Surah No. 64

Introduction

Merits of the Surah¹

1. Opinions are split over whether this Surah is Makkan or Madinan, with some saying that a few verses could be Makkan (Qurtubi, Shawkani).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (1)

(64:1) Whatever is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah. His is the Sovereignty, and His the Praise; and He has power over all things.

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنْكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (2)

(64:2) It is He who created you, yet some of you are unbelievers while some of you are believers;² and Allah sees all that you do.

2. Following the commentary of Ibn `Abbas that the allusion is to the creation of some people as believers while others as unbelievers, Qurtubi quotes the well-known ahadith of Qadr and then offers the opinion of a group of scholars who explained the verse with a “yet” as in the rendering above. He then quotes the hadith which says that every newborn takes birth on fitrah. It is its parents who Christianize him, Judaize him, or Zoroastrize him and then quotes the opinion of Zajjaj, who spoke for the great majority of scholars when he said:

“Indeed Allah created the Unbeliever, while his disbelief is his own earning and his own doing, not forgetting that disbelief itself is a creation of Allah. Similarly He created the Believer, while his faith is his own earning and his own doing, not forgetting that faith is a creation of Allah. The Unbeliever disbelieves, and chooses disbelief after Allah has created him because Allah has so determined for him and has known about him. It is not possible for either of the two to be found existing but in the state which was determined for him and known about him. For, existence of anything other than that which has been determined is a weakness, and existence of anything other than that which has been known is ignorance, which both do not befit Allah.”

And a Bedouin said, when asked about Qadr,

“It is an affair over which guessworks worked exaggerations, in which the differing ones differed. The obligation on us is to return that commandment of Allah which we are unable to resolve, to that knowledge of Allah which has preceded.”

Yusuf Ali handles the difficulty quite adeptly: “It is not that He does not see Rebellion and Evil, nor that He cannot punish them. He created all things pure and good, and if evil crept in by the grant of a limited free-will by Him, it is not unforeseen: it is in His wise and universal Plan, for giving man a chance of rising higher and ever higher.”

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ (3)

(64:3) He created the heavens and the earth with truth; He shaped you, and did well your shapes;³ and to Him is the return.

3. How do we know that the form and shape given by Allah is, objectively, a good one? The answer is, says Zamakhshari, humans do not want their shapes to be altered. However, variations within a given form, to one or the other extreme, making one attractive while another not, does not mean absence of beauty in the form and shape generally, in one and all.

With regard to alteration, if we were to ask a man whether he would like his nose to be shifted to his forehead, or eyes placed on the sides, so that he can have a fish’s eye-view, or that his arms should be one foot longer to increase his outreach, he will say, “Thank you. Not me.” And, although there have been millions of artists in the world, none has ever been able to create on paper a form and shape more beautiful than that of Man (Au.).

يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ (4)

(64:4) He knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you publish; and Allah is knowing of what is in the breasts.⁴

4. One may note: Allah warned of His knowledge of all that there is in the heavens and the earth, then He warned of His knowledge of what the people say out loudly or secretly, and, finally, He warned of His knowledge of what is hidden in the hearts. Thus, His knowledge covers all and everything (Razi).

Yusuf Ali comments: “Not only does He create and develop and sustain all things; but all thoughts, motives, feelings, ideas, and events are known to Him. Therefore, we must not imagine that, if some evil seems to go unpunished, it is not known to Him or has escaped His notice. His Plan is wise and good in its fullest compass: sometimes we do not see its wisdom and goodness because we see only a broken fragment of it, as our own intelligence is narrow.”

أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ فَذَاقُوا وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (5)

(64:5) Has there not come to you the tidings of those of old who disbelieved, they tasted the grievousness of their conduct, and yet there awaits them a painful chastisement?

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَتْ تَأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا فَكَفَرُوا وَتَوَلَّوْا ۚ وَاسْتَغْنَى اللَّهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ (6)

(64:6) That because there would come to them their Messengers with clear signs, but they would say, ‘Will human beings guide us?’⁵ So they disbelieved, and turned away; and Allah was in no need of them; Allah is All-sufficient, All-laudable.

5. Zamakhshari has a pointed remark here, but is it pointed enough for the idol-worshippers?:

“They refused that a Messenger should be a human, but would not refuse that God should be a stone.”

زَعَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُبْعَثُوا ۚ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ (7)

(64:7) The unbelievers claim that they will never be raised up. Say, ‘Yes indeed, by my Lord, you shall certainly be raised up and then shall be informed of what you did; and that is easy for Allah.’

فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنَا ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ (8)

(64:8) Believe then, in Allah and His Messenger, and in the Light that We have sent down;⁶ and Allah is Aware of what you do.

6. That is, the Qur’an.

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُكُمْ لِيَوْمِ الْجَمْعِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ التَّغَابُنِ ۗ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (9)

(64:9) The day he will gather you together: on the day of gathering, that will be a day of mutual loss.⁷ But he who believed in Allah and did righteous deeds, He will remove from him his evil deeds and admit him into gardens underneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever;⁸ that is the supreme triumph.

7. Mutual loss: It has been said that Yawm al-taghabun is one of the names of the Day of Judgment.

This refers to the gain of one thing at the loss of another on that Day. The fortunate ones will see themselves escaping the places of the wretched ones that they would have inherited, had they been wretched ones; and the wretched ones will see the places of the fortunate ones escape them that they would have inherited, had they been the fortunate ones. Thus, it will be a mutual loss. There are ahadith to this effect (Zamakhshari).

Perhaps in plain terms, since everyone will lose something or the other of his good deeds to others, as penalty for wrongs done, it will be a day of mutual loss for all - since, anything they lose, of the good deeds, will be a loss. So, every human will bewail the loss of good deeds (Au.).

8. At the most basic level, to expect to be rewarded is unreasonable. A father offers money to his son to go and buy a shirt for himself. Having purchased it, the son cannot ask for a reward. The shirt is his reward (Au.).

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (10)

(64:10) As for those who disbelieved and laid the lie against Our signs, they are the companions of the Fire, abiding therein - an evil destination.

مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (11)

(64:11) No affliction befalls, but by Allah’s leave. And whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.⁹ And Allah is knowing of all things.

9. In what sense does Allah guide a man’s heart? Zamakhshari says it refers to the tranquility of the heart and its inclination to obey the commandments.

Ibn `Abbas and `Alqamah (as also Mujahid: Kashshaf) said that He fills his heart with faith so that he realizes that what struck him could not have missed him and what missed him could not have struck him (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Shawkani).

وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ ۚ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ (12)

(64:12) And obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away, then there is no more upon Our Messenger but clear deliverance.

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (13)

(64:13) Allah, there is no deity but He; and in Allah let the believers place trust.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ وَأَوْلَادِكُمْ عَدُوًّا لَكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ (14)

(64:14) O those who have believed, surely among your wives and children there are enemies to you; so beware of them. But if you pardon, overlook and forgive, then Allah is All-forgiving, All-kind.¹⁰

10. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah and Dahhak are reported to have said that when some of the Muslims (that of `Awf b. Malik al-Ashja`i is a case in point) wished to migrate to Madinah (from Makkah or the countryside), their wives and children pleaded against the plan, so that, ultimately when they did migrate, they found that in the meantime others had learnt a lot of Islam. They felt angry about it and wanted to punish their folks (for having prevented early migration). Allah revealed these words directing them to pardon, overlook and forgive (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

On the other hand, `Ataa b. Yasaar’s opinion was that the verses were referring to those who sat back from a campaign or two being influenced by their wives and children who prevented them by pleading, “And who is going to look after us after you?” (Ibn Jarir, Shawkani).

The above report is in Tirmidhi who declared it trustworthy (Ibn Kathir).

In Yusuf Ali’s words: “In some cases, the demands of families, i.e., wife and children, may conflict with a man’s moral and spiritual convictions and duties. In such cases, he must guard against the abandonment of his convictions, duties, and ideals to their requests or desires. But he must not treat them harshly. He must make reasonable provision for them, and if they persist in opposing his clear duties and convictions, he must forgive them and not expose them to shame or ridicule, while at the same time holding on to his clear duty.”

إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (15)

(64:15) Surely, your wealth and your children are only a trial,¹¹ and with Allah is a great reward.

11. It is in their love that a man commits many evils, and on their account disobeys Allah, such as, earning in an unlawful way to meet with their needs and desires (Razi, reworded).

Qurtubi warns that the rule is reversible. That is, sometimes a husband is enemy to his wife.

It is reported in connection with this verse that,

Once the Prophet was addressing a congregation when Hasan and Husain appeared in pink shirts, sauntering and jumping. He came down the pulpit, lifted them and placed them before him. Then he remarked, “Allah spoke the truth: ‘Surely, your wealth and your children are only a trial.’ I saw these two children sauntering and jumping and I could not restrain myself until I interrupted my speech to pick them up” (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

The above report is in Tirmidhi (who declared it as not so trustworthy). It is also in Ibn Hibban’s collection (who said it is trustworthy), as well as in Nasa’i and Ahmad (Au.).

The Prophet has said about children in a report preserved by Bazzar and declared trustworthy by Haythami:

“Children make (one) miserly, ignorant and cowardly” (Au.).

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنْفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (16)

(64:16) Therefore, fear Allah as far as you are able,¹² and listen and obey, and expend, that is better for your own souls; and whosoever is saved from the avarice of his own soul, those, they are the prosperers.

12. A hadith of Bukhari and Muslim states the same thing. We present Bukhari’s version:

The Prophet said, “So long as I leave you alone, you leave me alone. Those before you were destroyed because of their much questioning and disagreements with their Prophets. When I ask you to avoid something, you avoid it; and when I ask you to do something, do it to the best of your ability” (Ibn Kathir).

The opinion of Zayd b. Aslam was that this ayah abrogates an earlier ayah of Surah Al `Imran because of the hardships that the former had caused. It said,

“Believers, fear Allah in the manner He should be feared, and die not but as Muslims.” People thought that it was too difficult for them to fear Allah in the manner He should be feared and, therefore, Allah revealed this verse to offer concession. This was also the opinion of Abu al-`Aliyyah, Zayd b. Aslam, Qatadah, Rabi` b. Anas, Suddi and Muqatil b. Hayyan (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Jarir disagrees with this opinion and Razi thinks that the two verses are dealing with different issues.

That is, fearing Allah to the extent of one’s ability is one thing, and to fear Him in the manner His Greatness requires, is another. A man’s ability increases with his attainment of the possible. And it being the demand that he fear in the manner that Allah should be feared, a man’s every successful attempt to achieve the possible, results in the increase of the range of possibility. It can go on endlessly (Au.).

إِنْ تُقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ (17)

(64:17) If you lend Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you, and will forgive you;¹³ and Allah is All-appreciative, All-clement.

13. We could quote a hadith to this effect. It is from Muslim’s collection: The Prophet said, “Allah comes down to the firmament closest to the earth at midnight or last-third part of the night and says, ‘Who will supplicate Me that I should respond to Him, or ask Me so that I give him? Who will give a loan to Him who is neither poor nor an oppressor?’” (Ibn Kathir).

Shawkani traces another hadith in this context. It is in Hakim, (declared trustworthy by Dhahabi: S. Ibrahim). The Prophet reported Allah’s words:

“I sought a loan from My slave but he did not give Me, but rather My slave abuses Me without knowing: he says ‘O bad times, O bad times,’ while I am the Time.”

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (18)

(64:18) Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.