(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
Like the other Chapters of the Ha Mim group, this Surah was revealed at Mecca. But no exact date can be assigned to its revelation, though Noldeke places it immediately after 41st Surah. It opens with the statement that just as timely rain gives new life to dead earth, similarly a Divine Prophet is raised when men become morally corrupt. As men had become corrupt, so God now has raised the Holy Prophet Muhammad to regenerate them.

Subject-Matter
Like the preceding five Chapters the present Surah also opens with the subject of the Quranic revelation and Divine Unity which constitute its main themes, and adduces the creation of man and of all animal and vegetable life on earth, the coming down of timely rain from the clouds which quickens the dead earth, the marvellous creation of the universe and the complete and consummate design and order that pervade and permeate it as great Signs to establish the existence of an Unerring and All-Powerful Being behind all this, and proceeds to invite disbelievers to consider how the Wise Being, Who has made such wonderful provision for man's short and temporary life on earth, could have failed to make similar provision for his eternal life. This provision for man's spiritual sustenance has been made in the revelation that descends upon God's Messengers to lead him to the achievement of the great goal of his life.

The Surah then says that God does not allow the arrangement which He has made for the moral and spiritual regeneration of man to be interfered with, and so He does not allow a forger of lies to prosper. Sooner or later the impostor comes to grief. But the Holy Prophet's mission is making uniform progress. This is proof positive of the fact that he is not a liar but a true Messenger of God.

The Surah then gives one more argument to prove and substantiate the claim of the Holy Prophet, viz., that all the forces of nature are working in support and furtherance of his cause. It is, therefore, bound to succeed. Next, a brief reference is made to the Mosaic Dispensation and it is stated that the Qur'an has been revealed because the Torah had failed to satisfy the spiritual needs of man. It also fulfils the prophecies made in the Torah about the advent of a Prophet from among the brethren of the Israelites (Deut. 18:18).

The Surah further tells disbelievers that God has created man to achieve a great and noble goal; therefore a better and fuller life which knows no end awaits him in the next world. It is only in this way that the creation of man can be justified. The Surah closes with a brief but very effective description of the Day of Judgment. But before that day comes, the   disbelievers will have to give an explanation in this very life, why they disobeyed and defied the Prophets of God. They are warned that if they did not repent and mend their ways, they will be doomed to a life of failure and frustration.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[45:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

حم
[45:2] Ha Mim[2705A].

تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنْ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ
[45:3] The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.

إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لآياتٍ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[45:4] Verily in the heavens and the earth are Signs for those who believe.

وَفِي خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ آيَاتٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
[45:5] And in your own creation and in that of all the creatures which He scatters in the earth are Signs for a people who possess firm faith.

وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ رِزْقٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ آيَاتٌ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

[45:6] And in the alternation of night and day, and the provision that Allah sends down from the sky, whereby He quickens the earth after its death, and in the change of the winds[2706], are Signs for a people who try to understand.

تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ
[45:7] These are the Signs of Allah which We rehearse unto thee with truth. In what word, then, after[2707] rejecting that of Allah and His Signs will they believe?

وَيْلٌ لِكُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ
[45:8] Woe to every sinful liar,

يَسْمَعُ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
[45:9] Who hears the Signs of Allah recited unto him, and then proudly persists in his disbelief, as though he heard them not. So give him the tidings of a painful punishment.

وَإِذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا شَيْئًا اتَّخَذَهَا هُزُوًا أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ
[45:10] And when he learns something of Our Signs, he makes a jest of them. For such there is an abasing punishment.

مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَلاَ يُغْنِي عَنْهُمْ مَا كَسَبُوا شَيْئًا وَلاَ مَا اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

[45:11] Before them is Hell; and that which they have earned shall not avail them aught, nor shall those whom they have taken for protectors beside Allah. And they will have a great punishment.

هَذَا هُدًى وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِنْ رِجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ
[45:12] This is guidance. And for those who disbelieve in the Signs of their Lord is the torture of a painful punishment.

اللَّهُ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ الْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِيَ الْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

[45:13] Allah it is Who has subjected the sea to you that ships may sail thereon by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may be grateful.

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِنْهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
[45:14] And He has subjected to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth: all this is from Him. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect.[2708]

قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يَغْفِرُوا لِلَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ أَيَّامَ اللَّهِ لِيَجْزِيَ قَوْمًا بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ
[45:15] Tell those who believe to forgive those who persecute them and fear not the Days of Allah[2709], that He may requite a people for what they earn.

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
[45:16] Whoso does right, does it for his own soul; and whoso does wrong, does so to its detriment. Then to your Lord will you all be brought back.

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

[45:17] And verily, We gave the children of Israel the Book, and sovereignty, and prophethood[2710]; and We provided them with good and pure things, and We exalted them over the peoples of the time.

وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ بَيِّنَاتٍ مِنْ الأَمْرِ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

[45:18] And We gave them clear Signs regarding this affair[2711]. And they did not differ but after true knowledge had come to them, through mutual envy. Verily, thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differed.

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنْ الأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
[45:19] Then We set thee on a clear path in the matter of religion; so follow it, and follow not the evil inclinations of those who know not.[2712]

إِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُغْنُوا عَنكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

[45:20] Verily, they will not avail thee aught against Allah. And as for the wrongdoers, some of them are friends of others; but Allah is the Friend of the righteous.

هَذَا بَصَائِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
[45:21] This Book contains clear evidences for mankind and is a guidance and a mercy for a people who possess firm faith.

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

[45:22] Do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall make them like those who believe and do good works, so that their life and their death shall be equal? Evil indeed is what they judge.

وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ
[45:23] And Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth and that every soul may be requited for that which it earns; and they shall not be wronged.

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَى سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَى بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَنْ يَهْدِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ

[45:24] Hast thou seen him who conceives of his god according to his own fancy, and whom Allah has adjudged astray on basis of His knowledge, and whose ears and whose heart He has sealed up, and on whose eyes He has put a covering? Who, then, will guide him after Allah has condemned him? Will you not then heed?

وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلاَّ الدَّهْرُ وَمَا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ يَظُنُّونَ

[45:25] And they say, ‘There is nothing but this our present life; we die and we live here; and nothing but Time[2713] destroys us.’ But they have no knowledge of that; they do but conjecture.

وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ مَا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلاَّ أَنْ قَالُوا ائْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

[45:26] And when Our clear Signs are recited unto them, their only contention[2714] is that they say, ‘Bring back our fathers, if you are truthful.’

قُلِ اللَّهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

[45:27] Say, ‘It is Allah Who gives you life, then causes you to die; then He will gather you together unto the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. But most men know not.’

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَخْسَرُ الْمُبْطِلُونَ
[45:28] To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and on the day when the Hour shall come, on that day those who follow falsehood will be the losers.

وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَابِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
[45:29] And thou wilt see every people on their knees. Every people will be summoned to their record[2714A], and it shall be said to them, ‘This day shall you be requited for that which you did.

هَذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
[45:30] ‘This is Our Book[2715]; it speaks against you with truth. We caused all that you did to be fully recorded.’

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ
[45:31] Now as for those who believed and did good works, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is the clear achievement.

وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَفَلَمْ تَكُنْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ وَكُنتُمْ قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ
[45:32] But as to those who disbelieved: “Were not My Signs recited unto you? But you were arrogant, and were a guilty people.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهَا قُلْتُمْ مَا نَدْرِي مَا السَّاعَةُ إِنْ نَظُنُّ إِلاَّ ظَنًّا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُسْتَيْقِنِينَ

[45:33] “And when it was said, ‘The promise of Allah is certainly true, and as to the Hour, there is no doubt about its coming,’ you said, ‘We know not what the Hour is; we think it to be nothing but a conjecture, and we are not convinced.’ ”

وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّئَاتُ مَا عَمِلُوا وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُون
[45:34] And the evil consequences of their deeds will become apparent to them, and that which they used to mock at shall encompass them.

وَقِيلَ الْيَوْمَ نَنسَاكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا وَمَأْوَاكُمْ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ نَاصِرِينَ
[45:35] And it will be said to them, ‘This day shall We forget you, as you forgot the meeting of this day of yours[2716]. And your resort is the Fire, and you will have no helpers.

ذَلِكُمْ بِأَنَّكُمْ اتَّخَذْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا وَغَرَّتْكُمْ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فَالْيَوْمَ لاَ يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلاَ هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ

[45:36] ‘This is so, because you made a jest of the Signs of Allah, and the life of the world deceived you.’ Therefore, that day they will not be taken out from thence, nor will they be taken back into favour.

فَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبِّ الأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[45:37] All praise, then, belongs to Allah, Lord of the heavens, and Lord of the earth, the Lord of all the worlds.

وَلَهُ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
[45:38] And His is the majesty in the heavens and the earth; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.

2705A. See 2592
2706.  Just as light follows darkness, similarly when spiritual darkness spreads over the entire earth, God creates a new light in the form of a Prophet or Divine Reformer to whom He reveals Himself. And just as winds carry pollen from male to female trees in order to fecundate them, in the same way the spiritually elevating ideas that emanate from a Divine Reformer impregnate the minds of believers and bring about spiritual revolution in them.

2707. Ba'd means; after; in spite of; contrary to or against; in addition to (Lane).

2708. The whole universe has been created to serve man. This shows that he has a great mission to fulfill.

2709. See 1454.

2710. Mention of Prophethood, separate from "the Book" (which means the Law or the Shari'ah) shows that while Moses was given the Law, the Prophets who came after him brought no new Law but followed the Torah-the Book of Moses (5: 45).

2711. "The Affair" signifies "the Affair of the Holy Prophet" and the verse purports to say that the Book of Moses contains many clear prophecies about the advent of the Holy Prophet and that the Israelites did not reject him because there was any dearth of arguments and Signs and Divine prophecies to support and establish his claim but because of 'mutual envy,' i.e., they did not like the very idea that a Prophet should have appeared from among the non-Israelites.

2712. It is clear from the verse that "the Affair" referred to in the preceding verse signifies the advent of the Holy Prophet and the Quranic revelation.

2713. Dahr means: (a) Time from the beginning of the world to its end; any period or portion of time; (b) fate; (c) an epoch; (d) vicissitudes of time, calamity; (e) custom, etc. (Lane). The verse purports to say that when disbelievers are told that they will have to render an account of their deeds before God in the next life, they refuse to believe that there is or can be any such life. On the contrary, they allege that one people die and another people take their place and this process goes on till with the passage of time matter becomes dissolved and is thus utterly destroyed. This is the be-all and end-all of human existence and there is no life hereafter.

2714. Hujjah means, argument; plea; excuse; contention (Lane).

2714A. The words, 'every people will be summoned to its Book,' suggest that the "Hour" referred to in the previous verse signifies the hour of the reckoning of a people in this very life, because in this life also nations are judged by their deeds and are punished or rewarded accordingly.

2715. The expression 'its Book' mentioned in the previous verse has been substituted by the expression, 'Our Book,' in the present verse, because the record of the deeds or actions of nations and individuals is preserved by God and they are judged and requited by Him accordingly.

2716.  This day of your promised punishment.