups to be shown their deeds. (99:6).

فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ

So, whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, (99:7).

وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it. (99:8).

7. Issue Forth In Various Groups

The fact that mankind will issue forth in various groups on the Day of Judgment follows from what another verse says:

“your endeavours are Indeed, not alike” (al-Layl, 92:4).

Obviously the separation of mankind of the Day of Judgment does not mean that they are all in the same condition, because it is clearly stated that

“The day We shall summon every group of people with their imam” (al-Isra’, 17:71).

so, there is nothing that precludes them from emerging in different groups, but under different banners according to what they followed in their lives of this world. If someone followed a rock, Allah will resurrect him or her with it.

It should be noted that the verb 'issue forth' (yasdur) contains a subtle point; it is normally used to refer to the departure of a camel from water having approached it. This is as if to say that in this world, it was as though mankind were at an oasis, but now they have left it behind, to suggest that whoever drank from that oasis is one of those who remained thirsty beside it. This is supported by the words narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (‘a): 'O people! Today there are deeds with no accounting, but tomorrow there shall be accounting with no deeds.'4

8. Expounding A Consequent

When a conditional sentence is used in exposition, it serves to expound the consequent (jawab al-shart) and emphasize it in some circumstances, in which case its import is that of an oath. Of course, both the consequent and an oath can sometimes be left implicit in order to encourage people to reflect and search for their meaning because of the special concern the speaker has for the place of oaths and conditionals. And this is something we can see in this surah of the Qur’an as well.

So, there are those who say that the consequent of the sentence

“When the earth is rocked ...” (az-Zalzalah, 99:1).

is left implicit but the context alludes to it, such as

“When the imminent event befalls” (al-Waqi'ah, 56:1).

as an example. But also, there are others who say that its consequent sentence is:

“On that day, mankind will issue forth in various groups...' (az-Zalzalah, 99:6).

And also, some who say that it is:

“On that day she will relate her chronicles...” (az-Zalzalah, 99:4).

9. The Comprehensive Verse

The verses

“So, whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it,” (az-Zalzalah, 99:7).

“and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it” (az-Zalzalah, 99:8).

contain a form of warning and deterrence that is clear to anyone who reflects on them; it has been narrated from the Prophet (S) that this verse is referred to as 'The Comprehensive Verse' because:

a. It refers to every person endowed with moral agency, even the Prophets, because its subject is the pronoun 'whoever' that applies to everybody.

b. It makes the subject of a person's deeds something of the utmost precision, namely the dust mote (dharrah) which can be seen in bright sunlight, and this word is used for tiny ants as well.

c. This precision is applied to both good and evil together; and Allah's generosity and clemency do not run contrary to this precision. And this is to ensure that brazen persons do not dare to sin.

d. The outcome, namely seeing one's deeds, either refers to their essence - on the basis of one's deeds taking on a physical reality - or their reward. Allah says 'seeing' rather than 'knowing' in this verse just as he says 'finding' rather than 'knowing’ in His words:

“The day when every soul will find present whatever good it has done...” (Ale 'Imran, 3:30).

10. The Recompense Fitting The Deed

There is no contradiction between this verse which speaks of the recompense fitting the deed, even if it weighs no more than a mote of dust, and between those verses which indicate that deeds will fail in the sense of good deeds being effaced –

“……if you ascribe a partner to Allah your works shall fail...” (az-Zumar, 39:65).

and similarly those verses which talk about wicked deeds being erased –

“ …...Indeed, good deeds efface misdeeds....” (Hud, 11:114).

And that is because the verse we are presently discussing lays out the general law of accounting for man’s actions, and there is nothing to preclude another set of laws to apply in exceptional cases, for He

“is not questioned concerning what He does, but they are questioned.” (al-Anbiya, 21:23).

Another explanation we could offer in this case is that anyone whose works Allah causes to fail in the Hereafter, this failure reveals that he had not actually done anything good in the first place; because truly good things are those whose value inheres until the Day of Recompense, not merely those things which took on a pleasant form in people's short-sighted gaze!

11. Awareness Of Death

For someone who has absolute certainty about the reality of the Hereafter, it is sufficient for him to recall the horrors waiting on the Day of Resurrection to discourage himself from sinning. Death is called 'the destroyer of pleasures' (hadim al-ladhdhat) 5, what more something even greater than death? It has been narrated that a man came to the Prophet (S) and said: 'Teach me what Allah has taught you.' So, he sent him to a man to teach him; he taught him 'When the earth is rocked ...' until he reached the verse '...So, whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.' Then he said: 'That is enough for me!' The Prophet (S) was informed of this, whereat he said: 'Leave him be, for he has understood.'6

1. Wasa-il al-Shi'a 5/188.

2. La-ali al-akhbar 5/79.

3. Majma' al-Bayan 10/798.

4. Al-Kafi 8/58.

5. The Commander of the Faithful (a): 'Remember death abundantly, for it is the destroyer of pleasures.' Al-Amali, 264.

6. Bihar al-Anwar, 92/107.

Surah al-‘Adiyat (No. 100: 'The Chargers')

Verses 1-11

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالْعَادِيَاتِ ضَبْحًا

By the snorting chargers, (100:1).

فَالْمُورِيَاتِ قَدْحًا

by the strikers of sparks, (100:2).

فَالْمُغِيرَاتِ صُبْحًا

by the raiders at dawn, (100:3).

فَأَثَرْنَ بِهِ نَقْعًا

raising therein a trail of dust, (100:4).

فَوَسَطْنَ بِهِ جَمْعًا

and cleaving therein a host! (100:5).

إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ

Indeed, man is ungrateful to his Lord, (100:6).

وَإِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ

and Indeed, he is witness to that! (100:7).

وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ

He is Indeed, avid in the love of wealth. (100:8).

أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِي الْقُبُورِ

Does he not know, when what is in the graves is turned over (100:9).

وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ

and what is in the breasts is divulged, (100:10).

إِنَّ رَبَّهُمْ بِهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَخَبِيرٌ

Indeed, their Lord will be best aware of them on that day? (100:11).

1. Oaths

The oaths in this surah revolve around the states and movements of a band of fighters in the way of Allah's, specifically their charging horses; their sounds as they approach the enemy, the sparks that their hooves strike, their surprise attack against their enemies at dawn, the dust they kick up as they gallop, and how they plunge into the midst of their foes as they attack.

Now if the horses of those who fight in the way of Allah are worthy of such oaths, then what about he fighters themselves? Is there any implication more powerful than this, that is to swear by the mounts of those who you desire to exalt?

2. Greatness Being Transferred From A Great Person

In the Qur'an, we find many instances of greatness being transferred from a great person to some of those things connected to him, which would lack greatness in of their own selves without this connection, for example:

a. The shirt of Joseph (‘a):

“When the bearer of good news arrived, he cast it on his face, and he regained his sight.” (Yusuf, 12:96).

b. The ark of Moses (‘a): 'Their prophet said to them,

“Indeed, the sign of his kingship shall be that the Ark will come to you, bearing tranquility from your Lord” (al-Baqarah, 2:248).

c. The she-camel of Salih (‘a):

“But then the Messenger of Allah said to them, 'Let Allah's she-camel drink!” (ash-Shams, 91:13).

And of this we can find a further instance in the present verse; the horses of the fighters are so, exalted that Allah swears oaths by the hooves of these mounts, which strike sparks as they charge:

“by the strikers of sparks.” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:2).

3. Defeating The Enemy

Praising a dawn raid by invoking it in the context of an oath demonstrates that it is desirable to launch surprise attacks on the enemy, for war is guile. And one form of surprise attack is the dawn raid, for it is neither in the gloom of the night, such that a person cannot see his enemy, nor in the brightness of the morning, such that the enemy is prepared.

But this principle is not confined to the above instance of taking measures to overwhelm the enemy; every effort must be made to obtain the means of defeating the enemy, including amassing force:

“Prepare against them whatever you can of power and war-horses.” (al-Anfal, 8:60).

It should be obvious that the present verse is not restricted to horses specifically, but means any kind of power that allows you to confront the enemy, even if it is not horses. It is also, clear, hopefully, that the verse we have just quoted about military preparations does not only refer to warhorses!

4. Pilgrims

Some are of the opinion that the meaning of these oaths are the camels of the pilgrims moving between ‘Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifa, which has been narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (‘a).1 According to this interpretation, the verses expound the greatness of the pilgrims from one angle, and the greatness of this spot of ground from another. In this case, the oath is about a mount carrying a noble rider in a noble spot... from this and other similar instances, we can see that the Qur'an is multifaceted in its meanings.

5. Being Ungrateful

The connection between this oath and its object:

“Indeed, man is ungrateful to his Lord” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:6).

is somewhat subtle. It could be said that the relationship between Man's ingratitude and the horses of the fighters is:

a. The contrast between a group who offers the most valuable thing in their possession - their lives - in the service of the religion, and between those who prefer the wealth Allah has entrusted them with over returning to Him, while being ungrateful towards Him and heedless of His blessings. And so, the honouring of the mounts of these fighters is a hint to them that Allah considers them beneath these horses in merit!

b. The ordinance of jihad was given to confront these ungrateful and recalcitrant persons, so, the above verses are intended to belittle them, in that they will be abased by those who are granted victory over them on account of their own iniquity and misguidance.

6. Ingratitude

There is a collection of traits gathering in the human soul mentioned by the Qur'an, such as:

a. Injustice and foolishness:

“...Indeed, he is most unfair and senseless” (al-Ahzab, 33:72).

b. Greed:

“Indeed, man has been created covetous” (al-Ma'arij, 70:19).

c. Anxiety:

“...Anxious when an ill befalls him” (al-Ma'arij, 70:20).

d. Despair and ingratitude:

“He becomes despondent, ungrateful.” (Hud, 11:9).

e. Rebelliousness:

“Indeed, man becomes rebellious ...” (al-'Alaq, 96:6).

f. Weakness:

'...man was created weak.” (an-Nisa’, 4:28).

And this surah mentions another one of these inner traits - making its subject the human being as a human being - which does not apply to the Prophets (‘a). This trait is ingratitude (kufran), which is preceded in the Arabic by the particle of emphasis, 'indeed' (inna), as well as the lam of emphasis (al-lam al-mu'akkada).

It is obvious that such traits can be found in people's hearts as surely as seeds can be found in the earth waiting for the right conditions to sprout. So, without struggling with oneself, probing the depths of the human soul and cleansing it of whatever it contains, it is only natural that these traits will remain seeds for evil deeds.

7. Awareness Of Our Own Evil

Something that will mean a person is punished severely on the Day of Resurrection is the fact that he is already aware of the evil in himself, as described in the verse

“and Indeed, he is a witness to that!” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:7).

Assuming, of course, that 'he' refers to the person and not Allah. It is as if to say that this ingratitude is actually man's willful refusal to acknowledge his own flaws, which run parallel to his carnal self. And that is because going against the nature of these traits - like miserliness, for instance - requires effort, which they are not willing to expend, and hence they are truly left without any excuse! Another verse, which like this one, expounds the fact that man is well aware of his own self reads:

“Rather man is a witness to himself,” (al-Qiyamah, 75:14).

“though he should offer his excuses.” (al-Qiyamah, 75:15).

8. Oath

This surah contains realities which touch upon the inner realm, such as the man’s ingratitude, his avid love of wealth, and the fact that he is aware of what is within his own soul, even if he is too proud to admit to it; so, does this surah touch upon the unseen realm from another angle; namely that Allah will reveal He is best-aware of His servants on the Day of Resurrection.

Hence it is only appropriate for there to be a clear oath in order that people accept these realities which the senses cannot apprehend, and an affirmation in all of these points, using the particle 'indeed' (inna) and a nominal sentence in conjunction with the lam of emphasis.

9. Wealth

The verse uses the word khayr (lit. 'good') to refer to wealth, as is the case elsewhere in the Qur'an. For example:

“...he leaves behind any wealth ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:180).

and

“...and niggardly when wealth comes his way.” (al-Ma'arij, 70:21).

It is possible that this word is used because:

a. Of their own claims that such wealth is good for them, as all the enjoyment of this world can only be obtained with this wealth.

b. Of reality itself, namely that wealth in itself, and in fact that this world in its entirety, is faultless. In fact it is the very stuff of goodness; evil only comes out of loving it:

“...and you love wealth with much fondness” (al-Fajr, 89:20).

which distracts one from Allah, whereat it becomes a tribulation

“Know that your possessions and children are only a test...” (al-Anfal, 8:28).

and an enemy

'O you who believe! Indeed, among your spouses and children you have enemies; so, beware of them.” (at-Taghaabun, 64:14).

And if we want proof that there is nothing innate in wealth that distracts people from Allah, we need only look to His prophet, Solomon (‘a), who was given great wealth, without it sapping his determination to serve Allah in the slightest; and the promised Mahdi (‘a) will also, have unimaginable wealth when he brings forth from the earth its treasures, and from the heavens their rains.

10. The Earth Brings Forth Our Bodies

This discussion of man’s physical bodies – in this surah - in the realm of the graves is similar to the discussion of inanimate things therein; in the verse

“and the earth discharges her burdens” (az-Zalzalah, 99:2).

we sense that the bodies of human beings are in the same condition as everything else buried in the ground; the earth brings them forth and it is as though she is relieved to be rid of them. In this surah we find the expression 'turned over' which refers to the earth being disturbed to bring out whatever is within it, just as a ploughman labours to bring out what grows in the soil.

Therefore, we can say that these bodies have no significance in themselves, rather their value depends upon the souls to which they belong; they are like a grain of wheat which is desired in itself; and once the wheat has been harvested from the field, the chaff is cast aside to be carried away by the winds or consumed by fire.

11. “What Is In The Breast Is Divulged”

In the verse

“and what is in the breasts is divulged,” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:10).

Allah singles out 'breasts' (sudur) rather than the other limbs, because the latter's relation to the breast is like that of an effect to its cause, and therefore the breast is more worthy of mention. So, on the Day of Judgment the real source of a person's salvation, and the axis around which his accounting will revolve, is a sound heart, as Allah says:

“...except him who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (ash-Shu'ara, 26:89).

So, someone who adorns his limbs with acts of obedience but does not reform his soul with righteous traits will see that the contents of his breast are not something he will be pleased with on the Day of Resurrection!

A verse which supports the centrality of the soul to our deeds is

“...anyone who conceals it, his heart will Indeed, be sinful” (al-Baqarah, 2:283).

because it describes the heart as the locus of sin; there is also, the verse

“...lest he in whose heart is a sickness should aspire...” (al-Ahzab, 33:32).

which makes the sickness of the heart a cause for a person's desires to be aroused when he interacts with women; and the verse

'It is not their flesh or their blood that reaches Allah. Rather it is your Godwariness that reaches Him.” (al-Hajj, 22:37).

For what is the value of their blood being spilled in Mina if this does not spring from Godwariness? Next is the verse

“And whoever venerates the sacraments of Allah - Indeed, that arises from the Godwariness of hearts” (al-Hajj, 22:32).

for it is from a godwary heart that outward piety emanates, and this includes venerating Allah's sacraments in all their forms. Finally comes the verse

“O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so, that you may be Godwary.” (al-Baqarah, 2:183).

This verse makes the anticipated outcome of fasting that a person should become godwary, and it is well known that godwariness (taqwa) is a condition of the heart.

12. Divine Knowledge

Allah is fully aware of all our actions as they emanate from us; in fact, He is fully aware of them even before that, because of His knowledge of the unseen, and our awareness of this divine knowledge should cause us to ensure that whatever we do is done to the best of our ability. However, when we read the verse

“Indeed, their Lord will be best aware of them on that day” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:11).

it appears to restrict this divine knowledge to the context of the Day of Resurrection, while His knowledge is timeless; so, how can we reconcile this verse to reality?

The answer to this question - after affirming that this verse does not preclude His knowledge at other times - is that the Resurrection is not the time of this knowledge itself, but rather the time at which the effect of this knowledge appears in the form of recompense. Obviously, the connection between this knowledge in the abode of this world and the effect it will have in the abode of the Hereafter serves as a deterrence against sinning if someone finds that their faith in the Hereafter is deeply rooted! Similar to this is the verse

“To whom does the sovereignty belong today?” (al-Ghafir, 40:16).

We know that His sovereignty is actually eternal and without end, so, what connects it to that day in particular? Again, the meaning of this is that His sovereignty will be fully realized and affirmed by all of His subjects. We should also, note that the object of the divine knowledge are people's souls themselves

“their Lord will be best aware of them on that day” (al-‘Adiyat, 100:11).

and not merely their deeds; this is a more eloquent way of expressing Allah's immanence, because someone who encompasses a person's soul necessarily encompasses their deeds as well, but the opposite is not so.

1. Tafslr Nur al-Thaqalayn 5/ 656..

Surah al-Qari'ah (No. 101:'The Catastrophe')

Verses 1-11

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

الْقَارِعَةُ

The Catastrophe! (101:1).

مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

What is the Catastrophe? (101:2).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

What will show you what is the Catastrophe? (101:3).

يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ

The day mankind will be like scattered moths, (101:4).

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنْفُوشِ

and the mountains will be like carded wool. (101:5).

فَأَمَّا مَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

As for him whose scales are heavy, (101:6).

فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَاضِيَةٍ

he will have a pleasing lift. (101:7).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

But as for him whose scales are light, (101:8).

فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ

his mother will be the Abyss. (101:9).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَهْ

And what will show you what it is? (101:10).

نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ

It is a burning fire! (101:11)

1. Catastrophe

The flow of the discussion about the Catastrophe (qari'ah) – that will shake the hearts and deafen the hearing on the Day of Resurrection - resembles that of the Besieger (Haqqah):

“The Besieger! What is the Besieger? What will show you what is the Besieger?” (al-Haqqah, 69:1-3).

In both these discourses there are two questions; one is simple in its form, it asks about the nature of the subject initially mentioned to grab the audience's attention, but the second question is more complete with the addition of the phrase '...show you ...' (adraka), meaning: 'What is there that could possibly convey to you the nature of this subject!' This is a very eloquent way of providing emphasis, as if the contents of this surah and others like it cannot possibly convey the real essence of the things they are discussing!

2. Rhetoric And Emotions

The phrase '...and what will show you ...?' (wa ma adraka) appears in more than ten locations throughout the Qur'an, while the phrase '...and what do you know...?' (wa mayudrika) appears in three. It is said the difference between these two phrases is that the first is used in contexts where Allah wants to show His Prophet (S) topics which raise questions for people, while the second is used in situations where Allah turns away and avoids answering the question, so, it states explicitly that this is something the audience do not know, and something which human minds are not capable of knowing, for example when discussing the Resurrection, Allah says:

“What do you know - maybe the Hour is near!” (ash-Shura, 42:17).

It is very interesting that throughout the Qur'an, Allah never addressed people's intellects in a way that is detached from rhetoric and emotions, and this is a lesson for us as well; that is we should never rely merely on speaking directly about an issue without using any device or style to rouse people's consciousness.

3. Like Moths

The verse

“The day mankind will be like scattered moths” (al-Qari’ah, 101:4).

describes people on the Day of Resurrection like moths or locusts for two reasons:

a. Either because these creatures, being insects, are weak and so, people are rarely concerned by them, even if they are widespread:

“as if they were scattered locusts” (al-Qamar, 54:7).

meaning they are in massive number, crawling over one another.

b. Or because these insects appear haphazard in their movements, just as moths become confused by flames, for when they fly towards it they do not intend to fly into it!

So, on the Day of Resurrection, people will be like a mass of locusts in their weakness, surging forward without a particular goal. The real disaster in this verse is that the humans are being compared in this verse to insects, which no one cares about. But the locusts are in a better condition than those people who do not attain the goal for which they were created!

4. Inconstancy

The verses, which describe people as scattered moths and mountains as wool of various colours which has been carded, allude to the fact that the things we see as constant and fixed in this life will lose their stability. But as well as a physical reality, this alludes to a social reality too:

a. The former is represented by the towering mountains of various hues;

“and in the mountains are stripes white and red, of diverse hues, and pitch black.” (Fatir, 35:27).

Their stability will vanish and they will become like carded wool.

b. The latter is represented by human society, which has settled and extended its dominion all over the earth, but there will come a catastrophe, which shatters this stability and scatters them like moths that have been disturbed.

There is a lesson in this for everyone; namely that they should not become attached to ephemeral things, but this is especially so, for believers, because they do not rely on anything except Allah, who will return it to such a state. This is summed up best in Allah's words:

“Everyone on it is ephemeral...” (ar-Rahman, 55:26).

5. Thinking Of The Resurrection

The Resurrection is discussed, both in the context of an oath and in other ways, in seventy different places in the Qur'an. This clearly shows that first, coming to believe in it is one of the fundamentals of the religion, and second, that paying detailed attention to it in one's day life constitutes a reminder of our meeting with Allah.

And that is because the main obstacle to seeking nearness to Allah is represented sometimes by heedlessness (ghafla) and sometimes in being overcome by one's desires. Both these conditions are removed or limited by remembering the ultimate end that awaits all mankind, whereat all transient pleasures will fade away and all that will remain will be their consequences, and the emphasis contained in this surah is one form that this remembrance can take.

6. Weight

It is not only scales and the things they weigh that can be described as heavy and light; in fact, anything that has importance or consequence can be given a measure in the realm of scales. One scale is that of truth (haqq), as Allah says:

“The weighing on that Day is a truth. As for those whose deeds weigh heavy on the scales - it is they who are the felicitous.” (al-A'raf, 7:8).

Whereby the truth becomes a unit by which deeds can be measured.

Therefore, when this surah mentions weight –

“As for him whose scales are heavy” (al-Qari’ah, 101:6).

this suggests that those people who have pleasing lives are those who expend their efforts in the arena of truth... so, a person should avoid anything that can be called 'falsehood' (batil), whether in his treatment of himself, such as singing for example, or in his interactions with others, such as wrongly consuming their wealth. In short, the truth is anything that is connected to Allah, and falsehood is whatever is connected to other things:

'That is because Allah is the Truth, and what they invoke besides Him is falsehood.” (al-Hajj, 22:62).

7. Sending Blessings On Muhammad (S) And His Household (As)

In the narrations by the Prophet's (S) Household (‘a), we are told that one of those things that weighs heavy in the scales on the Day of Resurrection is sending blessings on Muhammad (S) and his Household (‘a) (al-salat 'ala muhammad wa ale muhammad), which falls under the general rubric of loving the Prophet's (S) near relatives (mawaddat dzul al-qurba), but is also, an instance of a supplication guaranteed to receive an answer, for which supplication is nearer to being answered than asking Allah to send down blessing on the most noble of His creation?

And it should be known that the word 'scales' (mawazin) in this verse can refer to either the deeds themselves, i.e. the thing-weighed (sing. mawzun), rather than the measure, i.e. thing which does the weighing (sing. mizan), hence why it is appropriate to refer to them in the plural here.

8. Weighing Of Deeds

Islam is a religion of realism, not idealism, so, none of us are expected to dedicate all our actions purely to goodness, for this can only be achieved by an Infallible (‘a), for the fact that the human being is composed of a carnal soul (al-nafs al-ammarah), a reproaching soul (al-nafs al-lawwama) means it is only natural that he will sometimes be morally upright, and at other times suffer lapses. That is why the recompense on the Day of Resurrection is described as a measure (mizan), whether heavy or light –

“But as for him whose scales are light...” (al-Qari’ah, 101:8).

with two scales, one weighing down and lifting the other; what matters at the end of the day is that the scale of good deeds should outweigh the bad, as the verse says:

“But as for him whose scales are heavy,” (al-Qari’ah, 101:6).

9. Satisfaction With Life

A person's life is wholesome when he is truly satisfied with it, which is why Allah describes the inhabitants of Paradise as having 'a pleasing life' because a person's displeasure with himself or his life is one of the most difficult forms of punishment for them to endure, as it is an endless source of guilt and shame. And, of course, this condition in the Hereafter is the direct result of a person's behaviour in this world.

Therefore, the pleasing life enjoyed by the inhabitants of Paradise in the next world is what the believer is actually already living in this one, as he does not do anything to invite the displeasure of his Lord therein; hence he is truly living a 'pleasing life' in this world and the Hereafter.

10. “The Abyss”

The description of Hell in the verse

“his mother will be the Abyss” (al-Qari’ah, 101:11).

suggests that it will be like a mother to its inmates, insofar as:

a. The deep connection between Hell and its inmates, for it is as if they are the children of Hellfire, who came out of its womb and have now returned to it.

b. A child in times of hardship turns to his mother, and these people shall have no refuge left on that day save Hellfire.

This assumes that we interpret 'the Abyss' (al-hawiyah) to be a name of Hellfire, so-called because people tumble headfirst into it (yahwi fiha), but we can also, interpret it to be an adjective describing the top of a person's head as they are cast into Hellfire, in which case it means: that a person will fall with the crown of his head into the fires of Hell, and this is a powerful description of humiliation, because he will fall with the most noble part of his body. This is in addition to the fact that the Arabic word hawiyah can also, imply falling into ruin. We can also, draw a connection between the crown of the head and the lying forelock mentioned in a previous surah, meaning that lying and sinfulness are what cause someone to be hurled headlong into Hellfire.

11. Burning

The opening verses of this surah begin with the phrase

“...and what will show you...' (al-Qari’ah, 101:3).

about the horrors of the Resurrection, but this same expression is repeated again with particular regard to Hell:

“And what will show you what it is?” (al-Qari’ah, 101:10).

So, this is a terror upon terrors, because it magnifies the terror of Hell over and above all the other terrifying events of the Resurrection!

It is interesting that this verse describes Hellfire as burning (hamiyah); this would seem obvious to everyone, as that is what fire normally does. But it is as if the verse means to say that this is the real fire; compared to this otherworldly fire, you cannot say that the fires of this world truly burn!

Surah at-Takathur (No. 102: 'Rivalry')

Verses 1-8

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ

Rivalry distracted you (102:1).

حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ

until you visited the graves. (102:2).

كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

No indeed! Soon you will know! (102:3).

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

Again, no indeed! Soon you will know! (102:4).

كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

No indeed! Were you to know with certain knowledge, (102:5).

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

you would surely see hell (102:6).

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty. (102:7).

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ

Then, that day, you will surely be questioned concerning the blessing. (102:8).

1. False Illusions

The Qur'an makes rivalry the cause of distraction, as if rivalry has taken control of human existence. So, instead of the man taking himself wherever he wants, it is matters of convention (umur i'tibariyyah) - which lack reality in themselves, such as delusions of status acquired by wealth and children – that drive him forward.

Therefore, the only complete solution to this problem is for the person to struggle with his self (nafs) to extricate it from the grip of the false illusions and take it to a state of temperance (zuhd) towards external things - something that engenders inner nobleness - rather than abandoning them altogether, for it has been narrated:

'No man becomes arrogant or tyrannical save for some weakness he finds in himself.'1

2. Rivalry

Pursuing gains and then feeling proud of what one has gathered in rivalry is usually with regards to wealth and children, but the low self (nafs), which is never satisfied, can also, attach its love of gain to other things, such as age –

“……each of them is eager to live a thousand years…...” (al-Baqarah, 2:96).

and houses –

“Do you futilely build a sign on every height?'” (ash-Shu'ara, 26:128).

and food –

“O Moses, 'We will not put up with one kind of food. So, invoke your Lord for us, that He may bring forth for us of that which the earth grows - its greens and its cucumbers, its garlic, its lentils, and its onions. (al-Baqarah, 2:61).

To sum up, the first verse

“Rivalry distracted you” (at-Takathur, 102:1).

leaves the object of rivalry ambiguous, so, as to encompass all forms of being distracted by this world; including those we have mentioned and others. And the second verse

“until you visited the graves” (at-Takathur, 102:2).

alludes particularly to rivalry in having sons.

3. Distractions

Someone who believes in the Day of Recompense must avoid anything that distracts him from preparing for the Hereafter, for the essence of a distraction is that which takes you away from that which is more important. The consequence of this definition is that being taken away from that which is most important by another important thing also, falls into the category of a distraction, even if a person is not aware of that because the latter is still important and is not clearly a distraction.

How many common worldly activities - that people engage in - that this definition applies to, even if they are not aware of it, because these efforts of theirs are not connected to eternity and everlasting life!

4. Rivalry

The kind of rivalry being reproached by this surah could be with regards to:

a. Rivalry in the accumulation of wealth and sons, in which it is the act of accumulating wealth that is blameworthy because it is an instance of being distracted by worldly enjoyments themselves. Of course, anyone for whom this does not distract him from the remembrance of Allah is excluded from this reproach in accordance with His words:

“by men whom neither trading nor bargaining distracts from the remembrance of Allah.” (an-Nur, 24:37).

b. Vainglory and boasting with claims of accumulation, even if these are not accurate, in which case the rebuke is directed towards that psychological state in which such deluded people lives, for this too distracts him from the Hereafter.

So, the criteria for distraction in both these cases are one and the same, whether the person has actually achieved something externally or not.

5. “Until You Visited The Graves”

One explanation2 offered for the verse 'until you visited the graves' is that the central concept of this divine address is that you were distracted by rivalry in this world until your time of death, when you visited the graves - i.e. when you were buried in them. But a better explanation is that some persons were so, preoccupied with rivalry and pride amongst men to the extent that they would even go to the graves, to add the numbers of the dead to those of the living, to augment their numbers when they were boasting to someone else!

How foolish it is for people to take something illusionary as the measure of one person's superiority over another! The excellence of one living person has nothing to do with the excellence of another, what more the excellence of a dead person! What more if there isn't really any excellence there to begin with, as was the case with people's boasting during the age of ignorance, as it has been suggested that this verse refers to.3

6. Recompense

By not explicitly mentioning the object of knowledge in the verse:

“No indeed! Soon you will know!” (at-Takathur, 102:3).

and leaving it ambiguous, Allah demonstrates the magnitude of the recompense awaiting those distracted by rivalry on the Day of Resurrection; this is a terrible threat to its audience, especially because Allah repeats the denunciation, 'No indeed!' more than once in this surah!

Take note that this verse mentions a recompense, but in a vague sense, saying:

“you would surely see hell” (at-Takathur, 102:6).

without detailing the different kinds of punishment awaiting therein, as we see in other surahs. This is a more eloquent form of threat, as we see in Allah's words:

“Were you to see when they are set before their Lord. He will say, 'Is this not the truth?” (al-An'am, 6:30).

Insofar as this verse does not mention what will happen to them as they stand before Allah.

7. Knowledge With Complete Certitude

This surah makes the knowledge - with complete certitude that is uncontaminated by doubt - a deterrence against being distracted by vainglory. It has been said on definition of this knowledge that it is: 'Firm, justified and unchanging conviction that cannot be lost; in truth it is a combination of two types of knowledge: Knowing something, and knowing that its opposite is utterly impossible.'4

Therefore, anything short of this type of knowledge is not sufficient to deter people from rivalry, such as worship during the age of ignorance, because this contains neither knowledge nor fear, and this is why the rank of the learned is above that of the worshippers and ascetics!

8. Missing The Opportunities For Performing Good Deeds

Knowledge, especially when it has attained a high level of certitude, is authoritative (hujjah) for its possessor, and this is one of the most important motivations for a person to free himself of spiritual impurities. This is why at the end of this surah, the Lord has counted it as a means of breaking out of this state of rivalry and vainglory that is mentioned at its beginning. If such knowledge does not produce an outcome like this, then it will become a cause for woe and regret on the morrow, which is why Allah describes the Day of Resurrection as

“ ....the Day of Regret....” (Maryam, 19:39).

And let it be known that one who strives in this world and one who does not are equal when it comes to regret. The similitude of this is that of those who entered a dark cave with Dhul-Qarnayn and found beads on the floor; some of those who were with him picked up these beads and when they came out of the darkness, they saw that they were gems. So, those who took them were grieved that they had not taken more of them, and those who did not take any were also, grieved that they had taken none at all! And this is exactly how people will be on the Day of Resurrection when they see all the opportunities they missed for good deeds during the days of their worldly lives!

9. “You Would Surely See Hell”

When Allah says

“you would surely see hell” (at-Takathur, 102:6).

we can say that this means seeing it with the heart, which is an ability to witness the realities of this existence:

a. Either in a general sense, as with the believers as a whole, who are described by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) when talking about their certainty in Allah: 'The eyes do not see him with their sights, but the hearts apprehend him through the realities of faith.'5

b. Or in detail, as was the case with Abraham (‘a), about whom Allah says:

“Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude.” (al-An'am, 6:75).

This interpretation is supported by the fact that Allah joins the act of seeing –

“you would surely see hell” (at-Takathur, 102:6).

to another act of seeing on the Day of Resurrection;

“then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty” (at-Takathur, 102:7).

and this means sighting it with one's eyes after having seen it with one's heart.

10. Certainty

Certainty (yaqin) shifts between different levels; certain knowledge ('ilm al-yaqin), the eye of certainty (‘ayn al-yaqin), and true certainty (haqq al-yaqin). These are analogous to seeing the smoke, then seeing the fire, then touching it; a kind of certainty results in all three cases, but there is still a clear difference between them. These different degrees of certainty also, apply to certainty about the Hereafter; so, there is a difference between being certain of it in this world:

“No indeed! Were you to know with certain knowledge...” (at-Takathur, 102:5).

And certainty in the next:

“Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty.” (at-Takathur, 102:7).

The people of certainty must elevate their certainty to a level close to the eye of certainty, and this is as the godwary (muttaqin) have been described by the Commander of the Faithful (‘a): 'So, they are to Paradise as one who hath seen it; they are [already] enjoying its blessings ... and they are to Hellfire as one who hath seen it; they are [already] suffering its punishments!'6

11. The Questioning

The address:

“Then, that day, you will surely be questioned concerning the blessing.” (at-Takathur, 102:8).

even though it appears in the midst of a discussion about people of rivalry and vainglory, it encompasses everything that Allah blesses His servants with. Although some scholars restrict its meaning to spiritual blessings, as Allah is too magnificent to question someone - for example - about food and drink, for this is something that even generous people in this world would not do. This is supported by a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), which reads: 'Allah is too generous and too magnificent to nourish you with food and allow you to consume it, only to then question you about it! Rather, He will ask you about the blessing He gave you in (the form of) Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad (S).’7

We can find evidence for this in the question asked by the Keepers of Hellfire from its inmates on the Day of Resurrection, for it is only about a spiritual matter, namely being sent a warner:

“Whenever a group is thrown in it, its keepers will ask them, 'Did there not come to you any warner?” (al-Mulk , 67:8).

12. Giving Thanks

Some people look at the provisions they have been given as a pure blessing, without paying attention to the fact that a blessing is only truly blessed if it is used to obey Allah, or else it becomes a tribulation for its possessor, because this will be a cause of rebuke or punishment when they are questioned about it on the Day of Resurrection;

“Then, that day, you will surely be questioned concerning the blessing.” (at-Takathur, 102:8).

It is well known that the best way to give thanks for these blessings are laid down in the Shari'ah through its ordinances. For one's body it is by certain acts such as fasting. For one's wealth, with acts such as charity and for one's soul, with acts such as the prayers, which cause the believer to ascend (salat al-mi'rajiyyah) - or fulfilling the rights of people – for example with acts such as maintaining familial ties. Not paying attention to the laws enshrined in the Shari'ah could result in a person ending up doing the opposite of what is mentioned, which is why those who give thanks for Allah's blessings are in the minority;

“ …... little do you give thanks!” (al-A'raf , 7:10).

13. Proclaim Blessings

Some people erroneously suppose that there is some kind of contradiction between those verses which forbid vainglory in wealth, sons and the like thereof, and the verse which enjoins the Prophet (S) to proclaim the blessings of his Lord:

“and as for your Lord's blessing, proclaim it!” (ad-Duha, 93:11).

In fact, proclaiming Allah's blessings - whether by displaying them outwardly or speaking about them - should be done with a higher goal; either practically displaying gratitude for them, or encouraging others to imitate him in the things Allah has blessed him with; and this is completely different to pride and boasting, which ultimately stem from following one's lusts rather than obeying the guidance of one's Lord!

1. Al-Kafi 2/312.

2. See Tafsir al-Mizan, 20/351.

3. See Tafsir al-Mizan, 20/153.

4. Tafsir al-Mizan 20/351.

5. Nahj al-Balagha, 258.

6. Nahj al-Balagha, 303.

7. Al-Kafi 6/270.

Surah al-'Asr (No. 103: 'Time')

Verses 1-3

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَالْعَصْرِ

By Time! (103:1).

إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

Indeed, man is in loss, (103:2).

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to what is right, and enjoin one another to patience. (103:3).

1. Loss

Despite its brevity, this surah contains many powerful affirmations; it begins with an oath, which is the clearest form of affirmation, not to mention using the particle of affirmation, 'indeed' (inna), followed by the lam of emphasis and a nominal sentence. Perhaps the reason for this is that the object of the oath is completely unknown to the majority of people, namely the true nature of loss (khusr) that applies to all mankind, save those who exclude themselves from it through a particular reason.

Therefore, anyone who does not find in his heart any faith or any truly righteous deeds with certainty and conviction, then he falls into the general category of loss. In other words, you do not need a reason to be in a state of loss, unlike the opposite state of affairs. So, anyone who doubts whether he is excluded from this category must necessarily be subject to continuous loss. And what a frightening thing this is to anyone who has a heart!

2. Al-‘Asr

There are divergent opinions about the meaning of the word 'Time' (al-'asr) in this surah:

a. There are those who say this refers to the time of ‘asr, which is the late afternoon, making this oath part of a series of oaths that includes all the hours of a full day: Daybreak (fajr), dawn (subh), day (nahar), night (layl) and mid-morning (duha).

b. It refers to a particular era in human history, as represented by the time of the Prophet (S) and the time of Imam al-Mahdi (‘a); the prophetic mission began in the former, and in the latter the religion will be revived after having disappeared.

c. It alludes to the 'Asr prayer because this is the middle prayer, which is singled out for mention amongst all others in Allah's saying:

“Be watchful of your prayers, and the middle prayer ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:238).

d. It refers to Time as a whole, which is the receptacle in which all deeds transpire, which in turn makes it the source of all good and evil. This is just as

“By your life...” (aI-Hijr, 15:72).

refers particularly to the time of the Prophet’s (S) life.

3· Loss

We cannot rightly apply the category of 'loss' (khusr) to anything besides the human being; all other creatures, beasts or otherwise, are disposed to whatever command their Creator wills for them, and follow their guidance, as per His words:

“Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation and then guided it.” (Ta Ha, 20:50).

even an adder's bite or a lion's strike.

But the category of loss applies only to the human being who can turn aside from the path of servanthood ('ubudiyyah) sketched out before him, and thus fall into a state of loss, as this verse indicates. And when this happens, he sinks even lower than the beasts, whose efforts never lead to losses on any occasion.

4. Man In The State Of Loss

The way in which particles of meaning (huruf) are used in the Qur'an is in accordance with the goals of the Qur'an - in the same way as nouns and verbs - as represented by the divine education of the Human Being. And this can only be achieved through warnings, intimidation, promises and threats; of course, all in the appropriate contexts.

What we notice in this surah - based on this general rule of how the Qur’an uses particles - is that Allah refers to man as being 'in loss' as if man is a thing completely encapsulated within a vessel called 'loss' such that loss surrounds him from all sides, as a vessel surrounds the water it contains. And this is a way most eloquent to express the severity of man's loss!

5. The Meaning Of Loss

Loss - literally speaking - means a decline in capital, and it is obvious that a person's true capital is represented by their life, which is continuously draining away from the moment they are born. This is a self-evident truth! So, whatever of this capital is invested in provisions for his Hereafter, this becomes a kind of capital that can be shifted from this world to another, in which case there is no loss whatsoever!

On the other hand, if the days and hours of a person's life are spent in that which displeases Allah, which includes not only the hours in which he disobeyed Allah and forsook his duties but even the hours of heedlessness and diversion, then he has squandered them for they give him nothing he can take with him ... what an obvious form of loss it is to which this verse refers!

6. Faith And Righteous Deeds

There are visible indicators of faith and righteous deeds, all of which can be summed up under the heading of 'avoiding loss.' These include a person being given a pleasant life in both worlds, as Allah says:

“Whoever acts righteously, male or female, should he be faithful, - We shall revive him with a good life” (an-Nahl, 16:97).

and affection with the Creator and the Creation:

“Indeed, those who have faith and do righteous deeds - the All-beneficent will endear them” (Maryam, 19:96).

and entering Allah's mercy:

“As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy.” (al-Jathiyah, 45:30).

7. Elements For Success

The effects in the physical realm do not occur except once all their prerequisites are met; for example, for something to burn there must be heat, fuel and an absence of impediments to burning. The same is true in the spiritual realm, for success (fawz) also, cannot be attained without first attaining all of its constituent elements, namely to

“... have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another...” (Al-‘Asr, 103:3).

so, if any of these elements are missing, this causes loss.

Therefore, someone who believes and acts righteously in the true sense of the word, but fails to enjoin others to what is right and patience, he is missing a fundamental element of avoiding loss... hence those who worship in private and do not enjoin others to reform themselves should not feel pleased with their deeds; if any element is missing from that combination - it does not matter which one - the effect will not be achieved, just as is the case with burning.

8. Attaining Full Success

Just as there is profit and loss in the worldly business - whereby one person is said to have gained relative to another's loss, or lost relative to another's greater gain - the same applies to otherworldly business: Anyone who does some righteous deeds while neglecting others - like believers who sinned - will not achieve full success. Rather he will suffer a relative loss compared to one who has forgone all sinful deeds. Perhaps believing this will motivate some to perform the rest of the righteous deeds, so, that they may escape this relative loss and attain full success!

Clearly this relativeness does not exist in matters of faith; anyone who suffers from deficiencies in his fundamental beliefs - such as someone who denies prophethood, for example - even if they accept Divine Unity (tawhid), they will never be considered truly successful, and this is supported by Allah's words:

“Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and seek to separate Allah from His Messengers, and say, 'We believe in some and disbelieve in some’ and seek to take a way in between” (an-Nisa’, 4:150).

“it is they who are truly disbelieve, and We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.” (an-Nisa’, 4:151).

9. Enjoining Each Other

There is a difference between the act of enjoining good and forbidding evil (al-amr bi al-ma'ruf wa al-nahi 'an al-munkar) and between that of enjoining others to what is right (tawasi bi al-haqq) as this verse instructs. The former could occur between a believer and a sinner, and it could be from a single direction as well; for example, one person enjoins and forbids while the other is enjoined and forbidden ... but enjoining one another (al-tawasi) could exist between the believers themselves, or in fact between the very best of them, because each one of them enjoins and is enjoined at the same time, and that is because however excellent any person may be, he will always need someone to remind him. It is, after all, Allah who says:

“And admonish, for admonition Indeed, benefits the faithful.” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:55).

And in this regard, we can say that enjoining one another (al tawasi) has two dimensions:

a. One relates to those things concerned with one's connection to the Creator, which is appropriate to enjoining one another to patience (al-tawasi bi al-sabr) both in obeying Allah's commands, avoiding His prohibitions, and enduring tribulations.

b. The other relates to one's connection with the creations, which is appropriate to enjoining one another to what is right (al-tawasi bi al-haqq), so, that no one's right is ever lost!

10. Avoiding Loss

Avoiding losses requires special assistance from Allah; every moment of our lives is a unit that can be described as either a success or a loss, and however accomplished a person becomes in selfreflection (muraqaba) and self-accounting (muhasaba), he cannot escape heedlessness in all of these moments, especially considering the devils that lie in ambush for a person' s heart, lay siege to it, pounce upon it at the slightest moment of heedlessness and only withdraw when he remembers his Lord, as we can understand from some narrations. Hence, in order to efface the traces of these moments of heedlessness, Allah must grant special favour to His servants, for the existence of even a few moments of heedlessness places m n in a state of loss, even if only for those fleeting instances.

Which is why Allah says in some verses, affirming this fact:

“And were it not for Allah’s grace upon you and His mercy, you would have all surely followed Satan, except a few.” (an-Nisa, 4:83).

“Were it not for Allah's grace and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever be pure.” (an-Nur, 24:21).

And:

“...and were it not for Allah's grace on you and His mercy, you would surely have been among the losers.” (al-Baqarah, 2:64).

Of course, parallel to this divine favour in repelling loss, there are servants of Allah who enjoin one another to repel that also, and this what we read in this surah.

11. Enjoining One Another

There is no doubt that enjoining one another to what is right and enjoining one another to patience falls within the category of righteous deeds ('amal salih), but it is singled out for mention in this surah because it causes a reduction of loss in people's lives, which is more arduous than people's loss of wealth! Just as enjoining one another to patience also, falls within enjoining one another to what is right, but it is singled out for mention because patience guarantees that people will accept being enjoined to what is right. Why? Because admonitions and preaching can be difficult for people to bear, and that is because they often run contrary to the selfishness of the ego, and because sometimes it is hard to give credence to the views of others.

12. Moving Humanity Towards Perfection

This short surah provides with a complete philosophy of existence. And this is done by highlighting the following:

a. Man's movement in life, and that he is in a continuous state of loss despite the fact that outwardly he appears to be developing and growing.

b. Escape from this default mode of loss can only be achieved by joining faith to righteous deeds in a person's relationship with his own self.

c. And that enjoining one another to what is right must be accompanied by enjoining one another to patience; so, that man - in addition to the call by the prophets to their nations - also, calls to himself, and members of society call to one another. This is how humanity can move towards perfection.

Surah al-Humazah (No. 104: 'The Scandal-Monger')

Verses 1-9

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُمَزَةٍ

Woe to every scandal-monger (104:1).

الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ

who amasses wealth and layeth it by (104:2).

يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ

He supposes his wealth will render him immortal (104:3).

كَلَّا لَيُنْبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ

No indeed! He will surely be cast into the Crusher (104:4).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ

And what will show you what is the Crusher (104:5).

نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ

(It is] the fire of Allah, kindled (104:6).

الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ

which will overspread the heart (104:7).

إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِمْ مُؤْصَدَةٌ

Indeed, it will closed in upon them (104:8).

فِي عَمَدٍ مُمَدَّدَةٍ

in outstretched columns (104:9).

1. The Word “Wayl” (Woe)

The Qur’an uses the word ‘woe’ (wayl) many times as an indefinite noun; this is to magnify the force of the threat and rebuke it contains in seventeen different places in the Qur’an. However, what unites all of the objects of woe found in these seventeen places is associating partners with Allah (shirk) and disbelief (kufr) – for instance, Allah says:
“ ...and woe to the disbelievers for a severe punishment …” (Ibrahim, 14:2).

or moral degradation, such as lying, scandal-mongering and slandering, as we find in this surah. The lesson in this is that Allah uses the word 'woe' (wayl) - which denounces the foulest inner vices such as disbelief - for outer vices, represented by the sins mentioned in this surah, which sinners find easy to commit because they consist of nothing more than uttering words; scandals and lies!

This shows that we should not feel at ease with ourselves just because we have avoided inner vices when such outer vices persist. In short: Adopting the morals of the Shari'ah is as fundamental a part of it as adhering to its doctrines, and that is why the threat of 'woe' is applied to both!

2. Scandal-Monger And Slanderer 1

Several explanations are offered for distinguishing the scandalmonger (humazah) from the slanderer (lumazah), but both generally involve mentioning the faults of others; so, this applies to all instances thereof, whether done in earnest or in jest, whether in religious affairs or worldly ones, whether in word or deed, whether the object of such derision is present or absent.

What is generally understood from this verse and the verse of backbiting1 is that the intent of the Lord is to condemn those who mention the faults of others without good reason; because it causes others to weaken, build animosity in a person's soul and diverts him from setting right its affairs.

3. Scandal-Monger And Slanderer 2

There is no external and physical sin except that it emanates from the root inside the person. An arrogant person is not arrogant - as we read in a tradition - save for a weakness he finds in himself; and the one who defrauds others, who is also, rebuked with ‘woe’ in the Qur'an, does not consume the wealth of others save for the fact he loves to amass wealth and enjoy pleasures. The same is true of the scandal-monger and the slanderer, who do not besmirch the honour of others save for a baseness and lowness in their own selves; for even if neither they or the backbiter benefit from their actions in this world, the still expose themselves to the retribution of the Lord of the Worlds.

And perhaps we can deduce that the punishment of the backbiter will also, be that of the slanderer and the scandal-monger, and vice versa; because their sins are all of the same type, namely pursuing the faults of others and mentioning them. There is no doubt that mentioning Hellfire and its terrors should cause people to desist from such behaviour, assuming they are accustomed to desisting from other sins, and it is with a description of such horrors that this surah ends.

4. Slandering Prophet Muhammad (S)

In addition to the censure of all slanderers - as we find in this surah - Allah also, condemns those who slander the personality of the most noble of mankind (S), particularly in his quality best-known to people, namely trustworthiness; for some dared to slander the Prophet (S) and thus about them Allah said:

“There are some of them who slander you regarding the alms: if they are given thereof, they are pleased, but if they are not given thereof, behold, they are displeased.” (at-Tawbah, 9:58).

In fact, the Lord also, defends those who believe and volunteer charities, saying:

“Those who blame the voluntary donors from among the faithful concerning the charities” (al-Tawbah, 9:79).

And let it be known that this quality - clearly visible in the hypocrites - when it is found in other people amongst the faithful, it is the exactly the same moral iniquity, especially because the verse explicitly makes its rebuke general with the words:

“Woe to every scandal-monger and slanderer.” (al-Humazah, 104:1).

And how terrible it is to think that a believer could possess the quality of a hypocrite such as mentioning the faults of others, or getting up for prayer lazily!

5. Amassing Wealth

Amassing wealth without using it and spending it in the proper way is immoral in itself. And although this is not necessarily prohibited in the jurisprudential sense, it does mean it could lead to other sins, and it suffices to demonstrate this that it is mentioned in the context of slandering and scandal mongering! It is obvious that if a person's heart is polluted with the love of this world, he will forget his Creator or his Creator will cause him to forget His remembrance:

“And do not be like those who forget Allah, so, He makes them forget their own souls” (al-Hashr, 59:19).

whereby it becomes easy for a person to drown in all manner of falsehoods, as he sees himself higher than others so, it is easy for him to disparage them. Indeed, 'the love of this world is the source of every iniquity.'2

And it has been narrated from Imam al-Ridha (‘a): 'Wealth is not gathered except with five qualities: Extreme stinginess, farfetched hopes, overwhelming greed, severing family ties and preferring this world over the Hereafter.'3

6. Wealth Earned After Remembering Allah

Wealth that is earned after remembering Allah is full of goodness and blessings. In fact, the Qur'an encourages people to gather it:

“And when the prayer is finished disperse through the land and seek Allah's grace, and remember Allah greatly so, that you may be felicitous.” (al-Jumu'ah, 62:10).

But if wealth is earned before remembering Allah, then it remains ill-gotten, as in His saying:

“When they sight a deal or a diversion, they scatter off towards it and leave you standing! Say, 'What is with Allah is better than diversion and dealing, and Allah is the best of providers.” (al-Jumu'ah, 62:11).

The amassing of wealth that censured in this surah is, of course, of the latter category, as no one gathers wealth and counts it over and over again except someone who loves the wealth itself, rather than someone who aims to spend it in on those things Allah has recommended for His servant.

7. Derision From Comrades

In the Qur'an, one of the factors that causes a person to revert from falsehood is the derision of his comrades. In this surah we read - In addition to the invocation of woe which itself is a kind of derision and censure:

“…… He will surely be cast into the Crusher” (al-Humazah, 104:4).

To cast means to throw something away, as if he is something useless that one wants to dispose of. The ‘Crusher’ is the Fire that crushes and tears apart whatever is thrown into it.

Add to all of the above the lowliness of their own souls which seem unable to grasp the simplest of truths; they actually believe that their money can buy them immortality, which is perhaps the most foolish thought a person can e322ntertain!

8. Hellfire

The expression ‘And what will show you ...’ is usually used in descriptions of the Resurrection and its horrors, such as the Beseiger (al-Haqqah)4 and the Catastrophe (al-Qari'ah).5 The fact that it appears in this surah with its description of Hellfire as the Crusher:

“which will overspread the hearts” (al-Humazah, 104:7).

is a severe warning against this sin, which is a common habit of many people!

This shows us that we must avoid all kinds of forbidden acts, whose true spiritual form is hidden until we enter that realm;

“but what will the admonition avail him?” (al-Fajr, 89:23).

And we should note how appropriate this crushing fire in the Hereafter is as a punishment for the sins of those consigned to it, because their words have crushed the hearts of others in this world.

9. Slandering And Scandal-Mongering

If we define a major sin (kabirah) as 'something for which Allah has decreed Hellfire as a recompense in the Qur'an' then in its most plain sense this includes the sins of slandering and scandal mongering. The problem with most verbal sins such as these is that people find them easy to commit because nothing visibly disgraceful happens on account of their claims, unlike for example fornication, theft and murder.

In fact, verbal sins are the source for many of these other sins; one person might become enraged and kill someone because of such utterances, while as another might be aroused to commit fornication because of those words.

10. Burning To The Core

The punishment mentioned in Allah's words

“which will overspread the hearts” (al-Humazah, 104:7).

even if some take it to mean that a person will burn not just from the outside but from within - can be explained as follows: This punishment will reach a person's true core, meaning his soul, and not just the inside of his body, for it is this core that is the source of all evil. And we can see the burning of sinners' hearts in the Hereafter reflected in this world, for they are burnt by these fires even now, and this is what causes them to become vexed and annoyed, just as the Qur'an describes them:

“whomever He desires to lead astray, He makes his breast narrow and straitened as if he were climbing to a height.” (al-An'am, 6:125).

And it is this that explains their attachment to various types of enjoyment and pleasure to relieve this vexation and angst they feel.

11. Hell Closing

In this world, the greatest hope for someone imprisoned is to escape his prison, but the Qur'an deprives the inmates of the Hellfire of this fanciful wish in various verses, saying that the gates of Hellfire are firmly shut and sealed upon its inmates. For example, Allah says:

“upon them will be a closed Fire.” (al-Balad, 90:20).

Elsewhere, He says:

“Whenever they seek to leave it, they will be turned back into it, and they will be told: “Taste the punishment of the Fire:...” (as-Sajdah, 32:20).

And in this surah, we read:

“Indeed, it will close in upon them.” (al-Humazah, 104:8).

Obviously, being punished and feeling that there is no escape or relief from punishment will inflict upon a person psychological torment in addition to their physical torment, which is why the word 'distress' (ghamm) is used to describe the punishment of one in Hellfire in Allah's words:

“Whenever they desire to leave it out of anguish, they will be turned back into it...” (al-Hajj, 22:22).

12. Wealth

who imagines that his wealth will eternalize him
In this surah a it is interesting to note the juxtaposition of a wealthy person - who imagines that his wealth will eternalize him in the verse:

“He supposes his wealth will make him immortal!” (al-Humazah, 104:3).

is juxtapositioned with the one who is cast into 'the Crusher.' How this must dash the hopes of one who sees his wealth - which he fancies will give him eternal life - become a cause for him to be cast headlong into Hellfire!

It is also, interesting to note the wealth which he 'counts it over' is juxtapositioned with the column of flame that looms 'outstretched' over him, as it was by his obsessive counting of wealth that he extended this column of flame for himself in Hellfire!

1. See Surah Al-Hujarat:
‘Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it.' (49:12).

2. Al-Kafi 2/130.

3. Al-Khisal 1/282.

4. See Surah al-Haqqah:
“And what would make you realize what the sure calamity is!” (69:3).

5. See Surah al-Qari'ah:
” And what will make you comprehend what the terrible calamity is?” (101:3).

Surah al-Fil (No. 105: 'The Elephant')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ

Have you not regarded how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant? (105:1).

أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ

Did He not make their plots go awry, (105:2).

وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ

and send against them flocks of birds (105:3).

تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ

pelting them with stones of shale, (105:4).

فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَأْكُولٍ

thus making them like chewed-up straw? (105:5).

1. Rhetorical Questions

This expression

“Have you not regarded ...?” (al-Fil, 105:1).

instead of 'Do you not know...?' indicates that this is something so, obvious that it can almost be seen; it is well-known that the events of the Elephant occurred at about the same time as the Prophet's (S) birth, so, it is as if the Qur’an means to say that the occurrence of this event is so, certain that the Prophet can be asked about is as if he saw it with his own eyes!

And this expression suits the peculiarity of this event and the kind of fate suffered by the Army of the Elephant, which has no parallel in history. So, it is necessary to use a rhetorical question like this. And the Qur'an sometimes uses them in relation to realities clearly perceptible to human beings:

“Have you not regarded that Allah sends down water from the sky...?” (al-Hajj, 22:63).

and sometimes for subtle realities that are hidden from them:

“Have you not regarded that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth...” (al-Hajj, 22:18).

But the ultimate reason why Allah uses these rhetorical questions in both cases is so, that people will discover realities from them, like the unveiling of the spiritual realities that are with Him.

2. Pondering

In His words,

“Have you not regarded how your Lord dealt...'” (al-Fil, 105:1).

Allah wants the audience to ponder on the way in which Allah acted, not with the mere fact of the action itself. This is because when simple-minded folk consider the destruction of the Army of the Elephant, this does not in itself have an effect on them or causes them to draw a moral lesson from it. When it comes to seeing the act itself, both intelligent and unintelligent observers are one and the same, but Allah wants those people with intellect to investigate and analyze these actions, and apply the lessons they learn from the past to what will happen in the future. This is the fundamental reason for Allah relating the accounts of earlier peoples, as Allah says:

“Travel over the land, and then observe how was the fate of the deniers.” (al-An'am, 6:11).

And we can see this command has three components: First, to travel; second, to observe; and third to draw a lesson from the kind of fate the deniers suffered.

3. The Expression “Your Lord”

The expression 'your Lord' addressed to prophets and other persons appears more than two hundred times in the Qur’an, even though to Allah belongs all existence equally, and this should be more fitting for the station of Lordship because His relation to the whole is more worthy than His relation to any one part. So, He cannot have eschewed this except for a good reason, such as how we find it in this surah: The context here is invoking the greatness of the Lord who exacts retribution upon His enemies in ways that no man can even conceive. So, saying 'your Lord' to the Prophet (S), with this dominant attribute in mind, should steady the latter's heart and the hearts of the believers who were with him.

It should not be forgotten the favour that this address shows to the Prophet (S) as well; directing it to him alone amongst all creatures is an act of great honour and kindness - great enough, surely, to relieve any worries caused by calling people to Allah!

4. The Word ‘Companion’

The word 'companion' (sahib) is usually used in the context of homogeneity (tajanus) in nature, such as a human being with other members of his species, whether they are of the same religion - or not:

“But they called their companion, and he took [a knife] and hamstrung [her].” (al-Qamar, 54:29).

“His companion said to him, as he conversed with him...” (al-Kahf, 18:37).

But using the term ‘companion’ to connect a human to non-thinking creature, such as 'the Companions of the Elephant' is only correct for rhetorical purposes, as is intended by this surah. Because of his rebelliousness, the rider of the elephant became like that animal in his violence, with the difference that the former wanted to destroy the Ka'bah intentionally and purposefully, while his mount only wanted to do so, as a result of the nature with which Allah had endowed it and as a result of its subjugation to His servants. It is even said that it refused to destroy the Ka'bah!

5. Reliance Only On Allah

Using the expression 'Companions of the Elephant' alludes to the fact that these renegades depended on material means for their success, such as bringing along a powerful and frightening war elephant! And their dependence upon this elephant also, justifies calling them its companions.

By contrast, in all the ups and downs of their lives, the believers depend only upon the Almighty and All-Powerful, as we understand from Allah's words;

“That is because Allah is the protector of the believers, and because the disbelievers have no protector.” (Muhammad, 47:11).

And what a difference there is between a true protector who defends His subjects, and someone who has no protector, or a protector who is unable protect him!

6. Plots

When Allah describes the actions of the disbelievers as plots (kayd), as He does here with regards to Abrahah and his army, this alludes to their moral decadence; as a plot is the use of cunning and treachery rather than a straightforward confrontation, in which case the act is even more distasteful! From this, we can know that this was not merely a matter of destroying the Ka'bah. In fact, they had evil intentions that were known only to Allah. For example, we know that they wanted to divert the pilgrims from the Ka'bah to Abrahah's own fake ‘Ka’bah’, which he had built in Yemen.

7. Plots Of The Disbelievers

The plots of the disbelievers are not something trifling; the Qur'an describes them:

“even if their schemes are such as to dislodge the mountains.” (Ibrahim, 14:46).

And the severity of these plots meant that they might cast feelings of fear and weakness into the hearts of the faithful, so, Allah must say something to remove these feelings. For example:

“Indeed, your Lord is ever watchful.” (al-Fajr, 89:14).

“Allah Indeed, defends those who have faith.” (al-Hajj, 22:38).

“O you who believe! If you help Allah, He will help you and make your feet steady.” (Muhammad, 47:7).

“Those who were before them schemed. Then Allah razed their edifice from the foundations.” (an-Nahl, 16:26).

“Their plotting shall come to naught.” (Fatir, 35:10).

And we find another example of this in the present surah: Their plots to misguide others were futile and did not succeed; things did not go as they intended despite their careful planning. Equally, their supplications in Hellfire will not have their intended effect of eliciting a response. Allah says:

“the invocations of the disbelievers only go awry.” (ar-Ra'd, 13:14).

It is interesting to note that here Allah says that it is their plots that went awry (dalal), but that the same expression is used for their own persons when Allah says

“nor those who are astray.” (al-Fatihah, 1:7).

Nothing comes from one who is astray (dall) except more error (dalal), whether in words or deeds, both at the time and in their final outcomes.

8. Attribution Of Actions

The Qur'an combines two statements in this surah and in doing so, solves the problem of how actions can be attributed to anyone besides Allah: And this is by distinguishing between an original owner of property (asil) and the one to whom it is entrusted (wakil); at the beginning of the surah, Allah attributes how He dealt with the Army of the Elephant to Himself:

“Did He not make their plots go awry,” (al-Fil, 105:2).

“send against them flocks of birds” (al-Fil, 105:3).

but then says that the birds were 'pelting them' and attributes the action to the birds. Clearly there is no contradiction between these two statements because there is no contradiction between a property having an indigenous owner while being in the care of another. And this principle applies in all instances where a being performs an action by Allah's leave, such as:

“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death” (az-Zumar, 39:42).

which goes with the verse

“You will be taken away by the angel of death, who has been charged with you.” (as-Sajdah, 32:11).

This is made even more explicit when Allah says:

“...you did not throw when you threw, rather it was Allah who threw.” (al-Anfal, 8:17).

Here, Allah unequivocally negates the effectuation of any action by the thrower himself, even though it emanated from him.

And everything that we have mentioned here should suffice to remove the peculiarity of some of the extraordinary things that appear from Allah's righteous servants, for these are in the same position as 'pelting them' after

“send against them flocks of birds” (al-Fil, 105:3).

9. Divine Will

This surah contains an exquisite contrast between the elephant and the flock of birds - which refers to the different groups of birds that attacked the army - for it is a contrast between a tiny bird and the largest land animal in the world; its great size did not avail it, nor did the mass of soldiers that surrounded it, so, long as it was the divine will that it should perish.

There is a lesson in this for all confrontations between the believers and others throughout history; no one can count on their numbers or preparations if Allah wishes to destroy them with even the simplest means, such as the wind, a thunderclap or a flock of birds.

10. Challenging The Lord

The Quraysh had been intent on worshipping idols since time immemorial; and this state of belief was no better in Allah's eyes than the state of desiring to ruin the Ka'bah. And yet He did not send upon them a similar punishment. Perhaps the crucial difference was the fact that the Army of the Elephant was opening and deliberately challenging the Lord of the Ka'bah rather than acting out of ignorance or some other shortcoming.

Not to mention the fact that Abrahah was committing aggression against the rights of other people - even sinners - for they were in a place of divine sanctuary and had security because of that. What more when there were righteous persons there such as Abd al-Muttalib, who left the affair of the Ka'bah to its protector, saying: 'as a man will protect his camel, so, you protect your possession! Their strength and their schemes never shall triumph against your stratagem.'

11. Birds Aware Of Divine Inspiration

The lethal pelting carried out by the birds was not something easy or simple; whence did they find these stones of shale? How did their attack reduce the enemy to chewed-up straw? Where did these flocks come from and where did they go? From all of these questions we know that these creatures have an awareness of and capacity to receive divine inspiration, in this they are like all other birds, as Allah has described in them the Qur'an:

“Have they not regarded the birds disposed in the air of the sky” (An-Nahl, 16:79).

What a shame it is that the birds in the sky are at Allah's disposal, but the sons of Adam who rebels against their Lord and challenges Him are not!

12. Psychological Warfare

The plan to attack the Ka'bah and destroy it did not depend solely upon bringing the elephant to Mecca; they could have just as easily attacked with horsemen and then destroyed it with tools instead. Rather, these men wanted to strike fear in the hearts of the people of Mecca with an animal they had not encountered before - the elephant. And this is a kind of psychological warfare that is commonplace in military conflicts. Nevertheless, Allah destroyed the army of the disbelievers, even with their terrifying beast. Therefore, no one should ever rely solely on military power so, long as the belief remains that

'”power, altogether, belongs to Allah.” (al-Baqarah, 2:165).

13. Different Types Of Punishment

Divine retribution in this world is proportional to the gravity of the crime, such that Allah varies the different kinds of punishment He sends down:

“So, We seized each (of them) for his sin: among them were those upon whom We unleashed a rain of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the Cry, and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. It was not Allah who wronged them, but it was they who used to wrong themselves.” (al-’Ankabut, 29:40).

The essence of punishment is that the bodies of those punished took on different forms: There were those like trunks of palm trees uprooted from the ground –

“so, that you could have seen the people lying about therein prostrate as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees” (al-Haqqah, 69:7).

and there were those who died in their homes without moving –

“and they lay lifeless prostrate in their homes.” (al-A'raf, 7:78).

But in the case of the Army of the Elephant, Allah describes a fate like no other:

“making them like chewed-up straw.” (al-Fil, 105:5).

Bits and pieces of crops that are blown away by the wind after their seeds have been consumed or eaten by worms, such that nothing remains of them, unlike someone who dies a corpse in his home. Perhaps the reason for this rare punishment amongst others is the fact that the army of Abrahah directly threatened the sanctity of Allah's sacred House, so, Allah effaced them from existence just as they would have effaced His house, which is the symbol of His divine unity.

Surah Quraysh (No. 106: 'Quraysh')

Verses 1-4

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ

For solidarity among the Quraysh, (106:1).

إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ

their solidarity during winter and summer journeys, (106:2).

فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَٰذَا الْبَيْتِ

let them worship the Lord of this House, (106:3).

الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ

who has fed them from a hunger, and secured them from a fear. (106:4).

1. Feuding

A society that is united and far removed from serious disagreements is one that is close to attaining social and spiritual happiness, which is why the Final Prophet (S) could not sow the seeds of the divine mission in Medina except through this social togetherness. This is why Allah counts this as a blessing He bestowed upon them when He says:

“and united their hearts. Had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them together.” (al-Anfal, 8:63).

Moreover, He warns them against disuniting again until the Day of Resurrection:

'...and do not dispute, or you will lose heart and your power will be gone.'(Al-Anfal, 8:46).

It is known that internal feuding and disagreements, as well as being harmful in themselves, also, give power to the enemies who beset the ummah.

2. Uniting The Quraysh

Assuming that this surah is connected to the one immediately before it (Surah Al-Fil) - as is understood from the jurisprudential ruling that they should be recited together in prayer - then the destruction of the Army of the Elephant became a step towards the unity of the Quraysh and the land in which they lived, as were it not for this divine intervention and the removal of fear, then they would have scattered through the land seeking sustenance and security, and become like the Jews:

“We dispersed them into communities around the earth.” (al-Anfal , 8:46).

If this happened, they would have lost the rank and nobleness they had earned through their service of the holy sanctuary at Mecca.

In addition to this, the destruction of Abrahah's army was also, a preliminary to another blessing, namely their ability to travel safely in summer to Syria and in winter to Yemen. Were it not for this safety they would not have dared leave their homes, delve into the wilderness of the desert in search of profit. Rather, they would have remained in their settlement coveting safety and thereby lost the blessings of living in the vicinity of the holy sanctuary.

3. Unity And The Hereafter

Travelling and moving about in different seasons to seek a living is a decent thing to do, or else Allah would not have counted it as a blessing for the Quraysh by mentioning their ability to move safely. This complements His blessing of establishing them in the vicinity of the House, which depends on their wealth and safety.

Now, if the Quraysh needed this unity for a worldly affair, such as travelling in winter and summer seeking wealth and profit, then the Muslim ummah is in even greater need of unity and peace of mind for the affair of the hereafter and spreading the message of Islam to people's hearts, just as the individual needs that to attain nearness to Allah.

4. Enumeration Of Blessings

Listening to the blessings of Allah being enumerated should cause us to wake up and pay attention to the source of these blessings; this is something instinctive, even for animals when they receive the care of their owners. It is in this context that we see Allah highlights several of His blessings over the Quraysh, including harmony, their ease of travel in summers and winters, their food supply and their security, as a precursor to summoning them to worship the House.

We can rely on this principle as well in interactions among man; why should a father not enumerate the blessings he has given to his son to motivate him to be dutiful and kind to him, rather than holding this over him and declaring the son to be in indebted to him?

5. Worshipping

The House occupies a special place of honour before Allah; sometimes He attaches it to Himself –

“....purify My House...” (al-Hajj, 22:26).

- and sometimes He attaches Himself to it -

“ .... the Lord of this House” (Quraysh, 106:3).

- and by using more than one mode of attachment, He also, demonstrates the greatness of this sanctuary.

And it is clearly fitting to mention the House in this surah because the Lord who repelled tribulation from this House and those living around it is worthy of being worshipped exclusively; so, worship here is ultimately a matter of giving thanks for the blessings, which is something everyone can understand, not worshipping purely for its own sake, which is only known to the elect of Allah's servants.

6. How To Show Kindness

Reason dictates that avoiding harm comes before seeking benefit. So, Allah first shows the Quraysh how he kept them safe from harm, first by destroying Abrahah and his army, and second, he shows them how he brought them the benefits of safety and sustenance. This shows us the logical order of this surah and the one before it.

Therefore, a person should learn from Allah how he should treat those whom he wishes to show kindness; first by keeping them safe from harm, and then by showering benefits on them.

7. Kindness To The Quraysh

The Quraysh, despite their unbelief and evil conducts - such as fighting, raiding and persecuting the Prophet (S) - and even after many years of resisting the prophetic mission, Allah still displayed kindness to them through the things mentioned in this surah, such as providing them with food and keeping them safe:

a. First, in order to honour His holy sanctuary, because they had lived in its vicinity so, long that others called them 'Allah's people.'

b. And to honour those who lived amongst them like 'Abd al-Muttalib, because Allah honours a land with the presence of a righteous servant therein and repels harm from them through him.

c. Out of respect for the one who would be born amongst them later, a prophet from themselves.

And why should Allah not show favour to an earlier person because of the nobleness of a later one? This is why 'Ali (‘a) would spare the lives of those in whose future offspring he saw light!

8. Worshipping Allah After Those Provisions

Worshipping Allah requires a soul that has gathered its strength, is secure in its livelihood, and which finds its provision near at hand. Suffering of hunger and insecurity obstruct this, which is why the Lord in His wisdom asks His servants to worship Him after blessing them with sustenance and safety, so, that they have no excuse not to!

And this is supported by something that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) relates from Salman: 'Do you not know, O ignorant ones! The soul is slow to obey its master if it lacks reliable sustenance, for when it has secured its livelihood it is content. As for Abu Dharr, he had a few she-camels and sheep which he would milk, and slaughter if his family desired meat or he had a guest.'1

9. The Act Of Feeding

The act of feeding is in itself a praiseworthy attribute, which Allah joins to the act of creation when He says:

“Shall I take for guardian anyone other than Allah, the originator of the heavens and the earth, who feeds and is not fed?” (al-An'am, 6:14).

And this is also, an attribute of Allah's friends (awliya'), for there is no prophet or wali save that he displays the utmost generosity in feeding others and in other matters. But when Allah mentions that this is from hunger and deprivation, this serves to emphasize it further, and the verse specifically mentions this:

“who fed them from a hunger....” (Quraysh, 106:4).

especially when we notice that the verse uses the indefinite for fear and hunger ('from a hunger ... from a fear...') which aggrandizes them, and the Qur'an also, mentions this as a means of overcoming obstacles:

“or to feed on a day of starvation.” (al-Balad, 90:14).

10. Hunger And Fear

Hunger and fear are generally forms of tribulation, a common feature of creation, such that Allah says:

“We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger ...” (al-Baqarah, 2:155).

And here we must note that sometimes a person faces these as a form of punishment and retribution, as happened to the secure and peaceful town which was ungrateful for Allah's blessings:

“So, Allah made it taste hunger and fear.” (an-Nahl, 16:112).

But a person might also, face hunger and fear as a means to awaken them to worship Allah, for it is the nature of the low self (nafs) to be heedless and distracted. So, this kind of tribulation is a way to set right the self. And one form of this can be found in this surah when Allah says:

“who has fed them from a hunger, and secured them from a fear” (Quraysh, 106:4).

so, being free from hunger and fear is a step towards worshipping the Lord of the House.

11. Safety And Security

The blessing of security and being free from the fear of external threats is one of the most important blessings that Allah can single out for his servants in this world and also, in the Hereafter; because a heart that is free from every distraction is a sound heart which can then receive the divine lights of beauty and majesty. This is supported by a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) about the verse:

“except him who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (ash-Shu'ara, 26:89).

He (‘a) says: 'A sound heart which receives its Lord without anyone else being within it.'2

As for the evidence that this blessing will be granted to the believers in this world, it is Allah's saying:

“Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the earth, just as He made those who were before them successors, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to security after their fear, while they worship Me, not ascribing any partners to Me. And whoever is ungrateful after that - it is they who are the transgressors.” (an-Nur, 24:55).

As for in the Hereafter, Allah says:

“Those who have faith and do not taint their faith with wrongdoing - for such there shall be safety, and they are the guided ones.” (al-An'am, 6:82).

So, the faithful are given glad tidings of safety and security in both worlds.

12. Supplication For The Future

When the supplications of the Prophets (‘a) are granted, these extend for many centuries. For example, the supplication of Abraham for the inhabitants of Mecca, when he said:

“My Lord, make this a secure town, and provide its people with fruits...” (al-Baqarah, 2:126).

and the things mentioned in this surah are the fulfillment of his supplication, in that the blessing of fruit is not restricted only to the righteous inhabitants of Mecca but includes all of them so, as to establish Allah's authority over them ... so, why do people not follow the example of Abraham (‘a) when supplicating to Allah, by supplicating not only for all the people in their own time, but for also, people in future times as well?

1. Al-Kafi 5/68.

2. Al-Kafi 2/16.

Surah al-Ma’un (No. 107: 'Aid')

Verses 1-7

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ

Did you see him who denies the Din? (107:1).

فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ

So, that is the one who drives away the orphan, (107:2).

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

and does not urge the feeding of the needy. (107:3).

فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ

Woe to them who pray (107:4).

الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

- those who are heedless of their prayers, (107:5).

الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ

those who show off (107:6).

وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ

but withhold from (giving) aid. (107:7).

1. Practices That Bring About Losses

The question:

“Did you see...?’ (al-Ma’un, 107:1).

implies amazement at one who manages to deny matters of faith while simultaneously going astray in matters of practice, as if this is some kind of anomaly amongst all the creatures in existence, such that it is worthy of being highlighted with surprise like a rare specimen! In fact, the truth is that the majority of people - because they have become accustomed to various forms of deviation - are used to it and do not see anything wrong with it, which is why such a strong emphasis is placed on keeping apart from disbelievers and not living in their lands if one fears losing or diluting his or her religion it as a result thereof.

2. The Word ‘Din’

The word din in

“Did you sec him who denies the din?” (al-Ma’un, 107:1).

could mean the religion (din) of Islam, as Allah restricts the correct religion to Islam when He says:

“Indeed, with Allah religion is Islam” (Ale 'Imran, 3:19).

but it could also, mean the Divine Retribution (din), as in Allah's saying:

“and we used to deny the Day of Retribution ...” (al-Muddaththir, 74:46).

which means the Resurrection as that is when this retribution is meted out, and the Qur'an uses words derived from the root of dal-ya-nun to signify recompense. For example, Allah says:

“when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we Indeed, be brought to retribution?” (as-Saffat, 37:53).

And the reason why Allah focuses on this fundamental doctrine of the religion and condemns those who reject it is that denying the Resurrection frees man from all self-restraints, as he sees no ultimate recompense for his actions. This leaves him free to do whatever he wants, especially when his innate nature (fitrah) flickers out and his conscience vanishes.

3. Abandoning Prayer And Not Feeding The Needy

The one who fails to give Allah His full due, while He is the ultimate source of blessings - in fact, there is no source besides Him - will also, fail to give other creatures their full due. When someone is blind to the ultimate duty they have towards their Creator, then how can they attend to that of those lower than Him?

This is why the Qur'an draws a connection between abandoning prayer and failing to feed the needy in the verse

“We were not among those who prayed.” (al-Muddaththir, 74:43).

“Nor did we feed the poor, ” (al-Muddaththir, 74:44).

and why it also, connects a lack of belief in Allah to failing to encourage others to feed the needy;

“Indeed, he had no faith in Allah, the All-supreme,” (al-Haqqah, 69:33).

“and he did not urge the feeding of the needy.” (al-Haqqah, 69:34).

It is in this same vein that this surah draws a similar connection between lack of faith in the Resurrection and failing to encourage others to feed the poor.

4. Humble Acts Of Obedience

A servant should never treat any act of obedience lightly, just as he should never underestimate the gravity of any sin, however trivial he view it, for Allah's pleasure and anger and that of His wali could lie in something the servant does not expect - as some traditions intimate - and this is why when the inmates of Hellfire are asked how they ended up in the pits of Hell, they will answer that they abandoned humble acts of obedience such as

“Nor did we feed the poor,” (al-Muddaththir, 74:44).

and performed subtle sins such as

“We used to gossip along with the gossipers.” (al-Muddaththir, 74:45).

And this surah mentions similar issues, like failing to urge others to feed the poor –

“does not urge the feeding of the needy” (al-Ma’un, 107:3).

- which is even subtler than merely failing to feed them personally, when describing the attributes of those who deny the Retribution;

“Nor did we feed the poor.” (al-Muddaththir, 74:44).

5. All Wealth Belongs To Allah

In numerous instances, the Qur'an says that all wealth ultimately belongs to Allah, and that He has merely deputized His servants to spend it. Allah says:

“and spend out of that wherein He has made you deputies” (al-Hadid, 57:7).

and elsewhere:

“and give them out of the wealth of Allah which He has given you.” (an-Nur, 24:33).

The consequence of this is that anyone who neglects Allah's dependents - on whom He has commanded that wealth be spent upon - has betrayed Allah's trust. And it is narrated in a hadith qudsi: 'All wealth is my wealth, the poor are my dependents, the wealthy are my trustees; and should my trustees be miserly, I will take my wealth back from them without compunction.' 1

The present surah also, highlights this reality from another dimension, because, in the Arabic, it actually uses the word for food (ta'am) - rather than the word for feeding (it’am) - to describe the act of giving food to the poor. This is as if to suggest that feeding the poor is merely conveying the food to its rightful owner, as one partner in a business returns the share of another to him. This is supported by something we read in another verse, that is:

“and there was a share in their wealth for the beggar and the deprived.” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:19).

So, what pride is there in that?

6. Discouraging Others From Feeding People

It is interesting to note that this surah at one point uses the phrase

“Have you seen the one who denies the din?” (al-Ma’un, 107:1).

and at another uses the word 'Woe...' (wayl) to rebuke something that is explicitly forbidden (haram) in the jurisprudential sense, that is to refrain from encouraging others to feed the needy and withholding help from others. We can resolve this peculiarity as follows:

a. The core of what is being censured here is denying the Day of Retribution which naturally engenders such behaviour, and which are prefixed with the causal conjunction ‘fa’ ('So, that is the one...')

b. That this act actually reveals the vileness that is present in the soul being rebuked for it, for a person might be excused for not feeding others, but he will not be excused from discouraging others from doing so.

7. Neglecting Prayers

'Woe' which is a word expressing the severity of punishment a person will experience on the Day of Resurrection is directed against the one who denies the Day of Retribution on more than ten occasions, and in this surah we can interpret this denier to be the one who is neglectful of his prayers, which is different from one who abandons them. In which case, we should ask ourselves that if this is the punishment for one who neglects his prayers, how could we conceive of the punishment awaiting one who abandons them completely?

8. Neglecting Prayers

When Allah says

“Woe to those who pray” (al-Ma’un, 107:4).

in this surah, it is directed at those who neglect (sahw) their prayers - but not to those who suffer lapse of attention (sahw) in their prayers, as this happens even with the believer. And this means those who attach little importance to their prayers and squander them, either by performing them intermittently, delaying them for no reason, or performing them to show off, and a natural corollary of this attitude is a lack of concern for the needs of others;

“but withhold from giving aid.” (al-Ma’un, 107:7).

As how can someone who has no concern for his own wellbeing be concerned for the needs of others? And this shows us the connection between the two verses.

9. Seeking Recompense From Other Creatures

It is only natural that someone who denies the Resurrection will seek his recompense from other creatures, as it the nature of the carnal soul to yearn for rewards and praise, which is why these people take recourse to showing off in their acts of worship - to curry favour with the inhabitants of this world. And this a continuous mode of behaviour for them, as Allah says 'who show off using the present tense of verb (mudari’). By contrast, fear of the hardships a person will face during the Resurrection directs his concern towards seeking the pleasure of his Master, who will grant him the best form of reward, which the Qur'an describes in the following verse, referring to the Prophet’s (S) Household (‘a):

“We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you or any thanks.” (al-Insan, 76:9).

“Indeed, we fear from our Lord a day, frowning and fateful.” (al-Insan, 76:10).

Therefore, anyone who is mindful of the fact that his ultimate return shall be to Allah and lives this reality with all of his being, he will not have to struggle to devote himself to his Lord in every instance. In fact, merely being aware of this reality at all times will make it easy for him to be devoted.

10. One Should Not Avoid Serving Others

Islam is a religion which combines many varieties of moral duty (taklif), including:

a. Those connected to the Creator, represented first and foremost by the obligatory prayers and the injunction to avoid showing-off to other people in them;

“those who show off.” (al-Ma’un, 107:6).

b. Those connected to other creatures, which this surah elaborates in a number of verses; such as not driving away the orphan –

“.... drives away the orphan” (al-Ma’un, 107:2).

encouraging others to feed the needy –

“does not urge the feeding of the needy” (al-Ma’un, 107:3).

and giving assistance to others –

“and withhold from giving aid.” (al-Ma’un, 107:7).

Therefore, anyone who uses worship to avoid serving other people has Indeed, strayed far from the spirit of the authentic and complete Islam.

11. Aid

Some people are very tolerant of deviant beliefs of others and see this as a matter of personal choice and freedom, and perhaps they do not see anything wrong with a person who holds these beliefs if they engage in good conduct and perform good deeds for mankind! In fact, these deviant beliefs and are contributing factors for immoral conduct. Some of which are enumerated in the verses of this surah after it mentions the denial of the Resurrection, such as driving away the orphan harshly, and even to the extent that a person leaves the bounds of common decency. And that is if we understand ‘aid’ (ma'un) in this surah to refer to something other than zakat, meaning that it includes all the things necessary for a home, such as pans, tools, plates and anything else that a person usually borrows. Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) explains this in the following words: 'It is a loan he gives, a provision he lends or a good deed that he does.'2

12. A Permissive Shari’ah

This surah, when explaining solidarity, does not mention something affirmative that goes back to the person himself, rather it calls on him not to drive away the orphan or not to withhold help, and both of these are negative actions. It also, calls on him to encourage others to feed the poor, which does not require that he do so, from his own property. From all these we understand that the Shari'ah is very permissive and wants us to not be evil in some areas and encourage others to do good in others.

13. Hard-Heartedness

There might be times when a person is afflicted by a dulling of feelings towards those orphans and needy persons around him; the cure for this state is concealed in this this surah, it is to visit the orphans and stroke their heads to rouse such feelings, to feed the needy and encourage others to do so, but if this state persists then it is the result of hard-heartedness.

And it is to this persistent state that the voice of rebuke is directed at in this surah, as such a state indicates that a person has become devoid of feeling, not merely dulled in them. And this is why expressions such as 'drives away...', 'does not urge...' and 'denies...' appear in this surah, as all of these indicate a continuous state because they are in the present tense!

14. Withholding Aid

When one person asks another for something to help him - e.g. the aid which is understood to mean things like salt, water and fire; basic provisions - this causes him to lose face, and even asking the simplest questions such as asking directions, involves humbling oneself. And this is why refusing to help - especially in small matters - is such a reprehensible behaviour! This is why Allah uses the expression ‘woe’ upon such people, when the Qur’an does not do this anywhere else except in matters of gravity. It has been narrated that the Prophet (S) said: 'Whoever denies aid to his neighbour, Allah will deny him His goodness on the Day of Resurrection and leave him to his own devices, and whomsoever Allah leaves to his own devices, what a terrible state he is in!3

15. Prayer And Zakat

The Qur’an frequently draws a connection between prayer and zakat, and what both of these have in common is that they involve stopping a person from being absorbed by other things. In the prayer, the human being forsakes other things in his heart, represented by different thoughts, to turn all his being towards his Creator, while in zakat he forsakes other things in the outside world, as represented by wealth, to turn his attention and concern towards other creatures.

This surah also, alludes to this relation between prayer and zakat because Allah mentions 'their prayers’ and ‘aid’ but also, brings out their clearest instances and those which most inspire empathy, for it talks about food which is one of the essential substances of life and about the needy person who is one of the lowest levels of the poor, before mentioning encouraging others to feed them, which is the easiest duty imaginable!

16. Hypocrites

One of the marks of the hypocrites is that they are disinterested in all personal human dimensions:

a. So, in matters of belief they have no solid reasoning against those with arguments, in which case they resort to denial, which is something easy that does not require any forethought:

“……who denies the din.” (al-Ma’un, 107:1).

b. And in matters of worship they are neglectful and inattentive towards them, often - if not always - missing the prayers;

“those who are heedless of their prayers” (al-Ma’un, 107:5).

and when they do perform the prayers, they do so, ostentatiously seeking praise and worldly rewards:

“those who show-off.” (al-Ma’un, 107:6).

c. And in matters of interaction with other people, they have no empathy for the suffering of others, nor do they encourage others to feed them;

“does not urge the feeding of the needy” (al-Ma’un, 107:3).

and refuse to give others aid, no matter how meagre it is;

“but withhold from giving aid.” (al-Ma’un, 107:7).

They even drive the orphan away from them.

So, what trait of humanity remains in them? Anyone who finds such traits in him is attached to them in the Hereafter, even if he is nominally counted amongst the ranks of the Muslims!

17. The Society’s Success

The ultimate lesson of this surah is that the way to a society's success rests on two principles, which those in authority must heed in every age:

a. Concern for matters of education and upbringing; most importantly, prayer, as this prevents indecencies and wrongdoing, which is why another verse says that one of the main priorities of those whom Allah has established upon the earth is maintaining the prayer4

b. Concern for matters of livelihood; most importantly, looking after the needs of the orphans and the weakest members of society, the needy, especially for their nourishment, which is something all people need in this life.

1. Jami' al-Akhbar, 80.

2. Al-Kafi 3/498.

3. Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih, 4/14.

4. Surah al-Hajj:
“Those who, should We establish them in the land, will keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and enjoin good and forbid evil; and Allah's is the end of affairs.” (22:41).

Surah al-Kawthar (No. 108: 'Kawthar')

Verses 1-3

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ

Indeed, We have given you abundance. (108:1).

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ

So, pray to your Lord, and sacrifice. (108:2).

إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

Indeed, your enemy is the one without posterity. (108:3).

1. The Qur’an’s Miraculous Inimitability

This surah, which is one of the smallest surahs in the Qur'an, does not differ in its formulation or style from other longer surahs, so, it is included in the Qur'anic challenge:

“Say, 'Then bring a surah like it, and invoke whomever you can, besides Allah, should you be truthful.” (Yunus, 10:38).

And this surah is one of those that demonstrate the Qur'an's miraculous inimitability (i'jaz), as it challenges the most eloquent speakers of the Arabs to produce three verses like those in this surah.

2. Unique Words

This surah is distinguished insofar as it uses words we do not find anywhere else in the Qur'an, such as kawthar (lit. "abundance"), nahr (lit. "sacrifice"), shani' (lit. "enemy") and abtar (lit. "without posterity"). It is the Prophet's (S) due that Allah should address him with this surah made unique by the words used in it, foremost amongst which is the word kawthar, meaning all kinds of abundant goodness.

3. Sagacious Use Of Words

The Qur'an is extremely precise and sagacious in how it uses words throughout its text, including its use of the first-person pronoun that refers to the Divine Essence.

a. Sometimes this pronoun appears in the singular ("I"), as in

“I am Indeed, the All-forgiving, the All-merciful” (aI-Hijr, 15:49).

or

“ ……I am Indeed, nearmost……” (al-Baqarah, 2:186).

It is supposed to give a sense of Allah's nearness and immanence to His servant, and this necessitates a feeling of familiarity, as is clear in Allah's address to Moses (‘a):

“Indeed, I am Allah - there is no god except Me. So, worship Me, and maintain the prayer for My remembrance.” (Ta Ha, 20:14).

b. But sometimes it also, appears in the plural ("We"), and this includes the opening verses of four surahs of the Qur'an:

“Indeed, We have inaugurated for you a clear victory” (al-Fath, 48:1).

“Indeed, We sent Noah to his people,” (Nuh, 71:1).

“Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment.” (al-Qadr, 97:1).

“Indeed, We have given you abundance.” (al-Kawthar, 108:1).

What unites all these surah’s is a sense of the great act being attributed to Allah, whether granting a clear victory; or sending the first of the Great Prophets, who occupies the position of a second father to all humanity; or sending down the final divine message to mankind; or granting an abundance of good. There is a clear connection between all of these instances, namely: The prophethood of the Great Prophets, Divine Scripture, the Holy Household (‘a) equal to it, and outward victory, which guarantees the success of the prophetic mission.

4. Bestowing Ownership

It is possible to honour someone generously without actually making him the owner of something, as when one is granted its benefits (manfa'a) without being granted the object itself. But the act of giving here is manifestly bestowing ownership - which is the utmost honour - in addition to the fact that the person being addressed in the words 'We gave you' is the final prophet (S). It suggests that he has a special quality in this gift that entitles him to the abundance of goodness contained within this gift, as the readiness of the recipient engenders the act of the giver as well.

5. Prophecies

It is striking that as many as twenty-six different explanations have been offered for the term kawthar (abundance), all united by the idea that this kawthar contains abundant good. But the most appropriate interpretation in the broader context of this surah is 'an abundance of offspring' firstly because kawthar is contrasted with abtar (without posterity), which is a like a recompense for those who first accused the Prophet (S) of being without progeny, and secondly because of the command to sacrifice - according to one interpretation - which refers to the practice of offering a sacrifice when one is granted offspring.

It should be remembered that this surah is an instance in which the Qur'an is divulging knowledge of the unseen, and these instances are known collectively as the prophesies of the Qur'an (malahim al-qur'an); this glad tiding came in Mecca while the Prophet (S) had few supporters and scant resources, while his enemy was a person of importance and influence. And yet, events would confirm the veracity of the Qur'an's prophesy - as was the case with all other prophesies - for no lineage in history has been preserved like that of the Final Messenger (S).

6. ‘Kawthar’

The ambiguity of the word kawthar - which has produced such diverse interpretations amongst different commentators - could be intended to illustrate the breadth of the scope of this abundant goodness. The interpretations of this word have varied greatly, from those that say it refers to the scholars of the ummah, to others who say it is a river in Paradise, and others who say it means wisdom (hikmah), which another verse also, describes as abundant good!1

It is the habit of the Qur’an to leave some words ambiguous in their meaning, in order to prompt people to use their intellect and ask questions from one angle, and to ultimately refer those questions to the companion of the Qur'an represented by the Prophet's (S) Household (‘a) from another!

7. Maleness And Femaleness

It was the Divine Will to realize the abundant good contained within the descendants of the Prophet (S) through his daughter, Fatimah (sa). Remember this was at a time when having a daughter was considered ill fated:

“When one of them is brought the news of a female, his face becomes darkened and he chokes with suppressed agony.” (an-Nahl, 16:58).

Just as Allah willed to realize His word and spirit, Jesus (‘a), through the Virgin Mary (sa). This contains a powerful lesson for us; which is that blessings are directed at the spiritual realm, while the male and female genders are physical attributes, and these have no relation to receiving the divine effusion of munificence.

8. Fulfillment Of A Divine Promise

We can see this surah as the fulfillment of the divine promise contained in Surah ad-Duha:

“Soon your Lord will give: you [that with which] you will be pleased.” (ad-Duha, 93:5).

This is because dedicating an entire surah to the promise to give him abundant good (kawthar) implies that there was something important which the Prophet (S) was awaiting, which would grant him utter happiness and satisfaction.

And there is no doubt that the divine gift represented by Fatimah (sa) contained the satisfaction of Allah's Messenger, and that is because her influence in this world was plainly manifested in the form of an abundance of offspring, and in the Hereafter it was manifested in the form of intercession for this ummah.

9. ‘Kawthar’

When Allah blessed His Prophet (S) with the conquest of Mecca, He commanded him to glorify Him and plead forgiveness –

“and you see the people entering Allah's religion in throngs,” (an-Nasr, 110:2).

“then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and plead to Him for forgiveness” (an-Nasr, 110:3).

- as a kind of thanksgiving to the One who granted him this victory, but when He granted him the blessing of kathwar, He commanded him to pray -'so, pray' - which contains both glorification and pleading for forgiveness.

This shows that this kawthar has a great effect in bringing people to Allah's religion in droves; and that is throughout all ages, not just at the time of Mecca's conquest.

10. “Your Lord”

It is inconceivable that the prayer of the Prophet (S) should be for anyone except the Lord. But in spite of that, the verse affirms that this prayer is directed towards 'your Lord' and is only for Allah, because it is obvious that any deed not done seeking His countenance, no matter how great the deed or its doer, is ultimately without substance.

11. Surah Al-Kawthar And Surah At-Takathur

There is a contrast - which is clear to anyone who reflects - between Surah al-Kawthar and Surah al-Takathur, even though the two words are derived from the same root (kaf-tha-ra):

a. In the first, we see an abundance that causes a person to worship Allah -

“so, pray to your Lord” (al-Kawthar, 108:2).

while in the second we see an abundance that causes a person to forget the remembrance of Allah:

“rivalry distracted you ...” (at-Takathur, 102:1).

b. In the first, the call to pray brings Allah's servants to their prayer niches, while in the second, rivalry drives them to the graves to count the deceased of their tribe -

“until you visited the graves.” (at-Takathur, 102:2).

c. Kawthar is represented by an abundant good given by Allah to His beloved Prophet (S), which is a real (rather than perceived) good that lasts across generations, while the kind of rivalry being censured in Surah al-Takathur is actually something illusory and perceived. In itself, an abundance of children is not something valuable, not to mention that this perceived value loses its worth to a person who dies in this world, let alone in the Hereafter.

d. The kawthar given by Allah is an emanation of Allah's overflowing munificence, and it is well known that everything that comes from Allah and everything that is for Allah's sake grows. On the other hand, the source of immoral rivalry is the love of this world, being deceived by it and feeling proud of it before one’s peers. Of course, whatever is for the sake of someone other than Allah will fade and disappear.

12. Kindling Hearts

There is a clear connection between the statement 'We have given you ...' and the command 'So, pray...' that follows it. Recalling one of Allah's gifts should motivate someone to pray to Him, which is something that confers (the feelings of) awe and humility upon the worshipper. This is one of the ways in which people's hearts can be kindled, they should 'pray' whenever they see themselves slipping. Equally, one of the ways in which people can be called towards Allah is by reminding them of the blessings that came before the call to obey Him; it has been narrated in a hadith qudsi: 'Allah revealed to Moses (‘a): "Endear me to my creation, and endear my creation to me." Moses asked: "My Lord, how should I do that?" He said: "Remind them of by blessings and gifts that they might love Me."2

13. ‘Kawthar’ As The Prophet’s Sons

By attaching the Lord to the Prophet (S) in the phrase '...to your Lord' the Qur'an suggests that the very same divine favour that this and other surah’s mention flows from the station of Lordship; were it not for the fact that the Lord of the Worlds undertook to exalt the name of His beloved prophet, Muhammad (S), this honour would never have stretched through the ages.

One of the interpretations offered by Fakhr al-Razi for the word kawthar is that it refers to his sons, to which he appends: 'Because this surah only came down to refute those who mocked the Prophet (S) for his lack of male progeny. So, this means that Allah will give him a lineage that will endure with the passage of time; see how many members of the Prophet’s (S) Household (‘a) were slain, and yet the world is filled with them, while not a single worthy descendent of the Umayyad clan remains! Then look how many great scholars came from his offspring: al-Baqir, al-Sadiq, al Kazim, al-Rida, the Pure Soul (al-nafs al-zakiyya ),3 and the likes of them.'4

14. A Surah Addressing The Prophet (S)

Despite this surah's brevity - being only three verses long - it addresses the Prophet (S) directly five times, whether using the explicit pronoun - 'to your Lord' - or the implicit one - 'and sacrifice'5 - as if the axis around which this surah revolves is none other than the Prophet (S) himself, even if its purpose is to expound the blessings of kawthar in response to the reproach of his enemy, who sought to disparage most noble and honoured of Allah's creatures.

15. And Sacrifice! 1

“.... and sacrifice” (al-Kawthar, 108:2).

‘sacrifice’ is explained to mean the sacrifice of a she-camel - whether on the two Eid days, or generally - and it fits within the context of the Qur'an's emphasis on the correspondence between fulfilling the rights of the Creator and fulfilling the rights of the Creatures, as we also, can see in how the Qur'an repeatedly combines of the injunction to pray and that to give zakat, and its forbiddance on neglecting prayers and refusing to help others.

It is from this perspective that the Qur'an bids the Prophet to give thanks for the blessing of kawthar sometimes by praying and others by feeding the needy; neither one removes the need for the other.

16. And Sacrifice! 2

Another interpretation of the injunction wanhar ('and sacrifice') is to raise one's hands level to one's neck when reciting the takbir that begins the prayer.6 If this is the case, then mentioning this after the injunction to pray suggests that this fundamental component of prayer is very important. After all, this takbir;

a. accompanies the very beginning of a person's prayer and symbolizes his entry into the divine presence through his ascent in prayer.

b. Consists of one of the most important Islamic invocations (dhikr), as the utmost praise of the station of Lordship is conceding one's inability to adequately describe or praise the Lord, which is the essence of the words of the takbir (‘allahu akbar' – ‘Allah is greater’).

17. Best Ways To Give Thanks

One could say - based on the ideas gleaned from this surah - that one of the best gifts Allah can bestow upon His servants is righteous children, and some of the best ways to give thanks is:

a. To offer prayers before Allah that are attached to that blessing, as indicated by the conjunction 'So...' (fa) in the phrase

“So, pray to your Lord and sacrifice.” (al-Kawthar, 108:2).

b. Offering sacrifices seeking nearness to Him, based on Allah's command to His Prophet (S) ('and sacrifice.')

18. Allah Defending Prophet Muhammad (S)

Allah wastes no opportunity to defend His favourite Prophet (S); He generally defends the believers:

“Allah Indeed, defends those who believe.” (al-Hajj, 22:38).

What more His chosen Messenger? When the idolaters accused him of being insane, Allah responded:

“...you are not, by the blessing of your Lord, crazy.'” (al-Qalam, 68:2).

And when they denied that he was a Messenger –

“ And those who disbelieve say: You are not a messenger…” ( ar-Ra'd, 13:43).

Allah responded:

“……and you are Indeed, one of the Messengers.” (al-Baqarah, 2:252).

And when they accused him of being a poet –

“... for a crazed poet” (as-Saffat, 37:36).

Allah responded in his defence:

“We did not teach him poetry, nor does it behoove him.” (Yasin, 36:69).

And we see this pattern continued in this surah when they claimed he was without progeny, whereby Allah defended him with the words:

“Indeed, it is your enemy who is without posterity.” (al-Kawthar, 108:3).

This was not idle talk on Allah's part; rather He demonstrated to everyone in reality the truthfulness of this description, and he had a great many offspring, not least amongst them were the Imams of the Prophet's (S) Household (‘a).

19. A Lack Of Posterity

Divine recompense always reflects the actions of the person, whether this recompense is meted out in this world or the Hereafter; so, it is very fitting that the person who disparaged the Prophet (S) for having no male heir - especially after the loss of his sons Qasim and 'Abd Allah - should be rewarded with the same kind of fate; namely a lack of posterity (batr), which is explained to mean someone who has no religion or lineage. And this is what ultimately happened; the enemy of the Prophet (S) has no exalted reputation, nor any surviving heirs, unlike the Prophet himself; Allah exalted his reputation and granted him abundant and blessed progeny until the Day of Resurrection.

20. Ostentation

Any important action that is not attached to Allah is without posterity (abtar), whether it concerns a person's connection to his Lord, such as prayer, or his connection to others, such as slaughtering a sacrificial animal. Hence the words 'to your Lord' are positioned between those of 'So, pray...' and '...sacrifice' to demonstrate the its positive aspect, just as the words '...those who show off...' are positioned between those of 'their prayers' and 'deny aid' to demonstrate the negative one.

Based on this, we can say that ostentation and showing off (riya') obliterates every kind of good deed, just as dedication (ikhlas) yields every act of obedience.

21. Being An Enemy Of The Prophet (S)

When Allah threatens the Prophet's enemy with a lack of posterity, it is as if he is to be the only person in history without offspring, because Allah says

“....your enemy is the one without posterity” (al-Kawthar, 108:3).

and this phrasing suggests either emphasis or specification. However, this threat is not restricted to this person in particular, for the meaning of the revelation is not restricted to the person about whom it was originally revealed; everyone who hates the Prophet (S) will suffer the same fate and be without posterity in all times. This is especially clear because the Arabic uses the noun of the active participle (fa'il) rather than that of the verb, which indicates that this recompense is for anyone who possesses this attribute (i.e. being the enemy of the Prophet) in any context.

1. See Surah Al-Baqara:
' … and he who is given wisdom, is certainly given an abundant good.' (2:269).

2. Al-jawahir al-Sunniyyah fi al-Ahadith al-Qudsiyyah, 525.

3. This is Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan al-Muthanna b. al-Hasan b. 'Ali b. Abi Talib (d. 145/762), who led an unsuccessful uprising against the 'Abbasid Caliph, al-Mansur, in Medina, while his brother, Ibrahim, led a parallel uprising in southern Iraq.

4. Mafatih al-Ghayb, 32/313.

5. This is because in Arabic grammar, the pronoun 'you' is treated as implicit in imperative commands.

6. The command wanhar comes from the root nun-ha-ra which relates to the throat (nahr). It is this that makes both interpretations of the word possible; an animal is sacrificed by cutting its throat, and a worshipper raises his hands so, that his palms are level with his throat when pronouncing takbir (‘allahu akbar’) in prayer.

Surah al-Kafiroon (No. 109: 'The Disbelievers')

Verses 1-6

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ

Say, 'O Disbelievers! (109:1).

لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ

I do not worship what you worship, (109:2).

وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ

nor do you worship what I worship; (109:3).

وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ

nor will I worship what you have worshiped (109:4).

وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ

nor will you worship what I worship. (109:5).

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

To you your religion, and to me my religion. (109:6).

1. Intractable Disbelievers

The address to the disbelievers in this surah - even if it is unqualified (mutlaq) - is directed at a specific group of people in the time of the Prophet (S), and in this group were some of the most intractable disbelievers in history, because they were both ignorant and obstinate! These verses convey the utter hopelessness of this group ever believing. However, it does not apply to all the unbelievers, for there are often those who give up their unbelief, like those who found faith after Mecca was conquered and became good Muslims, or those magicians who believed in Moses (‘a) after they had long been his opponents!

2. Agreements With The Disbelievers

This surah affirms, in four verses, fundamental ideas that are very similar, as an essential truth; these are that there is no common worship between the side of faith and that of disbelief because of the importance of faith in the personality of a believer, especially with regards to divine unity (tawhid). All of his deeds are influenced by this most fundamental principle.

But just because there can be no compromise on this central principle does not mean that people cannot come to agreements for their mutual benefit in those matters not directly affected by faith. That is why the Prophet (S) made treaties with the unbelievers, such as that of Hudaybiyyah. In fact, Allah commanded the Prophet to seek treaties where appropriate with the words:

“And if they incline towards peace, then incline towards it [also].” (al-Anfal, 8:61).

3. No Compromise On Matters Of Doctrine

Using the Arabic particle la (translated: 'shall not') signifies a future negation. This illustrates both the position of the Prophet (S) in relation to worshipping their deities, and that of the disbelievers in relation to worshipping Allah, which in turn demonstrates that there could never be any reconciliation between the Prophet (S) and those who opposed him.

This is why there can be no compromise on matters of doctrine, even if there can be compromises in matters of warfare. The Qur'an settles this decisively when it says:

“Never will the Jews be pleased with you, nor the Christians, unless you followed their creed” ( al-Baqarah, 2:120).

meaning that surrendering one's principles is the only way to truly please others - may it never come to pass!

4. The Pronoun ‘Ma’ (What)

The pronoun ‘ma’ (what), which is commonly employed for nonrational beings, is used for the gods of the disbelievers in the verse

“I do not worship what you worship” (al-Kafiroon, 109:2).

because these gods are idols which cannot comprehend anything. But why is the same pronoun then used for the One True God in the verse

“nor do you worship what I worship?” (al-Kafiroon, 109:3).

To resolve this, we must say either that it mirrors the expression in the previous verse - that it refers to the method of worship - or it refers to the worship itself, i.e. 'Nor do you worship my worship.'

5. Worship

The disagreement between the Prophet (S) and the unbelievers of his time did not concern Allah's status as the Creator, because they did not deny this. The Qur'an says:

“those who take guardians besides Him (claiming,] 'We only worship them so, that they may bring us near to Allah ...” ( az-Zumar, 39:3).

So, the disagreement is in the method of worshipping Allah, and the practice of associating partners with Him (shirk), which is divine unity in Worship (altawhid fi al-'ibadah), which is why these verses revolve around worship and its derivatives.

And let it be known that those who worship ostentatiously, even though they believe in Allah, suffer from the same kind of defect as these disbelievers, for what is the point of worship that is not solely dedicated to Allah?

6. The Purpose Of Repetition

One of the goals of repetition in these clear verses is to firmly establish this truth, which is that neither party can turn aside from what it worships. Although the expression used for the Prophet (S) varies between:

“I do not worship ...” (al-Kafiroon, 109:2).

which uses a verb, and:

'Nor am I a worshipper 1 ...' (al-Kafiroon, 109:4).

which uses the active participle, these two expressions - when taken together - are more forceful in their rejection!

7. Repetition Explained

We can explain the repetition of this surah as follows:

a. The repetition in the two verses is addressed to the offer of the disbelievers to the Prophet (S) that he would worship their gods in one year and they would worship his God in another, so, the negation is repeated for the number of alternating years of worship.

b. The pronoun 'what' in the first two verses refers to the object of worship, thus negating the worship of each other's deity, while in the last two verses, 'what' refers to the method of worship. In this case, the verses mean that the two sides disagree not only about the objects of worship, but also, about the very method of worship itself.

c. When the Qur'an says

“I do not worship what you worship,'” (al-Kafiroon, 109:2).

this applies to the present because it contains a verb in the present continuous tense, while

“nor will I worship what you have worshipped” (al-Kafiroon, 109:4).

contains a verb in the past tense; so, taken together, these verses negate the act of worship at all times.

8. The Religion Of The Disbelievers Has Nothing To Do With The Prophet (S)

Placing the preposition and the noun it governs before the subject of the sentence in the verse

“To you your religion, and to me my religion” (al-Kafiroon, 109:6).

signifies that the religions of truth and falsehood only belong to their respective followers; so, the religion of the disbelievers has nothing to do with the Prophet (S) and vice versa! This declaration also, affirms that there is no common ground between the two, and there is no room for compromise on the fundamentals of faith.

9. Religion Other Than Islam

There is no room to suppose that these verses, which indicate that each group should be left to follow their own religion, also, indicate that people should be free to believe whatever they want, whether true or false. That is a concept promoted by misguided people in every era in order to escape the bonds of the Shari’ah; the Qur'an in its totality calls people to divine unity (tawhid) and declares false any religion other than Islam. In other words, these verses should actually be understood as a threat; follow your religion and see what becomes of you! And what we have said here also, applies to the verse:

“ ...our deeds belong to us, and your deeds belong to you.” (al-Qasas, 28:55).

10. Taking A Stance

A believer adopts his stance according to the person he is confronted with:

a. So, with a believer who had fallen into heedlessness, he takes a stance of reminding them:

“And remind, for reminding Indeed, benefits the faithful.” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:55).

b. And with a believer who sins openly, he takes a stance of enjoining good and forbidding evil:

“There has to be a nation among you summoning to the good, bidding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who are the felicitous.” (Ale 'Imran, 3:104).

c. And with a believer who mistreats him, he takes a stance of seeking reconciliation:

“If two groups of the faithful fight one another, make peace between them. But if one party of them commits aggression against the other, fight the one that commits aggression until it returns to Allah's ordinance.” (al-Hujurat, 49:9).

d. With a disbeliever who attacks him, he takes a fighting stance:

“Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you.” (al-Baqarah, 2:190).

e. But with a disbeliever who seeks peace, the believer takes a stance of compromise:

“Allah does not forbid you in regard to those who did not make war against you on account of religion and did not expel you from your homes, that you deal with them with kindness and justice. Indeed, Allah loves the just.” (al-Mumtahana, 60:8).

11. The Qur’an’s Use Of Repetition

The Qur'an's use of repetition is a familiar device to hone in on a concept to which its Author wants to call attention (and Allah knows best what He means and what will benefit His servants). One such example is when it repeats the phrase

“So, which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?” ( ar-Rahman, 55:13).

more than thirty times in Surah arRahman, to firmly embed the idea of thanksgiving; or the verse

“woe to the deniers on that day” (al-Mursalat, 77:11).

more than ten times in Surah al-Mursalat to drive home the threat to the deniers. It is similar with the verse

“Perish he, how he decided!” ( al-Muddaththir, 74:19).

in Surah al-Muddaththir to underline the invocation against them; or the verse

“No indeed! Soon you will know!” ( at-Takathur, 102:3).

in Surah atTakathur to impress upon them the fear of the Day of Resurrection. This surah is another example of this, in that it categorically rejects the idea that the Prophet (S) will forsake any part of his religion to conform to the wishes of the disbelievers, because it repeats this idea, albeit through two different expressions: 'I do not worship ...' and 'Nor will I worship ...'

12. A Call To A Form Of Disassociation From The Disbelievers

The Qur'an exhorts the disbelievers to take Allah's friends as their allies and disassociate themselves from His enemies, and one of the clearest instances of this is found at the beginning of Surah at-Tawbah:

“a repudiation by Allah and His Messenger to the polytheists with whom you had made a treaty.” (at-Tawbah, 9:1).

In this surah, we also, find a call to a form of disassociation from the disbelievers, which is by refusing to compromise with them on matters of religion. Obviously, this discourse is directed in particular at the leaders of the ummah, particularly the Final Prophet (S), as compromise begins with those who occupy a position of leadership if they are not distinguished by their being god-fearing persons.

1. This is a literal translation of the word “’Aabid” in the verse [Note of Al-Islam].

Surah an-Nasr (No. 110: 'Divine Help')

Verses 1-3

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ

When Allah's help comes with victory, (110:1).

وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا

And you see the people entering Allah's religion in throngs, (110:2).

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا

then glorify the praise of your Lord, and plead to Him for forgiveness. Indeed, He is all-clement. (110:3).

1. Allah’s Help And Victory

It is customary for a seeker to pursue the object of his desire. But sometimes, to display the utmost honour to the seeker, the object of his desire comes to him, just as a bride comes in procession to her husband, despite the fact that he is the one who desires her. An example of this in the Qur'an is that Paradise, which is promised to its inhabitants, yet it comes towards them:

“and paradise will be brought near for the Godwary.” ( ash-Shu'ara', 26:90).

Another example of this can be found in this surah, for those who struggle for the sake of Allah usually strive to attain Allah's help and victory, but here we see that Allah's help comes to the Prophet (S) and not the other way around:

“When Allah’s help comes with victory...” (an-Nasr, 110:1).

2. The Source Of Help

Help, even though it is attributed to Allah just as all good is attributed to Him, its source lies in the hand of Allah's servant, and He alludes to this fact through His words:

“If you help Allah, He will help you.” (Muhammad, 47:7).

And it is known that helping Allah - in a general sense - entails:

a. First: Helping in all arenas of struggle, great or small

b. Second: Fixing one's gaze on the object of one's assistance, namely Allah, without any ulterior motives, or else it is not counted as helping Him.

3. Cutting Off The Roots Of Sedition

Mentioning victory over Mecca after mentioning Allah's help in general shows that tearing out the sources of corruption and the axis of injustice is essential to the success of the mission of calling others towards Allah; the fight between the Prophet (S) and his enemies did not end at the battles of Badr, Uhud or Khandaq (the Trench), they only ended when he took Mecca and left no remnant of them.

This means that the faithful must use whatever strength they have been given to cut off the roots of sedition (fitnah) in every time, lest they stumble upon the path to their victory.

4. Blessings For Prophet Muhammad (S)

Allah's blessings are mentioned abundantly in the final surahs of this section (juz) of the Qur'an:

a. In some instances the Lord recalls the blessings that He bestowed upon His Prophet, such as opening his breast in Surah ash-Sharh.1

b. In another, He promises him a gift that will please Him, which refers to his power of intercession (shafa'a) as a gift in Surah ad-Duha.2

c. In Surah al-Kawthar, He informs him that He has granted him abundant good.3

d. In Surah al-Qadr, the revelation of the Qur'an to His Chosen Prophet (S) is counted as a blessing.4

e. And in this surah, Allah mentions His assistance to His beloved Prophet (S) and the great victory that resulted from this assistance.

5. Help And Victory

There is a difference between help (nasr) and victory (fath), which is that Allah might grant help to His servant in the form of support against the enemy by thwarting their plans and warding off their stratagems without decisively ending the conflict with them. So, in the Battle of Badr there was divine assistance for the faithful,5 but this did not spell victory for them, which is why they then suffered the setback of Uhud, but Allah granted His Prophet both help and victory when he conquered Mecca in what was called 'the victory of victories' because with that victory his conflict with disbelief and its followers was decisively resolved.

And this distinction that exists in the external world also, exists in the world of the soul: Allah might help His servant in the Greater Struggle (al-jihad al-akbar) in some stages of his life, without handing him complete victory, which is represented by being firmly established at the level of the Contented Soul and entering the kingdom of

“enter among My servants,” (al-Fajr, 89:29).

“and enter My paradise!” (al-Fajr, 89:30).

6. An-Nas (“The People”)

The verse refers to those entering the religion of Allah in droves as 'the people’,

And you see the people entering Allah's religion in throngs, (an-Nasr, 110:2).

which makes it seem as though those who do not enter the Final Religion are not even people! After all, the Qur'an refers to those who have strayed from obedience to Allah as

“…… just like cattle; rather they are further astray from the way.” (al-Furqaan, 25:44).

And this is supported by a narration from Imam al-Hasan (‘a) about the people in which he says: 'We are the people, our followers are semblances of the people, our enemies are Neanderthals (nasnas).' 6

7. Entering The Religion

There is a difference between people entering the religion by themselves individually, and entering the religion in groups and droves; this is nearer to the ultimate goal of the Shari'ah and more pleasing to the Lord! This is why this state in particular is singled out for mention.

Therefore, someone who does something to bring people to the religion is thereby closer to divine assistance and victory. Equally, someone who does something to drive people away from the religion carries a clear burden, and this is what will come to pass in one of the ummah's stages of life, as it has been narrated from the Prophet (S) that he said: 'People entered the religion in droves, and they shall leave it in droves.'7

8. Fitrah

The original nature (fitrah) upon which mankind was created calls them to turn towards Allah's religion which is in complete harmony with this original nature - which is why the Shari'ah is called 'upright' (hanifiyyah), which means it turns away from the path of falsehood - but the hegemony of the enemy stands in the way of this, just as the Pharaoh and others like him have done throughout history; Allah says:

“So, he misled his people and they obeyed him.” (az-Zukhruf, 43:54).

But when the regime of falsehood vanishes, this obstacle will be removed and man's original nature will be able to have its effect, which is why the conquest of Mecca was such a great victory because it removed the most important barrier to the success of the Prophetic mission in that age.

9. Worldly Success

Help and victory only attain their value and nobleness if they lead to people entering Allah's religion in droves. In fact, it could be said generally that any merit in this world must be seen in the context of its connection with the merits of the unseen world. Something is only praiseworthy insofar as it brings someone closer to Allah, or else it becomes a burden for its possessor. And if the people of this world implemented these criteria in their lives they would not be so, pleased by worldly success, whether it took the form of victory over their enemies, or the most opulent of fleeting pleasures.

10. Honouring The Prophet (S)

When Allah mentions help in this surah, He calls for attention to His Essence at the same time ('Allah's help'), and He does the same for religion ('Allah's religion') because this is within the context of expounding the greatness of the help and the religion, and in this situation it is appropriate to mention the most noble of Allah's names. And yet when it comes to mentioning His beloved Prophet (S), He attaches him to Himself by invoking Lordship “your Lord” and we should not miss the subtlety and favour contained in this expression, namely:

a. By attaching His Prophet (S) to Himself to honour him.

b. Using the title 'Lord' (rabb), alluding to Allah's aspect of Lordship (rububiyyah) from whence this divine assistance came, after honouring the Prophet (S) by attaching him to Himself.

c. In addition to the Qur’an employing a direct secondperson address (i.e. 'you'), which demonstrates concern and intimacy.

11. Remembrance

The need for remembrance (dhikr) is greater still when there are factors that distract man from remembering his Lord, including combats and wars, for the nature of the acts of attacking the enemy and retreating from them could cause someone to dilute his remembrance of God. This is why the divine ordinance came in the Qur'an:

“O you who have faith! When you meet a host [in battle], then stand firm, and remember Allah greatly so, that you may be felicitous.” (al-Anfal, 8:45).

People also, become heedless because they are preoccupied with some of the results of divine help, such as worldly booty and the exuberance of victory; and that is why this surah enjoins glorifying Allah's praise and pleading forgiveness from Him after divine help and victory.

12. Glorification

We can interpret ‘glorifying Allah's praise’ (tasbih bil-hamd) in a number of ways, including:

a. Combining glorification and praise together (alhamdulillah and subhanallah), just as we are commanded to combine la ilaha ill allah with allahu akbar without any connection between them.

b. That this celebration (tasbih) means to exalt Him above any deficiency, and this is through praising and extolling Him, as an object of praise does not deserve to be praised unless it is free from faults in its essence and attributes.

c. That the primary goal is to glorify, but this is supported by praising Allah and His favour, just as one attaches all good deeds to oneself by praising Allah, e.g. 'Alhamdulillah, I prayed.'

13. Glorification

Glorification (tasbih) is mentioned in the Qur'an more than tahlil,8 takbir9 or tahmid10 (praise). Perhaps the reason for this is that a person's disobedience towards his Lord in relation to many of his commands and prohibitions causes him to suffer many stumbles and falls, whereby it is appropriate for a person to exalt his Lord above having any fault attributed to him, including wrongdoing (zulm); that is, a person sees in himself some effects of his actions which do not please him and actually attributes the fault to himself (rather than Allah). And this is how Jonah (‘a) entreated his Lord:

“There is no god except You! You are immaculate! I have Indeed, been among the wrongdoers!” (al-Anbiya', 21:87).

And this glorification became a means of his salvation, just as it became a means for the apology of the angels to be accepted:

“Immaculate are You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us.” ( al-Baqarah, 2:32).

14. Allah Will Never Abandon His Friends

A corollary of completely exalting and glorifying Allah is believing that Allah will never abandon His friends in this world or the Hereafter:

“Indeed, We shall help Our Messengers and those who have faith in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses rise up.” (al- Ghafir, 40:51).

It is clear that because one good deed begets another, that Allah will help those who ‘help’ Him because He has said in a verse containing several forms of emphasis:

“Allah will surely help those who help Him.” ( al-Hajj, 22:40).

And the pages of history bear witness to this fact, that sooner or later, Allah will always help his friends and thwart His enemies!

15. Forgiveness

When the Prophet (S) pleads for forgiveness, and when Allah commands him to do so, as we see in this surah or in the verse

“.... plead for forgiveness of your sin and for the believers, men and women,” ( Muhammad, 47:19).

this could be for a number of reasons:

a. To set an example for those who follow the Prophet (S) as a role model. This is an idea we often see in educating others; a teacher might reprimand a hard-working student to call other student's attention to their own mistakes and the fact that they are more worthy of such a reprimand.

b. For not doing what was most appropriate or best, but this act does not conflict with infallibility ('ismah). Despite that it calls for a feeling of embarrassment before Allah when observing oneself sternly, which in turn calls for real repentance to Allah.

c. It could be a requirement of traversing the spiritual stations when wayfaring towards Allah, for when someone ascends from a high level to an even higher one, he sees himself as though he was deficient and lacking in his previous state, which requires him to seek forgiveness from the One towards whom he is ascending.

16. Etiquette Of Supplication

Pleading for forgiveness (istighfar) is a kind of supplication with which a servant turns to his Lord, and he must therefore observe all the etiquettes of supplication, including preceding with praise and adulation as we see in this surah because Allah instructs his Prophet (S) to glorify and praise Him before He instructs him to plead for forgiveness; and this is an etiquette we should observe in all forms of supplication and in all states.

17. Victory

Success and victory naturally breed feelings of conceit and vainglory, which are famous qualities of conquerors. However, this surah came to remind them to plead for forgiveness after remembering their Lord, contrary to what one might expect from this situation. Perhaps the reason for this is to first remove this conceit, and second to dispel the illusion that their success belongs to them in any real sense, for Allah actually directly attributes it to Himself by saying:

“ …… Victory comes only from Allah.....” (al-Anfal, 8:10)

18. Forgiveness

In this surah, Allah does not qualify pleading for forgiveness with many stipulations as he does in other verses of repentance, such as ignorance, its being near at hand, or avoiding persistently sinning before it... after all, pleading for forgiveness here comes in the context of Allah's help in response to His servants helping Him, so, this does not need many stipulations. In fact, this verse mentions clemency as a direct result of this pleading using a several forms of emphasis, including:

Prefixing the sentence with 'Indeed, ...' (inna) for emphasis (ta'kid); using the noun-form of intensification (mubalaghah) in describing the scope of His clemency, '...all-clement' (tawwab); and expressing the sureness of this clemency by using the explicit copula, 'is' (kana).11

19. Clemency

It is well known that using the expression 'all-clement' (tawwab) instead of all-forgiving (ghaffar) contains a subtle implication in the context of this discussion of divine assistance insofar as clemency (tawba) means that the Lord returns to His servant, turning to him with kindness and mercy, and this inspires the servant to return to Him also, as Allah says:

“He turned clemently toward them so, that they might turn [to Him].” (at-Tawbah, 9:118).

and this meaning is distinct from that of mere forgiveness, for Allah might forgive His servant in the sense of effacing his bad deeds without actually turning towards him.

1. The full verse:
'Did We not open your breast for you ...?' (94:1).

2. The full verse:
“And soon will your Lord give you so that you shall be well pleased.” (93:5).

3. The full verse:
'Indeed, We have given you abundance...' (108:1).

4. The full verse:
'Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment.' (97:1).

5. See the verse:
'Certainly Allah helped you at Badr...' (3:123).

6. Jawami' al-Jami' 15/556.

7. Jawami' al-Jami' 15/555.

8. Meaning to say 'La ilaha illa Allah'.

9. Meaning to say 'Allahu Akbar'.

10. Meaning to say 'Al-hamdu li-Llah'.

11. In most Arabic sentences, the copula ('is') is implicit. But this verse uses the verb kana (lit. 'to be') to emphasize the certainty of this statement.

Surah al-Lahab (No. 111: 'The Flame')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he! (111:1).

مَا أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ

Neither his wealth availed him, nor what he had earned. (111:2).

سَيَصْلَىٰ نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ

Soon he will enter a fire of flames, (111:3).

وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ

and his woman, the firewood carrier, (111:4).

فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ

with a rope of palm fibre around her neck. (111:5).

1. Perish

Using the expression 'Perish ...!' - which means either to inform the audience of his ruin and loss, or to call for ruin upon him - is sometimes used in connection with a person's hand, which is the limb through which one executes his will, and at others used for the person himself, the owner of that hand.

The divine language, which conforms to this style, nullifies the deeds of the disbelievers just as these deeds ruin their persons! And after this divine threat - which includes all wrongdoers like Abu Lahab throughout history - why should there remain any fear in the hearts of the faithful?

2. Abu Lahab

One of the closest relatives to the noblest of Allah's creatures was Abu Lahab; even today in Arab and other societies, a paternal uncle (‘amm) is second only to a child's father in importance and often he will take on the responsibilities of a father in the event of the loss of the former. This is why Abraham (‘a) addressed his paternal uncle, Azar, as his father;

“When Abraham said to Azar, his father.....” ( al-An'am, 6:74).

Therefore, wasn’t it right for one of the Prophet's (S) closest kin to decide that he was going to do whatever he wanted? In fact, the rebuke and threat issued here to the Prophet's (S) uncle is almost without an equal in the Qur'an, because an entire surah has been devoted to rebuke him and his wife, Umm Jamil.

3. Abu Lahab’s Persecution Of The Prophet (S)

There are some people who refuse to curse (la'n) others or make invocations that they be removed from the sphere of divine mercy, while we see that the Qur'an invokes curses in more than forty different locations with various expressions, including the formula we find in this surah, which is also, a curse and an invocation for someone to be denied mercy, and this one is specifically directed against Abu Lahab because he was outstanding in his persecution of the Prophet (S) to an almost unbelievable degree: He would stalk the Prophet (S) like a shadow, and whenever a delegation came to see him (S) they would first ask about him from his uncle, Abu Lahab, because of the latter's seniority, kinship and importance, and he would tell them: He is a magician, so, then they would go back without meeting him. But then there came a delegation to him who said: 'We will not leave without seeing him.' So, he told them: 'We are still trying to cure him of his madness, the unfortunate wretch!'

And one of them said of him: 'While I was in a covered market there was a young man who came, saying: 'O people! Say there is no god except Allah (la ilaha illa Allah) and be successful!' And there came a man behind him, pelting him with stones until he had bloodied his thighs and calves, saying: 'O people! He is a liar, so, don't believe him!'1

4. Results Of The Curses

Supplications against the disbelievers, represented as they are by curses and invocations to expel them from divine mercy, usually have their effect on the Day of Resurrection, but the verses allude to these curses have consequences and effects in this world as well, which are:

a. The waste of their efforts opposing the prophetic mission:

“Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he!” (al-Lahab, 111:1).

b. That is Allah himself who will undertake to fight them, and who can possibly stand against the sovereign of the heavens and the earth?

“May Allah assail them, where do they stray?” (at-Tawbah, 9:30).

c. The utter destruction of their riches, as happened with the Pharaoh's clan:

“Our Lord! Blot out their wealth ...!” (Yunus, 10:88).

d. The ruin of their edifice:

“Then Allah razed their edifice from the foundations and the roof collapsed upon them from above.” (an-Nahl, 16:26).

5. The Enemies Of Allah

A person who reads the Qur'an lives with what Allah has sent down as though it was sent down for his own time; they yearn for the bliss of Paradise when it is mentioned and seeks refuge from the punishment of Hellfire as though he hears its cries ringing in their ears; they give thanks whenever Allah reminds them of one of his blessings and disassociate themselves from Allah's enemies when they see them mentioned with ill-repute.

An instance of living with the Qur'an in this manner can be found in this surah; it is appropriate to supplicate against those whom Allah has rebuked in the harshest terms, and this too is a form of disassociation from the wrongdoers in the Qur'an. This is what has been narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): 'When you recite 'Perish the hands of Abu Lahab and perish he!(111:1)' then supplicate against Abu Lahab, for he was Indeed, one of the deniers who denied the Prophet (S) and what he brought from Allah.'2

6. Manifestation Of Bounties And Power

All manifestations of bounties and power of this world will not avail a person if Allah does not bless him; for He is the giver of all bounties to people, just as He is the one who blesses them. This is why there are numerous verses demonstrating that the things the wealthy rely on in this world will not avail them, including:

a. Wealth and children, which Allah nullifies with His words:

“Neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them anything against Allah.” (Ale 'Imran, 3:10).

b. Friends and those whom a person relies upon in attaining his goals, which Allah nullifies with His words:

“the day when a friend will not avail a friend in any way.” (ad-Dukhkhan, 44:41).

c. Guile and plotting, which Allah nullifies with His words:

“the day when their guile will not avail them in any way.” (at-Tur, 52:46).

d. The intercession of the disbelievers, which Allah invalidates with the words:

“shall I take gods besides Him? If the All-beneficent desired to cause me any distress their intercession will not avail me in any way, nor will they rescue me.” (Yasin, 36:23).

e. Amassing numerous and well-armed host, which Allah invalidates by saying:

“your troops will never avail you though they should be ever so, many.” (al-Anfal, 8:19).

7. Wealth And What Is Earned

One could say that the difference between 'his wealth' and 'what he earned' is that the first refers to a person's possessions, even if he has not earned it, such as inherited property, while the second refers to his efforts, assuming that 'what' (ma) conveys the meaning of a verbal noun.

Therefore, the divine wrath encompasses all of this entity, as represented by his efforts 'hands', his person 'Abu Lahab', his 'wealth' and his efforts in life 'what he earned.' So, what will become of such a person when Allah's curse surrounds all aspects of his being?

8. Plots Of The Disbelievers

In a number of verses, the Qur'an refers to the guile of the disbelievers and their plotting, but it does so, with contempt and derision in order to strengthen the hearts of the believers when they see plots by the disbelievers so, severe as to move mountains. One example of this is when Allah says:

“ .... but the stratagems of the disbelievers only go awry” (al- Ghafir, 40:25).

and

“(know] that Allah undermines the stratagems of the disbelievers.” ( al-Anfal, 8:18).

We find yet another instance in this surah, when Allah describes the ruin of the foremost opponent of the Prophet, Abu Lahab, and says that whatever wealth he had at his disposal to persecute the Prophet (S) would not only not avail him but actually kindle a blazing fire for him in Hell.

9. Abu Lahab’s Wife

Allah's punishment in the Hereafter will correspond to how a person was in this world; so, Abu Lahab's recompense in the Hereafter will be rooted in his own being, and the punishment for his wife will be rooted in her deeds; she used to carry firewood and thorns and throw them in front of the Prophet (S), so, it is only right that this will become fuel for a blazing fire whose intensity is too great to be known, as indicated by the use of the indefinite 'a fire with flames' to inspire horror. After all, every fire has flames.

10. Spouses

The word 'wife' (zawjah) implies a kind of bond and affection which Allah places between spouses, which is why the Qur'an does not use this relationship - i.e. marriage - to denote someone whose fate is Hellfire, which is why we read in this surah:

“and his woman, the firewood carrier” (al-Lahab 111:4).

which is the way in which Allah refers to the wives of Noah and Lot [to disassociate His prophets from them]:

“Allah draws an example for the disbelievers: the woman of Noah and the woman of Lot..'” ( at-Tahrim, 66:10).

Conversely, He uses the same expression for the wife of the Pharaoh to disassociate her from her husband:

“Allah draws an example for those who have faith: the woman of Pharaoh, when she said, 'My Lord! Build me a home near You in paradise, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his conduct. ..” (al-Tahrim, 66:11).

a. So, in the first case is an example of a corrupt woman in the company of a corrupt man.

b. The second is an example of a corrupt woman with a righteous man.

c. The third is an example of a righteous woman with a corrupt man.

d. As for the fourth case, that is of a righteous wife in the care of a righteous husband, this is the best match between spouses in existence, and this match is idealized in the marriage of 'Ali and Fatimah (a2) insofar as:

“He merged the two seas, meeting each other.” (ar-Rahman, 55:19).

“There is a barrier between them, which they do not overstep.” (ar-Rahman, 55:20).

“So, which of your Lord's bounties will you both deny? (ar-Rahman, 55:21).

“From them emerge the pearl and the coral.” (ar-Rahman, 55:22).

11. The Connection Between Two Spouses

The essential connection between two spouses is an obvious social reality; so, the appropriateness of a carrier of firewood to Abu Lahab (of the fire with flames) is not something arbitrary; generally speaking, a husband and a wife support one another, for good or for evil, because of the essential connection they share. If there were any seeds of goodness in the wife of Abu Lahab, she might have chided her husband or tried to curb his cruelty. And this is why it is so, important to be careful in choosing a spouse; a person should look at the position he is placing himself!

12. Humiliation In Hellfire

One form of punishment in Hellfire is the humiliation of its inhabitants in various ways, such as what we read in this surah concerning the carrier of firewood, the wife of Abu Lahab, for she has been portrayed repulsively in Hellfire. Normally a woman wears a necklace of gold, but this unfortunate woman has a rope of palm-fibre around her neck, rough to the touch, wound from fibres, carrying the fuel for her own punishment in Hellfire. This, in its entirety, is nothing less than the physical manifestation of how she was in this world, for it is not unlikely that she wore around her neck a vessel fastened with a rope wound from fibre, which she had filled with thorns to throw in front of the Prophet (S).

13. Prophecy About Abu Lahab And Free Will

This surah is one of the prophesies of the Qur'an that impart knowledge of the unseen; it was revealed while Abu Lahab was still alive and was a disbeliever. Had he wanted to, he could have challenged the Qur'an by pretending to believe in the Prophet (S) and thus proving this prophecy to be false! And yet, because Allah knew that this would never happen, he sent down this surah containing the exposition of a general rule, whose upshot is that even when Allah foretells the deeds of His servants this does not remove free will from them; whatever deeds of theirs are described are only mentioned assuming that they will have free will. Otherwise, if these prophesies left them without free will, there would be no punishment for their deeds!

1. Tafsir al-Mizan, 20/386.

2. Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 6/73.

Surah al-Ikhlas (No. 112: 'Devotion')

Verses 1-4

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Say, 'He, Allah, is One. (112:1).

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

Allah is the All-embracing. (112:2).

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

He neither begat, nor was begotten, (112:3).

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

nor has He any equal. (112:4).

1. Absolute Oneness Of Essence

The significance of this surah is the same as that of Ayat al-Kursiy: insofar as it describes the Lord and styles Him with the most exalted attributes, namely absolute oneness of essence (ahadiyyah), the absence of any equal to Him, whether in essence, attributes or deeds, the logical corollary of which is that He alone is worthy of turning to in every matter, and that He is exalted above any composition such that He would need any other being, or that would require Him to take on a physical form.

This is why this surah has acquired such a special place of honour, because it expounds the loftiest realities of existence in a few short verses; in a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) about the Mi'raj, we read that Allah said to the Prophet (S): 'Recite [the surah] 'Say Allah, He is One' as it came down, for it is My attribution and My description.'1 Which is why it is appropriate to affirm the contents of this surah by saying 'Thus is Allah, my Lord!' (kadhalik Allahu rabbi) after we recite it in prayer.

2. Equal To One Third Of The Entire Qur’an

Narrations2 state explicitly that this surah is equal to a third of the entire Qur’an, and this has been explained in a number of ways:

a. That this is with regards to the doctrinal teachings of the Qur'an as represented by divine unity (tawhid), prophethood (nubuwah) and resurrection (ma'ad). And this surah undertakes to expound the first of these three.

b. That this is because the very foundation of the Shari'ah is knowing Allah in three dimensions; namely with regards to His Essence, His attributes and His actions. And this surah also, undertakes to explain the first of these three.

c. Insofar as the Qur’an in its entirety revolves around faith, morality and parables of peoples of the past. And this surah undertakes to explain the first of these three.

3. Affinity Between The Last Four Surahs

There is a certain affinity between the four surahs towards the end of the Qur'an that begin with the command: 'Say...!' (qul), namely Surah al-Nass, Surah al-Falaq, Surah al-lkhlas and Surah al-Kafirun:

a. In al-Ikhlas, the aspect of affirmation is dominant; namely that of turning to the aspect of Lordship and all of its corollaries such as relying only upon Allah in seeking one's needs.

b. In al-Kafirun, the aspect of negation is dominant; namely that of turning towards any object of worship besides Him, and both of these surahs are connected to the actions of the heart.

c. As for al-Nass and al-Falaq, they both expound the way to being saved from the evil of every whisperer (muwaswis) who bars the way to obeying Allah, and the evil of every envier who envies one's blessings, and the harm of every evil thing, whether the darkness of the night or a sorcerer's witchcraft. And all these are connected to the actions of the limbs.

4. Allah's Magnificent Name

Allah's Magnificent Name (lafz al-jalah)3 appears in more than one thousand five hundred places throughout the Qur'an. This is the name used to denote all Allah's attributes of magnificence and perfection in their totality, as opposed to those names which signify one of the many attribute, such as the All-Generous (al karim), the Knower (al-'alim) etc.

And all the parts that make up this blessed Name appear in the Qur'an, beginning with "Allah" itself, then "lillah", "lahu" and ending with the pronoun that refers to Him: "huwwa."

5. Referring To Allah With The Pronoun 'Huwa’ (He)

Referring to Allah with the pronoun 'He' (huwa) as a metonymy for Him (kinaya 'anhu), not - as some have suggested - as the subject of the sentence, followed by the Magnificent Name itself, conveys some deep ideas, insofar as:

a. It refers first to that dimension of Allah, which, in its perfection and intangibility, is above specification and description, using the word: 'He.'

b. Then it refers to Him with the Name that signifies His attributes, using the word: 'Allah.'

c. Then it refers to Him with one of His attributes, 'One,' then another; 'the All-Embracing.'

And to grasp the awesomeness of the reference to this first dimension without specifying any name or description, we must look at the words narrated from the Commander of the Faithful (‘a): 'I saw Khidr (‘a) in a dream on the night before [the Battle of] Badr. I told him: "Teach me something which will help me against the enemy!" He said: "Say: 'O He! - O He whom there is no He except He!" So, when I awoke, I related this to Allah's Messenger (S), who told me: "O 'Ali! You have been taught the Greatest Name!" So, it was upon my lips on the Day of Badr.'4

6. Divine Unity

The practical outcome of believing in the oneness of the divine essence, attributes and acts is divine unity in (the acts of) worship; for when someone believes in these, how can he even think of worshipping anyone else? This is how we know that deepening one's theoretical understanding will help him dedicate his worship for Him - for it is human nature to show concern for that, which will fulfill one's needs - when a person sees no efficient cause (mu'aththir) in existence except Him. And this is a logical corollary of the theory of divine unity. It is natural that he will take recourse only to Allah, even if this is just because he wants to attain his goals through Him rather than because He is worthy of worship!

7. Etymology Of The Name “Allah”

The etymology of the name "Allah" denotes a state of perplexity and seeking refuge, when the Arabs use the verb aliha, they mean that the subject of the verb has become perplexed by something and does not know what it is, and when they use the verb walaha, this means that its subject has taken refuge in its object from something which it fears.

And in this context, we can turn to the following narration from the commander of the faithful (‘a): 'Allah means: The object of worship about whom all creation is perplexed, and in whom all creation seeks refuge. Allah is veiled from apprehension by sight, and secluded from all thoughts and suppositions.' 5 And likewise, from Imam al-Baqir (‘a): 'Allah means the object of worship about whom, in trying to grasp His quiddity and encompass His quality, all creation becomes confused.'6

8. The Meanings Of Wahid And Ahad

There is a clear difference between the Arabic terms wahid and ahad; both are translated as 'one', but it is the second which best befits the divine station. This is because when we negate wahid, this does not negate the possibility of a number above one. If you say: 'One person did not come to me' (ma ja'ani wahid), this leaves open the possibility that two or more people did. However, when we negate ahad, this negates all numbers, whether in the mind or in the external world; this negation negates multiplicity in all its forms, which is why we only use the description 'the One' (alahad) for the Divine Essence.7

This subtle use of language makes this surah an object of intense interest for those who love plumbing the depths of its meaning; it is narrated that Imam al-Sajjad (‘a) said: 'Allah knew that in the later times there would be people of deep understanding (awqam muta'ammiqun) so, Allah sent down the verse:

“Say: 'He, Allah, is One.” (al-Ikhlas, 112:1).

“Allah is the All-Embracing ...” (al-Ikhlas, 112:2).

And the first verses in Surah al-Hadid up until His words:

“...and He knows best what is in the breasts.” (al-Hadid, 57:6).

So, whoever conjectures beyond what is there will perish.'

9. Multifaceted Words

The Qur’anic approach rests on awakening people's intellects, so, it brings words, which are multifaceted and could apply to numerous meanings, words such as 'Kawthar.'8 Another example is the use of a third person pronoun in this surah, expressing an ambiguous concept: 'Say: 'He...’ then clarifying it ‘...Allah, is One.’ So, we see a succession of predicates for that which is hidden in the utmost with regards to its essence, even if it is manifest in the utmost with regards to its effects.

10. The Word ‘As-Samad’ (The All-Embracing)

The word ‘As-Samad’ (the all-embracing) applies to that which people resort to and rely upon for the fulfillment of their needs, as is narrated from Imam al-Jawad (‘a): When he was asked: ‘What is the All-Embracing (al-samad)?' He replied: 'The master to whom people turn (masmud ilayh) in all matters, great and small.'9 And this term cannot truly be applied to anyone not imbued with the attribute of Absolute Oneness (ahadiyyah), such that there is no equal to Him in essence, attributes or acts.

'The All-Embracing' has been applied to Allah in this verse, taking the magnificent name as the subject of the sentence; just as the attribute 'One' is predicated to the magnificent name too. So, each verse expounds a single aspect of the Divine with a single tenor; insofar as the latter

“Allah is the All-Embracing” (al-Ikhlas, 112:2).

expounds the aspect of Divine Acts, while the former verse

“He, Allah, is One” (al-Ikhlas, 112:1).

expounds the aspect of the Divine Essence, and it is well known that the perfect conception of divine unity encompasses both dimensions.

11. Absolute Oneness

The verses of this surah are arranged in the best manner possible insofar as:

a. The logical consequence of Absolute Oneness (ahadiyyah) is that Allah is the All-Embracing (al-Samad) to whom everything turns because He alone possesses all the attributes of magnificence and perfection.

b. The logical consequence of His being All-Embracing is the negation of any composition (juz'iyyah) from Him, such as being a father or a son, because every compound needs its components. And it is also, a negation of His being a trinity, because a negation such as this cannot be attained unless He is completely without need of any presumed partner, whether at the level of the divine essence, attributes or actions.

12. The Word ‘As-Samad’ (The All-Embracing)

The word 'All-Embracing' has been explained in this surah to mean that which is not hollow. It is narrated from Imam alHusayn (‘a): 'The All-Embracing is that which is without a cavity (jawf).' Thus the phrase 'All-Embracing' here means something totally solid10, which of course must be a metaphorical expression referring to either:

a. The fact that He is not affected by other beings, as corporeal beings can be compressed because of the spaces they contain within themselves.

b. Or the absence of a womb in which to beget offspring, as exists in His creatures, in which case the words

“He neither begat, nor was begotten” (al-Ikhlas, 112:3).

serve as an explanation of this dimension to Him.

13. The False Attribution Of Fatherhood To Allah

The false ascription of fatherhood to Allah was widespread in earlier peoples, such as the claim that either Jesus or Ezra was His son as in His words:

“The Jews say, 'Ezra is the son of Allah,' and the Christians say, 'Christ is the son of Allah.” ( at-Tawbah, 9:30).

Or the claim that the angels are His sons and daughters, as in the verse:

“they... carve out sons and daughters for Him ...” ( al-An'am, 6:100).

And this is why the verse first negates fatherhood from Him

“He neither begat...nor was He begotten” (al-Ikhlas, 112:3).

before His being begotten, as it was uncommon to claim - as a few idolaters did - that He had been begotten by another deity.

14. Exclusivity

In Arabic rhetoric, placing something earlier in word order when it normally appears later yields the meaning of exclusivity (hasr). So, when the Qur'an places 'has He' (lahu) before 'any equal' in the verse:

“nor has He any equal.” (al-Ikhlas, 112:4).

this indicates that only Allah is without equal, because it is possible to conceive of an equal to everything besides him, as all contingent beings are equal by the fact of that they have origin (huduth) and potentiality (qabiliyyah). Another verse which yields this exclusiveness is

“Look! In Allah's remembrance do the hearts find rest!” (ar-Ra'd, 13:28).

So, this indicates that the hearts only find rest in His remembrance, the Most High; the One who has no equal in His essence has no equal in His effects, and one of these is in giving tranquility to human hearts through His remembrance!

15. Equality

Equality in essence cannot apply to any being in the sense of their being two beings whose existence is necessary (wajib al-wujud), but equality in action has many instances throughout history; some give the attribute of arrangement (tadbir) to other beings independently of Allah, as did the idol-worshippers or those who worshipped human beings, for example those who believed that Pharaoh was the highest lord!

And accepting this equality in the arrangement of worldly affairs could be a subtle form of polytheism for those who rely on anyone besides Allah in looking after their affairs, even if they do not actually believe in that.

16. Divine Unity In Legislation And Governance

One of the effects of a deeply rooted faith in divine oneness - in addition to divine unity in worship - is divine unity in legislation and governance. This is the social dimension of divine unity, in addition to the individual dimension which is sometimes mentioned; how can someone who believes in a singular, all-embracing deity who is without equal possibly allow anyone else to rule over him unless he has been appointed by the True Ruler, or to promulgate legislation in some affair whose knowledge he has not been inspired with by the All-Embracing source of revelation?

And this is why the Qur'an counts those who do not rule according to what Allah has sent down as amongst the disbelievers;

“Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down - it is they who arc the disbelievers.” (al-Ma'idah, 5:44).

1. 'Ilal al-Shara'I, 2/315.

2. See, for instance al-Kafi, 4/644; Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 6/ 225.

3. Meaning the name: "Allah".

4. Tawhid, p. 89.

5. Tawhid, p. 89.

6. Tawhid, p. 89.

7. So, the same sentence using ahad - ma ja’ani ahad - would be translated as 'Not a single person came to me.' And the implications of this are clear in English. [Tr.]

8. Surah al-Kawthar:
“Surely We have given you Kawthar” (108:1).

9. Al-Kafi, 1/91.

10. Solid as against ‘hollow’ [Note of Al-Islam].

Surah al-Falaq (No. 113: 'The Dawn')

Verses 1-5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

Say, 'I seek the protection of the Lord of the dawn (113:1).

مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

from the evil of what He has created, (113:2).

وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ

and from the evil of a dark night when it settles, (113:3).

وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ

and from the evil of the witches who blow on knots, (113:4).

وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

and from the evil of an envious one when he envies. (113:5).

1. Seeking Protection

Every act of seeking protection (isti'adhah) means to seek refuge from any source of harm by taking recourse to another being. This involves three fundamental elements, namely:

a. The one seeking protection, accompanied by a sense of fear towards something that threatens him, or else he would not be seeking protection.

b. The one whose protection is sought accompanied by a sense of trust in his ability to give assistance and protection.

c. The thing from which protection is sought, which is that source of evil a person seeks refuge from out of fear that he might come to harm because of it.

And when these three fundamental elements are present, it is expected that a person will seek refuge in another, and that is assuming that the one seeking protection is serious in his entreaties.

This surah came to establish these three elements, so, the one to whom the command 'Say...!' is addressed is the one seeking refuge. And the Exalted Lord

“ ... the Lord of the Dawn” (al-Falaq, 113:1).

is the one whose refuge is sought and the object of fear from which refuge is being sought are those evil things mentioned below in this surah.

2. Seeking Refuge

The command to seek refuge (by saying 'I seek refuge from Satan, the Outcast') when reciting the Qur’an relies on the Magnificent Name, which signifies the Divine Essence:

“When you recite the Qur'an, seek the protection of Allah against the outcast Satan.” ( an-Nahl, 16:98).

But here, the command to seek refuge relies on a name signifying an attribute:

“I seek protection in the Lord of the Dawn.” (al-Falaq, 113:1).

This could be an allusion to the gravity of Satan's whispering when reciting the Qur'an, hence requiring the reciter to invoke his Master with the greatest of His Names; because that situation is nothing less than looking to repel evil in the realm of nearness to Allah, unlike the situation of seeking refuge from the evils of darkness, witchcraft and envy, whose harm could be restricted to this world alone.

3. Seeking Refuge Before A Calamity Occurs

Seeking refuge with Allah is proper before a calamity occurs, in fact it repels calamities, and obviously it is easier to repel a calamity than to alleviate one! So, the Prophet (S) would protect his own self with this surah, and Imams al-Hasan and al-Husayn (a2) would frequently seek protection with this surah and the one after it (Surah al-Falaq and Surah al-Nass).1 This is especially significant considering the belief that the Prophet (S) could not fall victim to witchcraft as this would show a weakness in him that was incompatible with the rank of divine messengership, so, there is no harm in seeking refuge even from evils that will not occur.

4. Doing Good Deeds To Seek Refuge

Seeking refuge accompanies fear, and fear requires one to seek safety from that which he fears. And we can see this in what the Qur'an relates about the Prophet’s (S) Household (‘a) when they gave food as charity and said:

“Indeed, we fear from our Lord a day, frowning and fateful.” ( al-Insan, 76:10).

In doing so, they combined:

“We feed you only for the sake of Allah ...” ( al-lnsan, 76:9).

With the fear that required them to seek refuge.

Therefore, if someone is truthfully seeking refuge, this means genuinely taking recourse with Allah, and taking genuine recourse to Allah is through doing good deeds that will bring about salvation.

5. Seeking Refuge At Dawn

There is a clear oppositeness between using the expression 'the Lord of the Dawn' and seeking refuge from the various kinds of evil mentioned in this surah. After all, what could prevent Allah from removing the darkness of evil with the light of relief when someone seeks refuge with Him, while each and every day He is the one who splits the darkness of the night with the light of the dawn?

This appositeness could be those intimate moments of mercy which accompany the hours of dawn, at which time we witness those

“ .... pleading forgiveness at dawns” (Ale 'Imran, 3:17).

at which time the angels of the night are met by those of the day – and whereat the recitation of the Qur'an at fajr is witnessed by both sets of angels –

“Indeed, the dawn recital is attended [by angels].” ( al-Isra', 17:78).

So, seeking refuge with the Lord connected to this blessed time is more likely to receive a favourable response!

6. The Word ‘Al-Falaq’ (Dawn)

The word ‘al-Falaq’ ('dawn') here is like ‘al-Kawthar’ ('abundance')2 and al-Fajr ('the Daybreak')3 and other terms whose meanings the commentators disagree, because they are multifaceted and can be subject to multiple interpretations. At the same time, these serve to reveal the depth of the scripture and demonstrate the need for someone to specify which of these meanings is correct. Here, a number of possible meanings are suggested:

a. It is the dawn that splits the darkness.4

b. It is the bringing forth of every being into existence by splitting its seed5 whether a plant or animal, as Allah says:

“Indeed, Allah is the splitter of the grain and the pit.” ( al-An'am, 6:95).

c. It is the bringing forth of everything from the darkness of non-existence into the light of existence; for He splits the veil of non-existence as well.

7. Evil From Creation

Some people express amazement at how we seek refuge with Allah from the

“...the evil of what He has created” (al-Falaq, 113:2).

while He is its creator, as if we are seeking refuge with Him from Himself!

The answer to this is that sometimes evil comes from someone who deliberately intends evil, like the evil of human beings, and sometimes evil comes from non-thinking beings, like the evil of natural disasters. In both cases, Allah created the being itself and endowed it with the power to enact whatever good or evil it does. Whereat, we say that whatever comes forth from that being, whether because of a character flaw - as with human beings - or rather as some consequence of its nature - like animals - it is proper for a person to seek refuge in His Lord who looks after all the affairs of this universe, good and evil, to remove from the flaw in the character of that person or the results of the harmful nature in that animal.

8. Darkness

“And from the evil of a dark night when it settles” (al-Falaq, 113:3).

“a dark night when it settles” is a night without light when it descends and sets in.6 It is as though this night facilitates evil deeds by spreading darkness; the sinner can sin therein without being discovered or subject to disgrace. And an assailant can take his opponent by surprise without leaving him any chance to escape. This is in addition to the fact that some people are afraid of the darkness itself, especially when this darkness of the night is combined with the darkness of the ocean, and this is the reason it is singled out for mention after evil itself. And perhaps the ease with which certain sins can be committed under the cover of darkness is one of the most important sources of the evil it contains. What a difference there is between a night in which evil deed is done, and the night described by the Qur'an:

“...they recite Allah's signs in the watches of the night...” (Ale 'Imran, 3:113).

9. The Unseen Evils

This universe is composed of things both visible and unseen. So, just as there is visible evil, which can be seen with the eye - such as a harmful animal - or by using specialized equipment - such as microscopic germs - there are also, invisible evils. These are represented by those things not directly connected to the senses, such as the effects of witchcraft;

“.... the witches who blow on knots' (al-Falaq, 113:4).

and the ‘evil eye’;

“....the evil of an envious one when he envies” (al-Falaq, 113:5).

The Qur'an affirms that such things do exist in other verses; for example, it mentions magic:

“... it was the devils who disbelieved - teaching the people magic...” ( al-Baqarah, 2:102).

And it mentions the evil eye:

“Indeed, the disbelievers almost devour you with their eyes when they hear the Reminder” ( al-Qalam, 68:51).

And the Jinn:

“Indeed, some persons from the humans would seek the protection of some persons from the jinn…” (al-Jinn, 72:6).

Therefore, rushing to deny those things not subject to the senses makes no sense, so, long as the intellect deems it possible and there is some evidence for it.

10. Witchcraft

As to the ascription of witchcraft to women who blow on knots, if we do not treat it as a reference to specific witches in the time of the Prophet (S), then this could allude to some women in every time:

a. Either with regards to their weakness when confronted by adversaries, which causes them to take recourse to plots that do not involve direct confrontations because of the strength it requires.

b. Or with regards to their emotional power in ensnaring the hearts of men; so, they resort to means of kindling affection even if through means forbidden because they cause harm to others.

11. Alternative Meaning For Witchcraft

It could be said that the subject of this verse is not actually witchcraft practiced by women by blowing on knots tied in threads or the like. Rather it is their natural efforts to win the hearts of men; by using their God-given physical and emotional qualities, they take hold of men's hearts, as if they are blowing into their hearts things that sap their willpower and discipline!

This meaning is plain to see in intimate moments of seclusion, in which men will often act against their principles and common sense as if they have been truly bewitched. So, it is appropriate to warn against such women as one would warn against a witch, for the danger is one and the same. This is supported by what Allah has said about women, even if this is about a person’s own wife:

“Indeed, among your spouses and children you have enemies; so, beware of them.” (at-Taghabun, 64:14).

12. Use Of Indefinite Article

The use of the indefinite for 'a dark night' and 'an envious one' could be used to:

a. Magnify their evil compared to that of the witches who blow on knots, and that is because the evil of those witches is something coincidental that only happens rarely, unlike the night that descends upon us every day or the problems of human relations, which we suffer in every group!

b. Or to diminish their evil compared to the witches who blow on knots from the perspective that evil does not necessarily result from the night or from human envy; how many a night is free from evil! And how many an envious person does nothing evil! So, it is appropriate to use the indefinite for them in this sense in contrast to the witches, because evil necessarily results from practicing witchcraft.

13. Not Acting On Envy

When an envious person conceals his envy and does not display it, and actually is troubled by his feelings, this could place him in the compass of divine mercy; for just as the Lord turns night to day, he can change this person’s state too! Evil is only kindled when an envious person acts upon his envy, which is why refuge is sought from his evil with the proviso, that he enacts his envy:

“and from the evil of the envious one when he envies.” (al-Falaq, 113:5).

And this is either through the evil eye, for it has been narrated from the Prophet (S): 'Envy almost outstrips destiny!'7 Or through his actions when he plots against the object of his envy and does things that displease his Lord, in which case the words of the Prophet (S) apply to him: 'Beware of envy! For envy devours good deeds as fire devours kindling!'8

14. Repugnance Of Envy

The fact that the envious person is singled out for mention after the witch, out of all the evil things in existence, shows the repugnance of his condition because:

a. He is miserly to the utmost, as he does not seek goodness for himself but rather hopes that someone else will be deprived of it.

b. He is ignorant to the utmost, for he does not seek good from Him in whose hand are the treasuries of the heavens and the earth, and who tells His servants to ask for His grace:

“ …... And ask Allah for His grace…...” (an-Nisa', 4:32).

c. He is audacious to the utmost, even if he does not realise it, as he is practically objecting to Allah's actions, while Allah is the One who says:

“Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them out of His grace?” (an-Nisa', 4:54).

1. Majma' al-Bayan, 10/686.

2. In reference to the Verse:
“Surely We have given you Kawthar” (108:1).

3. In reference to the Verse:
“I swear by the daybreak” (89:1)

4. Mu'jam Miqayis Al-Lughah, 4/452.

5. Tahqiq fi Kalimat Al-Qur'an, 9/136.

6. Tahdhib al-Lughah, 8/31.

7. Wasa'i al-Shi'a, 15/365.

8. Al-Kafi 2/306.

Surah an-Nas (No. 114: 'Mankind')

Verses 1-6

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

Say, 'I seek the protection of the Lord of mankind, (114:1).

مَلِكِ النَّاسِ

Sovereign of mankind, (114:2).

إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ

God of mankind, (114:3).

مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ

from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws (114:4).

الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ

who whispers into the breasts of men, (114:5).

مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ

from among the jinn and men.'(114:6).

1. Evils From Imperceptible Sources

Allah connects two surah’s to call on His servants to seek refuge in Him, for in all of his life the human being is never free from things that scare him. The previous surah, Surah al-Falaq, is distinguished in its mention of perceptible sources of harm, such as the night, the envious person or the witch, while this surah is distinguished by its focus on imperceptible sources of harm such as whispers in the hearts of men, whether these come from Jinn or other men. And no one is fully protected from evil unless they are saved from both physical and spiritual sources of harm.

2. Taking Refuge With Allah

Some people suffice themselves with verbally seeking Allah’s protection before reciting the Qur’an, acting in accordance with Allah's saying:

“When you recite the Qur'an, seek the protection of Allah against the outcast Satan” (An-Nahl (16:98).

because the hounding by the devils intensifies when a person does good deeds! But this verbal action will not render a person needless of truly seeking protection, for what is being enjoined by the words:

“Say: I seek the protection ...” (an-Nas 114:1).

is not merely the utterance of some words, but first and foremost the heartfelt sensation that one is taking refuge with Allah, followed by acting outwardly in a way that accords with seeking divine protection, such as giving up the pre-Islamic customs of the Arabs after emigrating [to Islamic lands] when seeking protection from the corruption of one's religion. In fact, one must give up any behaviour which conflicts with seeking divine protection; like a person seeking Allah's protection from wild animals while there is a fortified castle standing in front of him, but he does not enter it!

3. Divine Protection

The one whose protection is sought in this surah is mentioned from various dimensions; from one angle, divine protection is sought from:

“ ……The Lord of mankind” (an-Nas 114:1).

And this is an independent reason for seeking protection in its own right, because Allah is the refuge of everyone who seeks protection; He is the Lord who arranges everything and in whose hand all of His servants’ affairs rest.

“The Sovereign of mankind' (an-Nas 114:2).

which is another independent reason, as Allah is the sovereign whose authority over His servants is absolute, and who can do whatever He likes to whomever He likes and however He likes.

“ The God of mankind” (an-Nas 114:3).

which is again an independent reason, for He is the object of worship to whom everything returns in all affairs, and upon whom rests the fulfillment of all needs.

From all of the above, it is clear that a person must seek the protection of someone who combines all of these factors in his being.

4. Seeking Protection From Allah

We find in numerous verses phrases that highlight Allah's divine aspects of lordship and godhood, such as:

“Lord of the east and the west, there is no god except Him, so, take Him for your trustee” ( al-Muzzammil, 73:9).

There are verses that highlight His divine aspect of sovereignty:

“To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah all matters are returned.” ( al-Hadid, 57:5).

And there is a single verse that highlights all three divine aspects together these verses:

“....That is Allah, your Lord! To Him belongs all sovereignty. There is no god except Him. Then where are you being led away?” (az-Zumar, 39:6).

combining lordship, godhood and sovereignty.

And here we ask: If someone believes he is seeking the protection of a being that combines all three of these dimensions, then how can he have any fear left in his heart when confronted with the evils of this life?

5. The Lord, The Sovereign, The God

The first three verses gradually introduce the giver of protection, who is Allah, by mentioning the Lord, then the Sovereign and finally the God. And we can suppose that it is the ideas these designations hold that necessitates this gradual arrangement:

a. The station of lordship is the nearest to the lives of Allah's servants, and that is because they can see the effects of His arrangement of the creation - which belongs to the dimension of lordship - in even the tiniest details of their lives.

b. This is followed by a sense of the sovereignty, which permeates all existence. Of course, recognizing this station is only for those who truly live with the knowledge that there is none to suffice them save Him, in accordance with His words:

“Does not Allah suffice His servant ……?” (az-Zumar, 39:36).

c. And this in turn is followed by a sense of spiritual immanence, represented by the connection of devoted servanthood between a person and God who is the only object of worship!

So, this shows that the gradual development of this surah's opening verses reveals the gradation that exists between the different stations of a person's connection to the Origin of all things, in whom it befits him to seek protection from spiritual evils. As for in Surah al-Falaq, protection is sought from 'the Lord of the Dawn' alone, and this befits worldly evils which are less dangerous than those mentioned in this surah.

6. Different Reasons For Seeking His Protection

This surah commands people to seek security with Allah through His three manifestations (tajalliyat), meaning lordship, sovereignty and divinity, without using any particle of conjunction in the Arabic, and repeating the word 'mankind' with each mention of Allah. What we understand from this is that each verse provides us with different reasons for seeking His protection.

It is interesting to note that human beings also, make these various dimensions reasons for seeking one another's protection; anyone who suffers some injustice will first take recourse to whoever looks after his affairs, such as his father, then to someone who has power and authority, such as a ruler. And when he despairs of these, he will turn to whichever deity he worships beyond mankind!

7. The Whispers

The devastating influence of the whispers (waswas) by devils and men alike on the human soul is demonstrated by the fact that there are three formulas of seeking protection (from the Lord, Sovereign and God of mankind) from a single evil, unlike Surah alFalaq where a single formula of seeking protection was used for four evils. The reason for this could be:

a. These insinuations are subtle and a person might not notice them, for they belong to the realm of being cast into men's hearts:

“ ...into the breasts of men.” (an-Nas 114:5).

b. They come from various sources:

“ from among the jinn and men.” (an-Nas 114:6).

c. The whisperer whispers continuously, as indicated by the use of a present continuous verb ('who whispers ...')

d. Because this whisperer never gives up and returns to whisper time and again, for he is the one 'who withdraws.'

“from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws” (an-Nas, 114:4).

And this is why such great protection must be sought with a great Lord from this great evil!

8. Purifying The Hearts From The Influence Of Satan

Purifying the hearts from the influence of Satan is a way of purifying one's limbs, for the human being is exposed to the influence of these insinuations which are sometimes so, intense that they almost overwhelm his own will, so, long as there is one whispering in his heart. So, whatever force pushes a person internally could reach a level of intensity where it could push him externally, like a shove.

It is well known that just as Allah has given free reign to the one who whispers evil into men's hearts, He has reserved for Himself the right - through a superior means - to inspire His friends with that which contains good. And this happens quite frequently, as the Qur'an mentions in numerous places. For example, Allah says:

“When We revealed to your mother whatever was revealed …” ( Ta Ha, 20:38).

And another instance of this is what happened to the Companions of the Cave:

“They were Indeed, youths who had faith in their Lord, and We had enhanced them in guidance.” (al-Kahf, 18:13).

9. Escaping The Whispers

When a person conceives of how Satan watches over his human heart and hovers around it, and he remembers that Satan flows through the son of Adam as blood flows in his veins, and he recalls that whenever Allah is mentioned, Satan withdraws, as is mentioned in this surah... all of this should make him eager to be in a state of constant remembrance, for the only way to break the continuous whispering - as mentioned by the present continuous verb 'who whispers ...' - is through continuously seeking divine protection: 'I seek the protection of...'

Hence, we must know that the default state of the human being is to be exposed to Satan's gnawing upon his heart, and he cannot escape this except by realizing that which will repels Satan from him. And the best way for us to imagine this situation is what has been narrated from the Prophet (S), who said: 'Satan places his snout upon the heart of the son of Adam; if he remembers Allah, Satan withdraws; but if he forgets, Satan swallows his heart; that is the whisperer who withdraws!'1

10. Influencing Hearts

If we say that the description 'the whisperer who withdraws' applies to both 'jinn and men' - as this verse would appear to suggest - then this shows that some people have the ability to influence the hearts of others in their species, because Satan's subtle influence on the hearts of men is something to be expected, but the power of one person over another normally does not go beyond their physical being.

For some people to penetrate to the level of other's hearts requires a special kind of power, which is why people should beware them as they beware the devils themselves! But know also, that the description 'who withdraws' applies to them as well, so, they will not give up their prize at the first sign of resistance, for their nature is like that of the devils in their determination to drag their victim down into moral depravity.

11. Attacking And Retreating

Connecting the expression 'the whisperer' to 'who withdraws' suggests that there is a state of attacking and retreating between the human soul and the devils from amongst the jinn and men, which is why an expression is used which implies that they hide one more after emerging - ‘who withdraws’ - but that this battle continues until the 'whisperer' ultimately triumphs, for this affair ultimately goes beyond withdrawing to the level of a person's heart being impressed –

“They are the ones on whose hearts Allah has set an impressure” ( an-Nahl, 16:108).

- and sealed -

“Allah has set a seal on their hearts and their hearing, and there is a blindfold on their sight” ( al-Baqarah, 2:7).

which is the level which the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) described as follows: 'It is there that Satan takes control of his allies.'2

12. Impregnable Armor

So, long as this whispering is connected to the realm of the hearts, and not every person has control over that which is hidden from the realm of senses, this affirms the desperate need for people to take refuge with the One who holds in His hand the keys of the hearts, for 'People's hearts rest between two fingers of the AllBeneficent.'3 It is He who

“ ...intervenes between a man and his heart” ( al-Anfal, 8:24).

and it is He who

“ ....knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the breasts hide.” (al- Ghafir, 40:19).

This surah came down in order to push the human being towards this dimension, for only it has the power to place the one who seeks protection in its impregnable armour.

13. Different Types Of Satanic Whisperings

There is a difference between the satanic whispering (waswasa) directed into the breasts of people in general - 'into the breasts of men' - from whence emerge false thoughts, then an inclination towards to the forbidden, followed by the response of the limbs to this; and between the satanic whispering to which the elect (khawass), namely the Prophets (‘a), are exposed. An example is one that happened to Adam (‘a):

“Then Satan whispered to him ...” (Ta Ha, 20:120).

and what befalls the Godwary of Allah's servants:

“When those who are Godwary are touched by a visitation of Satan, they remember and, behold, they perceive.” ( al-A'raf, 7:201).

The difference is that the latter type of whisperings are fleeting and do not remain in the hearts, nor is it feared that the persons concerned will fall into forbidden things as a result.

14. Men Being Evil

Placing a conjunction between human beings and devils –

“from among the jinn and men” (an-Nas, 114:6).

signifies that there is a kind of commonality between them; so, just as we find we have an ‘inner prophet’, represented by the intellect ('aql), which assists the ‘outer prophet’, there are also, people who are - in their own way - outward representations of the ‘inner devil’, which is why the Qur'an joins them together in a single verse: “the devils from among humans and jinn” (al-An'am, 6:112).

And it is of interest to note that there is a class of people who, in a few short years, can learn what it took the devils a long period to learn; in fact, they can even reach a level where they and the devils inspire one another to obstruct the path of the Prophets (‘a):

“That is how for every prophet We appointed as enemy the devils from among humans and jinn, who inspire each other with flashy words, deceptively” (al-An'am, 6:112).

15. Protecting The Heart

The take-home message of this, the final surah of the Qur’an, is that a person must protect the very core of his being, namely the heart (which is called the breast here), lest it fall into the grasp of his enemies who lie in wait; the devils amongst the jinn and men who whisper temptations to him. And it is well known that unless a person fortifies this castle, which contains the governing force of his entire body, then his bodily acts of worship will not be able to help him in the slightest when it comes to repelling the besiegers of this citadel.

The best means to make tangible the war being waged between the soul and its enemies, which this surah hints at, is the tradition narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), in which he says: 'The heart is Allah's sanctuary, so, do not let anyone reside in Allah's sanctuary except Allah.'4 And this sentence, in its succinctness and brevity, perfectly encapsulates the view of the Prophet’s (S) Household (‘a) when it comes to the purification and refinement of the human heart.

1. Ilal al-Shara'i 2/566.

2. Al-Kafi 8/159.

3. Al-Kafi 2/353.

4. Bihar al-Anwar, 25/67.

Topic Tags:

Qur'anic Exegesis (Tafsir) [7]

Author(s):

Habib al-Kazimi [1]

Translator(s):

Alexander Khaleeli [6]

Publisher(s):

Ansariyan Publications - Qum [2]

Source URL: https://www.al-islam.org/illuminating-lantern-exposition-subtleties-quran-part-thirty-habib-al-kazimi

Links
[1] https://www.al-islam.org/person/shaykh-habib-al-kazimi
[2] https://www.al-islam.org/organization/ansariyan-publications-qum
[3] https://www.al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/130134
[4] https://www.al-islam.org/printepub/book/export/html/130134
[5] https://www.al-islam.org/printmobi/book/export/html/130134
[6] https://www.al-islam.org/person/alexander-khaleeli
[7] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/tafsir