ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم - الترجمة الإنجليزية - د. وليد بليهش العمري * - فهرس التراجم
سورة الكهف - Al-Kahf
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَلَمۡ يَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَاۜ
(1) ˹All˺ Gratitude be to Allah[3731] Who sent down the Book to His servant ˹Muhammad˺ and allowed no crookedness therein[3732];
[3731] al-Hamdu li Allāh is an absolute, unqualified form of expressing gratitude to God Almighty. It denotes referring to the One to Whom we are all grateful, Almighty God, with the Attribute of Perfection out of love and glorification (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf). It is a glorification of God Almighty, for His favours, both hidden and perceived, as well as those which relate to religious and worldly matters. The greatest of all these favours ever is the sending down of the Qur’an to God’s most honourable servant, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, al-Saʿdī) because it is the cause of salvation in the eternal life, the Hereafter, and success and good living in this world (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
It is significant to note that the Qur’an begins with this phrase (as in al-Fātiḥah), just as it does here with the second half of the Qur’an beginning (as marked by al-Kahf) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Furthermore, it is the closing declaration of affairs on the Day of Judgement: “And you shall see the angels encircling all around the Throne, hymning the praise of their Lord in gratitude; judgement shall be made between them in Truth, and it will be said: “All gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of all beings!”” (39: 75)
The phrase is also a practical translation of the command found at the very last aya of the previous sura: “And say ˹Muhammad˺: “˹All˺ Gratitude be to Allah, Who did not take a child ˹for Himself˺, nor has He ever had a partner in ˹His˺ Kingship, or an ally against humiliation; and exalt Him immensely!””
[3732] The Qur’an is free from diverging away from the Truth, contradictions and discrepancies, as also dissonance in its words and meanings; the news it tells is truthful and the judgements it passes are just (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr): “An Arabic Qur’an of no crookedness!” (39: 28); “Would they not contemplate the Qur’an; had it been from another ˹source˺ besides Allah, they would have found many a discrepancy in it” (4: 82).
It is significant to note that the Qur’an begins with this phrase (as in al-Fātiḥah), just as it does here with the second half of the Qur’an beginning (as marked by al-Kahf) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Furthermore, it is the closing declaration of affairs on the Day of Judgement: “And you shall see the angels encircling all around the Throne, hymning the praise of their Lord in gratitude; judgement shall be made between them in Truth, and it will be said: “All gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of all beings!”” (39: 75)
The phrase is also a practical translation of the command found at the very last aya of the previous sura: “And say ˹Muhammad˺: “˹All˺ Gratitude be to Allah, Who did not take a child ˹for Himself˺, nor has He ever had a partner in ˹His˺ Kingship, or an ally against humiliation; and exalt Him immensely!””
[3732] The Qur’an is free from diverging away from the Truth, contradictions and discrepancies, as also dissonance in its words and meanings; the news it tells is truthful and the judgements it passes are just (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr): “An Arabic Qur’an of no crookedness!” (39: 28); “Would they not contemplate the Qur’an; had it been from another ˹source˺ besides Allah, they would have found many a discrepancy in it” (4: 82).
التفاسير العربية:
قَيِّمٗا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأۡسٗا شَدِيدٗا مِّن لَّدُنۡهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرًا حَسَنٗا
(2) ˹it is˺ straightforward[3733] to warn[3734] against a mighty mettle[3735] from His Own and to give the Believers, who do good deeds, the glad tidings that theirs is a comely reward[3736];
[3733] The adjective describing the Qur’an as qayyiman is translated here as “straightforward” as per the opinion of al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr and al-Shinqīṭī who say that it is the opinion of most exegetes. Yet in another sense, the word qayyim means caretaker/overseer and thus the opinion of al-Rāzī, Abū al-Suʿūd, Ibn ʿĀshūr, that the Qur’an takes care of the well-being of God’s servants in respect of both worldly and religious affairs.
[3734] “He revealed to me this Qur’an to warn you with it and whoever it reaches” (6: 19).
[3735] That is, a painful Divine Punishment in this life and in the Hereafter (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Qurṭubī). On the other hand, ba’sun shadīd (mighty mettle) is usually associated with an enemy of great might met in battle (cf. 17: 5, 27: 33 and 48: 16), thus Ibn ʿĀshūr takes this to indicate an allusion that the fact that the Deniers will be trounced in battle at the hands of the Believers and that they are warned against this.
[3736] This ‘comely reward’ is Paradise (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “And gives glad tidings to those who Believe and do good deeds that theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow; whenever they are provided with a fruit from it, they would say: “This is what we have been provided with before!” They have been provided with it resembling each other. For them in it are purified spouses—they will abide therein forever” (2: 25).
[3734] “He revealed to me this Qur’an to warn you with it and whoever it reaches” (6: 19).
[3735] That is, a painful Divine Punishment in this life and in the Hereafter (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Qurṭubī). On the other hand, ba’sun shadīd (mighty mettle) is usually associated with an enemy of great might met in battle (cf. 17: 5, 27: 33 and 48: 16), thus Ibn ʿĀshūr takes this to indicate an allusion that the fact that the Deniers will be trounced in battle at the hands of the Believers and that they are warned against this.
[3736] This ‘comely reward’ is Paradise (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “And gives glad tidings to those who Believe and do good deeds that theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow; whenever they are provided with a fruit from it, they would say: “This is what we have been provided with before!” They have been provided with it resembling each other. For them in it are purified spouses—they will abide therein forever” (2: 25).
التفاسير العربية:
وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدٗا
[3737] Warning against threats is more likely to get people to act, thus it is repeated here (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). Besides, given the stiff opposition that the Call of Faith was up against during the context of revelation, al-Kahf carries more warning to the Deniers than glad tidings to the Believers.
[3738] Given the context of revelation, the ones meant here are the pagan Makkan Arabs who were widely known for saying that the angels were God’s daughters (as found in 17: 40; cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). But this could also refer to the Jews, for their saying that Ezra is the son of God (cf. 9: 30), and warns them for their assisting the Makkans in asking the Noble Prophet about the news of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned King in their quest to discredit him (cf. cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3738] Given the context of revelation, the ones meant here are the pagan Makkan Arabs who were widely known for saying that the angels were God’s daughters (as found in 17: 40; cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). But this could also refer to the Jews, for their saying that Ezra is the son of God (cf. 9: 30), and warns them for their assisting the Makkans in asking the Noble Prophet about the news of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned King in their quest to discredit him (cf. cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
التفاسير العربية:
مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمٖ وَلَا لِأٓبَآئِهِمۡۚ كَبُرَتۡ كَلِمَةٗ تَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ أَفۡوَٰهِهِمۡۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبٗا
(5) They are not in possession of ˹the slightest˺ knowledge of that neither were their forefathers[3739]—grave indeed is the word that comes out of their mouths; they say nothing but ˹sheer˺ lying![3740]
[3739] False knowledge based on heresy and whimsical thinking is exposed for what it is right at the outset of the sura. What follows is a fuller exposure of the fragility of their self-claimed knowledge: “Verily, they found their forefathers have gone astray *and so they rush after their footsteps!” (37: 69-70); “And their saying ˹boastfully˺: “We have killed the Messiah, ʿĪsā ˹Jesus˺, son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah”, they neither killed him nor did they crucify him, but it was only made to appear like so to them. Indeed those who differed regarding him are ˹extremely˺ doubtful about him; they have no ˹real˺ knowledge about him; they are only following guesses. Certainly they did not kill him!” (4: 157)
[3740] The graveness of this single most lie stems from the fact that it is based on absolute, mere conjectural knowledge, having no evidence, neither intellectual nor scriptural, whatsoever to it, and that it is against none other than God Almighty Himself; to Whom such a lie, either wittingly or otherwise, ascribes imperfection. Having a child entails partaking in Godship, the need for a wife to fulfil emotional and bodily functions with, and likeness to His creation who stand in need of offspring. Thus doing, they do not really realize the solemnity of their fallacious claim: “And they say: “The Most Merciful has taken ˹for Himself˺ a child! *indeed you have brought forth a horrendous thing, * whereby the skies are almost torn, the ground is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins *that they ascribe a child to the Most Merciful!” (19: 88-91).
[3740] The graveness of this single most lie stems from the fact that it is based on absolute, mere conjectural knowledge, having no evidence, neither intellectual nor scriptural, whatsoever to it, and that it is against none other than God Almighty Himself; to Whom such a lie, either wittingly or otherwise, ascribes imperfection. Having a child entails partaking in Godship, the need for a wife to fulfil emotional and bodily functions with, and likeness to His creation who stand in need of offspring. Thus doing, they do not really realize the solemnity of their fallacious claim: “And they say: “The Most Merciful has taken ˹for Himself˺ a child! *indeed you have brought forth a horrendous thing, * whereby the skies are almost torn, the ground is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins *that they ascribe a child to the Most Merciful!” (19: 88-91).
التفاسير العربية:
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَٰخِعٞ نَّفۡسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا
(6) Would you then ˹Muhammad˺ waste your life away after them in sorrow[3741], should they not Believe in this discourse![3742]
[3741] The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) was greatly distressed by the obduracy and Denial of his own people of his Message, to the extent of almost wasting himself away in the process (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī, Ibn Kathīr): “And what of one, the evil of whose deeds has been made to seem fair to him, such that he thinks it beautiful? Truly Allah leads astray whomsoever He wills and guides whomsoever He wills; so let not your soul be expended in regrets over them—truly Allah knows that which they do” (35: 8).
[3742] al-Ḥadīth (the discourse) is the Qur’an (cf. al-Saʿdī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
[3742] al-Ḥadīth (the discourse) is the Qur’an (cf. al-Saʿdī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
التفاسير العربية:
إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ زِينَةٗ لَّهَا لِنَبۡلُوَهُمۡ أَيُّهُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗا
(7) [3743]Verily We made whatever is on Earth an adornment for it[3744] so that We may test them (people) as to who of them does better deeds[3745];
[3743] This fact is stated here to soothe the state of mind of the Noble Messenger (ﷺ); the Earth was created to be an abode of tests and trials to see who does good and who does not. It is natural that some people will fare worse than others in this regard. So let no one grieve over not being able to guide these (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar): “He is the One Who created the Heavens and Earth in six days – while His Throne had been over Water – to test you, whom of you does better” (11: 7).
[3744] Life is a test and the world is a place of great trial. Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Life is ˹alluringly˺ lush green. Allah will instate you as successors in it and will see how you fare. So beware of the worldly life!” (Muslim: 2742)
[3745] “Then We made you successors in the land after them, so that We may see how you fare” (10: 14).
[3744] Life is a test and the world is a place of great trial. Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Life is ˹alluringly˺ lush green. Allah will instate you as successors in it and will see how you fare. So beware of the worldly life!” (Muslim: 2742)
[3745] “Then We made you successors in the land after them, so that We may see how you fare” (10: 14).
التفاسير العربية:
وَإِنَّا لَجَٰعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيۡهَا صَعِيدٗا جُرُزًا
[3746] One very important feature of this sura is that it lays special emphasis on the very transient nature of life in this world. The message is that a person’s quest in it should not solely be seeking after its gains and adornment, but rather to invest in it for what comes after death (cf. Aya: 28, the moral of the story of the two fellows as in Ayas 45-46, and 103-105): “Indeed the example of the worldly life is nothing more than water that We send down from the sky; soon it gets mixed in the plants of the ground, the kind that people and animals consume, until when the land assumes its ornament and beautifies itself and its owners become sure that they are able over it, ˹there˺ comes upon it Our Command at night or in the morning and We make it mowed as if it did not thrive ˹only˺ yesterday—thus We detail the Signs for people who ponder!” (10: 24)
[3747] Ṣaʿīdan juruzan (wasteland) has two parts: the noun ṣaʿīd which means a dusty flat expanse of land and the adjective juruz which means arid but originally means that its herbage has been mowed down (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
[3747] Ṣaʿīdan juruzan (wasteland) has two parts: the noun ṣaʿīd which means a dusty flat expanse of land and the adjective juruz which means arid but originally means that its herbage has been mowed down (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
التفاسير العربية:
أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا
(9) [3748]Or did you think ˹Muhammad˺ that the companions of the cave and the inscription[3749] were, of ˹all˺ Our Signs, ˹especially˺ wondrous!
[3748] After the preceding, tone-setting preamble, now comes the anxiously awaited answer. It begins with a note on the story that will shortly be narrated only showing, though made so significant by the Arabs and the Jews who asked about it, that it is not of great consequence compared to the many other Divine Signs (the creation of the Heavens and Earth, the alternation of day and night, the subjection of the sun, the moon and the planets, bringing the dead to life, to name a few) to which people are willingly heedless (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). This passage gives a brief interest-building synopsis of the story, highlighting some significant aspects of it, only to be told in detail in the next passages where we will shed light on them.
[3749] al-Raqīm (translated here as the inscription) as it derives from the act of inscribing and writing (yarqumu). Exegetes have different views as to its nature. Some think it was a book the youths had in which they wrote the dictates of their religion or who they were and why they fled to the cave (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr); or the name of the mountain in which their cave was, or the valley in which this mountain was or the village from which they fled (cf. Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī).
[3749] al-Raqīm (translated here as the inscription) as it derives from the act of inscribing and writing (yarqumu). Exegetes have different views as to its nature. Some think it was a book the youths had in which they wrote the dictates of their religion or who they were and why they fled to the cave (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr); or the name of the mountain in which their cave was, or the valley in which this mountain was or the village from which they fled (cf. Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī).
التفاسير العربية:
إِذۡ أَوَى ٱلۡفِتۡيَةُ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةٗ وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدٗا
(10) ˹Mention˺ When the youths sought refuge in the cave then said: “Our Lord! Bestow Mercy of Your Own on us[3750] and make success[3751] the outcome of this matter of ours”.
[3750] The ‘mercy’ (rahmah) they asked God for is of a general purport (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr). Whoever God bestows mercy upon is given all that is good and spared all that is evil. But some exegetes give it a more specific meaning; to some, it is forgiveness, security and being delivered from enemies (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Rasʿanī, al-Shawkānī, al-Qāsimī). Others limit it to forgiveness and provision (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Wāḥidī).
Ibn ʿĀshūr explains: “They asked for a specific kind of plentiful mercy while in a state of expecting the opposite. They intended to safeguard their religion from trials, so that they might not in their flight experience hardship or pain, and they would not be humiliated and set up as an example by the enemies of their religion”.
[3751] Rashadan (translated here as success) is a semantically complex word. Originally it derives from al-rushd (guidedness) which is the opposite of digression and being stray (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Exegetes, however, give it a greatly detailed meaning. This whereby the youths asked God Almighty for a means and affairs of which the end is firmness on the path to the Truth, being spared from the Associators, gaining useful knowledge and acting upon it, so that their religious and worldly affairs would be on the right side (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
Ibn ʿĀshūr explains: “They asked for a specific kind of plentiful mercy while in a state of expecting the opposite. They intended to safeguard their religion from trials, so that they might not in their flight experience hardship or pain, and they would not be humiliated and set up as an example by the enemies of their religion”.
[3751] Rashadan (translated here as success) is a semantically complex word. Originally it derives from al-rushd (guidedness) which is the opposite of digression and being stray (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Exegetes, however, give it a greatly detailed meaning. This whereby the youths asked God Almighty for a means and affairs of which the end is firmness on the path to the Truth, being spared from the Associators, gaining useful knowledge and acting upon it, so that their religious and worldly affairs would be on the right side (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
فَضَرَبۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ فِي ٱلۡكَهۡفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدٗا
[3752] Their ears are specifically mentioned because the sense of hearing above and beyond any other sense is the one that spoils sleep most. If done in perfect circumstances, rarely is sleep disturbed by a cause other than noise (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
التفاسير العربية:
ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِنَعۡلَمَ أَيُّ ٱلۡحِزۡبَيۡنِ أَحۡصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓاْ أَمَدٗا
(12) Then We brought them to life[3753], so that We may Know who of the two parties[3754] is closer to getting right the duration of their stay.
[3753] The expression baʿathnāhum (lit. We resurrected them) is employed because sleep is a kind of death (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf): “He is the One Who terminates your ˹lives˺ at night and knows what you earn during the day, then He sets you off ˹again˺ during it ˹the day˺ so that a specified term comes to an end”. (6: 60)
[3754] Given its great length, the duration of their stay in the cave has proven somewhat of an issue of contention among the people of their town after they discovered them (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). But it is also thought that these ‘two parties’ were the youths themselves when they asked about the duration of their stay right after they woke up (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān). Yet, al-Qurṭubī sees that it is the opinion of most exegetes that these two were the youths themselves on the one hand and the people of their town on the other.
It remains that the finer details of their story are not known for sure as there exist many versions of it (cf. Encyclopedia Britannica, “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus”) and the Qur’an leaves some of these out since they only lead to beclouding contention rather than illuminating knowledge. Further, it is of little moral use to get into these debates besides what God Almighty says in His Book as found in this sura. The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) himself is told (Aya 22 below) not to be dragged into these details: “Do not ˹Muhammad˺ argue ˹with anyone˺ in their regard, except cursorily. Do not ˹neither˺ seek the counsel from any of those about them.”
Although this is the most significant part of their story and thanks to which they have been immortalized in history, this one issue of the duration of their stay (which is so precisely calculated in the Qur’an as we will come in see in Aya 25 below; refer also to how many the youth were) goes on to show how little people know and how groundless their knowledge would be if they were left to their own means, to discern something as simple as dates and durations (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr), especially of the things and beings that we find only records of and can find no traces of which or whom.
[3754] Given its great length, the duration of their stay in the cave has proven somewhat of an issue of contention among the people of their town after they discovered them (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). But it is also thought that these ‘two parties’ were the youths themselves when they asked about the duration of their stay right after they woke up (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān). Yet, al-Qurṭubī sees that it is the opinion of most exegetes that these two were the youths themselves on the one hand and the people of their town on the other.
It remains that the finer details of their story are not known for sure as there exist many versions of it (cf. Encyclopedia Britannica, “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus”) and the Qur’an leaves some of these out since they only lead to beclouding contention rather than illuminating knowledge. Further, it is of little moral use to get into these debates besides what God Almighty says in His Book as found in this sura. The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) himself is told (Aya 22 below) not to be dragged into these details: “Do not ˹Muhammad˺ argue ˹with anyone˺ in their regard, except cursorily. Do not ˹neither˺ seek the counsel from any of those about them.”
Although this is the most significant part of their story and thanks to which they have been immortalized in history, this one issue of the duration of their stay (which is so precisely calculated in the Qur’an as we will come in see in Aya 25 below; refer also to how many the youth were) goes on to show how little people know and how groundless their knowledge would be if they were left to their own means, to discern something as simple as dates and durations (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr), especially of the things and beings that we find only records of and can find no traces of which or whom.
التفاسير العربية:
نَّحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ إِنَّهُمۡ فِتۡيَةٌ ءَامَنُواْ بِرَبِّهِمۡ وَزِدۡنَٰهُمۡ هُدٗى
(13) [3755]We[3756] shall recount to you ˹Muhammad˺ their notable news with the Truth. They were ˹few˺ youths who ˹truly˺ Believed in their Lord and We increased them in guidedness[3757].
[3755] Over the next passages comes a useful detailing of the true account of their story which is based on real knowledge as opposed to the much guesswork that surrounds their story (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3756] The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) is told the truthful account of their news by none other than God Almighty, the Omniscient, Himself (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3757] This was the immediate reward for their firm Faith in God. They were also given greater Faith, viz. the ability to act upon the Truth and do good (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī): “Those who were ˹willingly˺ guided, He increased them in guidedness and bestowed their Mindfulness upon them” (47: 17).
[3756] The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) is told the truthful account of their news by none other than God Almighty, the Omniscient, Himself (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3757] This was the immediate reward for their firm Faith in God. They were also given greater Faith, viz. the ability to act upon the Truth and do good (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī): “Those who were ˹willingly˺ guided, He increased them in guidedness and bestowed their Mindfulness upon them” (47: 17).
التفاسير العربية:
وَرَبَطۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِذۡ قَامُواْ فَقَالُواْ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَن نَّدۡعُوَاْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَٰهٗاۖ لَّقَدۡ قُلۡنَآ إِذٗا شَطَطًا
(14) We further made their hearts resolute[3758], as they rose up[3759] and said: “Our Lord is ˹none but˺ the Lord of the Heavens and Earth! We shall not supplicate to any ‘god’ besides Him; otherwise our utterance would be ˹preposterously˺ too far away ˹from the Truth˺![3760]”
[3758] Rabaṭnā ʿalā qulūbihim (lit. We tied over their hearts) is an Arabic expression denoting resoluteness and firmness (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
[3759] They most needed these firm hearts as they rose up in the face of their people and the ruler who wielded all means of power in that society and resolutely challenged the status quo (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[3760] Shaṭatan is an utterance that is preposterous and too far away from the Truth (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
[3759] They most needed these firm hearts as they rose up in the face of their people and the ruler who wielded all means of power in that society and resolutely challenged the status quo (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[3760] Shaṭatan is an utterance that is preposterous and too far away from the Truth (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
التفاسير العربية:
هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمُنَا ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةٗۖ لَّوۡلَا يَأۡتُونَ عَلَيۡهِم بِسُلۡطَٰنِۭ بَيِّنٖۖ فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا
(15) “These are our folks ˹who˺[3761] took ‘gods’ besides Him. Would they not then bring forth a compelling authority in their regard. Who then is more wrong than he who fabricates lies against Allah!”
[3761] This either could have been said in front of the ruler or among themselves as they made up their resolution over the matter (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
التفاسير العربية:
وَإِذِ ٱعۡتَزَلۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَمَا يَعۡبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأۡوُۥٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ يَنشُرۡ لَكُمۡ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئۡ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَمۡرِكُم مِّرۡفَقٗا
(16) “Since you have pulled yourselves away from them and what they worship other than Allah, seek refuge then in [3762]the cave[3763]; your Lord shall spread for you ˹some˺ of His mercy, and make facile your affair[3764].”
[3762] The cave (kahf) is preceded with the definite article al (the) because it is either previously known to them as they might have worshipped God in it away from the prying eyes of their enemies, or by way of fact stating (taʿrīf al-ḥaqīqah) as caves are known as places to which people run away from harm (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3763] That they chose for home such an inhabitable place as a cave, and the justification they provide for it, goes on to show how firm their Faith really was (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Tafsīr Āyāt min al-Qur’ān al-Karīm, 5: 244).
[3764] The wording of their justification of choosing the cave as shelter is context significant and further highlights the greatness of their Faith. The word yanshuru (meaning; spread and make spacious (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Shawkānī) is significant as caves are usually not spacious enough for a group of men (most probably seven as we will see shortly) to live in comfortably and since they do not have the usual facilities that humans fit their homes with, they were rightly hopeful that their Lord would ‘make facile’ (mirfaq is what people have use for (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)) their affair (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
This is not to distract us away from the general purport that their wording points out: that God Almighty ‘spreads out’ His Mercy thus saving their religion for them and delivering them from their people, and that He makes their living ‘facile’ and easy to gain (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Whoever is Mindful of Allah, He will make his affair easy for him!” (65: 4).
[3763] That they chose for home such an inhabitable place as a cave, and the justification they provide for it, goes on to show how firm their Faith really was (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Tafsīr Āyāt min al-Qur’ān al-Karīm, 5: 244).
[3764] The wording of their justification of choosing the cave as shelter is context significant and further highlights the greatness of their Faith. The word yanshuru (meaning; spread and make spacious (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Shawkānī) is significant as caves are usually not spacious enough for a group of men (most probably seven as we will see shortly) to live in comfortably and since they do not have the usual facilities that humans fit their homes with, they were rightly hopeful that their Lord would ‘make facile’ (mirfaq is what people have use for (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah)) their affair (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
This is not to distract us away from the general purport that their wording points out: that God Almighty ‘spreads out’ His Mercy thus saving their religion for them and delivering them from their people, and that He makes their living ‘facile’ and easy to gain (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Whoever is Mindful of Allah, He will make his affair easy for him!” (65: 4).
التفاسير العربية:
۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمۡسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهۡفِهِمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقۡرِضُهُمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمۡ فِي فَجۡوَةٖ مِّنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِۗ مَن يَهۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيّٗا مُّرۡشِدٗا
(17) [3765]And you see the sun when it rises, it angles away from their cave to the right[3766] and when it sets, it draws away from them to the left[3767]; ˹while˺ they being in a spacious expanse in it (the cave)[3768]. That is among the Signs of Allah[3769]; [3770]whoever Allah guides, then he is the ˹truly˺ guided one[3771], but whoever He misguides, you shall not find him a guiding ally![3772]
[3765] What follows shows how fruitful their hope in their Lord has proven to be and how greatly He spread out His Mercy for them and made facile their affair (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). They were provided with all the necessary means of preservation over such a great length of time as we shall momentarily see.
[3766] Exposure to the rays of the sun as it rises would heat and light up their cave and disturb their sleep, and over time, especially this long a period, would have had an impact on their visages and clothing (cf. al-Ṭabarī).
[3767] Although the meaning given here of the expression taqriḍuhum (it draws away from them) is the opinion of many exegetes, it is the opinion of a group of others that it means that the sun touches them when it sets and provides them and their cave with the necessary benefits of sunlight (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Abū Ḥayyān, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[3768] As such they get all the air and ventilation they need to sustain them (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
[3769] These just mentioned Signs testify to God Almighty’s Limitless Power and Authority and how He provides for His pious servants (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Qurṭubī).
[3770] Wondrous as these affairs of theirs are, being Signs of God Almighty, one has got to know the reason behind them to come to grips with them. That is that they were guided by God Almighty Himself (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3771] That these youths were all of their people who were guided and the great and firm Faith they were given is a prime example of this fact (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Khāzin, Ibn Kathīr).
[3772] Besides the fact that it states, this home truth sends a timely comforting message to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) who was greatly distressed by his people’s aversion to his call (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). The message that guidance is only in the Hands of God Himself is of-repeated in the Qur’an to impart the same effect (cf. 4: 88 and 143, 7: 178 and 186, 13: 33, 17: 97, 39: 23 and 36, 40: 33, 42: 44 and 46).
[3766] Exposure to the rays of the sun as it rises would heat and light up their cave and disturb their sleep, and over time, especially this long a period, would have had an impact on their visages and clothing (cf. al-Ṭabarī).
[3767] Although the meaning given here of the expression taqriḍuhum (it draws away from them) is the opinion of many exegetes, it is the opinion of a group of others that it means that the sun touches them when it sets and provides them and their cave with the necessary benefits of sunlight (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Abū Ḥayyān, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[3768] As such they get all the air and ventilation they need to sustain them (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
[3769] These just mentioned Signs testify to God Almighty’s Limitless Power and Authority and how He provides for His pious servants (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Qurṭubī).
[3770] Wondrous as these affairs of theirs are, being Signs of God Almighty, one has got to know the reason behind them to come to grips with them. That is that they were guided by God Almighty Himself (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3771] That these youths were all of their people who were guided and the great and firm Faith they were given is a prime example of this fact (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Khāzin, Ibn Kathīr).
[3772] Besides the fact that it states, this home truth sends a timely comforting message to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) who was greatly distressed by his people’s aversion to his call (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). The message that guidance is only in the Hands of God Himself is of-repeated in the Qur’an to impart the same effect (cf. 4: 88 and 143, 7: 178 and 186, 13: 33, 17: 97, 39: 23 and 36, 40: 33, 42: 44 and 46).
التفاسير العربية:
وَتَحۡسَبُهُمۡ أَيۡقَاظٗا وَهُمۡ رُقُودٞۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِۖ وَكَلۡبُهُم بَٰسِطٞ ذِرَاعَيۡهِ بِٱلۡوَصِيدِۚ لَوِ ٱطَّلَعۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لَوَلَّيۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِرَارٗا وَلَمُلِئۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ رُعۡبٗا
(18) [3773]And you think them awake while they are fast asleep[3774]; We turn them ˹once˺ to their right sides and ˹once˺ to their left sides[3775]; and their dog extending its forepaws while at the threshold ˹of the cave˺. Should you peep at them, you would have surely fled away from them beating a retreat and would have surely been filled with horror of them![3776]
[3773] This aya further highlights how God Almighty cared for and safeguarded them in their vulnerable state (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Should anyone happen on them, he would only see a band of fully awake men with a dog standing guard on them and would surely have been filled with horror over this sight (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3774] Exegetes have it that their eyes were open (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Zajjāj).
[3775] Exegetes opine that the reason for this was so that the ground did not affect their bodies (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Suyūṭī, al-Durr al-Manthūr). It is a common medical practice nowadays to turn bed-ridden patients on their sides every few hours so that they do not get bedsores (pressure ulcers) resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin.
[3776] Fear at their sight is an important factor in their preservation so that no one would be tempted to draw close to them (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[3774] Exegetes have it that their eyes were open (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Zajjāj).
[3775] Exegetes opine that the reason for this was so that the ground did not affect their bodies (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Suyūṭī, al-Durr al-Manthūr). It is a common medical practice nowadays to turn bed-ridden patients on their sides every few hours so that they do not get bedsores (pressure ulcers) resulting from prolonged pressure on the skin.
[3776] Fear at their sight is an important factor in their preservation so that no one would be tempted to draw close to them (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
التفاسير العربية:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِيَتَسَآءَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡۖ قَالُواْ لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٖۚ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ فَٱبۡعَثُوٓاْ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ فَلۡيَنظُرۡ أَيُّهَآ أَزۡكَىٰ طَعَامٗا فَلۡيَأۡتِكُم بِرِزۡقٖ مِّنۡهُ وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ أَحَدًا
(19) And like so[3777] We brought them to life so that they would question each other. One among them said: “How long for did you stay ˹asleep˺?” They said: “We ˹may have˺ stayed for a day or part of a day!”[3778] ˹Then˺ They said: “Your Lord knows best the duration of your stay! Send one of you with these silver coins of yours to the town[3779]. Let him find out the purest food[3780] and get us some provision from it. Let him be gentle and let not anyone sense him!”
[3777] As amazingly norm-defying their long sleep was, their waking up after it in an intact state was equally so (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
When they came around to this world and its reality, where they have to fend for themselves, immediately after a three centuries-long sleep when God took great care of their well-being as we have just seen, there come worries, cares and calculations.
[3778] This answer shows how well-preserved their state was!
[3779] The one from which they fled, which was not far off (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3780] Azkā ṭaʿāman could mean either the more that they could get for their money (from zakāh) or, which is the more likely of the two, the purest (from zakā’), i.e. that which is not mixed with what God prohibits (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān).
When they came around to this world and its reality, where they have to fend for themselves, immediately after a three centuries-long sleep when God took great care of their well-being as we have just seen, there come worries, cares and calculations.
[3778] This answer shows how well-preserved their state was!
[3779] The one from which they fled, which was not far off (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3780] Azkā ṭaʿāman could mean either the more that they could get for their money (from zakāh) or, which is the more likely of the two, the purest (from zakā’), i.e. that which is not mixed with what God prohibits (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān).
التفاسير العربية:
إِنَّهُمۡ إِن يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُعِيدُوكُمۡ فِي مِلَّتِهِمۡ وَلَن تُفۡلِحُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدٗا
(20) “Should they get the better of you, they would surely stone you or turn you back to their creed—you shall not ever prosper thereafter!”[3781]
[3781] Such is the doing of the crooked of all times. They just cannot tolerate the righteous in their midst: “The notables among his people who waxed arrogant said: “We shall expel you, Shuʿayb, and those who Believed with you from our town or you shall revert back to our way of life!” He said: “Even if we were detesting ˹of it˺!” *“We would be fabricating ˹abominable˺ lies against Allah should we revert back to your way of life when Allah delivered us from it. We would not ˹ever˺ revert back to it unless Allah, our Lord, wills it so; indeed our Lord encompasses everything with ˹His˺ Knowledge. On Allah we rely!” “Our Lord, decide between us and our people with the Truth—You are the best of those who decide”” (7: 88-89).
التفاسير العربية:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعۡثَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهَآ إِذۡ يَتَنَٰزَعُونَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَمۡرَهُمۡۖ فَقَالُواْ ٱبۡنُواْ عَلَيۡهِم بُنۡيَٰنٗاۖ رَّبُّهُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِهِمۡۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ غَلَبُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرِهِمۡ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيۡهِم مَّسۡجِدٗا
(21) [3782]And like so We made them chanced upon so that they may come to know that the promise of Allah is true and that there is no doubt about ˹the coming of˺ the Hour[3783]; ˹that˺[3784] as they were disputing their affair amongst themselves. They said: “Put up some building around them[3785]; their Lord Knows best about them!”[3786] ˹But˺ Those who prevailed over their affair[3787] said: “We shall have a place of prostration put up above them!”
[3782] As God Almighty oversaw the amazing affair of their extraordinary sleep and their waking up after it in an intact state, He made sure that people would come to see them so that they might come to realize God’s Ability over bringing the dead to life, and to which the bringing about to life of these long-considered dead youths is akin (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn al-Jawzī).
[3783] Realizing the Truth of the Day of Judgement is the moral of the story (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Verily the Hour is surely coming; there is no doubt about it, but most people Believe not!” (40: 59)
[3784] They were made to find them out at a juncture when people started hotly disputing resurrection among themselves, i.e. this great affair of theirs; some believing in it while others denied it (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, al-Rasʿanī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, Ibn al-Saʿdī). It is also said that ‘the affair’ they disputed over was that of the youths themselves (cf. Ibn Juzayy, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[3785] They intended to afford them a dignified burial in their cave and hide them away from the gazing eye of the curious (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Rasʿanī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3786] It is said that these were the concluding words meant to put an end to the disputes that arose after finding them when people could not agree as to who they exactly were, how many they were and how long they had stayed; or that these are the Words of God Almighty aimed at those who waddle in their affair not having any evidence as to what they hold to be true about them (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3787] That is, their heads and leaders who have the final say (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
That the ones who ruled over the matter and had their way are this kind of people goes to show that having places of worship over graves is an act resultant of force and coercion and not that of guidance based on Divine revelation (cf. Ibn Rajab, Fatḥ al-Bārī, 2: 397).
[3783] Realizing the Truth of the Day of Judgement is the moral of the story (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Verily the Hour is surely coming; there is no doubt about it, but most people Believe not!” (40: 59)
[3784] They were made to find them out at a juncture when people started hotly disputing resurrection among themselves, i.e. this great affair of theirs; some believing in it while others denied it (cf. al- al-Ṭabarī, al-Rasʿanī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, Ibn al-Saʿdī). It is also said that ‘the affair’ they disputed over was that of the youths themselves (cf. Ibn Juzayy, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
[3785] They intended to afford them a dignified burial in their cave and hide them away from the gazing eye of the curious (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Rasʿanī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3786] It is said that these were the concluding words meant to put an end to the disputes that arose after finding them when people could not agree as to who they exactly were, how many they were and how long they had stayed; or that these are the Words of God Almighty aimed at those who waddle in their affair not having any evidence as to what they hold to be true about them (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3787] That is, their heads and leaders who have the final say (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
That the ones who ruled over the matter and had their way are this kind of people goes to show that having places of worship over graves is an act resultant of force and coercion and not that of guidance based on Divine revelation (cf. Ibn Rajab, Fatḥ al-Bārī, 2: 397).
التفاسير العربية:
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٞ رَّابِعُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمۡسَةٞ سَادِسُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ رَجۡمَۢا بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبۡعَةٞ وَثَامِنُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡۚ قُل رَّبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعۡلَمُهُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٞۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمۡ إِلَّا مِرَآءٗ ظَٰهِرٗا وَلَا تَسۡتَفۡتِ فِيهِم مِّنۡهُمۡ أَحَدٗا
(22) [3788]They would say: “˹They are˺ Three with their dog as their fourth!” And they say: “˹They are˺ Five with their dog as their sixth!” – merely shooting in the dark[3789] – And they say: “˹They are˺ Seven with their dog as their eighth!”[3790] Say ˹Muhammad˺: “My Lord Knows best their number!” [3791] None know ˹for sure˺ their number but a few[3792]. Do not ˹Muhammad˺ argue ˹with anyone˺ in their regard, except cursorily[3793]. Do not ˹neither˺ seek the counsel from any of those[3794] about them.
[3788] The much surmising that ensued from the story of these youths is highlighted here with the single most piece of advice not to engage in such disputes which are not based on true knowledge, but rather to take heed of their example and try to emulate it (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
It is not exactly stated as to who these disputants were, but mostly they are thought to be the contemporaries of the Noble Messenger (ﷺ), especially the people of the Torah who differed on their number and/or the Christians who came to the Messenger from Najran; the Jacobites (note: the Syrian Orthodox Church of Jacob Baradaeus) said they were three with their dog as their fourth and the Nestorians said that they were five and their dog being their sixth, whereas the Muslims said they were seven and their dog was their eighth (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3789] Groundless knowledge is merely shooting in the dark (rajman bi al-ghayb, lit. shooting at what is hidden from the eyessight (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt)); it hardly hits the target and if it does, it does so by mere chance (cf. Ibn Kathīr).
[3790] Most exegetes agree that this is the right number since God Almighty did not comment on this number as He did with the previous two (being merely ‘shooting in the dark’) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Rasʿanī).
But it is left open so that people get used to not delving into what is of next to no use to them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3791] God, the Knower of the Unseen, perfectly Knows for sure their exact number. His Knowledge is Perfect and far away from that which is based on mere conjecture and shooting in the dark, which may or may not hit the truth (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3792] Those few who have come to know their exact number come to it only through revelation (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). al-Shawkānī opines that this knowledge is not limited to their number but includes who they were.
[3793] Exegetes hold different opinions as to the exact nature of this mirā’an ẓāhiran (lit. plain argument) but they all boil down to roughly the same thing. Some say that it means limited to what the Qur’an says (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ), others hold that the argument should be of an irrefutable nature which does not take long to be agreed upon, for example, God Knows best their number (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr), yet others deem it to mean that it should be argued lightly not heatedly since no great benefit is to be gained from the details being contested over (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf).
As with whom he is only to argue cursorily, these were most likely to be the pagans either based on their prompting by the people of the Book or out of their own accord (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Since the Qur’an thwarted their plan by providing this account they naturally felt the urge to find fault with it.
[3794] Most exegetes hold that these are the People of the Book (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Saʿdī). This because their knowledge is only based on guesswork and not on infallible revelation (cf. Ibn Kathīr).
It is not exactly stated as to who these disputants were, but mostly they are thought to be the contemporaries of the Noble Messenger (ﷺ), especially the people of the Torah who differed on their number and/or the Christians who came to the Messenger from Najran; the Jacobites (note: the Syrian Orthodox Church of Jacob Baradaeus) said they were three with their dog as their fourth and the Nestorians said that they were five and their dog being their sixth, whereas the Muslims said they were seven and their dog was their eighth (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3789] Groundless knowledge is merely shooting in the dark (rajman bi al-ghayb, lit. shooting at what is hidden from the eyessight (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt)); it hardly hits the target and if it does, it does so by mere chance (cf. Ibn Kathīr).
[3790] Most exegetes agree that this is the right number since God Almighty did not comment on this number as He did with the previous two (being merely ‘shooting in the dark’) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Rasʿanī).
But it is left open so that people get used to not delving into what is of next to no use to them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3791] God, the Knower of the Unseen, perfectly Knows for sure their exact number. His Knowledge is Perfect and far away from that which is based on mere conjecture and shooting in the dark, which may or may not hit the truth (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3792] Those few who have come to know their exact number come to it only through revelation (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). al-Shawkānī opines that this knowledge is not limited to their number but includes who they were.
[3793] Exegetes hold different opinions as to the exact nature of this mirā’an ẓāhiran (lit. plain argument) but they all boil down to roughly the same thing. Some say that it means limited to what the Qur’an says (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ), others hold that the argument should be of an irrefutable nature which does not take long to be agreed upon, for example, God Knows best their number (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr), yet others deem it to mean that it should be argued lightly not heatedly since no great benefit is to be gained from the details being contested over (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf).
As with whom he is only to argue cursorily, these were most likely to be the pagans either based on their prompting by the people of the Book or out of their own accord (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Since the Qur’an thwarted their plan by providing this account they naturally felt the urge to find fault with it.
[3794] Most exegetes hold that these are the People of the Book (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Saʿdī). This because their knowledge is only based on guesswork and not on infallible revelation (cf. Ibn Kathīr).
التفاسير العربية:
وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَاْيۡءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٞ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا
[3795] Exegetes agree that reference here is made to the Noble Messenger’s reply to the Makkan pagans when they asked him about the Soul, the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned Sovereign. He replied to them that he would answer their queries tomorrow but without saying in shā’ Allāh (God willing) (cf. Introduction to this sura; Ibn al-Qayyim, Madārij al-Sālikīn, 2: 403).
The future is in God’s hands Alone and none can control it besides Him and none has a will over it without God’s permission (cf. al-Saʿdī): “You ˹people˺ cannot will none except that ˹which˺ Allah, the Lord of all beings Wills!” (81: 29)
The future is in God’s hands Alone and none can control it besides Him and none has a will over it without God’s permission (cf. al-Saʿdī): “You ˹people˺ cannot will none except that ˹which˺ Allah, the Lord of all beings Wills!” (81: 29)
التفاسير العربية:
إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلۡ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَهۡدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقۡرَبَ مِنۡ هَٰذَا رَشَدٗا
(24) Except that your Lord wills ˹it so˺. [3796]Remember your Lord when you forget and say: “May my Lord well direct me to what is nearer to guidedness than this!”
[3796] As soon as one remembers not saying in shā’ Allāh about doing a future action, one should say it. It is also taken to mean that when one forgets something, one should mention God as mentioning Him is a reason for remembering things (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَلَبِثُواْ فِي كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مِاْئَةٖ سِنِينَ وَٱزۡدَادُواْ تِسۡعٗا
(25) [3797]They remained in their cave for three hundred years and ˹another˺ nine more added to them[3798].
[3797] This nurturing interposition aside, God Almighty directs His Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to what is ‘nearer to guidedness’ by telling him in very precise terms the duration of their stay. This duration of their stay is of more significance than their number which gave rise to much argument (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3798] The duration of their stay is given in both the solar calendar (300 years) and the lunar calendar (300 and nine more years) (cf. al-Māwardī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Biqāʿī, al-Shinqīṭī). The reason behind stating the date in the two calendars is to leave no doubt whatsoever in the minds of any party who use one or the other of these two where this piece of information comes from (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Such is precise knowledge, based on Divine revelation, from that which is a far cry from it and which is based on jabbing in the dark.
[3798] The duration of their stay is given in both the solar calendar (300 years) and the lunar calendar (300 and nine more years) (cf. al-Māwardī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Biqāʿī, al-Shinqīṭī). The reason behind stating the date in the two calendars is to leave no doubt whatsoever in the minds of any party who use one or the other of these two where this piece of information comes from (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Such is precise knowledge, based on Divine revelation, from that which is a far cry from it and which is based on jabbing in the dark.
التفاسير العربية:
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُواْۖ لَهُۥ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ أَبۡصِرۡ بِهِۦ وَأَسۡمِعۡۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا يُشۡرِكُ فِي حُكۡمِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا
(26) [3799]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Allah Knows best the duration of their stay. To Him belongs the Unseen in the Heavens and Earth!” How Perfect His Sight and how Perfect His Hearing are![3800] They have no ally besides Him[3801]; He shares not His Decree with anyone![3802]
[3799] The One Who tells us the exact duration of their stay is none other than God Almighty, the Knower of the Unseen: “He ˹Allah˺ has the keys of the Unseen, only He knows them. He knows ˹all˺ what is there in the land and sea; not a leaf that falls without Him knowing about it, not a seed in the ˹deepest recess of the˺ darkness of Earth, not a thing moist nor dry except ˹it˺ being in a clarifying book” (6: 59).
[3800] Nothing escapes God’s Sight and Hearing (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Qāsimī): “Neither is a mote’s weight – nor smaller or greater – stashed away from your Lord in Earth nor in the sky without it being in a clarifying book” (10: 61).
[3801] God Almighty runs the affairs of all His creation with great care, as much as He cared for the Companions of the Cave. He delegates this to none (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3802] He shares His Decree over His creation and runs their affairs with none. He creates, sets destinations and rules over His creation unchecked (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
[3800] Nothing escapes God’s Sight and Hearing (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Qāsimī): “Neither is a mote’s weight – nor smaller or greater – stashed away from your Lord in Earth nor in the sky without it being in a clarifying book” (10: 61).
[3801] God Almighty runs the affairs of all His creation with great care, as much as He cared for the Companions of the Cave. He delegates this to none (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3802] He shares His Decree over His creation and runs their affairs with none. He creates, sets destinations and rules over His creation unchecked (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدٗا
(27) [3803]Recite ˹Muhammad˺ what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord; there is no changing His Words. You shall find no Shelter besides Him![3804]
[3803] The following are a string of reflective moralizing passages, up to the story of Moses and al-Khiḍr (q), carrying a number of messages to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ), the Believers around him, and crucially to the heedless Deniers so that they come to heed the Message.
The first of these is to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to deliver the Message as it is, heeding not the Deniers who incessantly kept on asking not only for things to be explained in it (like the story of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned Sovereign), but also for it to be altered (cf. 17: 73 and 10: 15) so as to praise their so-called gods (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This naturally irked the Messenger (ﷺ) who was keen on them becoming Muslims, even though the Call to Faith had almost met a dead-end at that juncture, so God tells him to ‘constrain himself in patience’ with the humble but true Believers, and not to listen to the haughty Deniers or their demands about the Message.
[3804] There is no escaping God’s Punishment, should the Message not be delivered, recited and followed as it is (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “O Messenger, convey what came down to you from your Lord ˹fully˺, but if you do not do ˹that˺, then you would have failed to deliver His Message; Allah will ˹certainly˺ shield you from people!” (5: 67)
The first of these is to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to deliver the Message as it is, heeding not the Deniers who incessantly kept on asking not only for things to be explained in it (like the story of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned Sovereign), but also for it to be altered (cf. 17: 73 and 10: 15) so as to praise their so-called gods (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This naturally irked the Messenger (ﷺ) who was keen on them becoming Muslims, even though the Call to Faith had almost met a dead-end at that juncture, so God tells him to ‘constrain himself in patience’ with the humble but true Believers, and not to listen to the haughty Deniers or their demands about the Message.
[3804] There is no escaping God’s Punishment, should the Message not be delivered, recited and followed as it is (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “O Messenger, convey what came down to you from your Lord ˹fully˺, but if you do not do ˹that˺, then you would have failed to deliver His Message; Allah will ˹certainly˺ shield you from people!” (5: 67)
التفاسير العربية:
وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُۥ فُرُطٗا
(28) Constrain yourself in patience with those who pray to their Lord early and late in the day seeking ˹only˺ His Face[3805]; do not ˹neither˺ avert your eyes from them[3806] seeking ˹out˺ the adornment of the worldly life[3807]; and do not obey whoever We made his heart ignorant of Our remembrance[3808] thus followed his vain desires[3809] and ˹hence all˺ his affairs are in shambles[3810].
[3805] The fact that they are busy with mentioning and praying to their Lord at these two busiest times of the day underlines how devoted they were (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “Only Allah has a decision; He declares the Truth—He is the best of adjudicators” (6: 57).
[3806] In these early days, the ones who sincerely Believed were mostly from among the underprivileged societal denominations, paupers and slaves, so out of sheer egotism when those belonging to the upper echelons of society wanted to sit with the Prophet they disdainfully demanded these ‘others’ be sent away. Saʿd Ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (رضي الله عنه) said: “We were with the Prophet (ﷺ), six of us, when the Associators said to him: “Send these away, lest they get overfamiliar with us!” He continued: “There were me, ˹ʿAbdullāh˺ Ibn Masʿūd, a man from ˹the clan of ˺ Hudhayl, Bilāl ˹Ibn Rabāḥ˺ and another two men whom I do not know their names. Something ˹of sorts˺ occurred to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then Allah sent down: “Do not ˹Muhammad˺ turn away those who pray to their Lord early and late in the day”” (Muslim: 2413).
Naturally, the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) did not want to do that but God told him against it as is usually the case with Divine teaching (cf. al-Qurṭubī). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) said: “That I stay with a group of people mentioning Allah from the Fajr Prayer until the sun shines is worthier to me than emancipating four of the ˹noble˺ sons of Ishmael. That I stay with a group of people mentioning Allah from the Asr Prayer until the sun sets is worthier to me than manumitting four ˹slaves˺” (Abū Dāwūd: 3667).
[3807] “˹Thus Muhammad˺ Do not linger your eyes on what We have made parties of them enjoy, do not feel sad over them and lower your wing for the Believers” (15: 88); “And do not linger your eyes to what We have given parties of them to enjoy – the flower of the worldly life – that We may test them therein; the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring” (20: 131).
[3808] Such a person ignored remembering God Almighty so God punished him by making him all the more ignorant (cf. al-Saʿdī): “So turn away from whoever has shunned Our Reminder, only seeking the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world” (53: 29).
[3809] By choosing Denial, idolatry and sinning over Believing, monotheism and dutifulness (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Shawkānī).
[3810] Furuṭan (in shambles) originates from al-ifrāṭ which means going to excess without check (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). That is in all his affairs he exceeds proportionate moderation. Thus, he goes over the Truth leaving it behind his back and his life is at a loss (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Biqāʿī, al-Shinqīṭī).
[3806] In these early days, the ones who sincerely Believed were mostly from among the underprivileged societal denominations, paupers and slaves, so out of sheer egotism when those belonging to the upper echelons of society wanted to sit with the Prophet they disdainfully demanded these ‘others’ be sent away. Saʿd Ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (رضي الله عنه) said: “We were with the Prophet (ﷺ), six of us, when the Associators said to him: “Send these away, lest they get overfamiliar with us!” He continued: “There were me, ˹ʿAbdullāh˺ Ibn Masʿūd, a man from ˹the clan of ˺ Hudhayl, Bilāl ˹Ibn Rabāḥ˺ and another two men whom I do not know their names. Something ˹of sorts˺ occurred to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and then Allah sent down: “Do not ˹Muhammad˺ turn away those who pray to their Lord early and late in the day”” (Muslim: 2413).
Naturally, the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) did not want to do that but God told him against it as is usually the case with Divine teaching (cf. al-Qurṭubī). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) said: “That I stay with a group of people mentioning Allah from the Fajr Prayer until the sun shines is worthier to me than emancipating four of the ˹noble˺ sons of Ishmael. That I stay with a group of people mentioning Allah from the Asr Prayer until the sun sets is worthier to me than manumitting four ˹slaves˺” (Abū Dāwūd: 3667).
[3807] “˹Thus Muhammad˺ Do not linger your eyes on what We have made parties of them enjoy, do not feel sad over them and lower your wing for the Believers” (15: 88); “And do not linger your eyes to what We have given parties of them to enjoy – the flower of the worldly life – that We may test them therein; the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring” (20: 131).
[3808] Such a person ignored remembering God Almighty so God punished him by making him all the more ignorant (cf. al-Saʿdī): “So turn away from whoever has shunned Our Reminder, only seeking the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world” (53: 29).
[3809] By choosing Denial, idolatry and sinning over Believing, monotheism and dutifulness (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Shawkānī).
[3810] Furuṭan (in shambles) originates from al-ifrāṭ which means going to excess without check (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). That is in all his affairs he exceeds proportionate moderation. Thus, he goes over the Truth leaving it behind his back and his life is at a loss (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Biqāʿī, al-Shinqīṭī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلۡيُؤۡمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلۡيَكۡفُرۡۚ إِنَّآ أَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمۡ سُرَادِقُهَاۚ وَإِن يَسۡتَغِيثُواْ يُغَاثُواْ بِمَآءٖ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ يَشۡوِي ٱلۡوُجُوهَۚ بِئۡسَ ٱلشَّرَابُ وَسَآءَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقًا
(29) [3811]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “˹This is˺ the Truth from your Lord[3812]. Whoever wishes, let him Believe and whoever wishes, let him Deny!” [3813]We have especially prepared a Fire for the unjust[3814], whose wall closes in on them and if they shout out for help, they will be helped with water; a smoldering, putrid fluid[3815] that sears faces—miserable indeed is the drink and sordid indeed is the retreat![3816]
[3811] Now that this message has been delivered to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ), he is told to unequivocally declare to the Deniers, in the face of their demands, that he would unyieldingly deliver the Message as it is. They are either to Believe or Deny: it is up to them; they should not expect compromises from his side (cf. al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3812] That Truth is from God Almighty Himself nonetheless. So no one should expect it to be altered or changed to accommodate their demands (cf. al-Shawkānī).
[3813] Those who choose Denial over Believing will have Hellfire as their final destination (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). So that they need to choose carefully (Abū Ḥayyān).
[3814] “Indeed the Deniers are the unjust ones!” (2: 254)
[3815] al-Muhl is generic for molten materials. It could be copper, lead or any such mineral which has reached its maximum temperature and/or murky oil (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). This is what they get for a drink to quench their raging thirst within Hell’s fire and this for choosing Denial over Belief!
[3816] “Verily, how evil an abode and a station!” (25: 66)
[3812] That Truth is from God Almighty Himself nonetheless. So no one should expect it to be altered or changed to accommodate their demands (cf. al-Shawkānī).
[3813] Those who choose Denial over Believing will have Hellfire as their final destination (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). So that they need to choose carefully (Abū Ḥayyān).
[3814] “Indeed the Deniers are the unjust ones!” (2: 254)
[3815] al-Muhl is generic for molten materials. It could be copper, lead or any such mineral which has reached its maximum temperature and/or murky oil (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). This is what they get for a drink to quench their raging thirst within Hell’s fire and this for choosing Denial over Belief!
[3816] “Verily, how evil an abode and a station!” (25: 66)
التفاسير العربية:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ مَنۡ أَحۡسَنَ عَمَلًا
(30) [3817]Verily, ˹as for˺ those who have Believed and done good deeds, We indeed do not render useless the reward of he who does well.
[3817] At the very other end of the extreme are the Believers, regaling like pampered kings in Paradise. The idolaters used to disdain these folk as riff-raff claiming that because of them they would never come to Believe. “Their Lord responded to them that: “I shall never render useless the deeds of any doer of you, male or female; you are each other’s other part. Those who migrated, were expelled from their lands, persecuted in My cause, fought and got killed, I shall expunge their misdeeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow;” a reward from Allah—indeed with Allah is the best of rewards” (3: 195).
التفاسير العربية:
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ يُحَلَّوۡنَ فِيهَا مِنۡ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٖ وَيَلۡبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضۡرٗا مِّن سُندُسٖ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقٖ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقٗا
(31) [3818]Those for whom are Gardens of Eternity[3819]; rivers running underneath them. Therein they are adorned with golden bracelets and put on green[3820] robes of sundus (fine silk) and istabraq (brocade)[3821] ˹while˺ reclining[3822] therein on divans—awesome indeed is the prize and splendid indeed is the retreat![3823]
[3818] The following is a detailing of their reward: their abode, their garments and adornments and their regal reclining (cf. al-Rāzī). While the abode of the Deniers is Hellfire, theirs are Gardens of Eternity; while the Deniers are served with muhl, they have whole rivers running under them; while the Deniers burn in Hell, they regale in silk garments and wear gold bracelets (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “Allah promised the Believers, male and female, Gardens under which rivers flow forever they abide therein and comely abodes in Gardens of Eternity, but a Pleasure from Allah is ˹ever˺ greater; that is ˹truly˺ the great triumph!” (9: 72)
[3819] Jannāt ʿAdn (lit. Gardens of Eternal Residence) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “In the Gardens of Eternity, ˹there are˺ two gardens. Their utensils and all that is there is made of silver; ˹and another˺ two gardens their utensils and all that is there is made of gold. Nothing keeps its dwellers from seeing their Lord except the Mantle of Loftiness on His Face” (al-Bukhārī: 4878, Muslim: 180).
[3820] The colour green has special significance since Arabs considered it an emblem of kings (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “If you were made to see you would see there great pampering and kingship; *on them are garments of green sundus and istabraq; they are adorned with sliver bracelets and their Lord gives them especially pure drink!” (76: 20-21)
[3821] They put on both at the same time: fine silk next to their skin to shield them against the roughness of the gold-threaded brocade, which is their outer garment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3822] The reclining posture is symbolic of comfort and luxury (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). It is the favorite poise of kings who are in possession of total indulgence and at their utmost comfort (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3823] The word ‘retreat’ (murtafaq) is employed to drum up the contrasting picture being drawn here between the ‘sordid retreat’ of the haughty Deniers (cf. Aya 27 above) and the ‘splendid retreat’ of the humble Believers (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3819] Jannāt ʿAdn (lit. Gardens of Eternal Residence) (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “In the Gardens of Eternity, ˹there are˺ two gardens. Their utensils and all that is there is made of silver; ˹and another˺ two gardens their utensils and all that is there is made of gold. Nothing keeps its dwellers from seeing their Lord except the Mantle of Loftiness on His Face” (al-Bukhārī: 4878, Muslim: 180).
[3820] The colour green has special significance since Arabs considered it an emblem of kings (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “If you were made to see you would see there great pampering and kingship; *on them are garments of green sundus and istabraq; they are adorned with sliver bracelets and their Lord gives them especially pure drink!” (76: 20-21)
[3821] They put on both at the same time: fine silk next to their skin to shield them against the roughness of the gold-threaded brocade, which is their outer garment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3822] The reclining posture is symbolic of comfort and luxury (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). It is the favorite poise of kings who are in possession of total indulgence and at their utmost comfort (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3823] The word ‘retreat’ (murtafaq) is employed to drum up the contrasting picture being drawn here between the ‘sordid retreat’ of the haughty Deniers (cf. Aya 27 above) and the ‘splendid retreat’ of the humble Believers (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
۞ وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلٗا رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَعۡنَٰبٖ وَحَفَفۡنَٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٖ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمَا زَرۡعٗا
(32) [3824]Set ˹Muhammad˺ for them[3825] as example two men[3826]. For one of them We provided two vineyards, surrounded them with palm trees, provided ˹various˺ plants between them;
[3824] The following is a morally charged, potent parable of the two parties who stand at both ends of the divide: the have-it-all Deniers and the have-not Believers. Their perception of life could not be more different (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Marāghī).
[3825] That is, the haughty Deniers who looked down on the dedicated Believers and demanded that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) expel them should he want to have them sit and listen to him (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿArafah, al-Saʿdī).
[3826] Exegetes differed about these two men, whether they were real or figurative (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī). However, be they real or figurative the moral of the story and how it is employed in the Qur’an is what one should bring to mind (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3825] That is, the haughty Deniers who looked down on the dedicated Believers and demanded that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) expel them should he want to have them sit and listen to him (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿArafah, al-Saʿdī).
[3826] Exegetes differed about these two men, whether they were real or figurative (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī). However, be they real or figurative the moral of the story and how it is employed in the Qur’an is what one should bring to mind (cf. al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
كِلۡتَا ٱلۡجَنَّتَيۡنِ ءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِم مِّنۡهُ شَيۡـٔٗاۚ وَفَجَّرۡنَا خِلَٰلَهُمَا نَهَرٗا
(33) –both vineyards yielded its harvest, holding back none of it – and We sent gushing a river ˹running˺ through them![3827]
[3827] If imagined correctly this would portray a very beautiful landscape (cf. al-Zajjāj, Maʿānī al-Qur’ān al-Karīm wa Iʿrābuhu, 284). One that is orderly, pleasing to the eye and replete with plentiful water, greenery and myriad edibles; grapes, palm dates and vegetables (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
التفاسير العربية:
وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٞ فَقَالَ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكۡثَرُ مِنكَ مَالٗا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرٗا
(34) He had ˹a great harvest of˺ fruits as he[3828] said to his fellow[3829] while arguing[3830] with him: “I am of a greater wealth and summoning[3831] than you!”
[3828] This affluent person stands for the arrogant Deniers of Makkah while his fellow stands for the few true Believers who were around the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) at that time (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).
[3829] Ṣāḥibuhu is the person with whom he is mentioned or the contending other (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr); thus, it is translated here as fellow not friend which is what comes to mind when the word ṣāḥib is mentioned.
[3830] That their interaction is called ‘argument’ (muḥāwarah) shows that he was earlier admonished by his fellow against leading a heathen life. To this he responded with this snobbish reply, meant at belittling his adversary (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3831] That is having more helpers (children, clan, servants and followers) who would come to his aid when summoned at times of need (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).
[3829] Ṣāḥibuhu is the person with whom he is mentioned or the contending other (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr); thus, it is translated here as fellow not friend which is what comes to mind when the word ṣāḥib is mentioned.
[3830] That their interaction is called ‘argument’ (muḥāwarah) shows that he was earlier admonished by his fellow against leading a heathen life. To this he responded with this snobbish reply, meant at belittling his adversary (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3831] That is having more helpers (children, clan, servants and followers) who would come to his aid when summoned at times of need (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٞ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَبَدٗا
(35) He entered his garden[3832] – being unjust to himself[3833] – and said: “I believe not that this[3834] shall ever decay!”
[3832] That is, accompanying his fellow to brag all the more about his fortunate lot in life and hence the following conversation ensued (cf. al-Shawkānī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3833] By Denying, waxing arrogance, haughtiness and disbelieving in resurrection and the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr). Arrogance blinds the eye from seeing the Truth for what it is and, thus, is equal to self-injustice.
[3834] Most exegetes see that he could have been alluding here to his garden (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī) out of great pride, but others observe that he could have been referring to the world and life itself and, thus, straight away denying the Hereafter (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Juzayy).
[3833] By Denying, waxing arrogance, haughtiness and disbelieving in resurrection and the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr). Arrogance blinds the eye from seeing the Truth for what it is and, thus, is equal to self-injustice.
[3834] Most exegetes see that he could have been alluding here to his garden (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī) out of great pride, but others observe that he could have been referring to the world and life itself and, thus, straight away denying the Hereafter (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Juzayy).
التفاسير العربية:
وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةٗ وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبٗا
(36) “And I think not that the Hour is ever coming. Shall I ever ˹perchance˺ be returned to my Lord, mine shall be a better rebound!”[3835]
[3835] Although not believing in the Hereafter altogether, in his mind he thought should there be a tiny possibility of it happening, based on his wrongful calculation of believing that he was only honoured in this life because God loved him, he projected his arrogance onto it. Hence he fell into the fallacy that could he ever be returned to Him, he should only expect greater honouring (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
Although acknowledging this reading, al-Saʿdī holds it that he only said so deridingly, which all the more highlights the extent of his rebelliousness.
Although acknowledging this reading, al-Saʿdī holds it that he only said so deridingly, which all the more highlights the extent of his rebelliousness.
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَرۡتَ بِٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰكَ رَجُلٗا
(37) His fellow said while arguing with him: “Did you Deny your Lord Who created you from dust, then from a drop, them perfectly formed you into a man!”[3836]
[3836] This is a detailed reply entailing the phases of creation: the father of humanity, Adam, was created from lowly dust (cf. 32: 7), and then his offspring spurted out from a mere sperm drop, ‘despised water’ (cf. 32: 8), and only for them to be formed into fully-fledged human beings with unlimited resources and capabilities.
Such a magnificent creation is evidence enough that the One Who created him in the first place is able over the recreation that he denies (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr), and that his creation is not all in vain: “Did you think then We had created you in vain, and that you would not be brought back to Us!” (23: 115)
al-Rāzī indicates that the allusion to him being formed into ‘a man’ points out that his creation was not in vain and that he, as all humans are, was created for the sole purpose of worshipping God Almighty, and thus they are endowed with the ability to carry out this duty. For this great endowment, they need to thank Him not deny Him so insolently.
Such a magnificent creation is evidence enough that the One Who created him in the first place is able over the recreation that he denies (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr), and that his creation is not all in vain: “Did you think then We had created you in vain, and that you would not be brought back to Us!” (23: 115)
al-Rāzī indicates that the allusion to him being formed into ‘a man’ points out that his creation was not in vain and that he, as all humans are, was created for the sole purpose of worshipping God Almighty, and thus they are endowed with the ability to carry out this duty. For this great endowment, they need to thank Him not deny Him so insolently.
التفاسير العربية:
لَّٰكِنَّا۠ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّيٓ أَحَدٗا
[3837] None is worthy of worship except God, the Beneficent Nurturer (rabb) of creation (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالٗا وَوَلَدٗا
(39) “˹Why˺ Wouldn’t you, when you enter your garden, say: “˹This is˺ What Allah willed[3838]. There is no power except through Allah!”[3839] Or did you see me below you in wealth and children?”[3840]
[3838] That is, the creation of this garden is by the Will of God, the Benefactor to whom all will be grateful (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3839] That is, the power which I have over the creation, maintenance and nurturing of the gardens comes only from God Almighty (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī).
Be it a mere utterance, this statement is of great significance because it is an outward manifestation that translates the Faith of the heart. Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of God (ﷺ) said: “O ʿAbdullāh Ibn Qays! Shall I not teach you a word which is one of the treasures of Paradise? ˹It is˺ There is no ability or power except through Allah (lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi Allāh)!” (al-Bukhārī: 6610; Muslim: 2704).
[3840] Although his fellow Denier treated him with great contempt, seeing him less well-to-do and having fewer children, this greatly pious fellow did not take it personally and only answered his first slight at the beginning of their interaction (cf. Aya 34 above) last and dealt with the most serious issue of Denial first (cf. al-Shawkānī).
[3839] That is, the power which I have over the creation, maintenance and nurturing of the gardens comes only from God Almighty (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī).
Be it a mere utterance, this statement is of great significance because it is an outward manifestation that translates the Faith of the heart. Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of God (ﷺ) said: “O ʿAbdullāh Ibn Qays! Shall I not teach you a word which is one of the treasures of Paradise? ˹It is˺ There is no ability or power except through Allah (lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā bi Allāh)!” (al-Bukhārī: 6610; Muslim: 2704).
[3840] Although his fellow Denier treated him with great contempt, seeing him less well-to-do and having fewer children, this greatly pious fellow did not take it personally and only answered his first slight at the beginning of their interaction (cf. Aya 34 above) last and dealt with the most serious issue of Denial first (cf. al-Shawkānī).
التفاسير العربية:
فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّيٓ أَن يُؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرٗا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهَا حُسۡبَانٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيدٗا زَلَقًا
(40) [3841]“May my Lord well give me what is better than your garden and send on it arrows[3842] from the sky and it becomes a slippery[3843] wasteland!”
[3841] Here, feeling the pinch of such a demeaning insult, he prayed in high hopes that God Almighty would reverse their lots so that both the reasons for insult and arrogance would be removed (cf. al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf).
[3842] Ḥusbān (translated here as arrows) in this meaning occurs only here in the Qur’an. As such it means projectiles being sent on the garden, be they stones or fire or any form of punishment. It also means short arrows (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). The nature of these ‘arrows’ was not specified, whether delivered as heavy rain, a thunderbolt, locusts, hail or fire (cf. al-Rasʿanī).
It is noteworthy to consider the other meaning of the word ḥusbān which occurs twice in the Qur’an: 6: 96 and 55: 5; meaning in precise calculation. This other meaning could also be applied to this occurrence (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This whereby he precisely calculated affliction, specifically sent on this Denier’s garden showed him that the punishment was not of a general nature but precisely calculated for him out of all those around him to let him know for certain that it occurred because of his Denial (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3843] He prayed that his adversary would find no use for this garden, after it had been so destroyed, even for taking a stroll through (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3842] Ḥusbān (translated here as arrows) in this meaning occurs only here in the Qur’an. As such it means projectiles being sent on the garden, be they stones or fire or any form of punishment. It also means short arrows (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). The nature of these ‘arrows’ was not specified, whether delivered as heavy rain, a thunderbolt, locusts, hail or fire (cf. al-Rasʿanī).
It is noteworthy to consider the other meaning of the word ḥusbān which occurs twice in the Qur’an: 6: 96 and 55: 5; meaning in precise calculation. This other meaning could also be applied to this occurrence (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This whereby he precisely calculated affliction, specifically sent on this Denier’s garden showed him that the punishment was not of a general nature but precisely calculated for him out of all those around him to let him know for certain that it occurred because of his Denial (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3843] He prayed that his adversary would find no use for this garden, after it had been so destroyed, even for taking a stroll through (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
التفاسير العربية:
أَوۡ يُصۡبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوۡرٗا فَلَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ لَهُۥ طَلَبٗا
[3844] Water is life and without it the garden would go to rack and ruin all the same.
التفاسير العربية:
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّيٓ أَحَدٗا
(42) [3845]His fruits were surrounded from all sides[3846] and he got to turning his palms ˹upwards and downwards in despair˺[3847] over what he spent in it (the garden) as it went to rack and ruin, saying: “O, how I wish I had not Associated any with my Lord!”[3848]
[3845] The hopes and prayers of the Believer came to be fulfilled and those of the Denier were only denied (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3846] Ruination encompassed all his vegetation (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
He was punished like so not merely because of his Denial. God Almighty could make Deniers enjoy life and bask in all its glory as long as they exist on Earth, but this one transgressed and used his wealth and money as cause for despising this poor Believer. Since he bragged about these blessings of his and used them to reject the Promise of God, of resurrection and the Hereafter, he deserved the punishment of being deprived of these very blessings. This example poses a very important moral lesson to the Makkan Associators who took their blessings as a means for disdaining from listening to the Call of Faith because such a situation would make them mix with those whom they considered inferior and hence they only asked the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to expel them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3847] This gesture points out the gripping desperation that he felt (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). He can be visualized hitting one of his palms with the other while turning them over (cf. al-Wāḥidī, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī); or that he was turning them both upside down simultaneously (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3848] Now that he has lost it all, he wishes that he had heeded the admonition of his fellow. By virtue of this he could have returned to his senses and repented from his grievous sins (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Saʿdī).
[3846] Ruination encompassed all his vegetation (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
He was punished like so not merely because of his Denial. God Almighty could make Deniers enjoy life and bask in all its glory as long as they exist on Earth, but this one transgressed and used his wealth and money as cause for despising this poor Believer. Since he bragged about these blessings of his and used them to reject the Promise of God, of resurrection and the Hereafter, he deserved the punishment of being deprived of these very blessings. This example poses a very important moral lesson to the Makkan Associators who took their blessings as a means for disdaining from listening to the Call of Faith because such a situation would make them mix with those whom they considered inferior and hence they only asked the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to expel them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3847] This gesture points out the gripping desperation that he felt (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). He can be visualized hitting one of his palms with the other while turning them over (cf. al-Wāḥidī, Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī); or that he was turning them both upside down simultaneously (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3848] Now that he has lost it all, he wishes that he had heeded the admonition of his fellow. By virtue of this he could have returned to his senses and repented from his grievous sins (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَلَمۡ تَكُن لَّهُۥ فِئَةٞ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا
[3849] A stark reminder of his vainglorious bragging to his fellow with his money and summoning! (Abū Ḥayyān, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبٗا
(44) There and then, the ˹true˺ helping out is Allah’s ˹Alone˺[3850], the True; His is a better prize and His is a better outcome![3851]
[3850] “We did not do them injustice, but they did themselves injustice. Their gods, whom they prayed to besides Allah, availed them nothing when your Lord’s Command came; indeed they increased them nothing but carnage!” (11: 101)
[3851] God Almighty is the best reward Giver to those who obey Him. The outcome of obeying Him is better than that of anyone else’s (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Baghawī).
[3851] God Almighty is the best reward Giver to those who obey Him. The outcome of obeying Him is better than that of anyone else’s (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Baghawī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخۡتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِيمٗا تَذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَٰحُۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مُّقۡتَدِرًا
(45) [3852]Set ˹Muhammad˺ for them[3853] the example of the worldly life as water[3854] which We send down from the sky, the plants of the land fuse with it, and soon it becomes brittle, ˹readily˺ scattered by the winds; Allah is ever Most-Able over everything.
[3852] This is the moral of the story of the two fellows. The thing that stood most between them and looking at the evidences of the Truth was their overindulgence in this ephemeral life with all its joys and their fallacy about the everlasting nature of the world coupled with the rejection of the Hereafter they espoused (cf. 45: 24). Hence God Almighty asked his Messenger (ﷺ) to give them this very potent example of the nature of life and worldly existence (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3853] These could be the haughty Deniers who asked the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to expel the poor Believers from his company (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī) or all people (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3854] This imagery beautifully captures the brevity and the transient nature of life. No sooner than rain hits the ground, it produces the plants which are a feast to the eye and mouth, they then turn into brittle debris readily blown away by the wind as if they never existed: “Indeed the example of the worldly life is nothing more than water that We send down from the sky; soon it gets mixed in the plants of the ground, the kind that people and animals consume, until when the land assumes its ornament and beautifies itself and its owners become sure that they are able over it, ˹there˺ comes upon it Our Command at night or in the morning and We make it mowed as if it did not thrive ˹only˺ yesterday—thus We detail the Signs for people who ponder!” (10: 24)
Life is like water: water hardly settles down and never remains static in one state, and nor does life. Water does not last forever and nor does life. No one enters into water without getting wet and everyone gets wet in life through its trials and temptations. If proportionate, water can be of great use but a deluge of it can be mightily destructive. In the same way, what is proportionate in life is useful, but overindulgence is harmful (cf. al-Qurṭubī).
[3853] These could be the haughty Deniers who asked the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) to expel the poor Believers from his company (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī) or all people (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3854] This imagery beautifully captures the brevity and the transient nature of life. No sooner than rain hits the ground, it produces the plants which are a feast to the eye and mouth, they then turn into brittle debris readily blown away by the wind as if they never existed: “Indeed the example of the worldly life is nothing more than water that We send down from the sky; soon it gets mixed in the plants of the ground, the kind that people and animals consume, until when the land assumes its ornament and beautifies itself and its owners become sure that they are able over it, ˹there˺ comes upon it Our Command at night or in the morning and We make it mowed as if it did not thrive ˹only˺ yesterday—thus We detail the Signs for people who ponder!” (10: 24)
Life is like water: water hardly settles down and never remains static in one state, and nor does life. Water does not last forever and nor does life. No one enters into water without getting wet and everyone gets wet in life through its trials and temptations. If proportionate, water can be of great use but a deluge of it can be mightily destructive. In the same way, what is proportionate in life is useful, but overindulgence is harmful (cf. al-Qurṭubī).
التفاسير العربية:
ٱلۡمَالُ وَٱلۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلٗا
(46) [3855]Money and sons[3856] are the adornment of the worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are a better prize with your Lord and are a better hope[3857].
[3855] One should not be swayed away from the reason for existence by the adornment of life; all of it will be gone one day (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).
[3856] al-Banūn is specific to male children. Arab idolaters used to take special pride in their sons (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf) rather than the daughters whom they took as bad omens (cf. Ibn ʿArafah).
These were what the Deniers cherished most in life, but the ‘everlasting good deeds’ are what the true Believers treasure most (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Prettified for mankind are objects of desire: women, children, hoards upon hoards of gold and silver, fine steeds, cattle and ploughing grounds; these are the pleasures of this worldly life, but with Allah lies the best of returns. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Shall I tell you what is better than this? For the Mindful with their Lord are Gardens under which rivers flow, in which they eternally abide; for them in these are purified spouses, and Pleasure from Allah—Allah is All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants. *They are the ones who say: “Our Lord, indeed we have Believed! Forgive us our sins, and spare us the torment of Hellfire”. *˹They are˺ The forbearing, the truthful, the utterly devout, the ˹charitably˺ spending, and the ˹persistently˺ asking for forgiveness in the late-night hours” (3: 14-17).
[3857] The doers of good deeds will reap their benefits in the everlasting Hereafter. They are way better than sheer worldly gains and those of sound minds are more rightly hopeful of their benefit both in this life and the life to come (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “The everlasting deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in return!” (19: 76); “Whoever does good, male or female, while being a Believer, We shall make them live a good life and We shall confer upon them their reward ˹as much as they would be˺ for the best of what they used to do” (16: 97).
Exegetes have varying opinions as to what exactly ‘everlasting good deeds’ (al-bāqiyāt al-ṣāliḥat) refers to. al-Shinqīṭī summarizes these views as referring to all the deeds which please God Almighty; be they the five daily Prayers, or the four words (found in the hadith below), because, unlike the transient adornment of life, they are ‘everlasting’ for their doers, and ‘good’ because they are carried out in a manner that pleases God Almighty.
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Subḥāna Allāh (Glory be to Allah), al-ḥamdu li-Allāh (All gratitude be to Allah), lā Ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but Allah) and Allāh-u akbar (Allah is Greater) are among the everlasting good deeds” (al-Albānī, Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 3264).
[3856] al-Banūn is specific to male children. Arab idolaters used to take special pride in their sons (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf) rather than the daughters whom they took as bad omens (cf. Ibn ʿArafah).
These were what the Deniers cherished most in life, but the ‘everlasting good deeds’ are what the true Believers treasure most (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Prettified for mankind are objects of desire: women, children, hoards upon hoards of gold and silver, fine steeds, cattle and ploughing grounds; these are the pleasures of this worldly life, but with Allah lies the best of returns. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Shall I tell you what is better than this? For the Mindful with their Lord are Gardens under which rivers flow, in which they eternally abide; for them in these are purified spouses, and Pleasure from Allah—Allah is All-Seeing of ˹His˺ servants. *They are the ones who say: “Our Lord, indeed we have Believed! Forgive us our sins, and spare us the torment of Hellfire”. *˹They are˺ The forbearing, the truthful, the utterly devout, the ˹charitably˺ spending, and the ˹persistently˺ asking for forgiveness in the late-night hours” (3: 14-17).
[3857] The doers of good deeds will reap their benefits in the everlasting Hereafter. They are way better than sheer worldly gains and those of sound minds are more rightly hopeful of their benefit both in this life and the life to come (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “The everlasting deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in return!” (19: 76); “Whoever does good, male or female, while being a Believer, We shall make them live a good life and We shall confer upon them their reward ˹as much as they would be˺ for the best of what they used to do” (16: 97).
Exegetes have varying opinions as to what exactly ‘everlasting good deeds’ (al-bāqiyāt al-ṣāliḥat) refers to. al-Shinqīṭī summarizes these views as referring to all the deeds which please God Almighty; be they the five daily Prayers, or the four words (found in the hadith below), because, unlike the transient adornment of life, they are ‘everlasting’ for their doers, and ‘good’ because they are carried out in a manner that pleases God Almighty.
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Subḥāna Allāh (Glory be to Allah), al-ḥamdu li-Allāh (All gratitude be to Allah), lā Ilāha illā Allāh (There is no god but Allah) and Allāh-u akbar (Allah is Greater) are among the everlasting good deeds” (al-Albānī, Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 3264).
التفاسير العربية:
وَيَوۡمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلۡجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَارِزَةٗ وَحَشَرۡنَٰهُمۡ فَلَمۡ نُغَادِرۡ مِنۡهُمۡ أَحَدٗا
(47) [3858]˹Mention Muhammad˺ The Day when We float the mountains away and you see the land all evident[3859], and We gather them leaving out none of them![3860]
[3858] The transient nature of existence is carried on here but with vivid imagery of some scenes of the Hereafter, which comes after the life they are so engrossed with (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Even the mountains, which are the only constant being in existence, that weather away the vicissitudes of time and are never changed or decayed, will come to be removed: “They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about the mountains. Say: “My Lord will blast them into nothing; * He leaves it ˹the ground˺ a barren plain. You will see no crookedness or curvature therein!” (20: 105-107)
[3859] That is, all flattened out with no place to hide anyone (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3860] “Not one of all ˹beings˺ that are in the Heavens or on Earth appears before the Most-Merciful other than as a servant. *Indeed, He fully knows them and has counted them precisely. *And each of them will return to Him on the Day of Judgement all alone” (19: 93-95)
Even the mountains, which are the only constant being in existence, that weather away the vicissitudes of time and are never changed or decayed, will come to be removed: “They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about the mountains. Say: “My Lord will blast them into nothing; * He leaves it ˹the ground˺ a barren plain. You will see no crookedness or curvature therein!” (20: 105-107)
[3859] That is, all flattened out with no place to hide anyone (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3860] “Not one of all ˹beings˺ that are in the Heavens or on Earth appears before the Most-Merciful other than as a servant. *Indeed, He fully knows them and has counted them precisely. *And each of them will return to Him on the Day of Judgement all alone” (19: 93-95)
التفاسير العربية:
وَعُرِضُواْ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفّٗا لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةِۭۚ بَلۡ زَعَمۡتُمۡ أَلَّن نَّجۡعَلَ لَكُم مَّوۡعِدٗا
(48) They are displayed to your Lord in a row[3861]; “Here you have come to Us as We have created you the first time[3862]. Nay, but you claimed that We would not make you an appointment!”
[3861] Even here, how they stand in front of God Almighty emphasizes the idea that they have nothing to hide behind (cf. al-Nasafī, al-Qāsimī, al-Saʿdī). This is a stern wake-up call for them to realize that the promise of them meeting God is very true.
[3862] That is, with nothing of the worldly gains that they used to brag about during their days (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samarqandī, al-Qurṭubī).
Although applying to all people, given the context of revelation, the addressees here might be taken to be primarily the insolent Associators who used to lord it over the poor Believers. Here they have come, unclad, bare-footed with neither money nor helpers (cf. al-Rāzī).
[3862] That is, with nothing of the worldly gains that they used to brag about during their days (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samarqandī, al-Qurṭubī).
Although applying to all people, given the context of revelation, the addressees here might be taken to be primarily the insolent Associators who used to lord it over the poor Believers. Here they have come, unclad, bare-footed with neither money nor helpers (cf. al-Rāzī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَوُضِعَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ مُشۡفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَٰوَيۡلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةٗ وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحۡصَىٰهَاۚ وَوَجَدُواْ مَا عَمِلُواْ حَاضِرٗاۗ وَلَا يَظۡلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدٗا
(49) [3863]The book is laid down[3864], and you see the criminals apprehensive of what is ˹written down˺ in it and say: “Woe be us! What is the matter with this book! It leaves out not a matter, small or big, without noting it down!” They found what they committed present[3865]—your Lord never does anyone an injustice![3866]
[3863] The past tense employed here vividly brings the scenes of these future happenings to mind and imparts a sense of certainty to them (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3864] “To every human We have tethered his fate to his neck; and on the Day of Judgement, We bring out to him a book which he finds spread wide! *“Read your book, yourself is enough as a reckoner over you this Day!”” (17: 14-15)
[3865] “On the Day in which every soul shall find all the good that it did ˹made˺ available ˹for it˺; ˹but˺ every foul ˹deed˺ that it has committed, it wishes it would be at a great distance from it ˹the foul deed˺; Allah warns you ˹to beware˺ of Himself—Allah is Most Compassionate to ˹His˺ servants” (3: 30).
[3866] “Verily Allah does not deal ˹anyone˺ unjustly as much as a mote’s weight; if it is a ˹one˺ good deed done, then He multiplies it and grants from His own ˹additionally˺ a great reward” (4: 40).
[3864] “To every human We have tethered his fate to his neck; and on the Day of Judgement, We bring out to him a book which he finds spread wide! *“Read your book, yourself is enough as a reckoner over you this Day!”” (17: 14-15)
[3865] “On the Day in which every soul shall find all the good that it did ˹made˺ available ˹for it˺; ˹but˺ every foul ˹deed˺ that it has committed, it wishes it would be at a great distance from it ˹the foul deed˺; Allah warns you ˹to beware˺ of Himself—Allah is Most Compassionate to ˹His˺ servants” (3: 30).
[3866] “Verily Allah does not deal ˹anyone˺ unjustly as much as a mote’s weight; if it is a ˹one˺ good deed done, then He multiplies it and grants from His own ˹additionally˺ a great reward” (4: 40).
التفاسير العربية:
وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأٓدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِۦٓۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمۡ لَكُمۡ عَدُوُّۢۚ بِئۡسَ لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ بَدَلٗا
(50) [3867]˹Mention Muhammad˺ When We said to the angels: “Prostrate to Adam!” They ˹all˺ prostrated except Iblīs; he was one of the jinn[3868], and he rebelled against the Command of his Lord! Do you then take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me while they being an enemy to you! [3869]Sordid indeed is the exchange of the unjust![3870]
[3867] The ones who waxed arrogant against the pious Believers are like the most rebellious creature in existence, Satan himself, who saw himself as superior to Adam (cf. 15: 33 and 17: 61) and refused to bow to him on this account and disobeyed God Almighty’s command. The snobbish Makkan elite are made mindful of this incident so that they do not go on following in Satan’s footsteps (cf. al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). They obey him and do his bidding and disobey the Command of God Almighty (cf. al-Ṭabarī).
[3868] He is identified as ‘one of the jinn’, to give the reason why he disobeyed God Almighty’s command (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī). The angels are all honourable creatures of light and would never disobey their Lord (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Ḥazm, al-Faṣl, 4: 28).
The species, jinn, are also mentioned so as to relate Satan to them, he being their father who scorned the father of all humans and particularly the Arabs here who used to worship his offspring: “They ascribe jinn as partners to Allah!” (6: 100); “They pray to none besides Him but females; they only pray to a rebelliously defiant Devil” (4: 117).
Demons could have possessed their idols and communicated through them; they also used to seek refuge from the evil of the jinn by appraising them and slaughtering sacrifices in their cause (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 14: 283-284; Ibn al-Qayyim, Shifā’ al-ʿAlīl, p. 27).
[3869] Sordid indeed is the exchange of God Almighty, the All-Munificent Benefactor, for Satan who despised their father, caused him and his wife to be ousted from Paradise, and he, along with his fellow demons, continue to lead people astray from the right Path and into Hell’s way (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Did I not enjoin you, Children of Adam, not to worship Satan? He verily is an open enemy to you! *And that you must worship Me; this ˹Mine˺ is a Straight Path! *He had indeed led a great multitude of you astray; were you not taking heed!” (36: 60-62)
[3870] The ‘unjust’ (al-ẓālimūn) are the Associators (who are described as such much throughout the sura, cf. Ayas: 29, 35 and 57) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf). Who is more unjust to themselves than those who take their real enemy as an ally (cf. al-Saʿdī)?. Not putting things in their proper place is an injustice (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Shinqīṭī).
[3868] He is identified as ‘one of the jinn’, to give the reason why he disobeyed God Almighty’s command (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī). The angels are all honourable creatures of light and would never disobey their Lord (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Ḥazm, al-Faṣl, 4: 28).
The species, jinn, are also mentioned so as to relate Satan to them, he being their father who scorned the father of all humans and particularly the Arabs here who used to worship his offspring: “They ascribe jinn as partners to Allah!” (6: 100); “They pray to none besides Him but females; they only pray to a rebelliously defiant Devil” (4: 117).
Demons could have possessed their idols and communicated through them; they also used to seek refuge from the evil of the jinn by appraising them and slaughtering sacrifices in their cause (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 14: 283-284; Ibn al-Qayyim, Shifā’ al-ʿAlīl, p. 27).
[3869] Sordid indeed is the exchange of God Almighty, the All-Munificent Benefactor, for Satan who despised their father, caused him and his wife to be ousted from Paradise, and he, along with his fellow demons, continue to lead people astray from the right Path and into Hell’s way (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Did I not enjoin you, Children of Adam, not to worship Satan? He verily is an open enemy to you! *And that you must worship Me; this ˹Mine˺ is a Straight Path! *He had indeed led a great multitude of you astray; were you not taking heed!” (36: 60-62)
[3870] The ‘unjust’ (al-ẓālimūn) are the Associators (who are described as such much throughout the sura, cf. Ayas: 29, 35 and 57) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf). Who is more unjust to themselves than those who take their real enemy as an ally (cf. al-Saʿdī)?. Not putting things in their proper place is an injustice (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Shinqīṭī).
التفاسير العربية:
۞ مَّآ أَشۡهَدتُّهُمۡ خَلۡقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا خَلۡقَ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ ٱلۡمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدٗا
(51) [3871]I have not made them (the devils) witness the creation of the Heavens and Earth nor the creation of their own selves; I would not have taken as aides those who guide astray![3872]
[3871] Those who were not privy to the magnificent act of creation of something as big as the Heavens and Earth and were, in fact, themselves created from non-existence, are not worthy ‘Associates’ of God Almighty and less so worthy of worship (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3872] God Almighty, the source of guidance, would not take the main cause of misguidance as helpers (Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3872] God Almighty, the source of guidance, would not take the main cause of misguidance as helpers (Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ نَادُواْ شُرَكَآءِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ فَدَعَوۡهُمۡ فَلَمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَهُم مَّوۡبِقٗا
(52) [3873]˹Mention Muhammad˺ The Day when He says: “Call out My Associates that you claimed!”[3874] They called out for them but they did not respond to them and We set up a ˹ruinous˺ barrier between them[3875].
[3873] The gods they took for themselves, whom they claimed were Associates of God Almighty, betrayed them and misguided them in the worldly life and will come to let them down when they need them most in the Hereafter (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, al-Saʿdī).
[3874] “Indeed you have come to Us each one separately just as We created you in the first time and you left behind ˹all˺ what We conferred on you. We do not see your intercessors with you, those you ˹falsely˺ claimed are partners ˹with Us˺ in you; all has been severed between you ˹and them˺ and all that which you once claimed has deserted you” (6: 94).
[3875] “On the Day We gather them all, then We say to those who Associated: “At your spot! You and your ˹idol˺ Associates!” Then ˹soon˺ We disassociated them ˹from each other˺; and their Associates said: “Never were you worshipping us! *Allah is sufficient as Witness between us and you that we were ˹totally˺ unaware of your worship!” *There every soul scrutinizes what it did before; and they are returned to Allah their Master, the Real, and what they used to fabricate deserted them!” (10: 28-30).
[3874] “Indeed you have come to Us each one separately just as We created you in the first time and you left behind ˹all˺ what We conferred on you. We do not see your intercessors with you, those you ˹falsely˺ claimed are partners ˹with Us˺ in you; all has been severed between you ˹and them˺ and all that which you once claimed has deserted you” (6: 94).
[3875] “On the Day We gather them all, then We say to those who Associated: “At your spot! You and your ˹idol˺ Associates!” Then ˹soon˺ We disassociated them ˹from each other˺; and their Associates said: “Never were you worshipping us! *Allah is sufficient as Witness between us and you that we were ˹totally˺ unaware of your worship!” *There every soul scrutinizes what it did before; and they are returned to Allah their Master, the Real, and what they used to fabricate deserted them!” (10: 28-30).
التفاسير العربية:
وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِي هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٖۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَكۡثَرَ شَيۡءٖ جَدَلٗا
(54) We have expounded in this Qur’an for humans all sorts of examples[3876] but humans[3877] are the most argumentative thing![3878]
[3876] Among these examples are the ones posed for those who treated the Believers as inferior (cf. Ayah 32 and 45) and which are enough to uncloud their vision (cf. al-Rāzī).
The examples with which the Qur’an abounds are of all sorts and are expressed in various ways and styles, so that people may become mindful and be guided to the Truth (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3877] The word used here al-insān (singular for human), is generic for the human race and is of a more general nature than the word al-nās (lit. humans) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3878] Generally, people, by their nature, are always argumentative; always defending their position. They are hardly willing to acknowledge the Truth and heed admonition (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “He created man from a ˹mere˺ drop and lo, he is an articulate, ˹ardent˺ opponent!” (16: 4).
However, the context of this aya points to the tendency for argumentation for what is not true (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Quoting the next aya, al-Zajjāj (quoted in al-Shawkānī) sees that this observation pertains to the Deniers, more than anyone else.
The examples with which the Qur’an abounds are of all sorts and are expressed in various ways and styles, so that people may become mindful and be guided to the Truth (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3877] The word used here al-insān (singular for human), is generic for the human race and is of a more general nature than the word al-nās (lit. humans) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3878] Generally, people, by their nature, are always argumentative; always defending their position. They are hardly willing to acknowledge the Truth and heed admonition (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “He created man from a ˹mere˺ drop and lo, he is an articulate, ˹ardent˺ opponent!” (16: 4).
However, the context of this aya points to the tendency for argumentation for what is not true (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Quoting the next aya, al-Zajjāj (quoted in al-Shawkānī) sees that this observation pertains to the Deniers, more than anyone else.
التفاسير العربية:
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَيَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَأۡتِيَهُمۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ أَوۡ يَأۡتِيَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ قُبُلٗا
(55) [3879]Nothing withheld people from Believing, when guidance came to them, and to seek their Lord’s forgiveness, barring[3880] that the canon of the ancients[3881] befalls them or that the Punishment comes upon them barefaced[3882].
[3879] This and the following ayas, as well as the next passage, reflect on the then ongoing stalemate and mounting opposition in Makkah, where the Call of Faith did not make much progress, beyond the commoners, especially with the Makkan oligarchy whose arguments and demands knew no end. This reflection aims at comforting the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) who found their intransigence particularly exasperating (cf. Aya 6 above; Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf).
[3880] Given the structure of this sentence with the deletion of muḍāf (head of the genitive construct, lit. the added to) and the mentioning of the muḍāf ilayh (the genitive construct, lit. the added to it), the reason for them not to Believe was interpreted differently by exegetes (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd). They differently fill in what is deleted as follows:
that what prevented them from Believing was God Almighty’s Decree which was as per His Sempiternal Knowledge whereby they would not come to Believe (cf. al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Juzayy, al-Shinqīṭī).
That what prevented them from Believing was the same reason that prevented previous doomed nations, i.e. their habit of intransigence and transgression (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
That what prevented them from Believing was their anticipation of the response to their demand that Punishment should befall them as proof of the truthfulness of the Message (cf. Makkī, al-Hidāyah, al-Zajjāj, Maʿānī al-Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr).
However, on a pragmatic level, al-Rāzī and Ibn ʿĀshūr, take this to be a threat to the Deniers, that they should Believe or that the Punishment of the earlier nations would come to befall them: “Indeed We have sent ˹Messengers˺ before you for companies of old; *never does a Messenger come to them without them ridiculing him. *Like so We give it ˹Denial˺ passage in the hearts of criminals; *never are they to Believe in it ˹the Reminder˺, though the canon of the ancients already came to pass!” (15: 10-13)
[3881] Sunnat al-awwalīn (also found in 15: 13, 18: 55, 35: 43) or Sunnat Allāh (as in 33: 38 and 62, 35: 43, 40: 85, 48: 23) is used invariably to caution in the Qur’an; the earlier nations who rebelled against God were destroyed. People are always encouraged to consider their fate vis-a-vis the fate of earlier nations and contemplate God’s time-honoured law: “… then do they await except the canon of the ancients? But you shall never find any change in the canon of Allah; you shall never find any alteration in the canon of Allah. *Have they not travelled through the land and observed how the end of those before them was; they were ˹even˺ greater than them in power. Allah is not to be frustrated by anything in the Heavens or on Earth – He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful” (35: 43-44).
[3882] They see it unmasked, in front of their faces (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Certainly ˹Muhammad˺, the ones over whom the Word of your Lord has come true, will never Believe; *not ever if every Sign was to come to them, until they ˹actually˺ see the painful Punishment!” (10: 96-97)
[3880] Given the structure of this sentence with the deletion of muḍāf (head of the genitive construct, lit. the added to) and the mentioning of the muḍāf ilayh (the genitive construct, lit. the added to it), the reason for them not to Believe was interpreted differently by exegetes (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd). They differently fill in what is deleted as follows:
that what prevented them from Believing was God Almighty’s Decree which was as per His Sempiternal Knowledge whereby they would not come to Believe (cf. al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Juzayy, al-Shinqīṭī).
That what prevented them from Believing was the same reason that prevented previous doomed nations, i.e. their habit of intransigence and transgression (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
That what prevented them from Believing was their anticipation of the response to their demand that Punishment should befall them as proof of the truthfulness of the Message (cf. Makkī, al-Hidāyah, al-Zajjāj, Maʿānī al-Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr).
However, on a pragmatic level, al-Rāzī and Ibn ʿĀshūr, take this to be a threat to the Deniers, that they should Believe or that the Punishment of the earlier nations would come to befall them: “Indeed We have sent ˹Messengers˺ before you for companies of old; *never does a Messenger come to them without them ridiculing him. *Like so We give it ˹Denial˺ passage in the hearts of criminals; *never are they to Believe in it ˹the Reminder˺, though the canon of the ancients already came to pass!” (15: 10-13)
[3881] Sunnat al-awwalīn (also found in 15: 13, 18: 55, 35: 43) or Sunnat Allāh (as in 33: 38 and 62, 35: 43, 40: 85, 48: 23) is used invariably to caution in the Qur’an; the earlier nations who rebelled against God were destroyed. People are always encouraged to consider their fate vis-a-vis the fate of earlier nations and contemplate God’s time-honoured law: “… then do they await except the canon of the ancients? But you shall never find any change in the canon of Allah; you shall never find any alteration in the canon of Allah. *Have they not travelled through the land and observed how the end of those before them was; they were ˹even˺ greater than them in power. Allah is not to be frustrated by anything in the Heavens or on Earth – He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful” (35: 43-44).
[3882] They see it unmasked, in front of their faces (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Certainly ˹Muhammad˺, the ones over whom the Word of your Lord has come true, will never Believe; *not ever if every Sign was to come to them, until they ˹actually˺ see the painful Punishment!” (10: 96-97)
التفاسير العربية:
وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَۚ وَيُجَٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِي وَمَآ أُنذِرُواْ هُزُوٗا
(56) [3883]We only send Messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners; yet those who are Denying argue with falsehood ˹seeking˺ to rout the Truth with it, and they took My Signs and what they have been warned against for mockery!
[3883] Since enough evidence is given in the Qur’an and various examples are posited, and whereby people tend to argue out of lack of willingness to change their views and position, the Messenger is not to concern himself with their turf wars (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۡهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُۚ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ وَفِيٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَقۡرٗاۖ وَإِن تَدۡعُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهۡتَدُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدٗا
(57) [3884]Who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord and he turns away from them forgetting what his hands had sent forth[3885]; verily We have put sheathes upon their hearts lest that they should comprehend it (the Qur’an)[3886] and in their ears there is an impairment[3887]. Should you ˹Muhammad˺ call them to guidance, so they would not ever find guidance[3888].
[3884] These prior nations met their eventful end, the canon of the ancients, because they committed the grave injustice of Denial. The Makkans should have no doubt in their mind that they also committed the ultimate injustice by turning their back on and scorning the Call of Faith and thus are well deserving of Divine Punishment. They, however, will await the appointed time of its happening just like that of the towns of those who came before them (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3885] That is, he did not reflect on his evil deeds, rebelling against God and the Denying he committed and ‘forgot’, caring not a bit, about their evil consequences (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr). This is despite the fact that sound human nature acknowledges what is good and what is evil and that he was time and again warned against them by the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3886] Such a ‘comprehension’ with which comes benefit (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “For him whom God does not give any light, there is no light” (24: 40).
[3887] Their aversion to and heedlessness of the Message has a reason (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This they earned in return for their ardent Denial (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān) and because their hearts are smitten with the disease of doubt: “We keep on turning their hearts and their sights away for not Believing in it the first time and ˹thus˺ We leave them to wander aimlessly in their ˹unbending˺ recalcitrance” (6: 110); “And We put sheaths over their hearts lest they would perceive it, and in their ears there is impairment; when you mention your Lord ˹being˺ Alone, in the Qur’an, they turn on their heels in aversion” (17: 46); “So when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate; Allah does not guide the rebellious people” (61: 5).
[3888] The fact of the matter is laid bare before the Messenger (ﷺ); eager as he was, they would never Believe. Guidance is in God’s Hand: “Never will most people be eager as you are ˹Muhammad˺ to Believe!” (12: 103). “Certainly ˹Muhammad˺, the ones over whom the Word of your Lord has come true, will never Believe; *not ever if every Sign was to come to them, until they ˹actually˺ see the painful Punishment (10: 96-97).
al-Shinqīṭī comments: “This aya and its likes in the Qur’an have two well-known interpretations. The first, is that they pertain to those whom in Allah’s Prior Knowledge would be ill-fated. The second, is that they find no guidance as long as they don the mantle of Denial. But, if Allah guides them to Belief and they relent, the cause ˹of misguidance˺ will be removed. However, the first interpretation is the closer of the two. Allah Knows best!”
[3885] That is, he did not reflect on his evil deeds, rebelling against God and the Denying he committed and ‘forgot’, caring not a bit, about their evil consequences (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr). This is despite the fact that sound human nature acknowledges what is good and what is evil and that he was time and again warned against them by the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3886] Such a ‘comprehension’ with which comes benefit (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “For him whom God does not give any light, there is no light” (24: 40).
[3887] Their aversion to and heedlessness of the Message has a reason (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). This they earned in return for their ardent Denial (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān) and because their hearts are smitten with the disease of doubt: “We keep on turning their hearts and their sights away for not Believing in it the first time and ˹thus˺ We leave them to wander aimlessly in their ˹unbending˺ recalcitrance” (6: 110); “And We put sheaths over their hearts lest they would perceive it, and in their ears there is impairment; when you mention your Lord ˹being˺ Alone, in the Qur’an, they turn on their heels in aversion” (17: 46); “So when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate; Allah does not guide the rebellious people” (61: 5).
[3888] The fact of the matter is laid bare before the Messenger (ﷺ); eager as he was, they would never Believe. Guidance is in God’s Hand: “Never will most people be eager as you are ˹Muhammad˺ to Believe!” (12: 103). “Certainly ˹Muhammad˺, the ones over whom the Word of your Lord has come true, will never Believe; *not ever if every Sign was to come to them, until they ˹actually˺ see the painful Punishment (10: 96-97).
al-Shinqīṭī comments: “This aya and its likes in the Qur’an have two well-known interpretations. The first, is that they pertain to those whom in Allah’s Prior Knowledge would be ill-fated. The second, is that they find no guidance as long as they don the mantle of Denial. But, if Allah guides them to Belief and they relent, the cause ˹of misguidance˺ will be removed. However, the first interpretation is the closer of the two. Allah Knows best!”
التفاسير العربية:
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِۖ لَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُواْ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابَۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوۡعِدٞ لَّن يَجِدُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوۡئِلٗا
(58) [3889]Your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Possessor of Mercy[3890], should He bring them to account over what they have ˹truly˺ earned, He would have hasted the Punishment to them. Nay, but they have a ˹set˺ appointment, they would not find an escape from it!
[3889] The following statement is made so that no one should be too eager for their Punishment to be hastened, since their guidance is not possible (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar). As with previous doomed nations their Punishment has an appointed time and the situation might change between now and then should they come to their senses and repent (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3890] A God Who is Ghafūr (All-Forgiving), Dhūl Raḥmah (The Possessor of Mercy) would not hasten their Punishment, although they well deserved it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah): “Were Allah to take mankind to task for that which they have earned, He would not leave a single creature upon the surface of the earth. But He grants them reprieve till a term appointed; when their term comes, truly Allah is All-Seeing of His servants!” (35: 45)
[3890] A God Who is Ghafūr (All-Forgiving), Dhūl Raḥmah (The Possessor of Mercy) would not hasten their Punishment, although they well deserved it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah): “Were Allah to take mankind to task for that which they have earned, He would not leave a single creature upon the surface of the earth. But He grants them reprieve till a term appointed; when their term comes, truly Allah is All-Seeing of His servants!” (35: 45)
التفاسير العربية:
وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهُمۡ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ وَجَعَلۡنَا لِمَهۡلِكِهِم مَّوۡعِدٗا
(59) [3891]Those ˹are the˺ towns ˹that˺ We have destroyed[3892] when they committed injustice, and We made an appointment for their destruction.
[3891] A case in hand is cited here. Earlier nations who committed the equally macabre injustice of scorning the Call of Faith met their doom and God’s never changing canon befell them at its appointed hour (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[3892] These towns are most probably those of the ʿĀd, Thamūd, Midian and others whom the Arabs were quite familiar with or had heard of (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “These accounts We relate to you ˹Muhammad˺, of the ˹bygone˺ towns; some are still standing ˹deserted˺, while others have been mowed down. *We did not wrong them but they wronged themselves; the gods they prayed to besides Allah availed them nothing: when Allah’s Command came upon them, they increased them in nothing except destruction. *That is how your Lord seizes the townships as He seizes them when they are wrongdoers. His seizing is indeed painful, severe. *Truly in that is a Sign for those who fear the Punishment of the Hereafter. That is a Day on which mankind shall be gathered together, and that is a Day that shall be witnessed” (11: 100-103).
[3892] These towns are most probably those of the ʿĀd, Thamūd, Midian and others whom the Arabs were quite familiar with or had heard of (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “These accounts We relate to you ˹Muhammad˺, of the ˹bygone˺ towns; some are still standing ˹deserted˺, while others have been mowed down. *We did not wrong them but they wronged themselves; the gods they prayed to besides Allah availed them nothing: when Allah’s Command came upon them, they increased them in nothing except destruction. *That is how your Lord seizes the townships as He seizes them when they are wrongdoers. His seizing is indeed painful, severe. *Truly in that is a Sign for those who fear the Punishment of the Hereafter. That is a Day on which mankind shall be gathered together, and that is a Day that shall be witnessed” (11: 100-103).
التفاسير العربية:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبۡرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبۡلُغَ مَجۡمَعَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَيۡنِ أَوۡ أَمۡضِيَ حُقُبٗا
(60) [3893]˹Mention Muhammad˺ [3894]When Mūsā (Moses) said to his ˹servant˺ boy: “I shall not cease until I reach the joining of the two seas or ˹if not˺ I shall keep moving ˹on˺ for times of length!”
[3893] This, as opposed to the attitude of both the Qurayshites and Satan himself, which has already been mentioned, is a great lesson in humbleness. Moses, the great Messenger (ﷺ), the one to whom God spoke directly without a medium (kalīm Allāh), stood in need of knowledge, thus showing practically that humbleness is superior to arrogance (cf. al-Marāghī, al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
This story also goes on to show that being a Messenger does not necessarily entail owning all knowledge (cf. al-Shawkānī). Thus nodding at the Jews who advised the Makkans to question the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) about the stories of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned Sovereign claiming that if he told them about these then he was a real Prophet, otherwise, he was merely an imposter (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3894] This story is mentioned in great detail in al-Bukhārī (78 and 122) and Muslim (2380). The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) tells one story of Moses (عليه السلام) as he stood delivering a speech to the Children of Israel. One of them asked him if he knew anyone more knowledgeable than he was and he replied in the negative. Then God revealed to him that His servant, al-Khiḍr, was of greater knowledge than himself. Moses then asked God about a way of meeting him and he was told to seek him out where the fish come to life and swim into the sea (al-Bukhārī: 78) or where the two seas meet (al-Bukhārī: 122). Then the story unfolds as it is being told here in the Glorious Qur’an.
This story also goes on to show that being a Messenger does not necessarily entail owning all knowledge (cf. al-Shawkānī). Thus nodding at the Jews who advised the Makkans to question the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) about the stories of the Companions of the Cave and the Two-Horned Sovereign claiming that if he told them about these then he was a real Prophet, otherwise, he was merely an imposter (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3894] This story is mentioned in great detail in al-Bukhārī (78 and 122) and Muslim (2380). The Noble Messenger (ﷺ) tells one story of Moses (عليه السلام) as he stood delivering a speech to the Children of Israel. One of them asked him if he knew anyone more knowledgeable than he was and he replied in the negative. Then God revealed to him that His servant, al-Khiḍr, was of greater knowledge than himself. Moses then asked God about a way of meeting him and he was told to seek him out where the fish come to life and swim into the sea (al-Bukhārī: 78) or where the two seas meet (al-Bukhārī: 122). Then the story unfolds as it is being told here in the Glorious Qur’an.
التفاسير العربية:
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجۡمَعَ بَيۡنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ سَرَبٗا
(61) When they reached the joining of them (the seas), they forgot their fish and it took its path in the sea burrowing![3895]
[3895] Saraban (translated here as burrowing) describes the movement of the fish in the sea. They cut their way in the shape of a tunnel (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, Abū al-Suʿūd).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَ إِذۡ أَوَيۡنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخۡرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ ٱلۡحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَنۡ أَذۡكُرَهُۥۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا
(63) He (the servant boy) said: “Did you see when we settled by the rock, I forgot the fish[3896] – none made me forget about them except Satan[3897], lest that I should remember it – and it took its path in the sea amazingly!”
[3896] That is, he forgot the fish at that place and/or forgot to tell his master about what happened to them (cf. al-Māwardī).
[3897] Satan was eager to make him forget about this amazing incident knowing that the meeting of these two pious highly-knowledgeable servants would result in yet greater knowledge (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3897] Satan was eager to make him forget about this amazing incident knowing that the meeting of these two pious highly-knowledgeable servants would result in yet greater knowledge (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
فَوَجَدَا عَبۡدٗا مِّنۡ عِبَادِنَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنۡ عِندِنَا وَعَلَّمۡنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلۡمٗا
(65) Then they found a servant of Ours (al-Khiḍr[3898]) to whom We bestowed mercy[3899] from Our Own and We taught him from certain Knowledge[3900].
[3898] There is no doubt in the minds of scholars of Islam that this special servant of God’s is al-Khiḍr as found in the Hadiths in al-Bukhārī and Muslim (cf. al-Shinqīṭī).
[3899] This ‘mercy’ (raḥmah) could very well be Prophethood, as the majority of exegetes agree on this (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī). Prophethood is said to be ‘mercy’ in some Qur’anic instances as in 43: 32 (cf. al-Shinqīṭī). Others see that al-Khiḍr was a righteous servant of God’s and not a Prophet (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Qanūjī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). Hence ‘mercy’ here is used in the general sense, i.e. that God showed him mercy in his life or that he was made to be a cause of mercy with his inspired actions (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3900] He, of all people, was inspired with some knowledge that God Almighty made no one else aware of. Part of that was knowledge of some Unseen events (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Bayḍāwī, al-Saʿdī).
This kind of knowledge is known as ʿilm ladunniyy (lit. knowledge from God’s Own). It is the kind of knowledge that God inspires into the heart of the servant without him seeking it intellectually or pursuing a material cause to it (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Madārij al-Sālikīn, 3: 399).
[3899] This ‘mercy’ (raḥmah) could very well be Prophethood, as the majority of exegetes agree on this (cf. al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī). Prophethood is said to be ‘mercy’ in some Qur’anic instances as in 43: 32 (cf. al-Shinqīṭī). Others see that al-Khiḍr was a righteous servant of God’s and not a Prophet (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Qanūjī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn). Hence ‘mercy’ here is used in the general sense, i.e. that God showed him mercy in his life or that he was made to be a cause of mercy with his inspired actions (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[3900] He, of all people, was inspired with some knowledge that God Almighty made no one else aware of. Part of that was knowledge of some Unseen events (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Bayḍāwī, al-Saʿdī).
This kind of knowledge is known as ʿilm ladunniyy (lit. knowledge from God’s Own). It is the kind of knowledge that God inspires into the heart of the servant without him seeking it intellectually or pursuing a material cause to it (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Madārij al-Sālikīn, 3: 399).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلۡ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمۡتَ رُشۡدٗا
(66) Mūsā said to him: [3901]“Shall I follow you so that you teach me of what you have been taught ˹in which there is˺ guidedness?”
[3901] Moses (عليه السلام) here gives a valuable lesson of showing humbleness to those who have greater knowledge than one’s self (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). He sought permission to be a follower of al-Khiḍr’s and asked him to teach him (cf. al-Bayḍāwī).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا
[3902] As we will see, al-Khiḍr anticipated that Prophet Moses (عليه السلام) would not be able to handle such deeds which appeared to be evil but had a pearl of wisdom hidden in them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).
التفاسير العربية:
وَكَيۡفَ تَصۡبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ خُبۡرٗا
[3903] As found in Muslim (2380), he told Moses that he was given the knowledge of something that he could not bear with. Witnessing these events unfold, having no knowledge of the wisdom of whom or what the right course of action to take was, Moses could not put up with them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
التفاسير العربية:
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي ٱلسَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَاۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقۡتَهَا لِتُغۡرِقَ أَهۡلَهَا لَقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـًٔا إِمۡرٗا
(71) Then they set off until when they boarded the ship, he (al-Khiḍr) holed it! He (Mūsā) said: “Did you hole it! [3904]Its people might drown! You have surely come up with something macabre!”
[3904] Another equally valid translation would be: “Did you hole it to drown its people!” The lām particle (to) could be for justification (al-ʿillah) or for the end result (al-ʿāqibah; cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Sūrat al-Kahf), and it could be rendered as found in the translation above.
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُلۡ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرۡهِقۡنِي مِنۡ أَمۡرِي عُسۡرٗا
(73) He said: “Do not find fault with me for what I have forgotten about[3905]. Do not make this affair of mine even harder for me!”
[3905] This first instance of breaching the agreement between him and al-Khiḍr is due to forgetfulness (cf. al-Bukhārī: 4725; Muslim: 2380). His sound heart and clear conscience could not put up with what appeared to him as a roguish deed (cf. al-Qaṣṣāb, al-Nukat al-Dāllah ʿAlā al-Bayān).
التفاسير العربية:
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمٗا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسٗا زَكِيَّةَۢ بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٖ لَّقَدۡ جِئۡتَ شَيۡـٔٗا نُّكۡرٗا
(74) Then they set off until when they met a boy and he (al-Khiḍr) killed him. He (Mūsā) said: “Did you kill a pure soul not ˹even˺ for killing another! You have verily come up with a most heinous thing![3906]
[3906] Although, Moses (عليه السلام) forgot in the first instance, this time over, he just could not remain silent about what he had just seen and which so sharply clashed with his principles (cf. al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
۞ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبۡرٗا
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ إِن سَأَلۡتُكَ عَن شَيۡءِۭ بَعۡدَهَا فَلَا تُصَٰحِبۡنِيۖ قَدۡ بَلَغۡتَ مِن لَّدُنِّي عُذۡرٗا
(76) He said: “If I ever inquire you about a thing do not accompany me! You have got your excuse from me!”[3907]
[3907] For breaking the agreement twice, Moses (عليه السلام) found that al-Khiḍr now had a perfectly valid excuse to part with him (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
التفاسير العربية:
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهۡلَ قَرۡيَةٍ ٱسۡتَطۡعَمَآ أَهۡلَهَا فَأَبَوۡاْ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارٗا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُۥۖ قَالَ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ لَتَّخَذۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرٗا
(77) Then they set off until when they reached some dwellers of a village, they asked its dwellers for food but they ˹resolutely˺ denied[3908] them hospitality. Then they found a wall about to tumble down and he (al-Khiḍr) set it straight. He (Mūsā) said: “If you will, you may have asked payment for it!”
[3908] Abaw (lit. they refused) is for ibā’ which is adamant refusal (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). The people of the town were extremely mean folk (cf. Muslim: 2380, al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ هَٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنِكَۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأۡوِيلِ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡتَطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرًا
(78) He said: “This is ˹then˺ a parting between me and you![3909] I shall ˹momentarily˺ tell you the interpretation of that which you could not put up with”.
[3909] This is the third time that Moses (عليه السلام) broke the agreement due to his inability to put up with acts that did not agree with his nature.
التفاسير العربية:
أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتۡ لِمَسَٰكِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنۡ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٞ يَأۡخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصۡبٗا
(79) “As for the ship: it is owned by poor folks who venture into the sea ˹to seek provisions˺. I wanted to defect it ˹as˺ there was after them a king who would forcefully appropriate all ˹seaworthy˺ ships!”
التفاسير العربية:
وَأَمَّا ٱلۡغُلَٰمُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤۡمِنَيۡنِ فَخَشِينَآ أَن يُرۡهِقَهُمَا طُغۡيَٰنٗا وَكُفۡرٗا
(80) “As for the boy: his parents are Believers[3910] and we feared that ˹should he live˺ he would hard press them into rebelliousness and Denial!”[3911]
[3910] Although the parents were Believers, their boy was to become a Denier (cf. al-Bukhārī: 4725; Muslim: 2380; al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī).
[3911] Their love for their child, was feared to make them cross God Almighty’s boundaries and fall into Denial (cf. al-Bukhārī: 4726, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
[3911] Their love for their child, was feared to make them cross God Almighty’s boundaries and fall into Denial (cf. al-Bukhārī: 4726, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar, al-Tafsīr al-Mukhtaṣar).
التفاسير العربية:
وَأَمَّا ٱلۡجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَٰمَيۡنِ يَتِيمَيۡنِ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحۡتَهُۥ كَنزٞ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَٰلِحٗا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبۡلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسۡتَخۡرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ وَمَا فَعَلۡتُهُۥ عَنۡ أَمۡرِيۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأۡوِيلُ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرٗا
(82) “As for the wall: it belongs to two orphan boys in the town and there is a treasure under it which belongs to them[3912]. Their father was a righteous man[3913] so your Lord wanted them to reach the height of their strength and uncover their treasure. ˹All of that is˺ A mercy from your Lord. I did not do it of my own accord[3914]. That ˹you see˺ is the interpretation of what you could not bear with![3915]”
[3912] Had the wall not been mended and subsequently fell, they, being young and weak surrounded by extremely mean people, would surely have lost it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3913] This is indeed a great lesson for everyone. The deceased father was a righteous person and because of that, even after his death, God Almighty saw to the well-being of his children. A person’s righteousness will not be just of benefit to their children in this life only, but also in the Hereafter. Should they be Believers, they will be made to join them and share their high rank in Paradise (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Those who Believed and whose offspring followed them in Believing, We will unite their offspring with them ˹in Paradise˺ without depriving anybody of the reward for their deeds. Each one according to what he has earned” (52: 21).
[3914] That is, in all these actions, he was carrying out God Almighty’s commands (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3915] Although the tri-syllabic tas-ta-ṭiʿ (found in Aya 78 as ‘put up with’) and the disyllabic tas-ṭiʿ (translated here as bear up with) are one and the same (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ), it is said that the second syllable in the first word, the ta, was deleted here because whereas in the first instance, the burden was so greatly felt by Moses (عليه السلام), seeing all these extremely roguish deeds which severely clashed with all that he lived and fought for, here the burden is lightened by virtue of the explanation just given, thus the dropping of the second syllable (cf. Ibn Kathīr). Or that this usage is meant to vary lexicalization, having another equally applicable exact synonym of the word. The first being the most widely used so it was mentioned earlier (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[3913] This is indeed a great lesson for everyone. The deceased father was a righteous person and because of that, even after his death, God Almighty saw to the well-being of his children. A person’s righteousness will not be just of benefit to their children in this life only, but also in the Hereafter. Should they be Believers, they will be made to join them and share their high rank in Paradise (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Those who Believed and whose offspring followed them in Believing, We will unite their offspring with them ˹in Paradise˺ without depriving anybody of the reward for their deeds. Each one according to what he has earned” (52: 21).
[3914] That is, in all these actions, he was carrying out God Almighty’s commands (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[3915] Although the tri-syllabic tas-ta-ṭiʿ (found in Aya 78 as ‘put up with’) and the disyllabic tas-ṭiʿ (translated here as bear up with) are one and the same (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ), it is said that the second syllable in the first word, the ta, was deleted here because whereas in the first instance, the burden was so greatly felt by Moses (عليه السلام), seeing all these extremely roguish deeds which severely clashed with all that he lived and fought for, here the burden is lightened by virtue of the explanation just given, thus the dropping of the second syllable (cf. Ibn Kathīr). Or that this usage is meant to vary lexicalization, having another equally applicable exact synonym of the word. The first being the most widely used so it was mentioned earlier (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
التفاسير العربية:
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَن ذِي ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِۖ قُلۡ سَأَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡهُ ذِكۡرًا
(83) [3916]And they ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about Dhūl Qarnayn (The Two-Horned ˹King˺[3917]). Say: “I shall recite ˹some profound˺ mention about him[3918] to you!”
[3916] Now comes the story of the Two-Horned Sovereign, whom the Qurayshites asked the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) about, along with that of the Companions of the Cave in order to test him.
[3917] There are different opinions as to why he was called by this name. al-Biqāʿī in Naẓm al-Durar sums up that he was called thus because: he reached the earliest rising point and the last setting point of the Sun, both known as Qarnayn (two horns); because two generations (qarnayn) of people passed away during his reign; because he had two long locks of hair (qarnayn); because his crown had two horns.
[3918] That is, whatever is of relevant moral value (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Alūsī, al-Saʿdī).
[3917] There are different opinions as to why he was called by this name. al-Biqāʿī in Naẓm al-Durar sums up that he was called thus because: he reached the earliest rising point and the last setting point of the Sun, both known as Qarnayn (two horns); because two generations (qarnayn) of people passed away during his reign; because he had two long locks of hair (qarnayn); because his crown had two horns.
[3918] That is, whatever is of relevant moral value (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Alūsī, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ سَبَبٗا
[3919] He was endowed with all means necessary to achieve his endeavours; soldiers, weaponry, know-how, fear struck in the hearts of enemies, etc. (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Alūsī, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
فَأَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا
[3920] He set about the land utilizing these means (cf. al-Qurṭubīī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغۡرِبَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغۡرُبُ فِي عَيۡنٍ حَمِئَةٖ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوۡمٗاۖ قُلۡنَا يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمۡ حُسۡنٗا
(86) Until when he reached the setting place of the sun[3921] he found it setting in a turbid fount[3922] and found at it some folks. We said: “O Dhūl Qarnayn! Either you punish or dispense benevolence in their regards![3923]
[3921] That is, the furthest land point that can be reached heading West (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3922] ʿAyn ḥami’ah translated here as ‘turbid fount’ has two parts. The ʿayn which is one of the most polysemous words of the Arabic language, while originally meaning a spring of abundant water, here exegetes take to mean a sea (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). As for ḥami’ah it is dark, putrid mud (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
It is agreed among exegetes that this setting is described as he saw it not as it actually happened (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
It is quite a recurrent event that one sees the sun setting in the sea (or a lake or behind a hill). This does not mean that the sun left its orbit and came to set in that place. To assume such is quite childish. The Qur’an clearly states that celestial bodies run in designated orbits of their own (Ibn Taymiyyah, Mukhtaṣar al-Fatāwā al-Maṣriyyah: 579, al-Shinqīṭī): “And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each gliding in an orbit” (21: 33); “It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night outrun the day. Each is gliding in an orbit ˹of its own˺” (36: 40).
[3923] These were Denying folks. God Almighty gave him a choice to either punish them immediately should they not embrace the Call of Faith, or give them enough time to reconsider after showing them the way of guidance (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Bayḍāwī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar).
[3922] ʿAyn ḥami’ah translated here as ‘turbid fount’ has two parts. The ʿayn which is one of the most polysemous words of the Arabic language, while originally meaning a spring of abundant water, here exegetes take to mean a sea (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). As for ḥami’ah it is dark, putrid mud (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
It is agreed among exegetes that this setting is described as he saw it not as it actually happened (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
It is quite a recurrent event that one sees the sun setting in the sea (or a lake or behind a hill). This does not mean that the sun left its orbit and came to set in that place. To assume such is quite childish. The Qur’an clearly states that celestial bodies run in designated orbits of their own (Ibn Taymiyyah, Mukhtaṣar al-Fatāwā al-Maṣriyyah: 579, al-Shinqīṭī): “And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each gliding in an orbit” (21: 33); “It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon, nor does the night outrun the day. Each is gliding in an orbit ˹of its own˺” (36: 40).
[3923] These were Denying folks. God Almighty gave him a choice to either punish them immediately should they not embrace the Call of Faith, or give them enough time to reconsider after showing them the way of guidance (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Bayḍāwī, al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوۡفَ نُعَذِّبُهُۥ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ فَيُعَذِّبُهُۥ عَذَابٗا نُّكۡرٗا
(87) He said: “He who committed injustice[3924], we shall punish. Then he is returned to his Lord and He would subject him to an unheard of Punishment![3925]”
[3924] That is the ‘injustice’ of Denial (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). Meaning here the people who insist on Denying after the Truth has been made plain to them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Bayḍāwī, Ibn Kathīr).
Notice the word ‘injustice’ is used again here to describe the action of Denial (cf. note on Aya 8 above).
[3925] They will be subjected to such a horrid Punishment that no one had experienced the like of which before (nukran). This for their ingratitude to God Almighty and using the blessings He bestowed on them to worship others besides Him (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
Notice the word ‘injustice’ is used again here to describe the action of Denial (cf. note on Aya 8 above).
[3925] They will be subjected to such a horrid Punishment that no one had experienced the like of which before (nukran). This for their ingratitude to God Almighty and using the blessings He bestowed on them to worship others besides Him (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
التفاسير العربية:
وَأَمَّا مَنۡ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلَهُۥ جَزَآءً ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُۥ مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا يُسۡرٗا
(88) “As for he who Believes and does good deeds, his is the Most Comely ˹reward˺[3926] and we shall say to him – of our command – ˹nothing but˺ ease![3927]
[3926] That is, Paradise (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī).
[3927] That is, such a person will be commanded with nothing but what is easy for one to carry out (cf. al-Rāzī, al-ījī): “He (Allah) laid upon you no hardship in the religion” (22: 78).
How he ran the affairs of these people whom God Almighty gave him the choice over, shows the great wisdom and justice this king was given by God Almighty (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3927] That is, such a person will be commanded with nothing but what is easy for one to carry out (cf. al-Rāzī, al-ījī): “He (Allah) laid upon you no hardship in the religion” (22: 78).
How he ran the affairs of these people whom God Almighty gave him the choice over, shows the great wisdom and justice this king was given by God Almighty (cf. al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
ثُمَّ أَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا
التفاسير العربية:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطۡلِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطۡلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ لَّمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتۡرٗا
(90) until when he reached the rising place of the sun[3928], he found it rises upon some folks for whom We made no shield between them and it![3929]
[3928] That is, the furthest land point that can be reached heading East (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3929] They lived in a land where nothing could shade them from the sun; trees, mountains, or buildings (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī). al-Saʿdī opines that this was because they either were so primitive that they did not know how to shield themselves from it, or that because the sun was always rising on them and rarely set. Some exegetes went on to say that they did not know how to cover their bodies with clothing (cf. al-Samarqandī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Shawkānī).
Whatever the case might be, this affair of theirs shows the great wonders that the mighty king came to face in his travels and explorations and how different people are in their way of living (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). He travelled so wide that he actually reached the edge of civilization.
[3929] They lived in a land where nothing could shade them from the sun; trees, mountains, or buildings (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī). al-Saʿdī opines that this was because they either were so primitive that they did not know how to shield themselves from it, or that because the sun was always rising on them and rarely set. Some exegetes went on to say that they did not know how to cover their bodies with clothing (cf. al-Samarqandī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Shawkānī).
Whatever the case might be, this affair of theirs shows the great wonders that the mighty king came to face in his travels and explorations and how different people are in their way of living (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). He travelled so wide that he actually reached the edge of civilization.
التفاسير العربية:
كَذَٰلِكَۖ وَقَدۡ أَحَطۡنَا بِمَا لَدَيۡهِ خُبۡرٗا
[3930] Cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Abū al-Suʿūd, al-Biqāʿī, Ibn ʿUthaymīn.
[3931] Such was the greatness of what God Almighty bestowed upon him (soldiers, riches, tools, and the means of wielding kingship and power) that only He could exactly Know the extent of which (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, al-ījī).
[3931] Such was the greatness of what God Almighty bestowed upon him (soldiers, riches, tools, and the means of wielding kingship and power) that only He could exactly Know the extent of which (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, al-ījī).
التفاسير العربية:
ثُمَّ أَتۡبَعَ سَبَبًا
[3932] That is, to reach the destination he headed for (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr).
التفاسير العربية:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيۡنَ ٱلسَّدَّيۡنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوۡمٗا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفۡقَهُونَ قَوۡلٗا
(93) until when he reached the ˹mountain˺ barriers he found, just short of them, some folks who could barely comprehend a saying![3933]
[3933] They knew no other language besides their own (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالُواْ يَٰذَا ٱلۡقَرۡنَيۡنِ إِنَّ يَأۡجُوجَ وَمَأۡجُوجَ مُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَهَلۡ نَجۡعَلُ لَكَ خَرۡجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ سَدّٗا
(94) They said[3934]: “O Dhūl Qarnayn! Verily Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj (Gog and Magog)[3935] ever go about sowing corruption in the land[3936]. Shall we provide you with a fee so that you may put a barrier between us and them?”
[3934] If they could ‘barely comprehend a saying’ how come they were able to get their message across to Dhūl Qarnayn, and for him to interact with them to carry out the momentous task at hand as we shall see shortly? Exegetes extend a number of opinions:
that ‘barely’ means only after much effort was invested in making them understand what was being said to them (cf. al-Rāzī)
The message was got across through a translator (cf. al-Baghawī), especially since Dhūl Qarnayn was given ‘a means of everything’ (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
That God Almighty gave him the ability to comprehend them and make them comprehend him well-endowed as he was (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3935] Given the much cited apocryphal accounts and the aberrations of nature contained in them that run around, it is important to clearly stress that Gog and Magog are two human tribes, as found in the authentic Prophetic Hadiths (al-Bukhārī: 3348, Muslim: 222).
[3936] They used to come through the space between the mountains killing other people and pillaging their property, and engaging in all sorts of mischief (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, al-Alūsī, al-Saʿdī).
that ‘barely’ means only after much effort was invested in making them understand what was being said to them (cf. al-Rāzī)
The message was got across through a translator (cf. al-Baghawī), especially since Dhūl Qarnayn was given ‘a means of everything’ (cf. Ibn ʿUthaymīn).
That God Almighty gave him the ability to comprehend them and make them comprehend him well-endowed as he was (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3935] Given the much cited apocryphal accounts and the aberrations of nature contained in them that run around, it is important to clearly stress that Gog and Magog are two human tribes, as found in the authentic Prophetic Hadiths (al-Bukhārī: 3348, Muslim: 222).
[3936] They used to come through the space between the mountains killing other people and pillaging their property, and engaging in all sorts of mischief (cf. al-Bayḍāwī, al-Alūsī, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيۡرٞ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ رَدۡمًا
(95) He said: “What my Lord has empowered me with is ˹far˺ better[3937]. ˹Only˺ Assist me with power[3938] and I shall erect a ˹fortified˺ dam[3939] between you and them!”
[3937] He took pride in the great power that God Almighty gave to him (cf. al-Qāsimī). The kingship, money, resources and knowledge he had at his disposal, stood him in no need of any money that could be given to him as reward for his efforts (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3938] The power of their muscles (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr). Had he accepted the fee, being a hired worker, he would have had to carry out the task without their help, but he, being the wise sovereign that he was, asked them to partake in the task of building their own protection (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr) and so accomplish the task faster (cf. al-Qurṭubī). Furthermore, being the settlers of that land, they would know where to obtain the necessary materials from.
[3939] The radm (fortified dam, lit. pile-up) that he proposed to erect would be more effective than the sadd (barrier, lit. a blockage); essentially, it would be stronger and tighter (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Naḥḥās).
[3938] The power of their muscles (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn ʿĀshūr). Had he accepted the fee, being a hired worker, he would have had to carry out the task without their help, but he, being the wise sovereign that he was, asked them to partake in the task of building their own protection (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr) and so accomplish the task faster (cf. al-Qurṭubī). Furthermore, being the settlers of that land, they would know where to obtain the necessary materials from.
[3939] The radm (fortified dam, lit. pile-up) that he proposed to erect would be more effective than the sadd (barrier, lit. a blockage); essentially, it would be stronger and tighter (cf. al-Qurṭubī, al-Naḥḥās).
التفاسير العربية:
ءَاتُونِي زُبَرَ ٱلۡحَدِيدِۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيۡنَ ٱلصَّدَفَيۡنِ قَالَ ٱنفُخُواْۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُۥ نَارٗا قَالَ ءَاتُونِيٓ أُفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡهِ قِطۡرٗا
(96) “Hand me the iron bars!” Until when he brought the two sides ˹of the mountains˺ to level[3940], he said: “Blow!” Until when he made it (the pile of iron bars) into a flaming fire, he said: “To me with molten copper that I may pour on it!”[3941]
[3940] He made the piled-up iron bars as high as the two mountain tops so that they rested at the same level as each other (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[3941] Molten copper (qiṭr) when poured on an uneven pile of fire-hot iron bars would make the bars stick together, fill up the cracks and smooth out the surface (cf. al-Eījī, al-Thaʿālibī, al-Shaʿrāwī).
[3941] Molten copper (qiṭr) when poured on an uneven pile of fire-hot iron bars would make the bars stick together, fill up the cracks and smooth out the surface (cf. al-Eījī, al-Thaʿālibī, al-Shaʿrāwī).
التفاسير العربية:
فَمَا ٱسۡطَٰعُوٓاْ أَن يَظۡهَرُوهُ وَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ لَهُۥ نَقۡبٗا
[3942] They could not climb it because of its smooth surface, and could not hole through it because of its great strength and fortitude. Furthermore, the dam was as high as the mountains which were insurmountable in their own right (cf. al-Baghawī, Ibn Juzayy, Ibn Kathīr).
Some exegetes make a distinction between the use of the tri-syllabic is-ṭa-ʿū, which is used to describe their inability to climb the dam and the tetra-syllabic is-ta-tā-ʿū, which is used to describe their inability to effect a hole in the dam. The tri-syllabic, the easier to pronounce word, is used for climbing as this is easier than the arduous task of working a hole in such a huge and greatly fortified dam, for which the harder to pronounce tetra-syllabic word is used (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Some exegetes make a distinction between the use of the tri-syllabic is-ṭa-ʿū, which is used to describe their inability to climb the dam and the tetra-syllabic is-ta-tā-ʿū, which is used to describe their inability to effect a hole in the dam. The tri-syllabic, the easier to pronounce word, is used for climbing as this is easier than the arduous task of working a hole in such a huge and greatly fortified dam, for which the harder to pronounce tetra-syllabic word is used (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
التفاسير العربية:
قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحۡمَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّيۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُۥ دَكَّآءَۖ وَكَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّي حَقّٗا
(98) He said: “This is mercy from my Lord. ˹But˺ When the promise of my Lord comes to pass[3943], He will level it (the dam) to the ground; verily the promise of my Lord is ever true![3944]
[3943] The time of God Almighty’s decree for their coming out from behind the dam (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Their coming out to wreak havoc in the world is very close to the coming of the Hour and the Day of Judgement (Muslim: 2937).
[3944] This is a subtle reminder to all those concerned at the time of revelation that whatever God promises will surely come to be realized, especially the punishment which is being awaited: “Verily Allah does not break His appointment!” (13: 31)
[3944] This is a subtle reminder to all those concerned at the time of revelation that whatever God promises will surely come to be realized, especially the punishment which is being awaited: “Verily Allah does not break His appointment!” (13: 31)
التفاسير العربية:
۞ وَتَرَكۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعۡضٖۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ فَجَمَعۡنَٰهُمۡ جَمۡعٗا
(99) [3945]And We let them on that day surge into one another[3946], ˹then˺ the Horn is blown[3947], and We round them all up[3948]; such a rounding up![3949]
[3945] This passage gives quite a vivid reminder that the promise of God Almighty will come true, so that no one will have doubts about it and that they will face the consequences of their actions.
[3946] When the day comes and the dam of Gog and Magog is levelled to the ground, they will come out in great waves and merge with people creating great chaos (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī). This is one of the great harbingers (ashrāṭ al-sāʿah al-kubrā) of the Last Hour (Muslim: 2937).
[3947] This is the second blow of the Horn, which heralds the joining of souls with the bodies of creation rising up from death to stand before God Almighty on the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Alūsī, al-Shawkānī).
[3948] All creatures, humans, jinn, angels, animals, etc. will be gathered on that Day (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Verily the first and the last ˹generations˺ will be gathered for the timing of a known Day!”” (56: 49-50)
[3949] This affirmation through the use of the infinitive of the verb jamaʿa (gather), i.e. jamʿan (such a gathering) signifies that this gathering will be real and not used in the figurative sense. Moreover, the indefinite form used here imparts magnanimity to these events. By the same measure, this applies to ʿarḍ (the display of Hellfire right before the Deniers), which is mentioned in the next aya (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). In English such usage goes by the name of figura etymologica or cognate object construction.
[3946] When the day comes and the dam of Gog and Magog is levelled to the ground, they will come out in great waves and merge with people creating great chaos (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī). This is one of the great harbingers (ashrāṭ al-sāʿah al-kubrā) of the Last Hour (Muslim: 2937).
[3947] This is the second blow of the Horn, which heralds the joining of souls with the bodies of creation rising up from death to stand before God Almighty on the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Alūsī, al-Shawkānī).
[3948] All creatures, humans, jinn, angels, animals, etc. will be gathered on that Day (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Verily the first and the last ˹generations˺ will be gathered for the timing of a known Day!”” (56: 49-50)
[3949] This affirmation through the use of the infinitive of the verb jamaʿa (gather), i.e. jamʿan (such a gathering) signifies that this gathering will be real and not used in the figurative sense. Moreover, the indefinite form used here imparts magnanimity to these events. By the same measure, this applies to ʿarḍ (the display of Hellfire right before the Deniers), which is mentioned in the next aya (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). In English such usage goes by the name of figura etymologica or cognate object construction.
التفاسير العربية:
وَعَرَضۡنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَرۡضًا
[3950] “You will see them as they are exposed to it ˹Hellfire˺, abject in their abasement, glancing around them furtively” (42: 45).
التفاسير العربية:
ٱلَّذِينَ كَانَتۡ أَعۡيُنُهُمۡ فِي غِطَآءٍ عَن ذِكۡرِي وَكَانُواْ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ سَمۡعًا
(101) [3951]Those whose eyes where in a cover against My Reminder[3952]; ˹neither˺ were they able over hearing![3953]
[3951] This eye-opening, stark display of Hellfire right in front of them, is in requital for their willing and adamant, heart-bent refusal to look at God’s Signs and consider them.
[3952] Both the eyes of their hearts and those in their heads (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Shifā’ al-ʿAlīl: 93, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar) were unable to see and consider the Signs (ayas) of the Qur’an and played blind to accepting the Truth, avoiding its following (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes there is a veil—theirs is a grievous Punishment” (2: 7).
[3953] Being so heart-smitten and embroiled in the materialistic life and heathen ways they lead, they could not bring themselves to listen heedfully to the Call of Faith (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī): “They were never able to hear nor were they seeing!” (11: 20)
[3952] Both the eyes of their hearts and those in their heads (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Shifā’ al-ʿAlīl: 93, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar) were unable to see and consider the Signs (ayas) of the Qur’an and played blind to accepting the Truth, avoiding its following (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes there is a veil—theirs is a grievous Punishment” (2: 7).
[3953] Being so heart-smitten and embroiled in the materialistic life and heathen ways they lead, they could not bring themselves to listen heedfully to the Call of Faith (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī): “They were never able to hear nor were they seeing!” (11: 20)
التفاسير العربية:
أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ عِبَادِي مِن دُونِيٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَۚ إِنَّآ أَعۡتَدۡنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ نُزُلٗا
(102) [3954]Might those who have Denied presume that they could take My servants as allies besides Me! Verily We have ˹carefully˺ prepared Hell as a domicile for the Deniers!
[3954] This groundless presumption led them to falsely believe that the so-called gods they took for protectors would be of use to them before God Almighty, so they heeded not His Signs (cf. al-Zajjāj, al-Shinqīṭī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, Ibn ʿUthaymīn): “They have taken gods, besides Allah, seeking strength ˹and protection˺ through them. *Nay, but they will deny their worship and turn against them!” (19: 81-82)
التفاسير العربية:
قُلۡ هَلۡ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلۡأَخۡسَرِينَ أَعۡمَٰلًا
[3955] This passage further explains why they deserved such a ghastly fate. The Noble Messenger is bid to tell them of this great loss of theirs (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
التفاسير العربية:
ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعۡيُهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَهُمۡ يَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ يُحۡسِنُونَ صُنۡعًا
(104) “˹They are˺ The ones whose pursuit in the worldly life have lost their way[3956], but they ˹still˺ think that they are doing well!”[3957]
[3956] They based their actions on groundless knowledge and directed their acts of worship towards mere idols bringing themselves to believe that they would somehow be of use to them (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Their pursuit was a lost way because they followed a false belief and did not take the path of their Lord (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Then We turned to whatever work they have done, and made it scattered dust” (25: 23).
[3957] Such people never admit that they are wrong and will always invent ways to justify their actions, so much so that they actually come to believe that these excuses are nothing but the truth.
[3957] Such people never admit that they are wrong and will always invent ways to justify their actions, so much so that they actually come to believe that these excuses are nothing but the truth.
التفاسير العربية:
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلِقَآئِهِۦ فَحَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ وَزۡنٗا
(105) These are the ones who Denied in the Signs of their Lord and in meeting Him; their deeds are made void and then We shall hold no weight for them on the Day of Judgement![3958]
[3958] On the Day of Judgement when the true Scales are set up to weigh people’s deeds, they will come to know their true worth: “We place the Scales of justice for the Day of Judgement, so that no soul is wronged in the least. Even if it was the weight of a mustard seed, We shall bring it; We are sufficient as a Reckoner” (21: 47).
التفاسير العربية:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ كَانَتۡ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتُ ٱلۡفِرۡدَوۡسِ نُزُلًا
(107) [3959]Verily those who have Believed and did the good deeds, theirs are ever the Gardens of Paradise as domicile[3960].
[3959] This final passage sends messages to all the parties involved: the Believers, that theirs is a great reward, the Jews that the knowledge they have, with which they sided with the Deniers, is no more than a drop in the mighty ocean of God Almighty’s Knowledge and the Deniers to choose the path they take for themselves having received knowledge in great detail of both the path of doom and that of pleasure as depicted in this sura as well as throughout the Qur’an so that they might open up their hearts to the Call of Faith.
[3960] In great contrast to the ghastly fate of the Deniers is the regal fate of the Believers, whom the former held in contempt (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[3960] In great contrast to the ghastly fate of the Deniers is the regal fate of the Believers, whom the former held in contempt (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
التفاسير العربية:
خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبۡغُونَ عَنۡهَا حِوَلٗا
التفاسير العربية:
قُل لَّوۡ كَانَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ مِدَادٗا لِّكَلِمَٰتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ قَبۡلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَٰتُ رَبِّي وَلَوۡ جِئۡنَا بِمِثۡلِهِۦ مَدَدٗا
(109) [3961]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Had the sea[3962] been the fountain[3963] of my Lord’s Words[3964], it would have been depleted before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, even if We were to bring the like of it as replenishment!
[3961] Now that all what they asked for has been so beautifully explained, giving them more than what they bargained for (cf. al-Rāzī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar) it is time to state the fact that the great knowledge which is given in this sura, particularly, that in the unwitnessed stories of old times of which there is no knowledge at all and/or agreement on details, is infinitely small compared to God Almighty’s Knowledge (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Even those who stood behind the Deniers, who meant to test the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) with them, and think themselves knowledgeable by virtue of having Scriptures cannot even start to claim that they have encompassed all Divine Knowledge (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). The knowledge they were given, and are using to help drive people away from the Path of God, is as much as the ink they have to write their Scriptures with, compared to all the water on Earth manifold times over.
ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) said: “The Quraysh said to the Jews: “Give us something to ask this man about!” They replied: “Ask him about the soul!” they came to him (the Noble Messenger (ﷺ)) and asked him, and so was revealed: “They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about the soul, say: “The soul is a matter of my Lord!” The knowledge that you ˹people˺ have been given is only but a little””. They ˹the Jews˺ said: “We have been given great knowledge. We have been given the Torah!” Then Allah sent down: “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Had the sea been the fountain of my Lord’s Words, it would have been depleted before the Words of my Lord are exhausted”” (al-Tirmidhī: 3140; al-Nasā’ī, al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 11314; Imām Aḥmad: 2309).
[3962] al-Baḥr (the sea) used here in the generic sense, meaning all the water that is found on this planet (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3963] Midād (fountain) originally comes from madad which signifies a very long continuous connection of a string of things of the same nature (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Here it means the ink with which an inkpot is replenished (cf. al-Rasʿanī).
[3964] Kalimātu Rabbī (the Words of my Lord) are God Almighty’s Words which spring from His Knowledge and Wisdom, which He reveals to His angels and Messengers (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar). God Almighty’s Words are inexhaustible because His Knowledge is inexhaustible (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) said: “The Quraysh said to the Jews: “Give us something to ask this man about!” They replied: “Ask him about the soul!” they came to him (the Noble Messenger (ﷺ)) and asked him, and so was revealed: “They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about the soul, say: “The soul is a matter of my Lord!” The knowledge that you ˹people˺ have been given is only but a little””. They ˹the Jews˺ said: “We have been given great knowledge. We have been given the Torah!” Then Allah sent down: “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Had the sea been the fountain of my Lord’s Words, it would have been depleted before the Words of my Lord are exhausted”” (al-Tirmidhī: 3140; al-Nasā’ī, al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 11314; Imām Aḥmad: 2309).
[3962] al-Baḥr (the sea) used here in the generic sense, meaning all the water that is found on this planet (cf. al-Saʿdī).
[3963] Midād (fountain) originally comes from madad which signifies a very long continuous connection of a string of things of the same nature (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Here it means the ink with which an inkpot is replenished (cf. al-Rasʿanī).
[3964] Kalimātu Rabbī (the Words of my Lord) are God Almighty’s Words which spring from His Knowledge and Wisdom, which He reveals to His angels and Messengers (cf. al-Tafsīr al-Muyassar). God Almighty’s Words are inexhaustible because His Knowledge is inexhaustible (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
التفاسير العربية:
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلۡيَعۡمَلۡ عَمَلٗا صَٰلِحٗا وَلَا يُشۡرِكۡ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدَۢا
(110) Say ˹Muhammad˺: [3965]“I am no more than a human like yourselves, ˹but˺ to me it is revealed that your God is only the One God. [3966]Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do good and Associate none in the worship of his Lord!
[3965] They are to realize that the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) is no more than a mere human like any other who knows naught of the knowledge of the Unseen except what God Almighty lets him in on (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr), so that they need not expect more from him than what is Divinely revealed (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). The most prominent piece of knowledge of what is revealed to him, is that God is One and Only (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr), so that they should Associate none with Him in worship.
[3966] Those who realize this most defining fact, and are hopeful of seeing God in the Hereafter, being rewarded and spared His Punishment, should do good in this life while purifying their Faith from any kind of Association (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Allah, glorified and exalted be He, said: “I am, of all associates, the least in need of it! Whoever does a deed and Associates any other in it with Me, I shall disregard him and his Association!” (Muslim: 2985).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The first among people against whom judgement will come to pass on the Day of Judgement is a martyred man. He is brought and Allah counts His bounties on him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I fought for Your sake until I was martyred!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You fought so that they may say that you were audacious! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regard and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire! And a man who acquired knowledge and taught it, and recited the Qur’an is brought. Allah counts His bounties on Him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I learned knowledge and taught it, and recited the Qur’an for your sake!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You have learned knowledge so that they may say you were knowledgeable! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regard and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire! And a man to whom Allah gave fortune plentifully and all sorts of wealth is brought and Allah counts His bounties on Him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I left no cause You love for it to be spent on, without me spending in it!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You have spent so that they may say you were a giver! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regards and he is dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire!” (Muslim: 1905)
[3966] Those who realize this most defining fact, and are hopeful of seeing God in the Hereafter, being rewarded and spared His Punishment, should do good in this life while purifying their Faith from any kind of Association (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Allah, glorified and exalted be He, said: “I am, of all associates, the least in need of it! Whoever does a deed and Associates any other in it with Me, I shall disregard him and his Association!” (Muslim: 2985).
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The first among people against whom judgement will come to pass on the Day of Judgement is a martyred man. He is brought and Allah counts His bounties on him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I fought for Your sake until I was martyred!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You fought so that they may say that you were audacious! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regard and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire! And a man who acquired knowledge and taught it, and recited the Qur’an is brought. Allah counts His bounties on Him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I learned knowledge and taught it, and recited the Qur’an for your sake!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You have learned knowledge so that they may say you were knowledgeable! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regard and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire! And a man to whom Allah gave fortune plentifully and all sorts of wealth is brought and Allah counts His bounties on Him and he acknowledges them. ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “What did you do in return for them?” He says: “I left no cause You love for it to be spent on, without me spending in it!” ˹Then Allah˺ Says: “You lie! You have spent so that they may say you were a giver! Well. It was said!” Then it will be commanded in his regards and he is dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire!” (Muslim: 1905)
التفاسير العربية:
ترجمة معاني سورة: الكهف
ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم - الترجمة الإنجليزية - د. وليد بليهش العمري - فهرس التراجم
ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم إلى اللغة الإنجليزية - جار العمل عليها، ترجمة د. وليد بليهش العمري.