(Revealed before Hijrah)
Date of Revelation, Context and Subject-Matter
This Surah is generally considered to have been revealed on the Holy Prophet's return from Ta'if, where, after he had almost despaired of the Meccans from whom he had received nothing but ridicule, opposition and persecution, he had gone to preach his Message. The visit to Ta'if took place two years before Hijrah when the opposition to the new Faith had taken an ugly turn and the condition of the Holy Prophet and his followers had become desperate in the extreme. If, as some authorities are of the view, the Surah relates to an incident other than the one mentioned in Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:30-33), then it might have been revealed much earlier.
The context and contents of the Surah seem to lend some weight to the latter view. In the preceding Surah it was stated that the lifelong preaching of Noah had met with only gibes and jeers, and that only a few persons other than his near relatives had given him their allegiance-even his son and wife taking an active part in opposition to him. In order to show that there existed a similarity between the circumstances of Noah and those of the Holy Prophet it is stated that a party of the jinn-a people not known to the Holy Prophet before-visited him, listened to the Qur'an and at once believed in him.
The Surah gives a fairly long account of the beliefs and doctrines of these people, their conduct and outlook on life, and emphatically affirms that it is impossible for anyone to distort or tamper with the revealed Word of God because, like a precious treasure, it is strongly guarded by Divine sentinels. Towards the end, it is stated that whenever a Divine Teacher calls men to God, the forces of evil try to stifle his voice, but the Teacher carries on his mission, undeterred by the machinations of evilly-disposed people.
The Surah closes with an infallible criterion to test the Divine Source of the Message of a Prophet, viz., that it contains prophecies about great world events which human knowledge cannot foresee or foretell, and also that the Prophet succeeds in delivering his Message and fulfils his mission.
 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[72:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
 قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِنْ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا
[72:2] Say, “It has been revealed to me that a company[3136] of the Jinn listened, and they said: ‘Truly we have heard a Qur’an that is wonderful,[3137]
 يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ وَلَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَا أَحَدًا
[72:3] ‘It guides to the right way; so we have believed in it, and we will not associate any one with our Lord.[3138]
 وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَةً وَلاَ وَلَدًا
[72:4] ‘And we believe that the majesty of our Lord is exalted. He has taken neither wife nor son unto Himself.
 وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطًا
[72:5] ‘And it is true that the foolish amongst us used to utter extravagant lies concerning Allah.
 وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَنْ لَنْ تَقُولَ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا
[72:6] ‘And we thought that men and Jinn would never speak a lie concerning Allah.
 وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنْ الإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِنْ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا
[72:7] ‘And indeed some men[3139] from among the common folk used to seek the protection of some men from among the Jinn, and they thus increased the latter in their pride;
 وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوا كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا
[72:8] ‘And indeed they thought, even as you think, that Allah would never raise any Messenger.[3140]
 وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَاءَ فَوَجَدْنَاهَا مُلِئَتْ حَرَسًا شَدِيدًا وَشُهُبًا
[72:9] ‘And we sought to reach heaven[3141], but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.
 وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْهَا مَقَاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ فَمَنْ يَسْتَمِعْ الآنَ يَجِدْ لَهُ شِهَابًا رَصَدًا
[72:10] ‘And we used to sit on some of its seats to listen. But whoso listens now, finds a shooting star in ambush[3142] for him.
 وَأَنَّا لاَ نَدْرِي أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ أَمْ أَرَادَ بِهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ رَشَدًا
[72:11] ‘And we know not whether evil is intended for those who are in the earth or whether their Lord intends something good for them.
 وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَلِكَ كُنَّا طَرَائِقَ قِدَدًا
[72:12] ‘And some of us are righteous and some of us are otherwise; and we are sects holding different views.
 وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَنْ لَنْ نُعجِزَ اللَّهَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلَنْ نُعْجِزَهُ هَرَبًا
[72:13] ‘And we know that we cannot frustrate the plan of Allah in the earth, nor can we escape Him by flight.
 وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعْنَا الْهُدَى آمَنَّا بِهِ فَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِرَبِّهِ فَلاَ يَخَافُ بَخْسًا وَلاَ رَهَقًا
[72:14] ‘And when we heard the call to guidance, we believed in it. And he who believes in his Lord has no fear of loss or injustice.
 وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا
[72:15] ‘And some of us submit to God and some of us have deviated from the right course.’” And those who submit to God — it is these who seek the right course.
 وَأَمَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَكَانُوا لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًا
[72:16] And as for those who deviate from the right course, they are the fuel of Hell.
 وَأَلَّوْ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ لأَسْقَيْنَاهُمْ مَاءً غَدَقًا
[72:17] And if they keep to the right path, We shall certainly provide them with abundant water to drink,[3143]
 لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ وَمَنْ يُعْرِضْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِ يَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا
[72:18] That We may try them thereby. And whoso turns away from the remembrance of his Lord — He will push him into an overwhelmingly severe punishment.
 وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلاَ تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا
[72:19] And all places of worship[3144] belong to Allah; so call not on any one beside Allah.
 وَأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًا
[72:20] And when the Servant of Allah[3145] stands up praying to Him, they crowd upon him, well nigh suffocating him.
 قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَدْعُو رَبِّي وَلاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ أَحَدًا
[72:21] Say, ‘I pray to my Lord only, and I associate no one with Him.’
 قُلْ إِنِّي لاَ أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلاَ رَشَدًا
[72:22] Say, ‘I have no power to do you either harm or good.’
 قُلْ إِنِّي لَنْ يُجِيرَنِي مِنْ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَدًا
[72:23] Say, ‘Surely none can protect me against Allah, nor can I find any place of refuge beside Him.
 إِلاَّ بَلاَغًا مِنْ اللَّهِ وَرِسَالاَتِهِ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا
[72:24] ‘My responsibility is only to convey the revelation from Allah, and His Messages.’ And for those who disobey Allah and His Messenger there is the fire of Hell, wherein they will abide for a long, long period.[3146]
 حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَوْا مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَضْعَفُ نَاصِرًا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدًا
[72:25] They will continue to disbelieve until they see that which they are promised, and soon they will know who is weaker in helpers and fewer in numbers.
 قُلْ إِنْ أَدْرِي أَقَرِيبٌ مَا تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ رَبِّي أَمَدًا
[72:26] Say, ‘I know not whether that which you are promised is nigh or whether my Lord has fixed for it a distant term.’
 عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاَ يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا
[72:27] He is the Knower of the unseen; and He reveals[3147] not His secrets to any one,
 إِلاَّ مَنْ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا
[72:28] Except to him whom He chooses, namely a Messenger of His. And then He causes an escort of guarding angels to go before him and behind him,[3148]
 لِيَعْلَمَ أَنْ قَدْ أَبْلَغُوا رِسَالاَتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ وَأَحْصَى كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عَدَدًا
[72:29] That He may know that they (His Messengers) have delivered the Messages of their Lord[3149]. And He encompasses all that is with them and He keeps count of all things.
3136. see 2733.
3137. The reference may be to a party of the Jews of Nasibin. They were non-Arabs and being strangers they have been called 'jinn' which word among other things means, a stranger (Lane). The incident mentioned in this verse seems to be different from the one referred to in 46:30-33, though the verse is taken by some authorities to refer to those verses, because the words put in the mouth of 'a company of the jinn' in the present verse possess a seeming resemblance with the words spoken by a party of the jinn referred to in 46:30-33.
3138. The verse shows that 'a company of the jinn' were either Unitarian Christians, or such Jews as were closely associated with them or; being under their influence, were conversant with Christian beliefs.
3139. As the word Rijal is used only with regard to human beings, the verse shows that 'a company of the jinn,' mentioned in this and in Surah Al-Ahqaf were human beings and not any other species of creation. The Arabic word jinn here may signify big or influential men and Ins lowly and humble ones who, by following the former and seeking their protection, increase their conceit and arrogance.
3140. The Jews had ceased to believe as early as in the time of the Prophet Joseph that any Divine Messenger would ever appear after him (40:35).
3141. The expression, 'Seeking to reach heaven,' means, trying to steal the secrets of the unknown. When a Divine Reformer is about to make his appearance in the world, an unusual shooting of stars takes place. It is to this exceptional natural phenomenon that reference seems to have been made in this verse.
3142. Before the appearance of a Divine Reformer, soothsayers and diviners dabble in occult sciences, and with the help of their questionable practices seek to hoodwink simple folk by posing to be able to have access to the secrets of the unknown and, being adept in the art of cheating, succeed in playing upon their credulity. But with the advent of a Heavenly Reformer their deceit is exposed and their counterfeit knowledge of the unseen becomes unmasked as only a superficial and fragmentary acquaintance with astrology. The word "now" is used here particularly with respect to the time of the Holy Prophet, but it may also signify the time of every great Divine Reformer. See also 37:7-10.
3143. Water being the source of all life, "abundant water" signifies abundance of wealth and other material gains.
3144. In the foregoing verses it is declared that with the advent of the Holy Prophet God's plan with regard to the establishment of Divine Unity has become manifest. The verse under comment states that mosques would henceforth be the centre from which the light of Truth will emanate and spread throughout the world.
3145. The epithet, 'The Servant of Allah,' refers to the Holy Prophet, he being God's servant par excellence, but it may also be applied to every Divine Messenger or Reformer.
3146. The difference between Amad and Abad is that whereas the former word means time limited in duration, the latter means time everlasting (Lane).
3147. The expression, Izhar 'ala al-Ghaib, means; to be given knowledge frequently and in abundance of the secrets of the unknown that relate to and concern events of the greatest import.
3148. The verse embodies an incontestable criterion to distinguish between the nature and scope of the secrets of the unknown that are revealed to a Divine Messenger and those that aredisclosed to other righteous believers. The distinction lies in the fact that whereas God's Messengers are granted lzhar 'ala al-Ghaib, i.e., predominance over the unseen, secrets revealed to other righteous and holy men of God do not enjoy this distinction. Moreover, revelation granted to God's Messengers, being under special Divine protection, is secure against being distorted or tampered with by evil spirits, while secrets revealed to otherrighteous men are not so safe.
3149. The revelation of Divine Messengers is granted security against being distorted or tampered with, because they have a great Divine mission to fulfill and a great Heavenly Message to deliver.
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