Surah No. 43
Surah No. 431
Merits of the Surah
1. Except for a single ayah, number 45, the rest of the Surah is Makkan by consensus (Qurtubi).
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ حم (1)
(43:1) Ha. Mim.
وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ (2)
(43:2) By the Clear Book.2
2. Qatadah has said, “By Allah, its guidance, benefits and enlightenment can be clearly felt through and through" (Ibn Jarir).
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (3)
(43:3) Verily, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an, haply you will ponder.
وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ (4)
(43:4) Surely, it is in the Mother of the Book with Us,3 lofty, full of wisdom.
3. The allusion by “Umm al-Kitab” is to the Principal Book which was written down immediately after the Pen was created (Ibn `Abbas: Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). Allah had said to the Pen at that point of time,
اكتب قال رب وماذا أكتب ؟ قال : اكتب مقادير كل شيء حتى تقوم الساعة
“Write.” It asked, “What should I write.” It was told, “(Write down) Everything that is going to be until the Hour is struck.” The hadith is in Tabarani. But Haythami thought it was somewhat weak. A slightly different version is in Tirmidhi and Abu Da’ud, but weaker. Nonetheless, there are several ahadith, some in Sahih collections, that confirm that Pen was ordered to write down in the Umm al-Kitab (or Al-lawh al-Mahfuz) all that there is going to be (Au.).
“It has been named Umm al-Kitab because it is the master copy from which scriptures are copied” (Zamakhshari).
أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنْكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا أَنْ كُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا مُسْرِفِينَ (5)
(43:5) Shall We then turn away the Reminder from you altogether, for that you are a transgressing people?4
4. Had the Qur’an been withdrawn because the first addressees cried lies to it, this Ummah would have been destroyed (Qatadah: Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
Another possible connotation of “musrif” as pointed out by Asad is “those who waste themselves (in the life of this world).”
وَكَمْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ فِي الْأَوَّلِينَ (6)
(43:6) How many were the Prophets We sent among the ancients?5
5. That is, the examples of how the past disbelieving nations were destroyed have passed in this Qur’an. There seems to be little room to believe, as a contemporary commentator states, that the meaning is: 'stories of the destruction of past nations are in history pages and on people’s tongues.' History written by humans in fact denies existence of some of destroyed nations (Au.).
وَمَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (7)
(43:7) But never went to them a Prophet except that they ridiculed him.
فَأَهْلَكْنَا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا وَمَضَىٰ مَثَلُ الْأَوَّلِينَ (8)
(43:8) So We destroyed those that were harder than these in prowess. And the example of the ancients has preceded.
وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ (9)
(43:9) If you should ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely say, ‘The Mighty, the Knowing has created them.’
الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ (10)
(43:10) He who made the earth a cradle for you,6 and placed therein pathways for you, in order that you are guided (to the ways).
6. The earth has been likened to a cradle (or, alternatively, a bed) because of the comfort it affords, despite all the destructive elements within and without it. Although below the 75 km thick uppermost crust the earth is nothing but extremely hot stuff, and the space between the earth’s surface and the upper 75 km thick area above the atmosphere enveloping the earth nothing but powerful radiation and other rays that can instantly kill, man lives in the earth in such comforts within the gas and solid materials, as would be unimaginable for a being from another planet. Consider another aspect: the Plate Tectonic theory tells us that the continents are moving away from each other. Well, that is the first movement. In a second movement, the earth rotates around its axis at the speed of 1,700 km an hour. In addition it swims around the sun – in the third movement - at the speed of 100,000 km an hour. This movement of the earth around the sun happens to be zigzag, as if the earth and moon (because of their respective gravitational pulls) are going around each other while they both revolve around the sun. So, this is the fourth movement. A fifth of the earth’s movement is along with the sun, which carries along with itself its entire family of planets, their moons and the steroid belt, as it revolves around the centre of the galaxy at the speed of 792,000 km an hour. A sixth movement is that of the galaxy rotating around its own axis. A seventh movement is that of the galaxy, along with all its stars, their planets and everything else, moving away from other galaxies within the local group of galaxies at the speed of about 1,440,000 km per hour, while the cluster they belong to speeds out into the unknown, almost at the speed of light, that is at about 300,000 km a second. That's the eighth movement. Yet, despite all these movements at such fantastic speeds, does man feel any discomfort? Does he feel any vibration, any sense of movement? (Au.).
وَالَّذِي نَزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَنْشَرْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَيْتًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ تُخْرَجُونَ (11)
(43:11) And who sent down water out of heaven in measure; then We revived thereby a land that was dead; even so will you be brought out.
وَالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ (12)
(43:12) He who created the varieties,7 all of them, and made for you the ships and the animals such as you ride.
7. The translation of “azwaj” as “varieties” (instead of the regular “pairs”), is following the understanding of Sa`id b. Jubayr as found in Qurtubi and Shawkani.
Asad writes: “(Some commentators, e.g., Tabari), see in it [the word “azwaj”]) a reference to the polarity evident in all creation. Ibn `Abbas (as quoted by Razi) says that it denotes the concept of opposites in general, like ‘sweet and sour, or white and black, or male or female’; to which Razi adds that everything in creation has its complement, ‘like high and low, right and left, front and back, past and present, being and attribute’, etc., (or negative and positive charges, particles and anti-particles, or, gravity and, much speculated, anti-gravity, etc.), whereas God – and He alone – is unique, without anything that could be termed ‘opposite’ or ‘similar’ or ‘complementary.’ Hence, the above sentence is an echo of the statement that ‘there is nothing that could be compared with Him’ (112: 4).”
لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ (13)
(43:13) So that you may settle yourselves on their backs, and recall your Lord’s blessing when you are settled upon it8 and say, ‘Blessed is He who subjected this to us, while we were not such as to be able to control it.
8. The “it” (following the previous “them”) refers to the genus of the cattle (Razi), or, as Asad thinks, to “all that you use or may use by way of transport.”
وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ (14)
(43:14) And surely to Our Lord we shall be returning.9
9. We have several reports in Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and others on how the Prophet mounted a beast. One is in Ahmad: `Ali b. Rabi`ah narrated:
عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ قَالَ شَهِدْتُ عَلِيًّا أُتِىَ بِدَابَّةٍ لِيَرْكَبَهَا فَلَمَّا وَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ فِى الرِّكَابِ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ثَلاَثًا فَلَمَّا اسْتَوَى عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ (سُبْحَانَ الَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ) ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثَلاَثًا وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثَلاَثًا سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّى قَدْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَاغْفِرْ لِى فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ. ثُمَّ ضَحِكَ. فَقُلْتُ مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ ضَحِكْتَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- صَنَعَ كَمَا صَنَعْتُ ثُمَّ ضَحِكَ فَقُلْتُ مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ ضَحِكْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ « إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَعْجَبُ مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِى ذُنُوبِى إِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ غَيْرُكَ »
“I was with `Ali when a mount was brought to him for ride. When he placed a foot into the stirrup he said, ‘In the name of Allah.’ Then, as he climbed its back he said, ‘Glorified is He who subdued it to us while we were not such as to bring it to control. And, unto our Lord is our return.’ Then he said, ‘Thanks to Allah’, thrice. Then he said, ‘Allah is great’ three times. Then he said, ‘Glory unto You, I have wronged my own soul, therefore, forgive me; none forgives the sins but You.’ Then he smiled. Someone asked, ‘What is it you smiled at?’ He replied, ‘I saw the Prophet do what I did. I asked him, “Messenger of Allah, why did you smile?” He answered, “Your Exalted Lord marvels at His slave who says, ‘Forgive me my sins,’ as he knows that none forgives the sins but I.’” (To a similar hadith Tirmidhi added the note that this is a Hasan Sahih narrative: Au.). Similar reports are to be found in Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i. Muslim’s report is as follows and which corroborates with reports in Abu Da’ud, and Nasa’i:
(يُروى) أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كَانَ إِذَا اسْتَوَى عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ خَارِجًا إِلَى سَفَرٍ كَبَّرَ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ قَالَ « سُبْحَانَ الَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِى سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِى السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِى الأَهْلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِى الْمَالِ وَالأَهْلِ ». وَإِذَا رَجَعَ قَالَهُنَّ. وَزَادَ فِيهِنَّ « آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ »
[Ibn `Umar taught (his students)] that when the Prophet (saws) straightened himself up on his camel intending to travel out, he would say Allahu Akbar thrice, then say, “Glorified is He who subdued it to us while we were not such as to bring it to control. And, unto our Lord is our return. O Allah, we seek from You goodness and piety in this journey of ours, and seek in deeds those that please You. O Allah, make this journey of ours easy, and fold in its distance for us. O Allah, You are the Companion in this our journey, and vicegerent of (our) homefolk. O Allah, I seek Your refuge from the hardships of the journey, from depressing sights, and an evil return to the property and family.” When he returned he would say the same words but add, “We are returnees, repentant, chanting praises of our Lord.”
Yet another report, continues Ibn Kathir, is in Ahmed. It says,
حَمَلَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى إِبِلٍ مِنْ إِبِلِ الصَّدَقَةِ ضِعَافٍ لِلْحَجِّ ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، مَا نَرَى أَنْ تَحْمِلَنَا هَذِهِ ؟ فَقَالَ : مَا مِنْ بَعِيرٍ إِلاَّ عَلَى ذُرْوَتِهِ شَيْطَانٌ ، فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ إِذَا رَكِبْتُمُوهَا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ ، ثُمَّ امْتَهِنُوهَا لأَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا يَحْمِلُ لِلَّهِ
Abu Las Khuza`i said, ‘The Prophet gave us a few camels out of zakah-collections. We said, “Messenger of Allah, we do not see that these can carry us.” He said, “There is no camel but which has a devil sitting on its hump. So, pronounce Allah’s name when you climb them in the manner I have instructed you and then you subdue them unto yourselves, for, it is Allah who (gives you the power to) ride them.”‘ (Haythami gave his approval to this report: Au.).
وَجَعَلُوا لَهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ جُزْءًا ۚ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَكَفُورٌ مُبِينٌ (15)
(43:15) Yet they have assigned for Him a share from His slaves.10 Truly man is clearly ungrateful.
10. As Allah said elsewhere explaining how the people granted a share to others, what is Allah’s alone (6: 136):
{وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ مِمَّا ذَرَأَ مِنَ الْحَرْثِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ نَصِيبًا فَقَالُوا هَذَا لِلَّهِ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَهَذَا لِشُرَكَائِنَا فَمَا كَانَ لِشُرَكَائِهِمْ فَلَا يَصِلُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ يَصِلُ إِلَى شُرَكَائِهِمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ} [الأنعام: 136]
“They assign a share to Allah out of what He (alone) brought forth of the crops and cattle, saying - entirely out of their fancy, ‘This is for Allah and this is for our associate(-gods).’ Then, what is for their associate(-gods), does not reach Allah, whereas, what is assigned to Allah, reaches their associate(-gods). Evil is the way they judge” (Ibn Kathir).
أَمِ اتَّخَذَ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ بَنَاتٍ وَأَصْفَاكُمْ بِالْبَنِينَ (16)
(43:16) Or, has He taken (for Himself), of what He creates, daughters, and chose you for sons?11
11. “It should be remembered that the people thus addressed were the pagan Arabs, who believed that some of their goddesses, as well as the angels, were ‘God’s daughters’. In view of the fact that those pre-Islamic Arabs regarded daughters as a mere liability and their birth as a disgrace, this verse is obviously ironical” (Asad).
وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُمْ بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ (17)
(43:17) While when one of them is given the glad tiding of what he has likened to the Compassionate,12 his face remains dark, as he suppresses (his grief).
12. The allusion is to angels that the pagans attributed to God as His daughters.
أَوَمَنْ يُنَشَّأُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْخِصَامِ غَيْرُ مُبِينٍ (18)
(43:18) Is one then, who is brought up in ornaments? – although he is weak in dispute.13
13. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and Suddi have all said that the allusion is to women who wear ornaments and are weak in argument. A minor opinion is that the allusion is to idols and deities, but this is not the preferred opinion (Ibn Jarir). Razi adds: A woman’s need of ornaments (to assert her personality) is a kind of weakness that she suffers. Further (and as pointed out by Zamakhshari), rarely it happens that a woman begins to defend herself in an argument but ends up saying what will defeat her purpose. This happens, Mufti Shafi` says, because either they say something that is not related to the topic, or leave some sentences incomplete. However, this does not rule out exceptions. The rule however is made with the majority in view.
Although the above might be construed as a remark against women, we might not forget to note that the Qur'anic words under discussion are those of pagans. Allah distributes qualities. If He takes away a quality, He compensates it with another. Women had to be different from men. They had to be complementary. And two that are complementary to each other cannot be equal. Therefore, to look for all the qualities of men in women is futile, just as to look for all their qualities in males is futile. Majid did not fail to realize this. He offers us a note from a psychologist which saves us from much research. He writes, “This refers to the almost universal custom of the ‘softer sex’ being brought up among jewelry and ornaments and to her innate love of display. ‘A woman’s skeleton, dating from the 4th century B.C. unearthed in Persia, had heaped upon the breast, necklace of pearls, lapis, turquoise, emerald and jasper.’ (CE., IV, p. 1150).” And, with reference to being weak in disputations, he writes, “Compare the findings of a modern-day psychologist: ‘Woman is admittedly weaker in logic than the male, and, because her “opinion” is partly instinctive feeling and partly immediate reaction to the momentary situation, she cannot equal man in enumerating arguments and proofs in support of her views. Her ways of thinking is what we describe as instinctive.”
Accordingly, it might be added that when women are brought up purely on rational grounds, taught the same courses of education as men, playing the same games as men, spending all their time with men, as in the West, then they begin to look like men and even think like men. (It is thought that their male hormone production is heightened). In that event the difference between the way they think and the male think is narrowed. The objection – that they think instinctively – is then removed. But the complementariness, which attracts one to the other, is also affected (Au.).
One of the opinions about why the masculine form (huwa: he) has been adopted is that the allusion by “and he is unclear in his disputation” is to he who declares that angels are female, and Allah’s daughters. Yet, one wonders whether the pronoun refers to women, but the masculine form is to deny already prejudiced men, an argument against women? Alternatively, it could be a hint at the fact that despite the efforts to give them maleness, (“she” becoming “he” as in the West), their weakness prevails and society remains dominated by the males (Au.).
وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ إِنَاثًا ۚ أَشَهِدُوا خَلْقَهُمْ ۚ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ وَيُسْأَلُونَ (19)
(43:19) And, they have made angels females: those that are themselves worshiper of the Compassionate. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded and they will be questioned.14
14. “I.e., (their testimony) regarding the ‘sex’ of the angels, who are spiritual in nature (Razi) and, therefore, sexless” (Asad).
وَقَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنَاهُمْ ۗ مَا لَهُمْ بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ (20)
(43:20) They said, ‘Had the Compassionate so willed, we would not have worshiped them.’15 But of that they have no knowledge whatsoever.16 They are not but conjecturing.
15. That is, “our worship of the idols has Allah’s approval. Had He disapproved, He would not have allowed it to happen” - obviously, a queer logic, which individuals of highly cultured and advanced societies also hold as true. What strikes them not is that by extension of this logic, the thousands of crimes committed against women every minute such as rape, murder, theft, bribery etc., also have God’s approval. But if they had God’s approval, there was no need for Him to raise Prophets and send messages, condemning these very acts (Mawdudi paraphrased).
16. Although there are several interpretations about what the allusion is to, one opinion is that the unbelievers have no understanding of the complications involved in predestination and Divine decree (Au.).
أَمْ آتَيْنَاهُمْ كِتَابًا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ فَهُمْ بِهِ مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ (21)
(43:21) Or, have We given them a Book before this to which they are adhering?
بَلْ قَالُوا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَىٰ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ (22)
(43:22) But rather, they said, ‘Surely, we found our fathers on a religion17 and we are in their footsteps, following.’
17. That the allusion by “ummah” at this point is to religion, is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and Suddi as in Ibn Jarir.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَىٰ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَ (23)
(43:23) That is how, We did not send before you any warner to a town but its affluent ones said, ‘Surely, we found our fathers on a religion and we are imitating their footsteps.’18
18. Asad writes: “Commenting on this passage, Razi writes: ‘Had there been in the Qur’an nothing but these verses, they would have sufficed to show the falsity of the principle postulating [a Muslim’s] blind, unquestioning attitude of [another person’s] religious opinions (ibtal al-qawl bit-taqlid): for, God had made it clear [in these verses] that those deniers of the truth had not arrived at their convictions by way of reason, and neither on clear authority of a revealed text, but solely by blindly adopting the opinions of their forbears and predecessors; and all this God has mentioned in terms of blame and sharp disagreement.’”
The criticism, it might be noted, is directed against blind following in matters of faith (`aqidah), and not in matters of Law (fiqh), which the great majority does not have the capacity to work out on their own, but rather have been throughout the time, and will remain, dependent on the learned (Au.).
قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِأَهْدَىٰ مِمَّا وَجَدْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ (24)
(43:24) He said, ‘Even if I have brought to you something better in guidance than what you found your forefathers upon?’ They said, ‘We are, of whatever you have been sent with, deniers.’19
19. That is, “We have decided on a certain course in our religion. And the position remains even if you have brought something better: under no circumstance are we going to abandon our ancient practices” (Qurtubi).
Mawdudi adds: “This attitude of outright rejection has two reasons. One, the affluent ones are so absorbed in their lives, and so engrossed in the joys accruing from their wealth, property and position, as to have no time for such useless affairs as considerations of what is true and what is false. Second, the political, economic and social systems they live in, which in fact is designed by them, serve their interests so well that the moment they hear of an alternative, they realize in a flash that it will work against the prevalent system and deprive them of the advantages they draw from the established system.”
فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۖ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ (25)
(43:25) So We took vengeance upon them. So see, how was the end of those who cried lies!
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِي بَرَاءٌ مِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ (26)
(43:26) (Recall) when Ibrahim said to his father and his people, ‘Surely I am quit of what you worship.
إِلَّا الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ (27)
(43:27) Except for Him who originated me and who guides me.’20
20. “The plea of ancestral ways is refuted by the example of Abraham, in two ways: (1) he gave up the ancestral cults followed by his father and people, and followed the true Way, even at some sacrifice to himself; and (2) he was an ancestor of the Arabs, and if the Arabs stood on ancestral ways, why should they not follow their good ancestor Abraham, rather than their bad ancestors who fell into evil? The incident in Abraham’s story referred to here will be found in xxi, 51-70” (Yusuf Ali).
وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَاقِيَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (28)
(43:28) And He made it a word enduring in his posterity,21 hoping that they will return (to the truth).22
21. What word is being referred to? Mujahid said it was the testimony proclaiming Allah’s oneness (Ibn Jarir). This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Dahhak and others who said that the testimony: “there is no god but Allah,” remained among the progeny of Ibrahim (Ibn Kathir).
22. That is, the posterity might return to Allah in repentance, piety, and good behavior (Ibn Jarir).
بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَآبَاءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ (29)
(43:29) Nay, I gave these and their fathers some enjoyment23 until came to them the truth and a Messenger making things clear.24
23. “Note the first person singular, as showing Allah’s personal solicitude and care for the descendants of Abraham in both branches. The context here refers to the prosperity enjoyed by Makkah and the Makkans until they rejected the truth of Islam when it was preached in their midst by a messenger whose Message was as clear as the light of the sun” (Yusuf Ali).
24. Asad comments: “I.e., God did not impose on them any moral obligations before making the meaning of right and wrong clear to them through a revealed message. Primarily, this is an allusion to the pagan contemporaries of the Prophet, and to the prosperity which they had been allowed to enjoy for a long time.”
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ قَالُوا هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِ كَافِرُونَ (30)
(43:30) But when the truth came to them they said, ‘This is magic, and we are therewith deniers.’
وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ (31)
(43:31) They also said, ‘Why was this Qur’an not sent down upon some great man of these two townships?’25
25. The allusion by the two cities is to Makkah and Ta’if, and by “some great man” the pagans meant one of the following: Al-Walid b. al-Mughirah, `Utbah b. Rabi`ah, both of Makkah, Habib b. `Umayr al-Thaqafi, Ibn `Abd Ya Layl or Ibn Mas`ud (i.e., `Urwah ibn Mas`ud) of Ta’if (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا ۗ وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ (32)
(43:32) What! Will they distribute the mercy of your Lord? We have distributed between them their livelihood in the present life,26 and have raised some of them above others in ranks, that some of them take others in servitude.27 At all events, the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.
26. Far from they dividing Allah’s mercy: giving whom they would and denying whom they would, even a minor thing like division of means of life is not entrusted to them. Allah has kept this in His own hand (Au.).
Zamakhshari writes: It is Allah who divides providence between them, being the Sustainer of the world and what it contains. He did not, as can be observed, divide qualities equally between them, but rather, made them strong, weak, rich, poor, owners and dependents. This is in order that they interact with each other and find sustenance through the co-operation and co-ordination with each other. In contrast, had Allah left the division to them, the lands would be filled with injustice and life destroyed. If such is the situation in worldly matters, what about spiritual matters, and those matters which order this life and the next?
27. This translation has the consent of the great majority of commentators.
وَلَوْلَا أَنْ يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَجَعَلْنَا لِمَنْ يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ (33)
(43:33) And, were it not that the people would become one community (of unbelievers),28 We would surely have made for those who deny the Compassionate, roofs out of silver for their houses, and stairways by which they ascend.
28. “Since ‘man has been created weak’ (4: 28), it is almost a ‘law of nature’ that whenever he is exposed to the prospect of great wealth he is liable to lose sight of all spiritual and moral considerations, and to become utterly selfish, greedy and ruthless” (Asad).
In Yusuf Ali’s simpler words: “So little value is attached in the spiritual world to silver or gold, or worldly ranks or adornments, that they would freely be at the disposal of everyone who denied or blasphemed Allah, were it not that in that case there would be too great temptation placed in the way of men, for they might all scramble to sell their spiritual life for wealth! They might have silver roofs and stair-ways, silver doors and thrones, and all kinds of adornments of gold. But Allah does not allow too great a temptation to be placed in the path of men. He distributes these things differently, some to unjust men, and some to just men, in various degrees, so that the possession of these is no test - either of an unjust or a just life. His wisdom searches out motives far more subtle and delicate than any we are even aware of.”
وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَابًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ (34)
(43:34) And (also) doors to their houses, and couches on which they recline.
وَزُخْرُفًا ۚ وَإِنْ كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَالْآخِرَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (35)
(43:35) And (of) gold.29 But surely, all this is no more than a brief enjoyment of the life of this world;30 while the world to come is - with your Lord - for the pious.
29. That is, Allah would have made these things of gold if not for the fear that mankind will become one community of unbelievers. Consequently, gold and silver have been forbidden to the males of this community: whether as wares, utensils, or ornaments. It is reported that,
عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى قَالَ كَانَ حُذَيْفَةُ بِالْمَدَايِنِ فَاسْتَسْقَى فَأَتَاهُ دِهْقَانٌ بِقَدَحِ فِضَّةٍ فَرَمَاهُ بِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَمْ أَرْمِهِ إِلَّا أَنِّي نَهَيْتُهُ فَلَمْ يَنْتَهِ وَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَانَا عَنْ الْحَرِيرِ وَالدِّيبَاجِ وَالشُّرْبِ فِي آنِيَةِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَقَالَ هُنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَهِيَ لَكُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ
`Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Layla said that they were with Hudhayfah in (the province of) Mada'in when he asked for a drink. A servant brought it in a silver bowl. Hudhayfah threw it away and said, “I did this because I have forbidden him, but he does not heed. The Prophet has prohibited us silk and brocade, and drinking out of golden and silver vessels saying, 'They are for them in this world and for you in the Hereafter’” (Sahihayn).
The possibility remains that the meaning of the word “zukhruf” here is ornaments (Qurtubi, Alusi).
Another possible meaning is, “We would have made some of these things from silver and some others from gold” (Zamakhshari).
30. The unworthiness of this world is best expressed by a hadith as found in Tirmidhi. It says,
لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ، مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ
Sahl b. Sa`d reports the Prophet (saws) as having said, “If the world was equal to the wing of a mosquito in the sight of Allah, the unbeliever would not have received a mouthful of drink” (Ibn Kathir).
وَمَنْ يَعْشُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ (36)
(43:36) And, whoso turns a blind eye to the remembrance of the Compassionate, We assign over him a devil, who is then his close companion.31
31. According to a report in Muslim, every individual has a Shaytan in his company (Shawkani). A Muslim, however, is able to overcome his incitation; but the unbelievers have no way to escape his prompting (Au.). Abu Sa`id al-Khudri said that the allusion is to the Devil who will meet the unbeliever as he emerges from the grave and will not part company until he leads him to the Fire (Qurtubi).
As Allah said elsewhere (41: 25):
وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا خَاسِرِينَ [فصلت : 25]
“And We assigned to them close companions who decked out fair to them what was before them and what was behind them, and (thus) came true the Word against them (being) among the people who passed away before them of the Jinn and mankind. They were indeed the losers” (Ibn Kathir).
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ (37)
(43:37) They hinder them from the path, while they think they are guided aright.32
32. Yusuf Ali comments: “The downward course in evil is rapid. But the most tragic consequence is that evil persuades its victims to believe that they are pursuing good. They think evil to be their good. They go deeper and deeper into the mire, and become more and more callous. ‘Them’ and ‘they’ represent the generic plural of anyone who ‘withdraws himself from ... Allah’ (see last verse).”
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَنَا قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ بُعْدَ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ فَبِئْسَ الْقَرِينُ (38)
(43:38) Until, when he comes to Us33 he says, ‘How I wish there was between me and you the distance between the two Easts’34 - an evil close-companion then.
33. That is, when he, who turned a blind eye to the remembrance of his Lord, and those of his close companion of previous life come together to Allah in the Hereafter, at that point the man will regret the company of the devil.
34. One opinion is that by the two Easts the allusion is to East and West. Just as they say, “the two Basras” meaning, Basra and Kufa, or “the two moons” for the sun and the moon (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi and others). Yet another opinion is that it is to two Easts of summer and winter when the sun rises from two different directions - although both in the East (Ibn Jarir).
وَلَنْ يَنْفَعَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ إِذْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُشْتَرِكُونَ (39)
(43:39) Of no benefit will this Day be (he) – if you transgressed – (except) that you are sharers in the chastisement.35
35. It is in human nature that when he sees others in the same kind of suffering, he feels his own suffering lightened. Said Khansa’ in a nice poetical piece:
فلولا كثرة الباكين حولي * على إخوانهم لقتلت نفسي
"If not for the numerous criers around me (crying) over their brothers, I would have surely killed myself" (Qurtubi, Shabbir).
أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (40)
(43:40) Will you then make the deaf to hear, or guide the blind or he who is in clear error?
فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُمْ مُنْتَقِمُونَ (41)
(43:41) Even if We take you away (in death), We shall surely take vengeance upon them.36
36. There are two opinions: Hasan and Qatadah said that the allusion is to the evil happenings that took place among the Muslims after the Prophet’s death; so that, he departed and afflictions began to appear. In fact, there was never a Prophet but who witnessed afflictions striking his people during his life itself. But Allah spared our Prophet that he should see in his lifetime what would agonize him. Nevertheless, he was shown in vision the displeasing events that were to happen to his followers after him, which so affected him that he was not seen smiling thereafter (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
(There is a hadith related to this topic). The Prophet said, as in Muslim, narrated by Abu Burdah, quoting his father,
النجوم أمان لأهل السماء فإن طمست النجوم أتى السماء ما يوعدون و أنا أمان لأصحابي فإذا قبضت أتى أصحابي ما يوعدون و أهل بيتي أمان لأمتي فإذا ذهب أهل بيتي أتى أمتي ما يوعدون
“The stars are a security for the heavens. When the stars are gone, that will come upon the heavens which it has been promised. I am a security for my Companions. When I am gone, that will come upon my Companions which has been promised. And my Companions are a security for my Ummah. When my Companions are gone, that will come upon my Ummah which is being promised” (Ibn Kathir).
A second opinion is that the allusion is to those who rejected him. That was the opinion of Suddi, and is the preferred interpretation (Ibn Jarir).
أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ الَّذِي وَعَدْنَاهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِمْ مُقْتَدِرُونَ (42)
(43:42) Or, We may show you that which We have promised them, for surely, We have full power over them.
فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ (43)
(43:43) Hold fast then, unto that which has been revealed to you, surely, you are on a straight path.37
37. Miur’s antagonism of Islam is almost proverbial, so the following, as quoted by Majid has some significance: “Mohammad thus holding his people at bay; waiting in the still expression of victory; to outward appearance defenceless, and with his little band as it were in the lion’s mouth; presents a spectacle of sublimity paralleled only by such scenes in the Sacred Records as that of the Prophet of Israel when he complained to his Master, ‘I, even I only, am left.’ Nay, the spectacle is in one point of view even more amazing … It is this which brings it possible into still bolder prominence the marvelous self-possession and enthusiasm which sustained Muhammad on his course” (Op. cit., p. 126).
وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ (44)
(43:44) Surely, it is an honor for you and for your people;38 and soon shall they be questioned.39
38. This is how the word “dhikr” of this occurrence has been understood by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Suddi and Ibn Zayd (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir); although, the “honor” is for anyone who will accept and live by the Message; while the top honors will go to the pious (Qurtubi). However, the two meanings, the apparent (of ‘remembrance’) and ‘honor’ are not, as Yusuf Ali points out, mutually exclusive.
Ibn `Adiyy and Ibn Marduwayh have reported that when the Prophet presented himself to the tribes for support to Islam, which he promised would overcome resistance, they would ask him about whose dominion it would be if it happened that way. He did not reply to them until this verse was revealed. After the revelation of this verse he would recite it in reply to whoever raised that question (Shawkani, Alusi). That is, he told them that it was honor enough that the Revelation had come to them (Au.).
39. “The meaning is that on the Day of Judgment all prophets will be asked, metaphorically, as to what response they received from their people (cf. 5: 109), and those who professed to follow them will be called to account for the spiritual and social use they made – or did not make – of the revelation conveyed to them: and thus, the ‘eminence’ promised to the followers of Muhammad will depend on their actual behavior and not on their mere profession of faith” (Asad).
وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ (45)
(43:45) And ask those of the Messengers We sent before you, did We appoint, apart from the Compassionate, deities to be worshiped?40
40. One opinion is that the Prophet was supposed to ask the Messengers that were brought together at Jerusalem, the night of his Ascension, but he preferred not to ask. Another, and preferred opinion, is that he was to ask the followers of the previous Prophets, such as the Jews and Christians, but which also he did not feel the necessity to do (Ibn Jarir, Razi and others).
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (46)
(43:46) Surely, We sent Musa with Our signs to Fir`awn and his chiefs. He said, ‘I am the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds.’
فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِآيَاتِنَا إِذَا هُمْ مِنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ (47)
(43:47) But when he brought them Our signs, lo, they laughed them out.
وَمَا نُرِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أُخْتِهَا ۖ وَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (48)
(43:48) And, not a sign We showed them but it was greater than its sister.41 So we seized them with chastisement, haply that they might return.42
41. The other signs are quite well known such as, the storms, locusts, lice, frogs, blood, losses in agricultural products, loss of lives, and, of course, the shining hand and the rod becoming snake (Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir). As for being greater, it is possible that every new one was so apparently Allah’s handiwork as to be impossible to dismiss as a natural phenomenon (Au.).
42. “The concept of ‘returning’ to God implies that the instinctive ability to perceive His existence is inherent in human nature as such, and that man’s ‘turning away’ from God is a consequence of spiritual degeneration, and not an original tendency or predisposition” (Asad).
وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَ السَّاحِرُ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهْتَدُونَ (49)
(43:49) But they said, ‘O sorcerer! Pray to your Lord for us,43 by what He has covenanted with you,44 we should then be guided aright.’45
43. One question: how could they address Musa as a magician and then ask him to plead for the removal of the chastisement? The answer is that a magician was not a derogatory term among them. It was rather a word of reverence meaning “scholar” as there were no scholars then but only magicians (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi and others).
Ibn Kathir seconds the above opinion.
44. The testament between Musa and his Lord was to the effect that if Fir`awn’s folks entered into faith, they would be spared the punishment.
45. That is, points out Ibn Kathir, they meant to say that if they were relieved, they would accept Musa’s faith, as Allah said elsewhere (7: 133-135):
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ (133) وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّجْزُ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ لَئِنْ كَشَفْتَ عَنَّا الرِّجْزَ لَنُؤْمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرْسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (134) فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْزَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ هُمْ بَالِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمْ يَنْكُثُونَ [الأعراف : 133 - 135]
“Therefore, We let loose upon them flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and (water turning into) blood: signs distinct. But they waxed proud; indeed, they were a criminal people. Whenever a wrath fell upon them they cried out: ‘O Musa. Supplicate to your Lord by what He has promised you. If you release us (O Musa) from this wrath, we shall believe in you and shall let go with you the Children of Israel.’ But when We relieved them of the wrath until a term they were to attain, behold, they went back (on their word).”
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمْ يَنْكُثُونَ (50)
(43:50) But when We removed from them the chastisement, at once they broke their word.46
46. Majid quotes the Bible: “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, Entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord” (Ex. 8: 8). And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them, Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail” (Ex., 9: 28).
وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي قَوْمِهِ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِي مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِي ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ (51)
(43:51) And Fir`awn made a proclamation among his people, saying, ‘O my people, does not the dominion of Egypt belong to me, and these canals that flow beneath me?47 What! Do you not see then?
47. Asad’s following expression was preceded by Shabbir’s in Urdu: “I.e., ‘at my command’: a reference to the imposing irrigation system originating in the Nile and controlled by royal power.”
أَمْ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٌ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ (52)
(43:52) Or, am I better than this who is insignificant,48 who can scarcely express himself clearly?
48. That is, 'am I not?'
فَلَوْلَا أُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَاءَ مَعَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ (53)
(43:53) Why not bracelets of gold were cast on him,49 or angels came with him in accompaniment?’
49. It was a practice among them that when one of them was promoted to higher status, he was awarded bracelets of gold to wear on the wrists (Razi, Qurtubi); while Fir`awn reserved pearls for himself (Shabbir).
Asad adds: “In Ancient Egypt, golden armlets and necklaces were regarded as princely insignia (cf. Genesis xli, 42) or at least as evidence of high social dignity.”
Yusuf Ali might be quoted here: “Gold bracelets and gold chains were possibly among the insignia of royalty. In any case they betokened wealth, and the materialists judge a man’s worth by his wealth and his following and equipage. So Pharaoh wanted to see Moses, if he had any position in the spiritual kingdom, invested with gold bracelets, and followed by a great train of angels as his Knight-companions! The same kind of proofs were demanded by the materialist Quraish of our holy Prophet. These were puerilities, but such puerilities go down with the crowd. Barring a few Egyptians who believed in Allah and in the Message of Moses, the rest of Pharaoh’s entourage followed Pharaoh in his pursuit of revenge, and were drowned in the Red Sea.”
فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ (54)
(43:54) Thus did he make light of his people. So they obeyed him. They were indeed a corrupt people.
فَلَمَّا آسَفُونَا انْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (55)
(43:55) At length when they provoked Us to anger,50 We took vengeance on them and drowned them all.51
50. This is how Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, and many others understood the text (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).
51. “Fir`awn boasted of water (when he spoke of the canals flowing beneath him: Au.), and he perished in water, - a fitting recompense” (Yusuf Ali, elsewhere).
Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn abi Hatim have a report which says, as narrated by Tariq b. Shihab: “I was with `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud when someone mentioned sudden death. He remarked, ‘It is an ease granted to a believer, while a source of grief for the unbeliever.’ Then he recited this verse, ‘At length when they provoked Us to anger, We took vengeance on them and drowned them all’” (Shawkani).
فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِلْآخِرِينَ (56)
(43:56) We made them a precedent and an example for the later ones.52
52. That is, Fir`awn and his folks were a precedent for the unbelieving nations that followed him, in terms of behavior, and in terms of the retribution that followed, as also an example for the later generations to learn from.
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ (57)
(43:57) And, when Ibn Maryam was cited as an example, at once your people laughed at it.53
53. The consensus of opinion among Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Dahhak and Suddi is that the term “yasiddun” means “yazijjun” (Ibn Jarir), which in turn means, “to scream, protest, and ridicule” (Au.).
وَقَالُوا أَآلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ (58)
(43:58) And they said, ‘Are our deities better or he?’54 They cited him not to you but for disputation.55 Indeed, they are a contentious people.
54. That is, when `Isa (asws) was mentioned in the Qur’an, the Quraysh thought the Prophet was inviting them to the worship of Jesus, in confirmation of the Christian practice, so they protested, “is he better as a deity or Allah’s own daughters, the angels, whom we worship?” (Ibn Jarir in sum and substance).
In Yusuf Ali’s words: “Jesus was a man, and a prophet to the Children of Israel, ‘though his own received him not.’ Some of the churches that were founded after him worshiped him as ‘God’ and as ‘the son of God,’ as do the Trinitarian churches to the present day. The orthodox churches did so in the time of the holy Prophet. When the doctrine of Unity was renewed, and the false worship of others besides Allah was strictly prohibited, all false gods were condemned, e.g., at xxi.9##8. The pagan Arabs looked upon Jesus as being in the same category as their false gods, and could not see why a foreign cult, or a foreign god, as they viewed him, should be considered better than their own gods or idols. There was no substance in this, but mere mockery, and verbal quibbling. Jesus was one of the greater prophets: he was not a god, nor was he responsible for the quibbling subtleties of the Athanasian Creed.”
Qurtubi, (and Ibn Kathir from Ibn Is-haq), quote the following as the context of revelation: Once the Prophet presented his message to a group of Quraysh in the Grand Mosque. Ending with a threat, he left the assembly. `Abdullah b. al-Zab`ara said he knew how to non-plus the Prophet. He said, “Muhammad said that those that are worshiped besides Allah will be in the Fire. This means `Isa ibn Maryam, `Uzayr and other (virtuous men of the past) will be in the Fire.” The Quraysh were well-pleased with his words. But when they suggested this to the Prophet, he replied, “Whoever approved that he be worshiped will be in the Fire.”
55. Asad writes, “Objecting to the Qur’anic condemnation of their idolatrous worship of angels – whom they describe here as ‘our deities’ – the pagan Quraysh pointed to the parallel Christian worship of Jesus as ‘the son of God,’ and even as ‘god-incarnate,’ and argued more or less thus: ‘The Qur’an states that Jesus was purely human – and yet the Christians, whom the same Qur’an describes as “followers of earlier revelation” (ahl al-kitab) consider him divine. Hence, are we not rather justified in our worshiping of angels, who are certainly superior to a mere human being?’ The fallacy inherent in this ‘argument’ is disposed of in the sequence..
“Since the Qur’an condemns explicitly, and in many places, the deification of Jesus by the Christians, this unwarranted deification cannot be used as an argument in favor of the pagan worship of angels and, thus, against the Qur’an: in the words of Zamakhshari, such an argument amounts to ‘applying’ a false analogy.”
The following comes as an additional explanation of this verse,
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ نَفَرًا كَانُوا جُلُوسًا بِبَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَلَمْ يَقُلْ اللَّهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَلَمْ يَقُلْ اللَّهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَسَمِعَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَخَرَجَ كَأَنَّمَا فُقِئَ فِي وَجْهِهِ حَبُّ الرُّمَّانِ فَقَالَ بِهَذَا أُمِرْتُمْ أَوْ بِهَذَا بُعِثْتُمْ أَنْ تَضْرِبُوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ بَعْضَهُ بِبَعْضٍ إِنَّمَا ضَلَّتْ الْأُمَمُ قَبْلَكُمْ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا
(It is reported) that some people were squatting near the door of the Prophet (and discussing an issue), when someone said, “Didn’t Allah said this and this?” While another said, “Didn’t Allah say this and this?” The Prophet heard them, came out with a face which looked like a pomegranate had been squeezed on his face. He said, “Have you been ordered this?" Or he said, "Is this what you have been raised for, that you should strike a part of the Book with another? Nations before you lost their way in this manner.”
Another but sahih, hadith of the same nature is in Ahmed. It is as follows: Abu Umamah reports the Prophet as having said,
مَا ضَلَّ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَ هُدًى كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أُوتُوا الْجَدَلَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًا بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
“No people lost the path after a guidance they were upon except that they were given contentions and disputations. Then the Prophet recited this verse: ‘They did not strike (the example for) you but (by way of) disputations, but rather they are an argumentative people’” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ مَثَلًا لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (59)
(43:59) He is only a slave whom We blessed and made him an example to the Children of Israel.
وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ مَلَائِكَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ (60)
(43:60) Had We willed We could have made in place of you56 angels in the earth, succeeding (one another).
56. This is how Ibn Jarir understands the meaning of “minkum” of the text. As Allah said elsewhere (6: 133),
إِنْ يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفْ مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ مَا يَشَاءُ [الأنعام : 133]
“If He wished He could remove you and replace after you whomsoever He will.”
However, other commentators have expressed the possibility of a literal meaning of “minkum” meaning, '(angels born) out of you.'
وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ (61)
(43:61) Verily, He is a Knowledge for the Hour,57 therefore, be not in any doubt about it, but obey me. This is the straight path.
57. The textual “`ilmun” has been understood as “`alamun” (a sign, insignia) by authorities like Ibn `Abbas; and the allusion is to his (`Isa ibn Maryam's) second coming which will take place before the end of the world. In fact, at one time some people had begun to recite the word as “`alamun;” but the reciters of the Holy Qur’an (qurra) gathered together over this issue and the unanimous opinion was that it is “`ilmun.” And so was the recitation of Ubay b. Ka`b (Ibn Jarir).
The Prophet has said in a well-known hadith of Muslim,
فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ فَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ شَرْقِىَّ دِمَشْقَ بَيْنَ مَهْرُودَتَيْنِ وَاضِعًا كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ إِذَا طَأْطَأَ رَأَسَهُ قَطَرَ وَإِذَا رَفَعَهُ تَحَدَّرَ مِنْهُ جُمَانٌ كَاللُّؤْلُؤِ فَلاَ يَحِلُّ لِكَافِرٍ يَجِدُ رِيحَ نَفَسِهِ إِلاَّ مَاتَ وَنَفَسُهُ يَنْتَهِى حَيْثُ يَنْتَهِى طَرْفُهُ فَيَطْلُبُهُ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ بِبَابِ لُدٍّ فَيَقْتُلُه
“While he (Dajjal) will be in that (state) Allah will send down the Messiah, son of Maryam, by the white minaret in Eastern Dimashq, wearing two cloaks, with his hands across the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, it begins to drop down droplets (of water), and when he raises it, bead-like pearls scatter about. It would not be possible for an unbeliever that his breath reaches him but he does not die. And his breath will end where his sight ends. Then he will chase him (Dajjal) to the gates of Ludd and kill him” (Qurtubi).
وَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ (62)
(43:62) Nor let Shaytan hinder you, surely, he is your open enemy.
وَلَمَّا جَاءَ عِيسَىٰ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالَ قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَلِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (63)
(43:63) When `Isa brought them clear proofs, he said, ‘I have brought you wisdom so as to make clear to you some of those things you are differing over.58 Therefore, fear Allah and obey me.
58. That is, in many matters of religious importance (whether pertaining to beliefs, law or morals: Au.) the Israelites had differed between themselves. `Isa ibn Maryam was sent to clear those differences and show where lay the truth (Razi).
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ (64)
(43:64) Surely, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. Therefore, worship Him. This is the straight path.’
فَاخْتَلَفَ الْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ (65)
(43:65) But the factions differed between themselves.59 Woe then, unto those who did wrong from the chastisement of the painful day.
59. One opinion is that the allusion is to the differences between Jews and Christians, while another is that the reference is to the division between the Christians themselves who split into Nestorians (who said Jesus was a son of God), Jacobites (who said that he was God Himself), Malakites (who said he was third of the three), and so on (Razi, Qurtubi).
Majid adds: “(.. the pure religion of Jesus degenerated into gross idolatry). ‘During the fifth century the practice of introducing images into churches increased and in the sixth it had become prevalent. The common people, who had never been able to comprehend doctrinal mysteries, found their religious wants satisfied in turning to these effigies. With singular obtuseness, they believed that the saint is present in his image, though hundreds of the same kind were in existence, each having an equal and exclusive right to the spiritual presence. The doctrine of invocation of departed saints, which assumed prominence in the fifth century, was greatly strengthened by these graphic forms, had reappeared.’ (Draper, Intellectual Development of Europe, I. p. 413).”
هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (66)
(43:66) Are they but waiting for the Hour, that it should come upon them on a sudden while they are unaware?
الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ (67)
(43:67) Intimate friends that day will be foes to one another, but for the godfearing.
يَا عِبَادِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَا أَنْتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ (68)
(43:68) O My slaves, no fear upon you this day nor shall you grieve.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ (69)
(43:69) Those who believed in our revelations and had surrendered (to Us).
ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ أَنْتُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ (70)
(43:70) Enter Paradise – you and your spouses – you will be made to rejoice.
يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِصِحَافٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ ۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ الْأَنْفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ الْأَعْيُنُ ۖ وَأَنْتُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (71)
(43:71) Platters and cups of gold shall be passed around them, and for them therein whatever their souls desire60 - delight of the eyes, and you shall abide therein forever.
60. There are several reports in elucidation of this verse. One of them says that a man asked the Prophet whether there will be horses in Paradise, an object of great interest for him. He answered,
عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ؛ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، هَلْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ خَيْلٍ ، قَالَ : إِنِ اللهُ أَدْخَلَكَ الْجَنَّةَ ، فَلاَ تَشَاءُ أَنْ تُحْمَلَ فِيهَا عَلَى فَرَسٍ ، مِنْ يَاقُوتَةٍ حَمْرَاءَ ، يَطِيرُ بِكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ ، إِلاَّ فَعَلْتَ
“If Allah admits you into Paradise, you will not wish to ride a horse, except that you will have horses made of pink rubies flying with you to any part of Paradise.”
Another man asked about camels in Paradise. He did not answer him in the manner he answered his companion, but said,
وَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ ، فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، هَلْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ إِبِلٍ ؟ قَالَ : فَلَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِصَاحِبِهِ ، قَالَ : إِنْ يُدْخِلْكَ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ ، يَكُنْ لَكَ فِيهَا مَا اشْتَهَتْ نَفْسُكَ ، وَلَذَّتْ عَيْنُكَ.
“You will have therein what you wish and what pleases your eyes” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
On another occasion the Prophet said,
إن السرب من أهل الجنة لتظلهم السحابة، قال: فتقول: ما أُمْطِرُكُمْ؟ قال: فما يدعو داع من القوم بشيء إلا أمطرتهم، حتى إن القائل منهم ليقول: أمطرينا كواعب أترابا
“A cloud will spread itself over the inhabitants of Paradise and ask, “What shall I rain down?” None will ask for a thing but it will rain down his request until one of them will say, “Rain down on us high-bosomed damsels.”
Mujahid was asked whether there will be music in Paradise. He answered, “There is a tree in Paradise [called al-`Ees] that will produce a kind of music never heard before."
And, Abu Umamah said that a man may spot a bird flying in Paradise. He will wish to eat it. It will fall down [on a platter) cooked, ready to be served (Ibn Jarir).
It may be noted that none of the ahadith quoted above has been reported as fully trustworthy words of the Prophet, although it is not easy to reject them either (Au.).
وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (72)
(43:72) This is the Paradise that you have inherited for what you were doing.61
61. The Qur’an states that the inhabitants of Paradise will inherit it. What is the meaning? A hadith in Ibn Abi Hatim explains it. It says:
"كل أهل النار يرى منزله من الجنة، فيكون له حسرة فيقول { َوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِي لَكُنْتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ } وكل أهل الجنة يرى منزله من النار فيقول { وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ } فيكون له شكراً" قال: وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما من أحد إلا وله منزل في الجنة ومنزل في النار، فالكافر يرث المؤمن منزله من النار. والمؤمن يرث الكافر منزله من الجنة. وذلك قوله تعالى { وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ }
"Everyone of the Fire will see his place in Paradise which will be a source of regret and mortification for him. He will say (39: 57), ‘Had Allah guided me, I would have been of the pious.’ Similarly, everyone of the Paradise will see his place in the Fire. He will say (7: 43), ‘It was not for us to be guided aright had Allah not guided us.’ It will be (a source of) gratefulness for him.” Then the Prophet added, “There is none among you but he has a place in Paradise and a place in Hellfire marked for him. The unbeliever will inherit the believer’s place in the Fire, while the believer will inherit his place in Paradise. This is (the meaning of) the words, ‘This is the Paradise that you have inherited for what you were doing’” (Ibn Kathir).
The authenticity of the above report could not be verified. However, a similar but shorter narration is in Ahmed, in two places. One of them says,
لا يدخل أحد النار إلا رأى مقعده من الجنة لو أحسن ليكون عليه حسرة، ولا يدخل أحد الجنة إلا رأى مقعده من النار لو أساء ليزداد شكرا
“No one will enter the Fire but he will see his place in Paradise (that he would have got) had he done well, in order that it becomes a source of regret and mortification for him. So also, no one will enter Paradise but he will see his place in the Fire, if he had done badly; in order that he may increase his gratitude.” The above is from Haythami’s Majma`ul Fawa’id with his remark that one of the two narratives involve trustworthy narrators (Au.).
لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ (73)
(43:73) For you therein abundant fruits whereof you may eat.
إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ (74)
(43:74) Surely, the criminals will be in the chastisement of Jahannum, abiding.
لَا يُفَتَّرُ عَنْهُمْ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ (75)
(43:75) It will not be made milder for them, even as they will be in despair therein.
وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ كَانُوا هُمُ الظَّالِمِينَ (76)
(43:76) We wronged them not, but they were indeed the wrongdoers.
وَنَادَوْا يَا مَالِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ مَاكِثُونَ (77)
(43:77) They shall call out, ‘O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us.’ He will reply, ‘You shall surely abide.’62
62. Ibn `Abbas, Nawf, Suddi and Hasan said that the inhabitants of the Fire will plead to the keeper-angel, “O Malik. Let your Lord put an end to us.” He will reply after one thousand years, “You shall surely abide” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi). This report is in Ibn abi Hatim also (Ibn Kathir).
A similar report is in Tabarani, which has the words “forty years” in place of “one thousand” and which report has Haythami’s approval (Au.).
لَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ (78)
(43:78) We brought you the truth but most of you were averse to the truth.
أَمْ أَبْرَمُوا أَمْرًا فَإِنَّا مُبْرِمُونَ (79)
(43:79) Or have they devised [some] affair? But indeed, We are devising [a plan].
أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ ۚ بَلَىٰ وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ (80)
(43:80) Or, do they think that We do not hear their secret (talk) and their whispers?63 Lo, Our messengers by them are recording.
63. Muhammad b. Ka`b al-Qurazi reported that while two Qurayshis and one Thaqafi, or the other way round, were near the Ka`bah, one of them said, “Do you think Allah hears our talk?” Another answered, “When you speak aloud He hears but not when you whisper.” At that the third remarked, “If He hears when you speak aloud then He will hear when you speak in whispers.” Allah revealed, “Or, do they think that We do not hear their secret (words) and their whispers?” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).
قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْعَابِدِينَ (81)
(43:81) Say, ‘If the Compassionate had a son, then, I would be the first to serve.’64
64. That is, we are so complete in our devotion to Allah, and so submitted, that if by any chance He had a son, we would have been the first to worship him (Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir).
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (82)
(43:82) Glory to the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the `Arsh, above what they describe.
فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا وَيَلْعَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ (83)
(43:83) So, leave them plunge and play65 until they meet the Day of theirs they are being promised.
65. That is, let them plunge in vain discussions, and play with their lives (Ibn Jarir).
وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَٰهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَٰهٌ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ (84)
(43:84) And, He is the Deity in the heaven and the Deity in the earth. He is the All-wise, the All-knowing.
وَتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (85)
(43:85) Glorified is He to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. With Him is the knowledge of the Hour, and to Him you shall be returned.
وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ (86)
(43:86) While those they call upon apart from Him have not the power of intercession, except for him who bears witness to the truth and those that know.66
66. That is, those who are worshiped other than Allah, such as angels, `Isa ibn Maryam, `Uzayr, pagan deities, or others, will not be allowed to intercede unless they bear witness to Allah’s oneness and His Lordship and who will be aware that they can intercede only if allowed (Ibn Jarir).
وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ (87)
(43:87) And, if you asked them who created them, they will surely say, ‘Allah.’ How then are they being deluded?
وَقِيلِهِ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (88)
(43:88) And for his saying, ‘O my Lord, these are a people who will not believe.’67
67. This affords a hint that this Surah could be one of the last ones to be revealed at Makkah. The Prophet had reached his final conclusion about the Makkans: they will not believe (Au.).
فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ ۚ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ (89)
(43:89) Yet, pardon them and say, ‘Peace.’ Soon they will know.68
68. The words “Soon they will know” conceal a threat; and The Prophet’s departure to Madinah thereafter, should have set the Quraysh worrying (Au.).