Përkthimi i kuptimeve Surja Suretu El A’raf - الترجمة الإنجليزية - د. وليد بليهش العمري - Enciklopedia e Kuranit Fisnik

Al-A‘rāf

Ajeti: 1

الٓمٓصٓ

(1) Alif, Lām, Mīm, Ṣād^[1566].

[1566] These disjointed letters, highlighting the inimitable nature of the Qur’an (cf. 2: 1), are meant as a challenge to those who argue with the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Believers regarding the Truthfulness of the Message.

Ajeti: 2

كِتَٰبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدۡرِكَ حَرَجٞ مِّنۡهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِۦ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

(2) A Book^[1567] that has been sent down to you ˹Muhammad˺ – let there not be unease in your chest about it^[1568] – so that you may warn with it, and it be a reminder to the Believers.

[1567] The Qur’an, God’s most potent Message to humanity (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). It is the ‘eye-opener’ Book (cf. 6: 92 and 155) that needs to be both professed and adhered to. Ibn ʿĀshūr opines that the use of the word ‘Book’ in the indefinite form is, among other rhetorical purposes, meant to underline the greatness of the Qur’an. Riḍā, on the other hand, goes to say that the ‘Book’ is so well-known that it needs no defining, and hence the use of the indefinite form.
Significantly, ’Book’ is the very first word in this sura. The Qur’an explains and expounds upon the divide that separates good and evil; it is the Distinguisher (al-Furqān) which shows rightfulness from wrongfulness and sets Truth apart from falsehood: “Blessed is He Who sent down the Distinguisher to His servant that he may be a warner to all beings” (25: 1); “…indeed there has come to you a Light and a clarifying Book ˹The Qur’an˺; *by it Allah guides those who follow His Pleasure to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light with His permission; He guides them to a Straight Path” (5: 15-16).
[1568] Anyone who is entrusted with a task of this great a magnitude, who guides humanity to light and dispels the darkness in which they live, and suffers as a result all sorts of oppression and harm, will very understandably experience trepidation when looking at the task that lies ahead.

Ajeti: 3

ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَۗ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

(3) Follow ˹you people˺ what was sent down to you from your Lord and do not follow allies besides Him—˹how˺ little do you heed!^[1569]

[1569] This aya captures the essence of the Message; that the Qur’an, and it alone, is to be followed should one want to be truly guided (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 4

وَكَم مِّن قَرۡيَةٍ أَهۡلَكۡنَٰهَا فَجَآءَهَا بَأۡسُنَا بَيَٰتًا أَوۡ هُمۡ قَآئِلُونَ

(4) ^[1570]How many a town have We destroyed and Our Might befallen it^[1571] ˹while they were fast asleep˺ at night, or as they were resting during the day!^[1572]

[1570] Now that the defining criterion, the Qur’an, the Distinguisher, which has to be ‘heeded’, has been introduced, this passage brings into light the fate of those who lost their souls and rebelled against God’s Signs; destruction in this world and Punishment in the Hereafter (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1571] God, the All-Just, will only inflict punishment on those whom He forewarned and who were made aware of their wrongs through the communication of the Message and warning (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr): “˹These˺ Messengers ˹were sent as˺ deliverers of glad tidings and warnings, so that people would have no pretext against Allah after the Messengers ˹coming to them˺—verily Allah is Most Prevailing, All-Wise” (4: 165); “That, for your Lord will not destroy towns unjustly while their people are unaware” (6: 131).
[1572] That is in a state when people feel most safe and secure and least expect disaster to hit; so much so that the warning becomes more real and the message hard-hitting: “Do those who have plotted evil deeds feel secure that God will not cause the Earth to engulf them, or that the punishment will not come upon them whence they are not aware? *Or that He will not seize them in the midst of their going to and fro, and they will be powerless to thwart ˹it˺? *Or that He will not seize them with a gradual diminishing? And truly your Lord is Kind, Merciful” (16: 45-47).

Ajeti: 5

فَمَا كَانَ دَعۡوَىٰهُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَآ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ

(5) Then their only plea, when Our Might befell them, was to say: “We have indeed been wrongdoers!”^[1573]

[1573] Faced with this most truthful fact, they could say nothing but admit guilt: “And how many a town have We destroyed because of its wrong doing, and We established after them a different people! *When they felt Our Might, they fled at once. *“Do not run, and come back to that which you were living lavishly in and your homes; so that you will be questioned.” *They cried: “Woe to us! We have surely been wrongdoers!” *That cry of theirs did not cease until We made them burnt-off stubble” (21: 11-15).

Ajeti: 6

فَلَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُرۡسِلَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

(6) We shall surely ask the ones to whom it ˹the Message˺ was sent and We shall surely ask the ones who were sent ˹the Messengers˺^[1574].

[1574] That God does not wrong anyone by the smallest amount, entails that He brings witnesses to testify either for or against those who are held to account on the Day of Judgement. These witnesses are no less than the most honourable Prophets that God sent to each nation to show them the Straight Path that leads to His Pleasure (cf. al-Rāzī): “How ˹will they fare˺, when we bring forward a witness from every nation, and We bring you ˹Muhammad˺ as witness against these!” (4: 41).

Ajeti: 7

فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيۡهِم بِعِلۡمٖۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ

(7) Then We shall surely recount for them, out of ˹real˺ knowledge; ˹verily˺ We were not absent^[1575].

[1575] Almighty God Who is Ever-Present at all times and Whose angels keep a minute record of people’s deeds, will recount for them what they said and what they did on the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 8

وَٱلۡوَزۡنُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

(8) ^[1576]The weighing on that Day is truthful; the one whose scales are heavy, then these are the successful;

[1576] The outcome of this Reckoning is that these deeds will be weighed on the Scales; the one who did good, his deeds will tip the Scale to his side and thus attain salvation and great reward, but the one whose deeds are ‘light’ and not weighty enough to tip the scale in his favour will be consigned to the worst of suffering (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, al-Saʿdī): “And We will place the Scales of justice for the Day of Judgement, so that no soul will be wronged in the least. Even if it was the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And We are sufficient as a Reckoner” (21: 47); “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).
Abū al-Dardā’ (رضي الله عنه) narrated that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: “Nothing is put on the Scale bearing more weight than good manners. The person of good moral behaviour attains the rank of the person known for upholding Prayers and fasting” (Abū Dāwūd: 4799, al-Tirmidhī: 2003); Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Two words; light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, loved by the Most Merciful: subḥāna Allah-i wa bi ḥamdihī, subḥāna Allah-i l-ʿAẓīm (Glory be to Allah and in Gratitude for Him I do glorify Him. Glory be to Allah, the Most Great)” (al-Bukhārī: 6682, Muslim: 2694).

Ajeti: 9

وَمَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَظۡلِمُونَ

(9) ˹while˺ the one whose scales are light, then these are the ones who lost their souls, for wrongfully dealing with Our Signs^[1577].

[1577] The word ‘Signs’, meaning that which they rejected is deployed throughout this sura on 22 occasions. Indeed it is one of the most recurrent Qur’anic lexical items. In its plural form alone it is to be found 280 times in the Qur’an. God would never leave people in the dark without showing them His Signs, but it is up to them to choose to Believe or Deny: “We shall show them Our Signs in the horizons, and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth” (41: 53).

Ajeti: 10

وَلَقَدۡ مَكَّنَّٰكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَعَٰيِشَۗ قَلِيلٗا مَّا تَشۡكُرُونَ

(10) ^[1578]Indeed We had empowered you on Earth and We made into it for you many a livelihood—˹how˺ little do you give thanks!^[1579]

[1578] What follows is the first episode in the long history of the epic struggle between good and evil, which is unravelled in what is to come later in this sura. It begins with a gentle reminder to people of God’s most benevolent favour on them, their livelihoods, which they find all around them, a constant reminder of their Most Benevolent Lord. Then it goes on to account for God’s most generous favour; the creation and honouring of humans over other beings: “Indeed, We have honoured the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures” (17: 70).
[1579] Indeed God’s favours to humanity are boundless; they are being catered and provided for profusely so that they may ponder this ‘Sign’, pay heed and thank their Creator (cf. al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Indeed Allah is bountiful to people, but most of them are thankless” (2: 243); “He has given you all that you asked Him for. If you were to count God’s favours, you could never calculate them: man is truly unjust and ungrateful” (14: 34).

Ajeti: 11

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ ثُمَّ صَوَّرۡنَٰكُمۡ ثُمَّ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأٓدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ لَمۡ يَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ

(11) ^[1580]We had indeed created you, then We formed you, then We said to the angels: “Prostrate to Adam!” They all prostrated except Iblīs; he was not among those who prostrated^[1581].

[1580] The favour of provision is followed by that of creation and the honouring of the father of humanity (Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[1581] This story, which took place at the dawn of the creation of the very first human ever, Adam the father of humanity, bears special significance and is told over a number of times in the Qur’an, throwing new light on it as per the occasion of its mention. Earlier, it was told in Sura al-Baqarah (Ayas 30-39), which ends with: a stark forewarning: “We said: “Go down all of you, whenever guidance comes to you from Me whoever follows it will have neither fear nor will they grieve. *As for those who Deny and disbelieve in our Signs these are the company of the Fire; forever they will abide therein” (2: 38-39).

Ajeti: 12

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ

(12) He ˹Allah˺ said: “What prevented you from prostrating as I commanded you!” He said: “I am ˹surely˺ better than him! You created me from fire and created him from clay!”^[1582]

[1582] Satan rebelled against the Command of his Lord out of sheer arrogance. Moreover, by doing this he questioned the Wisdom of God (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). He quoted the substance from which he was created, fire, in argument as to why he felt superior to Adam, who was created from clay, and thus refused to prostrate to him as per God’s order, further proving himself in the wrong. Prior to this command, to prostrate to Adam, God practically explained to the angels, among whom Iblīs was present, the Wisdom of this occurrence. Unlike Iblīs, they dutifully followed the word of their Lord: “˹Mention Muhammad˺ When your Lord said to the angels: “I shall instate a successor on Earth!” They said: “Will you instate in it one who sows corruption and sheds blood, whereas we ˹incessantly˺ glorify You in gratitude to You and exalt You?” He said: “I know that which you do not”. *He taught Adam all the names ˹of things˺, then showed them to the angels and said: “Tell Me the names of these, if only you were truthful!” *They said: “Glorified may You be! We have no knowledge but what You have taught us. You are All-Knowing, All-Wise”. *He said: “Adam! Tell them their names”. When he told them their names, He said: “Did I not instruct you that I know what is hidden in the Heavens and the Earth? – and I know what you hide and what you make public” (2: 30-33). How far apart is the response of the angels to that of Satan! His arrogance made him adamant in his stance and thus blinded him from seeking forgiveness from God (cf. al-Rāzī).
God Almighty, is the One Who created and provides for His creation, so His Wisdom should not be questioned and His Commands, which are binding in nature, should never be disobeyed (cf. al-Rāzī, Abū Ḥayyān, Khan, Fatḥ al-Bayān fī Maqāṣid al-Qur’ān).

Ajeti: 13

قَالَ فَٱهۡبِطۡ مِنۡهَا فَمَا يَكُونُ لَكَ أَن تَتَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا فَٱخۡرُجۡ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰغِرِينَ

(13) He said: “Then down with you from it ˹Paradise˺; it is not for you to wax arrogant in;^[1583] out with you, you are verily one of the degraded!”

[1583] ʿAbdullāh Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “None who has a mote’s weight of arrogance in his heart shall enter Paradise” (Muslim: 91).

Ajeti: 14

قَالَ أَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ

(14) He said: “Allow me respite ˹then˺ until the Day when they are resurrected”.

Ajeti: 15

قَالَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ

(15) He said: “You are among those given respite”.

Ajeti: 16

قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ

(16) He said: “Then for Your misguiding of me^[1584], I shall certainly lie in wait for them on Your Straight Path!”^[1585]

[1584] By citing predestination (al-qadar), that God had already decreed him to be misguided, Satan sets the record for being the first to use al-qadar as a pretext for not following God’s command (al-‘amr) as an excuse to justify his rebelliousness against Him (سبحانه وتعالى) (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Rasā’il wa al-Masā’il, 5: 134; Ibn al-Qayyim, Rawḍat al-Muḥibbīn, p. 62).
[1585] Sabrah Ibn Abī Fākih (i) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Satan sat at the roads of the son of Adam. He sat for him at the road of Islam and said to him: “Do you become Muslim and abandon your religion, the religion of your fathers and the forefathers of your fathers?” But he ˹the son of Adam˺ disobeyed him and became Muslim. Then he sat for him at the road of migrating and said to him: “Do you migrate and leave behind your land and your sky? Indeed the migrant is nothing but a ˹lonely˺ horse tied to a rope!” But he ˹the son of Adam˺ disobeyed him and migrated. Then he sat for him at the road of striving in the cause of Allah and said: “It is indeed hard for the soul and wealth; you fight and get killed then your wife will get married and your wealth divided!” But he ˹the son of Adam˺ disobeyed him and strove in the cause of Allah. Whoever of them does that and dies, then it is obligatorily that Allah will admit him into Paradise; if he gets killed then it is obligatorily that Allah will admit him into Paradise; if he drowns then it is obligatorily that Allah will admit him into Paradise; or if his neck gets broken because of an animal then it is obligatorily that Allah will admit him into Paradise” (al-Nasā’ī: 3134, Imām Aḥmad: 16000, Ibn Ḥibbān: 4593).

Ajeti: 17

ثُمَّ لَأٓتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيۡنِ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمۡۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ شَٰكِرِينَ

(17) “Then I shall come to them from their fronts, backs, rights and lefts, and You shall not find most of them thankful”^[1586].

[1586] This shows how purposeful and determined Satan really is in his mission (Ibn al-Qayyim, Badā’iʿ al-Fawā’id, 1/120). Indeed, he came to be successful; when at the beginning he was just guessing (Ibn Kathīr): “Indeed, Iblīs’ assumption about them has come true, so they ˹all˺ followed him, except a group of ˹true˺ Believers. *He does not have any authority over them, but ˹Our Will is˺ only to distinguish those who Believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it. And your Lord is a ˹vigilant˺ Keeper over all things” (34: 20-21). Such a purposeful enemy should be guarded against with constant vigilance (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 18

قَالَ ٱخۡرُجۡ مِنۡهَا مَذۡءُومٗا مَّدۡحُورٗاۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

(18) He said: “Out with you from it; condemned and routed^[1587]. Whoever follows you of them, I shall fill up Hell with you all”.^[1588]

[1587] “He said: “Be gone from it! You are indeed outcast. *Truly on you is My Damnation until the Day of Judgement” (38: 77-78).
[1588] “He said: “Go, and whoever follows you from them. Hellfire shall be the reward of you all, a reward well-deserved. *And rouse whoever you can of them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and men against them, and you may share with them in their money and children, and promise them.” But Satan promises them nothing but deceit. *As for My ˹true˺ servants, you will have no power over them. And your Lord suffices as a Trustee” (17: 63-65).

Ajeti: 19

وَيَٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنۡ حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

(19) ^[1589]“And you Adam! Dwell yourself and your wife in the Garden and eat thereof whatever you wish, and do not come near this tree, or ˹else˺ you two will be from among the wrongful.”

[1589] Satan started acting on his mission right away and he made his first successful incursion. (Another slightly different account of this episode was dealt with in Sura al-Baqarah, Ayas 35-39. You may wish to refer to it for more details on the issue at hand.) The warning comes later (Aya 27 below) to the children of Adam to guard against Satan and not give him the chance to ‘weave his magic’ on them.

Ajeti: 20

فَوَسۡوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِيُبۡدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُۥرِيَ عَنۡهُمَا مِن سَوۡءَٰتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَىٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنۡ هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيۡنِ أَوۡ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰلِدِينَ

(20) Satan whispered to them, so that he may expose to them what was made hidden to them of their nether regions^[1590], and said: “Your Lord only forbade you from this tree, lest that you two become angels, or be immortal!”^[1591]

[1590] The particle li (translated here as “so that”) could grammatically be what is known as lām al-ṣayrūrah (the lām of destination). Hence the aya could be interpreted whereby Satan did not initially intend to show them their nether regions but to make them commit sin, and that the final result of this sinning was that they were exposed. Another grammatical rationalization of the lām is taʿlīl (justification), i.e. that he intended to lower their state through nakedness (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). The significance of guarding against nakedness and its symbolic nature will be taken up shortly.
[1591] “Then Satan whispered to him, saying: “Adam! Shall I show you the Tree of Immortality and a kingship that does not fade away?” (20: 120).

Ajeti: 21

وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ

(21) He ˹further˺ swore to them: “I am indeed a sincere adviser to you!”

Ajeti: 22

فَدَلَّىٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٖۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخۡصِفَانِ عَلَيۡهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ وَنَادَىٰهُمَا رَبُّهُمَآ أَلَمۡ أَنۡهَكُمَا عَن تِلۡكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٞ

(22) He dipped^[1592] them ˹low˺ with delusion; when they tasted from the tree, their nether regions became exposed to them and they ˹panickingly˺ scurried to attaching leaves of the Garden to themselves; their Lord called out for them: “Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan was an open enemy to you!”

[1592] Dallāhumā means that he tricked them as well as he lowered them, just like a bucket is lowered into a well to draw water (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr). Indeed he tricked them, made them ‘dip’ into sin, and lowered their status.

Ajeti: 23

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ

(23) They said: “Our Lord, we have indeed wronged ourselves. Should you not forgive us and have mercy on us then we shall surely be among the losers”.^[1593]

[1593] Their immediate repentance sharply contrasts with Satan’s haughty stance upon his disobedience of God: “Adam received a few words ˹a supplication˺ from His Lord, and He forgave him; He is the All-Forgiving the Most Merciful” (2: 37). The one who sins and seeks repentance is more likely to be forgiven: “Verily Allah likes those who repeatedly repent and those who purify themselves” (2: 222).

Ajeti: 24

قَالَ ٱهۡبِطُواْ بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوّٞۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرّٞ وَمَتَٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ

(24) He said: “Go down, as enemies to each other. On Earth will be your dwelling and livelihood for a given time!”

Ajeti: 25

قَالَ فِيهَا تَحۡيَوۡنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنۡهَا تُخۡرَجُونَ

(25) He said: “Therein you live, therein you die and from it you are brought out”.

Ajeti: 26

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسٗا يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَٰتِكُمۡ وَرِيشٗاۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

(26) ^[1594]Children of Adam! We have sent down to you raiment that hides your nether regions and feathers^[1595]; and ˹as for˺ the raiment of Mindfulness, that is the best ˹of all raiment˺^[1596]. That is indeed from among the Signs of Allah, so that you may pay heed.

[1594] The detailing of the bliss of ‘raiment’ that was given to the children of Adam is a symbolic reminder of how much they should guard their cover of modesty lest Satan and his kind ‘rip it off’ them with their insinuations and make them fall into sin as much as he did to their parents, thus ‘lowering’ their moral status.
[1595] Rīsh literally means the feathers of birds. Birds find protection and beauty in their feathers (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 12: 255). However, here it means luxuriant garments which are used for beautification (al-Ṭabarī, al-Jawharī, al-Ṣiḥāḥ, 3/1008, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1596] There are three types of raiment spoken of here: the clothing which is necessary to cover one’s nakedness, thus basically setting humans apart from animals; luxuriant feathery garments as adornments showing God’s honouring of humans (cf. Ayas 31-32 below), and the most superior ‘raiment’, i.e. that of Mindfulness of God and paying Him heed. This elevates humans to new heights for such ‘raiment’ both protects the human against Satan and his kind, who lie in waiting unseen, and, in more than one aspect, adorns him.

Ajeti: 27

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ لَا يَفۡتِنَنَّكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ كَمَآ أَخۡرَجَ أَبَوَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنۡهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوۡءَٰتِهِمَآۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَرَىٰكُمۡ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُۥ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا تَرَوۡنَهُمۡۗ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(27) Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you just as he banished your two parents from the Garden; he ripped off their raiment from them to expose their nether regions to them. Indeed he sees you along with his kind from where you do not see them—indeed We made the devils allies to those who do not Believe.

Ajeti: 28

وَإِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَٰحِشَةٗ قَالُواْ وَجَدۡنَا عَلَيۡهَآ ءَابَآءَنَا وَٱللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَاۗ قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِۖ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

(28) When they commit a vice^[1597], they say: “We found our fathers thus doing and Allah bade us to it”. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Allah does not bid vice. Do you say regarding Allah that which you have no knowledge of?”

[1597] The heathen practice of the Arabs who used to circumambulate around the Kaʿbah naked as part of their so-called pilgrimage rites (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 21/276, Ibn Rajab, Fatḥ al-Bārī, 2/335), is being alluded to here and is something of a subtext to be found throughout these opening passages. It bears special significance because it is indicative of how morally low they stooped; that is for taking Satan as ally and following in his footsteps generation after another. Devotional acts of worship are not to be mixed with base desires and lewdness. This ‘vice’ is the vilest of all acts, and sound human nature rebels against it (as much as Adam and Eve instinctively wanted to cover up from each other in Paradise) (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 29

قُلۡ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسۡجِدٖ وَٱدۡعُوهُ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَۚ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمۡ تَعُودُونَ

(29) Say: ˹Muhammad˺: “My Lord ˹only˺ bade equity^[1598] and that you should devote your faces^[1599] at all places of prostration and invoke Him being devout in religion to Him; as He originated you, you will return”^[1600].

[1598] al-Qisṭ is fairness with regards to acts of worship by devoting them solely to God, and transactions by being fair to others (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). al-Qist captures the totality of the true heavenly religion; it is a middle ground between extremes: monotheism is a middle ground between Association and atheism, calculated generosity is a middle ground between tightfistedness and wastefulness, and so on and so forth. It is the source of all virtue (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1599] Iqāmat al-wajh (lit. keeping the face forward facing) is dedicating worship only and wholeheartedly to God: “I hereby direct my face to He Who Originated the Heavens and Earth, ˹being˺ rightly-oriented, and never am I one of the Associators” (6: 79). Ibn ʿĀshur explains: “That one ‘devotes his face’ is illustrative of the perfection of the dedication of worship in its designated places. It is like when a person directs his undivided attention to see something very important; he does not look left or right. This pure dedication is called iqāmat al-wajh because it keeps the face absolutely forward facing. This means that Allah enjoined people to keep their faces upright in places of worship, because they are where the Lord is glorified; He did not enjoin people to glorify Him or ennoble His places of worship with anything let alone nakedness or Associating with Him…. Prohibiting nakedness is purposeful here because the word fāḥishah (vice) entails it and because the context bears it out; the conferment of raiment and the prohibition of nudity being underlined”. ʿAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when standing for Prayer used to say: “I turn my face to He Who originated the creation of the Heavens and Earth being rightly-oriented ˹in religion˺ and not being one of the Associators. Indeed, my Prayer, devotional rites, life and death belong to Allah, there is no Associating with Him. With this I have been bade and I am one of those who submit. O Allah! You are the King, there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ but You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have transgressed against myself and confessed my misdeeds. Forgive all my misdeeds, no one forgives misdeeds but You. Guide me to the best of manners, no one guides to them but You. Drive bad manners away from me, no one drives them away but You. I hold fast to worshipping You, which immensely helped me ˹and pleased me˺. All that is good is in Your Hands. Evil is not to be ascribed to You. My success is from You and I turn to You ˹in all my affairs˺. Glorified and exalted You are. I ask You for forgiveness and turn in repentance to You” (Muslim: 771). al-Barā’ Ibn ‘Āzib (رضي الله عنه) said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When you want to go to bed perform wuḍū’ in the same way as you would for Prayer, then lie on your right side and say: “O Allah! I have submitted my soul to You and directed my face towards You, and I have entrusted You with ˹all˺ my affairs, and I have depended on You ˹with all my affairs˺, expecting Your favour and dreading Your punishment. There is no fleeing or refuge from You except to You. I Believe in the Book you have revealed and the Prophet you have sent. If you die that night, you will die in ˹the state of˺ fiṭrah (pure Faith). Make them the last things you say” (al-Bukhārī: 6311, Muslim: 2710).
[1600] They are to be mindful that the One Who created them the first time is Able to resurrect them for Judgement (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “And he cites an example for Us, forgetting his own creation. He said: “Who can give life back to bones after they have decayed? *Say: “The One Who made them in the first place will resurrect them. He is fully aware of every creation”” (36: 78-79).

Ajeti: 30

فَرِيقًا هَدَىٰ وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةُۚ إِنَّهُمُ ٱتَّخَذُواْ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

(30) A party ˹of you˺ He guides, and another party misguidedness is their rightful lot; they betook the devils as allies besides Allah and they think that they are guided!^[1601]

[1601] “Indeed, those who revert ˹to Denying˺ after guidance has become clear to them; Satan has tempted them, luring them with false hope” (47: 25); “Say: “Shall I inform you who are the greatest losers in respect to their deeds? *Those whose efforts go astray in the worldly life, while they reckon that they are virtuous in their works. *It is they who Denied the Signs of their Lord and their meeting with Him, their deeds became void, so We will not give their deeds any weight on the Day of Judgement”” (18: 103-105).

Ajeti: 31

۞ يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمۡ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسۡجِدٖ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ وَلَا تُسۡرِفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ

(31) ^[1602]Children of Adam! Take your adornment at every place of prostration; eat and drink^[1603] but do not squander—He likes not the squanderers.

[1602] The morally degrading, religiously defiling issue of nudity, which arouses the beast in man and runs contrary to holiness, is being implicated here. As for the reason for revelation of this aya Ibn ʿAbbās says: “Women used to circumambulate around the Kaʿbah ˹stark˺ naked and ask: “Who would lend me a cover for circumambulation (tiṭwāf)?” They would then cover with it their private parts and say ˹in poetry˺: “Today some or all of it is exposed; whatever is exposed of it I do not grant permission to it!” Then this aya was sent down: “…take your adornment at every place of worship”” (Muslim: 3028). Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (Fatḥ al-Bārī: 2/335) said: “It was sent down because the Associators used to circumambulate around the Kaʿbah ˹stark˺ naked. Ibn ʿAbbās’s narration is authentic and all earlier exegetes are unanimous about it”. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) said that Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) sent him - during the pilgrimage mission that the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed him as head of - and bade him announce to people that: “No Associator shall perform hajj after this year and no naked person shall circumambulate around the Kaʿbah” (al-Bukhārī: 1622, Muslim: 1347).
God commanded that people ‘take adornment’ and not merely cover their nakedness by way of indicating that people should wear their best to Prayers. It is reported that there was one among our rightly-guided predecessors who used to have a luxuriantly expensive garment to wear for Prayer, when asked he said: “My Lord has the most right from me to look my best for Prayer”. It is well-known that Allah likes to see the mark of His Bounty on His servants, especially when they stand in front of Him; the best way to do so is by wearing one’s best raiment that Allah bestowed on Him both outer (the garment) and inner (Mindfulness) (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā, 5/326, Ibn al-Qayyim, Madārij al-Sālikīn, 2/363). Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “None who has a mote’s measure of arrogance will enter Paradise”. A man remarked: “One likes his clothing and footwear to look good!” He ˹the Messenger (ﷺ)˺ replied: “Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty! ‘Arrogance’ is to disdainfully dismiss what is rightful and to regard other people with contempt”” (Muslim: 91).
[1603] In their heathen days they used to even forbid certain types of food, or that no food should enter Makkah besides what was already available therein and only eat from it during the time of pilgrimage (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Zamakhsharī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). These two practices bidding what is unlawful, nudity, and forbidding what is lawful, food consumption, are indicative of how far straying the Arab community was from God’s Path and how eaten up by Satan they were. God only bids what is equitable (qisṭ): moderation between miserliness and wastefulness.

Ajeti: 32

قُلۡ مَنۡ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَخۡرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ وَٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ مِنَ ٱلرِّزۡقِۚ قُلۡ هِيَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا خَالِصَةٗ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۗ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ

(32) Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Who is he who declared unlawful the adornment of Allah that He brought forth to His servants^[1604], and His good provisions?” Say ˹Muhammad˺: “It is for those who Believe during this worldly life; ˹and theirs˺ solely in the Hereafter.”^[1605] Thus We detail the Signs to those who know.

[1604] Ibn Kathīr says in his commentary: “The Arabs, excepting the Quraysh, used not to circumambulate around the Kaʿbah in the garments in which they committed sins in… whoever was lent a garment by a Qurayshite would use it and whoever circumambulated in a ˹brand˺ new garment would throw it away ˹after performing the rites˺ and no one would use it afterwards. But whoever could not find ˹or afford˺ a new garment or borrow one from a Qurayshite, would perform the rite naked” (cf. also al-Azraqī, Akhbār Makkah, 1/138).
[1605] This ‘adornment’ and good provision may be enjoyed by both the Believers and the Deniers in this life but in the Hereafter it is only enjoyed by those who Believed (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). This allusion paves the way for the scenes of the Hereafter that come shortly.

Ajeti: 33

قُلۡ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ ٱلۡفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلۡإِثۡمَ وَٱلۡبَغۡيَ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَن تُشۡرِكُواْ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمۡ يُنَزِّلۡ بِهِۦ سُلۡطَٰنٗا وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

(33) ^[1606]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “My Lord only forbade vices, both open and secret^[1607], sinning, aggressing unrightfully^[1608], that you Associate with Him that for which He sent down no authority, and that you say about Allah what you have no knowledge of”.

[1606] This message is to affirm the Godly stand on their sordid state of affairs and warns them against His retribution. A detailed account of what real morality is, is provided in the previous Makkan Sura al-Anʿām, Ayas 151-153, which pointedly concludes with: “Indeed this is My path, Straight, so follow it and do not follow the ˹diverse˺ roads and get driven away from His road; that He bade you so that you may become Mindful”.
[1607] al-Fawāḥish (lit. vices) mentioned here are, in a way, related to acts of lewdness (cf. Aya 80 below which talks of homosexuality as a ‘vice’) and nudity (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 15/381). Ibn ʿAbbās narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “No one is more solicitously jealous than Allah. This is why He forbade vices, both open and secret” (al-Bukhārī: 4637, Muslim: 2670).
[1608] It is given that all forms of aggression (baghy) are undoubtedly not rightful, but ‘unrightful’ (bi ghayr al-ḥaqq): this is mentioned here by way of calling attention to its repulsiveness. Conversely, it could mean that ‘rightful aggression’ is justified when exacting justice against someone who aggressed against the person concerned (al-Rāzī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).

Ajeti: 34

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٞۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَأۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةٗ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ

(34) For every nation there is a ˹set˺ term; when their term is due, they will not be delayed an hour nor will they be hastened^[1609].

[1609] A set time for it to taste Divine Wrath and retribution should it persist in Denying (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). The ones who are directly meant by this warning are the Arabs of that time who stood against the Message. Their attention is being drawn to what befell those who came before them (Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Indeed, Messengers before you were ridiculed, but those who used to ridicule them got hit by what they ridiculed. *Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Travel the land and look what was the fate of the Deniers”” (6: 10-11).

Ajeti: 35

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ إِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُمۡ رُسُلٞ مِّنكُمۡ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِي فَمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

(35) ^[1610]Children of Adam! Whenever Messengers from among you^[1611] come to you recounting My Signs to you; whoever ˹then˺ becomes Mindful and makes amends, then they should not fear nor need they grieve^[1612].

[1610] Now the address, ‘Children of Adam’, takes on a more general note and speaks not particularly to Arabs, who were especially morally degraded (as they had nudity enshrined in their religion), but humanity at large.
[1611] Messengers from among humankind (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shinqīṭī). That the Messengers are humans ‘from you’ is the more reason to Believe (cf. 6: 9) and is used here in argument against them (cf. al-Rāzī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[1612] They need not worry about the future nor brood over their past sins. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)

Ajeti: 36

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ عَنۡهَآ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

(36) While those who rejected Our Signs and disdained them, these are the Companions of Hellfire—forever they abide therein.

Ajeti: 37

فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوۡ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦٓۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَنَالُهُمۡ نَصِيبُهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوۡنَهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ أَيۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالُواْ ضَلُّواْ عَنَّا وَشَهِدُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ أَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ كَٰفِرِينَ

(37) Who does more wrong than one who fabricated lies against Allah or rejected His Signs; those their share ˹as˺ per the Book will catch up with them^[1613], until when Our messengers^[1614] come upon them to terminate their lives, they would say: “Where is it that you were invoking besides Allah?” They said: “They have deserted us!”^[1615] They bore witness against themselves that they were Deniers^[1616].

[1613] Even those who chose to Deny will get their allocated provisions and will go on living their lives as per what is written in the Book, the Preserved Tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī): “Those who Deny, let their Denying not grieve you ˹Muhammad˺. To Us is their return and We shall inform them what they have done. Surely, Allah is the All-Knower of what is in the hearts ˹of people˺. *We let them enjoy for a little while ˹in this world˺, then We shall oblige them to enter a rough Punishment ˹in the Hereafter˺” (31: 23-24).
[1614] The angels who are tasked with claiming peoples’ lives. (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr)
[1615] Their so-called gods whom they Associate with God; they ‘deserted’ them at the time of their most pressing need! (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr)
[1616] Only at the time of their death did they realize the Truth! (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr)

Ajeti: 38

قَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِيٓ أُمَمٖ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ فِي ٱلنَّارِۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتۡ أُمَّةٞ لَّعَنَتۡ أُخۡتَهَاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱدَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعٗا قَالَتۡ أُخۡرَىٰهُمۡ لِأُولَىٰهُمۡ رَبَّنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَٔاتِهِمۡ عَذَابٗا ضِعۡفٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِۖ قَالَ لِكُلّٖ ضِعۡفٞ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَعۡلَمُونَ

(38) He ˹Allah˺ said: “Enter you to join nations of humans and jinn, who passed away before you, in Hellfire”. Whenever a nation enters, it damns its sister^[1617]; until when they are all amassed in it, the last of them says^[1618] to the first of them: “Our Lord! These are the ones who misled us, so give them double the Punishment in Hellfire”. He ˹Allah˺ said: “There is double ˹Punishment˺ for everyone^[1619] but you do not know”.

[1617] By replying positively to the question about their ‘gods’, they effectively, and quite regretfully, admitted guilt: “He ˹Ibrāhīm˺ said: “You have taken besides Allah idols ˹for worship˺, only to keep ˹a bond of˺ love among yourselves in this worldly life. But on the Day of Judgement you will disown and damn one another. Your home will be the Fire, and you will have no helper!” (29: 25)
[1618] Another such acrimonious interaction between the dwellers of Hellfire, both early and late, is recounted elsewhere: “…if only you could see ˹Muhammad˺ when the wrongdoers will be detained before their Lord, throwing blame at each other! The lowly ˹followers˺ will say to the arrogant ˹leaders˺: “Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been Believers. *The arrogant will respond to the lowly, “Did we ever drive you away from guidance after it came to you? Indeed, you were criminals ˹in your own right˺” (34: 31-32).
[1619] “As for those who Deny and turn away ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah, We will add more Punishment to their Punishment for all the corruption they spread” (16: 88).

Ajeti: 39

وَقَالَتۡ أُولَىٰهُمۡ لِأُخۡرَىٰهُمۡ فَمَا كَانَ لَكُمۡ عَلَيۡنَا مِن فَضۡلٖ فَذُوقُواْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡسِبُونَ

(39) The first of them said to the last of them: “You are no better than us. Taste you the Punishment for what you used to earn^[1620]”.

[1620] The sins they used to commit. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr)

Ajeti: 40

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ عَنۡهَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمۡ أَبۡوَٰبُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدۡخُلُونَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلۡجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ ٱلۡخِيَاطِۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

(40) Indeed those who rejected Our Signs and disdained them, the gates of Heaven will not be opened up for them^[1621] and they will not enter Paradise until the camel gets through the eye of a needle^[1622]—thus We requite the criminals.

[1621] The doors of Heaven will be closed shut for their deeds during their lives because of their disdainful rejection of God’s Signs, nor will they be opened up for their souls when they die. (al-Muyassar, al-Mukhtaṣar; for details about what happens to the souls of those who Believe and those who Deny upon their death see Ibn Abī Shaybah, al-Muṣannaf: 12059, Imām Aḥmad: 18534, al-Ḥākim, al-Mustadrak: 107)
[1622] An impossible prospect indeed: “…whoever Associates with Allah, then Allah will surely forbid him ˹entry into˺ Paradise and his home will be Hellfire—the wrongdoers will never have helpers” (5: 72).

Ajeti: 41

لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٞ وَمِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ غَوَاشٖۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

(41) Theirs is bedding from Hellfire and above them are covers ˹of fire˺—thus We requite the wrongdoers.

Ajeti: 42

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَآ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

(42) And ˹as for˺ those who Believed and did good deeds – We only charge a soul with that which it can bear^[1623] – these are the Companions of Paradise—forever they abide therein.

[1623] The statement in parenthesis asserts a major Qur’anic tenet that God laid upon us “no hardship in the religion” (22: 78, cf. also: 2: 333, 2: 286, 6: 152, 23: 62, 65: 7, 64: 16). It is raised here to encourage people to do whatever is in their capacity to gain Paradise (al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).

Ajeti: 43

وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلّٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي هَدَىٰنَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهۡتَدِيَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُۖ لَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَنُودُوٓاْ أَن تِلۡكُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

(43) And We had stripped away the ill will that is in their chests^[1624]; rivers flow from under them. And they said: “All gratitude be to Allah^[1625], Who guided us to this. We would not have been guided had Allah not guided us. Surely the Messengers of our Lord came with the Truth”. They were called out: “That is Paradise; you were made to inherit it for what you used to do”.^[1626]

[1624] All the evil thoughts and toxic feelings they might have had, will be removed from their hearts, so that they live in total peace and do not harbour any ill will for each other, especially given that they are of different ranks in Paradise (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1625] “And they said: “˹All˺ Gratitude be to Allah, Who has dispelled grief from us. Truly our Lord is Most Forgiving, All-Thankful, *Who, of His Bounty, has caused us to dwell in the Abode of Everlasting Life, wherein no weariness shall touch us, nor fatigue befall us” (35: 34-35). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Each one of the Companions of Paradise sees his ˹could have been˺ seat in Hellfire and says: “Had Allah not guided me!” Uttering it out of thankfulness. Each one of the Companions of Hellfire sees his ˹could have been˺ seat in Paradise and says: “Had Allah guided me!” Uttering it out of dismay” (al-Nasā’ī: 11390. Imām Aḥmad: 10652).
[1626] “These are the inheritors, *who inherit Paradise; forever they abide therein” (23: 10-11). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Each one of you has two ˹would be˺ abodes: one in Paradise and one in Hellfire. When one dies and is admitted into Hellfire, the Companions of Paradise inherit his abode. That is what is meant by: “These are the inheritors” (23: 10) (Ibn Mājah: 4341, al-Bayhaqī, al-Baʿth wa al-Nushūr: 241).

Ajeti: 44

وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ أَن قَدۡ وَجَدۡنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقّٗا فَهَلۡ وَجَدتُّم مَّا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمۡ حَقّٗاۖ قَالُواْ نَعَمۡۚ فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنُۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَن لَّعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

(44) ^[1627]The Companions of Paradise called out to the Companions of Hellfire^[1628]: “We have indeed found what our Lord promised us as truthful! Did you ˹too˺ find what your Lord promised you as truthful?” They said: “Yes!” Then an announcer announced^[1629] between them: “Indeed Allah’s Damnation is on the wrongdoers;

[1627] What follows is a graphic description, a vivid recreation of what will take place after the Companions of both Paradise and Hellfire have been settled in their abodes and have had a taste of what both parties have been promised through the Messengers of God. This is the culminating scene of the battle between good and evil; the central theme of this sura.
Notice that the past tense is employed throughout the passage, and indeed this is the case of almost all the happenings of the Day of Judgement and beyond in the different passages where it is mentioned in the Qur’an, even though the events being talked about are future events. This carries a number of interrelated rhetorical purposes: to ascertain its taking place as if it had already done so since it is the Truth coming from the All-Wise, All-Knowing (سبحانه وتعالى), to heighten the effect on the receiver whose brain is programmed to taking past events as a foregone conclusion. Since the narrator is no one less than the Majestic Creator of the universe, the Founder of life and death (سبحانه وتعالى), what we are told will happen in the future is surely a foregone conclusion (cf. Ibn al-Athīr, al-Mathal al-Sā’ir fī Adab al-Kātib wa al-Shāʿir, al-Shinqīṭī, Aḍwā’ al-Bayān).
[1628] After enduring a barrage of ridicule and slandering from the Deniers, it is now the turn of the Believers to ridicule those who hurt them so much seeing that they justly got what they deserved: “The worldly life is prettified for the Deniers; they ridicule those who Believe; ˹but˺ the Mindful are indeed above them on the Day of Judgement—Allah showers with favours whom He wills without account” (2: 212).
[1629] The announcement is said in a loud, clearly audible, authoritative voice: al-Qurṭubī is of the opinion that it is the angels’ (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). This announcement is meant to make the Companions of Hellfire despair of all hope of deliverance (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 45

ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗا وَهُم بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ كَٰفِرُونَ

(45) those who turn away^[1630] from the Way of Allah and wish it be crooked, while they are ˹staunchly˺ Denying of the Hereafter”.

[1630] They always cast the religion of God in bad light, showing it as defective and imperfect (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “And when Our Signs are recited to them as clear proofs, they say: “This is naught but a man who desires to turn you from that which your fathers used to worship”. And they say: “This is naught but a fabricated perversion”. And those who Denied say to the Truth when it comes to them: “This is naught but manifest sorcery”” (34: 43). They used to ‘turn away’ (yaṣuddūna) from the Truth themselves and divert other people from it (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).

Ajeti: 46

وَبَيۡنَهُمَا حِجَابٞۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٞ يَعۡرِفُونَ كُلَّۢا بِسِيمَىٰهُمۡۚ وَنَادَوۡاْ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَن سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡۚ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُونَ

(46) Between them is a barrier^[1631] and on the heights are men^[1632] who know each by their signs^[1633]; they called out to the Companions of Paradise: “Peace be upon you!” They did not get into it^[1634] ˹Paradise, yet˺; they are desirous.

[1631] Between the dwellers of both abodes (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “So a fence will be set up between them, whose gate separates Mercy on the inner side, from Punishment on the outer side” (57: 13).
[1632] There are a number of opinions as to who these people really are. It is mostly agreed however that these are people whose good deeds and bad deeds came in equal measure after their weighing on the Scale of deeds on the Day of Judgement (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). That they are said to be ‘men’ (rijāl) does not necessarily exclude women; a woman in authentic Arabic is also called ‘rajulah’ (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1633] The beauty and illuminated faces of the dwellers of Paradise and the grotesque faces of the dwellers of Hell which are clouded with darkness (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). Being on such a high and raised place, they are afforded the vantage point of seeing the stark difference between those terminally suffering in Hell in contrast to those who dwell in Paradise enjoying all sorts of bliss (cf. Ibn al-Jawzī, Zād al-Masīr, 2/124): “On the Day when some faces are illumined and others are darkened; as for those whose faces become dark: “Did you Deny after you have become Believers? Taste then the Punishment of your Denial”. *As for those whose faces become illumined, they will be ˹admitted˺ in Allah’s Mercy, forever they reside therein” (3: 106-107): “Faces on that Day shall be beaming; *laughing, rejoicing. *And faces that Day shall be covered with dust, *and overcast with gloom” (80: 38-41): “Those who had done good, will have the best reward and even more. Neither dust nor humiliating disgrace shall cover their faces. They are the Companions of Paradise; forever they abide therein. *And those who have earned evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed will be the like thereof, humiliating disgrace will cover them. They will not have any defender from Allah. ˹It will be˺ As if their faces are covered with dark patches of night. They are the Companions of Hellfire; forever they abide therein.” (10: 26-27).
[1634] The people on the heights have not yet entered Paradise, but they are desperately hopeful that they will be admitted into it with God’s Mercy (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Ḥalabī, al-Durr al-Maṣūn, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). They are to be entered into Paradise but they are being stood on these heights as a light punishment, a purification of their misdeeds (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr; this is his inference from the views of earlier exegetes).

Ajeti: 47

۞ وَإِذَا صُرِفَتۡ أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ تِلۡقَآءَ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلنَّارِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

(47) When their sights were turned towards the Companions of Hellfire, they said: “Our Lord, do not let us end up with the wrongdoers!”

Ajeti: 48

وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٗا يَعۡرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمۡ قَالُواْ مَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنكُمۡ جَمۡعُكُمۡ وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ

(48) The Companions of the heights called out ˹some˺ men they knew by their signs^[1635]: “What has your gathering^[1636] and your arrogance warded off from you?”

[1635] Unlike the earlier ‘signs’ which brand the whole population of Hellfire, these are special ‘signs’ which mark out the heads of the criminals who dwell in Hell (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1636] The sons, men and resources they amassed around themselves to fend off evil from themselves (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Rāzī, Ibn Kathīr, Abū al-Suʿūd). Their cry on that Day is: “My wealth has availed me nothing, *Vanished has my power from me!” (69: 28-29)

Ajeti: 49

أَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍۚ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُونَ

(49) “Are these the ones that you swore that Allah would not touch them with His Mercy?”^[1637] “Enter you Paradise, you should not fear nor need you grieve.”^[1638]

[1637] In the worldly life they were so blinded by arrogance that seeing, merely by worldly measures, how lowly some of the Believers were, they assumed them not worthy of God’s Mercy; thus applying their own seriously convoluted standards to those of God (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Rāzī, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). This is by way of catching the attention of the haughty Arab masters who regarded the Believers at that time, among whom where slaves and those of low social standing, with disdainful contempt (cf. 6: 52-53, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1638] The addressees here are the people of the heights (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Rāzī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 50

وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ أَنۡ أَفِيضُواْ عَلَيۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ أَوۡ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

(50) And the Companions of Hellfire called out to the Companions of Paradise: “Spill over some water for us or ˹any˺ of what Allah blessed you with!”^[1639] They said: “Indeed Allah has forbidden both to the Deniers;

[1639] They would beg them for water and food (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 51

ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمۡ لَهۡوٗا وَلَعِبٗا وَغَرَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ نَنسَىٰهُمۡ كَمَا نَسُواْ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِهِمۡ هَٰذَا وَمَا كَانُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يَجۡحَدُونَ

(51) those who took their religion lightly and playfully^[1640] and were deceived by the worldly life”^[1641]. Today We forget them as they had forgotten their meeting of this Day of theirs^[1642] and for denying Our Signs.

[1640] “When you call for Prayer they playfully take it ˹as an object of˺ mockery and scorn. That because they are people who do not reason” (5: 58).
[1641] This aya strongly brings to mind Aya 6: 70: “Leave behind ˹Muhammad˺ those who took their religion lightly and playfully and were deceived by the worldly life, and remind with it ˹the Qur’an˺, lest that a soul becomes bondaged by what it earned; there is no ally or intercessor for it besides Allah and if it were to ransom itself with anything it will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who are bondaged for their earning, for them are a boiling drink and a painful Punishment for all their Denying”.
[1642] Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Allah meets the servant and says: “You so-and so! Have I not been generous towards you, made you into a master, got you married, availed you with horses and camels, and let you reign supreme?” He says: “Yes indeed!” He (سبحانه وتعالى) then says: “Were you of a mind that you would not come to meet Me?” He says: “No!” He then says: “Then I forget you just as you had forgotten Me!” Then He meets another one and says: “You so-and so! Have I not been generous towards you, made you into a master, got you married, availed you with horses and camels, and let you reign supreme?” He says: “Yes indeed!” He (سبحانه وتعالى) then says: “Were you of a mind that you would not come to meet Me?” He (سبحانه وتعالى) says: “No!” He then says: “Then I forget you just as you had forgotten Me!” (Muslim: 2968); “So taste ˹the Punishment˺ for forgetting the meeting of this Day of yours. We ˹too˺ have certainly forgotten you; taste the Punishment of eternity for what you used to do!” (32: 14)

Ajeti: 52

وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡنَٰهُم بِكِتَٰبٖ فَصَّلۡنَٰهُ عَلَىٰ عِلۡمٍ هُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(52) Verily, We had brought them a Book, which We have detailed with ˹proper˺ knowledge; a guidance and mercy for the Believing people.^[1643]

[1643] The telling here of these stories and occurrences that will come to be true on the Day of Judgement and beyond are Signs for those who take heed so that they may prepare for their future and choose the path that takes them to their fate: “… indeed there has come to you a Light and a clarifying Book; *by it Allah guides those who follow His Pleasure to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light with His permission; He guides them to a Straight Path” (5: 15-16).

Ajeti: 53

هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأۡوِيلَهُۥۚ يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِي تَأۡوِيلُهُۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشۡفَعُواْ لَنَآ أَوۡ نُرَدُّ فَنَعۡمَلَ غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي كُنَّا نَعۡمَلُۚ قَدۡ خَسِرُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفۡتَرُونَ

(53) Do they expect ˹nothing˺ but its realization!^[1644] On the Day when its realization comes, those who forgot it before would say: “Indeed the Messengers of our Lord came with the Truth. Will we then have intercessors to intercede for us, or are we to be returned so that we may do that besides what we used to do!”^[1645] Surely, they have lost their souls^[1646] and what they used to weave^[1647] deserted them.

[1644] Ta’wīlahu (lit. its interpretation) is the coming true and realization of what it tells of and promises: resurrection, reckoning and Punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Do they expect ˹nothing˺ but that the angels come upon them; or your Lord comes, or some of your Lord’s Signs come ˹upon them˺? On the Day when some of your Lord’s Signs come, a soul’s Believing will be to no avail to it had it not Believed earlier or earned good in its Believing. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Wait ˹you˺, for we shall be waiting”” (6: 158).
[1645] “If only you could see ˹Muhammad˺ when they were stood at the Fire and then said: “How we wish we could be returned then we would ˹surely˺ not deny the Signs of our Lord and would be among the Believers!” *Nay, but what they used to hide before was made to come all too true to them. If they were to return they would ˹only˺ backtrack to what they were forbidden from—indeed they are liars” (6: 27-28).
[1646] “Losers indeed are those who deny the meeting of Allah, until when the Hour comes upon them all of a sudden, they would say: “Woe be us for wasting it ˹our lives˺!” They would carry their ˹burdensome˺ sins over their backs—sordid indeed what they carry” (6: 31).
[1647] The false idols and gods they used to set up as rivals to Almighty God (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 54

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يُغۡشِي ٱلَّيۡلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطۡلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثٗا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتِۭ بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلۡخَلۡقُ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(54) ^[1648]Indeed your ˹True˺ Lord is Allah Who created the Heavens and Earth in six days^[1649], then Established^[1650] Himself on the Throne; He shrouds night over day, relentlessly pursuing it^[1651]; the sun, the moon and the stars are dominated by His Command^[1652]; verily for Him ˹alone˺ is the creation and the Command^[1653]—glorified be Allah, the Lord of all beings^[1654].

[1648] This passage and the next one mark an interpose; acting as anchorage for the flow of the discourse, a reminder of this sura’s central theme, Allah’s Godship (ulūhiyyah), and that He is the Sole Deserver of all acts of worship Who is not to be Associated with. The truly cosmic Signs detailed here are proofs of His Majesty, indications of the extent of His limitless Power, and rightfulness to devoted worship (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). This is the single most Truth that people engage in struggle over; the core Message of all Prophets throughout time: “Worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him”.
[1649] “Surely your Lord is Allah Who created the Heavens and Earth in six days, then Established Himself on the Throne, conducting every affair. None can intercede except by His permission. That is Allah—your Lord, so worship Him ˹alone˺. Will you not then be heedful?” (10: 3); “Allah is He Who has created the Heavens and Earth and everything in between in six days, then Established Himself on the Throne. You have no Protector or Intercessor besides Him. Will you not then be heedful?” (32: 4)
[1650] The verb istawā literally means rose and ascended in a manner befitting His Majesty only and unlike any of His creation. This Attribute of Almighty God (عز وجل) should be established as it is without tashbīh (drawing analogies), takyīf (adaptation) or taʿṭīl (repudiation). (Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī)
[1651] The Qur’an depicts striking imagery of the relationship that holds between night and day in many places where they are mentioned as cosmic Signs of God’s magnificent creation; they are personified as truly odd companions who live in constant contrast and struggle: “You ˹Allah˺ merge night into day and You merge day into night” (3: 27); “He shrouds night over day. Indeed in these are Signs for those who pay heed” (13: 3); “The night is also a Sign for them: We strip the daylight from it, and behold!- they are left in darkness” (36: 37); “The sun is not permitted to overtake the moon, nor can the night outrun the day: each floats in ˹its own˺ orbit” (36: 40).
[1652] This is yet another Sign of God’s ability and He has subjected these planets for the benefit of creation; no one could have otherwise done so (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “He has made night and day subservient to you, and the sun, moon and stars, all dominated by His Command. There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect” (16: 12).
[1653] God Almighty (سبحانه وتعالى) is the Sole Creator. He is the One Who truly controls His creation disposing of their affairs at will, (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Say: “Who provides for you from the Heavens and Earth? Who owns hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And Who conducts every affair?” They will ˹surely˺ say: “Allah!” Say: “Will you not be Mindful?” (10: 31).
[1654] “So ˹all˺ gratitude is for Allah—Lord of the Heavens and Lord of Earth, Lord of all beings. *His ˹alone˺ is Majesty in the Heavens and Earth, and He is the All-Mighty, All-Wise” (45: 36-37).

Ajeti: 55

ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخُفۡيَةًۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ

(55) Invoke your Lord^[1655] humbly and mutedly^[1656]; indeed He likes not the transgressors^[1657].

[1655] The result of realizing how Magnificent and Dominant God is, is to direct one’s sincerest act of worship, supplication (duʿā’) to Him alone. al-Nuʿmān Ibn Bashīr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Supplication is worship” then he (ﷺ) read: “Your Lord said: “Call on Me and I will answer you; those who are too proud to serve Me will enter Hell humiliated” (40: 60)” (Imām Aḥmad: 271, Abū Dāwūd: 1479, al-Tirmidhī: 2969).
[1656] This is one of the protocols of calling upon God through invocations, i.e. summoning up one’s most sincere prayers in true humbleness, wholeheartedly and in secret; finding this one-to-One connection in all sincerity (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). That God is invoked secretly in a low voice bears special significance and is sincerer of Faith as it shows how much the supplicator realizes the nearness of God and His presence in his life, as well as how respecting of his Sovereign he really is (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Badā’iʿ al-Fawā’id, 6/3). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) said: “We were travelling with the Prophet (ﷺ) and people began raising their voices glorifying ˹Allah˺. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “O people! Go easy on yourselves; you are not invoking one who is deaf or absent. You are calling One Who is All-Hearing, All-Near; He is with you” (al-Bukhārī: 2992, Muslim: 2704).
[1657] Those who overstep the proper limits in their supplication and worship are called muʿtadīn (transgressors) (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī). ʿAbdullāh Ibn Mughaffal (رضي الله عنه) heard a son of his pray, saying: “O Allah, I ask You for the white castle in Paradise, when I am admitted into it, to be on my right”. He said to him: “Son, ˹only˺ pray to Allah to give you Paradise and seek refuge with Him from Hellfire for I truly heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “There will come after me, from this very nation, people who will transgress in supplication and purification (cleanliness)” (Abū Dāwūd: 96, Ibn Mājah: 3864, Imām Aḥmad: 20554).

Ajeti: 56

وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعًاۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

(56) Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set aright^[1658] and invoke Him out of fear and in hope^[1659]; indeed Allah’s Mercy is ever close to the good-doers^[1660].

[1658] Another result of realizing the sheer Magnificence and Dominance of God Almighty is to steer clear of all forms of corruption and deviation from God’s commands; notably Associating with Him in worship and sinning. The world has been set aright by the sending of the Messengers (عليهم السلام) who explained and expounded God’s laws (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1659] This is yet another protocol of duʿā’ which signifies that one should not be too sure of oneself while supplicating to God, gloating over good deeds or, conversely, despairing of His Mercy. In sincere acts of devotion, one should earnestly invest both fear (al-khawf) and hope (al-rajā’). Indeed God speaks of the supplication of His most sincere servants, the Messengers (عليهم السلام) who are the role models of humanity in such a manner: “…indeed, they used to race in doing good, and call upon Us in hope and fear, totally humbling themselves before Us” (21: 90).
[1660] Those who observe such rules of conduct in supplication are good-doers and will gain God’s Mercy (Ibn al-Qayyim, Badā’iʿ al-Fawā’id, 3/31). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah, Glory be His, says: “I am as much as my servant thinks of Me and I am with him whenever he mentions Me; if he mentions Me to himself, I will Mention him to Myself, if he mentions Me to a company, I will Mention him to a better company; if he draws nearer to Me by a hand span, I will Draw nearer to him an arm’s length, if he draws nearer to Me an arm’s length, I will Draw nearer to him the length of arms stretched out, and if he comes to Me walking, I will come to him jogging” (al-Bukhārī: 7405, Muslim: 2675).

Ajeti: 57

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابٗا ثِقَالٗا سُقۡنَٰهُ لِبَلَدٖ مَّيِّتٖ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

(57) ^[1661]He is the One Who sends out winds as glad tidings heralding His Mercy^[1662]; until when they haul heavy clouds, We drive them to a dead land, then We cause by them water to come down and We bring out with it crops of all types; like so do We bring out the dead so that you may heed^[1663].

[1661] These are further Signs of God’s sole rightfulness to worship. The analogy here is drawn between life-giving rain and how it transforms ‘dead’ land making it teem with life and producing all sorts of growths, on the one hand, and God’s Ability over bringing the dead to life and resurrecting them, on the other (cf. al-Rāzī). Further, people are likened to different plots of land of which some are ‘good’ and will readily benefit from rain, whilst others are ‘malicious’ and will only yield horrible produce; so, then, are people with regards to their reception of God’s Signs and Guidance (al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “˹Another˺ of His Signs is that He sends out the winds bearing glad tidings, giving you a taste of His Mercy… So observe the traces of Allah’s Mercy, how He revives the land after its death. Truly that is the Reviver of the dead; He is Able over all things” (30: 46 and 50).
[1662] Raḥmah (mercy) here means rain because with it God shows mercy on His creation and through it they are provided with the sources of life: water and food (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1663] This is a major Sign of God’s Ability to bring the dead to life: “Allah is the One Who sends forth the winds; they raise up the clouds; We drive them to a dead town and with them revive the land after its death: such will be the Resurrection” (35: 9); “Among His Signs is that you see the land devoid of life, but as soon as We send down rain upon it, it begins to stir ˹to life˺ and swell. Indeed, the One Who revives it can willingly revive the dead. He is certainly Most Able of everything” (41: 39): “We send blessed water down from the sky and grow with it gardens, harvest grain, *and soaring palm trees, with clustered dates; *a provision for the servants, and We give life with it to the land which is dead. Such is the coming forth ˹resurrection˺” (50: 9-11).

Ajeti: 58

وَٱلۡبَلَدُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يَخۡرُجُ نَبَاتُهُۥ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۦۖ وَٱلَّذِي خَبُثَ لَا يَخۡرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَشۡكُرُونَ

(58) And the good land, its growths come out by its Lord’s permission^[1664]; and the malicious one only comes out nasty^[1665]—like so We expound the Signs for those who are thankful^[1666].

[1664] So God Wills that such good land becomes fruitful and grows good produce readily and speedily (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1665] Even if rain were to fall on such land and it were to produce anything, it would only grow forth that which is unpleasing and bereft of all benefit (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah sent me is that of the rain that falls on ˹vast˺ land: parts of it are good, they accepted the water, grew with it dense greenery and herbage; yet parts of it are arid, they held water therein so by it Allah benefitted people so they could drink of it, they quenched the thirst of others from it and grazed; other parts are barren, they do not hold water nor do they grow herbage. Like so is the example of the person who bears knowledge of the religion of Allah, benefitted from what Allah sent me with so he learned and taught and ˹on the other hand,˺ those who did not rise to the occasion and did not accept the guidance of Allah with which I was sent” (al-Bukhārī: 79, Muslim: 2282).
[1666] Those who are receptive and thankful will readily benefit most from these Signs (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī).

Ajeti: 59

لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيمٖ

(59) ^[1667]Verily We had sent Nūḥ ˹Noah˺ to his people and he said: “My people, worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him^[1668]. Certainly, I fear for you the Punishment of a dreadful Day!”

[1667] The ‘good land’ and ‘malicious land’ are to be found throughout times and ages. Those who benefit from God’s Signs are the ‘good’ ones who are set apart from the ‘evil’ ones who only get worse once God’s Signs are recited for them. According to al-Rāzī, the series of stories of the Messengers of God which are to be told here serve a number of goals: 1) to console Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by showing him that shunning the Signs of God and treating them disdainfully is not limited to his people but rather a great many previous nations were as rebellious; 2) to show the two parties, the Believers and the Deniers, the fate of each through previous real examples; 3) to draw attention to the, both at once, assuring and unsettling fact that God may slacken the rein for those who rebel against His command but He never disregards them; 4) they provide further proof of the Truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) who was unlettered and yet he managed to narrate stories of different nations, scattered throughout the land, with striking accuracy!
It is also useful to mention that these stories as told here are laconically styled (many of which are told elsewhere in the Qur’an in much more detail) recounting briefly the Message, the response to it, the response to the response and the punishment for not heeding it. Further, the rapport between the Messenger and those to whom he was sent is highlighted through the use of appellations like ‘their brother’ and ‘my people’ (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar); note too how some of the Messengers deeply and sorrowfully reflected on the fate of their people when they were hit by affliction. In this instance, further to what is alluded to by scholars, these stories can be taken as a reflection of the psychological state of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and how deeply he felt for his people; the interactions that went on between the Messengers and their people are also resonant of the ones that went on between Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his folk.
[1668] This is the single most Truth that people engage in struggle over; the core Message of all Prophets throughout time and ages: “Worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him”. It is the first Message that any Messenger will deliver to his people (with the notable exception of the people of Lot as explained below), because it deals with monotheism (al-tawḥīd) which is the first and surest step to sincere Faith (Ibn al-Qayyim, Madārij al-Sālikīn, 1/154): “We surely sent a Messenger to every nation, saying: “Worship Allah and shun false gods”. But some of them Allah guided them, while others were destined to stray. So travel throughout the land and see the fate of the deniers!” (16: 36)

Ajeti: 60

قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِي ضَلَٰلٖ مُّبِينٖ

(60) The notables among his people said: “Most certainly we see you are in manifest error!”

Ajeti: 61

قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَيۡسَ بِي ضَلَٰلَةٞ وَلَٰكِنِّي رَسُولٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(61) He said: “My people, there is nothing misguided about me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of all beings!”

Ajeti: 62

أُبَلِّغُكُمۡ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَأَنصَحُ لَكُمۡ وَأَعۡلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

(62) “I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord, sincerely advise you; I know of Allah that which you do not know!”

Ajeti: 63

أَوَعَجِبۡتُمۡ أَن جَآءَكُمۡ ذِكۡرٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٖ مِّنكُمۡ لِيُنذِرَكُمۡ وَلِتَتَّقُواْ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ

(63) “Do you find it astounding that a reminder from your Lord comes to you through a man from among you to warn you so that you may become Mindful, and be shown mercy?”

Ajeti: 64

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ وَأَغۡرَقۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمًا عَمِينَ

(64) They declared him a liar and We salvaged him and those with him in the ship and We drowned those who rejected Our Signs; indeed they were people smitten with blindness!^[1669]”

[1669] Blindness of the heart is the real blindness (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Have they not journeyed in the land, that they might have hearts by which to understand or ears by which to hear? Truly it is not the eyes that go blind, but it is hearts within chests that go blind!” (22: 46).

Ajeti: 65

۞ وَإِلَىٰ عَادٍ أَخَاهُمۡ هُودٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥٓۚ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ

(65) And to ʿĀd ˹We sent˺ their brother Hūd. He said: “My people, worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him; would you not be Mindful?”

Ajeti: 66

قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٖ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ

(66) The Denying notables among his people said: “Most certainly we see you lacking in sound judgement and we certainly believe that you are one of the liars!”

Ajeti: 67

قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَيۡسَ بِي سَفَاهَةٞ وَلَٰكِنِّي رَسُولٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(67) He said: “My people, I am not lacking sound judgement, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of all beings!”^[1670]

[1670] This calm, well-poised answer by this noble Messenger of God, like that of Noah’s (عليه السلام), to the outrageous slur of his people, who knew full well who he really was, is a great example of how to deal with ignorant people (cf. al-Zamakhsharī, Abū Ḥayyān).

Ajeti: 68

أُبَلِّغُكُمۡ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا۠ لَكُمۡ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ

(68) “I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord and I am a sincere adviser to you in all honesty.”

Ajeti: 69

أَوَعَجِبۡتُمۡ أَن جَآءَكُمۡ ذِكۡرٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٖ مِّنكُمۡ لِيُنذِرَكُمۡۚ وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَعَلَكُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قَوۡمِ نُوحٖ وَزَادَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡخَلۡقِ بَصۜۡطَةٗۖ فَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

(69) “Do you find it astounding that a reminder from your Lord comes to you through a man from among you?^[1671] Remember that He made you successors after the people of Nūḥ and He made your ˹physical˺ creation high statured^[1672]; remember then the bounties of Allah so that you may become successful.”

[1671] “The only thing that kept people from Believing, when guidance came to them, was that they said: “Has Allah sent a human being as a Messenger?”” (17: 94)
[1672] “As for ʿĀd, they waxed arrogant in the land without right and said: “Who is greater than us in strength?” Have they not considered that Allah, Who created them, is greater than them in strength? They continued to reject Our Signs” (41: 15).

Ajeti: 70

قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِنَعۡبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحۡدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

(70) They said: “Have you come to us to worship Allah alone and abandon what our fathers used to worship! Then bring down on us what you promise us, if you are truthful!”^[1673]

[1673] “They said: “Have you come to us to divert us away from our gods? Then bring us what you are promising us, if you are truthful!”” (46: 22)

Ajeti: 71

قَالَ قَدۡ وَقَعَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ رِجۡسٞ وَغَضَبٌۖ أَتُجَٰدِلُونَنِي فِيٓ أَسۡمَآءٖ سَمَّيۡتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلۡطَٰنٖۚ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓاْ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمُنتَظِرِينَ

(71) He said: “There befalls you an affliction from your Lord, and Wrath! Do you argue with me on ˹behalf˺ of ˹mere˺ names that you and your fathers name for whom Allah sent down no authority? Wait you then and I shall be with you among those who wait!”

Ajeti: 72

فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥ بِرَحۡمَةٖ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعۡنَا دَابِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَاۖ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُؤۡمِنِينَ

(72) Then We salvaged him and those with him by Our Mercy and We cut off, down to the last one^[1674], those who rejected Our Signs; never were they Believers^[1675].

[1674] Qaṭaʿa dābir is to completely wipe out (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt).
[1675] “That was ʿĀd; they rejected the Signs of their Lord, disobeyed the Messengers, and followed the command of every stubborn tyrant. *˹So˺ They were pursued by damnation in this world as they will be on the Day of Judgement. Indeed, ʿĀd denied their Lord. So away with ʿĀd, the people of Hūd!” (11: 59-60).

Ajeti: 73

وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمۡ صَٰلِحٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡكُم بَيِّنَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ هَٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمۡ ءَايَةٗۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأۡكُلۡ فِيٓ أَرۡضِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٖ فَيَأۡخُذَكُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ

(73) And to Thamūd ˹We sent˺ their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said: “My people, worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him. There has come to you a clear evidence from your Lord; this is the she-camel of Allah, a Sign for you, so let it graze ˹freely˺ in the land of Allah and touch it not with ˹any˺ harm^[1676]; else a painful punishment will betake you”.

[1676] “He said: “Here is a she-camel ˹as a Sign for you˺. She will have her turn to drink as you have yours, each on an appointed day. *And touch her not with harm, lest you be taken by the Punishment of a tremendous day” (26: 155-156).

Ajeti: 74

وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَعَلَكُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ عَادٖ وَبَوَّأَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورٗا وَتَنۡحِتُونَ ٱلۡجِبَالَ بُيُوتٗاۖ فَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ ءَالَآءَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ

(74) “Remember that He made you successors after ˹the people of˺ ʿĀd and He made the land ˹a comfortable˺ abode for you; you install castles on its plains and carve houses in mountains. Remember then the bounties of Allah and do not go about the land corrupting.”

Ajeti: 75

قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتُضۡعِفُواْ لِمَنۡ ءَامَنَ مِنۡهُمۡ أَتَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَٰلِحٗا مُّرۡسَلٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦۚ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرۡسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤۡمِنُونَ

(75) The notables who waxed arrogant said to those who were downtrodden, those who Believed of them: “Do you know ˹for certain˺ that Ṣāliḥ is sent from His Lord?” They said: “Indeed we Believe in what he was sent with!”

Ajeti: 76

قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِٱلَّذِيٓ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ

(76) Those who waxed arrogant said: “Indeed we Deny that which you Believe in!”

Ajeti: 77

فَعَقَرُواْ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَقَالُواْ يَٰصَٰلِحُ ٱئۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

(77) They then slayed^[1677] the she-camel, insolently rebelled against their Lord’s Command and said: “Ṣāliḥ, bring down on us what you promise us if ˹only˺ you are ˹truly˺ one of the ones who were sent ˹the Messengers˺”!”

[1677] The verb used here is ʿaqarū as opposed to the most obvious word, which is usually used for such an action, naḥara. al-Biqāʿī (Naẓm al-Durar) distinguishes between the two in that naḥara as opposed to ʿaqara is to put an animal to the knife for a purposeful end, for example, to eat the meat or use the hide. However, ʿaqara is a pointless act of butchering. It is used to further highlight the magnitude of their contempt. The Arabic language authority, al-Farāhīdī (quoted in Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah) says that it means ‘to hamstring’.

Ajeti: 78

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ

(78) Then the quake ˹soon˺ betook them and they became ˹dead˺ fallen prone in their ˹very˺ land.

Ajeti: 79

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنۡهُمۡ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُمۡ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحۡتُ لَكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ

(79) He turned away from them and said: “My people, indeed I have delivered the Message of my Lord to you, gave you sincere advice, but you like not those who give advice!”^[1678]

[1678] This theatrical aside of the monologue beautifully captures the depth of the desolation Prophet Ṣālīh (عليه السلام) felt upon seeing the ghastly sight of his own people, lifeless, flipped on their faces and stuck in the ground: “As for Thamūd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. So the blast of a disgracing Punishment overtook them for what they used to earn” (41: 17).

Ajeti: 80

وَلُوطًا إِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِهِۦٓ أَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡفَٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنۡ أَحَدٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(80) And [Mention] Lūṭ ˹Lot˺ when he said to his people^[1679]: “Do you commit the ˹one˺ vice to which none of all beings preceded you to?”

Ajeti: 81

إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةٗ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمٞ مُّسۡرِفُونَ

(81) “Indeed you approach men lustfully instead of women; nay but you are excessive people!”^[1680]

[1680] They were described as “excessive” because they exceeded the limits of moderation (al-qisṭ) that God commands people to. Desire will find vent in lawful marriage, but overindulgence and being slave to one’s own animalistic lusts can only lead to the lowering of the status of the human race (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Of all beings, do you lie with males, *and abandon the wives that God has created for you? You are exceeding all bounds!” (26: 165-166); “Do you really lust after men instead of women? In fact, you are nothing but ignorant people acting ignorantly!” (27: 55).

Ajeti: 82

وَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓاْ أَخۡرِجُوهُم مِّن قَرۡيَتِكُمۡۖ إِنَّهُمۡ أُنَاسٞ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

(82) The reply of his people was nothing other than saying: “Expel them out of your town; these are people who keep ˹themselves˺ pure!”^[1681]

[1681] To such people, the mere presence of those who do not partake in their hedonistic way of life is a painful reminder of the virtue they are not, one that constantly gnaws on their consciences. Naturally, they want them gone (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Their only charge was that they were ‘pure’.

Ajeti: 83

فَأَنجَيۡنَٰهُ وَأَهۡلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمۡرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتۡ مِنَ ٱلۡغَٰبِرِينَ

(83) We salvaged him and his family, except his wife; she was among those remaining in doom^[1682].

[1682] She was so condemned because she condoned the morally degrading behaviour of her people (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 15/344).

Ajeti: 84

وَأَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم مَّطَرٗاۖ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

(84) We rained down ˹some˺ rain^[1683] on them; behold then what was the end of the criminals.

[1683] “So when Our Command came, We turned its uppermost to be its lowermost, and We rained down upon them stones of baked clay, one upon another, *marked from your Lord. It is not far from the evildoers” (11: 82-83).

Ajeti: 85

وَإِلَىٰ مَدۡيَنَ أَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنۡ إِلَٰهٍ غَيۡرُهُۥۖ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡكُم بَيِّنَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَأَوۡفُواْ ٱلۡكَيۡلَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَٰحِهَاۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

(85) And to Midian ˹We sent˺ their brother Shuʿayb. He said: “My people, worship Allah ˹alone˺, there is no god for you besides Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord; give full measure and weight^[1684], do not swindle people out of the things that are ˹rightly˺ theirs^[1685], and do not sow corruption in the land after it has been set aright. That is better for you; if only you ˹would˺ Believe!”

[1684] The sin of these people was wantonly engaging in fraudulent dealings; in other words, greed. “Give full measure, and cause no loss ˹to others˺. *Weigh with honest scales” (26: 181-182); “And to Midian was ˹sent˺ their brother Shuʿayb, he said: “My people, worship Allah, you have no god besides Him, and do not give short in the measure and weight. I see you well to do, and I fear for you the retribution of a day that is surrounding. *My people, in fairness, give full measure and weight. Do not swindle people out of the things that are rightly theirs, and do not spread corruption in the land” (11: 84-85). This seemingly insignificant ‘sin’ is tantamount to corruption and sleaziness par excellence. Its unchecked spread generates a most dire consequence on the prosperity and sustainability of any community (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1685] Here is one example of such swindling defraud: “Woe to the defrauders, *who, when they take measure from people, demand ˹it˺ in full, and when they measure for them or weigh for them, they stint. *Do such people not think that they will be resurrected *on a mighty Day; *a Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of all beings?” (83: 1-6).

Ajeti: 86

وَلَا تَقۡعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَٰطٖ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَتَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗاۚ وَٱذۡكُرُوٓاْ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ قَلِيلٗا فَكَثَّرَكُمۡۖ وَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

(86) “Do not also sit ˹in ambush˺ at every path threatening^[1686] and turning away from the road of Allah those who Believe^[1687] wanting it to be crooked^[1688]. Remember when you were but few and He multiplied your numbers and look how was the end of the corruptors.”^[1689]

[1686] Ibn Kathīr and Ibn ʿAṭiyyah are of the opinion that Shuʿayb’s people were engaged in highway robberies (cf. also al-Shawkānī, al-Wāḥidī); along with turning away those who sought out Shuʿayb so they could listen to him (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī).
[1687] They also sat on roads seeking to turn away those who so sought out Shuʿayb (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī).
[1688] Cf. Aya 45 above.
[1689] “O my people! Let not your dissension with me lead you into sin, such that there should befall you that which befell the people of Noah, or the people of Hūd, or the people of Ṣāliḥ? And the people of Lot are not far from you!” (11: 89).

Ajeti: 87

وَإِن كَانَ طَآئِفَةٞ مِّنكُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱلَّذِيٓ أُرۡسِلۡتُ بِهِۦ وَطَآئِفَةٞ لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ فَٱصۡبِرُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَحۡكُمَ ٱللَّهُ بَيۡنَنَاۚ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡحَٰكِمِينَ

(87) “Given that a party of you Believed in what I was sent with and ˹another˺ party did not Believe, ˹so˺ wait ˹you then˺ until Allah judges between us – He is the best of judges.”^[1690]

[1690] “My people labour in the state in which you are, as I will be labouring ˹my own way˺, for sure you will come to know who shall be visited by a Punishment to debase him; await and I shall await with you.” (11: 93)

Ajeti: 88

۞ قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لَنُخۡرِجَنَّكَ يَٰشُعَيۡبُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَكَ مِن قَرۡيَتِنَآ أَوۡ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَاۚ قَالَ أَوَلَوۡ كُنَّا كَٰرِهِينَ

(88) The notables among his people who waxed arrogant said: “We shall expel you, Shuʿayb, and those who Believed with you from our town^[1691] or you shall revert back to our way of life!” He said: “Even if we were detesting ˹of it˺!”^[1692]

[1691] As with Lot (عليه السلام), the first reaction of the sinful was to threaten those of higher moral standing with expulsion from their lands, or have them revert back to their way of life. This is and was not a unique incident; a great many Messengers (عليهم السلام) were faced with the same threat: “But those who Denied said to their Messengers: “We shall surely expel you from our land, or you shall revert to our way of life…” (14: 13).
[1692] These true Believers chose to firmly adhere to their religion over a way of life that ran contrary to it (Abū Ḥayyān, Riḍā); prosperity in the Hereafter over prosperity in this worldly life, the “illusory enjoyment” (57: 20).

Ajeti: 89

قَدِ ٱفۡتَرَيۡنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنۡ عُدۡنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُم بَعۡدَ إِذۡ نَجَّىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهَاۚ وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَاۚ وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمًاۚ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا ٱفۡتَحۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَ قَوۡمِنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡفَٰتِحِينَ

(89) “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^[1693]; 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^[1694].”

[1693] All creatures are subject to the will of Almighty God (سبحانه وتعالى), Who knows everything present, past and future (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī): “But you cannot will unless Allah wills. Verily, Allah is ˹ever˺ All-Knowing, All-Wise” (76: 30).
[1694] “Truly Allah does not wrong human beings in the least, but rather human beings wrong themselves” (10: 44).

Ajeti: 90

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتُمۡ شُعَيۡبًا إِنَّكُمۡ إِذٗا لَّخَٰسِرُونَ

(90) The Denying notables among his people said: “Should you follow Shuʿayb, you shall surely come to be losers!^[1695]”

[1695] Being so worldly they measured loss and gain in purely financial terms. They thought that those who followed the way of Shuʿayb (عليه السلام) were missing out on real opportunities to amass wealth, giving little thought to the legality and ethicality of their transactions (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Rāzī).

Ajeti: 91

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ فَأَصۡبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمۡ جَٰثِمِينَ

(91) Then the quake ˹soon˺ betook them and they became ˹dead˺ fallen prone in their land.

Ajeti: 92

ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيۡبٗا كَأَن لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡاْ فِيهَاۚ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيۡبٗا كَانُواْ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ

(92) The ones who declared Shuʿayb a liar ˹ended˺ as if they did not thrive in it ˹their land˺; the ones who declared Shuʿayb a liar were indeed the ˹real˺ losers!^[1696]

[1696] This is a much greater loss indeed than that of deviously seeking out financial gain: “Therefore, serve whatever you wish besides Him. Say: “The losers are those who lose their souls, and their families, on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, such is the real loss” (39: 15).

Ajeti: 93

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنۡهُمۡ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُمۡ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحۡتُ لَكُمۡۖ فَكَيۡفَ ءَاسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ كَٰفِرِينَ

(93) He turned away from them and said: “My people, indeed I have delivered the Messages of my Lord to you, gave you sincere advice; how would I then feel ˹deep˺ grief for Denying people!”

Ajeti: 94

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا فِي قَرۡيَةٖ مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذۡنَآ أَهۡلَهَا بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَضَّرَّعُونَ

(94) ^[1697]We have never sent a Prophet to a town without taking its people by affliction and hardship^[1698], so that they might humble themselves.

[1697] This passage summarizes the moral of the stories of the Messengers (عليهم السلام) and the lessons to be drawn from them. It encapsulates society’s ways forward to prosperity and salvation (cf. al-Rāzī).
[1698] It is part of human nature to turn to God when hardship is experienced. In the same way, communities are hit with affliction, hardship and rough times for Denying God’s Signs so that they may come around to themselves and realize how wrong they are (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “We have certainly sent ˹Messengers˺ to nations before you ˹Muhammad˺; We took them by affliction and hardship, so that they might humble themselves. *Were they only when Our affliction befell them to ˹sincerely˺ humble themselves! Nay, but their hearts became hard and Satan made what they used to do look attractive to them” (6: 42-43).

Ajeti: 95

ثُمَّ بَدَّلۡنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَواْ وَّقَالُواْ قَدۡ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بَغۡتَةٗ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ

(95) Then We ˹always˺ replaced the bad ˹times˺ with the good ˹times˺ until they prospered^[1699] and ˹dismissively˺ said: “Affliction and hardship had touched our fathers ˹before˺!” We took them all of a sudden while they did not realize ˹it˺!

[1699] ʿAfaw (translated here as prospered) is a semantically dense word. It, at once, means they became bodily healthy, prosperous and great in number (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). This is by way of ‘slackening the reins for them to wander aimlessly in their blindness’ (cf. 2: 15): “When they forgot what they were reminded of, We opened up for them the doors of everything; yet when they become full of gloating over what they were given, We took them all of a sudden, and lo they are seized with despair” (6: 44).

Ajeti: 96

وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ

(96) Had the people of towns Believed and become Mindful, We would have opened up for them blessings from the Heavens and Earth^[1700], but they rejected and We took them ˹to task˺ for what they used to earn.

[1700] Those who truly Believe and obey God will come to lead lives of abundance: “Had they taken to the right way, We would have given them abundant water to drink” (72: 16); “… and had they upheld the Torah and the Evangel and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have eaten ˹blissfully˺ from above them and from under their feet” (5: 66); “…and whoever is Mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, *and He will provide for him whence he never expects…” (65: 2-3).

Ajeti: 97

أَفَأَمِنَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتِيَهُم بَأۡسُنَا بَيَٰتٗا وَهُمۡ نَآئِمُونَ

(97) Do the townspeople feel secure that Our Might would not come to them at night while they are sleeping?

Ajeti: 98

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتِيَهُم بَأۡسُنَا ضُحٗى وَهُمۡ يَلۡعَبُونَ

(98) Do the townspeople feel secure that Our Might would not come to them in the forenoon while they are playing?^[1701]

[1701] These are the times they are least expecting something terrible to hit them: “Such is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are doing wrong. Surely His seizing is painful, severe!” (11: 102).

Ajeti: 99

أَفَأَمِنُواْ مَكۡرَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَلَا يَأۡمَنُ مَكۡرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ

(99) Do they feel secure from the planning of Allah? Verily none feels safe from the planning of Allah except the losers.^[1702]

[1702] “And those who Denied Our Signs, We will ˹gradually˺ lure them whence they know not. *And I will grant them indulgence for a while. Truly, My planning is stout ˹, unfailing˺” (7: 182-183); “Let not those who Deny think that the rein We give them is better for them. We only give them allowance so that they would accumulate sins; theirs is a humiliating Punishment” (3: 178).
Even the most devout of Believers should not feel content with the good that they have done, as were our rightly-guided predecessors (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنه) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “The hearts of the offspring of Adam are between two Fingers of the Fingers of the Most Merciful like one heart. He directs it wherever He wishes”. Then the Messenger (ﷺ) added: “O Allah! You Who directs hearts. Direct our hearts towards Your observance” (Muslim: 2654).

Ajeti: 100

أَوَلَمۡ يَهۡدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَهۡلِهَآ أَن لَّوۡ نَشَآءُ أَصَبۡنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمۡۚ وَنَطۡبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ

(100) Were those who come to inherit the land after its people not to perceive that should We have willed, We would have smitten them for their sins^[1703] and stamped on their hearts so that they would not hear?^[1704]

[1703] Indeed the Signs of God’s ability are all around people; their very existence and taking over after those who preceded them is not the least of these: “Had they not seen how many a generation before them We have destroyed? We had established them in the land ˹far˺ more firmly than how We established you ˹people˺! We sent the sky pouring down on them profusely and We made the rivers run under their feet, ˹only˺ then We destroyed them for their sins and We brought into being another generation after them” (6: 6); “Is it not ˹enough of˺ a lesson for them ˹to see˺ how many a generation We destroyed before them, in whose homes they now walk? There truly are Signs in this; do they not hear?” (32: 26).
[1704] “And who is more unjust than those who, when reminded of their Lord’s Signs, turn away from them and forget what their own hands have done? We have certainly put sheaths over their hearts – leaving them unable to perceive this ˹Qur’an˺ – and impairment in their ears. And if you invite them to guidance, they will never be guided” (18: 57).

Ajeti: 101

تِلۡكَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآئِهَاۚ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِمَا كَذَّبُواْ مِن قَبۡلُۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطۡبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

(101) ^[1705]Those ˹bygone˺ towns, We relate to you ˹Muhammad˺ of their notable news^[1706]. Indeed their Messengers came to them with clear evidences, but they would not come to Believe in what they had earlier denied^[1707]; like so Allah stamps on the hearts of the Deniers;^[1708]

[1705] This is a connecting passage which concludes the previous episode and opens up the next one.
[1706] These stories are related so that the Messenger (ﷺ) and the Believers around him find comfort. Further, they serve as a reminder for those who take heed and a warning for those who Deny (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr): “If they deny you ˹Muhammad˺, surely did deny before them the people of Nūḥ, ʿĀd, and Thamūd, *and the People of Ibrāhīm and the people of Lūṭ *and the inhabitants of Midian, and Mūsā too was denied. But I granted the Deniers respite; then I overtook them ˹with punishment˺; how, then, was the repudiation I wrought!” (22: 42-44); “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).
[1707] “They had sworn by Allah with their most solemn oaths that if a Sign were to come to them, they would surely Believe in it. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Indeed Signs are from none but Allah!” How would you ˹Believers˺ know that when they ˹the Signs˺ come, they would ˹still˺ not Believe? *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: 109-110): “…so when they deviated, Allah made their hearts deviate. Allah does not guide the rebellious people” (61: 5).
[1708] “Indeed the Deniers, whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not Believe. *Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes there is a veil—theirs is a grievous Punishment” (2: 6-7); “Those who dispute Allah’s Signs, with no authority given to them, are doing something that is loathed by Allah and by those who Believe. In this way God stamps on the heart of every arrogant tyrant” (40: 35).

Ajeti: 102

وَمَا وَجَدۡنَا لِأَكۡثَرِهِم مِّنۡ عَهۡدٖۖ وَإِن وَجَدۡنَآ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَفَٰسِقِينَ

(102) We had not found most of them honouring of their pledge; nay, but We found most of them transgressors^[1709].

[1709] “And surely most of the earlier generations had strayed before them” (37: 71).

Ajeti: 103

ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِم مُّوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَإِيْهِۦ فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَاۖ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

(103) ^[1710]Then We sent after them Mūsā ˹Moses˺ with Our Sign to Pharaoh and his notables and they wrongfully dealt with them;^[1711] behold then what was the end of the corruptors.

[1710] The story of Moses is singled out and recounted in detail here and indeed in many other suras (‘Moses’ is mentioned no less than 136 times in 34 suras) for its special significance. Of all the Messengers, his mission bears the most similarities with that of Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ), his miracles were amongst the greatest to be found, it is one of the most nuanced and intricate of the stories of the Messengers (عليهم السلام), his laws were the greatest before the advent of Islam and, in a way, paved the way for it, his nation were among the greatest nations that followed a Messenger before Muhammad (ﷺ) and at the time of revelation they existed in the locales of revelation (notably in Madinah) so that they were to be called on to Believe in Prophet Muhammad’s Message, and that the Believers were to take heed from them and not forget the pledge of God as they did (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). In short, the lessons drawn from Moses’ story are very relevant.
[1711] This is a teaser for the long and epic story that will shortly unfold (cf. Riḍā).

Ajeti: 104

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَٰفِرۡعَوۡنُ إِنِّي رَسُولٞ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(104) Mūsā said: “Pharaoh, truly I am a Messenger of the Lord of all beings;

Ajeti: 105

حَقِيقٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّآ أَقُولَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّۚ قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِبَيِّنَةٖ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ فَأَرۡسِلۡ مَعِيَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ

(105) rightful to saying nothing but what is right about Allah; I have come to you with a clear Sign from your Lord, so send the Children of Israel ˹away˺ with me!”^[1712]

[1712] At this point, Moses’ (عليه السلام) mission was mainly to deliver his brethren, the offspring of Jacob, from the oppression of Pharaoh and his people who subjected them to the “worst of suffering” (cf. 2: 49, 7: 141, 14: 6) so that they may find themselves a place to worship Almighty God alone (al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Go ˹the both of you, Moses and Aaron˺ to him and say: “We are both Messengers from your Lord. Send the Children of Israel ˹away˺ with us and do not torment them. We have brought you a Sign from your Lord, and may peace be upon whoever follows guidance”” (20: 47). He underlined his truthfulness and mentioned the Sign he had, knowing all too well that he would be denied, so he wanted to forestall it (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 106

قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئۡتَ بِـَٔايَةٖ فَأۡتِ بِهَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

(106) He ˹Pharaoh˺ said: “If you have come with a Sign, bring it forth, if only you are Truthful!”

Ajeti: 107

فَأَلۡقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعۡبَانٞ مُّبِينٞ

(107) He ˹Mūsā˺ cast his staff, and lo, it was a ˹great˺ snake, plain ˹to sight˺!

Ajeti: 108

وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُۥ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيۡضَآءُ لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ

(108) He ˹swiftly˺ pulled out his hand, and lo, it was white to all beholders!^[1713]

[1713] Pharaoh, who out of his bloated egotism claimed that he was no less than Almighty God, the Most High Lord (79: 24 and 28: 38), was dismissive at first and challenged Moses toyingly seeing Moses as nothing more than a fugitive slave or, at best, a disobedient fosterling he had brought up under his own roof. But the two Signs that Moses managed to produce with such ease, had a remarkable unsettling effect on him and drove him to the edge of hysteria as evidenced by how manically he managed the whole encounter. Once the significance of these two very potent Signs is explained, one clearly sees ample justification for Pharaoh’s erratic, out of hand behaviour.
Firstly, the staff, a humble shepherd’s staff, was thrown down only to momentarily and readily turn into a great snake, about which there is no mistake (the vigour of this creature is variably described and stressed in the Qur’an as in, for instance, here and: 20: 20, 27: 10). In ancient Egypt, the cobra snake, known as the uraeus, was used as a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, deity and divine authority emblematically worn on the headdresses and crowns of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns. It stood for the goddess Wadjet who was often depicted as a cobra. The Pharaohs wore the uraeus on their heads either with the body of Wadjet atop the head, or as a crown encircling the head; this indicated Wadjet’s protection and reinforced the Pharaoh’s claim over the land. It was in effect the Pharaoh’s crown; a pharaoh was recognized only by wearing the uraeus, which conveyed legitimacy to his rule. The uraeus, then, was nothing more than a ‘symbolic’ sign of rightful kingship, which is nothing compared with the living, moving creature after which it was modelled; in it, we see how the image of a thing fades out in comparison to the real thing. The legitimacy and effectively the supremacy of Pharaoh was proven to be a mere charade compared to that of Moses.
The second Sign, being the white hand, was equally symbolic. The Children of Israel amounted to nothing but mere bondsmen and slaves whose will had long ago been broken and whose lives were domineered by their masters of old, the Egyptians. The sign of their servitude was the extra dark skin that they came to assume after years and years of hard, gruelling labour under a scorching, unforgiving sun. Moses (عليه السلام) himself was of a dark hue (cf. al-Bukhārī: 245 and 3207) which, in the pharaonic psyche, carried the insignia of his own people, namely, slavery. That he was so easily able to shed such a tell-tale sign and assume the most glaring symbol of nobility, whiteness of the skin, coupled with the gesture in itself, a brawny hand suddenly and decisively raised, is nothing less than an indication that he, and his people by extension, had broken the shackles of slavery and subjugation and were already revolting against Pharaoh’s authority.
That Moses asked for the release of his people was, to Pharaoh’s mind, nothing less than an outright revolution and bare-faced challenge to the throne aiming to destabilize it and depose its occupant. This surely touched a raw nerve and, thus, we find that Pharaoh and his cronies where concerned that Moses would ‘oust’ them from their land. From their perspective, the war they waged was nothing if not justified.

Ajeti: 109

قَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٞ

(109) The notables among the people of Pharaoh said: “This one is evidently a greatly knowledgeable magician!”

Ajeti: 110

يُرِيدُ أَن يُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِكُمۡۖ فَمَاذَا تَأۡمُرُونَ

(110) ˹Pharaoh said:˺ “He intends to oust you from your land! Then what do you command!”^[1714]

[1714] Panic-stricken, Pharaoh lost his pompously self-assured façade and faded into the background letting those around him decide. He even asked them to ‘command’ him to a course of action, blurting out his top-most concern, ‘ousting’ from the land.

Ajeti: 111

قَالُوٓاْ أَرۡجِهۡ وَأَخَاهُ وَأَرۡسِلۡ فِي ٱلۡمَدَآئِنِ حَٰشِرِينَ

(111) They said: “Put him off^[1715], and his brother, and send out to the territories ˹forceful˺ gatherers;

[1715] They felt that such a stately matter, a real sudden challenge to the throne, could only be argued after much great deliberation and well thought-out preparation, so they advised him and somehow tried to soothe their master’s worries by accusing Moses (عليه السلام) of magic, a prevalent trade in the provinces of his kingdom, in which there was no scarcity of masters. So basically, they bought time and afforded their master a chance to regain his composure.

Ajeti: 112

يَأۡتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٖ

(112) they will bring to you every greatly knowledgeable magician!”

Ajeti: 113

وَجَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجۡرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحۡنُ ٱلۡغَٰلِبِينَ

(113) The magicians came to Pharaoh and said: “Indeed there is a reward for us, if we emerge winners!”

Ajeti: 114

قَالَ نَعَمۡ وَإِنَّكُمۡ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ

(114) He ˹Pharaoh˺ said: “Yes ˹certainly˺! And you shall be among the ones drawn near ˹to me˺!”^[1716]

[1716] The magicians simply saw this as a great chance and wanted to make the best of it (cf. al-Rāzī). They dictated their own terms, and surely Pharaoh was ripe for it. He offered them way more than they asked for; to be ever close to him as part of his inner court assured of great favours which would last a long while. He succumbed to their demands and bared his heart, out of sheer panic.

Ajeti: 115

قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلۡقِيَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ نَحۡنُ ٱلۡمُلۡقِينَ

(115) They said: “Moses! Either you cast or we shall cast ˹first˺”.

Ajeti: 116

قَالَ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَلَمَّآ أَلۡقَوۡاْ سَحَرُوٓاْ أَعۡيُنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱسۡتَرۡهَبُوهُمۡ وَجَآءُو بِسِحۡرٍ عَظِيمٖ

(116) He said: “Cast!”^[1717] When they cast, they bewitched the eyes of people^[1718], gave them the shivers, and they came up with great magic”.

[1717] This one-word reply shows how sure Moses (عليه السلام) was of victory to the extent that he sounded careless (cf. Riḍā).
[1718] They made their staffs and ropes appear to the onlookers as a great many large snakes (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr): “…and suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him – by their magic – to be slithering” (20: 66).

Ajeti: 117

۞ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَلۡقِ عَصَاكَۖ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا يَأۡفِكُونَ

(117) Then We inspired Mūsā as: “Throw your staff!” And lo, it ˹swiftly˺ swallowed up their fakery!^[1719]

[1719] “Throw down what is in your right hand so it will swallow up anything they have produced. What they have produced is only some magician’s trick, and no magician succeeds no matter where he goes” (20: 69).

Ajeti: 118

فَوَقَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

(118) At that, the Truth fell down ˹heavy˺ and what they used to ˹naturally˺ do unravelled^[1720].

[1720] Any false hope that Pharaoh and those around him might have harboured was blown away, by the heavy stamp of Moses’s truthfulness.

Ajeti: 119

فَغُلِبُواْ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُواْ صَٰغِرِينَ

(119) They were routed there, and they retreated in disgrace^[1721].

[1721] The result of this encounter came as a particularly heavy blow to Pharaoh and his cronies (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).

Ajeti: 120

وَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَٰجِدِينَ

(120) Then the magicians threw themselves down^[1722] prostrating.

[1722] Realizing the magnitude of what they had just witnessed, Almighty God’s Power, the like of which they had never seen before, the magicians were forced to fall down (ulqiya); they could not help doing so (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al Namīr).

Ajeti: 121

قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(121) They said: “We Believe in the Lord of all beings;

Ajeti: 122

رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَٰرُونَ

(122) the Lord of Mūsā and Hārūn ˹Aaron˺”.

Ajeti: 123

قَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَمَكۡرٞ مَّكَرۡتُمُوهُ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ لِتُخۡرِجُواْ مِنۡهَآ أَهۡلَهَاۖ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ

(123) Pharaoh said: “Did you ˹dare˺ believe in Him before I granted you permission? This is nothing but a scheme you have weaved in the city to oust its dwellers from it^[1723]; you shall see!

[1723] Understandably, Pharaoh’s shock at this turn of events was so immeasurable that he spoke incoherently, bringing the full force of his wrath on the heads of his subordinates: chastising them for insubordination and defying his authority and blaming them for scheming with Moses (عليه السلام), whom he called in another account ‘their chief who taught them magic’ (cf. 20: 71), to ‘oust’ people from their land, the issue that exasperated him most (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).

Ajeti: 124

لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَٰفٖ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

(124) I shall ˹mercilessly˺ cut off your hands and feet on alternate sides! Then I shall crucify you all”.^[1724]

[1724] This punishment is the most severe in nature and is reserved for those who sow corruption in the land and wage war against the sovereign (cf. al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 125

قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ

(125) They said: “We shall return to our Lord;^[1725]

[1725] The firmness of Faith they attained in such a very short period of time is awe-inspiring and provides many great lessons (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Ṣawāʿiq al-Mursalah, 4/1389): “They said: “No harm! Verily to our Lord we are to return. *Truly we hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins for our having been the first of the Believers” (26: 50-51); “They said: “We never prefer you over what has come to us from the clear Signs and to Him Who created us. So you decree whatever you wish to decree, you can only decree about this worldly life. *We have Believed in our Lord so that He may forgive us for our mistakes and for the magic which you forced us to perform. Allah is better and longer lasting” (20: 72-73). This is what happens when rich knowledge meets pure intention: “…it is those of His servants who have knowledge who stand in true awe of Allah” (35: 28). What he threatened them with was nothing more than expediting them to a desirable destination; meeting their Lord.

Ajeti: 126

وَمَا تَنقِمُ مِنَّآ إِلَّآ أَنۡ ءَامَنَّا بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَآءَتۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَآ أَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرٗا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسۡلِمِينَ

(126) and do you resent us for nothing but Believing in our Lord’s Signs when they came to us!^[1726] Our Lord! Pour steadfastness on us and bring our lives to termination as wholly submitting^[1727]”.

[1726] This implies deriding Pharaoh for his skewed standards.
[1727] Muslimīn (plural form of muslim), i.e. totally submitted to God. Total submission to God and devotion to Him in worship is the basic meaning of Islām. All Prophets were ‘Muslim’ in as much as they were wholly devoted to God and sincerely submitted to Him in worship according to their own respective creeds. Needless to say, after Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent to mankind no other religion except Islam is accepted from anyone (cf. 3: 85).

Ajeti: 127

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوۡمَهُۥ لِيُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ وَنَسۡتَحۡيِۦ نِسَآءَهُمۡ وَإِنَّا فَوۡقَهُمۡ قَٰهِرُونَ

(127) The notables among the people of Pharaoh said: “Will you ˹Pharaoh˺ let Mūsā and his people ˹loose˺ to be corrupt in the land and forsake you and your gods!” He said: “We shall slaughter their sons and retain their womenfolk alive; verily we are domineering over them!”^[1728]

[1728] They intended to hearten their master and spur him to clamp down on Moses and his people, serving only their own interests and privileges in the process. Readily, he followed their insinuations: “Then, when he brought the truth from Us to them, they said: “Kill the sons of those who Believe with him and let their womenfolk live.” The scheming of the Deniers is naught but astray” (40: 25). See how far apart the stand of this ruling elite was from that of the truly knowledgeable.

Ajeti: 128

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِ ٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ

(128) Mūsā said to his people: “Seek help in Allah and be steadfast. Indeed the land is for Allah, He bequeaths it to whom He wills among His servants; the final round is for the Mindful^[1729].

[1729] He wanted to hearten them and remind them of the Divine canon that no one nation remains dominant indefinitely: “…those are the days We rotate them between people!” (3: 140); “We surely destroyed ˹other˺ peoples before you when they did wrong, and their Messengers had come to them with clear proofs but they would not Believe! This is how We reward the wicked people” (10: 13).

Ajeti: 129

قَالُوٓاْ أُوذِينَا مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تَأۡتِيَنَا وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جِئۡتَنَاۚ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يُهۡلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَخۡلِفَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيۡفَ تَعۡمَلُونَ

(129) They said: “We suffered harm before you came to us and ˹now˺ after you came to us”.^[1730] He said: “Hopefully your Lord may well destroy your enemy and make you successors to the land, so that He sees how you fare”.^[1731]

[1730] They said this out of sheer desperation (cf. al-Jazā’irī).
[1731] This is not merely a wish but a prayer of a most noble Messenger of God and, somehow a promise to his people (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, Riḍā). What follows is a detailing of how this prayer was answered and the promise fulfilled. This is how great leaders shine like stars in the dark in the most adverse of circumstances.

Ajeti: 130

وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَآ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِٱلسِّنِينَ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

(130) ^[1732]˹Then˺ We overtook Pharaoh’s folk with ˹severely dry˺ years and dwindling crops so that they might pay heed.

[1732] This marks the beginning of the end and ruination for Pharaoh and his people (cf. al-Rāzī). God in His Infinite Justice wanted to give them a chance to repent: “Not a Sign did We show them, but that it was greater than its sister. And We overtook them with the punishment, so that they might return ˹to the Right Path˺” (43: 48).

Ajeti: 131

فَإِذَا جَآءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ قَالُواْ لَنَا هَٰذِهِۦۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةٞ يَطَّيَّرُواْ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓۗ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَٰٓئِرُهُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

(131) Whenever a good thing^[1733] came their way, they would say: “This is ˹deservedly˺ ours!” Yet when a bad thing hit them, they would find an ill omen with Mūsā and those with him^[1734]; indeed their omen is nowhere but with Allah, but most of them do not know!”^[1735]

[1733] A prosperous time, when they find abundant rain and crops (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1734] Out of egotism and smugness, they felt they deserved all things that are good (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). Hard times did not really have much of a humbling effect on them. Whenever they were plighted with hardship, they would easily blame it on others; in this case Moses and those around him. Such is always the habit of the rebellious: ““…when good ˹fortune˺ comes their way, they say: “This is from Allah”, but when a misfortune befalls them, they say: “This is from you ˹Muhammad˺!” Say ˹Muhammad˺: “All ˹good and bad fortune˺ is from Allah”. What is wrong with these people, they can hardly grasp what is said ˹to them!˺” (4: 78).
[1735] “Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have done, so that Allah may cause them to taste ˹the consequences of˺ some of their deeds and perhaps they might return ˹repentant˺” (30: 41).

Ajeti: 132

وَقَالُواْ مَهۡمَا تَأۡتِنَا بِهِۦ مِنۡ ءَايَةٖ لِّتَسۡحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحۡنُ لَكَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ

(132) They ˹further˺ said ˹to Mūsā˺: “No matter what sign you bring us to bewitch us, we shall never believe in you!”

Ajeti: 133

فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلۡجَرَادَ وَٱلۡقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَٰتٖ مُّفَصَّلَٰتٖ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا مُّجۡرِمِينَ

(133) Then We sent on them the flood, locusts, bugs, frogs and blood; Signs detailed. But they waxed arrogant, and were ˹nothing but˺ criminal people^[1736].

[1736] For their adamant Denial and unshakably rebellious stance, God plighted them with a number of successive catastrophes: 1) the flood (al-ṭūfān) which deluged their houses and submerged their plantations; 2) locusts (al-jarād) that swarmed and devastated their plantations and crops; 3) bugs (al-qummal; the exact nature of which is not agreed upon by exegetes) which caused them great distress and harm; 4) frogs (al-ḍafādiʿ) which swarmed upon them in their multitudes making their lives unbearable, and; blood (al-dam) which took the place of the water they drank and used (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). These were unmistakably Messages bearing ‘Signs’ from God. This is why they somehow relented, as will be detailed next.

Ajeti: 134

وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّجۡزُ قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَى ٱدۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَۖ لَئِن كَشَفۡتَ عَنَّا ٱلرِّجۡزَ لَنُؤۡمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرۡسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ

(134) When the plight^[1737] hit them ˹hard˺, they said: “Mūsā, pray to your Lord for us by virtue of what He entrusted you with. Should you remove the plight ˹away˺ from us, we would surely Believe in you and we shall send the Children of Israel ˹away˺ with you!”

[1737] Exegetes are of different opinions as to what this plight (rijz) actually was. However, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī deem it as the flood, locusts, bugs, frogs and blood which were just mentioned, citing in the process the following aya: “We showed them no Sign which was not greater than the one before it. We inflicted punishment on them so that they might return ˹to the Right Path˺” (43: 48). They only turned to Moses, when the affliction bit them hard (cf. Abū Ḥayyān), and hardly in a sincerely humble manner at that (cf. al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “They said: “Magician, call on your Lord for us, by virtue of what He entrusted you with: we shall certainly accept guidance. *But when We removed the punishment from them, they swiftly reneged!” (43: 49-50). This just shows the kind of people, Moses had to put up with; indeed a lesson for all those who suffer all sorts of hardship in pursuing their calling.

Ajeti: 135

فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمُ ٱلرِّجۡزَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ هُم بَٰلِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمۡ يَنكُثُونَ

(135) When We removed the plight ˹away˺ from them – for a term they would ˹inevitably˺ reach^[1738] – they swiftly reneged.

[1738] The specific time God set for their destruction (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 136

فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنۡهَا غَٰفِلِينَ

(136) We ˹at once˺ took vengeance on them and We drowned them in the deep sea^[1739], because they denied Our Signs and were ˹willingly˺ averting of them^[1740].

[1739] This is the fulfilment of the first part of Moses’s ‘wish’ as related in Aya 129: “Hopefully your Lord will destroy your enemy…”. The detailed story of how they were drowned is told in 26: 52-67.
[1740] They averted considering what came to them as real Signs and paid no heed to them (cf. Aya 132 above).

Ajeti: 137

وَأَوۡرَثۡنَا ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُواْ يُسۡتَضۡعَفُونَ مَشَٰرِقَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَغَٰرِبَهَا ٱلَّتِي بَٰرَكۡنَا فِيهَاۖ وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْۖ وَدَمَّرۡنَا مَا كَانَ يَصۡنَعُ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَقَوۡمُهُۥ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡرِشُونَ

(137) And We bequeathed those people whom were down-trodden^[1741] the Easts and Wests of the land that We blessed^[1742]. The gracious Word^[1743] of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel for their steadfastness and We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people used to make and what they used to ˹carefully˺ trellis^[1744].

[1741] This is the fulfilment of the second part of Moses’ ‘wish’ as related in Aya 129: “…and make you succeed ˹them˺ in the land…”.
[1742] The extent of God’s Bounty on them is shown in the words chosen: the East(s), West(s), literally the Eastern and Western parts (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī), connote vastness and openness (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr) as contrasted with the really narrow, constricted life they were made to endure. Moreover, they were made to ‘inherit’ not any land but one of bountiful blessings. Most exegetes are of the opinion that this land is arḍ al-shām (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr), which roughly translates as the Levant, however this region is variably demarcated and named throughout history. It is a land of perpetual bliss and abundance of rain and crops (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1743] God’s glad promise to the Children of Israel; many exegetes (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr) are of the opinion that this ‘Word’ is this aya: “We wanted to favour those who were downtrodden in the land, and make them leaders and make them inheritors ˹of the land˺” (28: 5).
[1744] Respectively, their masonry and farms (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). They took great care and pride in these, but God not only destroyed them, He even obliterated their vestiges for so stubbornly rebelling against His Signs and overly transgressing against other human beings.

Ajeti: 138

وَجَٰوَزۡنَا بِبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ فَأَتَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ يَعۡكُفُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَصۡنَامٖ لَّهُمۡۚ قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَى ٱجۡعَل لَّنَآ إِلَٰهٗا كَمَا لَهُمۡ ءَالِهَةٞۚ قَالَ إِنَّكُمۡ قَوۡمٞ تَجۡهَلُونَ

(138) ^[1745]And We whisked^[1746] the Children of Israel across the sea, and then they came upon a people who were devoutly attentive to some idols of theirs. They said: “Mūsā, make us a god like the gods they have!” He said: “You are ˹but˺ ignorant people^[1747];

[1745] What follows are snippets of how the Israelites fared when God made them inherit that land, as alluded to in the last part of Aya 129: “… so that He sees how you fare”. This is told in detail here so that Believers may take heed and guard their Faith at all times (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1746] Jāwaza means that God made it possible as well as effortless for them to pass through the sea (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1747] They did not fully realize the extent of God Almighty’s Magnificence and the binding nature of worshipping Him alone (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr). After censuring them, Moses explained to them, why he was so forthright with them on this issue (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar) so that they might realize how erroneous they were (cf. Riḍā).

Ajeti: 139

إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مُتَبَّرٞ مَّا هُمۡ فِيهِ وَبَٰطِلٞ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

(139) verily whatever these are, is ill-fated^[1748], and futile is what they are used to labour ˹at˺”.^[1749]

[1748] “We shall turn to whatever work they have done, and make it scattered dust” (25: 23).
[1749] “Those will have nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire; their efforts in it ˹this life˺ will prove futile and what they used to do shall be in vain” (11: 16); “Verily, those that you are praying to besides Him cannot help you, nor can they help themselves” (7: 197); “…but those you invoke besides Him do not possess even the skin of a date stone. *If you pray to them, they do not hear your call, and even if they hear you, they cannot answer you. On the Day of Judgement, they will disown your worshipping them—none can inform you like the All-Knowledgeable” (35: 13-14).

Ajeti: 140

قَالَ أَغَيۡرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبۡغِيكُمۡ إِلَٰهٗا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

(140) He ˹further˺ said: “How would I ˹ever˺ seek a lord besides Allah for you, when He favoured you above all people?”

Ajeti: 141

وَإِذۡ أَنجَيۡنَٰكُم مِّنۡ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَسُومُونَكُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمۡۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَظِيمٞ

(141) ˹Remember˺ “When We delivered you from Pharaoh’s folk ˹who˺ used to subject you to the worst of suffering; they would slaughter your sons and retain your womenfolk alive, indeed in that is a great trial from your Lord.”

Ajeti: 142

۞ وَوَٰعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَٰثِينَ لَيۡلَةٗ وَأَتۡمَمۡنَٰهَا بِعَشۡرٖ فَتَمَّ مِيقَٰتُ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَيۡلَةٗۚ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَٰرُونَ ٱخۡلُفۡنِي فِي قَوۡمِي وَأَصۡلِحۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

(142) ^[1750]And We appointed for Moses thirty nights and We completed them with ten; so the appointment^[1751] of his Lord was forty nights complete. Mūsā said to his brother Hārūn: “Assume my role among my people; set aright ˹their affairs˺ and do not follow the path of the corruptors”.

[1750] The few passages that follow are couched in the overall narrative of the story of the exodus of the Israelites and how they fared after their deliverance, yet they are interspersed with references to the Torah; how it came into being and how wrongfully it was dealt with. This highlights that it bears out the Qur’an and foretells the coming of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to whom the Qur’an, the light that sets good apart from evil, was sent down (cf. also: 6: 154-157).
[1751] The length of time God set for Moses to communicate with him and send the Torah down to him (al-Ṭabarī, al-Marāghī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).

Ajeti: 143

وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِيٓ أَنظُرۡ إِلَيۡكَۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِي وَلَٰكِنِ ٱنظُرۡ إِلَى ٱلۡجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسۡتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوۡفَ تَرَىٰنِيۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلۡجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكّٗا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقٗاۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ تُبۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

(143) When Mūsā came for Our appointment and His Lord spoke to him, he said: “My Lord, show me ˹, let me˺ look at You!” He said: “You shall not see Me.^[1752] But look at the mountain. If it ˹still˺ remains in its place, then you will see Me”. Then as His Lord revealed Himself to the mountain, He crushed it flat and Mūsā collapsed, struck^[1753]. When he recovered, he said: “Glory be Yours; I repent to You; I am the first of the Believers!”^[1754]

[1752] People cannot see God Almighty (سبحانه وتعالى) in this worldly life, not even a noble Messenger of Moses’ (عليه السلام) status to whom He talked directly without a mediator (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī). Humans are simply not built in such a way as to bear it (cf. al-Saʿdī, al-, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr). Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood among us to deliver five ˹weighty˺ words. He said: “Allah, Glory be His, does not sleep and it is not befitting of Him to sleep; He lowers ˹with the scale of˺ justice ˹whoever does wrong˺ and raises ˹with˺ it ˹whoever does good˺; to Him the deeds of the day are raised before the deeds of the night and the deeds of the night are raised before the deeds of the day; His Veil is the Light; if He were to lift it, the Magnificent Splendours of His Face would burn whomever of His creation, His Sight reaches” (Muslim: 179).
[1753] God Almighty practically showed Moses how unable he was of seeing Him (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, al-Saʿdī); the mountain, which was by far a mightier creation than man, was crushed to dust when God revealed Himself to it (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1754] Sincere Belief (Īmān) requires no tangible evidence (cf. al-Biqāʿī).

Ajeti: 144

قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنِّي ٱصۡطَفَيۡتُكَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ بِرِسَٰلَٰتِي وَبِكَلَٰمِي فَخُذۡ مَآ ءَاتَيۡتُكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ

(144) He said^[1755]: “Mūsā, I have chosen you above all people for My Messages and My ˹direct˺ Speech; take then what I gave you and be among the thankful!”

[1755] For refusing him his demand, God assuaged Moses by spelling out His singularly most important bounties on him (cf. al-Rāzī, Abū Ḥayyān).

Ajeti: 145

وَكَتَبۡنَا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مَّوۡعِظَةٗ وَتَفۡصِيلٗا لِّكُلِّ شَيۡءٖ فَخُذۡهَا بِقُوَّةٖ وَأۡمُرۡ قَوۡمَكَ يَأۡخُذُواْ بِأَحۡسَنِهَاۚ سَأُوْرِيكُمۡ دَارَ ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ

(145) We wrote for him in the tablets about everything^[1756]; and exhortation and elaboration of everything^[1757]: “Take them ˹Mūsā˺ with strength^[1758] and command your people to take the best therein^[1759]—I shall show you the abode of those who contravene^[1760]”.

[1756] The tablets (al-alwāḥ) which contained the Torah (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Rāzī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr) detailed all the laws and guidelines that Moses’ nation needed (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Saʿdī).
[1757] “Then ˹know that˺ We had given Mūsā the Book ˹the Torah˺ in perfection ˹for Our bounty˺ for he who did well and detailing everything; a guidance and mercy so that they may Believe in meeting their Lord” (6: 154).
[1758] Firmly adhere to the dictates of the Torah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[1759] They were told to observe and practice the best of what they find in the Torah: carry out its bidding, avoid what is forbidden and ponder over its moral directions (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Saʿdī).
[1760] Sa-urīkum dār al-fāsiqīn (rendered here directly) has been a site of argument among scholars. Some have opined that the ‘abode of those who contravene’ is Hellfire, taking it to refer to those who contravene the dictates of the Torah (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Muyassar, al-Mukhtaṣar). Others have taken it to mean the hometown of the Canaanites, i.e. Jerusalem, and thus it was a promise from God that should they adhere to the Torah, they would be rewarded with the blessed land (cf. al-Qāsimī, Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 146

سَأَصۡرِفُ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٖ لَّا يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ سَبِيلَ ٱلرُّشۡدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلٗا وَإِن يَرَوۡاْ سَبِيلَ ٱلۡغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنۡهَا غَٰفِلِينَ

(146) ^[1761]I shall turn away from My Signs those who wax arrogant in the land, unrightfully^[1762]. So even if they see each ˹and every˺ Sign, they would not Believe in it^[1763]; if they see the path of guidedness they would not take it as a path ˹of theirs˺, and if they see the path of ˹utter˺ misguidedness, they would take it as a path ˹of theirs˺; that because they denied Our Signs and were ˹willingly˺ averting of them^[1764].

[1761] Reflective parentheses such as this passage are meant to serve a number of purposes. Here, it could be taken to bring relevance to the flow of narrative; i.e. food for thought. The reader/listener/reciter is directed to draw lessons from the epic story of the Israelites and how haughtily many of them dealt with the myriad of Signs that they were exposed to. This bore special significance to the immediate community of revelation around whom the Israelites lived in their multitudes and who were regarded with respect for their being ‘People of the Book’.
[1762] Arrogance is pointed out here as a major cause for falling into Denial, because it forms an insurmountable barrier between the heart and Believing; the arrogant will not heed admonition nor will they hearken to advice (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 13/242). Arrogance was the cardinal sin that drove Satan out of Paradise (cf. Aya 13 above) and it is the most dangerous human impulse that has to be repressed by humbly and sincerely prostrating to God and glorifying Him (cf. Aya 206 below).
This is their punishment from God: “…so when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate; for Allah does not guide the rebellious people” (61: 5); “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).
[1763] “Had We sent down the angels ˹successively˺ to them, made the dead talk to them and congregated everything right before them, they would not have Believed unless that Allah wills it so; but indeed most of them are ignorant” (6: 111).
[1764] Out of a deep-seated lack of sincere will to embrace Faith, their first reaction to the Signs was to deny them. They did not make the necessary effort to consider and contemplate them and, thus, treated them with disdain. So God, in punishment of them, diverted their hearts away from them, much to their grave detriment (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “We created not the Heavens and Earth and whatsoever is in between them save with Truth, and for a term stated. Yet the Deniers are turning away from what they have been warned about” (46: 3).

Ajeti: 147

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَلِقَآءِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَٰلُهُمۡۚ هَلۡ يُجۡزَوۡنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

(147) Those who denied Our Signs and the meeting of the Hereafter, their deeds were rendered void; do they get rewarded except for what they used to do?^[1765]

[1765] “We thus requited them for their Denying; do We ever requite save the ardent Denier” (34: 17).

Ajeti: 148

وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوۡمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ مِنۡ حُلِيِّهِمۡ عِجۡلٗا جَسَدٗا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۚ أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمۡ وَلَا يَهۡدِيهِمۡ سَبِيلًاۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُواْ ظَٰلِمِينَ

(148) The people of Mūsā took up ˹as idol˺ when he was gone – ˹made˺ from their jewellery – a calf^[1766], a ˹mere˺ body of a lowing sound. Did they not ˹just˺ see that he would not talk to them, nor guide them to the way!^[1767] They took up ˹worshipping˺ him; they were ˹truly˺ wrongdoers!^[1768]

[1766] When Moses (عليه السلام) was gone for forty nights for his appointment with God, his people sculptured out of their jewellery a calf that produced a bellowing sound and worshipped it: “And ˹remember˺ when We appointed forty nights for Moses, and then when he was away you took up ˹worshipping˺ the calf—you were unjust” (2: 51).
[1767] This mere body even lacked the most basic attributes of being a god (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 13/242): “How did they not see that it could not give them any response and had no power to harm or benefit them?” (20: 89)
[1768] “˹Remember˺ When Moses said to his people: “My people, you have done yourselves injustice by taking the calf ˹as an idol˺…” (2: 54).

Ajeti: 149

وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِيٓ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَرَأَوۡاْ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ قَالُواْ لَئِن لَّمۡ يَرۡحَمۡنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ

(149) When they felt profound regret and they saw that they went astray, they said: “Should our Lord not have mercy on us and forgive us, we shall surely be among the losers!”

Ajeti: 150

وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَٰنَ أَسِفٗا قَالَ بِئۡسَمَا خَلَفۡتُمُونِي مِنۢ بَعۡدِيٓۖ أَعَجِلۡتُمۡ أَمۡرَ رَبِّكُمۡۖ وَأَلۡقَى ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأۡسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيۡهِۚ قَالَ ٱبۡنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱسۡتَضۡعَفُونِي وَكَادُواْ يَقۡتُلُونَنِي فَلَا تُشۡمِتۡ بِيَ ٱلۡأَعۡدَآءَ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡنِي مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

(150) When Moses returned – enraged and exasperated^[1769] – he said: “Awful indeed what you superseded me with after I was gone!^[1770] Did you seek to hasten your Lord’s decree?”^[1771] He threw down the tablets^[1772], seized his brother’s head tugging it towards him^[1773]. He ˹Hārūn˺ said: “Son of my mother! The folks thought little of me and they almost killed me!^[1774] Do not then let the enemies rejoice on my account and do not count me among the wrongdoers!”

[1769] God told him what befell his people while he was away: “˹Allah said:˺ “Moses, what has made you come ahead of your people in such haste?” *He said: “They are following in my footsteps. I rushed to You, Lord, to please You” *He ˹Allah˺ said, “But We have tested your people after you ˹departed˺, and the Samaritan has led them astray”. *So Moses returned to his people, enraged and exasperated. He said: “My people! Had your Lord not made you a good promise? Has my absence been too long for you? Or have you wished for Wrath from your Lord to befall you, so you broke your promise to me?”” (20: 83-86).
[1770] He reminded them of what he had told them when they saw some idol worshippers deeply involved in their devotions and asked him to make them a god like the idolaters had (cf. Ayas 138-140 above).
[1771] In other words, “Could you not have waited until I came back to you with your Lord’s good Guidance?” (cf. Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1772] That the tablets were ‘thrown down’ is symbolic of the context in which God’s Guidance was received; instead of one of cheeriness and thankfulness it was one of deviation and Association, much to the consternation of the Messenger. Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Hearing is not like seeing. Allah told Moses of what his people did with the calf and he did not throw down the tablets. Yet, when he actually saw what they did he threw them down!” (Imām Aḥmad: 2447; Ibn Ḥibbān: 6213)
[1773] “He said: “Hārūn, what prevented you, when you saw they had strayed *from following me? Why did you disobey my command?” (20: 92-93).
[1774] “Hārūn had already, before this said to them: “My people! You are being tested in this: for verily your Lord is ˹Allah˺ the Most Gracious; so follow me and obey my command”. *They said: “We will never cease being devoted to it ˹the calf˺ until Moses returns to us”” (20: 90-91).

Ajeti: 151

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِأَخِي وَأَدۡخِلۡنَا فِي رَحۡمَتِكَۖ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ

(151) He ˹Mūsā˺ said: “My Lord forgive me and my brother^[1775], admit us into Your Mercy—You are the Most Merciful of the merciful”

[1775] Thus he practically apologized to his brother, demonstrated that he accepted his explanation and did not make his enemies rejoice at his misfortune (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).

Ajeti: 152

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ سَيَنَالُهُمۡ غَضَبٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَذِلَّةٞ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُفۡتَرِينَ

(152) Those who took ˹to worshipping˺ the calf will gain Wrath from their Lord, and disgrace in the worldly life; thus We requite the lies weavers.

Ajeti: 153

وَٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ

(153) Those who committed bad deeds, then repented afterwards and Believed; indeed your Lord after that is certainly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful^[1776].

[1776] This shows that no matter how grave the sin is, God will forgive it if the person truly repents and sincerely Believes. This represents a great ray of hope indeed (cf. al-Shirbīnī): “Verily, I am indeed Most Forgiving towards the one who repents, Believes, does righteous deeds, and then remains guided” (20: 82). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) said that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: “Allah, glory be His, said: “Son of Adam! Verily, you shall not pray to Me and beseech Me without Me easily absolving you of your sins no matter how grave they are. Son of Adam! Verily, if your sins were to mount up to the sky, then you asked Me for forgiveness, I shall easily forgive you. Son of Adam! If you were to come to Me with nearly Earth’s fill of misdeeds and you meet Me without Associating anything with Me, I shall come to you with its measure of forgiveness” (al-Tirmidhī: 3540, al-Ṭabarānī, al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ: 4305).

Ajeti: 154

وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى ٱلۡغَضَبُ أَخَذَ ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَۖ وَفِي نُسۡخَتِهَا هُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِرَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡهَبُونَ

(154) When rage ceased to haunt Mūsā, he picked up the tablets; copied in them is guidance and a mercy to those who stand in awe^[1777] of their Lord.

[1777] Yarhabūn is fear mixed with apprehension (cf. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt). Those who are always on their guard will benefit most from Divine guidance: “…so remind by means of the Qur’ān those who fear My Threat” (50: 45).

Ajeti: 155

وَٱخۡتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوۡمَهُۥ سَبۡعِينَ رَجُلٗا لِّمِيقَٰتِنَاۖ فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِيَّٰيَۖ أَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآۖ إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَهۡدِي مَن تَشَآءُۖ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَاۖ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡغَٰفِرِينَ

(155) Then Mūsā chose ˹from˺ his people seventy men for Our appointment. When the quake seized them,^[1778] he ˹Mūsā˺ said: “My Lord, had You wished, You would have destroyed them earlier along with me! Do you destroy us for what the feeble-minded among us committed! Indeed, it is nothing but a trial^[1779] of Yours, You misguide with it whomever You will and guide whomever You will—You are our Ally, so forgive us and show us mercy; You are the best of forgivers;

[1778] They were hit with an earthquake and were either struck unconscious or actually died (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī, Abū Ḥayyān). Exegetes have differed as to what the reason behind this punishment was. Ibn al-Jawzī (Zād al-Masīr, 2/158-159) sums up three widely postulated reasons (though they are not by any means conclusive, since they are not supported by evidence); they are: 1) that they transgressed in their supplications; 2) that they did not stand up to those who worshipped the calf; 3) that they demanded that they speak to God and see Him directly.
However, given the immediate context, al-Ṭabarī and Ibn ʿĀshur conclude that it related to the worship of the calf, as Moses hinted to in his prayer: “Do you destroy us for what the feeble-minded among us committed!” They took the ‘feeble-minded’ here to mean the calf worshippers.
[1779] That is, the worship of the calf was a test for the people of Moses to see who remained firm and who wavered and slipped into misguidedness (al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr): “He ˹Allah˺ said: “But We have tested your people after you ˹departed˺, and the Samaritan has led them astray” (20: 85).

Ajeti: 156

۞ وَٱكۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَۚ قَالَ عَذَابِيٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَآءُۖ وَرَحۡمَتِي وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَيۡءٖۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(156) and decree for us what is good in this worldly life and in the Hereafter^[1780]; we have returned to You repentant^[1781].” He ˹Allah˺ said: “My Punishment, I hit with it whoever I wish^[1782] and My Mercy encompasses everything^[1783]; I will decree it to those who are Mindful and give out the prescribed alms, and those who are ˹firmly˺ Believing in Our Signs^[1784];

[1780] The good (ḥasanah) is all that is desirable and sought by humans in this worldly life, on the one hand, and forgiveness and admittance into Paradise in the Hereafter, on the other (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1781] Hudnā ilayka is to repent and return (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). This is the verbal form (hudnā from the stem h-w-d) from where the name yahūd (Jews) comes from; i.e. those who return to God in repentance (cf. al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt, al-Ḥalabī, ʿUmdat al-Ḥuffāẓ, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah).
[1782] Among those who deserve punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr).
[1783] God’s Mercy is boundless. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “God has one hundred mercies. He sent down one of them on humans, jinn, animals and venomous creatures. Through it they show mercy to each other, and through it wild beasts show mercy to their young. God has reserved ninety-nine mercies with which He will bestow mercy on His servants on the Day of Judgement” (al-Bukhārī: 6000; Muslim: 2752); Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “When Allah created all of the creatures, He wrote in His Book, which is with Him above the Throne: “My Mercy overrules My Wrath” (al-Bukhārī: 7404, Muslim: 2751).
[1784] These are three conditions necessary for rightfully earning God’s Mercy: 1) being Mindful of Him: “When those who Believe in Our Signs come to you say to them: “Peace be upon you – your Lord decreed Mercy upon Himself – whoever of you commits evil out of ignorance then repents afterwards, and mends ˹their ways˺, then Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (6: 54); 2) willingly and charitably giving out zakah (the prescribed alms): “…indeed Allah’s Mercy is ever close to the good-doers” (7: 56), and 3) unequivocally Believing in God’s Signs. However, there is a fourth very important condition, singled out for its importance in the next aya, i.e. to Believe in the Messengership of Muhammad (ﷺ) (cf. al-Rāzī).

Ajeti: 157

ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِيَّ ٱلۡأُمِّيَّ ٱلَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكۡتُوبًا عِندَهُمۡ فِي ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلِ يَأۡمُرُهُم بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَىٰهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡخَبَٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنۡهُمۡ إِصۡرَهُمۡ وَٱلۡأَغۡلَٰلَ ٱلَّتِي كَانَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

(157) those who follow the Messenger, ‘the unlettered^[1785] Prophet’, whom they find with them written in the Torah and the Evangel^[1786]. He enjoins them to virtue and advises them against what is unacceptable; makes lawful for them good provisions and makes unlawful for them what is deleterious^[1787]; lays down their burden and the yokes that were ˹imposed˺ on them^[1788]. Then those who have Believed in him, strongly supported him, aided him and followed the Light that came down with him^[1789]; these are ˹truly˺ the successful”.

[1785] Exegetes are unanimous that this unlettered Messenger Prophet is Muhammad (ﷺ) (cf. al-Khāzin). That he was unlettered (ummī) is evidenced in the Qur’an: “You ˹Muhammad˺ never recited any Scripture before ˹We sent down˺ this one ˹to you˺; you never wrote one down with your hand. If you had done so, those who follow falsehood might have had cause to doubt” (29: 48); “And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration of Our Command. You did not know what the Book or Faith are, but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, ˹Muhammad,˺ you guide to a Straight Path” (42: 52).
That he (ﷺ) was unlettered and raised among an unlettered nation (“He is the One Who raised for the unlettered ˹people˺ a Messenger from among themselves…” (62: 2) was to: 1) ensure that no reasonable doubt arises about the Source of revelation; 2) the revelation remains intact and does not get mixed up with other sources and/or what hearts and minds are programmed with, and; 3) very significantly to connect him (ﷺ) directly to the most elevated and pristine of all sources, the Divine, as opposed to human sources which are very likely be adulterated (cf. al-Shaʿrāwī). Some have speculated that ummī means or is derived from umm al-Qurā (Makkah, the Arab metropolis) from which he (ﷺ) originated, or being one of the ‘unlettered nation’, the Arabs (cf. al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt), and especially ‘gentile’ (particularly some recent sources and English translations of the Qur’an). However, upon thorough study, this could be challenged by the fact that notably the Jews of Madinah as told in Aya 2: 89 (“When a Book came to them from Allah confirming what they already have; ˹while˺ before it they used to invoke ˹Divine˺ assistance over those who Deny, still when what they knew came to them, they Denied it. Allah’s Damnation is on the Deniers”) were expectant of a Messenger of their own and not a gentile one (cf. al-Ṭabarī). The Jews of Madinah were very learned and alive to their Scriptures (as attested to in numerous instances in the Qur’an and Sunnah), so translating ummī as ‘gentile’ is, to say the least, misleading because it speculatively reflects on Scriptures which are either lost or distorted beyond recognition, and is not attested to by Qur’anic evidence. On the other hand, for the Messenger (ﷺ) to be described as ‘the unlettered Prophet’ is to directly quote what is exactly written in the Torah and the Evangel (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Needless to say, such pristine sources are no longer in existence.
‘Messenger’ (rasūl) differs from ‘Prophet’ (nabiyy, lit. one who is told) in that it is a more specific designation; every Messenger is a Prophet but not every Prophet is a Messenger (cf. Riḍā, and for more on the difference between the two see, Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Nubūwwāt, 2/714). Muhammad (ﷺ) was privileged by both Messengership and Prophethood.
[1786] Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is described in great detail in both the Torah and the Evangel (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “And ˹mention˺ when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “Children of Israel, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad ˹the praised one˺.” But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said: “This is clearly magic”” (61: 6). ʿAṭā’ Ibn Yasār (رضي الله عنه) said: “I met ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr Ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنه) and I said to him: “Tell me about the description of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the Torah”. He said: “Indeed! By Allah he is described in the Torah with some of his descriptions in the Qur’an: “O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings and, a warner” (33: 45); as a shelter for the unlettered ones ˹the Arabs˺, and thus ˹said God in the Torah˺: “You are My servant and My Messenger, I called you al-mutawakkil ˹the one who trustfully relies on God˺”; he is ˹further described as˺ not foul mouthed neither is he hard-hearted, nor raucous in market places; he does not offend when offended, but he forgives and forgets; Allah will not take his soul until he sets straight by him the crooked creed, i.e., that they say: “There is no god but Allah”, he opens up with it ˹this declaration˺ blinded eyes, deafened ears and encased hearts”” (al-Bukhārī: 4838).
[1787] “Forbidden for you is carrion, ˹spilled˺ blood, the flesh of swine, what was offered ˹as sacrifice˺ to others besides Allah, the strangled, the battered, the fallen, the rammed, what is mangled by beasts of prey – except those ˹of these˺ that you slaughter ˹before their dying˺ – what is slaughtered at the altars of idols, and that you allot shares ˹of meat˺ by drawing lots; ˹all of˺ that is a serious contravention. Today the Deniers have despaired of ˹undermining˺ your religion, so fear them not but fear Me; today I have perfected your religion for you, finalized My Favour on you and I approve Islam as a religion for you. ˹But˺ Whoever is forced by wasting hunger ˹to eat of what is forbidden˺, not swayed by sin, then Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (5: 3); “You who Believe, intoxicants, gambling, altars ˹of idolatry˺ and casting lots ˹for divination˺ are nothing but defilement of the making of Satan, so steer clear from it ˹all˺, so that you might be successful. *Satan wants nothing but to sow enmity and hatred among you through intoxicants and gambling, and repel you from the remembrance of Allah and Prayer, will you not ˹then˺ desist?” (5: 90-91).
[1788] “Allah would not charge a soul with that which it cannot bear; to it belongs what it earned and against it is held what it has committed. ˹We pray to you˺ “Our Lord, do not charge us for what we forgot or erred ˹in doing˺; our Lord, do not lay on us what is burdensome as you did unto those who came before us; our Lord, do not burden us with that which we have no power over; forgive us, absolve us and have mercy on us. You are our Ally; make us prevail over the Denying people”” (2: 286).
[1789] The Qur’an: “People of the Book, here is Our Messenger coming to you to reveal to you much of what you used to hide of the Book and overlooks much—indeed there has come to you a Light from Allah and a clarifying Book; *by it Allah guides those who follow His Pleasure to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light with His permission; He guides them to a Straight Path” (5: 15-16); “O people, there has come to you a ˹conclusive˺ proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a Glaring Light. *As for those who Believe in Allah and hold fast to Him, He will admit them into a Mercy and Grace from Him, and will guide them to a Straight Path” (4: 174-175).

Ajeti: 158

قُلۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُمۡ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحۡيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۖ فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِيِّ ٱلۡأُمِّيِّ ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ

(158) ^[1790]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “O people, I am Allah’s Messenger to all of you. He is the One to Whom belongs the dominion of the Heavens and Earth, He gives life and causes death^[1791]; so Believe in Allah and His Messenger, ‘the unlettered Prophet’^[1792], who Believes in Allah and His Words and follow him so that you might be guided”.^[1793]

[1790] This is a call to all who lived through the age of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), humanity’s last Messenger, the people of the Book included, and those that were to come after, to Believe in him, strongly support him, aid him and follow the Light that came down with him in order to attain success (al-Rāzī, Abū Ḥayyān). The address: “O people!” makes it clear that the extent of his Message is truly global, and to clear up any confusion that might arise from the fact that this declaration comes just after the stating of the fact that his foretelling was specifically mentioned in the Torah and the Evangel (cf. al-Saʿdī): “We have sent you ˹Muhammad˺ as nothing but a deliverer of good tidings and a warner to all of humanity, but most people do not know” (34: 28); “We have sent you as nothing but mercy to all beings” (21: 107). Jābir Ibn ʿAbdillāh (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I was given five ˹privileges˺ none of the Prophets was given….a Prophet would only be sent to his own people in particular and I am sent to all people without exception…” (al-Bukhārī: 438; Muslim: 521).
[1791] This global Message comes from None but the Absolute Sovereign of the dominions of the Heavens and Earth, the solely True Lord, Who holds Power over lives and livelihoods (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr): “…to Allah belongs the dominion of the Heavens and Earth and all there is between them, He creates whatever He wills—Allah is indeed Able over everything” (5: 17); “Do they not see that Allah, Who created the Heavens and Earth and did not tire in doing so, has the Power to bring the dead back to life? Yes indeed! He has Power over everything” (46: 33).
[1792] Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is being defined by this honorific epithet which is attested to in God’s Divine Writs. That it is brought up here again implicates authority and encourages the people of the Book at his time to Believe in him, since he is clearly described in their Books (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Had they Believed, the ‘unlettered’ Arabs would have felt tempted to follow suit, given the high regard in which they held the People of the Book.
[1793] Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is set here as an example for all; to Believe in Allah and His Words, i.e. the Books He sent to His Messengers (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Qurṭubī). So, consequently, people are to follow his example and Believe in the Light, the Qur’an, God’s Word, which he recites to them in order to be truly guided: “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “If you ˹really˺ love Allah then follow me and Allah shall love you and forgive your sins—Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful”. *Say: “Obey Allah and the Messenger, but if they take to their heels, then Allah likes not the Deniers” (3: 31-32).

Ajeti: 159

وَمِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٞ يَهۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعۡدِلُونَ

(159) And from among Mūsā’s people is a legion that guide with the Truth and with it they administer justice^[1794].

[1794] Here, the story of the Israelites is resumed after the last parenthetical reflection, which highlighted the relevance of the story, and good doers are an exception from the earlier Aya 148 which talks of the “people of Mūsā” taking up the calf as idol, so that they are not to be bundled up together under one heading (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). That mention of this fact is delayed until here, after the call to all people to Believe in Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), is, in a way, to point out that some who are deservedly called the ‘people of Mūsā’, being rightly inclined, (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr) will come to embrace Islam (cf. Abū Ḥayyān), which they surely did as mentioned in the later revealed Madinan Sura Āl ʿImrān: “They are not ˹all˺ alike, there are among the People of the Book a legion, upright, reciting the Signs of Allah throughout the night and they prostrate ˹in Prayer˺. *They Believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin virtue and advise against what is unacceptable and rush forth to do good—those are among the Righteous. *Whatever good they do they will not be denied it—Allah knows best the Mindful” (3: 113-115); “Indeed there are among the People of the Book those who Believe in Allah, what has been sent down to you ˹Muhammad˺ and what had been sent down to them, humbling themselves before Allah and do not trade off the Signs of Allah for a pittance; for those is their reward with their Lord—Allah is swift in reckoning” (3: 199).

Ajeti: 160

وَقَطَّعۡنَٰهُمُ ٱثۡنَتَيۡ عَشۡرَةَ أَسۡبَاطًا أُمَمٗاۚ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱسۡتَسۡقَىٰهُ قَوۡمُهُۥٓ أَنِ ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡحَجَرَۖ فَٱنۢبَجَسَتۡ مِنۡهُ ٱثۡنَتَا عَشۡرَةَ عَيۡنٗاۖ قَدۡ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٖ مَّشۡرَبَهُمۡۚ وَظَلَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡغَمَٰمَ وَأَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلۡوَىٰۖ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنَٰكُمۡۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ

(160) And We cleaved them up into twelve tribal nations^[1795]. We inspired Mūsā, when his people appealed to him for water, to: “Strike the rock with your staff!” Twelve springs spurted out from it; every people knew their own fountain. We ˹further˺ made the clouds shade them, sent down to them the manna and quails; “Eat from the good things that We provided for you”^[1796]—they did not commit injustice against Us, but they did themselves the injustice^[1797].

[1795] This fact is stated by way of detailing God’s many favours on them. Dividing them into tribal nations implicated that they were to thrive and their numbers to multiply (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). It was also by way of smoothly running their affairs and building them up into an organized community, the first manifestation of which was that each tribe was allocated a spring, it own resource (cf. Ibn ʿĀshur). However, qaṭṭaʿa (lit. to cut into several pieces) could be taken as a seed sown for severance of ties (the Diaspora) as is indicated in Aya 168 below.
[1796] This is a telling of the many favours that God showered them with during their exodus: they were provided with water, food and shade in the arid, scathingly sunny desert in which they wandered (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Saʿdī).
[1797] They simply treated God’s immeasurable favours with rebellion and ingratitude; thus they did themselves an injustice and deserved His punishment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Rāzī, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 161

وَإِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسۡكُنُواْ هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ وَكُلُواْ مِنۡهَا حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمۡ وَقُولُواْ حِطَّةٞ وَٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡبَابَ سُجَّدٗا نَّغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ خَطِيٓـَٰٔتِكُمۡۚ سَنَزِيدُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

(161) ^[1798]˹Remember˺ When was said to them: “Dwell this town and eat therein whatever you like^[1799] and say: “ḥiṭṭah!”^[1800]; and enter through the gate prostrating ˹in thankfulness˺, and We shall forgive you your sins and We shall increase ˹the reward of˺ those who do good”^[1801].

[1798] What is to come is another gravely rebellious deed for which they deserved the severe punishment that they were to undergo. A series of such instances of insubordination and disregard of God’s commands are detailed in the upcoming passages.
[1799] This Divine command is God’s greatest favour yet, to grant them a home after they have had none for centuries; a very prosperous and desirable one at that. This home was Jerusalem according to most exegetes (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī). A more detailed account of what happened at the gates of Jerusalem is told elsewhere: “My people, enter the sacred land that Allah decreed for you and do not turn back on your heels for then you will be the losers.” *They said: “Moses, there are mighty people in it. We will not enter it until they come out of it and only then shall we enter. *Two ˹Allah-˺ fearing men – whom Allah favoured – said: “Enter you the gate upon them! Shall you ˹only˺ enter it, you will surely have the upper hand. Put your trust in Allah if only you are ˹truly˺ Believers”. *They said: “Moses, we shall not enter it as long as they are in it. Go then you and your Lord and fight, we are staying put here”” (5: 21-24).
[1800] That is ‘forgiveness’; they were asked to seek forgiveness. The word is derived from ḥaṭṭa, i.e. to put down a burden (Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, p. 50; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, 2: 13), but they subtly twisted their tongues to mean ‘barley’, ḥinṭah (al-Bukhārī: 4641, cf. particularly al-ʿAsqalānī’s comment).
[1801] God wanted to show them great mercy and treat them magnanimously for carrying out these very simple commands; to enter the gate asking for forgiveness, yet even this they did not care to do.

Ajeti: 162

فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ قَوۡلًا غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمۡ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِجۡزٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَظۡلِمُونَ

(162) The wrongdoers among them substituted what was said to them for something else, and We sent down on them a plague^[1802] from the sky for their injustice.

[1802] Rijz, i.e. torment and tumult. (Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt)

Ajeti: 163

وَسۡـَٔلۡهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلَّتِي كَانَتۡ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلۡبَحۡرِ إِذۡ يَعۡدُونَ فِي ٱلسَّبۡتِ إِذۡ تَأۡتِيهِمۡ حِيتَانُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ سَبۡتِهِمۡ شُرَّعٗا وَيَوۡمَ لَا يَسۡبِتُونَ لَا تَأۡتِيهِمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبۡلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ

(163) And ask them ˹Muhammad˺^[1803] about the seaside town; they ˹its people˺ used to transgress on the Sabbath. Their ˹large˺ fish used to come to them forthrightly on their Sabbath, but when they were not observing the Sabbath, they ˹the fish˺ would not come to them. Thus we tested them for their contravening.

[1803] This is yet another act of contravention some of them committed. That Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was directly told to ask his contemporary Jewish community about this jealously guarded embarrassing secret of theirs, was to further prove to them the Divine source of his Message (cf. al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr). This is the most detailed account of this story that was only hinted at elsewhere (cf. 2: 65-66 and 4: 154).

Ajeti: 164

وَإِذۡ قَالَتۡ أُمَّةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوۡمًا ٱللَّهُ مُهۡلِكُهُمۡ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدٗاۖ قَالُواْ مَعۡذِرَةً إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ

(164) ˹Mention˺ When a group of them said ˹to another group˺: “Why do you admonish ˹those˺ folks whom Allah will surely destroy or punish severely?” They said: “As an apology in front of your Lord^[1804] and that they might be Mindful”.

[1804] Maʿdhirah is no more than an alibi. One they provided so that they would not be held accountable for not admonishing those who flouted a commandment (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr).

Ajeti: 165

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦٓ أَنجَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ يَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلسُّوٓءِ وَأَخَذۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابِۭ بَـِٔيسِۭ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ

(165) When they disregarded what they were reminded of, We salvaged those who forbade evil and overtook the wrongdoers with an abject punishment for their contravening.

Ajeti: 166

فَلَمَّا عَتَوۡاْ عَن مَّا نُهُواْ عَنۡهُ قُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَٰسِـِٔينَ

(166) When they ˹flagrantly˺ defied what they were forbidden from We said to them: “Be apes, despised!”^[1805]

[1805] “You who were given the Book, Believe in what We sent down confirming the Truth of what you have, ˹that is˺ before we deface some countenances and twist them towards the rear, or We Damn them like We Damned the companions of the Sabbath—indeed the Command of Allah always comes to pass” (4: 47).
Their deed was devious and deceptive, only outwardly resembling observance of God’s commands. As such, they are apes only outwardly resembling humans, but are actually far apart from real humans (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā, 6/28, Ibn Kathīr).

Ajeti: 167

وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبۡعَثَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ

(167) ˹Mention Muhammad˺ When your Lord declared ˹that˺ He would certainly send against them, until the Day of Judgement, ˹those˺ who would subject them to the worst of suffering^[1806]—indeed your Lord is swift in reprisal and He certainly is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[1806] This is in punishment for constantly and irreverently flouting their pledge with God (cf. Abū Ḥayyān).

Ajeti: 168

وَقَطَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أُمَمٗاۖ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلصَّٰلِحُونَ وَمِنۡهُمۡ دُونَ ذَٰلِكَۖ وَبَلَوۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡحَسَنَٰتِ وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ

(168) And We cut them into ˹separate˺ nations ˹asunder˺ in the land^[1807]; among them are those who are righteous and those who are less so. We tested them with the good and bad ˹fortune˺ so that they might return.

[1807] Allusion here is made to the Jewish Diaspora and their forced dispersion out of their lands (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar): “And We decreed to the Children of Israel in the Book that: “You will surely cause corruption on the Earth twice, and you will surely reach ˹a degree of˺ great haughtiness. *When the first of the two warnings would come to pass, We would send against you some of Our servants, of great might, who would ravage your lands. This would be a warning fulfilled. *Then We would give you the upper hand over them and aid you with wealth and offspring, causing you to outnumber them. *If you act rightly, it is for your own good, but if you do wrong, it is to your own loss. And when the second warning would come to pass, your enemies would totally disgrace you and enter the temple as they entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever would fall into their hands. *Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you ˹should you repent˺, but if you return ˹to sin˺, We will return ˹to punishment˺. And We have made Hell a prison for the Deniers”” (17: 4-8).

Ajeti: 169

فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٞ وَرِثُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغۡفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأۡتِهِمۡ عَرَضٞ مِّثۡلُهُۥ يَأۡخُذُوهُۚ أَلَمۡ يُؤۡخَذۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّيثَٰقُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أَن لَّا يَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّ وَدَرَسُواْ مَا فِيهِۗ وَٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ

(169) Then they were succeeded by a generation who inherited the Book; they would take the offer of that which is lower^[1808] and say: “We will be forgiven!” And when ˹yet again˺ a like offer came to them, they seized it^[1809]; was not the pledge of the Book taken against them that they should not say about Allah except the Truth?^[1810] ˹Irrespective of that˺ They have ˹carefully˺ studied it! Indeed the Last Abode is better for the Mindful^[1811], have you no sense?

[1808] They used to take the offer of a worldly, lowly life, i.e. bribes and unlawful money, and did not abide by the Torah, which forbade such unholy gains (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Woe betides those who write the Book with their own hands, then say: “This is from Allah!”, so that they may exchange it for a pittance. Woe betides them for what their hands have written, and woe betides them from what they earn. *They say: “The Fire will not touch us except for a limited number of days”. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Have you ˹got˺ a promise from Allah? For Allah never breaks His promise. Or do you say about Allah that of which you have no knowledge?” (2: 79-80).
[1809] This shows how adamant and self justifying they were in sticking to their devious ways (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Abū Ḥayyān, Ibn Kathīr).
[1810] “˹Mention˺ When Allah took the pledge of those who were given the Book that you should make it plain to people rather than suppress it; they tossed it behind their backs and traded it off for a pittance—miserable indeed is what they buy” (3: 187).
[1811] “And whatever thing you ˹people˺ have been given is ˹only for˺ the enjoyment of this worldly life and its adornment. And what is with Allah is better and more lasting; so will you not use reason?” (28: 60).

Ajeti: 170

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُمَسِّكُونَ بِٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِينَ

(170) But those who ˹firmly˺ hold fast to the Book^[1812] and keep up the Prayer, We would never render void the reward of the reformers.

[1812] These are the ones who, unlike those greedy learned, treat their Scripture with the reverence it merits and do not suppress or distort the parts of it which foretell the coming of the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, and the binding nature of Believing in him (cf. al-Samʿānī, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Shawkānī).

Ajeti: 171

۞ وَإِذۡ نَتَقۡنَا ٱلۡجَبَلَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَأَنَّهُۥ ظُلَّةٞ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُۥ وَاقِعُۢ بِهِمۡ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٖ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

(171) ^[1813]˹Mention Muhammad˺ When We uprooted the mountain ˹lifting it˺ like a canopy above them and they expected it to fall on them, ˹We said˺: “Hold fast to what We have given you and bear in mind what came into it, so that you might be Mindful”.^[1814]

[1813] This passage highlights a further incident from the saga of the Israelites. It is notable in the current context as it provides greater relevance to the rest of humanity, so that they may draw lessons from it. People, in general, are not to be misled into thinking that God only took the pledge from the Israelites specifically. Instead, they are being made aware of an earlier testimony from all humans that Allah is their only and true God. That they are told so after mention of the show of force that God demonstrated to the Israelites reminds people of God’s Power in the face of those who defy Him: “And nothing prevents people from Believing when guidance comes to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there ˹must˺ befall them the ˹accustomed˺ fate of the former peoples or that punishment should come ˹directly˺ before them” (18: 55).
[1814] After all these incidents of rebelling against God’s commands and Moses’ bidding as highlighted in Aya 145 above, they were only to afford the matter the care and concern it deserved through such a drastic measure as uprooting a mountain (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr), yet even that was not enough for them: “˹Remember˺ When We took your pledge, and raised the mountain above you; “Hold fast to what We have given you and bear in mind what came into it, so that you might be Mindful. ˹Remember˺ When We took your pledge, and raised the mountain above you; “Hold fast to what We have given you and bear in mind what came into it, so that you might be Mindful. *Then you turned away after that. Had it not been for Allah’s favour and Mercy, you would have been among the Losers” (2: 63-64).

Ajeti: 172

وَإِذۡ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ وَأَشۡهَدَهُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ أَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ شَهِدۡنَآۚ أَن تَقُولُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنۡ هَٰذَا غَٰفِلِينَ

(172) ˹Mention˺ When your Lord took the posterity of the children of Adam from their backs and made them bear witness about themselves ˹thus˺: “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes, indeed! We bear witness ˹to it˺”.^[1815] That, lest that you say on the Day of Judgement: “We were not aware of this!”

[1815] There are two equally strong, potentially reconcilable, views as to the time and nature of this testimony which is widely known among scholars as mīthāq al-fiṭrah (the covenant of innate nature). The first being that God (سبحانه وتعالى) extracted the children of Adam from his back and hence generated them one generation after the other from their fathers’ backs and made them all bear this testimony (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Shawkānī, al-Shinqīṭī). The hadiths cited in support of this view are the one narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “When Allah created Adam, He swiped his back and from his back fell everyone He would create from his posterity until the Day of Judgement” (al-Tirmidhī: 3076, al-Bazzār: 8892, al-Ḥākim, al-Mustadrak: 4132; it was deemed authentic by al-Albānī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Baṭṭāl, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 3/370, and Ibn al-ʿArabī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 2/333); and that which was narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Allah took the pledge from the back of Adam; He took from his loin all the posterity He created and scattered them between His Hands like small ants, then He talked to them directly ˹saying˺: “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes, indeed! We bear witness ˹to it˺.” That, lest that you say on the Day of Judgement: “We were not aware of this!” Or that you may say: “Nay, but our fathers Associated before and we were nothing but a posterity ˹taking˺ after them; do You do away with us for what falsifiers committed?”” (Imām Aḥmad: 2455, al-Nasā’ī, al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 11127; it was deemed authentic by al-Ḥākim: 75, al-Dhahabī, Aḥmad Shākir, Musnad Aḥmad, and al-Albānī, Takhrīj Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, p. 171)
The other view, which is held by such mighty scholars as Ibn Taymiyyah, Dar’ Taʿāruḍ al-ʿAql wa al-Naql, 8/487, Ibn al-Qayyim, Shifā’ al-ʿAlīl, pp. 12-13, Ibn Kathīr and al-Saʿdī, is that God made it innate for people, generation after the other, and that it is hard-wired in our very nature to Believe and vouch for the Oneness of God, being rightly-inclined to pristine Faith (ḥanīfiyyah): “Devote yourself uprightly to the Religion and follow the innate nature ˹/constitution˺ as made by Allah, that innate nature in which He has created mankind. There is no altering the creation of Allah. That is the right religion. But most people do not realize it” (30: 30). Since God created all humans thus, scattered His Signs all around them in all His creation and sent them Messengers as bearers of glad tidings and warners, they have no excuse but to Believe in Him and dedicate their worship to Him alone (Tafsīr al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah).

Ajeti: 173

أَوۡ تَقُولُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَشۡرَكَ ءَابَآؤُنَا مِن قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةٗ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡۖ أَفَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ

(173) Or that you may say: “Nay, but our fathers Associated before and we were nothing but a posterity ˹taking˺ after them; do You do away with us for what falsifiers^[1816] committed?”

[1816] This stands for al-mubṭilūn, i.e. their fathers who came with falsehood (al-bāṭil) and abandoned monotheism (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, al-Baiḍāwī).

Ajeti: 174

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ

(174) Thus We expound the Signs, perchance they may return.

Ajeti: 175

وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَأَ ٱلَّذِيٓ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَٱنسَلَخَ مِنۡهَا فَأَتۡبَعَهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ

(175) And recite to them ˹Muhammad˺ the notable news of the one^[1817] to whom We gave our Signs but he skinned himself out^[1818] of them, Satan ˹eagerly˺ caught up with him^[1819] and he became one of the strayed ones.

[1817] Exegetes speculated as to who exactly this person was, but al-Ṭabarī is of the opinion that determining this is inconsequential as the case is of a general nature and could apply to many people. Indeed, the moral of the parable is universally applicable and calls for much thought (for many reflections on this parable see: Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Fawā’id, pp. 101-102 and Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn, 1/127).
[1818] Fa-nsalakha minhā aptly brings to the fore the image of skinning so as to underline how much this person has shrugged off the Divine knowledge that he was given and how far he has distanced himself from it (cf. al- Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wasīṭ, al-Saʿdī).
[1819] Thus he exposed himself to Satan who eagerly ceased the chance to sway him away and so possess him (cf. al-Muyassar, al-Mukhtaṣar).

Ajeti: 176

وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَٰهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُۥٓ أَخۡلَدَ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُۚ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡكَلۡبِ إِن تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡهِ يَلۡهَثۡ أَوۡ تَتۡرُكۡهُ يَلۡهَثۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَاۚ فَٱقۡصُصِ ٱلۡقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

(176) Had We wished, We would have elevated him by ˹means of˺ them^[1820], but he stuck to the ground and followed his desire^[1821]. His example is that of a dog, when you chase it away, it pants and ˹even˺ when you leave it, it pants^[1822]. That is the example of the people who denied Our Signs; so recount ˹Muhammad˺ the stories perchance they may ponder.

[1820] Knowledge is not enough to elevate a person and nurture his spirit but following the Truth, choosing it over everything else and seeking God’s Pleasure do just that (cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn, 1/129).
[1821] Akhlada ilā al-arḍ means that he preferred the joys and riches of this lowly life to that of the Hereafter, thus following his lusts and vain desires (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).
[1822] It is part of a dog’s nature to pant whether it is being chased away or not. Such is the degrading parable that God draws of this kind of person who ˹pants after˺ this worldly life; no matter whether he is admonished or not, he will not change (cf. Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “Indeed the Deniers, whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not Believe. *Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes there is a veil—theirs is a grievous Punishment” (2: 6-7).

Ajeti: 177

سَآءَ مَثَلًا ٱلۡقَوۡمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَأَنفُسَهُمۡ كَانُواْ يَظۡلِمُونَ

(177) Sordid is the example of the folk who denied Our Signs and did themselves a great injustice.

Ajeti: 178

مَن يَهۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِيۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ

(178) Whoever Allah guides is the truly guided, and whoever He misguides, then these are the true losers.

Ajeti: 179

وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِۖ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٞ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٞ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٞ لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ بِهَآۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡغَٰفِلُونَ

(179) ^[1823]We have indeed spawned for Hellfire many among the jinn and humans; theirs are hearts with which they comprehend naught, theirs are eyes with which they see naught and theirs are ears with which they hear naught. Those are akin to livestock, nay but they are more at loss^[1824]; these are the unmindful^[1825].

[1823] The misguided ones, who are destined for Hell, willfully fail to use their faculties of discernment and understanding which God endowed them with to get at the Truth and follow guidance (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “…We gave them hearing, sight, and hearts. But their hearing and sight and hearts availed them not from anything when they were ˹continually˺ rejecting Allah’s Signs. And ˹so˺ they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule” (46: 26); “The worst creatures with Allah are those who are ˹willfully˺ deaf and dumb, who do not reason. *Had Allah known any good in them, He would have made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned away, averse.” (8: 22-23).
[1824] The greatest care and concern of the misguided in this life is to satiate their animalistic drives and materialistic pursuits, not sparing the least thought to the life to come; the real life: “The life of this world is merely an amusement and a diversion; the true life is in the Hereafter, if only they knew” (29: 64). In this respect, they are no better than livestock, yet the fact of the matter is that livestock are in a better state because they act upon what benefits them and instinctively pull themselves away from the bottomless abysses of eternal misery and self-destruction (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Samʿānī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Or do you reckon that most of them do hear or ˹even˺ use their reason? They are just like livestock; nay but they are more at loss” (25: 44).
[1825] “Those are the ones over whose hearts and hearing and sights Allah has sealed; these are the unmindful” (16: 108).

Ajeti: 180

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ فَٱدۡعُوهُ بِهَاۖ وَذَرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلۡحِدُونَ فِيٓ أَسۡمَٰٓئِهِۦۚ سَيُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

(180) ^[1826]To Allah belong the Beautiful Names, so pray to Him by them and leave out those who skew His Names^[1827]; they will be requited for what they used to do.

[1826] A central theme of this sura, Rubūbiyyah (i.e. God’s sole rightfulness to worship) is revisited here. The ones who are ‘spawned for Hell’ are quintessentially Associators, and thus they omit one of the most inherent Attributes of God, i.e. His Oneness, and, in turn, a host of related Divine Attributes and Names. So Believers are told to pray to God upholding His Most Beautiful Names and ignore the squabbles that the misguided try to stir in this regard (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Say: “Invoke Allah or invoke the Most Merciful – whichever you call, He has the Most Beautiful Names…” (17: 110). Invocation (duʿā’) encapsulates the essence of dedicated worship. In fact, the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Indeed invocation is worship” (al-Bukhārī, al-Adab al-Mufrad: 714, Imām Aḥmad: 18352). Believers are, in a way, directed to find solace in God and His Most Beautiful Names, thus shutting out all that bears down on their morale and psychological peace.
[1827] Yulḥidūna fī asmā’ih is to slant/distort/twist the Names of God from their original, proper meaning. They would call their gods by them, add to them, subtract from them, or deny some of them (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 181

وَمِمَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَآ أُمَّةٞ يَهۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعۡدِلُونَ

(181) And among those whom We have created, is a nation who guide with the Truth and with it they administer justice^[1828].

[1828] These are by contrast the guided ones (cf. Abū Ḥayyān): “By time, *surely mankind is in loss, *except for those who Believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the Truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.” (103: 1-3).

Ajeti: 182

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

(182) But those who denied Our Signs, We will lure them ˹gradually˺ whereof they know not^[1829];

[1829] “When they forgot what they were reminded of, We opened up for them the doors of everything; yet when they became full of gloating over what they were given, We took them all of a sudden, and lo they are seized with despair. *The people who did wrong were utterly wiped out; all gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of all beings” (6: 44-45); “So leave them in their heedlessness for a time. *Do they reckon that, ˹on account of˺ the wealth and the children that We have provided them, *We hasten to them with good things? Nay, but they are unaware!” (23: 54-56).

Ajeti: 183

وَأُمۡلِي لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَيۡدِي مَتِينٌ

(183) I will allow them time^[1830]—verily My Machination is robust^[1831].

[1830] Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed Allah allows the wrongful time, but when He seizes them, He will not let them off”. Then he (ﷺ) recited: “Such is the seizing of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are doing wrong. Surely His seizing is painful, severe!” (11: 102) (al-Bukhārī: 4686, Muslim: 2583)
[1831] As opposed to the kayd (machinations) of the Devil, whom the Deniers follow, which is described as ḍaʿīfā (frail) in 4: 76.

Ajeti: 184

أَوَلَمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُواْۗ مَا بِصَاحِبِهِم مِّن جِنَّةٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٌ

(184) Did they not perceive that their fellow has no madness in him?^[1832] He is none but a fluent^[1833] warner!

[1832] ˹Their fellow˺ (ṣāḥibuhum) is Muhammad (ﷺ) who brought them the Message and whose balanced character they knew all too well. Their collective faculties of discernment where so willfully clouded that they did not bother to ponder that he was indeed Truthful (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “I advise you to do one thing only: stand before Allah, in pairs or singly, and reflect: there is no sign of madness in your fellow; he is only warning you before severe suffering arrives” (34: 46).
[1833] His being ‘fluent’ (mubīn) is a far cry from the incoherent babbling of a madman; yet even this clear fact seemed to elude them.

Ajeti: 185

أَوَلَمۡ يَنظُرُواْ فِي مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَيۡءٖ وَأَنۡ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَدِ ٱقۡتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمۡۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثِۭ بَعۡدَهُۥ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(185) Did they not look at the dominion of the Heavens and Earth, and whatever thing that Allah created^[1834]; perchance that their end has drawn near^[1835]—in what speech else besides it^[1836] do they ˹then˺ believe?

[1834] Even if they were so biased against the Prophet (ﷺ), they would have done themselves a great service by contemplating God’s most obvious Signs, the Heavens and Earth, along with all His creations. Were they not so biased, that would surely have led them to Believe (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah).
[1835] They could even have considered their fate and thereby done themselves a great service by averting it (cf. al-Rāzī, Abū al-Suʿūd).
[1836] That is the Qur’an which is enough of a reminder and an eye-opener for those of sound perception (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī).

Ajeti: 186

مَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُۥۚ وَيَذَرُهُمۡ فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ

(186) Whoever Allah sends astray, there is no guide for him; He leaves them to wander aimlessly in their blindness^[1837].

[1837] Ṭughyān, lit. transgression and exceeding the limits (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, 41; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, 321): “Have you seen him who takes his whims and desires to be his god; whom Allah has misguided despite his knowledge, sealed up his hearing and his heart and placed a cover over his eyes? Who then will guide him after Allah? So will you not pay heed?” (45: 23).

Ajeti: 187

يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرۡسَىٰهَاۖ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّيۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقۡتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ ثَقُلَتۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ لَا تَأۡتِيكُمۡ إِلَّا بَغۡتَةٗۗ يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنۡهَاۖ قُلۡ إِنَّمَا عِلۡمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

(187) They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ about the Hour: “When is its materialization?”^[1838] Say: “This knowledge is with none but my Lord^[1839]. None reveals it at its ˹due˺ time except Him. Heavy^[1840] it is in the Heavens and on Earth. It will come to you naught but all of a sudden^[1841]”. They ask you ˹Muhammad˺ as if you were too keen on it! Say: “Its knowledge is with none but Allah”—indeed most people know ˹that˺ not.

[1838] Showing how far off in their blindness the Qurayshites have strayed, they toyingly asked the Messenger to pin point for them the exact time of the Final Hour’s happening (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Denying its happening is sheer folly; the Hour (al-sāʿah) at which people will be resurrected, then held to account for their deeds on the Day of Judgement and consigned to their eternal abodes, is an inevitability. A wise person knows better than to ridicule this gravest of all matters: “But the Deniers say: “Shall we show you a man ˹i.e. Muhammad˺ who claims that, when you have been utterly torn to pieces, you will be raised in a new creation?” (34: 7); “And they say: “When will this promise ˹come true˺, if you are ˹really˺ telling the truth? *Say, ˹Muhammad˺: “A Day has ˹already˺ been appointed for you, which you can neither delay nor advance by a ˹single˺ moment” (34: 29-30); “Yet man wants to deny what is ahead of him: *he says: “So, when will this Day of Judgement be?” (75: 5-6).
[1839] This is a very calculated answer, which is not driven by self-vindication, to their slanderous question. That Prophet Muhammad was just a human Messenger of God is the greatest honour any human being can be given, and not the stigma they alluded to (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr). Anas Ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: “A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ): “Messenger of Allah, When is the Hour?” He replied: “What did you prepare for it?” He said: “Nothing much with regards to Praying, fasting and giving in charity. But I love Allah and His Messenger”. He (ﷺ) replied: “You are with those whom you love ˹in Paradise˺”” (al-Bukhārī: 6171, Muslim: 2639).
[1840] This is a direct translation of thaqulat which signifies the Hour’s heaviness and solemnity, after both Ibn ʿĀshūr and al-Shinqīṭī. Another reading, albeit more exegetical given the co-text, is that thaqulat means it is ‘concealed’ (khafiyat) for its sheer profundity from the dwellers of both the Heavens and Earth; no angel, no matter how nearly drawn to God he might be, or an honourable Prophet Messenger is made privy to its timing. This meaning is chosen by al-Ṭabarī and Ibn Kathīr. al-Saʿdī marries the two meanings and says that it is a grave occurrence which no one, except God Almighty, knows when it will take place: “…how can you tell? The Last Hour may well be near: *Those who Believe not in it seek to hasten it, and those who Believe are ˹fearfully˺ wary of it and know that it is the Truth. Are not those who dispute the Hour far astray?” (42: 17-18); “So if you Deny, how can you guard yourselves against a Day that will turn children’s hair grey; *it will ˹even˺ cause the sky to crack ˹open˺. His promise must be fulfilled” (73: 17-18). Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: “One day, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was out with the people. ˹Archangel˺ Gabriel came to him and asked: “When is the Hour?” He (ﷺ) replied: “The one being asked about it knows none better than the one asking!”” (al-Bukhārī: 50, Muslim: 9)
[1841] Its suddenness calls for greater angst of it and better preparedness for it: “And they say: “When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful? *They await naught but a single cry that will seize them while they dispute among themselves, *They will not even be able to leave a will, nor will they be able to return to their families” (36: 48-50). Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The Hour will only be announced after the sun rises from where it sets ˹the West˺. When it rises thus, people will see it and they will all then Believe and that’s when: “… a soul’s Believing will be to no avail to it had it not Believed earlier or earned good in its Believing…” (6: 158). Verily, the Hour will be announced ˹suddenly˺ while two men are spreading a cloth between them; they would not be given time to finish their bargain or to fold the cloth. Verily, the Hour will be announced ˹suddenly˺ while a man is still carrying the milk he got from his she-camel but he will not be able to taste it. Verily, the Hour will be announced ˹suddenly˺ while a man is caring for his watering bowl, and he will not have the time to water ˹his herd˺ from it. Verily, the Hour will be announced ˹suddenly˺ while a person raises his morsel of food to his mouth but he will not be able to eat it” (al-Bukhārī: 6506, Muslim: 157).

Ajeti: 188

قُل لَّآ أَمۡلِكُ لِنَفۡسِي نَفۡعٗا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَلَوۡ كُنتُ أَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبَ لَٱسۡتَكۡثَرۡتُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ ٱلسُّوٓءُۚ إِنۡ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٞ وَبَشِيرٞ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(188) Say: “I have no power over benefit or harm coming my way, except ˹it being˺ what Allah willed. Had I ˹any˺ knowledge of the Unseen, I would have stockpiled ˹all that is˺ good and no harm would have touched me. I am none but a warner and a bearer of glad tidings^[1842] to those who Believe”.

[1842] In the face of incessant asking and demands, this puts the scope of the Prophetic mission into proper perspective; he is not a miracle weaver nor is he privy to much of the Unseen, unless God allows him it. He is no more than a deliverer of the Message so people need to listen, heed and Believe; but only the mindful will benefit from him (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr).

Ajeti: 189

۞ هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَجَعَلَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا لِيَسۡكُنَ إِلَيۡهَاۖ فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّىٰهَا حَمَلَتۡ حَمۡلًا خَفِيفٗا فَمَرَّتۡ بِهِۦۖ فَلَمَّآ أَثۡقَلَت دَّعَوَا ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا لَئِنۡ ءَاتَيۡتَنَا صَٰلِحٗا لَّنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ

(189) He is the One Who created you from a single soul and from it He made its mate^[1843] so that he may find assuagement^[1844] in her. When he pulled himself over her^[1845], she became lightly pregnant, and she ˹carefreely˺ spent it ˹her pregnancy˺; when it became heavy, they both prayed to Allah, their Lord: “Should You grant us a well one^[1846], we shall surely be among the grateful”.

[1843] Adam, the single soul, and Eve its mate (q) (cf. 4:1, 39:6; al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). That all humans are the offspring of a single pair of people calls for considering the very likely prospect of resurrection; as much as creation from sheer nothingness was possible, re-creation is a more likely probability (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). Thus people are reminded to be Mindful of God Almighty: “O people, be Mindful of your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and from it He created its mate, and from both of them He dispersed scores of men and women…” (4: 1).
[1844] “And of His Signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find assuagement in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reflect” (30: 21).
[1845] Exegetes hold two standpoints on who these two individuals actually were. The first, which is that of al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Samʿānī and Ibn al-Jawzī, hold them to be Adam and Eve themselves who could not conceive children at an early stage in their nuptial life so Satan whispered to them to dedicate their child to another besides God. However, Ibn Kathīr debunks this view on the basis that it draws on apocryphal Biblical sources (known as isrā’īliyyāt), thus he along with a host of other exegetes, al-Zamakhsharī, al-Rāzī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn al-Qayyim, hold that these two are generic for many human couples thereafter. Since there is no traditional evidence in support of this view either, some tried to find textual evidence from the aya and those that follow in this passage. However, no matter who the exact referents of the pronouns in this episode were, it highlights how ungrateful humans can be to their Lord Who created them from a single soul, blessed him with a soul-mate, made the wife bear children and her pregnancy uncumbersome in its early stages, and dispersed a well-portioned posterity thereof.
[1846] Ṣāliḥan means good, well, healthy and righteous. Many exegetes, for example, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, take that the parents, as would normally be the case, prayed that their child would be birthed free from deformation. Yet al-Ṭabarī sees no point in limiting it to one meaning in particular as such would lack proper evidence.

Ajeti: 190

فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُمَا صَٰلِحٗا جَعَلَا لَهُۥ شُرَكَآءَ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمَاۚ فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ

(190) When He granted them both a well one, they claimed Associates with Him in what He granted them both—exalted be Allah above ˹all˺ what they Associate ˹with Him˺.

Ajeti: 191

أَيُشۡرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخۡلُقُ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُونَ

(191) Do they Associate ˹with Him˺ that which would not create, while they ˹themselves˺ are being created?^[1847]

[1847] The idols they create and worship (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Shawkānī): “He said: “Do you worship that which you carve, *while God created you and whatever you make?” (37: 95-96).

Ajeti: 192

وَلَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ لَهُمۡ نَصۡرٗا وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَنصُرُونَ

(192) They are not able to avail them with help, nor are they able of helping themselves^[1848].

[1848] How can they worship such so-called ‘gods’ who cannot even help themselves? But they are heedless: “…his example is that of a dog, when you chase it away, it pants and when ˹even˺ you leave it, it pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our Signs; so recount ˹Muhammad˺ the stories perchance they may ponder. *Sordid is the example of the folk who denied Our Signs and did themselves a great injustice.” (7: 176-177).

Ajeti: 193

وَإِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَا يَتَّبِعُوكُمۡۚ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَدَعَوۡتُمُوهُمۡ أَمۡ أَنتُمۡ صَٰمِتُونَ

(193) If you call them to guidance, they would not follow you; it is all the same whether you call them or you were to remain silent.

Ajeti: 194

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمۡثَالُكُمۡۖ فَٱدۡعُوهُمۡ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

(194) ^[1849]Verily those whom you invoke^[1850] besides Allah are naught but subjects like you; invoke them then and let them respond to you if only you were truthful.

[1849] The arguments in the previous passage are reinforced and expounded upon in this one (cf. Abū Ḥayyān). Both relate to the sura’s central theme, being God’s sole rightfulness to worship, hence they are to be found in the closing, wrapping up, passages.
[1850] Invocation (duʿā’) is singled out of all acts of devotion because in it a servant asks something of a power that has the ability to change the course of matters. Yet the ‘gods’ they invoke are nothing more than ‘subjects’ themselves to a higher Power and that is Almighty God (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr): “He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night, and He has subjected the sun and the moon ˹to His will˺: each one runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion. And those whom you invoke besides Him have not the least power. *If you invoke them, they do not hear you, and even if they could hear, they would not respond to you. On the Day of Resurrection, they will reject your having Associated them with God, and no one can inform you ˹of the Truth˺ like the One Who is All-Aware” (35: 13-14); “And who is more misguided than one who invokes, besides Allah, such as will not answer him until the Day of Judgement, and who are not even aware of his call” (46: 5).

Ajeti: 195

أَلَهُمۡ أَرۡجُلٞ يَمۡشُونَ بِهَآۖ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ أَيۡدٖ يَبۡطِشُونَ بِهَآۖ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٞ يُبۡصِرُونَ بِهَآۖ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٞ يَسۡمَعُونَ بِهَاۗ قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ شُرَكَآءَكُمۡ ثُمَّ كِيدُونِ فَلَا تُنظِرُونِ

(195) Do they have legs with which they walk? Or do they have hands with which they smite? Or do they have eyes with which they see? Or do they have ears with which they hear?^[1851] Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Round up your Associates and conspire against me without delay^[1852];

[1851] The spelling out of the arguments here highlight how desperately impervious the Associators were to basic logical reasoning (Ibn ʿĀshūr). They are urged to see that they are more well-endowed with the tools of action and perception than their chosen gods (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī, al-Shawkānī).
[1852] This outrightly daring challenge further highlights the powerlessness of their gods (cf. al-Ṭabarī); as opposed to Almighty God Who should deservedly be relied upon (cf. al-Rāzī).

Ajeti: 196

إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧيَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي نَزَّلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

(196) Verily my Ally is Allah, Who sent down the Book^[1853]; He covers the righteous in ˹His˺ Alliance^[1854];

[1853] The Messenger’s firm Faith in the Book, the Qur’an, made him mount such a challenge. In the Qur’an, God assures the Messenger (ﷺ) of His ever-near aid and protection: “O Messenger, convey what came down to you from your Lord … ; Allah will ˹certainly˺ shield you from people” (5: 67); “Is Allah not sufficient for His servant ˹for protection˺? Yet they threaten you ˹Muhammad˺ with other ˹helpless˺ gods besides Him! Whoever Allah misguides will be left with no guide” (39: 36).
[1854] “Surely Allah defends those who Believe…” (22: 38); “We shall certainly help Our Messengers and the Believers, ˹both˺ in this worldly life and on the Day the witnesses will stand forth ˹for testimony˺” (40: 51). ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) said: “I was ˹riding˺ behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one day. He said: “Young man, I shall teach you a few ˹significant˺ words. Preserve Allah and He shall preserve you. Preserve Allah and you shall find Him ˹always˺ in front of you” (al-Tirmidhī: 2516, Imām Aḥmad: 2669).

Ajeti: 197

وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَكُمۡ وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَنصُرُونَ

(197) but those whom you invoke besides Him, they cannot avail you with help nor are they able of helping themselves”.

Ajeti: 198

وَإِن تَدۡعُوهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ لَا يَسۡمَعُواْۖ وَتَرَىٰهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ وَهُمۡ لَا يُبۡصِرُونَ

(198) If you call them for guidance, they could not hear, and you ˹Muhammad˺ see them look at you but they do not see.

Ajeti: 199

خُذِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡعُرۡفِ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِينَ

(199) ^[1855]Accept ˹Muhammad˺ whatever is bearable^[1856], enjoin what is acceptable^[1857] and turn away from the ignorant^[1858].

[1855] In this penultimate passage, the Messenger (ﷺ) is being directed to the best course of action to take after the many digressions, transgressions, aberrations and deviations of the stubbornly Denying have been exposed and expounded on. The Messenger (ﷺ) and the Believers around him are told to carry on with their mission of calling people to the Path of God and overlook whatever lack of regard and respect that might come their way (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[1856] al-ʿAfw is the bottom-line acceptable and good of people’s manners and behaviour. In the face of this all round belligerence and scorn, the Messenger (ﷺ) is told to accept whatever little he might be afforded of bearable behaviour (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, al-Wajīz, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel ˹bad˺ by that ˹deed˺ which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity ˹will become˺ as though he was a devoted friend, *but no one will be granted it ˹such goodness˺ except those who exercise patience and self-restraint; no one is granted it save those who are truly fortunate” (41: 34-35).
[1857] al-ʿUrf is what is accepted and condoned of by sound human nature and is ratified by Divine law (cf. al-Baghawī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī, al-Saʿdī).
[1858] This means to turn a blind eye and pretend to take no notice of abuse and slander (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr): “The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk humbly upon the Earth, and when the ignorant address them, say: “Peace”” (25: 63); “When they hear slanderous talk, they turn away from it, saying: “We are accountable for our deeds and you for yours. Peace to you! We want nothing to do with those who act ignorantly”” (28: 55).

Ajeti: 200

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ نَزۡغٞ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

(200) Should Satan somehow stir you ˹Muhammad˺, seek refuge with Allah^[1859]—indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

[1859] The natural instinct of a person when insulted is to get angry and react. But the Messenger (ﷺ) and the Believers are reminded to control their anger and know that the devil is the one who is stirring it (cf. Ibn Kathīr, Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Saʿdī). Sulaymān Ibn Ṣurad (رضي الله عنه) said: “I was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) when two men started cursing one another. One of them flared with anger and flew into a fit of rage. The Prophet then said: “I know some words, that, for sure, if he says them would ease away what it is: aʿūdhu bi Allāh-i min al-shayṭān (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan)”” (al-Bukhārī: 3282, Muslim: 2610).

Ajeti: 201

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمۡ طَٰٓئِفٞ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡصِرُونَ

(201) Indeed those who are Mindful when touched by a rounder visitation^[1860] of Satan’s, they remember and lo they become clear-sighted.

[1860] Ṭā’if is a spur triggered by the devil. Originally, it denotes someone or something circling around someone or something (al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān, Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah, al-Iṣfahānī, al-Mufradāt): “Those who spend at times of prosperity and adversity, restrain ˹their˺ anger and pardon ˹other˺ people—Allah loves good doers; *the ones who upon committing a ˹gravely˺ vile deed or doing themselves an injustice, they remember Allah and implore ˹Him˺ for forgiveness for their sins – and who else would forgive sins besides Allah; they do not persist in committing what they do knowingly” (3: 134-135). Tā’if being a ‘rounder’ visitation, suggests the movement of the devils around people whispering evil into their hearts, cf. Aya 17 above: “Then I shall come to them from their fronts, backs, rights and lefts, and you shall not find most of them thankful”.

Ajeti: 202

وَإِخۡوَٰنُهُمۡ يَمُدُّونَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡغَيِّ ثُمَّ لَا يُقۡصِرُونَ

(202) But^[1861] their brothers, they ˹the devils˺ pave a long path for them in error and they do not hold back.

[1861] The Deniers, the brothers of the devils, are being contrasted here to the Believers in terms of how far astray they will go and that they practice no restrain on their impulses (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “Do you not see that We have unleashed the devils on the Deniers, constantly stirring them with incitement?” (19: 83).

Ajeti: 203

وَإِذَا لَمۡ تَأۡتِهِم بِـَٔايَةٖ قَالُواْ لَوۡلَا ٱجۡتَبَيۡتَهَاۚ قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّيۚ هَٰذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَهُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ

(203) ^[1862]If you ˹Muhammad˺ do not bring them a Sign, they would say: “Would you not just come up with it?”^[1863] Say: “I merely follow what is being revealed to me from my Lord^[1864]. This ˹Qur’an˺^[1865] is ˹a plethora of˺ eye-openers from your Lord, a guidance and mercy to those who Believe”.

[1862] Challenging the Messenger (ﷺ) to come up with tailored miracles is an example of the inciting of devils (cf. al-Rāzī): “And they say, “We shall not believe in you till you make a spring gush forth for us from the earth, *or till you have a garden of date palms and grapevines, and you make streams gush forth in the midst of it, *or till you make the sky fall upon us in pieces, as you have claimed, or you bring Allah and the angels before us, *or until you have a house of gold, or you ascend into heaven – and even then we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book that we can read.” Say: “Glory be to my Lord! Am I not only a human Messenger?” (17: 90-93).
[1863] “And when Our Signs are recited to them as clear proofs, those who anticipate not the meeting with Us say: “Bring a Qur’ān other than this, or alter it.” Say: “It is not for me to alter it of my own accord. I follow only that which is revealed unto me…” (10: 15).
[1864] “Say ˹Muhammad˺: “I would not say to you that I hold the treasures of Allah, I do not know ˹about˺ the Unseen, I would not say to you that I am an angel; I only follow what is revealed to me…”” (6: 50); “They say: “If only ˹some˺ Signs had been sent down to him from his Lord!” Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Signs are only with Allah; I am only sent with a clear warning. *Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book, ˹which is˺ recited to them. Surely in this ˹Qur’an˺ is a mercy and reminder for people who Believe” (29: 50-51).
[1865] The Qur’an is the greatest Sign ever and nothing besides it, in terms of miracles, should be asked for (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī): “…indeed there has come to you a Light from Allah and a clarifying Book; *by it Allah guides those who follow His Pleasure to the path of peace and delivers them from utter darkness into light with His permission; He guides them to a Straight Path” (5: 15-16).

Ajeti: 204

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ فَٱسۡتَمِعُواْ لَهُۥ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ

(204) ^[1866]When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it ˹people˺ and hearken, so that you might be shown mercy^[1867].

[1866] This passage concludes the sura by providing some guiding principles that lead to felicity in this worldly life and in the Hereafter: 1) showing people how to deal with God’s greatest miracle, the Qur’an, the thickest rope of Allah which whoever follows it is guided and whoever does not goes astray: “So hold fast to that ˹the Qur’an˺ which is revealed to you. Surely, you are on a Straight Path” (43: 43); 2) having God in mind at all times and being faithfully sincere to Him; 3) God’s most honorable creatures, the angels, are set as an example for their sincerity and willingness of worship.
[1867] This great Sign, the Qur’an, the light that shows people the path of peace, should be listened to attentively and with great care in order to be guided to the Straight Path and gain God’s Mercy (cf. Abū Ḥayyān, Ibn Kathīr).

Ajeti: 205

وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخِيفَةٗ وَدُونَ ٱلۡجَهۡرِ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ

(205) And mention your Lord to yourself, humbly and fearfully; lower than audible speech^[1868], early and late in the day^[1869], and be not among the unmindful.

[1868] Thus it would be closer to sincerity and purer for Faith, see Ayas 54 and 55 above. Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه): “We were ˹on a journey˺ with the Messenger (ﷺ) and when we came in view of a valley we would say: “Lā ilāha illā Allāh, Allāh-u akbar (there is no god but Allah, Allah is the Greatest)”, raising our voices. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “O people, go easy on yourselves. You are not praying to one who is dumb or far away. He is with you; All-Hearing, Ever Near” (al-Bukhārī: 2992, Muslim: 2704).
[1869] “You who Believe, mention Allah abundantly, *and glorify Him early and late in the day” (33: 41-42).

Ajeti: 206

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُۥ وَلَهُۥ يَسۡجُدُونَۤ۩

(206) Indeed those who are with your Lord^[1870] do not disdain from His worship, they glorify Him and to Him they prostrate ۩^[1871].

[1870] al-Qurṭubī mentions that exegetes are unanimous that these are the angels: “And to Allah prostrates whatever creatures and the angels that are in the Heavens or on the Earth; they are free from arrogance. *They fear their Lord above them, and do whatever they are commanded” (16: 49-50); “Those who carry the Throne and whoever is around it glorify the praises of their Lord and Believe in Him and ask for forgiveness for those who Believe ˹saying˺: “Our Lord! You have encompassed everything in Mercy and in Knowledge; forgive those who repented and followed Your way and guard them from the punishment of Hellfire”” (40: 7).
[1871] It is very significant to note that this sura ends with a prostration (sajdah) which is the embodiment of humbleness and devotion. At the beginning of the sura (cf. Ayas 11 and 12), Satan refused out of arrogance to prostrate to Adam as per God’s command and thus he rebelled, was punished and vowed to sway Adam and his posterity. The sura then went to great lengths to explain how he managed to do so and the stories of the Messengers that God sent to guide people to the Straight Path. This sajdah is a message that people are left with; to humble themselves to the will of God in order to be guided. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “When the son of Adam recites ˹an aya with˺ a prostration and prostrates, Satan moves aside and weeps saying: “Woe is me! The Son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he did, and his ˹for it˺ is Paradise. I was commanded to prostrate and I refused and mine ˹for it˺ is Hellfire!” (Muslim: 81).
This is the first of 15 instances of prostration. It is the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) to prostrate when reciting these: Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) said: “When the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite the Qur’an, and come upon a sura in which there is prostration, he would prostrate and we would prostrate with him; some among us would not ˹even˺ find a place for his forehead” (Muslim: 575); ʿĀ’ishah (i) narrated that: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say when prostrating while reading the Qur’an at night: “My face has prostrated to He Who created it and slit in it its hearing and sight with His Ability and Power (sajada wajhī li-lladhī khalaqahu wa shaqqa fīhi samʿahu wa baṣarahu bi-ḥawlihī wa quwatih)” (al-Tirmidhī: 1035). In another hadith (al-Tirmidhī: 3424), the supplication said during such a prostration is: “O Allah, record for me this one as a reward, eliminate me with it a sin of mine, make it a deposit for me with You and accept it from me as You have accepted it from Your servant, Dāwūd (Allāhumma ktub lī bihā ʿindaka ajran, wa ḍaʿ ʿannī bihā wizran, wa jʿalhā lī ʿindaka dhukhran, wa taqabbalhā minnī kamā taqabbaltahā min ʿabdika Dāwūd)”.