Surah No. 50
Surah No. 501
Merits of the Surah
1. There are three opinions. One, Qaf is one of the names of Allah, second, it is one of the names of the Qur’an, and third, it is the name of a series of mountains (Tabari). But the third is an Israeli report and not worth considering (Ibn Kathir).
Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir present a few re ports to show that the Prophet (saws) used to recite this surah during a variety of public appearances such as during Friday sermons, in `Eid Prayers, etc. A report in Muslim says,
On the authority of Umm Hish am, she said, “We shared our bread-baking oven with the Prophet’s for some two years, and I did not memorize this surah Qaf but taking it from his mouth. He would recite it every Friday on the pulpit while addressing the congregations.”
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ق ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْمَجِيدِ (1)
(50:1) Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an.2
2. “Majid (translated as ‘Glorious’) is one of the beautiful appellations of the Qur’an. Its glory is that of the rising sun: the more it rises on your mental and spiritual horizon, the more you are lost in admiration of its glory. Its meanings are manifest and inexhaustible. The greater your experience, the more light is your spiritual eye able to bear. And in that glory is a beauty that none can tell who has not experienced it in his soul. It is in itself the proof of the mission of the holy Prophet” (Yusuf Ali).
بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ (2)
(50:2) Nay, but they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves. So the unbelievers said, ‘This is a strange thing.
أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ۖ ذَٰلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ (3)
(50:3) ‘What, when we are dead and become dust? That is a distant returning.’
قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَعِنْدَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ (4)
(50:4) We know what the earth diminishes of them.3 And with Us is a preserving Book.
3. That is, Allah knows what of their body the earth consumes [and what is left out: Au.], and it is recorded in a book that preserves well (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir); and, therefore, why should He, who knows where every atom of a dead man’s dust lies, have any difficulty in resurrecting him? (Au.).
بَلْ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي أَمْرٍ مَرِيجٍ (5)
(50:5) Nay, but they laid the lie against the Truth when it came to them, and so they are in an affair confusing.4
4. “If they deny what has been made clear to them, their minds must necessarily get into confusion. All nature declares the glory and goodness of Allah. Revelation explains the inequalities of this life and how they will be redressed in the Hereafter. If they do not accept this, they are not in a logical position. They cannot reconcile the known with the unknown” (Yusuf Ali).
أَفَلَمْ يَنْظُرُوا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَوْقَهُمْ كَيْفَ بَنَيْنَاهَا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِنْ فُرُوجٍ (6)
(50:6) Have they not considered the heaven above them how We have constructed it, decorated it,5 and that it has no cracks?6
5. Yusuf Ali again: “The greatest philosophers have found a difficulty in understanding the skeptical position when they contemplate the wonder and mystery of the skies with all the countless beautiful stars and planets and light in them, and laws of order, motion, and symmetry, that respond to the highest mathematical abstractions without a flaw. Can blind Chance give rise to such conditions?”
6. In the language of science, this refers to the homogeneity prevalent in the universe; that is, on a large scale, the universe is similar and symmetric, no matter in which direction we look. This has been a problem in cosmology and a challenge to the Big Bang theory. This theory states that the universe can be traced back in time to a compressed form at Planck time 10-43 s, at Planck temp. 1032 K, and Plannk density 1097 kg. m-3. At that time the universe blew up releasing pure energy. After a microsecond of the Big Bang event, the newly formed universe consisted of protons, neutrons, electrons and their antiparticles. This was the result of cooling. Within a second, all antiparticles had been annihilated, as also muons and positrons, leaving only protons, electrons, neutrons, neutrinos, photons and gravitons. This is the matter that coalesced as it further cooled to form atoms, elements, cosmic dust, stars and galaxies, while the universe kept expanding, which it still does.
Now, if the universe did start from a single invisible point of energy compressed to an unimaginable degree measurable as 1097 kg. m-3 at an equally unimaginable temperature 1032 K, just before it blew up, which assures haphazard dispersal of matter … if that really is true, then how do we explain at the galactic level the homogeneity of the universe, now as large as 15 billion light years across?
To explain with a simple example, if a little bomb is exploded, the material that is released from within the bomb cannot be predicted to be present in equal quantity in all directions. Of course, this is not a precise example, because, the Big Bang only released energy. This energy coalesced into matter over a period as the universe cooled. What is inexplicable is that when matter that was spread over one million light years or so, it coalesced in such perfect manner that we ended up with equal amount of matter no matter where we look. In the language of the Qur'an, it has no crack or flaw. Who did it? A few scientists have the answer, but they do not have the courage to say so in public. Perhaps because a priest never betrays his ignorance to his parish when it comes to an ecclesiastical matter. Today’s scientists occupy the position of priests of the past (Au.).
وَالْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَاهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ (7)
(50:7) And the earth, We stretched it, and cast therein pegs, and made grow therein of every beautiful kind.
تَبْصِرَةً وَذِكْرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيبٍ (8)
(50:8) As an insight and a reminder for every oft-turning slave.7
7. That is, he who turned to Allah often (Au.).
وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُبَارَكًا فَأَنْبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ (9)
(50:9) And We sent down out of heaven water, blessed; and made to grow thereby gardens and the grain for harvest.
وَالنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ لَهَا طَلْعٌ نَضِيدٌ (10)
(50:10) And tall palm-trees with spathes, piled one upon the other.
رِزْقًا لِلْعِبَادِ ۖ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَيْتًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ الْخُرُوجُ (11)
(50:11) As provision for the slaves, and We gave life thereby to the earth after its death. Even so (will be) the emergence.8
8. That is, emergence from the graves (Au.).
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ (12)
(50:12) Cried lies before them the people of Nuh, the Companions of the Well,9 and Thamud.
9. “Russ” is for an unplastered well.
`Ikrimah and Mujahid said that the allusion is to the well in which the unbelievers of the time killed the Messenger sent to them (Ibn Jarir). Shafi` Deobandi believes that As-hab al-Russ were the remnants of the people of Thamud. Dahh ak said that when the latter were destroyed, Saleh (asws) moved out with 4000 of his followers to a new location in Hadrmawt, and camped near a well. Subsequently a town developed around. After Saleh’s death, newer generations reverted to paganism. Allah (swt) sent them a Messenger, but they killed him, so they were destroyed.
There have been several other opinions. See Surah 25, note 41 of this work.
وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ وَإِخْوَانُ لُوطٍ (13)
(50:13) And `Ad, Fir`awn and brothers of Lut.
وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ ۚ كُلٌّ كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ (14)
(50:14) And the Companions of the Thicket,10 and the people of Tubba`.11 Each one laid the lie against the Messengers, so the threat came to be fulfilled.
10. That is, the people of Shu`ayb who lived near a thicket.
11. See Surah 44, note 27 of this work for identification of Tubba`.
أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الْأَوَّلِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي لَبْسٍ مِنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ (15)
(50:15) What, were We wearied by the first creation? Nay, but they are in a confused doubt about a new creation.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ (16)
(50:16) Indeed, We have created man and know what his inner self whispers to him.12 We are closer to him than the jugular vein.13
12. In this context Allah knows that the inner-self whispers disbelief into the mind, saying, Resurrection and Reckoning is a far-fetched idea (Au.).
13. In Arabic, every artery in the blood-circulation system is known as “habl.” Two such major arteries were thought to be in the neck while two near the heart, and the allusion could be to any one of them. The important point is, Allah (swt) is closer than whatever is closer to man in his body (Shafi`).
Ibn Jarir does not explicitly discuss who is meant by the pronoun “We.” But the explanation that he offers implies, quite clearly, that it is Allah who is meant. His explanation of the whole verse is, “That is, We have greater power over his jugular vein, and closer to it in Our mastery over it than he.” But Ibn Kathir, perhaps in his attempt to escape from ideas of anthropomorphism, incarnation, unionism, or Transcendent Unity of Being (wahdatu al-wujud), asserts – without the support of an authority - that by “We” it is angels that are meant, those who write men’s deeds.
However, we do not see why accepting the apparent meaning should necessarily entail the implicated meanings. Today’s scientific advances are showing that the physical world is so complicated as to defy explanation. There are theories for instance which say that there could be multiple universes around us, in various dimensions, but which we cannot observe because of the dimensional problem. It is conjectured that our own universe might be passing through another, invisible universe. The nature of the Divine, His Presence, His Attributes, and His mode of contact with the humans, will never be understood by those barred from sighting Him in this world. We might as well leave the words as they are - unexplained (Au.).
Zamakhshari, Razi and Qurtubi accept the pronoun as referring to Allah, and explain that the allusion by nearness is to knowledge. That is, He is closer to man in knowledge than his jugular vein.
Mufti Shafi` explains that Allah’s contact and communion with man is something that can only be felt but whose nature cannot be explained. He said (96: 19),
“Prostrate yourself and get closer”
The Prophet (saws) said in the cave, during His Hijrah journey as in the Qur’an (9: 40),
“Rest assured, Allah is with us.”
Musa (asws) had assured his people (26: 62),
which is to say, “Surely, my Lord is with me.” A hadith says that man is closest to Allah during his prostration. Thus, Allah’s nearness is established, but how? This cannot be established for sure.
Majid’s comment is as follows: “That is the exact relationship in Islam, between God and man. Of course, there is no identity between the two: we remain ourselves, and He the great Other. Yet His communion with us is of a more intimate nature than is that of ourselves with us. The verse also does away entirely with the idea of God being remote and unapproachable, and stresses His all-pervading character and His intimacy with His creator.”
إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ (17)
(50:17) When receive the two receivers, sitting by the right and by the left.14
14. The allusion is to the two angels appointed to write down all that a man does. The one on the right records good deeds while the other on the left records evil deeds. The one on the right has the command over the other. So that, when a man commits evil, he says to the one on the left, “Wait, do not write. Maybe he will repent.” (Zamakhshari: “Wait for seven hours”). The two change their shifts with two others every twelve hours. Thus, in sum, four angels are involved. Ibn `Abbas said that the four also guard the person (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
The angels write down every syllable that one utters, every little action that issues. Imam Ahmed b. Hanbal was heard moaning during his illness. When Ta’ us came to know, he remarked that angels write down even one’s moaning. It is said that thereafter Ibn Hanbal was not heard moaning until his death (Ibn Kathir).
It is said that the recording angels part company only when one goes to the water closet or is in intercourse (Zamakhshari).
There are various suggestions about how many angels are actively involved with an individual. But that the guardian angels are different from those that keep records, has consensus over it. The following Qur’anic ayah (13: 11) should not lead to confusion,
“For him there are successive (angels), before him and behind him, guarding him by Allah’s command” (Alusi).
مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ (18)
(50:18) Not a word he utters,15 but by him is an observer ready.16
15. Yusuf Ali comments: “Then each ‘word’ spoken is taken down by a guardian (raqib). This has been construed to mean that the guardian only records words, not thoughts which are not uttered. Thoughts may be forgiven if not uttered, and still more if they do not issue in action. At the stage at which we clothe a thought in words, we have already done an action. The Recorders mentioned in the last verse make a complete Record, in order to supply motives and springs of action, which will affect the degrees or status in the Hereafter. The three together, individuals or kinds, make the honourable Recorders, Kiraman Katibin, (plural, not dual number) mentioned in lxxii. 11.”
16. That is, never are the two angels fatigued, bored, or unprepared to record the happenings. They are ever fresh, ever attentive (Au.).
وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنْتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ (19)
(50:19) Then the death’s agony comes in truth.17 That is what you were shunning.
17. Majid writes: “… in addition to its other meanings, (haqq) also means, ‘A necessity, or requisite, thing. A thing or an event that is decreed or destined.’”
No one can escape the agony of death. `A’isha reports that at the time of his death the Prophet would dip his hand in a bowl of water near him, rub his face and say, as in Bukhari,
“There is no deity save Allah, surely death has its agonies.” Then he rested his hand in a fixed position and began to say, “To the company on High,” until the soul was withdrawn and his hand fell down (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْوَعِيدِ (20)
(50:20) And the Trumpet is blown,18 that is the day of threat.19
18. That will be another day of great consequences. The Prophet said, as in a hadith of Tirmidhi rated by him and Haythami as Hasan:
“How should I relax when the bearer of the Trumpet has placed the Trumpet on his lips and awaits attentively as to when will he be ordered to blow, so that he can blow.” As if this was a bit tough on his Companions, so he told them, say,
“Allah is sufficient for us, and a good Trustee, upon Allah We have placed our trust” (Ibn Kathir).
19. That is, the day has come when the threats of punishment will be fulfilled (Au.).
وَجَاءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ (21)
(50:21) And every soul shall come, with it a driver and a witness.20
20. `Uthman ibn `Affan (and many others of the Salaf) is reported to have said that two angels will accompany man throughout the Field of Resurrection: one driving him, and another a witness to his deeds (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
21. This is one of the two angels who used to keep the record (Au.).
لَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ (22)
(50:22) You were in heedlessness of this, therefore, We have removed from you your covering, so, sharp is your sight this day.
وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُ هَٰذَا مَا لَدَيَّ عَتِيدٌ (23)
(50:23) Said his intimate companion,21 ‘This is what with me - prepared.’22
22. “`Atid”: that is, (a record) well prepared, ready for presentation. The allusion by “this” is to the book of deeds, and the speaker is the angel.
أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ (24)
(50:24) Cast, you two,23 into Jahannum every stubborn unbeliever.24
23. That is, “You, the two angels.”
24. A pertinent hadith is in Ahmad and is sort of acceptable by Haythami’s standards:
The Prophet (saws) said, “A neck will rise from the Fire saying, ‘This day I have been given charge of three: every tyrant, everyone who set a deity along with Allah, and he who killed a soul without any cause.’ Then it will encircle them and cast them into the depth of Hell.”
مَنَّاعٍ لِلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ مُرِيبٍ (25)
(50:25) Every resolute hinderer of the good, aggressor,25 and doubter.
25. “Transgressor” does not seem to express the understanding of the Salaf as in Ibn Jarir. They explained “mu`tadd” as someone who breaks the boundaries of moral rectitude in his behavior, talk, and personal affairs.
الَّذِي جَعَلَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ فَأَلْقِيَاهُ فِي الْعَذَابِ الشَّدِيدِ (26)
(50:26) Who set up with Allah, another god. So cast him, you two, into a severe torment.’
قَالَ قَرِينُهُ رَبَّنَا مَا أَطْغَيْتُهُ وَلَٰكِنْ كَانَ فِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ (27)
(50:27) His intimate companion26 shall say, ‘Our Lord, I did not make him insolent, but he was in a distant error.’
26. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and others said that this close companion is the Devil (Ibn Jarir), who was appointed to accompany the man because of his evil ways of life, as Allah (swt) said (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” (Au.)
قَالَ لَا تَخْتَصِمُوا لَدَيَّ وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِالْوَعِيدِ (28)
(50:28) He will say, ‘Dispute not before Me, for I sent you beforehand the threat.
مَا يُبَدَّلُ الْقَوْلُ لَدَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ (29)
(50:29) The word is not altered with Me,27 and I am not at all unjust to My slaves.’28
27. While several other meanings are possible, presented by several commentators, one allusion seems to be to the decision to the effect that those who committed Association will not enter Paradise (Au.).
28. The textual word is “zallam” meaning, a great wrongdoer, and one possibility for using this exaggerated form is that, “Had I punished the innocent, I would surely be a great wrongdoer” (Zamakhshari).
Zarkashi has in his “Al-Burhan fi `Ulum al-Qur’an” stated that another possible meaning is, had Allah (swt) been a wrongdoer, He would have been so to a great degree, since all His Qualities reach the highest degree of perfection. Hence the exaggerated form zallam and not a mere zalim (Au.).
يَوْمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ امْتَلَأْتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ (30)
(50:30) The day We shall say to Jahannum, ‘Are you filled?’ And it shall say, ‘Is there any more?’29
29. This questioning and answering will be after the Judgment is over, and all those destined to enter would have entered the Fire. Yet, enough space will be there for it to ask, “Is there any more,” meaning, “I have plenty of vacant space.” We have a hadith on the authority of Anas,
The Prophet (saws) said, “It (Jahannum) will be continuously fed with (people) but it will keep saying, ‘Is there any more,’ until the Lord of the worlds will place His qadam in it so that it will fold upon itself and say, ‘enough, enough, by Your Power and Honor.’ Similarly, Paradise will keep having empty space until Allah will create a new creation and make them live in the empty parts of Paradise” (Ibn Jarir).
The above hadith is in the Sahihayn (Ibn Kathir).
Another hadith on this topic is as follows:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (saws) said, “Paradise and Hell disputed before their Lord. Paradise said, (in effect), My Lord, what is with it that none enters into it but the weak and the fallen ones.’ Hell will say, ‘I have been honored with the proud ones.’ Allah (swt) will say to Paradise, ‘You are My mercy.’ And He will say to Hell, ‘You are My torment, that strikes whomsoever I wish. And both of you will have their fillers.’ Then he said, “As for Paradise, Allah does not wrong anyone of His creation. He will bring forth for the Fire, whom He will, and they will be cast into it but it will keep saying, ‘Is there any more,’ until He places His qadam into it and it will be filled, some of it falling upon other and it saying, ‘enough, enough, enough.’”
The above hadith is in Bukhari (Ibn Kathir).
Qurtubi explains that the hadith may not be understood in the light of apparent words, which could be misleading to those who are poor in language. The “qadam” of the text means “presentation” and not foot. That is, Jahannum will not be filled until Allah consigns it to more material, perhaps other creations who will finally fill it. Some versions use the word “rijl” but which does not mean “leg” but, as pre-Islamic poetical examples show, it means “a huge number.” That is, a huge number will be placed into Jahannum after which alone it will be filled. Indeed, this is supported by a passage within the hadith which says, “Paradise will remain having empty places until Allah creates a new creation to fill its empty space.”
Alusi presents the above discussion but believes that the interpretation of the “qadam” (lit., foot) and “rijl” (lit., leg) as offered by the Sufis is more attractive which is: treat them as allegorical expressions of Allah’s Power.
We might present an interesting anecdote here. Tantawi Jawhari (d. 1940) has stated the following in his 26-volume Jawahir fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim: During a visit to Germany, he happened to be in the company of a group of Orientalists. (Those were days when the Orientalists held sway over the Arabic literary studies). One of them asked him whether, (being a scholar of that stature), he believed in the miraculous nature of the Qur’an and whether he too thought it was inimitable. When he replied in the affirmative, they smiled the smile of half pity, half amusement. So he suggested that they hold a little test. Let them make an eloquent sentence in Arabic, experts as they were, to say that Hell is very large.
So they made a variety of high sounding sentences all saying that Hell was very large. When they had done their best, he asked them whether they were through or needed time to improve upon their sentences. They said they were through. So he said, “Now, listen to how the Qur’an has put it.” Then he recited this verse, “The day We shall say to Jahannum, ‘Are you filled?’ And it shall say, ‘Is there any more?’”
He says they were thrilled and admitted that it was truly a profoundly eloquent way of saying that Hell is so large (that despite billions of people having gone in, it should have space for more) - Au.
وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ (31)
(50:31) And Paradise shall be brought nigh to the godfearing, not afar.
هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ (32)
(50:32) This is what you were promised: for every penitent, keeper (of his covenant).30
30. That is, one who keeps the promise of submission that he made to Allah (swt) when he testified to the “kalimah” (Ibn Kathir, reworded).
`Abd b. `Umayr said that “hafiz” is someone who does not rise up from an assembly without seeking Allah’s forgiveness (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ (33)
(50:33) Who feared the All-compassionate in the Unseen,31 and came with an oft-turning heart.
31. That is, he fears Allah in his open and in his secret. Hence the Prophet’s words (about one of the seven who will be in the shade of `Arsh) that he remembered Allah in his private, and it filled his eyes (Ibn Kathir).
Mawdudi adds that the combination of fear and Allah’s Attribute of mercy, indicates that the man’s fear of Allah, rather than that of anything else dominates his life, and that the thought that Allah is All-compassionate does not lead him to audacity to sin.
Yusuf Ali adds: “The description of the Righteous is given in four masterly clauses: (1) those who turned away from Evil in sincere repentance; (2) those whose new life was good and righteous; (3) those who in their innermost hearts and in their most secret doings were actuated by Allah-fearing love, the fear that is akin to love in remembering Allah under His title of ‘Most Gracious’; and (4) who gave up their whole heart and being to Him.”
ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ (34)
(50:34) Enter it, in peace. This is the day of eternity.’32
32. (It is impossible to be living in this world and imagine the kind of life one will enjoy in Paradise). Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri reports that the Prophet said,
“In Paradise, a man will rest in a certain position for seventy years before making the next move. A woman will come and nudge him on his shoulder. He will look into her cheek brighter than a mirror. The most insignificant of the pearls on her will make the east and the west shine. She will greet him with a Salam to which he will respond and ask, ‘Who could you be?’ She will reply, ‘I am the mazid.’ She will have seventy clothes on her, the least of them like pink garments from Tuba. He will cast his eyes until he will see her calf-bone marrow from behind them. She will be wearing a crown of which the most insignificant pearl will make the east and the west shine” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).
(The above hadith, traceable to Ahmed, was declared Hasan by Haythami: Au.).
لَهُمْ مَا يَشَاءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ (35)
(50:35) For them therein whatever they desire, and with Us there is yet more.33
33. It has already been discussed earlier (Yunus, verse 26) that the allusion by “more” is to the Beatific vision in Paradise. Our Lord will reveal Himself to the inhabitants of Paradise every Friday (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ هَلْ مِنْ مَحِيصٍ (36)
(50:36) And how many generations We destroyed before them who were stronger than these in seizing. Then they went about in the land; was there any asylum?34
34. This has been understood in two ways. One, faced up with chastisement, (or after their civilization was destroyed: Asad) they escaped into the lands in search of a place of escape, but where was the asylum? Second, they went about in the lands for trade and commerce, and, in today’s language, made good money, making them proud. But when the punishment came, they found no asylum. Razi and Qurtubi both accept the possibility of the two meanings.
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ (37)
(50:37) Surely in that is a reminder to him who has a heart, or he gave the ear while he is attentive.35
35. That is, he is attentive with both his mind and heart when presented with the message (Au.).
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِنْ لُغُوبٍ (38)
(50:38) We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six periods,36 and no weariness touched Us.37
36. Since there were no days and nights of the present 24-hour cycle at the time of creation, the textual “ayyam” has to be rendered as phases, or periods (Au.).
Dahhak said that the “yawm” of that time was equivalent to a thousand years (Ibn Jarir).
37. Qatadah said that the Jews and Christians claimed that Allah (swt) created the heaven and earth in six days from Sunday to Friday, was tired and so took rest on the seventh day viz., Saturday. Allah revealed this verse to refute them (Ibn Jarir, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ (39)
(50:39) Observe patience then over what they say and glorify your Lord with praises before sunrise and before sunset.38
38. Ibn Kathir comments that until the Night Ascent only two Prayers were statuary: one before sunrise and the other before sunset, while the tahajjud Prayers were obligatory on the Prophet alone.
Also, there is a hadith in Bukhari and Muslim in connection with this ayah.
Jarir b. `Abdullah says, “We were with the Prophet. He looked at the full moon and said, ‘You will surely see your Lord as you see this moon, without doubting your sight of Him. Therefore, if you can avoid not missing the Prayer before the sunrise and before it sets, then do it.’ Then he recited this ayah..” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَارَ السُّجُودِ (40)
(50:40) And in a part of the night (also) glorify Him, and after the prostrations.39
39. `Ali, Abu Hurayrah, Hasan b. `Ali, Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Sha`bi, Awza`i, Qatadah and others are reported to have said that by “adbar al-sujud” the allusion is to two cycles of Prayer after Maghrib. After stating their opinions, Ibn Jarir remarks that although the apparent meaning seems more reasonable, (that is, chant Allah’s praises after every prostration, i.e., Prayers), the weight of the authorities behind the first opinion forces us to accept it as the true interpretation.
Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir mention both the interpretations.
وَاسْتَمِعْ يَوْمَ يُنَادِ الْمُنَادِ مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ (41)
(50:41) And listen on the day when a caller will call out from a close quarter.40
40. Ka`b al-Ahbar is reported by Qatadah as having said that an angel will call out from top of the Rock in Bayt al-Maqdis, which happens to be the centre of the earth (Ibn Jarir, Kashshaf, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).
The above statement could be traced to Ahmad’s Fada’il al-Sahabah, but whose authenticity could not be established (Au.).
Qurtubi names the angel as either Jibril or Israfil.
يَوْمَ يَسْمَعُونَ الصَّيْحَةَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُرُوجِ (42)
(50:42) The day they will hear the blast in truth. That is the day of emergence.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْنَا الْمَصِيرُ (43)
(50:43) Indeed it is We who bring to life and deal death, and to Us is the homecoming.
يَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ الْأَرْضُ عَنْهُمْ سِرَاعًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ حَشْرٌ عَلَيْنَا يَسِيرٌ (44)
(50:44) The day the earth splits asunder (letting them) hurrying forth.41 That is a gathering easy for Us.
41. The first to appear as the earth splits will be our Prophet as stated in a hadith preserved by Muslim (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).
The above two construct the events of the Last Hour of this world as something like this: First Allah will send down rains. With them the bodies will begin to grow like the seed begins to grow with water. Then Israfil will blow out the souls through the Trumpet. By then the bodies would be fully formed. The souls – dancing about like bees - will be commanded to enter into their bodies. The Trumpet will be blown a second time. The earth will split asunder, and they will begin to hasten to the Court of Justice..
نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ ۖ وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِجَبَّارٍ ۖ فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ (45)
(50:45) We know very well what they say. But you are not over them a compeller. Therefore, remind by the Qur’an one who fears My threat.