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Towards Understanding the Quran - Tafheem ul Quran

Quran Translation & Commentary by Abul ala Maududi, English render by Zafar Ishaq Ansari
(Surah 1-46, 66-114),
Muhammad Akbar & A. A Kamal
(Surah 47-65)

Quran Translation
Word for Word by
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
& Kausar Khatri

Introduction
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 100. Al-'Adiyat
Verses [Section]: 1-11[1]

Quran Text of Verse 1-11
100. Al-'Adiyatبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِوَ الْعٰدِیٰتِBy the racersضَبْحًاۙpanting فَالْمُوْرِیٰتِAnd the producers of sparksقَدْحًاۙstriking فَالْمُغِیْرٰتِAnd the chargersصُبْحًاۙ(at) dawn فَاَثَرْنَThen raiseبِهٖtherebyنَقْعًاۙdust فَوَسَطْنَThen penetrate (in the) centerبِهٖtherebyجَمْعًاۙ(of) troops اِنَّIndeedالْاِنْسَانَmankindلِرَبِّهٖto his Lordلَكَنُوْدٌۚ(is) surely ungrateful وَ اِنَّهٗAnd indeed heعَلٰیtoذٰلِكَthatلَشَهِیْدٌۚsurely (is) a witness وَ اِنَّهٗAnd indeed he (is)لِحُبِّin (the) loveالْخَیْرِ(of) wealthلَشَدِیْدٌؕ(is) surely intense اَفَلَاBut does notیَعْلَمُhe knowاِذَاwhenبُعْثِرَwill be scatteredمَاwhatفِی(is) inالْقُبُوْرِۙthe graves 100. Al-'Adiyat Page 600وَ حُصِّلَAnd is made apparentمَاwhatفِی(is) inالصُّدُوْرِۙthe breasts اِنَّIndeedرَبَّهُمْtheir Lordبِهِمْabout themیَوْمَىِٕذٍthat Dayلَّخَبِیْرٌ۠(is) surely All-Aware
Translation of Verse 1-11
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(100:1) By (the horses) that charge snorting,1

(100:2) then raise sparks of fire (by their hoofs),2

(100:3) then raid by the dawn,3

(100:4) and blaze a trail of dust,

(100:5) and penetrate deep into a host.

(100:6) Verily man is most ungrateful to his Lord;4

(100:7) and he himself is a witness to that,5

(100:8) and surely he loves riches with a passionate loving.6

(100:9) Is he not aware that when whatever lies (buried) in the graves is overthrown;7

(100:10) and the secrets of the hearts are laid bare (and examined)?8

(100:11) Surely on that Day will their Lord be fully informed about them.9


Commentary

1. The verse speaks of only the charges, without specifying them as charging horses. Accordingly, there is some difference of opinion as to the meaning of this word. Some Companions and Successors take it as an allusion to horses, while others identify camels on this count. Most scholars, however, prefer the former interpretation, for what the following verses describe about these charges — their snorting, their raising sparks of fire from their hooves, and their blazing a trail of dust while raiding, all of which is more applicable to horses. Ibn Jarir contends: “Of the two views, the one specifying horses is preferable. For only horses, not camels snort, and Allah mentions in particular their snorting in the verse.” Imam Razi affirms: “The import of the verse is loud and clear: only horses snort, and raise sparks of fire from their hooves and it is easier and more practical to employ horses for raids.”

2. This indicates their charging at night. For the sparks of fire raised by their hooves are visible only at night.

3. Raiding by night was a fairly common practice among Arabs in order to catch. victims unaware. They mounted their attacks ' - however at early dawn, as things became visible, knowing too that this was a good time to avoid detection and retaliation by their victims.

4. That man is ungrateful to his Lord is brought home with the help of the oath to the horses “that charge snorting, raise - sparks of fire (from their hooves), raid by the dawn and blaze a trail of dust and penetrate deep into the host,” (Verses 1-5). Surprisingly enough, most Qur’anic scholars relate the above account to the horses of Muslim warriors, that penetrate deep into the unbelievers’ army. However, the main truth adduced in this passage is man’s ingratitude to his Lord. The charging horses of Muslim warriors and their attacks on the unbelievers’ army has nothing to do with this truth. Nor does the thrust of the following verses about man’s love of wealth fit in with the reference to Muslim warriors. Therefore, it must be realized that Verses 1-5 of this Surah underscore the rampant lawlessness and bloodshed in the then Arabia. In the Jahiliyah period, people dreaded night in that they apprehended raids. Only by morning did they feel relieved. Not only were Arab tribes engaged in internecine feuds, they used: to conduct raids for robbing one another of their wealth and cattle and for enslaving their women and children. As horses were used in these raids, Allah cites the same as the manifestation of man’s ingratitude to Him. He did not grant man powers, faculties and resources for waging war and for shedding blood. This abuse of power betrays man’s ingratitude. He abuses divine bounties for causing corruption on earth, which is loathed by Allah.

5. Man’s own conscience, his misdeeds and the unbelievers’ utterances testify to their ungratefulness. They openly deny Allah’s existence, what to speak of acknowledging His favors to them and expressing gratitude for these.

6. The verse speaks of man’s passionate love of riches. It is worth clarifying: that the word khayr does not-mean goodness only; rather, it connotes wealth as well. In the latter sense, it is also employed in Verse 180 of al-Baqarah. The context determines its meaning as goodness or wealth. In the present verse, it evidently refers to riches. The whole account is about the ungrateful man whose misconduct betrays his ingratitude: he has no inclination towards good.

7. The dead will be brought back to life from their burial places.

8. Even the secrets of the heart and man’s innermost motives, considerations and concerns behind his actions will be laid bare on the Day of Judgement in order to distinguish good from evil. In other words, divine Judgement will not be based on appearances; it will take into account man’s innermost secrets and motives for his actions. On reflection, one recognizes that full and real justice will be dispensed only in the Hereafter. The atheistic laws operating in this world recognize, in principle, the importance of one’s intention underlying an act, but not the act itself. However, no court in this world has the means to ascertain man’s true intention. Only Allah can assess man’s motives and recompense him accordingly. It also emerges from the verse that divine Judgement will not be on the basis of the knowledge that Allah already has about man’s intentions and motives. Rather, the secrets of man’s heart will be divulged and his good and evil will be established in the open and in a transparent manner. That is why the verse makes a pointed reference to the laying bare of the secrets of the heart. Tahsil signifies discerning and classifying. Thus, man’s actions will be laid bare and assessed in terms of their goodness and evil. This point occurs elsewhere in the Qur’an thus: “On that Day when man’s deepest secrets shall be put to the test,” (al-Tariq 86: 9).

9. Allah knows well everyone’s standing in terms of the rewards and punishment due to him.