S32. SURAH AS-SAJDAH (THE PROSTRATION)

NAME: In the ayah No.15, this attribute of the people of faith has been mentioned that when they are reminded of the revelations of Allah they fall into Sajdah (or prostrate themselves before Allah). The Surah takes its name from this allusion.
TIME OF REVELATION: Was revealed in Makkah and might have been revealed in the middle of the Makkan period.
CENTRAL THEME: The topics of monotheism and the Hereafter have been stated in such a way that doubts are removed from the mind and they create conviction. In the Surah Luqman the appeal was to the common sense and the intellect. In this Surah the appeal is to the heart and finer feelings.
ORDER OF THE VERSES: Verses Nos.1 to 3 are preliminary ayat, in which it is clarified that this Book is revealed to the Messenger so that he may warn the people. In ayat Nos. 4 to 9 along with the oneness of Allah, there is mention of the creation of man. Verses Nos. 10 to 14 contain topic of the Hereafter. Ayat No: 15 to 19 state certain important characteristics of the people of faith and inform of their excellent end. Ayat Nos. 20 to 22 contain the adverse consequences of the disobedient men and deniers of Allah’s revelations. Verses Nos. 23 to 25 clarify that the revelation of the Divine Book for the guidance of the people is not something unique. Before this the Divine Scripture was revealed to Prophet Moosa, and Allah had been raising religious leaders from among the Bani Israel, who used to guide the people according to His commands. In Ayat Nos. 26 to 27, invitation is given to people to take lesson from the history of the destroyed nations and to observe carefully the scenes of Allah’s overlordship. Ayat Nos. 28 to 30 are last verses of the Surah in which answers to the objections of the deniers are given, and they are warned. HADITH: In a hadith it is stated that “The Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, used to recite on Fridays in the Fajr prayer: Alif Lam Meem, Tanzeel (Surah As-Sajdah, and’ Hal Ata Alal Insan’ (Surah Dahr). (-Bukhari, Kitab -ul- Juma’h.)

32. SURAH AS-SAJDAH (THE PROSTRATION). Ayah : 30

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. Alif. Lam. Meem.1

2. The revelation of this Book, there is no doubt, is from the Lord of the Worlds.2

3. Or do they say: “He3 has invented it himself?” Nay, but it is the Truth from your Lord that you may warn a people to whom no warner came before4 you so that they may be rightly guided.

4. It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and what is between) them in six days.5 Then He ascended the Arsh6 (Throne). You have no guardian and intercessor besides Him. Will you then not remember?7

5. He governs all affairs from the heaven to the earth. And then they ascend to Him in a day,8 whose span is one thousand years by your reckoning.

6. He is the knower of the invisible and the visible, the Mighty, the Merciful.9

7. Who made all things which He created good,10 and He began the creation of man from clay;11

COMMENTRY

1. For the explanation of the separate letters, please see Notes Nos.1, Surah Baqarah and Surah Yunus. It is a fact that Quran is also a miracle from the point of view of sound, therefore, when these letters are pronounced separately, they draw attention of the hearer towards themselves by creating sound effect. In this surah Alif hints at Ayat, which have been mentioned in verses Nos. 15,22,24, and 26.
Lam points to ‘Liqa-e-Rabbihim’ (Meeting his Lord, ayah No. 10), ‘Liqaa yaumikum haza’ (Attendance on this day Ayah No.4), and Meem points to “Muntaqimoon” (We are going to punish, Ayah No. 22).

2. That is: The revelation of this Book from Allah is beyond any shadow of doubt. Although the arguments in favour of the Quran being the Book authored by Allah have been presented at many places, but at several places this claim has been put forth with full certainty, for the coming of the sun is its own proof. Each and every ayah is the proof of its being the word of God, and whoever will study it with sincerity, will have no difficulty in recognising it. This topic has also appeared in the beginning of Surah Baqarah that there is no doubt in this Book being the word of God. See Surah Baqarah Note No.2.

3. Means the Prophet, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.

4. For explanation, please see Surah Qasas, Note No.91.

5. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf Note No.82.

6. This has been explained in Note No.83, Surah A’raf.

7. How is it that such a simple thing is not being understood that the Being who has created this universe in such a planned way and thereafter is governing it, beside Him who else can be your Guardian or Helper, and who is he who can stand up before Him as your intercessor and may get for you your salvation? No such being exists in this universe who can have such might and power before Allah.

8.That is : Allah is governing this universe in a planned way. For this earth every scheme and every plan of His is of a thousand years as reckoned by the earthly units, while this period according to Him is only of one day, in which this planning is completed, and then this matter again returns to Him, that is ultimately everything returns to Him and presents itself before Him. This ayah is one of the allegorical verse, therefore, without entering into any discussion we should be content with the knowledge of the mere outline. And so far as the question of a day of one thousand years is concerned, it is not a thing which cannot be comprehended. Logically we can understand that what we count as a day of 24 hours, it is composed of a day and a night, and it comes as a result of the rising and setting of the sun. But at the level of the sun, where no night exists, to count the day, this measure will be useless. So far as the modern science is concerned the science of astronomy has increased our knowledge to a great extent, e.g. if on earth the solar day is of 365 days, then on Mars it is on this reckoning of 687 days, on Jupiter of about 12 years, on Staurm of 29 years, and on Pluto of 248 years, because these planets complete their revolution round the sun in this time. This difference of the day and the year supports the statement of Quran that the measure of the day with Allah is different from that of the humans and that according to that His day is equal to our one thousand years.
For further explanation please see Surah Hajj, Note No.84.

9. Hints at the fact that He is governing this universe with His full knowledge, perfect might, and vast mercy.

10. Whatever work was to be taken from a thing or a creature, according to that it was given a form. Every thing which He created has balance and is well organised. It signifies that their Creator is a perfectionist and Most Beautiful.

11. That is: Adam was created from clay.

8. Then He made his breed from the essence of the despised fluid;12

9. He then fashioned13 him and breathed into Him of His spirit,14 and made for you (organs of) hearing and sight and hearts.15 Yet you are seldom thankful.16

10. And they say: “When we are lost in the earth, how can then we be re-created?” Nay but they are deniers of the meeting with their Lord.17

11. Say: “The angel of death, who has been given charge of you, will carry away your life, and afterwards to your Lord you will be returned.18

12. And if you could only see the guilty hanging their heads before their Lord (and saying) “Our Lord! We have seen and heard, so send us back, we will act righteously, we are firm believers”.19

13. Had we willed, We could have given every soul its guidance,20 but My word has been fulfilled: ‘I will fill the Hell with jinn and men all together’. 21

14. So taste (the punishment) for forgetting the meeting of your this day; verily, We have ( also ) forgotten you;22 so taste the eternal punishment for what you used to do.

15. Only those believe in Our revelation, who, when they are reminded of them, prostrate themselves (before God) and recite the praises of their Lord and they are not proud.23

16. Who forsake their beds to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and give in charity what We have bestowed on them.24

12. The human race was given continuity with the filthy fluid of humans (semen). This essence in the light of the modem Embryology is spermatozoa.

13. That is: After creating the foetus its parts were fashioned and it was given the shape of a human being.

14. It was made into a living human by breathing spirit into it.
For further explanation of spirit please see Surah Hijr, Note No.27 .For the materialists spirit has no reality, as if man has merely a physical existence, and life is the name of movement. The stoppage of this movement is named death. The question arises: what is that thing after whose disappearance the movement of the heart stops and man’s death occurs? We will have to admit that it is a very fine and invisible thing, from whose disappearance man’s physique become a dead body, and the name of that very thing is spirit, which in reality is the inner man. If in a particle atomic energy is hidden, then there is no reason to deny the presence of spiritual energy in man. Then in the body every moment changes take place. New cells take place of the old cells, so much so that in a few years a new body takes place of the old body, but the inner man remains unchanged, which is called Self or Ego, and it is this thing which gives a man his personality and distinguishes him from others. Therefore, denial of spirit is the denial of reality.

15.That is: Gave best faculties for hearing, seeing and understanding.

16. You do not realise fully the excellent existence which has been given to you and for this reason you seldom thank your Creator.

17. That is: Mainly they deny that they have at all to meet their Creator. They do not want that by accepting the concept of accountability they should make themselves followers of Allah’s commands. Therefore, they deny the appearance before God in the garb of their claim that after death body is decomposed and mixed with the dust and it is totally destroyed, then how can it rise on the Day of Resurrection.

18.On death man’s existence does not end, but only his body is destroyed. In fact death is merely the separation of the spirit, which is the internal man, from the body and this function takes place with regularity. Allah has appointed the angel of death to take away the spirit of every person. On the appointed time he takes the life of every person and keeps it in his possession and later on deals with it as commanded by Allah, till on the Day of Resurrection, his body will again be created for his spirit, and he will appear before God with his body for answering about his deeds in the world.

19. The realities which Quran invites them to accept are being denied by them today, but on the Day of Resurrection when they will themselves see them they will be sorry for their past attitude, and they will request the Lord to send them back to the world again so that they may become virtuous. What they are denying today, they will be accepting it on the Day of Resurrection. This is a glimpse of what will be the condition of the guilty on the Day of Resurrection, which is presented in this ayah so that people may take heed and by denying the Hereafter may not become guilty.

20. After seeing the reality, there remains no opportunity for giving the test. Therefore, what is the use of sending you to the world now? If the faith were desired in this way, then there would have been no test of the intellect, then Allah would have given faith and guidance to every man and it would not have been possible for him to deny it or deviate from it.

21. Means those men and jinn who follow Satan. In Surah Saad it has been clarified:
“With you and your followers from these, with all, I will fill in the Hell.” -(Surah Saad,85).

22. Being forgotten by Allah means that Allah will not show mercy to them, and they will be left in their adverse condition.

23. As against the deniers this is the description of those who are not proud and vain, nor have they forgotten their natural sense of being Allah’s slave. When such people are made to hear the revelations of Allah, they are so much impressed that they spontaneously prostrate themselves before Him in humility, and words of His praise and glory come out from their mouths. Such people come forward and accept the call of the Prophet and believe in the revelations of Allah.
This is the ayah of sajdah and on its recitation one should perform sajdah (prostrate himself before God).

24.These are the attributes of the people of faith, which are developed in them because of their faith. Neither do they neglect remembering Allah in the night nor in the day, so much so that during the night they leave their beds and engage themselves in worshipping Allah; they pray to Allah with fear and hope, i.e. they are in fear of Allah’s punishment and hopeful of His mercy. Thus their days are reserved for earning their livelihood but it is also spent in making provision for the next world. Accordingly they also spend in the way of Allah from whatever Allah grants them as livelihood.
Can he then who is a believer be like he, who is an evil-doer? Surely they are not alike. As for those who believed and performed good acts---for them are Garden-Houses. a reward for what they have done. (AL-Quran)

17. No soul knows what is hidden for them of cool comfort for their eyes, as a reward for what they used to do.25

18. Can he then who is a believer be like he, who is an evil-doer?26 Surely they are not alike.27

19. As for those who believed and performed good acts---for them are Garden- Houses.28 a reward29 for what they have done.

20. And as for those who do evil,30 their abode is the Fire. Whenever they try to get out from there, they are thrown back there, and they are told: Taste the punishment of Fire, which you have been denying.

21. And verily we will make them taste the lighter punishment (of this world) before the heavier punishment (of the next world) so that they may return(to the right path).31

22. And who is a greater wrong-doer than he who is reminded of the revelations of his Lord, then turns away from them. Verily we will punish the guilty.

23. And verily We gave Moosa the Book, so be not in doubt of receiving it,32 and We made it a guidance to Bani Israil.

24. When they became steadfast in believing in Our revelations We appointed from among them leaders who gave guidance as commanded by Us; and they believed firmly in Our revelatios.33

25. In this ayah the glad tidings that has been given to the holders of the said attributes is so invigorating that its concept provides tranquillity to the heart and cool comfort to the eyes. The introduction of Paradise in the Quran is merely a glimpse of that beautiful place in words, otherwise the blessings of the Paradise cannot be imagined in this world. The best explanation of this ayah is given in this hadith:
“Allah (T.W.T.) states: I have kept ready for My slaves such blessings which no eye has seen, nor ear has heard and no idea regarding it passed through a man’s heart (mind).”-(Bukhari-Kitabut Tafseer).

26.Fasiq means disobedient. This word has occurred here against the word Momin, therefore, it means infidel or disbeliever, who is totally disobedient to Allah.

27.When the deeds of both are not alike, then how can their ends be alike?

28.That is: Such Gardens where they will be staying.

29.These Gardens will be granted to them with such honour and grace as if they are the guests of Allah and these are the provision for their consumption and entertainment.

30. Means disbelievers who remain disobedient to Allah.

31. Means worldly troubles in which the disbelievers will be involved so that they may get an installment of their punishment in this world also, so that they be shaken and may return to the right path.
In the modern times catastrophes are also occurring in new style. The accidents of rail, buses, and aeroplanes are very tragic. Then there is plenty of accidents or disasters or bombing and arson, and man has to taste the punishment of his evil deeds at the hands of man only. But the people have become so stone hearted that they see such heart rending scenes and yet are not moved to turn to Allah.

32. The address is to the Prophet and through him to all other addressees, and the idea is to clarify that historically it is not the first time that you have received the divine scripture, that before this also Allah had been revealing Divine books to other prophets. And who does not know that Prophet Moosa was also given a Divine Book, then there is no reason that people should fall in doubt about the revelation of Quran to the Last Prophet.
For further explanation, please see Surah Yunus Ayah No.94, Note No.145, and Surah Hood, Ayah No.17

33. That is: The Book which was revealed to Moosa was guidance for Bani Israil, and because of this guidance, there emerged from among them such religious leaders who provided right guidance to their people by the command of Allah. Allah had bestowed on them the righteous leadership because they were steadfast in their belief and had full faith in the revelation of Allah. That is their belief was not formal and it was with full sincerity and faith. Bani Israil were blessed with this leadership when they proved to be firm in their belief and steadfast in their faith. The idea in drawing attention to this historical fact was to make the people realise that if they became the sincere holders of (believers in) Quran then Allah will also bless them with similar supremacy and will raise righteous leadership among them also.
Today Muslims complain that they do not have righteous leadership, but the condition of the society is this that they are happy with leaders who play with emotions and deliver fiery speeches, they are neither prepared to follow the guidance of Quran, nor do they listen to the righteous leaders. In such circumstances, how can the righteous leadership emerge?

25. Verily, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that in which they differed.34

26. Is it not a guidance for them as to how many generations We destroyed before them, amid whose dwelling places they walk?35 Surely in this there are signs. Do they not then hear?36

27. Do they not see how We direct water to the barren land and with it bring forth crops which is eaten by their cattle and also by themselves?37 Do they not then see?38

28. They ask: “When will this judgment come, if you are truthful?”

29. Say:”On the Day of Judgment the disbelievers will gain nothing from their faith, nor will they be reprieved.”39

30. So withdraw from them, and wait. They are also waiting.40

34. In the foregoing ayah mention of the rise of the Bani Israil was made, and in this ayah their fall is mentioned. The real reason for their fall was their differences in the basic tenets of religion, and indulging in useless discussions. The ultimate judgment on these differences will be delivered in Allah’s Court for which the Day of Judgment is fixed.

35. The address is to the Arab nation whose members used to pass through the destroyed dwelling places of the nations of A’d, Thamood, and the communities of Prophet Shuaib and Prophet Loot.

36. The events which can provide lessons are being described clearly by the Quran, but these people do not hear and understand.

37. Are not the signs of Allah’s Overlordship and might seen in these? And does not this observation create in them a belief that Allah has power to revive the dead?

38. That is: The information which you are giving about the decision between the believers and the disbelievers and you are saying that in this decision Muslims will be victorious and the disbelievers will be hurled into the Hell, when will this event take place?

39. That is: Instead of indulging into the discussion as to when this decisive moment will come, you should worry about how will you save yourselves at that hour, because that hour will essentially come. At that time if you would like to accept faith, it would be useless because the hour of test would have passed and your embracing faith would be fruitless, and the respite which you are getting today will not be available at that time.

40. If they are not ready to accept faith and guidance after hearing this strong argument and convincing revelations from Allah, then leave them alone and wait for that hour when Allah will deliver His final judgment. They too are waiting for the same hour.