| Chapter 7 : Surah Al-A'raf |
(Revealed before Hijrah) Title and Date of Revelation The Qur'an depicts the Fellows of Al-A'raf as at one time addressing the dwellers of Paradise and at another time talking to the inmates of Hell; and their spiritual knowledge has been declared to be so great that they can recognize the dwellers of Paradise by their special marks and also the inmates of Hell by the latter's particular signs. They rebuke and upbraid the inmates of Hell and pray for the inmates of Paradise (7:47, 49, 50). Can a person, who himself is hanging, as it were, in a state of uncertainty between Paradise and Hell, be so presumptuous as to assume an air of superiority as the Fellows of Al-A'raf have been shown to do? The fact is that the Fellows of Al-A'raf are the Prophets of God, who will enjoy a special spiritual status on the Day of Judgment and will pray for the dwellers of Paradise and rebuke and reprimand the inmates of Hell. And because the Surah is the first among the Quranic Chapters in which the life stories of several Prophets have been dealt with at some length, it has rightly been given the name Al-A'raf. Moreover, the very construction of the word supports this inference. A'raf is the plural of 'Urf which means a high and elevated place and means also that spiritual realization which a man acquires by the help of God-given intellect and the testimony of his inner self. So A'raf may signify those teachings of which the truth is established by rational arguments and the testimony of human nature; and, as the teachings of Prophets possess all these qualities, they alone deserve this spiritually exalted position and so they can legitimately be called the Fellows of Al-A'raf (Elevated Places). In short, the Surah Al-A'raf is so called because in it illustrations have been given from the lives of those eminent men of very high spiritual position who in the past taught mankind eternal truths in accordance with the demands of human nature and human reason, and whom the men of this world resisted and sought to bring low, but whom the jealous God raised to a very exalted position. Subject-Matter and Context First of all, it is stated that because the Qur'an is the revealed Word of God, there is no possibility that it will ever meet with destruction or will fail to achieve its object. Then Muslims are warned that they should not, in a fit of despondency, come to a hasty compromise with the followers of other religions, because the opponents of a true religion have always suffered disgrace and humiliation in the end. Next, it is stated that God has created man for the attainment of a most sublime object, but most men forget this noble purpose of their lives. The paradisiacal life of Adam and his expulsion from it have been cited as an illustration of this subject, and it is added that in the very beginning after having created man God provided for him the means to attain a high spiritual status; but man gave no heed to God's plans for him, and followed Satan. Further, it is mentioned that, unlike former Faiths which aimed at individual development, Islam seeks to bring about reformation of whole communities. Whereas former Prophets sought to make individuals enter Paradise, Isliim's aim is that whole communities and nations should attain bliss. But, as every effort at reformation has to encounter obstacles and vicissitudes before it attains its consummation, so whenever the Muslim community deviates from Islamic principles and teachings God raises for their reformation divinelyinspired Reformers from among the followers of the Holy Prophet so that man may not lose his newly-gained Paradise by deviating from the path of national progress and development. The Surah then proceeds to lay down standards and criteria for the recognition of these promised Reformers and light is also shed on the ultimate doom of their opponents. Next, it is said that all Divine plans work gradually. As in the material world, so in the realm of the spirit, all progress is subject to the law of evolution and it is by a process of progressive evolution that the spiritual development of man has taken place from the time of Adam to that of the Holy Prophet, and in his teaching greater attention has been devoted to the betterment and organization of the whole community. The believers, therefore, should always keep in mind that from small seeds grow big trees and that even great objects seem very insignificant in the beginning and remain hidden. So it behoves believers to keep their eyes open and let not the grand object of their creation remain hidden from their sight because, if once it was allowed to become hidden, it would remain hidden for ever. With v. 60 begins a brief account of the life-history of some Prophets of antiquity whose mission it was to take man back to the blissful heavenly existence from which he was expelled. After that it is stated that good is ingrained in human nature of which it constitutes an integral part and that evil only comes later and is the result of external influences; and that, in spite of his instinctive goodness, man cannot attain perfection without the help of Divine revelation. By rejecting Divine guidance he deprives himself of his instinctive goodness and is spiritually ruined. Again, reference is made to the mission of the Holy Prophet, and his opponents are warned not to ignore the patent fact that his intellect is sound and motives pure, that his teachings are in perfect harmony with human nature and natural law and that the testimony of the time also is in his favour. Then some misgivings and doubts of disbelievers have been removed and it is stated that they will put up a very strong opposition to the Holy Prophet, but God will protect him from all harm. Muslims, however, are admonished not only to endure patiently the opposition of disbelievers but also to pray for them. Further, the Surah observes that like the opponents of former Prophets, the opponents of the Holy Prophet will continue to demand Signs, but it lies entirely with God to show Signs. He shows them when in His infallible wisdom He thinks opportune. But does not, the disbelievers are asked, the Qur'an which fulfils the real object and purpose of Prophethood, constitute a sufficient Sign? Muslims, therefore, are exhorted to give to the miracle of the Qur'an that great measure of true appreciation which it richly deserves, because the more the Heavenly light is vouchsafed to man, the truer should be his appreciation of it.
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِنْ سَوْآتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنْ الْخَالِدِينَ
فَدَلاَّهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِنْ وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَنْ تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُلْ لَكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ
يَابَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ يَابَنِي آدَمَ لاَ يَفْتِنَنَّكُمْ الشَّيْطَانُ كَمَا أَخْرَجَ أَبَوَيْكُمْ مِنْ الْجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنْهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوْآتِهِمَا إِنَّهُ يَرَاكُمْ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ تَرَوْنَهُمْ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ لِلَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَإِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً قَالُوا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَا آبَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِالْقِسْطِ وَأَقِيمُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ فَرِيقًا هَدَى وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ الضَّلاَلَةُ إِنَّهُمْ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنْ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِيَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآياتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّي الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
يَابَنِي آدَمَ إِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِنْكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِي فَمَنْ اتَّقَى وَأَصْلَحَ فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ أُوْلَئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُمْ مِنْ الْكِتَابِ حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ قَالُوا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا ضَلُّوا عَنَّا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ قَالَ ادْخُلُوا فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مِنْ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ فِي النَّارِ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَعَنَتْ أُخْتَهَا حَتَّى إِذَا ادَّارَكُوا فِيهَا جَمِيعًا قَالَتْ أُخْرَاهُمْ ِلأَولاَهُمْ رَبَّنَا هَؤُلاَءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَآتِهِمْ عَذَابًا ضِعْفًا مِنْ النَّارِ قَالَ لِكُلٍّ ضِعْفٌ وَلَكِنْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا عَنْهَا لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُجْرِمِينَ
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لاَ نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِمْ مِنْ غِلٍّ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهِمْ الأَنْهَارُ وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلاَ أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَنُودُوا أَنْ تِلْكُمْ الْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ وَنَادَى أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ أَنْ قَدْ وَجَدْنَا مَا وَعَدَنَا رَبُّنَا حَقًّا فَهَلْ وَجَدْتُمْ مَا وَعَدَ رَبُّكُمْ حَقًّا قَالُوا نَعَمْ فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ
وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ وَعَلَى الأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلاًّ بِسِيمَاهُمْ وَنَادَوْا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ
وَنَادَى أَصْحَابُ الأَعْرَافِ رِجَالاً يَعْرِفُونَهُمْ بِسِيمَاهُمْ قَالُوا مَا أَغْنَى عَنْكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
وَنَادَى أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ أَفِيضُوا عَلَيْنَا مِنْ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمْ اللَّهُ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمْ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فَالْيَوْمَ نَنسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا لِقَاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَذَا وَمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ تَأْوِيلَهُ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ قَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَهَلْ لَنَا مِنْ شُفَعَاءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا لَنَا أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ قَدْ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالأَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
وَلاَ تُفْسِدُوا فِي الأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاَحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًا ثِقَالاً سُقْنَاهُ لِبَلَدٍ مَيِّتٍ فَأَنزَلْنَا بِهِ الْمَاءَ فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ كَذَلِكَ نُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ وَالْبَلَدُ الطَّيِّبُ يَخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَالَّذِي خَبُثَ لاَ يَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ نَكِدًا كَذَلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ الآياتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَشْكُرُونَ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَى قَوْمِهِ فَقَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَنْ جَاءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِنْ بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِي الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً فَاذْكُرُوا آلاَءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
قَالَ قَدْ وَقَعَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ رِجْسٌ وَغَضَبٌ أَتُجَادِلُونَنِي فِي أَسْمَاءٍ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ فَانتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِنْ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ
وَإِلَى ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْ سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ الْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا فَاذْكُرُوا آلاَءَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ تَعْثَوْا فِي الأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَالِحًا مُرْسَلٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَلاَ تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلاَ تُفْسِدُوا فِي الأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاَحِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ تَقْعُدُوا بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ تُوعِدُونَ وَتَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلاً فَكَثَّرَكُمْ وَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ وَإِنْ كَانَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْكُمْ آمَنُوا بِالَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ وَطَائِفَةٌ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَاصْبِرُوا حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَنَا وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكَ يَا شُعَيْبُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَكَ مِنْ قَرْيَتِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا قَالَ أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَارِهِينَ قَدْ افْتَرَيْنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا إِنْ عُدْنَا فِي مِلَّتِكُمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ نَجَّانَا اللَّهُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَعُودَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ
فَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالاَتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ فَكَيْفَ آسَى عَلَى قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ
ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّى عَفَوا وَقَالُوا قَدْ مَسَّ آبَاءَنَا الضَّرَّاءُ وَالسَّرَّاءُ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَا أَنْ لَوْ نَشَاءُ أَصَبْنَاهُمْ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ تِلْكَ الْقُرَى نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَائِهَا وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا بِمَا كَذَّبُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ كَذَلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِ الْكَافِرِينَ
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ مُوسَى بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْ قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَى وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُوا فِي الأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِ نِسَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ الأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ قَالُوا أُوذِينَا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا قَالَ عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ
فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَلاَ إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلاَتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ الرِّجْزُ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ لَئِنْ كَشَفْتَ عَنَّا الرِّجْزَ لَنُؤْمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرْسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
وَأَوْرَثْنَا الْقَوْمَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَارِقَ الأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ الْحُسْنَى عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْرِشُونَ وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْا عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَهُمْ قَالُوا يَامُوسَى اجْعَل لَنَا إِلَهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ
وَإِذْ أَنجَيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ وَفِي ذَلِكُمْ بَلاَءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلاَثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَقَالَ مُوسَى ِلأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَأَصْلِحْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَى لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَنْ تَرَانِي وَلَكِنْ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنْ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَى صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُ فِي الأَلْوَاحِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلاً لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا بِأَحْسَنِهَا سَأُرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَاسِقِينَ سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِنْ يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لاَ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً وَإِنْ يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ
وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلاً جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوَارٌ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلاَ يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلاً اتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَى إِلَى قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِي مِنْ بَعْدِي أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَلْقَى الأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي فَلاَ تُشْمِتْ بِيَ الأَعْدَاءَ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْنِي مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً لِمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمْ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالأَغْلاَلَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ قُلْ يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِ وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًا وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى إِذْ اسْتَسْقَاهُ قَوْمُهُ أَنْ اضْرِب بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانْبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ وَإِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ اسْكُنُوا هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ وَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطِيئَاتِكُمْ سَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ قَوْلاً غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزًا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَظْلِمُونَ وَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَنْ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعًا وَيَوْمَ لاَ يَسْبِتُونَ لاَ تَأْتِيهِمْ كَذَلِكَ نَبْلُوهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُوا مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ أَنْجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ يَسُومُهُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ أُمَمًا مِنْهُمُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ وَبَلَوْنَاهُمْ بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَذَا الأَدْنَى وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِنْ يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ أَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ لاَ يَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ وَالدَّارُ الآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنْ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لاَ يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لاَ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُوْلَئِكَ كَالأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ اقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ قُلْ لاَ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلاَ ضَرًّا إِلاَّ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لاَسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنْ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّاهَا حَمَلَتْ حَمْلاً خَفِيفًا فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ فَلَمَّا أَثْقَلَتْ دَعَوَا اللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحًا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الشَّاكِرِينَ
أَلَهُمْ أَرْجُلٌ يَمْشُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ أَيْدٍ يَبْطِشُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا أَمْ لَهُمْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا قُلْ ادْعُوا شُرَكَاءَكُمْ ثُمَّ كِيدُونِي فَلاَ تُنظِرُونِ
وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِمْ بِآيَةٍ قَالُوا لَوْلاَ اجْتَبَيْتَهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ رَبِّي هَذَا بَصَائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنْ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ وَلاَ تَكُنْ مِنْ الْغَافِلِينَ
942. According to Ibn 'Abbas, the combined four letters Alif Lam Sad signify " I am Allah; the All-Knowing and I explain." For the first three letters see note 16, and the letter Sad stands for Ufassilu; i.e., I explain. The contents of this Surah justify this interpretation, because the Surah not only embodies Divine knowledge of, but explains at greater length and with a greater wealth of illustrations, the subject dealt with in the preceding Surah. The letter Sad has also been understood to mean, "Most Truthful." 943. This verse is addressed to every believer, and not particularly to the Holy Prophet. 944. Latter part of the night and also midday are here mentioned as particularly the two times when Divine visitations generally come upon a people. These are the hours when they are often asleep or are in a state of negligence. 945. The reason, why even confirmed atheists have sometimes been found to cry to God for help when punishment overtakes them, is that at such a dreadful time realization comes to man not only of his own utter helplessness but also of the might and power of a Higher Being. 946. The verse embodies the important principle that in one form or another all are responsible to God. All people will be questioned how they received God's Messengers, and the Messengers will be questioned how they delivered the Divine Message and what response was made by the people to it. 947. The language used here is figurative. Material things are weighed in scales made of metal or wood, but the weighing of things which are not material signifies determining their real value, worth or importance. 948. The word Zulm, literally meaning 'to put a thing in the wrong place' (Lane), is here used to signify that the disbelievers did not treat the Signs of God in the manner in which they should have been treated. The Signs were meant to instill fear of God and humility into their minds, but instead they became all the more arrogant and insolent and rejected them with mockery and derision. 949. Man can mould his moral being into various shapes, as clay can be moulded. 950. Whereas the command to submit to Adam was addressed to the angels, it applied to all creation, as angels are Divine agents to give effect to God's commands. 951. Iblis was not an angel (18:51). He is the chief of the evil spirits as Gabriel is the chief of angels. The incident mentioned here is in no way connected with the first progenitor of the human race, who may be called the first Adam. It is only with the latter Adam (who dwelt in this earth about six thousand years ago and from whom Noah and Abraham and their posterity were directly descended) that the present account deals. 952. What is represented in the present verse as a dialogue between God and Iblis does not necessarily mean that an exchange of words did actually take place. The words may only depict a state of things, a picture of the conditions that came into existence as a result of the refusal of Iblis to submit to Adam. See also 61. 953. For an explanation of the word "clay" see 420A. 954. There being no noun mentioned in the verse to which the pronoun ha (it) implied in the expression Minha (hence) refers, it may be taken to denote the condition or state in which Iblis was, before he refused to submit to Adam. 954A. The resurrection referred to in this verse is not the great Resurrection of mankind decreed for the Hereafter, but the spiritual resurrection of man, or the state when his spiritual consciousness becomes fully developed. Iblis can lead him astray only so long as he is not spiritually resurrected. But once he attains that high spiritual stage which is known by the term Baqa' (rebirth). Iblis can do him no harm (1 7:66). 955. Note the network of seductions threatened by Satan. 956. This shows that every thing is lawful, except what may be forbidden as being harmful physically or spiritually. 957. "Forbidden tree" may also signify commandments whereby certain things were forbidden to Adam and his wife. "Good word" has been likened to "good tree" in the Qur'an (14:25) and evil word to "evil tree" (14:27). 957A. While evil thoughts ultimately lead a person to his ruin, they also make manifest to him his weaknesses. As the place where Adam was made to reside has been metaphorically described in the Qur'an as a "Garden," therefore in the description that follows the metaphor is continued and Adam is represented as having been forbidden to approach a certain 'tree' which was not a tree in its literal and physical sense, but a certain family or tribe from which he was bidden to keep aloof, because the members of that family were his enemies and they would have spared no pains to do him harm. 958. The word Sayy'ah which means, any evil, foul, unseemly or abominable saying or habit or action which one would like to hide; shame; nakedness (Lane), is used here in the sense of "object of shame" or "weakness," because no man's nakedness is hidden from him. Some of Adam's weaknesses were indeed hidden from him and he came to realize them when his enemy lured him away from his position of security. Every person has certain weaknesses which are hidden even from himself, but which become exposed at time of strain and stress, or when he is tempted and tried. So it was when Adam was tempted and deceived by Satan that he became aware of some of his natural weaknesses. The Qur'an does not say that the weaknesses of Adam and his wife became known to other people, but that they only themselves became conscious of them. 959. Waraq, meaning, the prime and freshness of a thing; the young lads of a community (Lisan), signifies that when Satan succeeded in causing a split in Adam's community and some of its weaker members had gone out of its fold, he gathered together the Auraq (leaves) of the Garden, i.e., the youth of the community, and began to reunite and reorganize his people with their help. It is generally the youth who, being mostly free from preconceived ideas and prejudices, follow and help the Prophets of God (10:84). The being whom the Qur'an has represented as having refused to submit to Adam is called Iblis, while the person who tempted him is called Satan. This distinction is observed not only in the verse under comment, but in all the relevant verses throughout the Qur'an. This shows that, so far as this narrative is concerned, Satan and Iblis were two different persons. In fact, the word Shaitan (Satan) is applied not only to evil spirits but also to those human beings who, on account of their evil nature and wicked deeds. become. as it were. Satan incarnate. The Shaitan who tempted Adam and caused him to slip was not an invisible evil spirit but a wicked man of flesh and blood, a devil from among human beings, a manifestation of Satan and an agent of Iblis. He was a member of the family which Adam had been bidden to avoid. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that his name was Harith, (Tirmidhi, ch. on Tafsslr) which is further evidence of his being a human being and not an evil spirit. 960. Adam soon realized his error and hastened to turn to God in repentance. In fact, Adam's error lay in taking this man-devil for a well-wisher; although God had warned him against having anything to do with him. 961. The verse shows that Adam was commanded to emigrate from the land of his birth because enmity and hatred had sprung up between different members of his community. This constitutes a further evidence of the fact that the "Garden" which Adam was commanded to leave was not Paradise. It appears that Adam emigrated from Mesopotamia, the land of his birth; to a neighboring land. The emigration was perhaps a temporary one and he may have returned to his native land not long after. Indeed, the words, a provision for a time, contain a veiled hint at the emigration being a temporary one. Adam is warned in this verse to be careful in future; for it was in his native land that he was now to live for ever. 962. Taken in a general sense the verse hints that no human being can ascend to the heavens with his physical body. Man must live and die on this earth. 963. It was with the apparel of piety that Adam covered his "nakedness" in the " Garden." 964. The Evil Spirit, called Shaitan, and those of his kind are generally invisible to the eye. They exercise their influence imperceptibly and search for the hidden weaknesses of man in order to confirm him in his evil ways. God has created Satan only as a trial for men-Satan serves the purpose of a hurdle in the spiritual race in which man is engaged. Hurdles are meant not to block but to make the competitors in the race more vigilant and to redouble their efforts. The careless and the negligent, who stumble over hurdles and thus lose the race, have themselves to blame and not the person or persons who put them in their way in order to try and prove their mettle. 965. When the time of Prayer approaches and Muslims are about to go to a mosque, they should concentrate all their attention on God, taking their mind away from the cares of the world. The ablution performed before every Prayer serves the useful purpose of turning the believer's thoughts towards God and putting him in the right state for Prayer. 966. The words, As He brought you into being, so shall you return, mean that just as our bodies gradually develop in the wombs of our mothers, so will our souls pass through a similar process of development after death. 967. The adornment should either be physical or spiritual. In the physical sense believers are enjoined to go to a place of worship, as far as possible, in a clean and decent dress. 968. The good and pure things provided by God are really meant for believers though they are also shared by disbelievers in this life; but in the life to come they will be enjoyed by believers to the exclusion of disbelievers. 969. When the time fixed for the punishment of a people arrives, it cannot be averted, delayed or postponed. 970. The point is worthy of special note that, like some preceding verses (e.g., 7:27, 28 & 32), the address in the words, 0 children of Adam, is to the people of the Holy Prophet's time and to the generations that are yet to be born and not to the people who lived in the distant past and came immediately after Adam. 971. The words mean that the rejectors of God's Messengers will see with their own eyes the fulfillment of the prophecies foretelling their defeat and discomfiture and shall taste the punishment promised to them for opposing God's Messengers. 972. The leaders and their followers. 973. Pain and torment appear heavy while they last. God's torment will be unbearable. 974. Jamal may also mean a rope, for a rope bears a better resemblance to the thread which is passed through the eye of a needle. It will not be possible for rejectors of God's Signs to enter Heaven. See Matt. 19:24. 975. The parenthetical clause, We charge not any soul beyond its capacity, contradicts the Christian dogma that sin being ingrained in human nature, it is beyond the power of man to get rid of it. 976. In fact, heavenly life begins in this very world (55:47) and he is said to be enjoying it whose heart is free from enmity, jealousy, rancor and mental disquiet. 977. The expression signifies that the wrongdoers desire to corrupt true religion. They are not only themselves wicked but also try to make others like themselves and even seek to distort and tamper with religious teaching. 978. A'raf is the plural of 'Urf which means 'an elevated place.' They say 'Arafa 'ala al-Qaum, i.e., he was or became manager or superintendent of the affairs of the people, beingacquainted with them. It is generally men of high dignity and distinguished position that areseated on elevated places. According to Hasan and Mujahid the men on the Elevated Placeswill be the elite among the believers or the most learned among them; according to Kirmani,they will be the Martyrs. Some others think that they will be the Prophets and this appears tobe the most correct view. The men seated on the Elevated Places not only will command abetter view, but, on account of their high rank and position, will also be better informed. Theywill know the rank and station of every person from his very appearance. It is evidently a wrong view that the men on the A'raf (Elevated Places) will be those persons of middling ranks whose case will not have yet been decided, it being, as it were, still under consideration. There is no sense in placing such persons on elevated places while Martyrs and Prophets will be occupying lower positions. 979. The words refer to would-be dwellers of Heaven who will not have yet entered it; but will be hoping to do so soon. The people on the Elevated Places will recognize them as would be dwellers of Heaven, even though they will not have yet entered it. 980. The occupants of the Elevated Places, i.e., the Prophets, will call out to certain persons from among the people to whom they had been sent and whom they will recognize by their special marks and will say to them that they must have realized now the sorry end of their opposition to them. 981. The reference in the word "these" is to the would-be inmates of Heaven. The Prophets will address the inmates of Hell and tell them to look at the would-be inmates of Heaven-the poor believers whom they ridiculed and looked down upon-and then will ask them, "Are these the men about whom you swore that Allah would not extend mercy to them?" 982. The disbelievers were convinced in their heart of hearts of the truth of Islam but, as they took their religion for a pastime, they refused to listen to the dictates of reason and to the voice of their conscience. So God will ignore them as they refused to believe that they will ever meet their Creator and they will have to render account of their deeds to Him. 983. For the sake of convenience the word Ta'wil has been rendered here as fulfillment of warning. See also 372. 984. Ayyam is the plural of Yaum which denotes time absolutely (1:4); or it may signify an indefinite period, or a stage in the development of a thing. It is not possible to surmise and define the length of this period. It may be "a thousand years" (22:48), or "fifty thousand years" (70:5). But the word Yaum definitely does not refer here or in any other verse of the Qur'an as the period of time determined by the rotation of the earth on its axis. God has not disclosed to us the extent of all His days. If some of God's days extend over a thousand years and others over fifty thousand years. there may be still others which extend over millions or billions of years. Science has disclosed the fact that it took the heavens and the earth millions of years to be evolved into their present shape. A vision of the eminent Muslim scholar, Muhyi al-Din Ibn 'Arabi, leads one to a similar conclusion. Thus we cannot definitely determine the length of the "six days" during which the creation of the heavens and the earth was completed. God brings about different changes in different periods, some taking a thousand years, others fifty thousand years and yet others even a longer period. All that we can say is that the creation of the heavens and the earth took six long cycles to become perfect and complete. 986. 'Arsh (Throne) represents God's transcendent attributes (Sifat Tanzihiyyah), i.e., such attributes as are not found in any other being. The four attributes of God mentioned in Surah Ikhlas are His transcendent attributes. These attributes are eternal and unchangeable and are manifested through God's attributes of similitude (Sifat Tashbihiyyah), i.e., such attributes as are found more or less in other beings also. These latter attributes are said to be the bearers of the 'Arsh. They are Rabb Al-'Alamin, Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim and Malik Yaum al-Din. That 'Arsh represents the transcendent attributes of God is also clear from 23:117 which shows that the "Unity of God" and His 'Arsh are intimately connected, for it is the transcendent attributes which constitute the real proof of Divine Unity, other attributes of God being shared by man in different degrees. The words, "Settled Himself on the Throne" signify that after the creation of the physical universe the transcendent attributes of God and His attributes of similitude came into operation and all the affairs of the world began to be conducted through the set laws of nature and became in perfect working order. 987. The distinction between Khalq (creation) and 'Amr (command) is that while the former word generally means, the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter means. bringing into being without matter by uttering the simple command word "be." The clause, His is the creation and the command, may also mean that God has not only created the universe but He also exercises authority and command over it. 'Amr also means, the making of laws. 988. The expression means that before the revelation of the Qur'an the disbelievers had some excuse for leading unrighteous lives; but now that a perfect guidance has come to them, they will not be allowed to go on making mischief and groveling in sin and iniquity and leading unrighteous lives with impunity. The word Islah (order) refers to the good and ordered life that came into being with the revelation of the Qur'an and the advent of the Holy Prophet. 989. Muhsin signifies "one who strives to be perfect in good deeds." A famous saying of the Holy Prophet describes the Muhsin as one who does a good deed as if he is actually seeing God or that at least God is seeing him (Bukhari & Muslim). 990. The word Rahmah here refers to rain. Just as in the physical world rain is preceded by cool breeze, which serves as its harbinger, similarly before a Prophet of God makes his appearance, there is a sort of general religious awakening among men. The verse signifies that just as rainwater gives new life to a dead land and causes fruits, vegetables and corn to grow from it, similarly, the heavenly water of revelation breathes a new life into a people devoid of spiritual life. The verse thus holds out a promise that the bleak, arid and barren land of Arabia would soon blossom into a garden full of trees laden with fruits; and of plants bearing fragrant flowers, in consequence of the heavenly water that has descended on it in the form of the Qur'an. No wonder that the Arabs, who had hitherto been regarded as the dregs and scum of humanity, suddenly emerged as teachers and leaders thereof. 991. Just as rain produces different effects upon different plots of land according to their nature and quality; so does Divine revelation affect different men in different ways. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said that there are three kinds of land: (a) The good, level land which; when watered by rain; absorbs the rainwater and yields good vegetation and brings forth abundant fruit. (b) The land which, being low-lying and rocky, only collects rainwater but does not absorb it and so brings forth no vegetation but provides drinking water for men and beasts. (c) The high stony ground which neither collects the water of rain nor absorbs it and is quite useless both for the purpose of vegetation and as a storage of rainwater. Similarly, men are of three kinds: (1) Those who not only themselves profit by Divine revelation but prove a source of spiritual guidance for others. (2) Those who do not themselves profit by the Divine revelation, but receive it and keep it stored up for others to benefit thereby. (3) Those who neither derive any benefit from the Divine revelation themselves nor keep it stored up for the use of others. They are like that piece of land which neither yields any produce nor collects water so that men and beasts may drink of it. 992. After having briefly described the great moral reformation that the appearance of a Divine Prophet brings about among his people and the evil consequences to which opposition to him leads, the Surah with this verse proceeds to give illustrations of some of the nations of antiquity, beginning with the people of Noah. 993. Noah refutes the charge of his being in error. He, in effect, says that a person who is proceeding to a place may indeed be said to be unacquainted with the way leading to it or to have lost the same owing to his having never trodden it before, but how can a person who is returning from a certain place be said not to know the way to that place and how possibly can he lose it? Noah said that he could not be in error, for he had come from God and, therefore, there was no possibility of his wandering away from the path that leads to Him. 994. 'Amin is the plural of A'ma which means; blind in both eyes; blind in respect of the mind; erring (Lane). 995. 'Ad was the name of a tribe who lived in the remote past in Arabia. At one time they ruled over most of the fertile parts of greater Arabia, particularly Yemen; Syria and Mesopotamia. They were the first people to exercise dominion over practically the whole of Arabia. They are known as 'Ad al-ula or the first 'Ad. See also 1323. 996. Hud was seventh in descent from Noah. 997. The Adites were a very prosperous and powerful people. 997A. The words also mean that He increased your posterity. 998. The Thamud tribe lived in the western parts of Arabia, having spread from Aden northward to Syria. They lived shortly before the time of Ishmael. Their territory was adjacent to that of 'Ad, but they lived mostly in the hills. 999. The Prophet Salih lived after Hud and was probably a contemporary of Abraham. 1000. The camel formed the chief means of conveyance in those parts and it was on his she-camel that the Prophet Salih used to travel from place to place to preach his Message. Placing obstruction in the way of the free movements of the she-camel or doing it harm was tantamount to obstructing the work with which God had entrusted Salih. There was nothing unusual about the she-camel itself. It was an ordinary animal. The sanctity that attached to it was that God had declared it to be a Sign and a symbol of the sanctity and inviolability of the person of the Prophet Salih, and so doing an injury to it was tantamount to doing an injury to Salih himself and to hampering his work. 1001. The words do not mean that she was to be allowed to graze in any field she entered. The meaning is that no obstruction was to be put in her way and that she was to be permitted to proceed to any place to which Salih might choose to go. The declaration by Salih about the free movements of his she-camel was in harmony with a time-honored Arab custom. 1002. The words, you build palaces in its plains, refer to the winter residences of the tribe, while the expression, and you hew the mountains into dwellings, allude to their summer resorts in the hills. The tribe of Thamud were a cultured people-industrious, wealthy and resourceful. Judged by the standards of their time, they led a luxurious and comfortable life, going up to the hills in the hot season and spending their winter in the plains. 1003. Mala'a-hu means; he filled it. Mala'a al-Qaum means, the leaders of the people; its wealthy members (Aqrab). They are so called because with their presence in an assembly it seems to be full. 1004. Salih left the stricken city in grief, as he could no longer bear to see the appalling sight, uttering the pathetic words mentioned in the verse with a sad and sorrowful heart, as did the Holy Prophet of Islam at Badr. 1005. Lot was a nephew and contemporary of Abraham (Gen. 11:27,31 ). 1006. The words imply that it was a new kind of evil which was unknown before, or that its great extent at that time had no parallel before. 1007. The opponents of Lot taunted his followers that they posed and paraded as extra righteous and holy persons. 1008. It often happens in a severe earthquake that rocks and rubble erupt and are carried to a height and then fail^ back on the earth. his happened at Pompeii; and at Kangra (India) in 1905. 1009. According to some the country round the Dead Sea is the site of the ruined cities. The Qur'an, however, appears to place it on the route from Medina to Syria (15230). 1010. Midian was Abraham's son from Keturah (Gen.25:1,2). His descendants settled in the north of Hijaz. Midian was also the name of a town on the Red Sea, opposite to Sinai on the Arabian shore. The town was so called because it was inhabited by the descendants of Midian. Some have referred to it as a seaport on account of its proximity to the sea, being situated only at a distance of about eight miles from the Gulf of 'Aqabah; others have spoken of it as an inland town. Midian had a large population of the descendants of Ishmael. Shu'aib had some resemblance with the Holy Prophet in that both had to leave their original home for another town, Midian in the case of Shu'aib and Medina in the case of the Holy Prophet. 1011. Shu'aib was the name of a non-Israelite Prophet who lived before Moses. He is generally looked upon as the father-in-law of Moses, though the Bible makes no mention of the name. According to the Bible, the name of the father-in-law of Moses was Jethro, who is not spoken of as a Prophet. The Qur'an speaks of Moses as having been raised after Shu'aib, so he could not be his contemporary (7:104). As Shu'aib has been mentioned in this verse as the "brother*' of Midian, the inference is inevitable that he was a descendant of Abraham, Midian being a son of the Patriarch from his bondmaid, Keturah. 1012. The children of Abraham from Keturah, who was a bondwoman, were despised by both the Israelites and the Ishmaelites. They were looked down upon as weak and despicable, but God increased their numbers and gave them wealth and power. 1013. The words show that throughout the ages the good and intelligent men have believed that force should not be used in matters concerning conscience. 1014. The words are full of extreme pathos. Shu'aib, like every true Prophet, felt deep grief and distress for his people. 1015. This is a general law of God which invariably comes into operation whenever a Prophet of God makes his appearance. The advent of every Prophet is attended in an extraordinary degree with calamities and miseries of diverse kinds which are intended to serve as an eye-opener for the people. 1016. The words "these towns" refer to Mecca and its sister towns of Hijaz. The meaning is "Do not the people of Mecca, etc., take a lesson from the fate of 'Ad, Thamud, the people of Lot and from that of the people of Shu'aib? 1017. The Qur'an does not give the entire history of bygone peoples but only the relevant parts of it. Nevertheless, no book of history contains more reliable information about the tribes of 'Ad and Thamud than does the Qur'an, and students of history have admitted that what the Qur'an tells us is the only authentic and reliable information that we possess about these ancient peoples and all other stories current about them are so many myths. 1018. The hearts of disbelievers are sealed up when they refuse to make use of their God given power of reasoning and understanding. 1019. The words "after them," contradict the popular view that Shu'aib was a contemporary- and father-in-law of Moses. 1020. Zulm meaning to put a thing in the wrong place or to make a wrong use of it (Lane), the clause signifies that Pharaoh and his chiefs made wrong use of the Signs. The Signs were meant to engender fear of God in their hearts but instead they jeered and mocked at them. 1021. Haqiq means; adapted, disposed; apt, meet, right, fit or worthy (Lane). 1022. When Moses went to Pharaoh his object was not so much to preach his Message to him as to call upon him to let the Israelites go with him, though ordinarily he would have preached to him also. As a matter of fact the Message of Moses was meant primarily for the Israelites, but as long as the Israelites remained mixed up with the natives of Egypt, Moses had to preach to them both. When the Israelites left the land, he had no concern with the Egyptians and confined his attention to his own kith and kin to whom he was sent. 1023. The Qur'an has used three different words to describe the turning of the rod of Moses into a serpent, viz., Hayyah as in 20:21, Jann as in 27:11 and 28:32 and Thu'ban as in 26:33 and in the present verse. The first word is of general application and is used for serpents of all categories. The second word means a small serpent. The third word (Thu'ban) means a bulky and long serpent. Thus the use of three different words at three different places in the Qur'an is significant and evidently is intended to serve a definite purpose. The word Jann has been used from the point of view of the serpent's quick movements and Thu'ban from the point of view of its large size. When the mere fact of the turning of the rod into a serpent is mentioned the word Hayyah is used, but when the rod is mentioned as turning into a serpent in the presence of Moses alone the word Jann (a small serpent) is used. But when the miracle of the rod turning into a serpent is shown before Pharaoh, the magicians and the general public, the word Thu'ban is used. The significance of these different words on different occasions is different. The word Hayyah signifies that a dead people ('As signifies a community); as to all intents and purposes the Israelites were, would receive a new and vigorous life through Moses (this being the significance of the root word Hayyah), and the word. Jann (a small, fast moving serpent) signifies that from a small and decadent community, they would make rapid progress and would become Thu'ban (a large and bulky serpent) for Pharaoh and his people, i.e., they would become the means and instrument of their destruction. It may be noted here that this miracle like other miracles shown by God's Prophets contradicted no law of nature. If a thing is proved to have actually taken place, it must be taken to be true even if it is not explicable or understandable in the light of the laws of nature as we understand them. Our knowledge of the laws of nature is, at best, very limited; so we must not deny an actual fact on the basis of our limited and imperfect knowledge. Moreover, the miracle shown by Moses did not take place in the manner in which it is popularly understood to have occurred. Miracles shown by God's Prophets are not like hand-tricks of jugglers. They are meant to serve some great moral or spiritual purpose-to bring about certainty of faith and engender feelings of piety and fear of God in the minds of those who witness them. If the rod had actually turned into a serpent, the whole performance must have looked more like the trick of a juggler than the miracle of a Prophet. In spite of what the Bible might say about this miracle, the Qur'an lends no support to the view that the rod actually had turned into a real and living serpent. No such thing seems to have taken place. The rod only looked like a rapidly moving serpent. The miracle was a sort of vision in which God either exercised special control over the sight of onlookers in order to make them see the rod in the form of a serpent or the rod itself was made to look like a sement: and this vision was shared by Pharaoh and his courtiers and the magicians along with Moses. The rod remained a rod, only it appeared to Moses and others as a serpent. It is a common spiritual phenomenon that in a vision when man rises above the encumbrances of the flesh and becomes temporarily transported to a spiritual sphere, he can see things taking place which are beyond his ken and are quite invisible to his physical eyes. The miracle of the rod turning into a serpent was one such spiritual experience. A similar spiritual phenomenon took place in the time of the Holy Prophet when the moon was seen not only by the Holy Prophet but by some of his followers and opponents, as if it had been rent asunder (Bukhari, ch. on Tafsir). Tradition tells us that Gabriel whom the Holy Prophet often saw in his visions, on one occasion was also seen by his Companions, who were sitting with him (Bukhari; ch. on iman). Similarly, some angels were seen even by some of the disbelievers at the Battle of Badr (Jarir, vi. p. 47). Another instance of this kind occurred when a Muslim army under the well-known Muslim general, Sariyah, was fighting against the enemy in Iraq. 'Umar, the Second Caliph, while delivering his Friday sermon at Medina, in a vision saw that the Muslim army was being overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the enemy and that a disastrous defeat was imminent. Thereupon he suddenly discontinued his sermon and cried out from the pulpit, saying, '0 Sariyah, take to the mountain, take to the mountain.' Sariyah, who was hundreds of miles away, heard the voice of 'Umar amid the deafening noise of the battlefield, and obeyed the Caliph's instructions and the Muslim army was saved from sure destruction (Khamis, ii. p. 370). The miracle of Moses possessed a special significance. It may be interpreted something like this. God told Moses to throw down his rod which then appeared to him like a serpent; and when on God's bidding he took it up, it was only a piece of wood. Now the serpent, in the language of visions and dreams; symbolises an enemy, while a rod is emblematic of a community (T'afir al-Anam). Thus, by means of this vision God let Moses know that if He cast away his people from him, they would become veritable serpents. But if he kept them under his fostering care; they would grow into a strong and well knit community of righteous and God-fearing men. 1024. The bodies of highly spiritual men are known to emit rays of various colors according to the degree or nature of their spiritual development. The rays that are emitted by the bodies of Prophets are of pure white color. Similarly, rays that issued from the hand of Moses must have been of that color and, when they were made visible, his hand naturally appeared white to the beholders. Men are known to have had such spiritual experiences in the times of other Prophets of God as well. God said to Moses: Thrust thy hand into thy bosom; it will come forth white without disease (28:33). This constituted, in symbolic language, a clear hint to Moses that if he kept his followers close to him and under his fostering care; they would not only become men of light themselves but would also impart light to others, otherwise they would become not only black but also morally diseased. The miracle was not, therefore, the performance of a sorcerer but a Sign full of deep spiritual significance. 1025. The word Sahir does not necessarily mean, a magician. It also means, a fascinator; one skilful and intelligent; one able to make a thing look other than what it is: a deceiver, deluder or beguiler; etc. (Lane). See 1026. These words are intended to work up the feelings of the Egyptians against Moses, whereas the truth was that Moses had no desire to turn them out. His mission was confined to taking away his own people from Egypt. 1027. Mark the intensity of the scene-both parties arrayed against each other ready to come to grips in a decisive trial. 1028. Prophets of God never attack first. They wait for an attack on the part of their opponents, for they prefer to defend and look to God for succor. 1029. It was not the "serpent" made out of the rod, but the rod itself which undid the magic of the magicians. The rod of Moses wielded with the spiritual force of a great Prophet and thrown at the command of God exposed the deception they had wrought on the spectators and broke to pieces the things which. by their magic, they had made them take for real serpents. The words, "It swallowed up whatever they feigned" signify that the rod quickly exposed the deception wrought by the magicians, "swallowed up'' signifying "destroyed the effect of, or the impression created by." 1030. The verse seems to refer to Pharaoh's party and not to the sorcerers. The latter have been spoken of in the next verse. The word "humiliated" could not have been used about men who had evinced such regard for truth as to have accepted it without even waiting to see what Pharaoh had to say about it. The meaning is that those, (Pharaoh and his party). who a few moments before had come to the scene of combat with a proud and arrogant attitude and were confident of success, now retired humbled and crestfallen. 1031. The discomfiture of the sorcerers was so complete that it appeared that some hidden power had taken the ground from under their feet. They were made to fall down prostrate on the ground in an attitude of prayer and humility before God. 1032. The words "its inhabitants" here signify Pharaoh's own people, who, however, were not the real inhabitants of Egypt. having wrested the country from the sons of the soil. 1033. Although crucifixion meant painful death, the punishment of cutting off the hands and feet was added to make the infliction all the more exemplary and death all the more painful. Incidentally, the verse shows that even as early as in the time of Moses the punishment of death by crucifixion was in vogue. 1034. It were the chiefs themselves who had counselled Pharaoh to give respite to Moses and his brother (7:112); but now the same chiefs blame him for the time he had given to Moses and Aaron in accordance with their own advice. This is how those who meet with disgrace and humiliation become morally degraded. 1035. Pharaoh himself was worshipped as a god by his people (28:39) and he in turn worshipped other deities. Hence the chiefs accused Moses and Aaron of having denounced the worship of Pharaoh and his gods. 1036. The word Nuqattilu is in the intensified form and expresses the sense of ruthlessness and a slow and gradual process of killing. 1037. The verse does not necessarily mean that the Israelites were to be made to inherit Egypt after the destruction of Pharaoh. It only means that Pharaoh's power was to be broken and others were to take possession of his kingdom. We know that after the destruction of Pharaoh and the break-up of his kingdom, another dynasty, friendly to the Israelites, took possession of the land. "Land" mentioned in the verse refers not to Egypt but to the Holy Land which had been promised to the Israelites and which they inherited in accordance with that promise. 1038. Sanah which is the singular of Sinin signifies a simple revolution of the earth round the sun. It is synonymous with .Am (and also with Haul) but whereas every Sanah is an 'Am, every 'Am is not a Sanah. It is also said to be longer than the 'km which is applied to the twelve Arabian months collectively; but Sanah is also applied to twelve revolutions of the moon. According to Imam Raghib Sanah is used as denoting a year in which there is difficulty, or drought or barrenness or dearth; and 'am as denoting a year which brings ampleness of the means or circumstances of life and abundance of herbage or the like. Sanah also means, drought. The verse speaks of loss of life and property. 1039. Tai'r means, an omen, a bodement of good or of evil: an evil fortune or ill-luck (Lane). 1040. The Bible mentions 10 Signs besides the Signs of the rod and the white hand (Exod chaps. 7-1 1). The biblical account seems to have greatly exaggerated the Signs. 1041. Ajal means both "term" and "end of term" (2:232). The punishment was removed a time to grant Pharaoh an opportunity to repent and comply with the demand of Moses. 1042. The words, the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof signify, according to Arabic idiom, the entire country. 1043. The Holy Land which had been promised to the descendants of Abraham and Jacob (5:22). It was blessed because it was the land where the Israelites were to thrive and prosper and grow into a great nation. 1044. God's communion with Moses was completed in the promised thirty nights. The prolongation of the period by ten nights did not form part of the promise but was an additional favor. 1045. The words show that Aaron's position was that of a subordinate to Moses. Moses called the Israelites "my people" and directed Aaron to act for him, i.e., officiate in his place during his absence. 1046. This verse sheds some light on one of the most important religious subjects whether it is possible for one to see God with the physical eyes. The verse lends no support to the view that God is visible to the physical eyes (6:104). Not to say of seeing God with the physical eyes, man cannot even see angels; we can see only a manifestation of them. Similarly, only a manifestation of God can be seen and not God Himself. It is, therefore, inconceivable that a great Prophet of God like Moses, with all his knowledge of the attributes of God, should have desired an impossibility. Moses knew that he could see only a manifestation of God and not God Himself. But he had already seen a manifestation of God in "the Fire" when travelling from Midian to Egypt (28:30). What then did Moses mean by his request to see God, contained in the words, My Lord, show Thyself to me that I may look at Thee. The request seems to refer to the perfect manifestation of God which was to take place in the person of the Holy Prophet of Islam in some later time. Moses had already been given the promise that there would appear, from among the brethren of the Israelites a Prophet in whose mouth God would put His Word (Deut. 18:18-22). This prophecy implied a greater manifestation of God than had been vouchsafed to Moses. So he was naturally anxious to see what sort of God's Glory and Majesty the Promised Manifestation would be. He wished that something of that Glory and Majesty might be shown to him. He was told that the manifestation of that Glory was beyond his capacity to bear; it could not take place upon his heart and that God had chosen the mountain for its physical manifestation. The mountain shook violently and it appeared as if it had crumbled down and Moses, being overwhelmed with the impact of the shaking fell down unconscious. In this way he was made to realize that he had not attained to that high stage of spiritual eminence which should have made him the object of that Divine Manifestation which he had requested to witness. That unique privilege was reserved for one much greater than him-the Crown of God's creation-the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Moses's request may also be taken as having been prompted by the demand of the Elders of the Israelites, to see God with the naked eye (2:56). This very unusual experience of his made Moses realize that his request was inopportune. So he cried spontaneously, "I turn towards Thee, and I am the first to believe," which meant that he had realized that he was not endowed with the capacity to see that perfect manifestation of Divine Glory which was to take place on the heart of the Promised Prophet and that he was the first believer in the great spiritual eminence which that great Prophet was destined to attain. This belief of Moses in the Holy Prophet has also been referred to in 46:11. 1047. The mountain was not actually broken into pieces. The words have been used figuratively to express the great severity of the earthquake. See Exod. 24: 18. 1048. The verse seems to be addressed to Moses by way of consolation after God had made him realize that he could not attain to that high spiritual rank to which the Great Prophet of the House of Ishmael was destined to attain. He was asked not to covet the high dignity which was reserved for "that Prophet" but to remain content with; and be grateful for, the rank that God had already bestowed upon him. 1049. Katabna means, We prescribed, appointed, ordained or made binding (Lane). 1050. Everything that was required to be explained to the Israelites. 1051. Moses is asked here to exhort his people to try to practise higher forms of virtue and not to remain content with merely acting upon the injunctions that are meant for the weak of faith. 1052. Dar here signifies "station" or "position;" and the words, Soon shall I show you the abode of the transgressors, mean that soon the obedient shall be distinguished and separatedfrom the disobedient. 1053. God can be proved to be a Living God only if He speaks to His servants. It does not stand to reason that God should have ceased to speak now when He spoke to His chosen servants in the past. No attribute of God can be supposed to have ceased to function. The gift of Divine revelation is attainable even now as it was attained in the past. Revelation necessarily does not contain a new Law. It is also meant to give freshness of spiritual life and bring man near unto his Lord and Master. 1054. The Arabic phrase in the text means; they repented; they wrung their hands by reason of repentance. The Arabs say of a man who repents, Suqita fi Yadihi (Lane). 1055. Moses seized Aaron by the head, not because the latter had countenanced or supported calf-worship, as he is represented to have done in the Bible (Exod. 32:2-4), but because he did not successfully prevent the people from worshipping the calf. Display of anger on the part of Moses was due, not to any religious or legal offence committed by Aaron, but to his failure to manage affairs properly in his absence. The anger was justified because a great sacrilege had been committed and the whole work of Moses's life was put in jeopardy. 1056. Aaron appealed to Moses's feelings of tenderness and brotherly affection. 1057. The account of the Bible accusing Aaron of complicity in calf-worship is certainly misleading (Enc. Bib. vol. 1, col. 2). 1057A. The earthquake was a natural phenomenon. Moses feared that it was a Divine punishment for the sins of his people. 1058. Ummi means, belonging to or pertaining to the mother, z.e., as innocent as a child at the breast of its mother; one not having a revealed Scripture. particularly an Arab: one who does not know how to read or write; one belonging to Mecca which was known as Umm al-Qura, i.e., the mother of towns. If the word Ummi be taken in the sense of "unlettered," the verse would signify that although the Holy Prophet had received no education whatever and was quite unread, yet God vouchsafed to him such knowledge as would impart light and guidance even to those who are considered to be most advanced in learning and enlightenment. Some Christian writers have pretended to doubt the fact that the Holy Prophet could not read or write. Says Reverend Wherry in his 'Commentary of the Qur'an'-. "Is it likely that he should have been trained in the same household with 'Ali, who knew both how to read and write and not have received similar instruction? Could he have conducted an important mercantile business for years without some knowledge of letters? That he could read and write in later years is certain. Tradition tells us, that he said to Mu'awiyah, one of his secretaries: 'Draw the ba' straight, divide the sin properly,' etc.. and that in his last moments he called for writing material. His use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned." It is a poor argument that because the Prophet "had been trained in the same house with 'Ali who knew both how to read and write," therefore he should also have learnt reading and writing. It only betrays ignorance of elementary facts of the Holy Prophet's life on the part of the reverend gentleman. 'Ali and the Holy Prophet could not have been trained and brought up together, there being difference of many years between their ages. The Prophet was as much as twenty nine years older than 'Ali. Let alone the Prophet and 'Ali being educated and trained together which the great disparity in their ages evidently obviated, it was 'Ali who got his training in the house and under the fostering care and training of the Holy Prophet himself (Hisham). Abu Talib, in whose house the Holy Prophet was brought up, was a man of very meager means. He did not appreciate the value of learning and knowledge, nor was their possession regarded as an asset and acquisition in his time. The Holy Prophet, therefore, remained illiterate in his house. But 'Ali was brought up in the house of the Holy Prophet himself, whose marriage with Khadijah, a wealthy lady of great repute, had placed ample means at his disposal. He also fully realized how priceless a thing good education was. So under his benign care and ennobling influence 'Ali, judged by the standards of that time, naturally grew up to be a young man of good education. Wherry's second objection that if the Holy Prophet bad been illiterate and did not know how to read and write, he could not have proved such a successful businessman as he actually was, is born of the mistaken concept of a good and successful Arab businessman of the Holy Prophet's time. Wherry would not have made this objection if he had known that in Asia, even in the present twentieth century, there are highly successful businessmen who have not received even elementary education. In Mecca, in the Holy Prophet's time; education was not much in favor. There were very few persons who could read and write, but many carried on most successful and flourishing business. Education was not at that time regarded in Arabia as the sine qua non of a good businessman. Moreover, the fact that Khadijah had given the Prophet a slave named Maisarah who knew reading and writing and who always accompanied him on his trade journeys, knocks the bottom out of Wherry's objection. The tradition which says that the Holy Prophet had once asked Mu'awiyah to write correctly the letters ba' and s k does not seem to be quite reliable. In the 'Abbaside period many traditions derogatory to the Umayyads were forged. This tradition seeks to show off Mu'awiyah, a prominent member of the distinguished House of Umayyah, as a man of very poor education who could not even write properly such simple letters as ba' and sin. Even, however, if this tradition is proved to be reliable, it does not show that the Holy Prophet was literate because he had become so used to dictating the Qur'an that it was not impossible for him to have become familiar with the general form of letters and to have given instruction regarding an improperly written word. The fact that the Holy Prophet sent for pen and paper in the last moments of his life also lends no support to Wherry's assumption. It is an established fact of history that whenever any verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet used to send for pen and paper and dictate to one of his scribes what had been revealed to him. The mere fact of sending for pen and paper does not, therefore, prove that the Holy Prophet himself knew how to read and write. Nor do the words referred to by Wherry in support of his contention, viz., "read in the name of thy Lord," prove anything. The Arabic word Iqra' (read) used in 96:2 not only means the reading of a written thing but also repeating and rehearsing what one hears from another person. Moreover, the Hadith establishes the fact that when at the time of the first revelation the angel, Gabriel uttered the word Iqra' no writing was actually placed before the Prophet to read. He was simply asked to repeat orally what the angel was reciting to him. Further, the claim of some Christian writers that the idea that the Holy Prophet could not read or write originated with a misunderstanding of his repeated claim that he was the "unlettered Prophet," is as strange as it is ill-based. It is surprising that those with whom he had lived day and night for years and who daily saw him reading and writing could not find out whether or not he was illiterate and were misled into this belief simply by his own repeated claim that he was illiterate. The contention that his (the Holy Prophet's) use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned, betrays Wherry's ignorance of Arab and Islamic history. The fact is that there were no 'Ulama' or learned men among the Arabs in the time of the Holy Prophet in the sense in which this word is understood now, nor were they used to keeping amanuenses and scribes. There is no instance on record of an amanuensis having been kept by an Arab. There obtains complete unanimity of opinion among scholars that the Holy Prophet could neither read nor write before revelation began to come to him. The Qur'an is quite explicit on the point that the Prophet was not literate at least till he claimed to be a Divine Messenger (29:49). However, he had learnt to decipher a few words towards the later part of his life. 1059. For some of the prophecies of the Bible about the Holy Prophet see Matt. 23:39; John, 14:16, 26; 16:7-14; Deut. 18:18 and 33:2; Isa. 21:13-17 and 20:62. Song of Solomon, 1 :5, 6; Habakkuk 3-7. 1060. Whereas all the Divine Messengers who appeared before the Prophet of Islam were national Prophets whose teachings were meant for the peoples to whom they were sent and for the particular periods in which they were raised, the Holy Prophet was raised for the whole of mankind till the end of time. His advent was a unique event in human history. It sought to weld all the different nations and communities into one brotherhood-the Brotherhood of Man in which all the distinctions of color, clime and creed were completely obliterated. 1061. All the followers of Moses were not corrupt. Some among them were not only good themselves but also guided others to truth and acted justly. The Qur'an never condemns a people wholesale and indiscriminately. 1062. They only wronged themselves and could not harm the cause of truth. 1063. The Qaryah referred to in this verse is said to be Aila (Elath) on the Red Sea. It was situated on the N.E. arm of the Red Sea, in the Aelanitic Gulf (which has derived its name from the place itself') and is mentioned as one of the last stages of the Israelites during their wanderings (1 Kings, 9:26&2 Chron. 8:17). In Solomon's time the town came into the possession of the Israelites but afterwards it was probably taken from them. Later Uzziah reconquered it; but under Ahaz it was again lost (Enc. Bib. & Jew. Enc). 1064. Shurra'an also means; they came in shoals. 1064A. As no fish were caught on the Sabbath day, they had instinctively come to know the time when they were safe and therefore this instinctive feeling of security made them appear on the surface or approach near the coast in large numbers on the Sabbath day. This fact proved too strong a temptation for the Jews and they made arrangements to catch them on the Sabbath day and thus profaned it. 1066. This and the following several verses also show that the people who are spoken of as "apes despised" in the preceding verse were not actually transformed into apes but continued as human beings, though they led a miserable existence and were looked down upon by others. 1066A. It is clear from several verses of the Qur'an that God is very slow in punishing the sinners. He grants them respite again and again. The words mean that when punishment is finally decreed to overtake a people, it is swift in coming and nothing can retard its coming. 1067. 'Arad means, a thing that is not permanent; the paltry goods of the present world; worldly goods or commodities; an object of desire; (Lane). 1068. Darasa means, (1) he read or studied a book; (2) he effaced, erased or obliterated something (Lane). 1069. The leading men of Israel were brought to the foot of the mountain (Exod.19:17). It seemed to them to tower above them like a canopy which might at any time fall upon them. 1070. The verse may refer to the evidence embedded in the very nature of man about the existence of the Supreme Being Who has created the universe and controls it (30:31). Or it may refer to the appearance of Divine Prophets who show the way to God, the expression 'offspring from the children of Adam,' signifying the people of every age to whom a Messenger of God is sent. It is, in fact, the advent of every new Messenger which prompts the Divine query, Am I not your Lord? The query signifies that when God has made provision for the physical sustenance of man as well as for his moral and spiritual development, how can he deny His lordship. It is indeed by rejecting their Prophet that men bear witness against themselves; for in that case they cannot take shelter behind the excuse that they did not know God or His Law or the Day of Judgment. 1071. The appearance of a Prophet also debars the people of his time from urging the plea mentioned in v. 173 above, for then the truth is made Manifest from falsehood and idolatry stands publicly condemned. 1072. The reference here is not to any particular individual but to all persons to whom God shows Signs through a Prophet and who reject them. Similar expressions occur elsewhere in the Qur'an (e.g., 2:18). The verse has been particularly applied to one Bal'am bin Ba'tira who, it is related, lived in the time of Moses and who is reported to have been a virtuous man. Pride turned his head and he ended his life in disgrace. The verse may apply also to Abu Jahl or 'Abd Allah bin Ubayy bin Saltil or for that matter to every prominent leader of disbelief. 1073. Material things, specially love of money. 1074. Yalhath, (from Lahatha which means, his breath rose on account of fatigue or weariness), signifies that whether or not such a one is asked to make sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him completely exhausted. 1075. Lam is lam 'aqibat denoting end or result. The verse has thus nothing to do with the object of man's creation but only makes mention of the regrettable end of the life of many a man and jinn, (the latter word also meaning a special class of men, i.e., rulers or chiefs or great men). From the way in which they pass their days in sin and iniquity it seems as if they have been created for Hell. 1076. The proper name of God is Allah; all the rest strictly speaking are His attributes. While praying one should invoke such Divine attributes as are directly related to the object of one's prayer. 1077. Deviating from the right way with respect to God's attributes may signify that God being the Possessor of all the best attributes mentioned in the Qur'an or the Hadith, there is no need to devise other attributes for Him, which are inconsistent with His Majesty, Dignity and all-comprehensive Mercy. 1078. Sahib (companion) implies a refutation of the charge of insanity brought against the Holy Prophet, as well as a veiled rebuke to the Meccans. They are told that the Holy Prophet is their companion. He has lived and moved among them and they have known him for years; so they could easily see, and indeed in their heart of hearts they are convinced, that there is nothing of insanity about him. 1079. Do not the Meccans see the great and numerous changes that are taking place around them, which point to the approach of a new era? All signs point to the fact that idolatry is going to disappear from the country. giving place to Islam. The word "Kingdom" refers to the control which God exercises over heaven and earth. 1080. When disbelievers are rejecting the Qur'an which is such a perfect and complete Law, what else is there for them to believe in? 1081. Muma is noun-infinitive or noun of time or noun of place (Lane). 1082. The awarding of punishment is as painful to God as the receiving of it is to men and this is the meaning of the words, It lies heavy on the heavens and the earth; "heavens" representing God and angels, and "earth" representing human beings. 1083. Hafiyy means, showing much solicitude and manifesting joy or pleasure at meeting another; going to the utmost limit in asking or inquiring; or knowing in the utmost degree (Lane). 1084. One of the primary objects of marriage is that man and woman should be a source of comfort and solace to each other. Man is social by nature and it is his natural craving for a close companion which is supplied by marriage. 1085. The verse constitutes an open challenge to idol-worshippers to the effect that all animate and inanimate things that they call on besides Allah can never answer their prayers, because the idols do not possess the power to do so. But the Living God answers the prayers of His devotees. 1086. This and the next verse constitute an amplification of the challenge held out to disbelievers in the previous verse. They are challenged to call upon their gods to help them in their campaign against Islam, to make use of their entire resources and to muster all their forces to attack it; leaving no stone unturned to bring it to naught and to lose no time in attacking the Holy Prophet and then see what harm their combined and determined efforts do to him. God has promised to help His Prophet and to make his cause prosper and triumph (5:68 & 58:22). '1087. A person steeped in error refuses to accept the truth, however clear and unmistakable may be the Signs shown to him to establish the untenability of his position. The disbelievers see the cause of Islam advancing by rapid strides before their very eyes, yet they pretend not to see it and refuse to acknowledge it. 1087A. Urf means, such actions as are in harmony with unsullied human nature. 1088. These words signify that when righteous people are incited to anger by Satan; or when some mischief is stirred up against them by wicked men; they remember Allah. 1089. Basa'ir is the plural of Basirah which means, perceptive faculty of the mind; understanding; firm belief of the heart; constancy or firmness in religion; a testimony; argument; a witness; an example by which one is admonished; a shield (Lane). 1090. In answer to their demand for fresh Signs disbelievers are here told to listen to the Qur'an carefully, because it contains Signs and proofs enough and to spare. 1091. Asal (which is the plural of Asil means, the evening time) may refer to the four daily Prayers, viz., Zuhr (Afternoon Prayer), 'Asr (Late Afternoon Prayer), Maghrib (Sunset Prayer), and 'Isha' (Night Prayer), while Ghuduww may refer to the Fajr (Morning Prayer). 1091A. This verse embodies the first Sajdah of the Qur'an.
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