(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
According to Qurtubi there exists complete unanimity of opinion among scholars that this Surah was revealed at Mecca. Ibn 'Abbas also lends his powerful support to this view. It is, however, difficult to assign an exact date to its revelation. Scholarly opinion generally is inclined to place it towards the end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth year of the Call. The previous Surah had ended on the note that the revelation which descends on Heavenly Messengers and Prophets by Divine command possesses an element of mystery. It was further stated that before revelation actually descended upon the Holy Prophet, he was not conversant with its nature and significance. The present Surah opens with the affirmation that because the Qur'an has been revealed in a most clear and eloquent language and because also it deals with all basic truths and its teaching is easily comprehensible, therefore, in spite of the element of mystery in its revelation, there is no reasonable ground for anyone to reject it. It further says that God would not stop sending fresh revelation whenever there was genuine need for it, just as Prophets of God did not cease to come because they were mocked and jeered at. The phenomenon of the advent of Divine Reformers will continue despite anything the disbelievers might say or do.

Subject-Matter
The Surah like the three preceding Chapters opens with the declaration that the Qur'an has been revealed by God, the Lord of all Honor and Praise, and proceeds to deal with the subject of Divine Unity -its basic theme- in a way and form different from that in which it has been dealt with in other Chapters of the Ha Mim group. It says that God, in order to establish His Unity, has been sending, from time immemorial, His Messengers and Prophets. They preached and taught that God is One. They were rejected and opposed and persecuted. But this did not cause God to stop sending new Prophets and new revelations. Prophets continued to appear in the fullness of time, and the greatest of them came in the person of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The Surah develops this argument and says that God has created the heavens and the earth for the service of man and has made full provision for his physical needs. When He has taken so much care to provide for his material needs and physical comforts, it is inconceivable that He should have neglected or ignored to make similar provision for his moral and spiritual requirements. It is to meet man's moral needs that God sends a new revelation. But in their ignorance and folly disbelievers set up equals to God in various shapes and forms; and even go so far as to shift the responsibility for their idolatrous practices to God, brazenly saying that if God had so willed they would not have worshipped idols. The plea is against human intelligence and common sense, and no Divine Scripture supports it.

The real cause of the disbelief of disbelievers lies in their pride and conceit because the Qur'an, as they say, has not been revealed to a great man. In answer to this arrogant assumption of superiority the disbelievers receive a severe rebuke that what they call greatness carries no weight in the sight of God. Were it not that the obliteration of disparity of wealth, position and status would have rendered social order impossible and would have created chaos, God would have given to disbelievers tons of gold and silver so much so that even the staircases of their houses would have been made of gold, because these things are nothing in God's sight.

As stated above the main theme of the Surah is the unsparing denunciation of idolatry. But while the Qur'an condemns idol worship it respects Jesus who, according to Christians, is an object of worship, as a great and noble Messenger of God, adding that he invited his people to the worship of One God, but they ignored his teachings and deified him. So the fault lay with them and not with him. The Surah ends on a brief but most clear and convincing discourse on Divine Unity.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[43:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

حم
[43:2] Ha Mim[2668A].

وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
[43:3] By this perspicuous Book,

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
[43:4] We have made it a Qur’an in clear, eloquent language that you may understand.

وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ
[43:5] And surely, it is safe with Us in the Mother of the Book[2669], exalted and full of wisdom.

أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا أَنْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا مُسْرِفِينَ
[43:6] Shall We then take away the Reminder from you, neglecting you[2670] because you are an extravagant people[2671]?

وَكَمْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ فِي الأَوَّلِينَ
[43:7] And how many a Prophet did We send among the earlier peoples!

وَمَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلاَّ كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُون
[43:8] But there never came to them a Prophet but they mocked at him.

فَأَهْلَكْنَا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا وَمَضَى مَثَلُ الأَوَّلِينَ
[43:9] And We destroyed those who were stronger in power than these, and the example of the earlier peoples has gone before.

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ
[43:10] And if thou ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’, they will surely say, ‘The Mighty, the All-Knowing God created them.’

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ الأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلاً لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
[43:11] He, Who has made the earth for you a cradle, and has made pathways, for you therein, that you may follow the right way;

وَالَّذِي نَزَّلَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَنشَرْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَيْتًا كَذَلِكَ تُخْرَجُونَ
[43:12] And Who sends down water from the sky in proper measure, and We thereby quicken a dead land; — even so will you be raised[2672]; —

وَالَّذِي خَلَقَ الأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالأَنْعَامِ مَا تَرْكَبُو
[43:13] And Who has created all the pairs, and has made for you ships and cattle whereon you ride,

لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَى ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ

[43:14] That you may sit firmly upon their backs, and then, when you are firmly seated thereon, you may remember the favour of your Lord, and say, ‘Holy is He Who has subjected this to us, and we had not the strength to subdue it ourselves.

وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ
[43:15] ‘And to our Lord surely shall we return.’

وَجَعَلُوا لَهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ جُزْءًا إِنَّ الإِنسَانَ لَكَفُورٌ مُبِينٌ
[43:16] And a portion of His servants they assert to be His children[2672A]. Indeed man is clearly ungrateful.

أَمْ اتَّخَذَ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ بَنَاتٍ وَأَصْفَاكُمْ بِالْبَنِينَ
[43:17] Has He taken daughters from what He has created, and honoured you with sons?

وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُمْ بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَنِ مَثَلاً ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ
[43:18] Yet when tidings are given to one of them of that the like of which he ascribes to the Gracious God, his face becomes darkened and he is choked with grief.

أَوَمَنْ يُنَشَّأُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْخِصَامِ غَيْرُ مُبِينٍ
[43:19] Do you ascribe to God one who is reared among ornaments[2673], and who is not clear in disputation?

وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلاَئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَاثًا أَشَهِدُوا خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ وَيُسْأَلُونَ
[43:20] And they describe the angels, who are the servants of the Gracious God, as females. Did they witness their creation? Then their testimony will be recorded, and they shall be questioned.

وَقَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ الرَّحْمَنُ مَا عَبَدْنَاهُمْ مَا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ يَخْرُصُونَ
[43:21] And they say, ‘If the Gracious God had so willed, we should not have worshipped them.’ They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do nothing but conjecture.

أَمْ آتَيْنَاهُمْ كِتَابًا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ فَهُمْ بِهِ مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ
[43:22] Have We given them a Scripture before this, so that they are holding fast[2674] to it?

بَلْ قَالُوا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
[43:23] Nay, they say, ‘We found our fathers following a certain course, and we are guided by their footsteps.’

وَكَذَلِكَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَ

[43:24] And thus has it always been that We never sent any Warner before thee to any township but the evil leaders thereof said: ‘We found our fathers following a certain course, and we are following in their footsteps.’

قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِأَهْدَى مِمَّا وَجَدْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَكُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ
[43:25] Their Warner said: ‘What! even though I bring you a better guidance than that which you found your fathers following?’ They said: ‘Certainly we disbelieve in that which you are sent with.’

فَانتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
[43:26] So We punished them. Behold then what was the end of those who rejected the Prophets!

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ِلأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِي بَرَاءٌ مِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ
[43:27] And remember when Abraham said to his father and his people: ‘I positively disown what you worship,

إِلاَّ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ
[43:28] ‘Except Him Who created me, and He will surely guide me.’

وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَاقِيَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
[43:29] And He made it a byword to last among his posterity[2675], that they might turn to God.

بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ وَآبَاءَهُمْ حَتَّى جَاءَهُمْ الْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ
[43:30] Nay, but I allowed them and their fathers temporary enjoyment until there came to them the truth and a Messenger who makes his Message clear.

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ الْحَقُّ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ
[43:31] But when the truth came to them they said, ‘This is magic, and we do reject it.’

وَقَالُوا لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
[43:32] And they say, ‘Why has not this Qur’an been sent to some great man of the two towns[2676]?’

أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا وَرَحْمَةُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

[43:33] Is it they who would distribute[2677] the mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who distribute among them their livelihood in the present life, and We exalt some of them above others in degrees of rank, so that some of them may make others subservient to themselves. And the mercy of thy Lord is better than that which they amass.

وَلَوْلاَ أَنْ يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَجَعَلْنَا لِمَنْ يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِنْ فَضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ

[43:34] And were it not that mankind would have all become one type of people, We would have given to those who disbelieve in the Gracious God, roofs of silver for their houses, and silver stairways by which they could go up;

وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَابًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ
[43:35] And doors of silver to their houses, and couches of silver, on which they could recline,

وَزُخْرُفًا وَإِنْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
[43:36] And other articles of embellishment. But all that is nothing but a temporary provision of the present life[2678]. And the Hereafter with thy Lord is for the righteous.

وَمَنْ يَعْشُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ
[43:37] And he who turns away from the remembrance of the Gracious God, We appoint for him a satan, who becomes his companion.

وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ
43:38] And surely they hinder them from the way of God, but they think that they are rightly guided;

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَنَا قَالَ يَالَيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ بُعْدَ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ فَبِئْسَ الْقَرِينُ
[43:39] Till, when such a one comes to Us, he says to his companion, ‘Would that between me and thee were the distance of the East and the West![2679]’ What an evil companion is he!

وَلَنْ يَنفَعَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ إِذْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُشْتَرِكُونَ
[43:40] ‘And the fact that you are partners in punishment will not profit you this day for you have acted wrongfully.’

أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ مُبِينٍ
[43:41] Canst thou, then, make the deaf hear, or guide the blind and him who is in manifest error?[2680]

فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ
[43:42] And if We take thee away, We shall surely exact retribution from them,

أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ الَّذِي وَعَدْنَاهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِمْ مُقْتَدِرُونَ
[43:43] Or We shall show thee that which We have promised them; for surely We have complete power over them.

فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
[43:44] So hold thou fast to that which has been revealed to thee; for thou art on the right path.

وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ
[43:45] And, truly, it is a source of eminence[2681] for thee and for thy people; and you will be inquired about.

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
[43:46] And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before thee, ‘Did We appoint any deities beside the Gracious God, to be worshipped?’

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَى بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[43:47] And We did send Moses with Our Signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said, ‘I am truly a Messenger of the Lord of the worlds.’

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا إِذَا هُمْ مِنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ
[43:48] But when he came to them with Our Signs, lo! they laughed at them.

وَمَا نُرِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ إِلاَّ هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا وَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
[43:49] And We showed them no Sign but it was greater than its preceding sister, and We seized them with punishment, that they might turn to Us.

وَقَالُوا يَاأَيُّهَا السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُون
[43:50] And they said, ‘O thou magician, pray for us to thy Lord, according to the covenant He has made with thee: for, then we will surely accept guidance.’

فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ
[43:51] But when We removed the punishment from them, behold! they broke their word.

وَنَادَى فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَاقَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَذِهِ الأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِي أَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ

[43:52] And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, ‘O my people! does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me and these streams flowing under me? Do you not then see?

أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ هَذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلاَ يَكَادُ يُبِينُ
[43:53] ‘Nay, I am better than this fellow who is despicable and can scarcely express himself clearly.

فَلَوْلاَ أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ
[43:54] ‘And why have not bracelets of gold been bestowed on him, or angels accompanied him in serried ranks?’

فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ
[43:55] Thus did he make light of his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed they were a wicked people.

فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
[43:56] So, when they excited Our anger, We exacted retribution from them, and drowned them all.

فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلاً لِلآخِرِينَ
[43:57] And We made them a precedent, and an example for the coming generations.

وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلاً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ
[43:58] And when the son of Mary is mentioned as an instance, lo! thy people raise a clamour[2682] thereat;

وَقَالُوا أَآلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاً بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
[43:59] And they say, ‘Are our gods better, or he?’ They mention not this to thee but for the sake of disputation. Nay, but they are a contentious people.[2683]

إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ مَثَلاً لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
[43:60] He was only Our servant on whom We bestowed Our favour, and We made him an example for the children of Israel.

وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ مَلاَئِكَةً فِي الأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ
[43:61] And if We so willed, We could make from among you angels in the earth[2684] to be successors therein.

وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ فَلاَ تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِي هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ
[43:62] But verily, he was a sign of the Hour[2685]. So have no doubt about it, but follow me. This is the right path.

وَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ
[43:63] And let not Satan hinder you. Surely, he is to you an open enemy.

وَلَمَّا جَاءَ عِيسَى بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالَ قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَلأُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ

[43:64] And when Jesus came with clear proofs, he said, ‘Truly I am come to you with wisdom, and to make clear to you some of that about which you differ. So fear Allah and obey me.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ
[43:65] ‘Verily Allah — He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. This is the right path.’

فَاخْتَلَفَ الأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ
[43:66] But the parties differed among themselves. So woe to the wrongdoers because of the punishment of a grievous day.

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ السَّاعَةَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ
[43:67] They wait not but for the Hour to come suddenly upon them, while they perceive it not.

الأَخِلاَّءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
[43:68] Friends on that day will be foes to each other, except the righteous.[2686]

يَاعِبَادِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ الْيَوْمَ وَلاَ أَنْتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ
[43:69] ‘O My servants, there is no fear for you this day, nor shall you grieve;

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ
[43:70] ‘You who believed in Our Signs and submitted,

ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ أَنْتُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ
[43:71] ‘Enter ye the Garden, you and your wives, honoured and happy.’

يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِصِحَافٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ الأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ الأَعْيُنُ وَأَنْتُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

[43:72] To them will be passed round dishes of gold and cups, and therein will be all that the souls desire and in which the eyes delight. ‘And therein will you abide.

وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
[43:73] ‘And this is the Garden to which you have been made heirs because of what you have been doing.

لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
[43:74] ‘Therein for you is fruit in abundance, which you will eat.’

إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُون
[43:75] The guilty will certainly abide in the punishment of Hell.

لاَ يُفَتَّرُ عَنْهُمْ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ
[43:76] It will not be mitigated to them, and they will be seized therein with despair.

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا هُمُ الظَّالِمِينَ
[43:77] And We wronged them not, but it was they themselves who were the wrongdoers.

وَنَادَوْا يَامَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ مَاكِثُونَ
[43:78] And they will cry: ‘O master![2687] let thy Lord finish with us.’ He will say, ‘You must remain.’

لَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ
[43:79] God will say: ‘We certainly brought you the truth; but most of you were averse to the truth.’

أَمْ أَبْرَمُوا أَمْرًا فَإِنَّا مُبْرِمُونَ
[43:80] Have they determined upon a course? Then We too are determined.

أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لاَ نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
[43:81] Do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsels? Yea! And Our messengers remain with them recording everything.

قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْعَابِدِينَ
[43:82] Say, ‘If there had been a son to the Gracious God, I would have been the first of worshippers.’[2688]

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
[43:83] Holy is Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, and He is free from all that which they attribute to Him.

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا وَيَلْعَبُوا حَتَّى يُلاَقُوا يَوْمَهُمْ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ
[43:84] So leave them alone to indulge in vain discourse and amuse themselves until they meet that Day of theirs which they have been promised.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي الأَرْضِ إِلَهٌ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ
[43:85] And He it is Who is God in heaven, and God on earth; and He is the Wise, the All-Knowing.

وَتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
[43:86] And blessed is He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Him shall you be brought back.

وَلاَ يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلاَّ مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
[43:87] And those on whom they call beside Him possess no power of intercession but he who bears witness to the truth[2689], and they know him.

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ فَأَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ
[43:88] And if thou ask them, ‘Who created them?’, they will surely say, ‘Allah’. How then are they being turned away?

وَقِيلِهِ يَارَبِّ إِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ قَوْمٌ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
[43:89] I swear by his repeated cry ‘O my Lord!’ that these are a people who will not believe.[2690]

فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلاَمٌ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
[43:90] Therefore, turn aside from them, and say, ‘Peace’; and soon shall they know.[2691]

2668A. See 2592 and 2643

2669. Umm al-Kitab, meaning sources of the commandments (Lane), the expression signifies that the Qur'an existed in the knowledge of God-the Original Source-as the basis of the Shari'ah, or it may signify that it was eternally decreed that the Qur'an would form the basis of the last Divine Law.

2670. Daraba 'an-hu means, he left him and turned away from him. Safaha 'an-hu also means, he turned away from him and left him. The Quranic expression means, 'Shall We take away the Reminder from you and turn Ourselves away from you and leave you without guidance' (Lane)?

2671. Heavenly Reminders in the form of Divine Signs will never cease to come. If rejection of Heavenly Signs had been a reasonable ground that they should discontinue to appear, then no Prophet would have come after the first one. But Prophets continued to appear.

2672. The words signify that even as dry and parched earth blooms and blossoms into new life when rain falls on it, so do a morally and spiritually dead people receive a new life through Divine revelation.

2672A.  The reference is to the Christian doctrine of Jesus being God's son.

2673. The reference may be to the idols which were bedecked and bejeweled with ornaments. The verse administers a subtle rebuke to idol-worshippers that they worship idols which can neither speak nor answer their prayers or defend themselves against attacks made upon them.

2674. Idol-worshippers not only do not possess any reason or argument to uphold their irrational doctrines, they cannot even adduce the evidence of any Divine Scripture in their support.

2675.  Abraham was such a firm believer in Divine Unity and he preached it to his posterity with such sincerity and persistence that this belief came to stay among them for a long time.

2676. The "two towns" are generally understood to mean Mecca and Ta'if. They were two important centres of Arab social and political life in the Holy Prophet's time.

2677.  The verse administers a severe rebuke to disbelievers saying to them. 'Since when have they arrogated to themselves the role of being the distributors of God's grace and mercy, or the privilege of deciding who is deserving of it and who not?

2678.  Were it not that by the obliteration of disparity of means, wealth and position, all men would have become of one type, and human society would have ceased to function. God would have provided disbelievers with houses made of silver, having doors and stairways made of gold, because these things possess no value or worth in His sight.

2679.  When man is confronted with the evil consequences of his wicked deeds, he seeks to avoid and shun his erstwhile companions as if he never knew them.

2680. When disbelievers deliberately shut their eyes and ears to the message of truth, they sink deeper and deeper into sin till they are completely lost.

2681.  The word Dhikr meaning eminence (Lane), the verse purports to say that through the Qur'an the Holy Prophet and his followers will acquire great eminence and honor.

2682.  Sadda (Yasddu) means, he hindered him from a thing; and Sadda (Yasiddu) means, he raised a clamor (Aqrab).

2683. The advent of the Messiah was a sign that the Jews were going to be disgraced and humiliated and were about to be deprived of Prophethood for all time. Mathal signifying anything similar or equal to another (6: 39); the verse, besides the meaning given in the text, may also signify that when the people of the Holy Prophet-the Muslims-are told that another person, who would be like Jesus and would be his counterpart, would be raised from among them to regenerate them and restore their lost spiritual glory, instead of being glad over this good tidings, they raise a clamor. The verse may thus be taken as referring to the Second Coming of Jesus.

2684.  Angels could not serve as an example and model for men, therefore God always commissioned men to convey His Will to, and to serve as model and pattern for, men.

2685.  "Hour" may denote the time of the end of the Mosaic Dispensation and the pronoun hu in inna hu may refer either to Jesus or to the Qur'an and the verse would mean, that after Jesus the Israelites will be deprived of the gift of Prophethood, or that another Dispensation -Quranic Dispensation- will take the place of Mosaic Dispensation.

2686. In the hour of distress all friendships are forgotten. Friends desert each other, even turn into enemies. Elsewhere, the Qur'an gives a graphic description of the condition of sinners when they are confronted with the evil consequences of their wicked deeds (70:11-15; 80:35-38).

2687. Malik, meaning master, is generally considered to be the angel in charge of Hell.

2688. 'Abid is active participle from 'Abada which means; he worshipped; and from 'Abida which means, he was angry; he denied; he was sorrowful for having been remiss; he was disdainful (Lane). The verse thus means: (a) If the Gracious God had a son, I would have been the first to worship him (the son) because, being God's most obedient and faithful servant, I would not have been remiss in my duty to him (the son). (b) If it could be possible that the Gracious God should have a son, I am most entitled to this position because I have worshipped God most and have served Him most. (c) The Gracious God, certainly, has no son (in meaning 'not') and I am the first to bear witness to this fact, the word 'Abidin signifying Shahidin, i.e., witnesses. (d) The Gracious God has no son, and I am the first disdainful denier
of the assertion that He has one.

2689. The Holy Prophet.

2690. There could be no greater testimony to the Holy Prophet's solicitude and concern for the spiritual well-being of his people than the fact that God Himself swears by it. The Holy Prophet's grief over the denial of his people and their opposition to it was so deep and agonizing that it had almost killed him (18:7).

2691. The Holy Prophet is consoled and comforted that though he is now being opposed and persecuted, yet the time was fast approaching when his enemies would come under his power, and Islam would spread all over Arabia and peace would reign throughout the land. When that time comes, he should forgive his enemies.