(Revealed after Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
This is the first of the last ten Medinite Chapters of the Qur'an which end with Chapter 66. It seems to have been revealed after the conquest of Mecca or the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, as is clear from the mention of al-Fath (the Victory) in v. 1 1 which refers to the Fall of Mecca or, according to some, more appropriately to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah. The series of the Meccan Chapters which began with AI-Saba' and which, with the exception of the three intervening Medinite Chapters-Muhammad, Al-Fath and AIHujurat- had continued without interruption, ended with the preceding Chapter and had completed the subject matter of the Meccan Surahs. With the present Surah, however, begins a new series of Medinite Chapters, which end with AI-Tahrim.

In the preceding Surah it is stated that the Qur'an is a well-preserved Book (v. 79) which among other things signifies that its teachings are in perfect harmony with natural laws and with the dictates and demands of human nature, reason and commonsense. The present Surah opens with the Divine attributes: the Mighty, the Wise. And quite naturally, the Being Who is Wise and Mighty must have revealed a Book whose teachings are consistent with the laws of nature and with human reason and conscience.

Subject-Matter
In the previous seven Meccan Surahs, especially in the three immediately preceding ones -Al-Qamar, Al-Rahman and Al Waqi'ah- it was repeatedly declared, in a forceful though metaphorical language, that a great reformation, a veritable resurrection, was about to be brought about by the Holy Prophet among a people who for long centuries had grovel in moral dust and dirt; and who, because they had no living relations with civilized society, were looked down upon as pariahs among nations.

The present Surah points out that the great day of the phenomenal progress and power of that pariah nation-the Arabs-has already dawned and that the eventual victory of truth over falsehood is in sight. But there are essential conditions to be fulfilled before that consummation takes place. There must be on the part of Muslims a firm and invincible faith in the truth of Islamic ideals and a preparedness to make necessary sacrifice of life and property for the furtherance of its cause.

The believers then are told that after they have acquired power and prosperity they should not neglect moral ideals and indulge in the pursuit of transitory material pleasures. The Surah continues the theme, namely, that from time immemorial God's Messengers have been appearing in the world to lead men to the goal of their lives which is to win the pleasure of God, and which cannot be attained by leading a life of complete renunciation or flight from the world, as Jesus's followers mistakenly had thought and practised, but by making proper use of natural powers and faculties, bestowed by God on man and of the things He has created for his use.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[57:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
[57:2] Whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies[2981] Allah; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.

لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يُحْيِ وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
[57:3] His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He gives life and He causes death[2982]; and He has power over all things.

هُوَ الأَوَّلُ وَالآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
[57:4] He is the First[2983] and the Last[2984], and the Manifest[2985] and the Hidden[2986], and He knows all things full well.

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

[57:5] He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, then He settled Himself on the Throne. He knows what enters the earth and what comes out of it, and what comes down from heaven and what goes up into it[2987]. And He is with you wheresoever you may be. And Allah sees all that you do.

لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الأُمُورُ
[57:6] His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah are all affairs referred.

يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَهُوَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
[57:7] He causes the night to pass into the day and causes the day to pass into the night; and He knows full well all that is in the breasts.

آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُمْ مُسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْفَقُوا لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ

[57:8] Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend in the way of Allah out of that to which He has made you heirs. And those of you who believe and spend will have a great reward.

وَمَا لَكُمْ لاَ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
[57:9] Why is it that you believe not in Allah, while the Messenger calls you to believe in your Lord, and He has already taken a covenant[2988] from you, if indeed you are believers?

هُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ لِيُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

[57:10] He it is Who sends down clear Signs to His servant, that He may bring you out of every kind of darkness into the light. And verily, Allah is Compassionate and Merciful to you.

وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلاَّ تُنْفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ يَسْتَوِي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ أُوْلَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنْ الَّذِينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

[57:11] And why is it that you spend not in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the heritage[2989] of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who spent and fought before the Victory[2990] are not equal to those who did so later. They are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. And to all has Allah promised good. And Allah is Well-Aware of what you do.

مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ
[57:12] Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan? So He will increase it manifold for him, and he will have a generous reward.

يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَى نُورُهُمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ بُشْرَاكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

[57:13] And think of the day when thou wilt see the believing men and the believing women, their light running before them and on their right hands, and it will be said to them, ‘Glad tidings for you this day! Gardens through which streams flow, wherein you will abide. That is the supreme triumph.’

يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا انْظُرُونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِنْ نُورِكُمْ قِيلَ ارْجِعُوا وَرَاءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورًا فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِسُورٍ لَهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّحْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُهُ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ

[57:14] On the day when the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will say to those who believe, ‘Wait a while for us that we may take light from your light[2991],’ it will be said to them, ‘Go ye back[2992] if you can, and seek for light.’ Then there will be set up between them a wall[2993] with a door in it. The inside of it will be all mercy and in front, outside it, will be torment.

يُنَادُونَهُمْ أَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَعَكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى وَلَكِنَّكُمْ فَتَنْتُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَتَرَبَّصْتُمْ وَارْتَبْتُمْ وَغَرَّتْكُمُ الأَمَانِيُّ حَتَّى جَاءَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَغَرَّكُمْ بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ

[57:15] They will call out to them, saying, ‘Were we not with you?’ They will answer, ‘Yea, but you led yourselves into temptation and you hesitated and doubted and your vain desires deceived you till the decree of Allah[2994] came to pass. And the Deceiver deceived you in respect of Allah.

فَالْيَوْمَ لاَ يُؤْخَذُ مِنْكُمْ فِدْيَةٌ وَلاَ مِنْ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مَأْوَاكُمُ النَّارُ هِيَ مَوْلاَكُمْ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
[57:16] ‘So this day no ransom shall be accepted from you, nor from those who disbelieved. Your final abode is the Fire; that is your friend[2995]; and a very evil destination it is.’

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنْ الْحَقِّ وَلاَ يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

[57:17] Has not the time arrived for those who believe that their hearts should feel humbled at the remembrance of Allah and at the truth which has come down to them, and that they should not become like those who were given the Book before them and the term was prolonged for them, but their hearts were hardened, and many of them are wicked?

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْيِ الأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الآياتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
[57:18] Know that Allah is now quickening the earth after its death. We have made the Signs manifest to you, that you may understand.

إِنَّ الْمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَالْمُصَّدِّقَاتِ وَأَقْرَضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمْ وَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ
[57:19] As to the men that give alms, and the women that give alms, and those who lend to Allah a goodly loan — it will be increased manifold for them, and theirs will also be an honourable reward —

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الصِّدِّيقُونَ وَالشُّهَدَاءُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ

[57:20] And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and they are the Truthful and the Witnesses in the sight of their Lord, they will have their reward and their light. But as for those who disbelieve and reject Our Signs, these are the inmates of Hell.

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الأَمْوالِ وَالأَوْلاَدِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

[57:21] Know that the life of this world is only a sport and a pastime, and an adornment, and a source of boasting among yourselves, and of rivalry in multiplying riches and children. This life is like the rain the vegetation produced whereby rejoices the tillers. Then it dries up and thou seest it turn yellow; then it becomes broken pieces of straw. And in the Hereafter there is severe punishment, and also forgiveness from Allah, and His pleasure. And the life of this world is nothing but temporary enjoyment of deceitful things.

سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

[57:22] Vie with one another in seeking forgiveness from your Lord and for a Garden the value[2996] whereof is equal to the value of the heaven and the earth; it has been prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. That is Allah’s grace; He bestows it upon whomsoever He pleases, and Allah is the Lord of immense grace.

مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ

[57:23] There befalls not any calamity either in the earth or in your own persons, but it is recorded in a Book[2996A] before We bring it into being — surely, that is easy for Allah —

لِكَيْلاَ تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
[57:24] That you may not grieve over what is lost to you nor exult because of that which He has given to you. And Allah loves not any selfconceited boaster,

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
[57:25] Such as are niggardly and also enjoin upon men to be niggardly. And whoso turns his back, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Worthy of all praise.

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

[57:26] Verily, We sent Our Messengers with manifest Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance[2997] that people may act with justice; and We sent down iron[2998], wherein is material for violent warfare and many benefits for mankind, and that Allah may distinguish those who help Him and His Messengers without having seen Him. Surely, Allah is Powerful, Mighty.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ فَمِنْهُمْ مُهْتَدٍ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

[57:27] And We did send Noah and Abraham, and We placed among their seed prophethood and the Book. So some of them followed the guidance, but many of them were rebellious.

ثُمَّ قَفَّيْنَا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيْنَا بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الإِنجِيلَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا فَآتَيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

[57:28] Then We caused Our Messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who accepted him compassion and mercy. But monasticism which they invented for themselves — We did not prescribe it for them — for the seeking of Allah’s pleasure[2999]; but they did not observe it with due observance. Yet We gave those of them who believed their due reward, but many of them are rebellious.

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

[57:29] O ye who believe! fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will give you a double share of His mercy, and will provide for you a light wherein you will walk, and will grant you forgiveness — and verily Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful —

لِئَلّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَلاَّ يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَأَنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

[57:30] That the People of the Book may not think that they (the Muslims) have no power to attain aught of the grace[3000] of Allah; whereas grace is entirely in the hands of Allah. He gives it to whomsoever He pleases. And Allah is the Master of immense grace.

2981. Sabaha Fi Hawa'ijihi means, he busied himself in earning his subsistence or in his affairs. Sabh signifies doing one's work or doing it with utmost effort and quickly, and the expression Subhan Allah denotes quickness in betaking oneself to God and agility in serving or obeying Him. In view of the root-meaning of this word, the Infinitive Noun Tasbih from Sabbaha means, declaring God to be far from every imperfection or defect or betaking oneself quickly to God's service and to be prompt in obeying Him saying Subhan Allah (Lane). The verse thus means that everything in the universe is doing its allotted task punctually and regularly, and by making use of the faculties and powers bestowed upon it by God is fulfilling the object of its creation in such a wonderful manner that one is irresistibly drawn to the conclusion that the Designer and Architect of the universe is, indeed, Mighty and Wise and that the whole world collectively and every created thing individually and in its own limited sphere, bears testimony to the undeniable truth that God's handiwork is absolutely free from every flaw, defect or imperfection in all its multifarious and multitudinous aspects. This is the significance of Tasbih.

2982. The process of construction and destruction is in operation simultaneously every moment in everything in the universe.

2983. God is the First Cause of all things.

2984. He is the Last and Final Cause.

2985. He is manifest in His works; or is more manifest than anything else.

2986. There is nothing hidden from God; or whereas He comprehends everything He Himself is Incomprehensible.

2987. The meaning is that God alone knows when a particular Divine Teaching is needed for a particular people; also when to take it back to heaven, i.e., to abrogate it; when it is corrupted and ceases to fulfill the spiritual needs of the people to whom it is given. And He alone knows when to reveal a new Teaching

2988. “The covenant” spoken of in the verse signifies the faith in God implanted in human nature and the longing to achieve His nearness.

2989. Man will have to leave behind in this world all his material possessions, which in truth belong to God.

2990.  Fall of Mecca or the Treaty of Hudaibiyah.

2991. "Your light" may mean the light of your faith and good actions or, the light of Divine realization and of the capacity to seek and achieve the pleasure of God in this very life.

2992. The word Wara'akum may signify the present life.

2993. “A wall” might signify the wall of Islam or of the Qur'an. As the disbelievers remain outside this wall so this action of theirs will take the form of a wall in the Hereafter.

2994. Divine punishment.

2995. The words, 'that is your comrade,' seem to have been used ironically. Or, they may mean that only the fire of Hell will purify them of the impurities and dross of sins committed by disbelievers in this life and will make them fit for spiritual progress and thus will be a "friend" to them.

2996. 'Ard meaning value and vastness, the verse signifies that (a) the reward of the righteous in the Hereafter will be beyond measure or count. (b) Paradise being as extensive as both the heavens and the earth-the whole space-it comprises Hell also. This shows that Paradise and Hell are not two distinct and separate places but two conditions or states of mind. A well-known saying of the Holy Prophet gives an insight into the Quranic conception of Paradise and Hell. Once on being asked by some of his Companions: 'If Paradise comprises in its vastness heavens and earth, where is Hell,' the Holy Prophet is reported to have replied, 'Where is the night when the day comes' (Kathir).

2996A.  Kitab may signify Divine Law or knowledge, or the Qur'an, and the verse may mean that everything is subject to a certain law of nature or that the causes and cures of miseries befalling nations and individuals have been mentioned in the Qur'an.

2997. Mizan may mean, (a) Principles of equity which people are enjoined to observe in their dealings with others. (b) Standards by which human actions are measured, weighed, appraised and judged. (c) Balance which pervades the whole universe maintaining just equilibrium among all things. (d) Practice of the Holy Prophet and right use of the Book of God. (e) Following the golden mean and avoiding extremes. (f) Reasons and arguments based on observation and experience.

2998. Al-Hadid (iron) is the metal which perhaps has played the greatest and most useful part in the growth and development of human civilization. The word may also signify the power to compel obedience to the laws upon which the whole existence of human society depends. Thus the verse means that God has sent down three things: (a) Divine Laws; (b) the system which maintains just equilibrium in human social relations and (c) political power which compels obedience to Divine Laws.

2999. The verse may mean that the followers of Jesus invented monasticism in order to seek Allah's pleasure but Allah had not prescribed it for them; or the meaning is that they invented monasticism which God had not prescribed for them-He had only prescribed for them the seeking of His pleasure. In v. 26 it was stated that God had sent down al-Mizan in order that by avoiding extremes people should adopt the golden mean in all their affairs and actions. In the present verse the example of a people-the Christians-has been cited to show that the adoption of an extreme course by them, with howsoever good intentions, led them away from the goal they had sought to attain. They invented the institution of monkery in order, as they mistakenly thought, to seek the pleasure of God, and in conformity with, according to them, Jesus's own teaching and practice, but it proved to be a source of many social evils. They started with adopting monasticism and ended by giving themselves up to the worship of Mammon. Islam, however, has decried and deplored monasticism as repugnant to human nature. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: "There is no monasticism in Islam" (Athir). Islam is not a religion of visionaries who live in a world of their own conception or creation, entirely divorced from the hard realities of life. There is no place in Islam for such an impracticable teaching as "take no thought for the morrow" (Matt. 6:34). It emphatically enjoins a Muslim "to look to what he sends forth for the morrow" (59:19). A true Muslim is one who discharges equally and completely all his obligations to God and man.

3000. Let the People of the Book disabuse their minds of the false notion that Divine grace is their monopoly and know that now God had transferred it to another people-the followers of Islam.