(Revealed before Hijrah)
Date of Revelation and Context
This Surah was also revealed at Mecca. The preceding Surah had ended with the statement that God alone knows when a particular people are to rise or fall and that He alone provides for the physical needs of man and for his moral and spiritual requirements. The present Surah opens with the declaration that God being the Lord of all the worlds, in His hands lie all those means upon which the progress and prosperity of nations and individuals depend and He alone controls those causes that lead to their decline and downfall.
Subject-Matter
The main theme of the Surah is the ultimate triumph of Islam. It opens with a strong repudiation of the disbelievers' charge that the Qur'an is a forgery and the Holy Prophet an impostor. The Prophet, it says, is not an impostor because impostors never succeed in their missions, but the cause of the Holy Prophet is daily advancing by leaps and bounds; neither is the Qur'an a forgery because it has been revealed in the fullness of time and in accordance with the demands of truth and justice and fulfils all the moral and spiritual needs and requirements of man and because also the whole universe seems to be working in support and furtherance of its Message.
The Surah then makes a little digression and makes a prophecy that after its initial phenomenal progress Islam will receive a temporary set-back; a comparative eclipse of a thousand years which will be followed by a second renaissance, as a result of which it will regain its pristine glory and will march on its course of uniform success. Next, the Surah gives a beautiful illustration how from a very insignificant beginning Islam will grow in strength, expand and spread and will become a mighty force. The illustration is taken from the insignificant birth of man from mere clay.
Towards its close the Surah sums up its central theme and adds that the advent of the Holy Prophet is not anything novel. Just as in the physical world when the earth becomes parched and scorched God sends down rain and it begins to vibrate with a new life, in the same way in the spiritual realm, when mankind gropes and flounders in spiritual darkness, a Divine Messenger is raised and the spiritually dead receive a new life through him.
 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[32:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
 الم
[32:2] Alif Lam Mim.
 تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[32:3] The revelation of the Book — there is no doubt about it — is from the Lord of the worlds.
 أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَا أَتَاهُمْ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ
[32:4] Do they say, ‘He has forged it?’ Nay, it is the truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest warn a people to whom no Warner has come before thee, that haply they may follow guidance[2320].
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٍ أَفَلاَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
[32:5] Allah it is Who created the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, in six periods[2321]; then He settled on the Throne[2322]. You have no helper or intercessor beside Him. Will you not then reflect?
 يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ
[32:6] He will plan the Divine Ordinance from the heaven unto the earth, then shall it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years according to what you reckon[2323].
 ذَلِكَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ
[32:7] Such is the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty, the Merciful,
 الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنسَانِ مِنْ طِينٍ
[32:8] Who has made perfect everything He has created. And He began the creation of man from clay.
 ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِنْ سُلاَلَةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ
[32:9] Then He made his progeny from an extract of an insignificant fluid.
 ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلاً مَا تَشْكُرُونَ
[32:10] Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit[2324]. And He has given you ears, and eyes, and hearts. But little thanks do you give!
 وَقَالُوا أَئِذَا ضَلَلْنَا فِي الأَرْضِ أَئِنَّا لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ بَلْ هُمْ بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّهِمْ كَافِرُونَ
[32:11] And they say, ‘What! when we are lost in the earth, shall we then become a new creation?’ Nay, but they are disbelievers in the meeting of their Lord.
 قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
[32:12] Say, ‘The angel of death that has been put in charge of you will cause you to die; then to your Lord will you be brought back.’
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُوا رُءُوسِهِمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ رَبَّنَا أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ
[32:13] If only thou couldst see when the guilty will hang down their heads before their Lord, and say, ‘Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back that we may do good works; for now we are convinced.’
 وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَآتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَاهَا وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنْ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
[32:14] And if We had enforced Our will, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word from Me has come true: ‘I will fill Hell with Jinn and men all together.[2325]’
 فَذُوقُوا بِمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا إِنَّا نَسِينَاكُمْ وَذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
[32:15] So taste ye the punishment of your deeds for you forgot the meeting of this day of yours. We too have forgotten you. And taste ye the lasting punishment because of that which you used to do.
 إِنَّمَا يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهَا خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَسَبَّحُوا بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
[32:16] Only they believe in Our Signs who, when they are reminded of them, fall down prostrate and celebrate the praises of their Lord, and they are not proud.
 تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنْ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
[32:17] Their sides keep away from their beds; and they call on their Lord in fear and hope, and spend out of what We have bestowed on them.
 فَلاَ تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
[32:18] And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their good works[2326].
 أَفَمَنْ كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَنْ كَانَ فَاسِقًا لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ
[32:19] Is he, then, who is a believer like one who is disobedient? They are not equal.
 أَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْمَأْوَى نُزُلاً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
[32:20] As for those who believe and do good works, they will have Gardens of Eternal Abode, as an entertainment, for what they used to do.
وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فَسَقُوا فَمَأْوَاهُمْ النَّارُ كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا أُعِيدُوا فِيهَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ
[32:21] And as for those who are disobedient, their abode will be the Fire. Every time they desire to come forth therefrom, they will be turned back into it, and it will be said to them, ‘Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny,’
 وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنْ الْعَذَابِ الأَدْنَى دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
[32:22] And most surely We will make them taste of the nearer punishment before the greater punishment[2327], so that they may return to Us with repentance.
 وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا إِنَّا مِنْ الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ
[32:23] And who does greater wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord and then turns away from them? We will surely punish the guilty.
 وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْ لِقَائِهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
[32:24] And We did give Moses the Book — be not therefore in doubt as to the meeting with Him — and We made it a guidance for the children of Israel.
 وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ
[32:25] And We made from among them leaders, who guided the people by Our command, whilst they themselves were steadfast and had firm faith in Our Signs.
 إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
[32:26] Verily, thy Lord — He will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that in which they disagree.
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنْ الْقُرُونِ يَمْشُونَ فِي مَسَاكِنِهِمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآياتٍ أَفَلاَ يَسْمَعُونَ
[32:27] Does it not guide them how many a generation We have destroyed before them, amid whose dwellings they now walk about? In that surely are Signs. Will they not then hearken?
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوقُ الْمَاءَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَامُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ أَفَلاَ يُبْصِرُونَ
[32:28] Have they not seen that We drive the water to the dry land and produce thereby crops of which their cattle eat, and they themselves? Will they not then see?
 وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هَذَا الْفَتْحُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
[32:29] And they say, ‘When will this victory come, if you are truthful?’
 قُلْ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ لاَ يَنفَعُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِيمَانُهُمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يُنْظَرُونَ
[32:30] Say, ‘On the day of victory[2328] the believing of the disbelievers will not avail them, nor will they be granted respite.’
 فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَانْتَظِرْ إِنَّهُمْ مُنتَظِرُونَ
[32:31] So turn away from them, and wait. They are also waiting.
2320. The Surah is the last of the Alif Lam Mim group. The central theme of these four Chapters (29-32) is the regeneration of a people who had sunk deep in the morass of moral turpitude and who were now going to be raised to the apex of spiritual glory through the Holy Prophet Muhammad. This awakening to new life of a morally dead people has been adduced as an argument in support of Resurrection and the Hereafter. In all these Chapters this subject has been introduced with reference to the creation of the universe.
2321. See 894
2322. See 54.
2323. The verse refers to a very serious crisis that was destined to come over Islam in its chequered career. Islam was to pass through a period of sustained progress and prosperity during the first three centuries of its life. The Holy Prophet is reported to have pointedly alluded to this fact in his saying: 'The best century is the one in which I live, then the next century, then the century after that (Tirmidhi & Bukhari; Kitab al-Shahadat). Islam began to decline after the first three centuries of uninterrupted conquests. The process of decline and decay continued in the next thousand years. It is to this period of a thousand years that reference has been made in the words, then will it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years. In another of his sayings the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Faith will ascend to the Pleiades and a man of Persian descent will bring it back to the earth (Bukhari; Kitab al-Tafssir). With the appearance of the Promised Messiah in the 14th century A.H.. the process of decay has been arrested and renaissance of Islam has begun to take place.
2324. Ruh meaning, human soul and Divine revelation (Lane), the verse signifies that after the physical development of the embryo becomes complete in the womb, it develops a soul; or the meaning may be that after the spiritual development of man becomes complete he receives Divine revelation.
2325. The reference in these words is to 15:43,44 where it is stated, 'Such of the erring ones as choose to follow thee, surely, Hell is the promised place for them,' meaning thereby that only the 'erring ones,' will be cast into Hell.
2326. Describing the form and nature of the blessings and comforts of Paradise the Holy Prophet is reported to have said: 'No eye has yet seen them (the blessings of Paradise), nor has any ear heard of them, nor can human mind conceive of them' (Bukhari, Kitab Bad'al-Khalq). The Hadith shows that the blessings of the life to come will not be material. They will be the spiritual representations of good deeds and actions the righteous believers might have done in the present life. The words used to describe them in the Qur'an have been used only in a metaphorical sense. The present verse may also mean that Divine boons and blessings that will be bestowed upon the righteous believers in the next world are far too good and too plentiful, even to be imagined or conceived of. They will be far beyond the widest stretch of human imagination.
2327. 'The lesser punishment' and 'the greater punishment' may respectively signify; (1) afflictions of the present life and those of the Hereafter; (2) defeat of the Quraish in the Battle of Badr and Fall of Mecca; (3) smaller miseries and misfortunes which befall a disbelieving people by way of warning before their final destruction.
2328. The day of the Battle of Badr which has also been called the Day of Decision (8:42)
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