ayah_text: And there came from the farthest end of the city a man, running. He said, "O my people, follow the messengers.

ayah_text_ar: وَجَآءَ مِنْ أَقْصَا ٱلْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

ayah_tafsir:
قَالَ يقَوْمِ اتَّبِعُواْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(He said: "O my people! Obey the Messengers.") -- he urged his people to follow the Messengers who had come to them.

اتَّبِعُواْ مَن لاَّ يَسْـَلُكُمْ أَجْراً

(Obey those who ask no wages of you,) means, \`for the Message which they convey to you, and they are rightly-guided in what they are calling you to, the worship of Allah Alone with no partner or associate.'

وَمَا لِىَ لاَ أَعْبُدُ الَّذِى فَطَرَنِى

(And why should I not worship Him Who has created me) means, \`and what is there to stop me from sincerely worshipping the One Who has created me, and worshipping Him Alone, with no partner or associate'

وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(and to Whom you shall be returned.) means, \`on the Day of Resurrection, when He will requite you for your deeds: if they are good then you will be rewarded and if they are evil then you will be punished.'

أَءَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِ ءَالِهَةً

(Shall I take besides Him gods) This is a rhetorical question intended to rebuke and chastise.

إِن يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَـنُ بِضُرٍّ لاَّ تُغْنِ عَنِّى شَفَـعَتُهُمْ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يُنقِذُونَ

(If the Most Gracious intends me any harm, their intercession will be of no use for me whatsoever, nor can they save me.) means, \`these gods whom you worship instead of Him possess no power whatsoever, if Allah wills me some harm,'

فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ

(none can remove it but He) (6:17). \`These idols can neither cause any harm nor bring any benefit, and they cannot save me from the predicament I am in.'

إِنِّى إِذاً لَّفِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

(Then verily, I should be in plain error.) means, \`if I were to take them as gods instead of Allah.'

إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ

(Verily, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!) Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ka\`b and Wahb, "He said to his people:

إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ

(\`Verily, I have believed in your Lord) in Whom you have disbelieved,

فَاسْمَعُونِ

(so listen to me!)' means, listen to what I say." Or it may be that he was addressing the Messengers when he said:

إِنِّى ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ

(Verily, I have believed in your Lord,) meaning, \`Who has sent you,'

فَاسْمَعُونِ

(so listen to me!) meaning, \`bear witness to that before Him.' This was narrated by Ibn Jarir, who said, "And others said that this was addressed to the Messengers, and he said to them: \`Listen to what I say and bear witness to what I say before my Lord, that I have believed in your Lord and have followed you.' This interpretation is more apparent, and Allah knows best. Ibn Ishaq said, quoting from what had reached him from Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Ka\`b and Wahb, \`When he said that, they turned on him as one, and killed him at once, and he had no one to protect him from that."' Qatadah said, "They started to stone him while he was saying, \`O Allah, guide my people for they do not know, and they kept stoning him until he died a violent death, and he was still praying for them.' May Allah have mercy on him."


ayah_text: Follow those who do not ask of you any payment, and they are rightly guided.

ayah_text_ar: ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَن لَّا يَسْـَٔلُكُمْ أَجْرًا وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

ayah_translator: Saheeh International

ayah_language: English

ayah_tafsir: MISSING

surah_name_english: Ya-Sin

surah_name_arab: يس

surah_revelation_place: Mecca

surah_meaning: Ya-Sin

surah_type: meccan

tafsir_language: English

tafsir_author: Hafiz Ibn Kathir

tafsir_name: Tafsir Ibn Kathir


ayah_text: And why should I not worship He who created me and to whom you will be returned?

ayah_text_ar: وَمَا لِىَ لَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ


ayah_text: Should I take other than Him false deities while, if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me?

ayah_text_ar: ءَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ بِضُرٍّ لَّا تُغْنِ عَنِّى شَفَـٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ


ayah_text: Indeed, I would then be in manifest error.

ayah_text_ar: إِنِّىٓ إِذًا لَّفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ


ayah_text: Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me."

ayah_text_ar: إِنِّىٓ ءَامَنتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَٱسْمَعُونِ


ayah_text: It was said, "Enter Paradise." He said, "I wish my people could know

ayah_text_ar: قِيلَ ٱدْخُلِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ

("Enter Paradise.") so he entered it with all its bountiful provision, when Allah had taken away from him all the sickness, grief and exhaustion of this world. Mujahid said, "It was said to Habib An-Najjar, \`Enter Paradise.' This was his right, for he had been killed. When he saw the reward,

قَالَ يلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ

(He said: "Would that my people knew...")." Qatadah said, "You will never find a believer but he is sincere and is never insincere. When he saw with his own eyes how Allah had honored him, he said:

قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ \- بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

(He said: "Would that my people knew that my Lord has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!") He wished that his people could know about what he was seeing with his own eyes of the honor of Allah." Ibn \`Abbas said, "He was sincere towards his people during his lifetime by saying,

يقَوْمِ اتَّبِعُواْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

(O my people! Obey the Messengers), and after his death by saying:

قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يلَيْتَ قَوْمِى يَعْلَمُونَ \- بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

(Would that my people knew that my Lord (Allah) has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!) This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from \`Asim Al-Ahwal from Abu Mijlaz:

بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

(That my Lord has forgiven me, and made me of the honored ones!) "Because of my faith in my Lord and my belief in the Messengers." He meant that if they could see the great reward and everlasting blessings that he had attained, this would lead them to follow the Messengers. May Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him, for he was so keen that his people should be guided.

وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِن جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ

(And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven, nor was it needful for Us to send.) Allah tells us that He took revenge on his people after they had killed him because He, may He be blessed and exalted, was angry with them, for they had disbelieved in His Messengers and killed His close friend. Allah tells us that He did not send an army of angels, nor did He need to send them, to destroy these people; the matter was simpler than that. This was the view of Ibn Mas\`ud, according to the reports of Ibn Ishaq from some of his companions concerning the Ayah:

وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِن جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ

(And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven, nor was it needful for Us to send.) He said: "\`We did not seek to outnumber them, for the matter was simpler than that."

إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَـمِدُونَ

(It was but one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still.) He said, "So Allah destroyed that tyrant king, and destroyed the people of Antioch, and they disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving no trace behind. It was said that the words

وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ

(nor was it needful for Us to send (such a thing).) mean, \`We did not send the angels against the nations when We destroyed them; all We did was to send the punishment to destroy them.' It was said that the words:

وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى قَوْمِهِ مِن بَعْدِهِ مِن جُندٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ

(And We sent not against his people after him an army from the heaven,) mean, another Message to them. This was the view of Mujahid and Qatadah. Qatadah said, "Allah did not rebuke his people after they killed him,

إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَـمِدُونَ

(It was but one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still)." Ibn Jarir said, "The former view is more correct, because the Message does not need to be brought by an army." The scholars of Tafsir said, "Allah sent Jibril, peace be upon him, to them, and he seized the pillars at the gate of their city, then he hurled one Sayhah upon them and lo! they (all) were still, to the last man among them, and no soul was left in any body." We have already referred to the reports from many of the Salaf that this city was Antioch, and that these three Messengers were messengers sent from the Messiah \`Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him, as Qatadah and others stated. This is not mentioned by any of the later scholars of Tafsir besides him, and this issue must be examined from a number of angles. (The first) is that if we take this story at face value, it indicates that these men were Messengers from Allah, may He be glorified, not from the Messiah, peace be upon him, as Allah says:

إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ فَقَالُواْ إِنَّآ إِلَيْكُمْ مُّرْسَلُونَ

(When We sent to them two Messengers, they denied them both; so We reinforced them with a third, and they said: "Verily, we have been sent to you as Messengers.") up to:

قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ إِنَّآ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ \- وَمَا عَلَيْنَآ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ

("Our Lord knows that we have been sent as Messengers to you. And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message).") If they had been from among the Disciples, they would have said something to indicate that they had come from the Messiah, peace be upon him. And Allah knows best. Moreover, if they had been messengers sent by the Messiah, why would the people have said to them,

إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا

("You are only human beings like ourselves") (The second) is that the people of Antioch did believe in the messengers sent by the Messiah to them. Antioch was the first city to believe in the Messiah, and it is one of the four cities in which there are Christian patriarchs. These cities are: Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Messiah; Antioch, because it was the first city where all of the people believed in the Messiah; Alexandria, because it was in that city that they agreed to reform the hierarchy of patriarchs, metropolitans (archbishops), bishops, priests, deacons and monks; and Rome, because it is the city of the Emperor Constantine who supported and helped to establish their religion. When he adopted Constantinople as his city, the Patriarch of Rome moved there, as has been mentioned by several historian, such as Sa\`id bin Batriq and others, both People of the Book and Muslims. If we accept that, then the people of Antioch were the first to believe, but Allah tells us that the people of this town rejected His Messengers and that He destroyed them with one Sayhah and lo! they (all) were still. And Allah knows best. (The third) is that the story of Antioch and the Disciples of the Messiah happened after the Tawrah had been revealed. Abu Sa\`id Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, and others among the Salaf stated that after revealing the Tawrah, Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, did not destroy an entire nation by sending a punishment upon them. Rather, He commanded the believers to fight the idolators. They mentioned this when discussing the Ayah:

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ مِن بَعْدِ مَآ أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاٍّولَى

(And indeed We gave Musa -- after We had destroyed the generations of old -- the Scripture) (28:43). This implies that the city mentioned in the Qur'an is a city other than Antioch, as also stated by more than one of the Salaf. Or, if we wish to keep the same name, it is possible that it is another Antioch, not the one which is well-known, for it is not known that it (the famous Antioch) was destroyed, either during Christian times or before. And Allah knows best.


ayah_text: Of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored."

ayah_text_ar: بِمَا غَفَرَ لِى رَبِّى وَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُكْرَمِينَ


ayah_text: And We did not send down upon his people after him any soldiers from the heaven, nor would We have done so.

ayah_text_ar: ۞ وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ مِن جُندٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنزِلِينَ


ayah_text: It was not but one shout, and immediately they were extinguished.

ayah_text_ar: إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَـٰمِدُونَ


ayah_text: How regretful for the servants. There did not come to them any messenger except that they used to ridicule him.

ayah_text_ar: يَـٰحَسْرَةً عَلَى ٱلْعِبَادِ ۚ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## Woe to the Disbelievers!

\`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn \`Abbas commented on the Ayah:

يحَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ

(Alas for mankind!), this means, woe to mankind! Qatadah said:

يحَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ

(Alas for mankind!) means, "Alas for mankind, who have neglected the command of Allah." The meaning is that they will feel regret and sorrow on the Day of Resurrection. When they see the punishment with their own eyes; they will regret how they disbelieved the Messengers of Allah and went against the commands of Allah, for they used to disbelieve in them in this world.

مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

(There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him.) means, they disbelieved him and made fun of him, and rejected the message of truth with which he had been sent.

## The Refutation of the Belief in the Transmigration of Souls

Then Allah says:

أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ

(Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them Verily, they will not return to them.) meaning, \`do you not learn a lesson from those whom Allah destroyed before you of those who disbelieved in the Messengers They came to this world only once, and will not return to it.' It is not as many of those ignorant and immoral people claim that

إِنْ هِىَ إِلاَّ حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا

("There is nothing but our life of this world! We die and we live!") (23:37). This was the belief in the cycle of reincarnation; in their ignorance they believed that they would come back to this world as they had been before. But Allah refuted their false belief and said:

أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ

(Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them Verily, they will not return to them.) Allah's saying:

وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ

(And surely, all -- everyone of them will be brought before Us.) means, all of the past nations and those that are yet to come, will be gathered and brought to account before Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, on the Day of Judgement, and they will be requitted according to their good and evil deeds. This is like the Ayah:

وَإِنَّ كُـلاًّ لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ

(And verily, to each of them your Lord will repay their works in full.) (11:111).


ayah_text: Have they not considered how many generations We destroyed before them - that they to them will not return?

ayah_text_ar: أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ


ayah_text: And indeed, all of them will yet be brought present before Us.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ


ayah_text: And a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat.

ayah_text_ar: وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَـٰهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## Proof of the Creator of the Universe and of Life after Death

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says:

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ

(And a sign for them) means, evidence for them of the existence of the Creator and His perfect power and ability to resurrect the dead,

الاٌّرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ

(is the dead land.) means, when it is dead and arid, with no vegetation, then Allah sends water upon it, it is stirred (to life), and it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth). Allah says:

أَحْيَيْنَـهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبّاً فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ

(We give it life, and We bring forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof.) meaning, \`We have made it a provision for them and their cattle.'

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ

(And We have made therein gardens of date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.) means, \`We have created therein rivers which flow to the places where they are needed, so that they may eat of their fruits.' When Allah reminds them of the blessing that He bestows upon His creation by creating crops and plants, He mentions the different types and kinds of fruits. Allah says:

وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ

(and their hands made it not.) means, all of that could only come about by the mercy of Allah towards them, not by their own efforts and labor and strength. This was the view of Ibn \`Abbas and Qatadah. Allah says:

أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ

(Will they not then give thanks) meaning, will they not then give thanks for the innumerable blessings that He has bestowed upon them. Ibn Jarir, however, understood the word Ma to mean Alladhi (i.e., a relative pronoun). In this case the meaning of the Ayah would be that they eat from the fruits provided by Allah's bounty and from what their own hands have done, i.e., by planting the seeds and tending the plants. Ibn Jarir mentioned other possible interpretations in his Tafsir, but this is the interpretation that he favored. This interpretation also fits with the recitation of Ibn Mas\`ud: (لِيَأْكُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ وَمِمَّا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ) (So that they may eat of the fruit thereof -- and from what their own hands have done.) Then Allah says:

سُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى خَلَق الاٌّزْوَجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الاٌّرْضُ

(Glory be to Him Who has created all the pairs of that which the earth produces,) meaning, of crops and fruits and plants.

وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ

(as well as of their own (human) kind, ) means, He made them into male and female.

وَمِمَّا لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(and of that which they know not.) means, different kinds of creatures of which they know nothing. This is like the Ayah:

وَمِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَا زَوْجَيْنِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

(And of everything We have created pairs, that you may remember.) (51:49)


ayah_text: And We placed therein gardens of palm trees and grapevines and caused to burst forth therefrom some springs -

ayah_text_ar: وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـٰتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـٰبٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلْعُيُونِ


ayah_text: That they may eat of His fruit. And their hands have not produced it, so will they not be grateful?

ayah_text_ar: لِيَأْكُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ


ayah_text: Exalted is He who created all pairs - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.

ayah_text_ar: سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ


ayah_text: And a sign for them is the night. We remove from it the light of day, so they are left in darkness.

ayah_text_ar: وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ ٱلَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## Among the Signs of the Might and Power of Allah are the Night and Day, and the Sun and Moon

يُغْشِى الَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا

(He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly) (7:54). Allah says here:

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ

(And a sign for them is the night. We withdraw therefrom the day,) meaning, \`We take it away from it, so it goes away and the night comes.' Allah says:

فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ

(and behold, they are in darkness.) As it says in the Hadith:

«إِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللَّيْلُ مِنْ ههُنَا، وَأَدْبَرَ النَّهَارُ مِنْ ههُنَا، وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ، فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِم»

(When the night comes from here, and the day departs from here, and the sun has set, then the fasting person should break his fast.) This is the apparent meaning of the Ayah. Allah's saying:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing) There are two views over the meaning of the phrase

لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا

(on its fixed course for a term (appointed). ) (The first view) is that it refers to its fixed course of location, which is beneath the Throne, beyond the earth in that direction. Wherever it goes, it is beneath the Throne, it and all of creation, because the Throne is the roof of creation and it is not a sphere as many astronomers claim. Rather it is a dome supported by legs or pillars, carried by the angels, and it is above the universe, above the heads of people. When the sun is at its zenith at noon, it is in its closest position to Throne, and when it runs in its fourth orbit at the opposite point to its zenith, at midnight, it is in its furthest position from the Throne. At that point it prostrates and asks for permission to rise, as mentioned in the Hadiths. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I was with the Prophet in the Masjid at sunset, and he said: :

«يَا أَبَا ذَرَ، أَتَدْرِي أَيْنَ تَغْرُبُ الشَّمْسُ؟»

(O Abu Dharr! Do you know where the sun sets) I said, \`Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said:

«فَإِنَّهَا تَذْهَبُ حَتْى تَسْجُدَ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ، فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ »

(It goes and prostrates beneath the Throne, and that is what Allah says: (And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.))" It was also reported that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah about the Ayah:

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا

(And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term. ) He said:

«مُسْتَقَرُّهَا تَحْتَ الْعَرْش»

(Its fixed course is beneath the Throne.)" (The second view) is that this refers to when the sun's appointed time comes to an end, which will be on the Day of Resurrection, when its fixed course will be abolished, it will come to a halt and it will be rolled up. This world will come to an end, and that will be the end of its appointed time. This is the fixed course of its time. Qatadah said:

لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَـا

(on its fixed course for a term (appointed).) means, "It has an appointed time and it will not go beyond that." It was also said that this means, it keeps moving in its summer orbit for a certain time, and it does not exceed that, then it moves to its winter orbit for a certain time, and it does not exceed that. This was narrated from \`Abdullah bin \`Amr, may Allah be pleased with him. Ibn Mas\`ud and Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, recited this Ayah as: (وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لَامُسْتَقَرَّ لَهَا) (And the sun runs with no fixed course for a term,) meaning that it has no destination and it does not settle in one place, rather it keeps moving night and day, never slowing down or stopping, as in the Ayah:

وَسَخَّر لَكُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَينَ

(And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you) (14:33). which means, they will never slow down or stop, until the Day of Resurrection.

ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ

(That is the decree of the Almighty, ) means, which none can oppose or prevent.

الْعَلِيمُ

(the All-Knowing.) Who knows every movement and every cessation of movement, Who has decreed that and Who has set it in motion following a pattern in which there are no differences or inversions, as Allah says:

فَالِقُ الإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

((He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.) (6:96) And this is how this Ayah ends:

ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ

(That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.) Then Allah says:

وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـهُ مَنَازِلَ

(And the moon, We have decreed for it stages,) meaning, \`We have caused it to run in a different orbit, from which passing of the months can be deduced, just as night and day are known from the sun.' This is like the Ayah:

يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ

(They ask you about the crescent moons. Say: "These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage (Hajj). ") (2:189),

هُوَ الَّذِى جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَآءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُوراً وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ

(It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning) (10:5), and

وَجَعَلْنَا الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ الَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ ءَايَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِتَبْتَغُواْ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلاً

(And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs). Then, We have obliterated the sign of the night while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything with full explanation.) (17:12) So, He has given the sun its own light, and the moon its (reflection of) light, and has given each its own orbit. So the sun rises each day and sets at the end of the day, giving one kind of light all the time, but it moves, rising and setting at different points in the summer and winter, thus making the days and nights longer or shorter alternatively according to the season. Its authority is in the daytime, for it is the heavenly body that dominates the day. As for the moon, Allah has decreed that it should pass through different phases. At the beginning of the month, the moon appears small when it rises. It gives off little light, then on the second night its light increases and it rises to a higher position, and the higher it rises the more light it gives -- even though it is reflected from the sun -- until it becomes full on the fourteenth night of the month. Then it starts to wane until the end of the month, until it appears like the old dried curved date stalk. Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "This is the original stem (which connects the bunch of dates to the tree)." The Arabs have a name for each set of three nights in a month, according to the phases of the moon. They call the first three nights Ghurar; the next three nights Nufal; the next three nights Tusa\` (nine) -- because the last of them is the ninth. The next three nights are called \`Ushar (ten) -- because the first of them is the tenth. The next three nights are called Al-Bid (white) -- because of the light of the moon which shines brightly throughout these three nights. The next three nights are called Dura\`, the plural of Dar\`a', because on the first of them the night is dark from the moon rising late. Dar\`a' refers to the black sheep, i.e., the one whose head is black; the next three nights Zulam; then Hanadis, then Da'adi; then Mihaq, because of the absence of moonlight at the beginning of the month. Abu \`Ubayd did not recognize the names Tusa\` and \`Ushar, in the book Gharib Al-Musannaf.

لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon,) Mujahid said, "Each of them has a limit which it does not transgress or fall short of. When the time of one comes, the other goes away, and when the time for one to prevail comes, the time of the other ceases." \`Ikrimah said concerning the Ayah,

لاَ الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تدْرِكَ القَمَرَ

(It is not for the sun to overtake the moon,) this means that each of them has its time when it prevails. So it is not appropriate for the sun to rise at night.

وَلاَ الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ

(nor does the night outstrip the day.) means, after night has passed, it is not right for another night to come until it has been day. The authority of the sun is during the day and the authority of the moon is at night. Ad-Dahhak said, "The night does not depart from here until the day comes from here -- and he pointed to the east." Mujahid said:

وَلاَ الَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ

(nor does the night outstrip the day.) "They seek one another rapidly." The meaning is that there is no gap between night and day; each of them follows the other with no interval, because they have been subjugated and are both constantly pursuing one another.

وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ

(They all float, each in an orbit.) means, night and day, the sun and the moon, all of them are floating, i.e., revolving, in their orbits in the heaven. This was the view of Ibn \`Abbas, \`Ikrimah, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and \`Ata' Al-Khurasani. Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and others among the Salaf said, "In an orbit like the arc of a spinning wheel."


ayah_text: And the sun runs on course toward its stopping point. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.

ayah_text_ar: وَٱلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ


ayah_text: And the moon - We have determined for it phases, until it returns appearing like the old date stalk.

ayah_text_ar: وَٱلْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلْعُرْجُونِ ٱلْقَدِيمِ


ayah_text: It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.

ayah_text_ar: لَا ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ


ayah_text: And a sign for them is that We carried their forefathers in a laden ship.

ayah_text_ar: وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ فِى ٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلْمَشْحُونِ

ayah_tafsir:
## Among the Signs of Allah is that He carried Them in the laden Ship

Allah tells us: another sign for them of His might and power is that He has subjugated the sea to carry ships, including -- most significantly -- the ship of Nuh , peace be upon him, in which Allah saved him and the believers, apart from whom none of the descendants of Adam were left on the face of the earth. Allah says:

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ

(And an Ayah for them is that We bore their offspring) means, their forefathers,

فِى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ

(in the laden ship.) means, in the ship which was filled with luggage and animals, in which Allah commanded him to put two of every kind. Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Laden means filled." This was also the view of Sa\`id bin Jubayr, Ash-Sha\`bi, Qatadah and As-Suddi. Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said, "This was the ship of Nuh peace be upon him."

وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) Al-\`Awfi said, narrating from Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, "This means the camel, for it is the ship of the land on which they carry goods and on which they ride. " Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Do you know what the Ayah:

وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) refers to" We said, "No." He said, "This refers to the ships which were made after the ship of Nuh, peace be upon him, which was similar to it." This was also the view of Abu Malik, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Abu Salih and As-Suddi, that the Ayah

وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِّن مِّثْلِهِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ

(And We have created for them of the like thereunto, on which they ride.) refers to ships.

وَإِن نَّشَأْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ

(And if We will, We shall drown them,) means, those who are on board the ships.

فَلاَ صَرِيخَ لَهُمْ

(and there will be no shout for them) means, there will be no one to save them from their predicament.

وَلاَ هُمْ يُنقَذُونَ

(nor will they be saved. ) means, from what has befallen them.

إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا

(Unless it be a mercy from Us,) means, \`but by Our mercy We make it easy for you to travel on land and sea, and We keep you safe until an appointed time.' Allah says:

وَمَتَاعاً إِلَى حِينٍ

(and as an enjoyment for a while.) meaning, until a time that is known to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.


ayah_text: And We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride.

ayah_text_ar: وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ


ayah_text: And if We should will, We could drown them; then no one responding to a cry would there be for them, nor would they be saved

ayah_text_ar: وَإِن نَّشَأْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ فَلَا صَرِيخَ لَهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنقَذُونَ


ayah_text: Except as a mercy from Us and provision for a time.

ayah_text_ar: إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَمَتَـٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ


ayah_text: But when it is said to them, "Beware of what is before you and what is behind you; perhaps you will receive mercy... "

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Misguidance of the Idolators

Allah tells us how the idolators persisted in their misguidance and in not paying attention to the sins that they had committed in the past or what was to happen to them in the future, on the Day of Resurrection.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُواْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ

(And when it is said to them: "Fear of that which is before you, and that which is behind you...") Mujahid said, "This refers to sins." Others said it is the opposite.

لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

(in order that you may receive mercy.) means, \`so that, if you fear such things Allah will have mercy on you and will save you from His punishment.' The wording implies that they would not respond. Rather that they would turn away and ignore that, as Allah says:

وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ مِّنْ ءَايَـتِ رَبِّهِمْ

(And never came an Ayah from among the Ayat of their Lord to them,) meaning, signs of Tawhid and the truth of the Messengers,

إِلاَّ كَانُواْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ

(but they did turn away from it,) means, they did not accept it or benefit from it.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رِزَقَكُمُ الله

(And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which Allah has provided you,") means, when they are told to spend of that which Allah has provided to them on the poor and needy among the Muslims,

قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(those who disbelieve say to those who believe) means, about the believers who are poor, i.e., they say to those believers who tell them to spend on the needy,

أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُ

(Shall we feed those whom, if Allah willed, He (Himself) would have fed) meaning, \`those whom you are telling us to spend on, if Allah had wanted to, He would have made them independent and fed them from His provision, so we are in accordance with the will of Allah with regard to them.

إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ

(You are only in a plain error.) means, \`by telling us to do that.'


ayah_text: And no sign comes to them from the signs of their Lord except that they are from it turning away.

ayah_text_ar: وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ مِّنْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ


ayah_text: And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allah has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allah had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in clear error."

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُۥٓ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ


ayah_text: And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"

ayah_text_ar: وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Disbelievers thought that the Day of Resurrection would never come to pass

Allah tells us how the disbelievers thought that the Day of Resurrection would never come to pass, as they said:

مَتَى هَـذَا الْوَعْدُ

("When will this promise be fulfilled...")

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا

(Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it) (42:18). Allah says:

مَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً تَأُخُذُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ

(They await only but a single Sayhah which will seize them while they are disputing!) meaning, they are only waiting for a single shout which -- and Allah knows best -- will be the trumpet blast of terror when the Trumpet will be blown while the people are in their marketplaces and places of work, arguing and disputing as they usually do. While in this state, Allah will command Israfil to blow into the Trumpet, so he will sound a long note and there will be no one left on the face of the earth except he will tilt his head to listen to the sound coming from heaven. Then the people who are alive will be driven to the gathering place by a fire which will surround them on all sides. Allah says:

فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوْصِيَةً

(Then they will not be able to make bequest, ) meaning, with regard to their possessions, because the matter is more serious than that,

وَلاَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

(nor they will return to their family.) Numerous Hadiths and reports have been narrated about this, which we have mentioned elsewhere. After this there will be the Trumpet blast which will cause everyone who is alive to die, besides the One Who is Ever Living, Eternal. Then after that the trumpet blast of the resurrection will be sounded.


ayah_text: They do not await except one blast which will seize them while they are disputing.

ayah_text_ar: مَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً تَأْخُذُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ


ayah_text: And they will not be able to give any instruction, nor to their people can they return.

ayah_text_ar: فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوْصِيَةً وَلَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ


ayah_text: And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.

ayah_text_ar: وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Trumpet Blast of the Resurrection

This will be the third blast of the trumpet, the trumpet blast of the resurrection when people will come forth from their graves. Allah says:

فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ الاٌّجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ

(and behold from the graves they will come out quickly to their Lord.) Yansilun means they will be walking quickly. This is like the Ayah:

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الاٌّجْدَاثِ سِرَاعاً كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَى نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ

(The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly as racing to a goal.) (70:43).

قَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا

(They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep.") meaning, their graves, which in this world they thought they would never be raised from. When they see with their own eyes that in which they had disbelieved,

قَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَا مَن بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا

(They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep.") This does not contradict the fact that they will be punished in their graves, because in comparison to what is to come afterwards, that will seem like a nap. Ubayy bin Ka\`b, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and Qatadah said, "They will sleep before the Resurrection." Qatadah said, "That will be between the two trumpet blasts, they will say, \`Who has raised us up from our place of sleep"' When they say that, the believers will respond. This was the view of more than one of the Salaf.

هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمـنُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

((It will be said to them): "This is what the Most Gracious had promised, and the Messengers spoke truth!") Al-Hasan said, "The angels will reply to them in this manner. There is no contradiction because both are possible. And Allah knows best.

إِن كَانَتْ إِلاَّ صَيْحَةً وَحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ

(It will be but a single Sayhah, so behold they will all be brought up before Us!) This is like the Ayat:

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ \- فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ

(But it will be only a single Zajrah, when behold, they find themselves (on the surface of the earth) alive (after their death).) (79:13-14),

وَمَآ أَمْرُ السَّاعَةِ إِلاَّ كَلَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ أَوْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ

(And the matter of the Hour is not but as a twinkling of the eye, or even nearer) (16:77), and

يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

(On the Day when He will call you, and you will answer (His call) with (words of) His praise and obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while!) (17:52) which means, \`We will issue but one command, and all of them will be gathered together.'

فَالْيَوْمَ لاَ تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئاً

(This Day, none will be wronged in anything,) means, with regard to his deeds.

وَلاَ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

(nor will you be requited anything except that which you used to do.)


ayah_text: They will say, "O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" The reply will be, "This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the messengers told the truth."

ayah_text_ar: قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَا مَنۢ بَعَثَنَا مِن مَّرْقَدِنَا ۜ ۗ هَـٰذَا مَا وَعَدَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَصَدَقَ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ


ayah_text: It will not be but one blast, and at once they are all brought present before Us.

ayah_text_ar: إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ


ayah_text: So today no soul will be wronged at all, and you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do.

ayah_text_ar: فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ


ayah_text: Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in joyful occupation -

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلْيَوْمَ فِى شُغُلٍ فَـٰكِهُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Life of the People of Paradise

Allah tells us that on the Day of Resurrection, when the people of Paradise have reached the arena of judgement, and have settled in the gardens of Paradise, they will be too preoccupied with their own victory and new life of eternal delights to worry about anyone else. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Isma\`il bin Abi Khalid said, "They will be too busy to think about the torment which the people of Hell are suffering. Mujahid said:

فِى شُغُلٍ فَـكِهُونَ

(will be busy with joyful things.) "With the delights which they are enjoying." This was also the view of Qatadah. Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "This means that they will be rejoicing."

هُمْ وَأَزْوَجُهُمْ

(They and their wives) Mujahid said, "Their spouses,

فِى ظِلَـلٍ

(will be in pleasant shade,) means, in the shade of trees."

عَلَى الاٌّرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ

(reclining on thrones.) Ibn \`Abbas, Mujahid, \`Ikrimah, Muhammad bin Ka\`b, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Khusayf said:

الاٌّرَائِكِ

(throne) means beds beneath canopies.

لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَـكِهَةٌ

(They will have therein fruits) means, of all kinds.

وَلَهُمْ مَّا يَدَّعُونَ

(and all that they ask for.) means, whatever they ask for, they will find it, all kinds and types.

سَلاَمٌ قَوْلاً مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ

("Salam (Peace!)" -- a Word from the Lord (Allah), Most Merciful.) Ibn Jurayj said, "Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, concerning this Ayah, Allah Himself, Who is the Peace (As-Salam) will grant peace to the people of Paradise. This view of Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, is like the Ayah:

تَحِيَّتُهُمْ يَوْمَ يَلْقَوْنَهُ سَلَـمٌ

(Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be "Salam") (33:44).


ayah_text: They and their spouses - in shade, reclining on adorned couches.

ayah_text_ar: هُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُمْ فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ


ayah_text: For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request or wish

ayah_text_ar: لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ وَلَهُم مَّا يَدَّعُونَ


ayah_text: And "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord.

ayah_text_ar: سَلَـٰمٌ قَوْلًا مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ


ayah_text: Then He will say, "But stand apart today, you criminals.

ayah_text_ar: وَٱمْتَـٰزُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Isolation of the Disbelievers and Their Rebuke on the Day of Resurrection

Allah tells us what the end of the disbelievers will be on the Day of Resurrection, when He commands them to get apart from the believers, i.e., to stand apart from the believers. This is like the Ayat:

وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ مَكَانَكُمْ أَنتُمْ وَشُرَكَآؤُكُمْ فَزَيَّلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ

(And the Day whereon We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who did set partners in worship with Us: "Stop at your place! You and your partners." Then We shall separate them) (10:28).

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ

(And on the Day when the Hour will be established -- that Day shall they be separated.) (30:14)

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصَّدَّعُونَ

(On that Day they shall be divided) (30:43) which means, they will be divided into two separate groups.

احْشُرُواْ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزْوَجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ \- مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَاهْدُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطِ الْجَحِيمِ

((It will be said to the angels): "Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions and what they used to worship, instead of Allah, and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell).") (37:22-23).

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يبَنِى ءَادَمَ أَن لاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ الشَّيطَـنَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

(Did I not command you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.) This is a rebuke from Allah to the disbelievers among the sons of Adam, those who obey the Shaytan even though he was a plain enemy to them, and they disobeyed Ar-Rahman Who created them and granted them provision. Allah says:

وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِى هَـذَا صِرَطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

(And that you should worship Me. That is the straight path.) meaning, \`I commanded you in the world to disobey the Shaytan, and I commanded you to worship Me, and this is the straight path, but you followed a different path and you followed the commands of the Shaytan.' Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنْكُمْ جِبِلاًّ كَثِيراً

(And indeed he did lead astray a great multitude of you.) meaning, a large number of people. This was the view of Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Sufyan bin \`Uyaynah.

أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْقِلُونَ

(Did you not then understand) means, \`did you not have any understanding, when you went against the command of your Lord to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate, and you preferred to follow the Shaytan'


ayah_text: Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan - for indeed, he is to you a clear enemy -

ayah_text_ar: ۞ أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ


ayah_text: And that you worship only Me? This is a straight path.

ayah_text_ar: وَأَنِ ٱعْبُدُونِى ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ


ayah_text: And he had already led astray from among you much of creation, so did you not use reason?

ayah_text_ar: وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا ۖ أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا۟ تَعْقِلُونَ


ayah_text: This is the Hellfire which you were promised.

ayah_text_ar: هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
هَـذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

(This is Hell which you were promised!) meaning, \`this is what the Messengers warned you about, and you did not believe them.'

اصْلَوْهَا الْيَوْمَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ

(Burn (enter) therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve). This is like the Ayah:

يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ إِلَى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ دَعًّا \- هَـذِهِ النَّارُ الَّتِى كُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ \- أَفَسِحْرٌ هَـذَا أَمْ أَنتُمْ لاَ تُبْصِرُونَ

(The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing. This is the Fire which you used to belie. Is this magic or do you not see) (52:13-15)

## The Mouths of the Disbelievers will be sealed on the Day of Resurrection

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ

(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.) eThis will be the state of the disbelievers and hypocrites on the Day of Resurrection, when they deny the sins they committed in this world and swear that they did not do that. Allah will seal their mouths and cause their limbs to speak about what they did. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "We were with the Prophet and he smiled so broadly that his molar could be seen, then he said:

«أَتَدْرُونَ مِمَّ أَضْحَكُ؟»

(Do you know why I am smiling) We said, \`Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said:

«مِنْ مُجَادَلَةِ الْعَبْدِ رَبَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، يَقُولُ: رَبِّ أَلَمْ تُجِرْنِي مِنَ الظُّلْمِ؟ فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى، فَيَقُولُ: لَا أُجِيزُ عَلَيَّ إِلَّا شَاهِدًا مِنْ نَفْسِي، فَيَقُولُ: كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا، وَبِالْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ شُهُودًا، فَيُخْتَمُ عَلَى فِيهِ، وَيُقَالُ لِأَرْكَانِهِ: انْطِقِي فَتَنْطِقَ بِعَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ يُخَلَّى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ، فَيَقُولُ: بُعْدًا لَكُنَّ وَسُحْقًا، فَعَنْكُنَّ كُنْتُ أُنَاضِل»

(Because of the way a servant will argue with his Lord on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, "O Lord, will You not protect me from injustice" Allah will say, "Of course." He will say, "I will not accept any witness against me except from myself." Allah will say, "Today you will be a sufficient witness against yourself, and the honorable scribes will serve as witnesses against you." Then his mouth will be sealed, and it will be said to his faculties, "Speak!" So they will speak of what he did. Then he will be permitted to speak, and he will say, "May you be doomed! It was for you that I was fighting.")" This was recorded by Muslim and An-Nasa'i. Ibn Jarir narrated that Abu Musa Al-Ash\`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The believer will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, and his Lord will show him his deeds, just between him and His Lord. He will admit it and will say, \`Yes, O Lord, I did do that.' Then Allah will forgive him his sins and conceal them, and no creature on earth will see any of those sins, but his good deeds will be seen, and he will want all the people to see them. Then the disbeliever and the hypocrite will be brought to account, and his Lord will show him his deeds and he will deny them, saying, \`O Lord, by Your glory, this angel has written down things that I did not do.' The angel will say to him, \`Did you not do such and such on such a day and in such a place' He will say, \`No, by Your glory, I did not do that.' When he says this, Allah will seal his mouth." Abu Musa Al-Ash\`ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I think that the first part of his body to speak will be his right thigh." Then he recited:

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ

(This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn).

وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَى أَعْيُنِهِمْ فَاسْتَبَقُواْ الصِّرَطَ فَأَنَّى يُبْصِرُونَ

(And if it had been Our will, We would surely have wiped out their eyes, so that they would struggle for the path, how then would they see) \`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, explained it: "Allah says, \`If We willed, We could have misguided them all away from true guidance, so how could they be guided" And on one occasion he said, "\`We could have blinded them."' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "If Allah willed, He could have covered their eyes and made them blind, stumbling about." Mujahid, Abu Salih, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, "So that they would struggle for the path, i.e., the right way." Ibn Zayd said, "The meaning of path here is the truth -- \`How could they see when We have covered their eyes"' Al-\`Awfi reported that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said:

فَأَنَّى يُبْصِرُونَ

(how then would they see) "They would not see the truth."

وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخْنَـهُمْ عَلَى مَكَــنَتِهِمْ

(And if it had been Our will, We could have transformed them in their places.) Al-\`Awfi reported that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said; "\`We could have destroyed them." As-Suddi said, "\`We could have changed their form." Abu Salih said, "\`We could have turned them to stone." Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah said, "\`We could have caused them to sit on their feet." Allah says:

فَمَا اسْتَطَـعُواْ مُضِيّاً

(Then they would have been unable to go forward) meaning, move to the front,

وَلاَ يَرْجِعُونَ

(nor they could have turned back.) meaning, move backwards. They would have remained static, unable to move forwards or backwards.


ayah_text: Enter to burn therein today for what you used to deny."

ayah_text_ar: ٱصْلَوْهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ


ayah_text: That Day, We will seal over their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify about what they used to earn.

ayah_text_ar: ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ


ayah_text: And if We willed, We could have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to find the path, and how could they see?

ayah_text_ar: وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ فَٱسْتَبَقُوا۟ ٱلصِّرَٰطَ فَأَنَّىٰ يُبْصِرُونَ


ayah_text: And if We willed, We could have deformed them, paralyzing them in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.

ayah_text_ar: وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَمَسَخْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِهِمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ مُضِيًّا وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ


ayah_text: And he to whom We grant long life We reverse in creation; so will they not understand?

ayah_text_ar: وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْهُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ ۖ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## Allah tells us that the longer the son of Adam lives, the more he becomes weak after being strong, and incapable after being able and active

This is like the Ayah:

اللَّهُ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ

(Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave weakness and gray hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.) (30:54). And Allah says:

وَمِنكُمْ مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلاَ يَعْلَمَ مِن بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئاً

(And among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having known) (22:5). The meaning here -- and Allah knows best -- is that Allah is telling us that this world is transient and will come to an end, it is not eternal and lasting. Allah says:

أَفَلاَ يَعْقِلُونَ

(Will they not then understand) meaning, will they not think about how they were created, then they become gray-haired, then they become old and senile, so that they may know that they were created for another world that is not transient and will not pass away, and from which there is no way out, which is the Hereafter.

## Allah does not teach His Messenger Poetry

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ

(And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it suitable for him.) Allah tells us that He has not taught His Prophet Muhammad poetry.

وَمَا يَنبَغِى لَهُ

(nor is it suitable for him.) means, he did not know how to compose it, he did not like it and he had no natural inclination towards it. It was narrated that he never memorized a stanza of poetry with the correct meter or rhyme -- he would transpose words or memorize it incompletely. In Ad-Dala'il, Al-Bayhaqi recorded that the Messenger of Allah said to Al-\`Abbas bin Mirdas As-Sulami, may Allah be pleased with him:

«أَنْتَ الْقَائِلُ: أَتَجْعَلُ نَهْبِي وَنَهْبَ الْعُبَيدِ بَيْنَ الْأَقْرَعِ وَعُيَيْنَة»

(You are the one who said: "Do you distribute my booty and the booty of the servants between Al-Aqra\` and \`Uyainah.") He said, "It is \`Uyainah and Al-Aqra\`." He said:

«الْكُلُّ سَوَاء»

(It is all the same.) i.e., it means the same thing. And Allah knows best. This is because Allah taught him the Qur'an, which

لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it; sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) (41:42). This is not poetry, as some of the ignorant disbelievers of the Quraysh claimed; neither is it sorcery, a fabrication or a magic spell, as the misguided and ignorant people variously suggested. The Prophet was naturally disinclined to compose verse, and was forbidden to do so by Divine Law.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ

(This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an.) means, it is clear and self-explanatory to the one who ponders and comprehends its meanings, Allah says:

لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيّاً

(That he or it may give warning to him who is living,) meaning, so that this plain Qur'an might warn every living person on the face of the earth. This is like the Ayat:

لاٌّنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ

(that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach) (6:19).

وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ

(but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place) (11:17). Those who will benefit from his warning will be those whose hearts are alive and who have enlightened insight, as Qatadah said, "Alive of heart and alive of insight." Ad-Dahhak said, "This means wise."

وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ

(and that Word may be justified against the disbelievers.) means, it is a mercy to the believers and evidence against the disbelievers.


ayah_text: And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur'an

ayah_text_ar: وَمَا عَلَّمْنَـٰهُ ٱلشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْءَانٌ مُّبِينٌ


ayah_text: To warn whoever is alive and justify the word against the disbelievers.

ayah_text_ar: لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ ٱلْقَوْلُ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ


ayah_text: Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands have made, grazing livestock, and then they are their owners?

ayah_text_ar: أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَآ أَنْعَـٰمًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَـٰلِكُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## There is a Sign and a Blessing in Cattle

Allah mentions the blessing that He has bestowed upon His creation by subjugating these cattle for their use.

فَهُمْ لَهَا مَـلِكُونَ

(so that they are their owners.) Qatadah said, "They are their masters." Meaning, He has made them subdue them. So they are submissive towards them and do not resist them; even if a young child comes to a camel he can make it kneel down, and if he wants to, he can make it stand up and can drive it, and it will meekly be led by him. Even if the train consists of a hundred or more camels, they could all be led by a young child.

فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ

(some of them they have for riding and some they eat.) means, some of them they ride on their journeys, and use them to carry their burdens to all regions.

وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ

(and some they eat.) means, if they want to, and they slaughter and sacrifice them.

وَلَهُمْ

(And they have (other) benefits from them,) means, from their wool, fur, and hair, furnishings and articles of convenience, comfort for a time.

فِيهَا

(and (they get to) drink. ) means, their milk, and their urine for those who need it as medicine, and so on.

أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ

(Will they not then be grateful) means, \`will they not worship the Creator and Subduer of that, without showing gratitude to others'


ayah_text: And We have tamed them for them, so some of them they ride, and some of them they eat.

ayah_text_ar: وَذَلَّلْنَـٰهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ


ayah_text: And for them therein are other benefits and drinks, so will they not be grateful?

ayah_text_ar: وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مَنَـٰفِعُ وَمَشَارِبُ ۖ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ


ayah_text: But they have taken besides Allah false deities that perhaps they would be helped.

ayah_text_ar: وَٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يُنصَرُونَ

ayah_tafsir:
## The gods of the Idolators are not able to help Them

Allah denounces the idolators for taking the idols as gods alongside Allah, hoping that those gods will help them and provide for them and bring them closer to Allah. Allah says:

لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ

(They cannot help them,) meaning, those gods cannot help their worshippers; they are too weak, too insignificant and too powerless. Rather they cannot even help themselves or take revenge on those who want to harm them, because they are inanimate and can neither hear nor comprehend. Allah's saying:

وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ

(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) means, at the time of Reckoning according to the view of Mujahid. This means that those idols will be gathered together and will be present when their worshippers are brought to account, as this will add to their grief and will be more effective in establishing proof against them. Qatadah said:

لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ

(They cannot help them,) means the gods.

وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مٌّحْضَرُونَ

(but they will be brought forward as a troop.) "The idolators used to get angry for the sake of their gods in this world, but they could not do them any benefit or protect them from any harm, for they were merely idols." This was also the view of Al-Hasan Al-Basri. This is a good opinion, and was the view favored by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

## Consolation for the Mercy to the Worlds

فَلاَ يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ

(So, let not their speech then grieve you.) means, \`their denying you and their disbelief in Allah.'

إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ

(Verily, We know what they conceal and what they reveal.) means, \`We know everything about them, and We will punish them for their false claims and deal with them accordingly on the Day when none of their deeds, great or small, major or minor, will be overlooked, and every deed they did throughout their worldly lives will be laid open for examination.'


ayah_text: They are not able to help them, and they themselves are for them soldiers in attendance.

ayah_text_ar: لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُندٌ مُّحْضَرُونَ


ayah_text: So let not their speech grieve you. Indeed, We know what they conceal and what they declare.

ayah_text_ar: فَلَا يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ ۘ إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ


ayah_text: Does man not consider that We created him from a mere sperm-drop - then at once he is a clear adversary?

ayah_text_ar: أَوَلَمْ يَرَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Denial of Life after Death, and the Refutation of this Idea

Mujahid, \`Ikrimah, \`Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, As-Suddi and Qatadah said, "Ubayy bin Khalaf, may Allah curse him, came to the Messenger of Allah with a dry bone in his hand, which he was crumbling and scattering in the air, saying, \`O Muhammad! Are you claiming that Allah will resurrect this' He said:

«نَعَمْ، يُمِيتُكَ اللهُ تَعَالَى، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكَ، ثُمَّ يَحْشُرُكَ إِلَى النَّار»

(Yes, Allah, may He be exalted, will cause you to die, then He will resurrect you and will gather you into the Fire.)" Then these Ayat at the end of Surah Ya Sin were revealed:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ

(Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah.) -- until the end of the Surah. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Al-\`As bin Wa'il took a bone from the bed of a valley and crumbled it in his hand, then he said to the Messenger of Allah : \`Will Allah bring this back to life after it has disintegrated' The Messenger of Allah said:

«نَعَمْ، يُمِيتُكَ اللهُ، ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكَ، ثُمَّ يُدْخِلُكَ جَهَنَّم»

(Yes, Allah will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life, then He will make you enter Hell.) Then the Ayat at the end of Surah Ya Sin were revealed." This was recorded by Ibn Jarir from Sa\`id bin Jubayr. Whether these Ayat were revealed about Ubayy bin Khalaf or Al-\`As bin Wa'il, or both of them, they apply to all those who deny the resurrection after death. The definite article "Al" in

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ

(Does not man (Al-Insan) see...) is generic, applying to all those who deny the Resurrection.

أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ

(that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent.) means, the one who is denying the resurrection, cannot see that the One Who initiated creation can re-create it. For Allah initiated the creation of man from semen of despised fluid, creating him from something insignificant, weak and despised, as Allah says:

أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ \- فَجَعَلْنَـهُ فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ \- إِلَى قَدَرٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

(Did We not create you from a despised water Then We placed it in a place of safety, for a known period) (77:20-22)

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَـنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ

(Verily, We have created man from Nutfah) (76:2). which means, from a mixture of different fluids. The One Who created man from this weak Nutfah is not unable to re-create him after his death. Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad that Bishr bin Jahhash said, "One day the Messenger of Allah spat in his hand and put his finger on it, then the Messenger of Allah said:

«قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنَّى تُعْجِزُنِي وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ، حَتْى إِذَا سَوَّيْتُكَ وَعَدَلْتُكَ، مَشَيْتَ بَيْنَ بُرْدَيْكَ، وَلِلْأَرْضِ مِنْكَ وَئِيدٌ، فَجَمَعْتَ وَمَنَعْتَ، حَتْى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِيَ قُلْتَ: أَتَصَدَّقُ، وَأَنَّى أَوَانُ الصَّدَقَةِ؟»

(Allah, may He be exalted, says: "Son of Adam, how can you outrun Me when I have created you from something like this, and when I have fashioned you and formed you, you walk in your cloak on the earth and it groans beneath your tread. You accumulate and do not spend until the death rattle reaches your throat, then you say, \`I want to give in charity,' but it is too late for charity.")" It was also recorded by Ibn Majah. Allah says:

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ

(And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust") meaning, he thinks it unlikely that Allah, the Almighty Who created the heavens and the earth, will re-create these bodies and dry bones. Man forgets about himself, that Allah created him from nothing and brought him into existence, and he knows by looking at himself that there is something greater than that which he denies and thinks impossible. Allah says:

قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ

(Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!") meaning, He knows about the bones in all areas and regions of the earth, where they have gone when they disintegrated and dispersed. Imam Ahmad recorded that Rib\`i said: ""Uqbah bin \`Amr said to Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, \`Will you not tell us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah ' He said, \`I heard him say:

«إِنَّ رَجُلًا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ، فَلَمَّا أَيِسَ مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ أَوْصَى أَهْلَهُ: إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَاجْمَعُوا لِي حَطَبًا كَثِيرًا جَزْلًا، ثُمَّ أَوْقِدُوا فِيهِ نَارًا، حَتْى إِذَا أَكَلَتْ لَحْمِي، وَخَلَصَتْ إِلَى عَظْمِي فَامْتُحِشْتُ، فَخُذُوهَا فَدُقُّوهَا فَذَرُّوهَا فِي الْيَمِّ، فَفَعَلُوا، فَجَمَعَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: لِمَ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ، فَغَفَرَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَه»

(Death approached a man and when there was no longer any hope for him, he said to his family, "When I die, gather a lot of firewood, then set it ablaze until my flesh is consumed and it reaches my bones and they become brittle. Then take them and grind them, and scatter them in the sea." So they did that, but Allah gathered him together and said to him: "Why did you do that" He said, "Because I feared You." So Allah forgave him.)' \`Uqbah bin \`Amr said, \`I heard him say that, and the man was a gravedigger."' Many versions of this Hadith were recorded in the Two Sahihs. One of these versions mentions that he commanded his sons to burn him and then grind his remains into small pieces, and then scatter half of them on land and half of them on the sea on a windy day. So they did that, then Allah commanded the sea to gather together whatever remains were in it, and He commanded the land to do likewise, then he said to him, "Be!", and he was a man, standing. Allah said to him. "What made you do what you did" He said, "The fear of You, and You know best." Straight away He forgave him.

الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الاٌّخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْه تُوقِدُونَ

(He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.) means, the One Who initiated the creation of this tree from water, when it has become green and beautiful, bearing fruit, then He changes it until it becomes dry wood with which fires are lit. For He does whatever He wills and He is able to do whatever He wills, and none can stop Him. Qatadah said concerning the Ayah:

الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الاٌّخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْه تُوقِدُونَ

(He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.) this means, the One Who brought forth this fire from this tree is able to resurrect him. It was said that this refers to the Markh tree and the \`Afar tree, which grow in the Hijaz. If one wants to light a fire but has no kindling with him, then he takes two green branches from these trees and rubs one against the other, and fire is produced from them. So they are just like kindling. This was reported from Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him.


ayah_text: And he presents for Us an example and forgets his own creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"

ayah_text_ar: وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ مَن يُحْىِ ٱلْعِظَـٰمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ


ayah_text: Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing."

ayah_text_ar: قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ


ayah_text: It is He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite.

ayah_text_ar: ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ ٱلْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ


ayah_text: Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, it is so; and He is the Knowing Creator.

ayah_text_ar: أَوَلَيْسَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم ۚ بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ ٱلْخَلَّـٰقُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

ayah_tafsir:
## Allah points out His great might and power in that He created theseven heavens with all their stars and planets, and the seven earths with everything in them of mountains, sands, oceans and wildernesses, and everything in between

He tells us to find the proof that He will re-create our bodies in His creation of these mighty things. This is like the Ayah:

لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind) (40:57). And Allah says here:

أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم

(Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them) meaning, the like of mankind. So, He will re-create them as He created them in the first place. Ibn Jarir said, "This Ayah is like the Ayah:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

(Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead Yes, He surely is able to do all things.) (46:33)" And Allah says here:

أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّـقُ الْعَلِيمُ \- إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيْئاً أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

(Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!"-- and it is!) meaning, He only needs to command a thing once; it does not need to be repeated or confirmed. When Allah wants a thing to happen, He only says to it: "Be!" once, and it is. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ مُذْنِبٌ إِلَّا مَنْ عَافَيْتُ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، وَكُلُّكُمْ فَقِيرٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَغْنَيْتُ، إِنِّي جَوَادٌ مَاجِدٌ وَاجِدٌ أَفْعَلُ مَا أَشَاءُ، عَطَائِي كَلَامٌ، وَعَذَابِي كَلَامٌ، إِذَا أَرَدْتُ شَيْئًا فَإِنَّمَا أَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُون»

(Allah, may He be exalted, says: "O My servants, all of you are sinners apart from those whom I protect from sin. Seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you. All of you are in need except for those whom I make independent. I am Most Generous, Majestic, and I do whatever I will. My giving is a word and My punishment is a word. When I want a thing to happen I merely say to it \`Be!' and it is.")

فَسُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned.) means, glorified and exalted and sanctified above any evil be the Ever Living, the Self-Sufficient, in Whose hand is the control of the heavens and the earth, to Whom all matters return. His is the power to create and command, and to Him all mankind will return on the Day of Resurrection. Then He will reward or punish each one according to his deeds, and He is the Just, the Generous Bestower, the Graciously Disposed. The meaning of this Ayah,

فَسُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ

(So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of all things) is like the Ayat:

قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ

(Say: "In Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of everything") (23:88)

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ

(Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion (Al-Mulk)) (67:1) Al-Mulk and Al-Malakut mean the same thing, although some people claim that Al-Mulk has to do with the physical realm and Al-Malakut has to do with the spiritual realm. But the former view is the one which is correct, and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars of Tafsir and others. Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited the seven long Surahs in seven Rak\`ahs. When he raised his head from bowing, he said,

«سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه»

(Allah hears the one who praises Him.) Then he said;

«الْحَمْدُ للهِللهِذي الْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَة»

(Praise be to Allah, the Owner of Malakut, might, pride and greatness.) His bowing was as long as his standing position, and his prostration was as long as his bowing. Then he finished and my legs were nearly broken." Abu Dawud recorded that \`Awf bin Malik Al-Ashja\`i, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited Al-Baqarah. He did not reach any Ayah that mentioned mercy but he paused and asked for it, and he did not reach any Ayah that mentioned punishment but he paused and sought refuge from it. Then he bowed for as long as he had stood, and while bowing he said,

«سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَة»

(Glory be to Allah, the Owner of might, Malakut, pride and greatness.) Then he prostrated for as long as he had bowed, and said something similar while prostrating. Then he stood and recited Al \`Imran, then he recited one Surah after another." This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi in Ash-Shama'il and An-Nasa'i. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Ya Sin. All praise and thanks are due to Allah.


ayah_text: His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُۥٓ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيْـًٔا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

ayah_tafsir: MISSING


ayah_text: So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.

ayah_text_ar: فَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِۦ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ


ayah_text: By those angels lined up in rows

ayah_text_ar: وَٱلصَّـٰٓفَّـٰتِ صَفًّا

ayah_tafsir:
## The Virtues of Surat As-Saffat

An-Nasa'i recorded that \`Abdullah bin \`Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah used to command us to make our prayers short and he used to recite As-Saffat when he lead us in prayer." This was recorded by An-Nasa'i only.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

It was reported that \`Abdullah bin Mas\`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

وَالصَّـفَّـتِ صَفَّا

"(By those ranged in ranks.) -- they are the angels;

فَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً

(By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) they are the angels;

فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً

(By those who bring the Dhikr.) they are the angels." This was also the view of Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Masruq, Sa\`id bin Jubayr, \`Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi\` bin Anas. Qatadah said, "The angels form ranks in the heavens." Muslim recorded that Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

«فُضِّلْنَا عَلَى النَّاسِ بِثَلَاثٍ: جُعِلَتْ صُفُوفُنَا كَصُفُوفِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ، وَجُعِلَتْ لَنَا الْأَرْضُ كُلُّهَا مَسْجِدًا، وَجُعِلَ لَنَا تُرَابُهَا طَهُورًا، إِذَا لَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَاء»

(We have been favored over the rest of mankind in three ways: our ranks have been made like the ranks of the angels; the entire earth has been made a Masjid for us; and its soil has been made a means of purification for us if we cannot find water.)" Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded that Jabir bin Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

«أَلَا تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ؟»

(Will you not form ranks as the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord) We said, \`How do the angels form ranks in the presence of their Lord' He said:

«يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةَ، وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّف»

(They complete the rows nearer the front and they consolidate the rows. )" As-Suddi and others said that the Ayah

فَالزَجِرَتِ زَجْراً

(By those who drive the clouds in a good way. ) means that they drive the clouds.

فَالتَّـلِيَـتِ ذِكْراً

(By those who bring the Dhikr.) As-Suddi said, "The angels bring the Scriptures and the Qur'an from Allah to mankind."

## The One True God is Allah

إِنَّ إِلَـهَكُمْ لَوَاحِدٌ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(Verily, your God is indeed One, Lord of the heavens and the earth,) This is the One by Whom the oath is sworn, stating that there is no God worthy of worship but He, Lord of the heavens and the earth,

وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ

(and all that is between them,) means, of created beings.

وَرَبُّ الْمَشَـرِقِ

(and Lord of every point of the sun's risings.) means, He is the Sovereign Who is controlling His creation by subjugating it and all that is in it of stars, planets and heavenly bodies which appear from the east and set in the west. Mentioning the east is sufficient and there is no need for the west to be mentioned too, because it is implied in what is said. This has also been stated clearly elsewhere, in the Ayat:

فَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ الْمَشَـرِقِ وَالْمَغَـرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـدِرُونَ

(So I swear by the Lord of all the points of sunrise and sunset in the east and the west that surely We are able.) (70:40)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ

((He is) the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests. ) (55:17) which refers to the rising and setting points of the sun and the moon in both winter and summer.

surah_name_english: As-Saffat

surah_name_arab: الصافات

surah_meaning: Those who set the Ranks


ayah_text: And those who drive the clouds

ayah_text_ar: فَٱلزَّٰجِرَٰتِ زَجْرًا


ayah_text: And those who recite the message,

ayah_text_ar: فَٱلتَّـٰلِيَـٰتِ ذِكْرًا


ayah_text: Indeed, your God is One,

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّ إِلَـٰهَكُمْ لَوَٰحِدٌ


ayah_text: Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.

ayah_text_ar: رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ


ayah_text: Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars

ayah_text_ar: إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Adornment and Protection of the Heaven comes from Allah

Allah tells us that He has adorned the lowest heaven with the heavenly bodies for those among the people of the earth who look at it. The stars and planets in the sky give light to the people of earth, as Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَـهَا رُجُوماً لِّلشَّيَـطِينِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ

(And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayatin, and have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire.) (67:5),

وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِى السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَزَيَّنَّـهَا لِلنَّـظِرِينَ \- وَحَفِظْنَـهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْطَـنٍ رَّجِيمٍ \- إِلاَّ مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

(And indeed, We have put the big stars in the heaven and We beautified it for the beholders. And We have guarded it from every outcast Shaytan. Except him who steals the hearing then he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.) (15:16-18). And Allah says here:

وَحِفْظاً

(And to guard) meaning, to protect as it should be protected,

مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَـنٍ مَّارِدٍ

(against every rebellious Shaytan. ) means, every insolent and impudent devil, when he wants to eavesdrop (on news in the heavens), a piercing fire comes and burns him. Allah, may He be glorified, says:

لاَّ يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى الْمَلإِ الاٌّعْلَى

(They cannot listen to the higher group) meaning, they cannot reach the higher group -- which refers to the heavens and the angels in them -- when they speak of what has been revealed by Allah of His Laws and decrees. We have already mentioned this when explaining the Hadiths quoted when we discussed the Ayah,

حَتَّى إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُواْ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُواْ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْكَبِيرُ

(when fear is banished from their hearts, they say: "What is it that your Lord has said" They say: "The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.) (34:23). Allah says:

وَيَقْذِفُونَ

(for they are pelted) meaning, they are hit,

مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٍ

(from every side.) means, from all directions from which they try to reach the heaven.

دُحُوراً

(Outcast,) means, they are rejected, and are repelled and prevented from reaching it, and they are pelted.

وَلَهُمْ عَذابٌ وَاصِبٌ

(and theirs is a constant torment.) means, in the Hereafter, they will have an ongoing, everlasting and painful torment, as Allah says:

وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ

(and We have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire) (67:5).

إِلاَّ مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ

(Except such as snatch away something by stealing,) means, except for the one among the Shayatin who manages to get something, which is a word he has heard from the heaven. Then he throws it down to the one who is beneath him, who in turn throws it down to the one who is beneath him. Perhaps the flaming fire will strike him before he is able to throw it down, or perhaps he will throw it -- by the decree of Allah -- before the flaming fire strikes him and burns him. So the other devil takes it to the soothsayer, as we have seen previously in the Hadith. Allah says:

إِلاَّ مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ

(Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness.) meaning, shining brightly. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Shayatin had places where they sat in the heavens listening to what was being revealed by Allah. The stars did not move and the Shayatin were not struck. When they heard the revelation, they would come down to earth and to every word they would add nine of their own. When the Messenger of Allah was sent, if a Shaytan wanted to take his seat in the heavens, the flaming fire would come and would not miss him; it would burn him every time. They complained about this to Iblis, may Allah curse him, and he said, \`Something must have happened.' He sent his troops out and they found the Messenger of Allah standing in prayer between the two mountains of Nakhlah." -- Waki\` said, "This means in the valley of Nakhlah." -- "They went back to Iblis and told him about that, and he said, \`This is what has happened."'


ayah_text: And as protection against every rebellious devil

ayah_text_ar: وَحِفْظًا مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَـٰنٍ مَّارِدٍ


ayah_text: So they may not listen to the exalted assembly of angels and are pelted from every side,

ayah_text_ar: لَّا يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ وَيُقْذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٍ


ayah_text: Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment,

ayah_text_ar: دُحُورًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ وَاصِبٌ


ayah_text: Except one who snatches some words by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing in brightness.

ayah_text_ar: إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ ٱلْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُۥ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ


ayah_text: Then inquire of them, O Muhammad, "Are they a stronger or more difficult creation or those others We have created?" Indeed, We created men from sticky clay.

ayah_text_ar: فَٱسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَهُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَم مَّنْ خَلَقْنَآ ۚ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُم مِّن طِينٍ لَّازِبٍۭ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Certainty of Life after Death

Allah says: \`Ask these people, those who deny the resurrection, which is harder to create Are they more difficult to create or the heavens, the earth, the angels, devils, the mighty creatures -- everything in between them' Ibn Mas\`ud said that they admitted that these things were harder to create than they were. If this is the case, then why do they deny the resurrection, when they see things that are greater than that which they deny As Allah says:

لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not) (40:57) Then Allah explains that they were created from something weak, as He says:

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُم مِّن طِينٍ لاَّزِبٍ

(Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.) Mujahid, Sa\`id bin Jubayr and Ad-Dahhak said, "This is the useful kind of mud which sticks to itself." Ibn \`Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and \`Ikrimah said, "It is sticky and useful." Qatadah said, "It is that which sticks to the hand."

بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخُرُونَ

(Nay, you wondered while they mock.) means, \`you were astounded, O Muhammad, at these people who denied the resurrection whilst you were certain that it is true, when they disbelieved in what Allah told you of this wondrous matter, which is the re-creation of their bodies after they have disintegrated. They oppose what you say because of their intense disbelief and they make fun of what you tell them about that.' Qatadah said, "Muhammad was astounded by the mockery of the misguided ones among the sons of Adam."

وَإِذَا رَأَوْاْ ءَايَةً

(And when they see an Ayah) means, clear evidence and proof,

يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ

(they mock at it.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "They make fun of it."

وَقَالُواْ إِن هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(And they say: "This is nothing but evident magic!") means, \`this that you have brought is nothing but plain magic.'

أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَاباً وَعِظَـماً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ \- أَوَ ءَابَآؤُنَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ

(When we are dead and have become dust and bones, shall we (then) verily be resurrected And also our fathers of old) They thought that this was unlikely to happen, and they did not believe it.

قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَخِرُونَ

(Say: "Yes, and you shall then be humiliated".) means, \`tell them, O Muhammad: Yes, you will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection, after you have become dust and bones, and you will be humiliated,' i.e., put to shame before His great might. This is like the Ayat:

وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَخِرِينَ

(And all shall come to Him, humbled) (27:87), and

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ

(Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) (40:60) Then Allah says:

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ

(It will be a single Zajrah, and behold, they will be staring!) means, it will be a single command from Allah, He will call them once to come forth from the earth, then they will be standing before Him, staring at the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. And Allah knows best.


ayah_text: But you wonder, while they mock,

ayah_text_ar: بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخَرُونَ


ayah_text: And when they are reminded, they remember not.

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ لَا يَذْكُرُونَ


ayah_text: And when they see a sign, they ridicule

ayah_text_ar: وَإِذَا رَأَوْا۟ ءَايَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ


ayah_text: And say, "This is not but obvious magic.

ayah_text_ar: وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ


ayah_text: When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?

ayah_text_ar: أَءِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَـٰمًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ


ayah_text: And our forefathers as well?"

ayah_text_ar: أَوَءَابَآؤُنَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ


ayah_text: Say, "Yes, and you will be rendered contemptible."

ayah_text_ar: قُلْ نَعَمْ وَأَنتُمْ دَٰخِرُونَ


ayah_text: It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing.

ayah_text_ar: فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَٰحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ


ayah_text: They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense."

ayah_text_ar: وَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَا هَـٰذَا يَوْمُ ٱلدِّينِ

ayah_tafsir:
## The Day of Recompense

Allah tells us what the disbeliever will say on the Day of Resurrection, how they will blame themselves and admit that they wronged themselves in this world. When they see the horrors of the Day of Resurrection with their own eyes, they will be filled with regret at the time when regret will not avail them anything.

وَقَالُواْ يوَيْلَنَا هَـذَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ

(They will say: "Woe to us! This is the Day of Recompense!") And the angels and the believers will say:

هَـذَا يَوْمُ الْفَصْلِ الَّذِى كُنتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ

(This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny.) This will be said to them as a rebuke and reproof. Allah will command the angels to separate the disbeliever from the believers in the place where they are standing. Allah says:

احْشُرُواْ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزْوَجَهُمْ

((It will be said to the angels:) Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions) An-Nu\`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Their companions means their counterparts, those who are like them." This was also the view of Ibn \`Abbas, Sa\`id bin Jubayr, \`Ikrimah, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Abu Salih, Abu Al-\`Aliyah and Zayd bin Aslam." Sharik said, narrating from Simak, from An-Nu\`man: "I heard \`Umar say:

احْشُرُواْ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزْوَجَهُمْ

(Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions) means, \`Those who are like them. So those who committed Zina will be gathered with others who committed Zina, those who dealt in Riba will be gathered with others who dealt in Riba, those who drank wine will be gathered with others who drank wine.' Mujahid and Sa\`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn \`Abbas:

وَأَزْوَجُهُمْ

(their companions) means "Their friends."

وَمَا كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَمِن دُونِ اللَّهِ

(and what they used to worship. Instead of Allah,) means, instead of Allah, i.e., their idols and false gods will be gathered together with them in the same place.

فَاهْدُوهُمْ إِلَى صِرَطِ الْجَحِيمِ

(and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire.) means, take them to the way to Hell. This is like the Ayah:

وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا مَّأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيرًا

(and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire) (17:97).

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَّسْئُولُونَ

(But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned.) means, stop them so that they may be questioned about the things they did and said in this world. As Ad-Dahhak said, narrating from Ibn \`Abbas, this means, \`detain them, for they are to be brought to account.' \`Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said, "I heard \`Uthman bin Za'idah say, \`The first thing about which a man will be asked is the company that he kept. Then by way of rebuke, it will be said to them:

مَا لَكُمْ لاَ تَنَـصَرُونَ

(What is the matter with you Why do you not help one another)."' meaning, \`as you claimed that you would all help one another.'

بَلْ هُمُ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ

(Nay, but that Day they shall surrender.) means, they will be subjected to the command of Allah, and they will not be able to resist it or avoid it. And Allah knows best.


ayah_text: They will be told, "This is the Day of Judgement which you used to deny."

ayah_text_ar: هَـٰذَا يَوْمُ ٱلْفَصْلِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ


ayah_text: The angels will be ordered, "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship

ayah_text_ar: ۞ ٱحْشُرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ وَأَزْوَٰجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ


ayah_text: Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire

ayah_text_ar: مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَٱهْدُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ


ayah_text: And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned."

ayah_text_ar: وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسْـُٔولُونَ


ayah_text: They will be asked, "What is wrong with you? Why do you not help each other?"

ayah_text_ar: مَا لَكُمْ لَا تَنَاصَرُونَ


ayah_text: But they, that Day, are in surrender.

ayah_text_ar: بَلْ هُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ مُسْتَسْلِمُونَ