| Chapter 11 : Surah Hud |
(Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation Subject-Matter The Surah further tells us that while worldly progress may be possible for a time without observing Divine commandments, permanent success is granted to those people only-their memory being perpetuated and their name indelibly imprinted on world's history-who are honest and true to God and man. After this reasons are given, why believers triumph over disbelievers and the latter fail in their struggle against Truth. The Surah illustrates this Divine practice by citing examples of peoples who were once mighty in power and strong in numbers, but who met with destruction when they rose against the apparently humble followers of God's Messengers-the peoples of Noah, Hud, Salih, Lot and Shu'aib. The great Patriarch Abraham is also mentioned but only incidentally in the course of the story of Lot. Reference to Abraham is followed by a brief account of Moses, in relation not to the Israelites but to Pharaoh, who along with his arrogant people was destroyed, because he rejected the Divine Message. Next, believers are warned against associating with people for whom Divine punishment is decreed; for association with such people is calculated naturally to involve them in punishment meant for the latter. Thereafter the Holy Prophet has been told not to worry about the threatened destruction of those of his people who will not believe, for the people of many a Prophet before him had met with a similar fate when they opposed and rejected the Truth. So many instances of Divine punishment have been cited in this Surah and such emphasis laid on the Holy Prophet's great responsibilities that he is reported to have said, 'Surah Hud has prematurely aged me' (Manthur), meaning that the contents of the Surah weighed so heavily on his mind that he felt the impact of premature old age. Lastly, however, the Holy Prophet is cheered and comforted with the prophecy that great progress and prosperity await his followers.
وَأَنْ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُمْ مَتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ
أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِيَسْتَخْفُوا مِنْهُ أَلاَ حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً وَلَئِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّكُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ لَيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُ أَلاَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُون
فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكٌ بَعْضَ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ وَضَائِقٌ بِهِ صَدْرُكَ أَنْ يَقُولُوا لَوْلاَ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ مَلَكٌ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ نَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنْ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِنْهُ وَمِنْ قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً أُوْلَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنْ الأَحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ فَلاَ تَكُنْ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أُوْلَئِكَ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ وَيَقُولُ الأَشْهَادُ هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ
أُوْلَئِكَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمْ الْعَذَابُ مَا كَانُوا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ السَّمْعَ وَمَا كَانُوا يُبْصِرُونَ
فَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ مَا نَرَاكَ إِلاَّ بَشَرًا مِثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِيَ الرَّأْيِ وَمَا نَرَى لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ فَضْلٍ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَاذِبِينَ قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي وَآتَانِي رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَعُمِّيَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنُلْزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنْتُمْ لَهَا كَارِهُونَ وَيَاقَوْمِ لاَ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالاً إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا بِطَارِدِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّهُمْ مُلاَقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُونَ
وَلاَ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلاَ أَقُولُ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ وَلاَ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِي أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُمْ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنِّي إِذًا لَمِنْ الظَّالِمِينَ
وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِي إِنْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُغْوِيَكُمْ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
وَيَصْنَعُ الْفُلْكَ وَكُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَيْهِ مَلَأٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ قَالَ إِنْ تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنْكُمْ كَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ
حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا احْمِلْ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلاَّ مَنْ سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ آمَنَ وَمَا آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ
وَهِيَ تَجْرِي بِهِمْ فِي مَوْجٍ كَالْجِبَالِ وَنَادَى نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَكَانَ فِي مَعْزِلٍ يَابُنَيَّ ارْكَبْ مَعَنَا وَلاَ تَكُنْ مَعَ الْكَافِرِينَ قَالَ سَآوِي إِلَى جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِي مِنْ الْمَاءِ قَالَ لاَ عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مَنْ رَحِمَ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنْ الْمُغْرَقِينَ وَقِيلَ يَاأَرْضُ ابْلَعِي مَاءَكِ وَيَاسَمَاءُ أَقْلِعِي وَغِيضَ الْمَاءُ وَقُضِيَ الأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلَى الْجُودِيِّ وَقِيلَ بُعْدًا لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
قَالَ يَانُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ فَلاَ تَسْأَلْنِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْ الْجَاهِلِينَ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ قِيلَ يَا نُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلاَمٍ مِنَّا وَبَرَكَاتٍ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمَمٍ مِمَّنْ مَعَكَ وَأُمَمٌ سَنُمَتِّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ يَمَسُّهُمْ مِنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَا أَنْتَ وَلاَ قَوْمُكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ هَذَا فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
وَيَا قَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلْ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَى قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلاَ تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِينَ
إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُمْ مَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ مَا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّي قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلاَ تَضُرُّونَهُ شَيْئًا إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَفِيظٌ
وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِنْ الأَرْضِ وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ رَبِّي قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبٌ قَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَذَا أَتَنْهَانَا أَنْ نَعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي وَآتَانِي مِنْهُ رَحْمَةً فَمَنْ يَنصُرُنِي مِنْ اللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَيْتُهُ فَمَا تَزِيدُونَنِي غَيْرَ تَخْسِيرٍ وَيَا قَوْمِ هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ قَرِيبٌ
فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا صَالِحًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَمِنْ خِزْيِ يَوْمِئِذٍ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزِيزُ
وَجَاءَهُ قَوْمُهُ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَمِنْ قَبْلُ كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ هَؤُلاَءِ بَنَاتِي هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُخْزُونِي فِي ضَيْفِي أَلَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَشِيدٌ
قَالُوا يَا لُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبِّكَ لَنْ يَصِلُوا إِلَيْكَ فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ وَلاَ يَلْتَفِتْ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَكَ إِنَّهُ مُصِيبُهَا مَا أَصَابَهُمْ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ وَلاَ تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُحِيطٍ
قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ أَصَلاَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ نَتْرُكَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا أَوْ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ فِي أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَاءُ إِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ الْحَلِيمُ الرَّشِيدُ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُنتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلاَحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ وَيَا قَوْمِ لاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَنْ يُصِيبَكُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنْكُمْ بِبَعِيدٍ
قَالُوا يَا شُعَيْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِينَا ضَعِيفًا وَلَوْلاَ رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَاكَ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِعَزِيزٍ
وَيَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَأْتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخْزِيهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ وَارْتَقِبُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ رَقِيبٌ وَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دِيَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ
وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَكِنْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ لَمَّا جَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ
وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا فَفِي الْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ إِلاَّ مَا شَاءَ رَبُّكَ عَطَاءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ فَلاَ تَكُ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِمَّا يَعْبُدُ هَؤُلاَءِ مَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِنَّا لَمُوَفُّوهُمْ نَصِيبَهُمْ غَيْرَ مَنقُوصٍ وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَاخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مُرِيبٍ
فَلَوْلاَ كَانَ مِنْ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أُوْلُوا بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِمَّنْ أَنْجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ
وَكُلاًّ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءَكَ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
1293. I am Allah, the All-Seeing. See 16. 1293A. Ahkama-hu means, he made it solid, sound, firm or free from defect or imperfection. Ahkamat-hu al-Tajaribu means, experiments rendered him wise or sound in judgment (Lane). 1294. The word Fussilat here has been substituted for Mutashabihat in 3:8 which word signifies the details of the Quranic teaching. The fundamental teachings of Islam are so unassailable that it is difficult to take exception to them. But, in order to know the whole truth about Islam, a study of both its fundamental teachings and their details is necessary but the details are subordinated to the fundamentals. 1295. The verse shows that the stage of Taubah comes after, and is higher than, Istighfar in the spiritual development of man. Taubah is an act of sincere and wholehearted turning toGod after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What bettermeans than this can be imagined to attain God's nearness? 1296. The disbelievers keep their doubts and objections hidden in their minds and do not disclose them and have them removed. The reason why they are debarred from accepting the truth is their refusal to open their hearts and have their doubts satisfied. 1297. God has provided sustenance for all His creatures. He has even provided the means of subsistence for worms and reptiles that dwell in the bowels of the earth. Human reason is at a loss to know how and whence the worms and insects found in such unlimited numbers on and inside the earth get their food. Man who presumes to have solved the mysteries of the universe is not yet fully acquainted with all forms of life, to say nothing of the different kinds of food on which they subsist. But God has made ample provision for them all. The verse points out that God; having supplied the physical needs of the meanest of His creatures, certainly could not have neglected to make similar provision for the moral and spiritual needs of man who is the acme of His creation. The verse refers not only to the temporary and 1298. Mustaqarr and Mustauda' signify not only a place of temporary settlement and of permanent abode but also final or determined limit of a thing both as regards time or place; appointed term; end of one's course (Lane). 1300. As water has been repeatedly described in the Qur'an as the source of all life (21:31; 2555; 77:21 & 86:7), the words, His throne rests on water, signify that the great Divine attributes find their manifestation through living creatures, above all through man; who is the culminating point of all creation. These words may also mean that the attributes of God depend for their manifestation on His Word which has been compared to water at several places in the Qur'an. In the words, you shall surely be raised after death, it is pointed out that this system of creation itself shows that man should have a life after death, for the creation of such a vast universe in which a being with volition and independent will should live, makes it clear that the creation of that being is intended to serve a great purpose. But the life of this world is short-lived, a temporary existence of tests and trials so that, after this temporary 1301. The word, la'alla; is used to denote either a state of hope or of fear, whether that state pertains to the speaker or to the addressee or to someone else. 1302. It is a peculiarity of the Quranic diction that sometimes it omits the question and only gives the answer, the question being implied in the answer itself. The present verse is an example of this peculiarity. In the preceding verse believers were promised forgiveness and a great reward. Thereupon disbelievers mockingly asked the Holy Prophet, 'Where is the promised reward of which we do not see the slightest sign? You do not have even the money which you need so badly, nor do the angels descend from heaven to help you.' The Qur'an turns the tables upon them and answers their irony with an irony, saying, 'Ah! how "weighty" is the objection of these people and perhaps, 0 Prophet, from fear of being unable to answer it; you would hide a part of Our revelation which contains prophecies regarding the prosperity and triumph of Islam! This is only their wishful thinking, their vain and futile hope. Such a 1303. The use of plural pronoun 'your' instead of 'thy' shows that the challenge was not necessarily from the Holy Prophet alone, but Muslims in every age could deliver a challenge in these terms. The verse guarantees that the Qur'an will ever stand unrivalled in its manifold excellent qualities. 1304. Three arguments have been given in this verse in support of the Holy Prophet in the words: (a) 'Who stands upon a clear proof from his Lord,' (b) 'to testify to whose truth a witness from Him shall follow him;' and (c) 'who was preceded by the Book of Moses.' 'The clear proof from his Lord' was the great moral revolution which the Holy Prophet had brought about in the life of his corrupt and decadent people, and the witnesses who bore testimony to his truth were the Divine Teachers from among his followers who, by their precept and practice, established the truth of lslam and the Qur'an in every age, the witness par excellence being the Promised Messiah, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement; and the words 'was preceded by the Book of Moses' point to the prophecies that are found in the Bible about the Holy Prophet. See 2135. 1305. The witnesses may be the Divine Prophets. 1306. The leaders of disbelief will be punished both for their own sins and for the sins of those whom they misled. 1307. In order to attain to the higher stages of spiritual progress, perfect conviction, complete submission to, and full trust in, God and sincere love for Him are essential in addition to right belief and good works. 1308. A beautiful contrast is instituted here between belief and disbelief. A believer is represented as one who is in perfect possession of the faculties of sight and hearing, while the disbeliever is likened to a blind and deaf person. 1309. 'A grievous punishment' is different from 'the punishment of a grievous day.' The latter expression implies greater intensity. Certain punishments are very grievous, but there are 'certain days' the remembrance of which continues to haunt and cause pain even after the lapse of hundreds of years. Whereas the actual 'punishment' causes pain only to those on whom it falls, remembrance of the 'days of a grievous punishment' terrifies even those who come after. 1310. The expression Badi al-Ra'yi meaning, at first thought; apparently; without proper consideration (Lane), the words Araziluna Badi al-Ra'yi signify that the followers of Noah (a) are mean to all outward appearance; (b) their faith is insincere; (c) it is the result of only superficial thinking. It is a pity that men test the claims of a Heavenly Messenger by their self devised standards and, when he does not satisfy those standards, they deceive themselves with the idea that they had weighed his claims dispassionately and with an open mind and had found them to be false. 1311. The verse embodies three important rules about prophecies of punishment: (a) The time of their actual happening is generally not disclosed. (b) They are conditional and can be deferred or revoked as God may please. (c) Whatever changes may take place in regard to prophecies of punishment, God's immutable purpose never changes, because disbelievers 'cannot frustrate His purpose.' 1312. The verse removes the wrong notion commonly held that being very angry with his people because they did not believe, Noah prayed for their destruction (71:27,28), for it shows that Noah had prayed for their destruction not of his own accord but God Himself had desired him to do so. 1313. The prayer referred to in 71:27,28 seems to have been uttered after the verse under comment was revealed. According to the verse under comment Noah was informed of God's decision that no one from among his people would now believe in him. Hence his prayer (71 :27, 28) was nothing more than a submission to God's will and decree. All that the prayer meant was that God might carry out His decree about the destruction of his people. 1314. A'yun is the plural of 'Ain which means, eye; look or view; inmates of a house; protection (Lane). 1315. The Deluge was not merely due to the gushing forth of the water from springs. But, as is clear from 54:12, 13, its real cause was the bursting of the clouds. Rain fell in torrents and there was water everywhere and, as generally happens during heavy rain; water also began to gush forth from the depths of the earth, and springs and fountains began to sprout, and thus water, both from the heavens and the earth, flooded the whole land. Noah lived in a mountainous country where springs were found in large numbers. 1316. The words 'of every kind' do not here mean all the animals, but all such animals as were needed by Noah. Surely, the Ark was not big enough to carry a pair of all kinds of animals found in the world. The addition of the word 'two' also shows that as many animals were to be taken as were absolutely necessary. 1317. The verse shows that the place where Noah lived was surrounded by mountains. The word Jabal used as a common noun points to the fact that there was a chain of mountains on one of which Noah's son might have sought shelter. In fact, the place appears to have been a valley with mountains rising on all sides. That such a place should become quickly flooded with heavy rain is not extraordinary. 1317A. The mountain AI-Judi is, according to Yaqut al-Hamwi, a long chain of mountains on the eastern side of the Tigris in the province of Mosul (Mu'jam). According to Sale, "Al-Judi is one of those mountains which divide Armenia on the south from Mesopotamia and that part of Assyria which is inhabited by the Curds, from whom the mountain took the name of Cardu or Gardu, but the Greeks turned it into Gordyoei . . . The tradition which affirms the Ark to have rested on these mountains must have been very ancient; since it is the tradition of the Chaldeans themselves (Berosus apud Joseph. Antiq ...). The relics of the Ark were also to be seen here in the time of Epiphanius ... and we are told, the Emperor Heraclius went from the town of Thamanin up to the mountain AI-Jadi and saw the place of the Ark. There was also formerly a famous monastery, called the 'Monastery of the Ark.' Upon some of these mountains the Nestorians used to celebrate a feast-day on the spot where they supposed the 1318. According to this verse only those persons were considered members of Noah's family who had established true relationship with God through him. The pronoun hu in innahu may also refer to Noah's prayer for his unrighteous son which act of his was Ghair Salih, i.e., out of place. 1319. 'Arnalun (lit. a deed) here means Dhu 'Arnalun, i.e., the doer of a deed. The use of the infinitive as active participle when an intensified sense is intended is in harmony with Arabic idiom. See also 2:178, where Birr (lit. righteousness) means a righteous person. An Arab poet says of his she-camel: Innama hiya Iqbalun wa Idbaru, i.e., she is so restless that she has become the very act of moving forward and backward, meaning the embodiment thereof. 1320. Noah had committed no sin by saying that his son was included in his family. It was only an error of judgment which is human, yet he offered Istighfar which shows that the offering of Istighfar is not necessarily a proof of one's sinfulness. It may also be offered for protection against the evil consequences of human weaknesses or those of errors of judgment. 1321. The verse shows that apart from the progeny of Noah the progeny of those believers who were with him in the Ark also were saved from the Deluge and that they prospered and multiplied. Scholars now subscribe to the view that most of the inhabitants of the earth are descended from Noah. The story of the Deluge with some variations is to be found in the traditions and literature of different countries (Enc. Rel. & Eth.; Enc. Bib. & Enc. Brit. under "Deluge"). The catastrophe seems to have taken place somewhere near the dawn of human civilization. It is a well-known historical fact that whenever a people, comparatively more advanced in culture and civilization, have come to settle in a country, they have either blotted out of existence the less civilized inhabitants of the land or have greatly weakened them. Thus it appears that when the descendants of Noah and those of his companions who were the founders of human civilization spread to other lands, because they were more powerful than the people already living there, they either exterminated them or absorbed them. Thus they must have introduced into all the countries they subjugated their own traditions and customs; and consequently the tradition about the Deluge must also have come to be introduced into other lands. With the lapse of time however, the immigrants ceased to have any connection with their original home and the catastrophe consequently came to be regarded as a local occurrence, with the result that local names of persons and places came to be substituted for the original names. So the Deluge was not a universal visitation, nor should the traditions of different lands be taken to point to separate floods. 1322. The Quranic accounts of the various Prophets are not meant as mere stories. They are given in the Qur'an because they contain a prophetic allusion to the analogous events that were to occur in the life of the Holy Prophet himself. 1323. Some European critics have denied the very existence of the Adites. They say that none of the inscriptions that have so far been discovered in Arabia mention 'Ad as the name of any people in that country, and therefore they allege that the Qur'an has only quoted one of the popular legends that were current among the Arabs in the Holy Prophet's time. This objection is based on a misunderstanding. In fact, sections of the human race are generally known by two sets of names, one representing the whole race and the other some particular group thereof. 'Ad was not the name of a single tribe but of a group of tribes, whose different sections rose to power at different times. They left behind them inscriptions bearing the name of particular groups. But they all belonged to the main 'Ad family. The fact that this name is found in ancient books of geography also shows that a people of the name of 'Ad did indeed live. The geographical works compiled in Greece state that in the pre-Christian era. Yemen was ruled by a tribe called Adramitai who were none other than the 'Ad who have been called 'Ad Iram in the Qur'an. The termination of the Greek name is a noun-suffix, the real name being 'Adram which is a corruption of 'Ad Iram ( Al-'Arab Qabl al-Islam ). The 'Ad tribe mentioned in the Qur'an was called Iram. This Iram section of the Adites possessed a powerful kingdom which lasted up to 500 B.C. Their language was Aramaic, which is akin to Hebrew. The Aramaic Kingdom was established after the fall of the Semitic Kingdom and it included in its boundaries the whole of Mesopotamia. Palestine. Syria and Chaldea. Archaeological researches have discovered traces of this Kingdom. The 'Ad tribe lived immediately after the people of Noah (7:70). They built monuments on elevated places (26:129). There still exist ruins of big buildings in Arabia. The history of these people has now become wrapped in obscurity and only some remains of their buildings are to be seen (46:26). The territory in which these people lived is called Ahqaf (46:22). which, literally meaning meandering and zigzag sand-hills, is the name given to two parts of Arabia, one in the south, known as the Southern Ahqaf, the other in the north, called the Northern Ahqaf. These tracts are fertile, but as they lie near the desert, sand-hills are caused there by the sand of the desert being heaped up by the wind. These sand-hills may have been formed when 'Ad were punished by a sandstorm. Their destruction was caused by the blowing of a violent wind burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust (69:7,8). 1324. It seems that the chief occupation of the people of 'Ad was agriculture and that they depended on rainwater for the cultivation of their land, there being no wells or canals to irrigate it. 1325. The words refer to an ancient custom of the Arabs. When a vanquished people were brought as captives before their victor, he would catch hold of their forelocks or got them shaved in token of victory. 1325A. Bu'd (which is derived from Ba'uda signifying, he was or became distant; he perished; he was cursed) means, remoteness; curse, malediction. They say Bu'dan la-hu, i.e., may he be cursed, may he perish (Lane). 1326. Thamud, being an Arabic word, shows that the tribe belonged to the Arab stock. It is futile to say that Salih may be the translation of a foreign name, for the Qur'an has adopted all foreign names without translating them such as Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron); Yunus (Jonah) and Zakariyya (Zachariah). The Thamud were successors to the 'Ad (7:75) which means that the 'Ad were also an Arab race. Again, the 'Ad, in their turn, were successors to the people of Noah. This shows that Noah was also an Arab. In fact, Noah was raised in Mesopotamia, which territory was in early times under Arab rule. Greek historians placed the Thamud tribe in a period not long before the Christian era. Hijr or Agra, as they call it; is given as their home. They call them Thamudeni and mention a place near Hijr which, according to them, the Arabs called Fajj al-Naqah. Ptolemy (140 B.C.) says that near Hijr is a place known as Badanata. Abu Isma'il; author of the 'Futuh al-Sham,' says, 'The tribe of Thamud filled the land between Bosra (in Syria) and Aden and ruled there. Perhaps they were migrating to the north.' AI-Hijr, (also known as Mada'in Salih) seems to have been the capital of these people. It lies between Medina and Tabuk, and the valley in which it is situated is called Wadi Qura. It is worthy of note that accounts of the Prophets Hud and Salih have been given at various places in the Qur'an and everywhere the order observed is the same, viz., the account of Hud precedes that of Salih, which is the true chronological order. This shows that the Qur'an gives accurately and in their true historical order the facts of history long consigned to oblivion and wrapped in obscurity. According to some, Thamud is only another name of 'Ad Thaniyah or the second 'Ad, while according to others they came after the second 'Ad. The Thamud ruled over plains and hills (7:75) and their country abounded in springs and gardens wherein grew date palms of excellent quality. They also cultivated land and grew corn (26: 148, 149). This Quranic account is corroborated by the inscription said to have been read by some Muslims during the reign of Mu'awiyah. Their decline seems to have begun soon after the time of Salih, for only a few centuries after his time their name fails to find mention among victorious nations. Arabia was invaded by an Assyrian king (722-705 B.C.) and the name Thamud is found mentioned among the conquered tribes in an inscription which he caused to be engraved in memory of his victory. Of the Greek historians, Didorus (80 B.C.), Pliny (79 B.C.) and Ptolemy make mention of the Thamud . When Justinian, the Roman Emperor; invaded Arabia, his army included 300 Thamudi soldiers, but before the advent of Islam this tribe had become altogether extinct. 1327. The respite of three days was probably meant as a last chance for repentance of which the unlucky people did not avail themselves. 1328. Seven different words and expressions have been used in the Qur'an to describe the punishment which overtook the tribe of Thamud . In the present verse and in 54:32, the word used is Saihah (punishment); in 7:79, Rajfah (an earthquake); in 26:159 simply 'Adhab (chastisement); in 27:52, Dammarna-hum (We utterly destroyed them); in 51:45, Sa'iqah (thunderbolt; or any destructive punishment); in 69:6; Taghiyah (an extraordinary punishment); and in 91:15, Damdama 'Alaihim (He destroyed them completely). Though the words and expressions employed to describe the visitation seem to be different in form; yet they possess no discrepancy in meaning. The words which, however, appear to be contradictory, are Rajyah, Saihah, Sa'iqah and Taghiyah. As the last three also mean punishment, therefore if the tribe of Thamud were destroyed by means of an earthquake all the above words may be rightly used to describe that catastrophe. 1329. In v. 61 the words 'the people of Hud' have been added to the word, 'Ad, for an historical reason. for 'Ad is, in fact. the name of two tribes. the first 'Ad and the second 'Ad, and the words 'the people of Hud' have been added to show that it is the first and not the second 'Ad that is meant there. But as Thamud was the name of one tribe only, the words 'the people of Salih' have been omitted, for their addition would have served no useful purpose. 1330. There exists much difference of opinion as to who the 'messengers' were. Some hold them to be human beings, others think that they were angels. The former view appears to be more akin to truth and reality. Both Abraham and Lot being strangers in the land, it is quite possible that God had enjoined some pious men of that locality to take Lot to a safe place before the visitation actually overtook his people. It should also be remembered that these 'messengers' had not come to give the first warning of the punishment. Lot's people had already been threatened with punishment (15:65). The 'messengers' came only to inform him that the appointed hour of the threatened punishment had arrived. 1331. Abraham's real name was Abram. After the birth of Ishmael, according to God's own command, he came to be called Abraham which means the 'Father of multitudes' or the 'Father of many nations.' One branch of his progeny, the Israelites, lived in Canaan and the other, the Ishmaelites, in Arabia. 1332. Abraham at first took the 'messengers' to be ordinary wayfarers, but when they refrained from eating of the roasted calf he realized that they were on some special mission which he had failed to understand. The words, conceived fear of them, do not mean that Abraham was afraid of the strangers but that, when they did not partake of the food, he feared that he might have done something against the etiquette of hospitality. The guests, it appears, read Abraham's perturbed state of mind from the uneasy expression of his face, so they at once removed his anxiety by telling him that they were in no way displeased and that the reason why they did not partake of food was that their dreadful mission had made them disinclined to eat. This answer of the visitors also shows that they were not angels for had they been angels, they would have said that being not human they could not partake of food. 1333. In this verse the words 'people of the house' are definitely applied to the wife of Abraham, because no child had yet been born to her. In fact, when the expression Ahl al-Bait is used in the Qur'an in respect of a Prophet it generally applies to his wife or wives (28:13; 33:34). 1335. The expression, Daqabil-Amri Dhar'an, means, he lacked ability, power or strength to do the thing, Dhar' meaning power or ability; or the expression means; the thing or affair was rendered difficult or distressing to him (Lane). The words in the text mean, he found himself helpless or unable to protect them. 1336. The inhabitants of the two towns, Sodom and Gomorrah, had adopted the calling of the road and used to plunder wayfarers (Jew. Enc. under "Sodom"). Naturally they were constantly apprehensive of reprisals, particularly the inhabitants of Sodom who were practically in a state of war with their neighbors (Gen. 14). They would not welcome strangers into their town. Lot, like all Prophets of God; naturally would look after the comfort of the strangers and entertain them (15:71). His people, apprehensive as they were, had repeatedly warned him to give up that practice, so when he brought 'the messengers,' who were strangers, into his house they became infuriated and hastened to him with angry faces, because they thought they now had got a suitable opportunity to punish him for giving shelter to strangers in defiance of their repeated protests (15:68-71). 1337. The verse signifies that in view of their past mischievous behavior Lot feared lest his people should do any mischief and thus disgrace him in the presence of his guests. There is no reference here to any particular mischief. They were wicked people, therefore, Lot was naturally apprehensive that they might do him some kind of harm. He therefore said to them that if they really entertained fear that he might do them harm in league with the strangers, they had his daughters in their custody and they could wreak vengeance on him by punishing them. That was a better and purer course for them to adopt, for in that way they would also avoid the disgraceful act of insulting his guests. Or the meaning may be that, being a venerable old man of the town, Lot referred to their own wives as his daughters who, he said; were purer for them. 1338. When Lot offered his daughters who were married in the town (Gen. 19:15) as hostages, his people refused to accept the offer, for that was against their custom to accept females as hostages (Enc. Brit.). The words, 'we have no claim against thy daughters,' show that they had not come with the motives which most Commentators ascribe to them, for a people who had become so depraved and corrupt in their morals as the people of Lot were, would raise no question of claim or no claim, right or no right with regard to the satisfaction of their carnal passions. The words, 'thou surely knowest what we desire' mean, 'you know that we want the strangers to be handed over to us.' 1338A. I shall pray to God to be saved from the humiliation you seek to inflict upon me by insisting that I should turn away my guests. 1339. The 'messengers' were righteous men of the neighborhood who were commanded by God to warn Lot and to direct him where to go. 1339A. It appears that the people of Lot were destroyed by a terrible earthquake. Violent earthquakes often turn parts of the earth upside down and fragments of earth fly off into the air and then fall down. 1340. Midian was a son of Abraham from his third wife, Keturah (Gen. 25:1, 2). His descendants were all called Midian. Their metropolis was also called Midian. This town was situated on the Gulf of 'Aqabah, on the Arabian coast, at a distance of some six or seven miles from the sea. The descendants of Midian lived in the north of the Hije and it is they who built this town. It was there that Moses fled for refuge from Pharaoh and it was in the neighborhood of Midian that he stayed with the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. See also 1010. 1341. Baqiyyah here signifies, wealth earned by fair and honest means and in accordance with the laws of God. It may also mean, God-given powers and capabilities. See also 309. 1342. Shu'aib's opponents suspected that by restraining them from their fraudulent practices, he sought to foster his own business. Shu'aib removed their apprehension by these words. 1343. This verse shows that Shu'aib came after Noah, Hud, Salih and Lot (and for that matter after Abraham also), but lived before the time of Moses, for he does not here speak of the people of Moses, although Moses and his people lived in the very territory of the people of Shu'aib. 1343A. The verse may also signify that they should go on working according to their own lights and plans, and he would work as guided by his Faith. The results would show who was working in accordance with God's Will and who was seeking to defy and frustrate His purpose. 1343B. Wird is derived from Warada and means, time; place and turn of watering; people or cattle coming to a watering place (Aqrab). 1344. Rifd meaning a gift or support or aid (Lane), the verse may signify that Pharaoh, whom his people regarded as their support against God will prove an evil support for them on the Day of Resurrection, for he not only will land them into Hell, but himself will go into it with them. 1345. The Qur'an repeatedly emphasizes the fact that God never punishes a people unjustly and that it is their own misdeeds that bring down punishment upon them. It denies the theory of predestination or of man's being the victim of a blind fate. It also contradicts the view that God makes nations rise and fall arbitrarily, without a just or real cause. This is why, wherever it speaks of punishment, it does not fail to add that punishment or reward is the result of man's own doings. 1346. 'Sign' means, 'a lesson.' 1347. Man is not wholly independent. He is influenced by his environment, education and heredity; so in order to judge rightly a particular action of his it is necessary to take into consideration all the conditions and circumstances which lead to and influence it. Hence, for the full realization of the true nature of man's actions and to show that the seemingly unfair and inexplicable determination in dealing out different punishments and rewards to different persons by God is not capricious or arbitrary but perfectly just and fair, being based on the extent to which the individual is independent or free in his actions, it was necessary that there should have been fixed a certain day when all men should assemble, attended by all conditions and circumstances under which they worked and the various causes and reasons that led to their actions, so that these circumstances and causes may be jointly considered while 1348. Ajal, meaning both a period and the end of a period, is of two kinds, (a) that which is revocable or cancellable; and (b) that which is not revoked or cancelled. The revocable "term" moves within a known circle within which it is liable to change according to circumstances. For instance, the age of a man has certain limits; it can decrease or increase within those limits. But the "term" which cannot be abrogated and is irrevocable concerns the destruction of a whole people. 1349. Zafir means, the beginning of the cry of an ass and Shahiq is the ending thereof (Lane). The disbelievers have been likened in the verse to an ass which is a timid and stupid animal, signifying that they have not the courage of their convictions and do not benefit by knowledge. 1350. The Quranic expression is an idiom signifying a very prolonged period. The Qur'an teaches that the punishment of Hell is not eternal. 1351. According to the Hindu religion, both Heaven and Hell (i.e., rewards and punishments) possess a limited duration; and man, after undergoing the punishment, or reaping the reward of his deeds is sent back to this world. Of the Semitic religions, Judaism denies Paradise to non-Jews while Jews are regarded as almost free from the torture of Hell. According to Christians, both Heaven and Hell are eternal, although some of their sects hold the belief that Heaven will at last come to an end (Tafsir Kabir). Islam fundamentally differs from all these religions in this respect. According to it Heaven is eternal and everlasting, while Hell is temporary and of limited duration. Imam a m a d bin Hanbal quotes a saying of the Holy Prophet, as reported by 'Abd Allah bin 'Amr bin al-'As to the effect: 'There will come on Hell a day when its shutters will strike against each other and there will be none left in it. That will happen after the inmates of Hell will have lived in it for centuries' (Musnad). According to this tradition, the word Khalidin (abiding) used with regard to Hell only means 'remaining for long centuries.' 'Abd Allah bin 'Umar and Jabir agree with Imam Hanbal. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri also quotes an identical Hadith (Bukhari). Some eminent religious authorities, among them Ibn Taimiyyah and Ibn Qayyim, however, hold that though wicked disbelievers will deserve to be kept in Hell for ever, Hell itself will one day cease to exist through God's mercy, and when there is no Hell, there will naturally be no inmates of Hell (Fath). The Qur'an has used the words, a reward that will never end (41:9; 84:26; 95:7 ) about Heaven but no such expression has been used with regard to Hell. Moreover. in vv. 101:10-12, Hell is compared to a mother, and the embryo remains in the mother's womb until the child's body is formed and its different organs become complete. Similarly, those unfortunate persons who are cast into Hell will remain there till their faculties are fully developed so as to enable them to see the beautiful face of the Lord. 1352. So serious was the guilt of men that if there had not been a decree preordained that mankind had been created for spiritual progress and that eventually they would become the object of Divine mercy (7: 157; 1 1 :I 20; 51 :57); they would have been destroyed long ago. 1353. The Holy Prophet alone was not required to mould his own life in accordance with Divine Will. He had to see that all those who believed in him also followed his example. It was the realization of this grave dual responsibility which weighed so heavily upon him as to have rendered him prematurely aged (Baihaqui). 1354. As man is influenced by his environments and, if his surroundings are corrupt, the corruption thereof is sure to affect him sooner or later, so, in the present verse the believers are enjoined to sever all connections with the wicked and the unjust even though they are their own kith and kin. 1355. Makanah is derived from Kana or Makana and means, station or power (Aqrab). The verse means that though the great prophecies made in this Surah about the ultimate triumph of Islam and the defeat and discomfiture of disbelievers appear to be incredible and impossible of fulfilment at the present time, yet nothing is impossible with God and these prophecies will surely come to pass.
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