(Revealed before Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
The Surah bears the title of Ha Mim AI-Sajdah. It is also known as Fussilat. Being the second of the seven Chapters of Ha Mim group, it possesses a very close resemblance with the Surah that goes before it and those that follow it in style and subject-matter, and like them it was revealed at Mecca at a time when opposition to Islam had grown strong, determined and persistent. While towards the close of the preceding Surah the disbelievers were warned that when Divine punishment overtook them, belief and repentance would be of no avail, the present Surah opens with the statement that it is those people, who close the avenues of their hearts and persistently refuse to listen to the Qur'an, that render themselves deserving of punishment. It further declares that the Qur'an contains all that is necessary for the moral development of man and explains fully and completely all its tenets, teachings and principles in the most explicit, expressive and intelligible language and adduces as an argument the creation of the universe in six periods or stages to prove Divine Unity, and proceeds to say that all Prophets brought the self-same Message of Divine Unity. Even the Prophets of antiquity like Hud and Salih preached the same doctrine.

Next, it is stated that whenever a new Prophet comes in the world, the leaders of disbelief try to stifle the voice of Truth by raising a loud hue and cry against it and seek to confuse the minds of the people by using all sorts of guiles and subterfuges; but falsehood has never succeeded in drowning the voice of Truth. Likewise will the efforts of opponents of the Holy Prophet fail against him. The angels of God will descend upon those who believe in him and stand by him through thick and thin, consoling and comforting them, blessing their endeavors with success and telling them that they will inherit Divine blessings in this world and will be God's guests in the next.

The Surah proceeds to say that night of sin and iniquity will pass away and the sun of righteousness and God's Unity will shine upon Arabia, and a people, who for centuries had groped in the darkness of ignorance, will receive a new life, and Islam, after having taken deep roots in Arabia, will spread and expand to the farthest ends of the earth. This marvelous change will come about through the noble teaching of this wonderful Book the Qur'an. God alone knows how and when the seed of truth that the Holy Prophet has sown in the soil of Arabia will develop and grow into a mighty tree, but grow it must, and under its cool and comfortable shade great nations will take rest.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[41:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

حم
[41:2] Ha Mim.[2620A]

تَنزِيلٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
[41:3] This is a revelation from the Gracious, the Merciful.

كِتَابٌ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
[41:4] A Book, the verses of which have been expounded in detail — the Qur’an in clear, eloquent language — for a people who have knowledge,

بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُونَ
[41:5] A bringer of glad tidings and a warner. But most of them turn away and they hear not.

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ وَفِي آذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنْ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَاعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَامِلُونَ

[41:6] And they say: ‘Our hearts are under covers and are protected against that to which thou callest us, and in our ears there is a deafness[2621], and between us and thee there is a screen. So carry on thy work; we too are working.’

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ وَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ

[41:7] Say, ‘I am only a man like you. It is revealed to me that your God is One God; so go ye straight to Him without deviating, and ask forgiveness of Him.’ And woe to the idolaters,

الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ بالآخِرَةِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ
[41:8] Who give not the Zakat, and they it is who deny the Hereafter.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ
[41:9] As to those who believe and do good works, they will surely have a reward that will never end.

قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الأَرْضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَادًا ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[41:10] Say: ‘Do you really disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two days[2622]? And do you set up equals to Him?’ That is the Lord of the worlds.

وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِلسَّائِلِينَ
[41:11] He placed therein firm mountains rising above its surface, and blessed it with abundance, and provided therein its foods in proper measure in four days[2623] — alike for all seekers[2624].

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلأَرْضِ اِئْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ
[41:12] Then He turned to the heaven while it was something like smoke, and said to it and to the earth: ‘Come ye both of you, willingly or unwillingly.[2625]’ They said, ‘We come willingly.[2626]’

فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَى فِي كُلِّ سَمَاءٍ أَمْرَهَا وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَحِفْظًا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

[41:13] So He completed them into seven heavens in two days[2627], and He revealed to each heaven its function. And We adorned the lowest heaven with lamps for light and for protection. That is the decree of the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَقُلْ أَنذَرْتُكُمْ صَاعِقَةً مِثْلَ صَاعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ
[41:14] But if they turn away, then say: ‘I warn you of a destructive punishment like the punishment which overtook ‘Ad and Thamud.’

إِذْ جَاءَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ قَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّنَا لَأَنزَلَ مَلاَئِكَةً فَإِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ

[41:15] When their Messengers came to them from before them and behind them[2627A], saying: ‘Worship none but Allah,’ they said: ‘If our Lord had so willed, He would have certainly sent down angels. So we do disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.’

فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ

[41:16] As for ‘Ad, they behaved arrogantly in the earth without any justification and said, ‘Who is mightier than we in power?’ Do they not see that Allah, Who created them, is mightier than they in power? Still they continued to deny Our Signs.

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا صَرْصَرًا فِي أَيَّامٍ نَحِسَاتٍ لِنُذِيقَهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَخْزَى وَهُمْ لاَ يُنْصَرُونَ

[41:17] So We sent upon them a furious wind for several ominous days, that We might make them taste the punishment of humiliation in this life. And the punishment of the Hereafter will surely be more humiliating, and they will not be helped.

وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ صَاعِقَةُ الْعَذَابِ الْهُونِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

[41:18] And as for Thamud, We gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness to guidance, so the calamity of a humiliating punishment seized them, on account of what they had earned.

وَنَجَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ
[41:19] And We saved those who believed and acted righteously.

وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ إِلَى النَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
[41:20] And on the day when the enemies of Allah will be gathered together and driven to the Fire, they will be goaded on.

حَتَّى إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
[41:21] Till, when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins will bear witness against them as to what they had been doing.[2628]

وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

[41:22] And they will say to their skins[2629]: ‘Why bear ye witness against us?’ They will say: ‘Allah has made us to speak as He has made everything else to speak. And He it is Who created you the first time, and unto Him have you been brought bac

وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَنْ يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلاَ أَبْصَارُكُمْ وَلاَ جُلُودُكُمْ وَلَكِنْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

[41:23] ‘And you did not fear while committing sins that your ears and your eyes and your skins would bear witness against you, nay, you thought that even Allah did not know much of what you used to do.

وَذَلِكُمْ ظَنُّكُمُ الَّذِي ظَنَنتُمْ بِرَبِّكُمْ أَرْدَاكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
[41:24] ‘And that thought of yours, which you entertained concerning your Lord[2630], has ruined you. So now you have become of those who are lost.’

فَإِنْ يَصْبِرُوا فَالنَّارُ مَثْوًى لَهُمْ وَإِنْ يَسْتَعْتِبُوا فَمَا هُمْ مِنَ الْمُعْتَبِينَ
[41:25] Now if they can endure, the Fire is their abode; and if they ask for forgiveness, they are not of those whom forgiveness can be shown.[2631]

وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا خَاسِرِينَ

[41:26] And We had assigned for them companions who made to appear attractive[2632] to them what was before them and what was behind them; and the sentence became due against them along with the communities of Jinn and mankind that had gone before them. Surely, they were the losers.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لاَ تَسْمَعُوا لِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ
[41:27] And those who disbelieve say: ‘Listen not to this Qur’an, but make noise during its recital[2633] that you may have the upper hand.’

فَلَنُذِيقَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَسْوَأَ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
[41:28] And most certainly We will make those who disbelieve taste a severe punishment, and, most certainly, We will requite them for the worst of their deeds.

ذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ النَّارُ لَهُمْ فِيهَا دَارُ الْخُلْدِ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
[41:29] That is the reward of the enemies of Allah — the Fire. For them there will be an abiding home therein as a requital because they used to deny Our Signs.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا رَبَّنَا أَرِنَا الَّذَيْنِ أَضَلاَّنَا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنْسِ نَجْعَلْهُمَا تَحْتَ أَقْدَامِنَا لِيَكُونَا مِنَ الأَسْفَلِينَ

[41:30] And those who disbelieve will say, ‘Our Lord, show us those who led us astray from among both the Jinn and men[2634], that we may put them under our feet so that both of them may become of the lowest.’

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ أَلاَّ تَخَافُوا وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

[41:31] As for those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remain steadfast, the angels descend on them, saying: ‘Fear ye not, nor grieve; and rejoice in the Garden that you were promised.[2635]

نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ
[41:32] ‘We are your friends in this life and in the Hereafter. Therein you will have all that your souls will desire, and therein you will have all that you will ask for —

نُزُلاً مِنْ غَفُورٍ رَحِيمٍ
[41:33] ‘An entertainment from the Most Forgiving, the Merciful.’

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلاً مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
[41:34] And who is better in speech than he who invites men to Allah and does good works and says, ‘I am surely of those who submit?’

وَلاَ تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلاَ السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

[41:35] And good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with that which is best[2636]. And lo, he between whom and thyself was enmity will become as though he were a warm friend.

وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ
[41:36] But none is granted it save those who are steadfast; and none is granted it save those who possess a large share of good.

وَإِمَّا يَنْزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
[41:37] And if an incitement from Satan incite thee, then seek refuge in Allah. Surely He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لاَ تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلاَ لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

[41:38] And among His Signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Prostrate not yourselves before the sun, nor before the moon, but prostrate yourselves before Allah, Who created them, if it is Him Whom you really worship.

فَإِنْ اسْتَكْبَرُوا فَالَّذِينَ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَهُمْ لاَ يَسْأَمُونَ
[41:39] But if they turn away with disdain they do it to their own detriment, while those who are with thy Lord glorify Him night and day, and they are never wearied.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنَّكَ تَرَى الأَرْضَ خَاشِعَةً فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ إِنَّ الَّذِي أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

[41:40] And among His Signs is this: that thou seest the earth lying withered, but when We send down water on it, it stirs and swells with verdure. Surely, He Who quickened it can quicken the dead. Verily He has power over all things.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا لاَ يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَا أَفَمَنْ يُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَمْ مَنْ يَأْتِي آمِنًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

[41:41] Surely, those who deviate from the right path with respect to Our Signs are not hidden from Us. Is he, then, who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes out safe on the Day of Resurrection? Do what you will. Surely He sees all that you do.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَابٌ عَزِيزٌ
[41:42] Those who disbelieve in the Reminder[2637] when it comes to them are the losers. And, truly, it is a mighty Book.

لاَ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
[41:43] Falsehood cannot approach it either from before or from behind it[2638]. It is a revelation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy.

مَا يُقَالُ لَكَ إِلاَّ مَا قَدْ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ وَذُو عِقَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
[41:44] Nothing is said to thee but what was said to the Messengers before thee. Thy Lord is indeed the Master of forgiveness; and also the Master of painful chastisement.

وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا أَعْجَمِيًّا لَقَالُوا لَوْلاَ فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ أَأَعْجَمِيٌّ وَعَرَبِيٌّ قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ

[41:45] And if We had made it a Qur’an in a foreign tongue, they surely would have said, ‘Why have not its verses been made clear? What! a foreign tongue and an Arab?’ Say, ‘It is a guidance and a healing for those who believe.’ But as to those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness[2638A] for them. They are, as it were, being called to from a far off place[2639].

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَاخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ وَلَوْلاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ رَبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مُرِيبٍ

[41:46] And We did give Moses the Book, but differences were created concerning it; and had it not been for a word[2639A] that had gone before from thy Lord, the matter would have been decided between them; and certainly they are in a disquieting doubt about it.

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلاَّمٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ
[41:47] Whoso does right, it is for his own soul; and whoso does evil, it will only go against it. And thy Lord is not at all unjust to His servants.

إِلَيْهِ يُرَدُّ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَمَا تَخْرُجُ مِنْ ثَمَرَاتٍ مِنْ أَكْمَامِهَا وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَى وَلاَ تَضَعُ إِلاَّ بِعِلْمِهِ وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِي قَالُوا آذَنَّاكَ مَا مِنَّا مِنْ شَهِيدٍ

[41:48] To Him alone is referred the knowledge of the Hour. And no fruits come forth from their spathes, nor does any female bear a child, nor does she give birth to it, but with His knowledge[2640]. And on the day when He will call unto them, saying, “Where are My ‘Partners’?” they will say, ‘We declare unto Thee, not one of us is a witness thereto.’

وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَدْعُونَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَظَنُّوا مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ
[41:49] And all that they used to call upon before will be lost to them, and they will know for certain that they have no place of escape.

لاَ يَسْأَمُ الإِنْسَانُ مِنْ دُعَاءِ الْخَيْرِ وَإِنْ مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَئُوسٌ قَنُوطٌ
[41:50] Man does not tire of praying for good; but if evil touch him, he despairs, and gives up all hope.

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ ضَرَّاءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَذَا لِي وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِنْ رُجِعْتُ إِلَى رَبِّي إِنَّ لِي عِنْدَهُ لَلْحُسْنَى فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

[41:51] And if We make him taste of mercy from Ourself, after some affliction that has befallen him, he will surely say, ‘This is my due[2641]; and I do not think the Hour will ever come. But if I am returned to my Lord, I shall surely have with Him the very best.’ Then We will surely tell the disbelievers all that they did, and We will certainly make them taste hard punishment.

وَإِذَا أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى الإِنْسَانِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَأى بِجَانِبِهِ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَاءٍ عَرِيضٍ
[41:52] And when We bestow a favour on man, he goes away, turning aside; but when evil touches him, lo! he starts offering long prayers.

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ كَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ مَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ هُوَ فِي شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ
[41:53] Say, ‘Tell me: if it is from Allah but you disbelieve in it — who is more astray than one who has drifted away from Allah?’

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

[41:54] Soon We will show them Our Signs in all parts[2642] of the earth, and among their own people until it becomes manifest to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord is Witness over all things?

أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِنْ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِمْ أَلاَ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُحِيطٌ
[41:55] Aye, they are surely in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord. Aye, He certainly encompasses all things.

2620A. See 2592

2621.  The verse depicts disbelievers as saying sarcastically to the Holy Prophet, 'your teaching is too good for us sinners to accept and your ideals too sublime to be understood and realized by us.' If the words are taken to be spoken seriously they would mean, 'We are fully determined not to accept your teaching. We have closed all the avenues of our hearts, eyes and ears against it.'

2622. It is not possible to surmise as to the length of these 'two days.' They may have extended over thousands of years. Even in the Qur'an Yaum (day) has been spoken of as equal to a thousand years (22:48), or even equal to fifty thousand years (705). The making of the earth in two days may signify the two stages through which the earth passed from a formless matter into a -gradually evolved form after it had cooled down and become condensed.

2623.  The 'two days' or stages mentioned in the previous verse through which the earth had to pass before it assumed its present form are included among the 'four days' mentioned in the present verse, the additional 'two days' signifying the two stages of the placing on it of mountains, rivers, etc., and the growth on it of vegetable and animal life. See also v. 13. The words, 'provided therein its foods in proper measure,' signify that the earth is and will ever remain to be fully capable of providing food for all the creatures that live on it.

2624.  The expression, 'alike for all seekers,' may signify that the foods which God has provided in the earth are equally accessible to all seekers who try to get them according to the laws of nature. It may also mean that all the physical needs and requirements of man have been adequately met in the foods that grow out of earth. So the fear that the earth may not some day be able to grow sufficient food for the fast increasing population of the world is groundless. 'The world can provide food, fiber and all other agricultural requirements for 28 billion people, ten times the world's present population' (Prof. Colin Clark, Director of the Agricultural Economics Research Institute of Oxford University). Only recently the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization pointed out in its report, 'The State of Food and
Agriculture, 1959,' that the world's food supply grows twice as fast as its population.

2625. Kurhan or Karhan in both forms is infinitive-noun from Kariha (he disliked), the former (Kurhan) meaning, what you yourself do not like and the latter (Karhan) meaning, what you are compelled to do against your will by someone else. Fa'ala-hu Karhan means, he did it unwillingly (Lane).

2626. The verse signifies that everything in the universe is subject to certain laws which it obeys and according to which it works. It has no discretion. It is man alone who has been endowed with volition or discretion to obey or defy the Divine laws and it is not unoften that he uses his discretion to his detriment. This is also the meaning and significance of 33:73.

2627. In vv. 10 and 11 it is stated that the making of the earth took two days and the placing on it of the mountains, rivers, etc., and of vegetable and animal life, another two days. In the present verse; however, it is mentioned that like the earth the solar system with its planets and satellites took two days to become complete. Thus the whole universe came into existence in six days or periods which is quite in harmony with vv. 755 and 50:39. Taking the word Yaum in the sense of 'stage,' the three vv. 10, 11 and 13 taken together would mean that the whole physical universe was completed in six stages. After the creation of the universe, man came into existence and his creation also was completed in six stages (23: 13-1 5).

2627A.  Divine Messengers continued to appear during the whole span of their national life.

2628.  The ears and eyes of the guilty will bear witness against disbelievers in three ways: (1) The evil consequences of their actions will take a physical form. (2) The very organs of their bodies having been vitiated by misuse; their vitiated condition will bear witness against them; and (3) all the movements of the organs of their bodies, having been preserved, will be reproduced on the Last Day.

2629. The skin plays the most important part in man's actions. It includes not only the sense of touch but also all the other senses. While the sins of the eyes and the ears are confined to seeing and hearing, the sins of 'the skin' extend to all organs or limbs of the body.

2630. In fact, all sins are the result of lack of a living faith in God.

2631. The crimes of disbelievers are so heinous and hideous that they will not be granted, or taken back into God's favor, or the meaning is that the disbelievers will not be allowed even to approach the 'Atabah (threshold) of the Throne of God to ask for His mercy.

2632. The evil companions of disbelievers admired and praised their evil acts so as to make those acts appear commendable to them. These evil associates will be made to share the punishment with those whom they beguiled and deceived. The words, 'what was before them and what was behind them,' may mean, the deeds which they did in consequence of association with their bad companions and those they did in imitation of the bad deeds of their forefathers.

2633. The votaries of darkness have always tried to stifle the voice of Truth by raising a hue and cry against it and have sought to confuse the minds of people by using all sorts of guiles and subterfuges.

2634. Two groups or sets of people, one from among the jinn and the other from among men.

2635. It is in this very life that angels descend upon the Faithful to give them consolation and comfort when they exhibit perseverance in the midst of severe trials and tribulations.

2636.  As the preaching of truth inevitably brings in its wake hardships for the preacher, the verse enjoins upon him to bear them patiently and with fortitude, and even to return good for the evil he receives at the hands of his persecutors.

2637. The Qur'an has been called Dhikr because (a) it presents and repeats its principles and themes in different forms, thus making men remember them; (b) it reminds men of the noble teachings that were revealed in former Scriptures; and (c)by acting upon its teachings men can rise to the heights of spiritual eminence (Dhikr also meaning, honor).

2638. The Qur'an is such a wonderful Book that not one of the great truths. principles and ideals enunciated by it has ever been contravened or contradicted by ancient learning or modern science.

2638A. The meaning of the Qur'an is obscure to them and the beauty and usefulness of its teaching are hidden from them.

2639. The expression, They are being called from a far-off place, signifies that on the Day of Judgment the disbelievers will not be allowed to approach the Throne of the Almighty, but will be called from a far-off place to render an account of their evil deeds. It may also mean that the disbelievers have shut their ears to the Qur'an, and refuse to ponder over it, so it has become as unintelligible to them as an indistinct and confused voice that a person hears from a far-off place.

2639A. The reference is to the Divine words, "My mercy encompasses all things" (7:157).

2640. God alone knows how the seed that the Holy Prophet has sown in the soil of Arabia would grow, and what kinds of fruit it would bear. If the fruits were rotten they would be destroyed, but if they were wholesome and delicious they would be preserved with care.

2641. It is human nature that when man is in trouble he is despondent and despairing, but when he is in affluent circumstances, he is the very embodiment of conceit and arrogance, and behaves as if no affliction had ever touched him, and in his conceit he begins to attribute all his success to his own effort and ability.

2642. The verse makes in most clear and emphatic terms the prophecy that Islam will spread not only nearer home among the Arabs but in the remotest parts of the earth, afaq meaning remote regions (Lane).