(Revealed before Hijrah)

Place of Revelation and Context
Baihaqi and Ibn Mardawaih report Ibn 'Abbas as saying that the Surah was revealed at Mecca. According to Qurtubi the consensus of scholarly opinion also regards the Surah as having been revealed very early in the Holy Prophet's ministry at Mecca. Its style and subject matter also support this view. In the preceding Surah the Holy Prophet was called "The Perfect Leader" who was given the Qur'an as an infallible guide for the whole of humanity till the end of time. In the beginning of the present Surah it is stated that this "Perfect Leader" will, with the help of the Qur'an and by his own noble example, succeed in bringing into being a community of righteous men.

Subject-Matter
The Surah opens with a firm declaration that under the fostering care of the Holy Prophet -"The Perfect Leader- a community of noble and righteous men will be born who not only themselves will glorify God and sing His praises-so much so that the sandy wilderness of Arabia will resound with them-but by precept and practice will prevent others from idol-worship and evil practices, till the Unity of God will become firmly established in Arabia and from there the light of Islam will spread to the ends of the earth.

The Surah, then proceeds to say that whenever there appears a Prophet of God in the world, forces of darkness seek to obstruct the spread of his Message by misrepresenting and misinterpreting it, or by misquoting the Prophet and tearing a passage out of his revelation and mixing much falsehood with it. But they completely fail in their evil designs, and truth continues to make progress. It further says that when disbelievers are told that the teachings of the Qur'an will bring about a great change in Arabia and the spiritually dead Arabs will not only receive a new life but, having received it themselves, will impart it to others, the disbelievers jeer and scoff at the idea and call it the ravings of a maniac and the phenomenon as outside the bounds of possibility like the coming into life of those who are physically dead. The Surah replies to the firm denial of the disbelievers of this phenomenon with a firmer affirmation that such a thing will certainly come to pass and they will suffer disgrace and humiliation.

Next, the Surah gives a brief description of the heavenly blessings that will be bestowed upon the righteous and chosen servants of God. The account of heavenly blessings and bounties, to be bestowed on the believers is followed by an account of the punishment which will be meted out to the rejectors of truth and persecutors of God's Prophets. Further, the Surah gives a few illustrations from the lives of Divine Prophets to show that the cause of truth never fails and its rejection is never productive of good results. The illustrations given are from the lives of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elias, Jonas and Lot.

The Surah, then, repudiates and condemns idol-worship, particularly the worship of angels. The idol-worshippers are reprimanded that they are foolish enough not to understand this simple fact that the ascription of Divine powers and attributes to weak human beings or to forces of nature or even to angels who themselves are created beings, offends against human reason, commonsense and conscience. They are further told that the angels are only God's creatures who have specific duties to perform.

The Surah ends on the note that it is an unalterable Divine decree that when forces of darkness are pitted against God's Prophets and His chosen servants, the latter receive Divine succour, while the votaries of Satan meet with defeat and discomfiture. This fact has been proved again and again in the lives of Divine Messengers and it leads to but one conclusion that  “all praise belongs to God, the Lord of all the worlds”.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[37:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا
[37:2] By[2465] those who range themselves in close ranks[2466],

فَالزَّاجِرَاتِ زَجْرًا
[37:3] Then they drive away the enemy vigorously[2467],

فَالتَّالِيَاتِ ذِكْرًا
[37:4] Then they recite the Qur’an as a Reminder[2468],

إِنَّ إِلَهَكُمْ لَوَاحِدٌ
[37:5] Surely your God is One[2469],

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ الْمَشَارِقِ
[37:6] Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them and the Lord of the sun’s risings[2470].

إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَاكِب
[37:7] We have adorned the lowest heaven with an adornment — the planets[2471];

وَحِفْظًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ مَارِدٍ
[37:8] And have guarded it against all rebellious satans[2472].

لاَ يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ الأَعْلَى وَيُقْذَفُونَ مِنْ كُلِّ جَانِبٍ
[37:9] They cannot hear anything from the exalted assembly of angels — and they are pelted from every side,

دُحُورًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ وَاصِبٌ
[37:10] Repulsed, and for them is a perpetual punishment —

إِلاَّ مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌا
[37:11] Except him who snatches away something by stealth, and then there pursues him a piercing flame[2473] of fire.

فَاسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَهُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمْ مَنْ خَلَقْنَا إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُمْ مِنْ طِينٍ لاَزِبٍ
[37:12] So ask them whether it is they who are harder to create, or others [2474]whom We have created? Them We have created of cohesive clay.

بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخَرُونَ
[37:13] Nay, thou dost wonder[2475], and they ridicule.

وَإِذَا ذُكِّرُوا لاَ يَذْكُرُونَ
[37:14] And when they are admonished, they pay no heed.

وَإِذَا رَأَوْا آيَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ
[37:15] And when they see a Sign, they seek to ridicule it.

وَقَالُوا إِنْ هَذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
[37:16] And they say, ‘This is nothing but plain magic.

أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَئِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ
[37:17] ‘What! when we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we then be raised up again?

أَوَ آبَاؤُنَا الأَوَّلُونَ
[37:18] ‘And our forefathers of yore also?’

قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنْتُمْ دَاخِرُونَ
[37:19] Say, ‘Yea; and you will then be abased.’

فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ
[37:20] Then it will be but one shout of reproach, and behold, they will begin to see.

وَقَالُوا يَاوَيْلَنَا هَذَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
[37:21] And they will say, ‘Alas for us! this is the Day of Requital[2476].

هَذَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ الَّذِي كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ
[37:22] ‘This is the Day of the final decision which you used to deny.’

احْشُرُوا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ
[37:23] And it will be said to the angels, ‘Assemble those who acted wrongfully, along with their companions, and what they used to worship

مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَاهْدُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْجَحِيمِ
[37:24] ‘Beside Allah; and lead them to the path of the Fire;

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ
[37:25] ‘And stop them; for they must be questioned.’

مَا لَكُمْ لاَ يَتَنَاصَرُونَ
[37:26] ‘What is the matter with you that you help not one another?[2477]’

بَلْ هُمْ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ
[37:27] Nay, on that day they will surrender themselves[2478].

وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ
[37:28] And some of them will address the others, questioning one another.

قَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَأْتُونَنَا عَنْ الْيَمِينِ
[37:29] They will say, ‘Verily, you used to come to us, swearing that you were truthful[2478A].’

قَالُوا بَلْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
[37:30] They will answer, ‘Nay, you yourselves were not believers.

وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ بَلْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا طَاغِينَ
[37:31] ‘And we had no power over you; but you yourselves were a transgressing people.

فَحَقَّ عَلَيْنَا قَوْلُ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا لَذَائِقُونَ
[37:32] ‘Now the word of our Lord has been justified against us that we shall surely have to taste the punishment.

فَأَغْوَيْنَاكُمْ إِنَّا كُنَّا غَاوِينَ
[37:33] ‘And we caused you to go astray for we ourselves had gone astray.[2479]’

فَإِنَّهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُشْتَرِكُونَ
[37:34] Truly, on that day they will all be sharers in the punishment.

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَفْعَلُ بِالْمُجْرِمِينَ
[37:35] Surely, thus do We deal with the guilty:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
[37:36] For when it was said to them, ‘There is no God but Allah,’ they turned away with disdain,

وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوا آلِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍ مَجْنُونٍ
[37:37] And said, ‘Shall we give up our gods for a mad poet?’

بَلْ جَاءَ بِالْحَقِّ وَصَدَّقَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
[37:38] Nay, he has brought the truth and has testified to the truth of all the Messengers.

إِنَّكُمْ لَذَائِقُو الْعَذَابِ الأَلِيمِ
[37:39] You shall surely taste the painful punishment.

وَمَا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
[37:40] And you will be rewarded only for what you have wrought —

إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
[37:41] Save the chosen servants of Allah;

أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ رِزْقٌ مَعْلُومٌ
[37:42] These will have a known provision[2480];

فَوَاكِهُ وَهُمْ مُكْرَمُونَ
[37:43] Fruits[2481]; and they shall be honoured,

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ
[37:44] In the Gardens of Bliss,

عَلَى سُرُرٍ مُتَقَابِلِينَ
[37:45] Seated on thrones, facing one another.

يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينٍ
[37:46] They will be served round with a cup from a flowing fountain,

بَيْضَاءَ لَذَّةٍ لِلشَّارِبِينَ
[37:47] Sparkling white, delicious to the drinkers,

لاَ فِيهَا غَوْلٌ وَلاَ هُمْ عَنْهَا يُنزَفُونَ
[37:48] Wherein there will be no intoxication, nor will they be exhausted thereby.

وَعِنْدَهُمْ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ عِينٌ
[37:49] And with them will be chaste women, with restrained looks and large beautiful eyes[2482],

كَأَنَّهُنَّ بَيْضٌ مَكْنُونٌ
[37:50] As though they were sheltered eggs.

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ
[37:51] Then some of them will address the others, questioning one another.

قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّي كَانَ لِي قَرِينٌ
[37:52] A speaker from among them will say, “I had a companion,

يَقُولُ أَئِنَّكَ لَمِنْ الْمُصَدِّقِينَ
[37:53] “Who used to say, ‘Art thou indeed among those who believe it to be true?

أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا أَئِنَّا لَمَدِينُونَ
[37:54] ‘When we are dead, and have become dust and bones, shall we indeed be requited?’”

قَالَ هَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُطَّلِعُونَ
[37:55] He will ask, ‘Will you have a look at him?[2483]’

فَاطَّلَعَ فَرَآهُ فِي سَوَاءِ الْجَحِيمِ
[37:56] Then he will look and see him in the midst of the Fire.

قَالَ تَاللَّهِ إِنْ كِدْتَ لَتُرْدِينِي
[37:57] He will say, ‘By Allah, thou didst almost cause me to perish.

وَلَوْلاَ نِعْمَةُ رَبِّي لَكُنتُ مِنْ الْمُحْضَرِينَ
[37:58] ‘And had it not been for the favour of my Lord, I should surely have been of those who are called up before Him.

أَفَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَيِّتِينَ
[37:59] ‘Is it not so that we are not going to die again,

إِلاَّ مَوْتَتَنَا الأُولَى وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ
[37:60] ‘Save our previous death[2484], and that we are not to be punished?

إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
[37:61] ‘Surely this is the supreme triumph[2485].

لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلْ الْعَامِلُونَ
[37:62] ‘For the like of this, then, let the workers work.’

أَذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ نُزُلاً أَمْ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّومِ
[37:63] Is that better as an entertainment, or the tree of Zaqqum[2486]?

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهَا فِتْنَةً لِلظَّالِمِينَ
[37:64] Verily We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers[2487].

إِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخْرُجُ فِي أَصْلِ الْجَحِيمِ
[37:65] It is a tree that springs forth in the bottom of Hell[2488];

طَلْعُهَا كَأَنَّهُ رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ
[37:66] The fruit thereof is as though it were the heads of serpents.

فَإِنَّهُمْ لَآكِلُونَ مِنْهَا فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ
[37:67] And they shall eat of it and fill their bellies therewith.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا لَشَوْبًا مِنْ حَمِيمٍ
[37:68] Then will they have in addition to it a mixture of boiling water as a drink.

ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَرْجِعَهُمْ لَإِلَى الْجَحِيمِ
[37:69] Then surely their return shall be to Hell.

إِنَّهُمْ أَلْفَوْا آبَاءَهُمْ ضَالِّينَ
[37:70] They indeed found their fathers erring,

فَهُمْ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ
[37:71] And they hurried on in their footsteps[2489].

وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الأَوَّلِينَ
[37:72] And most of the ancient peoples had erred before them,

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيهِمْ مُنذِرِينَ
[37:73] And We had sent Warners among them.

فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِينَ
[37:74] Behold, then, how evil was the end of those who were warned,

إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
[37:75] Save the chosen servants of Allah.

وَلَقَدْ نَادَانَا نُوحٌ فَلَنِعْمَ الْمُجِيبُونَ
[37:76] And Noah indeed did cry unto Us and what an excellent answer did We give to his prayer!

وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنْ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ
[37:77] And We saved him and his family from the great distress;

وَجَعَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُ هُمُ الْبَاقِينَ
[37:78] And We made his offspring the only survivors[2490].

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الآخِرِينَ
[37:79] And We left for him a good name among the following generations —

سَلاَمٌ عَلَى نُوحٍ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ
[37:80] ‘Peace be upon Noah among the peoples!’

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[37:81] Thus indeed do We reward those who do good.

إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[37:82] He was surely one of Our believing servants.

ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الآخَرِينَ
[37:83] Then We drowned the others.

وَإِنَّ مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَاهِيمَ
[37:84] And verily of his party was Abraham;

إِذْ جَاءَ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ
[37:85] When he came to his Lord with a sound heart;

إِذْ قَالَ ِلأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَاذَا تَعْبُدُونَ
[37:86] When he said to his father and to his people, ‘What is it that you worship?

أَئِفْكًا آلِهَةً دُونَ اللَّهِ تُرِيدُونَ
[37:87] ‘Do you falsely seek gods[2491] beside Allah?

فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[37:88] ‘So what is your idea about the Lord of the worlds?’

فَنَظَرَ نَظْرَةً فِي النُّجُومِ
[37:89] Then he cast a glance at the stars[2492],

فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَقِيمٌ
[37:90] And said, ‘I am indeed feeling unwell.[2493]’

فَتَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ مُدْبِرِينَ
[37:91] So they went away from him turning their backs.

فَرَاغَ إِلَى آلِهَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَلاَ تَأْكُلُونَ
[37:92] Then he went secretly to their gods and said, ‘Will you not eat?

مَا لَكُمْ لاَ تَنطِقُونَ
[37:93] ‘What is the matter with you that you speak not?[2494]’

فَرَاغَ عَلَيْهِمْ ضَرْبًا بِالْيَمِينِ
[37:94] Then he began suddenly to strike them with the right hand.

فَأَقْبَلُوا إِلَيْهِ يَزِفُّونَ
[37:95] Thereupon the people came towards him hastening[2495].

قَالَ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مَا تَنْحِتُونَ
[37:96] He said, ‘Do you worship that which you have yourselves carved out,

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
[37:97] ‘Whereas Allah has created you and your handiwork?[2495A]’

قَالُوا ابْنُوا لَهُ بُنْيَانًا فَأَلْقُوهُ فِي الْجَحِيمِ
[37:98] They said, ‘Build for him a structure and cast him into the fire.’

فَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ الأَسْفَلِينَ
[37:99] Thus they intended an evil design against him, but We made them most humiliated[2496].

وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
[37:100] And he said, ‘I am going to my Lord, Who will guide me.

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ الصَّالِحِينَ
[37:101] ‘My Lord, grant me a righteous son.’

فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلاَمٍ حَلِيمٍ
[37:102] So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing son.

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَابُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنْ الصَّابِرِينَ

[37:103] And when he was old enough to work with him, he said, ‘O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering thee[2497]. So consider, what thou thinkest of it!’ He replied, ‘O my father, do as thou art commanded; thou wilt find me, if Allah please, of those who are patient.’

فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
[37:104] And when they both submitted to the Will of God, and he had thrown him down on his forehead,

وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَنْ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ
[37:105] We called to him: ‘O Abraham,

قَد صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[37:106] ‘Thou hast indeed fulfilled the dream.’ Thus indeed do We reward those who do good.

إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلاَءُ الْمُبِينُ
[37:107] That surely was a manifest trial.

وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ
[37:108] And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice[2498].

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الآخِرِينَ
[37:109] And We left for him a good name among the following generations[2499] —

سَلاَمٌ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ
[37:110] ‘Peace be upon Abraham!’

كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[37:111] Thus do We reward those who do good.

إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[37:112] Surely, he was one of Our believing servants.

وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِنْ الصَّالِحِينَ
[37:113] And We gave him the glad tidings of Isaac, a Prophet, and one of the righteous.

وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى إِسْحَاقَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ مُبِينٌ
[37:114] And We bestowed blessings on him[2500] and Isaac. And among their progeny are some who do good and others who clearly wrong themselves.

وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَى مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ
[37:115] And, indeed, We bestowed favours on Moses and Aaron.

وَنَجَّيْنَاهُمَا وَقَوْمَهُمَا مِنْ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ
[37:116] And We saved them both and their people from the great distress;

وَنَصَرْنَاهُمْ فَكَانُوا هُمْ الْغَالِبِينَ
[37:117] And We helped them, and it was they who were victorious.

وَآتَيْنَاهُمَا الْكِتَابَ الْمُسْتَبِينَ
[37:118] And We gave them the Book that made things clear;

وَهَدَيْنَاهُمَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
[37:119] And We guided them to the right path.

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِمَا فِي الآخِرِينَ
[37:120] And We left for them a good name among the following generations —

سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ
[37:121] ‘Peace be on Moses and Aaron!’

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[37:122] Thus indeed do We reward those who do good.

إِنَّهُمَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[37:123] Surely they were both among Our believing servants.

وَإِنَّ إِلْيَاسَ لَمِنْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
[37:124] And assuredly Elias[2501] also was one of the Messengers,

إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ أَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ
[37:125] When he said to his people, ‘Will you not fear God?

أَتَدْعُونَ بَعْلاً وَتَذَرُونَ أَحْسَنَ الْخَالِقِينَ
[37:126] ‘Do you call on Ba‘l[2502], and forsake the Best of creators,

اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ وَرَبَّ آبَائِكُمُ الأَوَّلِينَ
[37:127] ‘Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of old?’

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ
[37:128] But they treated him as a liar, and they will surely be brought before God to render an account;

إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
[37:129] Except the chosen servants of Allah.

وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الآخِرِينَ
[37:130] And We left for him a good name among the following generations —

سَلاَمٌ عَلَى إِلْ يَاسِينَ
[37:131] ‘Peace be on Elias and his people![2503]’

إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
[37:132] Thus indeed do We reward those who do good.

إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[37:133] Surely he was one of Our believing servants.

وَإِنَّ لُوطًا لَمِنْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
[37:134] And assuredly Lot too was one of the Messengers,

إِذْ نَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ
[37:135] When We delivered him and all his family,

إِلاَّ عَجُوزًا فِي الْغَابِرِينَ
[37:136] Except an old woman who was among those who stayed behind.

ثُمَّ دَمَّرْنَا الآخَرِينَ
[37:137] Then We utterly destroyed the others.

وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُصْبِحِينَ
[37:138] And surely you pass by them in the morning,

وَبِاللَّيْلِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ
[37:139] And by night[2504]. Then why do you not understand?

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
[37:140] And surely Jonah[2505] also was one of the Messengers,

إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ
[37:141] When he fled[2506] to the laden ship;

فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنْ الْمُدْحَضِينَ
[37:142] And he cast lots with the crew of the ship and was of the losers.

فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ
[37:143] And the fish swallowed him while he was blaming himself.

فَلَوْلاَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنْ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ
[37:144] And had he not been of those who glorify God,

لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
[37:145] He would have surely tarried in its belly till the Day of Resurrection.

فَنَبَذْنَاهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ
[37:146] Then We cast him on a bare tract of land, and he was sick;

وَأَنْبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِنْ يَقْطِينٍ
[37:147] And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him.

وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
[37:148] And We sent him as a Messenger to a hundred thousand people or more,

فَآمَنُوا فَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ
[37:149] And they believed; so We gave them provision for a while.

فَاسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَلِرَبِّكَ الْبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمْ الْبَنُونَ
[37:150] Now ask them[2506A] whether thy Lord has daughters whereas they have sons[2507].

أَمْ خَلَقْنَا الْمَلاَئِكَةَ إِنَاثًا وَهُمْ شَاهِدُونَ
[37:151] Did We create the angels females while they were witnesses?

أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ مِنْ إِفْكِهِمْ لَيَقُولُونَ
[37:152] Now, surely it is one of their fabrications that they say,

وَلَدَ اللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
[37:153] ‘Allah has begotten children;’ and they are certainly liars.

أَاصْطَفَى الْبَنَاتِ عَلَى الْبَنِينَ
[37:154] Has He chosen daughters in preference to sons?

مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
[37:155] What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُون
[37:156] Will you not then reflect?

أَمْ لَكُمْ سُلْطَانٌ مُبِينٌ
[37:157] Or have you a clear authority?

فَأْتُوا بِكِتَابِكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
[37:158] Then produce your Book[2508], if you are truthful.

وَجَعَلُوا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَبًا وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَتْ الْجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ
[37:159] And they assert a blood relationship between Him and the Jinn while the Jinn themselves know that they will be brought before God for judgment.

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
[37:160] Holy is Allah and free from what they attribute to Him.

إِلاَّ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
[37:161] But the chosen servants of Allah do not do so.

فَإِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ
[37:162] Verily, you and what you worship —

مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِفَاتِنِينَ
[37:163] None of you can mislead[2509] anyone against Him,

إِلاَّ مَنْ هُوَ صَالِي الْجَحِيمِ
[37:164] Except him who shall burn in Hell.

وَمَا مِنَّا إِلاَّ لَهُ مَقَامٌ مَعْلُومٌ
[37:165] And the angels say: ‘And there is not one of us but has an appointed station[2510].

وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الصَّافُّونَ
[37:166] ‘And, verily, we are those who stand ranged in ranks.

وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْمُسَبِّحُونَ
[37:167] ‘And we are verily those who glorify God.’

وَإِنْ كَانُوا لَيَقُولُونَ
[37:168] And surely they used to say,

لَوْ أَنَّ عِنْدَنَا ذِكْرًا مِنْ الأَوَّلِينَ
[37:169] ‘If we had with us a Book like that of the people of old,

لَكُنَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
[37:170] ‘We would surely have been Allah’s chosen servants.’

فَكَفَرُوا بِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ
[37:171] Yet when it is come to them they disbelieve therein, but they will soon come to know.

وَلَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا الْمُرْسَلِين
[37:172] And surely Our word has gone forth respecting Our servants, the Messengers,

إِنَّهُمْ لَهُمْ الْمَنصُورُونَ
[37:173] That it is certainly they who would be helped;

وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمْ الْغَالِبُونَ
[37:174] And that it is Our host that would certainly be victorious.

فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ
[37:175] So turn thou away from them for a while.

وَأَبْصِرْهُمْ فَسَوْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ
[37:176] And watch them, for they will soon see.

أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونَ
[37:177] Is it then Our punishment that they seek to hasten on?

فَإِذَا نَزَلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ فَسَاءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنذَرِينَ
[37:178] But when it descends into their courtyard[2511], it shall be an evil morning to those who were warned.

وَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ
[37:179] So turn thou away from them for a while.

وَأَبْصِرْ فَسَوْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ
[37:180] And watch, for they will soon see.

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
[37:181] Holy is thy Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power, far above that which they assert.

وَسَلاَمٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ
[37:182] And peace be upon the Messengers[2512]!

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[37:183] And all praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

2465. The particle waw means; also; then; while; during; at the same time, together; with; but; however. It is also synonymous with rubba, i.e., frequently; sometimes, perhaps. It is also a particle of swearing meaning, 'by' or 'I swear,' or 'I cite as witness' (Aqrab & Lane). Waw has been used in the present and the next two verses in the sense of 'by,' or 'I swear,' or 'I cite as witness.' In the Qur'an God has sworn by certain beings or things or has cited them as witnesses. Ordinarily, when a person takes an oath and swears by Allah his object is to supply the deficiency of insufficient testimony or to add weight or conviction to his statement. By so doing he calls God to witness that he speaks the truth when there is no other person to bear witness to his statement. But such is not the case with the Quranic oaths. When the Qur'an adopts such a form the truth of the statement it makes is not sought to be proved by a mere assertion but by a solid argument implied in the oath itself. Sometimes these oaths refer to the
obvious laws of nature and by implication draw attention to what may be inferred, i.e., spiritual laws; from what is obvious. Another object of a Quranic oath is to make a prophecythe fulfillment of which establishes its truth. This is the case here.

2466. Muslims standing in battle array facing the enemy or standing behind their Imam in the five daily Prayers.

2467. Waging a relentless war against the enemy of Islam and driving them away vigorously. The words may also signify the custodians of law and order.

2468. Reciters of the Qur'an.

2469. These verses (2-5) embody both a prophecy and a statement of fact. As a statement of fact they signify that there live in all times and among every people a group of righteous and God-fearing men who, by word and deed and by precept and practice, bear testimony to the truth that God is One. As a prophecy, however, the verses signify that though at present the whole of Arabia is sunk deep in idol-worship and moral turpitude, yet a community of the Faithful will soon be born who not only will themselves glorify God and sing His praises and make the whole country resound with their hosannas but will also succeed in establishing Divine Unity in the land. Thus the Companions of the Holy Prophet, some of whose characteristics are mentioned in these verses, are cited as witnesses to the Unity of God. The verses may have yet another interpretation; viz., that if a representative gathering of the learned men of various Faiths were held in a peaceful atmosphere and the basic religious principles were discussed and debated impartially and dispassionately in a calm atmosphere, under the supervision of the custodians of law and order, the inevitable outcome of the deliberations of such a gathering will be the affirmation of the doctrine that 'God is One.'

2470. The implication may be to the spread of Islam first in eastern countries, then from there to other parts of the world.

2471. The verse points to a parallelism between the physical and spiritual realms, viz., that just as the physical heaven is sustained by physical planets and stars, so is the spiritual heaven sustained by their spiritual counterparts who are the Prophets and Divine Reformers. Each one of them serves as an ornament for the spiritual heaven, as the stars and planets beautify and embellish the physical heaven.

2472.  Satans are of two categories: (a) Internal enemies of the Muslim Community such as the hypocrites, etc. They are called 'the rebellious satans' as in this verse: and (b) external enemies or disbelievers who are described as 'satans, the rejected' (1 5: 18).

2473.  As long as the Word of God is preserved in the heavens it is quite safe and secure against all interference, stealing or snatching, but after it is revealed to a Prophet, 'satans,' or the enemies of God's Prophets, seek to misrepresent or misinterpret it by misquoting the Prophet, or by tearing a passage out of his revelation and mixing much falsehood with it, or they even try to represent the Prophet's teaching as their own. But their falsehood becomes exposed by the true exposition of his revelation by the Divine Reformer.

2474. In the word man the allusion may be to those righteous Companions of the Holy Prophet to whom reference has been made in vv. 2-5. The reference may also be to the system of the universe.

2475. The coming into being of a company of truly righteous and God-fearing men through the Holy Prophet and the establishment of Islam on a firm footing in Arabia is, indeed, a marvel to wonder at even by the Holy Prophet himself.

2476. May be the day on which Mecca fell.

2477.  The realization of utter helplessness of the guilty people to assist each other will be brought home to them.

2478. The guilty will offer no defense but will only indulge in mutual recrimination as the following verses show.

2478A.  'The right side' may signify religion and the verse may mean, 'You masqueraded under the cloak of religion to deceive us.' Or, the word, Yamin, ay signify power and force, and the verse may mean, 'You approached us with great power and force.' Or, it may mean, 'You came to us swearing that you were truthful.'

2479.  The leaders of disbelief will say to their followers: 'You yourselves chose to follow us; and since we ourselves had gone astray, you could expect nothing better from us.' It was a case of blind leading the blind.

2480. The words. 'a known provision,' signify that Muslims knew beforehand that they would receive Divine favors mentioned in the following verses.

2481. The blessings which the believers would get would be the fruit of right beliefs and good deeds of the believers.

2482. 'In (women having large beautiful eyes) is the plural of 'Aina' which means, a woman having large beautiful eyes. The word also means a good or beautiful word or saying. Ardun 'Aina'u means, green or black earth (Lane). History bears testimony to the fact that Muslims were endowed with all the blessings mentioned in the foregoing verses. They had gardens of bliss: they sat on thrones and enjoyed power and dominion: they had all the innocent pleasures of life; they had beautiful chaste women as their spouses and, over and above all this. 'God was well-pleased with them and they were well-pleased with
Him' (58:23). This was their greatest achievement.

2483.  The speaker is the inmate of Paradise referred to in v. 52. He will ask other inmates of Paradise if they would like to have a look at his former disbelieving companion.

2484. The believer in Paradise is here mentioned as referring to the great destiny of man his eternal life. He says that man will not suffer death after his departure from this world. His spiritual journey to Eternity will know no end or retreat.

2485.  Man's greatest achievement and the fulfillment of his highest destiny lies in enjoying eternal life and making incessant and everlasting spiritual progress.

2486. Zaqqum denotes the tree of disbelief. The Qur'an has compared true belief to a good tree which brings forth its fruit at all times (14:25, 26) and disbelief to an evil tree-Zaqqum (14:27). Taking it in the sense of deadly food, the verse would mean that eating of the fruit of the accursed tree of disbelief brings about spiritual death.

2487.  The evil tree of disbelief has always proved a great source of mischief for men.

2488.  Eating of the tree of disbelief takes men to the bottom of Hell.

2489. Men are generally slaves to old usages, traditions and customs. Time-worn ideas and prejudices die hard. Perhaps the greatest obstacle in the way of acceptance of truth by the people, as repeatedly mentioned in the Qur’an, is their strong disinclination to accept new ideas.

2490. Noah laid the foundations of human civilization and it is an established fact of history that with the progress of a people in civilization their numbers tend to increase and a corresponding decrease takes place in the numbers of less civilized communities living with them in the same or surrounding lands. The descendants of Noah being more civilized and having more material resources at their command seemed to have spread to other lands and subjugated less civilized peoples, who in course of time became absorbed in them and consequently became extinct.

2491. Man is prone to worship false gods in the form of human beings to whom he attributes Divine powers, or objects of nature such as the sun, the moon and the stars, or inanimate things such as gods hewed out of wood and stone, or his own time-worn customs; usages; prejudices and superstitions, his desires, passions, etc.

2492. It seems that the controversy between Abraham and his people about Divine attributes dragged on till late into the night, and seeing that the talk had served no useful purpose Abraham wanted to cut it short. So he cast a glance at the stars, suggesting thereby that the talk had dragged on long and far into the night and it should better stop.

2493.  In view of the useless nature of the talk Abraham told his people that they had better leave him alone as he was not feeling well. Or; the words, Inni Saqim; may mean, 'I am sick of your worshipping false gods,' or, 'I am sorely distressed at heart because you worship false gods,' or, 'I hate your worship of false gods.'

2494.  The most distinctive attribute of a Living God is that He speaks to His chosen servants and listens to and answers their prayers. It is a dead and defunct deity that has not the power to speak or listen to and accept the prayers of his votaries.

2495.  The right hand being the symbol of power and strength, the verse signifies that Abraham struck the idols with full force and broke them into pieces. Yamin also meaning a vow, the verse may signify that Abraham broke the idols in fulfillment of his vow (21:58).

2495A.  Your hands and feet with which you work.

2496. As the enemies of Abraham were frustrated in their plans against him, they had a deep feeling of humiliation.

2497.  The Qur'an and the Bible are at variance as to which of his two sons-Ishmael or Isaac-Abraham, in pursuance of God's command, offered for sacrifice. According to the Bible it was Isaac (Gen. 22:2). The Qur'an; on the other hand, declares clearly and unequivocally that it was Ishmael. The Bible contradicts itself in this respect. According to it, Abraham was commanded to offer his only son for sacrifice, but Isaac was at no time his only son. Ishmael was senior to Isaac by 13 years and for these many years was Abraham's only son, and, being also his first born, was doubly dear to him. It stands to reason, therefore, that Abraham must have been required by God to offer for sacrifice his nearest and dearest thing which was his only and first-born son who was Ishmael. Some Christian evangelists have vainly tried to show that, 'Ishmael being of the handmaid, was born after the flesh while Isaac being born of the free woman was by promise' (Galatians, 4:22, 23). Apart from the fact that Hagar, Ishmael's mother, belonged to the royal family of Egypt and was no handmaid, Ishmael has repeatedly been mentioned in the Bible as Abraham's son, exactly as Isaac has been mentioned as his son (Gen. 16:16; 17:23,25). Moreover, analogous promises were made to Abraham in regard to the future greatness of Ishmael as were made to him about Isaac (Gen., 16:10, 11; 17:20). Apart from the substitution in the Bible of Isaac for Ishmael which seems to be deliberate, and of Moriah for Marwah, an hillock which lies in the vicinity of Mecca near which Abraham left Ishmael with his mother Hagar while yet a child, there is nothing in the Bible to lend the slightest support to the view that Abraham offered Isaac for sacrifice and not Ishmael. But whereas no trace is to be found in the religious ceremonies of Jews and Christians of the supposed sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, Muslims who are the spiritual descendants of Ishmael, commemorate with great fervor his intended sacrifice, by slaughtering every year rams and goats all over the world on the tenth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah.

This universal sacrifice of rams and goats by Muslims establishes beyond dispute or doubt the fact that it was Ishmael whom Abraham offered for sacrifice and not Isaac. In reality Abraham was not required to fulfill his vision in actual fact. It was only a practical demonstration of his intention and preparedness to sacrifice his son which was desired of him. The vision had already symbolically been fulfilled in Hagar and Ishmael having been left by Abraham in the Valley of Mecca which was at that time an arid and barren waste. That brave act, had, in fact, symbolized the sacrifice of Ishmael. The Divine command to Abraham first to sacrifice his son and then to abstain from carrying it into actual fact showed also that it was intended to abolish human sacrifice; a most inhuman practice which was prevalent at that time among most nations.

2498.  Abraham's preparedness to sacrifice Ishmael was perpetuated in the Islamic institution of 'Sacrifice' which forms an integral part of the ceremonies of Hajj. The implication in the verse may also be to the abolition of human sacrifice which seemed to be in vogue in Abraham's time and to the substitution for it of animal sacrifice.

2499.  What greater testimony could there be to Abraham having left behind him a good name than that the followers of three great religions-Islam, Christianity and Judaism-take pride in ascribing their ancestry to the great Patriarch.

2500. The words, 'We bestowed blessings on him,' refer to the blessings that God bestowed upon Abraham's progeny through Ishmael, as Isaac has been mentioned separately by name.

2501. Elias or Elijah lived about 900 B.C. He was a native of Gilead, a place on the eastern bank of the Jordan. His mantle was taken by Elisha (Jew. Enc. & 1 Kings, 17:1).

2502.  Ba'l was the name of an idol belonging to the people of the Prophet Elias. These people worshipped the sun. Ba'l may also stand for the sun-god which belonged to the people of a town in Syria now called Bal-Bekk (Lane).

2503. Ilyasin may be another form of Ilyas as Sinin (95:3) is that of Sina (23:21); or being plural of llyas it may mean llyas and his people.

2504.  Sodom and Gomorrah, the towns to which Lot preached his Message were situated on the highway from Arabia to Syria where the Arab caravans passed by day and night. At another place in the Qur'an these towns are mentioned as having been situated 'on a road that still exists' (15:77).

2505. Jonah was an Israelite Prophet and lived in the 9th century in the reign of Jeroboam II or Jehoahaz. See also 6:87,88.

2506.  According to the Bible Jonah was commissioned by God to go to Nineveh and 'cry against' it, but instead he fled to Tarshish 'from the presence of the Lord' (Jonah, 1:3). The Qur'an contradicts this biblical statement as it is calculated to impugn a Divine Prophet. In fact, being angry with his people, because they had rejected the Divine Message, Jonah fled from them.

2506A.  The disbelieving Meccans.

2507. The Arabs ascribed Divine powers to angels, believing them to be God's daughters. It is this form of idolatry that has been condemned here.

2508. No Divine Book accords the slightest countenance to this most foolish and obnoxious doctrine.

2509.  It is people of their own ilk that evil spirits can mislead. They have no control or influence over godly men.

2510. The reference may be, as some say, to the angels. According to others it is to the believers.

2511. The reference may be to the day of the Fall of Mecca which was indeed an evil day for the Meccans when a Muslim army ten thousand strong entered its suburbs. Then the cup of their mortification and humiliation became full to the brim, as all their evil designs against Islam had completely failed and it had won a glorious victory over disbelievers.

2512. The reference seems to be to the Holy Prophet who represents in his person all the Prophets and Messengers of God.