Surah No. 34

Surah No. 34

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ (1)

(34:1) IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE KIND, THE COMPASSIONATE.All praise is for Allah to whom belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. His is the praise in the Hereafter, and He is the All-wise, the All-aware.

يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۚ وَهُوَ الرَّحِيمُ الْغَفُورُ (2)

(34:2) He knows that which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it, that which descends from the heaven and that which ascends to it.² He indeed is the All-merciful, the All-forgiving.

1. The chapter is Makkan by consensus, except for a single verse – number 6 - that some have thought is Madinan (Qurtubi).

2. That is, what goes into the earth of the seeds or the dead, what comes out of it of the vegetation, or living beings; what comes down from the heaven of Allah's mercy, such as rains, or angels, or the Revelation, and what ascends into it of the good word as mentioned in 35: 10):

إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ

"To Him rises the good word", or the souls, or good deeds (that rise up) could all have been alluded to (Razi, Qurtubi and others in parts). Asad puts it in contemporary terms, “This definition comprises things physical and spiritual: waters disappearing underground and reappearing; the metamorphosis of seed into plant, and of decaying plant into oil and coal; traces of old artefacts and entire civilizations buried in the earth and then reappearing within the sight and consciousness of later generations of men; the transformation of dead bodies of animals and men into elements of nourishment for new life; the ascent of earthly vapours towards the skies, and their descent as rain, snow or hail; the ascent towards the heaven of men’s longings, hopes and ambitions, and the descent of divine inspiration into the minds of men, and thus a revival of faith and thought and, with it, the growth of new artefacts, new skills and new hopes: in short, the endless recurrence of birth, death and re-birth which characterises all of God’s creation.”

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ (3)

(34:3) But said those who disbelieved, 'The Hour will never come upon us.' Say, 'Yes indeed, by my Lord, it shall surely come upon you – (brought by the) Knower of the Unseen – not absent³ from Him is an atom's weight⁴ in the heavens nor in the earth, neither smaller than that nor greater, but it is in a clear Record.⁵

3. This is how Ibn `Abbas, Mujhahid, and Qatadah understood the word "ya`zubu" of the text – as in Ibn Jarir; reflecting Allah's Quality: the Shaheed (Au.).

4. As noted earlier, "dharrah" alludes to a very small ant, or the speck of dust that is visible when a ray of light penetrates a dark room. Adoption of its modern meaning, atom, although correct, is actually more for reasons of sound than sense (Au.).

5. That is, the "Lawh al-Mahfooz" (Alusi).

لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ (4)

(34:4) That He may reward those who believed and worked righteousness. Those - for them is forgiveness and a generous provision.

وَالَّذِينَ سَعَوْا فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِنْ رِجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ (5)

(34:5) As for those who strove in Our signs, to frustrate (Us), those, for them shall be a painful chastisement of a foul nature.⁶

6. Asad writes: “The particle min (lit., “out of”) which precedes the noun rijz (“vileness” or “vile conduct”) indicates that the suffering which awaits such sinners in the life to come is an organic consequence of their deliberately evil conduct in this world.”

وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ هُوَ الْحَقَّ وَيَهْدِي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ (6)

(34:6) On the other hand,⁷ those who have been given the knowledge see that what has been sent down to you by your Lord is the truth, and guides to the path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable.⁸

7. In its brevity, the Qur'an uses "waaw" to express, apart from its standard meanings of "and," "while," "but," "yet," “although,” etc., several other meanings, such as, "for," "further," "moreover," "to be sure," etc. At this point, "on the other hand" seems to fit quite well (Au.).

8. Sayyid comments on” And guides to the path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable: "The path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable is that path which He has approved for His creation, and has chosen it for the humans so that their footsteps may match with the footsteps of the material world in which they live. The path is none other than the system which rules over all that is there in the universe including human life. Human life then, cannot sever its relationship with the universe which provides it with the basis of existence as well as the system that governs its continuation. “(It) guides on to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ by creating in the hearts of a believer clear perceptions with regard to his own existence, his relationships (with the world around him), and the laws (that govern the world). It tells him about his place in it, his role, and the nature of relationship between its various parts, in their joint effort towards the realization of Allah's will, and His wisdom in their creation; and towards the realization of the harmony between various elements as the whole journeys to its ultimate destination. "(It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ by correcting man’s modes and manners of thought, placing them on a sound footing; those that agree with the created world on the one side, and with his own natural instincts on the other. It helps the human beings to understand well the laws that govern the world, how they could be made use of, and how to respond to its demands without clashing with it, or running into a conflict with it. "(It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ with the help of its own methods of training which prepare an individual to conform with the society, and prepare the society to conform with the individual, thus creating a harmony which extends to all the creations that inhabit the globe. But more, it prepares all the creations to fall in harmony with the nature of the universe in which they live. And all this is achieved with extreme ease and comfort. (It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ – a guidance that consists of a system of laws which is in accord with human nature, his circumstances of life, and its economics, in harmony with the laws of the universe that govern the rest of the creations. In the process, man does not break away from them with his own organizations and laws. He is after all, only one of the many communities that inhabit this world."

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ (7)

(34:7) But said those who disbelieved, 'Shall we point you to a man⁹ who will inform you that when you are torn to complete tearing, you will surely be (raised) in a new creation?¹⁰

9. Qurtubi draws our attention to the derision hidden in alluding to a prominent figure of Makkah in words, "Shall we point you to a man.." (as if he was just any man, unworthy of any term better than this: Au.)

10. The pagans contemporary to the Prophet (saws) could be pardoned for thinking that Allah (swt) will resurrect after, "you are torn to complete tearing." But many Muslims contemporary to us fail to notice that the promise, as in the Qur'an and prophetic traditions, is not about recreation after a complete tearing resulting in disintegration of the body into bits and pieces. But rather, the promise involves an earth that will be completely destroyed, leaving no trace on it of any traces of biological life whatsoever: no bones, no fossils, no living forms, however slight, on the surface or buried deep inside with its life arrested by Time. The earth will undergo such massive geological and physical changes as will juggle together its every single atom, to leave mountains moving like clouds and the waters – a source of life – on fire. When the present sun will be gone, the stars will disappear and a new universe brought into existence governed by entirely new set of laws. It is from that "new" situation, when the earth will be held in one hand, and the universe folded around another, that Allah will "resurrect the dead" from atoms (Au.).

أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَمْ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۗ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ (8)

(34:8) What! Is he fastening a lie against Allah, or is there in him madness?' Nay! But those who believe not in the Hereafter are in chastisement and in a far stretched error.¹¹

11. Asad thinks that this is in reference to the tortuous life of those who reject Allah’s call. However, since, not all such societies 'definitely' suffer such consequences as alluded to in the verse, we may take his following, but brilliant note as a point for further brooding. He writes: “The construction of this phrase (fi al-`adhaabi wa dalaalim ba`aeed: Au.) points definitely to suffering in this world (in contrast with the suffering in the hereafter spoken of in verse 5 above): for whereas the concept of “aberration” (Asad’s rendering of “dalaal”) is meaningless in the context of the life to come, it has an obvious meaning in the context of moral and social confusion – and, hence, of the individual and social suffering – which is the unavoidable consequence of people’s loss of belief in the existence of absolute moral values and, thus, in an ultimate divine judgment on the basis of values.”

أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنْ نَشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيبٍ (9)

(34:9) Have they not considered what lies before them and what lies behind them of the heaven and the earth?¹² If We wished We could make the earth swallow them, or cause a fragment of the heaven crash upon them.¹³ Surely, in that is a sign for every slave who turns (to Allah) repentant.¹⁴

12. If reference to the words, "what lies behind them of the heaven and the earth," Qatadah has remarked that the justification is that wherever you look, (not only to the left or right, or front), but also at the rear, you see the earth and the heaven (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). In other words, there is no madness in the Messenger of truth, but it could be in those who are surrounded by signs all around them, that they find it impossible to escape from, but cling to illogical notions (Au.). Asad again, “.. how can anyone be so presumptuous as to deny the reality of resurrection and life after death, seeing that it is a phenomenon beyond man’s experience, while, on the other hand, everything within the universe points to God’s unlimited creative power.”

13. “This allusion is to unpredictable geological and cosmic occurrences – earthquakes, the fall of meteors and meteorites, cosmic rays, and so forth..” (Asad).

14. That is, signs that are a personal gift of Allah to a slave of His, for, they are not visible, although they surround the humankind, except to those who establish a Master-slave relationship with Him. On the other hand, if they decide that they can "work out things" all by themselves, "including the discovery of signs - if there are any," to them, the challenge is: do it if you can. The key to discovery of higher truths is bondage to the slavery of the Creator (Au.).

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ مِنَّا فَضْلًا ۖ يَا جِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْرَ ۖ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ (10)

(34:10) We definitely bestowed a bounty on Da'ud from Us:¹⁵ 'O you mountains, sing praises with him,¹⁶ and O birds (you too).'¹⁷ And We softened for him the iron.¹⁸

15. So, there is no limit to bestowal of signs upon those who turn to Him. Da'ud (asws) was one of them. He was an "oft-turning" person to Allah (28: 34). So He conferred upon him such signs and miracles as no one will ever achieve by himself: iron was made wax for him (as a material gift) and, hearts of mountains and birds were softened for him (as spiritual gift), so that when he sang his Lord's praises they joined him in chorus in a language and voice that he could understand and derive ecstatic pleasure from (Au.). Majid comments: “This may also refer to the greatness of David as a king. After the death and defeat of Saul at the hands of the formidable Philistines, ‘Israel rallied to David as the one possible saviour, though the succession was disputed by a rival faction; and under David’s leadership the supremacy of Hebrew kingdom was decisively established, the Philistine power was shattered and the hostile tribes were forced to become David’s tributaries.’ (UHW. I. p.447).” Mawdudi adds: “This is an allusion to the countless favours with which Allah had blessed the Prophet David (asws). He was an ordinary young man of the tribe of Judah, living in Bethlehem. In a campaign against the Phillistines he slew the giant Goliath. This increased his esteem among the Israelites, and ultimately he was made a king over the whole of Israel, having first been made a ruler over Hebron. He took Jerusalem and made it the capital of his kingdom whose boundaries extended between the Gulf of `Aqabah in the east and river Euphrates in the west. In addition, he was divinely bestowed with knowledge and wisdom.”

16. "Sing praises": This is how Ibn `Abbas, Abu `Abd al-Rahman, Abu Maysarah, Mujahid, Dahhak and others understood the textual "awwibi" (Ibn Jarir).

17. It is reported that Da'ud's beautiful recitation of the Zabur created such effects that the mountains, birds and other animals sang along with him. In Sayyid's words, "It seems Da'ud had attained such high quality of Praises for his Lord that the veils between him and Allah's other creations stood removed. They all sang in a chorus with him. This was the special blessing that was bestowed upon him." The Prophet (saws) said about Abu Musa al-Ash`ari's recitation as he heard him recite the Qur'an one night,

أُعْطِيَ مِزْمَاراً مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُد"َ"

"Indeed he has been given a musical voice that was given to Da'ud's folks" (Bukhari and Muslim: Ibn Kathir). The above implies that the skill went down the line.

18. The allusion is not allegorical, but real, to a miracle. It was not melting of the metal for ease of moulding but rather softening of it in his hands, so that he bent it to the shape of his desire with ease – yet another of the special blessings bestowed on Da'ud (Sayyid). It is said that making armour was Da'ud's means of sustenance also (Ibn Kathir).

أَنِ اعْمَلْ سَابِغَاتٍ وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ ۖ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا ۖ إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (11)

(34:11) That, 'You fashion wide coats of mail,¹⁹ and measure well the links.²⁰ And do you all act righteously,²¹ for indeed I am, of what you do, seeing.'

19. The apparent meaning is efficient design and skilled manufacture of the armour. But Imam Razi thinks that the directive is not to spend time on the manufacture of the armour beyond an acceptable limit of time and quantity. In different words, "qaddir" is for spending just the right time and efforts. The rest of the time should be devoted to the counsel that follows: "And do you all act righteously."

20. It is said that it was Da'ud who first made chained armours. Earlier, it were shields (made from beaten sheets of iron) that were in use (but they were heavy: Au.) - Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir.

21. Either the whole family has been addressed, or perhaps the plural form has been adopted for reverence (Alusi).

وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ۖ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ (12)

(34:12) And unto Sulayman (did We subject) the wind: its morning course a month('s journey) and its evening course a month('s journey).²² And We made fount of molten-copper flow for him. And of the Jinn who worked before him by the leave of his Lord;²³ whoever of them swerved away from Our command, We made him taste chastisement of the Blaze.

22. That is, it covered two month's course in a day's time, morning to evening (Ibn Jarir).

23. That is, of the Jinn some were subjected to him to help him in construction works.

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِنْ مَحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَاسِيَاتٍ ۚ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ (13)

(34:13) Fashioning for him whatever he would²⁴ - of castles,²⁵ images,²⁶ basins like water-troughs,²⁷ and anchored cooking-pots.²⁸ 'Exercise thanks²⁹ O House of Da'ud. Few indeed of My slaves are grateful.'³⁰

24. That is, the Jinn worked for Sulayman, joining hands in whatever he wished to build or manufacture.

25. "Mihrab" is the front part of any (significant) building, place of worship, or prayer-hall. Metaphorically, it can be used for any constructed place, such as mosques, medium sized palaces, or even villas (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir from the Salaf).

26. According to Lisan al-`Arab, “timthaal” (pl. tamaatheel) is for every artefact that may have been made to resemble a living creation of Allah. `Atiyyah al-`Awfi, Dahhak and Suddi's opinion was that the allusion is to pictures (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). It might be asked, 'How could Sulayman have been allowed to make pictures when it is disallowed in our religion?' The answer is, it was perhaps not forbidden in his Shari`ah, for, after all, this is not a moral issue such as truthfulness, or lies, (that have remained unlawful throughout the ages in every Shari`ah). Further, Abu al-`Aaliyyah has said that (it is not necessary that those were human figures, but rather) pictures of non-living objects, such as natural sceneries, or, if of living beings then, headless (Zamakshari). Qurtubi comments: Reports from the Prophet (saws) on this topic lead us to believe that all kinds of pictures are prohibited in Islam, except for some designs on clothes. Indeed, there are a few ahadith that do not allow even for this exception. One is in Muslim which says that,

"إِنّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصّوَرِ يُعَذّبُونَ. وَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ: أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ"

"Artists will be punished in the Hereafter and told, 'Now, blow life into these.' Another hadith of Hasan Ghareeb Saheeh status in Tirmidhi says, عَنْ أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "تَخْرُجُ عُنُقٌ مِنَ النّارِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ لَها عَيْنَانِ تُبْصِرَانِ وَأُذُنَانِ تَسْمَعَانِ وَلِسَانٌ يَنْطِقُ يَقُولُ إِنّي: وُكّلْتُ بِثَلاَثَةٍ: بِكُلّ جَبّارٍ عَنِيدٍ، وَبِكُلّ مَنْ دَعَا مَعَ الله إِلَهَاً آخَرَ، وَبِالمُصَوّرِينَ". "A neck will rise out from the Fire on the Day of Judgment, with two eyes that will see, two ears that will hear, and a tongue that will speak. It will say, 'I have been given custody of three: Every stubborn tyrant, every one who evoked a deity other than Allah, and, those who made pictures.'" Exempted however, adds Qurtubi, are dolls for children. `A'isha herself used to play with them and the Prophet did not object. Another narrative preserved by Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi, narrated by Abu Talha says, عن عُبَيْدِ الله بنِ عَبْدِ الله بنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنّهُ سَمِعَ ابنَ عَبّاسٍ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا طَلْحَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: "لاَ تَدْخُلُ المَلاَئِكَةُ بَيْتاً فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلاَ صُورَةُ تَمَاثِيلَ". (قال أبو عيسى: هذا حديثٌ حسنٌ صحيحٌ).‏ "Angels do not enter a house which has a dog or graven images." The following is also preserved:

عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ. قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبّاسٍ. فَقَالَ: إِنّي رَجُلٌ أُصَوّرُ هَذِهِ الصّوَرَ. فَأَفْتِنِي فِيهَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ: ادْنُ مِنّي. فَدَنَا مِنْهُ. ثُمّ قَالَ: ادْنُ مِنّي. فَدَنَا حَتّىَ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَىَ رَأْسِهِ. قَالَ: أُنَبّئُكَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ "كُلّ مُصَوّرٍ فِي النّارِ. يَجْعَلُ لَهُ، بِكُلّ صُورَةٍ صَوّرَهَا، نَفْساً فَتُعَذّبُهُ فِي جَهَنّمَ". وَقَالَ: إنْ كُنْتَ لاَ بُدّ فَاعِلاً، فَاصْنَعِ الشّجَرَ وَمَا لاَ نَفْسَ لَهُ (مسلم)

Sa'id ibn Abi al-Hasan narrated that a man went to Ibn `Abbas and said, "I make pictures. So tell me about it." He said, "Come nearer." He went nearer. He told him, "Come nearer." He went nearer until Ibn `Abbas placed his hand on his head and then said, "Let me tell you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah. I heard him say, 'Every artist will be in the Fire. Every picture that he made will be turned into a body that will torture him in Hell.' "Then he added, 'If you have to do it at all, then make trees and other lifeless objects" (Au.). Mawdudi devotes a goodly space to the topic. Herewith in short: “Some people have argued that since picture-making was allowed during the time of Sulayman, it should be allowable in our Shari`ah also. But, this argument is not tenable. The prohibition was equally there during his times too. Torah had already been revealed to Musa and contains unambiguous references to picture making and its prohibition. E.g. ‘Thou shall not make unto thee graven images, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth below or that is in the water under the earth (Exod. 20:4)’. And, ‘Ye shall make no idols, nor graven images, nor rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it (Levi. 26:1).’ And, ‘Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth’ (Deut. 4: 16-18).’ “Further, a strong argument cannot be built on the basis of a simple word like “tamaatheel” which has unclear connotations, especially in the light of the strongly worded prohibitions in the Prophetic traditions. A hadith preserved in Bukhari tells us that once a few of the Prophet’s wives were around him. They were talking among themselves and `A'isha tells us that,

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ وَأُمَّ سَلَمَةَ ذَكَرَتَا كَنِيسَةً رَأَيْنَهَا بِالْحَبَشَةِ فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ فَذَكَرَتَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أُولَئِكَ إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِمْ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ فَمَاتَ بَنَوْا عَلَى قَبْرِهِ مَسْجِدًا وَصَوَّرُوا فِيهِ تِلْكَ الصُّوَرَ فَأُولَئِكَ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ).البخاري)

Umm Habibah and Umm Salamah casually mentioned that they had been into a Church in Abyssinia where they had found pictures (of humans). The Prophet remarked, “The custom among the past peoples was that when one of their righteous men died, they built a house of worship over his grave and decorated it with pictures. On the Day of Judgement these people will be the worst of creations in the sight of Allah.” `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud reported the Prophet,

إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ

“The most severely punished on the day of Judgment would be those who made pictures.” (Sahihayn) `A’isha reports the following:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ حَشَوْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وِسَادَةً فِيهَا تَمَاثِيلُ كَأَنَّهَا نُمْرُقَةٌ فَجَاءَ فَقَامَ بَيْنَ الْبَابَيْنِ وَجَعَلَ يَتَغَيَّرُ وَجْهُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَا لَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا بَالُ هَذِهِ الْوِسَادَةِ قَالَتْ وِسَادَةٌ جَعَلْتُهَا لَكَ لِتَضْطَجِعَ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتِ أَنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا تَدْخُلُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ صُورَةٌ وَأَنَّ مَنْ صَنَعَ الصُّورَةَ يُعَذَّبُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَقُولُ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ

“I made pillows – sort of small cushions - for the Prophet that had pictures. He entered and sat down between the two entrances. Then his countenance began to alter. She inquired, “What’s wrong with us, Messenger of Allah?” He asked, “What about these cushions?” She answered, “Well, cushions I made so that you could rest on them.” He said, “Have you not known that angels do not enter a house in which there are pictures and that whoever made a picture will be tormented on the day of Standing and told, ‘Now. Give life to what you made’” (Bukhari). “Some people try to make a distinction,” continues Mawdudi, “between a photograph and a painting, whereas the Shari`ah forbids the picture itself without discussing the process or methods of how such pictures are made. Yet others have argued that the forbiddance was meant to put an end to idol worship in early Islamic days; but since such a risk does not exist anymore, the prohibition should go. This argument is also untenable because there is no hadith that gives us the reason as being proffered now. Furthermore, the statement that paganism has been obliterated has no basis in reality. Paganism and polytheism of all sorts thrive in our contemporary world. Finally, that pictures lead to idol-worship, saint-worship, etc., could be only one of the reasons for its prohibitions; there are other ill-effects that are done away with by the prohibition. Pornography and obscenity are cases in point. Pictures are also used for misleading the masses and spreading discord among nations.” To the above we might add that far from decorating their homes with pictures, a report preserved by Bukhari reports `Umar as having said to the People of the Book,

إنا لا ندخل كنائسكم، من أجل التماثيل التي فيها الصور

“We do not enter your Churches because of the pictures you have there.” As for discord that Mawdudi spoke of, we could cite a single example from thousands: While relaying the event of the destruction of the Trade Centre buildings, live on the TV, CNN, America's most popular channel showed Palestinians celebrating the event. The announcer remarked: “We shall never forget this celebration.” Later it was discovered that the TV station had introduced an older film that depicted celebrations of some other occasion. The moment was used to sow permanent hatred of the Muslims in American minds. It achieved high level of success. There is no disputing the fact that no single element has done so much damage to the Islamic religion and its culture as the TV (Au.).

27. That is, the basins were as large as cisterns.

28. The cooking cauldrons were so large that they were, because of their weight, sort of anchored to the ground (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). Abu Bakr Ibn al-`Arabi said that in pre-Islamic times the pots of `Abdullah b. Jud`an were also so large that one had to climb a ladder to look in. Tarafah b. al-`Abd has a poetical line describing them. Ibn al-`Arabi also reports having seen similarly large pot in one of the ribaat (zaawiyyah: Sufi resort) in Abu Sa`eed to serve the Sufis since they all – without exception – shared meal from one pot (Qurtubi). The details about Sulayman's activities confirm (the historical accounts) that Da'ud established the kingdom, while his son Sulayman attended to its development (with a point from Razi).

29. To act righteously, in obedience of Allah, is to act according to the demands of gratefulness (Muhammad ibn Ka`b: Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). Ibn Majah has recorded the Prophet (saws) as Sulayman’s mother having said to him,

يَا سُلَيْمَانُ لا تُكْثِرِ النَّوْمَ بِاللَّيْلِ ، فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ النَّوْمِ بِاللَّيْلِ تَتْرُكُ الْعَبْدَ فَقِيرًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

“Sulayman! Do not sleep much at night. Long sleep during the night will leave a man destitute on the Day of Judgment" (Ibn Kathir). But Haythamiyy remarked that the above report does not have a strong chain (Au.).

30. In Asad’s words, ‘I.e., even among those who consider themselves God’s servants – for “truly grateful [to God] is only he who realizes his inability to render adequate thanks to Him” (Zamakhshari).’ Sayyid points out that if we fail to thank Allah for his numerous benefits, in fact, even fail to realize the blessings spread around us, it is because we are used to them and have taken them for granted. It is only when we miss one of them that we realize the great benefit. (Like a cut on a finger makes us realize how much we utilize that particular spot: Au.). We experienced this, continues Sayyid, when once (in the prison) the only access to the sun we had was through a hole the size of a coin. We (the inmates) would make the best use of it so long as it lasted, taking the place in turns. We would take the shine on our faces, hands, feet, and everywhere. And, I shall never forget the day when I was out and allowed full exposure to the sun, one of us saying, "Good Lord! Here is our sun. It still rises." How many other blessings do we not receive, every moment that pass by us, yet, for how many of them do we truly feel thankful? ("Shakoor" is superlative of "shaakir", that is, those who thank a lot). So, "shakoor" is someone who says thanks with his heart, tongue, and limbs of the body. Such a one is engaged in "shukr" all his time. Ibn `Abbas said that "shakoor" is someone who thanks in every situation. Suddi said that he is someone who says thanks upon thanks. It is also said that "shakoor" is someone who feels he can never be grateful enough. It is said that `Umar heard someone say, "O Allah, make me of the few." He asked him what it meant. The man replied, "I have heard Allah say, 'Few indeed of My slaves are grateful.' So I supplicate that He make me of those few." `Umar remarked, "Everybody seems to know more than `Umar" (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi). That gratitude is expressed with the help of deeds, is well illustrated by a hadith in Muslim. When the Prophet's feet were swollen because of his long standing in Prayers at night, 'A'isha asked, "Should you do that when Allah has forgiven your past and future sins?" He asked back, "Should I not be a grateful slave?" (Qurtubi)

فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ (14)

(34:14) Then, when We decreed death upon him, nothing indicated to them his death but a creature of the earth that kept gnawing at his staff. It is only when he fell that the Jinn saw clearly that, had they known the Unseen, they would not have continued in the humiliating torment.³¹

31. Various reports coming from the Salaf give us to understand that the Jinn boasted before men that they interacted with, and knew, the Unseen. They were, however, subjugated by Sulayman who put them – despite their dislike - to the completion of the Temple that Da'ud had begun to build but had died before completion. Sulayman used to supervise their works from a certain spot, standing erect, supported by his staff. (One report says he would be seated on a chair reclining on a staff: Qurtubi). He died in that state, but the staff kept him supported. However, insects began to gnaw at the staff, until when it became hollow. One day it broke and Sulayman's corpse fell. It is then that the Jinn knew that they were labouring all the time in fear of Sulayman, although he was dead. And the men realized that the Jinn could not have known the Unseen. Nevertheless, none of the reports of the above kind reaches a hadith status, except for one, which, although it is not directly on the same lines, yet which has been declared weak by Haythamiyy (Au.). That apart, that the Mosque was not completed but after Sulayman's death does not sound correct in view of a report in Nasa'i and other works, of Sahih rank, which reports the Prophet (saws) as having said,

أَنّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمّا بَنَى بَـيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ سَأَلَ اللّهَ عَزّ وَجَلّ خِلاَلاً ثَلاَثَةً: سَأَلَ اللّهَ عَزّ وَجَلّ حُكْما يُصَادِفُ حُكْمَهُ فَأُوتِيَهُ وَسَأَلَ اللّهَ عَزّ وَجَلّ مُلْكا لاَ يْنْبَغِي لأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ فَأُوتِيَهُ وَسَأَلَ اللّهَ عَزّ وَجَلّ حِينَ فَرَغَ مِنْ بِنَاءِ الْمَسْجِدِ أَنْ لاَ يَأْتِيَهُ أَحَدٌ لاَ يَنْهَزُهُ إلاّ الصّلاَةَ فِيهِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَهُ مِنْ خَطِيئَتِهِ كَيَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمّهُ.

"When Sulayman b. Da'ud built the Temple, he asked during its construction for three things: A judgment that matches with His (Allah's own) judgment: he was given it; he asked that he should be given a kingdom that should not be the share of anyone else after him: he was granted it; he asked after he had finished construction of the Mosque that no one should come to it, moved by no other desire but prayers in it, but he should emerge out of his sins like the day his mother gave him birth." The strange manner, however, of the death of a Prophet and king, who enjoyed power over the Jinn, birds and winds, comes as a climax to remind us that ultimately all power belongs to Allah. He does as He will. Further, admittedly, there could have been one or two accessory buildings that were completed after Sulayman had finished the main building (Au.). Asad’s note might not express accurately the understanding of Muslim scholars in general, but it is, once again, worthy of consideration: “In the elliptic manner so characteristic of the Qur’an, stress is laid here, firstly, on the limited nature of all empirical knowledge, including the result of deductions and inferences based on no more than observable or calculable phenomenon, and, secondly, on the impossibility to determine correctly, on the basis of such limited fragments of knowledge alone, what course of action would be right in a given situation. Although the story as such relates to 'invisible beings', its moral lesson (which may be summed up in the statement that empirical knowledge cannot provide any ethical guidelines unless it is accompanied, and completed, by divine guidance) is obviously addressed to human being as well.”

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَنْ يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ (15)

(34:15) There was a sign indeed for (the people of) Saba'³² in their dwelling-place: two gardens to the left and to the right.³³ 'Eat of your Lord's providence and give thanks to Him': a good land,³⁴ and a Lord All-forgiving.

32. Ibn Jarir traces out several reports, coming through different chains, of the content that the Prophet was asked about Saba' and explained that it was the name of a person who lived in Yemen in historical times. Qurtubi, as well as Ibn Kathir trace a Hadith as in Tirmidhi which was declared Hasan Ghareeb by him. It is as follows (Tuhfah, no. 3275):

عَنْ فَرْوَةَ بنِ مُسَيْكٍ المُرادِيّ قَالَ "أَتَيْتُ النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ الله أَلاَ أُقَاتِلُ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ مِنْ قَوْمِي بمَنْ أَقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ؟ فأَذِنَ لِي في قِتَالِهِمْ وَأَمّرَني، فَلَمّا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ سَأَلَ عَنّي مَا فَعَلَ الغُطَيْفِيّ فأُخْبِرَ أنيّ قَدْ سِرْتُ، قَالَ فأَرْسَلَ في أَثَرِي فَرَدّني فَأَتَيْتُهُ وَهُوَ في نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ: ادْعُ القَوْمَ فَمنْ أَسْلَمَ مِنْهُمْ فَاقْبَلْ مِنْهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُسْلِمْ فَلاَ تَعْجَلْ حَتّى أُحْدِثَ إِلَيْكَ، قَالَ وأُنْزِلَ في سَبَإ ما أُنْزِلَ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ الله وَمَا سَبَأٌ أَرْضٌ أَو امرأةٌ؟ قَالَ لَيْسَ بِأَرْضٍ وَلاَ امْرَأَةٍ وَلَكنّهُ رَجُلٌ وَلَدَ عَشْرَةً مِنَ العَرَبِ فَتَيَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ سِتّةٌ وَتَشَاءَمَ مِنْهُمْ أَرْبَعَةٌ، فأَمّا الّذِينَ تَشَاءَمُوا فَلخْمٌ وجذامٌ وَغَسّانُ وعَامِلَةُ، وأَمّا الّذِينَ تَيَامَنَوُا فالأَزْدُ والأَشْعَريونَ وحِمْيَرُ ومَذْحِج وَأَنْمَار، وَكِنْدَةُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ الله ومَا أَنْمَارُ؟ قَالَ الّذِينَ مِنْهُم خَثْعَمُ وَبَجِيلَةُ"

Farwah b. Musayk al-Muradi (al-Ghutayfiyy) said, "I went to the Prophet and asked, 'Messenger of Allah, should I not fight those who delay (in responding to this message) with the help of those who have hastened (to it)?' He allowed me to fight against them giving me the command over them. After I had left him, he asked about me as to what had the Ghutayfiyy done. He was told that I had left. He sent someone after me and got me back. So I went to him while he was with some of his Companions. He said, 'Invite your people and accept it from whosoever embraces Islam. As for those who do not accept Islam, do not hasten against them until I let you know.' He (the narrator) said that revelation came down about Saba (those very days). So someone asked, 'Messenger of Allah. What is Saba': a place or a woman?' He answered, 'Neither a woman nor a place, but a man who produced ten sons of the Arabs of whom six settled in Yemen while four others in Syria. Those who went to Syria were Lakhm, Judhdham, Ghassan and `Aamilah, while those who settled in Yemen, were: Azd, Ash`aroon (or maybe Ash`ariyyun), Himyar, Kinda, Madh-hij, and Anmar.' One of the men asked, 'Messenger of Allah what about Anmar?' He replied, 'Khath`am and Bajeelah are of them.'" Ibn Kathir adds: Saba' (in usage) refers to kings and people of Yemen, Tubaaba`ah (pl. of Tubba`) were part of them, as also Bilqis (contemporary to Sulayman). As for ten sons of Saba', it does not necessarily mean direct descendants, but rather his progeny over several generations. The Ansar were the descendants of the Saba', who were scattered by the burst of the dam (that we shall discuss presently). Saba' Arab history is traced back in the ancient past to two persons: `Adnaan and Qahtaan. The opinion prevalent among the genealogists is that the `Aad, Thamood, Jurham, `Amaaleeq, Himyar, and the rest of the historical tribal names we encounter were, what are known as, `Arab-`Aaribah: sons of `Adnan and Qahtan, some 3000 years before Islam. While `Adnan's progeny spread all over the Arabian Peninsula, Qahtan and his progeny settled in the Yemen. They gave rise to a people known as the Saba', who occupied the South Western Arabia, centering around an ancient walled town called Ma'aarib (which had a circumference of six miles in its heyday), about 1200 m (4000 feet) above the sea level in Wadi San`a. (According to 1975 census there were 70,000 inhabitants in and around the town - which still carries the same name). The civilization they created peaked about 1500 years before the Prophet's advent, and at one time penetrated into the Horn of Africa, or, what is known today as Eritrea. Bilqis, Prophet Sulayman's contemporary, who belonged to the Himyarites, was roughly of this period. The Ma'aarib dam that was built, and the floods that the Qur'an spoke of, refer to a time some 1000 and 900 years respectively before the Prophet. The dam had surface covered with stones and mortared, and was at least 16 m. high, 60 m. broad and 620 m. wide, no doubt its construction a mammoth feat. Twice the year the water was let down for irrigation of the lands. Several canals, dozens of sleuths and hundreds of subsidiaries ending with water distributors helped cover a large area of irrigation. Remains show that it was a pretty complicated network of irrigation. The dam had to be expanded several times because of flooding which implies that the area experienced heavy rains. The plantation was so extensive that a horseman needed more than a month to cross them, and, in doing so, he found himself continuously in the shadow of trees. Their religion was largely polytheistic paganism. Although not too common, but, as if to provide proof to the Qur'anic statements in this regard, modern excavations reveal that throughout their history monotheism prevailed among a section of the population. It could be termed as the Cult of the Merciful. The older inscriptions are free of explicit marks of Judaism or Christianity. Their presence can be traced in later epochs. Some 600 years before the Prophet, Romans besieged Ma'arib but despite assaults could not take the town. But it seems they laid waste the neighborhood and destroyed the renewed irrigation works of the oasis. At the height of its development, in the 8th century BC, the kingdom of Saba’ maintained colonies along trade routes leading to Palestine, and Ma‘rib, (some 60 miles off San`a, and 3900 feet above sea level). It was the capital and one of the wealthiest cities of ancient Arabia. It was the meeting-place of the trade routes connecting the frankincense lands with the Mediterranean ports. The construction for which the city that was particularly famous was the great Sadd Ma'rib (i.e., Ma'arib Dam). Majid quotes several authorities about Ma'arib and its dam: "'This remarkable engineering feat, together with the other public works of the Sabaeans, reveal to us a peace-loving society highly advanced not only in commerce but in technical accomplishment as well.’ (Hitti, op. cit., p.55) ‘The failure of the dam at Marib was at once an effect and a cause of the national decay . . . The dam at Marib is now in much the same condition as when Houdani (A.D. 848) saw it.’ (EBr. XIX. P. 785) ‘West of Marib are the ruins of the dam which figures so prominently in Arabic tradition. These show a very solid construction with several sluices. It was destroyed by a flood’ (II. P. 184). This deluge marks an epoch in the history of South Arabia. The waters subside, the lands return to cultivation and prosperity, but Ma'arib lies desolate and the Sabaeans have disappeared forever, except to point a moral or to adorn a tale’ (Nicholson, op. cit. p. 16). According to a Muslim chronicler, 'subsequently God destroyed the dam and tore up the rocks, the pavilions, the trees, and the canals, casting the sands over them. And when they who were below the dam saw its destruction, and they could do nothing to it, they fled to the tops of the hill with their families and cattle. And the water surged over the dam through an abundance of rain: and the water issued from the interstices burrowed by the rats . . . And it is related that the torment of the inundation occurred about four hundred years before Islam . . . but God knows best.’ (Redhouse, op. cit., I. PP. 55-56) ‘The chroniclers report that a rat turned over a stone which fifty men could not have bridged, and thus brought about the collapse of the entire dam.’ (Hitti, op. cit., p. 65). Referring again to this ‘memorable event immortalized in Islamic literature says Hitti:- Al-Isfahani, . . . puts the tragic event four hundred years before Islam but Yaqut comes nearer to the truth when he assigns it to the reign of the Abyssinians. The ruins of the dam are visible to the present day . . . The final catastrophe alluded to in the Koran must have taken place after 542 and before 570." Mawdudi adds: "Since antiquity this Arabian nation has been well known to the rest of the world. Ur inscriptions of 2500 B.C. mention it by the name of Sabom. Then in the Babylonian and Assyrian inscriptions and also in the Bible it has been mentioned several times (see, for instance, Psalms 72:15; Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel 27:22, 38: 13; Job 6:19). The Greek and Roman historians and the geographer Theo-phrastus (288 B.C.) have mentioned it continuously for many centuries of the Christian era since before Christ. "Its home was the south-western corner of the Arabian Peninsula, now called al-Yemen. Its rise to prominence started in 1100 B.C. In the time of the Prophets David and Solomon the Saba'ians had become world famous as a wealthy people. In the beginning they were a sun-worshipping nation. Then, when their queen affirmed faith at the hand of the Prophet Solomon (965-926 B.C.), probably most of them became Muslims. But then in some unknown later period they again began to worship gods and goddesses like Almaqah (the moon-god), ‘Athtar (Venus), Dhat Hamim, Dhat Bad’an (the sun-god), Harmatam or Harimat and many others. Almaqah was their chief deity, and the kings made claim to the people’s obedience as representatives of this deity. Many inscriptions have been unearthed in the Yemen which show that the whole land abounded in the temples of these gods, especially of Almaqah, and thanksgiving services for them were held at every important event. As a result of the modern archaeological researches about 3,000 inscriptions have been discovered which throw a good deal of light on the history of this nation."

33. Zamakhshari points out that it is not just two gardens that are meant, but rather, a vast stretch of land on both sides of the mountains over which flourished flush green gardens stretching up to maybe hundreds of miles. The boundaries (of the thousands) of them were so close that they were like two vast gardens. Qurtubi traces it as an opinion of Qushayri.

34. "The good land": because irrigated by an intricate system of (hundreds of dams, the largest being known as the Ma`aarib), dykes, canals and ducts, it yielded its produce in abundance. The weather was so moderate that no insect – flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants, lice etc. - ever annoyed them unreasonably. The two gardens yielded fruit so plentifully that it is said – notably by Qatadah - that a woman with a basket on her head would pass through one of their gardens and emerge at the other side with the basked full of fruits having fallen into it, without she having to pick any (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir). That could be a hyperbole, but abundance is ascertained. However, the above reminds one of the abundance of fish in some rivers in the United States where, to a camera’s eye, jumping fish land into passing boats, so that, over less than 10 minutes of sailing on water, a boat bags 13 large fishes without the boatmen doing anything about it except mechanically sailing the boat. In fact, in the skit shown, the boatmen had to cover their heads with their hands in fear of the jumping fish falling on their heads. All around, the fishes were jumping out and back into water in continuous frivolity (Au.).

فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُمْ بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِنْ سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ (16)

(34:16) But they turned away;³⁵ so We sent upon them the flood of the `Arim³⁶ and We gave them in lieu of their two gardens, two (other) gardens bearing Araak fruit (trees),³⁷ athel (bushes),³⁸ and a few lote trees.³⁹

35. It is widely reported that altogether no less than thirteen Prophets were raised among them. However, adds Alusi, it is possible that they had appeared over long periods before Jesus Christ, but the decision to chastise them through the destruction of the dam came later, a couple of centuries before the appearance of our own Prophet.

36. Opinions of the earliest authorities varied over the meaning of `Arim between (a) name of a dam [that Bilqis had built, at a place called Ma'aarib, three travel-stations from San`aa], (2) name of a valley which held the waters of the dam, and, (c) the word is equivalent of violence (sayl al-`arim meaning, violent floods: Ibn Jarir); as well as (d) heavy rains (Alusi). In any case, "sayl" of the text refers to the dam burst that was caused by a multiple of factors: heavy, incessant rains, weakening of the dam by age, and damage caused by rats that burrowed into its walls. When it burst, the rushing waters destroyed all that lay in its path, leaving behind it the irrigation system in ruins. The tribes dispersed (Au.).

37. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Hasan, Qatadah and Dahhak said that in their opinion "khamt" is for Araak tree (which bears a bitter fruit) – Ibn Jarir. Lane explains in his grand Lexicon that if it is pronounced as now in the Qur'an namely, "ukulin khamtin" it should mean Araak tree, but if pronounced a "ukulu khamtin" (an unpopular reading: Ibn Jarir) then, as "bitter fruits." In either case the fruit of the Araak genus can both be edible as well as too bitter for the mouth, depending on its variety (Au.).

38. Or, tamarisk bushes. In rendering the "athl" of the Qur'an as "athel," we are influenced by Merriam Webster's Dictionary which defines athel as: "a small drought-resistant evergreen tree (Tamarix aphylla) native to southern and western Asia but now widely planted as an ornamental or shelter-belt tree in warm dry regions (as of the southwestern United States and Australia); broadly: any of several other trees or shrubs of the genus Tamarix" (Au.)

39. That is, when the Saba' denied the message, Allah caused the dam wall to collapse sending the waters crashing through the valleys that destroyed all that came in the way: houses, trees, everything. Subsequently, the dam was repaired, but the former glory could not be restored. Neither the irrigation system could be revived, nor were there enough people to attempt revival. Gradually, the gardens turned into semi forests (Au.). Asad writes: "The date of that catastrophe cannot be established with any certainty, but the most probable period of the first bursting of the Dam of Ma'arib seems to have been the second century of the Christian era. The kingdom of Sheba was largely devastated, and this led to the migration of many southern (Qahtan) tribes towards the north of the Peninsula. Subsequently, it appears, the system of dams and dykes was to some extent repaired, but the country never regained its earlier prosperity; and few decades before the advent of Islam the great dam collapsed completely and finally."

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَفَرُوا ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَازِي إِلَّا الْكَفُورَ (17)

(34:17) Thus We recompensed them for that they disbelieved. And, do We ever recompense any (that way) but the ingrate?⁴⁰

40. That is, none do We recompense in this way, but the ingrate (Alusi). Such punishment, however, did not visit any in the past but a nation that rejected its Prophet. Muslims do not in the normal circumstances receive such punishment. Punishment to Muslims in this world takes different forms. Ibn Khayrah, a companion of `Ali, stated,

جزاء المعصية الوهن في العبادة، والضيق في المعيشة، والتعسر في اللذة، قيل: وما التعسر في اللذة؟ قال: لا يصادف لذة حلال إلا جاءه مَنْ يُنَغِّصه إياها

"The recompense of a sin appears in the form of slackness in devotional prayers, constriction in provision, and difficulty in (obtaining) delight." He was asked, “What is meant by difficulty in delight?” He answered, "He does not obtain a lawful thing, but there comes (upon him) what takes away the delight from it” (Ibn Kathir, Alusi and Shafi` combined). The punishment was the immediate reward. Greater punishment is reserved for the unbelievers in the Hereafter. The rule, once again, can be different for Muslims. They could be punished here in this world and forgiven in lieu in the Hereafter (Au.). Qatadah said that if Allah wishes to honor a Muslim, He accepts his good deeds, but if He wishes his humiliation, He holds back the punishment for his evil deeds in order to punish him in full in the Hereafter. It is reported that one of the Companions saw a woman passerby and his eyes followed her (to some distance). As he came across a wall (of an orchard) he crashed into it and received injury on the face. He went up to the Prophet with his bleeding face and told him what had happened. He explained,

إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بعَبْدٍ خَيْرًا عَجَّلَ لَهُ عُقُوبَةَ ذَنْبه فِى الدُّنْيَا وإذا أرادَ بِعَبْد شرًّا أمسك عُقُوبة ذنبه حتى يُوَافِيَه يوم القيامةِ كأنه عَيْر أبتر (أحمد ، والطبرانى ، والحاكم ، والبيهقى فى شعب الإيمان عن عبد الله بن مغفل - قال الهيثمى : إسناده جيد .

"When Allah wishes to honor a slave, He hastens the punishment for his sins in this world. But if He wishes his humiliation, He withholds the retribution until He will recompense him in full on the Day of Standing, as if He is a tail-less donkey” (Ibn Jarir). Haythami declared its chain of transmission as good (Au.).

وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ (18)

(34:18) And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed,⁴¹ (other) apparent towns,⁴² and We determined the journey therein (saying),⁴³ ‘Travel therein by nights and days, in peace.’

41. The allusion is to the Syrian lands (Ibn Jarir).

42. That is, Arab towns that were strewn across Yemen and Syria on the highway (Ibn Jarir). They were called apparent towns because they were right on the road that connected Yemen with Syria (Ma`arif).

43. That is, the Arab towns were so closely placed that if a traveler left one of them by noon, he arrived at the next town by evening, and if he left by evening, he arrived at another by dinner time - freeing him from the need to carry any provision (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Alusi).

فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا بَاعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَاهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ (19)

(34:19) But they said, ‘Our Lord. Lengthen (the distance) between (the stages) of our journeys;’⁴⁴ and (thus) they wronged themselves. So We made them (but) tales⁴⁵ and tore them to an utter tearing.⁴⁶ Indeed in that are signs for every persevering, grateful (person).⁴⁷

44. That is, (although they might not have prayed in so many words: Shabbir, Mawdudi), in their arrogance they wished the ease of journey provided by Allah removed, so that they could encamp in deserts and encounter some of the hardships that travelers normally faced – for fun and adventure. So, Allah punished them, for their disbelief and their hubris by sending down the floods (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Hasan and others). In this they imitated the Israelites who rejected the comforts of Mann and Salwa and readily exchanged them for earthly products (Kashshaf, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

45. Their dispersal became proverbial. When circumstances scatter a people in the lands, it is said, "they scattered, Saba'-like" (Qurtubi).

46. So Saba' became a tale, and its tribes were scattered all across the lands. `Aamir al-Sha`bi said that the Ghassaan went to Syria, the Ansar settled in Yethrib, Khuza`ah went to Tihama, and Azd to `Umman.

47. There are signs for such of the believers who are persevering and grateful, in situations when they pass through such trying times. They render thanks when in ease, and bear patiently when in difficulties. The Prophet has said as in a report of Bukhari and Muslim, with the words here as in Muslim,

"عَجَباً لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ. إِنّ أَمْرَهُ كُلّهُ خَيْرٌ. وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ. إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرّاءُ شَكَرَ. فَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُ. وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرّاءُ صَبَرَ، فَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُ"

"Amazing is a believer's affair. Indeed, all his affairs are good for him. And this is not for everyone but for a believer alone. If ease touches him he gives thanks and that is good for him. But if difficulties visit him he observes patience, and it is good for him."

وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (20)

(34:20) Surely, Iblis proved true his assumption about them and so they followed him:⁴⁸ (all) but for a group of believers.⁴⁹

48. The allusion is, state Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and others, to his statement at the time of Adam's creation when he said (7: 16,17),

فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ

(He said), “Now that You have led me to misguidance, I shall most certainly sit in ambush for them all along Your Straight Path. Then I shall come on them from their front, their rear, their right and their left, and You will not find many of them grateful (to You)." According to a report in Ibn Abi Hatim, Satan had promised at the time he was sent down from Paradise that he will not depart from a son of Adam so long as there is soul in him, deluding him, promising him, and deceiving him. Allah said in response,

وعزتي لا أحجب عنه التوبة ما لم يُغَرغِر بالموت، ولا يدعوني إلا أجبته، ولا يسألني إلا أعطيته، ولا يستغفرني إلا غفرت له

"By My honor and greatness. I shall not hold back My forgiveness so long as he does not start gurgling at death, will not invoke Me but I shall respond to him, will not ask Me but I shall grant him, and will not seek forgiveness but I shall forgive him" (Ibn Kathir).

49. Although the import is general, among the Saba' too there seems to have been believers in one God, who survived through the ages. Mawdudi provides us the details: "History shows that in ancient times there lived among the Sabaians a small group of people who believed in one God, shunning all other gods. The inscriptions that have been discovered in the ruins of Yemen as a result of modern archeological research point to the existence of this small element. Some inscriptions of the period about 650 B.C. indicate that at several places in the kingdom of Saba there existed such houses of worship as were exclusively meant for the worship of dhu-samavi (i.e. Rabb as-sama’: Lord of the heavens). In some places this Deity has been mentioned as Malikan dhu-samavi (the King who is the Owner of the heavens). This remnant of the Sabaians continued to live in Yaman for centuries afterwards. Thus, in an inscription of 378 A.D. also there is found mention of a house of worship that was built in the name of Ilah dhu-samavi. Then in an inscription dated 465 A.D. the words are Bi-nasr wa rida ilah-in ba’l samin wa ardin (i.e. with the help and support of that God Who is the Owner of the Heavens and the earth). In another inscription of the period dated 458 A.D., the word Rahman has been used for the same God, the actual words being bi-rida Rahmanan (i.e. with the help of Rahman)."

وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِالْآخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِي شَكٍّ ۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَفِيظٌ (21)

(34:21) Yet he had no power over them whatsoever; but that We might know who believes in the Hereafter as against him who is in doubt thereof;⁵⁰ and your Lord is Watchful over everything.

50. That is, Shaytan has not been given the power to physically force anyone to a path. At best he has the ability to suggest, incite, provoke, and mislead in order that Allah may know who follows His guidance in preference to Shaytan's promptings. It never happens that Shaytan's way appears open, but rather, the other road – the road to salvation – is always plainly and clearly visible (Shabbir in substance).

قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ظَهِيرٍ (22)

(34:22) Say, ‘Call on those you allege (as deities) apart from Allah. They own not the weight of an atom in the heavens, nor in the earth. They do not have any partnership in either, nor has He any helper from among them.'

وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ (23)

(34:23) And, intercession will not avail with Him, except for him to whom He grants leave;⁵¹ till, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say, ‘What did your Lord say?’ They will reply, ‘The Truth;⁵² and He is the All-High, the All-great.’

51. As Allah said elsewhere (53: 26),

وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَرْضَى

"And how many angels are there whose intercession profits not aught except after Allah grants leave unto whom He will and approves." Hadith literature also conforms this. For example, the well-known hadith which reports the Prophet as saying that when the entire mankind will be presented (and the standing takes long) he will go to the "Praiseworthy Station" (al-Maqam al-Mahmood) in order to be allowed to intercede on behalf of mankind, so that the process of Reckoning might be started. He said,

فَأَسْتَأْذِنُ عَلَى رَبّي. فَيُؤْذَنُ لِي. فَأَقُومُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. فَأَحْمَدُهُ بِمَحَامِدَ لاَ أَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ الاَنَ. يُلْهِمُنِيهِ الله. ثُمّ أَخِرّ لَهُ سَاجِداً. فَيُقَالُ لِي: يَا مُحَمّدُ ارْفَعْ رأْسكَ. وَقُلْ يُسْمَعْ لَكَ. وَسَلْ تُعْطَهْ. وَاشْفَعْ تُشَفّعْ "

“I will seek my Lord’s permission. I will be allowed. I will stand before Him and praise Him with words of Praises that I do not have the power now, that Allah will inspire me with. Then I will fall in prostration. I will be told, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head, and speak, you will be heard, seek, and you will be given, and seek intercession, you will be granted" (Ibn Kathir).

52. There have been several interpretations. One, the allusion is to those who seek permission to intercede. But when they are actually allowed to intercede, terror overtakes them in apprehension that their intercession might fall in favor of a wrong person resulting in Allah's anger evoked against them. When they recover from the terror, they ask the angels – who bring down the permission to them – 'What did your Lord say?' They reply, ‘the Truth’ (Qurtubi). The lesson is that if intercession is so difficult to obtain from those who are qualified to intercede, how could the unbelievers depend on false deities to save them from the chastisement of the Hereafter? (Qurtubi) In Asad's words, "As is evident from the sequence.. this passage relates, in particular, to the attribution of divine or semi-divine qualities to saints and angels and to the problem of their 'intercession' with God." Second possible meaning is, as understood by Hasan al-Busri, (seconded by Zayd b. Aslam) who interpreted "fuzi`a" (lit., "fear is removed") as meaning "kushifa" (i.e., "uncovered"). Consequently, the verse can be paraphrased in the following manner, "When the coverings of doubts and skepticisms in the hearts of the unbelievers are removed, which happens only when Satan departs and false hopes leave them, at the time of death, it is then that they seek to know in some seriousness, "What did your Lord say?" Three, the allusion is to the revelation of a verse or more by Allah. In the heavens its release sounds like iron chain (steel: Ibn `Abbas) struck on rock. The occupants of the heavens are struck by extreme fear and when they regain their calm, they ask, "What did your Lord say?" (This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas: Ibn Jarir). Fourth, the allusion is to the issue of commands generally. (This was the opinion of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud and others: Ibn Jarir). In this connection hadith records have a few related reports. One in Bukhari says,

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ الْأَمْرَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ضَرَبَتْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا خُضْعَانًا لِقَوْلِهِ كَالسِّلْسِلَةِ عَلَى صَفْوَانٍ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ صَفْوَانٍ يَنْفُذُهُمْ ذَلِكَ فَإِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا لِلَّذِي قَالَ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ فَيَسْمَعُهَا مُسْتَرِقُو السَّمْعِ وَمُسْتَرِقُو السَّمْعِ هَكَذَا وَاحِدٌ فَوْقَ آخَرَ وَوَصَفَ سُفْيَانُ بِيَدِهِ وَفَرَّجَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِ يَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى نَصَبَهَا بَعْضَهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ فَرُبَّمَا أَدْرَكَ الشِّهَابُ الْمُسْتَمِعَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْمِيَ بِهَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَيُحْرِقَهُ وَرُبَّمَا لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ حَتَّى يَرْمِيَ بِهَا إِلَى الَّذِي يَلِيهِ إِلَى الَّذِي هُوَ أَسْفَلَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يُلْقُوهَا إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ حَتَّى تَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَتُلْقَى عَلَى فَمْ السَّاحِرِ فَيَكْذِبُ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ كَذْبَةٍ فَيُصَدَّقُ فَيَقُولُونَ أَلَمْ يُخْبِرْنَا يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا يَكُونُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَوَجَدْنَاهُ حَقًّا لِلْكَلِمَةِ الَّتِي سُمِعَتْ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ

"When Allah decrees an affair in the heaven, angels beat their wings in submission to His words making a sound like a chain striking a smooth rock. When fear is removed from their hearts they ask, 'What did your Lord say?' He answers him who had asked, 'The Truth. He is the All-high, the All-great.' This is also heard by the one who steals the hearing. And, those who steal the hearing are like that: some over the others – Sufyan (one of the narrators) demonstrated it by holding one hand over the other, with fingers outspreading. So he hears the word (sometimes a meteorite strikes him before he can receive it, but at other times he passes it on before he is struck), and casts it on the one below him, the other one casts it on the next one below him, until (the last one) casts it on to the tongue of a magician or fortune-teller. Then he (the magician or fortune-teller) mixes it with a hundred lies so that it is said (by those who hear him), 'Did he not tell us about such and such a thing, on such and such a day?' referring to the word that had been heard from the heaven" (Ibn Jarir in short, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Ibn Kathir adds the following report from Ahmad:

عن عَبْدَ اللّهِ بْنَ عَبّاسٍ. قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنّهُمْ بَيْنَمَا هُمْ جُلُوسٌ لَيْلَةً مَعَ رَسُولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رُمِيَ بِنَجْمٍ فَاسْتَنَارَ. فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "مَاذَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيّةِ، إِذَا رُمِيَ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا؟" قَالُوا: اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. كُنّا نَقُولُ وُلِدَ اللّيْلَةَ رَجُلٌ عَظِيمٌ. وَمَاتَ رَجُلٌ عَظِيمٌ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "فَإِنّهَا لاَ يُرْمَىَ بِهَا لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ. وَلَكِنْ رَبّنَا، تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَىَ اسْمُهُ، إِذَا قَضَىَ أَمْراً سَبّحَ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ. ثُمّ سَبّحَ أَهْلُ السّمَاءِ الّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ. حَتّىَ يَبْلُغَ التّسْبِيحُ أَهْلَ هَذِهِ السّمَاءِ الدّنْيَا. ثُمّ قَالَ الّذِينَ يَلُونَ حَمَلَةَ الْعَرْشِ لِحَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ: مَاذَا قَالَ رَبّكُمْ؟ فَيُخْبِرُونَهُمْ مَاذَا قَالَ. قَالَ: فَيَسْتَخْبِرُ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ السّمَاوَاتِ بَعْضَاً. حَتّىَ يَبْلُغَ الْخَبَرُ هَذِهِ السّمَاءَ الدّنْيَا. فَتَخْطَفُ الْجِنّ السّمْعَ فَيَقْذِفُونَ إِلَىَ أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ. وَيُرْمَوْنَ بِهِ. فَمَا جَاؤُوا بِهِ عَلَىَ وَجْهِهِ فَهُوَ حَقّ وَلَكِنّهُمْ يَقْرِفُونَ فِيهِ وَيَزِيدُونَ".

On one of those occasions, when the Prophet sat with his Companions at night, they witnessed a falling star. He asked, 'What would you say to this in pre-Islamic times?' They said they thought a great person must have taken birth or died.' He told them, "No, it is not flung at the birth or death of a person. But when Allah decrees an affair, the bearers of `Arsh begin to chant His glory. They are followed by the inhabitants of the heaven immediately below it, until their glory-chanting reaches the heaven closest to the earth. Then, those in the heaven closest to the `Arsh seek to know what was said - from the bearers of the `Arsh. Then (some of) the bearers of the `Arsh ask (others of) the bearers of the `Arsh, 'What did your Lord say?' They inform them. Then the inhabitants of the heavens inform those of the next heaven until it reaches the heaven closest to the earth. At that point the Jinn might steal off (a word) and they are struck (with a meteorite). So, whatever they bring down of it (the original command), is true. But (in actual fact) they divided it up and adulterate it." The report is also in Muslim and Nasa'i.

قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ وَإِنَّا أَوْ إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوْ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (24)

(34:24) Say, 'Who provides for you out of the heavens and the earth?' Say, 'Allah.⁵³ And (so), either we or you are upon right guidance or in manifest error.⁵⁴

53. Yusuf Ali's note deserves attention: "There are six propositions introduced here with the word "Say", at verses 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 30. They clearly explain the doctrine of Unity (verse 22), the Mercy of Allah (verse 24), man's Personal Responsibility (verse 25), the Final Justice of Allah (verse 26), Allah's Power and Wisdom (verse 27), and the Inevitability of the Judgment, by which true values will be restored (verse 30)."

54. Ibn Jarir and Qurtubi discuss the "or" of the passage, "either we or you are upon right guidance or in manifest error," and offer various solutions since, after all, there is no doubt that the believers are on right guidance, while the unbelievers are in obvious error. So, why is there the element of doubt expressed in "or"? One explanation is: when you say to a dishonest person, e.g., "one of us is a liar," he knows what exactly you mean. Another explanation is that the "waaw" of the text is "waaw al-muwaalaah" which offers the meaning, "Indeed, we are on right guidance while you are in manifest error." They support this meaning with poetical citations. Another possible connotation is, "We both cannot be rightly guided. One of us is in error. So, look carefully at your own position." Today, with the loss of knowledge and the faith which issues from it, this last mentioned is a meaning that is lost upon many Muslims. They cannot understand the exclusiveness, and are ever ready to strike a chord of unity with the antagonists of Islam, on the premise that, after all, others also have some truth (Au.). Yusuf Ali makes an emphatic statement: "Right and Wrong, Good and Evil, are incompatible, one with another. In this matter we can make no compromise. It is true that in men there may be various degrees of good or evil mixed together, and we have to tolerate men as our fellow-creatures, with all their faults and shortcomings. But this does not mean that we can worship Allah and Mammon together. Wrong is the negation of Right as light is of darkness. Though there may be apparently varying depths of darkness, this is only due to the imperfection of our vision: it is varying strengths of light as perceived by our relative powers of sight. So we may perceive the Light of Allah in varying degrees according to our spiritual vision. But in simple questions of Right or Wrong, we are faced by the Categorical Imperative.‏" Razi offers us another point: We may note the article "upon" in "upon right guidance" and the article "in" as it appears in the words "in manifest error." The implication is that the former is high above the latter (from where he can see his path clearly) while the latter is in a deep abyss (not sure where he is)."

قُلْ لَا تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا أَجْرَمْنَا وَلَا نُسْأَلُ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (25)

(34:25) Say, 'You will not be questioned about what we committed, nor will we be questioned as to what you do.'

قُلْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِيمُ (26)

(34:26) Say, 'Our Lord will bring us together, then He will judge between us with Truth. Surely, He is the (true) Judge,⁵⁵ the All-knowing.

55. The rendering of "Fattaah" as Judge is following Ibn `Abbas' understanding as in Ibn Jarir, Shawkani and others.

قُلْ أَرُونِيَ الَّذِينَ أَلْحَقْتُمْ بِهِ شُرَكَاءَ ۖ كَلَّا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (27)

(34:27) Say, 'Show me those you have joined with Him as associates.⁵⁶ Nay; rather, He is Allah, the All-mighty, the All-wise.'

56. But of course, when He said, "Show me those you have joined with Him as associates," He knew those that were associated with Him in his times, but, in reality, the objective was to identify their error in association.

57. A plain truth about the Messenger and the Message, but unobvious to even some Muslims. Some Muslims of our contemporary world believe in the parochial nature of our Prophet's mission, and in the Qur'an as the book for Muslims, just as every religious denomination has its own (Au.). The statement anyway, is echoed several times in the Qur'an. Allah said (25: 1),

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا (الفرقان – 1)

"Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His slave, that he may be a warner unto the worlds." And (7: 158),

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا (الأعراف – 158)

"Say, 'O people, verily, I am Allah's Messenger towards you all." And `Ikrimah reported `Ibn `Abbas as saying, "Allah gave the Prophet preference over those of the heavens and those of the earth." They asked him, "How did Allah give him preference over the prophets?" He replied, "Allah said (14: 4),

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ (إبراهيم – 4)

'And We did not send a Messenger but in the language of the people, so that he could make (it) clear to them.' Whereas, He said at this point (34: 28),

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ (سباء – 28)

'We have not sent you but for all mankind.'" And, adds Ibn Kathir, the statement of Ibn `Abbas can be corroborated with a hadith of the Sahihayn which says,

أَخْبَرَنَا جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ قَبْلِي نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ وَجُعِلَتْ لِي الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا فَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلَاةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ وَأُحِلَّتْ لِي الْمَغَانِمُ وَلَمْ تَحِلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّةً (البخاري، مسلم)

"I have been given five things that none of the Prophets before me were given: I have been helped with fright from a distance of one month; the whole of the earth has been made for me a place of prostration and a means of purification, so that, anyone of my Ummah who encounters (the time) for Prayer, may Pray (anywhere); war spoils have been made lawful unto me while they were not lawful for anyone before me; I have been bestowed with the (Grand) Intercession; and, a Prophet used to be sent to a specific people, while I have been sent to whole of mankind."

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (28)

(34:28) And, We have not sent you but for all mankind: a harbinger of good tiding and a Warner; but most of the people do not know.⁵⁷

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (29)

(34:29) And they say, 'When will this promise (come to pass) if you are truthful?'⁵⁸

58. That is, the promise of punishment. Allah said elsewhere (42: 18),

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ (الشورى – 18)

"Those who believe not in it seek to hasten it, while those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the very truth."

قُلْ لَكُمْ مِيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لَا تَسْتَأْخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلَا تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ (30)

(34:30) Say, 'For you (there is) appointment of a day, from which you cannot remain behind by a single hour, nor can you get ahead.'

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنْتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ (31)

(34:31) And said those who disbelieved, 'We will never believe in this Qur'an, nor in that which was before it.'⁵⁹ If you could see when the wrongdoers will be held before their Lord, throwing back on one another the word (of blame), those that were deemed weak saying to those that waxed proud, 'Had it not been for you, we should have been believers.'⁶⁰

59. This is to console the Prophet that if they reject you now, then they are in the footsteps of past nations, who also greeted Allah's revelations with disdain, and rejected in a similar summary manner (Razi and others in sum). Although the Makkans used to consult the People of the Book, and vaguely believed that they had received Allah's revelation at one time (Qurtubi, with addition); which point was strengthened by the fact that a few signs of the Prophet could be found in their Scriptures also, but they decided, all the same, that they would rather deny all (Zamakhshari). Yusuf Ali reminds us of a historical reality that is often ignored: "To the Pagans all scriptures are taboo, whether it be the Qur'an or any Revelation that came before it. The people of the Book despised the Pagans, but in their arrogant assumption of superiority, prevented them, by their example, from accepting the latest and most universal Scripture when it came in the form of the Qur'an. This relative position, of men who fancy themselves on their knowledge, and men whom they despise but exploit and mislead, always exists on this earth."

60. “This is how those who deemed themselves weak will react in that terrifying and humbling situation, well aware that what is expected to come next could be much worse. That day they will express themselves confidently, and so will speak out aloud. So long as they were in this world, they did not have the opportunity to face them - their leaders - as freely, without any constraints and fear of retaliation, as this day. Their weaknesses, their subservience, and their self-abasement had prevented them from face to face encounters in the previous life. They had sold out their God-given freedom, the honor that Allah had bestowed on them, and the perceptions that He had granted them. But today, all those valuable bestowals are behind them. In front of them is the sure prospect of chastisement. And, therefore, they speak out fearlessly: "Had it not been for you, we would have been believers!" (Sayyid).

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُمْ ۖ بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِينَ (32)

(34:32) Those wh waxed proud will say to those that were deemed weak, 'Was it we who kept you back from guidance after it had come to you? Rather, you have been guilty.'

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَنْ نَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَغْلَالَ فِي أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (33)

(34:33) Said those who were deemed weak to those who waxed proud, 'But rather, (it was your) day and night plotting wherewith you bid us to disbelieve in Allah, and set up equals to Him.' They will conceal remorse when they see the punishment.⁶¹ And We shall place shackles around the necks of those who disbelieved. Will they be recompensed but for what they were doing?

61. "Asarra" is one of those words which carry reversible connotations. In this case, the usage can be understood as either meaning "conceal" or "evince" (Zamakhshari, Razi, Qurtubi). For a slightly larger note on the word, see Surah Yunus of this work, note 81.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ (34)

(34:34) And never did We send a Warner into a town but its affluent ones declared, 'Indeed, we are, in what you have been sent with, disbelievers.'⁶²

62. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded through Abu Razeen (in a report whose authenticity could not be verified: Au.):

عن أبي رزين قال: كان رجلان شريكان خرج أحدهما إلى الساحل وبقي الآخر، فلما بعث النبي صلى اللّه عليه وسلم كتب إلى صاحبه يسأله ما فعل، فكتب إليه أنه لم يتبعه أحد من قريش إنما اتبعه أراذل الناس ومساكينهم، قال: فترك تجارته ثم أتى صاحبه، فقال: دلني عليه، وكان يقرأ الكتب أو بعض الكتب، قال: فأتى النبي صلى اللّه عليه وسلم فقال: إلامَ تدعو؟ قال: "أدعو إلى كذا وكذا" قال: أشهد أنك رسول اللّه، قال صلى اللّه عليه وسلم: "وما علمك بذلك؟" قال: إنه لم يبعث نبي إلا اتبعه أراذل الناس ومساكينهم، قال: فنزلت هذه الآية، {وما أرسلنا في قرية من نذير إلا قال مترفوها إنا بما أرسلتم به كافرون}

"There were two men partners (in business). One of them went to the shores while the other remained. When the Prophet appeared, the other one wrote to this one with regard to his (the Prophet’s) achievements so far. This one wrote back that none of the Quraysh had followed him; it is the lowly ones and poor people who have followed him. So, (the reporter said), he terminated his business and came back to his partner. He told him, 'Lead me to him.' (The reporter) added, 'He used to read the Scriptures, or some of them.' So he went up to the Prophet and asked, 'What do you call people unto?' He replied, 'To such and such things.' He said, 'I testify that you are a Messenger of Allah.' He asked, 'What led you to this (belief)?" He said, "No Prophet was raised but it were the lowly of the people and their poor ones who followed him.' Then this ayah was revealed, 'And never did We send a Warner into a town but its affluent ones declared, 'Indeed, we are, in what you have been sent with, disbelievers.' So the Prophet sent him the word (to him), 'Allah has revealed to attest your statement.'" And this is what Heraclius had remarked when in reply to his question, 'Are the lowly ones following him or the noble ones?' he was answered that it were the lowly ones who were following him (Ibn Kathir). The above report of Abu Razeen is also in Ibn Abi al-Mundhir's collection (Shawkani).

وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ (35)

(34:35) And they said, 'We are more in wealth and progeny, and we shall not be chastised.'⁶³

63. That is, not for nothing have we been given preference over you in matters of wealth and progeny. Those who are so treated in this world, will not be treated differently in the Next (Qurtubi with addition). Allah said elsewhere about their error (23: 55-56)

أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ، نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَل لا يَشْعُرُونَ (المؤمنون – 55، 56)

"Do they think that by the wealth and offspring with which We extend them, We hasten to them the good things? Nay, they perceive not." And (9: 55),

فَلاَ تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ (التوبة – 55)

"So let not their wealth and children amaze you. Allah desires only to punish them therewith in the life of this world and that their souls should depart while they are in a state of disbelief" (Ibn Kathir).

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (36)

(34:36) Say, 'Indeed, my Lord extends the provision unto whom He will, and restricts. But most of the people know not.'⁶⁴

64. That is, wealth and progeny are no signs of Allah's approval of your ways in this world, nor of a goodly end in the Hereafter (Zamakhshari, Qurtubi). How many pious have not been there who led a life of wants, and how many immoral perverts have not been there who led a life of luxury?! (Imam Razi in substance).

وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَىٰ إِلَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ آمِنُونَ (37)

(34:37) And, neither your wealth nor your progeny are the things that will bring you nigh to Us in nearness;⁶⁵ except for he who believed, did righteous deeds⁶⁶ – they it is, for whom is double the reward⁶⁷ for that they did – and they shall be in lofty chambers, in peace.⁶⁸

65. How could wealth and children be thought of as the means for attaining closeness to Allah, asks Razi, when in actual fact, they engage a man in "other than Allah?" But rather, writes Ibn Kathir, the parameters are different. A hadith of Musnad, Muslim, and Ibn Majah (narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Muslim) explains what it is:

"إِنّ اللّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمُ وَلاَ إِلَىَ صُوَرِكُمْ. وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَىَ قُلُوبِكُمْ" (مسلم)

"Verily, Allah does not look at your bodies nor at your faces, but rather looks at your hearts."

66. Another possible interpretation, expressed by Zamakhshari is that, it is not any wealth and any children that take one nearer to Allah, but rather, it is that wealth which is freely spent in the way of Allah, and those children that are brought up on Islam, taught knowledge, and trained to obey, that help achieve the objective of nearness to Allah. In short, none draws any advantage from wealth and children but the pious. The Prophet advised `Amr b. al-`Aas in words,

"يا عمرو نعما بالمال الصالح للمرء الصالح". (قال الهيثمي: ورجال أحمد وأبي يعلى رجال الصحيح).‏

"O `Amr, a blessing is that wealth which is (in the hands of) a righteous person" (Au.).

67. "Double the reward" is an inaccurate translation adopted for want of a better alternative. Otherwise, this grammatical construction, as pointed out by Zamakhshari, lends the meaning of "double, and double, and double .. the rewards," another way of saying, "many fold rewards." While agreeing with the above, Qurtubi offers other possibilities but yielding near about the same meaning.

68. These chambers will be made of pearls, diamonds, and other precious stones (Qurtubi). We have a hadith in Ibn Abi Hatim which sheds some light on what these chambers are. `Ali reported the Prophet (a tradition whose authenticity could not be traced: Au.),

عن علي رضي اللّه عنه قال، قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وسلم: "إن في الجنة لغرفاً ترى ظهورها من بطونها وبطونها من ظهورها" فقال أعرابي: لمن هي؟ قال صلى اللّه عليه وسلم: "لمن طيّب الكلام، وأطعم الطعام، وأدام الصيام، وصلى بالليل والناس نيام" (أخرجه ابن أبي حاتم).

"In Paradise there are chambers whose inside will be visible from outside and the outside from inside." A bedouin asked, "Whom are they meant for?" He answered, "For him who spoke good words, fed the food, fasted a lot, and prayed at night while people slept" (Ibn Kathir). Although we are not sure the above is allusion to glass palaces, one might remind that despite great advances in glass technology, at its zenith but in a stalled situation since a decade or two, villas, far from palaces, could not be constructed entirely out of glass. At best, huge buildings can be clad from the outside with glass, (which in most cases have to be, by necessity, reflective, allowing view from any one side alone), but with all inner structure and divisions from concrete, steel, wood and aluminum. To the question, what are the possibilities of mankind ever constructing buildings entirely from glass, the answer from someone who is in the business of architectural glass and aluminum, and has the latest technology at his service, is that it is zero.

وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ (38)

(34:38) As for those who strove in Our signs, (trying to) frustrate (Us), those shall be brought into chastisement.

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ ۚ وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ (39)

(34:39) Say, 'Indeed, my Lord extends the provision unto whom He will of His slaves and restricts (it) for him.⁶⁹ And, whatever thing you expend, He will replace it.⁷⁰ He is the best of providers.'⁷¹

69. As Allah said elsewhere (17: 21),

انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً (الإسراء – 21)

"See then how We give preference to some over others. But surely, the Hereafter is greater in rank and greater in excellence." In other words, just like there are grades and ranks in this world, there are grades and ranks in the Hereafter: some will be in "lofty chambers, in peace," while others at the bottom-most part of Hell. And, the best of the people in this world is, as a hadith of Muslim, conveyed to us by `Abdullah b. `Amr b. al-`Aas says,

"قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ، وَرُزِقَ كَفَافاً، وَقَنّعَهُ اللّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ". (مسلم)

"Succeeded he who became a Muslim, was given just enough (for survival) and then Allah granted him contentment over what He gave him" (Ibn Kathir).

70. That is, the rewards of whatever you spend are brought back to you – both in this world as well as in the Next. As for this-worldly reward, it can either be in material terms, or in terms of contentment, which is a treasure that never empties. Nevertheless, one might not throw away all he has in charity. Mujahid is reported to have said that if someone has what supports his life, then, let him take the middle-path, for provision has been divided (in a certain measure). What he has been given might be little, out of which he might spend as if he has been given a lot, to suffer poverty in the end (Zamakhshari). The Problem however, is not that of generosity, but of miserliness. Hence Razi, Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir cite Prophetic traditions that encourage spending. One of them (as preserved by Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad: H. Ibrahim) says (in words as in Muslim),

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: "مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصْبِحُ الْعِبَادُ فِيهِ، إِلاّ مَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلاَنِ. فَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا: اللّهُمّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقاً خَلَفاً. وَيَقُولُ الاَخَرُ: اللّهُمّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكاً تَلَفاً". (الصحيحين)

Abu Hurayrah reports, "There is not a day in which slaves do their morning but two angels come down. One of them says, 'O Allah, grant compensation to him who spends;' and the other says, 'O Allah grant destruction to him who withholds.'" Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir cite another hadith: The Prophet has reported to us from Allah, as in a hadith (of Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah and Ahmad: Hussain b. Ibrahim),

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: "قَالَ اللّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنْفِقْ أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْكَ". (الصحيحين)

Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet, "Allah said, 'Son of Adam, spend, I shall spend on you.'" Qurtubi offers a trustworthy hadith on the topic taking it from Daraqutni,

غن جابر (بن عبدالله) عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: "كل معروف صدقة. وما أنفق الرجل على نفسه و أهله كتبت له صدقة وما وقى به عرضه فهو صدقة و ما أنفق الرجل من نفقة فعلى الله خلفها إلا ما كان من نفقة في بنيان أومعصية". قال عبد الحميد قلت لإبن المنكدر: "وما وقى به الرجل عرضه"؟. قال: يعطي الشاعر وذا اللسان.

Jabir reports that the Prophet said, "Every good deed is a charity. And what a man spends on himself and his family, it is recorded as charity including what he spends in defense of his honor, which is also charity for him. And whatever a man spends, it is for Allah to bring back, except for what he spent on a building or in a sin." Jabir was asked about what was meant by "what he spends in defense of his honor?" He replied, "(For example) he gives to a poet, or someone with a loose tongue." Other reports however, adds Qurtubi, explain that the amount one spends on a house which is essential for him, will be compensated for. Ibn Kathir adds: Once the Prophet (saws) told Bilal,

"أنفق يا بلالُ ولا تخش من ذي العرش إقلالاً".

"Spend O Bilal, and do not fear from the Possessor of the `Arsh diminution." (The report was collected by Tabarani. Haythami however declared a narrator weak: Au.). According to another tradition reported by Hudhayfah and found in Ibn Abi Hatim and Hafiz Abu Ya`laa's collections, the Prophet said,

ألا إن بعد زمانكم هذا زمانا عضوضا يعض الموسر على ما في يده حذار الإنفاق، وقد قال الله تعالى: {وما أنفقتم من شيء فهو يخلفه} وسيد شرار الخلق يبايعون كل مضطر، ألا إن بيع المضطرين حرام، المسلم أخو المسلم، لا يظلمه، ولا يخذله، إن كان عندك معروف فعد به على أخيك، ولا تزده هلاكا إلا هلاكه.

"Lo, after this will be biting times when the affluent one will hold with his teeth (what he has) in fear of expenditure while Allah has said, 'And, whatever thing you expend, He will replace it.' And, the worst of the evil ones from among the creation will trade with the most desperate person. Remember, trading with the desperate ones is unlawful. A Muslim is a brother unto another Muslim. He does not wrong him, and does not humiliate him. If you happen to posses a good thing, take it to your brother, but do not (on the contrary) augment destruction upon his (present) destruction." The hadith however, adds Ibn Kathir, is weak. (But the prediction has come true: Au.).

71. The best of provisions is that, writes Razi, which (a) is not delayed beyond the time of need, (b) is not lesser than the exact requirement, and (c) does not entail reckoning. Further, the use of the term "providers" in the plural – while there is only one provider, Allah – is purely allegorical, like saying, "Allah comes down," or, "Allah is with the slaves," etc. At best the term "providers" has been employed to reflect on the various means that Allah (swt) adopts to provide His creations.

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ (40)

(34:40) And, the day He gathers them together and then say to the angels, 'Was it you that these were worshipping?⁷²

72. If we consider the fact that since angels are the means that Allah employs, worship of angels could imply worship of the material means so powerfully prevalent in our times (Au.). In any case, as pointed out by Qurtubi, there was a clan – Banu Mulayh belonging to the Khuza`ah tribe – which worshipped the Jinn, claiming that they could see them and that they were angels, Allah's own daughters.

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِنْ دُونِهِمْ ۖ بَلْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ ۖ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِهِمْ مُؤْمِنُونَ (41)

(34:41) They will reply, 'Glory to You. You are our Protector apart from them. Nay rather, they were worshipping the Jinn.⁷³ Most of them were believers in them.'

73. It is the Shayaatin who used to beautify for them the worship of other than Allah (Ibn Kathir).

فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ (42)

(34:42) This day then, no power do some of you hold of benefit or harm to others. And We shall say to those who wronged, 'Taste the chastisement of the Fire that you used to cry lies to.'

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا إِفْكٌ مُفْتَرًى ۚ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ (43)

(34:43) And when Our verses are read out to them as clear evidences, they say, 'This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from what your forefathers worshipped.' And they said, 'This is not, but a forged lie.' And said those who disbelieved of the Truth when it came to them, 'This is (nothing) but clear magic.'⁷⁴

74. Yusuf Ali's commentary on the verse runs as follows: "Apart from the worship of Evil in the guise of the Powers of Light, there is another form of false worship, which depends on ancestral tradition. "Why," it is said, "should we not do as our fathers did?" They reject a new prophet of Truth simply because his teaching does not agree with the ways of their ancestors. The answer to this is given in verse 44 below. But meanwhile the rejecters' objection to new Truth is stated in three forms: (1) our ancestors knew nothing of this; (2) the story of inspiration is false; it is merely an invention; we do not believe in inspiration; (3) when in some particular points, the new Truth does work wonders in men's hearts, they account for it by saying it is magic. 'The third objection is merely traditional. What is magic? If it was merely deception, surely the Truth has proved itself to be above deception. The second objection is answered by the fact that the Messenger who comes with new spiritual Truth is acknowledged to be truthful in other relations of life: why should he be false where his preaching brings him no gain but much sorrow and persecution?"

وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا ۖ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ (44)

(34:44) And We have not given them any Books to study; nor did We send them before you any warner.⁷⁵

75. That is, among the Quraysh. In fact, no Messenger had been raised among the Arabs in general, in recent memory. Isma`il’s ministry was an ancient affair (Au). And, therefore, they should have been especially grateful to Allah, who did not deny them what others were blessed with, namely Jews and Christians, by sending this Messenger. On that account they ought to have made the best use of the Messenger raised among them, and of the Book that he brought (Mufti Shafi`).

وَكَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَمَا بَلَغُوا مِعْشَارَ مَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوا رُسُلِي ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ (45)

(34:45) Those that preceded them (also) cried lies, yet they did not attain a tenth of what We gave them.⁷⁶ But they cried lies to My Messengers. (See) then, how was My repudiation!

76. The opinion attributed to Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, (also Suddi and Ibn Zayd: Ibn Kathir) is that the Makkans were not given a tenth of the power, material wealth, and the length of life that the earlier unbelievers were given. Yet consider, how was their end!? (Ibn Jarir). This is in the same vein, writes Ibn Kathir, as another verse which says (46: 26),

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِيمَا إِن مَّكَّنَّاكُمْ فِيهِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَفْئِدَةً فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلَا أَفْئِدَتُهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُون (الأحقاف – 26)

"Surely, We had firmly established them with that wherewith We have not established you therewith. And We had assigned them hearing, sights and hearts; but availed them not their hearing, sights, nor the hearts aught, because they were denying Allah's signs; and (consequently), that (very thing) surrounded them which they were mocking." To Imam Razi, another connotation is possible. To paraphrase, "And laid the lie those who were before the Quraysh, while they, the earlier ones, did not attain a tenth of what these, the Quraysh, have attained" where, the allusion is to the excellence in language they possessed and signs of the Prophet's veracity that the Quraysh were shown. In short, the earlier ones did not receive a tenth of the evidences that the Quraysh have, yet, they suffered destruction for their disbelief; so, what about these?

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ۖ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَادَىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ (46)

(34:46) Say, 'I exhort you to one (thing) only: that you stand up for Allah in pairs and singly⁷⁷ and then reflect:' there is no madness in your companion.⁷⁸ He is no more than a warner to you of an impending severe chastisement.⁷⁹

77. In ones and twos, but threes were left out, for, as an English proverb goes, two is company, three is crowd - larger the number, lesser is the intellectual content of a pool. If you have a hundred people before you, and you want everyone to understand what you are saying, you will have to bear in mind the lowest of intellect among them to successfully communicate your ideas. In contrast, if it is not simply communication of an idea, but discussion of some sort is involved, then, one might remember that crowds are always not quite rational (Au.). Yusuf Ali comments with another aspect in mind: "A crowd mentality is not the best for the perception of the final spiritual truths. For these, it is necessary that each soul should commune within itself with earnest sincerity as before Allah: if it requires a Teacher, let it seek out one, or it may be that it wants the strengthening of the inner convictions that dawn on it, by the support of a sympathiser or friend. But careful and heart-felt reflection is necessary to appraise the higher Truths."

78. What the Quraysh meant perhaps is that the Prophet exhibited signs of madness by not seeing where his true tribal and personal interests lay, and that the very nobleness of his teachings promised its failure (Au.).

79. We have a hadith that speaks of the closeness of the Hour. It is in Ahmad declared trustworthy by Haythamiyy. Buraydah reports: One day the Prophet (saws) came out and called out three times saying,

أَيُّها النَّاسُ ! أَتَدْروْنَ ما مَثَلي وَمثَلُكم قالوا اللهُ ورسولُه أعلَمُ قال إنَّمَا مَثَلي وَمَثَلُكم كَمثَلِ قومٍ خَافُوا عَدُوًّا يَأْتيهم فبَعثُوا رَجُلاً يَرْبؤُّهُمْ فَبَيْنَا هُم كذلكَ أبْصَرَ العَدُوَّ فأقْبَل لِيُنْذِرَهُم - أراه قال خشيةَ أن يُدْرِكَه العَدُوُّ قبل أن يُنْذِرَ قومَه فأهْوَى بثوبه ) أيُّها النَّاسُ ! أُتِيتُم ! أيُّها النَّاسُ ! أُتِيتُم !

"People! Do you know the example that fits me and you? It is the example of a people who feared their enemy that should pounce upon them. So they sent a man to watch out. While he was thus engaged, he spotted the enemy. So he went back (to them) to warn them but was afraid that the enemy will seize them even before he could reach his people. So he signaled with his garment (and said), 'People! They are upon you. People! They are upon you’ – three times" (Ibn Kathir).

قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (47)

(34:47) Say, '(If) I have asked you any wage, it is yours. My wage is only upon Allah. And He is over all things a Witness.'

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ (48)

(34:48) Say, 'Verily my Lord casts the Truth:⁸⁰ the Great Knower of the Unseen.'

80. The allusion is, according to Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, to Revelation (Ibn Jarir). Another possible connotation is, ‘He casts the Truth in the hearts of the truthful’ (Razi).

قُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَمَا يُبْدِئُ الْبَاطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ (49)

(34:49) Say, 'The truth has come, and falsehood will neither originate (anything) nor repeat (it).'⁸¹

81. That is, whatever is 'other than God,' cannot make anything appear, or, re-generate (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir from some of the Salaf). In a deeper sense, "I.e., in contrast to the creativeness inherent in every true idea, falsehood – being in itself an illusion – cannot really create anything or revive any value that may have been alive in the past" (Asad).

قُلْ إِنْ ضَلَلْتُ فَإِنَّمَا أَضِلُّ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي ۖ وَإِنِ اهْتَدَيْتُ فَبِمَا يُوحِي إِلَيَّ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ (50)

(34:50) Say, 'If I should go astray, then I would go astray against myself. But if I am rightly guided, then it is by what my Lord reveals to me.⁸² He indeed is the Hearer, the Ever-nigh.'⁸³

82. That is, the Prophet has not worked out the guidance or the means of salvation he is offering with his own mind: it is Allah's own bestowal.

83. Yusuf Ali explains: "If it could possibly be supposed that the Prophet was a self-deceived visionary, it would affect him only, and could not fail to appear in his personality. But in fact he was steady in his constancy and Faith, and he not only went from strength to strength, but won the enduring and whole-hearted love and devotion of his nearest and dearest and of those who most came into contact with him. How was this possible, unless he had the Truth and the inspiration of Allah behind him? This is the fifth and last argument in this passage."

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِنْ مَكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ (51)

(34:51) And, if you could see when they will be smitten with fright; but (there will be) no escape.⁸⁴ And they will be seized from a place nearby.⁸⁵

84. This is how Ibn `Abbas explained the term "fawta", viz., “escape,” as in Ibn Jarir. Report concerning the above is in Ibn abi al-Mundhir also (Shawkani).

85. Although Ibn Jarir keeps it open, the preferred opinion is that this seizing will be on the Day of Judgment (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir), and the import is, writes Razi, they will not be able to flee, but rather, will be seized from a place close at hand.

وَقَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمُ التَّنَاوُشُ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ (52)

(34:52) And they will say, 'We believe in it (now).' But, how could they receive (faith)⁸⁶ from a place far off?⁸⁷

86. "Tanawush" is different from its close synonym "tanaawul" in that the former implies an easy attaining, or what does not involve any effort (while the latter would need some effort). The implication is, the faith that was being offered to them in the world, was within easy reach. But now, in the Next world, that easy reach has become a distant wish (Au.).

87. An alternative understanding is that the textual word "tanaawush" is for return. That is, how can they be returned to the world of “the past,” to facilitate them to repent? This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and others (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ (53)

(34:53) Seeing they denied it earlier. And they are casting at the Unseen from a place far off.⁸⁸

88. Ibn Jarir points out that several interpretations are possible: (a) they are conjecturing about the Prophet that he is either a sorcerer, a soothsayer, or a poet (Mujahid), (b) they are conjecturing that there will be no raising after death, no reckoning, no rewards or punishments (Qatadah), (c) they cast aspersions against the Qur'an from a distance (Ibn Zayd). Note the contrast. Allah casts the truth. The unbelievers also cast, but they cast that which is insubstantial, which is what "bi 'l ghayb" implies here (Razi). Asad adds: "The obvious implication is that man's fate in the Hereafter will be a consequence of, and invariably conditioned by, his spiritual attitude and the manner of his life during the first, earthly stage of his existence. In this instance, the expression 'from far away' is apparently used in a sense similar to saying like, 'far off the mark' or 'without rhyme or reason', and is meant to qualify as groundless and futile all negative speculation about what the Qur'an describes as al-ghayb ('that which is beyond the reach of human [or created being's] perception'): in this case, life after death."

وَحِيلَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ كَمَا فُعِلَ بِأَشْيَاعِهِمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا فِي شَكٍّ مُرِيبٍ (54)

(34:54) And a barrier is placed between them and what they desire,⁸⁹ as was done with the likes of them earlier.⁹⁰ They were (also) in a doubt disquieting.

89. Hasan, Mujahid, Qatadah and others interpreted the verse as meaning, a barrier will be placed between the unbelievers and their wishes to believe in Allah and return to1. The chapter is Makkan by consensus, except for a single verse – number 6 - that some have thought is Madinan (Qurtubi). 2. That is, what goes into the earth of the seeds or the dead, what comes out of it of the vegetation, or living beings; what comes down from the heaven of Allah's mercy, such as rains, or angels, or the Revelation, and what ascends into it of the good word as mentioned in 35: 10):

إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ

"To Him rises the good word", or the souls, or good deeds (that rise up) could all have been alluded to (Razi, Qurtubi and others in parts). Asad puts it in contemporary terms, “This definition comprises things physical and spiritual: waters disappearing underground and reappearing; the metamorphosis of seed into plant, and of decaying plant into oil and coal; traces of old artefacts and entire civilizations buried in the earth and then reappearing within the sight and consciousness of later generations of men; the transformation of dead bodies of animals and men into elements of nourishment for new life; the ascent of earthly vapours towards the skies, and their descent as rain, snow or hail; the ascent towards the heaven of men’s longings, hopes and ambitions, and the descent of divine inspiration into the minds of men, and thus a revival of faith and thought and, with it, the growth of new artefacts, new skills and new hopes: in short, the endless recurrence of birth, death and re-birth which characterises all of God’s creation.” 3. This is how Ibn `Abbas, Mujhahid, and Qatadah understood the word "ya`zubu" of the text – as in Ibn Jarir; reflecting Allah's Quality: the Shaheed (Au.). 4. As noted earlier, "dharrah" alludes to a very small ant, or the speck of dust that is visible when a ray of light penetrates a dark room. Adoption of its modern meaning, atom, although correct, is actually more for reasons of sound than sense (Au.). 5. That is, the "Lawh al-Mahfooz" (Alusi). 6. Asad writes: “The particle min (lit., “out of”) which precedes the noun rijz (“vileness” or “vile conduct”) indicates that the suffering which awaits such sinners in the life to come is an organic consequence of their deliberately evil conduct in this world.” 7. In its brevity, the Qur'an uses "waaw" to express, apart from its standard meanings of "and," "while," "but," "yet," “although,” etc., several other meanings, such as, "for," "further," "moreover," "to be sure," etc. At this point, "on the other hand" seems to fit quite well (Au.). 8. Sayyid comments on” And guides to the path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable: "The path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable is that path which He has approved for His creation, and has chosen it for the humans so that their footsteps may match with the footsteps of the material world in which they live. The path is none other than the system which rules over all that is there in the universe including human life. Human life then, cannot sever its relationship with the universe which provides it with the basis of existence as well as the system that governs its continuation. “(It) guides on to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ by creating in the hearts of a believer clear perceptions with regard to his own existence, his relationships (with the world around him), and the laws (that govern the world). It tells him about his place in it, his role, and the nature of relationship between its various parts, in their joint effort towards the realization of Allah's will, and His wisdom in their creation; and towards the realization of the harmony between various elements as the whole journeys to its ultimate destination. "(It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ by correcting man’s modes and manners of thought, placing them on a sound footing; those that agree with the created world on the one side, and with his own natural instincts on the other. It helps the human beings to understand well the laws that govern the world, how they could be made use of, and how to respond to its demands without clashing with it, or running into a conflict with it. "(It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ with the help of its own methods of training which prepare an individual to conform with the society, and prepare the society to conform with the individual, thus creating a harmony which extends to all the creations that inhabit the globe. But more, it prepares all the creations to fall in harmony with the nature of the universe in which they live. And all this is achieved with extreme ease and comfort. (It) guides to the ‘path of the All-mighty, the All-laudable,’ – a guidance that consists of a system of laws which is in accord with human nature, his circumstances of life, and its economics, in harmony with the laws of the universe that govern the rest of the creations. In the process, man does not break away from them with his own organizations and laws. He is after all, only one of the many communities that inhabit this world." 9. Qurtubi draws our attention to the derision hidden in alluding to a prominent figure of Makkah in words, "Shall we point you to a man.." (as if he was just any man, unworthy of any term better than this: Au.) 10. The pagans contemporary to the Prophet (saws) could be pardoned for thinking that Allah (swt) will resurrect after, "you are torn to complete tearing." But many Muslims contemporary to us fail to notice that the promise, as in the Qur'an and prophetic traditions, is not about recreation after a complete tearing resulting in disintegration of the body into bits and pieces. But rather, the promise involves an earth that will be completely destroyed, leaving no trace on it of any traces of biological life whatsoever: no bones, no fossils, no living forms, however slight, on the surface or buried deep inside with its life arrested by Time. The earth will undergo such massive geological and physical changes as will juggle together its every single atom, to leave mountains moving like clouds and the waters – a source of life – on fire. When the present sun will be gone, the stars will disappear and a new universe brought into existence governed by entirely new set of laws. It is from that "new" situation, when the earth will be held in one hand, and the universe folded around another, that Allah will "resurrect the dead" from atoms (Au.). 11. Asad thinks that this is in reference to the tortuous life of those who reject Allah’s call. However, since, not all such societies 'definitely' suffer such consequences as alluded to in the verse, we may take his following, but brilliant note as a point for further brooding. He writes: “The construction of this phrase (fi al-`adhaabi wa dalaalim ba`aeed: Au.) points definitely to suffering in this world (in contrast with the suffering in the hereafter spoken of in verse 5 above): for whereas the concept of “aberration” (Asad’s rendering of “dalaal”) is meaningless in the context of the life to come, it has an obvious meaning in the context of moral and social confusion – and, hence, of the individual and social suffering – which is the unavoidable consequence of people’s loss of belief in the existence of absolute moral values and, thus, in an ultimate divine judgment on the basis of values.” 12. If reference to the words, "what lies behind them of the heaven and the earth," Qatadah has remarked that the justification is that wherever you look, (not only to the left or right, or front), but also at the rear, you see the earth and the heaven (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). In other words, there is no madness in the Messenger of truth, but it could be in those who are surrounded by signs all around them, that they find it impossible to escape from, but cling to illogical notions (Au.). Asad again, “.. how can anyone be so presumptuous as to deny the reality of resurrection and life after death, seeing that it is a phenomenon beyond man’s experience, while, on the other hand, everything within the universe points to God’s unlimited creative power.” 13. “This allusion is to unpredictable geological and cosmic occurrences – earthquakes, the fall of meteors and meteorites, cosmic rays, and so forth..” (Asad). 14. That is, signs that are a personal gift of Allah to a slave of His, for, they are not visible, although they surround the humankind, except to those who establish a Master-slave relationship with Him. On the other hand, if they decide that they can "work out things" all by themselves, "including the discovery of signs - if there are any," to them, the challenge is: do it if you can. The key to discovery of higher truths is bondage to the slavery of the Creator (Au.). 15. So, there is no limit to bestowal of signs upon those who turn to Him. Da'ud (asws) was one of them. He was an "oft-turning" person to Allah (28: 34). So He conferred upon him such signs and miracles as no one will ever achieve by himself: iron was made wax for him (as a material gift) and, hearts of mountains and birds were softened for him (as spiritual gift), so that when he sang his Lord's praises they joined him in chorus in a language and voice that he could understand and derive ecstatic pleasure from (Au.). Majid comments: “This may also refer to the greatness of David as a king. After the death and defeat of Saul at the hands of the formidable Philistines, ‘Israel rallied to David as the one possible saviour, though the succession was disputed by a rival faction; and under David’s leadership the supremacy of Hebrew kingdom was decisively established, the Philistine power was shattered and the hostile tribes were forced to become David’s tributaries.’ (UHW. I. p.447).” Mawdudi adds: “This is an allusion to the countless favours with which Allah had blessed the Prophet David (asws). He was an ordinary young man of the tribe of Judah, living in Bethlehem. In a campaign against the Phillistines he slew the giant Goliath. This increased his esteem among the Israelites, and ultimately he was made a king over the whole of Israel, having first been made a ruler over Hebron. He took Jerusalem and made it the capital of his kingdom whose boundaries extended between the Gulf of `Aqabah in the east and river Euphrates in the west. In addition, he was divinely bestowed with knowledge and wisdom.” 16. "Sing praises": This is how Ibn `Abbas, Abu `Abd al-Rahman, Abu Maysarah, Mujahid, Dahhak and others understood the textual "awwibi" (Ibn Jarir). 17. It is reported that Da'ud's beautiful recitation of the Zabur created such effects that the mountains, birds and other animals sang along with him. In Sayyid's words, "It seems Da'ud had attained such high quality of Praises for his Lord that the veils between him and Allah's other creations stood removed. They all sang in a chorus with him. This was the special blessing that was bestowed upon him." The Prophet (saws) said about Abu Musa al-Ash`ari's recitation as he heard him recite the Qur'an one night,

أُعْطِيَ مِزْمَاراً مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُد"َ"

"Indeed he has been given a musical voice that was given to Da'ud's folks" (Bukhari and Muslim: Ibn Kathir). The above implies that the skill went down the line. 18. The allusion is not allegorical, but real, to a miracle. It was not melting of the metal for ease of moulding but rather softening of it in his hands, so that he bent it to the shape of his desire with ease – yet another of the special blessings bestowed on Da'ud (Sayyid). It is said that making armour was Da'ud's means of sustenance also (Ibn Kathir). 19. The apparent meaning is efficient design and skilled manufacture of the armour. But Imam Razi thinks that the directive is not to spend time on the manufacture of the armour beyond an acceptable limit of time and quantity. In different words, "qaddir" is for spending just the right time and efforts. The rest of the time should be devoted to the counsel that follows: "And do you all act righteously." 20. It is said that it was Da'ud who first made chained armours. Earlier, it were shields (made from beaten sheets of iron) that were in use (but they were heavy: Au.) - Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir. 21. Either the whole family has been addressed, or perhaps the plural form has been adopted for reverence (Alusi). 22. That is, it covered two month's course in a day's time, morning to evening (Ibn Jarir). 23. That is, of the Jinn some were subjected to him to help him in construction works. 24. That is, the Jinn worked for Sulayman, joining hands in whatever he wished to build or manufacture. 25. "Mihrab" is the front part of any (significant) building, place of worship, or prayer-hall. Metaphorically, it can be used for any constructed place, such as mosques, medium sized palaces, or even villas (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir from the Salaf). 26. According to Lisan al-`Arab, “timthaal” (pl. tamaatheel) is for every artefact that may have been made to resemble a living creation of Allah. `Atiyyah al-`Awfi, Dahhak and Suddi's opinion was that the allusion is to pictures (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). It might be asked, 'How could Sulayman have been allowed to make pictures when it is disallowed in our religion?' The answer is, it was perhaps not forbidden in his Shari`ah, for, after all, this is not a moral issue such as truthfulness, or lies, (that have remained unlawful throughout the ages in every Shari`ah). Further, Abu al-`Aaliyyah has said that (it is not necessary that those were human figures, but rather) pictures of non-living objects, such as natural sceneries, or, if of living beings then, headless (Zamakshari). Qurtubi comments: Reports from the Prophet (saws) on this topic lead us to believe that all kinds of pictures are prohibited in Islam, except for some designs on clothes. Indeed, there are a few ahadith that do not allow even for this exception. One is in Muslim which says that,

"إِنّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصّوَرِ يُعَذّبُونَ. وَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ: أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ"

"Artists will be punished in the Hereafter and told, 'Now, blow life into these.' Another hadith of Hasan Ghareeb Saheeh status in Tirmidhi says,

عَنْ أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "تَخْرُجُ عُنُقٌ مِنَ النّارِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ لَها عَيْنَانِ تُبْصِرَانِ وَأُذُنَانِ تَسْمَعَانِ وَلِسَانٌ يَنْطِقُ يَقُولُ إِنّي: وُكّلْتُ بِثَلاَثَةٍ: بِكُلّ جَبّارٍ عَنِيدٍ، وَبِكُلّ مَنْ دَعَا مَعَ الله إِلَهَاً آخَرَ، وَبِالمُصَوّرِينَ".

"A neck will rise out from the Fire on the Day of Judgment, with two eyes that will see, two ears that will hear, and a tongue that will speak. It will say, 'I have been given custody of three: Every stubborn tyrant, every one who evoked a deity other than Allah, and, those who made pictures.'" Exempted however, adds Qurtubi, are dolls for children. `A'isha herself used to play with them and the Prophet did not object. Another narrative preserved by Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi, narrated by Abu Talha says,

عن عُبَيْدِ الله بنِ عَبْدِ الله بنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنّهُ سَمِعَ ابنَ عَبّاسٍ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا طَلْحَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: "لاَ تَدْخُلُ المَلاَئِكَةُ بَيْتاً فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلاَ صُورَةُ تَمَاثِيلَ". (قال أبو عيسى: هذا حديثٌ حسنٌ صحيحٌ).‏

"Angels do not enter a house which has a dog or graven images." The following is also preserved:

عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ. قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبّاسٍ. فَقَالَ: إِنّي رَجُلٌ أُصَوّرُ هَذِهِ الصّوَرَ. فَأَفْتِنِي فِيهَا. فَقَالَ لَهُ: ادْنُ مِنّي. فَدَنَا مِنْهُ. ثُمّ قَالَ: ادْنُ مِنّي. فَدَنَا حَتّىَ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَىَ رَأْسِهِ. قَالَ: أُنَبّئُكَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ "كُلّ مُصَوّرٍ فِي النّارِ. يَجْعَلُ لَهُ، بِكُلّ صُورَةٍ صَوّرَهَا، نَفْساً فَتُعَذّبُهُ فِي جَهَنّمَ". وَقَالَ: إنْ كُنْتَ لاَ بُدّ فَاعِلاً، فَاصْنَعِ الشّجَرَ وَمَا لاَ نَفْسَ لَهُ (مسلم)

Sa'id ibn Abi al-Hasan narrated that a man went to Ibn `Abbas and said, "I make pictures. So tell me about it." He said, "Come nearer." He went nearer. He told him, "Come nearer." He went nearer until Ibn `Abbas placed his hand on his head and then said, "Let me tell you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah. I heard him say, 'Every artist will be in the Fire. Every picture that he made will be turned into a body that will torture him in Hell.' "Then he added, 'If you have to do it at all, then make trees and other lifeless objects" (Au.). Mawdudi devotes a goodly space to the topic. Herewith in short: “Some people have argued that since picture-making was allowed during the time of Sulayman, it should be allowable in our Shari`ah also. But, this argument is not tenable. The prohibition was equally there during his times too. Torah had already been revealed to Musa and contains unambiguous references to picture making and its prohibition. E.g. ‘Thou shall not make unto thee graven images, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth below or that is in the water under the earth (Exod. 20:4)’. And, ‘Ye shall make no idols, nor graven images, nor rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it (Levi. 26:1).’ And, ‘Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth’ (Deut. 4: 16-18).’ “Further, a strong argument cannot be built on the basis of a simple word like “tamaatheel” which has unclear connotations, especially in the light of the strongly worded prohibitions in the Prophetic traditions. A hadith preserved in Bukhari tells us that once a few of the Prophet’s wives were around him. They were talking among themselves and `A'isha tells us that,

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ وَأُمَّ سَلَمَةَ ذَكَرَتَا كَنِيسَةً رَأَيْنَهَا بِالْحَبَشَةِ فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ فَذَكَرَتَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أُولَئِكَ إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِمْ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ فَمَاتَ بَنَوْا عَلَى قَبْرِهِ مَسْجِدًا وَصَوَّرُوا فِيهِ تِلْكَ الصُّوَرَ فَأُولَئِكَ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ).البخاري)

Umm Habibah and Umm Salamah casually mentioned that they had been into a Church in Abyssinia where they had found pictures (of humans). The Prophet remarked, “The custom among the past peoples was that when one of their righteous men died, they built a house of worship over his grave and decorated it with pictures. On the Day of Judgement these people will be the worst of creations in the sight of Allah.” `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud reported the Prophet,

إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ “The most severely punished on the day of Judgment would be those who made pictures.” (Sahihayn) `A’isha reports the following:

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ حَشَوْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وِسَادَةً فِيهَا تَمَاثِيلُ كَأَنَّهَا نُمْرُقَةٌ فَجَاءَ فَقَامَ بَيْنَ الْبَابَيْنِ وَجَعَلَ يَتَغَيَّرُ وَجْهُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَا لَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا بَالُ هَذِهِ الْوِسَادَةِ قَالَتْ وِسَادَةٌ جَعَلْتُهَا لَكَ لِتَضْطَجِعَ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتِ أَنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا تَدْخُلُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ صُورَةٌ وَأَنَّ مَنْ صَنَعَ الصُّورَةَ يُعَذَّبُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَقُولُ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ

“I made pillows – sort of small cushions - for the Prophet that had pictures. He entered and sat down between the two entrances. Then his countenance began to alter. She inquired, “What’s wrong with us, Messenger of Allah?” He asked, “What about these cushions?” She answered, “Well, cushions I made so that you could rest on them.” He said, “Have you not known that angels do not enter a house in which there are pictures and that whoever made a picture will be tormented on the day of Standing and told, ‘Now. Give life to what you made’” (Bukhari). “Some people try to make a distinction,” continues Mawdudi, “between a photograph and a painting, whereas the Shari`ah forbids the picture itself without discussing the process or methods of how such pictures are made. Yet others have argued that the forbiddance was meant to put an end to idol worship in early Islamic days; but since such a risk does not exist anymore, the prohibition should go. This argument is also untenable because there is no hadith that gives us the reason as being proffered now. Furthermore, the statement that paganism has been obliterated has no basis in reality. Paganism and polytheism of all sorts thrive in our contemporary world. Finally, that pictures lead to idol-worship, saint-worship, etc., could be only one of the reasons for its prohibitions; there are other ill-effects that are done away with by the prohibition. Pornography and obscenity are cases in point. Pictures are also used for misleading the masses and spreading discord among nations.” To the above we might add that far from decorating their homes with pictures, a report preserved by Bukhari reports `Umar as having said to the People of the Book,

إنا لا ندخل كنائسكم، من أجل التماثيل التي فيها الصور

“We do not enter your Churches because of the pictures you have there.” As for discord that Mawdudi spoke of, we could cite a single example from thousands: While relaying the event of the destruction of the Trade Centre buildings, live on the TV, CNN, America's most popular channel showed Palestinians celebrating the event. The announcer remarked: “We shall never forget this celebration.” Later it was discovered that the TV station had introduced an older film that depicted celebrations of some other occasion. The moment was used to sow permanent hatred of the Muslims in American minds. It achieved high level of success. There is no disputing the fact that no single element has done so much damage to the Islamic religion and its culture as the TV (Au.). 27. That is, the basins were as large as cisterns. 28. The cooking cauldrons were so large that they were, because of their weight, sort of anchored to the ground (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). Abu Bakr Ibn al-`Arabi said that in pre-Islamic times the pots of `Abdullah b. Jud`an were also so large that one had to climb a ladder to look in. Tarafah b. al-`Abd has a poetical line describing them. Ibn al-`Arabi also reports having seen similarly large pot in one of the ribaat (zaawiyyah: Sufi resort) in Abu Sa`eed to serve the Sufis since they all – without exception – shared meal from one pot (Qurtubi). The details about Sulayman's activities confirm (the historical accounts) that Da'ud established the kingdom, while his son Sulayman attended to its development (with a point from Razi).