(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
With this Surah begins a series of Chapters, extending to the end of the Qur'an, which were revealed before Hijrah with the solitary exception of Surah Al-Nasr which, though belonging to the Medinite period, was actually revealed at Mecca on the occasion of the Holy Prophet's Last Pilgrimage. The whole of the Qur'an being God's own revealed Word is simply inimitable and inapproachable in subject-matter, style and diction but the Chapters revealed at Mecca in the early years of the Prophet's Call possess a majesty and grandeur, all their own. The beauty of rhythm and the charm of cadence of the revelations of this period are beyond human power adequately to describe.

As these Chapters generally deal with matters of belief and doctrine, e.g., prophecies about the great and glorious future of Islam, Existence of God and His attributes, Revelation, Resurrection and Life after death, much symbolism has necessarily been used to describe the mystical and the spiritual in terms of what we can perceive by our physical senses. This Surah belongs to the middle Meccan period-8th year of the Call being the approximate time when, according to competent authorities, it was revealed.

Subject-Matter
As stated above, the Meccan Surahs generally deal with matters of belief. The present Surah naturally opens with proclaiming the Lordship, Sovereignty and Almightiness of God, and as proof of these Divine attributes adduces the fact that God is the Creator of life and death and of the whole universe through whose component parts, from the smallest atom to the largest planet, there runs a wonderful and flawless design and arrangement. The creation of the universe and the beautiful order that pervades the cosmos are proofs positive of the fact that God is and that He has created man to serve a sublime object and to achieve a noble goal. But man in his perversity and ingratitude has always rejected God's Message and consequently has incurred His displeasure.

The Surah recounts the manifold Divine blessings and favours without which man cannot exist for a single moment and, by implication, calls upon him to make proper use of them for the realization of the purpose for which he has been created. It closes with a beautiful homily, thereby bringing home to man the supreme truth that just as no physical life can exist without water, so spiritual life, too, needs for its sustenance the heavenly water of Divine revelation.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[67:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
[67:2] Blessed is He in Whose hand is the kingdom, and He has power over all things;

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ
[67:3] Who has created death[3079] and life that He might try you — which of you is best in deeds; and He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving.

الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا مَا تَرَى فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَنِ مِنْ تَفَاوُتٍ فَارْجِعْ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ فُطُور

[67:4] Who has created seven heavens in harmony[3079A]. No incongruity canst thou see in the creation of the Gracious God. Then look again: Seest thou any flaw?

ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
[67:5] Aye, look again, and yet again, thy sight will only return unto thee confused and fatigued.[3080]

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا رُجُومًا لِلشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ
[67:6] And verily, We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them for driving away satans, and We have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.

وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
[67:7] And for those who disbelieve in their Lord there is the punishment of Hell, and an evil resort it is!

إِذَا أُلْقُوا فِيهَا سَمِعُوا لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِيَ تَفُورُ
[67:8] When they are cast therein, they will hear it roaring as it boils up.

تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنْ الْغَيْظِ كُلَّمَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
[67:9] It would almost burst with fury. Whenever a host of disbelievers is cast into it the wardens thereof will ask them, ‘Did no Warner come to you?’

قَالُوا بَلَى قَدْ جَاءَنَا نَذِيرٌ فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ فِي ضَلاَلٍ كَبِيرٍ
[67:10] They will say, “Yea, verily, a Warner did come to us, but we treated him as a liar, and we said: ‘Allah has not revealed anything; you are but in great error.’ ”

وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
[67:11] And they will say, ‘If we had but listened or possessed sense[3080A], we should not have been among the inmates of the blazing Fire.’

فَاعْتَرَفُوا بِذَنْبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا ِلأَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
[67:12] Then will they confess their sins; but far away are the inmates of the blazing Fire from God’s mercy.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ
[67:13] Verily, those who fear their Lord in secret — for them is forgiveness and a great reward.

وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْ أَوْ اجْهَرُوا بِهِ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
[67:14] And whether you conceal what you say or make it public, He knows full well what is in your breasts.

أَلاَ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

[67:15] Does He Who has created you not know it? He is the Knower of all subtleties, the All-Aware.

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ الأَرْضَ ذَلُولاً فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
[67:16] He it is Who has made the earth even and smooth for you; so traverse[3081] through its sides, and eat of His provision. And unto Him will be the resurrection.

أَأَمِنتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ يَخْسِفَ بِكُمْ الأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ
[67:17] Do you feel secure from Him Who is in the heaven[3082] that He will not cause the earth to sink with you when lo! it begins to shake?

أَمْ أَمِنتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ
[67:18] Do you feel secure from Him Who is in the heaven that He will not send against you a sandstorm? Then will you know how terrible was My warning.

وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ
[67:19] And indeed those before them also treated My Messengers as liars; then how grievous was My punishment!

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلاَّ الرَّحْمَنُ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ
[67:20] Have they not seen the birds above them, spreading out their wings without moving them and then drawing them in to swoop down upon the prey?[3083] None withholds them but the Gracious God. Verily He sees all things.

أَمَّنْ هَذَا الَّذِي هُوَ جُندٌ لَكُمْ يَنصُرُكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنْ الْكَافِرُونَ إِلاَّ فِي غُرُورٍ
[67:21] Or who is he that can be an army for you to help you against the Gracious God? The disbelievers are only in deception.

أَمَّنْ هَذَا الَّذِي يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُ بَلْ لَجُّوا فِي عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ
[67:22] Or who is he that will provide for you, if He should withhold His provision[3084]? Nay, but they obstinately persist in rebellion and aversion.

أَفَمَنْ يَمْشِي مُكِبًّا عَلَى وَجْهِهِ أَهْدَى أَمَّنْ يَمْشِي سَوِيًّا عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
[67:23] What! is he who walks grovelling upon his face[3085] better guided or he who walks upright on the straight path?

قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلاً مَا تَشْكُرُونَ
[67:24] Say, ‘He it is Who brought you into being, and made for you ears and eyes and hearts; but little thanks do you give.’

قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي ذَرَأَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
[67:25] Say, ‘He it is Who multiplied you in the earth, and unto Him will you be gathered.’

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
[67:26] And they say, ‘When will this promise come to pass, if indeed you are truthful?’

قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ
[67:27] Say, ‘The knowledge of it is with Allah, and I am only a plain Warner.’

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً سِيئَتْ وُجُوهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقِيلَ هَذَا الَّذِي كُنتُمْ بِهِ تَدَّعُونَ
[67:28] But when they see it near, the faces of those who disbelieve will become grief-stricken,[3086] and it will be said, ‘This is what you used to ask for.’

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِي اللَّهُ وَمَنْ مَعِي أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَنْ يُجِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
[67:29] Say, ‘Tell me, if Allah should destroy me and those who are with me, or have mercy on us, who will protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?’

قُلْ هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ آمَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ مُبِينٍ
[67:30] Say, ‘He is the Gracious God[3087]; in Him have we believed and in Him have we put our trust. And you will soon know who is in manifest error.’

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِمَاءٍ مَعِينٍ
[67:31] Say, ‘Tell me, if all your water were to disappear in the earth, who then will bring you clear flowing water?’[3088]

3079. The law of life and death works in all nature. Every living creature is subject to decay and death. "Death," as also in vv. 2:29 and 53:45. has been mentioned in this verse before "life." The reason seems to be that death or non-existence is the state before life or perhaps because "death" is more important and is of greater significance than "life," since it opens to man the portals of everlasting life and unending spiritual progress, while life on earth is only a temporary sojourn and a preparation for permanent and everlasting life beyond the grave.

3079A. Tibaq is synonymous with Tabaq and with its plural. Atbaq. They say such a thing is the Tabaq or Tabaq of that. i.e.. this thing is the match of that or the like of that in measure. size or quality, etc. Tibaq also means, a stage (Lane).

3080.  Wonderful indeed is God's creation. The solar system of which our earth is but a small member is vast, varied and orderly and yet it is but one of hundreds of millions of systems, some of which are incalculably larger than it, yet the countless millions of suns and stars are so arranged and distributed in relation to one another as to produce everywhere harmony and beauty. The order that covers and pervades the universe is obvious to the ordinary naked eye and is spread far beyond the range of disciplined vision, assisted by all the instruments and appliances which science and art have been able to invent.

3080A.  If we had followed the dictates of the Shari'ah, or of conscience.

3081.  Journeying in the earth is recommended again and again in the Qur'an because leaving one's home and travelling to other lands and countries greatly helps to add to one's knowledge and experience.

3082. It is because punishment is generally spoken of in the Qur'an as coming down from heaven that God is referred to here and in the next verse as being in heaven; otherwise God is here, there and everywhere.

3083. If the disbelievers continue to oppose Truth; they will be destroyed by famines, earthquakes; particularly by wars, and the birds of the skies will feast upon their dead bodies (16:80).

3084.  The reference may be to the terrible famine that held Mecca in its grip for several years till the Meccans begged the Holy Prophet to pray for their deliverance from the scourge. See also 2694.

3085.  The disbelievers walk on the wrong path, hanging down their heads and groveling in the darkness of doubt and disbelief, while believers; in the certainty of faith; go straight on the path of Truth, holding their heads high. Can the two be equal?

3086. It is characteristic of disbelievers that as long as punishment does not overtake them, they boast and brag and hurl jibes and raileries at believers, but when they are face to face with it, they are seized with a sense of extreme frustration, dismay and dejection.

3087. The Divine attribute Al-Rahman (the Beneficent) has been repeatedly mentioned in this Surah, as at many other places in the Qur'an, because all the Divine bounties and favours mentioned in it, whether pertaining to man's physical sustenance or his spiritual development, are the direct result of God's beneficence (Rahmaniyyah).

3088. All life, whether physical or spiritual, depends on water-the former on rain-water and the latter on the water of Divine revelation.