15 - SURAH AL-HIJR
NAME: In ayat Nos. 80 to 84 mention is made of the people of Al-Hijr, who were destroyed for their crime of believing the prophets. This was the nation, Thamad, whose central place was Al- Hijr, situated between Madina and Tabuk. The Surah derives its name from this allusion.
TIME OF REVELATION: It is a Maccan surah and from the topics discussed it is surmised that it would have been revealed in the middle of the Maccan period. This was revealed prior to the revelation of Surah Ibrahim and Surah Hood.
CENTRAL THEME: To remove the doubts about the prophethood and revelation and to warn the beliers of their adverse fate.
ORDER OF THE VERSES: In ayah Nos.1 the distinctive feature of Qur’an is related as a preamble.
In ayat Nos. 2 to 15 answer is given to the doubts and objections of the deniers of prophethood.
In Verses No.16 to No.25 wonders of nature are pointed out by pondering over which doubts about the divine revelation, prophethood and the Day of Resurrection are removed.
In ayat Nos. 26 to 44 that incident of the waywardness of Iblis is narrated which had taken place immediately after the creation of Adam. The idea is to explain that it is Satan who is bent on misguiding man, and that many people are falling prey to his deception, he wants to keep away men from the path of righteousness by inculcating doubts in their hearts about divine revelation and prophethood. As a result, he and all his followers will surely go to Hell.
Ayat Nos. 45 to 48 narrate the happy and the excellent end of those who did not listen to Satan, but were God-fearing and avoided polytheism and insubordination to God.
In ayat Nos. 49 to 84 a few events of the prophets’ history are narrated which prove that Allah ‘s mercies are bestowed on His virtuous slaves and the whip of His punishment cracks on the transgressors.
Verses Nos. 85 to 99 are the concluding part of the surah, in which there is material for comfort for the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and the followers of Truth, and also this direction that they should not envy the wealth and wellbeing of those who are given to pleasures of the material world, but that they should appreciate the great wealth which has been granted to them in the form of the holy Qur’an.
15. SURAH AL-HIJR (The Rocky Tract) Verses (ayaat) 99
1. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Alif. Laam. Raa1. These are the ayaat (verses) of Al-Kitab,2(the Book) and the clear Qur’an.3
2. A time will come when (these) unbelievers will wish that they were Muslims.4
3. Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let (false) hope beguile them. Soon they will come to know.5
4. And We did not destroy a township but there was a prescribed decree for it.6
5. Never a nation can advance its (prescribed) term and nor can delay it.7
6. And they say: “O you to whom the reminder (Qur’an) has been sent down! verily you are a mad man.8”
7. Why do you not bring angels to us, if you are truthful.”
8. We do not send down angels except with true judgment, and in that case no reprieve is given9 (to unbelievers).
9. Surely We sent down this reminder, and surely We are its Guardian.10
10. And verily we sent (messengers) before you among the nations of old.
11. And never came a messenger to them but they did mock at him.
12. Thus do We let it creep into the hearts of the criminals.11
13. They do not believe therein, (though) the events of the ancients nations have gone forth. 12
1. For explanation, please see Surah Yunus Note No.1, and Surah Baqarah Note No.1
2. Means the Divine Book. In the meaning of Quran’s being The Book, the following points are included:
Firstly, it is a perfect book, the arrangement of whose verses and chapters (ayat and surahs) is done by Allah, because the arrangement concerning the order of every book is done by its author, and nobody has a right to change its order or arrangement.
Secondly it is a book that can be put down in writing, for in Arabic Kitab (book) means a written thing.
Thirdly it is a well-coordinated book, because no important book can have its parts uncoordinated.
3. In Arabic the word Qur’an means to read. This infinitive name of the Divine Book signifies its readable quality, and that this book is worth reading again and again and is read frequently. The beginning of revelation was marked by the word Iqra (read or recite), which reference also makes the name of the Book as Qur’an most appropriate.
As for its quality of being ‘Mubeen’ that is clear, this has been explained in Surah Yusuf Note No.2
4. Means the time of death and also the time of Doomsday, when the unbelievers will feel repentant for their being deprived of belonging to the religion of Truth and will wish that they were Muslims.
Qur’an has placed this point very clearly before the people so that they may come out of the whirlpool of the false religions and may enter the domain of Islam straightway, for this is the only way of salvation in the Hereafter.
5. That is: Those who are not prepared to listen and follow the truth which Qur’an is presenting should be left to their fate; they will be absorbed for a few days in the pleasures of the world, but on closing of their eyes after death they will know what is the reality.
6. That is: Allah had already decided that, that particular township should have a respite for a fixed term. It means that Allah’s work is done according to a definite plan.
7. No nation will be destroyed before the time fixed for it by Allah, nor can it survive beyond such a time, even for a moment.
8. The deniers used to say to the Prophet that his claim that the revelation to remind them had come to him from Allah was sheer madness, and the state of trance into which the Prophet went at the time of divine revelation was nothing but a state of madness.
History has proved this charge of the deniers to be wrong, because the Prophet not only came out as a history-maker and a revolutionary leader but he also left behind him his footsteps as the best of teachers and a character-building man, making him an ideal man for posterity. The words which were called madness are still with us today as the best example of the most wise counsel and admonition. Can these achievements be attributed to a mad man?
9. This is the reply to their objection, which means that if angels are sent down as demanded by them, then where is the question of testing them. Angels are sent down only at a time when the time of reprieve for a nation comes to an end and the final blow of that nation’s fate is to be delivered.
10. That is: Qur’an which is full of reminders and good counsels has been revealed by Allah. This is neither authored by Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam), nor has Satan anything to do with its authorship.
And the statement that Allah is its guardian provides a guarantee for its preservation for all time to come; no part of Qur’an will be lost; nor will there be any amendment or modification of its contents; it will remain in its original form so that from its clear and clean spring humanity may derive benefit till the last.
And this is the clear proof of Quran’s truthfulness that today Qur’an is with us in its original form, word by word; Not only it is being transferred from one generation to the following generation by the huffaz but it is also being copied in writing from the time of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) right up to date. Its oldest manuscript, which is copied down by the third Khalifa, Usman (R) and which is known as ‘Mushaf-i-Usmani’ exists even today. (Please see photo copy on page 176 )
11. That is: when they do not accept guidance, Allah puts such thoughts as mislead them in to their hearts.
12. The events of the unbelieving nations have passed before, which show what is the divine law in such cases.
And even If We opened for them a gate from the sky, and they kept mounting through it. They would surely say: “Our eyes have been intoxicated, nay, we are a people bewitched.” (Al-Quran)
14. And even If We opened for them a gate from the sky, and they kept mounting through it.
15. They would surely say: “Our eyes have been intoxicated, nay, we are a people bewitched.”13
16. And verily in the sky We set constellation of stars and We beautified it for beholders.14
17. And guarded it from every outcast satan.15
18. Except him who tries to hear stealthily, so a clear flaming fire pursues him.16
19. And We spread out the earth, and placed therein mountains, and caused to grow therein everything in due proportions.17
20. And We provided therein means of subsistence for you and for those of whom you are not providers.18
21There is not a thing but there are treasures thereof with us, and We do not send it down except in a known measure.19
22. And We send the winds fertilizing and cause water to descend from the sky and provide it to you to drink, otherwise you were unable to store it.20
23. And verily it is We who give life and who give death, and it is We who are the Inheritors.21
24. And surely We know those who have gone before you and surely We know those who will come after you.22
25. And verily your Lord will gather them all together. He is All-Wise, All-Knowing.23
26. And verily We created man from dried sounding clay of rotten loam.24
13. That is: If Allah had caused such a miracle to happen that a gate was to open in the heaven and the unbelievers were to climb up through that gate into the heaven, even then they would not have embraced Islam and would have said that this man has mesmerized their eyes and what they were seeing was only an illusion; and that this man has put such a spell on them that they felt that they were climbing into the heaven.
The idea is to expose the obstinacy of the unbelievers that even the biggest miracle performed in their presence would not convince them of the truth and they would not embrace the religion of truth.
14. The word ‘Burooj’ used in the text means constellation, which presents a very beautiful spectacle for the viewer. For further explanation, please see Note No.2, Surah Burooj.
15. That is: Satans have no access to the heavens. They cannot enter the limits of the skies. So they have neither the opportunity for spreading evil there nor of bringing any news from there.
16. Jinns and satans have somewhat intangible existence and they have the power to fly towards the sky, but they have been prevented from entering the limits of the sky. Before the revelation of Qur’an they were trying to get an access to the sky in order to know what was going on in the higher world, but they could not succeed. However, they succeeded in influencing the Sooth-Sayers to believe that they were able to get the news from the Unseen, and on this account before the revelation of Qur’an the business of sooth-saying was being carried on a large scale. The Sooth-Sayers, under the influence of satans, used to do roaring business by fooling the people and thus misleading them. Their sooth-saying was based on falsehood, but since they claimed to dole out news from the Unseen, their business was in full swing. When the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) began imparting news from the Unseen on the basis of the Divine revelation, the unbelievers accused him of being a soothsayer, though there is a world of difference between prophethood and sooth-saying, and the difference between the truth and the falsehood is quite obvious. An additional arrangement in connection with the divine revelation was that if a jinn or a satan tried to find out stealthily something, a flaming fire used to pursue him. Such an arrangement finished the practice of sooth-saying, which was opposed to prophethood, for good. Accordingly, there is now no trace of this kind of sooth-saying in the world, which existed before the revelation of Qur’an and the termination of prophethood. Today the sooth-saying that exists is of the type of Palmistry and Astrology, and these present day Sooth-Sayers claim to reveal the destiny of men.
In Surah Jinn, the statement of jinns themselves has been recorded as under:
“We had sought the heaven but had found it filled with strong warders and meteors, and we used to sit on place (high) therein to listen. But he who listened now finds a flame in wait for him.” (Surah Jinn,7 to 9)
When this flight of the jinns is to the area near the borders of the heaven, it is obvious that the flaming fire is sent in their pursuit in that region only, and from the statement of Qur’an it is clear ‘that this flaming fire is released from the stars (planets):
“And verily We have beautified the world’s heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils.” -(Al-Mulk 5).
In other words, this flame-throwing to prevent the flight of jinns and the devil to the heavens takes place at a very great height in the regions of the stars. Therefore, from the reference to meteors in the Qur’an it would not be correct to presume that these are the meteors which fall down from a height of about 50 miles from the earth daily, because when these meteors do not prevent men from flying up to the moon, then how can they prevent jinns or devils flight? And when man can fly up to the moon, then why jinns cannot fly beyond that?
17. The purpose of this statement is to show that as the signs of Allah’s power, wisdom and Lordship are spread out in the heavens in the same way His signs are spread out on the earth also. The earth produces various kinds of things, but in appropriate proportions. If only corns were produced, then men would have longed for fruits, and if only fruits were produced, then men would have longed for corns. But it is the creative wonder of man’s Creator that He has produced various kinds of produce according to the taste that he gave to men, and He has created them in such proportions which satisfies man’s needs and nature. What a clear sign is this of Allah’s Lordship and wisdom.
18. There are innumerable animals walking and creeping on the land and there are countless birds flying in the air for whose subsistence man does not and cannot provide food, but their Lord directly provides it. Looking to this all-pervading universal system of maintenance can anyone nurse even the slightest doubt about the Lordship of Allah!
19. When the human population on the earth was limited, the produce of the earth at that time was also limited. But today when the population has risen to billions, the produce of the earth has also increased tremendously. It is a clear proof of the fact that Allah has the treasures of everything and He produces them according to a definite plan. The quantity of air, water, corns, fruits, etc., used by such a vast masses of humanity is limitless, but this has not caused any shortage in the treasures of Allah.
20. Allah causes such winds to blow as carry rain-laden clouds. These clouds provide rain-water which men and animals use for drinking. This system of rainfall has made the availability of water very easy for men, otherwise it was not easy for them to store very large quantities of water for their drinking purpose, which would last them for the whole life.
21. When a man dies, he leaves behind him properties and wealth. Though his relatives are his inheritors, but only in an artificial way, because their being inheritors depends on the will of Allah. Therefore, in reality Allah is the real inheritor of all that property. And a more clear reality is the fact that on the Doomsday when the bugle will be sounded and the entire mankind will pass away from this earth, leaving behind all wealth and property, which will go to Allah. Therefore, Allah is the inheritor of all wealth and property, that is He is the Master and Owner of everything.
22. That is: It is not at all difficult for Allah to have an account of all the humans that are born up to the Day of Resurrection, for He knows all those who have died and He also knows those that will come afterwards. An individual, whether of the past, present or future, Allah’s knowledge covers him and all, and no error can creep in His knowledge.
23. His attribute of wisdom demands that Allah should gather all humans before Him one day, and when He is All-Knowing, then it is not possible that He would be unaware of the doings of each individual.
24. How did man’s existence come about on this earth? This is a very important question which concerns not only man’s history but also the reality of his existence. And it is necessary for man to know the reality of his own existence so that he may carry on the life’s journey in full light of knowledge. Qur’an has provided a clear answer to this question here and at other places. The under mentioned realities come out of the statement made by Qur’an in this respect:
First, man has not come into existence automatically as an accident, but was created by the Creator of the universe according to His definite wise planning.
Secondly, Man has been created from clay, and the details of his creation are that man’s frame was made out of rotten clay, and when it dried up and became a statue of dry, sounding clay, life was breathed in it.
Thirdly, creation of the best creature from the rotten clay is the proof of the perfect artistry of the Creator. He can transform the lowest particle of dust into a blazing sun.
Fourthly, when man is created out of the rotten clay, it does not behove him to walk proudly and act vainly. His is the place of meekness and humbleness before Allah, because he is the created one and Allah is the Creator, and he is merely a slave and not god.
These realities refute the theory of Darwin that man has descended from ape. The fact is that there is no foolproof argument in favour of this theory, and that this is only a result of guess work. In the face of the statement of the Creator, the guess work of the created person, however big a thinker he may be, is false and absolutely wrong. When the Creator of man has clearly stated that He has created man from clay, then not to give importance to this statement and to be influenced and impressed by the statement of a thinker that man has descended from ape, is obviously a foolish act, which might befit an ape and not a man.
It is noteworthy that in the Torah also it is stated that man was created from clay:
“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living being.” Gen 2:7)
In other words, the Statement of the Torah is in harmony with the statement of Qur’an, however Qur’an has provided further information as to the kind of the clay used, and how man’s form was moulded.
27. And before this We created the Jinn from the flame of scorching wind .25
28. And when your Lord addressed the angels: “Verily, I am going to create man from sounding clay, of rotten loam:
29. So when I have fashioned him properly26 and breathed into him of My spirit,27 then fall down prostrating yourselves before him.”
30. So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together.28
31. Except Iblis,29 he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.
32. (Allah) asked: “O Iblis! What ails you, that you are not among those who prostrated themselves?”
33. He replied: “I am not one to prostrate myself before man whom You created from dried sounding clay of rotten loam.”30
34. (Allah) said: “Then get out from here, for verily you are accursed.31”
35. And verily the curse will be upon you till the Day of Judgment”.32
36. He said: “My Lord! Reprieve me till the Day of Resurrection”.
37. (Allah) said: “Verily, you are of those reprieved”.33
38. “Till the day of the appointed time.”34
39. (Iblis) said: “My Lord! Because you have sent me astray,35 verily I will adorn (wrong acts) for them in the world and will mislead (everyone) of them36 all.
40. Except your chosen slaves among them.”37
25. As in the foregoing ayah the word ‘alinsan’ means the first man, who was created from clay and from then onwards the generations of human race emerged, similarly in this ayah the word ‘al-jann’ means the first jinn, who was created from the flame of fire, and then onwards the generations of jinn emerged. The literal meaning of the word ‘jinn’ is ‘hidden, i.e. the hidden creatures. Since jinn have been created from intangible material, they are not visible to us. By giving information about these creatures Allah has not only added to our knowledge but also informed us about our hidden enemy— Iblis, who belongs to the group of jinns.
It is not correct to deny the existence of jinn because we are unable to see them, when the information about their existence is being given by the Creator who has created us and also the jinns. There are innumerable things in the world about whose existence men knew nothing before the invention of microscope and telescope, for example, man did not know that there were creatures like germs, which enter men’s blood stream and cause a number of diseases.
It is remarkable that there is no elucidation about the creation of jinns in the Torah, but Qur’an has added to the knowledge of men by providing some elucidation about their creation. It contradicts the charge of the opponents that Qur’an is a copy of the Torah.
26. That is: (Wait till) I may give it a human shape and give it final touches.
27. In this ayah a very important reality has been narrated concerning the creation of man, and that is man’s existence is not merely material or of matter alone, but it is a compound of matter and spirit. This spirit is a gossamer, intangible thing, which has the attributes of knowledge, intelligence, speech and distinguishing between good and evil, and because of this very characteristic man has been declared as the best of all creatures. In other words, this is the internal man who sees, hears, speaks and understands. Eyes, ears, tongue, and brain are mere instruments and means or agents, and so long as man does not realize this reality about himself, he cannot get to the objective of his existence. Materialists who consider man to be a mere bundle of flesh and skin degrade man from his high position, who then becomes a mere economic animal.
It should be noted that the reference in the ayah to breathing spirit into the frame of man showing the relation of the spirit to Allah is merely for bestowing honour to man, it does not mean that a part of godhood has been injected into man. Allah is free from and above the possibility of anything going out of Him or anything being transferred from Him. He is Unique and Alone having no part, nor can anything be like Him (Surah Ikhlas). As in the Qur’an a reference to the House of Ka’ba (Baitullah ) in relation to Allah is for expressing honour for the place and it does not mean that Allah is confined in that house. In the same way here the relationship of the spirit with Allah is made to express honour and greatness. To understand the correct meaning of an ayah it is absolutely necessary to take into consideration the occasion where it has been stated, and also the various instructions and basic realities which Qur’an has been giving from time to time.
28. This has been explained in Surah Baqarah Note No.47
29. This has been explained in Surah Baqarah, Note No.48
30. On this occasion Note No. 16, Surah A’raf be kept in view.
31. Please see Surah A’raf Note No.17
32. You will be deprived of good and mercy till the Doomsday, and on the Doomsday the judgment will be given and punishment awarded.
33. It has been explained in Note No.18, Surah A’raf.
34. That is: Till the Day of Resurrection.
35. It has been explained in Surah A’raf, Note No.19
36. That is: I will present the world before them in such an alluring and beautiful way that they will forget God and the Hereafter and I will entice them in such a way that they will follow me.
37. That is: My magic will have no effect on those of your slaves whom you have made especially devoted to Yourself, which means that with Allah’s guidance they have lived as His slaves exclusively, and this guidance is received by only those who make themselves deserving of it.
41. He said: “This is the path that leads straight to Me.”38
42. “Verily over My slaves you will have no authority,39 except the astray who follow you.40
43. And verily Hell is the promised place for them all.41
44. It has seven gates; for each gate a portion of them will be reserved.42
45. Verily those who fear Allah43 will be amidst gardens (Paradise) and water-springs.44
46. Enter them in peace, secure.
47. And We will remove whatever rancour may be in their breasts.45 They will be face to face, as brethren, on thrones.
48. They will feel no fatigue there,46 nor will they be expelled from there.
49. Inform My slaves47 that verily I am the oft- Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
50. And that My punishment is the most grievous torment .48
51. And tell them about the guests of Ibrahim.49
52. When they50 entered unto him and said: “Peace be on you.”51 He replied: “Verily, we are afraid of you.”52
53. They said: “Do not fear, we give you glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge.”53
54. He said: “Do you give me glad tidings (of a son) when old age has overtaken me? Of what then is your glad tidings! “54
55. They said: “We give you glad tidings of in truth, so do not despair.”
38. By the straight path is meant the path of Allah’s devoted and favourite slaves, as is clear from the foregoing and the following verses, and in the Surah Fatiha this path has been described as “the path of those whom Allah has blessed”. This is the path of monotheism (Tawheed) and of Allah’s obedience and devotedness to Him, which is Islam. The meaning of this path leading up to Allah is that by following this path a man can find God, and there is no other path which can lead man up to God.
39. That is: Those who would remain sincere slaves of Allah, Satan will not be able to mislead them. It thus becomes clear that the task of Satan is merely to prompt men or to entice them to do evil acts. If a man really wants to become righteous, then Satan cannot force him to go astray.
40. Prey to Devil’s deception will be only those who have deviated from the path, i.e. those who have placed themselves at the mercy of their desires and have begun following devil. ‘Ghava’ deviating or going stray means following the dictates of one’s carnal desires and to indulge in ignorant acts, which is going astray.
41. However big their number may be.
42. Straying and sinning are of different kinds, e.g. non-belief in God, polytheism, hypocrisy, killing, illegal sex, etc. Therefore, the punishment for them will also be different. The ayah hints that the gates of the Hell are different according to the nature of the punishment to be given. On the Day of Judgment, the guilty will be grouped in various groups on the basis of their straying and sins, and each group will enter the Hell from the gate reserved for that group according to the punishment to be received by it.
43. The foregoing verses show that by those who fear Allah are meant those righteous slaves of Allah who abstain from following Satan and adopt the path of Allah’s obedience and worship.
44. On the Day of Judgment those who fear Allah will be asked to enter the gardens of Paradise where springs of invigorating water will be flowing. Enter with peace, being safe in every way and secure means without fear of any kind, i.e. fully assured of the future that these blessings will not be snatched away from them and they will be enjoying them forever.
45. That is; Their hearts will have been made clean and purified. In the environment of the Paradise there will not be any hatred, rancour, jealousy or such other ill feelings in their hearts. Whatever ill feeling they might have had in the world will have been cleared out from their hearts. Therefore, they will meet each other with such feelings of love and friendliness as if they are hand and glove.
46. The life in Paradise will be quite different from the life in the world. There men will not be required to put in any labour nor will they feel any fatigue or tiredness, nor will they ever be bored.
In a hadith, the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) has stated:
“A caller will announce that you will now be healthy and will never fall ill, and you will live forever and will never die, and will ever remain young and will never grow old, and you will always be enjoying and you will never grieve.”
(Muslim, Kitab Ahwalul Qiyamah).
47. The address is to the Prophet.
48. Where His slaves are supposed to know that Allah if Oft-Forgiving and the Most Merciful, there they should not forget that His punishment is also most painful. Remembering both these points would make life full of hope and fear. Contrary to this, those who forget the punishment of Allah go on committing sin after sin and rely on vague wishes and willful thinking.
49. This event has been narrated in Surah Hood, ayat Nos. 69 to 76, which, with their explanatory notes, should be kept in view on this occasion.
50. These were angels, who had come in human form to Prophet Ibrahim.
51. This has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No.97.
52. This has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No.99.
53. This glad tidings was about the birth of (Prophet) Ishaq. It further gave him the good news that the son will be a learned man, as if this was a hint that the son would be blessed with prophethood. For further explanation, please see Note No.101, Surah Hood.
54. Since Prophet Ibrahim had become very old at that time, he was amazed to hear the glad tidings that he would be blessed with a son at that age.
56. He said: “And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?”55
57. (Ibrahim) asked: “O Messengers! then What is your errand?”56
58. They said: “We have been sent to a guilty People.57
59. Except the family, of Loot. All of them we will save.58
60. Except his wife,59 of whom We had decreed60 that she should be of those who stay behind.61
61. And when the messengers came to the family of Loot.62
62. He said: “You appear to be strangers.”
63. They said: “Nay, but we have come to you with that about which they have doubt.63
64. And we have brought you the truth, and verily we tell the truth:
65. So travel with your family in a part of the night and keep yourself in the rear,64 and let none of you look back,65 but go on to where you are commanded.”
66. And we made this decree known to him that their (sinners)root will be cut off by the morning.66
67. And the inhabitants of the city came rejoicing.67
68. (Loot) said: “Verily these are my guests,68 do not disgrace me.69”
69. And fear Allah, and do not shame me.”
70. They said: “Did we not forbid you from (entertaining) strangers.” 70
71. Loot said: “Here are my daughters (for honourable purpose), if you must act (so)”.71
55. It shows that to despair of Allah’s mercy is straying. A true faithful (Momin) always expects Allah to be merciful towards him, and never despairs of His blessings and favours.
56. Appearance of angels in the form of humans can be for some important work only, and for that reason Prophet Ibrahim inquired about their important errand.
57. That is: They have been sent to the nation of Loot, which was a guilty nation. Their specific guilt was homosexuality, or indulgence of males in sexual acts with males. In Surah A’raf, ayat Nos. 80 to 84, a brief chronicle of Loot is narrated. Besides, in Surah Hood, verses Nos. 77 to 83 also this event has been described. On this occasion these ayat with their explanatory notes should be kept in view.
58. That is: The people of Loot’s family have embraced the faith and they are not guilty. therefore, they will be spared this punishment that is going to overtake the nation of Loot.
59. For explanation, see Surah A’raf Note No. 132, and Surah Hood, Note No. 117.
60. This is not the saying of the angels but that of Allah, which has been communicated through the agency of the angels. Accordingly, in Surah An-Naml, ayah No.57, this very saying has been narrated in the words of Allah:
“Then We saved him and his household except his wife; We destined, her to be of those who stayed behind.”
61. For explanation, see Surah Hood, Note.No.117
62. The angels had gone to Loot in the form of men, and from the narration in the Qur’an it appears that they appeared as handsome young men. That is why Prophet Loot thought that they were strangers who had come from outside his country and wanted to be his guests. Since that nation was to be put to a test, Allah had sent the angels in that form and for this good reason they did not disclose their identity to him. However subsequently they informed him of their true identity.
63. That is: They have brought punishment from Allah about which they were expressing their doubts. The angels informed Loot about this at the time when his house was surrounded by the people, as is narrated at another place.
64. The command to walk in the rear of the kinsfolk was given so that none of his kinsfolk returned home or looked back. Besides, there was a chance to test whether his home people would follow the command of Allah and walk on even if when they would not find the Prophet in front of them.
65. It has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No. 116.
66. That is: They will be completely destroyed.
67. That is: The inhabitants of the city reached Loot’s house when they learnt of the arrival of beautiful young men at the place. They were rejoicing at the prospect of getting victims for their nefarious acts.
68. Till then the angels had not disclosed their identity before Prophet Loot. The sayings of the angels, quoted in ayat Nos. 63 to 65 above, pertain to the time when the citizens had surrounded the house of Loot, who felt very anxious seeing the honour of his guest at stake.
69. That is: If you would elope with my guest, it would be very shameful for me.
70. That is: We had forbidden you to entertain any outsider or stranger males, then why did you invite these young men. It exposes the hooliganism of the community of Loot: they were not prepared to tolerate any of their countrymen entertaining with feeling of humanity male strangers in his house.
71. That is: If you want to satisfy your lust in a permissible way, then you have your wives at home. What is the meaning of giving up a natural and permissible way and adopting an unnatural and unlawful way? Prophet Loot drew the attention of his people towards this fact in a very dignified and civilized manner. This is the reason why he called the daughters of his community as his own daughters. For further explanation, please see Surah Hood, Note No.110.
72. By your life verily in their wild intoxication they are moving blindly.72
73. Then the dreadful sound overtook them at the time of sunrise.
74. Then We turned that township upside down, and We rained upon them stones of baked clay.73
75. Verily there are big signs for those who read the signs intelligently.74
76. And verily this (destroyed city) is on a highway.
75
77. Surely therein is a sign for the believers.76
78. And (behold) the inhabitants of Aika were indeed wrong-doers.”77
79. So We took vengeance on them. And verily both (these townships) are on an open highway.78
80. And verily the inhabitants of Al-Hijr79 (the rocky tract) also belied the messengers of (Allah)80.
81. And We showed them Our signs, but they were averse to them.81
82. And they used to hew out dwellings from the mountains, peacefully.82
83. Then suddenly one morning the dreadful sound overtook them.83
84. So whatever they had earned was of no avail to them.”84
85. And we did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with truth,85 and verily the Hour (of Doom) is surely coming. So overlook their faults, with gracious forgiveness.86
86. Verily, your Lord! He is the All-Wise Creator.
72. On this occasion when Loot’s last advice also did not impress his community, Allah comforted him by saying that your whole life is an evidence of the fact that you have not spared any pains for bringing in reform in your community, but these people are so wicked that they are not prepared to act on your advice and they have been so much overcome by their lust that their intelligence is paralysed and they have become like blind men. Now they have been destined to receive their punishment.
It should be noted that on such occasions in Arabic an oath means giving witness and it is considered a fine style of speech.
73. This has been explained in Surah Hood, Note No.119.
74. For explanation, please see Surah Hood, Notes Nos. 147 and 148.
75. The region of Sodom and Gomorrah where the nation of Loot lived lies between Hijaz and Syria, and it was situated on the highway which was used by the trade caravans.
76. Sign of the fact that eventually mercy of Allah goes to the lot of the faithful and real honour and supremacy is their eventual reward.
77. “Aika” means thick trees. The region near Madiyan was full of trees with thick foliage, which was inhabited by the nation of Shuaib. Therefore, that nation was called the ‘People of Aika’. The chronicle of the community of Shuaib is narrated in Surah A’raf and Surah Hood. For explanation, Surah A’raf Note No. 134 to 149, and Surah Hood Notes Nos. 122 to 140 may be seen.
78. The highway which goes from Hijaz to Syria and Palestine had the ruins of the colonies of the people of Aika and the nation of Loot. Their ruins provide a lesson to the people passing over this highway.
So far as the nation of Shuaib is concerned, their ruins still exist, but the townships of the nation of Loot-Sodom and Gomorrah-are now converted into sea, which is known as the Dead Sea. This region is four hundred meters below sea level, which seems to be the result of an earthquake. A few years ago on the shores some ruins were discovered (See Qasasul Ambiya- Abdul Wahab Najar; page 113).
79. Hijr is the name of a valley, which lies in the north of Madina on the way going to Tabuk. Here the nation Thamud lived, and its central place was Madain Salih. The ruins of its destruction still exist. On the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk the Prophet and his army passed from here. On this occasion he had directed his companions to pass from here crying. -(Bukhari-Kitabut Tafseer).
80. The dawah (message) of Prophet Salih was the same as that of the other prophets, therefore, denying them was denying other prophets.
81. The chronicle of Thamud is narrated in Surah A’raf and Surah Hood. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf, Note No. 115 to 126, and Surah Hood, Notes Nos. 86 to 95.
82. That is: They used to pass away precious moments of their lives in building magnificent dwelling places and enjoying worldly pleasures. They had made world as their goal and had no thought for being answerable to God.
83. Explained in Surah A’raf Note No. 123.
84. That is: The strong houses that they had built for their security could not help them, and their entire wealth, all achievements and their complete civilization was totally destroyed.
85. This has been explained in Surah An’am, Note No. 124.
86. That is: When the Doomsday is sure to come, then O Prophet! you need not worry about the irresponsible and insulting talk of your opponents as they, along with the entire mankind will have to answer for all their misdeeds. They will see what fate awaits them. You should forgive them graciously, that is with gentleness.
87. By the mention of these two attributes of Allah, the purpose is to refute the objection of the deniers and to prove that the occurrence of Doomsday is not impossible. This universe is the manifestation of the attribute of Allah’s creativity. Therefore, it is not at all difficult for him to recreate the world and revive mankind and cause the Hereafter to occur. Then how can the Creator be unaware of the doings of His creatures? Therefore, the fact that Allah is the Creator and All- Wise is an undeniable reality. And when He is All-Knowing, it is not at all difficult for Him to take the account of the billions and trillions of humans on the Day of Judgment.
87. And indeed We have granted you seven of the oft-repeated aayat (verses) and the great Qur’an.88
88. Do not look ambitiously towards what We have granted to certain groups of them,89 nor grieve over them,90 and lower your wings (in tenderness) for the believers.91
89. And say: “Indeed, I am a clear warner,”
90. (We have sent down this Book), as We sent down on dividers.92
91. Those who broke (their) Qur’an into parts.93
92. So by your Lord,94 We will surely question them all.
93. For all that they used to do .95
94. So proclaim openly that which you are commanded, and turn away from the polytheists.96
95. Verily We are sufficient for the scoffers.
96. Those who set up another god along with Allah. Soon they will come to know.97
97. And we indeed know that your bosom is straitened at what they say.98
98. So recite the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves before Him.99
99. And worship your Lord 100 until the hour that is certain comes.101
88. The Arabic words used here mean seven oft-repeated verses. In the old and reliable Arabic dictionary, ‘Sihah Jauhari’ the word ‘mathani’ used here is shown to mean that which is repeated:
“The opening surah of the Quran is called ‘Mathani’, because it is repeated in every rak’at of the prayer.” -(As-Sihah, p. 2296).
And it is proved by a sahih hadith that it refers to Surah Fatiha:
“Abu Hurairah (R.) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said that ‘Ummul Qur’an’ is the seven oft-repeated ayat and also the Great Qur’an. “- (Bukhari, Kitabut Tafseer).
Surah Fatiha is composed of seven ayat and is the most important part of the salat. Accordingly in every rak’at Surah Fatiha is recited essentially. ‘Sab’an min-al-mathani’ is that introduction of Surah Fatiha in a few words which, besides presenting its oft-repeated aspect also points to the fact that in it are hidden seven seas of meaning and spiritual wealth. With this opening surah of wealth like pearls and diamonds is given the priceless treasure of Qur’an.
Compared to the spiritual wealth, what is the value of the material wealth, which has come to the lot of the atheists’ people, and when there are so many tests attached to it?
89. Although in the ayah the address is to the Prophet who has been directed that when Allah has blessed him with the wealth of Qur’an, he should not cast even a casual glance toward the worldly wealth which has been given to the worldly people, there is a roundabout for every man who has been blessed with the wealth of Qur’an.
90. That is: When these worshippers of mammon want to be happy with their wealth and are not prepared to appreciate this blessing which Allah has sent down in the form of Qur’an, there is no use in feeling sorry for them. They deserve to be deprived of this great blessing.
91. That is: Appreciate those people, who though deprived of the worldly wealth, have been blessed with the wealth of faith. Only such people deserve your favours and mercy.
92. Points towards the Jews, who had effected divisions in Divine Scriptures. The verse means that Qur’an is not the first book which has been sent down to you, but before this also, divine scriptures were being sent. As Allah had sent down a divine book to a branch of the descendents of Ibrahim, Bani Israil, similarly He had sent down a Book on the other branch of the descendents of Ibrahim, Bani Ismail, and since Bani Israil did not keep and follow the religion in its original form, the revelation of Qur’an became necessary, so that the real religion of Allah may be conveyed to the people and its teachings may come out in their true and original form.
93. By their Qur’an is meant the divine scriptures of the Jews, the Torah, and by dividing this book into parts means effecting changes in it, changing its order, its misinterpretation, mixing their own explanation in it, concealing its one part in such a way that it totally disappeared, and some commands of the part which they displayed they followed and others they rejected openly.
94. The oath here expresses greatness and sanctity and adds emphasis to the statement.
95. The treatment that they have meted out to Allah’s Book and His religion is such that about it they will essentially have to give an answer on the Day of Judgment. Let nobody think that since they claim to believe in God and His Book, they will be let off without being tested, nay, their claim will be tested on the touchstone of action.
96. It was not an easy job to present the dawah of monotheism in the polytheistic environment of Makkah. In this connection the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) had to pass through a storm of oppositions, and this opposition had taken the shape of scoffing and mocking. But the Prophet was asked not to pay any heed to this scoffing and to go on with presenting openly the teaching which Allah had commanded him to present. This gives us a guidance that however polytheistic and idolatrous the environment may be, the men of faith should not hesitate in presenting the dawah of religion and its teachings, and they should not at all pay any heed to them, however distasteful it would be to the polytheists and the infidels.
97. That is: Soon the result of their misdeeds will come before them. At that time they will realize how they themselves have been responsible for bringing their own destruction by mocking at the Prophet and his teachings.
98. That is: O Prophet! Their scoffing and making fun of you is very hurtful and cause of anguish to you, but you should keep patience.
99. This is a direction to continue to believe in monotheism firmly and to be active in worshipping Allah.
100. Here worship means, as stated in the foregoing ayah, especially reciting praises of Allah and prostrating oneself before Him. The emphasis placed on this kind of worship during the Maccan period explains its priority and importance in religion.
101.That is: The hour of death, about whose coming there is no doubt. In a hadith too death has been termed as ‘yaqeen’ (certain). Accordingly on the death of Uthman bin Maz’oon, the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) stated: “Certainty (Yaqeen) has come to Uthman bin Maz’oon.” -(Bukhari, Kitabul Janaiz). The ayah means that be active in worshipping Allah till the hour of death.